MUMBAI

Mumbai....my city.

Im like any other mumbaiite who loves the city but will work his ass off to get out of the country at first opportunity possible, and then post '' I miss Mumbai'' on Facebook. I did the same, worked my ass off , fled the country at warpspeed, and here I am blogging about Mumbai ( and missing it ).

Whats it about Mumbai? Apart from the dirtiest pavements ( if there are any), water logging during rains, constantly being on tip toes to avoiding stepping on turd (animal/human), power cuts, water cuts, potholes, cramped stuffed local trains, corrupt havaldars on every corner, equally corrupt law breakers (us), political processions creating havoc of an already poor traffic system, religious processions doing no good either, illegal structures, crazy rickshaws, over flowing garbage, bomb scares ( and bombs), virus scares, pirated cds , illegal hawkers, and all things to put mumbai on the wrong side of the news.

But there is something, a certain magic associated with mumbai. A strange feeling...an indescribable ardor, a mystifying caress of the wind which entangles you in a perpetual state of attachment with this city, an umbilical link that can never be severed. An essence that is so deeply embedded in your psyche, that mere distance is just not enough to shake it off.

Hats off to you mumbai........

FANAAN

What a hectic week it has been, the to and fro trips to abu dhabi....the skipped meals....the sleeping in buses....all for art's sake. Nevertheless it was a rewarding experience. The art workshops in Abu dhabi organised by FANAAN was such a blast. Got the oppurtunity to meet so many established artists and also a glimpse into their works.

Also met someone who looked like a cross between two people ...one whom I once deeply loved and the other whom I intensely hated. Its strange how mixed feelings erupt in your brain at such times. Your are not sure whether to loathe the moment or revert to those glory days. But then they say this lifetime is too small to hate someone and too less to love. So I should put back my thrombosed past and move on. Perhaps the most difficult thing to do....move on.

METAMORPHOSIS

Its strange sometimes how a painting can turn out to be.
I had a vision of a painting i wanted to do since ages....it may sound a bit eccentric but it did appear to me in my dream (the things I can dream about!!). The actual concept was something like this......





Finally got a canvas and as is my usual practice of not using a rough sketch , I just put brush to paint and started ....a stroke here...a dab ther....one thing led to another...a little dauble at the corners , a frenzied brush play .....it was like the painting got done on its own.....and the end result.....

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

OK Friendship day today and have to write about it.
Like any other normal extrovert, I have plenty of friends ( im not bragging, just happy about the fact) and each one is special. Each one with special memories to cherish for life.
Im here all alone and listening to songs like ""yaaron..dosti "" from ROCKFORD and am looking back at the chronology of a friendship
We meet as absolutely strangers. A small countenance, a minuscule shift in the deeply woven intrigue of destiny....a casual acquaintance that leads to a life long friendship.

Nonpareil are the times we share together. Those unforgettable parties, those exciting picnics , perilous treks...those crushes...the love affairs...the broken hearts....the patching up and breaking off...the flirting....the bird watching.....the nicknames(lasts for a lifetime)....the leg pulling...
All that laughter , the fun, the backbiting, the crazy fights, the whole gang grouping up to bring the house down in movie theatres, the last benches in college...the bike rides....getting drunk.....and then suddenly reality dawns and everyone and everything is thrown into disarray.
People scramble out all over the world, some in search of greener pastures, some for education, and some just get married off to timbuktoo..
It really bums you out when you sit in your office cubicle thinking where all that magic went.

Wish life was one pretty dream......but it isnt and here I am writing about it.

No im not emotional about it and am surely crying about it ( that part I leave to those select few who cry over silly things like after watching ""PAA"")( yes neha that was a potshot at u)


Missing everyone......keep in touch people

TWITCHY TWITCH

This is probably the umpteenth time someone is blogging about a twitching eye, but nevertheless my eye is twitching like hell.
A little bit of research on the net tells me about the scores of superstitious beliefs surrounding myokymia ( the medical term for it)

The chinese believe that a twitching left eye is good for males and a twitching right eye is good luck for females

The Indian version is exactly the opposite.

The Lost islands of Mekamekari believe that the right eye twitch signifies an alien invasion while a left eye twitch is a sure sign that a flying cow will crap on your head ( I just made that up , including the ficitional nation)

But on a serious note, a twitch can be caused by lack of sleep, fatigue , anxiety or too much caffeine.....

So the next time ur eye twitches, just relax and take a nap

THE BLAZING HEAT .... AND FACEBOOK ADDICTION

Its a blazing 42 degrees outside. Stepping out in the sun feels like pushing your head into a hot tandoor. It is suicide to step out without adequate sunscreen , cotton clothes, shades, a cap, and air conditioner in your car. On an imaginative perspective, one could fry an omlette on someones bald pate...kinda reminds me of the scene from the movie HOTSHOTS, where charlie sheen fries bacon on a hot lady's tummy....

With this punishing extreme outside, theres is no choice but to stay indoors, which virtually means being glued to the laptop......which further means logging onto facebook.....AND STAYING THERE.

Thanks to my friend Neha who sent me an invite, its been months of checking updates, changing status updates, profile images, posting pics and of course.....not to forget MAFIA WARS. My favourite virtual clickfest of a game, wher u are a virtual gangster forming mafias, holding property and pulling off heists.

and I will be posting this on facebook too.....

Moody tuesday

It’s raining in Al Ain, it ought to be cheering me up but it has caught me in a sombre mood. Maybe it’s the months and months of deprivation from partying and hanging out with friends. Nevertheless I’m a bit moody today and the rains are not helping me much.

I’m compelled to sit and brood about the past which is a mortal sin. Thinking about the past kills your present and spoils the future. But then if one could control ones thoughts, life would have been much easier

I sometimes wish we all had a rewind option at least once in a lifetime, just go back some years back in time, correct all the mistakes, avoid all the situations where I made a big fool of myself, prevent myself from hurting others (unintentionally) and thereby write a new present and future for myself.

But would I be the same again?

I am what my life experiences have made me. Each good or bad phase in life has taught me an unforgettable lesson. I’m but forced to admit that all the hurt, all the pain has only made me stronger.

This day I have memories, good ones that I can smile about, bad ones I would love to forget, and others that I could just sit and laugh about someday.
I like my past, coz that’s what I am

And I just look out the window and enjoy the fresh showers that bring divine hope to a forlorn soul.

new painting

The painter's block is gone and I made a new one recently. Got a unique hexagonal shaped pre stretched canvas. Didnt think about the form wanted to paint, just did the background and voila a shape emerged which i later highlighted.

UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON

For all the curious readers who are wondering why this post is named after a clothing line...read on....

On a good day, I see patients from at least 10 different nationalities. Iran, UAE, Indian, Germans, bangladesh, pakistan,,..u name it....Curiously enough the basic language is the same. Everyone laughs when they are happy , everyone smiles in the same way, everyone screams in pain the same way. A frown, a sigh, a giggle...all are the same. Each emotion bearing testimony to the fact that we human beings are in fact same creatures in basic genetic constitution. Ok most of the times you can differentiate a person by his accent. But just try this....walk into a paediatric ward or ICU, close your eyes and just listen to the crying of all babies....try to differentiate each one by its cry....hard isnt it?..................and still we have conflicts, borders and hate????

BURJ KHALIFA......MINDBLOWING

Finally something new in the dailies besides "THE YEAR THAT WAS, THE YEAR THAT WILL BE" It was getting too cliched anyway. Burj Khalifa, the new tower opened in Dubai yesterday amidst much fanfare. It was inaugurated by Sheikh Mohammed on the occasion of his ascension to the throne. Standing at a staggering 828 metres, it has beaten all structures in the world by a huge margin. Doesnt look like there will be any competition to this giant for quite sometime. Offices designed by Giorgio Armani, superfast elevators, tallest observation decks, this beauty has it all. And i saw it it too.....in person.....yeaaah



The new year dawns, time to make and break resolutions
My resolutions for this year
1. BLOG REGULARLY
2. GIVE MORE TIME FOR PAINTING AND LESS FOR TV
3. DONT FALL IN LOVE ( NOT WITHTHE WRONG KINDA FEMALES AT LEAST)
4. PLAY LESS MAFIA WARS ON FACEBOOK ( THIS ONES TO BE BROKEN)

TILL THEN..........

In AL AIN, UAE

A big sorry to all my friends to whom I couldnt bid farewell before leaving. To all those just enlightened, let me tell u that Im in the beautiful city of Al Ain in UAE, trying to make new beginnings.


Its a great place to be in especially this time of the year. Its cooler than the other emirates and a lot greener too. Theres not much traffic on the roads ( you can cross the roads blindfolded sometimes)
But what I like the most are the host of beautiful cars whizzing by. A GT Mustang, A Jaguar, Benz, Ferrari, and what not.

I just happened to glance at a black mercedes benz in the parking lot today. As it slowly drove by, it looked like a sexy lady dressed in black satin, walking into the sunset. An alluring fragrance wafting through the winter breeze, enticing you into a state of trance.................

RAIN RAIN........ DONT GO AWAY

Rain.....I am yet to understand why I have a strange affinity towards it, often including it in all my short stories as well. ( maybe my psychiatrist friend could tell me)
The navratri season is over and the weather seems to be acting funny.

As I look out my window, the skies seems to have paled out , ...then jaundiced.







Slowly and steadily, it seems to metamorphose into a smorgasbord of chromatic aberrations. My camera is all smiles as I click away at each confused look of the clouds.






Slowly it darkens and gathers courage, finally letting out a spray of wispy light rain. The accompanying petrichor is something to die for.




It is still raining and I am still wondering........

JOYRIDE

A Sudden twist of fate had me travel all the way to Kerala. I had hoped for a peaceful ride in the AC compartment of the train , but fate had something sinister in store for me.

The moment I entered the compartment, I found out that my fellow travellers included a loud voiced businessman and a very irritated baby accompanied by its equally harried mother. The kid was bawling away to kingdom come and I had to bid adieu to my afternoon siesta. I also realised that kids can scream beyond the maximum volume of your Ipod.

The train food lived upto its reputation and was bland and dry beyond the usual range of tastebud sensations. I had to contend with a bunch of bananas.
The Konkan railway route is usually very scenic and one can spend hours gazing through the windows. But this is not usually possible when your co-passenger includes an old ( very old) man with a flatulence problem. I had to run out of the compartment towards the main door every two hours gasping for breath.

The pot-bellied businessman was chattering away on his mobile phone so much that I am sure that there was a distinct imprint of the keys on his cheek (almost looking like a tattoo). He sounded like one of those TV Evangelists preaching the word of God. Who was the dimwit who thought of the idea of providing mobile charging points in train compartments?

The baby was relentlessly pursuing his vocal training and had finally quietened down by dinner time. My dinner done, I lay down my sheets and hoped for a good nap before the kid could start again. Kids have a unique bodyclock, as they tend to be more active during the nights. This I found out later when the kid had started research on the "affects of constantly switching lights on and off" which of course leads to the syndrome of sleep disturbance. Finally 'genius' slept and let other (me included) sleep too.

I did have my moment of revenge when my stop was due at around 5 am in the morning. My mobile phone has a popular bhajan as the alarm. And at precisely 5 am, the alarm rang and I let it ring for quite sometime. The bawling kid did the rest of the job as he let out a morning yelp and woke the the rest of the train right upto the engine driver.

I got down at my station a happy man.

...................
............needless to say, i took a flight back.

THE PARTY

The gang met up at Monica's place. We are more than grateful to monica and her hubby vinod for letting us trash their sweet home ( believe me we did trash it).
We had a gala time with the guys getting sozzled and the girls constantly looking at their watches much to our chagrin. Clicked a lot of pics (which I am yet to receive, hence have not put it up) The Biryani was mouthwatering, I doubt though that anyone was interested in its taste or texture (no one was sober enough). I dont drink but the euphoria of the party was enough to give me a high.

These parties are a peculiar lot. You get so lost in the fun that you tend to forget your problems. You hardly care about your future, you hardly care about work, you hardly care about where all these people will be after a couple of years. But then maybe thats what parties are for aint it so? Getting away from the usual tumultuous doldrums of life........cant wait for the next one

THE BENCH.....a short story

She had no umbrella, this beautiful lass. But the rain could hardly damage her sweet countenance. The freshly fallen rain had given the air a sweet lemony, earthy scent and she stood out like a fresh daisy. As she he sat on the bench and keenly awaited the arrival of every bus, she reminisced all his memories.
Her heart skipped a beat every now and then. She was looking eagerly towards the road and the myriad vehicles passing by. She scanned each passenger that got out of the various buses plying through that route.

She looked for that familiar fair face of her beloved with that dark forelock dangling across his broad forehead. How could she ever forget that face. She recalled the promises he made under the moonlight. Those loving eyes full of love , pure tenderness, the eyes that only spoke the truth and nothing else. That musky perfume that he wore, the feel of his heartbeat as she lay close to his chest, all came back to her like it was only yesterday
People told her that he wouldn’t come. Not many come back from war and battle. But deep down inside her sincere heart… she knew, he would.

An elderly gentleman sat next to her. For a few minutes he looked caringly at this oblivious soul staring out at the road with the eagerness of a teenager. Then slowly whispered into her ear “Did he come?”
Without turning back she replied “Not yet”.
“But he’ll be here soon, you’ll see”
The old man only smiled. He had no reply for hope. No one could break the strong faith this girl had in her loved one.
“Its getting dark. How about coming again tomorrow?” He asked.
She looked troubled “but….”
“Don’t worry, you can come back again here tomorrow”, he asserted.
Hesitatingly she stood up and took one final glance at the road.
“Come now dear, we don’t want to be late for dinner do we?” the old guy asked
Slowly he placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her to the nearby van.
Even as they sat inside, she couldn’t stop looking out.

The old man beckoned to the driver, who quickly dropped his cigarette and got in the van. He looked furtively at the puny lady. Then he started the engine and drove away.
“Has she been coming here everyday doctor?” he asked.
“Yes, every day….everyday since the last 14 years”, the old man in the white coat replied.
The driver was unperturbed. He had seen far many of them, all different types. But he couldn’t help but be amazed at this lady and her lost love as he drove to the mental institution.

THE SWINE FLU SCARE

“ACCHOOO”…. I sneezed and apologized to my fellow passengers in the 12: 40 kasara local. They looked at me with utter disdain and in a flash covered their faces with masks, handkerchief and the nearest lady’s duppatta. Feeling like an ostracized whore, I quickly exit at my station and curse that speck of dust that dare enter my nostrils.

What is it with people? The media hits a ‘BREAKING NEWS’ and suddenly people are conscious of the air they breathe. Not minding the fact that we have been breathing Tuberculosis bacilli, chicken pox viruses, second hand cigarette smoke, sulphur dioxide, methane from the neighbourhood tabela, ammonia from the urinals ( or roadside) and God alone knows what for the past decade.

Everywhere people are frantically covering up their noses and mouth with masks which the chemists are gleefully selling. This is the same generation that thinks twice before wearing a condom to prevent AIDS and other STDS.
‘Roche’ the company that markets TAMIFLU must be laughing all the way to the bank already.

The only thing we need to fear is media hype (the very ones that run after tantrik babas and the neighbourhood cat that fell into a drain and calls it BREAKING NEWS)
The media generated mass hysteria is creating fools out of the already fear stricken lot and we are surely to blame.

All you have to do is keep your resistance hig by eating good food , sleeping well and living a carefree life. dont just run to the nearest testing centre because you sneezed and overload the already burdened medical centres.

Ps: There is a 1.8 % chance of dying in a road accident, so please stop crossing the road.
There are high chances of getting complicated malaria and dengue fever, so please sleep in an armored truck.
Also there are high chances of lung cancer due to pollution, so stop breathing.

REMEMBER: THE ONLY THING WE NEED TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF

HAPPY B'DAY MOM

Many many happy returns of the day to mom.

Got her a nice jade buddha statue.







We saw this little guy sitting in a shop a few months ago and she liked it a lot. I happened to have a wierd feeling that day that i should get it for her birthday. Suprisingly that was the last piece inthe store and the owner told me that it was there since a long time. Maybe it was destined to come home to mom.

Sad news

My aunt passed away last week. Too young really ( all of 52 years). I had the misfortune of witnessing her terminal stages. I remembering being in shock for the first fifteen minutes and the rest of the day thereafter.

Not that I was particularly fond of her, but her death made me realize one thing for sure. Life is too short to really hate someone. As the embalmer handed me the rings she was wearing, it felt quite symbolic. When you die, you don’t take anything with you. All that remains is faint memories good and bad.

???

There comes a time in everyone's life when he or she would like to just disappear , go AWOL, search for peace ..or whatever.
I just happen to be in that phase

where am i ? I'm in paradise, increasing my serum creatinine, away from friends, family, mobile phones, emails adn all wordly distracions. No , i havent renounced the world and gone to the himalayas to meditate, I have too many hedonistic tendencies to hold me back. Not yet at least

Where am I? ........
...........
..........
I'm not tellin you

A tribute to the king of pop

I am still trying to hold back my tears for I am a fan , if not a big one of Michael Jackson. It was shocking and saddening to hear this piece of news especially when millions of his fans( me included ) were eagerly waiting for his last concert.

We have danced to his tunes since childhood right from OFF THE WALL to BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR, twisted our ankles and hips tying to perfect the MOONWALK, ridiculed his nosejobs and freaky hairstyles, went crazy over his concert in India and splattered our walls with posters of BAD.

His has been a tumultuous life riddled with allegations ( we do not know the truth) and plastic surgeries ( those are true). BUT all said and done, I am sure that all his fans will echo this simple feeling .....there can be no one like him.

songs for the rain

The girls in Bandra are pretty, but the railway station just got prettier. a nice makeover job, and i got to see it today.



Switching topics, i know its pretty cliched if i talk about sitting by ur window and watching the rains with a piping hot cup of coffee and garam bhajiyas for company, but nonetheless the whole situation has a calming effect, especially if accompanied by good music ( yipeee longest sentence in my blog, never mind grammar).

Did just that today, but the setting sun made an annoying appearance and spoilt it all.

some good songs for the rain:


Riders on the storm : the who

Badalon mein chhup raha hain: phir teri kahani yaad aayee

nayan tarse : Dev D

aasman ke par : rockford

so long my friend : yanni

tis rainin

The cobbler on the road opposite my house has changed his 'look', instead of the usual leathery embellishments adorning his shop's visage, it was a row of colourful handles and black umbrellas.

Not surprising, now that the monsoon has made its presence felt. A great respite from the heat, though the skies now wear a dull grey suit as compared to the bright hues of summer, but hey!! who's complaining (not till the floods at least)
The ultra clean people may pule away to glory, but im loving all the wet mud and dirt on my sneakers.

I'M IN LOVE.......

I switch on my TV set and browse through the 250 channels tht my poor man's subscription on TATA SKY has to offer. Nothing but trash, trash and more trash. Had it not been for DISCOVERY TRAVEL AND LIVING, i would have long thrown my TV outside the window (probably on my pesky neighbour's head downstairs, two birds in one stone thingy).

And of all the great programmes it has to offer i find GREAT VACATION HOMES the most appealing. Not only does it feature great places on earth where you should spend your holidays ( provided you are ready to mortgage your home, car, jewellery and yourself)
, but it also features a pretty lady called SAMANTHA BROWN. It was love at first sight. Never mind the fact that she is married to some guy called kevin leary (damn him).

Samantha Elizabeth Brown (born March 31, 1969) is an American television host, notable for her work as the host of Girl Meets Hawaii, Great Hotels, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, Great Weekends, and Passport to China, all of which currently air on the Travel Channel.

But theres something about her eyes which are bewitching, alluring, enticing(....u get the point) that one tends to forget what place or hotel she showcases.

Hmmmm i wish i could meet her once in my lifetime

WARNING !!!

My boss recently put up a notice to warn all offenders who leave their things strewn about. Though I dont fall into that category ( my mom's boot camp training has seen to that), I'm extra careful with the scrubs, leftovers from lunch and the blankets. The best part was the innovative way he put up a stern but funny warning

take a look

dear GOD ...WHERE ART THOU?

It would be very ungrateful of me to not thank you God for all that you have given me. I may or may not deserve all that i have received till today.

But still there are thousands of things that i need, you can attribute it to my human greed.

There are a few hundred things that i really need, but i understand that they are for my needs and i should work hard for it.

There are ten things that could really help me in life, but i guess you have reserved it for some undeserving people (Its too evident to prove)

All i ask is for a handful of wishes , you dont even need two hands to count them.

I know i deserve it but yet you choose to keep it away from me.

I have read a thousand quotes and email forwards about You being kind and just ...stuff like You withhold something just to give me something better.

I am yet to receive that ' better bit of butter'.

If not now ....when? When will you prove to me that you exist. They say you can work miracles, forget miracles, can you just impart me with a bit of luck in what i do?.

I may not be a saint , but im no devil either.

Am i really your child or have you forsaken me?

When do I get to see u ? when???????

trainspotting

She sat by the window, the breeze wafting through her thin silver hair. The wisps fluttered across her face, though not altering her gaze. The wrinkles on her forehead were accentuated by the thick round tilak which told of her rural lineage.

The unnerving calmness of her demeanour was somehow unaffected by the usual hustle bustle, fights, shouts and falls of a peak hour crowded local. As if it spread an aura around her which dampened the negativity of the whole situation. Her unblinking cataractous eyes stared out into the phantasmagoria, but her mind was obviously in her past.

A half smile occasionally spread across her thin pale lips, a smile that bore witness to years of living a hard life. The kind of life that teaches you every step, every wake, every second, so much that by the end of it comes a feeling “been there, done that”.

A cute little kid tugged at her pallu, to which she responded by a pat on its head. Shifting a little more in her seat, the eternal mother allowed the child a little more comfort in that cramped compartment.

There are people you meet in life, some leave a lasting impression, some just hit you in the face hard and wake you up to the harsh realities of this life and then they fade away into oblivion like lost memories of childhood.

PARTY PARTY

What a great week it has been, filled with a hectic schedule and fun with friends.
If the work in the ICU has been hell, the parties have been bliss.


The SES gang met up again and had a blast.


The chinese joint was a great place to hang out with all the beautiful females of our school times. (We adored them then, we are still crazy about them now). Life would be boring without them.
We had a gala time pulling monica's leg over a 'soft ' issue. Kedar was blushing all red meanwhile, which i dont think anyone noticed.

Also a hearty welcome to Deborah, the newest member of our gang. A pretty gal with a spunky attitude. "beauty with brains" , not something you find everyday.

for our friends out there, ill be putting up the pics on my orkut profile.

Really looking forward for the next party

2 guys, a girl and Pop Tate's

It was a great afternoon yesterday at Pop Tate's, where we met for for lunch. We, comprising of a bewda entering into the corporate world, a bewdi halfway through it and a long haired tee totaller who thinks that all the girls in the world are dying to be in his arms ( that would be me).

The best part about Pop Tates is the ambience. The hep crowd, dull lighting and a smoke free zone makes it a cool place to hangout, be it friends or family, or just u and that special someone.

It started with the drunkards ordering a blue lagoon and a screwdriver. I settled for a seven up which was enough to give me a high. Im sure we embarassed our female companion by our antics ( read bird watching and crazy talk).

The Prawn salsa was a good starter coupled with a blasted paneer ( no , it was really good, its just the name). The main course comprised of a risotto and lemon garlic chicken. The risotto was steaming hot and heavenly. the lemon chicken was good but the portions were a bit tiny...no ridiculously small. It ended with a lovely sizzling brownie and mango with vanilla icecream.

The brownie with the hot chocolate sauce took us to a different world for quite sometime. They say that chocolate ahs the exact effect that sex has on the brain. I wouldnt agree less.

Finally the exasperated female and the gluttons left the place on a high, a sense of euphoria induced by alcohol, seven up, chocolate and the fun of just hanging out together.

thanks for the treat neha!!!

Money wisdom

Nowadays ATMs not only dispense cash but also words of wisdom.
check out what I found written on one of the notes





also the back of the note:

A LOT CAN HAPPEN OVER TEA

I walk into the room and greet him, this acquaintance of mine.

" hello uncle, kaise ho?"
" arre beta aao, kaise ho? bahut dino baad mile ho, sab theek hai na?"
" sab theek hai uncle, bas aapki dua hai"

then the dreaded question or statement , whichever way it is presented:

" beta chai piyo"
" uuuhh...uncle main chai nahi pita"

"coffee chalega? ya thanda mangwau? koi baat nahi beta, zara sa pi lo, aadhi cup"

" arre nahi uncle, ( i have to start explaining that i dont drink too much tea, just had a cup in the mornin, i rather prefer coffee and that too only once a day with lots of sugar, i dont even have cold drinks , ,blah blah, "

" arre nahi , aise kaise chalega, kuch to lena hi padega"
( what now? your peon will hold me down while you force it down my throat?)

The dumb peon/office boy walks in with a cup of hot piping tea despite my earnest requests.

" ab to chai aa hi gaya hai, pina to padega"
" lekin ... magar...par..."

and this guy proceeds to hand me the cup with his parkinson's hands, " titter , twatter ( cup sounds)"
" blik!!! , splash!!!, tatter , crash ( tea spills all over me, cup crashes to the floor)
"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHH...( me running out screaming, and people wondering why im holding my crotch area with steam all around it)

THE NEXT TIME:

" beta chai piyo"
no more hesitation:
" sllllllllurpppppppp!!!, wah uncle kya chai hai, maza aa gaya."

Kangal Irandal

Im writing in after a long time.

The writer's block borne out of despondence and self pity has finally died. And the one responsible for this is a song. "Kangal irandal" a tamil song from the movie 'subramaniapuram' is this wonderful song. I heard this song on a friend's mobile and downloaded it instantly. That night i heard this song a record 27 times straight, only stopping coz my batteries died. I never did that before except for "pehla nasha" which i consider to be the best love song ever. However this song takes over that mantle.

Those who understand tamil will surely agree that the lyrics are nothing but pure poetry. Whenever I'm down in the dumps, this song really peps me up, music therapy anyone? Numerous blogs have already been written about this movie and song. I recently saw the video on SUN TV .............and I fell in love with it all over again.

click here for the video

yeah im still alive

a long post after a long time....exams to blame , not me.
I recently won the 2nd runner up for my story Blood and rain on the writers lounge
I dont know whether to be happy with mediocrity or wallow in a delusion of grandiosity.
But the blog sure feels like a second home to me now.
Anyways do check out this site where i spend most of my time on the net
(click here)

SHED NO TEARS...THE AFTERMATH

Shed no tears for 26/11 for the resilient spirit of Mumbai will soon forget all the horrific incidents. The victims and martyrs will suffer no less. The news channels that now glaringly show the funerals of the brave heroes will soon switch over to Rahul Mahajan's latest love interest or to Abu Salem's love life or even some equally insignificant happening in some rotten saas bahu serial. Mumbaifolk will carry on with their daily chores and dreary lives maybe with a hint of fright stored at the back of their minds , ready to pounce at the earliest rumour. Our ministers (who never did anything rather than fight amongst themselves) will continue to do what they do best....all those things that i need not mention. Soon we will all go back to fight over casteism, regionalism and religion , thereby forgetting that the terrorists took advantage of this very situation. Bloggers will blog , newspapers will print, tv channels will broadcast and it will all be stored away in some archives either hard copy or in our memories deep down.

Unless...... unless.....we shed no tears....Coz this is not the time to shed tears, for they will take away the pain and anguish of the recent happenings and make you feel better. It is not the time to heal. It is not the time to recuperate. It is the time to fight back. It is time to fight the system which we ourselves are corrupting. It is time to hold back those tears and channel the anguish towards a better tomorrow. It is time to lead from the front and work our way out of this mess if we dont want our children to point out to us and ask why...why didnt we act?..why?


This is what you should do :

1. Dont accept OR GIVE any bribes. Corruption begins from the very grass root level and that is what is eating away into our moral and social fabric.
2. Dont spread rumours (however jocular) especially in times of crisis.
3. Be alert. Keep a watch for antisocial elements, any strange happenings or people in your neighbourhood.
4. DO NOT , I REPEAT DO NOT GIVE IN TO INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES GIVEN BY POWER HUNGRY POLITICIANS. HOW MANY MORE YEARS OF HISTORY LESSONS WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE TAKING YOU FOR A RIDE.
5. Develop a sense of intellect and participate more in discussions and debates. Read, listen, look, understand, research before you comment or act.
6. Respect the environment. Do what you can to save water electricity, paper and everything else that need not be wasted.
7. DONT REITERATE THE STATEMENT OF " WHAT CAN I DO AS A SINGLE PERSON?"
Believe in your individuality and develop a sense of confidence and pride in what you are. At the same time develop a feeling of love for the Nation that you belong.

And then....when we accomplish all this.....then cry your heart out. Then you can weep tears of remorse, for had we acted earlier , we would not have faced this tragedy

Whats new?

Whats new if you ask me....pretty much.
A new painting started.
A new split up routine in the gym , a nice pretty lady too, trying to know her.
A new diet regimen.
India winning matches in a row ( you dont get to see that often)
Sensex dropping further down the drain ( there goes my investments)
Speaking of cricket...here's a new funny blog on cricket...a bit of ol' English humour http://blogs.cricinfo.com/andy-zaltzman/?addata=blog_az_comms

Mushroom salad

I tried my hand at making a mushroom salad today ( yeah , I can cook a bit). Turned out quite nice. Thought I'd make mom a guinea pig first, turns out she hates mushrooms. I cant quite comprehend how someone can hate mushrooms. Its just one of those things that should be worshipped ( chili sauce and mozarella cheese being the others).

Here's the recipe though:

Ingredients:
200 gm button mushrooms sliced and diced ( like the ones in the pic)
1/2 an onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 cucumber sliced/julienned ( if you can)
salad dressing /lime juice half a cup
salt to taste
2tbsp olive oil

Method:
1. Saute the onions and the mushroom in olive oil on low flame for 5 mins. Add salt ( as per your palate or your blood pressure)
2. Add this to the cucumber and tomato in a salad bowl
3. Add the salad dressing / lime juice . Toss as you would your boss's brains ( if he had any)
4. Experiment on someone.
5. If the person does not choke on it, its safe and you can enjoy it.

In case you plan to try it out, let me know how it was.

Meanwhile check out these cute mushroom lamps http://www.geekalerts.com/?s=mushroom

No travel blog this....

My trip to delhi was nothing short of an adventure. Going all the way to delhi for an entrance exam is itself an ordeal. But the Rajdhani experience and the company of friends somehow compensated for the trouble at least one way. The return was a disaster though.
The AIIMS entrance was a tough fight. I don’t really care about the results, all that mattered is giving the exam. The exam was an eye- opener, I could really gauge my level of knowledge. The trouble began after the exam.

4.15 pm : My waitlisted ticket for the Rajdhani had dropped from 218 to 1 AND STAYED AT THAT. It was highly irritating to see my number waitlisted at 1 and I was even more frustrated when the TC ( THE DUMB GUY) said that I couldnt even board the train. It was a frantic run to the ticket counter to cancel it.

4.29 pm : There I encountered shady touts who were scrambling around whispering “reservation, cancellation, kidhar jaana hai?, confirmed milega”. Not wanting to pay them 500 bucks extra for a ticket , I decided to cancel it myself and stand in queue for another round to book a ticket for my journey back home. That was when I was enlightened by the ticketing clerk that all trains were packed till the next day.

5 :30 pm : Im stranded at New Delhi railway station with my luggage. Ok plan B – Air travel. I started looking for a travel agency. New Delhi – the capital of India has no travel agencies close to its railway station. Only touts hanging around. I was in for a bigger surprise though. I walked for a good ten minutes and found all shops closed ( it was a Sunday) and people getting stranger by the second. The only shop open was a Beer bar. A few paces later a skinny guy approached me “ saab, time pass karma hai kya? Jo chahiye who milega, nepali, telegu tamil , malu, gujju, 15 se leke 26 saal ke umar tak milega, acchi ladkiya hai saab. Dekhne ka paisa nahi saab, bas ek baar dekh to lo” It took me only one second to realize where I was and only half a more to turn around and run. I had unknowingly ventured into a red light area.

6.00 pm : Finally found an agency and booked a ticket, but now he tells me that he wont accept a credit card. I run to locate the nearest SBI ATM and stand in queue (man I hate these queues). I rush back to him only to find the tickets ready but not the taxi to take me to the airport. A good fifteen minutes later , the travel guy arranges a vehicle for me and Im off.

6.40 pm. : I have to reach the airport by 7 pm and the driver is trying to do his best, but you cant really fly out of traffic can you? ( not yet). Just when I was thinking that nothing more could go wrong, the car came to a halt bang in the middle of the highway. A few jerks and pushes later it finally relented and the driver sped off

7.00 pm : I am at the airport on time , but my flight is delayed ( yes I took an AIR INDIA flight). So its another long wait.

9 15 pm : flight takes off.

11 .45 pm : Im out at Bombay airport, where I discover that Taxis and rickshaws charge you a bomb to take you anywhere. More money leaks from wallet.

1 .00 am : Im home and I crash.

Happy Diwali everyone

I awoke to an eerie silent morning. Eerie because its diwali and I have grown up with diwali crackers bursting from 4 am in the morning, much to the chagrin of our neighbours. Is it because of the recession or is it just the overall bad mood in the air? Or have people started waking up to realize the bad effects of noise and air pollution? I personally believe that crackers only stand for child labour and pollution. The deathly silence followed till afternoon where I only heard an agonizing cries of a dog ( I later learnt that a himesh reshammiya song was playing in the neighbourhood).
I was confused whether to rejoice about the prevailing better sense or to mull on the sadness of a dull festive season. Just then I heard a huge bang followed by squealing, screaming kids. This was followed by the extensive ‘laar’. More crackers filled the silence with a deafening roar.
Ahh… its diwali !!!

Golden years

"Yipeeee!!!", I heard my younger brother scream as he flung his school books at the far corner of the bedroom. It doesnt take a nuclear scientist to guess that his Diwali vacations have started. I am already envious coz its been a while since i ever experienced anything close to a vacation ( study leave doesnt count).
Nostalgia takes me to my younger days ( not that im too old now), where we kids used to frolic in the society garden the whole day. The same kids who had a hard time waking up for school, were up and about by 7 am to play cricket, much to the surprise of our mothers.
By afternoon ( if we ever came home for lunch) it would be time for 'FUN TIME' , the great show on DD2 ( yes ...there was a time before cable TV )
Evening were spent in all sorts of games like lagori, tag, hide and seek ( yes...there was a time before PLAYSTATION too). I remember the huge jamun trees in our garden, we would have a great time picking those and end up staining all our clothes and faces a deep stain of purple( there was a time before mall hopping too).
Badminton and volleyball was reserved for the nights with focus lights.
Not really keen on returning home at night, we would even have a small camp fire thingy with the usual dose of ghost stories. Diwali was a time for fire crackers, sweets, new clothes.
The entire holiday was spent in mirth, festivity laughter, games......happiness....limitless joy.
By the end we would realise that a school project was pending and would spend the last night breaking our heads on it.
It literally brings tears to my eyes when I reminisce those golden times.
I wish..........I wish I could turn back time....at put it on a still mode.
I wish.........

HINDUISM ???. NOT REALLY?

My dear Hindu fanatic friend,

It is nice to see that you care for our religion and would do anything to help preserve it...be it burning someone alive or rape a hapless woman...or displace some poor guy from his home and livelihood.
Its nice to see that you would go up in arms to prevent conversion but wouldnt really care a damn about farmers ( hindu or otherwise) comitting suicide .
It seems nice that you have discovered that Christian evangelists are luring poor people by offering them bread and shelter and making them convert.

But at the same time what are we hindus doing? Why cant we help out the needy. Where are all our great leaders when hundreds of kids die of malnutrition? Where is the help when people are trying to come to terms with great natural calamities?
What are we really achieving by thrashing some poor guy whose first thought in the morning is how he can feed his child today?

My idea of hinduism was a non violent, tolerant religion that taught us to live like brothers.

If someone builds a tall building and you want a bigger one........is it wiser to build a taller one or break down the floors of the other one?

At this time I am reminded of a quote by Mahatma Gandhi

" AN EYE FOR AN EYE ...MAKES THE WHOLE WORLD BLIND"

BLING BLING !!!

One look at my gold chain and my boss asks me “ are u malayalee?” Of course I am………. which other breed of bling obsessed individuals can you find on this earth?
Males and females alike are always adorned with 3 sizes of gold chains; thick, thicker or thickest.

Though my gold chain may only be a tad thicker than normal, its nothing compared to what south indian brides adorn themselves with.

The amount of jewelery a malayalee bride wears would probably put Snoop Dogg to shame.
Check out these jewellery ads. Sometimes I wonder whether a gram more would break her neck.

Given the current price of Gold, I pity the father of the bride, who will burn a hole not only in his pocket but maybe through his trousers and leg too right upto the bone.

Clean Your Crap

"Yuck , our roads are so dirty", my friend exclaimed. I looked at him extremely stupefied and with a tinge of disdain. Isnt this the guy who just chucked his chewing gum wrapper bang in the middle of the road? Of course the roads are dirty , and we are the ones making it so most of the time. How often do we care to keep that chocolate wrapper or that empty mineral water bottle till we reach a dustbin? When do we start cleaning our own mess?
I suggest we start now.
Start with ur own home. Dont leave your towel on the chair and your socks on the floor for your ever hardworking mom to pick up. She could do with a little rest and you could use the exercise. Clean up your study table. Learn to pick up your own dishes. At least try to wash them on your own. Incorporate a sense of cleanliness and responsibility into your genes.
Its not only about cleanliness, but also about tidiness. After you work out at the gym , do you leave the dumbells on the floor for someone else to trip and fall on his face ( or on the other dumbell). Wake up . Exercise ur brains along with those biceps.
I would really love to hang all those paan eaters who run around painting the roads , walls, cars, and what not A BRIGHT SHADE OF DIRTY RED. Please try spitting straight up above ur head into the air next time, thats probably the only place left (and you will get what you deserve too)

WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,
CLEAN UP YOU OWN CRAP!!!!!

The saint and the sinner

We come across the vilest of beings in life , and at the same time we meet people who would rather breathe less so that the world gets more oxygen. We hate the former and maybe love the latter kinds. Often we harbour prejudice and hatred towards those who have hurt us by words or otherwise. But what comes of this pent up hate? Nothing fruitful of course. It always ends up in a vicious cycle. Hatred leads to frustration or anger and we end up doing things that we regret later in life.
Rarely do we think that everyone is a human after all. Nobody is really perfect and it takes all kinds to make a world. The positivity of a fellow human is always relative to the negativity of another. The saint and sinner are both important. Every person has a different trait, a different character a differently personality , a different background, different circumstances in life and when there exists such huge differences, there is bound to be friction.
Be it your colleague at work, your subordinate, your senior or just a total stranger, clashes are bound to occur in life. Its an unavoidable part of this intriguing network of life.

But we have to learn to live by one dictum alone: FORGIVE AND FORGET.
There is no better revenge than forgiveness. The world would have been a much better place to live in if everyone learnt to forgive.

Who am I to preach? I’m a person who has kept a lot of prejudice against my enemies, hated them for what they did to me, and even gave back something with disastrous results.
Trust me, ….its not worth it.
Its much more easier to forgive.

Lord of the garden

My Mom’s gardening skills have finally paid off. The Brahma kamals in bloom last night are a beautiful witness to the fact.
This pretty flower blooms only at night, lasts in full bloom for a few hours and withers by morning. It has a mild but very nice fragrance. Supposedly a harbinger of good luck, it is revered by some as Lord Brahma’s flower, hence the name.
Rumour has it that unmarried girls who look at it, get hitched very soon. So for all u spinsters out there, hunt for the nearest household with this plant and keep a watch on it.
As for my girlfriend, STAY HOME GIRL!!!

sometimes

sometimes....we must love someone
sometimes ....we must accept their hatred

sometimes ......it feels like heaven
...and at times .... a hell that couldnt be worse

sometimes ....we must give time a chance....
sometimes ...we must wait.....even if forever.

sometimes ...we must know that destiny plays games...
sometimes....we must give in .....

sometimes ...we must let go.
....and let the sand slip from our fingers

sometimes.....the world is so selfish.....
that you cant help but wonder.....
whether love has a meaning....

sometimes.....life feels like a noose around your neck
sometimes ................it is.

In anticipation

Waiting for her was not a new thing for me. I was habituated to her “always 2 hours late” schedule. Not that I enjoyed waiting, but the mall provided a rich source of live entertainment while I hung around endlessly.
Pizza hut was brimming with people from all ages desperately trying to gain calories which they would later work hard to lose at the gym. The apparel stores had the usual crowd of females and their bored male counterparts. Boredom usually made their minds (and their eyes) wander towards those nearby ( usually another female), often earning a gentle ( or harsh) rebuke in the process.
Then there were kids, the spoilt brats. As if sex and violence on TV wasn’t enuf, mall culture had taken up their lives like a slow virus. Teeny boppers, tweeny boppers, pre teeny and all those short of a neonate; prancing about , window shopping, hanging around, giggling, texting, yakkin on the phone and the likes.
Wonder what my kids would grow up to be…though there was a long time to think about that.
She had not arrived yet, 2 hours were fine, but this was getting a bit more for my patience. Have to make a face when she comes. But what would be keeping her?. Had her parents found out and dissuaded her from coming? It was only a few months since we’d been seeing each other, and for obvious reasons; like any other couple; we had decided to keep the relationship a secret.
Maybe she was stuck in traffic? Or did one of those pesky aunties catch up with her on the way to enquire what and where she was going? No satisfactory answer could appease those gods of gossip, for they would spread an illicit rumour anyway.
Or maybe she was involved in a accident? I shuddered at the thought and tried to take my mind off it. My roving eyes finally rested upon a couple who were having an argument. Though the words weren’t quite audible, it wasn’t difficult to judge that they were very close to what people would call a “Break up”
Which took my restless mind back to thoughts about her. Was she angry with me? Had I done something unacceptable in the near future? Was I being a total jerk in some sort of a way that only women would understand? Had I put our love into jeopardy due to some thoughtless careless act?
Would she leave me? What would I do then? Where would I go? It was not only hard but impossible to imagine a life without her by my side. Without her, my life would be a deep void. An endless pit of despondence.
My maudlin contemplation was abruptly broken by a light tap on my shoulder…………I turned around ………….and her bright smile shone a new ray of sunbeam into my life.

The tulip & the stone

She tells me not to dream ,
...but my dreams are all I have

I watch her from the shadows
as she unbinds her silken tresses
...a sight to behold...taking my breath away

I see her amongst the roses and the lilies
as she daintily glides by
caressing each flower with delicate love

And when she spots the amorous letch ,
she frowns with disdain.
she is a pious dame
and Im a love besotten poet..

She tells me not to dream......
but my dreams are all I have

I hide my face in shame
for I'm the blacksmith's son
and she's the princess of the chateau
she sleeps in beds of satin
and I lay on a floor of stone

We are children of different Gods
...all the same
...and yet none at all


She knows my love for her..I think…
but she is held back by her own.
and my arms cannot reach the High towers of gold
that my angelic princess cruelly hold


She tells me not to dream...
...but my dreams are all I have

I shall have to wait
...for an eternity maybe...
...writing maudlin verses...
...till death do us part...

She tells me not to dream...
...but my dreams are all I have

First love

A gaze of few seconds...
..but eons pass in between.
Time freezes over .....
....like the sequence of dream
Eyes to eyes we touch...
..and the soul feels it too.
Like the dawn of a new morn...
...a spark ignites within

Then a veil falls in between....
...and the vision fades away
...thats how first love is maybe..
...like a light shower in May..

letter to a friend

Dear friend,
We meet all kinds of people in different phases of our life.some good , some bad ( or even grossly evil..), manipualtors, liars , backstabbers...some angels, helpers, selfless individuals, some who remain friends forever, some who remain in memories....
I have always enjoyed making friends all throughout my life.I have never learnt to hate, always gave love, with not much in return.
People have always taken me for granted, backstabbed, and even taken advantage of me.
But I have never stopped making friends......because ...for every ten stones that I have got , I have got a gem like you.
The purpose of this letter is not for gaining sympathy or to cry my heart out....
It is to tell you how much i appreciate Your friendship...........which I will always treasure....today , tomorrow and forever
THANKS FOR BEING A GREAT FRIEND

HAPPPY GOAT ( OR WHATEVER)

First of all.... a HUMONGOUSLY HUGE THANKS to all my friends for remembering my Bday.


I had a gala time receiving calls and sms till my mob battery got drained. I had to keep people on hold while i took other calls ( sorry R___ for keeping u n hold so long)

All the friends I have earned over all these 26 years ( oops I revealed my age) have been the best gift I could ever receive ( metaphorically speaking of course.......i would rather have a playstation 3 ) . All this love and affection has made me a happy goat ...or whatever that animal is in the above pic...


Today I would also like to list out all my achievements over the past 26 fruitful years.....

............................................................ummm............................................................
.............................................................................
..........................................................duh....................

....................................DAMN!!!!


TILL NEXT TIME.....

For all my dear stingy friends who cant avoid things that are free.. check out this site for sending free sms. By doin this , (I have upheld my status of being Kanjoos no 1 ...and I dont regret it at all)

http://www.160by2.com/

u can log in directly by using the widget on my page ( see side bar)

I keep getting tons of pics and other useless stuff via forwarded mails , though i trash them reading th first two lines ( most of them are the same mushy mushy crap ....or the "send it to 400 people or a donkey from swaziland will kick ur butt" kinds....

some of them are pretty neat though...check out the wild life pics.....Im not posting all of them ..only those that at least look genuine....( cant trust these mails...ever since they invented photoshop)