A Walk Through My World

Resolutions

2012-01-17T21:11:00.000+05:30

I have been tagged, again... :) And I thank LAK for rousing me out of my stupor. I'm guessing life routinely takes me away from some of my favorite things to do, blogging included. And a tag is the easiest way to break out.

Getting down to the tag itself:

1. Given that I ran the Mumbai Half-Marathon for the second year in a row, again without practice, my resolution continues to be to run regularly through the year so that not only does my overall fitness level gets taken care of but also that I'm better prepared next time round.

2. The second and much more ambitious one is to try and make sure I am not walked over again professionally. Have had enough of being taken for granted, it is one thing being nice to everyone and being told you have "good interpersonal skills" and another to always be the fall guy.

Having said this, these are but resolutions. Hope we all have the courage and perseverance it takes to stick to them.

My blog being largely inactive for the last 12 months or so, I don't think it would make too much sense to tag anyone but anyone who reads this is welcome to take it up. The tag is basically to make known 2 such resolutions that you may have always had every year but never live with. So, happy 2012 everyone and may this be one of the best yet!

The Circle - part 2

2011-04-27T10:41:00.000+05:30

Rajni quickly made 2 chapatis for Raju who devoured them and then fell into a dreamless sleep. By then, she had made more chapatis for her girls and kept them in a metal container by the fireside. The sun was rising as she tidied herself up the best she could and made her way to the first house where she went everyday to do the top work (sweeping, cleaning and washing soiled utensils).

She was a very hard-working by nature and her present circumstances had nothing to do with it. Her up-bringing was in a poor family living in the interiors of rural Tamil Nadu and she was used to an early start and hard labour in the sun. Her family though not well off had been self sufficient enough to not lack for anything. A very bad drought had rudely brought them down and left them on the proverbial streets. By then, Rajni was already married and her husband, though a gem of a person was not born with a silver spoon himself. His contracting throat cancer due to constant chewing of tobacco and his death soon after saw Rajni bereft and in town looking for work to support herself and 3 kids.

Rajni reach the first of the 3 houses she worked at 7 am sharp. The owners were a young married couple with a 4-year old kid, both of whom worked in multi-national companies. They’re mornings were a blur as they rushed about the house getting ready to first drop their kid at the crèche and then get to work on to time to start off another power-packed day.

As usual, Rajni went about her work with the practiced efficiency she carried wherever she worked. Today she was in a very good mood with the unexpected windfall in her family fortunes and was humming as she started swabbing the floor. She could hear the man of the house as he shaved with his electric razor while his wife finished her shower. She had just about finished the master bedroom when she noticed that Piya, the 4-year old who was usually fast asleep was not in her bed. She looked around wildly and saw that the French windows leading to the balcony were wide open.

Startled, Rajni ran to the balcony and saw that Piya had climbed on to the balcony railing and was straining to look at the pigeon which had alighted on the sewage pipe leading downwards. Another inch and……. Rajni leapt at that very instant and held on to Piya’s pajama top just when she was tipping over the edge. Her grasp tightened then and both Piya and Rajni collapsed onto the balcony floor shivering with fright. By then Piya was bawling and hanging onto Rajni’s neck.

Both Shyam and Sunita came rushing to the spot hearing their daughter’s wails. They gauged the situation in an instant and while Shyam took Piya into his arms, Sunita held a hand out to Rajni to help her up. No words were needed at the moment. The situation was amply clear and the look of gratitude that reflected in Sunita’s eyes was not lost on Rajni.

While Shyam tended to their daughter and got her ready, Sunita started to give Rajni money in return for her deed but she declined. “I have children too, memsaab. I know how I would feel if something had happened to my Raju.” Both mothers had tears in their eyes but these were of happiness.

Rajni soon left for her next place of work and Sunita told Shyam she had decided to sponsor at least one of Rajni’s children’s education for life. That was after all the least she could do...

To be continued....

The Circle

2011-04-14T10:03:00.000+05:30

It was a dark night. With a strong drizzle that threatened to transform into a heavy shower – one that characterizes Mumbai every July now. Sumant sighed and stepped out into the rain pulling his wind cheater tighter around him knowing that it was futile and that he was going to be drenched by the time he got home.

The worst part was that his home was so close to office that no rickshawalla would agree to go there. As Sumant walked along the deserted sidewalk, his thoughts were all on what happened at work today. While he always knew his boss, Priya did not like him, he had not realized how deep the dislike ran. He wondered how it had come to this and also what he had actually done to bring about this rift.

The previous 2 months had not been good for him professionally with 2 of his plum orders going to their competitor. While neither Priya nor he knew how this had happened, the entire thing had created a major misunderstanding between them with blame being traded from both sides. Now today, Sumant had learnt that he had lost yet another client to the same competitor. This was the last straw!

Tomorrow, as he well knew, Priya would surely have a so called “we need to talk” kind of meeting with him. For all he knew, he might as well start looking out for a new job. Things couldn’t possibly be worse!

In his reverie, Sumant hadn’t realized he had forgotten to take a left turn off the main road. Cursing, he was about to turn back when he saw a light burning ahead. He knew it came from a small chai shop which served piping hot tea all night long. Suddenly, a nice cup of tea seemed like a good idea as he was anyway close to the stall.

He quickly walked the remaining few yards and ducked under the low shanty roof. He had barely sat himself down on the rough wooden bench when he felt a small hand take his and tug on it. Sumant looked down to see a small boy, maybe 6 years old, wearing a tattered old school shirt 2 sizes too big for him and dark shorts. In response to Sumant’s raised brow, the boy pointed to the big oil lamp kept on the bench at the opposite side. Perplexed, Sumant looked at the tea stall owner for an explanation and that’s when he realized that the little boy was only asking him to sit closer to the lamp so he could warm himself.

He slowly crossed over and sat down cupping the hot cup of chai in his palms. Taking his first sip, he looked at the boy again and saw that he was still staring at him in an amused manner. Something gave way and Sumant felt his lips finally crack into a smile not being able to resist the boy’s enthusiasm. That’s when the tea stall owner told him, the little boy was deaf and dumb.

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The little boy was called Raju by whoever knew him. They knew he lived in a hovel somewhere off the main road where the tea stall was but no one knew where exactly. He appeared at the tea stall everyday without fail and assisted customers to find a place to sit, cleaned used glasses and ran small errands. For his efforts, the tea stall owner paid him twenty to thirty rupees depending on the day’s business.

It was now 4 am and the rain had abated a little. Raju left the tea stall and skipped his way home. His “home” was in an abandoned construction site amidst decaying piles of bricks and dripping half built pillars. He lived with his mother and 2 sisters and they had made their home in one corner of this huge derelict. He reached home and saw his sisters fast asleep covered by the one tattered quilt they used. They were very protective about him, as he was the youngest. They spent most of the evening and night winding fresh flowers they bought from the wholesale market into small garlands which they sold to the flower stall at a nearby temple and were tired out as usual.

He saw a glow emanating from somewhere behind them and knew his mother must be heating a small pot of water over the fire she had built painstakingly using bits or paper and some dried twigs that was scattered over the site.

Raju entered and went straight to his amma, as he thought of her. Amma looked up and saw her little son dripping from the rain. She pulled him into the warm circle created by the little flames she had managed to generate and used her saree pallu to try and wipe his locks dry.

Right about now would be the time that he would put his hand into his pocket and give her the little money the tea stall owner gave him with a small face, knowing that it wouldn’t make too much difference to their day. Here he was delving into his pocket for the two or three notes he would hand over to her and here his hand came out with a………a hundred rupee note accompanied by three ten rupee notes??!!

She looked at Raju and she now noticed the difference – today his features were lit by a brilliant and happy smile.

To be continued...

What Then?

2011-04-11T13:06:00.000+05:30

It was 2:15 pm and he finally decided to get some lunch. It was a departure from his usual routine – he almost always carried food from home unless there were advance plans made to have lunch out of office.

Last night, for some reason, he did not feel like it and so told the maid to not pack lunch for him and that he would eat out. But now, lunchtime was already past and he was still not feeling too hungry. But he had to eat so here he was walking towards the elevators.

Just below his office building was a sidewalk lining the main express highway which passed through his city and ever since these office buildings had come up, this sidewalk was crammed with small eateries selling all the possible street food you could think of. Sandwiches, scrambled eggs, road-side Chinese food, South Indian snacks, butter-milk, fresh fruit juices, coconut water, tea – you name it and it was available in some shape or form!

When he stepped out of the building, he was hit by a blast of hot air just like it would be in a furnace. It must be close to 40 degrees, he thought, and loosened his tie. To top that up the length of the sidewalk on the highway side was being dug up for laying some underground cables and this was adding to the discomfort in terms of fine dust layering every possible surface and every breath people took.

He walked carefully, picking his way amidst the big and small rubble lying all around and climbed onto the sidewalk heading towards the sandwich stall he usually patronized, if ever. When he reached it, he realized that was hardly any place to stand, seeing that the stall itself covered most of the available space and the huge mound of dug up earth and stones blocked his way on the other side.

He ordered his sandwich and stood to a side while it was being made looking at the work going on. The other side of the piled up earth was taken up by an enormous pit, in which huge black metal pipes had been laid. His sandwich was now ready and after layering it with ketchup, he settled back to eat it. That’s when he noticed them.

The labourers who were digging out the mud and stones from the pit had also taken their break to eat lunch and were sitting on top of the mud pile they had made. From where he was standing he could see a father, mother and 3 kids, none of who was above 5 years. They were eating a little rice and some daal that was kept in an old newspaper. The couple had made 2 small piles of rice, one for themselves and one for the kids and they were partaking of it together.

He saw that both parents were covered with dust and sweat was falling off their brow in constant streams. Their meal hardly took any time and the parents immediately lay down on a small length of cloth for a brief siesta before their next back-breaking session.

The 3 kids were now left to their own devices and the oldest and the next oldest, both boys started playing in the mud with a piece of string. The youngest was a girl, not older than three years old. All of them were wearing clothes a little too small for them and those too were torn and frayed. The baby girl was caked in wet mud all over and had snot running down her nose. She continued to roll in the mud and as he watched, the oldest kid deftly reached out clutched her little ankle preventing her fall on top of the pipe in the pit.

The scene hit him hard; he was father to a 2-year old girl himself and he knew very well the emotions that go through a parent regarding the well being of their own flesh and blood. He and his loving wife had sit through nights when their little one had high fever feeling helpless about not being able to do anything to bring down the temperature in spite of being so well to do. He had gut-wrenching experiences when she fell on her knees in her constant quest to explore the world around and reach places where she was not supposed to be.

He had just seen how these hard working labourers had fed their three children and even then were hard up to make sure that it was a satisfying meal. They didn’t even know where their next meal would be coming from – their parents were day-wage workers and lived from day to day though they were honest and resourceful. But he could see the expressions of these children surrounded by the mud and squalor; they were peaceful faces, faces which retained a winning smile along with everything, in spite of everything.

Again he was overcome with the same helpless feeling when he looked at the baby girl on the heap of mud with her two older brothers forming a protective circle around her even as they played. Looking away, he ordered for a bunch of sandwiches to be packed up. Paying for them and taking the plastic carry bag with the sandwiches, he climbed up the mound where the parents lay in the deep slumber of the exhausted. He gently placed the bag next to them. Then he dipped into his wallet and found three hundred rupee notes, which was all he had at that point, folded them and tucked them into the bag. He knew that the oldest boy had noticed and he gestured to him to make sure the bag was safe.

He quickly walked away towards the office building but couldn’t resist looking back one last time. His last view was of the three children sitting together and smiling at something the little one had done. He might have made that one day for that family. But what then……..?????????

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What can we do to alleviate the situation for thousands of such families who are essentially honest, hard-working but are nomadic in nature and live on day-to-day labour as and when they get some work. One time help rendered by the protaganist above may serve to bring about a brief respite for these people as also reduce the guilt people like us might feel when we witness such moments - but in the long run, is but a drop in the ocean.

Books I own, but have not read.....

2011-04-01T17:57:00.005+05:30

Not a very impressive way of reviving my blog, I must admit. But at the same time, cataloguing the books I own has been such an enjoyable activity that I couldn't resist this!

I've always thought myself to be a very avid reader (in fact, I still think that) but I just realized that I'm just as avid a book collector. I just cannot enter a bookstore and leave without having loosened my purse strings just that little bit. This has made me very wary of being in the vicinity of one off late considering that my financial status post doing up my home has sadly dwindled. S and me often dream of that day when we both can just enter Crossword or Landmark or and pick up books we want to without even thinking of their prices. Sigh.......

Anyway, coming back to the matter I am writing this post for, my finished catalog tells me that I own at least 93 books which I have not yet read!!! 93!! Can you beat that? Am not very happy about it but at least now I have a defined "to read" list.

Yes, you got that right - if you have managed to read this post till this point, you are going to be subjected to going through the list of 93 books that Sachin owns but has not yet read. So here goes:

The Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Adams, Douglas

The Eleventh Commandment by Archer, Jeffrey

Paths of Glory by Archer, Jeffrey

The Mammoth Book of Dickensian Whodunits by Ashley, Mike

The Mammoth Book of Fantasy by Ashley, Mike

Jonathon Livingston Seagull by Bach, Richard

Split Second by Baldacci, David

The Slayer of Kamsa by Banker, Ashok

The Japanese Wife by Basu, Kunal

The 3 Mistakes of my Life by Bhagat, Chetan

If I am Assassinated by Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali

The Best of Ruskin Bond by Bond, Ruskin

Carpet Sahib by Booth, Martin

Mirror Image by Brown, Sandra

Command the Morning by Buck, Pearl S.

The Power of Creative Intelligence by Buzan, Tony

How to Mind Map by Buzan, Tony

Witness for the Prosecution & Selected Plays by Christie, Agatha

The Mirror crack'd from Side to Side by Christie, Agatha

Partners in Crime by Christie, Agatha

I'll Be Seeing You by Clark, Mary Higgins

No Place Like Home by Clark, Mary Higgins

The Darkest Fear by Cohen, Harlan

The Second Jim Corbett Omnibus by Corbett, Jim

Postmortem by Cornwell, Patricia

Cause of Death by Cornwell, Patricia

Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper - Case Closed by Cornwell, Patricia

Gorky Park + Nightwing by Cruz, Martin Smith

The Best of Roald Dahl by Dahl, Roald

The Snow Leopard Adventure by Dalal, Deepak

Great Expectations by Dickens, Charles

Other Challenger Stories by Doyle, Arthur Conan

The Maracott Deep by Doyle, Arthur Conan

Mill on the Floss by Eliot, George

Banker by Francis, Dick

The Diary of a Young Girl by Frank, Anne

The Case of the Careless Kitten by Gardner, Erle Stanley

Blink by Gladwell, Malcolm

Lord of the Flies by Golding, William

Stone of Tears by Goodkind, Terry

Blood of the Fold by Goodkind, Terry

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus by Gray, John

Classic Mystery Stories by Greene

Shyam (in Marathi) by Guruji, Sane

A Spot of Bother by Haddon, Mark

King Solomon's Mines by Haggard, H. Rider

Airport by Hailey, Arthur

A Second Chance at Eden by Hamilton, Peter F.

Hannibal by Harris, Thomas

Catch 22 by Heller, Joseph

The Dash to Khartoum by Henry, G A

Most Wanted - The First Line Up by Hitchcock, Alfred

It by King, Stephen

Duma Key by King, Stephen

Indian Stories by Kipling, Rudyard

Oh Shit Not Again by Kokate, Mandar

The Prophecy by Kuzneski, Chris

The Arraignment by Martini, Steve

The Best Short Stories by Maupassant, Guy de

Twilight by Meyer, Stephanie

Caribbean by Michener, James

Hawaii by Michener, James

Lore & Legends of Kerala by Narayanan, T C

An Outline of American History by Olson, Prof. Keith W.

Jaya, an illustrated reading of the Mahabharata by Pattanaik, Devadutta

The Complete Short Stories of Edgar Allan Poe by Poe, Edgar Allan

Fools Die by Puzo, Mario

The New Army by Ranjan, Rajiva

Shriman Yogi (in Marathi) by Ranjit Desai

The Complete Adventures of Feluda by Ray, Satyajit

Midnight's Children by Rushdie, Salman

A Situation in New Delhi by Sahgal, Nayantara

Hauntings by Samanta, Suchitra

The Rozabal Line by Sanghi, Ashwin

The Last Song of Dusk by Sanghvi, Siddharth Dhanvant

Shivaji and his Times by Sarkar, Jadunath

FIELD by Sathe, Rajiv & Shenoy, Vinayak

Airport 77 by Scheff, Michael & Spector, David

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by Shakespeare, William

Gold Mine + Monsoon by Smith, Wilbur

The Amulet of Samarkand by Stroud, Jonathon

Golem's Eye by Stroud, Jonathon

Ptolemy's Gate by Stroud, Jonathon

ET Traveller - 101 best holidays this season by Timesgroup

Unfinished Tales by Tolkien, JRR

Sigurd & Gudrun by Tolkien, JRR

Great Sea Stories by Various Authors

Great Short Stories by Various Authors

The Mysterious Island by Verne, Jules

Conversations with God - Book 1 by Walsch, Neale Donald

Conversations with God - Book 2 by Walsch, Neale Donald

Pappillon by Charriere, Henri

Yes, before anybody tells me, I do know that this is a completely assorted set of tomes and there is no real reason I've not read them. Enough said - hopefully next time I'll be able to post a few reviews of some of the better ones amongst these. I am back! :)

P.S. Just so you know, currently am reading "Unfinished Tales" by JRR Tolkien....

Isi Life Mein - Youth is calling!

2010-11-17T13:27:00.001+05:30

Youth is defined by Wikipedia as the “time of life between childhood and adulthood (maturity)". To my mind, this definition is a very loose one and youth means a lot more. Youth is not an indicator of just the age; it is a state of mind. It denotes an entire way of life and one that is not obstructed by pre-ordained or old notions.

Robert Kennedy said “This world demands the qualities of youth: not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the life of ease.” That to me defines precisely what the youth of today stand for.

Coming to the big screen this December is the latest offering from the Rajshri stables, “Isi Life Mein”. Without spoiling any surprises and giving out the story, let me just say that the movie promises to exude youthfulness in all its glory.

The title of the movie screams it out loud and clear: Most of us have just this one life (if we’re lucky, that is) and we have to make the most of it within our allotted life span.

Whether we accept it or not, most of us have that one dream – this dream could be anything, be it going to space, becoming a scientist, a world renowned musician etc. And these dreams get created since the time the coils in our minds get well oiled to life on earth. The majority manage to get through their lives and let their dreams drown in the routine of “growing up” (akin to the poor pickles in a dinner plate being heaped with the other and more happening buffet items) and get into the usual rut of what society feels is the way to be (quote unquote). And then there are those very select few who live with a single minded objective of achieving what they want – it is for such people that Rhonda Brynes “Secret” holds true; the universe conspires to help them get where they want to be.

“Isi Life Mein” is a reminder of what the youth of today stand for; they have a dream and they go for it with all they have. Along the pathway to glory, there are many words going against them, mostly from well meaning but ill informed sources in the form of parents, elders and well wishers. The trick is to be able to separate the grain from the chaff and that is what our youngsters are best at. You can count on them to be able to find the best solutions to all their problems as long as the proper means are visible.

At the same time, the Indianness element is very strongly ingrained in our youth and you would see that in spite of setting out to achieve what they want to, tradition and culture still figure on their list of “In” things.

Another moot point is that it takes one to know one. Its amazing how two people who have disparate aims in life can act as catalysts to each other and just by sheer dint of being there when it counts, can help the other succeed. The best part is that they don’t even need to share similarities in terms of background, upbringing or caste and creed. It’s the common resolve of wanting to get some place (not figuratively) that binds them on common ground.

Youth movies have been done to death, some good, some bad and some ugly. What differs is the treatment of the topic and this time round, Rajshri showcases something different. “Isi Life Mein” has 2 young people making their debut with a young woman at the director’s helm. With such a strong youth quotient in play and given the track record of young director’s in the recent past, this one should be a must-watch for all those new age movie viewers with a discerning eye. I have a feeling Robert Kennedy would have watched this one and said, “This is EXACTLY what I meant!!” So go watch this one and celebrate the determination of our youth – Dec 24th is the date and I will definitely be out there in line with many others. Cast and crew of ILM, good luck & best wishes!

Independence?

2010-08-15T16:17:00.000+05:30

63 years of independence and we are still craving for real freedom.

Let's make this year the year when we take steps to be able to call ourselves truly free.

Our country is poised on the brink of destiny; there are a million things we have going for us in all spheres of life. Likewise there are quite a few deterrants which, if we let them, can pull us back into the abyss.

As always, its all upto us! We, the people. We have to make that one choice. So make it now and make it count.

While not a perfect analogy, a few lines from a song in "Taare Zameen Par" come to mind:

Khul gaya aasmaan ka rasta dekho khul gaya
Mil gaya kho gaya tha jo sitara mil gaya

Roshan hui saari zameen
Jagmag hua saara jahaan
Oh udne ko tu aazad hai
bandhan koi ab hai kahan...

That says it for me. Here's to independence. Jai Hind!
Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone Essar

You make my day....

2010-08-08T18:50:00.001+05:30

You make my day….

You make my day when I see you give me a loving look – one that only I understand…

You make my day when I see you laugh aloud at something I’ve said and you’ve found funny…

You make my day when you tell me that I’m looking good….You make my day when you tell me that you are hungry or you want to eat something specific and when I’m able to get it for you….in fact you make my day even when you just tell me you’re hungry…

You make my day when you send me even a single line sms….You make my day when you look deep into my eyes and all I can see is love and affection….

You make my day when you get me something useful when I’m least expecting it…

You make my day when you are so concerned about my well being….

You make my day when you share normal everyday events of your day with me…..

You make my day when you remember words we’ve exchanged or moments we’ve shared and happily remind me of them….

You make my day when you just simply hold my hand in yours…..

You make my day when you behave like a child who wants to be pampered….also when you pamper me sometimes….

You make my day when you ask me to help you with little things that you find it tough to do….

You make my day when I see you bond with my close friends and make them your own too….

My day is made when we share small things that give us joy, a good book or movie, a game, discussions about our friends and loved ones, or simply appreciate something beautiful...

My day is made when I see the divine little being that is lil S….just knowing she will forever be a part of us…

I could go on and on but even the few things I’ve listed here are enough to make every day of my life so worth it…..

Please keep making my day…..just by being you…..

Happy Birthday, Sherry!

2009-02-26T16:50:00.000+05:30

Happy Birthday Sherry!!!

Two days back you completed one glorious month on planet Earth. While you might not have realized it yet, you have changed both Mommy's and Daddy's life in more ways that you could ever imagine. Now, it is very difficult to imagine what we were like before you came. Life has turned a full circle and we are so thankful to have you with us.

Your first month has been filled with special moments, moments that we keep trying to capture forever. While we were partly successful there are many such moments that will live on in our memories always. I never thought I could spend hours looking at someone sleep and still not get bored and in fact, that it would be such a treat to watch. I have sat for those hours watching those tiny flickers of expressions on your beautiful face, yet so innocent and untouched. You smile, you cry, you pucker your lips, you stretch like a tiny cat, you go all red from the effort of stretching, you wipe your face, you frown, you arch your eyebrows..... these are just a few of the many other things you do when you sleep, all of these get transposed on my mind to be retained forever.

Many people over the centuries have waxed about the pleasures of being a father or parent. I've read about the feeling in so many different places myself. But I could have never imagined the profound emotions that run through me when I hold you in my arms. You feel so fragile, delicate and pretty that I am scared I might inadvertently hurt you. Affection that I never knew existed within me flows through just for you. I know that these moments will never come back again and what we are sharing now is something special, a bond that will never go away.

You have brought so much joy to us all, including your grandparents (both sets of them), your chacha and your maasi. It is both so funny and endearing to see them all watch you with the same moony expression. In a way, you have strengthened the love that always existed between all of us. Thank you for that, baby!

Am looking forward to the years to come which I am sure will be made special by you in one way or the other. Cheers to that!!!

Love,
Daddy

What does it take to be nice?

2009-02-26T16:32:00.000+05:30

What does it take to be nice? Is it really that difficult to be nice to others? Why are there so many around us who behave as if to be nice to someone takes a lot out of them. Being made by the same Maker, I would have thought all of us would be blessed with the ability to bring a smile to a fellow being. But no, whereever you go, you end up getting stressed, irritated, peeved, angered, aggravated and hostile - and all of this due to how other people treat you.

Let me try and ask some questions as to what it would take for someone to be "nice" in certain situations:
1. What does it take to smile and say "thank you" to the rickshaw / taxi driver who drops you to where you want to go? Agreed, you have paid him his due fare but even then, what does a smile cost you?

2. What does it take to get up and offer your seat to a senior citizen / a lady whose expecting or lady with too many bags / a small child in a crowded bus or train when you yourself might be better off than them?

3. What does it take it stop your vehicle for a moment and allow people trying to get across a busy intersection on foot to cross over?

4. How much would it cost for you to hold the door open for the person coming right behind you while entering any place especially when you know the door is going to abruptly swing back after you have passed through?

5. Is it really difficult to not reach negatively after certain people say something not so nice about someone behind their backs and instead clarify the issue out with the individual in question?

6. How tough would it be for you to own up to something you were responsible for rather than passing the blame on to someone who was not even aware of the situation?

7. Would it be very difficult for you to offer your help to someone who was trying to do something you are very good at and they are not at all able to do it?

8. Can you graciously accept a compliment from someone you barely know without first suspecting that person about wanting something from you?

9. How difficult would it be for you to not snap at your loved ones, especially your parents / siblings / spouse when it is YOU who is tired and they ask you something without realizing that you may not be in the mood to answer them then?

10. If someone got something you coveted and did not get, would you be able to feel genuine happiness for that person, especially if they are friends of yours?

11. When was the last time you helped someone without expecting anything back and felt all the better for it?

Am not asking anyone to answer these questions in public. We are all adults and can think like adults. Only thing is some of us either forget it or choose to overlook it sometimes. Its not very evident in day-to-day life but the person who can honestly do all of the above is a much happier person.

Would love to hear your opinions because frankly, one does not see too much of niceness (I know this is not a word but I guess you know what I'm trying to say) these days!!

A Tag off the beaten track!

2009-02-01T19:40:00.002+05:30

With the big event in my life recently, I've been caught up in a whirlwind of emotions. I have been dealing with them the best I can. Thanks to all those congratulatory messages and I completely agree that having a daughter is pure indescribable JOY!!! Oh, to watch her face when she's sleeping and see the tiny shifts of expressions!!! :-)))))) I could go on forever about that but for now, I thought I'd take a breather and post this rather interesting tag I picked up from Pixie's post!

This is a very different tag and makes for a multitude of mirrors in which one can see themselves for what they are. You, my dear readers have to express the answers to the questions below (obviously, the questions are about me) in my comments space. I'd love nothing but the honest truth. Even if it does not make me happy.

Here are the questions:

1. Who are you?

2. Are we friends?

3. Something I have and YOU want?

4. Give me a nickname and explain why you picked it.

5. Describe me in one word.

6. What was your first impression of me?

7. Do you still think that way about me now?

8. What reminds you of me?

9. If you could give me anything what would it be?

10. How well do you know me?

11. How do you see me in the future?

12. Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't

13. Are you going to post this in your blog and see what I say about you?

So let the answers flow!

The Second Woman in my life!!!!!!

2009-01-24T21:53:00.002+05:30

Shocking but true! Am not the kind to mince words. I say it as it is. So if I say there is a second woman in my life, I mean it!

Ok, ok, I can't hold it back anymore! This mystery woman is none other than my cute little 2.65 kg bundle of joy who made her presence felt in this world at exactly 3:57 pm!!! And yes, while I am still not expressing it and shouting it from the rooftops, I am ecstatic with pure unadulaterated joy!! :-)

I can't express the feeling when I cradled the tiny helpless little being in my arms for the very first time! I had a lump in my throat when I saw those perfectly formed contours - the eyes, the pursed lips, the fingers and well everything.

So there it is, out in the open, my "other" woman! Cheers!!!

Another Award

2009-01-11T21:45:00.003+05:30

Thanks Pixie for bestowing "The Butterfly Award" on me! :-) Though I really don't know how "cool" my blog is!

The rules for this are:

1. Put the logo on your blog

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate 10 other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

So here goes:
1. Shruthi

2. Kavita

3. Lak

4. Galadriel

5. Lemonade

6. Uber-T

Above are 6 of the coolest I know, be it blog or person. And of course Pixie, you too! So, come and pick up your awards. :)

Hello 2009!

2009-01-01T13:59:00.001+05:30

Another year flashes by! Changes the lives of countless human beings, some for the better and some for the worse. And still times passes by - inexorably.

And it is our lot as human beings to make what we can out of it.

Enough of thinking and rationalizing. Enough of contemplating over what has been. Enough of new year resolutions that are broken within the first month of the year.

Its time to look ahead. Time to make a fresh start. Time to make our presence felt. Time to bring a smile onto the faces of those who haven't seen those many.

Simple things, small efforts. That's all it will take from so called "thinking" individuals like us. But the results will be there for everyone to see. A smile passing from one face to another. Travelling a whole sea of people - a literal revolution of happiness. That's my buzz word for 2009. A smile for everyone.

Happy New Year to all. May this year bring peace, love and happiness to all of you. Keep smiling. :) there I've started it. I feel better for it now. :)

My 1st Blogger Awards!

2008-12-26T14:20:00.005+05:30

I have been reading blogs for almost 4 years now and I used to keep seeing some exceptional blogs being awarded blogger awards for best layout, best content etc.

And it made me wonder if someone would ever think me good enough to give me an award in any category at all. Pixie has been kind enough to pass on 2 awards to me:

And,

While this may seem funny, but it sure is a tough thing to live up to reputations and a reputation (good or bad) is one thing you do build when you maintain a blog with any kind of readership (in my case, a miniscule but precious one!). So all I can say is that I'll do my best to be more active on here. I've suddenly realized what a powerful medium this of getting my thoughts across and inviting thoughts from others.

And of course I want to pass this award on to a few bloggers I think deserve these and many more:

Shruthi (I really don't need to say why, her blog says it all)
Galadriel (hers is a extremely thoughtful blog)
Lemonade (I was never as articulate when I was her age)
Pixie (just for giving me the awards - lol, am joking, she has a amazing way of using the most simple language of getting her points across with force)
Uber-T (extremely clued in guy - his posts are really classy; be it technology or general, I like the way his opinion seems to carry a lot of weight)

Compliments of the season to all! :-)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T09:03:00.000+05:30

When I was out for my usual morning walk today, I saw the usual Christmas stars and festoons all around my colony. That is certainly not a surprise seeing the colony I stay in has pre-dominantly people of the Christian faith.

While I continued my walk / jog, my mind flew back to the days when I was in school. Mine was a convent school and for boys only at that. Christmas was a big deal in the school and since the Christmas vacation was usually given from Dec 24th to Jan 1st, the Christmas celebration was held either on the 23rd or the last school day prior to the 24th.

I remember that day with fond memories. We all used to wait for that day with bated breath. It did not matter that my school comprised of as many non Catholics as Catholics. The spirit of the day got to us all in equal measure.

The day used to start with a couple of periods which noone really minded as we all knew what was to follow. At around 9 am there would be an announcement on the PA system asking us to assemble in the school's open air auditorium at sharp 9.20. Before we left the class however, we were given a goodie bag each; this usually contained a samosa, a pattice, a Monginis Slice Cake, some sweets, a Mango Frooti tetrapack and a small Christmas present.simple stuff but we still loved it - goes to show that even then we appreciated the spirit of the occassion. Lugging this bag and / or munching on the snacks, we would file into the auditorium with our class teachers making sure we behaved ourselves.

In the audi, which was really open air with a big covered stage at one end, we would be seated on rugs on the ground itself. On such days, the lucky ones were those whose classes were led out first and so got the front rows. In about 5 mins time, when all of us were settled, the curtain would go up. The first item on the agenda was always the principal's address. It was always based on some element of Christmas be it goodness, piety, kindness etc. He sure held our attention for those 15 to 20 mins!

The speech was followed by the traditional Cristmas play depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. All the works were there, cows, goats, sheep, donkeys, the 3 wise men, some people of different nationalities etc etc. All the props used in the play were made by the students themselves.

An interesting (I hope) aside: yours truly made his stage debut (and exit as well) in one of these productions when in the 6th standard. This role of a lifetime had me essay the character of a donkey, yes you read right, in the play. The specifics of the part required me wear this huge face fask (again, made by me at home and yes, it did look like a donkey's face), kneel on all fours in the manger, next to Christ's crib along with a cow, a sheep and some goats and sway my head from left to right throughout the duration of the play. To top it all, I actually enjoyed myself though my knees were sore at the end of it. :)

In any case, the play was always well received and was the highlight of the morning. We watched the same sequence every year but never got tired of it. It was always a joy to watch Christ come into the world.

Post the play, there would be some musical performances by some gifted pupils. I particularly remember a tabla performance by one of my batchmates as being exceptionally brilliant! Usually after these, the principal and the headmistress would would wish us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year signifying the end of the day and the start of the vacation. And we would rush home to spread the cheer.

Nothing extravagant but even then it filled our young hearts with joy. I guess it is that very same joy which persists in my heart even today. That very same joy which still warms my being every Christmas, that makes Christmas special! Merry Christmas! Peace and love be with you!

Motherhood?

2008-12-18T23:16:00.004+05:30

Over the years, I have seen quite a few couples arguing about who has it easier - a man or a woman. Both have their own views about the matter and there argument never ends.

Off late, I've realized that there is yet another angle to this story. Something a guy can only ever imagine but never really be a part of (unless he goes way out to make it happen). Motherhood! The actual experience of carrying a real living being inside your body for 9 months.

Off late, I've started wondering what it would feel like to feel those little movements within yourself - movements not controlled or made by you. Movements that keep reminding you that you are never really alone. There is someone with you who depends entirely on you. Someone who is created completely from you and yet completely separate from you. Someone living, someone who in about a year's time would have a distinct identity in our world, who would leave his or her mark wherever they go.

We, as men, can only be part of this life altering experience second hand. Maybe feel the movements by placing a gentle hand against our wives' womb. But we can never get that feeling of astonishment, glee, exhilaration, warmth and the bond of privacy that a mother can with her unborn child. It is something we can imagine, maybe yearn for but never achieve. Unless, as I've pointed out before, you go the way where maybe only one man has gone before (we read recently about a gay guy pregnant for the second time). And that is something which is open for speculation - as to how many men, given the opportunity would even want to think of doing something of that kind.

This post is dedicated to all those women who have or will give birth! I at least, think you're privileged.

Recent Acquisitions

2008-12-18T22:38:00.002+05:30

The latest from J. K. Rowling's stable - The Tales of Beedle The Bard
Free with the above - Magnificient Beasts & Where To Find Them (this is an abridged version of the text book with the same name prescribed at Hogwarts for Care of Magical Creatures class)
A Suitable Boy - by Vikram Seth
All 3 books in the Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud viz. The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye & Ptolemy's Gate
Lashkar - by Mukul Deva
Duma Key - by Stephen King

Am sure there are some more that I'm missing out now seeing am awfully sleepy! So many books to read and so little time... sigh! :-)

A city under ransom!

2008-11-27T20:36:00.001+05:30

Anguish! Horror! Anger! Sadness! Impotence! Sorrow!

All these feelings and more. Once more, terror has jolted us out of our existence and made its presence felt. A miniscule group of heavily armed militants are holding a city of more than 3 million to ransom.

No one knows to what end. Television channels keep reporting about 100 people held hostage at the Taj and Trident hotels. But what about the families of those inside. What of the lakhs of Mumbaikars as also the countless Indians who are so affected by this? All of our lives are at a standstill until this issue goes to its logical conclusion.

A feeling of helplessness pervades. Numbness to how close this has been.

Last night around 8.45 pm I drove from my office in Vakola to my home in Borivli passing along the Western Express Highway. Exactly 50 minutes after I'd passed the spot, a taxi exploded with a bomb of immense proportions there. The remains if one could call them remains shown on TV were so gruesome I can only imagine the intentions of the perpetrators.

About 10 months back, my previous organzation had organized its annual sales convention on board the Superstar Libra cruiseliner. We were in total a group of 1600 in number and were to board the ship from the Green Gate at Mumbai docks. Since the boarding was to happen only at 6 pm, we were in the interim all waiting in the Grand Ballroom at the very Oberoi which since yesterday has been stormed by terrorists. Likewise the Taj has been something we've always looked upto, aspired to enter someday on our own steam, a landmark of sorts.

And now this, the unbelievable but unshakeable truth about all 3 locations.

We've spent the whole day at home glued to the TV seeing the horror unfold, hoping and praying a semblance of normalcy returns. My folks are wary about my going to work even tomorrow. What kind of lives are we leading when even our day to day life is so affected on such a regular basis.

So many lives lost, so many injured and so many affected. Will all this ever end? I don't know. I guess noone really answer this for me. All I can think of is what we can do to mitigate risks as these. Is there a permenant solution? Again I don't know, but I would surely like to know what you feel about all this.

Let's hope the brave men and women battling even as I type this emerge the victors without any further losses.

I, Me, Myself

2008-10-30T14:58:00.003+05:30

I picked this one up from Anumita's blog:

I am: too naive for my liking

I think: and remember lost times and places and people long gone by

I know: when someone close is down without them needing to tell me

I want: to meet my close friends more often, wherever they may be in the world

I have: a beautiful family!

I wish: to lose more weight and get into my ideal weight range

I hate: loudmouths, liars, harsh lights while driving, insincerity and people spitting on streets

I miss: my childhood

I fear: losing my loved ones

I feel: the need to indulge more time into my hobbies

I hear: too many abuses on the roads these days

I smell: the scent of freshly brewed coffee right now

I crave: for mom's prawn curry which unfortunately I am supposed to avoid at present

I search: for happiness in all the small things of the world

I wonder: what it would have been like if I had been a doctor, as was my original ambition as a kid

I regret: about misunderstandings I have had and the angst that it created

I love: my family and everything they mean to me

I ache: when I see a wizened old lady or man begging on the street. How can we do this to them?

I care: about the words I say, lest they prove to be hurtful to someone

I am not: as outgoing as I'm made out to be

I believe: that there are good things still in the world we live in and that they are worth fighting for (quote from LOTR - The Two Towers)

I dance: with abandon not caring who's seeing me

I sing: and get breathless very fast

I cry: very easily when I'm watching touching moments either in reel or real life

I don’t always: feel like talking to the dozen

I fight: whenever I know I am right

I write: because it feels right and gives me a lot of confidence

I win: seldom but with a lot of feeling

I lose: my temper rarely

I never: take anyone for granted, and by that I mean ANYONE

I always: pray before leaving my house in the morning

I confuse: verses of popular songs while I sing them

I listen: more than I speak

I can usually be found: with a book in my hand

I am scared: when I begin anything new, be it a job, relationship or a journey

I need: to know that my efforts are making a difference

I am happy about: what life has given me till now

I imagine: how our country would have been if we did not have so many varying political factions

I tag: anyone who wants to do it - trust me, its fun!!

Things I love!

2008-10-29T11:23:00.002+05:30

The easiest way to get out of what I call "writing lethargy" is to do a list - it could be any kind of list; things you hate, memories, odd things about you, best / worst foods....anything at all. It gives you an opportunity to think and write and voila, a post is ready!

Since am still indulging myself in the Diwali atmosphere and there is a general feeling of happiness and contentment in me, this list is of things I love. Ok, I'll even admit, I got inspired seeing a similar post on Pixie's blog.

1. A baby's toothless grin;

2. Someone you care for and miss calling out of the blue;

3. Being part of a Mexican wave in a cricket match at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium;

4. The Friday before a long weekend filled with nice things to do;

5. Leaving office on a weekday evening and finding the roads mysteriously free of traffic;

6. Lying to S about my ETA home from work, beating it by a huge margin and seeing her smile;

7. Receiving a gift; even better, giving a gift; :-)

8. Playing cricket with ollllddddd building friends after ages and still experiencing the same thrill;

9. Discovering a old, much loved but forgotten book somewhere at home & reading it again;

10. The smell of freshly brewed coffee & tea;

11. Tiny little puppies, blind but very much alive!!!;

12. Going to my college campus and sitting on the same bench in the ground where we used to sit after bunking classes;

13. Sitting in the Siddhivinayak temple close to my house in the afternoons; it is so peaceful that all troubles seem to dissolve;

14. The feeling just before going on a long vacation;

15. The feeling just before reaching "home-sweet-home" after the vacation;

16. Holding S's finger while walking in our colony or even crossing the road;

17. Knowing my parents are proud of what their sons are doing;

18. Feeling the sand under my feet on a Goan beach;

19. A night of Pictionary with close friends with a lot of cheating thrown in;

20. Waking early on a holiday, waiting for the others to wake up with a good book in hand;

21. Entering the house and smell the aromas of cooking food and guessing the name of the delicacy;

22. Sitting in a train with loved ones on my way to a destination I have never been to before;

This is not a tag but its always good to read this kind of list for different people. You realize that you actually love so many more things which may not have come to the fore in your own list. So go for it and let me know when you write yours! Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali (belated) and a great year to follow!!!

Is It Worth it????

2008-10-12T19:38:00.003+05:30

"There is some good in this world.......and its worth fighting for!!!"

This is one of the closing dialogues in one of my favourite movies: The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers, spoken by Sam Gamgee to Frodo Baggins. And it never fails to touch me, however many times I hear it.

In today's world, everyday one hears mostly about terrorist acts in some place on the globe. There are everyday acts of crime taking place in broad daylight. Administration is going to the dogs. Politics is supposed to be one of the most corrupt professions in the country. And corruption has not spared any other professions too, be it sport, medicine, industry, cinema etc. Most of our cities wallow in filth, bad roads, bad infrastructure; you name it and you will find it. Rural India and in some cases urban as well is still rife with instances of dowry burnings, female infanticide, child marriages. In our metros, youngsters are going the way of rave parties, drugs, underage sex and every such vice which is considered "hip" and "cool". Citizens complain of lack of basic amenities, crowded roads & public transport, of how the government is not doing anything at all to better the situation. In short, its chaos everywhere you look.

In the midst of such times, it is so very easy to get disillusioned. Its very easy to get cynical and go with the flow. The feeling of "does it really matter what I think, what difference does it make anyway" supercedes everything else. And one more brain, one more heart falls into the trap of so-called civilization as we know it.

And even then you find a few people who do not take things at face value. People who are affected by the same issues as the rest but who have chosen to handle them differently. Are these individuals made of a different mettle than most? Do they have some special powers that help them think differently?

The answer is NO. They are the same as all of us. They are no different in any possible way you can think of. Its only that they believe in the fact that there is still a chance to make a difference, to bring about a positive change in the system. That small things go on to contribute to the larger whole. That we are still not beyond redemption. Which is where the line I started with comes in.

This is the line I get reminded of when:

1. I see a baby's toothless grin

2. A completely unknown person gives me a hand to pull me into a running train

3. Destitute children burning the midnight lamp (literally) to study after a day long job

4. A brash collegian driving a vehicle at 90 kmph stopping to allow a old lady to cross the street

5. Seeing a little girl sell flowers or some such thing at a traffic signal & still have a dazzling smile reminiscent of a Bollywood beauty.

6. The way Mumbaikar's reached out to help stranded people during the recent and not so recent catastrophes like the July 26th floods and the Mumbai serial blasts.

7. How one can always find 2-3 helping hands ready to help you push your stranded vehicle.

8. The motive for the umpteen number of individuals who have devoted their lives solely to make this world a better place to live in.

All these and many more splashes of bright colours in an otherwise drab and flawed world make it worth the effort! Because every little deed contributes to the larger good.

Let us also make an attempt to add some colour in whatever way possible. While on its own, it may not be something significant enough to be noticed by the whole world, at least within our own self we would know that it was all worth it and someplace someone would have a smile on their face! :-)

National Integration at its Yummiest!

2008-08-20T16:19:00.000+05:30

One thing most people have in common is the love for good food. Some have it in more degree and some have it in a lesser degree but it’s always there. Having said that, how many of us can actually boast of having tried delicacies from all over the length and breadth of our country? Not many, I am sure.

In any case, it would be great to know what the “must eat” dishes from different states are because if in case you do get the chance to visit sometime, you should be able to ask for those yourself.

The list below is dedicated to all those foodies who do not mind seeking out the most obscure places in order to sample the local cuisine. J For easier reference, it has been categorized state-wise.

Kashmir – Gustaba, Tabak Maz, Dum Aloo, Haak or Karam ka Saag

Punjab – Dal Makhani, Makki di Roti – Sarson da Saag, Chana – Bhatura, Amritsari Macchi and Kulcha

Chandigarh – Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Mutton Pulao

Haryana – Kachri ki Sabzi, Cholia (Green gram), Chaach – Lassi, Bajre ki Khichdi

Delhi – Chaat, Tandoori Chicken, Paranthe, Naugauri-Halwa, Chole Bhature

Rajasthan – Dal-Baati-Churma, Her-Sangari, Lal Maas Gatte, Pyaaz ki Kachori

Gujarat – Thepla, Dhokla, Khandvi, Handvo, Panki

Madhya Pradesh – Lapsi, Bafla, Bhutte ki Khees, Bhopali kababs

Maharashtra – Shrikhand, Thalipeeth, Vada Pao, Modak

Goa – Vindaloo, Xacuti, Bibinca, Prawn Balchao

Karnataka – Bisi Bele Bhaat, Kesari Bhaat, Mysore Pak, Dharwad Pedha, Chiroti

Kerala – Sadya meal, Avial, Malabar Parotha, Payasam, Irachi Stew

Tamil Nadu – Appam, Dosai, Idli, Sambhar, Rasam, Chettinad chicken, Pongal

Pondicherry – Kadugu Yerra, Vendakkai Patchaddy

Andhra Pradesh – Hyderabadi Biryani, Mirchi ka Salan, Ghongura Pickle, Korikoora

Chattisgarh – Bafauri (a sweet made with chana dal), Kusli (a sweet made with flour and semolina), Red Ant chutney

Orissa – Fish Orly, Khirmohan, Rasabali, Chhenapodapitha

West Bengal – Bhapa Illish, Rosogulla, Mishti Doi

Himachal Pradesh – Sidu, Aktori and Dham (a vegetarian mid-day meal cooked by Boti Brahmins)

Uttarakhand – Aloo ke Gutke, Kaapa, Jhangora (millets) ki Kheer, Chainsoo

Uttar Pradesh – Kababs, Biryanis, Bedmi Aloo Kachori, Halwa, Benarasi Chaat

Jharkhand – Thekua, Pittha, Marua-ka-Roti

Bihar – Litti (baked balls of wheat), Sattu (ground gram), Khaja, Khubi ka Lai, Anarasa, Tilkut

Sikkim – Momos, Thukpa, Gundruk, Phagshapa and Sael Roti

Manipur – Iromba, Kabok, Chakkouba

Nagaland – Momos, Rice Beer and Cherry Wine

Assam – Maasor Tenga, Pitha

Arunachal Pradesh – Apong (local beer)

Meghalaya – Jadoh, kyat (local beer)

Tripura – Chakhwi, Mwkhwi, Muitri

Mizoram – Zu (a special tea)

I know some of the names do not mean anything right now but am sure enthusiasts would take the trouble to find out what each means.

Disclaimer: This data was NOT painstakingly compiled by yours truly. This was sent to me by someone who knows me well. :)

7 Things I Abhor!

2008-08-19T22:05:00.002+05:30

This is not really a tag I picked up from someone. This is just a summing up of certain things that get on my nerves; some things that make me want to do what some bratty kids do, i.e. lie down on the floor in the middle of some shop and cry loudly along with beating their arms and legs just because they want something which their parents may not necessarily want to buy them.

1. People in big, luxurious cars like Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen and others rolling down their windows and throwing litter out on the roads. You would have thought that with the kind of money they have, they’d be able to buy a little civic sense as well.

2. Someone pushing past you and getting in front of you in a buffet queue. Come on, it’s a buffet. Its not as if the food is going to get over and the last person to eat is the person in front of you.

3. Guys (and some girls too!) in those abnormally low waist jeans that look as if they are going to land around their ankles any minute now. I agree good underwear is expensive but that does not mean you need to flaunt it all around the place especially in public. As long as you know its there, its good.

4. When in a movie theatre and the National Anthem is being played, some people have the habit of taking their own sweet time to get up, some of them yawn, some talk amongst themselves or laugh and there are some who HAVE to talk on their mobile phones at that very moment. At this I can only go grrrrrrrr……………

5. Someone walking past your stationary vehicle (either at a traffic light or in parked position) and running a sharp object along it or knocking against the sides with fingers covered with rings or even knocking the rear-view mirror awry! Meri jaan jalti hai yaar!!! :(

6. Gropers – one of the worst menaces that exist in every modern society ever. These sickos don’t even spare teenaged girls, they perpetrate their acts in broad daylight and then walk away with innocent faces leaving behind a young girl / lady feeling humiliated all the way to the depth of her soul. It is positively hateful to see that only Indian girls / women walk in public with their bag / book / file / purse held against their chest as a form of protection. They say that in Arab countries and in medieval times, cutting off the offending organ was a common punishment. Wish that could be the case here as well.

7. Imagine this – there is a humungous traffic snarl ahead of you on the express highway; you are frustrated as your car literally inches forward; it takes you exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes to cover the 200 meters after which the traffic suddenly lets up. And all this for what reason? Just one, mind you, ONE car broken down and already pushed to the left of the road and every driver passing it has to slow down and see what has actually happened. And this is not seeing with the objective of wanting to help, just plain curiosity!

While this was not a tag for me, let me be mean and make it a tag for others! I tag Shruthi, Triya, Lak and my new blog mates Smi, Pixie & Lemonade. And of course anyone who wants to take it up of their own free will is welcome as well.

Being Indian

2008-08-16T22:05:00.008+05:30

Yesterday we celebrated our 61st Independence Day, the 61st occasion when we celebrate our so called "independence". Why do I use the qualifier (or rather dis-qualifier) of "so called"? Do I seek to dampen the whole idea of Independence Day, one of the most important days in the year? No, actually thats not the idea at all.

But having said that, today there are so many thoughts that come to mind as August 15th approaches us. Instead of the usual good feelings that used to fill my heart when I was at school, now the topmost thing is whether this year would see some terror attacks before and around Aug 15th. Every time I travel in the local train, my eyes automatically look at the racks above and scan the space under the seats. Every time we enter a shopping mall, movie theatre or even parking lots, there are long queues waiting to get in one by one post a metal detector scan or car search. People live bordering on the edge of paranoia - they leave their house in the morning not knowing what could happen during the day.

Even this year was not much too different - the approach to Independence Day saw serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad with large quantities of explosives being seized at Baroda and even at some key entry points into Mumbai city that gave the idea that much worse things had been planned. With such things brewing all around, there is a part of our freedom being taken away from us. It is as if some vile forces are holding us hostage with our own freedom as ransom.

And in spite of all of this, we time and time again prove what it is to be Indian. Ignoring all of the above happenings, people still flocked to all the malls dressed in their best representation of the Indian flag. Yesterday I was waiting in the crowded market area at Jogeshwari - one of the most heavily Muslim dominated area in Mumbai for a friend. People were crossing the railway crossing there in droves. About 3 in every 5 people who passed me were proudly (and I say proudly because of the way they walked) sporting a miniature "tiranga" on their clothes. Some people even smiled at me which I later realized was because I too was wearing one on my shirt, one which also had the words "I love my India".

All over the city, I saw the common man, including hundreds of rickshaw and taxiwaalas had at least 1 small tri-colour fluttering from their vehicles. Such people, I am sure would not think about this being a style statement - they do it only because of their love for their country. It was really heartening to see so many instances of saffron, white and green everywhere around me.

When I was younger, I-day used to be a fun day for me, just another holiday. But now I realize what it signifies; I realize what it means to have this country left to our care by those people about whom and about whose deeds we have only read or heard about; what it means to be a free and sovereign republic; how when at the Olympics or the Cricket World Cup, the national anthem is played, it manages to bring a lump in my throat; how I feel when I hear about how our armed forces exist in sub zero conditions in far flung border areas like Kargil and still manage to get the kind of strength and determination required to carry out their duties; how promising things seem when I see the kind of attitude today's youth carry, forward looking and yet steeped in Indianism; how people today are more prone to reacting to injustice of any kind.

Whew, I suddenly realized this list is endless and that makes me very happy! Congratulations on being one of my most favourite persons: an Indian! Jai Hind!

Can Telephones Help You See????

2008-06-19T11:33:00.000+05:30

Yesterday, I attended a training program where one of my colleagues, who is also a close friend, was conducting a session on “Selling Skills”. My colleague is a great trainer and I decided to take this opportunity to pick up some tips from his session.

During the course of this session, there was a discussion on making phone calls to the prospective customer to gain appointments. An interesting point arose when telephone etiquette was being discussed. Does the way you are sitting or the condition you are in at the moment influence the way the person you have called perceives you? Is it really that important to mind the way you are dressed or your posture when you are just talking on a phone call, where the recipient of the call cannot actually see you? Or, is there a hidden camera in your telephone instrument which transmits images of you across the telephone line?

The simple answer to this question for most people would be, “No, obviously the person on the other side cannot see me. So why even bother about all of this? If I can’t be the way I want to even when I am calling someone from home, then it’s a real shame!” But to all us discerning people, the answer is mightily different from what it seems. A few examples of this were quoted in the session which I will put down here:

1. Imagine a call center employee (lets call him Sharath) in an inbound calling unit in India catering to customers of a popular US mobile service provider. It is 3 minutes to 6 am, the time the shift changes. Sharath has had a long night and some tough customers to handle. He feels he has done a good job in solving their problems and is looking forward to some hot breakfast and then sleepytime! He stretches and wishes he could get up but knows that rules say that he cannot get up from his seat till 6. At that instant, his headphones buzz signifying a call. “Damn!”, says Sharath, “Not now, not when I am about to leave!”. He knows that he has to take the call and it may stretch another 5 mins after the close of his shift. Reluctantly he presses the “receive” switch and drawls out a lazy “Hello, this is Saaaammmm, how may I help you?” The customer states his problem and Sharath replies in terse short sentences. He closes the call at 6:01 am and finally leaves. During all this, lets imagine what the customer might have been thinking. When we call a call center, we are used to and expect a certain level of courtesy and service. Most call centers set store for a high level of both and this is the reason why even the most irate customers are pacified after speaking to a good executive. What Sharath did here was not at all what the customer expected. What he or she must have seen (in their mind) would be someone somewhere who is not really interested in helping them, someone who just wants to finish their call as quickly as possible, someone who is really casual about what they are doing. All the good work Sharath did in that night could go waste with just that last call.

2. Let us take another situation. Ramesh is a sales executive with a multinational bank and has been assisting customers with their financial needs. One Saturday morning, around 10 am he calls a prospective client to get an appointment for selling a long term investment plan, a lead that was referred to him by another of his customers. Ramesh has just risen from bed so he is still in his night clothes. His wife is watching Baba Ramdev’s pravachan on Aastha channel and his 2 small children are playing in the room. The call goes something like this:

Ramesh: Good morning, am I speaking to Mr. Sharma! This is Ramesh Sawant (am using fictional names; do not mean anyone in particular) from so-and-so bank. You were referred to me by Mr. XYZ. Is the right time to speak to you?

Customer: Yes, tell me Mr. Sawant. XYZ did tell me about you.

Ramesh: Well sir, I had wished to meet you regarding a long investment plan. As you are yourself aware, life is very unpredictable and we all need to plan for our family’s future in the event of anything happening to us. Financial security is of paramount importance.

(At that very instant, Baba Ramdev intones in the background: Bhakto, jeevan moh maaya hai aur paisa hamare haath ka mail. Aadmi jo lekar aaya tha wahi lekar jaayega!)

Ramesh continues: Sir, in this regard sir…………..a brief shout from Ramesh…..and then…sorry sir, dropped some hot tea on myself.

(At that moment, Ramesh’s son comes running and playfully pulls Ramesh’s hair)

Ramesh: CHINTU, I WILL SLAP YOU! Sorry sir, that was not for you, my son, sir!

Customer (by now a little irritated): Well Mr. Sawant, what do you want from me?

Ramesh: An appointment, sir. When could I come over to your house to meet you sir?

Customer: I think Monday, that is the 23^rd of May would suit me – say around 8 pm.

Ramesh (fumbling for and not finding his date diary which is in his bag in his bedroom; now grabs a pencil and tries to note on the newspaper in his lap): Huh sir, could you please repeat?

What happened here? If Ramesh had followed the accepted practice of calling customers from his office, where he would be professionally dressed, with no TV to disturb him or kids to distract him and with all his essentials like a pen, appointment diary next to him, he would have definitely stood a much better chance of closing this call.

While more examples were dissected, I suppose that these two convey the essence of what I wanted to say. That you are definitely seen by the person you are calling. It is just that this is not literal “seeing” but in the mind’s eye, we do develop a picture of someone we are speaking to from their tone, their nuances of speech, their voice modulation and ultimately their state of mind. How often have we called a close friend and when he / she has replied “Haan bol?” in an abrupt fashion and deduced that they were in a meeting or with their boss? Or on the other hand been greeted with an expansive “Boooooooolllllllllllll....wassup?” and inferred from their tone as well as background sounds that they were in a club / pub / disco enjoying themselves?

While these are small things that all of us already knew, most people give these signs a miss and neglect to give them the importance they deserve. One good part about my writing this post is that I, on my part at least, have decided to imbibe these learnings and put them into practical use. And obviously all the credit goes to my friend!

My Favourite Literary Characters!

2008-06-17T22:34:00.014+05:30

Picked this really interesting tag from Shruthi. I have the feeling any book lover would love this one. The simple thing to do is "List your ten favourite characters from literature." Or is it really that simple; seeing the number of books I've read and loved over the years, I don't think it is going to be that east to list down just 10.

Anyway, here they are!

Aragorn (The Lord of the Rings; Author: J.R.R. Tolkien) - An apt character for the splendour of Middle Earth. Equipped with all the qualities any man would like to possess - Intelligent, sensitive, caring, handsome, rugged, strong, always on the right side, romantic. The way he conducts himself anywhere he goes is something to emulate. Unforgettable character from an unforgettable book.

Dirk Pitt (Many books; Author: Clive Cussler) - I read Clive Cussler's books only recently but this hero of his became a quick favourite of mine simply for his daring and presence of mind under the most fantastic and worst possible situations.

Rhett Butler (Gone with the Wind; Author: Margaret Mitchell) - Rhett Butler provided the perfect foil to Scarlett's feistiness, he was the spice to her sweet, he was the Devil to her Angel, he was the reason to her silliness and ultimately he was the right to her wrong. This "gentleman" was the first ever heroic villain or villainic hero, what have you. I remember feeling frustrated with Scarlett's waywardness and then when Rhett arrived on the scene, feeling that he would take care of the situation.

Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice; Author: Jane Austen) - An exemplary lady; one who made a very strong impression on my then teenaged mind. I clearly remember thinking it would have been great to have a elder sister like Lizzie who could stand up to anything for the people she loved. Her love for her sisters and parents, the way she carried herself in the presence of others, her sense of propriety and fairplay, her indignation at the "wrongs" inflicted by Mr. Darcy on her family are all qualities that stand out in this book. One girl from the literary world I can never forget in my life!

Sherlock Holmes (The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes; Author: Arthur Conan Doyle) - Arguably my most favourite literary character of all, this gentleman, who has made a name for himself as the most sought after private detective, has fascinated me for years with his sheer intellect, wit, determination and panache. One characteristic of Holmes which made me look up to him was his critical attitude towards the foibles of society, especially the law enforcement machine as it existed in his time; he never used rose tinted glasses and most of his observations were spot on. Even the most obscure problems turn out to have the most simplest of explanations - this was one statement which was proved time and time again by Sherlock Holmes in association with his friend and associate Dr. Watson.

Tally (The Painted House; Author: John Grisham) - The author went off the beaten track when he wrote this book (which was loosely based on his own childhood in rural Arkansas) which was refreshingly different from his usual legal thrillers. Tally Spruill, the teenaged girl from the Spruill family who have been classified as "hill people" who come down to the plains to look for work with farmers harvesting cotton. She stood out from the rest of her family in that she was civilized, well mannered and was fond of Luke Chandler, the 9-10 year old protagonist of the book. Even though she belonged to a wandering poor family, she carried herself with a lot of poise and inner confidence. Dressed in the most simple of clothes, she still manager to retain an aura of beauty around her. She managed to win Luke's heart in the bargain; that she broke it when she ran off with the Mexican worked Cowboy is another matter altogether.

Captain Haddock (Tintin series; Author: Herge) - My most loved characters ever; the Captain provides so much colour to the Tintin series that you can see a marked difference in the Tintin episodes before The Crab With The Golden Claws (Captain Haddock first made an appreance in this one) and the ones later. He creates a complete laugh riot with whatever he does. I remember actually rolling on the floor hooting with uncontrollable laughter at his antics. In fact, I'd still do the same. He manages to get himself into some sort of trouble in every episode but at the same time he is a loyal and ever-dependable friend to the young boy-reporter. Along with Snowy the dog, he has become an icon in the world of comic series!

Tom Sawyer (Adventures of Tom Sawyer; Author: Mark Twain) - This was a cult character in my childhood. I must have read this book umpteen number of times without ever getting bored. Following Tom and his other friends as they went about their adventurous lives; getting extremely frightened when Tom witnessed a murder is something I can never forget.

Long John Silver (Treasure Island; Author: Robert L. Stevenson) - This earlier quartermaster on Captain Flint's ship and later on leader of the mutineers on board the "Hispaniola" was a real engima. Could not really fathom his psyche totally, he seemed totally evil and friendly all at the same time. He brought a lot of colour into an anyway very colourful book.

Ari Ben Canaan (Exodus; Author: Leon Uris) - Anyone who has read this book would not fail to be impressed by Ari Ben Canaan who forms one of the central characters in this really inspiring and touching book about the conception of Israel and of the the struggles borne by them in keeping out intruders from her hostile neighbours. Tall, rugged, mentally and physically strong, Ari projects the image of an intelligent, ruthless but sensitive freedon fighter, one who would do anything for the land he loves. His dedication to the cause of Israel is absolute without any parallels!

As Shruthi said, this was one of the most enjoyable tags I have ever had the chance to write. The only point being that there are many other characters I'd have loved to include. I will not tag anyone in particular. Have already mentioned at the start of this post that any book lover would really love to do this one. So just pick this up and go for it!

Attitude...To Carry or Not To Carry

2008-06-17T21:00:00.009+05:30

There are many people who say attitude is everything - that it is the one differentiator between a successful and unsuccessful person. While this is very good to hear and even say, how many of us have actually seen it in action? Or maybe seen the difference for ourselves? Maybe we have had the chance to observe it but for the most it gets submerged in the walk of life.

Today I read a forwarded email which set me thinking - it gave me a fresh perspective on how attitude can do the trick in the most impossible situations. It is definitely worth sharing here so here goes:

"An old widower in his eighties lived alone in his cottage in a small town. A meagre pension being his only source of money, he lived a frugal life. His only son was in prison for committing some crime.

The cottage had a small plot of land attached to it in which the old man's wife used to grow the best potatoes in town when she was alive. The old man wished to continue the tradition in the memory of his loving wife as also to supplement his income. But he himself was not capable enough to do the digging of soil that was essential to plant the seedlings. One evening, he wrote a gloomy letter to his son in prison.

Dear Son,

Hope you are well. I think of you everyday. As you know I loved your mother very much. I want to grow potatoes in our land just as she used to as I know She would not like this land she loved to be wasted. But it is no longer possible for me to dig the soil the way it is supposed to be done. I know that if you were with me, you would have done this bit for me. But since you are not here, all I can do is sit and wish for the impossible. Hope I see you before I die.

Your loving Father.

The son read this letter in prison and dashed off an immediate reply.

Father,

Do not think of doing ANY DIGGING on our land. That was where I'd buried the RIFLES I'd stolen!

This abrupt letter was intercepted by the authorities before it reached his father and then sent on. The poor confused old man woke the next morning to see a big host of policemen marking off his land and ravaging his land with drillers and other machines. They overran the whole plot before evening but could not find a single rifle. The harassed father wrote his son asking him to explain this charade and the son again sent a reply.

Dear Father,

Am sorry I can't be there to dig the land for you. Our friends from the right side of the law have done us a great help. The land has now been dug up well enough for you to plant as many seedlings as you want. This was the only way I could think of helping you out from inside this prison! Look after yourself.

Your loving son."

While this was just a fictional and simplistic "feel-good" story, it suddenly hit me how important this word "attitude" is. Even when stuck in a seemingly impossible situation, if one has the right attitude, it is possible to get on top of it. Ways and means miraculously (well, not really!) emerge and provide, if not a perfect solution, some solution to the problem.

In organizations today, we usually find 2 kinds of people:

1. The gloomy faced pessimist - this person has the capability (sic) to being down any idea being proposed; to find reasons why most things CANNOT be done and if anything is actually being done, to find small niggling errors or faults in the solution.

2. The proverbial sun like optimist - this is someone who refuses to understand the meaning of "impossible"; one who can see the positive in every situation; who can work out a solution for the most twisted conundrums; one who infuses brightness and enthusiasm into every room he / she enters or forum he / she is part of.

What is the basic difference between both these kinds of people? Yes thats right, ATTITUDE!

While there is no sure fire method to get the correct attitude going for you, I believe it is ultimately within every individual to choose the right frame of mind with which to face the world. To conclude, all I can say is let yourself not be bogged down by anything in life; just run with the conviction that you want to and will get over it.

A New Year!

2008-01-01T11:54:00.000+05:30

Another year gone by.....another new year begins......

So many thoughts and dreams......some fulfilled and many still to go.....

Am suddenly thinking about why we give so much importance to what is essentially just another day.....why can't every day treated as a Happy New Day? I mean, good things happen to all of us everyday, maybe more for some and less for others but they do happen..... Why can't we celebrate each day for what it is? Is there really a need for venerating this particular day so much? There are so many things in life that make us happy, aren't there?

I agree, from time to time, we need to stop, take a stock of what we are doing, where we are in life and where we want to be....a time for quiet introspection, some "me" time and some time to re-acquaint yourself with the people you love and acknowledge what they mean to you. But does it have to be done at the turn of the year?

Reading what I have just typed above, it makes me realize I am sounding like a cynic who does not subscribe to the idea of a fun-filled, gregarious New Year celebration but honestly, its not that. I am definitely on for a evening with lots of dancing with friends, good food and generally good times......but somehow, the whole commercialization of the "New Year" saga leaves me gagging..... Questions like "So, where are you booked for New Years?", "Which 5-star are you going to?", "Do you know I got couple passes for so and so place for Rs. 10,000?" Rs. 10,000, I ask you? Is it really worth spending that much on a night of revelry when you might have very well done the same things at a small gathering with a few friends and family, the people you really care about? I think we should really get down to grass roots and ask ourselves what really makes us happy.....am sure most of us would agree that its not necessary to spend so much money and generate so much hype to have real fun..

After that whole diatribe, let me get down to what I intended to write this post for - "Wish you and all your near and dear ones a very Happy and Prosperous 2008!!! May this year be all that you hope for and may a lot of your dreams come true this year!"

Chak De India!!!!

2007-08-19T22:36:00.000+05:30

S and me had been to see this movie today and am I glad we did that. Just when I was beginning to think the genre of movies showcasing the "India spirit" was totally used up, there came this one which presents it in an all new light.

Though I would not go as far to compare it with Lagaan (that one was one of a kind), it would definitely be rated as good as Swades which I'd loved. It is worth at least one watch, if not more.

I loved the way a few critical points were addressed in the same movie. I'll list them down here to make my point clear:
1. The all pervading sense of patriotism in seeing our country's national team compete at the international level.

2. The attitude of thinking girls are meant only "cooking and washing at home" and "they can never compete like men can" and the general apathy towards women rampant in our country.

3. The building of teamwork, a bond that can overcome all obstacles and take the unit above an individual's gratification.

All the girls who essayed the roles of the hockey players in the movie look the part and have been selected with extreme care. A few of them stand out - Komal Chautala (a dimunitive Haryanvi with a well oiled tongue), Preeti Sabarwal (a good looking, tall, athletic player who shines the most on the field), Baljit (an endearing well built Punjabi lass who uses her fists as much as her mouth to good effect), Vidya Sharma (the married goalkeeper whose hubby and in laws play the spoilsports in her hocker career) and Bindiya Jain (the seniormost player of the team who embodies the "I'm jealous of the player who was made captain" spirit first and then the change over into playing for the team and take it to victory).

There are quite a few very good scenes in the movie, scenes that make you want to whistle (unfortunately I can't), stamp your feet in admiration and shout out "Chak De India". There are also some scenes which bring a lump in the throat and make you think how good it is to be Indian.

SRK has portrayed his role with the professionalism characteristic to him, he makes Kabir Khan seem very real, someone who you might have had the opportunity to meet or at least have read about in the papers. He uses the women's hockey team to achieve his dream of India winning the Hockey World Cup and in the process runs them through some gruelling practice sessions.

All in all, this movie is extremely watchable and I would recommend it to everyone who is Indian and to whom the whole idea of this new age Indianism is something to look forward to and to identify with.

Sorry for the cliche, but chak de India!!! You rock!!!

Eight Random Facts....

2007-08-19T21:15:00.000+05:30

..about me. And yes, you will have to read through them, just to make my effort (of thinking about these) worthwile. :)

I picked this tag up from Shruthi's blog.

1. I am left-handed and I think it makes me one among few!

2. It is my fantasy to have a washboard flat tummy! Sigh...

3. I have actually read the Harry Potter series (from books 1 to 5) 4 times.

4. Sometimes I get tongue tied while talking to someone senior to me. Either I end up saying something different from what I meant to or I just jumble my words up. All the while, I have the correct words playing in my head.

5. I think the "Aviator" series from Rayban are the coolest ever sunglasses to have come out.

6. Though am not a big fan of chocolates, there are times when the urge to eat chocolate is bad, that I buy and eat a whole bar of Dairy Milk.

7. Patriotic movies or songs always bring tears to my eyes (though I'd never accept this in real life).

8. I blush very very easily.

For lack of enough people to tag, I pass this on to whoever wants to do it.

An Unusual Tag!

2007-08-19T20:46:00.000+05:30

After this long hiatus, it is kind of unnerving to be writing again. Pixie tagged me with this one and it has been quite some time now, seeing she tagged me May end. So apologies to her for the delay!

I have to tell you 9 things that you don't know about me, only 8 of them are true. You need to guess which one isn't true!!

So, here goes:
1. It is very difficult for anyone to make me angry, I mean really angry. And if I choose not to lose my temper, it is impossible.

2. I hurt very badly when I see people who are not as well to do as others are. When I see them, I feel like the biggest loser on earth as I am not capable of helping them. I feel so helpless especially when I see their eyes.

3. I always dreamed of playing cricket at the highest level, but somewhere along the way very early, I lost the required focus.

4. I have known my wife for about 18 years now!

5. I love reading books. Anyone who knows me can tell you that when I'm reading I am hardly aware of what anyone says to me or what happens around me.

6. I am very unlucky when I have to get somewhere at a particular time. All the forces of the transport machinery and the weather will join hands in making me late.

7. I have walked almost 12 kms at a stretch with a good friend and that too in Mumbai itself - starting from VT to Haji Ali.

8. I hate food. I eat it only to survive, well if it tastes good, its just a bonus for me.

9. I believe in thinking that everything happens for a reason, and that in the long run, we do manage to take it in our stride, whether good or bad.

Am sure I've made it very easy for anyone who knows me to find out the one untruth in this pack of 9! So request you guys to not spoil the fun!

I tag anyone who reads through my tag and has not done this one before. Now that I've finally posted something (even though its only a tag) I hope I don't stop.

New House

2007-04-26T23:05:00.000+05:30

Not many would be aware that we were scouting around for a house for a little over a year now.Finding a house and then buying it has a different meaning in Mumbai. People end up devoting as much time to the whole process as they would to their professional life.

With real estate prices being as they are currently (which is somewhere so high up there that it cannot be seen with the naked eye), one has to compromise somewhere or the other. We wanted a house close by to where we stay now so we could be within 10 minutes driving distance of both S's and my parents; we also wanted it to be a "good" flat - a 2 BHKin a nice apartment society; and the most important condition - one that we could afford.

Having to meet so many conditions took its toll and however many brokers we contacted, we weren't successful for almost a year. Then we decided to give it a break - "jab hona hoga to apne aap hoga". One Sunday in November, the broker called us to say he had a couple of flats to show us and would we be interested. My f-i-l and me went over to the broker's but from past experience we knew not to expect much. It turned that one of the two were already sold out so was out of the picture.

So we proceeded to see the other one - this was about a 5-6 minutes drive from my place. A 11 year old apartment building - at first glance it seemed very well mantained (it turned out to be that way even later on!). The house we were looking at was on the 1st floor and the current tenant was still living there. As soon as we entered the house, I was hooked - the reason for this was that as soon as one steps into the house, one has to climb down 4 steps and then get into the living room. Such a beautiful quirk is not something that one often sees in Mumbai and I loved it! It turned out that the rest of the house too was pretty much what we'd like - not to add the fact that the ceiling of the house was a good 12 feet high (normal height prevalent in Mumbai flats are not more than 9 to 9.5 feet)! We expressed an interest to take this further and returned with the rest of the family (S's and mine) in the evening and viola, all of us liked the place!

An on-the-spot offer was made, a few negotiations carried out and the deal was closed. Yes, it was that quick when it actually happened. Finally, after wading through the whole process of procuring a home loan, paying the Stamp Duty and Registration and getting possession of the flat from the old owner, we were able to step into the house on March 30th 2007 and say "This is ours now!". Since we do not need to immediately move out of my parent's home, we plan to give the new place out on rent for a year or so - so we are keeping the "doing up the place like we want to" part on hold for the moment. Whispers, "We also need to save up to do that anyway." We had the house painted and cleaned, got the electric points checked and refurbished and are now looking out for a family to rent the place to.

In the meantime, we had a grah pravesh puja done on the Apr 23rd. We started the puja at around 8:30 am in the morning and it went on till about 12:30 pm. All of S's and my immediate family were there. The havan certainly generated enough smoke and drove all the guests out of the house for a while. :) But at the same time, the smoke gave the hint of all that had gone into making that havan - sandalwood sticks, ghee, rice grains and a lot of other things. Must say that it smelled great. Along with the smoke, I also got the feeling of all "vighnas" moving out of the place. For some reason, I was feeling really emotional and mixed along with it somewhere there was a sense of fulfillment. Being surrounded by all my loved ones, being in a place which could well be my home for years in the future, knowing it was finally ours, seeing the happy look on our parents faces made the whole experience one of a kind.

Obviously, this was followed up with a sumptuous lunch served on banana leaves. Eating on a banana leaf always makes me more hungry and I did ample justice to all the food that was served. We spent the rest of the day there and people kept pouring in right uptil night. S and I were supposed to spend that night there and the rest of the family slowly petered back towards home leaving just S, her sister, my brother, a friend V and me there. We played Pictionary for some time and then my s-i-l, my brother and V too left.

S and me stretched out on the mattress and finally the exhaustion of the day did catch up though even that had a pleasurable sensation to it. So here we are now, with all the ideas as to how we will do up the house when we get round to it and loving the idea that we now own a new house!

My DNA!

2007-04-22T13:48:00.000+05:30

Found this very interesting matrix that one can make up for one'es self. You can get one for yourself as well.... I think many bloggers already have put this up on their blogs and it really looks kinda cool!! ;) So go get it.

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Another Point of View.....

2007-03-27T13:37:00.000+05:30

We Indians are an extraordinarily emotive lot. And not necessarily in just one way - we can slide from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other in no time at all. This clouds our logical side and fails to let us think of things objectively.

This is very well demonstrated in the collective public reaction to Team India's dimal ouster from the World Cup 2007. Agreed, it was a dismal performance and all the hopes of the Blue Billion riding on our team's shoulders crashed 100 feet below ground level. But it does not auger well to see the Press and TV channels flogging just the lone horse to death. In the name of "analyzing" India's exit from the World Cup, they have succeeded in whipping up a frenzy of allegations against the coach, the Indian captain and the key players; in driving public opinion to be so heavily biased against a few scapegoats that it is impossible to even expect a rational opinion on the matter.

Therefore, when in the midst of all this, I came across this letter written by a friend, Surya to CNN IBN, it was a pleasure to see that "missing link" in all the conversation floating around. Yes, this is Surya's personal opinion but at least he presents a logical argument to support his belief. This gem of a epistle may never see the light of day at CNN IBN, where Rajdeep Sardesai and his team are the original intended recepients which is why I thought of publishing it here on my blog so that at least some regular bloggers and readers might read it.

* Surya is the CEO of a Management Consultancy in Mumbai, with loads of prior experience in a host of organizations.

Below is the letter reproduced, as is:

"Rajdeep and team,
I know this is one of the billion opinions and I am not even sure you or anybody will bother to read this.

But, let me be part of a very small group that is pro-Greg Chappell. I do believe that Greg had it in him to make India a considerable cricketing force.

What does one expect of a coach? That he is a great player, a strong and aggressive winner, a hard worker, a sincere optimist and probably a few other relatively lesser, but important characteristics to add to that list. Can anybody in India ever accuse Greg of not trying hard enough? Ridiculous more, to even suggest that HE messed things up. WE did.

A little Bangladesh used Dave Whatmore well, because they simply followed him and supported him. The Lankans did the simple act of purely 'believing' in Tom Moody. And both of them were as accomplished, if not less, than a certain Bob Woolmer and poor Greg 'Lamb' Chappell. Only 'smarts' like India and Pakistan COACH coaches. Barring Kapil Dev, the Indian TV Channels are full of 'experts' whose knowledge of cricket, or achievements, are fractional, if not negligible, as compared to Chappell. Yet, they make nineteen to a dozen suggestions on what Greg should be doing at work each day. Giggle, chuckle!

Oh Great Indian Ex-Cricketing Experts on TV Channels, since when did the origin of a cricketer determine if he should have been a coach, you silly rattlers? Is it not cricketing ability that should determine who qualifies? Can't you accept a man who wears the Indian colours on field, sits beneath the Indian flag, works and dreams for the greatness of your country? Shameless! Ungrateful, of course! And some more unprintable adjectives to describe you all with!!!

Rajdeep & Co - Can you share this with Greg Chappell for me, and seemingly just a few like me, please?

'Greg, you are going to be judged by a country where no two men, out of a billion, can agree on the 25 best cricketers. The BCCI meeting you will attend will have members that have no clue what cricket it. Ha, ha, ha...Honestly, the country must see that meeting live on camera, like we do the Parliament meetings. I seriously want to see how Mr. Pawar, Mr. Shukla, Mr. Jaitley and gang will even settle on their seats to start a discussion on cricket with you. If you want to shut them up, all you need to ask is the ‘position’ between the 1st slip and the 3rd slip. They will huddle into a discussion and probably guess it as 'Cover'. They may slip a note to you to agree or lose your job. That's how we grew up in this country. You see, some of the BCCI guys run the country too.

'Greg, there are some captains of the 1970s, and some passengers of our accidental win of the 1983 world cup, who will censure you, even if they will never be counted in the top 5000 cricketers ever in the world, where you are, for sure, in the top 50. Go to Bermuda, Scotland, Canada, Netherlands or Ireland. You may gain lesser money-wise, perhaps, but respect and regard, you certainly will. They will obey and understand you too.

'Move on, Greg. We don't deserve you. You see, the two men who, allegedly, have no clue on cricket in this country are Rahul Dravid and you. Our ex-cricketers on TV are the ones who know best. And of course, the BCCI man that comes on TV.

'We Indians are a TEAM, do you know that, Greg? This is United India, where BOMBAY thinks of Sachin, BARODA of Pathan, RANCHI of Dhoni and the great BENGAL that only thinks of Sourav.

‘Don't waste your time here, Greg. You continue to be among the Cricket Greats, like Rahul would soon be acknowledged too.

'And yeah. We are a country that was never racist to humans. But you are a Coach, so we are absolved. You will remain a White man to some our darkest bunch of jokers who never achieved a thing for our country when they played.

'In ancient India, you would have been a 'Guru'. Modern India has no clue of ancient India, lesser clue on cricketing techniques. Good-bye Greg. Move to a better and a more grateful land.'

Rajdeep, we citizens rely on you to give a perspective. If we can't thank Greg and acknowledge his passionate contribution and efforts, the least we can do is to stop indulging in such diatribe.
This will not be read out on TV, I know. But I enjoyed writing it :)

Cheers.

Surya"

This is Surya's point of view and am sure you would agree with me that he certainly makes a sound case. Comments are welcome but as usual nothing personal would be expected.

Memories!

2007-03-22T16:47:00.000+05:30

Age 4: Refusing to go out with my parents when they went to a friend's party / wedding, preferring instead to stay at home with my paternal grandmother. She sitting on the bed crocheting beautiful pieces that were later used to cover the telephone or as a table mat. Me sitting next to her in a make-believe airplane that was taking us to America. Me asking her if she would like to eat something on the flight - assuring her that she could get anything she liked, I only had to tell the "air-hostess". Hours spent enjoyably playing this way!

Age 5: My first ever friend - my next-door neighbour's granddaughter, one year younger than me. Playing kiddie games with her throughout the summer vacation and being very sad when the hols ended.

Age 6: Being petrified of playing with colours on Holi! Pressure building up inside of me one whole week in advance of Rang Panchami, evidenced by me rushing home from school, peering at roof tops with eagle eyes for the water-balloon throwing "monsters". Getting all teary eyed when my younger brother used to threaten to throw colour on me and complaining to my parents about it. Being on my toes all through the actual day of Rang Panchami ready to rush into the bathroom and lock myself in lest my friends decide to invade my home looking for me!! This continued right till when I was 14 years old.

Age 7: Staying awake alongwith my mom waiting for my dad to get back home from work; my parents are my strengths, my mom for all the unconditional love she has heaped on us, without ever complaining about the rigours we subjected her to and my dad for adoring us all throughout, and providing us with everything we ever wished for, many times depriving himself as well.

Age 8: Going to a neighbour's house and being fascinated with the complete set of the hard-bound "Hardy Boys" series. Borrowing those books one at a time and surprising my neighbour with the speed with which I'd finish one and return to take another. Visiting my my maternal grandparents in Mangalore; the thrill that I felt when I saw the huge house surrounded by so many different kinds of trees (coconut, papaya, mango, guava etc.), the fun that we had with my uncles and cousins; visiting so many other relatives and realizing what a big family we were a part of!

Age 9: Taking part in a drawing and painting competition with more than 200 kids taking part; going there escorted by my mama. Insisting on staying back after finishing my sketch and telling my skeptical mama that I would win a prize. And actually winning the second prize there!

Age 11: Feeling devastated about moving house, we moved from Khar to Borivli, then a impossible distance away as seen by my preteen eyes. Crying my heart out at being separated from my much loved school, all my dearest friends and a general feeling of sorrow of losing something really important to me.

Age 13: My first ever crush developed at the tuition classes I used to attend during my 8th class. Blushing in her presence without ever actually speaking a single word all the time. Being teased mercilessly by my friends then even though I had never even said anything about her to them.

Age 16: Walking to junior college on the first day with a group of 16 friends, and still feeling scared about being ragged!

Age 18: Making friends at graduate college that were to remain so life-long wherever they may be. Falling for someone for the first time ever and not ever having the courage to come out with it; though it was so evident to everyone else. :)

Ages 19 & 20: Bunking classes, hanging out in the college campus instead having discussions / debates on almost all the topics under the Sun with the wisdom of a Socrates. Having fights among friends that seemed so important then and seem so trivial now.

Age 21: Graduating with promises of being friends forever; getting into B-school! Yipee!!! Once again making new friends, friends that to this day give me reason to be thankful.

Age 22: Losing my paternal grandmother, she left a void in my life, never to be filled again and that remains to this day. Crying like a baby that time and developing a fever from that.

Ages 23 & 24: Getting my first job!!! Working late nights with the joy that only comes from earning your salary for the first time ever! Losing myself in it and still being happy. Knowing that the one I'd fallen for had found someone special and breaking my heart over it. And still managing to feel happy for her.

Age 26: Watching my dad talk about his son to his friends and hear the note of pride in his voice as well as see the glow on his face. Feeling a tug at my heartstrings and promising myself to give him more opportunity to feel that way!

Age 27: Realizing what S meant to me and acting on it quickly, before the opportunity was lost! Being gratified to know that S felt the same way too!

Age 28: Getting married to S, the happiest day of my life! Though the actual ceremony did drag on for long! The honeymoon that followed, one of the most idyllic times ever! How she is so different from me and yet we manage to complement each other; how she completes me and makes my life better in all aspects.

Age 29: My younger brother B, developing into a mature professional (is it really him?????)who'd already made a name for himself in his organization, with the promise that he was in for an extremely bright future! This kind of, completed the picture.

I don't know why I've listed all these down.... but I know reading through these does leave me with a hint of nostalgia for lost, long ago times, places and people as well as joy and happiness for all the things that I've gained at the same time.

Am sure every person has a list of such formative memories that make up their individual signature and also builds up the collage that is called life. How often do we stop and think about them? How much do they matter to us today? No, am not asking questions to anyone here. Just wondering - for that is all one can do.

I am Sad & Horrified....

2007-03-15T12:35:00.000+05:30

....after reading this post on MumbaiGirl's blog. I came upon it accidentally but it has really shaken me up.

It is not a great statistic to have - almost every girl / woman has had at least one experience of molestation or forced sexual assault in her lifetime till date and this may be even as less as 7 years. Even the guys have not been spared though the frequency may be lesser than with women.

All of a sudden, I feel extremely lucky to have had such a un-tainted childhood. But at the same time, it makes me wonder what we are coming to when people would have to think about their childhood and consider themselves lucky to have had a normal one, something which so taken for granted.

Just thinking about those scores of men and few women who perpetrate such atrocities make me sick; what kind of mindset would these excuses for humans carry about? Do they even have any logic to explain why they act this way?

The worst part is that in most cases, they get away scotfree and are at still at large maybe lurking around for newer victims. And to top it all, people actually are derisive towards the victims if facts are out in the open, as if its all their fault that they were so abused!

Am really feeling sad!!! To think so many of the wonderful girls / ladies I have known over the years might have had to go through this...to say nothing of all the others who I don't even know! :-(

To See or To Not See!

2007-03-14T18:01:00.000+05:30

This one stems from a discussion with a female colleague. We had gone for a birthday treat today - for lunch at a nice small joint close to my workplace. A lot of office goers frequent the place along with a smattering of collegians. So one could say that the "crowd" is "good".

While we were just about finished with eating, my colleague D piped in with this question: "Why do all guys, whether they are single, committed, married or for that matter even widowed, ogle at pretty girls / ladies? Rather why do they have to do that?"

My take on the matter is that yes, mostly all guys do that. Yes, even the most decent "Can-take-home-to-meet-my-parents-and-later-marry" kinds do it. It would be stupid to presume that a attractive woman passing in front of a guy's nose would not be appreciated.

But this is exactly where the branching of views starts. This is where the word "ogle" takes on a different meaning altogether for the select few guys. These are those for whom "ogle" means "lech" - where even a completely dressed woman could get the feeling of being undressed by these staring eyes. These are the guys whose eyes taken on a glazed expression and the tongue lolls out salivating when a woman is in sighting distance. Note I did not say pretty, beautiful or attractive woman, for these guys any woman might have the same effect. Such men need to be kicked in a place where it hurts the most!

But such men are few in number thankfully. The rest would look at a attractive woman with the same eye that they would look at a gleaming BMW or Ferrari whizzing by them. They would have an appreciative look that says "Wow!!! She is gorgeous!!!" And believe me, the woman would not feel threatened by them - if at all they do take notice of the glances. Females are not called the "fairer sex" without reason. They do have the power to captivate when they know how to.

To get back, most guys would look once, maybe twice and then move on. Thats it!! Harmless appreciation.

And as far as I know, the same happens with girls as well. They too do appreciate "good-looking" guys when they see one. Yet again, its harmless appreciation! Yes, I agree the girls are not as vocal or free in their expression as us guys but the intensity of the appreciation is just the same.

And being a girl or a guy (all the different kinds listed in my colleague's question) does not make a difference in such a situation. Its all the same but for the few animals who move about disguised as humans. I guess what matters most is that the appreciation should remain just that and not cross the limits of decency maybe leading to stalking, eve-teasing or any such thing.

This post was just me voicing my thoughts aloud and is completely open to a healthy discussion. Everyone is welcome to post their opinions and in fact I'd like to know what you think about this topic. No personal attacks or rants please. Thank you.

A Interesting Tag....

2007-02-09T16:35:00.000+05:30

Saw this tag in Anumita's blog while browsing through her archives. Since she has asked anyone who reads it to give it a try, here goes:

I am thinking about: my wife's indulgent smile when she sees me doing something I really like.

I want to: earn enough to be able to spend without thinking a second time about it.

I wish: I could be more empathetic towards people I care about.

I hear: okay but I listen very well.

I wonder: how some people can just walk over other people without a thought to the effect.

I regret: not being able to keep in touch with some people very important to me. Also that I am sometimes very brusque in my speech with the people I love the most.

I am: very patient - sometimes it tends to make me complacent too.

I dance: with abandon, sometimes embarassing my wife in the process.

I sing: or try to, the songs which really impress me with strong emotions.

I cry: silently when I see anyone else in pain or sorrow.

I make with my hands: or have made stuff which might end up different from what it started out being.

I write: to express myself better than what I might have when I talked.

I confuse: acquaintances with friends - according to me, everyone is good, unless proven bad.

I need: to see S everyday before going to sleep.

And finally: there are still a lot of things I want to do, a lot of places I want to see and a lot of things I have to share with S.

Since writing this was very enjoyable for me, I'd like some others to experience this as well. So Shruthi, Triya and Lak are hereby passed the baton for now. All others who happen to read this are welcome to take this up.

Mumbai Marathon 2007....my experience!

2007-02-06T12:39:00.000+05:30

Though this post should have been out at least a week or more earlier, a subsequent trip to Kerala with S prevented me from doing it earlier.

The Mumbai Marathon started off in 2003 with much fanfare. Over the years since, the number of sponsors have gone up exponentially - at the same time, public interest in the marathon has always been very high, so much so that people from all walks of life participate in the marathon. For the common man, a "marathon" conjures up images of well toned athletes, sweat streaming down their bodies, pistoning their legs up and down on a long long road having trained for most of their lives for such a test of physical and mental endurance.

The Mumbai Marathon pushed away these images and replaced them with something that was fun, rewarding and at the same time had some social responsibility attached to it. This did not replace the marathon in its real sense as there different categories to the Mumbai Marathon. These are enumerated for the benefit of those who are not familiar with the format - Full Marathon (approx. 42 km), Half Marathon (approx. 21 km), the Dream Run (approx. 7 km), the Senior Citizens Run (approx. 5 km) and the Wheelchair event.

My stint with the Mumbai Marathon began only in 2006 when I decided to try and do the Dream Run (the obvious run of choice for about 90% of the total marathoners) which was a distance of 7.5 km in 2006. The pre-marathon advice was that the Dream runners should start off their training program a month before Race day. I started off following that program but obviously there were many hindrances which meant that on the day of the run, I had practised for only 5-6 days. That I did manage to finish the run is another story altogether.

Cut to Jan 21st, 2007.

This year, the Dream Run was only 6 km (correspondingly, the number of days I had run before it was only 2!!). This year, I was running as part of a Corporate team - basically my organization had registered all employees who were interested as part of its marathon team. So we all were given bright orange t-shirts with my company logo emblazoned on them.

S, being a physio, is a part of medical assistance team at the marathon every year and is usually a team leader for one of the medical stations along the route. These medical stations do a great job keeping a look-out for runners who may be at the end of their tether and pulling them in for either plain resting or for the requisite treatment for sun-stroke or physical injury that they might have sustained. This year, S made sure she was at the 5 km point so that I would have to pass her on my way to the finish and she could make sure I was ok. She had also told all her colleagues at different aid stations along the way to keep an eye out for me and let her know if I was ok. :)

The day dawned (I was just about to say "bright and clear" but then I realized that it was only 6 am when we left the house). S, my younger brother who was also running and me. We also met another friend who was taking part along the way. Though the Dream Run was scheduled to start only at 9.10 am, we left early because S had to reach her aid station earlier.

** The Mumbai Marathon usually starts off from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Terminus (popularly known as V.T.) and the holding area for all participants is the equally well-known Azad Maidan.

The train we took from Borivli to Marine Lines was quite crowded, considering this was very early on a Sunday morning - it was no real surprise that most of the crowd were either marathoners or at least people on their view to see the marathoners run and cheer for them. I could feel a sense of exhilaration build up inside me coupled with a sense of dread thinking of the 6 km run which suddenly seemed quite a distance. Questions arose in my mind: Would I be able to finish the run comfortably? Or would I be sprawled out by the side of the road heaving with exhaustion or sun stroke or for that matter, with just plain aching legs? Well, I thought, all of that should have been thought about before I enrolled and not now.

Having gotten off the train at Marine Lines station, we dropped S off at her medical aid station and set out to Metro Cinema where my organization people had been asked to assemble. Obviously, having left so early, we were the first to reach there from our company. There were a lot of other people already there though, from different companies all indicated by their t-shirts, along with quite a few television crews. A whole contingent of Shiamak Davar's dance class members were present. In fact, some of them have even featured in almost every new Bollywood dance number that has come out recently.

Slowly but surely, the "orange t-shirt gang" grew and at about 8:30, we were close to 50. It was good to see the sea of orange - also it was a very different kind of feeling to see colleagues who I had never seen outside of office, maybe not even outside of their office desks in such a backdrop. By now, many other groups had also assembled there so the whole place was a riot of colours with varied banners and flags being displayed by each group. I was wondering if there were so many runners in just the Corporate section, how many there would be in the "individual" category.

After shooting a few pictures as a group for posterity, we moved towards the holding area in Azad Maidan. Inside there, we could see a lot of news reporters or popular TV jockeys interviewing celebrities and small-time starlets regarding their participation. The whole place was bustling with activity - the latest foot-tappers blasting from mammoth speakers, cheerleaders and dance troupes showing their moves on decorated platforms and above all the runners themselves, cheerfully pushing their way forward or chatting to each other. That was when I felt that I definitely would finish off the 6 km. Anything seemed possible in that kind of atmosphere!

Race time still found us trying to fight our way through the throngs and about at least a kilometer to even the start line. All of the sudden, the roads opened up and we surged forward towards the start line. The gigantic digital clock on top of the start line read exactly 9:25 when I passed through it. A couple of platforms erected on the left of the starting position had quite a few big shots from Standard Chartered as well as from the sporting and film fraternity. RJ Harsh from Radio Mirchi was on the other platform, urging people on through his constant commentary and leading the crowd in cheering the contingent from each organization as it passed. There was this huge thrill running through me seeing so many ordinary people assembled here for just this one cause, all differences forgotten with the sole purpose of seeing this event through to its finish. All thought of not completing, getting injured etc forgotten, I started making my way through the throng in front of me.

School children, collegians, aunties, uncles and peers were all there either walking or jogging as their age and condition would allow them. There were crowds on both sides of the road lining the barricades erected their to keep them out egging the runners on, cheering for people they did not know and might never ever even see again. It is events like these which bring people together, that let out such feelings of comraderie that people never even know exist.

There were many in varied costumes like Disney characters, dancers in those huge masks from Karnataka (I think its called Hexa Gaana Bailat - my friends from Karnataka may please correct me), a lot of Mahatma Gandhis (in fact, the coolest one of these was a gentlemen dressed like Gandhiji but instead of the so well known Gandhi glasses sporting a cool pair of dark Ray Bans), even a guy dressed as General Pervez Mussharaf. There was a contingent of young officers from the Mumbai Police, all able bodied cadets, their muscles moving as they jogged along. Music was playing throughout the whole stretch, changing from time to time but always there. There were groups of cheerleaders, either professional ones weilding pom poms and whistles or impromptu groups of youngsters doing their bit of cheering. Before I knew it, I had jogged for about 3 km and was on Marine Drive.

Here I could see choppers from the Navy circling overhead videotaping the whole event. Each time a chopper made its run overhead, all the runners would wave out enthusiastically hoping to get captured and beamed on national tv. Here the sun was making its presence felt and I could feel my stamina running down along with a lot of sweat. Even my legs were aching and promising to give way any moment. I knew that if I stopped, I would not be able to start running again so I refused to give up. At the same time, I could hear the strains of "Saare Jahan Se Accha" emanating from about 200 meters ahead. Moving ahead, I saw a whole band from the Navy sitting in a small enclosure on the promenade on the left and belting out such patriotic numbers. Believe it or not, even then I felt the hairs on the back of my neck and my arms rise - there was something so evocative about hearing those tunes here that I could possibly describe it. I was not the only person to feel that then and I could see many others take heart from the music and brush aside their exhaustion and make a fresh start.

A wide U-turn on Marine Drive would bring us on to the Princess Street fly-over, the end of which signalled the 5 km mark. Just before I hit that U-turn, I heard the crowd raise a huge cheer. I looked to see the cause of this and to my amazement, I saw the first of the full marathoners returning on the opposite side of the road with only about 3 km of their stipulated 42 to go. Just think about this, we dream runners were on an average taking almost an hour to run 6 km while these athletes were doing 42 km in just about 2 hours. What a treat it was to see them run, even in the state we were in. In fact, one can almost imagine the cheetah running captured so well on Nat Geo or Discovery, each muscles well defined and moving in tandem with the others.

The start of the fly-over being narrow, was very crowded so everyone had slowed to a walk whether they liked it or not. From the top of the fly-over I could see a huge number of runners still on Marine Drive making their way here. It was not a sight to be missed so I risked stopping for a moment and took out my digital camera and shot a few pics there. Moving on, I passed the 5 km marker. I could S at her aid station now, handing water to some people and also cheering at the same time. It was worth the whole effort to see the expression of relief and pleasure on her face when I appeared before her! A quick word, and a small bottle of water later I was on my way again gaining the final stretch of the Dream Run. As expected, with the end in sight, we all tried to make our way ahead much quicker and with a final burst made it past the finish line which was outside Metro Adlabs. I checked my watch and saw that it had taken me exactly 44 mins since I had started. The area behind the finish line was full of people congratulating each other for completing the run. I pushed my way out of there panting freely but with a sense of achievement.

I located a couple of my friends and waited for my brother and S to join us. While we were doing there, we saw groups of people joyously heading home. We too went to a near by Pizza Hut for lunch and had a leisurely time there and then made our way home in the train. Needless to say, we slept really well that afternoon and at least I had a dead pair of legs for the next 2 days. But here I am, already waiting for Mumbai Marathon 2008 (ahem...with dreams of trying out for the half marathon this time round but am quite sure that the Dream Run is what I will ultimately be a part of). More power to such marathons that foster team spirit in such a large way!!!

** I know this one is way too long for a post so excuse me, reader, if you do read through till this point.

For you!

2007-01-17T13:06:00.000+05:30

I was going through Viky's blog and I came across this. It so perfectly showcases the life, uncertainties and emotions of all married girls from our generations that I had to re-post it on my blog. Viky, hope you don't mind.

This one is for you, my l(w)ife!!! It may not always seem so but I do appreciate your being in my life with all I have!!!

Though all girls may not be unlucky enough to have been married into families that so thoroughly distinguish between their daughters and daughters-in-law, the element of uncertainty, that of leaving a set life back in their parent's home is ever-present. As guys, we may not fully comprehend what that feels like (which is why we could be insensitive to it at times), it would be better if at least we acknowledged it and helped ease out the change-over.

Addressed to: All the men of our times

Here is a girl,

who is as much educated as you are;

who is earning almost as much as you do;

one, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as human as you are;

one, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements;

one, who has lived with and loved her parents and brothers and sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;

one, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family name;

one, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen;

one, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain;

to be a naukraani, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her, and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding or if she learns faster than you;

one, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace, too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;

yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise;

one, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;

one, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and trust her;

one, who just wants one thing from you - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding and love.

Are you man enough to give it to her?

I am.

The 8.03 am local - Borivli to Dadar

2007-01-16T15:05:00.000+05:30

Time: 8 am

S gets off the autorickshaw outside the station, says bye and rushes off into the train station. I'm still paying the autowalla and receiving my change back. As I look towards the station, S is no longer visible swallowed by the throng rushing into the station. "Gosh, I guess I'm going to be late for the train again!", I think pushing myself into the crowd, elbowing my way ahead.

The 8.03 local is still there on platform number 3 - and I finally catch sight of S running along the start of the platform having made her way there after a good run. I jump onto the tracks off platform number 1 and cross over them to platform number 2 and jump onto it. Smiling, I wait for S to reach me having taken a shortcut. She joins me and we make our way ahead hurrying as we see the signal change from red to orange. She gets on to the ladies Ist class coach and I move on to the adjacent general Ist class which is already full of people crowding near the door and the aisle each vying for a comfortable spot - this could be hanging from the best position near the door or standing with your back against the partitiion walls on both sides of the doorway.

I slide into the narrow tunnel that is still open and even that closes as 3 more people get in behind me. Almost immediately, all the noise dies down. It is as if I've entered a library! Only the whirring of the overhead fans and a slight humm of the crowds still on the platforms reaches my ears. Imagine, the train has not even started yetand already I can't move more than maybe twist myself from one side to another to make myself comfortable (comparatively).

All around, people are either dozing or reading newspapers, books or even study material. Some, like me, are not yet in a position to take their reading material out of their bag and hold it up at reading level. I notice that the luggage rack has been taken out in this particular train - a grim reminder that the train blasts that hit us last year came out of bags placed on these luggage racks. This also meant that I had to commute with my bag hung off my shoulders.

All of a sudden, raised voices near the door proclaim the eruption of a argument. This had to happen, I think. Looking around, I exchange a few resigned smiles with others in the compartment. The following amiable conversation ensues:

Commuter 1: Hawa khaane ka itna hi shauk hai to khudki gaadi main jaoo..train main dusre log bhi hote hain...tere baap ki jagah nahi hai...

Commuter 2: Baap ka naam leta hai, neeche utar, dikhataoon...

Commuter 1: Terese darta hun kya, chal neeche!!!

Commuter 2: Jyaada aavaj mat kar, bahut dekhe tere jaise. Umar jyada isliye chup hun!!!

While this goes on, a few smart alec college kids shout out from deep within the coach, "Maar, maar usko!!! Chodna mat!!!". The surprising part is, immediately after this, all fall silent and the two commuters who fought are seen to be standing staidly next to each other as if nothing had ever happened. Everyone else falls back into a stupor.

With a slight jolt, the train starts off, right on time. Some of the commuters offer a small prayer to the Almighty for the well being of all fellow travellers and themselves, of course. Very soon, the train catches speed and the regular and soothing rocking motion starts. All the commuters are well settled in their respectively niches (actually half a niche maybe).

In precisely 4 minutes, the train reached the next station and began its slowdown signified by the shuddering we are subjected to. Even before the train comes to a complete halt, a mob of commuters zoom in wedging themselves in all the available air pockets that were still left over. At the same time, their eyes were roving around the whole place looking to see if there was any possible spot they overlooked in their search for a comfortable position for their journey.

*** At this stage, I would like the reader to note there at no stage have I ever mentioned a "seat". These things are meant for the very lucky and patient few and are often unheard of among us peak time travellers.

There is a lot of shouting of "andar chalo, andar chalo" accompanied by "bahut jaga hai, chalo andar" right uptil the time the train makes its exit. We are back into out settling down phase till we reach the next in line station. If one is to raise his head and look above, he would see a veritable sea of hands reaching upwards to hold the metal grips that line the whole length and breadth of the standing room in the coach. In fact, at this time there are at least 4-5 hands at each such grip. Btw, when I say hands, I actually mean that each person is holding on to the grip by only a couple of fingers so that others can hold on to.

Halfway through the 45 minute journey from Borivli where I stay to Dadar which is the closest railway station to my place of work, I develop this unsatisfiable urge to scratch at my nose (you know that temporary itch that develops when you least want it to and when you are in no position to do anything about it). I control myself for about 2-3 minutes and it is getting unbearable now. The only option I have is to rub my nose against my arm which is holding the grip above me. So I venture to do the same very carefully so as to not disturb the equilibrium we are in now. I rub my nose against the arm and the relief in my nose is instantaneous. At the same time, there is the realization in my arm that something that should have brushed against it (my nose) has NOT done so!!!!! Thats when I realize that inadvertently I had wiped my nose against the arm of a person standing next to me!!! I hand it to the tolerance of that guy that he overlooked the whole thing altogether (I did apologise to him, of course).

Post this incident, a conversation takes place between two college-going students about a third friend who wasn't present. The basic topic of discussion is how this friend istrying to "patao" his tuition teacher's daughter. While this "hot" topic is being discussed, I see a third commuter standing right behind these 2 kids. Being much taller, he towered over them from behind, his head kind of hanging right over them. Not able to keep his ears away from the talk happening so close to him, he was busy listening to them speak. I have termed such people as an IP, short for "Interested Party". Basically these are the fellow commuters who get so engrossed in other people's conversations that even though they do not actually speak up, you would see them shake their heads in affirmation or dissent, their expressions would change with the tone of the talk - sombre when the talk is serious, gay when the topic fun, argumentative when the talk is such. In fact when the people actually having the talk become silent (for whatever reason), the IP has a plaintive interrogative look on his face as if saying, "Come on now, it was going so good, what happens next??? Don't keep me in suspense!" :-) To observers like me, this looks so funny that I can hardly control my laughter!!!

Within the next 10 minutes, the trained breezes though Mahim and Matunga junctions and finally after that truly engrossing journey, I alight at Dadar and make my way to my office thinking of the day ahead. Imagine, we do this everyday - that too twice (the return journey has a class of its own!)!!! It is not said in vain that the Mumbai locals have a life of their own and can be termed, quite aptly, a world within a city!

Cheers!

I'm back!

2007-01-16T10:51:00.000+05:30

Hey, I'm back!!

Admitted, after a long hiatus, but at least am still alive!

A new job means a lot of things, but mostly it means a period of new friends to make, new relations to forge, a new reputation to construct, a new yourself to discover and many other such "news".

The flip side to this is that one tends to neglect one's old life, the things you've left behind. One's routine goes for a toss for that interim period. Its all somewhat like a vibrating guitar string - when at rest, its perfectly still, one pluck and it starts vibrating, moving away from its resting place and then finally comes to rest after some time to the same place.

Well, I've come back too!! Hopefully should be able to write more from now on. Hoping the few friends I made on here and the ones from out who used to read me have not given up on me. Till later.....

Celebration

2006-08-15T13:42:00.000+05:30

Anil makes a call to celebrate the anniversaries of two momentous occasions.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh and his comrades. It has passed almost unnoticed. No official functions to mark the occasion. No commemorative postage stamp, no portrait or statue to honour them and remember with gratitude the ‘supreme sacrifice’ of a band of young men committed to the cause of freedom.

Another occasion is close at hand and plans don’t seem to be afoot to celebrate that either. Next year is the 150th anniversary of the First War of Indian Independence. We were taught about it in the terms in which the British colonial historians referred to it – the Sepoy Mutiny. (sipaayi dange in Kannada, the language in which I had my school education). The name itself tried to trivialise the great uprising that resulted from a spontaneous upsurge of nationalist and anti colonial feelings. Since it had its origins in the colonial army, it was easy for them to refer to it as a mutiny, a mere a matter of discipline and quell it.

Wonder why this neglect of these historic occasions and their anniversaries? Is the revolutionary spirit passé? Is the idea of people thinking and who might be inspired by these events and stand up to authority too subversive for the people who hold power and who they hold it for?

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He makes a request:
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We the people shall celebrate the anniverseries of these momentous events, which occur in 2007. What the governments seem to be ignoring, we shall celebrate in our own way.

Please copy the image above and put it in your own blog, along with this request.Thank you!

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If you also feel as strongly about this, then please spread the word around!

Independence Day!

2006-08-15T13:30:00.000+05:30

To my dearest brothers and sisters all across India:

A very Happy 60th Independence Day to all of us!!

Just yesterday, while traveling home from work (I was in a bus for once and not in a train), I had the advantage of getting a good window seat in the midst of slight showers and a delightful breeze. Instead of reading a book which I might have done in usual circumstances, I was looking out the window.

In fact though I was looking, I was not really seeing anything as I was thinking. As every year, Independence Day nears I find myself thinking about what it all really means to us and the significance of it. Whether it is all really worth the hype created around it….yes, I agree we achieved Independence from the British on this day. But as we go along, is that all that we should be celebrating? When every year, we are more and more being thrust into another sort of dependence?

Consider the following situation:
My younger brother B works in a major telecom in Mumbai. His entire office team decided to book tickets for 3 movies in a row on Independence Day at Inorbit Mall. Well, he asked to see only the first two since he had already seen the last one before. I guess it would have been a lot of fun to watch 2 good back-to-back movies especially since he is a Hindi movie freak. The tickets were duly booked and people were gearing up for a good time. Then comes the warning: “Terrorist organizations have promised to wreak havoc in the lead-up to August 15, 2006 and also on the day itself. Malls, markets and many other public places would be targeted. Citizens are advised to exercise extreme caution and avoid unnecessary excursions outside their homes.” That did it, both my Mom (especially my Mom) and Dad (based on warnings received from other well-meaning friends and relatives) entreated B to cancel out on the movie plan and stay safe at home. A fuming B acquiesced. Yes, he really did because he knew they were really worried.

This is just one of such many incidents that might have happened across the country this year. So many people who would have normally been out the whole of today celebrating a holiday and our so-called “independence” have cancelled or modified their plans and have restricted themselves to the relative “safety” of their homes.

A typically care-free nation is being held to ransom by a small group of extremists who are so confused about their own pathetic lives that they equate their bloody acts of terrorism with tenets of religion – a religion in which God is another form of love, one that asks us to treat one another with respect, one that teaches us that all are our brothers / sisters, no matter how poor or how rich they are or in what way they worship the Almighty. In order to achieve their own narrow-minded objectives, these excuses for humans use inhuman techniques like bombs, hijacking and other subversive activities to spread terror and chaos in the already strained machinery of the country. The fact that at present, most of the major nations of the world are under the grip of this terror psychosis shows how much strength we have allowed them to garner by laying low. By “we”, I mean both the governments and the countless people who lead lives in these countries.

The recent spate of terrorist attacks has provoked of wave of public outcry such as never seen before. Even the world over, security agencies are doing all they can to minimize the terror threat. This wave of action needs to be carried forward to its logical and required completion before it dies its own complacent death like it usually does.

This Independence Day, let us take a little time out and spread this message of action in our own little way. If anything, let the people in charge know that they have the support of millions of individuals like us. And that the collective effort, put together, is a force to reckon with. After all, it is our own future at stake as well, isn’t it?

Rains!

2006-07-22T22:00:00.000+05:30

A few thoughts:

The fragrance of wet earth
The feeling of pregnancy in the air
A slight breeze rustling tree leaves
Roads all dug up, with heaps of red mud alongside promising a squelchy walk – people cursing the BMC for their inaction even with the threat of imminent showers
An overcast sky threatening to spill over
An all pervading twilight making you want to go back home and curl up in bed
The cacophony of birds accompanied by the crickets and the odd croaking of frogs
Colourful umbrellas displayed right next to staid black counterparts at almost all provision and departmental stores
People furtively rushing about their business in a hurry to avoid the imminent shower
Children – both living in slums and apartment buildings looking expectantly at the sky and waiting to begin their dance of joy
Young adults – eagerly planning treks, picnics or a plain old long drive in the rains
Memories of 26/7 welling up in the mind of most people, along with a lot of speculation whether something like could happen again
Last year’s windcheaters, all-season shoes, umbrellas being hunted out of the attics
Having to decide whether or not to carry rain wear before getting out of the house in morning (its definitely not going to rain when I am on my way to work)

Why did I post this? Actually, I have no idea. These are just the thoughts and sights that come to my head just before the Mumbai monsoons. Not a good read at all!!

Weird Me!!!!!

2006-07-22T21:39:00.000+05:30

Its been quite a while that I’ve posted anything. I’ve always been meaning to but work has been literally hell the last couple of months. I finally got down to it, yay! Shruthi, who seems to think I am sane and level-headed (wicked grin) has tagged me. The motivation for most of these tags are funny, aren’t they? I mean, think of it, here we are, a group of completely sane (?????????) people out to prove to the world at large that we are all weird in some way or the other!!!! That itself is so weird that it should be a mandatory point in every such tag. J

Anyway, let me get down to the task at hand, it promises to be fun. But before I start I need to mention that this was one tag that my wife S offered to do for me!!!! Obviously, she knows me at my weirdest best!!!

So here goes:

1) Though I am perfectly articulate when it comes to talking to senior people face-to-face, I seem to slip into incoherence when it comes to the phone-world especially when ending the conversation. In fact, as my wife and brother are quick to point out, my tongue jumbles up so much that a perfectly simple sentence like “OK, I’ll do that” comes out as “Okiyalldomtapat”. The worst part is that I actually realize even before I start speaking that its going to be a blooper and I can’t do anything about!!!

P.S. By senior people, I mean people who are in the upper echelons of the corporate world, be it my brother’s boss or my uncle who is a big shot in a big multi-national…well, you get the drift.

2) I am crazy about food!!! I know Shruthi and many other people may have included this in their list but what is true is true. As ANYBODY knowing me would vouch for, I simply love food, especially the once-living category. Within me you would find a veritable know-it-all when it comes to restaurants, hotels, roadside “thelas”, dhabas, coffee shops, vada-pav stalls, anda bhurji valas all over the length and breadth of Mumbai. Come to me whenever you need to know of a good eating place, with a budget of Rs. 10 right upto infinity. As for vegetarian food, I think my mom is the best at that and so I solemnly follow my principle of avoiding vegetarian food as much as I can while eating out.

3) Whenever I pass a holy place, be it a temple, gurudwara, church, masjid or small by-the road shrines, I have this habit of inclining my head a little to acknowledge it and sometimes even touching my fingers to my lips and heart. Many people find it extremely weird seeing me do this umpteen times on any journey or while commuting in Mumbai where such holy places abound. In fact, my cousin sister took to turning around and looking at me whenever we passed one so that she could catch me in the act once more!

4) I have this single-minded belief that everybody is good and trust-worthy. Maybe this point does not have a place in this list but I think most do realize that there many more types of people than the ones I have mentioned above. And as many of my friends have told me, in today’s world, you would be lucky to find such people and I had better believe it as soon as possible. But I refuse to listen to them and look for that elusive niceness in everybody. Obviously, there have many instances where I have been proved wrong but even then “twice bitten, once shy” does not seem to ring true with me.

5) I have this weird habit of falling into silence every now and then for no apparent reason. It makes people wonder what is wrong with me. Especially since there does not seem to be any reason. And quite rightly, my loved ones get irked at this seeming lack of communication. Well, this is the one thing in my list that I’d like to change about me….this one and also maybe point 1!!! J

I tag (with my limited network on Blogosphere):

Triya – my little sister
Anu - seems worthwhile knowing this lady's weirdness (if there is any)
Asha - this friend of mine sure would give me a run for my money
Rose - Other than the fact that she is a fellow Mumbaikar and an awesome writer, I hardly know anything about her.
Anybody else willing to take it up

Btw, if anybody on here wants to point out or mention any other weird thing about me, I’d sure want to know.

Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan!!

2006-05-16T16:55:00.000+05:30

I have always wondered about the city I live in. Nothing profound, mind you; just about why it is that I am always happy to come back here even after one of the best vacations possible. And it’s not necessarily because MOST (so that my out-of-town loved ones don’t feel let down) of the people dear to me are from here. Mumbai – with all its squalor and filth is still one of its kinds. This is my version of it – uncensored.

Note for the reader:
· The comments below are solely my opinion and people do not necessarily have to subscribe to it.
· The intention is not to belittle any other city / town anywhere in the country. In fact, I am of the firm opinion that every place has its own pros and cons and usually with the right attitude one does find that pros outweigh the cons.

Things I hate about Mumbai
1. The vast divide between the haves and the have-nots.

2. The fact that this divide is ever widening.

3. The abounding dirt, filth and the general apathy towards it.

4. The omnipresent ditches and bad roads that are present every 20 meters you move ahead (if you’re lucky) along with enough flying dust to fill your stomach at least for 1 meal.

5. That commuting to and from the workplace takes up almost one fourth of a typical working day.

6. The amazing pace at which the once-upon-a-time abundant open spaces and greenery are disappearing from the landscape.

7. The ever increasing prices of houses – one has to really forgo a lot in order to buy his dream home.

8. The sheer number of people who die everyday just in road /rail accidents.

9. The “throw-it-where-you-please” attitude reflected in most people when it comes to waste be it paper, vegetable / fruit peels or any other rubbish. Not only are they shameless but they even have the nerve to argue with someone pointing it out to them.

10. How bribery and corruption exists at every level – it’s pathetic that some people would want extra money to do the very thing that they are paid a salary for!

Now for the more pleasant bit:
Things I love about Mumbai
1. The warmth and helping nature of the Mumbaikar – one can never feel lost or helpless in Mumbai, there will always be a helping hand (pun un-intended).

2. How one can satiate hunger pangs starting from the ubiquitous and humble “zunka bhakar” (Rs. 2.00 only) and “vada pav” (Rs. 3.50 to Rs. 4.00 only) to the mid-range Udupi hotels that serve mouth-watering South Indian snacks along with a smattering of “Punjabi” dishes with their own signature style and then on to the high-end pricy restaurants and 5 to 7 star hotels with their menu of world cuisines. In fact, it can be safely said Mumbai has something for EVERYBODY!

3. The way Mumbai is buzzing even at 3 am in the morning. I guess many of us have been addicted to Phantom comics when we were younger: there was this saying in those, “It is said that under the Phantom’s regime, a lady fully decked with jewels from head to foot could safely move around the deep woods even in the dead of night!” Well, though not as far-fetched as that but Mumbai is certainly safe for a woman even at the oddest hours possible for the most part.

4. One of the best public transport systems in India in terms of both roads and rail that in spite of the ever increasing load on them is still equipped to cater to Mumbaikars and ferry them in thousands to and fro countless times each day with hardly a hitch. An added advantage is the ease of navigating from one place to another.

5. The abundance of really good seats of learning in Mumbai – it has some of the best institutes for almost every branch of education possible. And this is not counting the numerous colleges that boast of some of the most amazing “crowds” possible. Sigh!!! Now I’m getting nostalgic.

6. The fact that if one looks hard enough, there is nothing one cannot find in Mumbai – from foreign chocolates to books to clothing brands to spices to musical instruments to medicines to……….whew….am breathless now.

7. The lovely beaches that line the Mumbai coastline right from the famed “Queen’s Necklace” at Marine Drive right uptil the brown sands of Gorai beach at Borivli / Bhayandar.

8. That it is the true land of opportunities where an individual by dint of sheer hard work and initiative can make it big in his own right – just like in the movies!!!

9. The feel of the city – vibrant, alive, buzzing, exciting, modern, traditional all at the same time. If you ever get the chance, stand for some time outside the Eros cinema hall at Churchgate and soak in the atmosphere, you’ll know where I’m coming from. You could perform the same exercise outside Borivli railway station for all you please and still come away with the same experience.

10. The way people behaved during last year’s torrential rains and the flooding that followed – stories of courage, humanity, camaraderie and spirit that are alive even today (directly compared to what happened in New Orleans post Katrina). Keep it up, Mumbai!

11. The number of festivals / occasions that are celebrated in Mumbai with the same amount of joyousness, fun, gaiety – where else can you find New Year’s eve, Holi, Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chathurthi, Diwali, Id and Christmas all coming up one after the other and people from all communities and walks of life participating in the festivity with the same vigour and commitment?!

12. In spite of being a heavily criticized lot for a whole lot of reasons, the Mumbai Police is ranked as one the world’s top police agencies.

13. The cheerfulness that prevails (for the most part) in the packed local train where a push here and a shove there are the name of the game.

14. That I get to stand up and sing our National Anthem proudly at the beginning of every movie show in all the cinema halls of Mumbai – we don’t get to do it enough otherwise.

15. Mumbai’s accepting nature – one does not have to think “log kya kahenge” about anything and everything, everybody is left to themselves with passing judgment for judgment’s sake.

16. The home to Bollywood – need I say more?

17. Its history – it’s amazing to know that when it started out Mumbai was a group of 7 islands and formed part of the kingdom of Emperor Ashoka (I did not know the Ashoka part myself till recently!).

18. Its proximity to beautiful locations like Matheran, Lonavla, Mahableshwar and not counting the scores of clean beaches and azure trek spots near the outskirts.

19. Its rains – the city gets a life of its own during the monsoons. Its feels great just to sit at home with a cup of hot tea or even be out wandering around town drenched and soaking in the sights of rain washed Mumbai.

20. Last but not the least, this is the commercial capital of the country – it simply feels good to be where the action is.

Obviously, I could go on and on but for the sake of the reader and my sore fingers I’ll desist. Though I did not know it then, the points I like about my city are exactly 2 times those points I don’t like. Does that mean I like my city twice as much as the things about it I don’t? No, I actually love Mumbai many more times than that. There are many other things about it that make it my Mumbai – things that I may not be able to express adequately here. But I hope this list of mine gives more people reasons to start developing a liking for this great old lady!!

I don’t know if I’m supposed to do this but anyway here goes: Anybody who reads this post is hereby tagged to do a similar post on their own hometown. Other Mumbaikars are excused because I might have eaten into their list already. But of course, if they want to add to the list they are most welcome to do so. Am awaiting comments. Go Mumbai!!!!!!

My First Ever Tag - and its on Books!!!! :)

2006-04-01T09:48:00.000+05:30

My first ever tag and its about books!!! :) And its all thanks to LAK!

1. What is the total number of books you've owned? Well, I have never actually counted but going by the exaspareted comments of my mom and now the resigned ones of my wife, I can venture a guess at around hundreds. My problem is that I have never ever been able to "give away" any of my books to my smaller cousins or nephews or for that matter anybody at all. So I have retained all my books starting from the Enid Blytons, Hardy Boys series to all my latest acquisitions.

The only solace my poor mom has is to furtively smuggle some books which threaten to fall off my bookshelf and stow them somewhere in the attic or the holding space under our beds. Someday I hope to conduct a search and be pleasantly surprised to find some long forgotten books of mine.

2. What is the last book you bought?

The last 2 books I bought are as below: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer (I know, I know, its such an old book; but I'd never read it so there!)

3. What is the last book you've read?

The whole Harry Potter series, one after the other (had read all of them before but always with a time gap in between each reading)......finished book 6 just a couple of days ago and it was good fun. I so wish JKR comes up with a logical way to extend the story even further than book 7. Am already dreading the end of this series.

4. What are you currently reading?

The Hungry Tide by Amitava Ghosh. To be frank, am a little sceptical of most Indian authors mainly because many of them feel the need to use a known author's style and apply it to the Indian context. The results are almost always disastrous.

There are quite a few exceptions though and to my absolute delight, this one is turning out to be one such. I am just at the start of the book right now and already I can feel what it must be like to be living in the Sunderbans, right at the edge of land-locked civilization. And the story, while essentially Indian, also promises to get a life of its own as it moves along.

5. What are the 5 books that have meant a lot to you or that you particularly enjoyed?
(a) Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen – Yes, I am talking about the timeless classic, the story of the middle-class English family living in the countryside and all the ups and downs faced by them in the course of their lives. What impresses me the most about this book even now is the way each and every character in the book has individual problems and how these are resolved in the end. The inherent strength of character displayed by the 2 oldest Bennett girls, their poise and their ability to hold forth on what they considered right (especially Lizzy Bennett) is something that should ring true even in today’s world. Worth a read time and time again!
(b) Kane & Abel by Jeffrey Archer – This one is special to me for another reason too (other than the one that it was a great read!); this was the first “grown-up” book I ever read. And even then I was able to appreciate the fine distinction that Lord Archer made between the lives of the 2 men born on the same day in different corners of the globe. And then only to weave the tale in such a way so as to forge a connection between them that was irrefutable, lasting and maybe even humane. Even though this book is lengthy, I wasn’t bored at all, in fact it was un-putdownable.
(c) The Tintin series by Herge – One of my most favourite cartoon characters till date, the adventures of this world famed boy-reporter and his faithful companion Snowy have always taken me into a fantasy world of my own where I could see in my mind’s eye all those exotic locations where Tintin went to. The Tintin series has fascinated me so much that as a post-wedding gift, my wife presented to me the entire set of Tintin comics (in their original form), 24 of them. And obviously, I was thrilled!!
(d) Malgudi Days by R. K. Narayan – I am sure all of us have seen the televised version of Malgudi when it was first broadcasted on Doordarshan. It was only recently that I was able to get hold of the book and devour it from cover to cover. Being a South Indian myself, I can clearly visualize the Malgudi so able described by R. K. Narayan. The simplicity of his writing makes it even more appealing in a way that even a child could understand the image being conjured. The small time happenings of a mostly sleepy small town in Tamil Nadu presented in quintessential R. K. Narayan style makes for a ever-lasting reading experience. A book I would recommend to readers of all ages! Even kids would love the adventures of Swami (immortalized by Master Manjunath in the TV series) and his friends…
(e) Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien – I won’t say much about this one simply because I have no words to describe it. Anyone who thinks that the movies based on this book were good should definitely read it. It is a very lengthy book with a lot of detail but very enjoyable. Not for people who like their books with short swift endings!!!

5. What book(s) would you wish to buy next?
(a) The Asterix comics series – since this is only a wishlist I don’t mind saying I’d like to own the whole set some time or the other. I know it’s a long time coming though.
(b) The latest offering from Mathew Reilly, I forget the name; but having read most of his previous books (Ice Station, Temple, Contest etc.) I look forward to his newest addition.

6. What book(s) caught your attention but you never had a chance to read?
(a) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – have always seen it in bookshops and people have always told me I’d like it but never gotten around to buying it or reading it.
(b) Gone with the Wind – heard of it, seen it, but not yet read it!

7. What book(s) that you've owned for so long but never read?
(a) Great Works of Edgar Allan Poe - been with me for almost a year now, still have to pick it up. Obviously the reason for not having read it is simply lack of time.
(b) The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne – picked this one up off a second hand bookseller. I know its good but the same old story – no time!!
(c) Eldest by Christopher Paolini – this one is the second part in the trilogy by the author, the first one was Eragon. A fantasy tale involving dragons, their riders and the whole thing about a evil king oppressing the innocent. But a great read for LOTR aficionados….

8. Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
The 3 people I’d like to tag are Triya, Anumita and well, I don’t really know too many people on here so I tag only 2. I have read Triya and Anumita and they write really well. I’d like to know where they get it from! J

Thanks LAK, for giving me the chance to do this!!!

Chhod Aaye Hum Wo Galiyaan.....

2006-01-30T16:31:00.000+05:30

Just received a forwarded e-mail today. So whats so important about that? Don't we receive umpteen number of inane forwards everyday? Well, this one touched my heart in a certain way. Was sure all of us would identify with this one, at least the ones who studied in any school in India. Maybe the ones who studied abroad too, but then, I wouldn't know about that.

The body of the forward is copied below - please excuse any grammatical errors, the content is worth it.

When the school reopened in June,
And we settled in our new desks and benches.
When we queued up in book depot,
And got our new books and notes.
When we wanted two Sundays and no Mondays, yet
Managed to line up daily for the morning prayers.
We learnt writing with slates and pencils, and
Progressed to fountain pens and ball pens and then micro tips.
We began drawing with crayons and evolved to
Colour pencils and finally sketch pens.
We started calculating first with tables and then with
Clarke's tables and advanced to calculators and computers.
When we chased one another in the corridors in
Intervals, and returned to the classrooms drenched in sweat.
When we had lunch in classrooms, corridors,
Playgrounds, under the trees and even in cycle shed.
When all the colors in the world,
Decorated the campus on the Second Saturdays.
When a single P.T. period in the week's Time Table,
Was awaited more eagerly than the monsoons.
When cricket was played with writing pads as bats,
And Neckties and socks rolled into balls.
When few played "kabadi" and "Kho-Kho" in scorching sun,
While others simply played "book cricket" in the confines of classroom.
Of fights but no conspiracies,
Of Competitions but seldom jealousy.
When we used to watch Live Cricket telecast,
In the opposite house in Intervals and Lunch breaks.
When few rushed at 1:45 to "Conquer" window seats in our School bus.
While few others had "Big Fun", "Chock-o-bar","kulfi ice" and "Pepsi" at 2:00 Clock.
Gone are the days Of Sports Day, and the annual School Day,
And the one-month long preparations for them.
Gone are the days Of the stressful Quarterly,
Half Yearly and Annual Exams, And the most enjoyed holidays after them.
Of 10th and 12th standards, when we Spent almost the whole year writing revision tests.
We learnt, we enjoyed, we played, we won, we lost,
We laughed, we cried, we fought, we thought.
With so much fun in them, so many friends,
So much experience, all this and more.
Gone are the days when we used to talk for hours with our friends.
Now we don't have time to say a HI.
Gone are the days when we played games on the road.
Now we are stuck on the road (in traffic) with a laptop.
Gone are the days when we saw stars shining at night.
Now we see stars when our Boss takes our case.
Gone are the days when we sat to chat with friends on grounds.
Now we chat in chat rooms.....
Gone are the days where we studied just to pass.
Now we study to save our job
Gone are the days where we had no money in our pockets
and fun filled on our hearts
Now we have the ATM as well as credit card but with an empty heart
Gone are the days where we shouted on the road.
Now we don t shout even at home
Gone are the days where we got lectures from all.
Now we give lectures to all... like the one I'm doing now....
Gone are the days
But not the memories, which will be
Lingering in our hearts for ever and ever and Ever and ever and Ever.....
NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE,
DONT FORGET TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT STILL EXISTS. IT WONT BE THERE
FOREVER.

Please keep alive that child within you - always and forever. That is what makes life worth living.

Rang De Basanti....

2006-01-27T23:20:00.000+05:30

The latest offering from Aamir Khan "Rang De Basanti" promised to be worth watching. My wife and me (both BIG fans of Aamir) along with another couple - friends of ours, after a lot of effort procured tickets to the "paid preview" show of the film to be aired on Jan 25th at Inorbit mall. The added attraction was that since it was a late night show it would spill over to Republic Day what with the movie being touted as one with a lot of patriotic fervour. Well, at least to me that did hold some attraction.

After a hurried dinner on my part and hardly any on my wife's, we managed to reach the movie hall with 10 minutes to spare. While waiting for our friends (they had the tickets with them!!), we noticed a lot of small time celebs waiting to catch the same show. It sure looked like it was heading for a packed hall. Well, soon our friends arrived and then armed with popcorn and some fizzy drinks we settled down in our seats. I noticed that the whole row in front of us was occupied by college kids who also maybe worked in some call centre. I was hoping that they'd behave themselves during the screening and not spoil my movie show for me.

Right on cue, the screen flashed "Please rise for the National Anthem". To me, this is one of the best things to have happened to our cinema halls lately (obviously the movies are getting better too). I mean, when was the last time you sang the National Anthem after those compulsory school assemblies?

Going off on a tangent, for a country in which millions of people over 200 years struggled to achieve "independence", we are sadly lacking in any real love for the motherland. The most common arguments one hears are listed below:
1. What's worth loving in this country anyway? The roads suck, the government sucks, corruption, violence, poverty, terrorism are rampant, dirt & filth abound.

2. Crowded trains, buses, even apartment buildings so close to each other that it seems they are supported by each other.

3. If the above were mostly urban problems, even life in villages are nothing great - all the age old practices like child marriages, sati, girl infanticide etc still persist.

4. Brutality on the part of police and goons go hand in hand.

5. We still have one of the lowest literacy rates in the world.

These reasons and also the promised high standard of living in Western countries are driving so much of our educated population away from India. But come on folks, though this list looks long when you write it down like that, doesn’t being Indian mean anything at all?

What if those brave soldiers so far away from their loved ones also thought in the same vein - that it would be much better to fight for Western countries as the living conditions there are much better? Would it be possible for you to finish that post graduate course of yours in the best of educational institutions and enjoy that free life that is so taken for granted by us these days? What about the grit, determination and fellowship displayed by the Mumbai janata during the still recent Mumbai rains that allowed the weather-lashed city to retain its sanity and maintain her dignity in the worse of calamities? Compare that with New Orleans where there was massive lawlessness in the wake of “Katrina”, where people looted stores, killed people and general pandemonium reigned supreme – all this in the country most sought after by so many of our young aspirants, the USA!

I do not have answers to the questions or problems I have posed above. But it is open-ended questions like this that have made me realize that India is the place to be, that she is on her way to proving to the world what she always was – a queen in her own right, one that is able to hold her own against the best in the world!

Without spoiling the plot of Rang De Basanti for anyone, I’ll just say that it does a good job of addressing many of the questions that face us today, in a manner that today’s youth would be able to identify with. I left the theatre satisfied but at the same time with a lot more expectations.

A gripping movie from start to end, during which, come to think of it, I was not at all distracted by the call center crowd in front of me. Happy Republic Day to all….. Jai Hind!

Here I am!

2006-01-24T14:02:00.000+05:30

Over the past two years, I have been hearing more and more about the phenomenon of "Blogging". Being a person who likes to read anything that is remotely interesting, I used to see a "blog" as a just another source for good reading material but with a major difference – most blogs have the essential element of reality attached to them which makes for infinitesimally better quality of reading.

But since then, I have realized that a blog is not just a good read. They contain the deepest feelings and emotions of the people who write in them. This makes “blogging” a parallel world all on its own. To top this, other people comment on blog entries with words of advice, encouragement and, at times, even criticism. Anything that has so much of effort, so many emotions thrown in from so many different individuals cannot exist without an identity of its own that is closely allied with its creator – a kind of alter ego.

Wanting to be a small part of this world, I have ventured into Blog space – a place where I can capture my experiences and memories at my own leisure. I have been unsuccessful in maintaining a diary of my own even after having started a diary about 3 times since school days. But being a technophyte myself (I am much more comfortable using a computer for anything), I see a ray of light this time.

So here I begin my foray into the world of “Blogging”!

“Tentative though my first steps may be, I feel just as exhilarated as I do when taking a walk by the sea.”