While coming to office today, there was this Innova in front of me in slow moving, stop-and-go traffic. Suddenly I saw a mouse come down from the van, and for a few seconds it ran alongside, and once traffic started moving, jumped back onto the tire rim and climbed back inside the van!
Reminded me of the toy trains that climb the Matheran hills - with passengers gleefully getting down the train and back in when the train slows on the steep curves...
Mice apparently love the Innova!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Movie Review: Bandidas
Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek. Some action, some humour with a dash of history. Lovely dialogues, and beautiful vistas. A good movie for a good weekend.
Movie Review: My Father The Hero
One of my absolute favourites, this movie about the father (Gérard Depardieu as Andre) and his 14 year old daughter (the stunningly beautiful Katherine Heigl as Nicole) on vacation, and her first love, is in the league of "Father of the Bride". The movie revolves around Nicole's attempts to impress her cute potential boyfriend by telling him her father is her lover, and her inability to tell him the truth later for fear that he will hate her for lying - till things finally fall in place with their first kiss. Simple, beautiful, guaranteed to make you smile and cry at the same time.
A must see for fathers of daughters - just make sure you watch it alone - you do not want to have to hold back the tears!
A must see for fathers of daughters - just make sure you watch it alone - you do not want to have to hold back the tears!
Movie Review: Bheja Fry
Bheja Fry is a delightful comedy, perfect to lighten up your mood and make a great weekend. A must see movie - and one of those few that work simply on the basis of an amazing script, great screenplay, and an amazing performance by the key players - Vinay Pathak, Rajat Kapoor, Milind Soman, and Ranvir Shorey.
Women Power
Recently, the US got it's first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and this was touted as a big event - the rise of women power in the most powerful nation in the world.
Strangely, the Indian sub-continent has always had women in power. Notwithstanding the Rabri Devis (and to be frank, I admire that woman for what she did achieve!), we have had women at the top in Pakistan, Sr Lanka, Bangladesh and India - from Indira Gandhi, to Najma Heptullah, to Benazir Bhutto, to the ladies at the helm in Sri lanka and Bangladesh.
Do you know America has never had a black President? Barack Obama is now making news as the first black presidential candidate in the US. India has had Sikhs, Muslims, and SC/STs as Presidents and Prime Ministers - not just the Zail Singhs, we have had Manmohan and Kalam too!
We Indians love to hate our political establishment and our democracy - but have we ever given a serious thought to the possibility that Indian democracy might in fact be one of the most sucessful, sincere, deeply rooted, people-empowering political system in the world?
Strangely, the Indian sub-continent has always had women in power. Notwithstanding the Rabri Devis (and to be frank, I admire that woman for what she did achieve!), we have had women at the top in Pakistan, Sr Lanka, Bangladesh and India - from Indira Gandhi, to Najma Heptullah, to Benazir Bhutto, to the ladies at the helm in Sri lanka and Bangladesh.
Do you know America has never had a black President? Barack Obama is now making news as the first black presidential candidate in the US. India has had Sikhs, Muslims, and SC/STs as Presidents and Prime Ministers - not just the Zail Singhs, we have had Manmohan and Kalam too!
We Indians love to hate our political establishment and our democracy - but have we ever given a serious thought to the possibility that Indian democracy might in fact be one of the most sucessful, sincere, deeply rooted, people-empowering political system in the world?
Miss India 2007 - rules changed?
Apaprently, the rules of Miss India have changed - the winner is now the Miss World contestant, and the runner up is Miss India Universe. Wonder why and when this happened! Any ideas?
Anyway, Puja G remains my winner :)
Anyway, Puja G remains my winner :)
Friday, April 13, 2007
Monday, April 09, 2007
Miss India 2007
The beautiful, smart, sweet Puja Gupta became Miss India Universe, followed by the equally sweet and smart Sarah Jane Dias and Puja Chitgopekar. After a long time, our Miss India winners really represent the smart, sexy new face of India!
Cheers, girls... all the best!
Cheers, girls... all the best!
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Quote of the Day
The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question. Stephen Jay Gould.
Friday, March 30, 2007
More Shantaram
This time about Mumbai's cabbies...
But an Indian will be so pleased that if he likes something else about you - your eyes, or your smile, or the way you react to a beggar at the window of his cab - he'll feel bonded to you, instantly. he'll be prepared to do things for you, go out of his way, put himself at risk, and even do dangerous or illegal things. If you have given him an address he doesn't like, such as the Palace, he'll be prepared to wait for you, just to be sure that you are safe. You could come out an hour later, and ignore him completely, and he would smile and drive away, happy to know that no harm had come to you. It happened to me many times in Bombay, but never in any other (foreign) city. It's one of the five hundred things I love about Indians: if they like you, they do it quickly, and not by half. Karla paid his fare and the promised tip, and told him not to wait. We both knew that he would.
But an Indian will be so pleased that if he likes something else about you - your eyes, or your smile, or the way you react to a beggar at the window of his cab - he'll feel bonded to you, instantly. he'll be prepared to do things for you, go out of his way, put himself at risk, and even do dangerous or illegal things. If you have given him an address he doesn't like, such as the Palace, he'll be prepared to wait for you, just to be sure that you are safe. You could come out an hour later, and ignore him completely, and he would smile and drive away, happy to know that no harm had come to you. It happened to me many times in Bombay, but never in any other (foreign) city. It's one of the five hundred things I love about Indians: if they like you, they do it quickly, and not by half. Karla paid his fare and the promised tip, and told him not to wait. We both knew that he would.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
What is Necessary?
Here's another beautiful piece from Shantaram.. I am literally falling in love with the book!
What is necessary? That was the unspoken but implied and unavoidable question everywhere in India. When I understood that, a great many of the characteristically perplexing aspects of public life became comprehensible: from the acceptance of sprawling slums by city authorities, to the freedom that cows had to roam at random in the midst of traffic; from the toleration of beggars on the streets, to the concatenate complexity of the bureaucracies; and from the gorgeous, unashamed escapism of Bollywood movies, to the accomodation of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Tibet, Iran, Afghanistan, Africa, and Bangaldesh, in a country that was already too crowded with sorrows and needs of its owm.
What is necessary? That was the unspoken but implied and unavoidable question everywhere in India. When I understood that, a great many of the characteristically perplexing aspects of public life became comprehensible: from the acceptance of sprawling slums by city authorities, to the freedom that cows had to roam at random in the midst of traffic; from the toleration of beggars on the streets, to the concatenate complexity of the bureaucracies; and from the gorgeous, unashamed escapism of Bollywood movies, to the accomodation of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Tibet, Iran, Afghanistan, Africa, and Bangaldesh, in a country that was already too crowded with sorrows and needs of its owm.
Quote of the Day
Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember-the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you. Zig Ziglar.
Quote(s) of the Day
Reading Shantaram, a beautiful book by Gregory David Roberts - but that deserves it's own space some other time... here are a few beautiful thoughts from the book...
"Truth is a bully we all pretend to like"
"In a perfect world, all people would be like cats are, at two o clock in the afternoon"
"Civilization is defined by what we forbid, more than what we permit"
"The only force more ruthless and cynical than the business of big politics is the politics of big business"
"Truth is a bully we all pretend to like"
"In a perfect world, all people would be like cats are, at two o clock in the afternoon"
"Civilization is defined by what we forbid, more than what we permit"
"The only force more ruthless and cynical than the business of big politics is the politics of big business"
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Enough Experiments - give me my team back!
Chappel, Dravid - you got your time, you got your experiments, you got to do what you want for long enough. We tolerated everything, all the series losses, the humiliation - of the team, and of our heroes, all in the name of experiments and your new philosophy of perform-or-perish. Only because you promised us the world cup.
We have had enough. You did not perform, you need to perish.
Please go. Please let us have our glory days back. Please get Dada back.
We have had enough. You did not perform, you need to perish.
Please go. Please let us have our glory days back. Please get Dada back.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Konkan Trip
Last weekend, I went with my team on an overnight trip to Konkan. We left at 545 am from office, reaching Nagaon, our base for the night by 10 in the morning. We refreshed, then went to Alibag where we enjoyed a lovely horse carriage ride through knee deep water to the Fort.
The next morning, we visited Kashid and Murud, and the amazing Zazeera Fort in the sea, taking a breathtaking sail boat ride a la SRK in Swades. Enjoyed the company of our guide "Sahil of the 27", affectionately named so because of the way he called us "27 waale".
Played volleyball with our very own "international player", followed by some cricket and frolicking in the water. Exercised my portfolio photographer skills. Walked on the beach collecting sea shells which were promotly discarded when found to be alive. Handled the rocky outcroppings at Kashid with not much grace, investing a handkerchief in the bargain! Took some sun on the cotton ka zhula, ran around with buckets of water, built a bonfire in 30 mins which took 5 mins to burn out. Ate lots of fish, with and without curry, and then extremely cold ice cream which refused to come out of its pack! Listened to "4 wajta kombda oradla, saku geli panyala..." to our hearts content on the way back, finishing off with an awesome dinner of Chinese Alu Paratha at Lonavla!
Lots of memories... some good, some bad, some of those that were missed, some of those that will be missed... Lage tumse mann ki lagan, lagan laage tumse mann ki lagan... The song played in my ears as we pulled into Pune and I thought about Konkan and my 2 days spent in it's lap...
Words, Emotions and Tears...
When words fail me, my emotions escape through my eyes...
Waah waah, KD King, what a dialogue!
Waah waah, KD King, what a dialogue!
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Movie Review: 300
300 is the story of a King Leonidis and his 300 warriors from Sparta against the million strong Persian army of Xerces. Brilliantly choreographed, with some excellent fight sequences, 300 is a good movie if you are ready to tolerate some gory violence, and the inexplicable need to have grotesque creatures a la Pirates of the Carribean.
Some great dialogues in the movie... when Xerces threatens Leonidis's captain with "our arrows that will block out the sun", the captain retorts, "then we will have to fight in the shade!". The Spartan's sense of unity and team spirit, and camaraderie, is also very refreshing and definitely an inspiration.
Interestingly, all the Spartans are white, the Persians, of course are brown. The Spartans are fighting for hope and democracy, the Persian king thinks he is God. No wonder the Iranians have condemned the movie!
Some great dialogues in the movie... when Xerces threatens Leonidis's captain with "our arrows that will block out the sun", the captain retorts, "then we will have to fight in the shade!". The Spartan's sense of unity and team spirit, and camaraderie, is also very refreshing and definitely an inspiration.
Interestingly, all the Spartans are white, the Persians, of course are brown. The Spartans are fighting for hope and democracy, the Persian king thinks he is God. No wonder the Iranians have condemned the movie!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Dubai
I just returned from a 30 hour trip to Dubai on official business - no, I did not go for shopping, though I did pick up some souvenirs!
Dubai is an interesting city. It's wierd, really. It has the look of a typical American city - glass and steel buildings, lots of cars, few people, good roads. But it's like all the Americans on the road and in the offices were banished and replaced by desis! Hindi is universally spoken, and you rarely meet anyone who is not from Kerela or Goa.
It's also spooky - women in black robes, and men in white, glide around softly speaking in wierd Arabic language where numbers are written left to right, but words are written right to left. Lots of pretty women, really - but all you can see are their eyes, and yes, an occasional face.
Lots of shopping - great, big malls everywhere and tourists shopping to their hearts delight. Lots of entertainment parks too, including a huge indoor ski slope, including the cable cars to take you to the top. And lots of new ones coming up. There is just so much construction happening - entire cities being built in the desert, and in the sea. Dubai Marina could probably hold a couple of small cities inside it! The bridges are interesting - the texture is almost like ceramic/marble - very beautiful structures, with lovely curves. Some exciting buildings too, including the 100+ storey Burj Dubai and the beautiful, sail-shaped Burj Al Arab Hotel. Jumeirah Beach is lovely, with sparkling white sand and clear blue-green sea.
At the end of the day, though - Dubai is sad. It's almost like every effort is made to make you comfortable and rich, but not happy. You do not see too many smiles. You see a lot of fear. A lot of "discipline". A lot of hard work. Pursuit of money, not the pursuit of happiness.
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