Me Myself & ...

An iCon moves on

2011-10-06T21:39:00.000+05:30

The day began with the news of the passing away of the legend. For a moment the news didn't sink in. And slowly realization crept in. Though not unexpected, the news of passing away of the Apple man, so soon, was surely surprising.
Ever since the first Macintosh was released in '84, the world has been divided into the apple'ites (if at all there is such a word) and the rest.
Even more than the divides he created in the computing world and the unification he brought into peoples lives through his vision, it was the fighting spirit with which he led his life that will be remembered forever.
One of the most inspiring speeches I have ever heard was made by him at Stanford. Those students at the commencement ceremony are surely going to remember the day when the greatest visionary of the technological world gave them a simple mantra..."Stay Hungry...Stay Foolish".
'Oh, and one more thing'...Steve Jobs, you will be missed but we know, even God couldn't resist the touch of Apple! R.I.P.

It Was The Day

2011-04-03T23:16:00.001+05:30

It was the day...when records held no meaning.
It was the day...when Rajnikant decided he had to watch it live after 28 Yrs.
It was the day...when the coin was tossed Twice!
It was the day...when the tears of Kambli were to be avenged.

It was the day...when a billion hearts beat as one.
It was the day...when the common man wept with the stars.
It was the day...when GOD showed his emotions.
It was the day...when the next gen was handed over the responsibility.
It was the day...when Captain Cool could do no wrong.
It was the day...when Kapils Devils gave way to Dhonis Cronies.
It was the day...when we brought home the cup once again.

It was the day...when we truly became WORLD CHAMPIONS!

Guzaarish

2010-11-21T09:29:00.002+05:30

If Sawariyaa is the reason you wouldn't go and watch another Bhansali movie, well I have to say that it's understandable. But, with Guzaarish that notion needs a slight exception.

A very different subject which probably in the hands of less skilled filmmakers would have been a disaster. Hrithik has proved again that words are futile when your eyes can speak. What an actor!

Essaying the role of a quadriplegic (Ethan Mascarenhas) and an ex magician who has been an inspiration for thousands of people, his fight with life and for a dignified death, Hrithik brings out the character so effortlessly.

The supporting cast sees some great actors who are all very true to their characters, except for maybe Rajat Kapoor who is overly dramatic at times.

The sets are grand with lots of fabric flying around...typical SLB style...but in the end, all that matters is the handling of the characters and the emotions.

Bas ek guzaarish, don't go if you simply are a Bhansali basher and can't stand Aishwarya hamming. However, if you are a Hrithik fan, go and watch him take acting to another level. Don't blame anyone if a few tears do find their way out in the process :-)

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish

2010-09-24T20:35:00.002+05:30

You might have come across this speech earlier...maybe in a forwarded mail...but nevertheless, it is worth watching again and again...

Just Connect the Dots and Stay Hungry-Stay Foolish!

Courtesy: Stanford University & YouTube

Royal Visit

2010-09-18T20:53:00.000+05:30

Having stayed in Bangalore for more than 4 yrs, I was not aware of a palace in the city. Recently, we stumbled upon this peice of information while the wifey was googling something. So today, we deceided to visit this piece of history.

It was a bit difficult actually finding the location to the palace, but finally we reached there. The Bangalore palace which is believed to be modelled on the Windsor Castle (a common misconception) was built by the Wodeyar's. Though not as large as the Mysore Palace, this place is pretty elaborately designed and decorated. The present generation Wodeyar king in fact lives in the premises.

The Wodeyar coat of arms (with the royal emblem, Gandaberunda can be seen all around the palace. There is a nice audio guide which is mandatory for all visitors. Pretty informative and one can listen at a leisurely pace while moving around the building.

The two BMW's and one Merc at the palace entrance (with a royal emblem in front) did seem odd (as they were not so old and seemed to be in use); however, when we came to know that this was home to the present king, it did clear up the confusion.

The place is worth a visit and if you are a bangalorean who visits Mysore to see the palace, well now there is an option.

Ah Weekend...

2010-09-18T09:31:00.000+05:30

Been a long while since I truly realized the importance of a weekend. Traveling to work 4 hrs to & fro does make a lot of difference. The past week has been very very hectic in terms of travel, but then there are some advantages to it surely. The brighter side of things being that i am very rapidly catching up on all the pending readings that somehow I had started but left midway.

In some strange way the current situation seems to be HIS way of saying, 'It's all for good'.

So, no complaints...All Izz Well :-)

Finding Nemo

2010-04-24T21:35:00.001+05:30

As kids, we had a huuuge aquarium at home with all kinds of fish in it. The trouble was when it required cleaning. A hell of a job to clean such a large tank. However, it was a real nice way to have pet and I have always enjoyed it. Though the thought crossed my mind several times, I couldn't really bring myself to buy an aquarium and so we got a bowl with Goldfish. However, last week, we finally got an aquarium as an addition to our Goldfish bowl with a couple of pair of Molly's and a pair of Swordtail.

Well...saw these guys swimming around the tank today. Took out 4 of them (which I could find). Let's see how many make it. :-) Pretty cool watching them move around.

That's 2 Down

2010-03-14T19:24:00.000+05:30

Well well well...no.2 seeds down.
Shouldn't really have lost those 3 wickets towards the end but a win is a win.
Is someone keeping count?

Go KKR

2010-03-13T20:03:00.000+05:30

What a comeback it was...the Royal Bengal Tiger is roaring...
Tiger count=1411+1
Korbo Ladbbo Jeetbo Re...

PI...No Please

2010-01-15T16:23:00.001+05:30

Do not even think of watching Pyaar Impossible.

As Rajeev masand very aptly said...it's really Impossible to watch. We actually considered leaving the theatre during the interval, but then thot...what an absolutely perfect place to take a small nap ;-)

Well. I normally wouldn't have written about such a disastrous movie. Except for the fact that most of it is shot in a place where we recently had such a wonderful christmas vacation. Yes. Singapore!

The movie is shot almost entirely in this city but then again, most of it is just shot in and around the Merlion.

Back to the movie...Jugal hansraj should actually stick to directing animated movies. Most of the characters are so boring that you feel pity on them, rather than throw rotten tomatoes on the screen. Such pitiful waste of actors like Anupam Kher. With Uday Chopra, literally flooding twitter with PI updates and how his production is shaping up, one would have expected at least a decently watchable flick.

But, you know about the 12 saal and doom in the nali...absolutely suits this guy...

Should have known better and refrained from taking this uncalculated risk of watching PI.

10.6.0

2009-10-18T19:38:00.003+05:30

Got the Snow Leopard Upgrade yesterday but was it ferocious! Upgrading through the interface was supposed to be a cakewalk, but what would you do if the DVD is ejected as soon as you put it in the drive?

Well, tried some really weird solutions like changing the internationalization language to simple one's like booting options. Even safe boot, remote install, image burning on another comp failed.

What actually worked was a simple Superdrive lens cleaner through a cleaning CD.

The disk mounted smoothly after that and the install took a little more than an hour. Feels good to see that around 10GB of HDD space was recovered :D .

Haven't really seen an overwhelming change in the look and feel yet. But then it's been just a couple of hours. Performance seems to have improved a bit in terms of speed of applications opening up.

Well, I'll let the leopard prowl silently on the snow for a while and watch the elegance ;-)

2 States

2009-10-12T20:56:00.006+05:30

He's back and with a bang.
His latest novel is filled with the characteristic humour that one is used to; it is unputdownable; the characters are extremely real as always and one does gets engrossed completely once you start reading. Yes, Chetan Bhagat is back with his new story: '2 States-The story of my Marriage'
What's different is that, this time the protagonist is an extension of the hero from 5.someone (Another snippet of Chetan's life).
The story is so real that everyone of us would identify with it. You would have definitely seen those things happen to yourself or a friend or a relative for sure.
Chetan's youth oriented themes coated with reality makes the characters so likeable. I am sure, everyone of his books are compared to 5.someone which has become a benchmark of sorts and has inspired dozens of similar themed novels which all but failed to achieve that cult status. Chetan himself is no exception. People have trashed ON@TCC and 3-mistakes as below par, but loyal fans will love 2-states for sure. This one is a must read and recommended!

Long Time No Writing...

2009-07-19T19:30:00.003+05:30

Been quite a while since I wrote...and I don't just mean blog posts...

Had an exam today for a part time Law course I joined some time back. The difficult part wasn't studying for the paper; rather it was the actual writing the exam.

The IT world has made us so dependant on computers and the keyboard that most of us have probably forgotten what it feels like to put pen to paper and write non-stop for 2-3 hrs. I realized this today when after the first 20 mins I had to literally put down the pen and flex my hands to let the blood flow before resuming writing. Damn those MCQ's and CBT's!

Apart from that, the actual experience of re-living those academic moments came flooding back into the mind. Students with books and notes in their hands and strolling outside the examination room. The notice board with the seating arrangements. Examination room with your roll no written on the desks. Those uncomfortable seats, the feeling of which disappears as the bell rings for the start of time. The feeling of the smooth answer sheets. The flow of ink on paper as the tip of the pen touches paper and after that there is no stopping. You don't feel anything. The surrounding noise, the room, everything just disappears and you realize that it's time to go.

Felt good after all these years! Surprising, never thought that an exam would be something likeable.

Ramalinga Raju's (A)Satyam!

2009-01-08T15:43:00.005+05:30

Well, the new year has begun and what a way to start the year with. Tremendous news from the corporate world. Chairman of Satyam Computers resigned yesterday following a confession to a fraud of nearly 7000Crores! Come to think of it, it really wasn't all that surprising was it? With the World Bank revelations and the Maytas deal going bust...in hindsight, this seems more like expected news. What is surprising though is the extent to which the roots go and the way the scam has been pulled off over God knows how many years!

Received a scanned, FAX copy of Mr.Raju's resignation letter by mail yesterday. The text of the same is as below.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To the Board of Directors,

Satyam Computer Services Ltd.

Dear Board Members,

It is with deep regret, at tremendous burden that I am carrying on my conscience, that I would like to bring the following facts to your notice:
The Balance Sheet carries as of September 30, 2008
Inflated (non-existent) cash and bank balances of Rs.5,040 crore (as against Rs. 5361 crore reflected in the books)
An accrued interest of Rs. 376 crore which is non-existent
An understated liability of Rs. 1,230 crore on account of funds arranged by me
An over stated debtors position of Rs. 490 crore (as against Rs. 2651 [cr.] reflected in the books)
For the September quarter (02) we reported a revenue of Rs.2,700 crore and an operating margin of Rs. 649 crore (24% Of revenues) as against the actual revenues of Rs. 2,112 crore and an actual operating margin of Rs. 61 Crore ( 3% of revenues). This has resulted in artificial, cash and bank balances going up by Rs. 588 crore in Q2 alone.
The gap in the Balance Sheet has arisen purely on account of inflated profits over a period of last several years (limited only to Satyam standalone, books of subsidiaries reflecting true performance). What started as a marginal gap between actual operating profit and the one reflected in the books of accounts continued to grow over the years. It has attained unmanageable proportions as the size of company operations grew significantly (annualized revenue run rate of Rs. 11,276 crore in the September quarter, 2008 and official reserves of Rs. 8,392 crore). The differential in the real profits and the one reflected in the books was further accentuated by the fact that the company had to carry additional resources and assets to justify higher level of operations — thereby significantly increasing the costs.
Every attempt made to eliminate the gap failed. As the promoters held a small percentage of equity, the concern was that poor performance would result in a take-over; thereby exposing the gap. It was like riding a tiger, not knowing how to get off without being eaten.
The aborted Maytas acquisition deal was the last attempt to fill the fictitious assets with real ones. Maytas’ investors were convinced that this is a good divestment opportunity and a strategic fit. Once Satyam’s problem was solved, it was hoped that Maytas’ payments can be delayed. But that was not to be. What followed in the last several days is common knowledge.
I would like the Board to know:
1. That neither myself, nor the Managing Director (including our spouses) sold any shares in the last eight years — excepting for a small proportion declared and sold for philanthropic purposes.
2. That in the last two years a net amount of Rs. 1,230 crore was arranged to Satyam (not reflected in the books of Satyam) to keep the operations going by resorting to pledging all the promoter shares and raising funds from known sources by giving all kinds of assurances (Statement enclosed, only to the members of the board). Significant dividend payments, acquisitions, capital expenditure to provide for growth did not help matters. Every attempt was made to keep the wheel moving and to ensure prompt payment of salaries to the associates. The last straw was the selling of most of the pledged share[s] by the lenders on account of margin triggers.
3. That neither me, nor the Managing Director took even one rupee/dollar from the company and have not benefited in financial terms on account of the inflated results.
4. None of the board members, past or present, had any knowledge of the situation in which the company is placed. Even business leaders and senior executives in the company, such as, Ram Mynampati, Subu D, T.R. Anand, Keshab Panda, Virender Agarwal, A.S. Murthy, Han T, SV Krishnan, Vijay Prasad, Manish Mehta, Murali V. Sriram Papani, Kavale, Joe Lagioia, Ravindra Penumetsa, Jayaraman and Prabhakar Gupta are unaware of the real situation as against the books of accounts. None of my or Managing Director’s immediate or extended family members has any idea about these issues.
Having put these facts before you, I leave it to the wisdom of the board to take the matters forward. However, I am also taking the liberty to recommend the following steps:
1. A Task Force has been formed in the last few days to address the situation arising but of the failed Maytas acquisition attempt. This consists of some of the most accomplished leaders of Satyam; Subu D, T.R. Anand, Keshab Panda and Virender Agarwal , representing business functions; and A.S. Murthy, Han T and Murali V representing support functions. I suggest that Ram Mynampàti be made the Chairman of this Task Force to immediately address some of the operational matters on hand. Ram can also act as an interim CEO reporting to the board.
2. Merrill Lynch can be entrusted with the task of quickly exploring some Merger opportunities.
3. You may have a testatement of accounts’ prepared by the auditors in light of the facts that.I have placed before you.

I have promoted and have been associated with Satyam for well over twenty years now I have seen it grow from few people to 53,000 people, with 185 Fortune 500 companies as customers and operations in 66 countries. Satyam has established an excellent leadership and competency base at all levels. I sincerely apologize to all Satyamites and stakeholders, who have made Satyam a special organization, for the current situation. I am confident they will stand by the company in this hour of crisis.

In light of the above, I fervently appeal to the board to hold together to take some important steps Mr T R Prasad is well placed to mobilize support from the government at this crucial time. With the hope that members of the Task Force arid the financial advisor, Merrill Lynch (now Bank of America) will stand by the company at this crucial hour, I am marking copies of this statement to them as well.

Under the circumstances, I am tendering my resignation as the chairman of Satyam and shall continue in this position only till such time the current board is expanded. My continuance is just to ensure enhancement of the board over the next several days or as early as possible.

I am now prepared to subject myself to the laws of the land and face consequences thereof.
(B. Ramalinga Raju)

Copies marked to:

1. Chairman SEBI

2. Stock Exchanges

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It's Never Farewell for Dada..

2008-11-09T18:12:00.004+05:30

The Royal Bengal Tiger has played his last innings and went out for a duck. But then, if you compare it with history, the Great Sir Donald Bradman himself went out for a Zero in the final innings!

Matches: 113, Runs: 7212 at an average of 42.17, Highest Score: 239

There will be comparisions and there will be comparisions, but someone like Dada is incomparable.

He's been shy of playing bouncers. The leg side is a restricted area in his array of strokeplay, running between the wickets is not for royalty! When Dada is on that patch of 22 yards, the only way to play is from the wicket to out of the boundary. The elegance has been there for all to see. Being called the God Of Off-Side by another contemporary player of equal greatness is no joke. Sir Geoff Boycott, who once commented that this lad couldn't play better than his granny, had to eat his own words and later gave him the title of 'Prince of Kolkatta'.

A prince he was, and a king he has been. One like never seen before and one the likes of which we won't see again.

The 'Comeback Man' is not gonna make a comeback again. We bid him adieu for the last time tomorrow, when he gets on to the field agains Australia. Just wishing that he goes with a winning note just for the icing on the cake. :-)

Wish you all the very best in the future and hopeful of seeing you back in action in some other role very soon!

A Wednesday!

2008-09-18T07:37:00.003+05:30

Watched a movie of this calibre after a long long time. Looks like 2007 & 2008 is seeing the rise of a new breed of moviemakers in the Indian film Industry. People who understand the minds of today's India & who can connect to the new generation of Indians. An awake, no-nonsense & focussed junta.

A wednesday is a take on the frustrations of the "Stupid Common Man" and how the Indian living in today's society of terror deals with the events happening around him. The movie is very fast paced and at no time would the audience lose attention. Smart, stylish & very well executed is how I would describe 'A Wednesday'. Add to this some brilliant performances by seasoned actors like Naseeruddin Shah (Our very own Morgan Freeman :-) ) & Anupam Kher and you have a perfect recipe for a blockbuster. Jimmy Shergill is brilliant as usual and fans wouldn't be disappointed with his stylish avatar as a cop. Aamir was also very good in his role as an unassuming and devoted cop and in providing some refreshing comic moments in between all the seriousness of the plot.

Giving out any more details would give away the plot so I'm not getting into that, but think about this..."How far can you endure pain before you react...and react in a very clear frame of mind, very methodically and with the full knowledge of the opponents psychology so as to not fail under any circumstance? Is this possible at all?"

2008-08-20T22:50:00.001+05:30

Its nearing 11PM...ben here since 8.30 in the morning...Why am I still here?

Happy 62nd Independence Day to all! :-)

2008-08-14T16:09:00.002+05:30

It's been 62 Glorious Years since the Golden Bird regained its freedom once again.
Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Independence Day!

Chetan Bhagat @ Symbiosis, Pune

2008-07-29T17:26:00.005+05:30

The following is the speech delivered by Chetan Bhagat at Symbiosis, Pune to the incumbent batch. I received it as a forwarded message and found it to be quite relevant in our hectic lives!

" Good Morning everyone and thank you for giving me this chance to speak to you. This day is about you. You, who have come to this college, leaving the comfort of your homes (or in some cases discomfort), to become something in your life. I am sure you are excited. There are few days in human life when one is truly elated. The first day in college is one of them. When you were getting ready today, you felt a tingling in your stomach. What would the auditorium be like, what would the teachers be like, who are my new classmates - there is so much to be curious about. I call this excitement, the spark within you that makes you feel truly alive today. Today I am going to talk about keeping the spark shining. Or to put it another way, how to be happy most, if not all the time.

Where do these sparks start? I think we are born with them. My 3-year old twin boys have a million sparks. A little Spiderman toy can make them jump on the bed. They get thrills from creaky swings in the park. A story from daddy gets them excited. They do a daily countdown for birthday party – several months in advance –just for the day they will cut their own birthday cake.

I see students like you, and I still see some sparks. But when I see older people, the spark is difficult to find. That means as we age, the spark fades. People whose spark has faded too much are dull, dejected, aimless and bitter. Remember Kareena in the first half of Jab We Met vs the second half? That is what happens when the spark is lost. So how to save the spark?
Imagine the spark to be a lamp's flame. The first aspect is nurturing - to give your spark the fuel, continuously. The second is to guard against storms.

To nurture, always have goals. It is human nature to strive, improve and achieve full potential. In fact, that is success. It is what is possible for you. It isn't any external measure - a certain cost to company pay package, a particular car or house.

Most of us are from middle class families. To us, having material landmarks is success and rightly so. When you have grown up where money constraints force everyday choices, financial freedom is a big achievement. But it isn't the purpose of life. If that was the case, Mr. Ambani would not show up for work. Shah Rukh Khan would stay at home and not dance anymore. Steve Jobs won't be working hard to make a better iPhone, as he sold Pixar for billions of dollars already. Why do they do it? What makes them come to work everyday? They do it because it makes them happy. They do it because it makes them feel alive. Just getting better from current levels feels good. If you study hard, you can improve your rank. If you make an effort to interact with people, you will do better in interviews. If you practice, your cricket will get better. You may also know that you cannot become Tendulkar, yet. But you can get to the next level. Striving for that next level is important.

Nature designed with a random set of genes and circumstances in which we were born. To be happy, we have to accept it and make the most of nature's design. Are you? Goals will help you do that. I must add, don't just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.

There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.
You must have read some quotes - Life is a tough race, it is a marathon or whatever. No, from what I have seen so far, life is one of those races in nursery school, where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life, where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.

One last thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. One of my yoga teachers used to make students laugh during classes. One student asked him if these jokes would take away something from the yoga practice. The teacher said - don't be serious, be sincere. This quote has defined my work ever since. Whether its my writing, my job, my relationships or any of my goals. I get thousands of opinions on my writing everyday. There is heaps of praise, there is intense criticism. If I take it all seriously, how will I write? Or rather, how will I live? Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? It's ok, bunk a few classes, goof up a few interviews, fall in love. We are people, not programmed devices.

I've told you three things - reasonable goals, balance and not taking it too seriously that will nurture the spark. However, there are four storms in life that will threaten to completely put out the flame. These must be guarded against. These are disappointment, frustration, unfairness and loneliness of purpose.

Disappointment will come when your effort does not give you the expected return. If things don't go as planned or if you face failure. Failure is extremely difficult to handle, but those that do come out stronger. What did this failure teach me? is the question you will need to ask. You will feel miserable. You will want to quit, like I wanted to when nine publishers rejected my first book. Some IITians kill themselves over low grades – how silly is that? But that is how much failure can hurt you. But it's life. If challenges could always be overcome, they would cease to be a challenge. And remember - if you are failing at something, that means you are at your limit or potential. And that's where you want to be.

Disappointment' s cousin is frustration, the second storm. Have you ever been frustrated? It happens when things are stuck. This is especially relevant in India. From traffic jams to getting that job you deserve, sometimes things take so long that you don't know if you chose the right goal. After books, I set the goal of writing for Bollywood, as I thought they needed writers. I am called extremely lucky, but it took me five years to get close to a release. Frustration saps excitement, and turns your initial energy into something negative, making you a bitter person. How did I deal with it? A realistic assessment of the time involved – movies take a long time to make even though they are watched quickly, seeking a certain enjoyment in the process rather than the end result – at least I was learning how to write scripts, having a side plan – I had my third book to write and even something as simple as pleasurable distractions in your life - friends, food, travel can help you overcome it. Remember, nothing is to be taken seriously. Frustration is a sign somewhere, you took it too seriously.

Unfairness - this is hardest to deal with, but unfortunately that is how our country works. People with connections, rich dads, beautiful faces, pedigree find it easier to make it – not just in Bollywood, but everywhere. And sometimes it is just plain luck. There are so few opportunities in India, so many stars need to be aligned for you to make it happen. Merit and hard work is not always linked to achievement in the short term, but the long term correlation is high, and ultimately things do work out. But realize, there will be some people luckier than you. In fact, to have an opportunity to go to college and understand this speech in English means you are pretty damm lucky by Indian standards. Let's be grateful for what we have and get the strength to accept what we don't. I have so much love from my readers that other writers cannot even imagine it. However, I don't get literary praise. It's ok. I don't look like Aishwarya Rai, but I have two boys who I think are more beautiful than her. It's ok. Don't let unfairness kill your spark.

Finally, the last point that can kill your spark is isolation. As you grow older you will realize you are unique. When you are little, all kids want Ice cream and Spiderman. As you grow older to college, you still are a lot like your friends. But ten years later and you realize you are unique. What you want, what you believe in, what makes you feel, may be different from even the people closest to you. This can create conflict as your goals may not match with others. . And you may drop some of them. Basketball captains in college invariably stop playing basketball by the time they have their second child. They give up something that meant so much to them. They do it for their family. But in doing that, the spark dies. Never, ever make that compromise. Love yourself first, and then others.
There you go. I've told you the four thunderstorms - disappointment, frustration, unfairness and isolation. You cannot avoid them, as like the monsoon they will come into your life at regular intervals. You just need to keep the raincoat handy to not let the spark die.

I welcome you again to the most wonderful years of your life. If someone gave me the choice to go back in time, I will surely choose college. But I also hope that ten years later as well, your eyes will shine the same way as they do today. That you will Keep the Spark alive, not only through college, but through the next 2,500 weekends. And I hope not just you, but my whole country will keep that spark alive, as we really need it now more than any moment in history. And there is something cool about saying - I come from the land of a billion sparks.

Thank You."

22nd July: Omar Abdullah's Speech on the Trust Vote Debate

2008-07-24T11:48:00.005+05:30

One of the most passionate speeches heard in recent times. On a day when the Indian parliament saw things never seen before, we had some truly outstanding speakers. Mr.Omar Abdullah's speech moments before the trust vote on 22nd July in the Lok Sabha is as below. The response to this has surprised the orator himself, as is evident in his reaction. Bravo Mr.Omar!!!

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I think that it is a matter of great misfortune for Parties like mine. I do not know whether the Rs.1 crore that was shown here is genuine or not. But I think that it is extremely unfortunate that if nothing else, this Rs.1 crore is seeking to buy the silence of Parties like mine who are not being given an opportunity to speak in a correct manner in this House.
I have been a Member of this House for 10 years, and I have never disturbed this House in these 10 years. I have sat with them and I have sat on this side, and I have never disrupted a speaker and yet here they do not have the courtesy to listen to what I have to say.
I am a Muslim, and I am an Indian. I see no distinction between the two. I see no reason why I, as a Muslim, have to fear a deal between India and the United States of America (USA). This is a deal between two countries. It is a deal between, we hope, two countries that in the future will be two equals.
Sir, the enemies of Indian Muslims are not the Americans, and the enemies of the Indian Muslims are not ‘deals’ like this. The enemies of Indian Muslims are the same enemies that all the poor people of India face, namely, poverty and hunger, unemployment, lack of development and the absence of a voice. It is that we are against, namely, the effort being made to crush our voice.
I am not a Member of the UPA, and I do not aspire the Membership of the UPA. But I am extremely unhappy with the way in which my friends in the Left have taken on this self-imposed position of being the certifiers of who is secular and who is not.
Until a few years ago, I was a part of the NDA and I was a Minister with them. The same Left people considered me as a political untouchable, and they considered me an outcaste because I was a part of the NDA. Today, the same Left people are telling me that all secular Parties must unite with the BJP to bring down this Government.
I made a mistake of standing with them once. I did not resign on the question of Gujarat when my conscience told me to do so, and my conscience has still not forgiven me. I need not make the same mistake again.
आप लोग अमरनाथ की बात करते हो, आपने अमरनाथ का आरोप लगाया, आप एक जगह दिखाइए, जहां पर किसी कश्मीरी ने यात्रा के खिलाफ बात की हो, जहां किसी कश्मीरी ने कहा हो कि हमें यात्री नहीं चाहिए, जहां यात्रियों के ऊपर हमला हुआ हो। हमारी जमीन का मुद्दा था, हम अपनी जमीन के लिए लड़े और मरते दम तक अपनी जमीन के लिए लड़ेंगे, लेकिन हम आपकी तरह फिरकापरस्त नहीं हैं। हम आपकी तरह कम्युनल नहीं हैं। हम मस्ज़िद नहीं गिराते और मंदिर भी नहीं गिराते। वहां एक सौ साल से ज्यादा अमरनाथ की यात्रा चलती आ रही है और जब तक कश्मीर में मुसलमान हैं, श्रीनगर और अमरनाथ में आपकी यात्रा चलती रहेगी। अध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं यह बात दावे के साथ कहना चाहता हूं कि इन लोगों की तरह मेरी सियासत बदलती नहीं है, आज इस तरफ और कल उस तरफ। हमने सेक्यूलर फोर्सेस के साथ हाथ मिलाया है और मिलाते रहेंगे। The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (J&KNC) will vote to support the Motion moved by the Prime Minister. Thank you."

Figure Out For Yourself...

2008-05-16T09:40:00.003+05:30

Saw this guy in a car on my way to office this morning...Some 5 different stickers, pasted randomly on the rear glass, all quoting what marriage does to men.

Some of those quotes:

"Man is incomplete till he is married...then he is Finished."

"A wife gives you sound advice...99% Sound & 1% Advice"

"All men should get married, after all happiness isn't the only thing in life."

Why? Possibilities:

a) He's scared of marriage. Some dard-bhari-daastan.

b) Tremendous sense of humor with an equally sporting wife (assuming that he's married).

Any other possibilities you can think of?

il mio momento più lungo

2008-05-07T15:30:00.007+05:30

Picking up the tag from PCube...My longest moment was when I was in school...probably in Class-IX, if I remember correctly. We used to have inter-house sports competitions regularly. My bro (M) and me played for different teams/houses and incidentally were the goalkeepers as well as wicketkeepers in football & cricket respectively. When it came to the school team though, we played for the same team. He was the penalty shootout specialist and the best defensive goalkeeper we had. Never afraid to dive towards the ball sometime snatching it from within the strikers reach moments before he would shoot! (Come to think of it...we shud have taken up some cool sounding name like Keeper-Power or Force-M ;-)...Okay Okay...I know...yikes! )

Well it was during one of the practice matches when our house teams were battling it out that the incident happened. We were 1 goal down and were desperate to score. Most of our strikers were in the opponents half and all defenders near the centre line. Time was running out. With no one near our goal post, I was pretty bored and just jumping around the post and idly moving around the penalty box, keeping an eye on the opponent striker who was almost getting into an off-side position, when suddenly our centre forward got a clean shot at the goal. Instead of taking the shot, he thought of getting a little bit closer to the goalpost and shoot. In the process, M was also advancing towards him to block the shot. As he took the shot, M dived to his left and towards the ball. He got his hand on to the ball and deflected it. M was on the ground, and I saw almost everyone running towards the goalpost. I was waiting for the confirmation of the goal from the referee when I suddenly realized that M had still not got up. He was definitely hurt. Play was stopped. I was worried and ran the length of the field towards him. Apparently, in the momentum of taking the shot, the strikers leg had hit him on the neck. M was conscious though but couldn't straighten his neck without severe pain. He was immediately rushed to the hospital by our PET teacher while I informed mom at home. When mom & I reached the hospital we were told that there was no fracture/sprain but the impact of the hit caused the severe pain & consequent bending of the neck. They treated the area with infrared beams and M could move his neck. After getting the prescription from the physician we got back home and were then subjected to one of the longest lectures from mom on being careful on the playing field and all. Even to this day, she keeps telling M not to indulge in the so called 'dangerous' sports which any concerned parent would say but the adventurous we rarely listen!

That moment when M was on the ground and not moving at all remains to be one of the scariest and longest moments of my life till date!

I tag whoever wants to pick this one up :D.

God's Own Country

2008-05-06T12:36:00.004+05:30

Wayanaad, a district in northern kerala around 260kms from Bangalore, can be best described as a land of scenic beauty. Every corner of the place has a different look and gives you a feeling of calmness. If Kerala, reminds you of coconut palms and backwaters then you are in for a surprise. Wayanaad is far from that description. Bordered by Karnataka and Tamilnadu, Wayanaad boasts of many natural waterfalls and wildlife sanctuaries. Bamboo plantations can be seen in the northern part of the district while the central and southern areas are home to Tea & Coffee plantations.

Our trip started from Bangalore early in the morning at 6.30AM on 1st May. We drove down Mysore Road towards Srirangapatnam from where we took a diversion towards Hunsur. From Hunsur we went to Nagarhole where we actually crossed the Karnataka Border and entered Kerala. Driving through the Rajiv Gandhi wildlife sanctuary one can see quite a few animals wandering leisurely around the grounds. From Nagarhole, we reached Tholpetty. The Begur Wildlife Sanctuary is very near to this place and is on the way. We planned to visit the park the next day. Our hotel booking was at Thirunelli which is around 25kms from Tholpetty. We decided to visit the Kuruva Islands before going to the hotel. Kuruva Dweep is a small island accessible through a ferry/boat and is basically a forest park. If you are in the mood for a relaxed and chilled out day then this is the ideal place. Keep walking around the jungle path for as long as you want ;-).

We returned from Kuruva Islands and went straight to the hotel (Tamarind Thirunelly), reaching there at around 4.30PM.

Next day was an all India Bandh because of which we had to make some changes to the days plans. Left the hotel at around 11AM and went straight to Iruppu Falls (Around 30 kms from Thirunelly). This is in the Brahmagiri Wildlife range and a dip in the water is considered holy. The 'Blue Flutter' butterfly is a rare species that can be seen around the falls.

We left Iruppu around 2PM and headed towards the Begur sanctuary. Sanctuary timings are from 7-9AM and 3- 5PM for visits into the park. A guide is mandatory per vehicle. As we entered the sanctuary, we were informed that sighting of animals is purely on luck, which more or less dampened our spirits of seeing some exotic species of animals. Nevertheless, the first thing we saw was the common spotted deer. A few kms into the park and we spotted the Malabar Giant Squirrel jumping around merrily on a tree. It is apparently the largest of its kind in Asia. Moving ahead we saw something black running on the road. Excitement over a possible sighting of a bear made the driver of the vehicle speeden up. Sadly, it turned out to be just a wild boar! We did see the Bison and Sambhar Deer though. The guide informed us that the sanctuary covers a total area of 76 square-kms and shares its area with the Nagarhole wildlife park. Home to around 16 Tigers according to last years census, the number has increased to more than 20 now. On our way out of the sanctuary, we spotted an elephant with its kid near a pond. The previous evening a whole herd was spotted at the same place, which sadly was no consolation. The Indian Langur was the last animal species we saw on our way out.

We checked out of the hotel early in the morning next day around 7.30AM. The plan was to visit the Edakkal Caves & Meenmutty falls before heading back for Bangalore. Travelling all the way from Thirunelly in the north to Meppadi in the south took us near the Meenmutty falls- a distance of around 80Kms. The falls are on the Kalpetta-Ooty highway and is a 2km Trek though a jungle. Our guide told us that it is an adventure trek and the route is a bit difficult. However, we never anticipated it to be exactly what he said! Narrow jungle path, slippery at places and very very steep! If the descent downhill was difficult, the climb uphill was tougher. Definitely, not recommended for first time Trekkers. The fall however is breathtaking. Our trek approach was from the top of the falls and we reached the view point which was at the halfway level of the entire height of the fall. Water falling in 3 stages over 300m. We didn't have the strength nor the courage to move any further to the base of the fall and hence rested at the view point before climbing back. And it was indeed a climb in the true sense. Slippery earth, steep path & footholds being the roots of trees & rocks embedded in the hill! Had to stop many times to catch our breath before we finally reached the top. Sadly, this adventure meant that we had to cancel the visit to the Edakkal caves, which is a place worth seeing. It's the first thing on my list when I visit the next time.

We started on our way back to Bangalore around 2PM from Meenmutty. Return was through Sultan Bathery-Bandipur-Mysore and took around 5 hours.

One trip to Kerala, and you realize why it's called God's Own Country! We thoroughly enjoyed the 3 days spent in nature's lap in the jungle. Pictures here...

Some info that might be useful:

KTDC Hotel Bookings: send a mail to centralreservations@ktdc.com with your contact details. They will call back within 2 hrs of receiving your mail. Pretty good hotels and reasonably priced.

Accomodation at Homestays at Meenmutty: Call Mr.Saji/Sachin at 9745296928(m) 04936217271(R) for arrangements. Price range from Rs.750/- to 1000/-

Road Map of Waynaad:

Trip to Mahabaleshwar

2008-04-22T17:17:00.004+05:30

Last weekend was spent very peacefully at Mahabaleshwar, 120 kms from Pune. Quite a nice place to rejuvenate and relax. Specialities are strawberries and jams. Details here...

This is My Earth!

2008-04-21T13:14:00.003+05:30

Remember the Charlton Heston movie, 'Planet of the Apes': that last scene where they show the Statue of Liberty in a broken down state signifying the degradation of the planet earth and changes in the whole ecosystem as a whole.

Who knows, if it would become reality? We have been haering about global warming, the ozone layer and pollution for innumerable years. However, it is a recent phenomenon, that the whole world is coming together for the cause of environmental concern. World Earth Hour was organized globally on March 29th, 2008. A lot many of us might not have been able to participate in this cause then. Well, here's our chance again. It's World Earth Day on 22nd April. We all can significantly contribute towards the environment in our own small way. To extend the concept of earth hour, why don't we switch off all electrical equipments at our homes for 2 hours. This isn't really that difficult esp to some people who are used to the regular load-shedding during peak summer ;-).

Well, wotsay...are we in for this small contribution? I'm doin it...join in if you think it is important!

Yahaan

2008-04-12T18:12:00.004+05:30

I don't remember how I missed this one...turns out it is a must see for all. 'Yahaan' talks of the most basic need of humans- Love.

The setting is of modern day Kashmir with its troubles of insurgency and terrorism and counter-terrorism efforts of the army and how amidst all these an army officer falls in love with a Kashmiri girl. The way the story has been handled by the director is appreciable. Even though it is a story of two persons in love, the message goes way beyond. There is a line in the movie where the terrorists are scared...scared because the story of these two lovers would give a new path for peace in the valley. In a very suttle but effective way the director has conveyed what he wanted to. No matter how much the nations talk, no matter what the so called high command thinks, it is after all the people of the land who make the place what it is.

Read this today and was forced to reason it out. but failed! Do we have an answer?

The movie raises a similar question and has an appeal to all those who have taken up arms to fight for their own self-justified cause, to think again and reason it out.

Oh and the music is just superb. Lyrics by Gulzaar hence no further words needed :-).

Who knows...Lightning could Strike!

2008-04-03T22:11:00.003+05:30

And...am back!

A nice guy once said, life is a box of chocolates. It never fails to surprise you. Well, something remarkable did happen over the past couple of months. How long does it take to know that you have found that special someone? Someone with whom you want to spend the rest of your life with. Someone with whom you want to share all your joys and sorrows. Someone you would trust no matter what.

It takes just a moment to realize and when that someone comes into your life, you just know. It is, as they say, you get struck by lightning. The answers to all your questions converge to one!

Not Just a Knot! :-)

2008-02-26T17:10:00.003+05:30

2008-02-10T15:07:00.000+05:30

Some campus oldies.

XL ki Kudiyaan:

Sutta:

GMD:

Aussie Hall of F(Sh)ame!

2008-01-06T13:20:00.000+05:30

The Aussies test team led by Ricky Ponting has equalled the record of Steve Waugh's team of 16 consecutive undefeated tests. No doubt it is something to cherish for the team. But amidst this so called entry into the hall of fame, this test will be remembered more for the imperfection and the way the game was played. Full of controversies and innumerable erroneous decisions!

Been nearly a week since all the hullabaloo over the issue. The so called 'fair' Mr. Punter has been nothing but an embarrassment to Australian legends like Sir Don Bradman or the Warne's n Waugh's. The whole world knows now what a man of 'Integrity' is like. Amidst all this, probably the best thing to have happened is that, the Indian team finally put their foot down and refused to move out of Sydney until justice was done; and for once they were supported by the cricket board (BCCI).It's a fact that the BCCI can influence decisions within the ICC if it so wants, simply because 'Na baap bada naa bhaiya, sabse bada Rupaiya!'The ultimatum of 7 days given to ICC is nearing an end. Hopefully the decision will be correct and complete. By complete I expect some action against both on-field umpires, the third umpire (How could he give a wrong decision when he had everything in slow motion?) as well as the match referee. Mr.Procter I am sorry to say that if being a South African qualifies you as being some kind of an expert on Racism, then being an Australian, qualifies each and every member of the Aussie squad as a racial abuser. The whole world knows that they are the worst when it comes to on-field sledging!
It's all a waiting game now. Let's see whether the Perth Test does start on 16th Jan or not. But whatever be the outcome, it's heartening to know that this Aussie team has been exposed to the core.

तारे ज़मीन पर...

2007-12-28T01:45:00.001+05:30

Ladies and gentlemen, if you have to watch a movie to end the year with, go and book your tickets for this flick. 'Taare Zameen Par' is a must watch for one and all. A definite tear clincher and most definitely one for the entire family...esp. the parents.

Not much to be said about तारे ज़मीन पर . This movie is made to be watched and felt. Watch it for Darsheel's fabulous acting and Aamir's chemistry with the kid. The brilliance of Aamir Khan is just out there to see and marvel at. That's all there is to say. :-)

As Good As It Gets...

2007-12-12T23:28:00.000+05:30

I received the below mentioned article as a forwarded message today in my mail box, originally published here. Well, the author might have underestimated the Tiger but the fact remains that he has been the best captain we have ever seen, a true fighter and a pillar of determination & grit. The first time he made a comeback was at the Lords in 1990's; and what a comeback it was! Making his presence felt in the international arena. A powerful hitter of the ball, he went on to become the 'Prince of Calcutta', a nickname given to him by none other than Sir Geoffrey Boycott. The Prince of hearts went on to become the 'Maharaja' of the game and dominated the off side in such a fashion that Rahul Dravid once retorted, "On the off side, first there is God and then there is Saurav Ganguly". A tribute from one great batsman to another. His loss of captaincy and subsequent ouster from the team might have been a temporary setback, but not enough to dampen his spirits. If anything, it probably gave him a reason to get back. About a year ago when 'Dada' made his comeback, after being dropped unceremoniously, people were astounded. The critics who had written him off were stunned and silenced. A year gone by and Saurav has ensured that their mouths are kept shut for good. That's the way to fight back. Not with words but with deeds. With the year 2007 being his best year so far, I believe he has miles to go from here onwards.

The Pepsi commercial ('Apne Dada ki baat sunenge naa aap?') that Saurav did before the world cup was probably an ominous sign. One should have taken the hint then. A tiger can be kept in a cage for a while but it doesn't lose his ferocity.

One should never forget, a wounded tiger is a very dangerous creature and once recovered, it hunts down its prey and feasts like never before!

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A stirring revival
Ganguly's fairytale
Sambit Bal
December 9, 2007

If you're looking for a clue to what has helped Sourav Ganguly sustain his spectacular run in Test cricket since his return at the fag end of last year, don't bother looking at his footwork or the flow of his bat. Take, instead, a close look at his eyes while he is batting. They speak of a calmness that borders on serenity, and a combination of composure and resolve. You could see it in his comeback innings in Johannesburg, which fetched him an unbeaten 51, and you could see it through his epic innings in Bangalore that marked a new high in his career.
In his bowling, and on the field, we have seen the more familiar Ganguly; excitable, emotional, even fiery. He has appealed cantankerously and celebrated his wickets and catches with child-like gusto. His batting hasn't lacked his natural flair - in fact, he has been batting with greater freedom than he did in the period leading up to his temporary banishment - but the most noticeable feature about his cricket has been his poise. It hasn't left him even after he has occasionally been cornered into an awkward position by a short ball.
He has let himself go only once: it was an emotional moment, getting to his first hundred before his adoring home fans. But his celebration after he got to his first double-hundred, a landmark he sought and will cherish, was far more subdued. There was the raising of the arms and the acknowledgment of applause from his team-mates and the crowd. But then there was also a series of little pumps of the fist, and a waving of the helmet. Those were for himself. There was an air of fulfillment, of a man celebrating privately in public. His smile touched a million hearts: his struggle to regain his place, and some would say his honour, have been among the most stirring and uplifting stories in cricket.
Let's be done with the numbers first. Incredibly for a man who was given up for dead, 2007 has been his most successful year statistically. Potentially he has three innings left still, and he has already scored 932 runs at 62.13. His most prolific year to date has been 2002, when he managed 945 runs - but it took him 16 Tests back then. Put together, 2005 and 2006 yielded him only 422 runs from 11 Tests at 28.13, and that included a painstaking hundred against a hopeless Zimbabwean bowling attack.
The manner of his removal, first from captaincy and then from the team, continues to rankle with his supporters, and surely with him. But it is undeniable that from that low has emerged this high. It was perhaps a bit disingenuous for Greg Chappell to claim credit for Ganguly's revival, but in the cold light of the day, the exile, the sheer indignation of it, did make the revival possible, and ultimately far more poignant.
The credit for it must go entirely to Ganguly, for few rational observers would have seen it coming. It wasn't just that the runs had dried up; his skills, his responses, seemed to have deserted him, and he bore the look of a haunted man.
He owes his return to a change in the selection committee, but the rest of the story is about a man who simply refused to surrender to what seemed inevitable to most. Much can be said about his improved footwork and the decisiveness of his stroke-making, but in the end, it has been a triumph of spirit, of incredible strength of mind and faith.
Remarkably, in a batting line-up featuring Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, Ganguly has been India's best batsman since his return. Not merely for consistency and the number of runs scored - during the course of his double-hundred he became India's leading run--getter this year - but for the assuredness of the manner in which he has made them. His half-century in his return Test in Johannesburg, though subdued and a bit laboured, helped India to what ultimately turned out to be a match-winning first-innings total in a low-scoring Test. And in the decisive Test in Cape Town, only he looked fluent and in control in the fateful second innings; his dismissal induced a crawl that proved terminal.
In England he had a series of vital contributions, and none better than a 79 on a challenging pitch in the second Test at Trent Bridge. Apart from Zaheer Khan's inspired swing bowling, my warmest memory from that match is of Ganguly's square-driving.
Michael Vaughan set an off-side trap, with four men between cover and gully, and Ganguly teased and mocked him by caressing, punching and guiding the ball repeatedly through that cordon: one to the right of point, then one to the left, and then a couple between the two gullies. He was denied a hundred by a wrong decision, and his response to that dismissal told a story. In an earlier time he would have left kicking and stomping; here he did so with an ironic, rueful smile. The protest was registered, but without causing offence.
Admittedly his hundreds in the current series have come against feeble opponents. The pitch at Kolkata offered nothing to the bowlers, and Shoaib Akhtar was drained by illness. But at Bangalore he was not so much up against the bowlers as the match situation. He provided the calm cushion for Yuvraj Singh to flow at the other end without ever sacrificing his own strokes.
Personally, my favourite Ganguly innings of the series is a small but vital one. It came during the run-chase in the final innings of the first Test. Shoaib had just cleaned up Rahul Dravid with a ripper; India had over a hundred runs to get; and Tendulkar was finding non-existent demons in the pitch. In this banana-skin situation, typical to India, Ganguly, who had fallen cheaply in the first innings, set about cutting down the target nervelessly, with deliciously timed fours against Shoaib, Mohammad Sami, and Danish Kaneria.
The toughest challenge lies ahead. Australia will come hard at him, and the pitches will test his skills. But he is living out a fairytale at the moment, and nothing he achieves will be a surprise anymore. There are many, me included, who believed Ganguly's time as an international cricketer was over. We owe him an apology and a salute.

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Days (Nights) to remember...

2007-12-12T02:03:00.000+05:30

So...it's been nearly 2.5 months since I started working the night shift...starting at 2300hrs till 0830...it seemed exciting at first...a new experience...watching the empty ODC...barely any souls around. It's hard to imagine that this place is buzzing with activity the whole day. With maybe around 10000 ppl in the campus the office campus is active throughout the day.

The first couple of weeks were spent roaming around the campus at around 3 in the night and exploring all the buildings...lots of junk food in the nearly empty cafetaria...listening to music on high volume while working...and watching the rising sun at 6AM. The crimson and orange skies just before the sun rose was so beautiful...as if the guy up there had spilled the paint on a canvas and then very skillfully gathered it up into a big orange sphere!

Well, so much for the initial days of fun. It does begin to take a toll on a persons normal body cycle and affect one's life...am pretty glad that this is goin to end soon. The only thing I would miss is probably the serene and calm environment. Don't like a crowd around much you see. :-)

In case, you are suffering from a similar case of sleepless nights then just forward this link to your boss. Am sure that's a big enough hint ;-)

Meet Joe Black

2007-11-20T14:29:00.001+05:30

A movie that never fails to amaze me, no matter how many times I watch it. It talks about life. It talks about the power of love. It talks of respect. It talks of the wonderfulness of being alive. It talks of being true to oneself and to everyone around us.

When we grow old and are 65 and we look back at our lives, how many of us can boast of a life so enriching and absolutely fulfilling that you would have no regrets? You wake up from bed and say to yourself, 'I don't want anything else'. A life so inspiring that death itself would stop by for a moment and admire the person you are.

Recently, I was having a conversation with a friend on 'Carpe Diem' and what it would translate to in various contexts. I guess regardless of the context, what it translates to is simply that whatever we do, time is always a constraint. How we handle that constraint and make the most of what we got in hand ultimately decides the person we are. Isn't it?

Take Your Fl(P)ick!

2007-11-18T01:38:00.000+05:30

Well, it's been a week already and I think the hype and all have subsided. Things have become clear on the obvious choice for some. For those of you who have only got the reviews but haven't actually got to watch them yet, here's my take on both the releases.

Saawariya: If you want entertainment, then forget it...go watch something else. This is a movie which has got a very simple story (I know some might say, 'if it can be called a story!', but nevertheless). Boy meets girl...falls in love with her...girl loves some other guy...other guy is absconding...will he come back?
Sounds simple enough? Probably Sanjay Leela Bhansali thought the same too. So what does he do to create the grandeur that we genrally see in his movies? He gives the entire setting a fairy tale look. The look is amazingly suitable for a Hans Christian Anderson kind of a story. A random unknown town, the roads and buildings of which are just like in a storybook. It rains AND snows depending on the mood of the characters. The prostitutes wear colour coordinated dresses (Green or Blue mostly!). People behave so indifferently to the central characters. It's more like there is nothing else happening around. It's just the story of these two youngsters and those related to them. Every now and then they break into a song. With roughly an hour worth of songs in the movie, you feel like bits and pieces of a narration is thrown in between a musical. You would definitely be in a trance. But the likely cause might be the amazing cinematography and the grand sets with the blue and green lighting rather than the brilliance of the story. Innumerable references to Raj Kapoor and the RK banner looks like they wanted Ranbir to be launched under the home banner but probably thought otherwise and just put in the proxies for the effect. But the question one would ask is what exactly was SLB trying to achieve from this?

As far as the newcomers are concerned, they seem to have the talent to be good actors someday. Maybe a different movie, a different kind of a role. Ranbir would definitely do good in a serious/action kind of a role while Sonam looks pretty versatile. But Saawariya was simply the wrong platform. Watch Saawariya only when in a sombre mood. It's not for the regular moviegoer.

Om Shanti Om: That's what I call a real entertainer. Forget all logic. It's not meant to be logical at all. But if you want value for money and 2.5 hours of fultoo entertainment then this is the right movie to watch. The first half sees a lot of 70's drama. SRK overacts like no one can and the best part is that he is meant to do so. All characters have been beautifully enacted by some very very good actors. Kirron Kher in the role of the 'overacting Filmy Maa' is simbly supaarb :-) . Shreyas is brilliant as usual. But the surprise pack is Arjun Rampal. Carrying off such a brilliant negative part in this kind of a masala movie is quite credible. Deepika Padukone, contrary to popular belief, can actually act and she does so brilliantly. She caries of the classic as well as the mod look with such ease that it is difficult to judge where she looks better. The two main attractions of the movie, in my opinion, would definitely be the spoof on south indian movies and the 'Deewangi' song. Watch out for SRK in the 'Rascalaa...Mind It' avataar. Mindblowing! No other word for it.

And the 31 star song does indeed take you back to the old era. Rekha, Jeetender, Mithun doing their jigs with the new brigade is very very entertaining and it really looks like they had one hell of a party at the sets :-).

The movie credits at the end of the film is definitely worth a watch. I don't think any movie-maker has brought his entire backend staff on-screen and given them due credit in this fashion ever.
OSO is a very apt tribute to the Hindi film Industry and to everyone who make it possible for us to love the industry and its movies despite everything. Farah Khan, you rock!

Celebration...

2007-11-17T05:28:00.001+05:30

Got the below mentioned piece in a forwarded mail recently and it got me thinking. Have we really forgotten how to be a friend? Since we were kids, we might have met many people. Some we liked, some we didn't for various different reasons. Some of those became very good friends. Some became close acquaintances while some we resented and they were on our hit list always.

Time passes and we keep in touch with some of them but some do drift away only to ring the bell on the doors of our memories at the most unexpected of times. When that time comes, what do you do? Is the relationship similar as it used to be? Can we ever be like that again as we used to be?
Just a few questions that comes to the mind.

****************************************************************************

Celebration means......

A winter evening.
Four friends.
One barsaat.
Four glasses of chai.

(OR)

Hundred bucks of gas.
A rusty old bike.
And an open road.

(OR)

Maggi noodles.
A hostel room.
4.25 a.m.

(OR)

3 old friends.
3 separate cities.
3 coffee mugs.
1 internet messenger.

(OR)

Rain on a hot tin roof.
Pakoras deep-frying.
Neighbours dropping in.
A party.

You can spend
Hundreds on birthdays,
Thousands on festivals,
Lakhs on weddings,

but to celebrate all you have to do is spend your Time ..

Keep in touch with your loved ones ........

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Diwali Deewangee

2007-11-12T15:41:00.000+05:30

It was a weekend we had been waiting for sometime. A four day holiday...away from work and away from doing the usual stuff. Well, it certainly was unusual in a lot many ways.

8th November: PP arrived in the morning from Hyd. Pre-diwali day. Lots of crackers to be bought and we had no clue where to get them from! Surprisingly, Bangalore had a few or no cracker shops at all in every corner of the road like we have it back home. The evening started with bowling at Megabowl on airport road. And before I forget to mention, we had a very competitive match indeed. The winner (Shk) scored much more than twice the score of the person ending up last and yours truly fought till the last ball was bowled, to end at 3rd spot. (the fact that there were just four of us is incidental ;-) ). Well, it was a futile search for crackers that day, but the drive on the Whitefield Road was good.Coffee at CCD followed by dinner at Golconda Chimney was a nice way to end the evening. By the way, for those who haven't been to Golconda Chimney...you must try it out. The food is quite good.

9th November: Diwali day and NO CRACKERS yet! Made some calls and were told that Hosur road is the place to go. So off we went on our bikes again. We found a wholesaler for 'Standard Fireworks' pretty close by on Hosur Rd. and the variety of fireworks available was just what we wanted. It had been 4 years since I had stopped bursting crackers and this year was going to be a 'back to the past' kind of a celebration :-). We got the stuff which lasted well over 3 hours. Diwali evening was quite exciting. Last years celebrations were at Ooty and hence it was my first Diwali at Bangalore. I lighted Diya's and two Phuljhari's at my flat before joining the others at Sbz's place. The first half of the evening did consist of some weird and crackling designs formed of those patakha's. A sample of the artistic skills of the crazy gang can be seen below.

Interval was full of laddoos, mewa and wine. Interesting combo...All this with the movie 'Jaaneman' playing in the background! I know...that is an 'Eeks' moment! ;-) Well, the rest of the crackers were burst in the next 30 minutes in a really marathon session where the rockets were flying every which way you can imagine...the Chakri's chose to run under the bikes and the bombs/sparklers threatening to start a forest fire! The Ladi being the grand finale was not a dissapointment at all. And we really hope (actually quite sure) that the galli ke doggies wouldn't bother to threaten the people of this particular galli at least for the next few months.

Dinner was at a nearby restaurant where we saw some people leaving the place with a box of sweets in their hands. We were quite amused and a bit happy to know that the reataurant was pampering the guests thus, until someone overheard that they were personal guests of the owner! Well, never mind. Too much sweet isn't good for the weight conscious anyway.

10th November: The D-Day! We were watching 'Saawariya' today. Had already got some diametrically opposite reviews from various sources and hence were quite apprehensive. Well, what it turned out to be is something I will not discuss on this post. Evening we had to do some shopping for a trekking expedition at Kalawarhallibetta (Skandhagiri Hills). We left from Bangalore at around 11PM. The group included Sbz, PP, Nash, Smr and of course Hum :-). Kalawarhallibetta is a difficult place to find (esp in the night) if one doesn't know the route. We had a yummy dinner at a Dhaba near Yelahanka. The dhaba was ideal for one of those ghost movie settings. Reached Chikballarpur at around 1.30AM and then the driver of our cab got thoroughly confused as to which direction to go in! Just wonderful isn't it? We asked for some directions and found the turning that had a KM-stone with 'Nandigram 6 km' written on it. We turned left from the Chikballarpur main road and carried on. Going further we lost our way again and at 2AM there was no one to ask directions to as well. There was some divine intervention near a place which read Sri SathyaSai Ashram. We found a friendly woman awake who directed us onto the right path. Well, if you thought that we were to find the place now for sure, well you're almost right but not quite. We were indeed blessed with this amazing pathfinder (a.k.a our driver) who could get confused at the slightest excuse. Probably the excuse this time was the scary shadowy figure we saw on the road. Totally covered in blue with a blue and white headscarf and standing hunched on the side of the road holding a stick! The figure wasn't moving at all and as we went past it, for a moment it did scare us when the headlights of the vehicle flashed on the figure, until we realized what it actually was. Well, coming back to our quest for Skandagiri Hills, it turned out that we had to take a turn at the Visveswariah Arch and enter the village (this was the birth place of Sir M.Visveswariah). Some 2 kms further on this road the Skandhagiri Hills trek start point was there. Some negotiation with the guide took place and we were off to start the expedition uphill. Our backpacks loaded with water, chocolates & biscuits and with flashlights in our hands we were all set to conquer Mt. Skandagiri! :D. We had barely walked 30 minutes that the task began to look quite daunting but nevertheless doable. For Nash, who hadn't done a lot of trekking earlier, the uphill trek was a difficult one and we had to stop every 10-15 minutes to let him catch his breath and also goad him on to continue walking, trying various incentives included playing songs on the cellphone to taking pictures on the rocks in the no-moon night. To top this, the guide was a pestering kind who it seems, had some sort of a inter-galaxy shuttle to catch on reaching the top of the hill. The continuous 'come FAST saar' was quite irritating as well. So much so, that PP contemplated throwing him off the cliff if he said FAST once again, and as if on cue the next word from the guide was, 'FAST saar!' ;-) Lucky that the guy was some distance ahead of us. We reached the top of the hill after around 2.5 hours of climbing and one would have thought that the difficult part was over. We were walking on flat ground and were nearing the top of the cliff where all other trekkers could be seen, when suddenly there was a noise behind me and Nash just disappeared! Just like that...Poof...into thin air! Just that it wasn't the air but the ground that gave way underneath his feet. He had fallen through the grass on the left side of the path and into a bush some 6 feet from the top of the hill. When we tried locating him, all we could see was his right hand. Thankfully, his fall was broken by the dense bush and he was somehow holding onto something. His left foot was stuck in the branches and right foot was loose with no foothold underneath. We were terrified but thankfully, the guide knew the hills. He got a few other localites and they got into the trees below and tried pulling Nash up. I could hear PP mumbling something and realized that probably they were silent prayers. Am sure that's what everyone else was doing at that moment. We didn't know how deep the pit was and how bad the fall had been/could have been if Nash had continued falling.

We hear of accidents and near death experiences from other people and always think that it can't happen to one of us. We are always very careful. But what happened there, just made me realize, that one can't be too careful always and unthinkable things can happen to anyone. But, destiny does play a role. There's a reason and time for everything that happens around and to us. We do not know what would happen in the next moment. All it takes is a split second to change your life. A blink of an eye and everything can be what you have always dreamt of or what you never wanted to happen! Just goes on to say that don't take life for granted. Sure, we should live by the moment and be happy with what comes our way, but whatever comes your way mayn't necessarily be what you deserve. Probably it happened to you because there are better plans written ahead in the future chapters of your life and these are the ways to be prepared for what lies ahead.

Coming back to the cliff, the guide got us some help and we could reach Nash at last. With some effort he was pulled up and was back on solid ground. What was amazing was that, all his tiredness had disappeared and his sense of humor was back in a jiffy. Now the only thing that he was complaining about was that we failed to take pictures when he was busy playing Tarzan hanging on the edge of the cliff!

11th November: The sunrise was in another 20 minutes and it sure was beautiful! A sunrise on top of a hill from where we could see the clouds floating below was simply breathtaking.

We started our climb downhill around 6.30AM and reached the foothills in about 2 hours. We reached back in Bangalore in around an hour and totally crashed out. Terribly tired but the experience was amazing. I think we should plan our next trek soon. Sbz-Take the hint ;-)

Dead tired from the trek and slept most of the afternoon. Evening did pass by quite fast and the small vacation was nearing an end. But this was a long weekend that would last in my mind for a very long time to come for a lot of reasons.

Myth-o-logic!

2007-10-05T06:53:00.000+05:30

Came across this piece here.

Reflects today's situation in the country very aptly.

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The Lord surveyed the Ram Setu and said "Hanuman, you and your vanara sena had built this bridge several centuries back with great diligence and devotion. It is remarkable that it has withstood the ravages of the climatic and geographical changes over centuries. It is indeed an amazing feat especially considering the fact that a bridge at Hyderabad built by Gammon using latest technology collapsed the other day even before they could stick the posters on its pillars."
Hanuman with all humility spoke "Jai Sri Ram, it is all because of your grace. We just scribbled your name on the bricks and threw them in the sea and they held. No steel from TISCO or cement from Ambuja or ACC was ever used. But Lord, why rake up the old issue now?"
Ram spoke "Well, Hanuman some people down there want to demolish the bridge and construct a canal. The contract involves lot of money and lot of money will be made. They will make money on demolition and make more money on construction."
Hanuman bowed down and said "Why don't we go down and present our case?"
Ram said "Times have changed since we were down there. They will ask us to submit age proof and we don't have either a birth certificate or school leaving certificate. We traveled mainly on foot and some times on horseback and so we don't have a driving license either. As far as the address proof is concerned, the fact that I was born at Ayodhya is in itself under litigation for over half a century...If I go in a traditional attire with bow and arrow, the ordinary folks may recognize me but Arjun Singh may take me to be some tribal and, at the most, offer a seat at IIT under the reserved category. Also, a God cannot walk in dressed in a three-piece suit and announce his arrival. It would make even the devotees suspicious. So it is a dilemma to say the least."
"I can vouch for you by saying that I personally built the bridge."
"My dear, Anjani putra, it will not work. They will ask you to produce the lay-out plan, the project details, including financial outlay and how the project cost was met and the completion certificate. Nothing is accepted without documentary evidence in India. You may cough but unless a doctor certifies it, you have no cough. A pensioner may present himself personally but the authorities do not take it as proof. He has to produce a life-certificate to prove that he is alive. It is that complicated."
"Lord, I can't understand these historians. Over the years you have given darshan once every hundred years to saints like Surdas, Tulsidas, Saint Thyagaraja, Jayadeva, Bhadrachala Ramdas and even Sant Tukaram and still they disbelieve your existence and say Ramayana is a myth. The only option, I see, is to re-enact Ramayana on earth and set the government records straight once for all."
Lord smiled "It isn't that easy today. Ravan is apprehensive that he may look like a saint in front of Karunanidhi. I also spoke to his mama Mareecha, who appeared as a golden deer to tempt Sita maiyya when I was in the forest and he said that he won't take a chance of stepping on earth as long as Salman Khan is around!!!"

Tryst With Destiny

2007-08-15T10:25:00.000+05:30

60 Years ago we became citizens of a free nation. Today as we complete 60 years of independence, let us remember the pledge once again.
Nehru's Tryst with destiny speech delivered on 15th August 1947:-

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?

Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this Assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now.

That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfil the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today. The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.

And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this One World that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.

To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill-will or blaming others.

We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell. The appointed day has come-the day appointed by destiny-and India stands forth again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and independent. The past clings on to us still in some measure and we have to do much before we redeem the pledges we have so often taken. Yet the turning-point is past, and history begins anew for us, the history which we shall live and act and others will write about.

It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materializes. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed! We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrowstricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people.

On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the Father of our Nation [Gandhi], who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the torch of freedom and lighted up the darkness that surrounded us. We have often been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but not only we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.

Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who, without praise or reward, have served India even unto death. We think also of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good [or] ill fortune alike.

The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.

We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be. We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.

To the nations and peoples of the world we send greetings and pledge ourselves to cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom and democracy. And to India, our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal and the ever-new, we pay our reverent homage and we bind ourselves afresh to her service. Jai Hind.

India at 60

2007-08-13T20:56:00.000+05:30

As India celebrates its 60th anniversary of gaining independence from the British Rule, the world is celebrating the event.

Have we as a nation finally arrived? Have we achieved what we set out to? Are we the best yet?

These are a few questions that arise in our mind.

All I can think of right now are these lines of Robert Frost-

" The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep."

Pottery July :D

2007-07-10T14:04:00.001+05:30

Amazing month this is...

July 13th, 2007

July 21st, 2007

Eagerly Waiting... :D

Juju, You will be missed...

2007-06-26T11:31:00.000+05:30

The day hasn't begun on a very good note.

Having talked about the Legend of Juju in an earlier post, it was a big shock when I heard the news this morning. Juju passed away last night...

The one year that we shared in the same campus, the same block, the same wing...were some of the most eventful and exciting moments. I still remember the first week when he came to our rooms and asked us to get dressed in formals, fill a bucket of water and assemble at Scotland Yard (the codename for the well/assembly area). What followed was fun. A Block intro unlike any other. Who can forget the "Uff Yeh Mumbai Ki Ladkiyan!" and the reaction that followed :-) or "Juju Power....Machhar Maar". One of the liveliest, funniest and jolly guys you would ever meet.

You will be missed and we will remember you fondly. May you find peace wherever you go!

If Only...

2007-06-24T02:08:00.001+05:30

Isa Bhai: Usse Maloom tha Hai Naa?
Bhaskar: * Nods in Agreement *
Isa Bhai: Wah! Wah! Marte marte chela guru ko jeena sikha gaya...dukh apne liye Rakh, Anand Sabhi Ke Liye!

Having watched this movie for the Nth time, it never fails to astonish me and it leaves behind a tear in the eye everytime.
The movie-Anand; one of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's finest pieces of art.
Zindagi Badi Honi Chahiye babu Moshaye, lambi nahi. (Life should be large and not long). The message is conveyed so beautifully.

If only people were a bit unselfish...
If only there was no dissatisfaction...
If only there were no disagreements...
If only there was a little bit more of tolerance towards each other and life in general...
IF ONLY!!!

If only we realized the importance!

Surface Computing!

2007-06-14T11:26:00.001+05:30

Think about this:

When was the last time you used a landline phone (barring the office phone)?
When was the last time you went inside a bank to withdraw money?
When was the last time you rented a video cassette from the local video library? Or for that matter actually saw one?!
When did you last use a tape recorder to listen to your favorite music?

The pace at which technology outpaces itself is astounding.

If you thought that the gadgets in the James Bond Movies were cool and if the latest product from Apple, the iPhone fascinates you then what you are going to see will blow your mind off.

A Month Already...

2007-06-12T16:31:00.000+05:30

It’s been a month already since I went home. 12th of May was the day we were all looking forward to…Me and my cousins. One of them was getting married the following week. Boys being boys, they always leave packing to the last minute and the case wasn’t any different this time as well (barring me…am the meticulous planner types…or so I like to believe ;-) ). One of my cousins C (the would-be groom) didn’t sleep the whole night for fear of missing the flight. The other one S merrily had a bottle of wine and slept like a log after calling me up to wake him in the morning! We had to be at the airport by 6.30 at least to catch our 7.30 flight. When I called up S at 5, he did pick up the phone after 10 rings. Calling him up at 5.40 again was indeed a blessing in disguise. Why? Coz the great man had fallen asleep again and we were supposed to leave by 6 from our home! Well, finally we managed to leave by 6.10AM and reached the airport at 6.35. C was already there and was quite worried. One really doesn’t want to miss the flight when he’s getting married in 2 days you see! All said and done, we did manage to catch our flight which incidentally got delayed due to refueling. We took off 30 mins late and the flight was again delayed at Chennai (Reason: They were refueling again!!! That too after a total flying time of 30 mins since the last time they fueled!). No wonder they call it a no frills, low cost flying experience. They wouldn’t even fuel up more than what was absolutely necessary!
When finally we reached our destination, the baggage claim took some 40 mins! I had never seen a conveyor at the airport being turned on and off after each load of luggage was dumped on the belt.

The vacation had started off pretty interestingly and was bound to be very eventful. Sunday saw C & Me distributing cards to a few of his friends. Met almost all the other cousins on Sunday and the amount of noise at home could have reached supersonic levels had there been any more kids!
Monday was the big day. The groom was ready by 10AM and the Baaraat (procession) started from their place at around 11AM. Being peak summertime, we were all dreading the heat. Thankfully it was cloudy and was a big relief to us all. Marriage processions in our part of the world are pretty fun filled and involves a lot of dancing (free style bole to desi ishtyle as well) to the tunes of some local hits. The hot favorite was “Ekda Ekda ra…”...The groom isn’t supposed to get out of the car till we reach the marriage hall, but then this was a once in a lifetime affair (well for most people, it usually is ;-) ). We spared no time in pulling C out of the car and he was all too glad to show us a few steps in his own inimitable style.
The marriage ceremony was a fun affair and the highlight was the ‘Hata-Ganthhi’ opening ritual. This is similar to the ‘Joota Chhupai rasm’ in North India. The groom places his palm over the brides palm and their hands are tied. The Saali (sister in law) then bargains with the groom for her choice of gift or sometimes cash to open the knot before the Muhurtam. The bargaining part is real fun especially when the all the people from the grooms’ & brides’ side get together to strategise and negotiate on the deal. Most of us being MBA’s put in all efforts to strike a win-win deal & while all this was going on, our dear cousin C was enjoying the whole situation. He was in an advantageous position after all (sitting on the Mandap holding his beloved’s hand) ;-).
The ceremony was over by 5 and the Vidai was a pretty sentimental affair. The bride and her parents and relatives (and the neighbours and their neighbours) all crying like there is no tomorrow. I always find this whole thing pretty amusing. Even a few people from the groom’s side could be seen crying including one of my Bhabhi’s and one of C’s friends!

The next few days saw 10 of us cousins going for a one day trip to Puri. A visit to the Jagannath temple is always something to cherish. The calm and peace of the place among all the chaos is simply amazing. The kitchen of the temple feeds lakhs of devotees every day and is one of the largest kitchens of the world. The best thing is that no food is ever wasted. The logistics are all so well planned! After the temple visit, we spent a few hours at the beach and headed back home by the Puri-Konark marine drive. The Konark temple is really a sight to look at in the evenings. The lighting is simply great.

The next few days at home went by so fast that I never realized that it was already time to get back to Blr on 21st. It was a long awaited trip and I simply had a blast. Who knows when the next time would be or what is in store for the next time ;-) !!!

Some of My Fav Songs...

2007-05-06T01:23:00.000+05:30

Bryan Adams Summer of 69
Simply love this song...Those were the Best days of my life! I get the goosebumps everytime I hear those words. :-)

Boyzone's Words
Just amazing lyrics

Europe's Final Countdown
Always a JLT Favorite :-)

General Nonsense

2007-04-27T17:48:00.000+05:30

It's been a long and busy week. So much so that me hv been waiting for the weekend since the middle of the week (not that I don't do that often, but u know how it is when u r tired of work).
Was so bored today that i clicked my own pic with my cellphone and sent it to a friend just to chk out if the mms feature of my fone worked!!! And guess wot...it did work :D Yippeeeee.....

Neway, the world cup is finally ending and the last match is on Saturday. Would be nice if the Aussies would lose for a change ;-)

Tuesday is a holiday coz of Labor Day and hence a lot of ppl have taken the day off on Monday...a nice and long weekend...a mini vacation so to say...

And talking of vacations, I can't wait to go home in about 2 weeks time :D

Still 7 mins to go before I leave from office...

Neway watching Tara Rum Pum tomorrow...the tickets of which were procured with a lot of difficulty.

still 4 mins to go...what the heck...lemme start packing the bag n shutdown this pc...that will kill some time...

Jana Gana Mana

2007-04-13T14:09:00.001+05:30

This video link was sent by a friend today and surprisingly I hadn't watched this video
earlier. Really beautifully made and quite mesmerizing.

Would request you to please stand up before you play the video.

Inzy's Last Bow...

2007-03-22T17:16:00.000+05:30

It's not everyday that you witness a great sportsman leave the game with such a tremendous farewell. Inzamam-Ul-Haq in his more than 15 Yrs career has come a long way. With over 10000 runs in One-Day Internationals, this man has led his team to some amazing wins.

Agreed that he never had a great world cup record and the ousting of the team from the 2007 edition was one of the most humiliating ways to end such an illustrious career, but all said and done the kind of farewell the man got from the fraternity speaks volumes about him.

Not only did the entire Zimbabwe squad bid him farewell, the whole Pakistan squad was on the field to accompany him during his final walk, off the batting pitch. And as Charu Sharma said during the match...'Big Bears Do Cry!'

Clearly one of the most touching farewells to one of the best the game has seen.

Kemmangundi

2007-03-22T17:15:00.000+05:30

Been quite a while since I finished this long pending post.

Pictures of the trip can be found here , here , here & here.

For those who have been wondering what is Kemmangundi…well, it’s a hill station around 250 kms from Bangalore in the district of Chikmaglur. The place is also known as KR Hills named after King Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. Places of interest around KR Hills are the Kalahati Falls, Hebbe Falls & Shanti Falls.
We (Me, S & B) started on our journey from Bangalore at around 12AM. It did take us a while to decide who would sit in the front seat of the Indica…and No…the fight wasn’t to occupy the seat but rather giving up any sort of claim to the front seat of a car!!! Reason being that the guy who sits there can’t fall asleep throughout the journey as the driver may get distracted…

Anyway, S agreed to occupy the seat for the first half of the journey and I switched places with him at around 2AM after we had stopped for some tea. One useful piece of advice that I got was, “Put on your seat belt. That way even if you fall asleep, you wouldn’t be using the driver’s lap as a pillow!”; pretty good advice I thought.
We reached Kemmangundi around 4.30AM and boy was it scary? We found our way to the Horticulture Guest house, thanks to a wild rabbit hopping merrily along the road. Of course that wasn’t the only wild life that we saw. A Jackal was moving around in the bush probably looking for some late night/early morning snack. Anyway, we reached the guest house only to find absolutely no sign of any homo sapien…just 4 Canis familiaris (Bole to kutte). It was quite scary when the animals strategized and surrounded us from four different directions, thus preventing us from moving from our spot. S armed with a stick did put up a brave front and chakravyuha ko cheer kar we managed to escape. Luckily, some one woke up and opened a door somewhere. On exploring a bit we were relieved that it was the caretaker. Though, the fun didn’t end there. Apparently, the guy with whom we had confirmed our booking was on leave and hence we were given a temporary room. We had to shift to another place in the morning around 9AM. Though the lady in-charge of guest house bookings was quite helpful in arranging for the same.

All this took quite a lot of time in the morning and we were a bit delayed for the trek hat was planned. Nevertheless, we started on the trek around 12PM, on the lookout for the famous Shanti Falls & the much hyped Z-Point. Well, we did come across these landmarks but the Shanti fall proved to be less of a waterfall and more of a stream trickling down the hill. Of course, the water body proved to be such a big relief on our way back due to the heat and hence thirst. Z-Point was just a small path cut in the mountain in the shape of a reverse Z! Reaching the end of the trek seemed like such an achievement. Walking almost 4 kms on that hilly track was something. Hadn’t done anything like this for quite a while and it was quite exhilarating. J
The return path seemed easier as we were going downhill but at the same time it was scary. There was a point where a wrong step to the edge would have taken us thousands of feet down the valley. It seemed like the entire valley was going around us and we were still, when we observed it from the corner of your eyes as we moved ahead in a straight path. Was a bit dizzying.
Reaching the Shanti Falls was such a great relief…B broke into a song as soon as he saw the water body and ran into the stream in a La-Aamir-Khan style!
Back at the guest house, we headed towards the Nursery, post lunch. The green lawns were so inviting after the tiring trek that we just fell over there lazily. After a few foto sessions returning back to the room was bliss. Evening saw us venturing out for some food (this is a scarce commodity) and dinner just omlette at a roadside thela. Walking in the pitch dark jungle was a bit scary though. The rest of the evening was spent reading books and getting cricket updates on the India-Bangladesh match on the fone. Of course we did have our cricket expert with us (Chk out the pics below) who very patiently heard every suggestion that we made and like a true gentleman and fan didn’t react to the outrageous remarks made by us.

We left the place early next morning around 9AM for the Kalahatti falls. This is a religious place for both Hindus & Muslims and one can see people from both communities traveling here to visit the shrine.

The trip back home was quite uneventful and the taste of real food at a roadside restaurant near Bangalore was so heartening.

Real looking forward to the next trip.

For those who want to visit KR Hills, I would suggest you get your guest house bookings done well in advance. It can be done by calling the horticulture guest house directly or at Lalbagh.

Details of the same can be found here.

Visual DNA!

2007-03-13T22:24:00.000+05:30

Came across this interesting way to represent one's preferences here.

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Yahoo Humbled!

2007-03-13T22:06:00.000+05:30

The internet has become a very powerful medium and the bloggers community which has been growing by the numbers day-in and day-out has been a strong force to reckon with.

Came across this article recently which proves this point very effectively. Btw, I never realized that the Creative Commons License put at the bottom of my page could be such an important thing! ;-)

For The Woman in Your Life

2007-03-09T10:04:00.000+05:30

8th March is celebrated as the International Day of Women across the globe. Heard and saw quite a lot of activities on this day yesterday. There were radiostations inviting women into their studios and talking to them over the air, hospitals organizing free health checkups for women and even pubs/restaurants serving drinks 'On the House' on the day...Boy, sometimes do you wish you were a woman! ;-)

But on a serious note, we do see, even today, a lot of things that need to change. We say that we're living in a new world, but how many of us truly believe and practice the principles of this world?

Received an e-mail from a friend on Womens Day. It sure is pretty interesting and quite relevant.

"A Woman"

This is written in the Hebrew Talmud, the book where all of the sayings and preaching of Rabbis are conserved over time. It says:

"Be very careful if you make a woman cry,

because God counts her tears.

The woman came out of a man's rib.

Not from his feet to be walked on.

Not from his head to be superior,

but from the side to be equal.

Under the arm to be protected,

and next to the heart to be loved."

There's Something About the Nawabs Place!

2007-03-08T13:41:00.000+05:30

No trip to Hyderabad can be uneventful. This is a fact and everytime I have visited the place something unexpected has happened. If it was the bus during the last visit, there were a whole lot of happenings this time around.
On the Holi weekend, a couple of us planned a visit to the city of Nawabs to celebrate with the whole gang out thr. Left office early on Friday and surprisingly the auto we took reached the bus-stand well ahead of time. After we got down from the auto, the fun began. As we reached the bus, I suddenly realized that I had left my travel bag in the auto! The worst part was that apart from the usual stuff that ravel bags are supposed to carry, it had my digicam and cellphone as well. A frantic attempt to look for the auto was futile. We tried to lodge a complaint at the nearest Police Station but it was of no use. Apparently the place where we lost my stuff was not under their jurisdiction and we were directed to another Police Station (and one thought these things happened only in the movies!). We obviously couldn’t get there as we had a bus to catch.
Got on the bus and had an uneventful journey from Blr to Hyd. Reached on time and then we decided to go for breakfast. As we stepped on the road, we witnessed an accident (my first live one!). A bike hitting a car that was making a turn coming out of a petrol pump. And then my friend remarked that the driver of the bike (who was somewhat injured) had traveled with us on the same bus from Bangalore! Coincidence?
Well I did my shopping for clothes in the afternoon. Had a gr8 lunch and met up with friends.
Next day Holi was a short affair. Played for just about 30 mins but the colors were terrific. Couldn’t get them off for 2 days :-) .
Of course, whatever happens is due to a reason. We just need to think beyond and realize that. Isn’t this what makes the small moments of life worthwhile. I lost some prized possessions but the amazing experience during the entire trip more than made up for that I guess.

Happenings...

2007-02-11T20:33:00.000+05:30

Things are happening too fast. People around me are going through major life changing events...some changing jobs, some getting married, some setting up their own business! These are for the good.

On the flip side, I also find people around me, those who I love, both family and friends, going thru some difficult times...Saturn shows up in the skies for a rare celestial event and I'm told that it's gonna hv a good effect on my sun-sign. If it's good, then why is everything not okay. Aren't the people around me also part of my life and hence logically the good that happens to me shud rub off right? Well, I guess that's why life is called a journey. It isn't a script to be followed.

Rocky Balboa: A Review

2007-02-05T14:57:00.001+05:30

Rocky Balboa: The name inspires courage, determination and sheer will power. If reel life ever came face to face with real life, this would be a name to reckon with. Most people grew up with the legend of Rocky since 1977 when the first edition was released. So popular was the character that they had to make sequels after sequels after sequels.
Rocky Balboa is the sixth one in the series and probably the final one! The movie made with a budget of $24 Mn opened in theatres with great reviews. The story is based in a time when Rocky in his late 50’s has retired finally and is running a restaurant in Philadelphia. Things get interesting when a computer simulation fight between the reigning World Heavyweight Champion Mason Dixon & Rocky Balboa predicts that Rocky would win knock out. This leads to an interesting series of events wherein an exhibition fight between the two is organized and no points for guessing, Rocky is on top again.
The movie is no different from the other parts. Of course the re-introduction of Spider (Rocky’s first opponent in the first movie) and Little Marie (also from Rocky-I) brings in nostalgia. Powerful lines such as “It doesn’t matter how many punches you take. What matters is how hard you can take them and yet be back to take some more!” & “It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over” would definitely have a lasting impression on the mind. Typical Rocky philosophy but true to the core.
What I felt though was that the movie was a bit too fast paced and too much was shown in too short a time.

Nevertheless, Rocky still rules and Rocks the World of Boxing, be it Virtual or Real!

Who knows, there might still be another sequel to this…coz Rocky is known to bounce back and in his own words, “It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over!” :-)

List of Things to Do Before I Die...

2007-02-01T16:46:00.000+05:30

Picked up this tag here...The ones marked with an X have already been achieved :D

(X) Live far away from home …Bangalore is far…okay!!!
( ) Learn Salsa
( ) Go to South America
(X) Read avidly
(X) Climb a mountain
( ) Go to the top of Eiffel Tower
( ) Visit Amstredam
( ) Stand on the edge of the roof of a skyscraper
( ) Hug a stranger
(X) Bake a pizza
( ) Own your own restaurant
(X) Watch the sun set and rise
( ) Go scuba diving
(X) Ride a roller coaster
( ) Become a parent
(X) Fall in love
( ) Go to the theatre
(X) Lie down on the grass and do or feel nothing
(X) Go to a small quaint town/village to get away from the city
(X) Go to a concert
( ) Have a food fight…and will never have. Shudn’t waste food!
( ) Go on a hot air balloon
(X) Maintain a hobby …Does watching movies count?
( ) Spend christmas in New York
(X) Sleep under the stars…did this when in college. Slept on the water tank 4 floors above the ground! Scares me now when I think of it.
(X) Dance in the rain …Is a lot of fun!
( ) Go sky-diving
( ) Visit the pyramids
(X) Learn a foreign language …My definition of foreign language is anything other than my mother tongue
( ) Ask someone you just met for a date
(X) Get tipsy with good company …and the company was gr8…love u all…u know what I’m referring to ;-)
( ) Have your heart broken
( ) Eat sushi …This is off my list!
( ) Volunteer somewhere
(X) Quit a job
(X) Surprise someone
( ) Stay in New Zealand…ummm probably will make it Switzerland :-)
(X) Go to and make a friend someplace you don't know anyone
( ) Run a marathon
( ) Go Rafting
( ) Drive a Ferrari
( ) Own a villa

Will add on to the list as I remember.

You have been tagged...feel free to add to the list

Miles to Go Before I Sleep...

2007-02-01T14:30:00.000+05:30

Was searching for this poem today after reading another of the poet's famous poem at a fellow bloggers page.

The last stanza gives me goosebumps even to this day!

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

-- Robert Frost

I

2007-01-25T20:46:00.000+05:30

Was just browsing through random blogs and came across this tag here.

I am thinking...that I should post more often.

I said...what’s on my mind and that which concurs with the heart.

I want...a peaceful life.

I wish...people would stop being so manipulative

I miss...home and food cooked by mom.

I hear...selectively but ‘listen’ to soft instrumentals.

I wonder...what life after death is like.

I regret...nothing. Every decision I take, whether right or wrong, is my decision.

I am...unique.

I dance...badly.

I sing...when I feel like or when I am happy.

I cry...when I get emotional, whether in real life or when watching movies.

I am not...a hypocrite.

I write...when I feel like.

I confuse...others just for fun.

I need...company. Being alone sucks big time! Hence the pretty close friends list.

I should...slim down ;-)

I finish...what I start.

This was fun. Wanna try this? Just pick up the tag if you like it.

Those Were The Days...

2007-01-25T20:02:00.000+05:30

Received this mail today from a Friend...Probably a forward...but really took me back to those days...

------------------------------

Those were the days....

When gulli-danda and kanche (marbles) were more popular than cricket...

When we always had friends to play aais-paais (I Spy), chhoopan-chheoopai and pitthoo garam anytime...

When we desperately waited for 'yeh jo hai jindagi'

When Chitrahaar, Vikram-Baitaal, Dada Daadi ki kahaniyaan were so fulfilling...

When there was just one TV in every five houses and

When Bisleris were not sold in the trains and we were worrying if Papas will get back into the train in time or not when they were getting down at stations to fill up the water bottle...

When we were going to bed by 9.00pm sharp except for the 'yeh jo hai jindagi' day...

When Holis & Diwalis meant mostly hand-made pakwaans and sweets and moms seeking our help while preparing them

When Maths teachers were not worried of our Mummys and Papas while slapping/beating us...

When we were exchanging comics and stamps and chacha-chaudari, billu and pinki were our heroes...

When we were in nanihaals every summer and loved flying kites and plucking and eating unripe mangoes and leechis...

When one movie every Sunday evening on television was more than asked for and 'ek do teen chaar' and 'Rajni' inspired us...

When 50 paisa meant at least 10 toffees...

When left over pages of the last years notebooks were used for rough work or even fair work...

When 'Chelpark' and 'Natraaj' were encouraged against 'Reynolds and family'...

When the first rain meant getting drenched and playing in water and mud and making 'kaagaj ki kishtis'...

When there were no phones to tell friends that we will be at their homes at six in the evening...

When our parents always had 15 paise blue colored

On a serious note I would like to summarise with...

When we were using our hearts more than our brains, even for scientifically brainy activities like 'thinking' and 'deciding'...

When we were crying and laughing more often, more openly and more sincerily...

When we were enjoying our present more than worrying about our future...

When being emotional was not synonymous to being weak

When sharing worries and happiness didn’t mean getting vulnerable to the listener...

When blacks and whites were the favourite colors instead of grey...

When journeys also were important and not just the destinations...

When life was a passenger's sleeper giving enough time and opportunity to enjoy the sceneries from its open and transparent glass windows instead of some superfast's second A/C with its curtained, closed and dark windows...

I really miss those .. do u?

Superhero...I Have the Power!!!!

2007-01-21T15:45:00.000+05:30

Picked up this one from a friends blog. Interesting huh! So what are you?
Your results:
You are Green Lantern

Green Lantern		70%
The Flash		70%
Iron Man		60%
Hulk		55%
Spider-Man		55%
Robin		52%
Superman		45%
Batman		40%
Supergirl		35%
Catwoman		35%
Wonder Woman		30%

Hot-headed. You have strong
will power and a good imagination.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

The Tigers are Back!

2006-12-18T21:25:00.000+05:30

It is said that when you fall, the only way to go is up!
How true is that? When the Indian squad landed on South African soils a few weeks back, no one was prepared for the kind of clobbering they would get. The state of affair was at an all time low after the disastrous performance in the One day series and the moral of the team couldn’t be too high going into the test series.
When the test squad was announced, it came as a fresh breath of air. The Royal Bengal Tiger was back in the team and this time he meant business. He had a point to prove and Boy oh boy…did he do that or what! First innings of the match…India goes into bat and yet again they falter at the start. In walks a man who was last seen on the international test arena 10 months back. Slowly and steadily he built a foundation around which the Indian innings reached a respectable total of 249. Sourav Ganguly was back with a bang! With a score of 51 not out at the end of the innings he was the top scorer among the Indians. What a way to make a comeback! The tiger had responded with his bat and silenced his critics once again in style.
The proteas crumbled like a bunch of pins on the bowling alley being bundled out for 84 with Sreesanth (playing in his 6th test) taking his first 5 wicket haul. The Indian second innings saw the class of a ‘Very Very Special’ player once again. With an enviable 73 runs to his credit he made sure that the Indians reached a commanding lead of 401. With 2.5 days to go and 10 wickets to take, the Indians couldn’t lose from there. 18th December, 2006 will be remembered in the annals of Indian cricket for a long long time to come. India won its first test against South Africa on South African soil.
The test will be remembered for all sorts of reasons including young Sreesanth’s fiery temper and the equally daring and hilarious reply when challenged by Andre Nell, the comeback of one of the finest southpaws in the history of the game and a lot more.
The question is, “Are the Indian Tigers Back?”

The best Birthday so far...

2006-11-27T18:17:00.000+05:30

A month back I was thrilled to hear that dad n mom were gonna be here for my birthday. They arrived on Friday and the past three days have been the best I’ve spent in B’lore so far. What better gift can one expect on a Birthday? Spending the day among loved ones and among those you cherish. Missed my bro a lot yesterday. Especially coz I hadn’t received his call until late evening. It turned out that He had been trying to reach me since the previous evening but the mobile network was the problem. Anyway’s it was a real great day spent with dad, mom and two of my cousins. Went around B’lore. Visited a lot of places which I hadn’t even seen during my stay in B’lore so far.
Earlier, on Saturday night, friends had come down to my place to celebrate the birthday in typical jhabier ishtyle…all I can say is that after the proceedings were over, I had all the ingredients over me to make the perfect pizza (Okay I might be exaggerating a bit but trust me it was that messy). Loved it though and THANKS A LOT FOLKS! Had been receiving calls from friends the entire day yesterday, the first of which came at exactly 11.32PM on Saturday. Been quite busy replying to friends who had scrapped wishes on Orkut as well. They sure were a lot. Well, I simply had a blast this birthday and I hope all of you have a great year as well. You all made my day. :-)

Adieu Regenmeister!

2006-10-30T22:47:00.000+05:30

The best there was, The best there is and The best there ever will be. Nothing could describe him better. He was a tiger on the track. In wet conditions where most people would give up, he was the undisputed king. Am talking about the one and only Michael Schumacher.
Not everyone witnesses a 7 time world champion in action and we’re fortunate to have witnessed history in the making.
Schumi started his career in 1991 with Benetton. He was with Benetton till 1995 and in the 1996 season he switched to the Ferrari team. At a time when Ferrari was not what it is now with inferior engines and a crumbling organization, it was a bold move to make. Ferrari had not won the drivers championship since 1979. This love affair with Ferrari continued till the very end until he announced his retirement on Sep, 10th 2006 after the Italian Grand Prix.
Over the years Schumi developed his skills so much that in wet conditions he was the undisputed king. Such was his dominance in such conditions that he came to be known as the "Regenkönig" (rain king) or "Regenmeister" (rain master).
In the British Grand Prix of the season of 1998, Schumi became the first driver ever to win a race from the pit lane.
The records started tumbling from the season of 2001 when at the Belgian Grand prix Schumi scored his 52nd Career win thus overtaking Alain Prost. 2002 was the year of Ferrari. Winning the 2002 championship led him to equal the 5 time world champion record set by Juan Manuel Fangio. Ferrari won 15 out of 17 races in the season. Schumi also broke Nigel Mansell’s record of 9 wins (the most) in a season. Incidentally he himself held that record as well. He won 11 races that season and had the distinction of finishing every race on the podium. 2003 saw Schumi losing his mother hours before the San Marino Grand Prix and he very befittingly dedicated the race to her by winning it. 2004 saw Schumi win 12 of the first thirteen races, thus breaking his own record of 11 wins in a season. That season he finished with 13 race wins (out of a total 18 possible). He won a record 7th drivers title at the Belgian Grand Prix that season and finished the season with 148 points.
The world’s first billionaire athlete, Schumi won the coveted Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award in 2002 and 2004. In its 7-year history, no other sportsman has been nominated more times than Schumacher, who also received nominations for the 2001, 2003 and 2005 awards.
The last race of his career at Brazil was a race to cherish. Schumi got the best time of all drivers in the first two sessions. However, he couldn’t complete a single lap during the third session due to a fuel pressure problem. He started the race tenth from the grid. He moved on to the 6th position but after Lap 9, he developed a puncture caused by the front wing of Fisichella’s car while he was overtaking him. The unscheduled pitstop led him losing 13 positions and he rejoined the grid at 19th place. It was from this position that he showed everyone why he was a 7 time world champion. Schumi fought back to regain his position, overtook both Fisichella and Raikkonen in two brilliant moves and finally ended up finishing the race at 4th place. He set multiple fastest laps for the race during this time. Inadvertently, being the best driver on the track despite not getting a podium finish.
Acknowledged by his counterparts as being the most fearsome driver to have set foot on the tracks, Schumi literally set the wheels on fire when he raced.
Here’s to the finest F1 driver ever! Cheer’s Schumi! You will be missed :-)

-----------------------------------------------

Some Career Records:
Most championship titles: 7
Most consecutive championship titles: 5
Most race wins: 91
Most consecutive race wins: 7 (in 2004 - European GP, Canadian GP, United States GP, French GP, British GP, German GP, Hungarian GP; record shared with Alberto Ascari)
Most race wins with one team: 72 with Ferrari
Most race wins at the same GP: 8 at the French Grand Prix (Magny-Cours)
Most different GPs (by country) won: 20
Most time between first and last race wins: 14 years, 1 month and 2 days
Most second place finishes: 43
Most podium finishes: 154
Most consecutive podium finishes: 19 (from the 2001 United States Grand Prix, until the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix)
Most points finishes: 190
Most laps leading: 4741 (with a total of 22,155 kilometers (13,758 miles) in 131 Grands Prix)
Most pole positions: 68
Most starts from first row: 108
Most fastest laps: 76
Most doubles (pole position and race win): 40
Most hat-trick (pole position, race win and fastest lap): 22
Most championship points: 1,369
Most consecutive race finished without retirement: 24 (from the 2001 Hungarian Grand Prix, until the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix)
Most championship points in a season for a vice-world champion: 121 (out of a maximum of 180)
Most Wins in a season for a vice-world champion: 7 (ties Alain Prost and Kimi Räikkönen)
Only racing driver ever, in any racing class, to win 5 times at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Only racing driver ever, in any racing class, to win 5 times at Autodromo Nazionale Monza

2004:
Most race wins in a season: 13 (out of 18 races)
Most fastest laps in a season: 10 (out of 18 races; tied by Räikkönen in 2005)
Most championship points in a season: 148 (out of a maximum of 180)

2002:
Most podium finishes in a season: 17 (out of 17 races)

-------------------------------------------------------
References: Wikipedia

Life is a Two Pronged Fork

2006-10-26T01:47:00.000+05:30

So says Saby. Well, this year on his birthday we decided to play it straight from the rulebook. If it was the raw chicken last year, we had raw eggs this time. Birthdays don't come tastier than this ;-)

Happy Birthday Saby! And did I mention?..."Life is Like a Two Pronged Fork"

When you Fall, The only way to go is up...

2006-10-20T02:26:00.000+05:30

How true that is!

They say, everyone should taste failure at least once. It makes you humble and tolerant towards a lot of things. You become sensitive and alert to the environment in which you exist. But does it really have to be so? Haven't there been people who have been lucky. Always successful and travelling higher and higher in their journey of life. What would you say to that? I would simply say that they may seem to be getting everything at all times, but beyond that success lies great pains. And it is inadvertently always true; he who hasn't tasted failure, flies higher without a safety net. The higher they go, the harder they fall.

Is that the end then? No! Life always gives us two chances. When you fall, either you get dispirited and sit back or try harder to replicate your success. In most cases than not, if you try, you reach higher levels of success than you ever did before, with the safety net of experience beneath.

All I would say is that, "When you fall, the only way to go is up!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recently read about Dan Jansen, the olympic speed skater. His story is a glaring example of this principle.

Friday October 13, 2006 - 11:34pm (IST)

Did you throw a star today?

2006-10-20T02:24:00.000+05:30

Was attending a workshop today. One of the stories narrated during the session really touched the heart. It goes something like this:

“A wise man was walking by the sea one day and saw a figure at a distance, throwing something into the sea. He thought it was a boy throwing pebbles/sea shells into the ocean but as he neared the figure, he realized that it was a man throwing back starfish washed ashore, back into the sea. When the wise man enquired about that, the man said that, “A little bit of help from me and a little help from the sea would take the starfish back to safety.” The wise man said, “But how many can you help this way?” The man just smiled and carried on with his act of throwing back the fish into the ocean.

The wise man walked on thinking about this. The whole night he gazed at the stars in the night-sky and pondered over the act of the man. And then it dawned upon him, “It made a difference to that one starfish that was pulled back into the sea.”

So, did you make a difference to someone today? Did you throw a star today!!!

Thursday October 12, 2006 - 10:35pm (IST)

Sorting Mystery!

2006-10-20T02:18:00.000+05:30

For all the Harry Potter fans. Ever wondered which house would the sorting hat sorted you into. Try this link. Found it on a friends blog.
This is what I would have been sorted into ;-)

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Monday October 9, 2006 - 10:05pm (IST)

Moments...

2006-10-20T02:16:00.000+05:30

Watched the recently released Woh Lamhe…

Decent movie by Mahesh Bhatt. Actors Shiney Ahuja (Aditya) and Kangna Ranaut (Sana) bring in the chemistry alive once again. Supposedly inspired by the life story of glamgirl Parveen Babi, Kangna does full justice to the role by her acting.

A thought crosses the mind, we all are so involved in our daily lives and struggle for existence that we actually miss the simple pleasures of life. A beautiful rain shower, waking up to a nice and quiet morning, birds chirping, a cool breeze blowing while the sun sets, clouds floating across the sky and the full moon playing hide n seek through them, spending some time talking to your near and dear ones. There are such moments that touch our heart and strike a chord at times. Those moments are the ones that we cherish for they are sometimes life changing moments.

As the theme of the movie Kal ho na ho goes…”Hanson, Muskurao, Khush Raho…Kya Pata Kal Ho Na Ho” (Laugh, smile, Be Happy…who knows, there might be no tomorrow). This very philosophy of living for the moment is in itself a wonderful thing to achieve. We come across many people in our small lifespan and some become very close to our hearts, sometimes so much that we can’t bear losing them. But life goes on even if the ones we love aren’t around…we live with those cherished moments that we spent together.

This being the underlying message from the movie struck a chord somewhere.

Zindagi aage badh jaati hai par woh lamhe dil mein bas jaate hain.

Sunday October 1, 2006 - 01:00am (IST)

Durga Puja

2006-10-20T02:11:00.000+05:30

The festival of the Goddess is celebrated with much joy and devotion in the country, esp. in the eastern states of Bengal and Orissa. Every corner of the cities in these states is filled with festivities. One finds idols of Goddess Durga killing the demon Mahisasura all over. The ten day long Puja has its own set of rituals and every day has its own significance. For the elderly, it is a time when their families come home to meet them. For the kids a time to celebrate a long awaited vacation.

Durga Puja in Bengal and Orissa is like a way of life. No house remains untouched by it. The famous pandals compete with each other to be the best and it's a visual treat for us to see the result. I remember the famous 'Chandi Medha' (Silver idol) of cuttack. The whole idol of the deity covered in silver from top to bottom. It looks amazing as it sparkles.
Durga Puja celebrations are marked by the culmination of Puja on Dashami (10th Day). It is also celebrated as the day Lord Rama killed the demon king Ravana marking the victory of good over evil. Well we all know this story, but what I always look forward to on such occasions is the burning of the Ravana idol filled with crackers. Always such fun to watch. :-)

Celebrating this years Puja away from home. Will surely miss those moments and occasions of visiting family members, grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins and delicious food.

Well maybe next year! :-)

Thursday September 28, 2006 - 11:59pm (IST)

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

2006-10-20T02:01:00.000+05:30

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. : The very mention of this word has a different connotation now. Anyone who has been a follower would identify with the famous friends of the small screen. Ross, Chandler, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel; the most adorable set of friends ever, to grace international television. The story of these 6 people developed and matured over ten years and after every passing year viewers wanted more.
Probably the reason for this was the truth behind each character. The actors were just perfect for each role and identified with the character. After innumerable re-runs of the series, one gets the feeling that the cast was so perfect that any replacement would never have worked. If you put Courtney Cox in place of Jennifer Aniston then it would be a disaster. There could be no-one who could bring Phoebe to life or sing 'smelly cat' as Lisa Kudrow did. Chandler's one liners could never be delivered with the maximum effect by anyone else. Ross's eccentricities are a classic and who can forget the best pick up line ever, "How you Doing?" Joey never ever failed with that line.
I think one of the strongest USP's of the series was the storyline and the maturity with which it was handled over the years as the characters matured. The mentality of the 6 friends eveolved over the ten years and so did their relationship. So much so that lovers loved the love-hate relationship of Ross and Rachel. Married couples identified with Chandler and Monica.

Phoebe Buffet: My personal favorite. In my opinion the best of the lot. She has seen life from such close
quarters that nuthin surprises her ever. And the best part is her innocence.

Joey: He defines what best friends are all about. Joey's struggling career, his attachment to Dr. Ramorey and his relationship with Chandler is simply out of this world. Very rarely would you find two friends who have so much in common. Love to watch Baywatch, play Foosball, the unusual pets...the list is endless.

Even the side characters were fun. Janis with her characteristic nasal tone and the "Oh My God!". She was hilarious and irritatingly irritating (whatever that means) :-)

I still remember the last scene of the last episode where each of them put their keys on the kitchen counter and walk out of the door. An apartment where they spent 10 years of their lives. A place where they laughed together. A place where they cried together. A place where they fought together. A place where they lived together. A place where they experienced life. And a place where they taught us all how to live life KING SIZE.

Cheers to the best ever TV show of all times!!!

Wednesday September 27, 2006 - 11:33pm (IST)

Comments(2 total)

divya:
Nice piece....btw did i ever tell you....thanks for being the Joey/Ross/Chandler of my life....:-)

Signed
Monica/Phoebe/Rachel

Thursday September 28, 2006 - 09:02am (PDT)

Bivas:
:-)
Sunday October 1, 2006 - 12:26am (IST)

Relationships

2006-10-17T20:06:00.000+05:30

Received this wonderful forwarded message a couple of days back. Couldn't help sharing it.
-----------------------------------
A Soulful Relationship
- by Ronald Mcfadden

If you're not married yet, share this with a friend.
If you are married, share it with your spouse or other married couples and reflect on it.
An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye."

Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, and ignorance, pressure from others or a low
self-esteem, make you blind to warning signs.

Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults aren't really important.

Once you decide to commit to someone, over time his or her flaws, vulnerabilities, pet peeves, and differences will become more obvious.
If you love your mate and want the relationship to grow and evolve, you've got to learn to close one eye and not let every little thing bother you.

You and your mate have many different expectations, emotional needs, values, dreams, weaknesses, and strengths.

You are two unique individual children of God who have decided to share a life together.

Neither of you are perfect, but are you perfect for each other? Do you bring out the best in each other? Do you compliment and compromise with
each other, or do you compete, compare, and control?

What do you bring to the relationship? Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain?
You can't take someone to the altar to alter him or her.
You can't make someone love you or make someone stay.
If you develop self-esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life", you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain.
Manipulation, control, jealousy, neediness, and selfishness are not the ingredients of a thriving, healthy, loving and lasting relationship! Seeking status,wealth, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship.

What keeps a relationship strong?

Communication, intimacy, trust, a sense of humor, sharing household tasks, some getaway time without business or children and daily exchanges (a meal, shared activity, a hug, a call, a touch, a note). Leave a nice message on the voicemail or send an email.

Share common goals and interests.
Growth is important. Grow together, not away from each other, giving each other space to grow without feeling insecure.
Allow your mate to have outside interests. You can't always be together.
Give each other a sense of belonging and assurances of commitment. Don't try to control one another.
Learn each other's family situation. Respect his or her parents regardless.
Don't put pressure on each other for material goods. Remember for richer or for poorer.

If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as resentment, withdrawal, abuse, neglect, dishonesty, and pain replace the passion.

The difference between 'United' and 'Untied' is where you put the "I" ! ! !
The greatest glory of living is not in never falling, but in rising everytime you fall
-----------------------------------

Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 01:55pm (IST)

Service Before Self

2006-10-17T20:04:00.000+05:30

Seeing the news channels nowadays reminds me of this line which happens to be the motto of my Alma mater. So much violence among the student community. We had the case of the Professor in Meerut being manhandled by students for no fault of his. Unfortunately he lost his life in the scuffle. There was this news about people ransacking and disrupting the sanctity of a school premise at the Loreto Convent.

What has happened to everyone? Is this a pent up anger that's suddenly erupting? Have we as citizens of this country lost our traditional shahanshilta (Patience)? Are we redefining the meaning of Democracy by taking matters into our own hands? Is the method/means to achieve this correct/justified? These are just a few questions that go thru one's mind when such incidents happen.

The great JFK said "Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You. Ask What YOU Can Do For Your Country." This in the true sense captures the essence of 'Service Before Self'. Because only when we think of putting our self interests in the back seat and think of the development of the society/community/country do we genuinely achieve the development of the self. No one can grow individually. It takes a group to achieve growth. this may sound like a lot of gyaan but it's a tried and tested way and never fails.

We as a country have to achieve greater heights in all fields where we have proved our mettle. The ONLY way of doing this is by being more patient and giving the system a last chance. Things are changing for the good today and this change will continue. All it needs is our support.

Saturday September 16, 2006 - 12:38am (IST)

A Trip to Remember!!!

2006-10-17T19:59:00.000+05:30

This is how it started:

We booked tickets from ABC Travels for Hyd a week before our actual travel date. We were told that there will be a pickup service from the booking counter. On the day of travel when we reached the counter, we were told that we would have to go to some other bus stand as the pickup service has been cancelled. We were also told that the travel service would pay for this and being in a hurry we didn't think twice. However, this was a far fetched thing to believe and rightly so. When we boarded the bus, we found that two of the 3 booked seats didn’t exist at all!!! I was reminded of Platform 'Nine and three quarters' in the Harry Potter series, when the conductor kept on insisting that the seats did exist!!! Probably we could actually find those two seats if we moved swiftly between two seats and shouted EXPECTO SEATOS ;-). Well, we were finally provided two different seats. We sat there expecting the bus to leave at 9PM. It sure was a long wait.

When the bus finally left B’lore at around 11.30PM, we got to know that this particular bus ran in the MUM-HYD route and this was the first trip for the entire crew of the bus on the BLR-HYD route…so they were asking for directions at every junction…Morning 7AM and we were still 130 KMS from HYD…our actual time of arrival was 6AM. 8.15AM and the driver had to stop at a dhaba for breakfast for 15 mins. As expected it took all of 40 mins.

Finally when we arrived at Hyd at 10.30AM, we were supposed to get down at a place called ‘lakdi ka pul’…but due to traffic restrictions in the city, no buses were allowed inside the city after 8AM. So we had to get down at the Imliban bus stand…Took an auto from there which ran out of gas after goin some distance…so we switched autos. The auto#2 took us to some place we had never seen (we never realized this until the driver said that ‘saab Madhapur aa gaya’)…well we had to turn around and reach madhapur crossing tolichowki and touching gachibowli (i.e., we came thru Hi-Tec City, instead of Banjara Hills). Finally we reached at 11.45 at Madhapur and it cost us more than double the usual fare from Imliban to Madhapur.

Instead of the morning breakfast we were just in time for lunch ;-) The others had already arrived. Evening came and the gathering became lively. With 14 of us meeting after so long, it was bound to be a lot of fun. We ordered Pizza's and the famous Hyderabadi Biriyani and the gupshup went on till late night. At 1.30AM someone had a craving for Ice-Cream and Ohri's was the place to go. So off we went at 2AM to have Ice-Cream!!!

Next day was a lazy one with everyone getting up aaram se...lunch was fabulous with a lot of colored breadsticks as part of the starters ;-)

Lunch was followed by a visit to Durgam Cheruvu (Hidden Lake). It's a beautiful water body surrounded by hillocks.

The short trip was almost coming to an end and it was time to go back home. But as our Dear Friend Murphy had to strike again, it happened. Two of our friends who had come from Mumbai got a call that their bus had been cancelled and that they either had an option of a refund or travelling the next day. This was major panic time...frantic searches for available flights, trains and buses to mumbai...getting only 1 ticket on a bus when the requirement was two...and finally goin down to a nearby bus depot to get two tickets that were luckily available. We bid adieu to both of them and heard the next day that they had an uneventful journey apart from the minor inconvenience of travelling for more than 12 hrs in a bus.

Well, our return trip was not too eventful luckily and we got back safely and on time.

This year is certainly goin to be a memorable one considering the number of travel delays and other such things happening.

Wednesday September 6, 2006 - 11:32pm (IST)

Back in Town

2006-10-17T19:57:00.000+05:30

Well finally back from Chennai...and now writing this from home at BBSR...goin back to B'lore tomm.
There's this friend of mine who has sumthin abt him when he travels...getting into all sorts of adventures. Sometime back he had been to the exotic land of Goa...well what happened to him is a story in itself .
Recently when we planned to visit bbsr, somehow our tickets were booked on the same Air Sahara flight. Just a couple of weeks ago we were discussing about an experience of one of his cousins that the person had on the same airline.

And who would have thought that it would get worse. As it happened, the flight was delayed...Luckily I was put in another flight to kol...however, my friend who was in Hyd wasn't lucky enuff. He had a connecting train to catch at 2230hrs which he missed of course...his flight happened to reach kol at precisely that time...well thr was no other option but take a train the next day...an attempt to get on the last train at 2330hrs was also futile. I guess Murphy proves himself everytime when challenged. ;-)

But the trip back home was good...went back to campus again and it was great to be there again. Met quite a few friends. Though the rains are playing spoilsport, it wasn't reason enough for not going out.

Tuesday August 15, 2006 - 03:53pm (IST)

Comments(2 total)

Maloy:
I agree... Never imagined that things could get worse...
But the trip home was fun...

Friday August 18, 2006 - 10:13pm (IST)

Bivas:
so true...home sweet home. missing it already

Thursday September 7, 2006 - 05:01pm

Chronicles of CHN-BLR 2

2006-10-17T19:54:00.000+05:30

Well...almost 1.5 months have passed since I landed here...(yeah my stay has been extended and I'm stuck here for a few more weeks).

Ever had that feeling abt a place getting familiar to u and yet u dont seem to relate urself to that place. Chennai has made me sumthin like that...the daily routine of haggling with the autowallas...the lunch at the same dirty old Janatha Centre...the same cyber cafe(thank GOD for that though)...the same mount road...the same spencers plaza on the weekend...life is pretty boring n stagnant here.

Am goin home next week...that will be fun...really looking forward to that...it will be exactly 3 months to the date I land up there...12th may to 12th august.

Tuesday August 1, 2006 - 06:55pm (IST)

Chronicles of CHN-BLR

2006-10-17T19:53:00.000+05:30

It's nearing two months into my new job and well I thought about writing a bit about it.

Mid-May, I landed up at Bangalore (a city I do love, inspite of its heavy traffic) with my friend S (popularly know by his acute resemblance to a certain Mr.Reddy). Two days of fun n frolic with old friends from engineering days and then we went to the company guest house. I was sharing my room with S1(whom we also know as the Salim of Anarkali fame). He lived upto his prankster image by getting into one as soon as we entered the room. Called up S3 (A certain Mr.Nandlal) and started telling him all cock & Bull stories abt the joining date being postponed and that he has to vacate the room. One shud have seen S3's reaction when he was told abt this being a prank. Neway, the next day the joining formalities began after a wonderful poolside breakfast. First week went by too fast. Before we knew, it was time to say goodbye to the wonderful facilities at the corporate guest house.

May-last week. Reported at my office. No work for the first 3 weeks. Of course something to notice was that I bought my Bike. A 125CC mean machine(if I can say so...nuhin remotely mean abt it though ;) )

And then I get the mail...the big mail...it read simply, "Plan for travel to Chennai tonight. You are required there for 4-8 weeks." Imagine that. So sudden. I was initially in a state of shock. Of all places in the world, why Chennai. The heat, the humidity, the autowallas and above all NO HINDI. Managed to buy myself some time. Booked my tickets for the next day.

Chennai, Mid-June: Well, chennai turned out to be pretty much what I expected. The client office was worse...a typical Sarkari office. The relieving factor was that the guest house is really good and office is just 10mins by auto.

More to Come...

Sunday July 9, 2006 - 02:58pm (IST)

Leaving Tonite...May 10, 2006

2006-10-17T19:51:00.000+05:30

Well packing done and Thank God I had sent half my stuff earlier...seems I still have a lot of luggage...well a lot considering that I don't carry much luggage...only after I settle down at a place, i somehow seem to gather stuff every now n then. Neway, gotta make some social visits in the evening ...meet ppl I haven't met even in the past month and a half I've been home...how boring.
The train lvs at 3AM...what an unearthly hour...well not for me but certainly for my parents who will be seeing me off at the station.
A bit excited...anticipation and more anticipation...that's it!!!
Ciao.

Wednesday May 10, 2006 - 05:47pm (IST)

Entry for May 08, 2006

2006-10-17T19:50:00.000+05:30

Almost set to leave home. It's been a long month and a half...actually a little more than that...but it was fun...considering that by the time i woke up, half the day was already gone and it wud be noon.
Well, sent my comp thru courier today...hope it has a safe journey.
Now i feel the loss of something...no movies for two days...(the one's on tv are barely watchable). Still will have to manage. been reading posts of friends on their blogs and how they have been spending time after joining their respective companies. I must say it has been interesting knowing about that.
Maybe i'll post something on my induction program soon. The mail i received today revealed that 134 of us are joining the company. It sure is gonna be one heck of an induction ;)
Until next time...ciao :)

Monday May 8, 2006 - 09:15pm (IST)

Leaving Campus -March 19, 2006

2006-10-17T19:48:00.000+05:30

Didn't feel a thing all these days. Now that all formalities of an MBA is over, it suddenly dawns upon u that no more will there be the lectures where we enjoyed sleeping, no more will there be the tiring assignments, no more will there be the surprise quizzes, no more will thr be the pseudo block wars, no more will thr be the BBC(basketball court), no more will thr be the midnight bakar in front of the mess, no more trips to roadside dhabas at 3 in the night, no more winpop, no more JLT's, no more walks on the jhabier path...suddenly it all seems like a dream. As I pack my stuff and prepare to leave campus, it all comes back to me and now that I look back upon those days, those days at our very own Jhabier, I feel a sense of pride in being part of probably the most outstanding batch to have stepped foot on this campus.
Batch of 2006, luv u all and so long.
As a friend of mine always says, "The world is a very small place."

Sunday March 19, 2006 - 04:39pm (IST)

Holi

2006-10-17T19:45:00.000+05:30

Holi is probably one festival which is loved by one and all. Not only becoz of the colors and sweets but also the enthusiasm of people and the way everyone comes out on to one platform and forgetting everything they get soaked in colors.
Our last holi on campus was nuthin less than a color feast. Startin from 9 in the morning to noon, there was non stop color. People were exceptionally enthusiastic this holi, the 2nd Yr students the most. Probably the thought of leaving campus in 3 days time was a great motivator, coz those who normally wudn't have played were the most colored.
We sure are gonna have a colorful convocation, and as one friend put it, "We're gonna go out of campus with FLYING COLORS" ;)...bas flying hi baaki hai, baaki every1's faces are as colored as they can be.
The highlight of this years holi was definitely the Bhang. We had to go all the way to Kedargouri temple to get the stuff. And people sure did relish Mahadev's Prasad. Effects were visible in an hour.
All said and done, feels great to have experienced another great event on campus. This Holi sure is gonna be 'memorable'...and yes I did manage to spell that word properly this time. ;-)

Thursday March 16, 2006 - 09:22am (IST)

Moments...

2006-10-17T19:43:00.000+05:30

I don't know what it is with Me and Murphy. Somehow his law seems to follow me everywhere.

Jut yesterday it forced a poor cellphone of a friend to take a holy dip in the most exotic of indian dishes...SAMBAR ;) That too after a proper cleansing ritual with pure water from the cafe.

Well I'm sure the phone would never have received so much care from its owner after this particular incident and the culprits, me and the Virus, were miles away from the device. But the kind of fun we had laughing our heads off is unforgettable. There are very few moments one remembers for a long time. Times spent with friends...sharing your innermost secrets...all those pranks that one played...the list is endless. Am glad to add another such moment to the list of my cherished memories. These are the days...'The Best Days of My Life!'

Saturday February 11, 2006 - 11:07pm (IST)

What's Cooking?

2006-10-17T19:41:00.000+05:30

Love is in the air or so it seems. Is it the marriage season or is it the nearing of Valentine's day? Whatever it is, somethings happening all around. Friends are getting married, some are falling in love and some actually recovering from it. There are a few others who want to fall into that endless pit and then there are some who are letting it known to those who matter (namely the Mom's n Dad's) that they have already taken the plunge into that pit. Doesn't it seem strange that we say love is the pinnacle of happiness and yet you say that one FALLS in love?

All in all, people suddenly seem so vibrant and full of energy. Or is it that it has been like this always and just that I have been noticing things in a different light lately.

Somethings are better left as they are. Guess I won't think much about this tomorrow but for today it seems nice to see love all around.

Tuesday January 31, 2006 - 03:13am (IST)

My Webshots Pictures

2006-10-17T19:37:00.000+05:30

Link to my pictures page on webshots.

Sunday January 29, 2006 - 08:40pm (IST)

What Was That All About?

2006-10-17T19:33:00.000+05:30

Never before had it happened. And then one fine day something clicked inside. Deep within, there was this something you could not explain...it was pleasurable and yet so painful. U felt relief and anxiety at the same time...u cud feel joy n an unexplained sorrow at the same time and you felt secure and jealous both at the same time. What was this? You ask yourself, "Is this the famous 'Love at First Sight' ?"

A voice within says, that's nuthin...it will pass. But does it. No! It actually grows onto your psyche. You can't stay away any more.

You just have to make that mistake of going ahead and falling in love. It's not sumthin you can avoid. You have to experience it again and again in various forms, at various points of time throughout your life. You just need to realize it early enough.

After all, isn't life all about experiencing sumthin new each day!

Thursday January 26, 2006 - 12:34am (IST)

Comments(2 total)

divya:
here's hoping tht someday...u can say tht abt urself...:-)
B-E-A-U-tiful pic btw...

Wednesday January 25, 2006 - 11:31am (PST)

Maloy:
huh ??? and I was thinking for a micro-second that it was actually happening.. u know .. at first sight... great experience whenever it happens... all the best..

Thursday January 26, 2006 - 01:28am (IST)

JLT: My days and nights in the sunsaan campus

2006-10-17T19:30:00.000+05:30

People r returning back to campus after a much deserved break and it's good to see some lifeform moving around (apart from the four legged ones that are always around).

The last week I had been kept company by the 2 or 3 grasshoppers sitting on the mirror in the bathroom since ages i guess and the lizard living in some corner of my room and that which keeps on playing hide n seek.

Of course I thoroughly enjoyed the look on the security guards when they saw the light of my camera flash at 2 AM in the night on the roof top, the other day. I did manage to keep them guessing.

The heights of boredom has been such that I actually logged into online community sites like orkut n ringo and have been searching for old friends and aquaintances and sending invites.

Of course the thrill of downloading new software was some relief and I actually updated my software stash.

Let's c what unfolds in the next few weeks...planning some trips with friends...that will be fun.

Monday January 23, 2006 - 07:58pm (IST)

Endless Wait For The Train and a Train of Thoughts!!!

2006-10-17T19:28:00.000+05:30

It's 4AM. I am supposed to receive someone from the station. I am waiting for the train to arrive...Guess it's late byaround an hour. Ideally I should have been at the station right now but I am in my hostel room writing this piece. Was watching 'Bobby' after a long time; probably 17-18 yrs...don't even remember much of it. Was fun watching those aged actors in their prime. Younger than what we are right now. Had been thinking of the cold outside and the 4-5 kms I hv to ride the bike in that cold. But on second thoughts, it hasn't been so cold since Makar Sankranti. In any case, I will be goin in another half an hour or so and probably wait for the train to arrive.

P.S.: Am not an insomniac so if the above matter seems a bit foggy thats probably b'coz I'm somewhat groggy right now.

Wednesday January 18, 2006 - 04:12am (IST)

It Doesn't Get Sweeter Than This

2006-10-17T19:20:00.000+05:30

16th June 2004. A bunch of individuals stepped into the world of dreams. A place they chose over others. A place where they would spend probably the best two years of their lives. A place where they would make friendships to cherish for a lifetime. A place called XIMB.

07th January 2006. A batch showed its true colors. They were no longer just individuals. They became a force to recon with. Together they achieved what no one else had ever done before. The PGP batch of 2006 of XIMB achieved 100% placements on Day-1 of the placement week.

And today I feel proud to say that I am a part of that force.

How was it done and what went thru each persons mind is a story in itself and I can vouch for it that no words can put those thoughts into writing. But it remains a fact that no matter how difficult the times were sometimes, the jubiliation in the end was worth it all.

The one thought that comes to mind right now is "PGP 2006: We Did It!!!"

Sunday January 8, 2006 - 06:07pm (IST)

The Other Side of the Coin

2006-10-15T23:25:00.000+05:30

Nathuram Godse's Speech after he assassinated Gandhi:
---------------------------------------------------------

“On January 13, 1948, I learnt that Gandhiji had decided to go on fast unto death. The reason given was that he wanted an assurance of Hindu-Muslim Unity… But I and many others could easily see that the real motive… [was] to compel the Dominion Government to pay the sum of Rs 55 crores to Pakistan, the payment of which was emphatically refused by the Government…. But this decision of the people’s Government was reversed to suit the tune of Gandhiji’s fast. It was evident to my mind that the force of public opinion was nothing but a trifle when compared with the leanings of Gandhiji favourable to Pakistan.

….In 1946 or thereabout, Muslim atrocities perpetrated on Hindus under the Government patronage of Surhawardy in Noakhali made our blood boil. Our shame and indignation knew no bounds when we saw that Gandhiji had come forward to shield that very Surhawardy and began to style him as ‘Shaheed Saheb’ - a martyr - even in his prayer meetings…

….Gandhiji’s influence in the Congress first increased and then became supreme. His activities for public awakening were phenomenal in their intensity and were reinforced by the slogans of truth and non-violence which he ostentatiously paraded before the country… I could never conceive that an armed resistance to the aggressor is unjust…

… Ram killed Ravan in a tumultuous fight… Krishna killed Kansa to end his wickedness… In condemning Shivaji, Rana Pratap and Guru Govind as ‘misguided patriots,’ Gandhiji has merely exposed his self-conceit… Gandhiji was, paradoxically, a violent pacifist who brought untold calamities on the country in the name of truth and nonviolence, while Rana Pratap, Shivaji and the Guru will remain enshrined in the hearts of their countrymen forever…

….By 1919, Gandhiji had become desperate in his endeavours to get the Muslims to trust him and went from one absurd promise to another… He backed the Khilafat movement in this country and was able to enlist the full support of the National Congress in that policy… very soon the Moplah Rebellion showed that the Muslims had not the slightest idea of national unity… There followed a huge slaughter of Hindus… The British Government, entirely unmoved by the rebellion, suppressed it in a few months and left to Gandhiji the joy of his Hindu-Muslim Unity… British Imperialism emerged stronger, the Muslims became more fanatical, and the consequences were visited on the Hindus…

The accumulating provocation of 32 years, culminating in his last pro-Muslim fast, at last goaded me to the conclusion that the existence of Gandhiji should be brought to an end immediately… he developed a subjective mentality under which he alone was the final judge of what was right or wrong… Either Congress had to surrender its will to him and play second fiddle to all his eccentricity, whimsicality… or it had to carry on without him… He was the master brain guiding the civil disobedience movement… The movement may succeed or fail; it may bring untold disasters and political reverses, but that could make no difference to the Mahatma’s infallibility… These childish inanities and obstinacies, coupled with a most severe austerity of life, ceaseless work and lofty character, made Gandhiji formidable and irresistible… In a position of such absolute irresponsibility, Gandhiji was guilty of blunder after blunder…

….The Mahatma even supported the separation of Sindh from the Bombay Presidency and threw the Hindus of Sindh to the communal wolves. Numerous riots took place in Karachi, Sukkur, Shikarpur and other places in which the Hindus were the only sufferers…

….From August 1946 onwards, the private armies of the Muslim League began a massacre of the Hindus… Hindu blood began to flow from Bengal to Karachi with mild reactions in the Deccan… The Interim government formed in September was sabotaged by its Muslim League members, but the more they became disloyal and treasonable to the government of which they were
a part, the greater was Gandhi’s infatuation for them…

….The Congress, which had boasted of its nationalism and socialism, secretly accepted Pakistan and abjectly surrendered to Jinnah. India was vivisected and one-third of the Indian territory became foreign land to us… This is what Gandhiji had achieved after 30 years of undisputed dictatorship, and this is what Congress party calls ‘freedom’…

….One of the conditions imposed by Gandhiji for his breaking of the fast unto death related to the mosques in Delhi occupied by Hindu refugees. But when Hindus in Pakistan were subjected to violent attacks he did not so much as utter a single word to protest and censure the Pakistan government…

Gandhi is being referred to as the Father of the Nation. But if that is so, he had failed his paternal duty inasmuch as he has acted very treacherously to the nation by his consenting to the partitioning of it… The people of this country were eager and vehement in their opposition to Pakistan. But Gandhiji played false with the people…

….I shall be totally ruined, and the only thing I could expect from the people would be nothing but hatred… if I were to kill Gandhiji. But at the same time, I felt that Indian politics in the absence of Gandhiji would surely be proved practical, able to retaliate, and be powerful with armed forces. No doubt, my own future would be totally ruined, but the nation would be saved from the inroads of Pakistan…

….I do say that my shots were fired at the person whose policy and action had brought rack and ruin and destruction to millions of Hindus… There was no legal machinery by which such an offender could be brought to book, and for this reason I fired those fatal shots…

….I do not desire any mercy to be shown to me… I did fire shots at Gandhiji in open daylight. I did not make any attempt to run away; in fact I never entertained any idea of running away. I did not try to shoot myself… for, it was my ardent desire to give vent to my thoughts in an open Court. My confidence about the moral side of my action has not been shaken even by the criticism levelled of against it on all sides. I have no doubt, honest writers of history will weigh my act and find the true value thereof some day in future.”

Sunday December 4, 2005 - 12:34pm (IST)

Comments(1 total)
Verse:
worth a read

Sunday December 4, 2005 - 09:30pm (PST)

Came Across This Interesting List While Surfing The Net

2006-10-15T23:22:00.000+05:30

99 Secrets Girls Have To Know About Guys

1. Guys don’t actually look after good-looking girls. They prefer neat and presentable girls.

2. Guys hate flirts.

3. A guy can like you for a minute, and then forget you afterwards.

4. When a guy says he doesn’t understand you, it simply means you’re not thinking the way he is.

5. “Are you doing something?” or “Have you eaten already?” are the first usual questions a guy asks on the phone just to get out from stammering.

6. Guys may be flirting around all day but before they go to sleep, they always think about the girl they truly care about.

7. When a guy really likes you, he’ll disregard all your bad characteristics.

8. Guys go crazy over a girl’s smile.

9. Guys will do anything just to get the girl’s attention.

10. Guys hate it when you talk about your ex-boyfriend.

11. When guys want to meet your parents. Let them.

12. Guys want to tell you many things but they can’t. And they sure have one habit to gain courage and spirit to tell you many things and it is drinking!

13. Guys cry!!!

14. Don’t provoke (irritate) the guy to heat up. Believe me. He will.

15. Guys can never dream and hope too much.

16. Guys usually try hard to get the girl who has dumped them, and this makes it harder for them to accept their defeat.

17. When you touch a guy’s heart, there’s no turning back.

18. Giving a guy a hanging message like “You know what?!..uh…never mind!” would make him jump to a conclusion that is far from what you are thinking.

19. Guys go crazy when girls touch their hands.

20. Guys are good flatterers when courting but they usually stammer when they talk to a girl they really like.

21. When a guy makes a prolonged “umm” or makes any excuses when you’re asking him to do you a favor, he’s actually saying that he doesn’t like you and he can’t lay down the card for you.

22. When a girl says “no”, a guy hears it as “try again tomorrow.”

23. You have to tell a guy what you really want before he gets the message clearly.

24. Guys hate gays!

25. Guys love their moms.

26. A guy would sacrifice his money for lunch just to get you a couple of roses.

27. A guy often thinks about the girl who likes him. But this doesn’t mean that the guy likes her.

28. You can never understand him unless you listen to him.

29. If a guy tells you he loves you once in a lifetime. He does.

30. Beware. Guys can make gossips scatter through half of the face of the earth faster than girls can.

31. Like Eve, girls are guys’ weaknesses.

32. Guys are very open about themselves.

33. It’s good to test a guy first before you believe him. But don’t let him wait that long.

34. No guy is bad when he is courting.

35. Guys hate it when their clothes get dirty. Even a small dot.

36. Guys really admire girls that they like even if they’re not that much pretty.

37. Your best friend, whom your boyfriend seeks help from about his problems with you may end up being admired by your boyfriend.

38. If a guy tells you about his problems, he just needs someone to listen to him. You don’t need to give advice.

39. A usual act that proves that the guy likes you is when he teases you.

40. A guy finds ways to keep you off from linking with someone else.

41. Guys love girls with brains more than girls in miniskirts.

42. Guys try to find the stuffed toy a girl wants but would unluckily get the wrong one.

43. Guys virtually brag about anything.

44. Guys cannot keep secrets that girls tell them.

45. Guys think too much.

46. Guys’ fantasies are unlimited.

47. Girls’ height doesn’t really matter to a guy but her weight does!

48. Guys tend to get serious with their relationship and become too possessive. So watch out girls!!!

49. When a girl makes the boy suffer during courtship, it would be hard for him to let go of that girl.

50. It’s not easy for a guy to let go of his girlfriend after they broke up especially when they’ve been together for 3 years or more.

51. You have to tell a guy what you really want before getting involved with that guy.

52. A guy has to experience rejection, because if he’s too-good-never-been-busted, never been in love and hurt, he won’t be matured and grow up.

53. When an unlikable circumstance comes, guys blame themselves a lot more than girls do. They could even hurt themselves physically.

54. Guys have strong passion to change but have weak will power.

55. Guys are tigers in their peer groups but become tamed pussycats with their girlfriends.

56. When a guy pretends to be calm, check if he’s sweating. You’ll probably see that he is nervous.

57. When a guy says he is going crazy about the girl. He really is.

58. When a guy asks you to leave him alone, he’s just actually saying,”Please come and listen to me”

59. Guys don’t really have final decisions.

60. When a guy loves you, bring out the best in him.

61. If a guy starts to talk seriously, listen to him.

62. If a guy has been kept shut or silent, say something.

63. Guys believe that there’s no such thing as love at first sight, but court the girls anyway and then realize at the end that he is wrong.

64. Guys like femininity not feebleness.*

65. Guys don’t like girls who punch harder than they do.

66. A guy may instantly know if the girl likes him but can never be sure unless the girl tells him.

67. A guy would waste his time over video games and basketball, the way a girl would do over her romance novels and make-ups.

68. Guys love girls who can cook or bake.

69. Guys like girls who are like their moms. No kidding!

70. A guy has more problems than you can see with your naked eyes.

71. A guy’s friend knows everything about him. Use this to your advantage.

72. Don’t be a snob. Guys may easily give up on the first sign of rejection.

73. Don’t be biased. Try loving a guy without prejudice and you’ll be surprised.

74. Girls who bathe in their eau de perfumes do more repelling than attracting guys.

75. Guys are more talkative than girls are especially when the topic is about girls.

76. Guys don’t comprehend the statement “Get lost” too well.

77. Guys really think that girls are strange and have unpredictable decisions but still love them more.

78. When a guy gives a crooked or pretentious grin at your jokes, he finds them offending and he just tried to be polite.

79. Guys don’t care about how shiny their shoes are unlike girls.

80. Guys tend to generalize about girls but once they get to know them,they’ll realize they’re wrong.

81. Any guy can handle his problems all by his own. He’s just too stubborn to deal with it.

82. Guys find it so objectionable when a girl swears.

83. Guys’ weakest point is at the knee.

84. When a problem arises, a guy usually keeps himself cool but is already thinking of a way out.

85. When a guy is conscious of his looks, it shows he is not good at fixing things.

86. When a guy looks at you, either he’s amazed of you or he’s criticizing you.

87. When you catch him cheating on you and he asks for a second chance,give it to him. But when you catch him again and he asks for another chance,ignore him.

88. If a guy lets you go, he really loves you.

89. If you have a boyfriend, and your boy best friend always glances at u and it obviously shows that he is jealous whenever you’re with your boyfriend, all I can say is your boy best friend loves you more than your boyfriend does.

90. Guys learn from experience not from the romance books that girls read and take as their basis of experience.

91. You can tell if a guy is really hurt or in pain when he cries in front of you!

92. If a guy suddenly asks you for a date, ask him first why.

93. When a guy says he can’t sleep if he doesn’t hear your voice even just for one night, hang up. He also tells that to another girl. He only flatters you and sometimes makes fun of you.

94. You can truly say that a guy has good intentions if you see him praying sometimes.

95. Guys seek for advice not from a guy but from a girl.

96. Girls are allowed to touch boys’ things. Not their hair!

97. If a guy says you’re beautiful, that guy likes you.

98. Guys hate girls who overreact.

99. Guys love you more than you love them if they are serious in your relationships.

Sunday November 27, 2005 - 01:54pm (IST)

Summer of '69

2006-10-15T23:20:00.000+05:30

I got my first real six-string
Bought it at the five-and-dime
Played it till my fingers bled
It was the summer of '69

Me and some guys from school
Had a band and we tried real hard
Jimmy quit and Jody got married
I shoulda known we'd never get far

Oh when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Ya - I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life

Ain't no use in complainin'
When you got a job to do
Spent my evenin's down at the drive-in
And that's when I met you

Standin' on your mama's porch
You told me that you'd wait forever
Oh and when you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life

Back in the summer of '69

Man we were killin' time
We were young and restless
We needed to unwind
I guess nothin' can last forever - forever, no

And now the times are changin'
Look at everything that's come and gone
Sometimes when I play that old six-string
I think about ya wonder what went wrong

Standin' on your mama's porch
You told me it would last forever
Oh the way you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life

Back in the summer of '69
--------------------------------------------

-Bryan Adams

Thursday November 17, 2005 - 05:28pm (IST)

"Love Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry"

2006-10-15T23:17:00.000+05:30

Not everyone's a Jenny, and not everyone is Oliver.

Jennifer: How can one be so selfless and sensible yet fun loving, strong and someone with an amazing sense of humour? That was Jenny. One in a million. Does the guy up there still make 'em like that? I bet the stock is limited. U won't find too many of them. But my friend, if u do, don't let go ever.

Oliver: The sensitive guy with strong will power and determination And a temper. Does it not hurt most of the time. But then, some people are made differently. People may hate Oliver for his stupid behaviour on most occassions, but he sure is adorable. U still got to adore his fighting spirit.

Thursday November 17, 2005 - 05:20pm (IST)

Words: Boyzone

2006-10-15T23:15:00.000+05:30

smile an ever lasting smile
a smile can bring you near to me
don't ever let me find you gone
'cause that would bring a tear to me
this world has lost its glory
let's start a brand new story
now my love
you think that I don't even mean
a single word I say

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

talk in ever lasting words
and dedicate them all to me
and I will give you all my life
i'm here if you should call to me
you think that I don't even mean
a single word I say

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

this world has lost its glory
let's start a brand new story
now my love
you think that I don't even mean
a single word I say

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

Sunday November 13, 2005 - 10:51pm (IST)

Veer Pratap Singh Speaks...

2006-10-15T23:13:00.000+05:30

Main Qaidi Number 'Saat Sau Chhiyasi'
Jail Ki Salakhon Ke Bahar Dekhta Hoon,
Din Mahine Saalon Ko Yug Mein Badalte Dekhta Hoon,

Is Mitti Se Mere Bauji Ke Kheton Ki Khushboo Aati Hai,
Yeh Dhoop Meri Maati Ki Thandi Chaas Yaad Dilati Hai,
Yeh Baarish Mere Saawan Ke Jhoolon Ko Sang Sang Laati Hai,
Yeh Sardi Meri Lohri Ke Aag Sek Kar Jaati Hai,

Woh Kehte Hain Yeh Tera Desh Nahin
Phir Kyon Mere Desh Jaisa Lagta Hai,
Woh Kehta Hai Main Us Jaisa Nahin
Phir Kyon Mujh Jaisa Lagta Hai

Main Qaidi Number ‘Saat Sau Chhiyasi’
Jail Ki Salakhon Se Bahar Dekhta Hoon
Sapno Ke Gaon Se Utri
Ek Nanhi Pari Ko Dekh Ta Hoon
Kehti Hai Khud Ko Saamiya Aur Mujh Ko Veer Bulati Hai
Hai Bilkul Begani Paar Apno Si Zid Woh Karti Hai
Uski Sachhi Baaton Se Phir Jeene Ko Mann Karta Hai
Uske Kaasmon Vado Se Kuch Karne Ko Mann Karta Hai

Main Qaidi Number ‘Saat Sau Chhiyasi’
Jail Ki Salakhon Se Bahar Dekh Ta Hoon
Mere Gaon Ke Raango Main Lipti Ek Nayi Zaara Ko Dekhta Hoon
Mere Khwabon Ko Pura Karte
Khud Ke Khwab Bhool Chuki Hai Woh
Mere Logon Ki Sewa Karte
Apne Logon Ko Chhod Chuki Hai Woh
Uska Daaman Ab Khushiyon Se Bharne Ko Jee Karta Hai
Uske Liye Ek Aur Zindagi Jeene Ko Jee Karta Hai

Woh Kehte Hain Ke Main, Mera Desh Uska Nahi
Phir Kyun Mere Ghar Woh Rehti Hai
Woh Kehte Hai Ke Main Us Jaisa Nahi
Phir Kyun Mujh Jaisi Woh Lagti Hai

Main Qaidi Number ‘Saat Sau Chhiyasi’
Jail Ki Salakhon Se Bahar Dekh Ta Hoon
Woh Kehte Hai Ki Woh Koi Nahi Teri
Phir Kyun Mere Liye Duniya Se Woh Ladti Hai
Woh Kehte Hain Ke Main Us Jaisa Nahi
Phir Kyun Mujh Jaisi Woh Lagti Hai

------------------------------------------------------
From The Movie 'Veer Zaara'

Saturday November 12, 2005 - 05:17pm (IST)

Maut Tu Ek Kavita Hai...

2006-10-15T23:06:00.000+05:30

This is one of those poems which strikes a direct chord in your heart.It's from the movie 'Anand', one of my all time favorites.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Maut tu ek kavita hai
Mujhse ek kavita ka vaada hai, milegi mujhse
Doobti nafson mein jab dard ko neend aane lage,
zard sa chehra liye chaand ufaq tak pahunche
Din Abhi Paani mein ho, Raat kinaare ke kareeb
Na Andhera Na ujaala, Na Aandhi, Raat na Din,
Jism jab khatm ho aur rooh ko saans aane lage
Mujhse ek kavita ka vaada hai, milegi mujhse
Maut tu ek kavita hai
------------------------------------------------------

Thursday November 10, 2005 - 05:33pm (IST)

Comments(2 total)
Maloy:
yaar kavita to itni acchi thi.. tu usko MAUT kyun bana raha hai ?? Bechari sunegi to kitna dukh hoga usko ???

Friday November 11, 2005 - 12:31pm (IST)

Bivas:
Hmmm...never looked at it from that angle :P
But look at it this way, The poem says 'Maut Tu Ek Kavita hai' which implies Maut bhi Kavita ban jaati hai n not vice versa ;)

Friday November 11, 2005 - 07:13pm (IST)

Just a thought...

2006-10-15T22:59:00.000+05:30

What's the best thing that has ever happened to you?
Topping the class? Winning a race? Some incident with your friends?

Well I believe that the best thing to have happened to me was living away from home. To some this may sound crazy while to others this may seem very logical. It's not about the freedom u get or the carefree lifestyle. It's not about meeting new people and making new friends either. These are things we can get even otherwise.

However, the reason I believe in is that it takes you closer to home. You realize the warmth and closeness of home. You begin to appreciate the care and love showered on you at home. All in all, you begin to realize the importance of a family. To me that happiness is something unparallelled and is the ultimate truth. Rest all is meaningless.

If you haven't felt it yet, trust me you will soon! :)

Thursday November 10, 2005 - 05:08pm (IST)

Pressure Cooker!!!

2006-10-15T18:57:00.000+05:30

Yesterday we went out for Puja darshan in the Pandal's of BBSR in a pressure cooker.

Before u think that I've lost my mind, read on and u will know why ;-)

Well, we started off at around 6.30 from our hostel, 5 of us, in my Merc...(well actually the canary yellow Zen: Yes, it actually is canary yellow and it's not funny so control ur laughter)...so we went to the Nayapalli Pandal where nuthin unusual happened other than Debi introducing Atul to 'Thonga-Puri'. God only knows how he could spot the stall from so far, especially when the stall was in one corner of the field...but then that's our dear Danu...food is never far for a focussed guy :P.

Our next stoppage was the Shahidnagar Pandal...here we had a ride in the Giant Wheel...though for some strange reason, Nauti preferred to feel the ground beneath his feet and chose to keep an eye on us from below. The pandals were all beautifully decorated and after seeing the two biggest Pujas in the city we longed for more. We moved on to Master Canteen, mainly to have the Gol-Gappa's in front of Lalchand...I tell u, they were a treat...though a bit too spicy. We decided to move on and our next visit was to Lingaraj temple...the jalebi shops along lake Bindusagar were not missed by Debi as expected ;-).

From there we decided to go to Cuttack road (biggest mistake probably). The road was congested like hell and driving the car in 2nd gear was bound to have a toll on the poor little gaddi. After driving for around 2 kms, suddenly we saw the bonnet releasing steam, just like a pressure cooker does.

It sure was funny driving a steam engine on a road with heavy traffic. Upon checking out we found that the coolant was boiling hot and a lot of steam had to be released from the radiator of the engine...well, it took us around 20 mins to get things under control and cool the engine to acceptable limits; a few curious onlookers, some self proclaimed car mechanics (passerby's actually) and some sympathizer's were a couple of people we met during this episode.

Nevertheless, it was fun driving a steam engine powered car. Probably I will never want to drive a train again, even if the thought ever enters my mind.

Great Darshan I must say...boy what fun...and we are off to see the Cuttack Pandals in another 30 mins...till then...cheerio!!!

Thursday October 13, 2005 - 02:47pm (IST)

Chhuttiyan...

2006-10-15T18:55:00.000+05:30

Another great event getting over...probably the biggest and the best organized so far...If u have not guessed it yet...well I'm talking abt Xpressions2005.

So much planning, so much of running arnd...the joys and sorrows...some confirmations, some last minute cancellations...the ecstacy, the frustration...yeh sab kahaan milta hai...will sure miss this experience a lot.

And to conclude the function, a grand JLT...the longest ever...went on till 6.30AM...what fun...

Now when the vacations have set in, it gives a wonderful sense of achievement. Ab yaar, yeh chhuttiyan jaldi khatam ho to mazaa aaye...4-5 days of vacations are enuff i guess...lambi ho to bahut bore ho jaata hai insaan...am sure u all wud agree wid me on this.

Chalo, until next time...ciao.

Monday October 10, 2005 - 03:23pm (IST)

Entry for September 16, 2005

2006-10-15T18:51:00.000+05:30

What clicks and what doesn't? You are in a great mood...a great beginning to a great day, and suddenly something happens to ruin it all for you. Ever felt like that. I'm sure you would have.

Ever wondered why? One reason I can think of is that nothing's perfect. People change, situations change and so do we.

Something similar has been happening lately. Nothing seems to be goin rite. people don't complete their work in time and lv it unfinished. No value for time. And to top it all, I have to deal with some stupid mistake someone else did. Guess I have to give credit to Mr.Murphy yet again.

Btw, I went for a movie to that same hall for the same night show today again. Luckily Murphy spared us this time. Probably he did realize that this poor soul has had too much already. :-)

Saturday September 17, 2005 - 02:11am (IST)

Comments(1 total):

Abhishek

Life is like that.....old man.....a tale of twists n turns. You are lucky to have just a day like that....think of ppl who have spent months n years in this tide. No gyan intended, as i'm a small person to say these big words.....but though.....:-D
Friday September 16, 2005 - 02:37pm (PDT)

Kabhi kabhi Mere Dil Mein Khayal Aata Hai...

2006-10-15T18:46:00.000+05:30

Endterm exams going on...and I had been perfectly happy till 6.30PM today...7 papers, went without any tension...and when it was least expected, I was actually a bit worried b4 this particular paper...It does happen sometimes...and I believe 'twas a good thing to hv happened...kam se kam abhi woh pehli waali feeling to aa rahi hai when one actually felt like studying...
That's y when someone says ki "Tension Lene kaa Nahin,Dene Kaa"...well dude, believe me, sometimes a bit of pressure on the mind is necessary to get u going...Try it for a change.
Not in a Gyan baantofying mood today but can't help it...got ne Garfield comic strips to cheer up the mood?????

Sunday September 11, 2005 - 11:43pm (IST)
Comments:

divya

You want cheering up...??...y garfield....hum hain na...after all...thts wat friends r for....rite???...:)
Sunday September 11, 2005 - 01:01pm (PDT)