Idling

Baahon mein chale aao....

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

“You know what Indians love more than discounts? Fighting for discounts.” – Heard on TV.

I love going to Crossword. Books are things of special attraction and so specious shelves with neatly arranged books with crisp-as-a-potato-chip covers are irresistible. These days, bookstores like crossword are usually housed in a mall. I may use any entry into the mall but I always come out of it from Crossword.

A bookstore is not as much about destination as it is about the journey. It’s a discovery tool. I run through the shelves, often twice or thrice soaking in the tantalizing visual appeal and guessing how things must be within the covers. It’s as if hundreds of gorgeous, glamorous temptresses are simultaneously vying for my attention. I look at some in passing, hold my gaze a moment longer at some, stare at some, caress a few in my hands and open a few to cast their spell on me even further. I play, I tease, I avoid, I lean, I listen-and regardless of what I choose to do, most of them are willing to go as further as I am willing to let them. I let myself be charmed and for someone who looks for ‘balance’ in most things, how I carry myself at a bookstore is an exception.

Today, as usual, I look around the shelves. I am not looking to buy anything. Then, I see ‘The Ascent of Money’ by Niall Ferguson. I’ve heard good things about it so I pick it up. My journey is still on and I move to the biographies section. There, in the second row is a title I’ve been waiting to arrive- ‘A Shot At history’ by Abhinav Bindra and Rohit Brijnath. Bull’s eye, the book’s taken! I’ve always felt that Crossword doesn’t keep too many non-english titles, not in Mumbai at least. As if to prove me wrong, I see a collection of Gulzarsaab’s 100 poems. In no time, the book moves from the shelves to my hands.

I am now holding three titles and I keep looking at the covers. One is a fine athlete’s story of excellence told by a master of his craft and then there’s this poetic wizardry of a legend. Choices are automatic. ‘The Ascent of Money’ will need to wait. As I put it back in its shelf, its neighbors give it a teasing ‘welcome back’ smile. I stand staring at the shelf. Jealousy is more seductive than attention, isn’t it?

I come out of the store with two books in my bag. How I will find the time to do justice to both of these is a question I am not worried about just yet. Just yet, I feel like I am carrying two worlds-of and by the people who are their own benchmarks. My world is richer!

Often, I think what a book does to you and what a bookstore does to you is quite the opposite. In a varied but focused existence, a book opens new worlds for you. In its varied and inviting existence, a bookstore opens a new you to the world!

Humne kya khoya, humne kya paaya?

2009-08-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

My short US visit is coming to an end. I(along with a couple other engineers) were here to support our client through an important release and though I didn't expect much of myself, I am happy that my team did a great job and made valuable contribution to this client. It has been hectic 7 weeks here but now that it's coming to an end, my team has every reason to feel satisfied and celebrate. It's friday night and we have just returned from the office, One of those rare days when we know there is nothing pending for tomorrow! One of those occasions when we will be happy we won't be needed. We fly back home on Monday and I can't help reflecting upon this journey and how far we have come in these 7 weeks. More importantly, how far we have made this client go in these 7 weeks.

Content and excited, I call home. Wife fills me in on the kid's progress. She tells me how he has started picking new words, how he mimicks her sometimes, that he has learnt to climb down from the bed, how he is getting friendlier to strangers, how he....

I listen intently with much joy but quickly a throbbing pain grips me. I realise what all I am missing--and man, ain't I missing a lot! True, it's only been 7 weeks but as a colleague puts it--7 weeks away from a 15 month old is an awfully long time if you count the percentages!

Alas, how far have I gone in these 7 weeks!

Crime and Punishment!

2008-09-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

Something happened a couple of weeks ago that triggered a big debate at home. Here’s what happened:

A cousin of mine recently got engaged (the arranged way). Now, this fellow is a few years younger to me and though we aren’t close by any means, I know him as decent, straight forward guy. He is very highly educated and works for one of the very reputed MNCs of India.

When we got to know of his engagement, we all were very happy. Parents and sis attended the ring ceremony, and all of us were looking forward to his marriage in December.

Two weeks back, we got a call from his mother (Who is mom’s cousin) telling us that the engagement is called off. Reason? It came to light that the girl had an affair with someone in the past and also had a physical relationship. Also, this entire thing was brought to my cousin’s attention by the girl’s ex and when asked, the girl confessed to everything..

When our initial shock settled, everyone at home started giving their opinions. We were naturally disgusted and everybody concluded that at the very least, the girl should have confided in my cousin and told him everything right when the engagement was being finalized.

When I started thinking about it more seriously, I tried to look at it from that girl’s point of view. I wasn’t being sympathetic to her (infact, I am enraged at her) but the point is that if I were a girl and if I had a (physical) relationship when I wasn’t married, what options I had if the relationship didn’t work? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it is almost a crime to be involved in a relationship (being a girl) before marriage if the relationship doesn’t work. If I have a failed relationship, it is difficult for me to fall in love again because how would I trust any other guy? So, I decide to go the arranged marriage way where atleast the families or backgrounds are generally known. In this case, while arranged marriage procedures are going on, the question is do I confess about my past to my future husband? If I don’t, I will carry so much guilt (and the risk of him or his family finding out in some way). If I do tell him, what are the chances that he will still accept me?

I don’t sympathize with that girl. She made a mistake and she should face the consequences. My point is that are the consequences that she will face, in accordance with her mistake? We don’t know, she may already be repenting for her mistake and wants to correct that and lead a more mature and normal life. As a society, do we give her a chance?

I am afraid not, especially when the person in question is a girl.

PS: While I was raising all these questions at home, Sister raised a brilliant question. She said that if she was engaged with someone (the arranged way) and if we got to know that the boy had a physical relationship with someone in the past, what would be my reaction?

That’s got me thinking. I specialize in asking difficult questions but do I have the courage to answer them? Honestly speaking, I am still finding an answer. And maybe that explains why we are the kind of society that we are…..

Quote of the week!

2008-04-18T22:56:00.000-07:00

From the on-screen ticker during MTV's 'Kickass Mornings' Show:

"Kolkata whips Banglore, Mumbai wanna kick Delhi's ass!!
How is IPL any different from MNS? Seriously!"

Tum aa gaye ho....

2008-04-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Wife delivered a baby boy last friday(04-Apr). Both the mother and the baby are fine!!

Game On!

2008-03-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

Have been taking extensive weekend travelling since past few weeks, mostly by trains. Been having very amusing experiences and below is the most recent one:

A big family with about 5-6 kids aged 6-10 years is my neighbor. The kids are playing ‘Dumb Charades’. A boy stands up to start explaining the movie name given to him.

He starts by pointing outside the window.
Group: Earth?
Boy (with guttural sounds and shaking his head): Urgh
Group: Zameen, Platform?
Boy (continuing his guttural sounds and shaking his head): Urgh
Group: Tracks?
At this stage, the boy’s eyes sparkle. He gestures that the word is related to ‘Tracks’.
Group: Iron?
More sparkle in the boy’s eyes. The word is a synonym of ‘Iron’.
Group: Lokhand?
Yes, that’s the word. Boy is emphatic but the group is clueless. A word called ‘Lokhand’ in a Hindi movie name?
Suddenly, someone from the group has an inspiration. ‘Shootout at Lokhandwala?’
There you go, the boy gestures!

While the group continues with the game, I have a thought. If I were to act out this name, I would have gone for the word ‘shootout’. I think most adults would have. Primarily because it is easier to explain that word rather than explain a word like ‘Lokhandwala’!

May be we adults play to simplify, the kids play to complicate!

Hilarious!

2008-01-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

Someone sent me this via email today:

New words added to dictionary --- Bucknor & Benson

Bucknor: (n) (adj)
1. Temporary blindness leading to missing out on the obvious.
2. To be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
3. Situations leading to grave judgmental errors.
Usage: I feel bucknored by my boss; Life often throws a bucknor at you.

Benson: (n) (adj)
1. Something that legitimises a severe bucknor.
Usage: First they bucknored me and then they bensoned it! I am toast.
Also see bucknor .

Thank you, Team India!!

2008-01-06T01:02:00.000-08:00

Team India, the second test match against Australia was no less than a nightmare for you all.

Not because your were playing Australia in Australia; not because you didn’t get much time to get acclimatized to conditions; not because you were too short of experienced pacers; but because those whose job is to ensure that the game is conducted in a fair manner failed miserably in their duty.

Umpires are humans; they are bound to make mistakes. But there is no justification for so many mistakes and most of them against only one of the two teams.

Most of the mistakes weren’t close calls; they were plain horrendous oversights.

And these ‘mistakes’ have been happening from day 1 of the test match.

It’s as if you were playing against a team of 13(and a certain 2 of them certainly more powerful than the 11).

It’s like playing football against Brazil with 3 of your team members out due to red card.

It’s like running a hurdles race with an ankle injury.

It’s like competing in a Formula one race knowing that every few laps, some official will flatten your tires, while the others will continue racing.

You all still played and how!

You wiped off all your frustration, didn’t make much of all those controversial decisions and played with complete focus and professionalism. And you still made a match of what was nothing but a farce! You played like real champs, my team!

There was no way you could have won this match but to make the draw a real possibility is no less an achievement! And even if we forget all the wrong decisions of the first three innings, if you hadn’t suffered a couple of umpiring blunders in the fourth, you would have still drawn the match! Even after those wrong decisions, you played with business-like professionalism and most importantly, you gave a lion-hearted fight!

Sometimes, life makes you walk even when there is no journey. This test match was no different for you.

Australia may have won this test match, but one can’t say that you lost it!

Proud of you all, my team!!

Till next time...

2007-12-23T04:46:00.000-08:00

Right, so the mandate of Gujarat is out! Narendra Modi will remain the CM! (And that acronym stands for Chief Minister, not for a Common Man as Mr Modi claims!)

I think when it comes to analyzing or debating, NDTV tops all news channels. I spent a good amount of time Sunday morning to catch the Gujarat assembly election results and loved the way NDTV 24 X 7 covered the event.

Three things stood out for me from the discussion:

1. Speculation that Modi will now set eye on the center.
2. Rajnath Singh claiming it a victory of BJP ideology.
3. Future of Nuclear Deal.

On Point 1, it is logical to think that Modi will try to move to center. I think it is not an ‘if’ question, but a ‘when’ question. As it is, moving to center doesn’t necessarily mean a smart move. There are too many contemporaries for Modi and besides, what worked in Gujarat will most likely backfire in center. At the same time, Modi can’t move on till he has found a successor who can continue the winning streak. I think it may be some while before Modi will move to center.

On Rajnath Singh claiming it as a victory for ideology, well, what crap! Ideologies have never won anyone an election in this country. Elections are won or lost only and only due to the leader’s image. Ideology can only be a supporting factor. Besides, for a national BJP leader to talk about ideology is like the Australian cricket team talking about good behaviour. Though Modi has clear ideology (and it may only be applicable to Gujarat), when was the last time BJP displayed any sort of ideology at the center?

Finally, one of the most intriguing points. How does this election affect the nuclear deal? Well, given that the Congress has taken a beating in this election, the current government at center will not like the idea of an early election at center and is most likely to go slow on the N-deal since it can be a potential threat to the government. Had the Congress won in Gujarat, they would have probably hardened their stand on the N-deal and might have sacrificed the government for the cause. Now that looks unlikely and as a Congress leader(Abhishek Manu Singhvi?) said on NDTV, what’s the point in dying if there’s no martyrdom?

Personally, I think Modi’s return is in the best interest of Gujarat. Though he remains controversial, there’s no one else in Gujarat who can challenge (or replace) him; whether in Congress or in the BJP dissidents. At the same time, Modi seems to be keenly focused on development and in next five years, development is what Gujarat needs!

In any case, I would love to witness Gujarat’s next assembly election. Next time around, Modi will need to prove that he is indeed the ‘VikasPurush’ as he is claiming to be but more importantly, next time the Congress won’t be able to use Godhra(or encounters) as an election issue. This means they will either have to find a leader to match Modi or an issue that matches development; both very difficult challenges to overcome! Honestly, unless something goes horribly wrong for Modi, I see him cruising in next election as well!

And that’s the time I think Modi will like to move to center; another reason why I would love to witness Gujarat’s next assembly election!

Way to go!

2007-12-14T07:26:00.000-08:00

“Thank you for the reinforcement!” He opened his speech.

We were at a team member’s birthday lunch and everyone asked ‘What?’ to this opening statement of his.

“Let me explain..” and he started a little story. “Once upon a time, there was this pillar. He took a lot of load on him and weathered the times. In due course, he started developing cracks and the concrete started coming off. He still stood, tall and erect, withstanding the load. This was made possible only due to the reinforcement present in the pillar. Similarly, I have had tough times during this project and carried a lot of pressure but I could stand tall only because you all provided the reinforcement! Thank you all very much for helping me and being there!”

Needless to say, we were all moved. The birthday boy in question is probably the youngest in the team and though very cheerful, happy-go-lucky kind of fellow, is a hard core programmer! None of us expected him to express himself so beautifully! He talked slowly, with lot of pauses and repetitions but conveyed his message in a very heart-warming way!

Ever seen and cherished those small plants that grow in the cracks of concrete slabs? If you have, you would know how it feels watching a young professional bringing rare human touch to formal, measured and often superficial world of professionals!

Second class travel, first class people!

2007-11-27T10:08:00.000-08:00

I stay in Vashi and my parents stay in Kandivli. So every Friday, I go to Kandivli and return Monday morning. Lately I have found that while going, nothing is better than local trains so I generally catch a train from Vashi on Friday evenings.

Last Friday was no different. I wanted to reach at a decent hour so left about an hour early from office. There is no direct train from Vashi to Kandivli so I took an Andheri train. When I reached Andheri, I thought of catching a rickshaw to Kandivli. Just then, I noticed that on the next platform, there was a Virar train starting from Andheri.

Sometimes, having choices is bad. More so when life presents you a choice you aren’t familiar with. Virar trains are generally dreaded by an average Mumbaikar but since this one was starting from Andheri and was empty, I decided to give it a chance. As it is, if I took an Auto, I wouldn’t have reached in less than an hour and here was an opportunity to reach Kandivli in 20 minutes flat! I jumped in….

Kandivli is the fourth station after Andheri and all went ok till the first two stations. The crowd started building but I was ok. I was carrying some luggage (one bag of clothes and a laptop) so I stood close to the door and told myself to get ready to get down.

The third station saw tremendous crowd getting in. Suddenly, the compartment was as crowded as it could be. Those who have traveled in really crowded Mumbai trains will be able to picturise this. It was so crowded I could hardly move. There were only three people standing between me and the door but there was no way anyone of us could move even a millimeter.

Kandivli came and went. I loved the ‘whooshing’ sound it made when it passed by! Next was Borivali and I thought may be being a junction, more people would get down there (including me). Just then someone told me that Borivali will come on the other side which meant if I had to get down, I had to move to the door on the other side! Another lovely ‘Whooshing’ sound….

Next is Dahisar and I had lost all hopes of getting down. At this rate, I thought I would only be able to get down at Virar. With the weight of the bags, my hands had started hurting but there was no choice. It was so crowded that if you breathed hard, your belly ended up kissing at least three others…

All this while, my fellow passengers were at their accommodative best. They were confident that they will be able to make me get down at Dahisar. The three guys that stood between the door and me were trying their best to push me closer to the door. Sometimes I could move; sometimes my luggage. With about a minute of pressing their bellies hard inside, standing on one toe, suffering the edges of my luggage, they made sure I reached the door and got down at Dahisar. Hair ruffled, legs trembling, spine aching and hands numb, when I got down, I realized those who helped me must also have suffered similar pain-and while I was free of it since I had alighted, they might still have to suffer for those who wanted to get down at next station. And none of those good souls said anything harsh or sarcastic to me. They offered unselfish help. In fact, they were better off not helping me because that way they wouldn’t have had to make those adjustments for me to move. Still, they chose otherwise. I feel so grateful to them! I had lost hope of getting down before Virar but they made it possible for me. One may argue that they had to suffer only for a small duration and what’s the big deal but the point is they had no reason to help me and they still did. And anyone who has traveled in a crowded Virar train knows how painful sixty seconds standing in an uncomfortable position can be. Years later, I will forget the incident but I will remember that in this fast, professional, businesslike, I-couldn’t-care-less kind of city, some strangers went out of their way just to make life less difficult for me.

Wife is not from Mumbai and hates Mumbai to the core. I love the city. Both of us keep arguing about the pros and cons of the city. Our argument is endless and I know that I will never win this argument. Though I do know that after last Friday’s experience, I am a point ahead!

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!

2007-11-27T06:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/nov/27kim.htm

The article above has a discussion board at the bottom! You are advised to go through that as well!

PS: When I wrote this post, the discussion board had some clean funny comments. Ever since, the comments have become cheap! Please ignore the discussion board

The book cover tag!

2007-11-19T03:41:00.000-08:00

Sigma tagged me a few days back.

The rule is ‘Go to the advanced book search on Amazon, type your first name into the Title field, and post the most interesting/amusing cover that shows up.’

Sounds interesting, isn't it?

I opened amazon.com and no sooner had I looked at the title field in Advanced Search, I realised I had a problem. I mean who would ever write a book which had the word 'LeziBlogger' in it?As expected, ‘LeziBlogger’ didn’t yield anything on search; neither did ‘Leziblogger’. Same was the case with ‘LazyB’ or ‘Lezi B’. Sigma suggested that I use my real first name but that name had no chance to show up on Amazon.(Though I did try it, Sigma!) So I had to break up my blog name and search for ‘Lazy’. Tons of results came up and it took me some time to filter through the results.

Below is the one that caught my eye:

It is a book titled 'The Importance of Being Idle-A little book of lazy inspiration' by Stephen Robins.

Editorial Review:
“The time that a man may call his own,” observed Charles Lamb, “that is his life.” In an age of increasingly long and stressful working hours, The Importance of Being Idle is a call-to-arms for would-be loafers to turn their hands to absolutely nothing whatsoever. This compendium of guidance and wisdom from prominent loafers argues with stunning wit and impeccable logic that idling plays an important role in both the progress of civilization and in our daily well-being. Just the thing to bring harried executives to their senses or to help committed idlers while away the lazy hours.

Not only did I find the book title funny but also the Editorial Review. I couldn't imagine anyone actually writing a book explaining the importance of idling and to top that an editor telling the book a 'call-to-arms for would be loafers to turn their hands to absolutely nothing whatsoever'!!

Btw, during my journey through the Amazon search results, came across some very interesting Titles like ‘The right to be lazy’, ‘The lazy way to success’ etc but the best was a book titled ‘The Case of Lazy Lover’! Don’t you think there is some anti-thesis in the name, eh? :-)

The Inheritance of Loss!

2007-10-31T22:21:00.000-07:00

One of the nephews of Grandma-in-law is settled in the UK. Earlier this year, Grandma-in-law visited UK and stayed at her nephew’s place for about six months. They all had a good time especially the nephew’s two kids. Being born and brought up abroad, they miss the company of omnipresent relatives and elders that kids in India enjoy. Both the kids, especially the younger one, got very close to Grandma-in-law.

Sometime in July, Grandma returned home and it so happened that the nephew and his family visited India in August. Father-in-law is generally on a lookout for a reason to arrange family ‘get togethers’ and this Rakshabandhan, everyone met at Father-in-law’s place and had a good time.

When it was time to leave, the nephew’s kids weren’t happy. The younger one, who is a lovely little girl of 5, wanted Grandma to leave with her. The kid cajoled, then pleaded and finally cried. Everyone in the house tried but the little girl wouldn’t listen! She cried her heart out, loud and it was so unbearable, everyone in the house cried!

I have never seen a child cry like this. And I have also not seen a child’s father cry like this! I could understand the sense of helplessness the nephew and his wife would’ve felt! They might also have felt guilty but looking at the nephew cry, I realized his anguish was much more than his kid’s. Being an NRI is difficult, especially if you have left India after two decades of upbringing in a joint family. You go abroad to make money and after years of giving your youth to that country, all you have is money!

Watching the nephew cry, I realized how he must have felt all these years. He would be missing his parents, his cousins, his friends all the while. He must have blamed himself for not being present at his father’s deathbed, he must be terribly worried since his aged mother has chosen to stay back in India. Though he visits India regularly and his relatives and elders have visited him regularly, he knows his kids are missing what he certainly treasured as a child. Somehow, over the years, he has come to terms with the irony of being an NRI but when he sees his child going through the same feeling of loss, he can’t take it any more.

Throughout my career, I have had my fair chances of settling abroad but somehow I have not taken them. I still don’t know whether it has been a wise decision (or otherwise!).
There are times when I curse myself for not settling abroad and then there are times, like these, when I thank myself!

Hum tum kuch aur badhenge!

2007-09-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

I am not a romantic person. I have been married for over two years and wife has concluded that when God was distributing romantic sensibilities, I was busy philosophizing! (And to add to her grievances, I stubbornly refute her claims!)

Honestly, to me marriage or togetherness for that matter, means doing daily stuff together. My idea of a romantic evening is a quiet evening at home, listening to music we both love or watching something like ‘friends’ and just idle chitchatting! If I see couples at a superstore buying grocery together, I find it romantic. I love to watch couples at planet M deciding which CD to buy. I find elderly couples sitting at a bench and generally chatting away very romantic!

Thankfully, wife is not at all demanding! She is fine with my version of romance but the problem is that being a workaholic, I haven’t been able to give her many such quiet evenings. Once in a while, we go out for a movie and I generally sleep through it so it is just so not happening for her!

Under such circumstances, if you get one quiet evening, it becomes so memorable!

Last Sunday was one such evening. We were at home, the music player played some of our most favourite Ghazals. She kept herself busy cooking something we both love. I kept busy just looking at her. Kitchen oozed a lovely smell and her soft voice humming the ghazals. It was exactly the picture I had in mind ever since I was a teen.

It was a special picture made even more special by the fact that I was looking at a soon-to-be mother!

Know what, under such circumstances, if you get one quiet evening, it becomes so memorable!

Chale Aao!

2007-09-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

Sigma posted a comment to my earlier post (‘Chale Chalo!’) suggesting it might be a good idea to invite the readers to share stories about some of the ‘heroic’ people they know!

Thanks, Sigma! I think this will be worth trying!

I know I have few readers (and even fewer regular ones), but if you happen to read this, I wish to sincerely request you to put your experiences as a comment to this post!

If nothing else, when I am down and out, your comments will give me one more reason to revisit this post!

Selfish, I am! I know you aren’t - please post your experiences!

Chale Chalo!

2007-09-01T01:02:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing that intrigues me most on this planet, it is the people.

Especially, when I see something special, something extraordinary from what we call ‘ordinary men and women’, I feel so much alive!

Here are some examples of extraordinary people that I know:

-Dad has a cousin who lost her parents at a very young age. She lost her daughter (her only child) to Cancer. A large part of her married life went into taking care of an ever-bedridden mother-in-law. She’s barely 50 and just about a month back, she lost her husband in an accident. However, whenever I have met her, she has always been very cheerful, very positive, very strong!

-Wife has a young cousin who is diagnosed with Cancer. This fellow is hardly 17 but he has taken this illness in his stride. If there’s anyone in the family who is (emotionally) not affected by his illness, it is him! He knows a lot about what’s happened to him, talks to doctors to understand more and never ever shows any signs of pain, suffering or sorrow!

-Father-in-law has a cousin who fell in love with a lady from another religion. He waited more than a decade to get his family to see his side of the story and married that lady. (They are such a lovely couple, there’s no bitterness in them even though most of their young age went into this struggle!)

-Father-in-law has a cousin who is married to an absolute pain of a man. To add, her first child is mentally challenged. Her life is one of the most difficult I have seen and still she is always so energetic, always cheerful and full of life!

-I have a younger cousin who is in love with a girl of another caste. Despite tremendous opposition from his family, he was determined to convince his parents and marry only after their approval. It has been more than four years since he started convincing his parents and after a lot of ups and downs, finally, he is going to get engaged to that girl this Diwali!

These all are incidents of a greater magnitude but if I look closely around, I see so many instances of extraordinary achievements in routine life;

I can’t stand a day of train travel, my parents must have traveled for years in Mumbai local trains and it was a way of life for them.

Wife has to leave home at 7 AM to reach her office in time so day-in, day-out, she gets up at 5:30 to cook my breakfast and lunch.

There is this Grandma-in-law (Father-in-law’s Mom) who travels to UK at the age of 80, stays at her nephew’s place without any fuss and enjoys every moment of her overseas travel; she is just so much interested in life even at this age.

I have an uncle whose mom and wife couldn’t be more different. He is one of the most gentlemanly soul I know and even after surviving 25 years of constant domestic conflict, still has maintained his calm and decency.

I have had my share of problems in life; I am sure everyone has! But when I look around, I see such magnificent examples of grit, determination and courage; my problems look miniscule to me.

I have never had film stars or cricketers or political leaders as my heroes; I never needed to. I have my heroes all around me!

It is never about the size of the dog in the fight; it is about the size of the fight in the dog, isn’t it?

Kya waqt hai Zindagi jeene ka!

2007-08-15T05:32:00.000-07:00

Why do we like going to shopping malls?

For us Indians, shopping malls are a recent phenomenon and almost every one of us has taken an immediate liking to the idea. For a diverse country like ours, the warm, unanimous reception that shopping malls have received is surprising. I don’t think barring the Internet, this nation has so emphatically embraced any other product/service/idea in the recent past. Pepsi, Mcdonald’s, 3-D Dome theatres, SEZs, –think of any recent example of products/services/idea and none has received such a reception.

What makes these shopping malls so unique?

They aren’t always about buying. I have made so many trips to the malls without buying anything.

They aren’t always about good food. I mean how many times you have gone to a mall only to eat?

They aren’t always about watching a movie. Nowadays, all movie halls are alike, whether in a mall or not.

Still, shopping malls have become a favorite pastime of a large community of people. Why?

Ok, they offer everything under one roof. This is a huge offering but then, most Indian markets (or bazaars) always had food courts close by, some would have had cinema halls in the vicinity as well.

I hated going to the bazaar; not any more.

The thing that attracts most people to the malls is the variety. Take any product segment and you will have so many different products that it is easy to lose count. Not just that, the malls keep adding new product segments as well. So, every time you visit, just the number of product segments and products on display within each segment is captivating enough- forget the lower MRPs, discounts and schemes! Now, I am not an impulsive buyer and most times, when I buy, I decide beforehand what I want. So it is only a question of going to the mall and getting it. Even though, I like strolling through the mall just to look at what all it offers and I think in that, lies the reason for the success of the malls.

They shout on top of their voice that it is a buyer’s market. They are open for all and they emphasize that the customer is the king. With the kind of choices they offer, they put the customer in a very pleasant dilemma. They aren’t bothered if the customer’s decision-making has become more time-consuming; they rather revel in the fact that with so much of choice, they have made the customer think hard before she buys. And for people like me, they have even made window-shopping so much more interesting!

They are all about choices and that’s what makes them so compelling!

Interestingly, freedom takes on different meanings as we progress. For us Indians, if in the 20th Century, it meant the ‘freedom to be’; in the 21st, it is going to mean ‘freedom to choose’ [or the ‘freedom to window shop’:-)]!

And lately, since India has become such an attractive place to sell, the average Indian customer can only expect more and more choices going forward!

This independence day, let us wish all the sellers more freedom to sell. As for us customers, we have always felt free to be pampered!

'Mera' Hindi aisa hi hai!

2007-08-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

Quality of Hindi on Television is degrading for sure!

Saturday night, heard this from Shaan in Star Voice of India (on Star Plus): ‘Govindaaji ke aane se mithaas aa gaya hai.”

Fuming, I changed the channel to hear Saba Karim on Five Good Minutes (On Star Cricket) say this, “Dhoni ko bahut mehnat karna padega.”

Jaayein to jaayein kahan?

Technically Incorrect!

2007-08-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

“Technology is how you use it!” This is a line oft cited while deciding the value of any technology. And it’s so true! A computer is a piece of technology but it means different things to different people and it delivers different value to different people. Same is true for any other technological invention…

However, do we ever use technology to its fullest? Or is it that like every new thing that comes our way, we go through ‘excitement-use-limited use-taken granted’ lifecycle for technology as well?

I believe it is the latter!

Emails were a rage when they were introduced. So were mobile phones. And so were so many things that technology brought in our lives…

What happened next?

Everyone started using emails. Even the ones who had nothing to do with computers got hooked. Long texts were sent to friends, family, acquaintances and even total strangers. All collective wisdom of the world got circulated around the globe in the name of ‘forwards’. (It is still doing the rounds, though!).

The more people started using it, the less the use became. Emails started getting a purpose. People only wrote emails when they wanted something from someone. The ‘just like that’ emails started becoming rare.

Another interesting thing happened. The emails weren’t now being sent to all and sundry in the address book. Email forwards were sent only to select few who were considered close. News or occasions were conveyed over emails but only to those whom we would have otherwise called up and informed. So, at the end, it became the case of technology mirroring the real-world.

And in that it probably lost its promise!

We never really used emails to get closer to those who weren’t. We never really chatted away with distant cousins regularly to diffuse the distance. We never really used egroups to have those long-winded discussions that we have had with our friends, cousins, family over a cup of coffee!

Technology gave us the freedom to go beyond our constraints (and beyond ourselves!); we, the powerful race on the earth, the creators of technology, in turn constrained the technology to our own limits!

We won or we lost?

And, while I am busy managing a team of technologists, a long-lost, beloved friend posts a once-in-a-blue-moon ‘just like that’ message over instant messenger making me realize what the answer is!

My 'If'..

2007-08-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

In my new organization, I am recently given a ‘troubled’ project. We are in the final few weeks and it is going to take heroics for us to deliver. One of the senior guys in the team is moving to USA tonight but given the state we are in, he has been consistently staying in office till midnight to help us out. In fact, he has a late night flight today and he was in the office till 7 PM. He could’ve stayed away if he wanted to, nobody would’ve blamed him but he stayed and gave more than his maximum. Throughout my career in IT, I have seen projects being successful and companies being driven because of guys like this. These are the guys I would call ‘men’ (Which is a rare species nowadays!). I recently came across a one-liner: ‘Don’t judge a man by what he has, judge him by the choices he makes’! So true!

[Note for female readers: By no way I mean to say that women can’t drive successful projects or organizations! I have had the pleasure to work with such women as well.]

We all have our ideas of ‘good behavior’, ‘good values’ and so on and so forth. So, what is it that touches us from the other individual? I am very choosy about liking or respecting anyone (other than myself!). I know there is nothing like the ‘perfect man’(I am a guy but I know this truth!) but guys with the following traits can come close to perfect as far as I am concerned.

1. Guys who are genuinely friendly.
2. Guys who look beyond skin in a girl.
3. Guys who can see their faults and accept them.
4. Guys who can laugh and laugh loud.
5. Guys who can genuinely laugh at jokes aimed at themselves.
6. Guys who mean what they say.
7. Guys who like ‘wit’ in their humor.
8. Guys who are sensitive and still not too emotional.
9. Guys who know the difference between confidence and arrogance.
10. Guys who can present themselves well.
11. Guys who are not street-smart.
12. Guys who know themselves.
13. Guys who know how to communicate with a kid.

Let me know your list if you have the time!

[Another note for female readers: I am not very good at judging women and hence this post is limited only to guys.]

Btw, while writing this, one more attribute of guys struck me. You can say ‘All guys are alike’ and justify that. You can say ‘each guy is different’ and justify that as well!

Petty fight!

2007-07-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

Mckinsey sues RIL, RCom over dues:

http://www.rediff.com/money/2007/jul/23mac.htm

Interesting especially given the fact that the amount in question(Rs 27 crores) is peanuts to either brother!

One wonders what would be the cost of litigation and the loss of opportunity for both RIL and RCom since a lot of its top executives will have to devote significant time fighting each other!

This may just end up being a case of 'Penny wise, Pound foolish!'

PS: If RIL's claim that it has transferred the RCom business to Anil Ambani along with all assets and liabilities in 2005 is valid, I think the onus of clearing the dues lies with Anil Ambani's group.

U still there?

2007-07-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

Past few weeks have been hectic!

I changed my job and from comfortable confines of an established IT company, I have plunged into exciting unknowns of a relatively smaller,‘start-up’ish IT company.

Not that I had a problem with my previous organization. It was a good name, I was very much settled. Though the workings of an established organization tend to be slow and hence frustrating, I felt rewarded and at the same time, I was given what I wanted! However, one fine day, a great profile came my way from a smaller company and I couldn’t resist. I thought it may be a risk but it may be a risk worth-taking! Even if things go wrong, I will be satisfied that I tried!

Another thing, this new company is in Navi Mumbai and has no transport facilities. I couldn’t have traveled daily from a western suburb (where my home is) to Navi Mumbai on my own and hence I decided to shift to Navi Mumbai. Parents will shift in about 6-8 months but at this point, wife and me are based out of Navi Mumbai(on weekdays that is; weekends are with parents in Western Mumbai!).

I am not someone who is on friendly terms with change and lately there have been major changes! Took my time coping with those and hence the blogging activity paused. I can’t claim to be a regular blogger anyway but in this case, I shut shop completely!

Anyways, if you are still visiting my blog, this is just to inform you that we’ve re-opened!

Welcome back!

Some more pictures from Goa!

2007-06-27T21:44:00.000-07:00

On way to Fort Aguada-1!

On way to Fort Aguada-2!

Sinquerim Beach!

Sunset@Sinquerim-1!

Sunset@Sinquerim-2!

View from Fort Aguada-1!

View from Fort Aguada-2!

View from Fort Aguada-3!

Pictures from Goa!

2007-06-26T23:05:00.000-07:00

My most fav photo from the trip!

The 'jump' is here!

Beaches aren't only about the sea, eh?

(Two) Days of My Life!!

2007-06-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Silky, golden sand.

Light green waters.

A tranquil seashore.

Not-so-hot, not-so-cold weather.

Pleasant sunrises and picturesque sunsets.

Small, secluded roads.

Two Lazy days.

A rejuvenating trip to Goa.

A hangover which didn’t involve alcohol!

Back-to-back books!

2007-06-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Haven’t been able to post since a long time now. There were quite a few things to write about but was caught up with work! Some of those ‘things’ may be a little outdated by now but I will try to see if they can be made into a ‘post’!

As of now, will write about a couple of books I read sometime back!

I read two novels back-to-back; ‘The Broker’ by John Grisham and ‘Legal Tender’ by Lisa Scottoline!

The Broker is about a power broker in US who is servicing a sentence in Jail for a defense deal gone wrong. An outgoing president gives him pardon and he is released. The CIA takes him out of the country, gives him a new identification and plans to sit back and watch who kills him so that they get some clues about the ‘fallen-through’ defense deal. The book is about how the ‘broker’ copes with his new identity, suspects the CIA and fights for his life. Sounds interesting, eh?

As is usual with Grisham novels, this one is also about the ‘human’ aspects of everyone involved. Generally, every Grisham novel touches some aspect of law and makes is comprehensible for a layman. In this case, there is no legal aspect. Besides, one feels that the author has tried to focus on the ‘human’ aspects more than the plot. There are sections in the book where you continue reading only because it is a Grisham novel. It is a good read but not great!

The other one ‘Legal Tender’ is about a woman who runs a legal firm with his ex-lover. Suddenly, the ex-lover is killed and she is the prime suspect. While she is trying to prove her innocence, there is another murder and she is suspected again. The book is about how she learns of the truth (almost single-handedly) and proves her innocence.

I haven’t heard of the Author before (Lisa Scottoline) but I picked up because it looked interesting. (‘Never judge a book by its back cover’ is something I know, but still…). Honestly speaking, the book didn’t impress much. There are quite a few issues but to sum it, everything comes down to amateurish writing. There were a few sparks here and there but that was all. Utterly forgettable and inconsistent!

In Top 'Gere'!

2007-05-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

When we get a chance to criticize, we Indians express ourselves very strongly!

I have been thinking about the recent controversies and hence the conclusion!

We were shocked when we were thrown out of the world cup in the first round. This shock was expressed in large volumes for days together. I am sure some of the electronic media is still discussing it!

Then came Madira’s saree with Indian flag; another uproar!

Then was Sachin’s cutting of ‘Tiranga’ shaped cake! We were furious!

And finally was the Richard Gere- Shilpa Shetty controversy! We proved that we may get over with a world cup defeat but not with a kiss in public (that too involving a foreigner)!

As Indians, we have a right to have objections to all of the above. I am not arguing that!

What I find difficult to understand is the magnitude of our anger towards these events!

My problem with my countrymen is that we always raise our voice when all we need to do is raise an eyebrow!

Summer!

2007-04-28T01:56:00.000-07:00

Lately, I haven’t been able to post much here. A lot of things to write but not finding the leisure to write.

Cuckoo has tagged me to write about eight things I enjoyed during the summer. Thanks very much Cuckoo, for the tag. However, doing this tag is a little difficult for someone like me. See, you don’t expect a lazy bum to do a lot of things and besides, most leisure activities are season-independent! I mean when your favourite pastime is being a couch potato, what difference a season makes? I am not sure I will be able to list eight! I will try earnestly though!

Summers are most significant to us during student life. Once you start working, summer gets reduced to may be a little vacation to a hill-station or to the seasonal fruits. So, I think this post mostly will be about my summers when I was in school/college:

1. Visiting relatives:

It was pretty much a ritual to spend most of April-May out of home. We are from Gujarat and my family moved to Mumbai while I was 10 so summer gave me a chance to go to Gujarat and catch up with my cousins. I don’t recollect summers where I have completely stayed at home. Never!

2. Mangoes:

If I have ever eagerly awaited summer, it is for mangoes. Most times, they were a vital part of my food and sometimes, they were the food. There are plenty of ways one can enjoy this fruit and I must have explored most ways. Of course, the best way is to eat them raw with bare hands!
Though my all-time favourite is Pineapple, there is something very captivating about Mangoes!

3. Sleeping:

Afternoon naps, I mean! I wouldn’t call them siestas since Siestas shouldn’t be lasting for 4 hours!

4. Ice-creams and the like:

We Indians are big-time ice-cream eaters and because Gujarat is home to Amul, we feel patrons to ice-creams so, well, we just have to indulge! There is another variety of ice-cream, where ice is crushed, formed into a shape and various ‘sherbats’ are sprinkled on it to give it flavour. You would eat it as you would eat a Kulfi. It is called ‘Gola’ and is hugely popular in Gujarat.

5. Sports

Typical evening activity, and this could be anything; Cricket/Chess/Badminton/Hide-n-Seek; any thing. Dad is a part of a large family and we cousines would all gather at Grandfather’s place (in western Gujarat), occupy the terrace in the evening and played till calls for dinner were made. Sadly, as we grew up, I haven’t been able to be in regular touch with a lot of my cousines. But whenever I think about my childhood, the image of all of us playing at the terrace comes to me vividly.

6. Bed-time story:

One my aunts is an expert at mimicking. When we were young, she was still unmarried and hence stayed with my grand-parents. At night, we all cousines would lie down on the terrace and she would tell us a story mimicking everyone in the family. In fact, she was so good at it that she would improvise daily and we would get a new version daily of the story. We all have grown up now and she is happily married but we still beg her for the story whenever we meet. For most of us, her story was the best we ever heard!

Well, that’s about it really! 6 points is as far as I can get. Btw, Cuckoo, I don’t have many regulars so won’t be able to continue the tag! Again falling short when numbers are concerned!

Page 123, Para 5!

2007-04-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

Hood drummed the back of the chair. “What you’re saying then is that we may have a mole.”
“Conceivably.”
“How long would it have taken for someone to write a program to bring down the whole system?”
“Anywhere from hours to days, depending on how good they were. But that doesn’t mean the program was written on-premises. It could have been created anywhere and piggybacked in on the software.”
“But we check for that—“
“We check for sore thumbs. That’s basically what I’m doing now.”

That’s from page 123 of the book I am reading now. Actually the entire page contains nothing but the conversation. Depending upon the way I defined a ‘para’, most of the above were qualifying for ‘para’ 5, so rather then taking the trouble of analyzing further, I put the entire section.

Sigma tagged me to write the 5th para of page 123 of the book I was reading and hence the text above!

Many thanks, Sigma for the tag! Btw, the book is ‘Op-Centre’ by Tom Clancy.

It is about an intelligence outfit and not about software or programs as the above excerpt might suggest. Isn’t it strange that you are tagged to write Para 5 of page 123 of the book that you’re reading (all random variables), and the para turns out to be related to your profession! What would be the probability of that!

In that,I think lies the beauty of this tag!

Gudgudi!

2007-03-22T23:46:00.000-07:00

That’s the name of the song from ‘Just Married’ that I like immensely! Well, the entire soundtrack is easy on the ears and since Gulzar saab is at the helm of lyrics, I would naturally be biased! For me, however, this particular song is the pick of the lot! Here are the lyrics:

Jab bhi zara tumne chhua, Zindagi halki si gudgudi kar gayi,
Chhalki huyi thi pehle se main, thodi-si aur bhi bhar gayi,
gudgudi kar gayi…

Socha tha tum se mile to,
paanv zameen pe padenge,
Yeh kya pataa tha ke phir se,
khwabon main udane lagenge,

Darr to rahi thi pehle se main, thodi-si aur bhi darr gayi,
gudgudi kar gayi…

Anjaan logon ka milna,
pehle bhi hota raha hai,
Padh ke batao sitare,
yeh rishtaa kahan pe likha hai,

Marne lagi thi pehle se main, thodi-si aur bhi mar gayi,
gudgudi kar gayi…

Jab bhi zara tumne chhua, Zindagi halki si gudgudi kar gayi,
Chhalki huyi thi pehle se main, thodi-si aur bhi bhar gayi,
gudgudi kar gayi…

If you like soft, mellow songs with meaningful lyrics, give this one a try! Highly recommended!

From the Cup!

2007-03-21T22:44:00.000-07:00

I am a cricket fan, albeit not a crazy one. Given the kind of passion most people in this country have for this particular sport, I am a below-average fan. Nonetheless, world cup is generally a very special piece of my life whenever it is on and I can’t help sharing my thoughts on the same:

1) Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Match:
I had watched the initial part of the India-Bangladesh match and thought that India bucked under the opening match jitters rather than anything else. Not that the pitch didn’t do anything or that the Bangladeshis didn’t bowl well, but if you had seen the Indian batsmen early-on, you must have got the feeling that they were under enormous pressure. Too much has been made out of Dravid’s decision of batting first. I think that was a natural decision. India’s strength is batting and Bangladesh bowlers aren’t a Mcgrath or Ntini!

Given that, I wanted to see the first hour of Sri Lankan batting against Bangladesh. They batted well and of course the Bangladeshis weren’t as good as they were against India. Though Lanka batted well, I thought the openers were a little tentative. So, when India plays Lanka and if the pitch is even a little active, Zaheer Khan will be the man to watch! Hopefully, Agarkar will be given the first change and not the opening overs. One also hopes that Pathan is given a chance but I am not sure that will happen!

2) Pakistan-Zimbabwe:

It’s commendable that Pakistan agreed to play this match. Because India-pakistan are such arch-rivals, I have always considered them as opposition. However, y’day when the teams lined up on the field to pay respect to their anthems, I couldn’t help feel sympathy for them. Given the kind of circumstances, it must have taken a lot of courage to get on to the field.

For Inzy, it must have been the toughest! For someone who has really been the backbone of Pakistan cricket, it is not the kind of farewell he deserves. Very few players bring about calm and stability in this game that is getting increasingly hysteric and one of them is gone. Very few players believe that Cricket is (still) a gentleman’s game and one of them is gone.

While the game is increasingly seeing emergence of ‘street-smart’ kids, such men show what separates men from boys! I like the man, I really do and it is not easy to digest that we’ll no longer be able to watch him. Good I didn’t watch the match long enough to see him walk back to the pavilion!

Meanwhile, good luck to our boys against Lanka! Personally, as long as they play well and give a solid fight, any result is ok!

Jo bhi ho, kal phir aayega!

2007-03-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

Last year, I got an interview call from one of the IT giants. I was not too sure if I wanted to switch my job but I decided to give it a go anyway.

The interview was somewhere in town on a Saturday afternoon. I wanted to do well and I thought I had prepared myself well in the little time that I had. While I was on my way to the venue, I was a little anxious. It was indeed a big moment and a big victory if I pulled it off.

I reached the venue and saw quite a few ‘hopefuls’ like me. There were definitely more people than I had expected, and most looked senior to me. All very professionally attired, speaking only when required, and waiting anxiously for their turn for the interview. The atmosphere was quiet but restless. I sat there and was made to fill a form. While I was filling the form, sudden, unknown restlessness gripped me. I was very uncomfortable and I found my hands trembling!

I don’t get nervous so easily. I also think I know my job well. However, on that day, I wasn’t too happy sitting in that room, waiting for the interview. I tried to calm down but wasn’t totally successful. I also tried to put a finger on what exactly was making me sweat but I couldn’t!

Well, finally, I was called for the interview. I entered a small cabin with two straight-faced people trying to read between the lines in my resume. Formalities exchanged, I sat down on a chair and things started to go downhill from then on. The interviewers were a little hostile (They probably wanted to carry out a ‘stress’ interview), there were a lot of questions on theory which I had least expected, some of the things I generally have on tip of my tongue failed me and what not! All in all, it was a disastrous interview. It lasted about 30 minutes and I was only too happy to come out of it.

Generally, in such situations, what is more painful is the aftermath. I came out bewildered at what had happened. I was disgusted with myself. How did this happen? How did I let it happen? For the next 10 minutes, my world was full of questions I had no answer to.

Thankfully, the disappointment hardly lasted a few minutes. Anyhow, I wasn’t too desperate for the job so missing out on this opportunity wasn’t like the end of the world. ‘It was just an interview’; I told myself and moved on!

I didn’t know what went wrong, I still don’t know. Whether I wasn’t serious about the interview, whether the ‘too-professional’ air about the place put me off, whether the ‘stress’ interview technique was repulsive, whether the unexpected questions on theory caught me off-guard – what went wrong, I can never tell. I laughed it off as a one-off incident, forgave myself and moved on! I am still in as much love with myself as I was prior to that interview.

Last Saturday, as I switched off the TV after Sachin got out against Bangladesh, this incident came back to me with a question. If I can forgive myself so easily after failing so badly, what gives me the right to criticize my team, which obviously is under far bigger pressure? I still love my team and I want them to have as much fun as they can in cricket’s premier event. I think sometimes, we pull the team down with the huge expectations that we have from them. We, as fans, should be a little more forgiving, I think. After all, it’s just a game!

Wah, Pradhanmantriji!!

2007-03-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

I have been watching ‘Ji, Pradhanmantriji’ on Star Plus for two Sundays in a row and must say that I am really impressed. I have always felt that Indian comedy lacks wit and shows like these (scarce, though) prove me wrong.

I watched ‘Ji, Mantriji’ regularly and was very disappointed when it was discontinued only after 13 episodes. The show probably didn’t garner enough TRPs, I guess. I hate to say this but with the same kind of show and the same kind of Indian audience, it is very likely that this show also will see a premature death.

Catch it before that happens. The show is aired on Star Plus on Sundays, 12 noon!

Yeh Raat....

2007-02-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

Another long day at office and pretty tiring! Started with ‘fire-fighting’ in the day and finally was able to dissolve the ‘fire’ by the evening, which meant the rest of the tasks on my schedule found my eyes only in the evening. So, in that sense, the day began only in the evening!

Last bus from office leaves at 10 PM. I have ‘managed’ to miss it yet again! My boss wants me to do some work but it is more of giving ‘finishing touches’. So, I have to wait for my colleagues to finish cutting their ‘diamonds’ which I can polish later! It has been a few hours and I am still waiting! The ‘necklace’ has to go today so I can’t go home!

I have had a very very hectic schedule last few days! Besides, it makes no sense to wait 3 hours (late in the night) for a half an hour work! I have been feeling sleepy since evening and now with no work, I am sleepier. I generally don’t take a nap in the office but I give it a try anyhow! Doesn’t work for more than 10 minutes. Too awkward for me!

I get up and joke with some of my busier colleagues, just to beat the sleep. Doesn’t help! As it is, one’s sense of humor is so down at midnight and there are only so many jokes one can crack! I walk around. That doesn’t help either since I feel more tired and hence sleepier!

Someone has biscuits. I eat them, less out of hunger and more out of the desperation to stay awake. So funny, they are called ‘Good Day’! Anyhow, one packet is too small. I am back to battling with my eyelids! Oh God, when will this night end?

Drowsily, I go back to my desk and put on the FM Radio. In the quiet, cool night, Rabbi Shergill sings, ‘Tere Bin Sanu Sohnia’...

My ‘Good Day’ begins!

I'm tagged!

2007-02-28T13:43:00.000-08:00

Alright! So I have been tagged. My first. Thanks Sigma ! I have been asked to share my dreams. I am having a tough time deciding my top three dreams. Hazaaron khwahishein aisi….

Here’s my list:

1) I dream to be physically and mentally fit after I retire:
Yup, I can’t wait to be 60! I have too many plans for life after I retire. It’s a long way to go but the thought that I will have 24 hours to myself everyday is so captivating. I dream of going on long, early morning walks with wife, writing as much as I want, listen to all those CDs that I am collecting now but haven’t got the time to listen to, visit my favorite temples too often, have enough money to plan a travel once every year, Far too many dreams……..

2) I dream to be able to sing a good song well:
Not possible in this lifetime but may be someday, I will at least be able to sing ‘Happy Birthday to you’ in rhythm! :-)

3) I dream to be able to write in pure Urdu
Don’t know when this will happen. May be along with dream number 1! :-)

….Bahut nikale mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikale! One is generally full of dreams but it is quite a task to actually list them down!

It is late in the night while I write this! Truly, Yeh Raat hai khwaab ki…

Rozaana!

2007-02-24T02:45:00.000-08:00

Mr Bachchan is showing his heroics at singing now! The more I listen to this song from ‘Nishabd’, the more I realize that he has sung it well, very well! In fact, thanks largely to the Radio channels playing few select songs over and over again, I get to hear this song a lot of times and the more I listen to it, the more I like it.

It is not a catchy song! The first time I heard it, I thought it was unconventional to the point of being repulsive! There is something too disturbing about the song that I am not able to identify, but still, this song has slowly grown on me! I am listening to it for the fourth time in about 24 hours and I tell myself that I can listen to it a few more times and every time I will find something new in it! And every single time, half-way through the song, I have wandered to identify that oddity, that disturbing element which probably is the soul of the song! The same has happened this time. I am so into my thoughts that I haven’t realized that the song is over! I don’t really care because I think I am getting closer to finding that elusive, nasty element and….

And just then, breaking my chain of thought, the radio plays this commercial ‘Aab nimbu ki taazgi aapke baniyan main bhi…’ .

I am left so ‘Nishabd’! May be next time…..

Tandoori hopes!

2007-02-03T22:55:00.000-08:00

My host has a Tandoor in his backyard. I am happy just at the sight of it since Tandoors are such a rarity in Mumbai. (Well, for that matter, even backyards are!!!)

I can’t keep my eyes off the Tandoor. With burning wood at its heart, this little earthen edifice is like a sculpture to me!

I watch intently while the cook makes Fresh, thick rotis! I see the flames running wild. They are trying to get to the brim of the ‘Tawa’ and over it, as if to see what is taking their heat! On the ‘tawa’, a calm, steadfast round of dough is sitting pretty while trying to hold its own against the effervescent flames!

It is a worthy contest to watch. With a little bit of moderation from the cook, the dough takes the heat- and how! What was a cold, staid, sticky piece of dough is now hot, delectable, tandoori roti! It looks great, smells great and of course is great to eat! And while it rests a little more on my plate (so that I can take in the ‘earthy’ aroma a little more), I reckon it is looking at the tandoor and giving a proud smile back to the flames!

I indulge into this pure magic and silently hope that whenever my life is put on fire, it emerges like a well-cooked Tandoori Roti!

Not Happy

2007-01-30T14:27:00.000-08:00

I saw this interview on rediff:

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jan/30inter.htm

And then, I went on to see the remarks by the readers. Some of the remarks were highly abusive of Gandhiji and Pandit Nehru.

Sad, very sad!

Btw, read Gandhiji’s autobiography some time back! Yeah, should have read earlier!

I read the original version written in Gujarati and I must say I was very impressed. As an average Indian, we don’t know much about Gandhi-the man, his life, his ideologies except for what we have seen in the ‘Gandhi Jayanti’ movies!

I highly recommend the book.

Another thing- while I was reading the book, I checked the total number of copies printed so far. It was a 2005 reprint and I don’t remember the total number of copies but if I assumed 10 readers per copy, the total number of readers wasn’t coming out to be even 10% of Gujarat’s total population! That, when the book is priced at 30 rupees.

Sad, very sad!

A workman's observation!

2007-01-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

I always reach my workplace on time. Just like you.
I mostly work nights. Just like you.
Thousands of tiny metal pieces shine just like you on my desk.
I have been doing the same thing for years together. Just like you.
There is nothing much to life except work. Just like you.
There are times when I work 7 days (err, nights) a week. Just like you.
My absence is always noted but my presence is taken for granted. Just like you.
In appreciation, all I get is words. Just like you.
There are so many like me, nothing much happens if I die. Just like you.
There are people who make a living out of observing people like me. There are also people who make a living out of observing you.
My work is studied by scientists. So is yours.
My every single movement at work is pre-determined and precise. So is yours.
I am paid peanuts. Hey stars, hopefully, God would be a better paymaster!

Vibrant Gujarat!

2007-01-13T23:36:00.000-08:00

I am a Gujarati. Though I have mostly stayed in Mumbai, I have spent enough time in my homestate to know it well!

I am not excessively possessive about my state. I don’t wear my ‘Gujjuness’ on my sleeves. I don’t feel the need to boast about my state or fellow Gujaratis. I am far too individualistic to believe that I would have (more or less) grown up to be me, regardless of where I was born and where and how I was brought up!

Yet, I am close to Gujarat. I like the state and I love its people. [I may have my share of complaints about my state and its people, but that is hardly the point…]

And that’s why it pains me when Gujarat is mis-represented.

In last five years, Gujarat has been in the news a lot of times and mostly for the wrong reasons. In fact, when you talk of Gujarat with an outsider, the first thing that the other fellow brings up is Godhra. And every Tom, Dick and Harry that you talk to minces no words to loathe the incident, criticize the administration and eventually term the state ‘unsafe’ in some way or the other!

Even so, almost 5 years after that unfortunate incident, whenever everyone and anyone talks about Gujarat, references to Godhra are unfailingly made. Gujarat isn’t only about Godhra, it never was and it will never be. Godhra incident was unfortunate, no doubt but equally unfortunate has been the way this incident has been discussed and unilateral conclusions have been made by people (mostly outside Gujarat). In particular, I think the English media’s handling of the entire issue was (and still is) high-handed.

I don’t want to go into various facets of the issue. I just want to say that ever since the incident happened, it has been blown out of proportion. In the wake of the incident, law and order situation was bad in Gujarat but I don’t think it was as bad as reported. I know people who have traveled from Mumbai to Gujarat just 2 days after the incident and have told me that the news channels were grossly exaggerating.

How many of us have not taken the media on its face-value on this incident?

I am not trying to defend the administration. All I am saying is that our conclusions on this incident (and on Gujarat) may be based more on perception than on fact. Have we wondered what the regional media reported? Have we talked to people who are from Gujarat or were in Gujarat when the incident happened?

To me, the way Gujarat’s image was tarnished nationally and internationally was unfair and since I come from that state, painful. And that we still continue to make references to the Godhra incident every time we talk of Gujarat is just unbearable. It’s not like scrubbing the wound, it’s like making another. If we think that the Godhra incident was so moving that we have to bring it up each time in connection to Gujarat, why didn’t we bring up Gandhi whenever we talked about Gujarat before the godhra incident?

I think the state has moved on from that unfortunate incident. It’s time everyone else does, too!

Counting my blessings!

2006-12-31T22:31:00.000-08:00

It is a working Sunday for my team. Some of us are in the office and working in absolute quiet. I step out for lunch. As I leave the ‘air-conditioned’ confines of my office, bright, thick sunshine greets me.

Winter in Mumbai is mostly uneventful. Till a couple of years back, it was non-existent except in early mornings. However, since last year, there is a wonderful chill in the air and the average Mumbaikar who knew only two seasons so far, finally gets to experience a ‘trailer’ of winter, if not the full-length movie!

I come out of office and walk straight into this brew of thick sunshine and mild wintery air. As I walk towards the lunch-house, the sunshine warms my body. From the scorching Sun that I have known, this is a pleasant change. I can feel the pointed rays but they just about press my skin, they don’t pierce. I feel warmth flowing through me. It is as if my skin has become a long artery and is carrying the sunrays across my body. I begin to like the sun and the small walk towards the lunch-house becomes a pleasure. I feel warm, bright, fresh, vibrant and young! Is it that the Sun shines more brilliantly on Sundays, I ask myself!

Too bad, for all the warmth it transpires, I can’t even look at the Sun in the eyes and say ‘Thank You’!

Thoda sa Roomani ho jaayein!

2006-12-29T20:54:00.000-08:00

Today is the last working day of this calendar year, at least officially. Everyone at the office is in the mood to party. There is a party going on in the premises. It is little after 8 PM on 29th evening and the party that started at 4 PM is still going on. For most young people, party means loud, fast music and something to eat. This party is no exception….

Even though it is getting late, there is a sizable amount of people on the dance floor. People from different departments, people from different grades, people I know, People I
don’t know, people I like, People I don’t, all grooving in the manner they think is cool.

The manner in which they think is cool.....strange, why people get so aggressive while dancing to a fast song. Another strange thing, the people I like look better while dancing, despite the aggression and People I don’t like look worse because of the aggression.

Nonetheless, I feel good just watching the crowd gyrate in a certain rhythm. If you can imagine watching a mammoth sea wave captured in a bottle, you would understand what I mean!

I like the energy. I like the fact that they are being themselves, that they are doing what they enjoy without caring how they look. I would have joined them but I have to get back to my desk and work and I just don’t want be tired. [Ok, Dancing doesn’t come naturally to me!!]

And then it strikes me that it is not only about dancing. It is about listening to chartbusters with people you like, it is about following the same rhythm as your friends, it is about matching energy levels with your pals, it is about experimenting new(and mostly weird!) movements with someone as crazy as you! It is about being together!

Suddenly, while looking at them, I so much wish to be a part of them. Suddenly, I miss my wife…badly!

Murdered each day!

2006-12-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

What is more ironic?

That a young woman is killed for no reason?

OR

That a family has to fight a long battle to bring about what should be a natural consequence to a murder?

Paradise regained!

2006-12-08T22:03:00.000-08:00

For a long time, I left the office at 6 PM. Now, for some time, I won’t.
For a long time, working on Saturdays was more rare than the Indian cricket team lasting full 50 overs while batting in South Africa. Now, it won’t be so.
For a long time, filling the hours at office was a task. Now, clearing my To-Do list is.
For a long time, I re-read emails at office to kill time. Now, I always have a few unread ones.
For a long time, I had to read novels while returning home from office to keep company.
Now, my mind is in the office till I reach home!
For a long time, I hardly worked. Now, I am working hard!

For a long time, I wondered if I still had the fire in me. Now, I don’t.
For a long time, I was getting rusted. Now,thankfully, is the time to get a little worn out!

What a book!

2006-12-01T04:19:00.000-08:00

What differentiates a great book from a good one? I think it’s the degree to which the reader is engaged. While a good book is read, a great one is experienced.

Just finished reading ‘The Day Trader’ by Stephen Frey. My first of him and loved it immensely! It is a fictional account of an individual who takes to day trading on the stock market after his wife is murdered.

I am not the kind of reader who reads every word of what’s written [That privilege is reserved only for boss’ and wife’s emails!] so it is very difficult to keep a reader like me engaged. That’s why I am surprised a book could engage me so deeply. May be because it’s written simply, may be because it is written in first person, may be because some of the concepts of stock-market trading are explained lucidly, may be because I found the main protagonist thinking exactly the same as I would have at certain places –whatever the reason, this book seized me like anything! I could feel,see,think the book!

Of course, it has its flaws. Biggest being that some of the incidents are far-fetched and don’t seem realistic. But then, I would choose to overlook them! Also, the book isn’t a page-turner. Sometimes, it was disturbing to the point of being repulsive, but it made me think and I realized that this also can be one of the ways of engaging a reader. A book can linger onto the reader’s mind without being a page-turner!

Of course, one book is no way to judge an author but if his other books are equally good, this fellow will easily become my favourite author! A certain Mr Archer has tough competition!

Not easy to cut a story short!

2006-11-16T21:04:00.000-08:00

Just finished reading ‘The Plot Thickens’. It is a collection of short stories by 11 mystery and suspense writers. Not a great read though! Except for one or two stories, the rest are average.

I have come to fascinate short stories only in the last few years. The more short stories I read, the more I realize why it is such a specialized art form. It can’t be too long, it can’t have too much of a monologue, it can’t have too many characters or too many events, it has to be going somewhere (more continuously than a novel) and most importantly (to me at least), it should have a brilliant twist in the end!

In my teens, I thought writing poems needed most skills when it came to writing; prose came easier. Then, over the years, the more I read, I realized writing non-fiction was easier than writing fiction novels. Now, I think writing fiction short stories is the toughest!

I think good novels and good short stories are like good meals and good desserts respectively. You can have enough of a good meal; you can never have enough of a good dessert!

Train of thoughts!

2006-11-12T21:28:00.000-08:00

Taking a local train in Mumbai can be fun; if you travel only on weekends and at non-peak hours. Last Saturday, the travel house in my horoscope was very active and one certain journey in the evening was particularly enjoyable.

I boarded the train from one of the western suburbs to go to Dadar. This must be about 6:15 pm. I got a place to sit and in the opposite bench, a young, decent looking gentleman took seat. He looked like one of those insurance company sales agents. No sooner was he settled, he took out his flashy mobile and started viewing a video of a Hindi movie song at a loud volume. The song wasn’t all too great and coming through his not-so-great speakers, it was nothing short of screeching sound. Why the hell he didn’t use a headphone? Sometimes, in this great city, I have seen people so oblivious of their surroundings, it is unbelievable. Over the past few years, I have come to believe that civic sense is drastically going down in this city. [This is a topic by itself. Will talk about it some other time.]

The train was reaching Dadar and almost everyone was getting down. The passage near the door was so crowded, I was standing in the aisle between the benches. (How can anyone call them seats?) The person behind me had a shoulder bag. However, he still tried to move himself and his shoulder bag encouraging someone to take the place he vacated. And then with the typical nonchalance of a Mumbaikar said what is probably the most used line in the trains and buses of Mumbai; “Thoda sa to adjust karna padta hai na.” What gives this man this spirit after traveling for about 40 minutes with luggage in a reasonably crowded train?

Getting down at Dadar was another experience. In Mumbai trains, you just stand in the rush and they make sure you get down where you want. It is a free-flowing, zero-gravity ride wherein before you realize that you are moving, you are not only out of the train but also a few yards away from it. I got out like that and then found that the staircase was really packed. Of course, people were moving at a steady pace but you couldn’t help nudging an elbow here and there. I joined the mayhem and mid-way through the stairs, someone yelled; “Chalo Bhai”. Such shouts are meant to ask people to move faster. Now, the stairs were packed and everyone was moving as fast as possible. How can anyone move faster? The same yell again. By this time, I had almost reached the end of the stairs. Just then, I heard the same voice murmur, “Yahan chillao to sab fatafat chalte hain.” [People move faster here if you yell.]. Nobody had really cared for his yells. In fact, even if they had cared, they couldn’t have moved faster. This fellow probably felt people were moving because of his yells. Some illusions people live in!

I think if I traveled in the Mumbai trains with an open eye, I would have enough material to write a book. (Someone might already have; you never know!). I was looking for something to write on this blog and this journey gave me exactly that. I am not a professional writer but to all those who are, here’s a piece of advice: If you ever hit a writer’s block, you can give Mumbai trains a try!

Back to Routine!

2006-11-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

The festive season is long gone. Life is back to routine. Work is picking up. Writing hasn't picked me up this new year so far and hence no recent posts!

Meanwhile, a couplet from Mirza Ghalib; He has written it in different context but this is exactly how I feel after getting back to routine!

"phir usii bevafaa pe marate hain,
phir vahii zindagii hamaarii hai "

Bye, till something worth writing picks me up!

We live for such days!

2006-10-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

Since last few days, I see myself surrounded with a lot of energy, excitement and inexplicable mirth.

I wake up to the morning breeze whispering greetings in my ears. I feel fresher than usual, get ready in no time and reach my company bus pick-up point earlier than usual. Since last few days, the morning sun shines brilliantly but doesn’t dissipate much heat-just like the firecrackers. The sky is its usual self; white flowery clouds blossoming on the traditional blue canvas. God’s own Rangoli, eh? Since last few days, the evenings come sprinkled with crisp, sweet, wintery breeze and I realize why mom garnishes sweets with grated coconut! I think the trees on both sides of the roads have turned greener since last few days. Traveling to office and back is no longer commuting; it is like accepting the reception of cordial ladies dressed in dark green sarees offering ‘namaste’!

So widespread is the magic that even though I have been spending heavily since last few days, my bank account, like a deity, has never run out of blessings.

It’s amazing how the entire universe has got to know it is Diwali!

Happy Diwali and Prosperous New Year to You and Your family! May the festive spirit stay with us forever…..

Mujh ko bhi tarqeeb sikha....

2006-10-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

I love the sea!

I have spent hours simply standing at the shore and gazing into the infinite waters. While looking at the calm, rhythmic waves, I often wonder about the vast secrets that lie below. The various life forms, the debris of unfortunate ships, the undercurrents, the volcanoes, and the tremors--there is so much deep down and still, the sea maintains a saintly calm at the surface! Regardless of whatever is happening within, it always greets me with a foamy, friendly smile at the shore! The sea is (mostly) so well-behaved, isn’t it?

Whenever there is uncontrollable turbulence within me, I try to think of the sea!

PS: The title is borrowed from one of Gulzar’s nazms. It means ‘teach me the trick’!

Hi-tech:1

2006-10-09T02:44:00.000-07:00

My dad is techno-phobic. Even a small device like a TV remote is too technical for him. So, when we gifted him a mobile, I was sure it was going to be very difficult for him to use it. So, we gifted him one of the (seemingly) simplest phones with as less features as possible. He has been using the phone for a few months now, and even though he loves to flaunt it, he isn’t very good when it comes to using it. Okay, he can make and receive calls but unfortunately, cell phones are much more than that. What about keypad locks, changing your profiles, keeping the vibrator on, viewing SMS (if not sending)? These are some of the must-know features when it comes to cell phones and he simply refuses to acknowledge their presence, much less their importance!

Recently, he received a missed call on his cell and he wanted to send a sms to the caller. He handed his cell to me to do the needful. I have a cell from the same manufacturer (albeit a different model) and I am reasonably gadget-savvy but I had a hell of a time sending the sms from his cell. That made me think about how really user-friendly cell phones are!

I have tried (to limited success) to make both my parents ‘cell phone literate’ and it has been an educating experience(more to me than to them!). To me, a ‘menu’ is an index of features; to them it is an index of dishes in a restaurant. To me, a ‘message’ means an SMS, to them it can be anything from a short letter to an email. To me, ‘signal’ means network strength; to them it is the traffic lights. I can’t do without a cell phone, they hate having to carry one all the time. I can forget to pay my bills but I can never forget to charge my cell daily. They seem to think the cell is such a magical gadget that it will still work if they don’t charge it regularly.

Cell phones to me are nothing more than phones you can carry. They mean the same to my parents and I am sure they mean the same to a lot of elderly people who love to carry a hand-phone but struggle while using one. Most cell phones are designed in a manner that they require at least little understanding of some of the computing concepts. One needs to know concepts like menu, scrolling, search etc to be able to use the cell phone effectively. For people who were grown up with typewriters, typing a message on a cell phone isn’t very easy! I think there is a strong case for cell phone manufacturers to come out with a radical design of a ‘no-frills’ cell phone meant only for elderly people. So far, cell phones have been designed keeping only the youth in mind (and that trend should continue since cell phone is more of a gadget than a utility for most!) but at least there should be one model that the elderly can use easily.

Currently, the situation is that whenever my parents go out, I worry if they aren’t carrying their cell phones. They worry if they are carrying one! I would so much love if someone put us in the same side of the coin!

PS: There are some more thoughts when it comes to using gadgets and I may publish them in subsequent posts. Hence the numbering in the title!

Bolo na, Kajrare Naina!

2006-10-03T00:34:00.000-07:00

Came across two noteworthy songs last weekend. One is ‘Bolo na’ (singer: ‘Sona’, I think the album is also called ‘Bolo na’) and the other is ‘Naina’ (singer: Hidayat Khan, Album: Ziver). ‘Bolo na’ is a soft soothing song while ‘Naina’ is famous classical song ‘chaap Tilak sab chhiin li’ with touch of fusion. Also, pleasantly surprising is the fact the videos of both these songs are mostly non-vulgar!

Talking about ‘Naina’, there is a song with the same name in ‘Omkara’. I have been listening to Omkara’s track since last few days and this particular song (penned by Gulzar, Sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan) grows on me each time I listen to it. On lazy evenings and on sleepless nights, this is the kind of song you want!

Btw, I am a die-hard fan of Gulzarsa’ab. Lately, he has received much praise for the historic ‘Kajrare’. My personal opinion is that Gulzar has written lots and lots and lots of more meaningful and lyrically astounding songs. So, it’s very amusing to see the kind of adulation he has received for ‘Kajrare’. Right man to praise but not the right reason!

Try being a traffic cop in Mumbai

2006-09-28T23:56:00.000-07:00

A few days back, I was waiting for my dad at Goregaon Check-Naka. [If you unfamiliar with Mumbai, this is one of the busiest traffic signals on Mumbai’s western express highway.] It was about 7:45 PM and traffic was bustling from all four sides of the chowk. There were three traffic cops trying their best to man the traffic lights (cops were manually handling the lights since the traffic was uneven so the automatic option was not viable) and at the same time, trying to make sure no one disobeyed the lights. It took a lot of effort but they were managing exceptionally well. They were at the peak of their efficiency. I felt proud and happy to see how professional they were!

In the midst of the controlled chaos, some upstart teenager yelled at one of the cops to make his signal light green. The cop gave him an earful (once again I felt happy!). In due course, the light turned green and the teenager sped away. But as he went past the cop, he hurled an abuse and vanished before the cop even had the time to think!

I was standing next to the cop and I felt angry. The cop stared in the wake of the teenager’s bike, enraged. Slowly, as the event sunk in his mind; shoulders crouched and head down, he walked away from the signal to take a temporary break from his duty. His was the walk of a schoolboy wrongly ordered out of the class by the teacher!

Is this what we give him for doing his job and that too exceptionally well?

Sometimes, I think as a race, we are crass!

Two news items!

2006-09-28T02:17:00.000-07:00

Two news items y'day made me think.

First one is regarding the Jessica Lal murder case.

The entire investigation has been a circus. A lot has been said about this case. This is fresh news and hence sharing it.

Tehelka people did a sting operation on the key witnesses who turned hostile. Links below:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2030283.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2030310.cms

If true, these are startling facts!

A young model is killed without any fault of hers. More than seven years since the murder, the charge is not proved, key witnesses have turned hostile and the victim's family is living through hell!

Justice served, M'lord!

Another news item is from Karnataka. This is related to Karnataka government's order on shutting down English medium schools:

http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/sep/27spec.htm

An immediate question is that if the schools accepted to abide by the language policy, why they didn't? However, the real question is what could be the reasons for the state to have such a policy in first place? The policy should have been protested way back in 1994 when it was formulated.

Anyhow, easier to be wise after the event!

I still can't understand why the government took such a drastic step in the middle of a term!

Paradox!

2006-09-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

I have an orange colored nightbulb in my room. There are times when lying on my bed, I gaze at the ceiling made golden by my nightbulb. My thoughts, my dreams, my memories flock to me. I feel as if the entire universe is wrapped up in my room!!

There are times when going home, the evening sky is bright orange. I feel as if someone has lit my nighbulb in the sky!The sky feels like my ceiling, the roads as hard as my bed!I feel as if the entire universe is my room!

Office Humor

2006-09-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

Caution: This post contains a lot of Hindi/Urdu/Marathi words so if you aren't conversant with any of these languages, please stop right here.

My team is feeling a bit poetic today. Shayaries are being exchanged over emails since morning. Here they are:

(This one is in Marathi)

Shabda tuze sur maze
Shabda tuze sur maze
Jeevangane gau ka?
Gaal tuze haat maze
Kana khali lau ka?

(Now on in Hindi/Urdu)

Ulfat ke paimane par chilman-e-husn ka furkat se sharmana,
Ulfat ke paimane par chilman-e-husn ka furkat se sharmana,

Samjhe kya………..

Ulfat ke paimane par chilman-e-husn ka furkat se sharmana,
Yeh line samajh mein aaye to humko bhi samjhana…

(Now they turn serious)

Talaq to dete ho tum guroor aur keher ke saath
Talaq to dete ho tum guroor aur keher ke saath,

Meri jawaani bhi lauta do mere meher ke saath.

(Talaq – Divorce, Guroor – pride,
meher – token of promise given by the groom to the bride while getting married in muslims, which the bride takes along with her if they get divorced).

Lehra ke jhoom jhoom ke la, muskura ke la,
Phoolon ke ras main chand ki kiranein mila ke laa
Kaun kehta hai ki umr-e-rafta kabhi laut ti nahin
Jaa, maikade se meri jawaani utha ke la

(umr-e-rafta=life from past, maikada=pub)

Such emails are so compatible with lazy fridays! Make the day even more resplendent!!

Love this guy!!

2006-09-15T00:22:00.000-07:00

Sachin tendulkar hits a century after returning to professional cricket and the entire world is talking about it!I only want to make a small point:

Too often, as a cricket fan, I have seen cricketers struggling when they play after a long lay-off. To me, it is a sign of supreme professionalism if an individual excels in his first match after staying off the ground for a while. Tendulkar did that y'day and did it with such an authority!

I simply love this guy!Sometimes it is difficult for me to ascertain whether I like him more for his abilities or for his attitude!I don't have heroes or role models but if I ever decide to get one, this fellow is going to be a top contender!

Liberating????

2006-09-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

A few days back, when I was considering starting a blog, a friend wrote to me 'Do blog.....its quite liberating'.....

The term 'liberating' caught my fancy. I thought people blogged because they wanted to write, they wanted to express, may be keep in touch with equally bloggistic(!!!!!!) friends but I never thought blogging could be liberating...I don't think that will be the case with me!!

Anyhow, that's not the point. The point is about a question that the comment raised to me.

What are the things that are binding me?

Of course, the answers are subjective to each individual. What I realised though, was that there could be various answers to this question for a single individual. I had more than one answer and one of them goes as this:

I am bound by my work. I am bound by my family. I am bound by my comittments, I am bound by my friends, I am bound by my hobbies and interests. I am bound by my likes,I am bound by my dislikes. I am bound by my shortcomings, I am bound by my abilities, I am bound by my feelings, I am bound by my thoughts, I am bound by my wants. I am bound by who I am.

I am bound by me!

Hello World!

2006-09-08T22:57:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at blogging!And as is usual with all my first attempts, I am jittery. Of course, this doesn't mean that I won't be jittery at my further attempts!

Nonetheless, have been thinking of writing a blog for some time(Lazy people are never lazy at thinking!) and finally gathered the will to write a few lines!

In the title(and in the url), the word 'lazy' is spelt as 'lezi' not because I wanted to be different. Someone already has a blog with that name so I had no choice!Anyhow, it is easier to change a spelling then come up with an entirely new name! Besides, if I fail to keep this blog updated regularly, the name explains why!

Happy Reading!