Chapters of my Life..!!

Walkathon

2011-05-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

They say walking is a good exercise, but what if a few days of exercise is done in one single day?!

Well we did it in one night..few days back, by participating in a Walkathon, arranged by Aarey Milk Colony Walkers Club, Mumbai, on a Saturday night.

Our Itinerary was:
Distance :24-25 kms (approx)
From :Aarey Milk Colony
To :Siddhivinayak Temple @ Dadar
Starting Time :11.00pm
Tea Break :12.30am
Attend Arti :5.00am

We were a group of 150, divided in groups of 10, so as to stay together in the midst of night and talk while we walk. In my group it was majorly ladies and time just flew by… (Do I need to explain anything anymore..? ;-) )

We started walking towards Goregaon station with full energy and excitement, a hundred and fifty people walking together in the night looked like a mass parade, with the city all lit up. That’s the best thing about Mumbai, the city REALLY never sleeps and we could experience that in our over night walk.

Our walk, speed varying every now and then continued; except for the tea break, we dint take a single halt or stood by/ sat down anywhere.

First 17kms went smooth, post that, at least for me I had to drag myself up, but thankfully the good company made me walk the rest of the miles quickly. It’d have been a better feeling if I’d have a flag in my hand. Phew ..!!

We reached the temple around 4.00am and finally we all scattered and sat down wherever we could find a place, lawns, pathways or the playground; like THIS was what we were all waiting for. The Arti was supposed to start at 5.00am, so we all stretched ourselves, left- right- up and down!

At 4.45am we again started forming a queue to enter the temple and that is when we realized that THIS “break” was not what we wanted. Getting up again was the THE most painful thing in the entire Walkathon..!

Comatose we all started moving and then attended one of the most beautiful and serene pooja ever. No pain no gain, right? Proved ..!
Lovvvved the peaceful time spent in the temple, nothing like it..!!

Post the Arti, a bus was arranged for us to go back, breakfast served in the bus itself and by the time we reached home it was around 8.00am. All I could see was my bed..!! Thankfully it was a Sunday morning, so could take rest all day. Was a night well spent. :)

God Bless you all :)

A 'not' so Adventurous Journey

2010-12-08T10:56:00.000-08:00

I recently had an opportunity to travel in train after 1000+ days (w.r.t. my last Train journey)
1. Coz there was no option of flight
2. I had to make it to the destination at a pre-defined time.

Managed to get tickets at the last moment, booked tatkal and after changing multiple local trains in Mumbai and convincing the reluctant Cab driver to drop me at the Boarding station and making to the station on time (somehow), I got into the train; where accompanying me where some 40+ aged people whose topic of discussion was big, fat, feral “Rats”. (WOW right…!!)

They enlightened each other and consequently me, about the size of rats in different cities in India and what all harm do they do, where, how, when…and then the worse part, (as they said), was that Rats ate some new born babies in some corner of the country! D-uh..! Till the time I was hunting for my iPod in my purse, the KT (Knowledge Transfer) went on and now “Cats” had mewed their way into the discussion, in some comparison with the “Rats”. May be the uncles had to present a Thesis on “Rats”, and so the healthy “Group- Discussion”.

Thankfully, they got down after a few stations. Later during the night, when I tried sleeping, (emphasis on the word “tried”), I heard a very musical lullaby, sung by various people (Thank you all :-) ), from various corners of the train, in their sleep, snoring as they call it, melodious…but sadly, not my taste of music.

Consequently, I was wide awake and suddenly one of the singers got up (in my compartment) and saw that I was awake, suggested me to sleep as half the journey was still pending and now the only question on my mind was How..!!

This was just one side of my trip, while coming back, it was ‘Ambedkar Jayanti’ and on this day, govt. gives free train tickets to certain tribes and so the train was over-overrr loaded. But again, thankfully as I was in the AC coach, there was tight security and only the confirmed-ticket passengers. Phew ..!!

All I was wishing in my round trip was nothing but an airport..!!

I am not asking for a lot but just some good sleep and also for more Airports to be planned in the country. :-)

Amen!

Confessions of a Shopaholic

2010-10-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

"You know that thing when you see someone cute and he
smiles, and your heart kinda goes like warm, butter sliding down hot toast,
that's what is like when I see a store. " - Rebecca Bloomwood

.

There were a few quotes/dialogues which I loved from the movie "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and was able to relate to a lot of 'em.. ;-)

When I was a little girl,

there were real prices and mom prices.

Real prices got you shiny,

sparkly things that lasted three weeks,

and mom prices got you brown things...

... that lasted forever.

When I looked into shop windows,

I saw another world.

A dreamy world

full of perfect things.

A world where grown-up girls

got what they wanted.

They were beautiful.

Like fairies or princesses.

They didn't even need any money,

they had magic cards.

I wanted one.

Little did I know...

... I would end up with twelve. :-) :-)

And............

A man will never love you or treat you as well as a shopping mall/ store. If a man doesn't fit, you can't exchange him seven days later for a gorgeous cashmere sweater. And a store always smells good. A store can awaken a lust for things you never even knew you needed. And when your fingers first grasp those shiny, new bags... oh yes... oh yes.

To Make it Short..

2010-09-23T06:15:00.000-07:00

I got my first Cell phone during the first year of my Graduation and then the coolest trend was “SMS”. It sure was fun but 160 char. limit was the only problem and the solution was “Abbr.” aka abbreviation. Addiction to SMS led to its usage even in the exams, wrote ‘thru’ instead of ‘through’ and ‘n’ instead of ‘and’, and so on, but if realized, scrapped and corrected..! Phew..!

Then started YM (Yahoo Messenger), Gtalk and the trend of Chats and hence, more acronyms, like ttyl, gtg, Bfn, Gn, Sd; (Talk to you later, got to go, Bye for now, Goodnight, Sweetdreams) etc. For the trendy tech-literate, nothing was new, but for others, everything meant nothing and they would end up scratching their heads.

Formal usage of words may not be accepted graciously, but is informal usage like C U L8r inappropriate? Now to throw some light, using abbr. isn’t new, but Victorian poets were writing in this manner long before anyone dreamed of mobile devices, as per [1]

Usage of acronyms is not bad. When shortening a message for a telegraph was perfectly legal, so why take it out on SMS?

There are certain acronyms we use in day to day life and don’t realize it, like
• General Usage: ATM, FAQ, PIN etc.
• Officially Used: PS, NA, w/o, B2B, 4GL etc. and some companies just love this concept, like IBM, HSBC ;)
• Science: Laser, radar, (S, Pa, A, V, N, Wb, W), (siemens, pascal, ampere, volt, newton, weber and watt)
• History: AD, BC.
• Entertainment: LotR, RCHP and the list goes on.
• Politics: PM, CM, MPs, MLA etc.

And now that we are educated, we have one acronym in front of our names PhD, M.Phil, Dr., Prof. :)

As abbr. are used everywhere, in every field, would you still consider it wrong to use it formally as well? I know that there are certain limits to its usage, like if a Dr. would message you stating “C me 4 Ur <3 “, you sure would be mad at him. But limited usage, shortening of words OK?

PS: To add a little audio-visual effect to this: check this out.

Empty Mind

2010-09-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

“An empty mind is a devil’s workshop”, three out of four people would agree to this statement. I’d like you to think about it once again. Is it really a devil’s workshop or is it a state of bliss?

People think that mind must have something in it and if it has nothing, it is not mind.
Has our minds always been occupied with something or the other and was it always the same?

To make this thought process easier, let us consider the mind of an infant, when he cant speak and does not understand what words like Mom or Dad mean and he doesn’t know the reason for his existence & meaning of life, he does not know the outside world, his mind is pure and empty.

The attainment of pure and empty mind is “Samadhi” and is “Buddhism”.
I do not preach Buddhism, yet, but agree to certain things I know about it.

In Buddhism, during meditation, it is said: “Don’t close your eyes; you will be bothered by your own thoughts. Don’t keep your eyes open; you will be bothered by outside things. Keep your eyes partly closed and meditate upon your soul”

So, if we engage our mind, consciously or sub-consciously, with our arising thoughts and feelings, they do have the capacity to manifest further and if we don’t, they die or fade out and that is when, we can experience “enlightenment”.

So I pray for all of you, for your minds to be empty and enlightened :- )

Any thoughts? :- )

Mumbai and Me

2010-09-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Mumbai, a city which never sleeps, a city of dreams for some and of necessity for others. For me, there has always been a weird connection with it. Why weird? Here it goes…

I have always been visiting Mumbai, from the time it was Bombay; to meet my relatives, to go to Essel World and later.… out of shopping sprees..! And to put some gravity to my reasons, it was Tech Fest at IIT or some or the workshops..! Ahem…! (patting my back :-P )

This city has had and still does have, some spell on me. Whenever I’m trying to run away from it, it calls me back, whenever I curse it..Oh lord…Imprisonment..!! When I had some free time in hand, before joining my job and after my course was over, I came to Mumbai for a while and ran away ‘coz of the huge dirty traffic..!! But, here comes the U-turn, was back again at IDC (IIT Powai) for quite sometime..!! Traveling everyday for 3hrs a day… and brain storming during the rest.

Phew….that was some experience and I went back as soon as I got my joining date (definitely not Mumbai) :- )

Again came to the city to chill out for a couple of days and Bang! 2nd job..!! Definitely a good one, but at the wrong time..!! Monsoons..!! Mumbai rains welcomed me reeaaallllyyy well..!! Oh yeah.. Ask me about my love towards Umbrellas…couldn’t live without it. And I’m still here, with rickshaw strikes, infinite traffic….it seems like you are time traveling when going from one place to the other.

But, looking at the brighter side, now when I’m exploring the city, making new friends, having a blast with ‘em over the Weekends, I’m sorta liking it :- )
Just can’t say anything bad bout it..!! Nah..Neva……..!! :- )
And now, God knows what comes next….in the chapters of Mumbai and Me.

Decision....

2010-07-06T03:03:00.000-07:00

Don't you ever wonder maybe if you took a left turn instead of a right you
could be someone different? What if you had a choice, a choice to go back
and change it all? The question is, would you like to change something, a
teeny tiny part and create a butterfly effect in your life or are you sure
that all your past decisions in life were apt?

Sometimes our decision is at the spur of the moment and sometimes we are
into deep cognitive thinking amongst the choices we have, it can be
rational or irrational, quick or slow, but there is always a solution. Both
decisions either right or wrong would leave an imprint in our life in some
way or the other and future would tell us, if we were right or not and then
it becomes a lesson. Enjoying the falling down and getting up?

I just feel that we decide, we act, make mistakes, learn and grow. That is
how it works, right? According to this, we should have lesser confusion in
life as we grow and more clarity of thoughts. Is the no confusion magic
happening…?

Decision making is a continuous process; we all have taken a lot of big and
small decisions in the past and will keep on doing the same in the future
as well. I don’t want to go into the science of it now, all I wish to put
is, no matter what we decided in the past, and no matter what impact it has
on us, it shouldn’t effect us in any negative way “NOW”, as we cant change
it so lets not think about it.

The question still exists, what if we could change a decision, a small yet
huge decision..would you...?

Go Mobile..

2010-06-17T03:39:00.000-07:00

During my school time, having a Computer at home would make the kid the coolest in the class and playing games, watching movies or listening to songs on it was fun and today kids have their own gmail ids and chat accounts, they Google the games they want to play. Basic Computer Education is a subject in the primary classes (even if we had that, we did not learn what they are learning now..!).

Time’s changing and so are we. During my Graduation, all my friends used to be online all night, geeks finding and researching technical updates and non-geeks finding a date.. ;-)

And our Mom used to wonder, what we are doing on the Computer all the time..!

Computers then Laptops and then we started gradually moving to Smart-phones and everything is now on “The Phone”…!

Though the use of Smartphone (till date) is not so widespread, but I saw the news today, that Samsung is launching a new OS to increase its market share, and comparatively on a low price. Already there are multiple players in the market, like Symbian, Android, Research in Motion (RIM) ,iOS etc and there are many more to come by the end of this fiscal year.

Consecutively, smart phone users will increase and hence its use and technocrats would be online 24 by 7. Thats “us” today and what about Gen Y..!!
Go Mobile all the way???

Anger

2010-04-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

Living beings showcase various kinds of emotions. Anger is one form of emotion. Let’s analyze this emotion. I am not discussing Anger Management Techniques, but just writing about an emotion which is virtually present in everyone, some realize it and some don’t.

Anger is very much natural, sometimes the outcome of hurt and insult, but are “all” natural things good? My point here is, “Is Anger good or is it bad?”

Talking about natural things, poison is natural too, but is it good or is it deadly (as per the definition)? Anger is also like a poison in our heart, which not only hurts us but has the ability to hurt others as well. The psychological process is simple, is someone has hurt you, then, in your anger you want to hurt him back.

It is an emotion present in all of us from childhood, initially as aggression and later anger turning into revenge or in the form of depression (anger turned inwards called as unconscious anger).

For some anger has taken a form of Apathy, like I saw a couple fighting, the girl was screaming at his driving and at his some or the other deed but he was calm all the time, dint feel a thing and later when he realized that she has left him, he started crying. So its anger turned apathy, coming out in the form of sobs.

All I would say is, one should not suppress his/her anger, but not vent it in such a way so that someone else gets hurt, forgive him/her for being a human, a human with aggression.
But again, do not be a doormat that anyone can insult you and you keep mum. A total No, No.

Try to simply cool down and relax and try thinking from other’s point of view, if you are right, you have the right to speak up, but out of controlled emotions and analyzed thoughts.

I would like to conclude by stating “An Eye for an eye shall make the whole world blind”.
I read the following suggestion somewhere, which is pretty cool:

You might want to think of anger as just a lot of hot AIR.

A: Adrenaline.
That initial “rush” in response to an insult is adrenaline. Nothing but adrenaline

I: Identify.
Identify what is really happening, how much of a threat it really is, and why it is happening.

R: Reaction choice.
Choose a reaction that is compassionate and fair, rather than fall headlong into hostility and revenge.

@ Peace

Breaking Dawn –Book Review

2010-04-06T15:00:00.001-07:00

Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer

Hardcover: 756 pages
Language: English
Published: (on my b’day ;) ) August 2nd 2008 by Little, Brown and Company

url: http://stepheniemeyer.com/breakingdawn.html

Characters: Edward Cullen, Jacob Black, Bella Swan

Setting: Forks, Washington (United States)

Literary awards: ALA Teens' Top Ten (2009)

Description: When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one?

From the Book Jacket :

Summary:

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both a fantasy and a nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice, to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or pursue a fully human life, has become the thread from which the fate of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella’s life – first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse – seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed… forever?

Review:

The anticipated conclusion to TTS, the fourth and final part does justice to the story and the readers. I enjoyed reading it and after reading Eclipse, wanted to see how it ends (though somehow had guessed a few parts), like Bella’s transformation, a wedding etc.

The transformation of Bella from a weak, clumsy girl to a more independent and bold woman was good. She did a good job near the end of the story. Steph gave Bella both Jake and Edward, a baby, fairytale cottage, distinct power after becoming a vampire, and her human family. A story well tied up for Bella, after a great deal of sacrifice for getting the love of her life.

Edward was as loving as ever, this time as a father, as a husband, does all he can to protect his wife and his daughter.

I enjoyed reading Jacob’s perspective the most; it was a good change and was interesting to read. The best part for Jake in this book was, despite all the heart-ache he got, in the end again a happy ending for him too. Although the imprinting was a bit lame, a minus from my side for the book. But Jake still remains my Fav Character in the book.

There was a scope for a lot of drama and action in the end, when Volturi meet the other Vampire Covens, but again wasn’t written very well. The Volturi come, talk and walk back..!! What???!! Needed some good action here..!

One more thing I dint like was the book cover.

All things perfectly tied up into a perfect bow in the end, a happy ending for all, a good story book for teenagers, addictive, not a learning experience, poor adjective usage and bad repetition but again a good story with overly perfect characters.

♪♫♪ Musical Mood :) ♪♪♫

2010-03-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

“

Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.”

-E.Y. Harburg.

Music holds different meaning for all of us, euphony for some, energizing for others; for me its food for soul. There are a few songs which touch our hearts and I am posting here the first 4 which strike my mind right now and I’m sticking on to hindi songs for now, will come back to English some other day. :)

Baanwara Mann From Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi:

Bavre Se Mann, Ki Dekho Bavri Hain Baatein
Bavri Se Dhadkaane Hain, Bavri Hain Saansen
Bavri Si Karwaton Se, Nindiya Door Bhaage
Bavre Se Nain Chaahe, Bavre Jharokhon Se, Bavre Nazaron Ko Takna.
Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Iktaara from Wake Up Sid:

Orey manva tu to bavra hai
Tu hi jaane tu kya sochta hai
Tu hi jaane tu kya sochta hai bavre
Kyun dikhaye sapne tu sote jaagte
.
.
Sun rahi hoon sudh budh khoke koi main kahani
Poori kahani hai kya kise hai pata

Aashayein from Iqbal:

kutch paane ki ho aas aas
kutch armaan ho jo khaas khaas
aashaayen ...
har koshish mein ho waar waar
kare dariyao ko aar paar
aashaayen ...

Tujhse Naraaz nahi from Masoom (couldn’t help but post it full):

tujhase naaraaz nahi zindagi, hairaan hoon main
hairaan hoon main
tere masoom savalon se pareshaan hooN main
pareshaan hoon main

jeene ke liye socha hi na tha, dard sambhalane honge
muskuraoon to, muskurane ke karz utaarne honge
muskuraoon kabhi to lagata hai
jaise hontonn pe karz rakhaa hai
tujhase ...

aaj agar bhar ayi hai, boondein baras jaayengi
kal kya pata inke liye aakhen taras jayengi
jaane kahan gum kahan khoya
ek aansu chhupake rakha tha
tujhase ...

zindagi tere gum ne hamain rishte naye samajhaye
mile jo hamain dhoop main mile chhaanv ke thande saaye

I’d certainly like to know your favorites.

PS : Let us stick onto our Hindi Playlist for now. :)

Eclipse- Book Review:

2010-03-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

It’s the TTS-The Twilight Saga’s 3rd Part.
The movie is going to release on June 30 (approx), and I really wish to see it, though I’ve picturised it already in my head. :)
Eclipse is definitely better than New Moon, its fast and rolls very well.

(+)

• A good romantic triangle, includes love and friendship, independent yet interdependent.

Bella is expressing her feelings, by reading out this quote: “If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger” from the her Wuthering Heights book.

• Emotions (of all kinds) expressed intensely.

“Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice” the introduction of the book starts with Robert Frost poem.

• Great action towards the end; energy and rage packed werewolves and vampires.

(-)

• The movie: If you haven’t read the book, understanding the characters would be difficult.

• Dialogue repetition, Meyer does it in all her books, which makes it banal at times.

All in all, it’s a good book for the TTS Fans and gets a better hook of the reader than the rest of the series.

My Neighbor

2010-03-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

My neighboring Aunty loves me a lot..! And I realized it pretty soon. Here is the complete story.
When I had moved in this flat, she always passed a smile whenever she saw me and so did I. Oh and she would consider my home as her own, would even move in the house without me inviting her, would check out what all stuff I have at my house and then would invite me to watch TV at her place..!! Weird, ‘coz she was this overly-friendly with only me and not my flat-mates. (Jealous they were, oh yeah! )

When Monday to Friday are working days, all you need is a nice, peaceful, relaxing weekend..! This Friday, I had fever and a lot of work pressure. There is a switch to my doorbell, which I had put off, ‘coz generally no one comes on Saturday morning, took a crocin and dozed off.

ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

Saturday morning, my maid came, rang the bell and assumed I was sleeping (she knows how much I love to sleep on holidays :P ) and went to some other flat, then came the paper-wala, then the milk man and I donno if there was anyone else. My neighboring Aunty got so scared, that I wasn’t opening the door, called up the watchman and my friends in the building, and out of extreme nervousness, started yelling and questioning, “Is the girl dead? We ought to know, is she still alive or is she dead?” Seedha maar hi daala…!

Whoooa.!! Thankfully, the friend in the building called me and told the story and then I opened the door and there were so many people standing outside my house..! Man…why dint you guys welcome me like this when I moved in :P

I assured them that I was perfectly fine and ALIVE and was horrified to know that Aunty really thought I was dead..!! What..!! Seriously!

Now, even if I go home for sometime and she does not see me around, she comes to my flat to ask them about my whereabouts. Why do u love me so much..! Ohhh My..!! I am touched…!

Hope

2010-03-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

To start with, Pandora’s Box
is something which I assume all of us have heard about; this box contained all evils, including Hope. Now I do not know if hope is evil or good, is it situational or is it as per a man’s perspective?

For example, if a person commits suicide, will you call it courage or is it weakness, is it because of lack of hope from this life or a hope of a better next-life (if that really exists). Personally, I would call it weakness and helplessness, but my point now is Can lack of hope kill life? Is it that Evil?

Another Example: I wonder how many of you have read the story of “The Lady or the Tiger” (ask me if you haven’t, will be glad to share it), or seen the movie,”Before Sunset”, all these stories and movies are open ended, does the lover get the love of his/her life or is it an end, end to the story, end of their happy love life? Now the narrator leaves it to the reader/spectator, and puts a question, what do we expect or hope for them, a happy or a sad ending?

So could hope give life as well? Not just in stories, but in real life. If I talk about passing an exam, which I haven’t studied for, I still hope I will clear it (if miracles work) and to my surprise I do. On the contrary, if I would think, since I haven’t studied for it, how the hell can I pass it, leave scoring good, so I simply wouldn’t use my brains in writing the paper, simply sign and come out?

Now, is hope evil or good or does Hope have a Dual-personality?

Hum Panchhi Unmukt Gagan ke

2010-03-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

हम पंछी उन्मुक्त गगन के
- ShivMangal Singh Suman (शिवमंगल सिंह सुमन)

हम पंछी उन्मुक्त गगन के
पिंजरबद्ध न गा पाऍंगे
कनक-तीलियों से टकराकर
पुलकित पंख टूट जाऍंगे ।

हम बहता जल पीनेवाले
मर जाऍंगे भूखे-प्यासे
कहीं भली है कटुक निबोरी
कनक-कटोरी की मैदा से ।

स्वर्ण-श्रृंखला के बंधन में
अपनी गति, उड़ान सब भूले
बस सपनों में देख रहे हैं
तरू की फुनगी पर के झूले ।

ऐसे थे अरमान कि उड़ते
नील गगन की सीमा पाने
लाल किरण-सी चोंच खोल
चुगते तारक-अनार के दाने ।

होती सीमाहीन क्षितिज से
इन पंखों की होड़ा-होड़ी
या तो क्षितिज मिलन बन जाता
या तनती सॉंसों की डोरी ।

नीड़ न दो, चाहे टहनी का
आश्रय छिन्न-भिन्न कर डालो
लेकिन पंख दिए हैं तो
आकुल उड़ान में विघ्न न डालो ।

This was a poem I read probably in my 8th Std. in School and still love it and can relate so much to it.

At times the poem also makes me feel nostalgic :( school days were so much fun.

I specially love the first two Stanzas…the first being :

Hum panchi unmukt gagan ke,
Pinjad bandh na gaa paayenge,
Kanak teeliyon se takrakar,
Pulkit pankh toot jaayenge

It speaks about being free so smoothly and softly. Isn’t this what we all want? Being free?

But….there is something which I don’t think “all” of us would want or not want. Like the poem says, that the bird doesn’t wish to live in a cage, even if it’s made of Gold.

In my case, I would always like my life to be simple, independent and free, and despite of all the riches in the world, life can be beautiful.

That shouldn’t be difficult? Right? :)

Wishes :)

Egg or Hen?

2010-02-28T08:44:00.000-08:00

I was watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S; and this conversation struck to me, which is from “The One Where Heckles Dies (203)”:

PHOEBE: That's fine. Go ahead and scoff. You know, there're a lot of things that I don't believe in, but that doesn't mean they're not true.
JOEY: Such as?

PHOEBE: Like crop circles, or the Bermuda triangle, or evolution?

ROSS: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What, you don't, uh, you don't believe in evolution?

PHOEBE: Nah. Not really.

ROSS: You don't believe in evolution?

PHOEBE: I don't know, it's just, you know...monkeys, Darwin, you know, it's a, it's a nice story, I just think it's a little too easy.

ROSS: Too easy? Too...The process of every living thing on this planet evolving over millions of years from single-celled organisms, too easy?

PHOEBE: Yeah, I just don't buy it.

ROSS: Uh, excuse me. Evolution is not for you to buy, Phoebe. Evolution is scientific fact, like, like, like the air we breathe, like gravity.

PHOEBE: Ok, don't get me started on gravity.

ROSS: You uh, you don't believe in gravity?

PHOEBE: Well, it's not so much that you know, like I don't believe in it, you know, it's just...I don't know, lately I get the feeling that I'm not so much being pulled down as I am being pushed.

As far as I know there is “Theorem” and there is “Theory”, there is Math and there is Science.

Theory is what happens repeatedly in the same fashion over and over again, like apple falling on Newton’s head (theory of Gravitation), then Theory of Relativity, Theory of Constraints.

Def: A theory, in the scientific sense of the word, is an analytic structure designed to explain a set of empirical observations. A scientific theory does two things:
1. it identifies this set of distinct observations as a class of phenomena, and
2. makes assertions about the underlying reality that brings about or affects this class.

My point is, theories aren’t mathematically proved, but Theorems are, to name Pythagoras theorem, Binomial theorem or so.

Just thinking about what Phoebe said, I was wondering is there a slight “possibility” that the “theory” of evolution is not true and why we are in this world is justified by some other reason or logic.

There are so many questions bubbling up like:
• Did Adam and Eve really exist? And so do we? Now where did they come from? Someone dropped them from up above?
• If I think that God has created us, then how was God created?
• Worms and insects take birth in the environment adaptable to them, some in puddle and some in deserts, when the climatic conditions are sustainable. So was it the same for us?

Now this is not just applicable to human-beings but to other animals as well.
If we turned from an Ape to a human, why was it just Ape and not a Tiger?

As this question always remains unanswered: Eggs came first or the hen?

I feel everyone (who can imagine a little) will have at least one theory of his own, on how we evolved..Do you? :)

Finally My 25th Post..!

2010-02-27T02:40:00.000-08:00

This being my 25th Post, I wanted to write something cool, but my mind was over-occupied. May be ‘coz of a lot of things happening and a lot of thinking going on, writing something was what I missed a lot..!

And (now I’m playing the blame-game ;) ) Facebook updates, then Twitter and now Google-Buzz, posting everywhere (though very precise) made slash down my blogs (just like the tax rates being slashed in this Budget..!)

When you have a lot to think about,
Words fly away, mind left blank aloud..!

All you need is a banging break,
To beat that blank hell out..!

PS: To those who care to read, I’ll try to be more regular. :)

Avatar- Movie Review

2009-12-19T11:41:00.000-08:00

The macro budget movie was awaited since the release of its trailers, i.e. since past 45 days (approx.) and now is doing wonders internationally..!

James Cameron’s Avatar is a visual masterpiece, a must watch for its immaculate SFX. The fearless imagination was way beyond beautiful and spic-and-span. I loved the use of colors in the movie, which made every creature look so attractive and ravishing.

One tends to fly in a dreamland and has a dream walk with the Avatars, great work by Cameron…! The highly spectacular visual effects, overall look of the fancy land is all so thrilling that makes one’s gaze hardwired on the screen. This movie is a visual masterpiece and a sci-fi classic…!

As they say, Rewards are in direct proportion to Risk, this movie was worth the risk and undoubtedly is earning great rewards.

Check out its Imdb rating and see for yourself..!

This movie was visually insane and a great “Experience” ..Hope you’d enjoy it too :)

Rocket Singh- Movie Review

2009-12-16T08:00:00.001-08:00

Harpreet Singh Bedi (Ranbir Kapoor) completes his B.com with 38%, and 12th and in 10th with 37%. But he feels low marks don’t mean less brains and delivers the dialogue: ‘number kam hai, dimaag nahi’..!*clap* *clap*. He’s a charming and fun loving Sardar ji (with bright colored turbans, matching his Ties).

The movie is simple and honest and doesn’t try too hard, rolls easily and shuns the glam-sham of a typical Bollywood masala movie, despite the fact the hero's the hottest property in town, with success of APKGK and Wake up Sid. This is an off-beat movie, with a good script coming from the writer of “Khosla ka Ghosla”, Jaideep Sahani, directed by Shmit Amin of ‘Chak De’, and stands up to its expectations.

The movie begins with Harpreet graduating, and then partying where the banner holds “We passed, College failed”. And declares to his friends that he wants to do a Sales job, soon gets selected as a Sales-Trainee in AYS, which sells computers. He’s like fish with sharks in the ocean, ready to be killed if he enters in anyone else’s territory. The office has a typical Boss, soft spoken in the beginning and shows shows true colour gradually. The movie flows showing an office party where people drink whiskey in transparent plastic cups with music running on Windows Media Player.

Harpreet observes false practices, but he stands up to his conscience, does not like giving/taking bribes, which turns out to be a problem in his office and the driving force for him to start his own company.

Harpreet is nicknamed as HP, a very subtle and nice way of telling the story of an entrepreneur, like a computer company formed in a garage and Harpreet later works in a store which is under the Tata Umbrella. So, our HP forms a team in AYS, from few employees of AYS to start his own company called Rocket Sales Corp. Everyone in the team have acted well and have been allotted good script. Naveen Kaushik as the sales manager with the long side-burns and the role of Nitin Rathore, is a master in getting Sales order, by hook or by crook. Mukesh Bhatt does well as Chhotelal Misra, a peon capable of assembling PCs; and Gauhar Khan is looking beautiful, performing as Koena, the ambitious receptionist. The best of all was D Santosh as Giri, a computer-assembler, who knew how to fetch money out of customers, he delivers a dialogue stating “ Customer ke to naam mein hi ‘mar’ hai..” Now that was dark humour…!!

Gradually, Sales of Rocket Sales Corp show a upward graph while that of AYS downwards, ‘coz of HP’s innate honesty, scruples and confidence in winning over clients and getting the orders promising better service, and with a dialogue : “Risk to Spiderman ko bhi lena padta hai, main to fir bhi ek Salesman hoon”.

The romantic track in the movie is handled very casually, not side-tracking the real story and he asking her out for a movie in a washroom. The movie is simple, straight forward, realistic and no razzle-dazzle. It is not a movie which will keep you glued to your seat, nor making you laugh out loud, but it’s an ardent effort to show there exists no Rocket Science behind being an entrepreneur but honesty and belief in one self.

Go Watch it.

New Moon- The Book and The Movie

2009-12-04T02:36:00.000-08:00

"Shoot," I muttered when the paper sliced my finger; I pulled it out to examine the damage. A single drop of blood oozed from the tiny cut.

It all happened very quickly then.

Edward threw himself at me, flinging me back across the table...

I tumbled down to the floor by the piano, with my arms thrown out instinctively to catch my fall, into the jagged shards of glass. I felt the searing, stinging pain that ran from my wrist to the crease inside my elbow.

Dazed and disoriented, I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my arm—into the fevered eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires.

Robert Pattinson as Edward-Kristen Stewart as Bella in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, based on Stephenie Meyer's international bestseller, was one of the most anticipated films of the year, which pulled in more than $140 million domestically in its opening weekend. The sequel is strictly for the readers of the Stephenie Meyer novels.

Playing a big role in the film is Taylor Lautner as Jacob, who has become a heartthrob of million of teen girls worldwide like Pattinson. I liked him more than Edward in this movie.

The (above) incident happened at Bella’s birthday after which Edward decided that they should separate, for her safety and so that she would lead a normal life and therefore left her alone in Forks. But she was broken, lonely and devastated. Those who have read the book will understand its all about heartache and suffering. She moves into deep depression that spirals into a nearly catatonic state of self-pity. She stays in the black position for months, shrieks during her nightmares, making her father running to her.

Jacob helps her come out of her depression with after-school sessions of building motorcycles. Unlike brooding Edward, Jake has a wicked sense of humor that adds a new element to the love tension smoldering just beneath the surface with Bella.

Jake eventually turns into a werewolf, where he has to trade his normal life with his friend Bella to protect the people of Forks and yeah with six pack abs. I’m sure girls loved him. Also, the werewolf looked hugggggeeee and strong, great picturisation.

In the end, Bella had to stop Edward from committing a suicide and then she encounters the Volturi, a vampire council of various talents. Good fight scenes and action well pictured from book to person.

Edward, a 109-year-old vampire, with the body of a teenage Magazine cover boy, has a little less role in the movie. Taylor and Kristen have shared a good on-screen chemistry.

Kristen Stewart has acted better than in Twilight, Edward was still maintaining his skill of marginal talent and lack of emotional range, especially while delivering the “it’s not you, it’s me” dailogue after Bella’s paper-cut sends the blood drinkers into delirium...! Get some acting lessons Dude..! It was Taylor Lautner who balanced the movie pretty well.

Change of Director was appreciable. Catherine Hardwicke was Ok, but Chris Weitz was very good and the movie stuck pretty close to the book. I was pleased with the New Moon movie. They left a few parts out, but it was Ok as its difficult to make a two hour movie from a 500+ page book and the missing parts did not seriously effect the overall understanding of New Moon. It was better then the first movie and did move quickly through the storyline, really quickly.

Overall, Jacob (Taylor Lautner) stole the show. One feels sorry for him when Bella tells Jacob goodbye at the end of the movie.

The book is slowest one of the 4; but the movie has done justice to it, in-fact actually made the book look better. In the middle of the book, it was so boring to read the dialogues and thoughts, but Taylor plays an amazing Jake and Chris Weitz has done a good job, and the movie is better than Twilight, good action scenes and special effects but sadly weak background music, w.r.t Twilight.

Credit goes to Team Jacob.

Request: if you haven't read the book, please don't judge the film.
Rating: 3.8/5

Strangled - Predator and the Prey

2009-12-03T06:14:00.000-08:00

Chapter- 4

I could see a tiny helpless soul dying in front of me, killed and eaten by a Spider. This behemoth really knew how to use his numerous giant legs; he held his prey in his two feelers and stung it with his other two poison fangs, within seconds only one living creature existed on the web. Oh! I hated this goliath monster so much. If I had the power, I’d have loved to torment him to death for torturing such poor creatures and eating them. But sadly I was feeling so small and helpless, filled with mixed emotions of anger, frustration and fear!

I questioned myself that was he was MY predator as well? Will I be eaten next? If he was Argiope, even my life would end soon and I’d perish in these woods, may be next minute or next second, depends on his jumping speed, from that web to mine. I dint wish to think of his swallowing speed though. Gulp! I choked, there was a blob in my throat and I stay still on this viscid death bed. I was talking to myself again, “why am I dying so soon, what wrong had I done? Just that I was playful kid and I didn’t listen to my Mom and my friend. (That’s called being disobedient, I know) Well, I am sorry Mom, I really am and now I am scared. God help me!”

I was trying to respire without moving my nostrils and my belly, and tried to face the freak in his eyes. This monster had four eyes on the top-front of his head, big brownish-black legs on the sides of his body, scary hairs popping out and I could hear him breathe, something which I couldn’t do at this point of time. I lay numb, half dead.

I could recall, I had seen him imbibe the tissues of his “prey”, I looked at his face and he appeared quite satisfied and I wished his hunger had died and his appetite was full. He jumped down from that web for a while, then with one of his legs, started pulling a thread towards his own self, I was wondering what he was trying to do, and there were broken threads one after the other, he was destroying his own well-knitted mesh. I was trying to reckon,” what is the concept behind it. First make a shiny white web, invite poor little preys (like ME), trap us in sticky webs, lasso it with sticky bolas, mimic the prey, to avoid detection, or run it down and after all this hard work, destroy what was made. They dint kept any proof of their crime. COWARDS…!” I felt so proud for a moment, that I called his specie a Coward.

At the same time, I thought, why are the birds or wasps not eating him? And my observation clicked again, may be ‘coz he’s a little smart, as his coloration was camouflage that helped him to evade his major predators. Huh..! So my predator was a smart and coward one, I’d call that as a “Smartorward!” Which ability counted more? None, but his ability to kill me..!

And our eyes met, the predator and the prey, and my heart skipped a beat, all thoughts vanished and my mind gave a Blank signal. I was sure my heart beat must be showing a Straight line now, and my eyes were wide open, not that I was admiring the demon’s beauty, but I just couldn’t move anything, simply nothing. The smartoward enormous monster approached towards ME..!!! Gosh..!!

Strangled - With a Corpse

2009-11-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Chapter-3

Looking at me appearing silent for quite sometime, Miss Glitter asked me questions in the bottoms up way; “Oh, I forgot to ask your name”, I said “It’s Webbee” and I tried to stretch my lips for a smile. Ruby asked: “So tell me something about yourself, like your friends, favorite color, where is your home?” I thought rather than thinking of how I would be gulped down someone’s mouth, its better for me to mark my presence on this planet in some or the other way, simplest way at this time was by telling my name and identity. So I started, “I live in a colony, in the south-west of the forest, near the huge waterfalls, which shimmers in the bright sunlight; well, about my family they call my mommy as the Queen bee” I said with a proud smile. “I have many friends and today I was with Debbee, she is the sweetest of them all. Umm..and my favourite colour, as per my current condition, that would be anything but white, I like crimson a lot though” and smiled again, thinking of honey…ohh..! Ruby seemed satisfied, may be ‘coz I had answered her Quiz show, now I wanted a prize! A life would do..!

Later, Ruby gossiped a little more and flied somewhere, telling me to be calm and pretend like I’m dead. I dint find that job very difficult. With passage of time, I knew my family must be worried, only then I heard my name once again;”Webbeeeeee” it was them, it really was them!! I wondered what to do, to call back and tell them I was here and I had missed them so much, or to follow Ruby’s order, I decided to go with the later, and tried to hide. The voice seemed to come closer and my terror rose in direct proportion, so I tried to hide my face and moved a little; but unfortunately got more messed up in the sticky threads, so again tried to lie quietly and motionlessly. Their voice became low, I felt sad, and gradually it disappeared. I felt a little more messed up than I really was. A tear rolled down my cheeks. I could visualize my good old days at home. Now, my body was numb ‘coz of constant stability on these threads, the only thing that moved was my lips, when I was chatting with Ruby.

While I was lost in my own grief, next minute I heard a cracking sound, I started moving my eyes with curiosity and to my surprise, it was the Egg. Of three, one of them cracked and a cute little bird was breaking the shells around and came out of it; she had big brown eyes and was curiously looking at her mom, the other eggs and her nest. Her mom looked so happy, she was overwhelmed with the joy and she pecked on her baby with her beak, smiled and played with her. It all seemed so beautiful.

Moment of joy was really momentary, when I saw a four-eyed huge brown spider jumping on the rocks, a little away from ..my.. this web. I stopped breathing, may be I had forgot how to breathe, things happened so suddenly, he jumped on a small web near the rock, I wonder how I missed observing that web, it was at the corner of my eye, there was a someone on it, his prey, entangled badly into the threads, possibly dead already. He injected venom through his midgut into the prey and then sucked the liquefied tissues of the prey into his gut, eventually leaving behind the empty husk of the ……prey. I choked, I was going to be perforated and I was next.

Strangled- Now with Ruby

2009-11-23T04:40:00.001-08:00

Chapter-2

Thinking of the little time that I had with me, nervousness pinching me from inside, I wanted to think of something else, at least to keep me distracted and breathing, so I started moving my eyes at the things around me, a bird sitting in her nest was watching me and around her laid three Eggs, yellowish and big, also I could see watermelon near the pond, butterflies were fluttering amidst the air, I felt they were mocking at me. Oh how much I missed flying now! I closed my eyes, started praying to god, to save me from dying and promised I’ll be a good Bee. I heard; “that’s a little difficult”.

I was smiling because God was speaking to me, but then I felt I shouldn’t smile, I have no reason to be happy and suddenly I opened my eyes and saw a fire-fly staring at me and said, “You are on Argiope’s web, he’s a gigantic spider, has got four eyes and eight legs, so it’s a little difficult that some one can really save you.”

Then I realized that it was the fire-fly who spoke to me and not God, though what should really make me sad at this point of time should be that I was going to be a food for someone, oh he had a name, Argiope, why did she had to tell me Mr. Spider’s details, wasn’t I looking scared enough! I asked” What should I do?” She moved her brows up and said, “Just don’t move, Argiope is a genius in sensing vibrations on his well-meshed web”

I was thinking, should I be thankful to her for sharing the genius’s exquisite details or should I be grumpy at her for scaring me more and more. I just gulped and kept mum. She asked, “Do you want me to go and call someone, from your home or so? You want to have a word with them?” I was plainly looking at her, was she here to help me, did she mean ‘last words’? Or she wanted to make me feel terribly small? Somehow, I managed to say” No, thank you. I don’t want anyone at home to know about me in such situation”.

She said” But they might be worried for you” I dint wish to prolong this
conversation, so I asked, “You dint tell me your name.”

She cracked a little smile, looking at my curiosity to know her and giving her more words to blabber. She said: “Ruby, that’s because of my color at night, I glitter you know.” Oh well, so I had a company here, who could speak as long as I wished (does that matter), who was slightly able to distract and retract me, supplying me with knowledge of my predator.

The Phone Call

2009-11-23T02:03:00.000-08:00

Few days back, I received a call from an unknown number; let me call him Mr. Z for the time being. He called several times till the time I picked up his call, and then he claimed that my phone number is same as your phone number.

Me: What..!! That’s not possible.

Z: Madam, but your number is same as my number at home (some family member’s no.)

M: It aint possible and please don’t call me again.
Bang.

But the calls kept on coming, but I was busy in something or the other that I couldn’t receive the calls and so I thought now it’s the end, Z wont call again, but some people are unpredictable..!

This time I received his call, thinking of giving him a solid scolding.

Z: Arre Madam, my son-in-law had also given a ring to my number at home and you got it.
(Background Story: I had received another call from an unknown number x-( Damn..!!)

Z: Your number is same as my number Madam.

Me: OK. Do one thing; give me a ring from that number which you say is same as mine.

Z: Ok madam.

Later in the evening…
Tring …tring…

Z: Madam, dekha na aapka hi number hai na .!! ( Did u see its your number only!)
Yet again, this was some other number and NOT mine and he was still claiming that this is mine.!! Whoaaaaaaa..!!

Me: No, it’s a different number, now please stop bothering me and if u still have issues with you not getting your calls on this number, post a complaint in Idea office.

Z: OK madam I will do that, but if you say this is not your number, then what is your number? I need to tell in the Idea office.

Me: Grrrrrrr…you are dialing my number, how come you don’t know it, and if you don’t , then I’m sorry I’m not giving it and if you cant complain, then I will.

Z: Ok if you want to complain, I dint say anything to you, but Ok you complain.

Then I just thought that the calls are being diverted to my number and I tried calling on that number (which was claimed to be same as mine) and it said call Diverted ! Bingo..!
Then I instantly called up Mr.Z and told him your calls are being diverted to my number please cancel it.

Z: Madam mujhe phone operate karna itna nahi aata hai.

Me: Hmph.! Ok, anyone else in your family knows?

Z: Yes, my daughter knows a little, please wait.

Daughter (D): Hallo. Kya karna hai?

Me: Go to Settings-> Call-> Call Divert->All Calls-> Cancel.
She was still not able to find the “Settings” in her phone and was took a long pause.
Me: Can u see the nut-bolt waala icon?

D: Hmm….(still trying to figure it out)

Me: Ok do one thing, get a pen and a paper and note down the steps.
And once again: Go to Settings-> Call-> Call Divert->All Calls-> Cancel.
And then I confirmed with her, u got it? Right?

D: Yeah yeah. Its “SAY-Ting” and “cancel”

Me: Ok, whatever, just get it done.

I still keep on getting calls from unknown numbers but I never receive and I don’t know who and how “MY” number was in their call divert list..!!
People get something better to do..!!

Strangled..

2009-11-22T12:06:00.000-08:00

I was strolling with my buddy, over the bushes, when the weather was warm and nice. Pleasant sunny days are always welcomed! We were looking for some fresh beautiful flowers, there were many, colorful shades. But today I wanted to be a little different, try something new. So I thought, why not break the Rules! I was told not to go very close to the ponds, but I saw a light, like an ultraviolet light reflected by flowers and I really wanted to go there, but Debbee frowned at me and warned with a scowl:”Don’t!”

I sniffed and moved to the other direction and as soon as Debbee was busy in her own expeditions, I couldn’t resist going back near the pond and I flew swiftly and quickly towards it. Before anyone noticing me, I bashed into it with a thump and there I was..!Over and above it. I looked in every possible direction, and yeah no one saw me, but I felt sad, sad because I was over sticky white threads, which were all so symmetrical. I dint know what to do, I lay motionless over there, on the white shiny spider web.

My brain wasn’t working, may be I never had a brain, may be I should have listened to what I was told, may be I shouldn’t have deceived Debbee, may be then I might have stayed alive a little more longer.

“Webbeeeeeee” , I heard someone yell my name, I knew I was in a sticky mess and I dint wish Deb to be here as well. I wished I could be like a tiny chamaeleon and change my color to the surroundings. Beneath me was the pond, above were lush green trees and surrounding were small herbs and bushes. Deb was getting closer; I just closed my eyes, took my breath in and stayed motionless. After sometime, the familiar voice vanished and here I was, alone, strangled, nearing my death.

Marriages- Past and Present-Part 2

2009-11-19T02:21:00.000-08:00

In continuation with earlier blog..

When a girl would have got married in the old Era, her parents might have given her gifts, as a token of love. This is where the mistake began. A father giving gifts to her own daughter is committing no fault, after all she is his daughter, but the groom expecting gifts is seriously sad. Not just expecting, but demanding and thinking of it as his right is a crime. With time, the expectations of the boy increased, gifts later started taking form of TV, fridge, tickets to fly, jewels and money off course. The parents still delighted to make the groom happy, shower more gifts on him, considering he will keep their daughter happy.

His happiness increases, self respect decreases…(or is rather vanished) and he starts placing more orders for expensive and flamboyant gifts, to his in-laws. The groom’s family, trades their son, as per where he stands and asks for a compensation for the amount they have spent in educating and upbringing their son and fixes his amount, which is termed as Dowry.

In India, dowry was originally designed to safeguard the woman and it was the provision of "Sthreedhan" ("Sthree" meaning woman and "dhan" wealth) in the form of money, property or gifts given solely to the woman by her parents at the time of her marriage. "Sthreedhan", an inheritance, was meant to exclusively belong to the woman at the time of her marriage. But sadly, not it doesn’t!

In 1961 with the Dowry Prohibition Act, dowry was officially outlawed, but in reality eradication was far from accomplished. Many of the victims are burnt to death - they are doused in kerosene and set fire to. Routinely the in-laws claim that the death happened simply due to an accident. In India not only was there an apparent increase of dowry-related deaths from kitchen fires but from this weeds other covert forms of related oppression sprouted. Some of these led to psychological torture, suicides and murder of married women, desertion by their husbands, rampant abortion of female fetuses, and poor families resorting to female infanticide for fear of not being able to provide dowry.

And if there is a death, the groom now has a chance to get a new wife with possibly a better and bigger dowry adding to the one before making the family wealthy. So greed is a big contributor to dowry deaths and if the husband at all feels that the dowry is not enough this usually ends with a bride burning.

The years in 90's showed a steady yearly increase in bridal death tolls, with many more deaths unreported. Every 12 hours a dowry related death claimed to have taken the lives of over 20,000 women across India between 1990 and 1993, and even now a dowry case is reported every three hours.

In this one case a women was burned and survived.

It took nine plastic surgeries for her to look somewhat normal again. The picture shown below is she holding a picture of her before she was burned.

I can state many cases here and the list wont end. But now I’d just wish to have a society where people eradicate such evils.

What can be done: Providing your daughter with a solid education, and encouraging her to pursue a career of her choice is the best dowry any parent can ever give their daughter.
Also, educate your son to stand on his own feet, having self respect and ultimately social responsibility will rest upon the initiative and mentality of that segment of the Indian male population having an understanding that the dowry system is corrupt and illegal.
Youths: Spread the word and your belief, increase awareness and say NO to dowry.

It’s the dirtiest word. Loud and clear..!

Marriages- Past and Present

2009-11-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

Many many centuries ago, I believe, when there was no caste, rituals and creed; people weren’t educated and there was no society, they must have fought a lot to differentiate themselves from others, to prove their humanity. There would have been lots of murders, thefts and wars. It would have been a male dominated world and women would have been treated as prisoners and kept hidden from others. It can only be assumed that they were hinged with hefty chains and locked in a room.

I wonder how would have the population increased then, were there marriages? If yes, then even they wouldn’t have been peaceful. Win a war and snatch a girl away. The man would have come with his armors and sword on a horse with all his family and relatives, fought a war with the other family and on winning the war, takes the young girl away with him.

The family of the female would have been unhappy, since they used to consider the females, their wives and daughters as their own property and a loss of it meant a major loss to the entire family. In the end, the girl’s neck would have been tied with thick chains and her waist with another. Hands were handcuffed, legs were manacled and nose nailed. She’d have been assembled like a luggage and the man would have carried her on his horse. Also, the wealth of the girl’s family would have been looted, leaving them deprived of the girl and the riches. Thereby, the girl’s family and relatives were left sad and crying.

Even today, I wonder, do such things happen? I doubt, but still see a resemblance between the past (a theory) and the present (a fact). May be past has left its mark on the present and certain incidents have taken the name of rituals.

The groom or “dulha” comes on a horse, with a sword on his waist, though it’s not put into use (thankfully) and is just a tradition. He comes in a “baraat”, with his family and relatives. The women (girl’s side) welcomes them at the door and jokingly tease him, the groom, and sing songs with abuse, “gaaliya dena”. The girl’s friends and sisters tease him, fool around and have fun. Also, they hide the shoes of the groom, so that he doesn’t run away.

Though, now the chains and handcuffs are replaced with jewellerys , necklace, bangles, anklets, nose-rings etc. She is taken away, in a car or so with the groom and along with Dowry.., leaving the girl’s family crying.

Blog will be continued…

Twilight-Book Review

2009-11-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

Twilight is a vampire-human romance story written by the author Stephenie Meyer.

After Twilight follows New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn and yet unfinished Midnight Sun: The Twilight Saga. I’ve seen the movie and waiting for New Moon to release by 4th Dec.

The story begins with seventeen year old girl, Bella moving from sunny Arizona to Forks, a town with constant mist and rain, also leaving her Mom to stay with her Dad so as to study in Forks, despite the fact that she dislikes the foggy weather without Sun and had to make whole new set of friends and settle into a new school.

Though she quickly makes new friends and finds her gaze fixed on the Cullens family, esp. Edward Cullen, who were all different, inhumanly beautiful, stunningly attractive and used to stay aloof from the rest of the students.

Bella is portrayed as realistic teenage girl, shy and lacking in confidence with her sarcastic inner voice.

Edward and his family are a mystery, which is slowly unraveled through out the book.

Bella finds herself attracted to Edward who seems to be exasperated by her mere presence. Soon, they fall irrevocably in love with each other. Edward has to fight his feelings of his ultimate desire, the smell of her blood and the fragrance of her body. Bella trusts Edwards and knows that he will never cause any harm to her and feels safe with the Vampire. He fights to save her, from himself and from others.

The love-story is intense and captivating that will keep you reading and you won’t want to end.

Twilight is young adult novel and is surely enjoyable. (Let us not compare it with Harry Potter)

The drawbacks I felt were repetitive sentences, overly-perfect characters and shallow romance. Yet, entertaining and worth a read.

Guys: It won’t bite you…eh…you might not find the book very interesting.

Girls: You’d all Love it. No wonder these T-shirts are being so much on Amazon.

Happy Reading.

2 states

2009-11-09T02:59:00.000-08:00

Synopsis by C.Bhagat:

Love marriages around the world are simple:
Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy.
They get married.

In India, there are a few more steps:
Boy loves Girl. Girl loves Boy.
Girl's family has to love boy. Boy's family has to love girl.
Girl's Family has to love Boy's Family. Boy's family has to love girl's family.
Girl and Boy still love each other. They get married.

Welcome to 2 States, a story about Krish and Ananya. They are from two different states of India, deeply in love and want to get married. Of course, their parents don’t agree. To convert their love story into a love marriage, the couple have a tough battle in front of them. For it is easy to fight and rebel, but it is much harder to convince. Will they make it? From the author of blockbusters Five Point Someone, One Night @ the Call Center and The 3 Mistakes of My Life, comes another witty tale about inter-community marriages in modern India.

My Review:

I have read Chetan Bhagat’s previous 3 books, 5 point someone being my Fav. I read this book in one go. Though I feel Indians who watch Bollywood movies will get a feel of the book by its cover and will not jump off their seats after reading the twists in the book, but the book is good enough to grab your attention and interest.

The book is dedicated by the author to his in-laws* (with a * marked which says which does not mean I am henpecked, under her thumb or not man enough). Men…!! :P Its ok if they express their gratitude to their in-laws for giving their daughter to him, why * and clarify..!

The story is about Krish and Ananya, who met at IIMA. Krish is a Punjabi boy and Ananya is a Tamilian Brahmin girl, who fell in love with each other (a little 5 point some-one like love story in college.)

Krish is fair, intelligent, and good in economics and is madly in love with Ananya. He likes to take care of her Mom but is in no talking terms with his Dad, as in mostly pissed off when at home.

Ananya is independent, modern, educated, practical and logical (like most girls are) and is fair unlike other South-Indian girls (exceptions include Sri devi and Hema malini)

They both try to convince each others family in-turns. Krish got posted himself in Chennai ( Ananya’s hometown), lost his sleep, had to give tuitions to Ananya’s younger brother, and then helped her Dad in his (Bank) office work and her Mom by acknowledging her singing in a huge public. Hard work to get the love of his life. After all nothing in this world comes for free.

Also, asked the complete family to marry him and gave all three of them gold rings. Tons of appreciation and gold gifts….they liked the guy.

Ananya then went to Delhi to meet Krish’s parents, and received a lot of sarcasm for she being a witty and clever Madrasin and having trapped her baby boy. Later, Ananya’s parents gifted Krish’s mom with 3 sarees, krish wid 4 shirts and with dry fuits fromGoa.

Dowry system in Punjabi weddings is written well, and how “boy’s side” can put a life long relationship to hold if they don’t get a free luxurious car from the “girl’s side”.

Our MBA girl showed her smartness and confidence and subsidized the dowry, at the same time getting blessings and admiration from Krish’s family.

The book has well portrayed the differences in North-Indians and South-Indians, weddings, music tastes, food, clothes, cleverness etc etc.

Also, prejudices about caste system still prevalent in the so called modern India is shown well and not only parents smirk about it but also the children tend to think that will this be worth it? Giving unhappiness to everyone in the family for their own sake will not be worth..! Marrying outside the clan is still a huge question, why so narrow minded about it?

2 States brings together people of 2 different states and unite it to one- called India.
I hope people in my country open up and free themselves from the clutches of caste system and think of all as One, all as just human beings.

Overall, the book is a nice read.
Wedding is quite funny.
Though there was a time travel in the book I suppose, as he once said mobiles had not become very popular yet and are its very costly to talk on mobiles on the other hand he made Ananya’s mom sing the song from Kaho na pyar hai… :-/

Rating : 3/5

PS: Author kept the price unchanged since his first book in 2004. It is still Rs.95. The prices of commodities have increased, but Chetan Bhagat's books are still priced what it was five years ago.

Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani

2009-11-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

The movie started with a background of a place called Wellington, based on great Lord Wellington, where a statue of THE lord stood in front of Govinda Co-op Bank and a reporter comes and finds the city evacuated and our statue tell him WHY….. and our story starts.. with our reporter cleaning the crow shit behind the statue :P

START :
Gazab kahani statue ki zubaani :P

Ranbir’s entry in a heroic eshtlye :D …bahaduri se daaku ko pakda and gaon ko bachaya..

Clap clap clap..( even if it was the wrong shot at the right place..)

Our hero is the “President” of Happy Club, with 5 partner friends.
Why does a good looking hero alwz has ugly frenz around him..!D-uh..! Insecurity..???

Location : Coffin Shop :P

Well even in this movie he is thrown out of house, just like Wake Up Sid….poor Ranbir….thrown out all d time ..be it Any Dad..! :(

And he acts like SRK when he is e.e.e.e emotional …

Overall Ranbir the “Good-guy”, mom’s Fav…(as alwz ) and plays Ranbir ne bana di Jodi…in d movie..for his frenz…
This reminds of a gay-kiss of extras…D-uhhh..Whyyyyyy?

Katrina is looking pretty in d movie..dialogues well delivered… though she makes Prem sounds like Frrrame.. :P

Kat wore nice one-piece dresses….all summer collection…sober shades…

While Ranbir wore Summer collection ..!! Whoaaa :P
Ranbir had big-checked shirts and sweaters (which are very much in trend) and undoubtedly looked good.
Sometimes looking like Jonny Bravo :P….esp when going to work to impress the girl.. 8-)
The age gap between the actors is visible…Ranbir looks too young in front of her…!

I loved almost all d songs of the movie :)

AND in apni to naiyaa hai ram ke bharose : they are in East Street Café in Pune……my all time FAV place :) :)

As the name says ajab “PREM” ki gazab kahani….ne1 wud have guessed that Sallu will have a special appearance in the movie and so he did.

It also had Upen Patel, accent of Kat n Patel Zindabad…just like in Namaste London..

Kids ‘njoyed watching the movie….were chuckling all the time in the theatre :D

Overall….a typical bollywood masala movie which has Dance, emotion, drama,action,”comedy”
And has been made after fragmenting few minutes from every desi movie. It's more Priyadarshan then Santoshi….but a nice…easy and light movie to watch..! :)

And then our reporter finds out the complete story from the speaking Statue.
Hero and Heroine lives happily ever after.
Happy Ending.

THE END.

Wake Up Sid !

2009-10-02T03:13:00.000-07:00

I was very excited to see this movie since quite some time, coz I liked the name of it ;-),its Star Cast and the MooOZIC…!! Well, so I had pre-booked the tickets for 1st day 1st show :)

(Its very difficult for me to get up early..but movie ke liye kuch bhi :P ).So reached the multiplex on time..and on the screen was the Trailer of All the Best and then Kurban ( want to see this one too starring Saif and Kareena).

Our movie started with a book of Financial Accounting on desk (my subj :P) and Sid Mehra (our hero..played by Ranbir Kapoor), who was struggling hard to get some numbers correct and prepare a Profit and Loss Statememt :P ..before the last exam of his “5 year Commerce Graduation Course” (wondering which course is this :P ..!! ) but with void preparations he went to the exam hall ( and was looking utterly good ..Damn..!!). Sid was speaking to the soul of ppl in the exam,

Woody Allen had once said : "I was thrown out of college for cheating on the metaphysics exam; I looked into the soul of the boy next to me."

thankfully or not, he wasn’t cheating this way :P

Couldn’t answer 10 questions out of 30,after deep thinking and thennnnn TRrrrrrring the exam bell….it was over….. !

So Last day of graduation collg, Fun, frolic and farewell parties.. (covered by kadak music). Sid is characterized with a “Who Cares” attitude guy…party animal, having messed up room, credit card financed by a rich dad, Anupam Kher,(who is a strict, disciplined (and loving) father) who owns a Bathroom accessories company(Whoaaa.!). Sid’s mom…sweet, simple, and concerned (like every Mom is to his son)

Konkana finally has got a big break I feel with this movie…(she alwz was a superb actor and now has a good film in pocket too). She is the girl coming from Kolkatta, with dreams, aims and goals in life..wants to be Independent and works for it.

Dressing Sense : for Koko...it was BAD...!!Donno why she was wearing the same jeans thruout the movie, wich was neither a bell bottoms not a Strt fit..somethin in between and was sooo out of Fashion.!
for Sid : Bright colours of the season, with animated characters on the T-shirts...showing his fun-loving attitude..went well with the movie :)

Movie has all the masala covering Friendship, Love, Work Life,Crushes…and some way or the other everyone can relate to this movie.

For instance, even I had run away from my Dad’s office one day when I was too bored to work there :P (like Sid does in the Bathroom accessories company –flowers in shower :P )

The movie moves ahead smoothly and with something or the other constantly happening,
which keeps the audience binded and not boring them at all ..!

Though in the last song: title track,Sid showed the Maximum energy....(throughout the movie) with a nicely choreographed song. :)

Over all a good movie…..after quite some time..!Thankx to Mr.Johar :)

WO-Men/FE-Males

2009-05-21T03:43:00.000-07:00

“Women have been taught that, for us, the earth is flat, and that if we venture out, we will fall off the edge. “

But I am not afraid of falling down…. J and I hope and wish no girl should be..!

In a country where Equality is in the constitution, is it just in the pages?

Government is ready to fix quotas for girls for education, for jobs… rather why not educate people…even those who are academically educated…about treating men and women alike..!!

And for females who are happy about the quota, I’d say : The test for whether or not you can hold a job should not be the arrangement of your chromosomes.

The following isn’t my quote but yeah ..its True.! :

Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, "She doesn't have what it takes." They will say, "Women don't have what it takes." ~Clare Boothe Luce

The time a girl is born…there sure is a smile on everyone’s face, but would it have been wider if it would have been a boy???

She grows up in a restricted environment…she has to be extra precautious from the so called “man’s world” ..learns …teaches….and out shines ever other specie on earth….!!

One woman has to play the role of sister, daughter, mother, wife and friend and in the end she isn’t recognized as a human being but as a female who is oppressed. Women are the only oppressed group in our society that lives in intimate association with their oppressors…!!!!

No matter where you go, you’d find most women worrying about some aspect of combining marriage, children, and a career.

I've yet to find one where many men were worrying about the same thing…!!

At mature parts of her life….she has to keep her family happy….both before marriage and after marriage.

Work in office and work and home and also try to keep all relations intact and everyone happy…Is she appreciated for what all she does?Rarely or Never…coz itz her job…..is it??

If all men are born free, how is it that all women are born slaves?

If she takes a step which is out-of-the box, or not generally practiced in her society….people try to push her back..

Even without support she fights…does things which she aint allowed to do (as per a Man’s Rule Book) and in the end is criticized or told to apologize…

Men are taught to apologize for their weaknesses, women for their strengths..!

Why is not peacefully allowed to play sports and wear what she wants ..without any chows….? Why isn’t she allowed to marry the man she wants..no matter to what religion he belongs? Why is she tied to stringent rules, time frames…? Why isn’t she treated like a normal HUMAN Being……!!!!

Pune to Raipur.!!

2008-10-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

Mumma I'm coming home.
I know it's a long way to come...
But when i think i'll be with you
Paths open up, else i make them blow..!!

Yesterday train was scheduled to move at 5.40pm..we did not knw hamari tickets confirm hogi bhi ya nahi....
and we had made E tickets....matlab....agar confirm nahi hui....to seedha cancel....money back in a/c
waiting mein bhi nahi jaa sakte..!!
do or die situation..

And...we were 3 ppl who were gng 2gtr
1.karan(my bhai)
2.knn(my frnd)
3.main aur kaun..!:P

I left from home @ 5pm...and every from their respective places.....to reach the station...
I was on my Activa... my roomie sat behind me.. coz I wanted to make it fast and quick to the station..

and ...shit.....immmeennsssssssseeeeeeee traffic on the roads... unimaginable number of ppl....!!!
my roomy was answering all my calls.....both my mobiles were in her hands..!!
and I was busy sneaking out from bikes, cars and rickshaws..... making my own roads.. Even where no roads existed..!!
God..!!
finally.... when I was few metres from the station....my bro called up and said.....train's bout to move....wot do I do...!!
aaaarghhh..!!
and then... my dad called up.. ( bhai ne khabar pahunchai ghar tak ki main late ho gayi hoon)
uff..!!
and so...my roomie...attending the call again..!!
and then...there was this last signal... when the traffic police could not let us go (4got 2 mention.. I broke many signals :)

Then... I moved my bike to a side.... handed it over to my roomie... took my bag.. rushed towards the station...tracked knn..
and bhai was nowhere found..........
found him after 5 mins..!

Mumma I'm coming home.
I know it's a long way to come...
Mumma I missed you so much
I know i never said such..!!

Then ... we got to know.... chart hasn’t been prepared till now... and train wont move until the chart is made..
WOW.... so I was on time.. rather before time..!!
then i finally took a breath..!!

People on the station were rushing and having a pendulum kinda motion..
One saying... train's blowing its horn.. 2nd:. chart nahi laga hai..train nahi chalegi...

Man A ( On phone) : bhai Volvo ki 2 tickets book kar lo….train mein confirm hone ke chances nahi hai.
Female B (On Phone) (Yelling) : ye tum mujhe kis train mein bhej rahe ho..yahaan to Pune Bilaspur lagi hai aur no sign of Azad hind.

(Basic Info : Azad hind is other train wich goes in the same direction and was scheduled after Pune Bilaspur(our train) ..and so..junta of 2 trains standing at Platform number 1 )

we got confirmation at 6.30 that out of the three one ticket was confirmed....so dat gave us relief.. coz now.. the ticket wont b cancelled..!!
so we moved in the train....train moved @ 7.15pm..!!

Now…we finally entered the train..

Mumma I'm coming home.
I know it's a long way to come...
Cutting the distance and making it short..
Near I come, breaking barriers apart..!!

A female asked : Are you in the right train?? This is Pune Bilaspur and not Azad Hind

Anu : yes..we are in the right one.
She : Then why did you enter so late ( I wonder why ppl have this keeda to enquire so much)
Anu : we got confirmation right now.

Finally………we arranged our bags..!!
One seat confirmed..and two still waiting.

Kitni shiddat se tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai ki
Har Zarre ne mujhe tumnse milane ki saazish ki hai..

Khete hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho to
Saari kayanath tumhe usse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai

Lekin agar end mein sab kuch theek na ho to who The End nahi hai Dosto..
Picture abhi baaki hai..

Earlier we were praying..that atleast ek ticket to confirm ho jaaye…
But..greedy human beings… ;)
Keshri and Karan : Went to TT..

Karan tried convincing first..TT said no..
Thn knn tried…there was a no again..
But ..hum haarne waalon me se nahi hai..
Both followed the TT
Finally..karan again…convincing TT..
And this time….There was a yes..and allotted one birth,number 69 and we olrdy had 28.
The best part…he dint ask for a single paisa..! ;)

“Happys Endingss” :D

After all this..there was a call…TT called Knn…and said..” bhaiya..chai paani?”
So ..500 ki note TTke jeb mein….ho gayi uski diwali happy.. ;)

Now…
We wanted all three to be seated together…so asked the person holding birth number 29 to shift to 69..!!
This guy…6feet2inch...white Tshrt Quoted :
YAWN
This is what you can see
When I am looking at you…!!

So knn asked him…if could swap…he diplomatically said..i have no problem…but..69 is near the door and the top birth….so I cannot sleep there as the door would obstruct me all the time..!!
So…finally..Anu was @ 28
Knn and Karan @ 69.

And now I'm home..
In the warmth of your love..
My mind is at peace...
I missed you so much..!!

To wrap it up :

Main Kabhi Batlata Nahin
Par Andhere Se Darta Hoon Main Maa
Yun To Main,Dikhlata Nahin
Teri Parwaah Karta Hoon Main Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata, Hain Na Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata,,Meri Maa

Towards Light..

2008-10-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

Pushing the earth through my feet,
Trying to move the wooden seat,
Holding ropes tight with my fist,
I was swinging above two feet..

Street lights all around the park,
I wondered which way would not lead to dark,
Trusting one would reap mistrust in other,
Belief and faith were words with no cover..

I jumped and moved to the brighter path,
Tulips and berries showed me what they hath,
Assuming large i moved ahead on the grass,
Coming towards me was a large lava mass..!!

Left and right started moving my eyes,
Looking for someone to make me fly,
Shrunk and abridged world is what i can see,
From here,high up above the sky..!!

Prakiti ki godh mein ;)

2008-09-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

Date : 19th Sept '08

Mumbai

This was the last day of my training , and we (me and Ravinder) were all packed to go to Pune.

My training was wrapped up @ 4pm but Ravinder(Ravs) had sum work in her office,coz of wich we left from office by 5.40pm , went home...picked up our bags..
and then were on our way to Kanjurmarg station...but werent gettin a Rick and we had our bags and lappy....so dropped that idea....and went to Vikhroli station... and from there to Dadar Station..phew..!
Raka( Ashwin) was supposed to cum along wid us....but he got sum work too......bzy mumbaiaakars...!
So Ravs n me after solving our dilema of a cab or a volvo......finally took a volvo....after sum brisk walk wid d bags...god...that was tiring.......and then Ravs got in the queue to take the tickets..! It was Firday nite....so a huge line for tickets for Mumbai-Pune bus...
We finally moved into the bus at about 9pm .......
Raka said...his brother wud join ...and they'll be leavin a lil later...

Me and Ravs...were freezing in the bus....took out our jackets and stole...and were listenin to muzic.....and lazin...!
Had sm food @ lonavala...as alwz...weather was coooooooool there..! :)

It was 11.30, Geeti called up...that every1 has reached Knn's house .....to celebrate his B'day...............!!
we were gettin late..!! and dint wish to miss the B'day celebration....and esp the cake... ;)

Finally ..we reached Pune @ 1.00am...and thn 2 knn's house.!

Date : 20th Sept '08

Pune

Knn's house

Junta in House : Geeti,Nitin,Solu,Pushkar,Rajesh,Knn...and now...me n Ravs...

Then came....3 more ppl....my School frnz.....whom i met after 12th std....i.e after 6 years..... :P
Shahid, Saket and Nishish..!

Then finally..........knn announced that he wishes to cut his B'day cake.....so junta plz cum in the hall..!! hehe :D

and so we did.....

"Vodka Lava Cake" with Chocolate -- in and out and yeah....vodka too in it :)

Candle blow.....b'day song...........Stuffin cake like nethin in knn's mouth....
and then.......in nitin's mouth....... :)

B'day gift : ......Knn got a fundoo Tripod as his B'day gift .....photography being his hobby.....he loved the gift......rite sir?? :)

B'day bumps ritual then.....so junta grabbed Nitin as Knn's best buddy ....pulled him up in the air....that would surely have been difficult.. ;)
Then...B'day bumps...Pushkar got sum chappal to beat him off...! :P
poor nitin..!

How could the b'day boy be spared then...........and he was raised up in the air .....high above d ground level :P
seemed really easy for ppl to lift him..! :P

Camera was on the tripod....
Chappals were in Pushkar's hand..
Knn was in air..!!

Do i need to specify more?? i guess not..!! ;)

Then........2 guys hopped in the bike and rest all in car.....we all moved out........at about 3am..........to Mini Punjab.............a fundoooo dhaba...and it was full man...!! We got our seats......
Drink n dine session begun....

and yeah...Nitin dint cum......as he had slpt off @ home............!! MUST have been tired and beaten off :P ..! lol.

and...........Raka called up @ 4.30am stating that hes near the station.........!! we were far off from home....so we asked him n his lil bro to reach home and we'll b ther.........so he explored and searched for knn's home.....

We were calling up nitin on his cell phone and in the landline @ home....
BUT he dint pick 'em up......
Guys had to wait outside the house for quite sm tym..!!

We reached home after 6am..Nitin's cell had more tha 45 miss calls...........!!

Eh...is there a slpng competition help newhr???? we have a strong competitor :D

I picked up my bags from Knn's house....dropped it in the car....and Rajesh was drivin....Nitin and Geeti were also called....to drop 'tm to there respective places...!!

and knn and Ravs accompanied us on our way.....we took a halt at sum famous tapri....wher we had tea...
and then continued....

Rajesh (Doc) was closin his eye lids several times while drivin..............god............poor us..............we asked him.......that let others drive.....but he denied..!!
We tried keepin him awake......and Doc is a confident man... :) dropped us all home....i was @ home by 9am and Ravs,knn and Doc reached back @ 10am..!!

I slpt like nethin......9.30amto 5.30pm .. :)

B'day Celebration was yet to begin....!! ;)

Ravs had booked table @ Yellow Chillies and @ Sohos..........

Junta chkd out Yellow first......dint like it dat much...so we dropped in Soho....
Good Atmo thr.......... :)
Latin dances gng on there.............Juggling of bottles @ d bar.....

Junta ordered drinks over drinks........Gosh.....and had Flaming Shots...........they were amazing..!! :p

Solu was high :) :) achhe se :P

it was about 11pm....movie tickets for Sajjanpur was booked................few of us were in no enthu to go 2 the movie.....but we did.......
We planned for mahabaleshwar .........called up a driver and booked a Qualis.. for the next day..morning 7.30am :)

Then made our way 2 Adlabs.........Doc n Knn had slpt in the theatre.........Solu was sumtyms watchin d movie...n smtyms slpng... :)

Movie got over by 1.30 ........
We finalised our mahabaleshwar trip for the next day..........Ravs was being a lil resistive......but we all manaofied her :)

every1 back home...!

Date : 21st Sept

Pune

Every1 had a tite cozy slp....got up late.........by 7.30 ...8.am........every1 was picked up frm Knn's house......and i was picked up frm my place by 9am.........so we srated the trip to MAHABALESHWAR :D

Junta In Qualis :
Doc, Ravs, Knn , Raka ,Solu, Pushkar, Pankaj ( Bachha..Raka's Bro) and me...

Raka as we all knew....was a very gud singer..........so...i requested him to sing..........
He was totally ON......Pankaj accompanied him and so did Solu..........and then we all..!! :)

FULL ON..!! :D

we discovered that Pankaj was a grrrrrrr8 singer.....!! :)
Raka and Bro....RockStars :)

later we took halt for breakfast............and then hamara driver gum gaya :P

calls bhi rcv nahi kar raha tha... :(
Finally after 7 mins he rcvd da call......and came to d car..! :)

Journey began again...! :)

We tracked a fundoo view on the roads.....took a halt again.......climbed d tress.........walked in the lush green fields....took photographs....after all ...we had our own Photographer wid us :) and this time wid a Tripod :)

Jumped in the car again...........took our seats.........and then the Rockstars were On again..!! :)
The closer we went 2 mahabaleshwar ....more foggy the weather became... :)

Got down at Wilson point made our way down the hills.....it was a lil sunny thr....

Doc climbed up a horse......poor horse ;)
and then was makin it Run and bechaara ghode waala was running after his horse.... :P
Doc came all the way from the hill to the main Road on his horse named "Salman" :) lol

finally he got down...
Phew...( said the horse) ;) and offcourse the horsewaala :P

Journey continued........

Reached to a lake in mahabaleshwar......did boating there......8 ppl in one big boat....and 2 ppl rowing it.......(exception : if its not Rajesh whos rowing it (coz he alone is enuf ..........or is it d same... :) )

One hr in the Boat.................superb mausammmmm................A small temple on one coast..........
we also raced wid fellow ppl in other boats :P

Then..........REallyyyyy fundoo long jumps by Raka n Bro.....

and we made Paper Boats.......and Aeroplanes.................. :) :)

It started drizzling :) :)
It was gettin cold................and heavenly weather..... :) :)

How could we miss photography now..!!
Lights..Camera...Clicks..!!
Junta in Diff poses...! :D

Then we had bolied corns.............they were really Yumm :)

Back in the car...

Elphinston Point..!

We could not see anything there................Clouds all around us.............
Pankaj n me were tryin 2 listen 2 d direction and the number of waterfalls...........

So we all tracked where d falls were...........doc and Raka in the lead...!

We were exploring our way.......through the puddle of mud .......and varied flowers and bushes... :) :)
Raka managed to get sum reallllyyyyyy fundoo flower from the rocks.......... :)
Pushkar n me were fighting to get it..! :)
I tuk 2 and he got one :P

now............we had 2 track our way back..!!
this time...Bachha was in lead... :) exploring the path.............we selected a different route this time.......
Ravs ki chappal bhi tut gayi .. :P .... lol

phew..........we were back.......and were tired...( a lil) ... :)

Then back in the car................hungry..................!
Took a halt in Mapro.......
had sandwitches....Pizza....Hot choclate.......... !! Burp..!! :P
Sorry..!

i wanted 2 have Strawberry cream............but they said.....we dont get strawberries in this season...... :( :(
so had Strwbry Fream ..!! (strbry crush(preserved) and Icecream)
was olrite..!

Ravs and Doc started dancing outside our qualis......and were plannin 2 go 2 Disc after we reach pune .. :)

In the car.............began Rock On........Kailash kher...........Junoon.......Jal......etc etc......by our very own singers..!! :) :)

Finally........reached pune @ 9pm...
I was the first one to b dropped @ home....... :( mann hi nahi kar raha tha jaane ka ghar............ :( :(
Disc ditch maar diya tha...as we were all tired..!!

So ...all back home..
Solu had an interview in Mumbai....so left soon for mumbai.......!
Raka....Pankaj and Ravs...left for mumbai early morning next day..!
Finally............
A great grand B'day celebration and a weekend ......!! :) :)

Best in Town

2008-09-03T23:58:00.000-07:00

Hello ppl……herez a list of certain things that one shud not miss in Pune..
Will add up to the list..as when I chk out more places and if I find sumthin worth mentioning. 

Best in Town:

1.Pastry :
Vodka Lava Pastry @ 11-East street Café, East street, Near MG Road.

2. Brownie:
Sizzling Brownie @ Sun n Sand, Near Bund garden Rd.

3. Hookah:
Paan Masala Hookah @ Kahwa , Near Karve Putla.

4. Chocolate Sandwitch: Koregaon Park, Opp Koyla Restaurant

5. Cad B: Ice Magic, Karishma Society, Kothrud.

6. Paan: Shaukeen, Nal Stop

7. Jhunka Bhakar: Sinhgad Fort.

8.Italian Food: Malaka Spice, koregaon park and Off Beat, Opp Karishma Society.

2nd Aug 2008

2008-08-12T03:25:00.000-07:00

1st Aug : 00.00hrs : Location : My residence @ Pune
Team : Geetika
Keshri
Nitin
Ravinder
Rajesh
Solu
Sid
( Alphabetical Order)
Occassion: My B'day :)

So started wid Geeti comin upstairs 2 call me .......we went 2wards d main gate..n Team started singin B'day song :p

(and yeah..i met Rajesh after 6 long years....school ke baad seedha ab)..!!
Was happy 'bout dat too :)

2nd Aug:00:10hrs: Location : Inside Tavera ;)
Destination : towards Sinhgad Fort.
Ambience : I was on Ph most of d tym while in car..and rest of d junta were njoyin d muzic wid infinite baatein :)

01:00hrs : Halt : Geeti needed a lil break ...and thn sum ppl came out frm der car in d middle of d roads and guess wot........they offered us wid Red Bull....dat too for free :p
though only Rajesh tuk it and all of us Denied :p

(NEF ka Trek competition shuru tha....so...brand promotion too.. :D)

01:45hrs : Location : Saddle point ..Rock mountain... :)
Distance covered:20-25kms
Ambience: Raining heavily.
Activity: Some1 tracked a point on d top of d rocks.....we climbed there...they placed d cake on d table like Rock :D ( tryin 2 gv a btr picture) and wind blowing heavily.....wow.....its was cooooooooool.........
It was dead dark...and foggy..!!
Rajesh tried lighting a candle...( i still wonder why did he even try ;) )...rains and breeze dint allow him to..neways...thnkx rajesh atleast for tryin....
Then...as per the rituals followed...i wasnt allowed to cut the cake until i'd d lights..so Solu (Dhirendra) and once again Rajesh...used their brains...(again i wonder y..) and i was asked 2 blow off the torches :P ....lol....and yeah..i did...had to....and fuuu...... the lights went off :p
(thnx 2 knn 4 pushin it off :p)
yeah..i had finally cut d cake..... :) :) wid B'day song in d background ...(once again) ..!!

It was surely amazing.. :) :)
All of us consumed our piece of cake..!! :)

Came down from the Rocks....Loud muzic in car....Junta outside d car...started dancing... :P
Rajesh and Nitin in Full spirits :)
Solu also tried his bit :P

Time : ...pata nahi.....dint keep a track of it later on ..... :)
Had fun all d way 2 Sinhgad...
Reached in d parking.....all dark everywhere..!! :)
We had 3 torches in all..!! :)

Approx arond 2.30 we all started movin ahead....Rajesh in d lead....jumpin all over... :p tryin 2 find a way :)

We wanted 2 go to the Wind point...(d Final desti .. :) ) ..but.....tuk a wrong direction...all sunsaaaaan ..........Sssssshhhhhhh.......Ravinder aur geeti ko darane ki poori koshish....by Solu..Rajesh...knn.... .!!

Finally...wen we saw a dead end.....turned back...tuk a right Right Turn :)

Moved ahead..tuk a halt...had really hot Tea and aalu and pyaaz ke pakode...
Mazaa aagaya :)

Ntin n knn were tryin der hands on photography..!!
Awesome pics came man..!! :)

Well...after the mini snack break..we moved ahead..!!

Eating Choclates in Between......and dont remeber wot all :P

Finally......we reached Windpoint..der was a narrow way 2 d top point wid water all over on both the sides..!! Me n Ravinder were holding each oder thn...til we reached the destination.. :)

Every1 was drenched in rains....few were shivering.... ;)

At the wind point...........we were literally amidst the clouds.... :)
The wind was pushing us.......we were unable 2 stand coz of d wind pressure...!!
Except Rajesh ,sid and Nitin...it was difficult for junta to manage to stand..!! :p

F=m*a

:D

After being all bown up.. :P we took a shelter ....sum chota sa Shed types made....so spread papers ( wch i had kpt 4 no reason :p) ...and sat.....
Ate sum stuff.........gossips....we were there for quite some time...and decided to go only after watchin d Sunrise .. :)

So Left the shed in some time....went down again....
Had Chai again...(diff stall now) .... :)
plotted some oder place.....Sunrise was simply beautiful from there... :)
A spectular view..! :)

Eh.. "Goodmorning" :) ....really"good" :D

Thn...another nearby mountain ..............we all headed dat way... :)
Lush gree grass ....!! total Filmi view :P

Wahaan masti...and thn..............back 2 our Tavera... :)

A gr8 beginning of a fundoo day.. ;)

Thnkx ALL..!! :D

Budget

2008-03-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

Budget Symposium 2008- Up, Close and Personal..
This Sunday ,(2nd march) I went to attend a Budget symposium..an anaylysis of the budget 08 , released by our FM, in Symbiosis. In all there were about 500 students which included about 25 students from our collg, half of them from d 1st year..was gud 2 see the enthu of junior junta regarding da budget and its analysis.
The main motto was to look into different perspectives of d budget by sum highly gyaani ppl of the industry and nation….!! 

We were told that it will start @ 9am…so we reached there by 8.30am.
When we entered da collg, say 8.45, we found tht floor sweeping was goin on…and that made us realize the mismanagement ..Neways…we asked at the Help Desk as in when exactly the event will begin and it was @ 10..!!
Man…wot to do now….!! So we were “suggested” to go to the canteen and then come back..!!
Fine we killed some time and had our breakfast.

Entered the conference hall @ 9.30…..saw a maid sweeping the stage..!!
How can ppl be so bad at time management..!!
That time and again made me feel that my collg is at par ..!!

We are told in our collg from the 1st day : “ Before time is on time and on time is late” ..!!
Well the event started wid a felicitation..and a candle lighting ceremony.

Then began the main event which we all were waiting for..the first speaker gae us all a very good insight of the Fiscal Deficit and the uncovered commitment issues, wich rises the deficit percentage to 5…!!
And lot was discussed bout the capital maket, direct and indirect tax, infrastructure etc.

One interesting question he raised in the end:
“Budget is good for which sector” ?
Ans : Paper ;)

Coz so much is published in the papers bout budget..pre bud, bud, and post-budget..!!
So paper bznz surely is in boom then and also Health care …impact of budget + reading of these voluminous pages..high bp and heaven forbid..hearattack..!! ;)

Well jokes apart…this budget was an election budget…makin as many ppl happy as was possible by the FM.

Then was the 2nd speaker, Mr. G.M.Bajpai, who discussed about the three pillars of economy..1.political. 2 Macro and 3.Capital..!

We discussed about what the budget has done and what all could be done to make it a better one.

Then we had the 3rd speaker, CFO of Zensar
Some quality knowledge shared again..

Luk at the way he had put up the waiving off of Loans:
It’ll be the same as all of us wud pass Mba without giving our exams.

As now the farmers will not be backed with any kinda motivation to replay the loans…It is though a social reform but where are we heading to??

Then was a person frm PWC(price water house coopers)

He was a man wid technical humour .. 
Cracked jokes to make us understand everything in a very simple way.
Like:
To be a MAN...get a PAN 

Coz frm now on for identification..pan wud b compulsory..

We also discussed about Balrampur Chini mills override, Cascading effect of DDT and TWO NEW DEDUCTIONS 80-IB (11C) and 80-ID to promote socio-economic development for hospitals and hotels respectively..!!

Btw……me n frenz then started lukin at our left row….a student of SIBM was sleepin on his chair.. budget was boring for few 

We had our lunch break….Pizza, Cheese garlic bread, Pasta, Brownie.. 

Then was the most interesting PANEL DISCUSSION..!!

6 different eminent dignitaries..and one topic…Budget..!!

Honestly I loved this discussion…
the best I found was a person frm the Left part ( CPI(M)), Mr. Ajit…..amazing points placed.

One such example :

The govt shall b gvn concession on opening hospitals,(certain specifications are pre specified) So as Sir said…it’ll be like opening Ruby Hospital ( one f da best n expensive hosp in Pune) in rural areas…. So that is a CRUEL joke by the Govt..!!!

When some one interrupted and asked him ..what if we open sucha hosp in villages then do u have a prob..his reply was : I wud not have a problem if u cud prove Water can be Dry..!!!

Wow..!!

Overall an excellent discussion wid Q n A sessions …we all got an indepth knowledge of how it all works..!!

Btw m planning to make my own Budget now :P
But don’t want NE1 to discuss on that ;)

RoCkiNG SaTuRdaY :)

2007-09-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

Finally we all planned to go to sinhgad fort this saturday..
We were Nine Frenz..in Two Cars..
The gang includes: Swapnil, Atul, Mangesh, Nilesh, Rajkuwar(urf Raj..d lady), Sanam, Apeksha(urf Appy) and Anu(Me) :)
We left at about 1 in d noon from our hostel ...while going in one car we were Mangesh(Driver ;) ),Swapnil , Appy and me... rest in others..

We reached at bout 2:15 with fun on the way...mangesh crackin his jokes n we all pullin his leg :P
firstly just explored d area around d place where we had parked...
Then started moving up d rocky stairs...and munching up kachha aam (kairi),boiled peanuts,baked corns and wot all came in da way..( except the bushes ) :P
ambience was cool and pleasant.water coming out from within the rocks....Fresh green plants around and a soft breeze blowing.

We went half the way..junta was hungry ..Lunch time... :)
So we were all made available wid mats ...spread dem on d floor....Must say...felt gr8...and the best part was ..weather supported us.. :)
And I had heard that food there was good....we ordered lotssssss of it.... :P
Hot crunchy Pakodas wid sum diff kinda sauce..( which my frnz called as Schezwaan Chatni :P ) , Jhunka-Bhakr ( Famous in Maharashtra...tastes amazing wen served hot ;) ) ,Matki Dahi ..and certain other stuffs... :)
Excellent meal... :) So after every1z appetitte was full..d march started again...preceded by a small holi played by us :P

We reached the top...there was a "wind point".......heavy breeze blowing...and on the top of it..it started drizzling..sexy atmosphere....clouds passin through us.......we could simply walk on the clouds.. :) :) Lovely scene .. :)
We dint feel like coming back from there...Had a hot piping cup of tea on the top of the hill....

Chilled ( in all the senses) on the rocks.. :)
Time had constraints..so we had to move....
running and giggling 2gthr thru the rocks and jumping above the boulders..we came back..
Back in the car by 7....all tired and exhausted..but wid a smile on every1s face.. :)
A gr8 Saturday..... :) :)

A Perfect day :)

2007-08-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Today had lecture from 3 to 6 only...and the rest of the day was off...so i thought..why not make the CoMpLeTe day off.. ;)

Called up my Engg frenz...made a program...all of us met at Mc.D for breakfast :PThen thot of watchin a movie...so saw 2days release.."Marigold" ..Salmaan's lookin cool ;)

Then went for lunch in a Chinese restaurant..just like the noodles were all jumbled up..so were our talks....so much to speak and share...remembered all d past wonderful days spent together...full of warmth and honesty...a perfect blend of f'ship... :)

Then more frenz joined up....soooo many things to talk bout ...went to a frenz place...chilled der for sum time...n den...d final visit to Mc.D again..( as sum of us were hungry again) :P

I came back to hostel..one of ma gud frenz had cum here..again...moved out..had a blast.. :)Njoyed throughout the day.. :D

Last but not d least....my hostel has a deadline of 9pm....and i have to reach here b4 time..!!i was here @ 9:02pm .... the wicked guard sumhow spared me 2day :)

Also..i didnt miss anything gr8 in collg :)

Looking forward for more of such splendid days :) :)
>

Training ki daastan..

2007-08-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

Enegry Loss...Brain Saturation...Wholesome work n tireness....
all these are not merely words for me..pursuing Mba in finance....i experience them DAILY..!!!
I mean it..DAILY...!!!!!
10 hrs of horrid lectures.....8am to 6pm...Slogging like anything..!!
And hey...thats not the end...Assignments every day and night...!!!!!!
and the Deadlines...!! :(

(I dont want to demotivate you..if u r thinking of doing Mba) ;)

But this is d REAL Life of an MBA..
our mind is occupied by everything ....human resource...finance....Marketing and wot not...!!
And taking the postive side of it....we'll b able to deal better in the corporate life in future...!!
Now slogging...n then.will make others slog.... ;)