Monday, January 26, 2015
Meeting Rajdeep Sardesai
Met Rajdeep Sardesai, one of India's most reputed journalists at a "meet the author" session at Crossword, Aundh a few days back. He enthralled the audience with anecdotes from his years as a political commentator and journalist, with the backdrop of his book, 2014 - The Election That Changed India.
I got an autographed copy of his book - and a tiny chit chat, talking about the house he has in Quegdevlim!
What was exciting and heart warming was the huge crowd at Crossword, including all age groups - eagerly lapping up his every word. Thankfully, books have still not gone out of fashion!
I got an autographed copy of his book - and a tiny chit chat, talking about the house he has in Quegdevlim!
What was exciting and heart warming was the huge crowd at Crossword, including all age groups - eagerly lapping up his every word. Thankfully, books have still not gone out of fashion!
Lexophilia
"Lexophile" is a word used to describe those that have a love for the
use of words, such as "you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna
fish", or "to write with a broken pencil is pointless."
Here are some excellent examples:
.. When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.
.. A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
.. When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.
.. The batteries were given out free of charge.
.. A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
.. A will is a dead giveaway.
.. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
.. A boiled egg is hard to beat.
.. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
.. Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
.. Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He's all right now.
.. A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.
.. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
.. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.
.. He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
.. When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye.
.. Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.
.. Those who get too big for their pants will be totally exposed in the end.
Here are some excellent examples:
.. When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.
.. A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
.. When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.
.. The batteries were given out free of charge.
.. A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
.. A will is a dead giveaway.
.. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
.. A boiled egg is hard to beat.
.. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
.. Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
.. Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He's all right now.
.. A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.
.. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
.. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.
.. He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
.. When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye.
.. Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.
.. Those who get too big for their pants will be totally exposed in the end.
Movie Review: American Sniper
The movie is based on the real life exploits of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, whose 150+ recorded kills saved countless American lives on the lawless Afghan streets, turning him into a legend. However, back home with his family, he finds that it isn't easy to leave war behind.
Chris Kyle was killed by one of the very veterans he was trying to help back home.
Bradley Cooper fans (like me) might actually want to stay away from this one - I'd rather see him in his Silver Linings avatar, then the bearded, beefed up version served by American Sniper.
Chris Kyle was killed by one of the very veterans he was trying to help back home.
Bradley Cooper fans (like me) might actually want to stay away from this one - I'd rather see him in his Silver Linings avatar, then the bearded, beefed up version served by American Sniper.
Movie Review: I
Yes, I am sure "I" takes one award already - for the shortest name.
If I had my way, it will probably also take best special effects in an Indian movie, best locales and best makeup. It wouldn't win much for story and direction, but might just walk away with most innovative action sequences, and best executed dream sequences.
And definitely, if I had my way, a special award for the most gorgeous Amy Jackson!
Hold your horses in the first 15 mins, ignore the lion-man in the promos, and go watch it on the big screen. You might actually come back impressed.
If I had my way, it will probably also take best special effects in an Indian movie, best locales and best makeup. It wouldn't win much for story and direction, but might just walk away with most innovative action sequences, and best executed dream sequences.
And definitely, if I had my way, a special award for the most gorgeous Amy Jackson!
Hold your horses in the first 15 mins, ignore the lion-man in the promos, and go watch it on the big screen. You might actually come back impressed.
Movie Review: A Walk Among The Tombstones
If you haven't had enough of Liam Neesom in Taken 3, watch AWATT. You don't even need to hear the dialogues, or try and understand the story. It doesn't matter. But if you REALLY want to know, here's the story:
He is hired by a druglord to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.
He is hired by a druglord to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.
Movie Review: Equalizer
McCall (Denzel Washington) works at the local mega store, having put his mysterious past behind him in the search for a simple, new life. But his budding friendship with a young girl (the very cute Chloe Grace Moretz in the tiniest of roles) puts him up against a deadly Russian gang, bringing out the best (or is it the worst?) in him...
One of the hundreds of similar movies of the genres, watch it if you like Washington, or if you have vowed not to miss a single Chloe Grace Moretz movie!
One of the hundreds of similar movies of the genres, watch it if you like Washington, or if you have vowed not to miss a single Chloe Grace Moretz movie!
Movie Review: Fury
It's almost the end of WWII, but small pockets of resistance remain in Germany, which has been overrun by the allied forces. A convoy of four allied tanks is ambushed on a mission, leaving a single, immobilized tank and its crew in charge of defending a crucial cross road.
While the story or drama isn't much to write home about, Fury scores high for some really memorable scenes - the cannon shots fired across open fields, the treads of the tanks crushing bodies in the slush, and a very well executed scene "on the dining table" between the crew and a local German resident and her pretty cousin.
Watch it on the big screen if you aren't too squeamish, or at least get a BluRay, for best effect!
While the story or drama isn't much to write home about, Fury scores high for some really memorable scenes - the cannon shots fired across open fields, the treads of the tanks crushing bodies in the slush, and a very well executed scene "on the dining table" between the crew and a local German resident and her pretty cousin.
Watch it on the big screen if you aren't too squeamish, or at least get a BluRay, for best effect!
Movie Review: The Imitation Game
Can you take topics as boring as encryption, analog computers, and eccentric mathematicians and actually make a movie that keeps you sitting on the edge, eager to catch every word and action on screen? That's what The Imitation Game achieves, and does so very well indeed!
TIG is based on the true story of the Enigma code, which the Nazis used extensively in WWII, and was deemed impossible to crack in spite of the best efforts of the allies. Until Alan Turing, a young and eccentric mathematician took it upon himself to build a "Turing Machine" to solve the puzzle. Ridiculed for his plans at first, and persecuted in his later life for being gay, TIG is the remarkable story of a very remarkable brain who is credited with ending the war at least a couple of years early, and thereby saving millions of lives.
Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect as Alan Turing, and is ably supported by the beautiful Kiera Knightley. The script is interesting, and the movie does a great job of bringing out the complexity and excitement of the project, without getting too technical and boring about it.
A wonderful tribute to the man who literally gave birth to "computers"!
TIG is based on the true story of the Enigma code, which the Nazis used extensively in WWII, and was deemed impossible to crack in spite of the best efforts of the allies. Until Alan Turing, a young and eccentric mathematician took it upon himself to build a "Turing Machine" to solve the puzzle. Ridiculed for his plans at first, and persecuted in his later life for being gay, TIG is the remarkable story of a very remarkable brain who is credited with ending the war at least a couple of years early, and thereby saving millions of lives.
Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect as Alan Turing, and is ably supported by the beautiful Kiera Knightley. The script is interesting, and the movie does a great job of bringing out the complexity and excitement of the project, without getting too technical and boring about it.
A wonderful tribute to the man who literally gave birth to "computers"!
Movie Review: Baby
An ultra secret crack team (Baby, because it is just 4 years old) set up by the Indian government to take on the scourge of international terrorism, is sent on its last mission - to kill a most wanted terrorist in a foreign, unfriendly country in the Middle East. While the team succeeds in the assassination, they land a huge, unexpected bonus - the Pakistan-based preacher/terror leader, the biggest of them all. With him a lot more valuable captured alive than dead, they hatch a daring plot to ferret him out of the country into India. But it's a race against time - the local cop is hot on their heels. Will they make it out in time, can they pull off the heist, or will they die unrecognized and unsung (the team works under plausible deniability - given the sensitive nature of their missions, the Indian government will deny any connection to them if they are ever captured or exposed)?
After a very amateurish Holiday, Akshay Kumar returns in a much more sophisticated and authentic execution, very similar to D Day and with shades of Ben Affleck's Argo. Rana Daggubati adds serious hulk, and the ever-so-pretty Taapsee impresses thoroughly in a short but memorable role, with one of the best fight sequences ever performed by a female lead in Bollywood. Anupam Kher makes an appearance only in the second half, but delivers another excellent performance, following up after A Wednesday and Special 26.
While slightly predictable, the story moves fast, and will keep you on edge throughout. There are no long song sequences, little distractions, some great lines, and impressive shots in exotic locales.
Perfect for the Republic Day weekend! A must watch!
After a very amateurish Holiday, Akshay Kumar returns in a much more sophisticated and authentic execution, very similar to D Day and with shades of Ben Affleck's Argo. Rana Daggubati adds serious hulk, and the ever-so-pretty Taapsee impresses thoroughly in a short but memorable role, with one of the best fight sequences ever performed by a female lead in Bollywood. Anupam Kher makes an appearance only in the second half, but delivers another excellent performance, following up after A Wednesday and Special 26.
While slightly predictable, the story moves fast, and will keep you on edge throughout. There are no long song sequences, little distractions, some great lines, and impressive shots in exotic locales.
Perfect for the Republic Day weekend! A must watch!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Piya Beherupiya
Saturday night was time for another interesting experience - the award-wining Hindi adaptation of Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night, held at the beautiful Susie Sorabjee auditorium at St Helena's school. It'd been at least 25 years, I think, since the last time I saw a live drama, and the drama (although a musical) was a lot of fun. It was the group's 104th performance - and wow - must take SOME commitment and passion to perform at that energy level so many times! There was also excellent audience interaction, spirit-of-the-moment efforts, breaking away from the scripts.
A friend and colleague procured excellent passes for us, and one thing is certain - dramas are soon gonna be a staple in our entertainment diet!
A friend and colleague procured excellent passes for us, and one thing is certain - dramas are soon gonna be a staple in our entertainment diet!
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| A capacity crowd eagerly awaits admission - the show was delayed by 45 min due to a problem with the stage lighting |
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| A scene from the drama - courtesy Times Of India |
Weirdass Comedy
On Friday, we attended "The American Invasion", a stand up comedy act by 4 amazing artists from the US, curated by India's own Virr Das, under his Weirdass Pajamas series. It was a fantastic show, over 2 hours of entertainment that had the audience of 500 or so party goers in splits, rolling in the aisles. They interacted with the audiences, were unabashedly rude (all in good humor!), and VERY adult. Virr was his usual stand out best (and looked hot too), and out of the Americans, Eric Schwartz entertained thoroughly with his Bollywood dance routine, while Tehran was absolutely spot on with his Marathi and his take on Indian people.
It was an excellent start to the weekend, and I heavily recommend it to you, if you can catch it live.
PS: Not suitable for children
It was an excellent start to the weekend, and I heavily recommend it to you, if you can catch it live.
PS: Not suitable for children
Happy Streets in Pune
It's been a great weekend so far, and there was no better way to celebrate Sunday than spend the early morning driving away the Pune chill at the amazing Happy Streets event in Aundh. Starting today, every Sunday from 7 - 10, most of ITI Road and DP Road will be out of bounds for vehicles, and instead be a carnival of sports, dance, and lots of other activities for kids and elders alike!
This "no vehicle zone" movement is spreading fast, and many other cities have had similar initiatives already. Look forward to this really catching up - no better way to promote health and social bonding, really!
Here are some pics from today morning in Pune...
This "no vehicle zone" movement is spreading fast, and many other cities have had similar initiatives already. Look forward to this really catching up - no better way to promote health and social bonding, really!
Here are some pics from today morning in Pune...
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| The early morning chill provided the perfect ambience for Happy Streets |
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| Hop, skip and jump! |
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| The cops kept a watchful eye, was reassuring to see them providing all the necessary support! |
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| Wanna ride and don't have a bike? Happy Streets provided them rent-free! |
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| Get on the floor, everyone, for some Zumba classes! |
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| This poor chap wondered what the hell was wrong with these people - what happened to peaceful Sunday mornings? |
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| Zumba never looked better! |
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| The Happy Streets provided ample opportunities to show off your badminton skills |
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| ...as well as painting! |
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| Some just loved the idea of sitting down on what is usually a VERY busy road! |
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| While others spent the morning in more beneficial postures! |
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| Reminded me of Amsterdam - never seen so many cycles at the traffic signal! |
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| The elders preferred some exercises |
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| But others preferred to hit the ball! |
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| A lovely carnival atmosphere - Happy Streets indeed! |
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| Hmmm.. this doesn't really qualify as a vehicle :) |
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| And this, a goal? :) |
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| Vegans had a gala time too campaigning for animal rights |
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| Football kicks were on display |
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| And the Surf mom at home will definitely have some work to do today! |
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| Budding artists campaigned for animal rights |
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| Zumba had the crowd breathless but clamouring for more |
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| Finally the winding down... |
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| With some stretching |
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| Unarguably, the cutest couple on Pune's Happy Streets! |
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Movie Review: Interstellar
The world, as we know it, is coming to an end, and a team of brave space explorers need to race against time to find a new place quickly if humanity is to survive. Bring in time relativity, black holes and wormholes, and you have a complex Christopher Nolan epic that weaves some amazing visuals and SFX, with drama, adventure and love .
The scene between the main protagonist (Matthew McConaughey ) and his 10 year old daughter Murph (I loved Mackenzie Fox), as he leaves on his mission into space, is powerful and extremely touching, and will tug at your heart for a long time! The irresistible Anne Hatheway also adds tremendously to the visuals!
There is an obvious comparison to that other space movie, Gravity, which feels pretty one-dimensional compared to Interstellar. The only problem with Interstellar, is the 2 hr 49 min running time, which is really more than a tad too long for such an intense scifi movie.
By the way, do watch out for the scene at the very beginning - when they manage to catch an Indian Air Force drone, with the accompanying comment "it's very good". I guess when it's end of the world time, Chinese drones are way too unreliable! :)
The scene between the main protagonist (Matthew McConaughey ) and his 10 year old daughter Murph (I loved Mackenzie Fox), as he leaves on his mission into space, is powerful and extremely touching, and will tug at your heart for a long time! The irresistible Anne Hatheway also adds tremendously to the visuals!
There is an obvious comparison to that other space movie, Gravity, which feels pretty one-dimensional compared to Interstellar. The only problem with Interstellar, is the 2 hr 49 min running time, which is really more than a tad too long for such an intense scifi movie.
By the way, do watch out for the scene at the very beginning - when they manage to catch an Indian Air Force drone, with the accompanying comment "it's very good". I guess when it's end of the world time, Chinese drones are way too unreliable! :)
Movie Review: Action Jackson
Have been thinking for a long time since I opened this blog post.. what can I even say about AJ?
Do I start with how it inspires so heavily from Kill Bill's style of graphic animations? Or the sinister laugh every time the vamp is on screen? The silly track about seeing a guy's balls for good luck? About the lack of something that goes by the name of editing? The senseless, eminently forgettable song and dance?
For an actor of Akhay's caliber and Sonakshi's promise (still wonder if Lootera will remain a one off!), AJ is a huge disappointment, to a point that mindless AK gigs like Entertainment, Garam Masala and Shaukeens feel worthy of the Oscars.
Do I start with how it inspires so heavily from Kill Bill's style of graphic animations? Or the sinister laugh every time the vamp is on screen? The silly track about seeing a guy's balls for good luck? About the lack of something that goes by the name of editing? The senseless, eminently forgettable song and dance?
For an actor of Akhay's caliber and Sonakshi's promise (still wonder if Lootera will remain a one off!), AJ is a huge disappointment, to a point that mindless AK gigs like Entertainment, Garam Masala and Shaukeens feel worthy of the Oscars.
Breakfast
Prawns and clams for breakfast - having dinner at Gajalee in Pune definitely has benefits the next day too!
Movie Review: Boyhood
I don't think a movie like this has ever been attempted before!
Shot over a period of 11 years with the same cast, Boyhood delivers an unbelievable experience - the experience of literally seeing a child (Ellar Coltrane as Mason) literally growing up before our eyes. Not just him, even his parents, his sister and a bunch of other characters stay through us for years! There isn't a real story - just the story of our lives, something every single one of us will be able to relate to at a very intimate level. From family trips and dinners, birthday parties to the first kiss, Boyhood is a celebration of what life is all about as children.
And take a bow, director Richard Lintaker - such an inspiration in persevering with a dream and a vision, sticking to it for over a decade of painstaking effort, to put it all together in a tiny 2 hr 45 min package!
Shot over a period of 11 years with the same cast, Boyhood delivers an unbelievable experience - the experience of literally seeing a child (Ellar Coltrane as Mason) literally growing up before our eyes. Not just him, even his parents, his sister and a bunch of other characters stay through us for years! There isn't a real story - just the story of our lives, something every single one of us will be able to relate to at a very intimate level. From family trips and dinners, birthday parties to the first kiss, Boyhood is a celebration of what life is all about as children.
And take a bow, director Richard Lintaker - such an inspiration in persevering with a dream and a vision, sticking to it for over a decade of painstaking effort, to put it all together in a tiny 2 hr 45 min package!
Movie Review: Happy Ending
A guy who cannot commit, a friend who is desperate to escape the clutches of his marriage, an over-possessive girl friend, and a pretty siren who's perfectly comfortable with the idea of a one night stand deliver a simple, happy, funny and enjoyable film that's easy on the eyes, ears and the heart. Saif, Ranveer Shourie, Kalki and Ileana are perfect in their roles, great on the screen, and share a sense of humor and timing that really makes HE a pretty decent watch. Not a must see, but not bad at all!
Movie Review: Happy Journey (Marathi)
Out of a slew of movies I have seen over the last few weeks, Happy Journey deserves a special mention. An offbeat Marathi movie, staring Atul Kulkarni as the Dubai-based brother of a sweet girl (the very pretty Priya Bapat), who dies of an illness without a last chance to see her brother, and the smart Pallavi Subhash as Atul's love interest.
Back home for his sister's funeral, Niranjan is shocked to find his sister (well, her ghost, actually) waiting for him to help her finish some tasks left unfinished. As Niranjan starts bonding with his sister, after promising to spend the next week or so with her to make up for all the years they missed while he made money in Dubai, he also rediscovers his old flame, the daughter of a local don, desperate to break out from the shackles of her protective dad.
The movie starts off beautifully in the first half, and Priya is as lovable a ghost as they come! Atul also puts in a great performance. Pallavi is the surprise package, and looks pretty good too. The movie actually has a perfect ending when the interval kicks in, beautifully poised. From there on, it starts meandering a bit, losing some of the steam.
Good to see Marathi cinema breaking the mould, and doing so well at it!
Back home for his sister's funeral, Niranjan is shocked to find his sister (well, her ghost, actually) waiting for him to help her finish some tasks left unfinished. As Niranjan starts bonding with his sister, after promising to spend the next week or so with her to make up for all the years they missed while he made money in Dubai, he also rediscovers his old flame, the daughter of a local don, desperate to break out from the shackles of her protective dad.
The movie starts off beautifully in the first half, and Priya is as lovable a ghost as they come! Atul also puts in a great performance. Pallavi is the surprise package, and looks pretty good too. The movie actually has a perfect ending when the interval kicks in, beautifully poised. From there on, it starts meandering a bit, losing some of the steam.
Good to see Marathi cinema breaking the mould, and doing so well at it!
Catching Up
It's been a while since I posted - somehow, some recent happenings make me feel unexcited about posting and sharing my life online. The more I think about it, the more I want to get rid of my blog, my social network profiles, even my phone sometimes - and just go back to the old times when relationships meant writing letters, waiting for the postman to deliver a greeting card from that special someone just in time for your birthday. When meetings were planned days in advance, and meant eagerly reaching the rendezvous well in time, your eyes scanning for your partner. Yes, we didn't share what we had for breakfast, or posted selfies from the hair cutting salon, but what we shared stayed in our minds and hearts for years. Even today, when I go to bed, I generally have flashes of real conversations from over two decades back sometimes, burned as they are into my consciousness.
I have tried looking at the world through my own eyes, not those of my DSLR. I have stopped taking selfies with friends, families and celebrities, preferring instead to use that quality time to "be there in the moment" and soak every bit of it.
I worry about a world that is so digital that we are reduced to being machines ourselves. When our angst and anger, our joys and experiences, our victories and learnings, are all reduced to just a bloody hashtag.
I have tried looking at the world through my own eyes, not those of my DSLR. I have stopped taking selfies with friends, families and celebrities, preferring instead to use that quality time to "be there in the moment" and soak every bit of it.
I worry about a world that is so digital that we are reduced to being machines ourselves. When our angst and anger, our joys and experiences, our victories and learnings, are all reduced to just a bloody hashtag.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Bigg Boss 8 Live
We got passes to the live weekend shoot of Bigg Boss 8, and while I am not a big fan of the current BB8 participants, I was very eager to see Salman shoot live. It was awesome - Salman shot non-stop, without a make up or refresh break for 3 hours! Without a cut. That guy is truly something!
Movie Review: Gone Girl
Gone Girl is an excellent crime thriller for the first 100 mins, and then decends into complete chaos for the next 49 mins, leaving a very bad taste in the mouth by the time the end credits roll. I needed the mindless entertainment of Shaukeens to get out the after taste...
Movie Review: John Wick
John Wick is an ex-hitman who flips when someone kills his dog. Yes. A dog that's a farewell gift to him from his just-died girlfriend. Oh, and yes, they also steal his beloved Ford Mustang.
Reason enough for John to come out of hibernation and let mayhem reign over town, taking out half a million henchmen, while going for the dog killer. And his father. And a bunch of other assorted contract killers.
May be a decent watch for Keanu Reeves fans, but at 101 min, it was about 100 min too long for me.
Reason enough for John to come out of hibernation and let mayhem reign over town, taking out half a million henchmen, while going for the dog killer. And his father. And a bunch of other assorted contract killers.
May be a decent watch for Keanu Reeves fans, but at 101 min, it was about 100 min too long for me.
Movie Review: The Shaukeens
Shaukeens is a remake of the 1982 film, the story of three men in their 60s who go to Mauritius to try and get some "action" in the sunset of their lives - KD (Annu Kapoor), Laali ( Anupam Kher) and Pinky (Piyush Mishra). They rent the house of a very hot Aahana (Lisa Hayden), and lust for her, while she goes through a painful breakup on Facebook. Aahana, meanwhile, is more than happy to use them to meet her heartthrob Akshay Kumar, who plays himself in a lovely little cameo.
The music is forced, and while the movie has its moments, the only redeeming factor is the lovely Lisa and some moments of brilliance from a very good looking AK.
Avoidable.
The music is forced, and while the movie has its moments, the only redeeming factor is the lovely Lisa and some moments of brilliance from a very good looking AK.
Avoidable.
Colors of Holland
Here are a few pics from my recent trip to Holland... some more are being processed; will upload as I get time to do so. For better versions of the pics, please do visit my Flickr page.
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| Mesmerizing Amsterdam |
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| A mirror reflects our canal boat |
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| A houseboat in Amsterdam |
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| At the beautiful village of Marken, an erstwhile island |
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| At a clog factory in Volendam |
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| The Poezenboot (cat shelter on a houseboat in the Singel canal) is a must visit in Amsterdam |
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| Colors of winter! |
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| The most amazing mini pancakes in all of Holland! |
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| Lonely |
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| At Delft, the home of the iconic blue pottery in Holland |
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| The parliament buildings at The Hague |
The Dengue Chronicles
Mon evening: I leave early from office, feeling a little weak and feverish, typical symptoms of exhaustion and a burn out. A friend drops me home - 530 is unusually early, and my bai is very happy at getting an early time out. I catch a nap, getting up for dinner and Bigg Boss later in the evening. My daughter is also reporting body ache.
Tues morning: I decide to skip office for the day and work from home. Daughter has a holiday at school, wifey also decides to stay back for the day. It's an impromptu family day out, but we are too tired to venture out of the apartment.
Tues night: My daughter and I have a restful night, but wife reports extreme body ache from head to toe. The bones are hurting, and we get our first warning signs of dengue - it's called bone breaking fever for a reason!
Wed morning: While my daughter and I feel fairly OK, wifey isn't doing too well. We decide to wait no longer and go for a blood test. By early afternoon, the results are out. The lab technician asks me to write my full name and address - and that confirms it. The PMC needs records of all dengue cases. Are we positive, I ask. Yes, all 3, he smiles sympathetically. The NS1 test, which is a quick and dirty check for dengue is positive for all 3, although the dengue antibodies test is negative.
Wed afternoon: We met the doc and she asks us to carry on with the regime she had started in the morning. Dengue doesn't have any specific treatment - the treatment is only symptomatic - an antibiotic, something for the stomach, and vitamins. Most important, a tablet to keep the fever down. Interestingly, none of us have really had high fever.
Wed evening: The PMC heath department makes a visit. They ask lots of questions - where have you been in the last few days, when did the fever come, which school does your daughter go to, what are your office timings? They spray pest control all over the house - a colorless liquid they promise me will dry off and is harmless to humans. You don't have high fever; it's not dengue; they assure me. They also give us a lot of general knowledge - the dengue mosquito breeds in fresh water; not in the gutters. And it bites in the day time, not at night!
Wed - Fri: Rest at home, and Googling - each attempt only making it worse. While none of us are getting worse, the worrying element is the way dengue advances. Fever goes down after a couple of days, and along with it, the platelet counts go down. The normal is 150,000 to 450,000. At 50,000, you need to get hospitalized. At 20,000, you can start bleeding and go into shock. Fatalities are not unknown, though rare, and Pune itself has already seen a dozen this year. We start eating kiwis (we hate those fruits), which is reputed to be an excellent way to get platelet counts up.
Fri morning: The time of reckoning has come. We have a blood test. And it's bad. Our counts are down under 100,000. It's normal, smiles the gentle doctor. Nothing to worry about, she assures us. You all look fine! Just carry on with the meds and take lots of fluids and rest, and you should be fine, she says. But we are not happy. Not at all.
Sat afternoon: Huge relief. My sis and bro in law arrive from Goa. The change of scenery is fantastic. We finally have something else to talk about. Sister is also an excellent cook; our spirits rise. My sister also starts us on twice a day papaya leaf juice - it tastes horrible, but is reputed to do wonders to platelet counts. Two of my friends are generous enough to get us as many leaves as we will ever need!
Sat evening: Another visit by the PMC, this time with a fogging machine that blasts heavy, thick smoke throughout the house... along with foul diesel fumes. We have to get out, and take the chance to get out for a small drive.
Sunday: Things are looking up. While wifey is still weak, the two of us are feeling fine. We go out for some local shopping in the evening. Not as tiring as Sat, and we are all feeling very relieved. Our next blood test is scheduled for Monday morning, and we are confident as hell. Will we make it back into the high 200s?
Monday morning: We go for the blood test. We are feeling great, and are confident we have beaten the dengue. My bro in law and sister plan to leave for Goa in the afternoon, once the doc gives us the all clear.
Morning afternoon: The big shock. In spite of everything, all the terrible papaya leaf juice and the kiwis, our platelet counts have dropped further. While my daughter and I are around 75,000, my wifey is at 51,000, requiring hospitalization. We have a decision to make. I can still manage one hospitalization, but what if my counts drop too, the next morning? Then what?
Monday late afternoon: We make the decision. We will move to Goa, along with sister and bro in law. Doc gives wifey a steroid injection and blood pressure tablets to stabilize her. We 2 are better, although I am already starting to feel a little light headed. Don't know if it's just psychological, but there is no time to rest. We come home, and pack up. My cat looks forlornly at us - she simply hates when we are away, and she has just endured a long 8-10 day period of loneliness and terror during Diwali. My heart is breaking; and the cat is the least of my worries. By the time we are ready to leave, it's past 5 pm. We have a long drive ahead of us; and we have never done a night journey over such a long distance before. Will we make it safe? Will wifey be able to take the stress?
Mon evening: The journey isn't off to the best start. A drunk in a bike tries to take unnecessary panga; obstructing our free drive on the highway. Thankfully, a few kms down the road, we reach a tool booth, and talk to a cop. He graciously gives us his mobile number and asks us to call him if the man troubles us again. But that's the last we have seen of him.
Mon night: Things start to look better. We don't have much traffic, and make good time. We stop on the way for a quick soup from the thermos. We feel positive. I even take the wheel for around 90 mins. By 900, we are close to Kolhapur, a critical milestone. We stop at our usual truck stop, Hotel Sai International, for a light dinner - the hotel graciously allows us home food in the restaurant hall, and even provides us plates and spoons. We decide to press on, reaching Belgaum by 1030. By 1130, we have crossed the well-maintained but twisty and isolated Chorlem Ghat, and touch down into Goa. At 12:07, we are in Panaji. We get down. We are in Goa. The worst has to be over!
Tuesday morning. Things are looking up, better than ever before. The blood test is all important - the lab sends the technician home. By 12.30 - it's bingo! The platelet counts are going up. Wifey is close to 90,000, and the 2 of us are well into the 120s. We see the doc - nothing to worry about, he says. You are gonna be fine. It's been a worrying week, but Goa is working its charm. No diet restrictions, he assures us. For the first time in over a week, we eat well - delicious prawn curry rice and some fried fish.
Tues - Thurs: We relax in the lap of Goan hospitality. Great food, caring relatives, and the sounds and smells of the sea. Our snap decision to get to Goa has paid off handsomely.
Thurs morning: The final blood test. All good! We are back in the 200s. We have beaten the dreaded dengue.
Fri afternoon: With a heavy heart, yet, with relief that life is gonna be normal again, we catch an Air India flight to Pune. Goa looks beautiful from the sky, the light rain adding a surreal touch - and it's tough to let go. As we fly over Miramar, the clouds take over - blanking out the view, and 30 mins later, we descend over Pune. It's a perfect touchdown. We are home again.
Tues morning: I decide to skip office for the day and work from home. Daughter has a holiday at school, wifey also decides to stay back for the day. It's an impromptu family day out, but we are too tired to venture out of the apartment.
Tues night: My daughter and I have a restful night, but wife reports extreme body ache from head to toe. The bones are hurting, and we get our first warning signs of dengue - it's called bone breaking fever for a reason!
Wed morning: While my daughter and I feel fairly OK, wifey isn't doing too well. We decide to wait no longer and go for a blood test. By early afternoon, the results are out. The lab technician asks me to write my full name and address - and that confirms it. The PMC needs records of all dengue cases. Are we positive, I ask. Yes, all 3, he smiles sympathetically. The NS1 test, which is a quick and dirty check for dengue is positive for all 3, although the dengue antibodies test is negative.
Wed afternoon: We met the doc and she asks us to carry on with the regime she had started in the morning. Dengue doesn't have any specific treatment - the treatment is only symptomatic - an antibiotic, something for the stomach, and vitamins. Most important, a tablet to keep the fever down. Interestingly, none of us have really had high fever.
Wed evening: The PMC heath department makes a visit. They ask lots of questions - where have you been in the last few days, when did the fever come, which school does your daughter go to, what are your office timings? They spray pest control all over the house - a colorless liquid they promise me will dry off and is harmless to humans. You don't have high fever; it's not dengue; they assure me. They also give us a lot of general knowledge - the dengue mosquito breeds in fresh water; not in the gutters. And it bites in the day time, not at night!
Wed - Fri: Rest at home, and Googling - each attempt only making it worse. While none of us are getting worse, the worrying element is the way dengue advances. Fever goes down after a couple of days, and along with it, the platelet counts go down. The normal is 150,000 to 450,000. At 50,000, you need to get hospitalized. At 20,000, you can start bleeding and go into shock. Fatalities are not unknown, though rare, and Pune itself has already seen a dozen this year. We start eating kiwis (we hate those fruits), which is reputed to be an excellent way to get platelet counts up.
Fri morning: The time of reckoning has come. We have a blood test. And it's bad. Our counts are down under 100,000. It's normal, smiles the gentle doctor. Nothing to worry about, she assures us. You all look fine! Just carry on with the meds and take lots of fluids and rest, and you should be fine, she says. But we are not happy. Not at all.
Sat afternoon: Huge relief. My sis and bro in law arrive from Goa. The change of scenery is fantastic. We finally have something else to talk about. Sister is also an excellent cook; our spirits rise. My sister also starts us on twice a day papaya leaf juice - it tastes horrible, but is reputed to do wonders to platelet counts. Two of my friends are generous enough to get us as many leaves as we will ever need!
Sat evening: Another visit by the PMC, this time with a fogging machine that blasts heavy, thick smoke throughout the house... along with foul diesel fumes. We have to get out, and take the chance to get out for a small drive.
Sunday: Things are looking up. While wifey is still weak, the two of us are feeling fine. We go out for some local shopping in the evening. Not as tiring as Sat, and we are all feeling very relieved. Our next blood test is scheduled for Monday morning, and we are confident as hell. Will we make it back into the high 200s?
Monday morning: We go for the blood test. We are feeling great, and are confident we have beaten the dengue. My bro in law and sister plan to leave for Goa in the afternoon, once the doc gives us the all clear.
Morning afternoon: The big shock. In spite of everything, all the terrible papaya leaf juice and the kiwis, our platelet counts have dropped further. While my daughter and I are around 75,000, my wifey is at 51,000, requiring hospitalization. We have a decision to make. I can still manage one hospitalization, but what if my counts drop too, the next morning? Then what?
Monday late afternoon: We make the decision. We will move to Goa, along with sister and bro in law. Doc gives wifey a steroid injection and blood pressure tablets to stabilize her. We 2 are better, although I am already starting to feel a little light headed. Don't know if it's just psychological, but there is no time to rest. We come home, and pack up. My cat looks forlornly at us - she simply hates when we are away, and she has just endured a long 8-10 day period of loneliness and terror during Diwali. My heart is breaking; and the cat is the least of my worries. By the time we are ready to leave, it's past 5 pm. We have a long drive ahead of us; and we have never done a night journey over such a long distance before. Will we make it safe? Will wifey be able to take the stress?
Mon evening: The journey isn't off to the best start. A drunk in a bike tries to take unnecessary panga; obstructing our free drive on the highway. Thankfully, a few kms down the road, we reach a tool booth, and talk to a cop. He graciously gives us his mobile number and asks us to call him if the man troubles us again. But that's the last we have seen of him.
Mon night: Things start to look better. We don't have much traffic, and make good time. We stop on the way for a quick soup from the thermos. We feel positive. I even take the wheel for around 90 mins. By 900, we are close to Kolhapur, a critical milestone. We stop at our usual truck stop, Hotel Sai International, for a light dinner - the hotel graciously allows us home food in the restaurant hall, and even provides us plates and spoons. We decide to press on, reaching Belgaum by 1030. By 1130, we have crossed the well-maintained but twisty and isolated Chorlem Ghat, and touch down into Goa. At 12:07, we are in Panaji. We get down. We are in Goa. The worst has to be over!
Tuesday morning. Things are looking up, better than ever before. The blood test is all important - the lab sends the technician home. By 12.30 - it's bingo! The platelet counts are going up. Wifey is close to 90,000, and the 2 of us are well into the 120s. We see the doc - nothing to worry about, he says. You are gonna be fine. It's been a worrying week, but Goa is working its charm. No diet restrictions, he assures us. For the first time in over a week, we eat well - delicious prawn curry rice and some fried fish.
Tues - Thurs: We relax in the lap of Goan hospitality. Great food, caring relatives, and the sounds and smells of the sea. Our snap decision to get to Goa has paid off handsomely.
Thurs morning: The final blood test. All good! We are back in the 200s. We have beaten the dreaded dengue.
Fri afternoon: With a heavy heart, yet, with relief that life is gonna be normal again, we catch an Air India flight to Pune. Goa looks beautiful from the sky, the light rain adding a surreal touch - and it's tough to let go. As we fly over Miramar, the clouds take over - blanking out the view, and 30 mins later, we descend over Pune. It's a perfect touchdown. We are home again.
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