प्रिय मीरास...

दिए जलते हैं!

Ok! Here I'm on A long drive post dinner with wifey. And the radio plays it!
n it sure has enough ammo in it to make Anky post this past midnight!
To the college days, n To all the "dosts"...here it goes!

दिए जलते हैं, फूल खिलते हैं
बड़ी मुश्किल से मगर दुनिया में दोस्त मिलते हैं
दिए जलते हैं...

जब जिस वक़्त किसिका यार जुदा होता है
कुछ ना पूछो यारों दिल का
हाल बुरा होता हैं
दिल पे यादों के जैसे तीर चलते हैं...
दिए जलते हैं...

इस रंग रूप पे देखो, हरगिज़ नाज़ न करना
जान भी मांगे यार तो दे देना
नाराज़ ना करना
रंग उड़ जाते हैं रूप ढलते हैं ...
दिए जलते हैं...

दौलत और जवानी एक दिन खो जाती हैं
सच कहता हूँ सारी दुनिया दुश्मन हो जाती हैं
उम्र भर दोस्त लेकिन साथ चलते हैं...
दिए जलते है...

I'm sure the frequenters at our SaurabhColonyAmravati-room will definitely relate to this!

Song of the moment : (Well, it has has to be -) Diye jalte hai - Kishore Kumar

i remain.

Crich'tonic'!

Michael Crichton, famous author of 'Jurassic Park' and many other sci-fi novels, is no more.

During college days, my foray into reading English novels started with Crichton's riveting stories.
Those were the days when Crichton's-Archer's (should I say Sheldon's as well) novels, Bryan Adams'-BSB's-Celine Dion's albums were 'must-haves'.
I'm sure many folks of that era ( :) ) will swear by this!

Though replete with scientific jargon, his novels had no dearth of entertainment, thrill and drama. What I liked most about them was the detailing that he used to put in. Everything used to sound very well researched. The story-telling part was impeccable.
Overall, it used to be thoroughly enjoyable experience.

So Michael, million thanks for these -

• Jurassic Park
• Disclosure
• State of Fear
• Congo
• Timeline
• Sphere
• The Andromeda Strain
• The Lost World
• The Train robbery

...and many more.

May your soul rest in peace.

Song of the moment : जाईन विचारीत रानफुला - किशोरी आमोणकर

i remain.

(P.S. - btw, my 'Airframe' and 'Jurassic Park' are missing, whosoever has them, kindly return.)

Cricket(no more a)Mania?

So finally Saurav Ganguly, one of the India's fab-four, has called it quits!

And this is the most spotlight-hogging news from cricket since a long time.
Blame it on Twenty-20, perhaps, or even on the overdose of cricket, but really the interest is dwindling and that too at an alarming speed.
There were no takers for the Eng-NZ series, not many for Irani trophy, and certainly any for the tour game Aussies played.
India-SL tour was a dud (offcourse world found a new dude in Ajantha Mendis on that one)
Even the high-profile India-Aussies series has not created that much an hoopla as expected.

So is cricket's popularity on a decline? I should say 20-20 looks the flavor of the season and its fan-base is ever increasing It has even converted many 'huh-I-don't-like-that-stupid-game' types to neo-followers. Test cricket is still alluring. Infact due to increased no of non-drawn tests, its growing healthily.
ODIs seem to be the ones who have a major beating due to 20-20. Somehow 50 overs just sound just too long and boring. The strategies and approach, insipid.

One more reason I think why its getting boring is its just too skewed in favor of batsmen.
Bowlers are being mauled. 300 on any pitch seems normal. I wish the parity returns somehow and we might again get to see nail-biting contests between batsmen and bowlers.

So can the series starting from 9th get me glued back to my TV...lets wait n watch!

Song of the moment : Tum ho To - Rock On

i remain.

Jinhe naaz hai Hind par...

October 2005: Three bombs placed in busy New Delhi markets a day before Diwali kill 62 people and injured hundreds.
March 2006: Twin bombings at a train station and a temple in Varanasi kill 20 people.
July 2006: Seven bombs on Mumbai's trains kill over 200 and injure 700 others.
September 2006: 30 dead and 100 hurt in twin blasts at a mosque in Malegaon.
May 2007: A bomb at Mecca mosque in Hyderabad kills 11 people.
August 2007: 30 dead, 60 hurt in Hyderabad 'terror' strike.
October 2007: 2 killed in a blast inside Ajmer Sharif shrine during Ramadan, in Rajasthan.
November 2007: 15 people killed in seven well-synchronised explosions near court premises in three cities of Uttar Pradesh -- Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad.
January 2008: Terrorist attack on CRPF camp in Rampur kills eight.
May 2008: Eight serial blasts rock Jaipur in a span of 12 minutes leaving 65 dead and over 150 injured.
July 25, 2008: Seven blasts strike the IT city of Bangalore killing at least two people and wounding at least 20.
July 26, 2008: Serial blasts in Ahmedabad kill close to 45 and injure over 100
and...
September 14, 2008 : Serial blasts rock New Delhi; 30 dead, 90 injured.

YET another blasts series.
But It has become such a commonality that we have really ceased to feel anything about it. Our sensitivity is numbed. मेरा भारत महान? I hate to say, but sorry, its hard to buy it anymore. Which self-respecting, proud country in world would have, after such brutal, agonizingly regular assaults, done nothing except mouthing big hollow words about 'severely punishing the terrorists'? Is the government pusillanimous or plainly ignorant, insensitive ? Are we a nation of cowards?

Delhi will now experience stringent-est security for a week or so. An then as we say in Marathi, again it will be 'ये रे माझ्या मागल्या'. No lessons learnt. No long term plan to combat the terror in a systematic manner. No proper investigation, no analysis. And if luckily they find some culprits, we'll always have the so called human rights watchers to save them.

Even WE are to blame. We have developed a very very dangerous 'I don't care' attitude. Unless n until we ourselves are at the receiving end, we won't do anything. If somebody gets hit, n is lying in the middle of the road in a pool of blood, we just pass by expecting that somebody else will help.

We need to wake up. n wake up real soon before a day comes when there's no tomorrow.

Song of the moment : गंजल्या ओठास माझ्या - ऊम्बरठा


i remain.

औगस्ट सप्टेंबर वार्ता!

हा म्हणजे निरा सणाईचा काळ. वेगवेगळ्या देवाईले पुजणे, भरपूर ( पण शाकाहारी ...म्हनजे आप्लं व्हेज हो! ) खाणे अन् श्रावणाच्या निसर्गातील लीलाईचा आनंद लुटणे.

ह्या काळातील अजुन एक अतिशय महत्वाची घटना म्हनजे एका महान मनुष्याचा जन्मदिन!( महान असे फ़क्त अस्मादिकांचे मत, जनतेले ते अजुनही पुरेसं पटलेलं दिसत न्हाई. असो.) त जन्मदिन म्हणजेच बर्डे, तो यंदा लै धुमधडाक्यात साजरा झाला. धूमधडाका अशासाठी म्हणुन की नवी-कोरी-चकचकीत चार-चाकी घरी आली. Maruti Swift. (WagonR अन् Santro च्या भांडणात स्विफ्ट ची फावली.) लै वर्षाईचं एक स्वप्न पूर्ण झालं.

यंदा गणपतीचे येणे-जाणे पण मग Swift मधून झाले. बंगलोर मधे असताना बिचारे शेंगदाण्या-साखरे वर असायचे. आता thanks to मीरा, दीड दिवस मस्त मोदकाची treat असते. त्यामुळे गणपती अन् आमचं बी पोट थोडं जास्तच सुटायला लागलं आहे. बाप्पाला आणताना "गणपती बाप्पा मोरया" च्या गजराचा आनंद न्याराच, पण "पुढल्या वर्षी लवकर या " म्हणतांना मात्र जीवाची घालमेल होउन जाते!

तसच महालक्ष्मींचं. आजीकडे अकोल्याला माहौल असतो. गौरींच्या चेहर्यावरचं तेज, धूपा-दीपाचं अत्यंत प्रसन्न वातावरण, बच्च्या-बुच्च्यांची किलबील, अन् त्यात कोह्ळ्याच्या भाजीची अन् आम्बिलिची पंगत, अलभ्य-लाभ!

तं असं आहे सगळं. बाकी सर्व क्षेम-कल्याण.

Song of the momemt - Jinhe naaz hai - Rabbi

i remain.

badabing badabang badaboom!

Release activities got over...heard someone uttering something like blog blog....and hence after such a looooong deeeeeep slumber....here I am! Dunno whether the Kumbhakarna in me will take over again...but heck, why to worry about it just now?

Anks and Meera are doing great.(Well, i really can say that that other name there gives me hundred other reasons that keeps/kept me away from this Ankybabble's babble ;)
What an excuse, Sirjee!).

Life mast chalrela hai.
"kadhi tine manoram rusNe,
rusNyaat ugeech te hasNe,
hasNe, rusNe, rusNe, hasNe..."
Well, the time just flies!

Pune waarta...well, rains are here and so are the PMC's so called beautification projects. The result can ONLY be a big mess and it indeed is. CYG deadlines are giving PMC some real sleepless nights and PMC is passing the bucks to us!
Rest, its the season of outings and weekend gateways are calling big time! PK, PM, AG....jaago! (how I wish Apps, Viks n Sen were here!)

what else...plukch...umm...naah! Enuf for now.
Be right back...well, atleast hoping so.

Song of the moment : Hamsadhwani (vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje) - M.S. Subbalakshmi.

i remain.

Comatose...!

Song of the moment : Hum Tum se na kuch keh paaye - Jiddi

i remain.

Such is life!

Some things are so labyrinthine, that they leave you dumbfound!
So what business on a pre-Dashera evening, would have otherwise taken me to our Gujju neighbors, who stay at flat opposite to ours (i.e. ManiBhushan's, where i stayed for last 7-8 months as kind of a paying guest and now shifting/shifted to my own flat)!

Well, the background is something like this. My roommie goes to his hometown, takes along the only cell-charger we have!
After a day, my cell starts dying, I rush to the Gujju, borrow his charger.
Evening i go to them again to return it, n even before i reach their door, i hear a sound "Click"!
I stand there flabbergasted. It takes me a couple of minutes to realize that i'm in a deep-s**t! The wind has played its part to perfection n closed my door. Now i don't have my cell phone with me, nor the wallet n not even the bike-keys!

By the time Gujju-bhabhi opens her door, i explain her the situation n miyan-biwi both start laughing aloud. "Aa jao andar, apne dusre padosi bhi yahi hai, our isi wajah se yaha hai".
What a co-incidence! I get a partner in agony!
n I suddenly realize that chances are fast closing out on me! This North-Indian couple stays at adjacent flat n our terrace is divided by a small parapet like wall! I could have easily jumped from there into my terrace (which was so luckily open) and that would have saved me the woes.
That wasn't going to be the case.

Well, these modern chawls called as apartments, sometimes their shortcomings can really come handy. So what i do next is go to the flat exactly above ours, ask the guy if i can use his window.
Now his window opens in my terrace (separated offcourse by 2-floors height!). It's raining outside n jumping into my terrace can really be dangerous!
But do i really have a choice? The moment i start climbing his window, power goes off! This is certainly not your day, buddy!

After 15 min, power comes back n Anks stunting in a true EthanHawke-style, manages to get down into the terrace, safe n intact!

Phew! the first thing i do is put the key in my pocket!
Now things are simpler from here(well well well, its not end...don't I need to help my partners, they are still stranded.) After another half n hour or so of toil, we all are sitting in their house, sipping a contented (or relieved :) ) cup of tea!

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

After coming to Pune in January, a lots of water has flowed under the bridge( some crazy mind once paraphrased it as - lots of gas has been farted out!).
My flat got completed, parents came over n we did a GruhPravesh on GaneshChaturthi in presence of close friends n relatives.
So untill i find a room-partner (or my parents find a life-partner for me, which they are raring to to have a go at), i'll be staying alone there.
Dashera came n went, nothing special. I miss all the fun we used to have at Akola. Big cities are quite boring in this regard. Well atleast there was RavanDahan event near our society in Balewadi.














Well, writing after a loooong time n feeling very good about it! I hope it continues!

Song of the moment : Kaha tak ye man ko - Baaton Baaton me

i remain.

Chai-Puraan!

One whole day without tea!

I still can't believe, but i did it! It will also be hard to digest for the people who know me well, n my mom would definitely shrug it off as a blatant lie of her 'piakkad' son!

I really can't remember one such similar instance after I started having it eons back! From then, this habit as we say in Marathi, 'pisvyasaarkhi chikatli aahe' (it has stuck like a leech!). n no, i don't have its addiction, i do coz i just love it very very much!

So who makes a great cuppa tea! Mom the best, Didi n cousin Renu. Amongst frnz - Sushant, Gatz, Sen, Shilpa-Priti-Sheetal(all extremely good cooks, so no marks for guessing here). Titu tries his best, Bunty is all about quantity :D, ManiB makes it in Bihari style!

Places : tea-stall near Rly Stn, Akola. Balya's tapari, Kathora naka, Amravati. Vasu's bakery, Blore. Amrut-tulya, Pune. While travelling in train, any vendor!

Places to avoid : All big restaurants, Kamat'h' hotels, vending machines, tea-bags.


What works best for me?
-> 2/3rd cup milk n 1/3rd water
-> just a lil' more than a tea-spoon of sugar
-> 1 tsp tea (no fuss about the brand, but granular variety is better than the dust)
-> lil' ginger, one cardamom, 2-3 tulsi leaves(if available).
-> boil it slowly till your satisfaction!

So guys, in celebration of my one day tea-celibacy, here I go - a hot, steaming, exotic cup of joy!

Song of the moment : Judas Priest - Beyond the realms of death

i remain.

Songs that have caught my ear!

So here are some songs which have lingered there on my playlist more than any else in last few days.
Normally i'm quite skeptical about new bollywood music. Most of the songs are pathetic and it generally boils down to 'search-download-listen-get disappointed'. Its a big wastage of time, resources n tests your patience sometimes. So its better to hook on to the tried and tested ones. But somehow got hold of quite some new songs and voila. Read on.

Soniye - Aksar / KK / Himesh Reshmaiyya
Very peppy, very hummable. Makes you tap your foot instantly n intently. KK has been one of my favorites right from his 'Aap ki dua' days. He scores yet again here. And as much as i hate Himesh Reshmaiyya, i must admit that his music is really good(just want him spare me from having to see his morose face in his videos.)

Yeh Khuda - Fight Club / KK / Preetam
The song starts amazingly with a female crooning distantly. Literally grabs your attention. The simple keyboard piece interspersed is also too good. And then KK (once again) takes full control. There's something about this song that makes you put it in repeat mode n listen again and again.
The lyrics are banal rap is quite juvenile. But the music is awesome.

Bolo na tum Jara - Fight Club / Shaan n Shreya Ghoshal / Preetam
Beautiful. Romantic. Soothing.
Arguabally the best song in current lot. In those hopeless times of Reshmaiyya's nasal whining, this one comes along as a nice surprize. Leaves a lasting impression.

Meter Down - Taxi no 9211 / Adnan Sami / Vishal-Shekhar
Supercool. Fundoo foot tapping number with shreds of genius. Look out for Sami's 'Give me some holdings', the following trumpet piece and the ladies crooning 'la-la ra-la ra-la la-la ra-la la'!!!

ummm....m lovin' it!

Song of the moment : Say a little Prayer - My Best Friends wedding

i remain.

One of those crazy times!

A queer village. The trek had indeed been tiring.
Pitch dark night. Yesterday's rain has brought along some chilling cold as well.
Anky's normally a sound sleeper(momma says once slept, he wouldn't get up even in an earthquake) .
But there's something happening outside.
Some activity. Something bizarre.
He gets up out of his bed. Friends are sleeping calmly. Goes outside.
Tens of people...looking all dumbstruck. Can't see much, can't make anything.
Suddenly sees a familiar face, yes she's SHE.
His one time crush. Had last met her years ago.
Standing alone. Befuddled, still calm...cherubic as ever.
They start talking. As if between them things are as cozy as yesterday.
Looks like she's feeling dizzy. He takes her inside. Helps her lie down on bed.
Watches her feet, has lots of hair...was she like that then as well?
Where are his other friends, had they not slept besides him? Crazy.
He too lies on another bed.
"So any kids?" He asks.
"One. Aborted it just now".
He sees her blood-filled hands...s**t...how the hell had he not noticed it before!
"Husband?" Did he mutter it loud enuf?...she points her blood-stained finger towards the corner in room.
Same place where he had put his ruksack, he sees two gory heads...without any bodies...blood sputtering incessantly like jets in all directions. Grotesque.
Desperately tries to shout aloud...but something is stiffling his voice.
Looks at her...Blood's coming off her eyes...or are they tears...she's got up staring at him...sanguinely serene...frighteningly calm.
He tries to put the bedsheet away...but he's choking...not able to speak...not able to move...
One last try to shout from guts. Fails miserably. Gives up...tries to get up in frustration.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Sits up in bed...Wipes the sweat droplets.
Obscure indeed...such a wild, crazy dream...it takes him seconds...which feel like hours...to realize that.
He's still restless...Roommie is blissfully unaware of his plight, snoring slightly.
Just tries to shake off the thoughts...tries thinking of tomorrow's cricket match...SHE simply doesn't go away.
Tries to think of good times with her...Fan suddenly starts looking like an ogre.
Picks up the pillow n changes the direction of sleeping...Helps...
Anky's once again in his dreamland...Whatz next???

Song of the moment : Bhay ithale sampat nahi - Lata Mangeshkar

i remain.

Donigal dossier

It was a close brush with death. It was simply the most determined effort i've ever put in anything! Crossing an alien river flowing with full flourish, without knowing its depth, and that too in fading light, WE came unscathed n alive!

It was definitely the most tiring, the most adventurous trek for me. Probably a lil' low on hoopla as only three of us (me, Viks n Apps) were left in fray after many drop-outs. But there wasn't no dearth of excitement. A trek being contemplated for maybe more than a year (n everytime some or other thing coming in between) finally was coming true.

We started Friday night and reached Sakhleshpura before dawn. A shot of hot tea at a road-side tapari and we were on our way...Early rays saw us reaching Donigal and then started a memorable journey thru dark, bat-infested tunnels and slippery bridges. The bridges are normally too slippery because of the morning dew. Also for those having a fear of heights, it can be a testing time. 24 bridges, 17 tunnels, 22 long kms and we were at Yedkumeri.

But this was not the final destination. We needed to go to highway to catch the last evening bus. So another trek started thru thick jungle. An estimated 5 kms walk was full of surprizes and sanguivorous leeches! So we found big balls of elephant dung and many uprooted trees - sufficient to scare hell out of us! But to our relief, soon we started hearing those vehicle sounds. But the real drama was yet to start. When we reached the end of road...50 meters away was the highway, but in-between this roaring river with nothing to cross it (We later found a namesake bridge, whose leftover parts were telling its one time existence).

After 2-3 hours of searching for the shortest distance banks - which didn'tt help much as wherever the distance was short, the flow was furious - we were left with two options. Either stay back in jungle whole night or cross the river how-so-ever! Finally in a true bollywood style we three vowed - Jiyenge to saath me, marenge to bhi saath me! After another hour of trecherous tryst with destiny, we were through!

Bruised and battered, but thoroughly contented. To sum up all in one word...it was awesome!

(Check out Viks' take : http://www.geocities.com/vikrantpv/Sakaleshpur_trek.doc)

Song for the moment : Zinda Hoon - Strings (isn't it too apt for the moment?)

i remain.

Sutradhar

So wht does a narrator (Sutradhar sounds more chic, doesn't it?) do? He literally walks you thru the story being told, being depicted, being sung. He shows you what is not being shown. He binds the story, he weaves it. He is the communicator between you and the drama on the other side. He helps in interpreting any complexities in the content; he helps in establishing a rappo with the viewers.

Well he's not the 'must have’, many stories don't need any narration at all, but then if he's there, he's critical.

Who can ever forget that captivating chant 'mai samay hoon'! Well if Mahabharat had Harish Bhimani, then Bharat ek Khoj had Roshan Lal(enacting Nehru), Hum Log had Ashok Kumar, Mr. Yogi had Om Puri .
The 70mm-phenomenon has its own share of this cult. So we had Amitabh (Amen!) in Lagaan (n many more) , Shahrukh (as a voice-over) in Hum Hai Lajawab, and John Abraham (a pleasant surprise) in Virudh, Om Puri-Naseeruddin Shah duo in Maqbool, Raghuvir Yadav in Suraj ka Saatvaa Ghoda, Gulzar in Pinjar. Gulzar has always been enticing with his lyrical interludes in many songs. Ashok Kumar was a great story-teller, so was Sanjeev Kumar.

Examples of female narrators, I don’t remember many. But Paheli had Ratna Pathak-Shah, Black had Rani Mukerji and Salam Namaste has Preity Zinta.

Definitely calls for some plaudits, this art! wot say?

Song of the moment : Teri Yaad ( Jal - Pakistani rock band)

i remain.

Is this grass really greener?

Wanted to write about this a long time back but somehow it didnt happen.

Some days back one of the Bangalore's celebrities (lets call him GrassHopper!) was caught red-handed at Dubai for possessing Marijuana. Though the news itself didnt come as much of a shock, the after-reactions/responses certainly were surprising.
"Everybody smokes grass occasionally... there's no crime or shame to it" was the immediate reaction of GrassHopper's wife. And following are some more interesting (n funny) quotes by GrassHopper's kith n kin.
"There's substance abuse in every other industry."
"It's true that a lot of creative people smoke grass, and society is liberal enough to accept them."
"My only reaction is, how can he be such a fool and carry grass (marijuana) on his person knowing fully well that Dubai is extremely strict about drug possession."
"My husband is a responsible man, it's a mistake, not a social stigma on him."

So it is it. No remorse, no guilt. Only wrong they saw in it was that he got caught.
There's no denying that drug-use is quite rampant in upper echelons of the society, but comes as a real shocker to see the outlook of these guys towards it. Isn't something terribly wrong in this? Or am i too behind the times in this sophisticated, modernised society of 'India shining'?

The whole episode reminds me of a story i'm sure you all must have heard from your granny's. There's this hardended thief who's been sentenced to death. He makes a last wish of meeting his mother. Upon meeting her, he says he wants to say something in her ear. And he bites her ear till it gets plucked out. Writhing in pain, momma asks why did he do it to her? And he says, 'When i was a child and when for the first time I showed a classmate's pencil which i'd stolen, you didnt rebuke me by a word. You just listened but never scolded me. This gave me a feeling that whatever i'm doing is right and and i went on for bigger advents. Had you admonished me then, had you stopped me right there, I'd have been saved from the gallows! I bit your ear as a punishment to you.'

Makes sense? May god give the moms or wives of these GrassHoppers of today some brains n foresight.

i remain.

Let's engage!

i don't remember exactly how this discussion came up, but somehow from the monotonous talk it veered off towards which games we played in our childhood. i've already written abt it in one of my previous blogs, so won't redo that. Instead, i'll write abt the highlight of our discussion - the terminologies used in those simple but enchanting games. e.g. Kite flying - pecha, saddi, sankal, lugdi, bareli, kanna, dheel, kheechu, ragge-suppuk, dhap khana, lapkaana etc. The marbles - billas, pinni, baccha, dhaai, aat lagaana, ringan/paddi-gol, kaan-kaan chappu...mindblowing stuff!

Parineeta made a good viewing. Despite all the opulent sets n all, its not merely a show of grandeur like Devdas. A simple story told simply. Saif n Vidya Balan are refreshing, Sanju baba as genuine as ever.

One more week/weekend gone. Just like that. Its a period, if not of melancholy, of in-action, of lethargy. Stupid monotonous work and irregular timings at office, un-eventful weekends...all conjures up for apathy towards everything. At the end of the day, it leaves you with a lots of your energy unutilized. n guess what, its showing up as the amassing fat on my tummy. Its high time to shake off the ennui n get into shape(sic). Let's engage!

i remain.

Kodai-Munnar travelogue

Writing travelogues is not my cup of tea.
So there's every chance that following text might get boring. Just have a feeling that it might be useful for any future travellers to the same place (Kodai, Munnar). Thats why this pale attempt. Read on at your own peril.

My parents and my sis had come to Blore for the first time after I came here for job (they had been here some yrs back).
We started the very second day after they landed here. We had hired an Indicab. Whole of our tour we never had any problem with the car or with the driver - Gaurish (APM Travels, contact no : 9448000965 / 9342836823). I am really thankful to Sameer for suggesting this guy. Its always very important to have a good driver for such arduous travels in hilly areas. We can then enjoy the travel without getting bogged down by un-necessary worries. Gaurish never gave a chance to complain.

We started late evening and reached Kodaikanal next day morning. The route we took was : Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Salem - Dindigul - Palami - Kodaikanal. Total distance around 500 KM. The road (NH-7) is simply fabulous by any standards (had a nice sleep whole night).
My initial reaction was a hugh disappointment to see a large populace habitated in concrete houses spread all over the mountain top. But as they say, appearances are deceptive. We had a wonderful time. This scenic place has all the trappings to keep one enchanted. Definitely a better place than the crowded Ooty.
Accomodation here is very cheap. We stayed at Hotel Ruby Int'l (contact no : 04542-246485). No problems in getting North Indian food.
Important sight-seeing points:

• Kodai Lake
• Coaker's walk
• Bryant park
• Kurinji Andavar temple

After one and half days at Kodai, we started for Munnar. Reached quite late at night. After looking at 3-4 hotels, settled for High Range Inn (contact no : 04865-230483), a newly built hotel. Though the tariff's a lil' on higher side, its a nice little hotel. Recommended.
Next two days at Munnar were absolutely amazing. It proved to be the best tourist place i've ever visited. The lush green tea-plantations, wonderful waterfalls, serene lakes and to add to it all - unexpected showers. That heavy downpour of 30 min freshened it all. Munnar : Highly highly recommended. Definitely God's own country.

Important sight-seeing points:

• Tea Plantations(everywhere at Munnar)
• Kundal lake
• Devikulam
• Anamudi view (we couldn't visit this!)
  

We started for Madurai late morning and before sunset we were there. Just visited the magnanimous Meenakshi Temple. Its spectacular. Started back and next morning we were back in Bangalore!
Tired by the long travel, but invigorated by the awesome experience!

i remain.

The Morsel Song - I

How do you define a great meal? For me, its just the food (it might be as simplistic as Thecha-Bhaakar or Daal-Roti ) in the company of special people with some cool music going on around. moreover, if the food is home made, then sone pe suhaga!

Imagine a Sunday afternoon. You are alone at your home. The rain has just paved the way for the juvenile sun-rays. You hadn't had a breakfast and the hunger has unabashedly started doing funny things inside your stomach. But you still don't feel like going out alone. And then out of the blue one of your friends calls you for lunch at his/her home. The first morsel there brings a million dollar smile on your face. And your heart quenches with every burst of the laughter baloons!

Fortunately I've got a lot of friends here to take care of that smile I'd have desperately vied for otherwise. Infact i've been lucky about it all my life. Even during the college I never needed to go to the conventional Mess. I'm indebted till life to Nistane Kaku for that. Then again there were Bahadekars, Umales and Dhawles. And it was always a multiple bonanza...great food with lots of love.

And then, at my home (Akola)...The mere thought of the aroma of that Mutton-gravy or Ukadpendhi has already started tickling me...well, no I don't want to tread into that memory lane - atleast not now - it becomes so very difficult to come back.

Yesterday I had gone to the birthday party of SarangDa's daughter (he had clubbed it together with Ganapati-Visarjan). It proved to be a wonderful evening.
Gajar ka Halwa was as good as a Hindi film Hero gets from his mom :) (Well I'd never know what's so special abt that, but this one was really amazing) . Morever, got to meet lots of old friends there.

i remain.

Vroom...Vroom!

Interesting weekend. Infact, the milieu of events made it quite special.
Firstly 'Ganesha Chaturthi'. The most endearing of all Gods, Ganapati arrived. Well, i'm aware of the fact (and have already resigned to it) that there won't be that much fun here in Bangalore. In Maharashtra, it is celebrated on a grand scale. The 10 days that follow are a great source of enthusiasm, if nothing else. The old, the young and the children, all are hypnotized. Definitely missing all the fun at Akola (and the chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya' as well!) .

Then attended an old colleague's 'Valima'...As eager I was too see a Muslim marriage, more was I excited to see my old friends at the old company. Well, though lot many didn't turn up, still it was a good gathering.

On Sunday, we (me and a friend) went to Big Banyan Tree on Mysore road. It was a big disappointment. There's nothing watchable as such. Even the place is very shabby.
But on our way back, we found a Go Karting track and then the real fun started. It was the first time I was doing it and it was amazing. Gave a big adrenaline surge. The speed, the curves, the thrill...oops! Schumi must be loving his job!!!

i remain.

Mujhe Shikayat Hai...

Its been almost 2 years in Bangalore now. Have definitely come in terms with the city and infact am in love with it. But there are certain things/elements which are displeasing, irritating and sometimes downright hateful. Just trying to compile a list of these.
I really have complaints towards :-

• The autowallahs who start asking for a double-meter from 8-30 in evening. Also the autowallahs who never are ready to go where one wants to go (eg. The ones standing at Fernyl Apartments gate).
• The city authorities who are doing nothing about the awful roads, uncovered potholes (the other day i saw an auto turned 45 degrees with one wheel in a pothole !), the hazardous trenches, open electicity wires...
• The indisciplined traffic (again autowallahs being the main culprits!) which makes the things worse.
• The Kannada cine-authorities, who are vowing not to allow non-Kannada films to be realeased till 7 weeks after the national release. (I'm surprized they are missing a simple point that it is actually an insult for Kannada films...is there so much dearth of quality here???)
• The shop-keepers here, for whom 'good service' is a taboo...(we were eating out in a small restaurant where a guy came and asked for Aloo-Parathas less oily, the owner - a lady - says, no I can't give you customized food!!! The guy left immediately, certainly hurt and insulted. I've seen no other city which treats the cusomer like this!) Well, a very good exception are those 'Darshani' hotels (the Udupi-styled) where despite of such a huge crowd, one seldom gets a chance to complain.
• BMTC. The numbers on the route-plate are incomprehensible (Nut then the conductors are very helpful.)
• The house-owners, who are charging the tenants exorbitantly...

(Did i miss anything?)

But all in all, the people here are nice and accomodative. They aren't fanatically against Hindi (like some neighbouring states). Its a very peaceful and cool (literally as well) place.

Had a good outing this weekend at Banerghatta National Park. Nice place to spend atleast 2-3 hours!

i remain.

Prince Federer

Amidst the cacophony of speeding jets at Flushing Meadows, the 'smiling assasin' carried out the task as clinically as ever. And when somebody does it so easily against a player like Leytton Hewitt who's known for his great tenacity, we are left nothing less than mesmerized. Roger Federer has arrived.

One of my very good friends said after Federer's American open victory(He's the first after Mats Wilander to win 3 slams in one year and again the first to win his first four slam finals), 'Is he the best of all eras?'...The answer tantalizingly seems to be positive right now, but it would really be too early to stamp it. We'd get the answer in the coming 2-3 seasons.
But definitely he has got that magical game. Watch him and you'd say 'oh, its so easy!'.

And then there's old-bald Andre...He's showing no signs of cooling his guns. I feel fortunate (many will agree to this) for gettting to watch to so many greats in action same time. 'Boom-Boom' Becker, gutsy Edberg, big-serving Ivanisevic, Courier, Rafter, 'Gugga' Kuerten and at the top of all, the magical rivalry between 'Pistol' Pete and Agassi. After a slump of 2-3 years, Federer-Roddick-Hewitt-Ferrero are right there to keep you spellbound.
But at the end of the day, its Prince Federer who's crooning 'my teeth and my ambitions are bare, be prepared!'

i remain.

Road to Perdition

Had a nice long weekend. But nobody else was having a holiday on Monday, so was 'home alone'. Had purposefully kept the weekend chores for Monday, n that successfully kept me busy whole the day. In evening met some good ol' friends.

These days watching movies only on CD as Cinema owners are on a war with the Kannada Producers...rather, vice-versa. Suffering heavily are we, the movie freaks. Anyway, watched two beautiful movies. Road to Perdition and The Terminal. Both have Tom Hanks as the lead and both are a real treat.

Road to Perdition looks more in line with the mafia movies like The Godfather series. But morever, its a story of son/father relationship. Hanks is a gangster and at the same time a caring father and a family man. His son comes to know about his real business and starts kinda hating him. It takes him six weeks on road to truly understand his father.
Tom Hanks 10 out of 10.

'The Terminal' depicts the story of Victor Navorsky from a war-torn country Krakozhia (fictitious) who gets stuck in JFK airport. He is not allowed to enter America, nor can he go back.
So he has to stay in the International transit lounge. His stay of some months there weaves a story which is comical, dramatic and at times tear-jerking. Hanks alone carries the movie on his shoulders. Though not in the league of Spielberg's other movies, 'The Terminal' is affable.

Tom Hanks is awesome in both. Infact i daresay he's one of the best actors of all time. If someone has any doubts, watch his Cast Away!

Back to office...well, the week will be shorter this time ;)

i remain.
P.S. Missed the Handi (though i never ventured for that) and GopalKala on Krishn-Janmashtami!

Come September

Well 'tis raining in Bangalore once again...One big reason for my love towards B'lore.
I just love rain (offcourse when it does only in nights and office hours and not on weekends - not at cricket-time - does my love sound a lot conditional???).
The city certainly has a magic. So despite the poor infrastructure, agonizing traffic, and no Hindi movies, its still a pleasure to be a part of B'lore.
And after rain, the mornings are looking more beautiful and the colours of nature, crystalline!
Some good book to munch on and endless cups of 'Adrak ki chai'...u can't ask for more in such weather!

Well last 2-3 weeks was a patience testing time! Had to commute to office by BMTC buses. Tell you its hell. My earlier office was at a stone's throw away from home. Now have to ply 10-12 kms on a busy route. And though i'm a big supporter of Public transport, this wasn't my idea of that. Morever the route-plates are in Kannada and the English nos are hard to crack. e.g. the '201' bus comes in a lot of 'flavors' like 201A, 201G and so on...So unless you are a seasoned campaigner...in every possibility you're gonna suffer!
But the hard days are over...got new bike. Now gearing up for another battle...traffic and pollution. 'neeways, got to lose something to get something!

i remain!