Rain

FINALLY, the skies opened up in Bangalore. After months of sweltering and exclaiming Gosh-wotz-wrong-with-Blore's-weather, the Gods finally smiled down. And boy - did it pour! I could hear the war cries of the clouds and smell the wet earth inside my sound-proof glass encased office....thankful that some things don't work, sometimes.

We went out to get a bit of the action. There is something about the skies opening up that makes you want to forget everything and just go out there and get drenched - maybe its a sort of a cleansing of the mind's cobwebs,or simply a desire to go back to the mad spontaneity of childhood. All around me I could see happy faces - people like me who'd come out to catch the first showers. Funny how weather can make such a difference to how you feel.

Feeling happy and uplifted, I was humming a cute Hindi oldie (Choti si kahani mein, baarishon ki paani mein, saari vaadi beh gayi). Someone close by was humming Raindrops keep falling on my head....yikes, what a bummer ! Who wants dejection when I was dreaming of getting soaked in the rain and then heading home to a steaming cup of masala chai and yummy pakodas.

And then it struck me - most of the English songs based on rain that I could recall had an undercurrent of melancholy/sadness -be it Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head or November Rain or All I Needed was the Rain - all are about rain bringing back memories of a loss or washing away a loss (mostly love, no surprises on that). Au contraire, a lot of romance and naughtiness in Hindi songs surfaces in the rain - be it the beautiful Rim Jhim Rim Jhim from 1942 a love story, the full-of-hope Ghanan Ghanan from Lagaan or the soft Saawan Barse Tarse Dil, not to mention the numerous songs where love/passion blossoms with a wet jig ...from Raj Kapoor-Nargis to the SRK-Kajol.

Well. Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

*created 9 May

Jungle Retreat, Masinagudi

The Jungle Retreat at Masinagudi (www.jungleretreat.com) is a great weekend getaway for those living in and around Bangalore.



The location, at the foot of the Nilgiris, is breathtaking - you can see the grand hills looming in front of you as you lounge about during the day, and a carpet of stars at night - the perfect ground to test your knowledge of constellations. The cottages are warm and comfortable, and are spaced sufficiently apart from each other to provide privacy. Dont be surprised to find a deer sharing your balcony when you come out to breathe the fresh morning air.

There are activities for both the adventurous and the lazy - trekking, safari and a variety of indoor games. The guided trek through the Niligiris is fairly challenging, but there are ample opportunities for photographers, even though we didnt come across any animals (except a few frightened goats!). The jungle safari will have more than its share of elephants - we were lucky enough to sight a small panther, apart from the deers and the bisons. There are also wonderful photography opportunities during the safari - lovely flowers of all hues, cacti, and butterflies.

The food is delicious, the music great and the bar well stocked. Snooker, chess, fuzeball, carrom and a variety of other indoor games means you have enough to do.

I had a fairly hectic trip, but I did manage to snatch a blissful hour on a hammock. Amidst the gentle chirping of the birds and the awe inspiring Nilgiris, you feel a serenity that is difficult to describe. The staff is courteous, and I thoroughly enjoyed my amateur sparring at snooker. The bar is willing to invent a drink for you if you sketch our your preferences - the Cosmo is quite nice.

The tree house is breathtaking and oh-so-royal, and the view from the top made us forget our initial doubts about whether it'd hold our combined weight! And I loved the variety of music that they had.

Rohan, the owner, an enthusiastic wildlife photographer, has some amazing pics put up - do check out the python swallowing the deer. And check out his photo album - it shows the place while it was getting constructed, and also some famous visitors, including the Little Master - yeah none other than Sachin.

Caution: cell phones do not work here. I personally love the feeling of being un-connected and un-reachable, but for workaholics who cannot live without checking their mails or barking orders on the cell phone, this is going to be a true break from working!

On Beauty

So finally decided to test D's ravings about the salon at the Leela. I have a nagging doubt that it wont be as 'inexpensive' as she claims it to be, but wot the hell. Think I can try it once. And I need some pampering.

Some highights from the visit:

I was greeted at the entrace with blood red curtains - ohmigawd ! But otherwise the place was quite nice - pleasant lavender smell, the soft murmurings of the numerous staff (they outnumbered the customers), the creamy leather chairs and old-wood furniture and panelling - this is clearly a place for luxury!

As I looked around, I realized that the customer profile here was different from most other parlors - no college girls/ young women, but mostly middle aged women with lotttts of money and time to spare. All elegantly dressed, but what I noticed most were the sandals. Carrie Bradshaw would have cried at the awesome display of footwear in that square foot of land. All beauties - strappy, elegant, glimmering with the color of money...it seemed that Gucci or Versace had randomly selected those women to model their finest creations.

Sigh. Well at least Im not wearing my 3 year old platforms.

As I was getting my head oil massage, I saw the most shocking sight of them all - a kid, not older than 8 years, was getting her hair colored AND highlighted. Ohmigawd. To think that the first time I colored my hair was when I was 25, and even then I was so scared I was convinced my hair would drop off as punishment or something.. Granted I was a bit late in the coming, but isnt 8 years old a bit too young?

Damn, they should have an age restriction on this stuff, else I'll lose the few things where I can claim to be 'mast' in my teenage sis's eyes!

Bookseller of Kabul

Back at home. The Bookseller of Kabul had seemed interesting. At least the page I had opened it on - which prompted me to buy the book. So I settled down to read it. Boy, what a depressing book. Its not that she has written the book in a depressing manner - there is no over dramatizing, no attempt to make things appear morbid than they are, no searching for cynical hidden meanings and connections (ala Milan Kundera). In fact, the book is fairly journalistic - no nonsense and (hopefully) factual. But the facts themselves leave you with the feeling that there is no hope at all for the people of Afghanistan. And especially the women. It is quite evident that the writer herself was moved by the hopeless fate of the women born into that society, for quite sub consciously, her stories bring out the dismal situation that all the women protagonists - young and old, ugly and beautiful - are stuck in.

In a world which focuses largely on the joys of positive thinking and holistic healing and discovering your inner joy, the story of the Bookseller of Kabul comes as a rude demonstration of the helpness that a man's place of birth can put him into. I know that a lot of our postive thinkers would exhort me to look at this as an example of the resilience of the human spirit, and give me examples of the potter's wheel and coffee beans and what not to show how fate tests the strongest (so what if they have never gone through this so-called suffering). But I would rather face reality for it is - stark, naked, and for the women in Afghanistan - brutal and worse-than-death.

Hair and Now

So Khursheed refused to give me a hair cut. Some gyan about can-only-be-trimmed-right-now. Damn. And i went up about trilling to everyone to watch out for my new look, woke up early on aSaturday morning AND took a shower. Need to drown my gum.

So headed to Blossom. I can look for some second hand Somerset Maugham's and Russells. And I'll need some Georgette Heyers and Dorothy Sayers for the plane, rite? Right.

Mmmm the smells of a book shop...not the plastic and vinyl smell of the modern stores where you have the books neadtly categorized and labeled....but a nice old shop where you can inhale the musty smell that comes from pages that have been turned and marked and treasured, over and over again. And the joy of hunting for a book, and stumbling upon a beauty that you didnt even know existed, the thrill of finding several orginal editions of your favorite book, and trying to choose between them ...

So I finally ended up buying eleven books. AND came back to Blossoms (supposedly to buy a pen), and bought two more. Ohmigawd. I gotta, gotta make an inventory of my un-read books. And Ive already 'started' at least 6 books...sheesh. Okie I promise I wont read any of these till I finish the back log.

And didn't I want enough money as a kid to buy all the books that I wanted to? And now that I have that money, I still feel guilty about buying them. Why? Coz now I dont have enough time to read those books. Damn. Life always slips in an invisible caveat which you notice only when it's too late.

Thank you for the music

Watching Big play his parents' favorite song on a gramophone in Sex & The City today brought back some cherished memories from my childhood.

I know this may sound arrogant, but let me say it anyway : For those who have never heard music played on a gramophone - my condolences.

My first introduction to music was listening to Jagjit & Chitra Singh weaving their magic on a round black plastic disc....There is something about listening to a song on a gramophone - there is a richness to the timbre that I think is hard to find in even the fanciest surround sound/home theatre systems. It seems as if the singer is sitting in front of you, singing for you, only you. The feeling gets reinforced as the little needle takes your hand and gently leads you on a journey of love, hope, despair and beauty. Its the perfect make believe world, with the singer moving the potter's wheel, giving shape to your dreams...and your life. Fiction becomes fact till nothing else matters....just how music should be.

When I was about 12, we shifted into a new house. While packing (there were no Movers & Packers then), my mom threw away all my Dad's records - a priceless collection of at least 100, if not more - as junk. Even the kabadi would not have them. The beautiful gramophone - with its solid wooden casing, the smooth red velvet casing inside and the i-belong-to-a-different-era smell- was also given away, probably to the maid or the dhobi. So much for Rafi, Kishore, Manna De, Hemant Da, Geeta Di and the Mangeshkars.

I would give anything to have some of those records back. I still harbour hopes of buying a gramophone someday - supposedly for my Dad, but I suspect its more for myself.

Don't it always seems to go, that you dont know what you have till its gone ... They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.

Yesterday's junk is today's loss.... and tomorrow's fortune.

Future Backward

Someone sent me a corny forward which said - live everyday as if its ure last day.

I find it much more convenient to assume my last day is really far off, and hence continue my lazy state of existence :-) But it got me thinking - if i knew i had very few days left in the world, wot are the things I'd really want to do, that I'd feel sorry thatI hadn't done.

The most important is travel - go to all those places that I want to see in the world, do a bharat darshan on train - i really wanna go to the unexplored nooks and corners of the country. especially do Leh & Ladakh. Therez soooo very much to see - i wonder whether I'll ever be able to do even half of it.

Next is a lotta other stuff ...read all the books that i want to - backlog from my existing collection plus all those books i really wanna read but stop myself from buying; something related to music; go bungee jumping. etc-etc.

But travel is the most important. If I really knew that I had just a year to live, I would immediately quit my job and gallavant all over the world. And I would probably end up covering a large majority of the places I really wanna go to. coz I'd have no 'future' to think or worry about.

But the fact that I assume that I will live longer, and hence can/will do it later, stops me from doing it right now. I.e., the possibility of the future limits the reality of my present. For better or for worse - only time shall tell.

Arrrrgh.

April Sunday

Sunday....one of the best days that I have seen in Blore for a long time. Such awesome, awesome weather - the kind that makes you see beauty in everything and everyone around you, the kind that makes you want to just stay still and soak in the moment, without brooding over the past or worrying about the future. Its almost like the first few days of being in love - nothing can wipe out the smile on your face, for God's in Heaven, all's right with the world.

So we pulled out our bean bags and floor cushions and plonked ourselves on the balcony. From the second floor that I stay on, the nearby houses are barely visible...all you can see are the tops of the trees gently pirouetting with the wind and the clouds battling away in the sky. Also there are no street noises, so it almost feels like you are away from the town. I had a book with me, but I was barely reading - it was much nicer trying to catch an occasional sweet melody amongst the chirping of the birds (the wild cackles of the crows mostly), the secret whisperings amongst the trees, and the faintly delicious smell of pakodas cooking somewhere close by, playing hide and seek with us.

And there was Deeksha - watching DCH on the comp and giggling loudly to herself. Each time we'd hear her cackles, we'd laugh out loud ourselves. No reason really - we were just happy.

No one spoke, but we each had a faint smile on our faces...for in the mad confusions of our lives, we had suddenly, and briefly, stumbled upon a haven of bliss.

Of God, and Living

" If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words. I think he would prefer an honest and righteus atheist to a TV preacher whose every word is God, God, God and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul. "
Isaac Asimov

"Razors pain you, Rivers are damp,
Acids stain you, And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful, Nooses give,
Gas smells awful. You might as well live."
Dorothy Parker

"Yield not thy neck to fortune's yoke, but let the dauntless mind still ride in triumph over all mischance."
William Shakespeare, King Henry VI

Footnote: The clubbing together of God and Living is purely coincincidental, and should not be perceived to indicate any connection between the two, stated or otherwise :-)

Goa Diaries - Jan 2006

Reached Panaji Friday morning. Nice shower, breakfast at Mongini's. Then we headed to Donna Paula - had a big debate on who's the guy and whos' the girl amongst them :-)

Lunch at Mum's Kitchen, then headed to Miramar beach. quiet place. we wanted more excitement, so headed to Calangute. drove a water scootie, the waves hitting u on the face are soo awesome ! then Bret taught me to 'ride' the big waves, so splashed about in the water for some time. headed back to the hotel, dressed up and went to this hep place called Club Cabana. we were certainly over dressed for that place !!! tried dancing to some trance music, but finally gave up. there was some arbit swim suit show going on - there were even men dressed in bikinis !! the rest of the gang got busy watching that...i went to a corner and dropped off to sleep : -)

Saturday was wedding day. went for a quick splash to Bagha beach. came back around lunch time, drove about an hour to the wedding village, got caught in a traffic jam (in Goa !!!) on the way so missed the first half of the service : -( the church looked really old and was beautiful (i saw a pic of it in a Jetwings later!).

then headed for the reception - loved the way they celebrate their weddings - the welcome circle, the wedding tip tap dance, the jiving....a friend of mine taught me to jive, so danced and danced. Kept on putting my arm around his waist instead of his shoulder though (blush). When they called us to dance inside the circle, he kept on telling me - put your hand on my shoulder. Hehe.

came back to the hotel around midnight, changed and four of us headed to Tito's on 2 bikes. the drive was awesome, and then we found this shack by the beach that was playing good school time music...just sat & watched the waves wash up and the full moon and the stars - i simply loved it. headed back around 5 in the morning - i crashed, while two enthu guys actually stayed awake throughout and went back to Bagha at 7 !

Wot i loved:
the beaches, the water
the roads !!! they r soo drivable. wanna ride a scootie there next time.
the pretty cottages and houses by the side of the roads
the people - everyone kinda lets u be - u really dont feel you are in india

Let bygones be...

Salma, my cook, pounces on the opportunity to talk whenever you enter the kitchen. So no wonder she started again when I came in this morning for my breakfast.

There I was, pouring my cereal, making the right sounds but barely listening to her tale of relatives caught in an accident, till she said – jaane waala to aata nahin hai na didi. I stopped in the middle of heaping Waheeda Rahman’s muesli into the bowl. So true.

And it ain’t just true for the dead.

Adventures of a globe trotter : Beirut, Dec 2002

Next to Heidelberg, one of the most enchanting places on earth, at least amongst the places that I have visited : -) I was in Beirut for just about 4 days on work - at that time, I could not afford extending these official trips into personal ones : -(

But the memory remains....a letter that I wrote to my friends, and some pics. Visit www.downtownbeirut.com for a visual treat of the city.

Hello people !!! Am back from Beirut - had a smashing, rocking time - I wish I cud've stayed there for ever !! The city is beautiful - it turned out to be totally different from wot I'd thought it would be. The Mediterrean Sea was a stone's throw from my hotel - & with itz waters so blue, it was absolutely stunning. If you thought Marine Drive is happening, you've gotta walk by the coast to see how happening it is - my first day I had lunch at a place rite across the Sea - amazzzing experince.

The most happening place in Beirut is Downtown - the center of the city which also has some of the best buildings (architecturally) in town. All the buildings had been destroyed during the Civil War, & they have actually resurrected all of them by re-doing the exteriors while maintaining the original architecture .

My favorite spot was the Roman Bath Gardens - an area that has a small stream running by the side of some ancient Roman remains (which have been preserved till now),with an ancient Church on one side & an equally old Mosque on the other - itz one of the most breathtaking & serene sites I've ever seen - u feel like uve been transported to a different time altogether - Koks u wud've just freaked out on the architecture & the layout ! T

The lay-out of Downtown is like our own Connaught Place - on a smaller & much prettier scale. The entire area is done up in cobbled stone - has a very European feel to it ..there are shops & Cafes & eateries all around, all of which have outdoor seating. Sitting there, you get a stunning view of the mountains - pity I coudn't go skiing there !

About half of the population in the city is French - & I spent my time there saying 'Bon jour' & 'Merci' & of course, 'Bon apetit'. As usual, my most interesting encounters were with the taxi-drivers - it was fun chatting with them while they took me all over the place coz of the language problem. & oh yes, the day ends at 3 in the afternoon & I had Internet access in my room, apart from MTV & movies of course!!

OK..I can just go on and on...but the gist (!!) of it is that it was welcome break - somehow the city is verry bright & happy,and with Christmas round the corner, it was even more festive - all the trees on the roads had been strung with lights so the view was even more breathtaking at night ..& when ure company pays for you to stay at a posh hotel & gorge on all the food tht you want to (I actually tried controlling my food intake for the first 2 days, but after that, I just gave up!) - well, Paradise's not far.

Itz back to the real world now - but I'm sure gonna put fite to tag along next time something cums up in Beirut - I'd definitely recommend it as a fantastic vacation-spot to anyone interested.

PS: To be honest, the title of this mail is a bit of an exaggeration -I'm neither a globe-trotter, nor did I have any earth-shattering experiences that could classify as adventures, but wot the !!);

San Francisco Chronicle - Weekends 2 & 3

04 October, 2005

Went over to Kokil's at Portland - what a crazy, last minute trip!! There we were, talking on the phone Sat morning, and we are both like, we are soo close (just about a 3 hour train journey), we have to, have to meet !! So Diwakar goes scouting on the net, quickly books tickets for the evening, and there I am - headed for Kokil's house in Portland! Yeah its just a day trip, but wot the hell - dunno when I will get to meet my oldest friend again : -)

Kokil's house is so charming and serene ! It was also good to get to know Diwakar - I'd only just met him at the wedding. Watching Kokil and him plan out each and every detail of our shopping expedition, weighing each pro and con, I cudnt help thinking - these guyz are just made for each other : -) The shopping was awesome fun - picked up my comp, discman for Deeksha, shoes, clothes, and of course, the last 2 hours when we were selecting the umm-special-stuff was such awesome, awesome fun !! How we preened and giggled : -)

October 8, 2005

My last weekend in SF. Sigh. Saturday was spent in office, finalizing the presentation. But I was determined to keep Sunday for myself. Trudged off to the Exploratorium .... caught off at the wrong spot, and while I was waiting for the bus, this Chineses guy started chatting with me. He was a prof - single and in his mid-30's - on his way to the Golden Gate bridge. Asked me if I wanted to join him (ouch!) - but I'd told I'd rather do the Exploratorium first. He offered to join in, but baulked when I told him the entr is 20 odd dollars. hehe. Poor thing. I almost felt sorry for him. It's terrible being alone in a strange land, but its worse being lonely. And I could sense the loneliness in him. I know how terrible that feels.

So the Exploratorium (http://www.exploratorium.edu/) is a complete wonderland ! Such awesome, awesome wonders of science - the musical instruments, the sand dunes and the water effects, the optical illusions, and Little Red Riding Hood : -) The crowning glory was the Tactile Dome - its a maze which you explore in pitch darkness - you walk, climb, slide, jump...all using your sense of touch. The concept is to demonstrate how we underuse our sense of touch. Most people go in groups, but well I was alone.I took a deep breath, and walked in....to complete, pitch darkness. Gawd it was scary! I came out and asked the shy Brit guy who was waiting with me if he'd mind acompanying me - poor guy had no choice. Somehow, having someone with you, anyone - even a stranger, is reassuring. Basic human nature maybe? I felt so much braver, and there we were, tumbling away, trying to find our way using our hands, and boy, was it fun ! A must-do experience.

Trudged across the road to get a sighting of the Golden Gate bridge. I personally find the Bay bridge more impressive, but Im sure this wuda been a wonder when it was built decades ago. We still dont have a bridge that comes close to it in India :-(

Hung around the beach to watch the air show of the Angels - the beach was lined with people. Then trudgd along to find Ghiradelli Square. Walked almost 2 miles before I found a bus stop - I have to, have to have shed a few pounds with all my walking ! There was a band playing some music in the middle of the square - and pretty good music it was too! bought some chocolates, and then headed to the highly recommended Pizza Chicago - the best pizzas in town according to Kokil. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was run by an Indian! A popular Italian joint run by Indians - well ons econd thoughts, why I am surprised. Uncle-ji chatted with me in Hindi, while Aunty-ji and beta-ji were running around taking orders and clearing tables. The pizza was yummilicous. The Great Indian Story goes on. Amen.

They say good things come to an end quickly, and here I am, locking my last suitcase in La Quinta Inns & Suites. I will miss you SF.... Till we meet again!

San Francisco Chronicle - Weekend 1

Letters I wrote to friends when I was in SF in Sep05....a chronicle for my old age :)

27 September 2005

Saturday: Woke up JIT for breakfast, headed for town (SF). Walked across all the piers (43 of them I think– at least a 2-3 mile walk)…awesome view. Walked around pier 39 , had crepes for lunch, gazed at the antics of sea-lions (got a pic of 2 of them smooching). At the last pier, there is a WW-2 submarine and a war ship. Took the inside tour of the submarine – very neat (awesome audio commentary and well, ive never seen the insides of a sub, that too a war one).

Then walked into a museum where they had some really antique manually operated musical instruments which you could 'play' for 50 cents – great fun again.

Walked to fisherman's warf – got my name painted Chinese style (flowers and all – does ne of u want it?), walked over to the park that has an awesome view of the bay, was enquiring abt some trips to canary row and napa valley when the agent offered me both the trips free – the only catch, I need to be a US citizen: -( So now I'm looking for single US citizens who can get me 2 trips worth 150 dollars free. Sigh. Wish me luck,

Sunday – just lazed around. Was too tired : -)

Back to hectivity now.

San Francisco Chronicle - Arrival

Letters I wrote to friends while I was in SF in Sep'05.... a chronicle for my old age : -)

22 September 2005

Okie so here I am…had a pretty hectic first 2 days to be honest!

Almost lost my spectacles again at the HK airport :- ) got a tour of the entire airport (and its massive, believe me) including the ferry train in my efforts to retrieve them. Air journey fm HK to SFO was a killer – there was a time when I thought I would never be able to walk again coz of the cramps! But no major cribs there.

Am currently staying in a suburb called Castro Valley which is about 45 mins fm the main city (where my office is). Its’ a small, quaint little place with a very good looking front desk attendant! Alas, he was only there the first day, and no Bret, I haven’t implemented any of your suggestions – yet. Castro Valley is a small town with a single main road (called Castro Boulevard) and beautiful surroundings – ideal for just walking, which I did yesterday on my way back from the station.. The weather’s a lil chilly in the mornings & evenings, but day time warm and sunny – hope it stays this way over the weekends too!

The other guy on my project arrived ystrdy nite – he’s a Blorean whoz been with Mphasis for 5 yrs (!!!) and is abt to get married. He has a cousin who stays 15 min away from our hotel, and has graciously offered that I tag along with them over the weekend – which I don’t mind at all since the cuzzin has a car! Apparently there r quite a lotta other Mphasis folks in town too – shud meet them once we move here over de weekend.

People here have been nice & helpful till now – esp when compared with my Frankfurt experience! Esp in Castro valley – everyone smiles and chats with everyone in the bfast room, and there was this really nice woman who gave >me directions to my hotel at the station and chatted for some time – we parted with a warm shaking of hands (no Bret she wasn’t hitting on me, or me on her!).

I notice a huge population of Chinks here (to include Chinese + SE Asians) – no wonder the flite fm HK was full. Also a fair population of Indians who r obviously here for IT work – there was this couple in the train yesterday, with the guy talking abt how he needs to go home to choose a girl (in deference to his mom’s wishes), and the girl talking loudly in Hindi giving him gyan on priorities and marriage – quite interesting : -)

The project’s also q interesting – organizational structure and interpersonal conflicts related to a platform which was adopted 2 years ago and is gonna get phased out in another 2 yrs. Have had various meetings, and the problems and the apparent solutions are quite obvious, but there are soo many softer issues involved that its gonna be a challenge making the recommendations and more importantly, bringing a structure to the approach and solutions. And technology is quite interesting – dude the industry is so much evolved than the BPO space, and there appears to be so much to do, I am very tempted to say no to IBM and join Solutions.

To be very honest, am still not sure about IBM – cant say why. The CRM’s here are also quite a bunch– Abhijit is very professional and consult-ish, Rakshit is a typical Punju (married thank God!) – loud and aggressive, and he’s an IIM-A to boot : -) Georg looks and talks like a professor (he wears those Harry Potter-ish glasses) and has bugs bunny teeth.

U know wot...as I write this mail, I can look upon the valley from my window - curving roads lined with trees and picturesque houses, with the cars winding up, and the sun setting in the background - its beautiful!

and oh yes - today i went to the exercise room. 130 cals - not bad no : -)

So thatz quite a bit! Please keep writing in with ure updates..so long and have fun!!!

Stuff about Life

That's All

I wanna take 6 months off..... ...Travel India by train. Get down to reading my ever increasing backlog of books.... Drive around...destination anywhere. Watch the sunrise as i sip on my kapi.

Welcome to wherever you are.

Where the streets have no name

I have often thought that the essence of a city is captured by walking on its roads. Or for that, even a country. Even a Martian walking on an Indian road, any Indian road, will easily guess that he is walking in the most populous part of the planet. There are people everywhere, and no place to walk on! I'm sure the oxygen levels of Indians show a marked rise when traveling in the first world.

Contrast this with Europe, which boasts of wide pavements and vast green stretches, but hardly any people! As you walk down the roads of Luxembourg, you often come across happy couples sharing a long kiss on the road – thankfully neighbor Germany hasn't doused the French passion. German roads will boast the stoic German who refuses to make eye contact, the enthusiastic cyclists and the oh-so-awesome cars zipping away at over 50 mph! In San Francisco, you see people from all nationalities – Indians, Paki's, SE Asians, Blacks, Scandinavians – everyone, so you know that this is truly a melting pot. I am sure the same would hold for New York, or Singapore.

I was in Chennai for a week, and my strongest memory of Tamland is the overpowering stench that hits you as you walk down the streets. And this wasn't any street mind you, but arguably the posh-est road of the city, which houses The Park and The Taj and numerous other upscale shops, restaurants and hotels. In fact, I was quite impressed with the great roads and the fancy neon hoardings as I was driven from the airport to my hotel. But when you walk down the wide roads, you see open drains, uncollected refuse and of course, the stink – everywhere.

Now take Bombay – probably the filthiest amongst the Indian metros (I haven't really stayed in Calcutta which I've heard is equally bad). But I remember walking down Churchgate station as a kid, and I was completely taken in by the focused Bombay wallah – everyone seemed to have a mission, a goal…perhaps he wasn't going to reach his destination just yet, but he was definitely going to make sure that he got there someday. That memory pretty much defines the image that I have carried of Bombay – the only go-getter city in India, with a true middle class which believes in working hard and partying equally hard (Where else would you find large lower middle class families out to enjoy a day at Esselworld for 10 dollars apiece, more than 15 years ago!). And over my several visits to Maximum City over the past two decades, this image has only got strengthened..

And finally, Delhi, my city of birth and youth. They say that a woman should walk on the pavement there with her arms folded in front of her chest and her elbows sticking out – so that she can elbow away the men trying to grab her boobs. Of course the problem with that is that the men will go for your bum instead – but well, it's a matter of optimization. And when you hear the lewd comments, you mostly pretend you don't understand Hindi and walk on, till you reach tipping point and muster up enough courage to turn around and slap the guy. Pity, given that Delhi probably boasts of the best roads in the country, and most roads actually have a pavement - even though the pedestrians still insist on walking in the middle of the road. Its all a matter of training, as Mark Twain would say.

India Shining

As India stands on the threshold of an economic boom, there is a lot to be done on basic human rights, as these articles show:

Selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girl births a year. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4601184.stm

The girl child has traditionally been considered inferior and a liability - a bride's dowry can cripple a poor family financially.

Notice that the girl is considered a liability primarily coz her parents have to arrange her dowry. Yet no one talks about abolishing this disgraceful practice - much easier to just kill the girl. What will it take for us to break out of this ridiculous 'tradition'?

Anger at 'shameful' Indian Gay Law http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4602068.stm

Another instance of the famous Indian double standards. It's all right to go about raping and killing women, but you dare not hold hands in public.

Purpose of Life