Like a flowing river....

Dilemma

2010-02-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

I hounded ravenously, for ages
Felt it at hand’s reach
Only to let it drift away

Gave up hopes, almost
Saw them dissipate, the dreams
Wallowed in self-pity

Then I lay dormant
For lack of resolve
And it swims by, without warning

Now it’s at my feet
Beseeching for attention
I pay none
…that strange thing called dilemma!

An open letter to Selvaraghavan...

2010-01-21T05:30:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Selvaraghavan,

I had always thought you are a bankable director in the Tamil film industry. Bankable as in one who is capable of directing sensible movies, albeit with often unrefined portrayal of extreme human emotions. But that’s ok; someone has to be audacious enough to tell the other side of life in the conservative and cliché ridden Tamil films.

But watching Ayirathil Oruvan in the theatre – first day first show at that – as the movie unfolded in front of my eyes, I was horrified at the sub-standard joke of an epic you have made, spending years and thousands of feet of film good enough to make two movies. The movie honesty didn’t work right from the beginning for its unimaginative storyline and Karthi did definitely not jumpstart it either as you would have expected.

Any one of your Assistant Directors would have told you that the basic plot is flawed and will not hold good even if it means administering it on a Tamil audience, who are generally tolerant (for lack of taste or whatever the case may be). Agreed the movie is fantasy / action / adventure suchlike. Having taken a thin line from the Chola and Pandiya conflict, shouldn’t you have done atleast a bit of research to bring in credibility to the story (and by research I do not mean Wikipedia. It’s an open encyclopedia and all but everybody knows how credible it is).

If profanity spewing, boob flaunting, bitchy women are your version of confident women, I beg to differ. It just makes your perspective about women shallow. And there is better way to portray a woman’s character strength than just make her use cringe-worthy swear words for the sake of vying for a man’s attention.

It’s not that I have issues with women flaunting their sexuality. After all, we are a nation of item number loving citizens – and there are reigning item dancers in our country who are happily married with kids. I am willing to believe that even item dance numbers have a purpose in any film, when you consider Reema Sen’s kinky, role-play based, and acrobatic mating session with Parthiban. And your excuse? A Pandiya princess wants to steal a statue from the Chola King. How lame! I have never considered myself low enough to watch women urinate, but you have made it possible. On a big screen at that. And Reema does it with so much confidence that she wants to elevate the cause of urinating in public to the level of making it a fashion statement. And again the reasoning? To identify her person! Go figure…

I can go on and on: a threesome like sequence with Reema, Karthi and Andrea after Karthi’s very suggestive proposal, the horrendous gladiator -like skull smashing sequence that goes for about 20 minutes, Parthiban’s introductory scene where he feeds his subject with raw meat…

And what’s the need of painting the poor chola men with charcoal (a tacky job at that)? Are you trying to tell something here? If yes, I’m willing to bet no single soul other than you has got the message.

If depressing scenes don’t make your heart go out for the actors and makes you revel in plain disgust, you get the hint about the movie. It’s just a piece of showman-isque megalomania – an awfully bad one no less.

You have probably not watched Cannibal Holocaust as you have defended yourself, but there is no denial to the fact that you have created a much worse counterfeit of that 1980s banned movie.

With disappointment,

Your fan!

பிரிவு...

2010-01-20T06:20:00.000-08:00

இழவு வீட்டுக்கு போய்வந்தேன்
எதையும் தொட்டுவிடாமல் குளி, என்றாள் அம்மா
தீட்டாம்
இறந்து போன நண்பனின் முகம்
நெஞ்சமெல்லாம்
எங்கு சென்று குளிப்பேன் அதை கழுவ

The New Year...

2010-01-07T05:44:00.000-08:00

They hooted, brandishing glasses
Clasped, kissed and shrieked
Said the New Year has arrived
The fireworks lit up the sky
Streaked it with anomalous colors

I pulled my rug over tightly
The tattered cloth showed the fireworks in patterns
There’s no respite tonight, from the voices and noises
Tonight is different, I thought
Not another night in my life
It’s the New Year

Us....

2009-07-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

Here’s to our new life
You raised a toast
...Of the deep red Pinotage

The clank of glasses
It sounded different
From our previous times

May be the wine, may be us
Or the clinking of two souls
Brimming with hopes
Life does feel different, I ponder

[image courtesy: http://www.fotobank.ru/img/SF14-1859.jpg?size=l]

Change

2009-07-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

Depressed
Losing sanity
Blurring vision
Fading horizons
Crushing monotony

Caged
Hands and legs tethered
Left to choke
For breath
For life
For space

Sucked out
Of energy
Of ingenuity
Of life

Need
Brevity
Peace
Death

Picture courtesy: http://anne.teachesme.com/

I’m moving on…!

2009-06-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

Of late I am debating on cutting down on the newspaper expense. No, recession hasn’t cut into my household budget. Well, not yet at least. Simply that the amount of newspapers and business magazines that are available online at no price whatsoever is prompting me to take the decision. Everything from the ultra conservative and hushed-up Hindu to the glad-rag Times of India is available online. All it needs is just a click and a few moments of browsing to get hooked to the mind-boggling amount of online content. Even better, most of the newspapers have the e-edition of their daily editions online the same day. And you also get the e-editions of some magazines online. All for free.

Significant international business magazines including wall street journal, economist, businessweek, forbes and fortune are online with a treasure trove of their business analysis and latest in the business. What’s more, some of these websites have their content custom-made for the Indian region, which means you get to read the perspectives of famous market analysts and gurus on Indian market.

That apart, the prominent business dailies of India, economic times, businessline and mint are open for free-viewing. Financial times has a dedicated Asia Pacific page with news and analysis on markets. All these are excluding the countless websites owned by the television channels in India, prominent of them being NDTV and CNN-IBN. And the websites of news agencies namely PTI and Reuters.

How can the newspapers afford to put up almost all their content online for free viewing even when the online advertisement revenue is measly in these testing times of recession? I guess the Indian newspapers are banking on the plain fact that not many people in India have access to the internet. That makes sense.

So there it goes. I am going to splurge and make the most out of the free online newspapers much to the chagrin of our corner-street shop newspaper wallah. And you can’t find me dead, my head buried in a newspaper, literally!

I appreciate....

2009-06-04T09:15:00.000-07:00

After a little gyaan from a senior colleague whose trite but meaningful ‘appreciate and be thankful for what you got rather than whining for what you don’t’ advice, I decided to really appreciate what I got. As clichéd as it might sound, the feeling is capable of generating some good vibes, I found out.

So I decided to jot down a little of list of things that I immediately need to appreciate:

• My very existence and the plain fact that I’m physically able and mentally sane (!)
• My sarcasm…!
• My very few but abundantly loving friends
• Mom’s dosas - It amazes me how she batters up using different flours in varying consistencies for dosas ranging from crisp to soft ones
• The Internet for having made the world accessible at the expense of a few keyboard taps
• Free online music and movies
• The internet radio that I discovered recently that is super cool and plays all the latest tracks
• Of course my job

PS: But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t just appreciate the Chennai weather. It remains just as oppressive!

Go Goa!

2009-02-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

Lush countryside, dustless road drives, coconut palm trees that sway their head suggestively in the breeze, sinful sea food and lovely sun kissed beaches. In more ways, Goa can easily be mistaken for its striking similarity with god’s own country – Kerala. Only that there are relatively lesser number of firangs who whizz or strut around, as the case may be, basking in the sunshine in bare minimum clothes either lying in the beach or riding in the countryside on their rented bikes.

Goa’s beaches are inviting. Seductive, in fact, with their calm emerald blue water with relatively less tide bordered with coconut palm trees, super silky sand and above all clean. While few of North Goa beaches are frequented by local and foreign tourists alike, most of them are devoid any tourist attention, well almost. These beaches are unhindered paradises for swimming although tourists trickle in negligible numbers every now and then. That’s probably the advantage of visiting Goa during the initial times of the tourist season, relatively less crowd. Talking of which, the best time to visit Goa is from November to March.

Old Goa’s quaint churches have an unmistakable charm and the old houses, built in European style architecture, are a treat to the eyes.

Staying in Panjim is a good idea if you are planning to do a trip to the North Goa beaches, but if you want to visit the famous ones like Palolem in the South, you have to camp at Madgaon. In North, while Sinquerim, Baga and Anjuna are haven for foreign tourists who soak up some sun blissfully, Vagator beach is relatively crowd free.

Renting a bike is the best available option for getting around. Goa’s roads are equipped with road signs that are tourist friendly and it’s convenient to reach the beaches even without a map. In few places, like Anjuna, where there are both rocky and sandy beaches guidance from the local nimbu-pani seller comes handy for directions. The flea market in Anjuna that boasts of cheap clothes, junk jewellery and wooden knick-knacks is a haunt for white tourists but of less use for Indians. The shopkeepers don’t pay attention if you are an Indian and, in all probabilities, ask for an exorbitant price even for a silly silver ring.

Apart from the beaches, the lip-smacking Goan cuisine is a must try when in Goa – especially the Fish and Chicken Vindaloos. There are countless restaurants and beach shacks that serve fresh sea-food. There are also a few very good restaurants that serve fusion-cuisine, like the Goan-Portugese food. The availability of plenty of booze could be tempting, and there is the strong local delight Feni – brewed from cashew fruit.

There’s a weekly train from Chennai to Vasco and back which is on time, most of the times. It snakes through the picturesque Konkan stretch and is peppered with tunnels and the Doodh Saagar waterfalls. The journey takes a whole 24 hours, so if you are travelling on a stringent budget and have no time constraints the train helps save a lot of money. Goa’s only airport that sports a rather rundown look is located in Dabolim.

2008 - Was it the year or was it just me?

2008-12-30T06:15:00.000-08:00

While the entire world plunged into recession and sported a gloomy look, I seemed to have had an okay year - taking two vacations in a year, trying out as many restaurants in the city as I can and hitchhiking on a relationship.

The eventful year had…..

1. A trip to Nepal – The tiny Himalayan country was lovely and I AM going back.

Eating out:

a) Bella Ciao – True to its word. Authentic Italian food.
b) Casapicola – Nothing but their Fish.
c) Don Pepe on ECR – Mexican? Excuse me!
d) Eden – Tiny menu but never boring.
e) Galloping Gooseberries – Only for their juiciest mushroom dumplings.
f) Cedars – Gooey affair, order carefully.
g) Osteria @ Deccan Plaza – Good Italian food with a hole in your pocket.
h) Cornucopia – Little on the plate, lots on the bill. The food fine nevertheless.

2. Shantaram, a gripping tale of a convict in the run. The only book that held my attention after The God of Small Things, long after it was finished.

3. Ridley, the Red Eared Slider in my life.

4. A job change that seemed almost imminent and faded into oblivion.

5. A trip to Goa – One can never get enough of this beach state, I guess.

6. Some good movies, thanks to bit torrent and mininova.

7. A wedding engagement in the family.

8. My first trek. Although that would fall in 2009, plans were made in 2008.

2008-11-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

On Walking the red carpet....!

It's 4.32 and my eyelids are closing on me... I am back from the premiere of Vaaranam Aayiram only an hour back... first ever premiere in my life... Surya looks rather short than I thought he would be, Sameera had a cute smile and a weird hairdo, and the plump looking Divya is rather puny... well din't they say looks could deceive?

About the movie,it's quite long and since Gautham did not seem to have any intention of entertaining his fans, the movie remains that - a little drag and a little ordinary. Well, may be i come from the school of thought that cinemas have to be larger than life, but isnt that the case usually?

For a review of the movie, head here!

2008-08-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

Five simple steps to know it is inflation:

Now that the hullabaloo surrounding the skyrocketing sensex is over, it’s time to focus on the inflation that is scaling new heights. And it’s quite easy to figure how it affects the life of a common man unlike in the case of sensex. All you have to do is just look around and yeah I did look around and found these:

1. When I decided to go on diet and switched to Parathas, little did I know that the Parathas would go on one too. Thanks to the inflation and soaring prices, the thick and delectable Parathas served at the office canteen thinned down and could easily be seen through if you lifted it up a little bit. So there goes sign number one, the prices won’t always go up but the quantities go down – an interesting balancing equation of sorts.

2. The thinning down formula applies not only to Parathas and Chappathis but for other inedible stuff too. For instance, the newspapers that used to be quite a handful for toilet reading suddenly became awfully slim without prior notice. It’s hard not to feel strange when you finish reading the papers before your nature’s call is over.

3. Now the toilet tissues would hardly get replaced and the liquid soap dispenser almost never gets refilled (at work). If that’s not enough, the TV sets in the canteen would disappear mysteriously, evidently in an attempt at cutting down the expenses for cable subscription.

4. Oh yeah, did you hear the railway announcement that they are going to add a middle berth to the two side-berths in regular and AC sleeper bogies. They actually did it and it makes you feel like you are a consignment of chicken if you are trapped in that seat unluckily.

5. And when the airfares fly through the roof, please also be ready to bear the brunt of infrastructure maintenance costs as the Airports across the nation are planning to levy service charges for passengers.

2008-04-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

Start from home!

The other day I had to go to Chennai central station to see off one of my close relatives who was visiting us for a couple of days. The idea of visiting railway stations do not particularly enthuse me. For who would willingly want to subject themselves to the madding crowd, putrid smell of urine and the not-so-clean environment that prevail in the rail stations. Not that the government is turning a blind eye to the sanitation and hygiene issues, I think the issue of cleanliness and keeping our surroundings clean and orderly lies in the individuals’ hands.

Coming back to my story, our family wished the relative a safe and comfortable journey (which we did not anyway think was possible with the amount of luggage he chose to carry with him) and exchanged parting pleasantries. In the inevitable list of the parting ceremony was sipping coffee. Sipped we did and once the paper cups were empty, my parents were ready to throw them underneath the train. Were they unmindful of the fact that the train does move out of the station and the track will be littered after that? It can’t be!
It turned out that my mom considered tossing trash into the designated trash cans a noble act. I snatched the paper cups from her and tried to explain the whole thing.

It took me by surprise when she commented my act with ‘are you trying to be a Gandhi?’

Well, everything starts from home. I wondered whether there is any point in spending millions trying to educate and change people’s approach towards things. Afterall, old habits die hard!

2008-01-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

Limited Edition!

Ever wondered what manufacturers do when experiments on ‘what could have turned out to be a coolest flavor’ prove to be a damp squib? Simple, they launch a limited edition of that particular product. Who knows? Just in case if the so-called consumers liked it, the product could even become a full-fledged one.

I figured this only recently.

Well, who wouldn’t want to have a taste of Lychee in their mouth every morning they wake up and night before hitting the hay? I did, atleast. Tempted by the idea, without wasting much time I picked the limited edition of ‘Close up – Lychee flavor’ while shopping recently for toiletries.

Bought I did and tried it the same night – only to realize that they didn’t mean the taste would be of a fresh tasting Lychee’s. I tried hard to recollect if atleast one of the fresh Lychee’s I had in the recent past tasted anything remotely or grossly displeasing like this. I fail.

I hate to think, and worse, feel the taste of a foul fruit twice every day in my mouth. To make things worse, I can’t help but repent on blowing money for a tube of toothpaste and end up not using it. I guess I’ll blame myself for the decision until the tube is squeezed to completion.

May be you would want to think twice before buy anything similar, for instance a ‘wood apple flavored toothpaste’ or a ‘paneer flavored face pack’, and of course anything that is limited edition.

2007-12-31T09:09:00.000-08:00

And the things that I’ve learnt………….

Yet another year has just passed by and while looking back I don’t have a sense of accomplishment. If surviving the year doesn’t count as one. For that matter, I don’t feel a sense of disappointment either.

Can’t use phrases like ‘what a year it’s been’ because this year has just been yet another one. Have had people dissecting my abdomen in the name of appendicitis, changed jobs after taking up in less than a year, and resisted parents’ pressure for the inevitable – wedding, that is… and yeah if obtaining a driver’s license at the age of 30 count as an accomplishment, I’ve done something.

On the funnier side – if this isn’t funny enough yet – have visited the gym once dropping out the very next day. Still can’t figure why most people drop out soon after joining the gym. Well yes, doesn’t that top the list of my 2008’s resolutions – rejoining the gym that is? Now that brings up another revelation. I’ve learnt to laugh at myself, now that’s something.

Now for the resolution part:

a) Curb laziness – I realized that I hate last minute bill payments and the consequences associated with it.
b) Get a shape – Will I resist my laziness and stick on to a gym routine?
c) Drive – Something that I’ve not attempted in my entire life.
d) Learn a Language – French / Spanish / German? I’m contemplating…
e) Blog – Sticking to a stricter blogging routine…

And yes, before I forget, Happy New Year 2008!

2007-11-15T06:32:00.000-08:00

The Jingalalaa life....

Finally and finally, contemplating on the good and bad effects of it, I bought TATA Sky that promises of DVD quality picture and CD quality sound… yes, the sound and picture are really crisp for someone who was ‘santusht with blurred and grainy images’ earlier. I was earlier in despair since there was so less to watch on TV and now there is real confusion as to what to watch. It does feel good to be spoilt with choices at times.

2007-11-07T05:48:00.001-08:00

Holy Worker

I’m not an atheist nor do I hate idol worship. This could amount to blasphemy, however, I’m never inclined to join my hands in reverence for idols that are seen every nook and corner. I could be termed as an arrogant person, but as if to support my claim of questioning any idol’s sanctity, I witnessed something that made me contemplate.

Recently, I happened to visit a training institute since my company decided to conduct an inevitable training program over a weekend. In the reception area of the organization stood a giant Ganesha statue made out of black stone that was of six feet. It was evident from the surroundings that Ganesha is being taken care of everyday.

Not long before I finished this thought appeared a priest with his son – who was a frisky little kid not more than 8 years old. Apparently, he had come to perform the daily pooja for the idol. Fair enough, I thought.

The priest flung his bag in one of the visitors’ chairs and ordered his son to be seated while he finished his task. He began his job by stripping the idol of its clothes meanwhile inquiring the receptionist of his paycheck for last month. The idol is devoid of any clothes now and he took to the task of cleaning it. Once done, he started rolling sandalwood paste into his palm to festoon Ganesha – all the while chattering with the watchman about the prevalent weather and ordering his mischievous son to be calm.

He had now reached the process of adorning the idol with the garland – this time teasing the old cleaning lady of her husband’s visit to see her at the workplace. “He can’t stay without seeing you for a single minute, can he,” he sarcastically asked. The old lady, in turn, replied with her side of the argument and this went on for a while until the idol is fully adorned with garlands and the sandalwood paste with vermilion is pasted on its forehead. He gave the idol a fleeting glance after all is done.

The idol is now ready for ‘Aarti’ and he started to chant the requisite mantras – interrupting in the midst to call out his son to bring the ‘karpooram’. He did not forget to tell us to join the process – while still muttering the mantra – of Aarti.

All the while, Ganesha was smiling at him peacefully.

After observing him performing his duties with perfunctory ease, I couldn’t stop but think that it’s just his job and he treats it as lackadaisically as anybody else treats his/hers.

I couldn’t bring myself to think that the Ganesha idol has now become holier than it was before.

2007-10-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

A Wanderlust’s debut travelogue

If the deafening noise of the roaring waterfalls did nothing to scare me away from poking my body underneath the downpour, the fear of any rocks rolling flippantly down the falls did prove a matter of concern for me. But not for too long. I couldn’t help but get used to the (meaningless?) fear of getting squashed – if that happened – in no time and join the number of half-naked men who took a bath amidst loud screeches.

That almost sums up my entire funny little trip to Courtallam. Funny little trip as in ‘the trip only lasted for two nights’.

The lushly peaks that border the place, the dense tree-packed landscape, lovely vegetation planted countryside, and not to mention the chill air with no pollution in the slightest form – especially without the maddening dust that clouds the roads after each vehicle passes by – makes the place awfully beautiful. Being the off-season period, Courtallam is blissfully devoid of its usual jam-packed tourist crowd. The place in itself seems to be enjoying its own tranquility and exuding a sense of self-pleasure, only if you care to read the signs.

Waking to the chitter-chatter of strange and unfamiliar birds and the squeals of monkeys trying to pilfer food from the tourists make a pleasant wake up call. For once, I wished that I woke up there everyday.

A tiny piece of nature’s bounty, Courtallam has numerous waterfalls – small and big – in its territory. All it takes is just a day or two to be able to visit all the attractions. Season starts from mid-June to mid-August.

During this monsoon season, the entire region wears an almost deserted look. However, there isn’t any dearth of enthusiastic – and often noisy – visitors who take a dip in all the falls with profuse merriment. Options to stay are plenty, in nominal charges, especially during the off-peak season.

More info>>

2007-10-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

The art of saying No

It wasn't until an absolute stranger banged a phone on me that I started to think that I should learn the art of saying 'No', a tough one for me so far. I have never practised saying no in my entire life, probably for the fear of offending/hurting people's sentiments when I am asked for a help or to run an errand for that matter.

Hey, I'm looking for a change of job. You think you can help? Hey I want to rent a house in your locality, Can you give me some leads? I'm looking for people for my company, let me know if you have any contacts. You think you can finish this task before the deadline?

These and many more such requests / questions invariably receive an 'of course I can' reply from me. I tend to forget the whole thing of promise right after. Or in some instances I genuinely try and fail to follow up that leads to zero results. Nothing sucks as bad as breaking a promise or doing absolutely nothing about to fulfill the same and the strangest thing is that I'm absolutely aware of that.

However, it dawned on me recently – thanks to the wisdom of a telemarketing female – that I should start saying no. I usually do not attend calls from unknown numbers for fear of wasting time mostly or just to avoid those annoying calls trying to sell a holiday package, credit card or a club membership. I had a girl calling me recently asking me to enroll in their club. In an attempt to avoid her, I told her I was busy and that she could call me back at a later time (I sure have missed my chance of saying No at this point). She dutifully called me 'at a later time' on the same day evening and started explaining the benefits I enjoy if I were to join the club.

After a while, when I couldn't stand it anymore I told her that I was not interested in any club memberships. She could've thanked me before ending the conversation. But, she rather preferred to question me as to why I did not tell her at the first place if it was not of any interest to me before banging the phone on me.

Fair enough! I wasn't angry or upset. It suddenly dawned on me that it was my fault. Had I told 'No' I would've saved some time for her and a little invisible embarrassment for me.

Sometimes strangers teach lesson too.

2007-10-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

Only in India where……… Part I

Disclaimer: Ranting of a fellow Indian in a slight hope that things would be better after atleast a couple of generations. (Only people in touch with contemporary India’s occurrences can relate to this ranting)

1) A State Government can overlook the Supreme Court’s order proscribing a state-wide public strike and still cripple the entire functions of the state in the name of a hunger protest. In the same breadth, Politicians can challenge the orders of Supreme Court and go on record saying that this matter is not under any court’s jurisdiction.

2) Friends kill each other for reasons as silly as not getting the first bite of the snack when they are drunk. Kill as in beating and thrashing the victim – their friend, mind you – to death in the sidewalks.

3) Individuals accused of road rage that seized 7 innocent people off their lives are sentenced a mere 3 years in jail. Even worse, they are granted bail upon appeal to the Apex court pronouncing them free.

4) Companies perform a thorough background check before recruiting for the lowest of the lowest positions. On the contrary, no criminal records – however in severity they may be – will prevent individuals from entering into politics. Worse even, they are conveniently elected into power by the so-called innocent people and enjoy ranks of cabinet ministers and even chief ministers of state.

5) Sensex soars to unbelievable levels and share market presents a rosy picture of the economy. However, on the contrary, there are still suicides of famine struck farmers induced by hunger. May be this is what they call ironic.

2007-09-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

Looong weekend!!!!!!!

It doesn’t quite happen always and when it happens brings with it the thrills and frills of travel. A long weekend, that is. Here comes one. Courtesy the national holiday on October 2, 2007 for Gandhi Jayanthi that falls on a Tuesday. However, Chennaites have another lucky day off from work on Monday the first of October. Reason? The government (or rather the ruling DMK party) wants the Sethu-Samudram project to be up and running and not put on hold.

Be that as it may, I can’t help but be amused on the prospect of a four-day weekend. Got no great plans yet it feels good to laze around at home watching the rains slapping the bedroom windowsill holding Mario Puzzo or Jaishree Mishra (her book Afterwards I meant to say) and reading them on and off. Personally, I love the rains and the chilled breeze it brings along with it. Not to say the leaves those wear a fresh look of having been washed recently.

Talking about rains, it rained hailstones in Chennai city yesterday. Call it a curse; I couldn’t witness it since my office was located way off the beaten path from the city. I don’t remember watching a hailstorm in like two decades. The one time I remember about them was when I was still in school and it rained hailstones on a holiday. I collected them in a tiny plastic see-through case without knowing that they have very less shelf life. They didn’t last long but the joy of collecting them lasted of course. The memories more so.

If there are no sudden travel plans cropping up, I’m planning to shut myself home and finish those books I laid my hands few weeks ago. Ofcourse, if there aren’t any distractions.

By the Way, Happy Long Weekend!!!

PS: Now that brings a thought in me. How about starting a new community on Orkut? ‘Long Weekend Lovers’? Sounds like an idea indeed.

2007-09-14T02:06:00.000-07:00

Dummie’s guide to reading the signs – (not strictly restricted to signs as in ‘body language’)

Disclaimer: Most (yes, most) of the points mentioned here are the author’s own observations. None of the instances mentioned here are to be considered as diagnostic in nature.

1) If your call in the middle of the night to a friend is greeted with an unusual, long vowelled hey (like heeeeeeeey), know for god’s sake that he’s digging his nose into something else. Like in the middle of courting a cute face on chat or simply in bed trying to get some sleep. If you intend to continue your conversation, you will most certainly be encountered with disinterested monosyllabic answers (ranging from ‘ohhh’ to ‘mm’). You will even be bewildered when he loses the track completely and tries to make it up by posing stupid questions.

2) Girls can fake attention like no other. For instance, if your conversation is responded with way too many ‘nods’, be sure that it’s time to decide if you really want to continue that. Same way, if you can make out a fake smile you would save yourself from the embarrassment of feeling exhausted for no use whatsoever.

3) On a date, if your date displays no visible preference for any of the exotic delicacies mentioned in the menu - and simply says you order - it is more likely that he or she has absolutely no idea whatsoever about the cuisine. May be you will want to consult him/her the next time (if at all there was one).

4) If you are jobless for a couple of months and had no luck in a million job interviews and are in the brink of frustration, try and keep cool. This situation most certainly lands you up in a nice job in the end. Rather unexpectedly when you almost gave up all the hopes.

5) Ok, it could be the best seller that won the biggest prize for writing. But if you couldn’t cross more than 10 pages no matter how hard you tried, the book, most certainly, is just not your choice. Chances are more likely that the book will lurk around in your bookshelf without you even being bothered about the space it occupies – if not for any other reason.

6) Ok, you think you look handsome and are smitten with your looks. But, on a Friday, if your favorite T-shirt decides to play the traitor and could no longer camouflage your flourishing potbelly; it’s high time you decide whether start going to gym or send those t-shirts flying out of the window.

With that, I guess I’ve exhausted my imagination. Well, it’s time for me to read more signs.

P.S: Thanx for the fellow bloggers for inspiring me to think (if I can call this inspirational thinking)

2007-09-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Tsunami-fear-stuck Chennai

It happened three years ago – the day after Christmas – but the gruesome and nightmarish memories are still intact. So when the Indonesian government raised a Tsunami warning after a bad earthquake hit the country yesterday, it was indeed time to panic.

For Chennai was one of the badly hit regions during the previous attack. This time around though, thankfully the officials made arrangements to keep away people from the beaches and the crowded Marina wore a strangely deserted look last evening.

Well, getting washed away by monstrous waves is the last choice for anyone to die. Ironically so in the often water-starved and monsoon failing Chennai. Thankfully, Tsunami seemed to maintain a low profile this time around. Probably bored she is. Or is it the silence before the storm??!?

2007-09-10T03:47:00.000-07:00

Am I selfish??!???!

It does happen quite often with me. Could be universal in today’s life on the fast lane. But I did not particularly like it happening with me. Or rather I do not like my attitude towards it. My fret has enough reason. Here is how.

Having fancied pasta for supper, I decided to visit the neighborhood shop for the purchase of ingredients. A crowd in the middle of the road attracted my attention on the way and soon enough I found out that a reckless four wheeler driver ran into a two-wheeler leaving the victim bleeding profusely. The injured man was in his middle age and was bleeding from his bruises in his forehead and face.

By now roadside hawkers and a few others gathered around the victim sprinkling water on his face, making him drink some and trying to keep him conscious. I could see he was only partly conscious. The focus was on the injured man and the four-wheeler driver put the situation to better use. He sped away with his vehicle.

Some hailed a rickshaw to move the man to a hospital. He was still bleeding and hadn’t regained his full consciousness.

All this while I could only manage to pose a dumb spectator. I simply thought there are other people to help him and he doesn’t need mine. But had a hard time contemplating whether or not I’m right.

However, in the end I did not feel guilty although my heart sank for the man. I proceeded thinking that I have my pasta to cook.

Am I selfish, irresponsible, and lack sympathy?

2007-09-04T23:37:00.000-07:00

Tribute on the Teacher’s Day

They are the means of access to the world of knowledge. Teachers. Although the advent of Internet has redefined the conventional methods of learning, in my opinion it’s only from teachers that one can gain worldly wisdom.

Since it’s teacher’s day, I decided to pay tribute to two of my teachers who started my education and sort of ended it. Not that I have finished my studies once and for all. But yeah, I no longer think that I would (and have to) attend regular classes. Not that I hate them, but I tend to think that I have grown old for classroom sessions. Besides, I dread the prospect of sitting through grueling daylong sessions and the worse part is that it really gets tough to hold your heavy eyelids open after a heavy lunch, you know.

Now back to my teachers.

Miss Rita:

She held my little finger and walked me slowly to the world of those alphabets (both ‘Capital’ and ‘Small’ as she defined it). I can still recite those ‘Ba Ba Black sheeps’ and ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars’ although now it would be weird for someone in his late 20s to sing them – even if it’s to pay tribute to his first teacher in life. My mom used to tell me that I was a fussy kid when it came to school. I tend to shriek all day to be sent home during those early days of my school, she says. However, if it was not for Miss Rita I am not sure I would have endured the ordeal of my earlier days in school.

It’s been quite a while since I have met her now. Reason being I relocated and no longer visit the town that I did my studies. Wherever you are Miss Rita, please know that I am in awe with you.

Miss Vidya:

She wanted to be called ‘Vidya Miss’ and they all did, partly in fear and partly in respect. It always amazes me how well she camouflages her tenderness in a thick shell of severity she often imposes upon the students. She handpicks her close friends with absolute care and if one happens to fall inside the circle, she sees to it that it’s a lifetime friendship.

Since it was during the later years of my college that I took tuitions with her for language, our relationship is sort of teacher-turned-friend and she often found herself at odds when it came to pinpointing my poor performance in studies (which is not an infrequent occurrence by the way). However, she never failed to criticize when I became sluggish.

I haven’t seen her in a couple of years and I have taken it as a task to reestablish my teacher-friend relationship with her soon. Are you reading Miss?

2007-08-14T00:57:00.000-07:00

Who dares wins – simple gyaan to get away if busted

Have you ever had the nerve to dare an Indian police constable? The pot-bellied, thickly moustached, pan-chewing, stain-toothed, crotch-scratching, and loud ones. My encounters with them only ended up in me being submissive and handing the pittance they demand to let you go. However right you may be, and if you were wrong things could be even worse. That situation often thins down your wallet off a 500-rupee bill (which is considered to be the barest minimum in the ‘constable-bribe-bible’ under circumstances where the victim is at the receiving end).

There is this expat friend of mine who owns an Enfield and drives around the town – most of the times to challenge the Indian traffic and the rest to commute to work. Although, he had received advises in loads to own a car, he gyans that driving around in a two-wheeler in India enhances one’s confidence and tremendously improves the ‘never say die’ attitude. I could perfectly understand that since he probably had never witnessed any such traffic nightmares in his entire life before coming to India. Especially the unruly and careless ones. It’s not a surprise that he takes it as a challenge.

It was one such day that he was stopped by a police constable when he was returning back from work. It was the end of the month and apparently the constable had a shortfall in his monthly budget that he hoped to fill in a way normally other (corrupt) policemen adopt. Hunt down for two-wheelers and if there were a few who did not own a license, insurance, and important papers of that sort… Bingo.

Eventually, after being stopped by the constable and producing the necessary papers, my friend should have been let go. To his dismay he was asked for a bribe after which all hell broke loose. The argument grew hot by now and the constable was giving instructions over his walkie-talkie to send the tow truck – apparently to impound the vehicle.

It wouldn’t have been a wise thing to do when a constable stopped you in the middle of the night, but my friend did that. He took his camera out of his knapsack announcing that he was going to take the picture of the constable for demanding bribe.

Not sooner after this, the constable was seen running hysterically down the streets obviously not wanting to be flashed on the TV screens the next day. Although it was a possibility. My friend could not believe his eyes and not stop laughing his lungs out either.

These days, he does not forget to carry his camera in his knapsack.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to hurt anybody’s feelings. Especially not the honest policemen.

PS: Sorry Jack (name changed to protect privacy) for not obtaining prior consent before posting this article.

2007-08-10T00:10:00.000-07:00

Assaulted author – new level of religious fundamentalism in India

Yet another scuffle and an ugly protest hidden in the name of religious intolerance and fundamentalism. This time directed towards Taslima Nasrin at the Hyderabad Press club on the release of the Telugu version of her book Sokhe.

Surprisingly, (well, it is not so surprising, after all being MLAs doesn’t change anything out of a person) Taslima’s assaulters included 3 MLAs of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. They were detained for the rough treatment only to be released a while after.

I had certain doubts (or rather questions) though:

1) Have the protesters ever read her books at all to be able to strongly protest the opinions expressed by her in her works? That’s not even a possibility for if they have, they would not be insane enough to unleash brutality over her. In my opinion, if a person has enough patience to read a book, he would only adopt more civilized ways of demonstration. Because that makes him a cultured individual where the difference lies between a fundamentalist and an educated person.

2) Why is the Indian government hesitant to provide her a visa? Why should this issue be entangled in the endless labyrinth of bureaucracy? Or is it that the Indian government is fearing an outburst of more such protests from the extremists if the visa is granted? In that case, why not say no?

3) Do these protests really affect and shake Taslima Nasreen so much that she stops expressing her views against the religion that she belongs to? Because, a death sentence against Salman Rushdie for his ‘Satanic Verses’ did absolutely nothing to his freedom of expression.

Is it time that we think better and become a little tolerant? I mean there are better ways to express remonstration. Aren’t there?

2007-08-01T23:49:00.000-07:00

I long for a holiday…

It’s been days since I’ve packed my bags on a trip and it’s not surprising that I want one right now. I mean it does get boring at times of endless orkut-ting, coffee-ing, g-talking, and even blogging (all at work, mind you) especially because your life becomes a monotonous exercise where every activity is laid down in a neatly fashion. Notwithstanding the aftermath of sitting and staring your computer for hours together at work and back at home after that.

Monotony epitomizes the prolonged sensation of doing either absolutely nothing or the same thing time and again for like a thousand and one times everyday. Although one keeps bitching about the demerits of monotony, there seriously isn’t anything that can be done about it. No matter how hard you try. It is partly you. After all, old habits die-hard.

So that’s when the thought struck my mind of taking a holiday. Not that I have enough money to fuel the logistics for a trip, but it’s okay to have a wish. A dream perhaps? Nope, dream would be making it too unachievable. I will have a wish rather.

SMACK…. Duh I got caught while blogging at work.

Well, I suppose you get to work from time to time to substantiate the value of your pay packet.

Duh… back to work now

2007-07-29T20:30:00.001-07:00

Shambo - Shiva Shambo

Despite the hue and cry from numerous animal welfare organizations in the UK, Shambo, the sacred bull infested with Bovine tuberculosis, was finally put down. Sadly a long battle that lasted for 5 months could not save the life of the animal.

If only people gave a thought about the numerous Shambos (with or without Bovine Tuberculosis) being slaughtered everyday for meat in India (or in UK for that matter).

2007-07-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

Party by the pool – that went awry

It is not everyday that our bosses feel the need to celebrate. Well but this time there was a reason. A rather official one at that.

Although it was during the mid of the week, we (I) geared up for the party as soon as the day ended – a little before that to be precise, but who cares. After all, it is a party hosted by the company no less. I packed my bags and left for the venue with a few of my friends.

It was a resort by the beach and the evening sea breeze was already enveloping the entire place sinfully. Definitely irresistible for a party atmosphere. Music was set up to be played during the course of the event although sans a DJ. The pool – with sparklingly clean blue water – besides where the temporary liquor counter was set up was temptingly inviting. However, nobody seemed to be in a mood to plunge and take a dip.

Meanwhile, the evening faded away and gave way to the moonlit night. The party started after the bigwigs reached the venue. The medley record started playing and people started swaying their way to the lawn after downing a couple of shots.

I obliged too. Not to the music, but to the range of liquor brands that was on display. One of my friends was gleefully taking a look at the counter and contemplating at the prospects of having a sip of all the brands. Which I think he did eventually.

The party was growing wilder and wilder and numerous announcements were being made and prices distributed for the achievers. By now I was a little buzzed, however, my friend has started swaying from side to side losing the firmness of his feet on the ground and smiling from ear to ear. The effect of alcohol obviously.

It was time for food now and I decided to check out what was lined up for dinner – after calling it quits with the alcohol. My friend had by now gulped close to half a dozen shots and still is in a mood to go further. I filled my plate with a bit of everything and came down to the lawn.

The sight I witnessed right then gave me the disgusting feeling of nausea. My friend – although now gave up attempting gulping those shots – was discharging his vomit directly into the pool of crystalline blue water. I left my plate of food right there – partly to give him a hand to find a better place to spew and partly since I decided to give up eating that night after this sight.

It wasn’t until early in the morning since he was safely reached home that I hit the bed.

The party sure was a happening one for me. At least for the fact that my friend was the spotlight of the day (or night rather) and for the ensuing week at work.

2007-07-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

Bipasha’s kiss – who frets and who cares?

What’s with the celebrity craze? Are we really a society that’s dying to hear how Bipasha locked her lips with Soccer player Ronaldo in Lisbon backstage of the much-hyped ‘the new seven wonders’ campaign? Or is it just the sensational-news hungry media that blows things out of proportion?

‘Times Now’ dedicated almost a solid hour ranting over the fact that Bips already have a boyfriend and Ronaldo have a girlfriend. They even dissected Bipasha’s damage control statement nitpicking the grammatical aspects (well the grammar was okay, it is just the meaning) of the same. To top all that, analyses were sought from editors of Page 3 tabloids and fellow celebrities.

Good god. A not-so-worthy news piece that could’ve been just compressed in the entertainment segment of the news bulletin – just the way it was shown in CNN-IBN – has literally become a debate of national interest for others.

What if Richard Gere could not control his libido when he shared stage space with Shilpa Shetty and Ronaldo for reasons similar in case of Bipasha? Who cares other than India’s pseudo-religious fundamentalists waiting for an ‘opportune moment’ (as is uttered by Bipasha Basu in her damage control statement over the kiss) to stage protests in the name of safeguarding the cultural values?

Well, I don’t. Not in the least.

2007-07-08T22:12:00.000-07:00

A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled's new novel

Although I did not think Khaled Hosseini’s previous book Kite Runner was a great one, I decided to give his latest offering ‘A thousand splendid suns’ a try. Khaled’s plot selection for Kite Runner was laudable, however the novel trailed away from its intensity during the end just before it reached the climax. That apart, Khaled’s splendid job of the portrayal of friendship in the barren and war-ridden Afganisthan definitely made the book worth a read.

Coming to think of ‘A thousand splendid suns’, Khaled has adopted the Afghan backdrop yet again. With numerous issues plaguing Afghan such as Taliban extremism and atrocities against women, there is no dearth of stories and plots based on Afghan.

Tragedies always made good books and I am hoping that ‘A thousand splendid suns’ will make a good read. After all it’s only human to feel our heart going out of compassion towards fellow human beings.

2007-07-03T03:44:00.000-07:00

Horoscope validation – Do these forecasts make any sense?

“Talking to people with experience may seem the logical thing to do but expect someone to brag and embellish, leading you astray. Rather than basing a decision on hearsay, stick to the truth and the facts.” – announced my horoscope this morning.

Although I am not the type who – first thing in the morning – look up at my everyday horoscope to plan my day accordingly, I accidentally stumbled upon my today’s horoscope. Courtesy, the intranet site at my workplace. Now that I have been predicted with my day’s outcome, I decided to check on it to know if that had a fraction of truth in it.

Frankly, I have nothing against horoscopes or predictions of this kind. In fact, I believe that the prediction of one’s personality based on their sun signs (Linda Goodman’s is the best example) is rather true than the ones being predicted on an everyday basis. I mean can/will somebody sit and predict what the day would be like for all the twelve signs? If yes, can they be trusted upon? I had these and numerous questions of this kind while I pondered the topic.

Meanwhile, my today’s forecast seemed to be very generic on a broader aspect. That seemed to be an advice rather than a forecast of any kind. Have I had the necessity to speak to an experienced ‘individual’ yet today? And the second line is more of a counsel than the first one. Stick to the truth and facts and do not take a decision based on hearsay – an advise worth considering when encountered with mission-critical decision making.

It’s 4.00 in the evening and I’m fretting over the silly fact that my today’s horoscope forecast has not been of any effect to me. Well the advices? Not a need today to be put use to.

Something in me tells me -- there are worthier topics to write and post. There aren’t any shortfall for topics - Nemesis’ docking at the Chennai harbor, probe into Shekawat’s alleged favoritism to withdraw an FIR on his name, publicity stunt and the lucrative money deals in selecting the new 7 wonders, and the monsoon rains that lash Maharashtra and Gujarat.

However, I convince myself saying that it is okay to be negligent today. I begin to think - Am I taking the second part of my horoscope forecast way too seriously?

2007-06-28T20:30:00.001-07:00

On a rainy day in Chennai…

The only three seasons prevail in Tamil Nadu are – as they say – hot, hotter, and the hottest. While the entire neighborhood states namely Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra would be in the grip of heavy monsoon rains and flash floods, Tamil Nadu remains obliviously humid and equally hot as ever. And the monsoon rains circumvent the region –as they always did – save for some border regions of Kerala.

So the respite from the scorching heat only comes from a rare low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea. Which brings occasional showers, cool breeze, cloudy skies, and thunder storms (which is very very rare by the way).

Thanks to the low-pressure formations – three now, one after the other in a row – in the Bay of Bengal, Chennai is blissfully out of the sun’s reach for the past three weeks. To top the pleasure up, there are occasional rains and cool breezes. Just enough to maintain the chill and not in excessive amounts to waterlog the streets.

The rain-drenched trees that look bathed and fresh, moist air, the concrete jungle that suddenly spot a swabbed look, the squeakily clean roads and the multihued umbrella heads in the pavements are an uncommon sight for a June Chennai.

Rains in Chennai in June? A rarity though. Coming to think of global warming, I wouldn’t give it a damn if Chennai gets a reprieve from the hot and humid sun in its name.

2007-06-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

Space blues – Sunita’s longing to descend home

With Atlantis showing signs of recovering from its thermal bruise, Sunita’s homecoming is finally decided. The space station where Atlantis is docked ran into technical troubles and the computers stopped talking to their counterparts in earth. The Russian scientists were perplexed at this sudden development and had no clue what went wrong because functioning of the computers are crucial since they controlled the oxygen and water supply to the space station.

What would it feel to be aloof from the rest of the world where human life exists - with only a couple of fellow astronauts - trapped in a space station floating in air? I tend to think often. Terribly depressing or a sense of elation that I am actually on top of the world? Either of them would last only a few moments. The depression would perhaps descend as soon as it is realized that there are a few other fellow astronauts in the same plight. And the elation would drain as soon as it ascended giving way to another sense of accomplishment.

It is quite apparent that Sunita has obviously had enough of all these emotions. Visibly thin, in a recent message transmitted to earth, an emotional Sunita expressed her longing to fly back home from her space life.

Imagine a week on earth disengaged from any human contact and a terrible work environment?

Now wouldn’t you want those poor space souls to fly back to earth soon too?

2007-06-12T04:49:00.000-07:00

The Haunting Melody of ‘sealed with a kiss’

It was by sheer accident that I stumbled upon this oldie song. I happened to buy a compilation album – of greatest country hits – from a music store recently. I am familiar with few of the songs in the album but when the CD player reached this track and started playing ‘sealed with a kiss’, my heart was immediately filled with a sharp sense of melancholy.

The tune was just haunting to start with and the song started lingering in my head for a long time since the track was over. Although I haven’t been in a similar situation described in the song and has never heard this one before I still felt nostalgic.

Surprisingly, a brief research on youtube.com presented me with the song’s original video. I also found out that my compilation album had only the cover version and the original was sung by Brian Hyland.

Take a peek at the video in the link given below with speakers / head phones on. Do let me know if (that) you liked it.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xIkUiD8N81k

2007-06-11T04:36:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Sunshine

What would you do if your family is seemingly on the brink of disintegration - the factors being bankruptcy, divorce, suicide, and a death? Little Miss Sunshine is all about holding on to each other when these situations threaten the familial bond.

A family sets on a long distance trip to fulfill the dream of their little daughter to win the pre-pubescent beauty pageant in California, which is 1000 miles away from where they live - Albuquerque. With milk bottle glasses, gaped teeth, and a little paunch the little girl is absolutely no beauty pageant stuff – yet the family decides to support the girl’s dream and sets out on the journey in their near-breaking-down VW bus.

Members of the family are the dad, who hopelessly tries to live on the concepts that he developed called ‘7 steps to success’, the mother who is determined to accomplish her daughter’s dream, the son who has taken a vow of silence until he finds himself in the air force, the ever-badmouthing and reckless drug addict of a grandfather, and the little girl whose attributes we discussed earlier.

As the movie unfolds and the journey unfurls, everyone in the family finds themselves losing out in their battle. Father Richard finds out that he has lost the contract to sell his program after which mom Sheryl threatens him for a divorce. Their son Dwayne finds his air force dream come crashing down when it is discovered that he is colorblind. Adding to the grief, grandfather dies at the motel due to drug overdose.

Nevertheless, the family reaches the pageant venue and manages Olive’s entry. What happens next is absolutely sidesplitting and basically becomes the crux of the movie. Follow your dreams, no matter how extraordinary they may seem. The movie ends with the same note.

Little Miss Sunshine is an adorable movie that is cynical and equally hilarious. It is worth a bet on a leisurely weekend and has melting moments coupled with heartwarming sequences that are sure to put a smile across your face. After all, life is all about putting up with the failures while still hoping that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

2007-06-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

Tu Tu Main Main Live – Yuvaraj Vs Yuvaraj

Yuvaraj has been asked to appear in the Gurgaon court in an assault case allegedly happened on the night of December 12 during Yuvi’s birthday bash. While this appeared to be just another piece of news for us, Headlines Today thought otherwise.

They decided to host a special program on the case with participations from Neelam Mahajan – the victim’s mother – her not-so (read ‘at all’)-outspoken lawyer and Shabnam Singh – Yuvi’s mom. What followed was a literal ‘tu tu main main’ type war of words, mostly from Neelam. Well, she claimed to be a journalist for twenty long years and it definitely shows.

Shabnam’s conversation – whenever she started with a sentence – was invariably hijacked by Neelam and at one point in the midst of the chaotic mayhem, Shabnam accuses Neelam of being a publicity hunter. There goes Gujjar Singh – the host – adding fuel to the fire by asking Neelam what her reply was to the publicity-hunt accusation.

Rest of the half an hour was a pandemonium mostly lead by the overpowering Neelam. When it was revealed that Neelam had agreed for a settlement to withdraw the case earlier, she went ballistic yet again – this time accusing the channel for defaming her and her family.

Finally, the ugly spat turned uglier when she decided to walk away from the studios while the camera was still rolling. She did not forget to forcibly remove the microphone out of her lawyer’s shirt before taking him – actually drag him to be precise – out of the studio.

All this time, the lawyer did not utter a single word and seemed perplexed. Poor thing.

Talk about soaps and the unrealistic saas / bahus clad heavily in designer saris and salwars that occupy prime time television. Fact is stranger than fiction.

2007-05-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

Yet another good-bye…

Parting can be painful at times. For all we take to your grave is not any material wealth during the course of our living time in earth, but only some memories – sweet and cherishing, one would wish. I recently had to bid goodbye to my colleagues at work. The reason is obvious. I was leaving the company and them for what I considered was a better offer worth considering.

It was before I became bedridden for appendectomy – for a couple of weeks – that I decided to submit my resignation. Apparently, my boss did not want this to be revealed to anybody in the team and wanted me to be tight-lipped. Which, in all my earnest I did, save for a few colleagues whom I consider my friends. After all, workplace is where you spend most of the time of your life. The two weeks of bed rest after my appendectomy gave me a break from work and my colleagues were unmindful of the fact that I was not going back to work with them.

So when matters had to be resolved, I was in an embarrassing situation while visiting my workplace for separation formalities. People had no clue why I was at work when I was supposed to be bed ridden. And news – as invariably as it happens in these situations – seems to have spread and my next cubicle colleague was like -- Prathap you never told me that? It was quite palpable that they weren’t officially informed about my departure and that they garnered something fishy happening with my visit.

Then came the time to bid goodbye. Although I was only working for a brief period of time (I hope I can consider 8 months a brief period), the close-knit atmosphere prevailed at my workplace made me feel home quite often. Large number of female population in the bay perhaps could be attributed to this sentiment.

The next few minutes were filled with perpetual ‘all the bests’, ‘all the very bests’, ‘keep in touches’, exchange of email ids and telephone numbers.

I am not sure as to how many will remain in my memory, how many will be in touch with me for a long time or how long I will have the impact of parting with them.

Nevertheless, it is indeed a difficult feeling to part with something – the atmosphere, the people and the facilities – you have grown used to. Otherwise, life goes on and here I’m all set for a new life that involved making new friends and enemies, gelling with my new workplace, and of course taking on challenges.

Wish me luck oh Lord…

2007-05-17T06:07:00.000-07:00

My date with scrubs

Never in my wildest thoughts would I have thought about a surgery on me – one that has to be performed urgently at that. Well, strange things happen all the time, they say – and I wished it not happened on a Saturday night though.

At first I did not pay proper attention to the sharp pangs in my lower abdomen on that Saturday evening. Since I had to go out with one of my friends to visit another common friend’s casual wear shop. The pain got intense at the shop making the situation embarrassing for me. For I couldn’t stand, sit, or even worse take a look at the clothing line.

Rushing to the nearby hospital, I begged the doctor to give me a shot of painkiller. The painkiller showed its might for another 10 long hours before which I was scanned and diagnosed of having ‘appendicitis’. ‘If the pain subsided you can postpone the surgery till your next attack,’ the doctor suggested. However, as it turned out to be, the effect of the painkiller subsided and my pain reappeared in the wee hours of a Sunday morning.

What followed was a one-hour long surgery inside the operation theatre over the musings and chitter-chatter of the anesthetic, the surgeon and the instructions passed on to the nurses. The anesthetic gossiped about the excess staff of anesthetics in a fellow hospital, the surgeon about the increase in cases of appendicitis and blaming the changing food habits, and the general physician about her independent business.

I was quite sure that none of them were oblivious of the fact that I was still awake. Earlier, before being dissected, I was given a shot of some drug in the spine that made me feel numb from the lower part of my body. It is a strange feeling, I tell ya, to be aware and not have a feeling of your body part being sliced up.

I regained my senses soon after and had to ask the nurses to give another shot of painkiller, this time to kill the pain of being operated. I was under observation for a couple of days after that with only intravenous fluid being injected into my veins.

What followed afterwards was loads of advises, friendly visits by neighbors and friends, and scar with 6 sutures in my lower abdomen. With what started as an acute pain ended up as a scar.

Two days later, when I was shown the specimen that was operated out of my intestine, the nurse said, “It is quite long and would have erupted if you hadn’t been operated at the right time.” Whoa, I didn’t want that to happen.

As I gazed at the curly, white and fleshy thing inside a fluid (formaldehyde?) I thought within - What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

2007-04-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

No child’s play Cricket is…….

They went, fought (well it seemed that they tried atleast) and came back not sooner than they left – like a rubber ball thrown to a wall (oh it rhymes). Though Indian cricket team should not have been banked – the way it was hyped to be – to bring home the legendary world cup, the publicity could just have been less, atleast to avoid embarrassments in the future.

Which brings us back to the hot topic of discussion that feed India’s ‘sensational-news-hungry’ news channels – Should cricket be banned in India? (to name one among the thousands). Debates, discussions, SMS polls, and public opinion polls on the topic nourish the advertisement revenue much to the delight of these channels.

Looks like the BCCI felt there’s too much going on and decided to put an end to all of them. After the BCCI meet, there came a host of rules for the players. Ranging from talking to the media to putting a check on their money-spinning ad contracts. Enough reason for the players to be distraught. Given the point that not one of the lead players has any lesser than 15 ad contracts in their hands.

Be that an energy drink or an anti-dandruff hair cream. Not to mention, invariably all the sport goods. Haven’t this question haunted our souls forever and for always ever since we knew cricket? Is there anything our cricket players won’t endorse? Well there is something, how about Cooking Masalas. Sanitary Pads?? And then…. Nope I can’t come up with any. I mean it is simply inconceivable.

They did better at that though. Raised the sales, increased the stock values of their endorsements, and of course bagged more and more of them. Sadly in the process, they seemed to have overlooked their primary responsibility. Playing – in the fields rather than in their shoot spots.

Reports reveal that in a year, our celebrity cricketers spend not less than 60 days in the studios donning make up preparing themselves ready to face the camera to look their best on screens. Well, nothing wrong with that. We only wish that they show a fraction of their dedication - in shooting ad films and endorsing products - on the fields atleast not to embarrass the millions of Indians who bank on them for their almost non-existent performances.

Hoo Haa India, ladega to jeetega, and yes Come On India Dikhado………

2006-12-07T23:10:00.000-08:00

Book early, pay less, and fly late!!!

It was a Friday morning and after making my mind up – contemplating on the notoriety Air Deccan had on its back in keeping time – I reached the airport ‘well on time’ fearing that the flight will take off without me or that the flight will be delayed if I failed to turn up or even more simply, I wanted to be in Bangalore on Friday morning before 9.00 to meet my friends. We had plans to proceed to Mysore on an extended weekend. The carrier’s outrageously low cost lured me into booking a ticket on their flight to Bangalore – plus I could save some time since the flight is only 35 minutes from Chennai to Bangalore.

Air Deccan boasted of 98.5% on time performance and I had little qualms that the flight will fail to take off in stipulated time. However it sooner turned out only to be a myth – Air Deccan keeping time. The flight was about to take off at 8.00 and the airliner showed no hurry to announce the passengers that the flight will be delayed by half an hour owing to bad weather in Bangalore – which I found absolutely absurd since my friend who called me just then confirmed that there are clear skies in the city.

That was when I started getting my first suspicions about the flight. Consecutive announcements made by other airliners who fly after Air Deccan confirmed that there really is bad weather in Bangalore – which to date I do not understand and I convinced myself stating that the reason could either be trivial or something that can’t be disclosed.

It was 8.30 now and there were still no announcements regarding the boarding. I felt hunger pangs deep in my stomach and cursing the time I decided to select a low cost airliner like Air Deccan, I decided to grab a bite in the airport lounge. However, I pretended not to pay attention to the announcements of the other low cost airliners who directed their passengers to the café in the lounge for free refreshments since their flight was delayed too. My fate.

I could hear dissatisfied mutters of fellow passengers and wail of a few kids whose mothers flared at their husbands for making a miserable decision to fly in Air Deccan. The only silver lining seems to be the take off the flight, the announcement of which was nowhere to be heard.

The time reached 9.00 by now and the airliners that actually were supposed to fly after Air Deccan were taking off one by one. By now I got twitchy and called up the airline’s customer care office to find out what really happened and if the flight will ever take off from Chennai airport. She sung the same song – told me that the flight will take off anytime from now and there soon will be an announcement. Not wanting to lose my hope, I hung up and decided to wait for the announcement.

Finally, there came the announcement at quarter to 10.00 and thanking god, I headed towards the boarding point. I thought that was the end of my dismay and I will see the light of Bangalore in about half an hour. My conceptions proved me wrong when I saw the impatient crowd arguing with the airline’s staff not letting the other passengers to embark the aircraft as well. Well, I am not a whiner myself but the situation aggravated my already spoilt mood. Two fully armed guards stood besides naively reiterating in Hindi to the passengers who mind to hear that the flight delay was only due to bad weather. They were probably strictly instructed not to make use of their guns unless ordered to.

I soon found out that the flight was to fly to Delhi and the passengers turned sulky and erupted at the in-flight staff when the flight was callously delayed for more than two hours. It turned out that the passengers were demanding the flight to fly directly to Delhi without a stop over in Bangalore. The issue was settled a little after and when the passengers embarked the flight – especially and invariably all the Delhi passengers – every one of them were venting out their anger on the air stewardess. The goaded flight attendants attempted to complain the same to the ground staff, which went in vain.

Amidst this chaos, I managed to grab a nap. The flight reached Bangalore around 11.00 a.m. and I disembarked swearing not to fly Air Deccan ever again. However, there are always these low fare baits that trap any ordinary Indian.

Upon my return from Bangalore, I noticed a hoarding at the Air Deccan counter in the Bangalore airport, which stated precisely ‘No one can like Air Deccan’. I assumed that there was a missing comma after the words ‘No One Can’ and it happened due to oversight. There is no way the airliner would have become disheartened this soon by their own dismal performance.

P.S: My return from Bangalore to Chennai was equally traumatic and thankfully the airliner sent me a text message that the flight has been rescheduled to 11.00 p.m. from its previous 6.30 p.m. schedule. The flight eventually took off at 12.40 a.m. which was literally the next day.

And if you thought this was my singled out experience, you are gravely mistaken. A news piece on a television channel recently showed passengers protesting in front of the Air Deccan counter in Chennai airport for the unannounced delay of their Delhi flight for more than -- hold your breath -- 4 hours.