Stroke of a Moment

The Massively Scalable People Sort

2010-08-04T23:58:00.000-07:00

In my life, which has neither been that long nor speckled with any momentous achievements, I've come to learn to apply a crude sorting algorithm on all things that live and breathe and cross my path. In no way are the results of the sorting process rigidly dichotomized or even conclusive, there's room for greys and other colors too. The sort is just a simple assessment that doesn't prejudice me towards any individual in particular. It has so far proven to be a pretty decent work-around for chugging along through life without anything or anyone having very much of an impact, except in the case of those that truly matter. And that's how it ought to be. Though, not a silver bullet, let me get on with my prolific essay on my personal codification of the human kind.

I look at all the people around and don't necessarily see a crowd, I see them as assorted elements of a very decent but really huge list. And then I apply my sorting algorithm to coerce them into some canonical form. Very scientific ? Lets see how and what conditions I would use to sort this motley bunch and what scientific reasoning, if any, I do apply.

There are the clingers, whiners, faraways, windbags and the unfortunate deadly fatheads. Anyone outside these constraints are pretty normal in my books. But, so are the 5 types above except, my sorting algorithm is biased to ensure they belong in the X-Files in my archives.

The clingers: Talk a lot, never leave or let go of their audience/hosts. Be warned, these folks usually have lots of free time and no one else to bank on either. However much you try to extricate yourself from them, the generous out pour untiringly persists.If you happen to be the quiet and indulgent listener, you've probably earned yourself a new best friend for life. You are also likely to come across several deja vu moments, where a certain trait, word or an attribute so strangely familiar to you seems to be taking shape in them. And, one fine day you wake up, look at yourself in the mirror and scream in shock at the possibility of slowly & steadily getting cloned over harmless cups of coffee with this individual you've been kind to. The clingers aren't the bad sorts really, though, they do tend to demand your rapt attention, endurance and time. After all that, I don't feel very certain about the endowment, intellectually or emotionally. On the other hand, you may end up feeling a tinge of guilt for the fear of hurting them. Worth it ? Not so sure. Let 'em be ? I think so. Deaf ear ? Definitely !

The whiners: Oh those whiners ! I am certain your gray cells are already working hard trying to recollect that name in the back of your head - from school or college, a neighbor perhaps or a colleague maybe ? Yes, when the world seems just fine, the sky is that perfect blue, the sun shines and its spring time, trust a whiner come along cast a wintry spell. Ask a known whiner - "Whats up?" or worse "Whats wrong ? " and throw open the floodgates. They whine about everything, from their jobs, money, people, relationships, the food and even the air they breath. Now who's going to tell them that it ain't the best way to solve a problem.

The Faraways: .Yeah, they just lost me or did I lose them ? Nothing, nowhere, noone are adequate descriptions of their thoughts according to them. They appear lost to me or perhaps its genius that I fail to see.

The Windbags: They are an imperious lot ! And I am not being judgmental here. Every strategy of trying to approach them and conversing with them is an uphill job. They appear to know everything about everything there ever was or even that which wasn't. I once had the privilege of acquaintance with a rather curious and self-confessed polymath who could challenge a physicist, lawyer, musician, accountant, doctor, a gambler even, at their own game. He was fine perhaps.I felt like I didn't have the adequate proficiency or the intellectual ability to absorb so much on the account of being starved of such varied education. This is when I could fully understand a certain feeling called deprivation! Again, we read and absorb information of varied nature and diverse fields, we opine and have the freedom to opine. Do we command mastery ? Ask the windbag !

The Fatheads: I totally dread this last variety because I always feel like they feign the stupidity. C'mon, its hard to believe that the powers that be would mete out such grave injustice on a thus-far-known most evolved species. Unless they are better defined as an alien lot, at least then the utter and complete communication breakdown is justifiable. I am often told that its innocence, but kids are innocent too & they ain't stupid ! Everyone has the right to be stupid, I am stupid lots of times but I am not sure if I abuse it. Hence, I've come to the conclusion that most such cases particularly those of an abusive nature are feigned. Ever hear about - "Noble Cause Corruption"? I would personally like to suppress all evidences of feigned stupidity to help the Fathead and therefore myself !

If I think about it further, I guess all of us do have a sorting mechanism. As objective individuals ,we try to be above board and reserve our judgment most times and give folks a fair chance. That said, we do try and use our discretion for associating with some people more than we would with certain others. Then there is the consideration of intellectual and other shared interests, laws of attractions and then some.

This method or madness call it what you will, may appear as a twisted attempt to form inaccurate and perhaps even unwarranted judgments of otherwise perfectly normal people. Those in question have had their chance to speak, emote, answer and opine several times and continue to do so. They've not failed. My algorithm & I chose to apprehend them whilst I demonstrated my apprehension**, elementary, my dear Watson !

PS: To the powers that be, please hire me to sort out your crowd problems, so I can hang up my boots now ?

**Inspired by the recent Sherlock Holmes film & Downey Jr's. take on it.

4 Cs of bums !

2010-07-25T23:33:00.000-07:00

And you thought you could only grade diamonds based on the 4 Cs ? The bum enjoys the best & worst place in our life. As a random conversation item sometimes, or as an object of affection or for launching a surprise strike at other times, it certainly ain't a lady's best friend. The poor bum, as I will proceed to explain can make or break a woman's day and in turn prove to be pretty hard on the object of her outbursts !

Color: Irrespective of genetic make up your bum can be quite deceptive according to my so called trusted sources. Apparently, there are lots of magical products out there for being perfectly color coordinated with the rest of you ! Does it really even matter ? I mean, I would think that years of wear & tear of sitting on your own a*** would leave certain effects. Now I realize how that would be a dead give away for people who just sit on their a**** vs. people constantly on the move, like the proverbial wheat & the chaff innit ?

Complexion: The lesser said on this one the better. The all woman magazines don't spare anything to splash those even complexioned beauties in their summer bikini specials ! No expert comments here from me on this.

Contour: Now, if you were a qualified M.B.B.S(Member of the Big Bum Society) perhaps you'd appreciate the enormity of the problem ! An ample back side does pose some seating and silhouette issues. I won't even get started on the obsessive workouts to tone those gluteal muscles. The arduous process continues, thousands spent on limitless sessions with multiple trainers the glutes stay stubbornly there.
On the other hand, if you got lucky breaks in the films down south (in India) perhaps it'll help you retire early :).

Clothes: Ah yes ! The critical and perhaps the most important cover strategies stem from this C. Don't tell me you never look into a mirror side ways after you've worn those slim fit trousers and do a quick check on how your back looked ? Or wondered if the clothes are too tight, too lose, make you appear big or too small ? Should I pick a longer shirt or shorter one, a loser one or a tighter one ? Shopping for those perfect pants never was easy, the hips just made the challenge worse.

So..you've got it or you don't!

** The Essential Disclaimer:

The author doesn't subscribe to the values above and will forever be an indebted and happy M.B.B.S !
The author also feel that this post was instigated by a recent conversation & was meant in good humor ! Sorry if you think its ludicrous, unrealistic and plain stupid.
I have to change my trusted sources soon !

Pune..

2010-07-23T01:45:00.000-07:00

brings to me a flood of fond food memories, first. But I have to mention (atleast in passing ;) ) that the friends & tons of activities we managed to indulge with a generous sprinkling of travel, are cherished too. Of course, with me doing the talking..rather..writing, how can food not take a priority. Here are my top picks from Pune through my years there. Each time I go back, I manage to cover at least two on my favorite list.

Arthur's Theme, Malaka Spice and German Bakery
Marz-o-Rin - Their Zoom Sauce & Mayo are simply to die for with an unmatchable taste.
Zamu's were good at some point, I don't know now
Vaishali - even the water here is special for me :), and Vadeshwar in more recent times
Manmeet - their chaats are tops, hygiene...who cares
Dabeli wala outside Fergusson main gate
IMDR canteen (in the Fergusson College campus) - Double Special chai and street style Chinese food
Batata Vada wala near the rear gates of the college campus
More Batata Vada walas in various parts of town
La Pizzeria - I guess they are now owner of a Little Italy franchise, but it was a favorite haunt for the family about...a decade back(wow ! time does fly)
Then there is/was a little hole in the wall shop near an old old house on Fergusson College road that sold the most awesome samosas & patties. I need to find out if they still are around !
The rolls at Olympia - largely non-vegetarian but the vegetarian is fine, pretty nice
Sujata Mastanis - they serve superb milkshakes with every possible combination of fruits & dry fruit. You need to go on an empty stomach, have loads of love for all things fruity.
The multiple teashops - Amrutatulyas near Laxmi Road and another one memorable for me was opposite college
Garden Court atop a little hill in Chandni Chowk for the food and scenery on a rainy day
Fried ice cream - that we tried the first time ever in Panchshil
More recently I found East Street Cafe, Flags to be nice
Sigree, Bombay Brasserie on Dhole Patil Road
Thai & other asian food in Magnolia in Aundh, my backyard
Thousand Oaks, Sarjaa, Smokin' Joes from long ago
Nandu's parathas
Ramakrishna next to our school
Kayani's biscuits & cake are a must buy every visit
Shreyas, Shabri(unsure about how they spell it) and Mayur for their thaalis
Dorabjees for their assortment of delicious goodies
For sabudana khichdi it was Appa's near Deccan Gymkhana (I owe my pals for taking me here). For more on Appa, check out http://www.punelifestyle.com/appa_canteen.htm
Shiv Sagar, Kamat, 4 Seasons on the Aurora Towers top floor, Mirchi Kola at some point though briefly, were other haunts.
I remember all the little bakeries - Copper Chocs for their rum balls, Monginis for their savories, Baker's Basket for their cake
Budhani wafers (exclusively for their potato chips)
Then the numerous fancier places that we started frequenting later with great food but with no significant firsts or any memories attached.

I know I could go on & on with this list endlessly.

Pune for me goes beyond this list. Its about the culture, the architecture, its fantastic people and so much more. To me Pune epitomizes a lifelong celebration of life and a city of simple delights that anyone can cherish.

I so badly want a bite of Pune...NOW!

A sense of loss

2010-07-08T01:40:00.000-07:00

..currently plagues my mind. It conflicts with my tendency to dwell on practicality, logic and better sense. It is unnerving and almost unnatural yet so familiar, that I am about to or have to let go of something yet another time; something so close to my heart, something permanent, something that I took for granted. A sense of security and well-being snatched away from me. Then I grapple for words, for objects to give it more definition.]

an·chor
1. any of various devices dropped by a chain, cable, or rope to the bottom of a body of water for preventing or restricting the motion of a vessel or other floating object, typically having broad, hook like arms that bury themselves in the bottom to provide a firm hold.
5.a person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability, or security; mainstay: Hope was his only anchor.

There are only a handful of things I wanted to be permanent. Parents & their home were almost always on the top of the list as someone to fall back on and a place to go to. And however near or far I maybe, as the years progress, I've attached a sort of permanence to them.

I want a home to go to when I wish for it. A home that I made doesn't qualify the same way as the home that I sometimes wish to run to and has my parents, my pet, my books, my toys, my music, my pictures, all the familiar sights, sounds & smells that I can feel & touch even when I am not there ! Each precious moment that my parents have carefully preserved in photos, in every object that reminds them of us & reminds us of our growing up years all untouched and kept in the same places; the familiarity, associations, memories feel like they're being snatched away. Their decision to move is well planned & in the works for a while & yet I feel this void that can never be filled.

I know I can always travel & visit friends there but, it won't come as naturally as the feeling of "Yesss...I am going home!". I know there will never again be a countdown of the days left to get home, never again the strange sadness that sets in when you know you are leaving in a few days, the happiness of ringing the doorbell & seeing smiling & welcoming faces, the eagerness of squeezing in everything you love to eat & do in a few days and so much more.

I will gain, my parents will live next door. But, I feel a stronger sense of loss over a significant part of my life and time being lost, a 2nd time over! The home we set up, grew up in, a home so alive is suddenly going away never to be seen again!

I train myself to think the reverse - "They are coming home, finally !" And, I start counting down...for my loss or my gain ? Okay stop..be positive, be happy.

Indulgence is bliss

2009-05-19T03:01:00.000-07:00

Will she start..
Will she not ?
Will she start..
Will she not ?

Its a ridiculous mellifluous rhyme being met out to me by my dearest friend as she agonizes the waste of blog space.I just want to let her know I come by & for lack of words or lack of ideas I pass by too. Well my past effort really yielded zero output over the last several months, but if she keeps up that rhyme of hers...well I have little choice but to keep coming back here and keep the updates rolling.

The monsoon appears to have struck earlier this year relieving us of the dreaded burning heat of the summer. We've been indulging ourselves with huge cups of ginger chai and trying hard to avoid terribly calorific, hot & spicy fried pakoras. But, when is an Indian monsoon ever complete without the deathly kiss of the pakoras !

As the rain pitter-patters on my window & doesn't relent, my mind tells me to stay put & watch the rain pass by while the other me wants to savor the rains with...hmmm...And so we indulge again. Indulgence is bliss !

2009-02-11T18:38:00.000-08:00

Liken them to bra burning feminists or chaddi-chors ? Call 'em whatchya may they're a combination of Munna's Gandhigiri & women-activists-gone-bonkers. I completely understand & even empathize with the intentions & inspiration of the "pink chaddi" movement but I just wish the ladies were represented by better spokeswomen on the media who can rebuke clowns from the moral brigade in kind.

What lady in her right mind(like me of course ;) ) wouldn't love to enjoy a chilled sweating mug of beer in a pub that plays the perfect music on hot evening ...like today !

2009-02-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes its so much more easier to just drop things the way they are when they come to a dead halt and start afresh. Like this classic example of my blog. The internet does offer the luxury of anonymity despite the advantage of shrinking the world into a lil' window ! But...I'd rather pick up this thread where I left it off & accept the challenge of being a little more regular & even disciplined and keep jotting 'em gazillion thoughts !

A year's a long long time. The world's essentially changed all around us with the global financial crisis, the US electing the first-ever African American president, the Chinese quake, the summer Olympics and how can I not include the profligate Mr.Raju. Beyond this worldly wisdom, we have the Doc surging to new highs & a soon-to-be-married kid sister, whirlwind trips to roads less traveled by yours truly, happily pregnant friends, new mommies with their very cute lil' ones & of course some interesting developments at work. Like I said, picking up the threads, has definitely more meaning plus in the case of this poor abandoned blog space, has definitely tons of more meat in it!

2008-01-29T01:15:00.000-08:00

We drove down to Mahabalipuram on one of the weekends. This was one of the many roadtrips we've undertaken over the last 3 months or so. We stopped at the Crocodile Farm on the way for a short while to see the reptiles.

This fellow just sat there, basking in the sun with his mouth wide open.

And they were simply adorable...

Especially this lil' one and...

I simply adored the smile on her pretty face !

Why English is sooo BAD ??

2007-09-05T05:53:00.001-07:00

So my sister's finally finished her dissertation and has moved to Bangalore to work. Having been apart for a long time, we were catching up and one of those conversations took us back to good ol' Sacred Heart School in Jamshedpur. We suddenly remembered a poetry recitation competition she'd participated in as a little girl and actually penned down the entire poem after Google returned a zilch!! And so here goes:

Lil' Sister begins reciting: Why English is So BAD?

We'll begin with box, and the plural is boxes;
But the plural of ox should be oxen, not oxes.

Then one fowl is goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.

You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
Why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?

The cow in the plural may be cows or kine,
But the plural of vow is vows, not vine.

I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
If I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?

If one is a tooth, and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

If the singular is this and the plural is these,
Why shouldn't the plural of kiss be named kese?

Then one may be that, and three may be those,
Yet the plural of hat would never be hose;

We speak of a brother, and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.

The masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
But imagine the feminine she, shis, and shim!

So our English, I think, you all will agree,
Is the craziest language you ever did see.

Milky Mo(o-v-e)ments!!

2007-08-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Shot this one in Goa. It was amazing to watch the bovine heap move all together from one end of the street to the other, horns, hooves, calves, tails, flies and and all !!

2007-08-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

I left the title blank for not wanting this to be yet another one of those "yipeee...I am back" posts. So what did I do all this time.

We did really take a very well deserved and long awaited vacation to Goa. A day of some rain and three wonderful days of sunshine combined with the lots of free flowing and inexpensive yet great liquor and food by the Arabian Sea was extremely fun and well very fun!!
I finally managed to get our living room spruced up with some new and wonderfully colorful plump cushions and cant help gloating at this accomplishment :)
Long conversations over the endless cups of good tea on dull rainy weekends are always so perfect, though only next to great evenings with good food and wine and merry making with great company !
Watched a few very forgettable movies that I would not even care mentioning !
Finally, got to my blog and approved the comments :) and have posted my replies :)

B'lore traffic "rules"

2007-07-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

I am not going to be claiming that I am back with the "bang"(Lore...pssst the "d" was silent)!! So much for a pathetic joke.
Well, the last couple of weeks were spent over-hearing some interesting "expert" advice on the golden rules that prevail while driving in Bangalore. Two of our colleagues who've recently moved to India finally acquired the much dreaded liabilities - their cars. These wannabe 4-goody-tyres are truly the bane of this very over-burdened city. Its a pain driving around the streets of this place. You not only have poor & hazardous roads to drive on but you also have to bear the brunt of non-existent lane discipline, extremely rude drivers, completely bizarre traffic management "officials", terribly egoistic public transport drivers and...Jeez!! the list is endless. If you are smart enough though you could get by just fine, just like all those others who get along perfectly.

Heres some precious piece of overheard advice if you want to drive in Bangalore.

If you're a woman and you're a driver, be certain that you will curse the day the treacherous and quintessential "Y" jilted you ! Be bold, brazen and well truly forget femininity and all those associated niceties/jazz around that.
Buy your car but please ensure it does not look really new(meaning get those initial bumps and scratches for the effect...) the moment you hit the streets, you would've earned a few brownie points and respect of the other drivers!
Forget about your recent splurge at the dentists for a polished & cleaned set of teeth. Forget the fact that your smile makes you look nice and happy. You will never regret it. Start your day by gritting your jaws, bring on the frown and acid on your tongue and fire away with aggression. Once you reach your destination, you will know that your efforts paid off. Smile to your hearts content. A frown everyday will brighten your day!!
Get rid of both those rear view mirrors or keep them shut-in. Shocking but true...they are pretty much considered expensive and truly unwanted "accessories". I have never however managed to get rid of this horrid addiction to my rear view mirrors. Apart from looking all the way around when I turn to make sure my "blind-spots" don't deceive my vision. I really have to turn "cold turkey" on this terrible terrible vice. Well, what do they say about "when in Rome...."?
When in need HONK and HONK and HONK again. The louder the better and the more frequently you use it you will be sure to rule the streets.Oh! and you must try the latest in the market, they're now the louder than ever before. This nasty noise maker is sure to dissolve all your traffic woes. It doesn't matter if the decibel levels cannot be tolerated by the minutest of living beings. But if you're going this route remember deafness is also here to stay. The deafer you are the better off you are!!
If its a one-way street towards the north today, beware; it is likely to be one-way towards the south tomorrow. So please do drive in the opposite direction on a one-way street, it will pay off. Also, if theres a cop watching, please ignore him he doesn't know a thing at this point you simply jump to #10 below !!
Perhaps the driving school taught you how to use your indicators. But remember just as you did learn lots at college but had to unlearn and re-learn everything in your first job, kick your driving-school teacher hard on his/her backside. They never taught you the right the thing at all. Heres how you do it here. If you want to turn to the right:

Indicate about a mile in advance, remember do not turn off the indicator,
Stay on the extreme left side of the road, especially when you happen to drive a huge trailer/truck/bus,
The moment you arrive at your turn, just swish your wheels to the right and cut across like the Atlantis.
Disadvantage: You need to be prepared for lots of unparliamentary language and actions, Advantage:You have your way and feel realllllly "Godly"..And its the whole feel good factor - you're sooo smart & cool & superior, you freaked out fifty others around you and fooled them didn't ya!

Ensure you get fancy tail lights/parking lights/reverse lights on your vehicle, in a manner that they flash very fancily and all together irrespective of whether you're driving at night/hitting the brakes/reversing; its a cool, slick, trick! Oh you wicked devil you...you really got them this time didn't you?
You've probably heard of headlights and perhaps know how & when to use them.Simpletons like yours truly, use them at nights/fogs/rains and in the low beam. We poor folks were also taught to flash them to overtake/warn other drivers. But hey guess what I learnt today...you're supposed to install halogen/fluorescent lamps and drive on a high beam especially when you site someone coming in the opposite direction in a poorly lit street. Thanks! I now know what "Zap" means and can articulate "dazzled" really well.
Here are a few final aces.

Get some awful looking bumper stickers with devils/skulls/charging bulls and lots of messages painted sort of like "Oh evil-eyed one, may you face be blackened!*" OR "Himmat Hai To Side Se Nikal, Warna Bardasht Kar**" OR socially meaningful ones that promote birth control "we one ours one/two***";
Overtake from the wrong side
Be really quick to show your hand in a very offended manner to every passer-by whether or not there was a problem. Believe me you will scare them away.
Finally, remember you are always right !! Just drive straight and focus only on your getting to your destination before everyone else. Do not, I repeat, do not look around you under any circumstances, other drivers are obviously responsible for their own lives even if they get hit; after all they need to watch and drive carefully ! Didn't they come in the wrong direction ?

*Popular bumper stickers on trucks in India:

*Oh boori nazar wale tera mooh kala - This one wards off the "evil-eye" a popular superstition
**Himmat Hai To Side Se Nikal, Warna Bardasht Kar - If you have guts, overtake me or tolerate me
***Hum do humare ek/do - a family planning message, preaching to couples to have either one or 2 kids only

All this is very good & interesting, but the overwhelming factor is that it appears on really monstrous, scary and broken down trucks/trailers!!

On a loss...

2007-06-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

It is so strange how much an unexpected loss impacts you.So strong, as to make you question your present state of existence. Everything that you once had and always took for granted is not even there any more. Its scary how that one loss could completely turn your world upside down, so much so that nothing else matters any more. Every philosophy & every word of wisdom then just doesn't make much sense. Somehow, a loss always provokes a train of thought that enlightens you on the wasted moments and what you could have done better or done right or it makes you wish you'd simply done something more. You even know that this realization & the loss is going to fade away in a few moments(hours/days/months/years) from now never to be spoken of again in the same tone of dejection & deprivation !

As they sing on, I've always known what they sang was true but it hits home harder now...in moments like these.

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought Id something more to say

Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
And when I come home cold and tired
Its good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells.

The "blessed mangalsootra"

2007-06-07T03:42:00.000-07:00

By a strange twist of fate...perhaps "good luck" I found my match in the Doc. Luckily for us, the few days of struggle to convince my folks to accept our decision to be married was easy; and we guess it was easier since we both happened to belong to the same Hindu Brahmin (GAWD!) background !! To give due credit, my folks really had practical concerns but that is a thing of the past...and boy am I glad !!

Marriage, as I gradually realized has its own trappings and external symbolisms when it comes to facing certain types in the family. The mangalsootra is quite literally "the knot" thats tied around the bride's neck in most Hindu weddings. Its the symbol of being a married woman, who then struts around with it proudly until the day she dies. Except, what happens is that this already heavy gold string keeps getting heavier with the years as gold coins, beads, corals & other knick-knacks in the name of some faith/numerology/tradition/astrology/blah...keep getting added on; all this is apart from the safety pins & keys that are hung on it for convenience!! Bottom line the neck-thingy is precious(some rocket science that...it is gold!!), symbolises goodwill, is something holy and is the suhaag ki nishaani**.

WARNING FRET HERE:[Wonder why something like this never imposed on men folk around. They could straddle themselves with some fat gold chain with representations of their wives/some holiness/family in some form or other and put it out on public display for the world to know. So much for that wannabe feminist crap !!]

Anyway, the simple fact is I hate wearing too much jewelry more so anything around the neck except for the rare silver trinket that I have a passion for and the problem starts here.

Scene of crime 1: Nani's house ( she lives a few kilometers away from my own place). Enter grand-daughter with a wide necked tee and a very visible neck with an invisible mangalsootra. For nani "married woman = bindi + mangalsootra".
Nani's effusive welcome and happy face turns into varied hues of anger and disappointment and she strikes the final blow in those short 30 seconds "Where's your mangalsootra ?" So all I could do initially is look sheepish. This sheepishness progressed to irritation, anger and finally its settled. Some scheming & cheating worked for this one. This little strand of gold now has found its place in the cozy nooks of my handbag. Its sees the light of day and feels the warmth of my skin only when nani is around and when I wear a wide necked top. Most days I settle for a closed neck tee and anyway cheat on her because the sly little thing can never be spotted!

Scene of crime 2 : Visits to the mother-in-law ( about 4 or 5 times a year for a couple of days!!)
My M-I-L is a lady of strong tradition. She is a very religious and devout lady.But with all that she is one of the sweetest individuals I have come across in a long long time and I genuinely adore her. Then again, as with my dear old nani there are some things that I can never get away with. For nani its just the neck thingy, for m-i-l its the mega equation "married woman = bangles+bindi+toe-ring+neck thingy" !! The folks who know me will realize what trauma I have to go through. Well to my chagrin...I have given up trying to counter it and actually spend the few days with the in-laws quite happily and gracefully(talk about an adarsh bahu).Poor Doc he understands but he's also been at the receiving end of all my annoyance. So there I am strutting my stuff for 10 days a year for the eyes-of-you-know-who to see.

Grand Finale

Doc & me arrive at our destination
Rush for handbag
Scramble through usual mess (usually empty contents onto back seat)
Shove toe-rings into the toes
Shove bangles on one hand (thank you Dearest Watch on the other)
Position mirror, painstakingly remove sticker bindi, place on forehead
Rush into elevator
Arrive at the door while getting the noose(the mangalsootra) around neck
Ring doorbell
Walk in with the grace of...well lets leave that unsaid

This situation has played itself over several times over the last two years. While I've progressed to wearing all the jazz for the eyes of those can't help but notice their absence.So now my handbag is burgeoning with objects I absolutely don't care for or need( 1 little ziploc bag comprising 2 bangles+ 1 set of the tiniest red bindis + pair of silver toe-rings + 1 gold neck thingy). I can't help feeling a little awkward that I am cheating with it. Chuck it all !! I really can't help it. So now my handbag is burgeoning with objects I absolutely don't care for or need( 2 bangles+red bindis+pair of silver toe-rings + 1 gold neck thingy). As the "lingo" goes...I am like that only !! :)

**Suhaag ki nishaani: Suhaag literally means good fortune. Here it means the symbolism of being married which is the "ultimate good fortune"(only in case of women anyway...grrrr....)

PS: The Doc is kind to me. He says I have a "good, caring" heart (lashes aflutter) and I care and love my folks hence this (mis)step!! Thanks Doc...I am plain happy to know that we know we're married to one another :)

Pardonable sin ?

2007-06-03T09:18:00.001-07:00

The much promised snap and a sinfully wonderful...sin ?

Nerdy...Me?

2007-06-01T02:43:00.000-07:00

Quick Chocolate Cake

2007-05-28T02:47:00.000-07:00

Simply delicious and very simple too. This is a lovely eggless cake recipe that my mum has been experimenting with since we were little kids. Till date this is the best homemade cake I've ever had. Here is your chance to test your baking skills even without requiring to bake. Yes...this is a 5 minute microwave recipe for a no bake yummy cake !
Ingredients:
1 cup of refined flour
1/2 cup of butter/vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsps of baking powder
6 tbsps of cocoa
1 tsp of vanilla essence
1/2 tin of condensed milk
1/2 cup of milk
2 tbsps sugar if the condensed milk is sweetened or 6 - 8 tbsps if unsweetened( smaller quantities of natural sugar substitutes are also good here for the calorie conscious)

Method:
Sift the cocoa, flour and baking powder. Beat the butter/oil with the sugar till fluffy. Add the condensed milk, milk and vanilla and beat well. Gently fold in the flour mixture to this. Grease a medium sized microwaveable cake dish and pour this mixture. Microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes and test with a knife so it comes out clean. Note that the cake rises quickly and pretty high so use a deep dish.
Once done set aside to cool, cut 'em up and dig in !!

My favorite serving suggestion is a generous slice of this cake/any chocolate cake is with some vanilla icecream topped with raspberry sauce.

PS: Will upload a snap in this space soon. I had to capture this while mum was around :)

Boombai Chutney....what?

2007-05-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

The Doc & I had our usual long days. While I sat pondering on the usual "what do we have for dinner ?" question, the Doc expressed his craving for "Boombai Chutney".

Doc: I feel like eating "Boombai Chutney"!
Wife: Errrr "Booo...." what?
Doc: Well...my mum makes it and its delicious, I feel like eating it with rotis.
Wife: Okay...lets call your mum and ask her how its done.

We made the one last phone call of the day(while I am about to faint from my hunger pangs...), the ingredients are called out she spoke of the basic seasoning and the word besan*....Thats when it occurred to me that it was nothing but "Pithla" !! Jeepers...the mysterious "Boombai Chutney" is "Pithla". This is a very basic, humble but very tasty concoction prepared in Maharashtra. After having lived in Pune for 10+ years...surely the Pithla has not escaped the ever craving foodie in me! Pithla is typically had with bhakris** all over the state of Maharashtra, I relish it with rotis while hubby likes a more liquid consistency with pooris, its pretty simple and makes for a nice quick meal. You could skip the rotis/pooris and stick to some rice or bread. So here I am with a first truly official post on my recipe.

Total Cooking Time: Between 10 & 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 to a 3/4 cup of Gram Flour/Besan*
1 large Onion - finely chopped
2 or 3 small sized fresh tomatoes cut into cubes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
3/4 tsp Coriander Powder (I ran out of fresh coriander/cilantro and used this as a substitute. Roast some coriander seeds and grind it to a fine powder, I just pick a box off the shelf from the local grocers.)
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
2 medium/long green chillies split lengthwise in two (you could add more per your taste)
Some Curry Leaves
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Asafoetida (powder)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
Some water & a little vegetable oil ( 1 tsp should do)

Method:
Preheat a pan on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes and roast the gram flour until you smell the aroma and the sort of raw smell of the flour is gone. A couple of minutes on a heated pan should do. Remove and set aside. Add enough water to this to get a free flowing paste without lumps.

Add a teaspoon of oil in the pan and heat it a little. Add the mustard seeds. As they start to splutter, add the cumin, curry leaves and green chillies till its just about done spluttering(don't let the curry leaver/green chillies turn brown). Add the ginger-garlic paste, the powdered coriander seed & asafoetida and stir a bit. Add the chopped onion and saute until the onion and the smell of raw garlic fades away. Add the turmeric and the paste prepared earlier.

Stir constantly on medium heat until the mixture starts to thicken and little bubbles start to appear and burst on the surface( you could add a little water while stirring if it turns too thick). Take off from heat, garnish with freshly chopped coriander/curry leaves and serve hot with rice, rotis, pooris, bread or bhakri.

*Besan - Roasted gram flour
**Bhakri - Flat bread made of millet/sorghum/maize flour

Phulka and Pithla meal for 2

The much relished first mango of the season !!

On a progressive regression

2007-05-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

Its all over the news and continues to be a much debated subject even today. For a city that boasts of being The Technology Hub for India and attracting eyeballs worldwide, this appears to me as regressive. I support the school of thought that emphasizes the importance for mid-long term residents of a place to respect and make an honest attempt to understand its culture and live in harmony with it. This is more so for kids who need to cultivate relationships at school, fit in and therefore need to understand the language as well. However, it is shocking that the government has taken steps that would deprive 100,000 little children of a decent school education and a potentially bright future. Why ban a global language at all when development seems to lie in the hands of an increasing global economy? Closing schools that do not teach in the native tongue but in English based on a OMG-I-forgot-that-it-existed mandate is unpardonable. Regressive seems like an understatement. The reasons for such mandates are many, to me some of them appear well thought out, some of them rather fanatical. This kind of thinking seems to create a further divide in an already fractured society. Politicos and government reps do nothing to alleviate the already festered wounds of the ordinary citizens.

There have been more than one occasions where we have been subjected to vilification by strangers on the street & autorickshaw drivers for the traffic/pollution and the numerous civic problems that plague any growing city that in its current state cannot support the burgeoning population and the boom in the economy. Being "outsiders" of the state have brought us several pains, but beyond that, being part of the prosperous and booming technology industry here seems to a punishable offense ! This may appear rather cynical, but we also love the city and face the same problems on our way to work, in shops, markets and everyday nothings. I think tolerance is something that has faded away with development.

I am sure that these peaceful folks who continue brooding over the long gone glory of the Garden City must feel tortured but I wish they'd wake up and pick the real fights to fight !

The memoirs of a dying blog ?

2007-05-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

Well, did I ever live a full life anyway? I lived a patchy life with an occasional update. There was probably nothing more to say about the monotony of the life and times of the owner of this blog. (Does anyone want to know what she ate for breakfast? ). Hence, its a slow & boring death. By the way, there seem to be signs of a come back, some signs of light at the other end of this tunnel of the mundane.
Nothing like yet another sequel of same old-same old stuff.Yeah right!! Hrrmph...lets see what else she would have to say?

2007-04-18T02:26:00.000-07:00

She stood on the bus stop after a day of grueling work at the lab. Unaware of the city and its people, she waited and looked on for her ride back home. The loud conversations, blaring horns, black smoke, hawkers shouting ... everything was irritating.

Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder.
Someone: "Look thief!"
She: "Uhuh !"
Someone: "She's got a bag and a cellphone !"
She: "Uhuh !"
Someone: "Ma'am, its yours!!"
She: "Ok!....Errr what..."

And then she took off as fast as she could. Chasing the thief to get back her belongings. They weaved in and out little queues, ran around buses, jumped over garbage and finally she caught the thief by her hair, smacked her across her cheek and grabbed her things. The others looked on. She looked at her thief again, the thief had nothing but a look of desperation and a little child in her arms. She let her go. She looked around once more, they just kept looking at her.

2007-04-18T02:01:00.000-07:00

Participated in the "Treasure Hunt" at work today. We Won! We Won! We Won!

2007-04-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

Watched "Bheja Fry" over the weekend. The theme is based on the French film Le Diner De Cons . Though a lift, its well executed. Its a refreshing change without the usual loud and lewd "comedy" that seems to be the key ingredient for Hindi comic films these days(weirdos and creepy lookalikes!)

I would recommend watching it at least once and enjoy some good humor.

A rhyme for a reason...

2007-03-22T23:45:00.000-07:00

Over a cup of coffee she spoke,
What she said left me provoked.
I am looking hard and searching for words,
To express myself and be heard.
There are a bunch of thoughts in my head,
I carry them each day to bed.

She spoke not of worry, not joy , not pain;
I'd rather classify them as being mundane.
Sometimes we're so consumed with life,
It seems a silly, almost a senseless strife.
A few simple questions I have for you,
A quest for their answers will help you too.

When did you last see the colors of dawn,
As it spreads its wings when you wake each morn?
Did you walk in the woods or walk by the sea,
Feel the sands shift beneath your feet?
Did you climb a hill and touch the skies,
Or lie on the grass gazing at a starry night.

The kiss of the breeze, the tingling rain,
Smells of spring, the white winter terrain,
Seasons have come and gone again,
You're standing here with your refrain.
When did you call on a long lost friend,
And went to shop with no money to spend?
Did you feel the passion for a deed so true,
And stood your own to fight for a good?
Have you laughed hard in a long long time,
Jumped in joy, sailed on cloud nine?
When did you last want time to stand still,
Or admire a bird on your window sill ?

You've missed so much in so little a time,
You've had no reason to rant and whine.
Its what you've chosen to become and be,
You live with it or set yourself free.
You've lost some friends, some loved ones too,
Don't rant more lest you lose me too.
When you've thought and pondered come speak to me,
I am a happy person and that's how I'll be.
There are wonderful things I would love to recall,
The world's fantastic don't spoilt it with your bawl.

Holi

2007-03-05T03:51:00.000-08:00

Madame & Monsieur M(friend from days of yore) & S invited us to a Holi party they were hosting in their home and it was probably one of their last parties for the moment. They're moving out of the country and it will a few years before we meet again I guess. As usual, since the Doc was away, the Doc's wife was at play :).

Its been years since we enjoyed holi in this scale. With the years, our consciousness both in terms of safety and the environment has increased so we had eco-friendly colors*. To reassure ourselves that the colors would not leave horrid stains on our skin, we applied huge quantities of oil in the hope of abating a "mass scare**" at work the following day when colleagues sight us.

So, we finally started playing, poured buckets of wierd colored water on each other, rubbed hues of reds/yellows/greens/purples/silver and gold colored powders and pastes on one another for 2 hours. In the meanwhile, S was enthusiastically serving thandai and sugarcane juice to quench our thirst and keep the energy levels high. What he forgot(or intentionally did not) to mention was that...the yummy yet confounded concoctions he stirred up was actually laced(and laced being an understatement) with bhaang. The party planners appeared to have had a well thought out strategy for maximizing fun and guest retentions.
There was of course lunch to follow and we'd organized a potluck with some dahi bhalla(from me), a lamb preparation(by M),hot and delicious jalebis, samosas(thanks to some one else) and some veggies for likes of the vegetarians like me and so the menu ran.

After a lot of boisterous and noisy fun, we'd almost scrubbed off huge chunks of skin to get rid of the color. Then we began gorging on some really hot and yum jalebis. The intelligent few (like me who else !!) avoided stuffing ourselved because we knew that bhaang and jalebi*** together are the last two things you would want in your system i.e. if you want to stay awake, keep up your decent or at least half decent behaviour and drive home safely to the comforts of your own bed. So we had a couple of giggly wives, galumphing husbands and a dog in psychedelic colors going beserk in the noon heat on an open terrace. Anyway, I managed to drive back home in one piece and hit the sack around the time that the bhaang started kicking in. It was a nice day of fun and cheer.

I must appreciate M&S, they really had their act together. I have a couple of years to plan the perfect revenge on them, can't wait until we meet again

*I would seriously question their "safety". I thought natural colors are always pleasing to the eye but these just managed to appear horrendously pink...but the packaging said that they were safe for kids and the environment. We definitely did not want the little ones joining the fun to be hurt in anyway.

**God forbid!! Especially since our appraisals due shortly (tee.. hee..we could not help giggling imagining our boss' horror-stricken expression).I had already thought of covering up my feet in socks inspite of the rising temperature in Bangalore.

***Bhaang and jalebi in that combination can really get you flighty and fighting for stability. Its a pleasant kick of sorts that can have others laughing but you crying for hours on end...

Drambuie

2007-02-27T22:17:00.000-08:00

I had the first sip of this thanks to my boss at during a party at her place sometime back. I really need to put some thought into ways I thank her for it.
A shot of this pink heady concoction did wonders to my senses. I still don't know how the Doc and I ever missed it especially given our unquenchable thirst for good liquer. Most of the Rusty Nails, Jackfrosts, Aftershocks were pitiful mockeries that terribly missed the quintessential ingredient - the legendary Drambuie. The wonderful pink color, a subtle aroma of mysterious herbs and the tingling warmth and flavour of heather honey is really quite wonderful. And finally, I am shortly going to be in possession of an original 17 year old single malt Drambuie. Cheers to that!

**So let me leave you to shake up some Drambuie, lime juice and lots of ice with a dash of lime zest and raise your glasses!
**Disclaimer: I recommend merely shots of it lest you curse me later.

2007-02-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

I have been really pathetic and erratic with my posts and feel a little bad at the lack of commitment towards this. I have also been wondering what there is to write about. Its more than a month since I was home...truly home...and never had the chance to spend a few quality minutes with the Doc. What is one supposed to do with a wedding, a funeral, 25 appointments at work in five days with 14 hour work days, 3 different business trips interspersed in between and tons of relatives descending upon us in all the time thats in the middle... Oh! And we also had senior citizens in the family celebrate their landmark birthdays in great style and grandeur with an unbelievable elation on turning yet another year older! And here we are trying hard to freeze time while yet another bunch of "well-wishers" constantly remind us of how my biological clock is ticking away and we begin "manufacturing" mini clones of ourselves only to burden us and this extremely over-burdened world a little bit more!! Someone desperately needs to counsel them...Perhaps we're the ones in need of counselling. Either way...I am finally enjoying a wonderful bottle of wine in the luxury of my suite far away from as I vent away. I am looking forward to spending a nice weekend with the Doc finally & also to post more frequently. Cheers!

On Reading "Invisible Monsters"

2007-01-26T03:45:00.000-08:00

Read this book by Chuck Palahniuk. I saw it lying in a seconds bookstore. I found some bits that seemed worth remembering. The simplicity in what is written and how its written left an impression.

-"Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everybody I've ever known".

-"The best way is not to fight it, just go. Don't be trying all the time to fix things. What you run from only stays with you longer. When you fight something, you only make it stronger".

We are two!

2006-12-21T00:17:00.000-08:00

15th Dec has brought a lot of anticipation and joy to us. Perhaps thats natural given the significance of the day. Usually Dec 15th was no different earlier until we tied the knot on this day two years ago. We turned two this year! Since the Doc was working his night shifts I went ahead and planned a surprise for him.

I reserved a table at the famed Olive Beach. By far, this is one of the most exquisite dining experiences we've had in Bangalore. The ambience and decor is really simple and stark yet leaves an indelible impression. Its a sort of a cross Spanish/Italian style structure with uneven whitewashed walls interspersed with niches, a warm ochre flooring with a slanting azure roof, pretty crystal chandeliers adding the little dash of color lit by candles that are placed in the niches and tables. The outside seating has a sort of quasi seaside atmosphere with white sands, rattan furniture, a little water body and some pretty greenery. The place is pretty simple but exudes an understated elegance. The DJ dishes out subtle & muted jazz . The whole atmosphere was simply awesome and heavenly. It felt like I could not have made a better choice, given that this was our first visit.

The Olive Beach dishes out a awesome Mediterranean style fusion menu. We really had to look at the menu and took a while to decide what to order. We ordered our drinks from a fabulous and exotic array. They serve quite a wide and innovative range of martinis like the Tamaritini (with a subtle tamarind base) or the Pinatini(pineapple based) in addition to the wine and other cocktails. I decided to pick a fabulous French Merlot and the Doc settled for the Pinatini. We began our first course with a vegetarian crostini and an aromatic salad of bocconcini, zucchini and tomato mildly spiced with olive oil, basil, parsley and thyme. The crostini was fabulous with toppings of mildly flavored tomato, aubergines cooked in olive oil and a simple tomato sauce and basil. The salad was very light, delightful and very refreshing.

We refilled our glasses a few times before our entrée which was the epinaca y verduras - a simple mashed potato base topped with lots of aromatic and flavorful greens, vegetables and again a mildly flavored spinach and cream sauce with olive oil and thyme. This was followed by a simple pasta in a simple and delicious arabiatta sauce.

The dessert was of course the best. I picked the chocolate mousse while the Doc had a praline gelato. The mousse came dressed in glory with a white flowery patterned ribbons of chocolate.
The deep dark rich chocolate stood in striking and attractive contrast to the white platter it was served on. Simply yummy and delicious, it makes me want to go back right away. By the way, we were also made to blow a candle and cut a little portion of their most fabulous chocolate fondant(a cake oozing with liquid chocolate)!! It was a very memorable private celebration and the folks at the restaurant have really done their bit with the personalized service and fantastic food.

We returned happy and content. It was an evening really well spent.

Hyderabad Chronicle - 2

2006-12-18T03:24:00.000-08:00

Decided to finish this up finally. The nostalgia is done and now the real reason why we were at Hyderabad. My bro-in-law was engaged last Sunday. He always was sorely aware of this and awaited the axe to fall...finally it did. My sister-in-law to be is really quite sweet. She is a medical professional - a doctor to be precise, and that leaves me the odd one out. It began about 3 weeks back when her parents were eager to meet the 'elder bahu & beta**" in the true blue traditional Indian style. We went and they saw us. I guess they were pretty awed or should i mention horrified by what they saw. They never saw a typical elder bahu phenomenon, what they saw was a short haired female, hanging around with the elderly men of the house sharing a few jokes, walking all over the place with a big semi-professional camera hanging around her neck, managing a whole 6 yards of silk in quite an un-womanly manner and some how try hard to join a few Telugu words to speak a few broken sentences of the language. Well I guess it made a dent, a big one, because my B-I-L's mom-in-law to be took me aside and cautiously handed over a sari(while I thought "not yet another one...please") and entrusted her "little" girl to me. Well...I am not the sure what to think - all I can say is I am very happy that theres a wedding around the corner and my b-i-l has nice company now and a lot to look forward to.

Bahu: Daughter-in-law.
Beta:Son
Psst: Gowri (she's the bride-to-be) I won't eat you alive for several reasons one being I am vegetarian and secondly, I like you!

Hyderabad Chronicle - 1

2006-12-11T00:17:00.000-08:00

The weekend was rather eventful. The Doc and I were at Hyderabad. Just entering Hyderabad and driving into the city brought back a rush of memories for both of us. The drive through the city streets and lanes made the longing to return to it even stronger. This is where we met and this was the city where our future together got cast in stone. A whole slew of things came back to our minds:

The Hang Out(pic featuring only the partial crowd)–the place (our dear old apartment) where a bunch of us lived, hung out with friends, got drunk silly, spent endless nights chatting over unending cups of chai**(then discussed who would make the tea next), swooned over books for our exams, held innumerable discussions on just about anything(even the poor fly's perch on a wall was scrutinized), danced on crazy music, celebrated birthdays by splattering cake all over ourselves and the floor(and spent the next day cleaning it!), cooked enormous amounts of food to feed 6 to 8 hungry souls with garangtuan appetites, there were of course the several fights and broken hearts... the list is endless.
The Escapes – The Doc and I have always been heavily into this, till date. As soon as we met our only escape were the long drives down Jubilee Hills, Hitech city, Durgam Cheruvu** etc. This seemed the only 1 or 2 hours when we could simply enjoy the fresh air and each others company with nothing more than the wind whistling in our ears, the steady roar of the engine and the comfortable silence.

Nothings Over Coffee – Our much treasured moments were spent at a special place on road no. 36 Jubilee Hills, it lay perched on a little mound and was called Qahwa. The most amazing coffee was served here. You could say that our futures were sealed here over cups and cups of steaming fantastic coffee. Its not around any more. It went when we left the place, sort of quaintly coincidental. We were indeed deeply struck by the loss and keep our fingers crossed for its resurrection. Also, around the corner from the same place was our favorite chaat stall. We used to be special guests deserving of his best services and huge discounts because we brought him tons of business thanks to the Institute
The Institute – heres where we came to build our futures. We did do so successfully but not without causing a lot of pain to our faculty and especially our dean. But, we made it and we're doing pretty okay. Though I wish that we could be more in control of the Bohemian in us.
The Rest – then of course there were the special dinners and dates and nice restaurants, great shopping, plenty of walks around the old city and Charminar(very quaint) to buy little bric-a-bracs and satiate my feminine side. More friends, more parties, short trips to vague & adventurous destinations, late nights...

We will return to Hyderabad some day. In the meanwhile, I guess its more Hyderabad rushes in many more short trips to relive a few instances and take away some more indelible memories.

**Chai - our tea was made with loads of finely grated ginger brewed with milk, water and sugar.
**Durgam Cheruvu - Secret Lake as it is also popularly called - is no more a secret though. This idyllic lake is in Hyderabad near Hitech City. The lake spreads over an area of 63 acres and is encompassed with rocks and hills. It used to be a wonderful retreat for silence, seclusion and serious conversation. We now here this is spoilt because of too much public nuisance and encroachment. It saddens us to think of it so.

D(h)oom(ed) 2

2006-11-29T00:17:00.000-08:00

For this one, I seriously blame the movie junkie in me. Being averse as I am to a certain slinky blue-eyed “beauty”, I seriously questioned my initiative to get tickets for this latest flick for a Sunday afternoon. But, I must admit I was curious about the movie, especially after watching some previews.

The story line like its predecessor sort of had the entrapments of the quintessential Hindi movie. So here are the characters

a slick, smart and ingenious thief (Jr. Roshan)
a smarter and efficient policeman(Jr. B) who stays a step ahead of the criminal but never manages to catch hold of the guy
the policeman's ignorable sidekick(never have/will like him) and his even more ignorable lady love(dusky Ms. Basu)
our beloved blue-eyed leading lady((aka Ms. Rai) who is very predictably a small time thief in love with the big time thief
yet another brief but really futile role for Ms Basu(I kind of like her and no, its not for the nonexistent acting skills)

I need to accept the fact that it was a really good attempt on the part of the movie makers to force me to give a second glance to Roshan junior. My ego hurts, but I need to admit that he looks stylish and suave in the movie. The movie is pretty tolerable in the first half.

Slick robbery scenes not so surprisingly, were like an assortment of several Hollywood flicks. The Doc and I had fun guessing which one resembled which one; we did see the movie too. My apologies if you were the guy next to me, you appeared disgruntled that we spotted the lack of originality! What could we do anyway when, the “super hero” robber's disguised antics seemed to have an uncanny resemblance to The Saint and Entrapment and... Oh! And theres this gadget that he uses to steal a gem right under the nose of the guards. Well this gadget is so big and obvious... the impossible nature of this stunt does not even motivate me to question it.

The thief, like super heroes must have a signature, a trademark, a little something to identify his piece of work. He should have an eye and passion only for the priceless, unique and perfect. He should also rob in a pattern only obvious to the heroic genius cop. Surprise, surprise! So the cop chases the thief & his blue-eyed sidekick to fabulous locales across the world. The cop should always be a step ahead, but never catch the robber.No, not even when he meets the guy in person merely inches away. Some more surprise!

Nothing much to say of the blue-eyed lady who initially is in the services of the copper to catch our thief. But alas, the love-struck woman is torn apart with the guilt of giving up her lover and avoiding her pending indictment thanks to the copper!! Our cornered superhero jumps down to his death. His lady is left behind in Rio and so is the cop's weirdo sidekick. But wait, the story is not over still. Several months later... in the picturesque islands of Fiji....In a very Hindi filmy style our superhero resurrects. He is not dead. His lady love and he fooled the cop to opt for a normal life and our genius cop of course who of course claims he knew it all the time

The epic** is generously interspersed with not so funny slapstick comedy, bikini clad women playing beach volleyball in Copa Cabbana, a Brazilian fanfare and a few mesmerizing locales and of course the forgettable songs.

I always had Rio on the top of my “must see” list, the movie at least enhanced that for me though the travel channels showcase the place better. Now that I think of it, should I have stayed home and watched some TV with my favorite cup of tea and relaxed. But the Doc and I did have our moments of fun, commenting and sharing our notions of the movie.

This time I should've listened to the critics.

**Epic like is how it felt, and the size of this entry convinces me.

PS: Apologies to the readers who are yet to watch this very forgettable flick. Take it from me you aint gonna miss nothing !

Chetty's Corner

2006-11-21T22:44:00.000-08:00

My hunger pangs were simply intolerable last evening and the drive back from work seemed like a long ordeal and every fella on the street irritated the life out of me. As I mentioned this to the Doc while picking him up, he gave me a brilliant snack idea that made me salivate almost instantaneously. So we went to this little nondescript place in a very upscale part of the city. “Chetty's Corner” is on a lane that is very aptly named Serpentine Road. Its strategically located opposite a huge playground/park and dishes out the most simple, healthy and fantastic snacks. The location is probably appropriate since you can never return from the place without having overeaten and will probably be compelled to burn out the extra calories. The walk in and around the park is quite a pleasant experience. Come 6 o'clock in the evening, the place is flooded with senior citizens, families, teenagers and bachelors. The area was a “no parking” zone until a couple of months ago. But the joint seems to have won over the hearts of the traffic authorities too and there is ample parking** available here.

Anyway, let me quickly get to the most important part. You will find the most amazing chaat at Gullu's and the best veggie bun nippat** combos next door at “Chetty's”. The latter was what made me cheer up and I am taking the chance to go public in writing to say that I owe the Doc a big one for merely suggesting this last evening!!

Chettys' serve more than 50 or 60 people every 5 minutes and everyone almost always go back for seconds. The veggie bun nippat is a rather deceptively simple creation from a soft bun and a surprise ingredient. The bun is sliced in the middle and generously coated with a wonderful coriander chutney and a sweet and spicy tamarind chutney. This is then stuffed with finely chopped onions, tomatoes, cabbage, some sev** and finally the piece de resistance – the nippat is added and topped off with a load of cheese which of course is the sin you can opt out of. All this washed down with their masala cold drink** which is another amazing concoction that is simply a must try.

I am satiated, at least until the next time.

**Parking: The severe space crunch for parking in Bangalore seems like the deciding factor for going anywhere.
**Masala cold drink: Your favorite carbonated drink mixed with the some freshly squeezed lime juice, chaat masala and a special jaljeera mixture. The formula is usually unique to each place and most often kept secret.
**Nippat: Flat round crispy snack made from a dough of roasted and powdered chickpeas, groundnuts and sesame seeds with a little chilly powder, salt and a dash of dessicated or freshly ground coconut.. This can either be deep fried or baked.
**Sev:Spicy and popular crispies made of riceflour and chickpeas

"Little" Big Pleasures

2006-11-21T02:02:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there is nothing like rediscovering the present. And we did exactly that on Sunday. After 3 years of living where we live and doing what we do, we have seldom stopped to notice the small things that we would have otherwise enjoyed had we been a wee bit more patient and less cynical of everything here. We went driving on the route I normally take to work. I have been meaning to get some snaps clicked over a 4km stretch of a fly-over. Its really the simple and mundane things here that really seem to appeal to me. As I go to work the sites of people cycling and walking, stretching out on their terraces, the city market with the different sounds, colors and smells; the other drivers who pick the early morning hours to get to work at a leisurely pace, some really old and appealing building and finally the wonderful multifarious hues of the sky as the sun sets on my way back from work. This is one of those simple but big pleasures and an even bigger release that I enjoy each day. So the Doc strapped himself to the passenger's side and I drove slowly along the entire route and recounted each thought and each moment of pleasure through this little journey. I felt the rush right back...it was a simple but overwhelming pleasure !

Diwali - past & present

2006-11-15T23:36:00.000-08:00

My parent are extremely enthusiastic about any sort of celebration. They have the incredible stamina and loads of energy to go the whole hog for every occasion. Right from preparing the numerous delicacies that is typical of each Indian festival to calling friends and family for elaborate and well thought out dinners for each occasion and just being able to celebrate every occasion with a lot of style and fervor. It was always very overwhelming and heart warming to see the detail and effort that went into each little thing while planning for such occasions. Diwali was the special”est” for us kids.

Each Diwali began at 4:30 am with a loving but really loud wake-up call from Dad. Coming from a typical Tamil Iyer family we had a typical Deepavali Ritual. Our day began with Mum massaging gingelly oi l onto our heads, giving us our new clothes and finishing off the routine with a tasting of the sweets and savories prepared in advance with a lot of patience and care. That was then followed by the “ganga snanam”, more a ritualistic oil bath than a dip in the Ganges. After we were dressed in our new clothes and took the blessings of the elders at home we had to burst some crackers and all this had to be done before the sunrise.

Diwali came and went. We never expected that we would celebrate or use the holiday to spend some time together. In fact, we never thought we would be together for Diwali this year. I guess I got really lucky and the Doc dropped in for a flying visit. We actually ended up having a blast on the eve of my trip to Saurashtra. We woke up really early to have a long long day. We began the usual rounds of calls to wish close friends and relatives as is the routine for every "important" festival and something as simple as that had me spiral back in time as you just read above.

Well, we did manage to light some diyas and I made a nice rangoli, saw lots of folks bursting crackers. I must say that we're totally averse to the noise, smoke and smell they generate as a result. I am personally extremely sensitive to the noise and scared of all the "fire" works. As a result, we stayed indoors through the day except for a few short drives to our friends' homes. Our day culminated in a fantastic party at our favorite couple's home and we finally saw the end to a Diwali pretty well spent for the likes of us.

The many comebacks

2006-11-07T20:14:00.000-08:00

So I am finally back after a really long and wonderful Diwali holiday. The Doc is back and I am back at work. The break was really long pending and truly well deserved in my mind. It was refreshing and one filled with many beautiful experiences of visiting a different place for the first time. Theres more on that coming later. I took the time to write in my diary, indulged in an excellent "gourmet" experience, finally invested in some pretty and unique pieces of jewelery (pretty rare for the likes of me) and clicked away on my camera(another prized possession).

Now I am back and ready to start afresh and ready to conquer the world !! It does take very little to get that feeling - I realized that in the last 3 weeks. I am all set for a heady concoction of lots of challenges and several happy beginnings and endings that I am eagerly looking forward to through the rest of the year. Amen to that!

Of days gone by...

2006-10-16T03:10:00.000-07:00

The last month was filled with catching up and bumping into faces and people from the days of yore when we lived in the famous steel city – Jamshedpur. Its a little over 12 years since we moved to Pune and almost the same time since I visited the place where I grew up. Jamshedpur seems to always bring wonderful memories of my childhood. I could perhaps write volumes and volumes on my memories of this little town with about an 8 to 10 km radius. Some of the things that come to my mind right away are:

My school: the fun filled rides to school in our school van/autorickshaws, the silly fights, the school “dosa-wala”, our sports days, school elections, feast days, prize nights and what have you;
The Colony: the fun-filled games of catch, hide 'n' seek, cricket and football with the kids in the neighbourhood
UC: The club with its library, movies, melas(fairs), basketball matches and swimming pool and meeting our friends there
Outings and drives: Jubilee park, dimna lake, our drives to the wayside dhabas, visits to the neighbouring mining townships and the other nearby places with lots of close friends living there, our annual trips to the dilma hills and lots of smaller picnics in the outskirts of the town.
Holi, Pujo, Diwali, Christmas, New Year and lots of other celebrations: Filled with fun, food and laughter. All the bespectacled, short haired aunties trying to discipline us unruly kids. A bunch of us who were the “senior kids” would shut the door of our room and read the “banned” novels, watch the so called “A” movies like Pretty Woman (give me a break for heavens sake), talk about the boy next door and our silly notions of romance; and generally do everything that would annoy our mothers and irk our siblings(for not being able to participate).

Those were a fun 16 years and as I gradually start reestablishing old ties and remember those days; the seclusion and the niche lifestyle of the place strikes me hard. Its a world by itself and a world I continue to love and cherish. With more than a decade gone by, I do long to go back and see the people, my school and everything that is so familiar, as familiar as yesterday.

Guess who's coming to dinner?

2006-09-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

The Doc's been away for a month now. He is posted in a place far away from the usual civilization he is used to. He is training to become a surgeon & doing a lot of community work by giving sight to the impoverished and needy. The Doc is specialized to be an ophthalmologist and training to be a surgeon. He has been training even harder to be my husband for a year and a half now!

We started out all hunky dory and positive about this program and the farily long period of separation. You know the usual - it is the practical thing to do, it is a fantastic opportunity, great future...blah...blah...blah !

The 1st few weeks flew by like a dream. I had tons of time and space to do "my own thing" and really enjoyed it. It gave me some time to reflect and re-prioritize things in life and get it in order before anarchy hit.
However over the last few days, my skeptcism and irk about my non-existence in his calendar have risen. I am trying to shoo away all the dark devils but at times they really hit a low blow. I am trying hard to hold up and rejuvenate the free spirit and independance of being single. Alas ! After having shared my life upto a 90% with Doc over the last year or so, the spirit has started to wane and the loneliness at times is getting to me. Repeated fights with the not-so-nice half of my personality have been rather futile and I really need to accept the fact that I indeed miss the steady and constant companionship of the Doc. I guess in the little time that the Doc finds himself free from work, he goes through similar feelings too.

After much ado, we've decided it is time for him to make a short visit back home. Some mundane activity, some bickering and some fun should keep us going until next time. I am off now to prepare a special meal for the evening - perhaps with some exotic dessert(read - anything with chocolate!!), a good movie and a pretty center piece for the table. I plan to post my kitchen capers regularly as well. So see you around soon...the Doc's coming to dinner tonight !

Wanted CEO !!

2006-09-28T03:56:00.000-07:00

So much for cheap thrills from a forwarded mail thats probably been twice around the globe. Nothing like a silly web script to make your day I guess !!

Je suis ici...finalement !!

2006-09-27T03:07:00.000-07:00

Finally, a cozy corner for little dear me in blogsville. After a lot of hmms, haws and dawdling I decided to finally stop giving in to that nasty little fire-blowing fellow within me and cut the crap (spelt inertia) and got down to making my first entry. That brings me to the next question – is it just me or does everyone around need that final nudge to get around to taking that first little baby step and fight the inertia to begin something new? The Physics teachers back at school and college seem to have done one fabulous job of training my innocent young mind and molded(forgive the hackneyed done-to-death phrase) me to become a human demonstration of every law of motion. Well then how does one explain Newton's disproportionate possession of my being, that seems be such an inherent part of life?

Fortunately for me, this uncanny and perhaps aggravating side is well known to Doc. There are those funny symptoms such as the “glazed eyes, the craving to eat an apple(?? hmmm I wonder) and the so called pensive look(though its just another look)” that are such dead giveaways for Doc to exorcise me back to normalcy.

I am lucky and honestly relieved to be with Doc otherwise the “lost and found” posters would've been splayed across every wall almost each week. Luckily for me the “soul-connection” seems to have worked really well these last 4 or so years !!