Ah Poetry!!!

Surprise Surprise!!! This post is dedicated to something different. It's Music, Poetry & movies. While our Hindi movies rarely dole out good poetry, apart from those good old days, when Mukesh, Lata, Rafi & Kishore ruled the music movie scene. These days though it is quite rare to see the same old poetic mix that songs of yesteryears had. It's more "Jhing Bang" music these days. Apart from maybe the likes of Javed Akhtar, Shaan and a few odd Pakistani artists, there seems to be a real dearth of talent in the Lyrics of our songs today. Blame it on the "Fast" generation, which wants to dance its heart out on good beats, but whatever happened to good poetry?

I can still vividly remember my school days. Early 90's and Doordarshan was the only source of entertainment. Music meant "Chitrahaar" and "Chayageet", where we saw Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, maybe some lucky day there was Rishi Kapoor, and Shahrukh. And the rest of the show used to be filled up with the likes of Mithun and Javed Jaffery (They weree good in their own way). But the songs still made some sense. Then came Sanju Baba with his "Saajan" fame and finally when MTV became an independent channel, we had Channel V follow suit. And there was a transformation of sorts. Suddenly, Daler Mehendi with his eclectic Punjabi spiced up the Pop Scene. Indipop came of age with artists like Suchitra Krishnamoorthy (Remember Dole Dole, Dum Tara…), Mehnaz, Shaan, Shibani Kashyap, Ali Haider, Alisha Chinai all penning down some beautiful lyrics coupled with the funky Pop Dance, it made the right ingredients for a dance era. Then somehow it all fell apart gradually as Indipop died its slow death as abruptly as it was born. Lyrics and poetry too somehow became defunct, and lost the fresh touch.

I remember I was travelling down South from Chennai to Pondicherry, in the late 90's, on a comfortable Bus Journey. I was quite taken aback by the way these buses in the South always keep their music boxes on. They need to ensure something keeps on playing all the time. So, there was this Tam movie featuring Aishwarya Rai which became a blockbuster hit. However what impressed me more than the movie was its simple but meaningful lyrics. The movie was Kandukondaein Kandukondaein. And the lyrics go something like this…

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I have found it! I have found it! The face of my beloved! I have found the moon At touching distance. This cup brims over With moon rays. My heart overflows. If the moon rays break that cup A woman will end her life. What I have seen - Will it reach my hands? Or will I miss it? Will it all end in tears? Woman: When the clouds part It is your face I see. When the flowers bloom It is your voice I hear. Man: One can dream With open eyes. Love's fingers Can prise open stone. Woman: Is my journey But a search for you? Will the roads I take Lead to your house? Man: My dream woman! Will your heart Unite with mine? The river searches For the sea. The spirit searches For you. Woman: The river vanishes Into the sea. Out of our union A new form will rise. Man: I will string stars Together. I will knock at any time on your door. Woman: My Love, I will close your eyes in mine.

Kandukondain, kandukondain Kadhal mugham kandukondain Viral thodum doorathile Vennilavu kandukondain Vennila vellichum Kinnathil vizhinthu Neerayanthal vazhinthal magizhlchi Vennila vellichum Kinnathi udaithal Uyirai udaipal oruthi Yen kan parthathu Yen kai serumo? Kai seramale Kanneer serumo? Woman: Meham thirandal Adharkul unn mugamparkiren Pookal thirandal Adharkul unn kuralketkiran Man: Kangalai therandhum Kanavugal valarkkm Kadhalin viralgal Kallaiyum thirakkum Woman: Unai thediye Yenadhu payanamo Yendhan salaigal - unn Veetil mudiyumo? Man: Yeh kanavu mangaye Unadhu manathu Yenathu manathil inaiumo. Nathiyin thedal Kadaisiyil kadal kanbhadhu. Uyirin thedal Kadaisiyil unai kanbhadhu. Woman: Kadal konda nadhiyo. Mugam thanai yihakkum. Nan unil kalandhal Pudhumugam kidaikum Man: Natchathirangalai - Oru Naril kattuven Yendha neramum - Unn Kadhavu thattuven Woman: Yen kadhal devane Yenathu vizhil unathu vizhigal muduven.

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Impressed? Some similar movies with good lyrics were remade in Hindi. One of the songs goes something like this…

"It wafts through my heart,

It is enough if I sleep on your lap,

And as I sleep peacefully, my desires,

For so many generations will be quenched,

What I love and what I breathe,

Is your approval,

I am suffering, I am suffering,

I am happy in your memory,

When it rains so hard,

we will get soaked in it,

And when we get sick from it,

We will sleep together in the covers,

Telling sweet lies, you will conquer me,

And even though I know they're lies,

That is all my heart expects from you,

Everyday, I want you in the house,

Never leaving me to step outside,

And, in play, sometimes, I want to be draped in your clothes,

(Instrumental) Quenched, quenched, (Female Vocalizing) (Instrumental)

Everyday after you've bathed,

When you find me and wipe your hair,

With the end of my sari, that is poetry,

When you sneak up like a burglar,

And suddenly come up behind me, And embrace me, that is poetry,

If anyone asks me the time, I don't want to be able to tell them,

For the span of love, The time of clocks do not apply."

Okay, for people following this blog, guess which song this can be. Incidentally this song was picturised on Diya Mirza. Any guesses which song this one could be? It features Diya Mirza on a rainy day. Keep guessing, this one isn't that difficult. So, all in all, these lyrics are really beautiful. Language barriers impede our understanding yet it doubt if music or poetry in music really has barriers.

Last weekend, I also saw a movie called 'Mungaru Male' literally translated as 'Monsoon Rain'. Must admit that it was among one of the few best romantic movies I have seen in a while. It's in Kannada and I had to switch on to subtitles to follow the plot. But the scenery and camera work is worthwhile to watch. And needless to say, the entire movie was shot in India. There is this amazing part in the movie, where the protagonists stand over a cliff edge which ends into a massive waterfall. That place is Jog falls in India. It's one of the most panoramic scenes I have ever seen in a movie. Am I hinting at my next trip in the making??? Maybe...

(P.S.: The Jog Falls pic is not my personal photograph and the Diya Mirza song is the English translation of the Tam original song dubbed in Hindi as "Zara Zara Behektaa Hai...")

Flu Alert!!!

God, this swine flu thing is driving us all nuts. You never know who's infected, and where? Bizarre, I tell you. Worse still, I received an obnoxious mail saying that the swine flu cure is more like trying your hand at a lottery. As if, we needed that extra bit of knowledge. Apart from that, there has been immense focus on the flu and our over cautious junta is now become super over cautious. As if those ladies covering their heads and face travelling to work on a bike weren’t enough (some cover their faces even in the buses). Now isn't that something? Firstly, I find this whole 'cover-up' business weird. Secondly, on the flip side, come to think of it, the whole idea of the cover up serves two purposes. One, is to actually avoid unnecessary public attention and remain covert like a spy. Secondly, in case if an acquaintance happens to see, one can always pass off as an unknown. So it is dual safety, that way. Swine Flu as an excuse/reason??? No way...

Last weekend I visited the Oberoi Mall near Film city. Now this place is huge. And believe me. It takes a while checking out all the glitzy new stores which have come up. Some real BIG names do the rounds here. Its like a CENTRAL mall in Bombay, apart from that it also has PVR, which makes up for a real good combination. Make sure you go loaded with loads of cash though. This one's really harsh on your pockets. Nevertheless, I always prefer our very own Mulund's Nirmal Lifestyles. Why? Well, it’s more open and airy as compared to any other mall anywhere across the city. Now, one may argue what one would do with open malls in the city. Especially one which has trees in the midst of it. Surprisingly, this is one of the key reasons why the mall is beautiful. Aesthetic would be the best way to put it. A nice mix of trees and glass give it a very natural and elegant feel. Above all, one never feels claustrophobic or cluttered up. Its open feel entices everyone. Anyway, I am not a spokesperson or a promotion manager for them, yet this is one of the places which I love to frequent, quite often...

Saw a few good movies last weekend. Prominently Public Enemies (Johnny Depp), Jaadugar (the one featuring Amitabh Bachchan), Shubhamangal Savadhan (a Marathi Comedy movie), Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (Grr.. Don’t ask me why I watched this one for the umpteenth time;))). The Ashes is being true to its spirit and is changing sides by the minute. Why does this English team behave like a bunch of Kindergarten kids is beyond reasoning! Anyway, I’m still counting on the English to pull this through. The Premier League is starting this week. And it was some fun to see Manchester United get a sound drubbing from Chelsea. For once, I turned a Chelsea supporter (just for the match alone). Looking forward to the Arsenal magic this season though.

Long weekends beckon meanwhile. This month of August is full of such long weekends and it is a welcome relief from the hassles of work. Business hasn't been really upbeat and recessionary and lay -off fears are hovering above the head. Right now though, I'm just waiting for the long weekend. More to come...signing off for now. Cheers!!!

P.S.: Did anyone see the new vodafone ad?? The guy singing,"I'm taking a shower, i'm riding in traffic..." Hilarious yet Nice, in its own way...

Gloomy & Depressing...

Yesterday was such a miserably Bad Day. And it couldn’t get any worse. Woke up in the morning with a miserable chest & back ache. There is this peculiar habit of my folks, to remember the work to be done at the very moment when you are just about to leave the house. And that brings nothing but chaos. The moment I left the house, started the Day by missing the Bus and had to take the Rickshaw for the umpteenth time this month. And everything that could go wrong went wrong. Murphy’s Law at its very best.

The rickshaw guy was an absolute moron. Someone whom I had encountered earlier as well. One of those typical ‘Peeping Tom’ drivers, who have to peek in every rickshaw at the sight of female flesh. The last time he happened to notice a tattoo on someone’s leg. Now it was one beautifully designed Tattoo. This bugger had the enlightened brain to ask me,”Don’t you think people can have tattoos on any part of their body?” “Err…what??” I mumbled. He went on to describe how one’s private parts could also be tattooed. I nodded in agreement, though I noticed his eyes were still on the lady’s legs. I sighed and said,” Yeah, what’s the problem with that? It’s their body. Who are we to comment?” Our bugger seemed not to agree. Kept saying how western values have invaded our culture. What the hell!!! I thought. Just decided to keep mum, nevertheless. No point in arguing with a pea brain. And now of all the drivers in the world, this same driver meets me again. Alas! My fate, I thought. The Traffic snarl was huge as usual. Started from the T- junction at the Highway and stretched a good 2 miles ahead. But the bugger made it worse taking all the unnecessary turns and allowing the others to overtake him. In the bargain, my one way trip cost me Rs. 110. Shit!!! I was supposed to be managing my Budgets. Worse still, I reached office a good 15 minutes late. The weather is kind of gloomy these days and it rains off and on. It makes the surroundings quite unhealthy. And the chest ache now deteriorated further. The afternoon lunch didn’t help either ways. Had some pods for Lunch. (Where did the Greens disappear???). Headache turned worse and a meeting went slightly haywire. But the worst was yet to come. Evening arrived and I moved out of office. Buses were packed to the core. And no rickshaw was willing to go towards Home. And I stood waiting for a rickshaw for a good hour and a half. Really didn’t have the strength to board a Bus either. Finally, even after I got into one, it took another hour and a half to reach home. Went to the ATM to withdraw some cash, and the machine stopped working. Went home to check my Account Status and found that the Loan department has debited my account for the same month twice. And it’s the second time in a row that it happened. What misery!!! And those buggers are still digging up the Powai Road. One only wonders if they are digging for Oil or Gold.

Just fell on the couch in the evening and had a quiet meal, which made me feel a little better. Now, the weekend has dawned. And finally I have some time to myself. Or so I think.

Hope...

Now, after immense criticism of the usage for the 'Wet Shoes' remark in the previous posts, I have decided to keep similar retorts restricted. Only till the end of this post though, since it is NOT a 'Maut ka Saudagar' or a 'Budhiya/Gudiya' comment. Those who follow Indian politics will realize the context of my retorts. For the rest, just relax...Carry on Reading...

Just happened to visit the Taj Palace Heritage Hotel at Colaba, this morning. Yes, this is the same one which was attacked by the terrorists. Well, nothing dramatic. Just went there for a client meeting. The guy was French. Considering my general aversion to the French people, this guy seemed better, at least comparatively. The Taj Hotel does look like a battered soldier, nursing his wounds. The Wasabi restaurant and quite a few of the suites and rooms are under major renovation and getting a facelift as well. The Dome however is still intact, although there are renovations happening at every corner. It is however, hard to believe that this was the site which was the centre of Global Attention, where scores of Foreigners and Indians were brutally gunned down as well as the incessant grenade attacks which took place here. Its now silent & peaceful as if the guns are fallen after the war. One can never take away those visuals we saw on the night of 26th November 2008 and the following drama thereafter. It still amazes me how vulnerable we really are in the face of Life today. I'm sure nobody in the Hotel enjoying their Business Discourses or spending that moment taking in the heritage of the hotel would have dreamt of such a wildly, gruesome night. I can still vividly remember watching the whole action on the TV till late in the night. And then began the final siege and slow and painful resurgence to normalcy. No evident sign of the carnage on the outside as of today. For an outsider who hasn’t seen the Taj before, it may seem as if there is some random renovation going on. One can only see closed up windows, undergoing renovation. It will be a while before the slow limp back to Life resumes for the Taj. The Reception staff is ever so courteous and nice. Pretty ladies with their glossy lips greet you a nice warm 'Good Morning'. Well, what more can one want on a rainy day? Jokes apart, foreigners seem relaxed and overall the entire place seems really safe and secure now. Bags are checked very thoroughly and security is really tight now. There is Hope….and it shows in the smiles of the hotel staff.

Strange how uncertain life has become and how helpless we seem to be. Gone are the days when one could go to VT for shopping without fear. We blame things, circumstances and people. Seems like, Life is getting worse day by Day. Helpless, in spite of the gizmos and the Technology around you. We may have the Best of things to make us feel secure. But one can never be too sure...So, do what we always do. Enjoy every bit of Life while it lasts. Kaliyug - they call it. Maybe, but do what little you can to overcome it. With a little more zest and spirit. If you feel like hugging someone, do it. It may be a friend, colleague or someone you just enjoyed being with. No sexual overtones here, it’s just plain, without any logic. And good vibes don’t need any logic anyways. No matter what one does, once this moment in Time is lost, it can never return, no matter how much you cry for it or how much you pay for it. For once, try living for others, not just oneself. Be good and it will feel good to be good. Have a purpose. If you don’t, well don’t bother too much. Sooner or later, you will realize one. To quote the Bible, there are 3 things that are always constant in this world – Faith, Hope and Love. And of all these, the greatest one is Love. So, Live it to the fullest, because life's too short to think twice...Cheers!!!

Of Budgets, Houses and Nomenclature

Budgetary blues took centre stage as the week started with a bang. Markets have reacted obnoxiously as expected, considering the fact that it is not really an Industry-oriented budget. Anything that doesn’t fall as per expectations is best ignored or debunked. Just goes on to show the level of desperation these days. Its evident everywhere. Right from the morning preference for Breakfast, to your leg space n the bus and finally your expectations from the budget. Meanwhile the TV channels and Newspapers are all going gaga over the Budget. Analyzing, Cross Analyzing and predicting its effects and repercussions. Let’s move away from all that for the time being. Meanwhile I did a very good thing yesterday. In the spirit of the Budget, I prepared my own Budget, monthly and annually. Now this should help me trace my own Spending (Ever Increasing...) and Savings (if there is any....) Now, how prudent would I remain to my Budget...Time will tell.

There is a New controversy which has begun. After whom should we name a Bridge in the City? I mean what the hell? Why do you want to name it after ‘Someone’? Is it really important that a bridge deserves a baptism and some people who are not even remotely connected with the Bridge get due credit for the same? What a Travesty!!! As if, naming it would reduce the Traffic. Anyways, if one names the Bridge after Count Dracula, you would still have enough traffic regardless. The Dracula would not arise from the Ashes to guard the Bridge or scare off Traffic. Give it a Break. Let Dead Souls Rest in Peace!!!

Started following the Ashes. I’m solidly defending England this time around. It’s always fun to see the weaker side to give the Champions a run for their money. In this case, it’s the Ashes.

Rains don’t leave my Sneakers alone. My Woodland sneakers have already started looking like a pair of Wet Cardboard shoes, and my Black Leather Shoes are so soft I far they will dissolve. Now that would be a serious Loss :(

The city is pouring with rain, yet the BMC says there isn’t any water. Apparently it’s not raining in the Lakes or what one calls the “Catchment” Area. Just highlights the amount of neglect, we are all guilty of towards newer technologies like Rainwater Harvesting, Recycled Water etc. BMC, are you listening?

This week I also had the opportunity to check out a New Real Estate site that has sprung up out of the Blue. It’s named after the mineral “Gold”. But when I heard the price!!! God, it’s worth much more than that. The Price is shooting up to almost a crore for a place with 4 rooms. People say the Area is developing rapidly. Duh, like I didn’t know that!!! I spent my childhood here, for heaven’s sake. Now I only wonder what kind of a job does one get to satisfy the pre-requisites to purchase the House here? Recession, Anyone??

I’m going to my native place for the weekend (Again!!!!). This time. I am leaving with a school friend. It’s pouring like crazy and I’m supposed to reach there by 02 : 30 in the night. Sounds Scary???

Weekend Trip

Weekends are called so, for a particular reason. One cannot explain the joy, the pleasure and the happiness that a fulfilling weekend brings. And so, finally we had a weekend that brought together all of these requisite conditions. We started off on Sunday with the assumption that the so called "Weekend crowd" would be returning home and accommodation wouldn't be a problem. For once, we were right.
So, we met up at Thane. Iwould introduce my friends here. Four of us in all, me, M, S, and J. I caught up with J and we proceeded to Nahur where we caught up with M & S. The time was 7 : 40 am and the trip began. Having a vehicle has its own share of unbelievable advantages. The comfort was nice and the journey was good. The Sun had already risen but we could barely see the sun itself, since it was draped behind some dense dark monsoon clouds. And conversations began as we paid our first toll at the Airoli Bridge.

Now for some weird reason I have been obsessed with the idea of reaching the pinnacle of the Karnala Fort. For starters, the Karnala fort is a thumb-shaped (M still says that it's a middle finger) rock mountain rising above the otherwise normally shaped Sahyadri ranges. It houses a fort and a Bird Sanctuary and is among the relatively cooler places on the highway from Bombay to Goa. One can always question, as to why did I choose to trek this place. Well, the answer is that it's relatively much easier to scale this fort, given the fact that this fort does not require harness or ropes to scale. One can literally walk it up to the top. Or so we thought..... We parked the car at the foot of the hill and proceeded on the march ahead. Guess what? We forgot to carry water atop while climbing. And after an hour long climb we realized the dire need for water. The temperature was very pleasant but somehow the humidity seemed to be getting to us. The slope kept getting steeper and steeper and our informal shoes weren't quite used to the terrain. Especially the slippery mud had already created quite a few blisters in S's feet. And to top it all up, just around the time when we thought we had reached the top and had a flat walk to the summit left, it started raining. And it did rain pretty hard for a while. Now, we chose the less risky option of getting down since we were dying for water and any more higher climbing meant a longer return to the foothills. So we abandoned the trek midway and proceeded downward. Strangely, later on we realized that the easier and faster route to go up was towards the right. An explicit example of the "herd theory" made itself evident. We followed a group who thought that the left path was the shortest. we followed them , they in turn were followed by 3 more groups and the trend continued. Everyone getting drenched in the melee.

Post Karnala, we stopped at a Dhaba (a cleaner version of a Dhaba) and had wada pavs. They never tasted so good before. A nice sumptuous breakfast was then succeeded by an hour long drive to Alibag, where we had another sumptuous Lunch. Food always has sufficient space in our bellies. And when it is Good food. Voila!!!

Alibag rains were so harsh that we couldn't quite move out. Though we did eventually move out to buy a pack of cards, (which we never played !!!) and surprise, surprise, to have PAN or betel leaf, for beginners. M says its the best digestive one can get after lunch. I thoroughly agree. Anyways, so after lunch we checked out Chaul and everyone was amazed to see the waves splash on the walled embankment. The beauty and serenity in the violent ocean was too good to be true. The Greenary and the village houses, washed clean in the rains were a sight to behold. It eventually prompted J to comment, "Hey, this village looks like a real village!!!" Ha Ha Ha, as if we didn't know that. But yeah, probably what was meant was that these days it is indeed difficult to find a village untouched by urban flavours. So we were indeed glad to find a 'pure and rural' village. With Bullock carts, Six seater tam tam vehicles, State transport (oh my god!) ST buses etc, included. The evening was spent in a nice little resort, quite and secluded, yet sea facing. It's actually a really nice place, perched atop a hill. And they serve you some good food as well here. (which is so important, isn't it? ;) Also not to forget, the nice bhurjee and hot cup of chai at the beach just when the sun was settling down in the evening. Carrom victories and table tennis practice games made up the latter part of the night. Waking up in the morning was such a pain, especially considering the fact that we were on holiday. By afternoon, we set to return in the afternoon, unwilling to leave the evergreen monsoon magic behind. On our way back, the sight of S scampering for fruits and bargaining hard with the local vegetable vendors near Panvel was quite a sight. We followed suit. Nevertheless, we struck some good deals. Bah, sometimes we do talk like we are exaggerating stuff. But then, a good Picnic trip is always best experienced. One can only describe it to a limit, isn't it?

All in all, it was a very memorable trip. Something worthwhile and worth cherishing.

The King is Dead, Long Live the King!!!

It’s been quite a reasonably long hiatus from the blog. Well, attribute it to a busy schedule, etc etc… And guess what!!! The rains are here!!! And my city is drenched, as usual. Seems so funny of people to wait so ardently for the rains, and then criticize it saying, “Oh, but my clothes get dirty, blah blah!!!” Hypocrites, of the highest order!

Meanwhile I enjoy drooling in the rains. The first time it rains and you get wet, nobody complains at home. I guess even they realise the fact that the first rains are more than enjoyment. Its about one’s submission to the monsoon. You know the feeling of immense tranquillity, Joy and freedom. The tranquillity of nature, the Joy that the long summer wait is over and the freedom of well……One can’t explain in words, its best experienced. The sudden chirping of birds, varied vibrant colours playing so evidently, into a nice soft shade of green, nature portraying itself in an urban jungle. It’s all so sudden, yet all so beautiful. I visited a friend’s place this weekend, someone who has recently shifted to a better location. But then, I guess better would be an understatement. This lady gets to stay at an apartment facing the hills, wide open terrain with little apartments in front of the balcony, generous bursts of chilly winds readily entering the house and above all, the rain kissing your cheeks while you earnestly sit on the French windows in the balcony. One would be ever pleased to stay in such a place. Above all, the clouds playing and moving across on the hilly terrain is simply stunning. One moment you see the clouds, the next moment there is ample rain and all the hills vanish from sight. (It does pour quite heavily in these regions).

And everything changes…even the pretty ladies walking on the road seem to be gyrating with enormous ease, your walk becomes a hop, and jumping over puddles of mud avoiding the slush is an enjoyable thing. The wind becomes so chilly, that you start wearing extra clothes for a change, and above all, it is the ‘Return of the umbrella and the windcheaters (that’s a popular term for fashionable raincoats!!!). Playlists change to ‘Saawan Barse, Tarse Dil….' or the evergreen ‘Tip Tip Tip Tip Baarish Shuru Ho gayi…’ And of course for the Anglicised elites – ‘Raindrops keep falling on my head'…..or Madonna’s lovely rendition of ‘Rain’; Personal Choices…whatever!!!

This morning I happened to fall prey to the perennial habit of taking an auto rickshaw. It’s the kind of feeling when you tell yourself, ‘hey what the hell, its raining today, so I don’t take the bus’. Once you convinced yourself that, there is no way you can revert to the Bus. It becomes a distant memory and you settle down comfortably within the ease and comfort of the Auto rickshaw. Now apparently just at the onset of the first rains, the Rickshaw guys from my own went on strike. The apparent issue being that a local driver did not ferry a lady passenger to her destination. And of course the lady complained. And the rickshaw wallahs blame the New Colony for their woes. They say that, Its because of the New Colony that they fall into trouble and get ‘harassed” by the “Conspirator” Citizens. Hmm, but guess what ? Our Champion driver however disagreed. He said that the Rickshaw guys are to blame. He says, why does one drive a Rickshaw in the first place, if he has to say No to someone? I mean isn’t that kind of stupid? I hummed my appreciation and approval. Though I had a point to make that they ought t o have their freedom too, but maybe yes, its once too many that I have also been either fleeced by some scoundrels or maybe just felt frustrated to wait, especially when I am in a hurry. So the debate continues but for once the Driver was fined. Are we staring at Obama’s ‘Change’? Maybe Not quite there, but still there is hope. And all this is happening in my City :))

This morning also brought the Sad News of the untimely death of Michael Jackson, King of Pop. Never could imagine how the King could die so suddenly. He leaves a legacy behind, a legacy where every kid in the 90s regardless of whether he is a heavy metal fan or a country music fan always has heard and enjoyed MJ. His theatrics were talk of the town, no doubt but his music was unique and fascinating. He was called the King for a reason. The moonwalk and the imitation tried unsuccessfully a zillion times by so many. And now his death leaves a void. Something, which may never be done away with. Somehow newer artists lack the approach or the charisma that MJ commanded. I can never forget the craze that MJ had when he came to Bombay a decade ago. The people who got him here or were directly responsible for it eventually got elected to the Legislature. Now that’s the power of a King. He was Special, in his own way.

One can only say: MJ, we will really miss you!!!

Beauty in a drop!!!

Sometimes pictures do speak more than words.Rather, they leave you simply speechless.

Just Another Day...

A lot has happened over the weekend. Something’s remembered and retained, most of it forgotten. Quite simple, isn't it? But that has become a seemingly real facet of life these days. We forget so easily. Today's morning News becomes stale by evening. It is a fast paced world indeed.

That reminds me. I had a nice weekend. Been Busy and on the move quite literally. Of course, not much with work, so to say. Who would like to work on a weekend anyway? Just been doing a little bit of shopping and a whole lot of TP (Time pass), although i am certain pastime would be the right word. Reminds you of pasta, doesn't it? This Sunday was the Feast of the Holy Trinity. And as tradition has it, I visited the Holy Trinity Church in Powai. One of the oldest standing ruins of the Church lie behind the present Church. The Portuguese Church is supposedly over 400 years old. Made me ponder about our roads which don't survive even 4 months these days. And we are supposed to have progressed ahead with better technology and better knowledge. But, that would be diverting from the topic at hand. I woke up at 6 30 to make it in time (well, almost!!!) for the 8 am mass. The atmosphere at the Church was festive. People were seen having a good time just meeting up old folks, friends, relatives, etc. Simply nice and relaxed. Especially considering that the weather just keeps getting better and better now. And the shade and quiet piety at the Church was a moment to indulge in. The afternoon was quiet and relaxing too. You know, one of the days when you feel "aloof" and away from the rest of the world. You just feel impeccably calm and just leave office, work, etc behind. Wine always spices up Sundays, and when that Wine meets Good Food, well.....All the ingredients of a peaceful afternoon nap are in place. No matches on TV thankfully, so spent the time watching one of the most ultimate "Masala" movies of all time - Om Shanti Om. A plethora of stars all doing something only a Hindi movie can deliver. True Masala. TV has become a real addiction these days. Like one of those key three things - Roti, Kapda and Makaan (Food, Clothing & Shelter]. By our generation it is now renamed, rather extended to Roti, Kapda, Makaan, Television, Fridge, Washing Machine, Cell phone. The cell phone is become such a need that one really gets restless if it were not around. In a way it does make one feel important too :)))

Back to the week is going to be an arduous affair. Especially when you feel that the Sunday was a worthwhile Holiday. Sometimes, one really feels so desperately that every office should have two weekends. H R, I hope you are listening!!! But then would every weekend be fun? A friend of mine asks. Well yes, Life has so much to offer, and so much to do. Even if maybe, there isn't much to do, there is always the cozy couch and a sultry mind. Ever willing to sleep and wish the whole world was a mirage and all that one had to do was to sleep in life. If sleep really were the ultimate goal in Life, then I am sure I would definitely be God....lol...

So much for imaginations........... By the time our kids grow up one only wonders, to what extent would this list stretch. I am certain that by then play stations, androids, robots, and what not. How we miss the simple joys of Life and often make Life so complicated......So much for being 'progressive'.

Some Drama this...

So we are back after a while. Been on the threshold of a weekend. Weekends are generally difficult to resist. Especially the thought that one won't have to see office for two days in a row brings a reasonable amount of cheer. And one doesn’t really feel so obliged to write for a blog at such a moment, right?

Hehe..anyways, the weekend saw its own share of sports affairs. The IPL 2 bonanza finally ended. The Deccan Chargers piped the Royal Challengers Bangalore. I can only feel for the cheerleaders!!! Dancing in the cold winds of South Africa in their skimpy attire can be indeed chilly and challenging, isn't it? Wish the RCB had won. At least the party would have been longer. Not that Deccan Chargers had Bad Cheerleaders. But still I always have a soft corner for Mallya's ladies. Thank God, Mallya didn't peck Katrina on her cheeks like he did last time around. A nation would have been in uprising seeing that, I'm sure and many fuming, for sure. Still, two of last year's biggest losers turned out finalists this year. Some Revenge indeed...Kumble was mind-blowing as always, yet somewhere his men fell short. It wasn't like Deccan defeated Bangalore. Rather more like Bangalore defeated themselves. One needs grit and courage. Somehow they fell a little short of it.

On a personal note, I went to check out the movie: "Mee Shivaji Raje Bhosale Boltoy" aka "I'm Shivaji the King speaking"...a nice Marathi movie with some stupendous performances. Especially considering the crap that Marathi movies generally are, this one stood out in perfection. Very few such movies have actually made it to the top, all due to the acting prowess of the actors. Movies like Shwaas, Astitva, Mee Shivaji Raje Bhosale Boltoy, Chaukat Raja are in a league of their own. Shwaas was especially touching, whereas MSRBB was more thrilling and appealing. My folks are generally fond of plays. Those are better they say...For a change they liked MSRBB. Even I would agree I guess. But then the only problem is, Plays are normally held at the Kalidas once a while. And its best if you watch a play with a group of friend's. It’s more fun that way. Plays would outweigh Movies for me any day. Since the real acting skills are showcased only in Plays and Dramas. I always loved plays even at the school level. The thrill of keeping your audience glued to your character through acting is not an easy job, yet one would always strive to attain that perfection while avoid distraction from your audience. A friend of mine, a certain Mr. D’sa pulled off one such stunning performance at a School Play lately. Well, it was more of a Local Community Level function actually. Nevertheless, we completed the entire Skit, almost a half an hour affair, in a matter of a Day and a half with the Dialogues, Costumes, drama et al. Some achievement isn’t it? Especially with Mr. D’sa, came down all the way from Pune to act in the play on a short notice. Superb Job to say the Least. And the joy of your audience appreciating your performance on stage is something which Certificates and Degrees can't provide. Am I hinting at an alternate Career? Maybe Not literally, but somewhere down the line, I would love to be associated with Theatre. Personal Opinion, Period! :))

P.S: I wonder how "Someone" would react after reading this!!!

The Sky just before it starts to rain...

I guess I would be continuing with some more “Philosophy” here. So those that find such stuff boring can just lay off and close this blog right now. See, I’m sparing you the trouble of reading too much. Not that too many people find ‘Reading’ to be as interesting these days. Got so many Distractions and for many, the very act of reading is such a turn-off. For the rest, well read on!!!

So, now someone suggested me to read the poem Robert Frost’s “The Road Less Traveled”. All I can say is that I found someone affirming my thoughts. It is interesting that the poet lived sometime in the 19-20th Century. Almost over a 100 years ago. So, things haven’t changed much. And probably they wouldn’t as well. We still face the same enigmas, the same trials and tribulations, the same uncanny push that people felt centuries ago. The poem was just an example.

On a personal note, I am quite fascinated by the poet’s "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" poem. Especially the last 4 stanzas:

“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.”

So true. Life keeps us egging on and there is always so much to see and explore. So why wait? Make the Best of what one has. I saw this movie called “Reality Bites” over the weekend. Well, er….not actually, just saw a part of the movie. There is this one scene where Troy, one of the protagonist’s in the movie says: “There's no point to all of this. It's just a random lottery of meaningless tragedy and a series of near escapes. So I take pleasure in the details. You know... a quarter-pounder with cheese, those are good, the sky before it starts to rain, the moment where your laughter becomes a cackle... and I, I sit back and smoke my Camel Straights and I ride my own melt.”

I think that is one of the most beautiful lines I have ever heard in any movie. Okay let’s leave the smoking part aside. That is something I detest too. Anyways, what the protagonist is trying to say is, to enjoy every little moment that you have, because one doesn’t realize if tomorrow you would lose that moment and never have it back again. No matter if thing’s may not make sense now and it may all seem very monotonous and meaningless, yet find time to enjoy yourself. There is a sense of discomfort and despair, yet the protagonist finds a moment to smile and enjoys the moment, regardless. Among the little things in life, those simple moments which you feel are always so elusive and difficult to find time for.

‘Ride your own melt’ meaning ‘Do what you feel right, as per what your own conscience says and above all, have fun’. A friend of mine once said this, especially after he was a little high on spirits. He pointed to his watch and said, "Remember Buddy, no matter what amount of money you pay, and how hard you try, you will never get this particular moment that you experience right now. The moment its gone, you have lost it. And there is nothing you can do to retrieve it. So make the Best of it while it lasts". It may be conflicting at times, yet do what your Heart says, always!!!

Isn’t that what Life is all about? Au revoir…people!!!