For you ..

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Here's my wish for you for the new year:

If thy deeds are good and thy heart is pure
From resoluteness thou are not demure
To thee, if it means that much too
Thy dream would most certainly come true.

Where have I been? On a whale ship!

You haven’t read from me for many weeks now. Yes, your sources have conveyed the true picture; I have been working day and night. You see, I am trying to keep the world from sinking because I believe that in these hard times of recession, telecommunications (alone) can save the day. If you missed the link between the two, then you’re probably just a bored surfer who landed at my blog accidentally and didn’t get to know that I’m into the telecommunications industry and that I specialise in interstellar communicational devices that are powered by the thermal increases causes by microbial growth. Makes perfect (non) sense, n'est-ce pas?

Anyhow, this is probably one of my first weekends when I've not been saving the world from drowning into the depths of the recessional darkness. And decided that my blog-baby needed mumma's love and attention and so I'm sitting here cross-legged since the last 2 hours, trying to write about the things close to my heart, read social reform, but have been constantly pulled away from doing so by random friends who unreasonably fume. So, what if I haven't been in touch for months and have appeared to have vanished by being hit by some mysterious asteroid? I still remember them once every financial year! Oh ok, if you don't fall into the category mentioned above (bored surfer) and happen to be one of my close friends then you've probably going to want to punch me in the tummy! Alright alright, I accept I'm bad at keeping in touch. Hmmm, that’s me what else can I say.

Somebody stop me from digressing from the subject at hand. Sitting cross-legged for two hours isn’t exactly very comfortable to my seat. Coming back, I wanted to tell you that occasionally, while we travel to work and back, we talk about the happenings in the human infested world. And my knowledge about the world around me is probably a little more that what I know about ancient methods about surgery. They read the newspapers and watch the news before they start for the day and they have an opinion about everything that I don’t know about. And all I do is wish that I had vanished in a puff of smoke. Then there is Tonu. She makes me wonder if she is talking about the same world I live in. Its almost as if I live on an uninhabited island. Why? Oh, she talks about corporate social sciences and world financials and other subjects that I think sound good only in the creamish yellow-white documents that are called newspapers in the more populated parts of the world. So, enthusiastically I decided to keep myself up-to-date with the latest happenings on the globe and read the Times and watched some CNN IBN online. Wandering around browsing news site to news site, I felt disinterested. I love reading and I love learning about the world. But tales of political manipulation and financial jugglery absolutely leave me feeling depressed. Truly, that is not the sort of stuff I enjoy reading about.

And then I happened to start reading about the whaling ship Essex. I bet every packet of maggi in my house that you didn’t know that she sailed the South Pacific hunting sperm whales till one of those toothy giants decided to strike the 240 ton ship till it sank. Anyhow, I felt my brain craving to know more, I read all about it. About the whales, the ship and the sailors. A few of the crew escaped in life boats and landed on an island. Feeding on fish, birds and vegetation, they soon exhausted the islands natural resources. As the island could no longer sustain them, most of them decided to move to other islands. Excessive sodium and a deficiency of magnesium in the sailors diets resulted in blackouts and bizarre behaviour. With food supplies running short and sailors dying, those alive not only resorted to cannibalism, but also started to draw lots to determine who would be sacrificed for the survival of the crew. Only a few remained after all the desperate measures of survival. Meanwhile attempts were on to rescue the survivors at sea and the few that stayed back on the uninhabited island. A distressing story, perhaps an inspiration for a movie, that has left me wanting to miss dinner. So much for my yearning for current affairs. Well, I cant write anymore about this, guess, I’ll need to close this post here. When I wanted to write an unorthodox post, this wasn’t what I had in mind.

A run away from the gym

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In the last 10 days that I’ve been home, all I’ve been doing is eating and lazing around. And hogging and more hogging for fillers. In all probability, I’ve put on some 5-6 kgs already. And I am in desperate need of some toning down. But unlike most young people my age, who rush to the gym for solace, I run away from it. What I previously thought was a lack of initiation to gym has revealed itself differently. Over all these years of being in gym-crazy-company and the knowledge of having fully-equipped-high-tech gyms in our own apartment complex has not pushed me to do the grinds on the treadmill; rather I’ve become increasingly sure that I’m averse to concept of gymming. I’m no less of a fitness freak, but I just prefer to stay away from the gym. Why? The reasons are many:

1. The body benefits more from sports and activities that involve physical exertion than working on machines that serve to help only certain muscles. Swimming or running, badminton or baskie – count me in anytime.

2. An hour’s work out in the park also helps us stay closer to nature. Oh, the myriad colours that the trees were dressed in during the onset of autumn and the melodious tunes the birds sang love songs in in spring - they were such a treat to the senses. And perhaps an apt solution to William Henry Davies' long open question - What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare!

3. Physical activity helps in breathing and regulating blood circulation far more than does working on sophisticated equipment. Apparently, that’s because natural movements require more contribution from more muscles enabling better circulation and moderating breathing.

4. Burning out outdoors than doing the same within the enclosures of a gym has the added advantage of helping the body burn more – when we’re outdoors, the body has to burn more fuel to keep itself warm. I remember enjoying (which means my body felt healthier) running in Cassiobury Park more than I did burning out in the elite Centreway Gym.

5. I prefer working out with company than with a lonely iPod or a solitary television blaring out. Dancing with friends or wall climbing with buddies is so much more fun.

6. Lastly, but not least-ly, we can do our bit to conserve fossil fuels by not driving down to the gym and conserve electrical energy by not spending it on the gym equipment.

So, what say, gym-nahii-sium?

Irresponsible journalism

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Was telling a friend earlier today that practically, every news channel worth its salt was covering the Delhi serial blasts in detail.

But I felt that the news channels were fairly irresponsible in their reporting. I noticed that they were unnecessarily sensationalising small things and showing the same things over and over again with special effects. It wasn't crisp journalism at all. I thought that they were blowing up smaller news pieces so that they could increase their viewership ratings. On one occasion, they interviewed a little boy who is believed to have witnessed 2 of the accused. They kept showing his video and kept repeating that he would be able to identify the terrorrists. I thought that by making his identity so public, the boy's life was greatly at risk. I think that as responsible news channels, they shouldn't have done that. Aargh. (Controversial comments here - but couldn't resist!)

Censor Scissors

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Here's what I wrote about 'whether or not the govt needs to censor content on television and radio'. I think its not comprehensive, but this is what I could write in the time limit specified.



In my view, governments and regulatory bodies should be allowed to moderate the content on television and radio programs.

Television and radio content are a reflection of the society and vice versa. The programs are greatly inspired from real life in order to make them more relatable to a majority of the audience. Likewise, people try to imitate reel-life as it is often ‘glamorous’. Thus, any inappropriate content broadcasted over these media will be mirrored by society. For example, in the absence of regulation, a family soap may exemplify giving and taking dowry in Indian marriages, sending out the wrong message to the (usually less discerning) audience. This leads to the setting of wrong social conditioning and expectations; the consequences can be as grave as bride burning.

Television and radio also have a huge impact on children who are the future pillars of a nation. Newspapers are filled with pages of incidents where children use dangerous arms and weapons against their parents and teachers. In most cases, interrogation has confirmed that the inspiration in such crime was taken from (often uncensored) television and radio programs that glorify violence and vengeance.

Television and radio are media that reach the masses, both urban and rural. They have a wide audience that comes from a plethora of different backgrounds, unlike the Internet or Podcasting that requires technical knowledge and may be out-of-reach of most people in lesser developed countries. Hence, the content that is broadcasted on television and radio has a more far-reaching impact. This makes it crucial for governments to regulate the content that is broadcasted over the radio and television.

Kanda Poha

The taste of Maharashtra

Ingredients:

1 cup poha
1 kanda a.k.a onion, chopped
1 potato, chopped
1 tbsp urad daal
1 tbsp chanaa daal
1/2 tbsp mustard
1/2 tbsp red chilly flakes
1/2 tbsp kadipatta (curry leaves)
1/4 tbsp turmeric (halad)
salt to taste
oil for cooking
coriander for garnishing
lemon for garnishing

Method:

Wash and drain the poha
Let it stand for 5 mins
In the meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan.
Add the mustard, chanaa daal and urad daal.
When the urad daal turns to a hue of brown, add the onion. Fry.
Add the chilly flakes and the curry leaves.
When the kanda turns golden brown, add the potato pieces and fry.
Loosen the poha with a fork and add it.
Add the turmeric, salt and a little sugar. Mix well.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander, grated coconut and lemon juice.
Relish!

Pepped up at midnight

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It is half past midnight and I am busy completing some work. To help me from struggling to keep awake, I listen to the music on my iPod. The songs play on and I continue to complete my work. A while later, I unintentionally turn oblivious to the music playing in my ears and my eyeslids become too heavy to be kept open. Soon, I turn unmindful towards the other things around me too. I tell myself that the most fitting plan of action would be to tuck myself in bed or else waking up fresh and early next morning would only be a sweet dream. Comme il faut, I yawn.

Almost as an innate reflex, my iPod plays a song that makes my senses spring back to life; I feel the blood flowing into every part of me. Not only is it a fabulous song (which in ma langue means that it has good chords on the guitar) but it is also one with which I have some amazing memories attached, which make the song even more special. Instantly my mind is flooded with vivid images of a very cold winter morning in North Wales. Of listening to this song on full volume in our car. Of us stopping the car on the sleet covered hard shoulder of the motorway just to dance on this number. Of 14 young people breaking free of all inhibitions and soaking in every drop of fun that there could have been. I still remember how hot my body had turned after the dance, despite the freezing temperatures. I can still hear each of our voices as we sang as if there was no soul in a 10 mile radius. This was the song, the very same song. That was the December of 2006.

Drowsiness is wiped off clean. I find myself increasing the volume and turning the equaliser on. I find myself getting off the chair. I find myself dancing. Spontaneously. I again feel my body temperatures rising. I start singing the song. Again oblivous to my surroundings. Oblivious to the Maritan time of the night. I feel turned on and I ask myself, is it just the song or am I in love? Kya mujhe pyaar hai? Kahisa humaar


The song is Kyun Aaj Kal Neend Kam Khwaab Jyaada Hai from the soundtrack of the movie Woh Lamhe.

kyun aaj kal, neend kam khwab jyada hai
lagta khuda ka koi nek irada hai
kal tha faqir aaj dil shehzada hai
lagta khuda ka koi nek irada hai

kya mujhe pyar hai
kaisa khumar hai
kya mujhe pyar hai
kaisa khumar hai

Oooh, oooh, oooh
Oooh, oooh, oooh

paththar ke in raston pe
phoolon ki ek chaadar hai
jabse mile ho humko
badla har ek manzar hai

dekho jahan main nile nile aasmaan tale
rang naye naye hain jaise ghulte hue
soye se khaab mere, jaage tere waste
tere khayalon se hain, bheege mere raaste

kya mujhe pyar hai
kaisa khumar hai
kya mujhe pyar hai
kaisa khumar hai

Oooh, oooh, oooh
Oooh, oooh, oooh

tum kyun chale aate ho
har roj in khwabon main
chupke se aa bhi jao main
ek din meri baahon main

tere hi sapne andheron main ujalo main
koi nasha hai, teri aankhon ke pyalon main
tu mere khwabon main jawaabon main saawalon main
har din chura tumhe main lata hoon khyalon main

Parler français

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I stumbled upon a site for French students while trying to get back in touch with a friend, Alex, a Parisienne who often visits London to meet our common friend Karen. Now, the challenge was that I needed to introduce myself in French! After years of being out of touch, I tried to build complete sentences and realised, how much I'd forgotten. I was struggling to join the words together and could only say those things about myself that I knew the words for! Literally, at a loss for words! Alors, Here's what I wrote about myself:


Bonjour tout le monde!
Je suis Indienne mais maintenent, j'habite à Londres. Je suis ingénieur des télécommunications. Je parle anglais, hindi (la langue nationale de l'Inde) et quelques autres langues régionales de l'Inde. J'aime apprendre de nouvelles langues et j'ai étudié un peu de français à l'école. Je voudrais parler bien français en bon accent.
Voila, à la prochaine!

Est-ce que tu pret pour Bournemouth?

Padma asked me if I was game for a day on the beach and I didnt sound convinced when I heard it was Bournemouth. Nevertheless, since it was my darling sweetie who was so looking forward to it, I yielded. "Good", she said, "be ready, we'll pick you up at 7 tomorrow morning".

I took note of the time and told myself not to delay the trip. Slept early that night so that I could be up and bright early. But was so exited that I could hardly sleep and my eyes opened at 6AM itself. Was unbelieveably ready by 6:30! Cant understand what happens to me on weekdays, hehe. So, while I waited for the clock to tick, I did some menial chores around my house.

7:00AM - no sign of her
7:30AM - no sign again. I get impatient and gave Padma a call. And what do I get to hear? Mademoiselle answered my phone with a yawn and asked me what time of the day it was! Can you believe it? I wondered if the trip was for this weekend or the next!



... to be continued

Mania Olympia

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Whoopee!

I'm so glad that India has won 3 medals this time at the XXIX Summer Olympics in Beijing. It’s 1 Gold and 2 Bronzes in our kitty already. This is also the highest number of medals we’ve ever bagged in any Olympics. I remember that it was just a solitary silver last time around in Greece (that too was in shooting) and none in the Winter Olympics in Italy. I hope we perform better in the the London Olympics in 2012! Fingers (and batons and javelins) crossed, hehe.

Mera Bharat Mahaan!

Lays of continuity

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Its been a pretty dry week for my blog but not in my life; its been at its most happening best! Sunday was my birthday. Monday was a lot of work. Tuesday and Wednesday were a lot of fun with my friend who was visiting me in UK. Thursday was sleeping for 12 hours as I hadn’t slept the previous two nights. And I don’t know what Friday will be like. Hmm. I haven’t had time to talk to Mom and Dad. I haven’t been mailing my friends (in fact one of my friends thought that I was upset with him or something like that and called up from India to enquire, hehe). I haven’t been having dinner and breakfast regularly and havent cooked in the whole of last week! So, by those standards, I guess no blogs being churned out is quite permissible.

Based on the nature of the facts above, I hypothesize that there exists an inverse relationship between the occurrences of events and the blogs written during the sample time window. But I’m pretty sure this is true. And can prove it too. In the following way. When the number of events increase, the time spent on them increases. As the amount of time in any stable system is constant, consequently, the time available for blogging reduces. Since the amount of time available is a determining factor for the number of blogs churned out, subsequently the number of blogs decrease. Therefore, it can be inferred that more eventful the week, lesser the blogs written during that time. Mathematically stated, if E= number of events in a given time period and B=number of blogs written during that time, then EB=k (where k is a constant). This is a universal rule that holds true for all lethargic instances of class homoSapiens. I am contesting the next Nobel Prize.
Shoo, I sound like a geek*!

Voila, jusqu'à la prochaine!





Addendum:
· A geek is defined as ‘A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept’
· The title is adapted from the ‘Laws of continuity’ that my not-so-contemporary Bernoulli had once stated, that the discharge at each point in a pipe or channel is the same at every other point (assuming the there is no sink or source). Mathematically : Q1 = Q2 = A1 V1 = A2 V2.

Meri Bindiya Re, Re Ay Hay

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We had traditional attire day in the office today. I was quite at sea as I hadn’t packed anything ethnic in my suitcase when I flew from my des. Anyhow, I wore my creative hat and concocted an ensemble that would fit the occasion. It consisted of this lovely Kurti in citrus couleurs (courtesy Lifestyle, Pune) and a chudidaar. To complete the look, I decided to give myself a bindi (we call it Ticklee in Marathi at home; amusing name, naa?). Nothing elaborate and in fact, not even a Bindi, per se. On the contrary, quite elementary, it was a simple vertical line with my eye liner!
But it wasn’t easy to accomplish, mind you. It was only on the third try that I managed to get a straight line, equi-spaced from my brows and of uniform width! I guess the last time I had adorned my forehead this way was way back in 2006. That was for Lohari in Pune and again when I had draped a saree in Mysore. I still remember that I was never fond of Bindis when I was a little girl becase I thought that it was very rustic. To the contrast of today, when I consider it symbolic of my Indian-ness. Someone was recently talking about 'Coming of age'.
Jokes apart, here are some wisdom capsules. Found this on Wikipedia, ‘The Hindus believe that a red bindi should be worn by women who are married and a black bindi is worn by single girls. A black bindi is also believed to keep the evil spirits away’. Suits me perfecticklee!
Anyhow, here's a picture of what my Bindi looked like:

The importance of being Calpurnia

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[11:41:31] Desai,K,Kaus: hello pavan
[11:41:39] Shinde,P,Pav: heylo
[11:41:47] Shinde,P,Pav: were you trying to call me yesterday ?
[11:42:16] Desai,K,Kaus: no
[11:42:23] Desai,K,Kaus: my phone did, though
[11:42:26] Shinde,P,Pav: ok
[11:42:47] Shinde,P,Pav: :)
[11:42:57] Desai,K,Kaus: just wanted to tell you
[11:43:00] Desai,K,Kaus: i got my money
[11:43:04] Desai,K,Kaus: persistence
[11:43:22] Shinde,P,Pav: Good !
[11:43:29] Shinde,P,Pav: (Y)
[11:43:42] Desai,K,Kaus: pig-headed persistence
[11:44:05] Shinde,P,Pav: :D
[11:44:32] Desai,K,Kaus: you need to appear to be stupider than the other guy
[11:44:51] Desai,K,Kaus: then take down their statements one-by-one
[11:45:07] Desai,K,Kaus: then let them think they're geniuses
[11:45:29] Desai,K,Kaus: that feeling however, lasts only until you tell them "see?"
[11:47:45] Shinde,P,Pav: :)
[11:50:54] Desai,K,Kaus: that is what i call the 'albert einstein' moment
[11:51:12] Desai,K,Kaus: There comes a time when the mind takes a higher plane of knowledge but can never prove how it got there.
[11:51:20] Desai,K,Kaus: to quote the man himself
[11:52:07] Shinde,P,Pav: hmm
[11:52:59] Desai,K,Kaus: or Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene III
[11:53:48] Desai,K,Kaus: if you've followed shakespeare
[11:53:57] Shinde,P,Pav: I dont thnk this was there in julius ceas
[11:54:05] Shinde,P,Pav: caesar*
[11:54:15] Desai,K,Kaus: no no, the first quote was einstein
[11:54:40] Desai,K,Kaus: the julius caesar line is perhaps better known
[11:54:57] Desai,K,Kaus: Brutus: There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
[11:54:58] Shinde,P,Pav: nobleso fall
[11:55:02] Shinde,P,Pav: noblest of all
[11:55:37] Shinde,P,Pav: I dont remember these lines
[11:55:52] Shinde,P,Pav: I remember what the soothsayer says
[11:55:56] Desai,K,Kaus: no?
[11:56:04] Shinde,P,Pav: and i rememer his wife's deream
[11:56:17] Shinde,P,Pav: and i remember brutus being called the most noble
[11:56:21] Shinde,P,Pav: dats it
[11:56:41] Desai,K,Kaus: yeah, chlamydomona or something like it
[11:56:53] Desai,K,Kaus: cassiopaea perhaps
[11:57:07] Desai,K,Kaus: or cauliflowa?
[11:57:23] Shinde,P,Pav: I'll got with option 3
[13:22:39] Desai,K,Kaus: ah, no, i've got it
[13:22:45] Desai,K,Kaus: calpurnia!
[13:22:57] Desai,K,Kaus: i thought it was california or something
[13:23:14] Desai,K,Kaus: not the RHCP album
[13:27:57] Shinde,P,Pav: that is californication
[13:28:06] Desai,K,Kaus: yes, exactly
[13:28:08] Shinde,P,Pav: or were you thinking of eagles ?
[13:28:19] Shinde,P,Pav: you can chk out any tiem
[13:28:26] Shinde,P,Pav: but you can never leave ?
[13:28:39] Desai,K,Kaus: no no, i got confused about california and cauliflowa and californication
[13:28:53] Desai,K,Kaus: then i remembered
[13:29:48] Desai,K,Kaus: it seemed illogical why julius caesar would call his wife cauliflowa
[13:30:05] Shinde,P,Pav: I cant see why he cant
[13:30:17] Desai,K,Kaus: or california, because it hadn't been discovered then
[13:30:23] Shinde,P,Pav: I can clearly imagine him saying ..
[13:31:00] Shinde,P,Pav: "Oh beloved Cauliflowa, thy bushy hair resembleth the vege of the same name"
[13:31:17] Shinde,P,Pav: or just like augustus ceasar gave the month his name
[13:31:26] Shinde,P,Pav: and julius himself named another
[13:31:45] Shinde,P,Pav: .. he might have wanted to name a vege in memory of his wifey
[13:31:50] Desai,K,Kaus: :D no no, but then it would be more relevant if he called her californication :P
[13:32:00] Shinde,P,Pav: perhaps that's how the vege got its name!
[13:32:04] Desai,K,Kaus: maybe
[13:32:40] Desai,K,Kaus: and her full name was calpurnia pisonis
[13:33:11] Desai,K,Kaus: so it would be unfair to call her cauliflowa pisonis
[13:33:20] Desai,K,Kaus: or californication pisonis
[13:33:29] Desai,K,Kaus: so it had to be calpurnia

My Stupid Mouth

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There is this amazing construction of chords on the acoustic guitar in this brilliant song by John Mayer with the same title as this post. I was listening to it last morning as I was walking to get my bus to work. The prelude has such a catchy rhythm that I found myself walking in step with it. And you know me, give me a song with heavenly chords on the acoustic guitar and I’m on board. This song has made it to my Top Charts on day one!


The lyrics are extremely relatable. At least for me! There are so many times when I’ve ruined my own chances, courtesy my stupid mouth. Not with any date, but with colleagues and associates. I can’t prevent myself from speaking my mind out and sometimes, people do get offended. Then, comes the awkward silence, in which I wear my fake smile and start looking around, 360 degrees, searching desperately for a subject change. Like Sangeetha Aunty once remarked that I speak first and then think. My stupid mouth.

There are also those occasions when I keep ranting away to glory. With no brakes and no lower gear. And it could be on absurd social issues to the latest development in Bollywood to the life and miseries of Mary, Queen of Scots. Which is perfectly fine with close pals (they dote on me, touchwood), but catastrophic for a new relationship. Particularly, if it’s with Indian men (about whom I will write in a separate post, aargh). Like Tanu puts it, ‘One will have to be a little more courageous to stand through all the juggernaut of talk Pavan may throw at first, so that it does not rip off one's memory of one's name’. My stupid mouth.

There are also those occasions when you’re trying to be part of an existing group who’ve already got some standard jokes they crack on the next readily available victim. And you try to be jovial and humorous, but they say something really minor and insignificant and the tables turn. And you tell yourself, ‘I tried to be funny, but looks like the joke's on me. Call me Captain Backfire!’. My stupid mouth.

Something else that I noticed about the song is that the line ‘I’m never speaking up again’ appears, albeit in a very subtle form, in his other creation, ‘Your Body is a Wonderland’. That’s another song that I love and it makes me want to be in love; however we will not discuss that in this post and which we will save for another post.

So, here’s to this awesome number (cheers!):
I'm never speaking up again
It only hurts me
I'd rather be a mystery
Than she desert(ing) me




The chords of the prelude progress in the following way :
D - D/C# - D/F# - G - Bm - D/F# - G
Source :
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/j/john_mayer/my_stupid_mouth_crd.htm
You can listen to the song on youtube too :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tg-0Yy0M94&feature=related

Getting high

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Kaushal's funny lines of the day:
[10:35:47] Desai,K,Kaus: hello?
[10:35:57] Shinde,P,Pav: hi - on a call
[10:36:35] Desai,K,Kaus: i used to get hi when i used to drink a bit too much
[10:36:43] Desai,K,Kaus: never heard of getting hi on a call
[10:37:03] Desai,K,Kaus: besides, it's not socially acceptable
[10:38:09] Shinde,P,Pav: Social casualities are quite commonplace for me these days

Land Ambassador

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I nurture an unflinching love for my beloved motherland; but I’m not to be mistaken for an eccentric flag-waver. Over the last two years of my life that I have lived overseas, I’ve grown to believe that I am an ambassador of Indian culture. As a young independent lady, I feel that I’m an icon of a positive and progressive image of modern India. And unknowingly, it has been my endless endeavour to educate people about ‘India Shining’. To shred the ugly garbs of sati, superstition, dowry and communalism that veil our many achievements.

During each of my escapades to the countryside, I’ve found people talking to me with awe for India. I have been asked queer questions and have been given unexpected compliments. I’m reminded of this one afternoon in May ’07. I was waiting for my friends on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, soaking in Scottish hospitality. A well dressed elderly gentleman walked up to me with a faint, yet welcoming, smile on his face wanting to know which part of the world I belonged to. I had travelled from London where I had been living for the previous 8 months; even so, I said aloud that I was an Indian. I still don’t know if it was my response or the pride that was evident in my voice when I spoke about my nationality that sent him into a brief length of senile silence. Recouping, he asked me various questions and we discussed my opinions on Scottish history, people, tartan and spinning mills and some other related subjects. Since these subjects did not visibly pose any impending threat to international security, I remained vocal about my views.

After we had had a long talk, with an impressed look, he asked me if it was common for young girls in India to travel overseas alone. I tried not to look startled and explained how different India is now and how much freedom we girls get. We went to discuss more about women’s oppression in India and I elucidated the circumstances that existed a few centuries ago, reminding him of witch burning that was widespread in this part of the world and which even had royal sanction. In fact, I’d like to tell you as well, that the beautiful gardens at the foothills of Edinburgh Castle has


... to be continued

Berozgaarie blended with poetry!

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One of my friends pinged me today while I was busy work. I was absolutely tied up, yet, the persistent bugger wouldn’t let me work in peace. Here’s what transpired :


srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:19]:
       howdy?
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:20]:
       Goody
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:20]:
       busy?
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:25]:
       thodi
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:25]:
       Ghodi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:25]:
       lambe race ki
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:25]:
       bina shoe lace ki
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:26]:
       aur pencil heel ki
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:27]:
       ankhein hain cheel (kite) ki
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:28]:
       tareef ho rahii hai .. bade der ki
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:36]:
       so now u know main hoon kitna free
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:38]:
       par kaam hai mujhe abhie bhie bahut saari
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:38]:
       uff yeh tumhari roz roz ki beemari
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:56]:
       beemari to lagi hui hai pehele se hi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:56]:
       shayad 20-Feb-06 se hi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:57]:
       ilaaj hai iska sadhaaran si hi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:57]:
       update karo apna CV
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:57]:
       aur daalo ek site par jiska naam hai naukri
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:58]:
       nahii hai vikalp aur koi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:59]:
       batao, samajhdaar hai na davai humaari ?

Doomsday Conspiracy

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Arguably, I think the worst time to find a life partner or get into a relationship is soon after a break-up when you are at an all-time emotional low. You struggle to suppress the maelstrom of feelings and the whirlpool of thoughts so that you can pick up the pieces of your life and move on. You fake a smile at your colleagues and associates so that they don’t get a peek into your morose and melancholy life. You lie when you say you’re doing fine but you know in your heart of hearts, that you desperately long to turn the pages. The overbearing void begins to engulf you but you continue your solitary battle against dejection.

It is in such a state of mind that you tend to become vulnerable and manipulatable. Inevitably, you find yourself drawn to the first person who shows you sympathy (whether it is heartfelt of not). Sweet words are what you want hear and a shoulder to, maybe not cry on, but at least to rest your head on is what you need. And no matter who it is, as long as you get to hear sweet expressions of love, your heart will get filled with joy. The once overwhelming vacuum diminishes. So does your abiity to distinguish true from fake. You overlook any signs of imitation; convincing yourself that what you have found is best for you, most true to you.

If, God forbid, the person intends to use you, then you have conveniently let yourself walk into doom’s lair. Giving the reins of your life in the hands of another, you allow yourself to be manoeuvred. Obviously, to not to suit your better interests but to serve someone else’s. After the initial charm wears out and you see the true layers, by the time you return to senses, it might just be too late.

Coming of age

---

Off late, I've begun to certify several things as having come of age. I'm not sure if it is actually the object in question or it is purely my perspective that has come of age. Anyhow, the latest to be certified in this category is the Indian advertising fraternity. How exactly they have managed to please me is what I'm about to tell you.

I stumbled upon an Indian commercial today that casts my heartthrob Abhishek Bachchan as a Sarpanch. (For those with limited knowledge of Hindi and/or Indian democracy, a Sarpanch is the head of the local self governance body in rural India.) The ad goes like this: a village is torn apart by riots between rival castes. The Sarpanch restores peace by advocating that everyone be known by their phone number and none by their caste.

I must say that I am quite impressed at the choice of such a sensitive subject. It portrays the contrast between the volatility of caste co-existence and its prevalence in modern and progressive times in a country where even the illiterate and the poor can enjoy the comfort of a cellular phone.

I’m also impressed with the ingenuity with which the ad makers have comfortably maintained political correctness and averted enraging any regional groups. Not sure where I’m coming from? You wouldn’t have noticed it but the accent in which the Sarpanch speaks has a Rajasthani / Haryanvi touch to it. The set and villagers in the ad give you a distant feel of UP / Bihar and the music at the very end of the ad has the distinct Maharashtrian beat. Subtle. Uncontroversial.

Nothing about the ad as such, but I can’t hold myself from complimenting Abhishek for his distinct style which keeps me asking for more. You will notice the soft, yet powerful expression that he gives at the fag end of the ad when the punch line ‘What an idea, sirji’ is spoken – nearly tending to superiority and dominance, I’m sure he means to say, ‘I’m innovation’. And the unshaved look does kill!



You can watch the video on youtube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp-Zc1X_9_4

Conversations in poetry

---

From: Pavan
To: Tanu

---

     Chorii…

     Tumhaari P gayi landoon,
     Kiya hai wahan se teliphoon,
     Tumhaari yaad satatii hai
     Par tu call naa uthatii hai :-)

     Phuun kiya tha maine abhie abhie
     Tumne receive na kiya tabhie tabhie
     Gaana sunn rahii hogii Rabbi Rabbi
     Bol ab call karuu kabhie kabhie?


And in response Tanu wrote:

From : Tanu
To : Pavan

---

     Sweets phone vibrate mode me tha
     Mainey aaj subeh hi dekha
     Main maangti hoon tumse kshama
     Humsey rooth tum na jaana
     Kya aaj baat karney ka time hoga ???

Ambigram Magic

---

Have you ever tried searching for yourself on Google? I just tried today and surprisingly, I found 2 search results that were indeed related to me! There are some comments I’ve put on the Yahoo! Widgets page; that makes up the first search result. But the second is more interesting. Its an ambigram that Rajdeep Paul had made for me years ago; and has posted it on his blog. It was very interesting to find Google tracing me down!

The one in which the laptop gets fixed

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Guess what, my laptop has been fixed now and a few folks have just enjoyed platinum privileges being the first people to know about it .. the motherboard was fixed yesterday and the display is now working fine... I wasn’t able to connect to the internet though .. because there was some problem with the network card ... so I’ve been busy trying to fix it ever since I woke up (and did some basic tasks, of course) .. the fan is blowing on full speed for some Toshiba-alone-knows reason ... I'm now searching for ideas (read recipes) for breakfast.. or brunch, because it’s nearly noon now...



I read a story written by a friend last evening and I must tell you that he’s got a gift. I, on the other hand, am not very good with fiction, so it pleases my ego to believe that I am better off with travelogues. That too, I must confess, I’m very sporadic at. I’m gonna find out what the URL of his blog is because I am not entirely impressed yet



My agenda for today includes, apart from the unavoidable cleaning chores, a trip to the post office to send a bunch of bills on behalf of my friend (who’s busy wooing his girl). Since these bills (of his Munich trip) total a jaw-dropping figure and now that the fate of the reimbursement totally (or, greatly) depends on my making a trip to the post office (and sending the bills in time), he has offered to buy me chocolates. I strongly believe that it is sinful to refuse chocolates and so I have persuaded myself and agreed to this arduous job



While I am enjoying the joy of working from my laptop with the comfort of uninterrupted (by VPN timeout) broadband, my stomach has escalated the request it raised this morning for food. So if you would, please allow me to cater to the needs of my 1500cc tummy which is rumbling a storm now!

Adam-teasing

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TANU : Breaking newz!!! Anoop has colored his hair !!!
PAVAN : Florescent pink like a punk?? Send me a pic !!!
TANU : No it was more of a jaded brown like junk :P
ANOOP : Hehe.. tanu’s been seeing a whole lot changes in me everytime.. Right Tanu ?? Once it was double barrel Moustache :P
PAVAN : Seriously ???? Gosh!! Anoop are you deciding on what looks best on you before you fly to McUSA?? ;-)
ANOOP : Well.. next I’m gonna shave my head and burn a tattoo on my head :P And keep a double barrel moustache. What Say ?
PAVAN : You’re attracting some ‘Adam-teasing’ for yourself ;-)

A song we sang on Radio!

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This is one of my favourite patriotic songs .. composed by Jayashankar Prasad

Courtesy:
http://www.anubhuti-hindi.org/gauravgram/prasad/himadri.htm

My Love Bhavishyavaani

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A light hearted post for a change! I was aimlessly exploring the different applications on Facebook and hopped from one to another till I landed at an interesting one - my Love Bhavishyavaani (fortune in Hindi)! Whether its true or not, time will tell and my partner will testify but reading it was so amusing that it instantly made me feel good :D

Here's what it said:

Profile:

You are very protective about your beloved. You are totally indulgent and like to woo the opposite sex in style. Candle-lit dinners, flower bouquets, mushy greeting cards, chocolates are your weapons of choice. You are a very passionate lover. Pleasure is foremost on your mind. You know how to make your sweetheart feel special. At times you get jealous in your relationships.

Bisibelebhaat

Habbadoota!
Karnataka is the land of recipes of rice. Talk about 'chitranna', 'puliyogare', 'vangibhaat' or or even the candid 'anna-saaru'. You have an 'anna' for every 'habba'! And while we're talking about rice preparations, one cannot afford not mentioning 'Bisibelebhaat'. One of Karnataka's signature dishes, Bisibelebhaat is a favourite with the young and the old. 'Bisi' means hot in kannada; 'bele' means daal and quite explicably, 'bhaat' is rice. An extraordinary combination of spices. Like most traditions, the blending of spices to form the masala used in bisibelebhaat changes from family to family as the secrets of the winning combinations are passed on from mother to daughter. And like you must've guessed, my bisibelebhaat masala comes from my lovely mother. Though, traditionally served on large plantain leaves with 'Kosambari', a lentil salad and some 'Palya', a vegetable side dish, or even 'mosuru', that's yogurt, it goes extremely well with potato crisps, especially Pune's 'Budhani Wafers', an all time hit with my Dad!


Ingredients:
1 cup of rice
1/2 cup of toor daal
1/2 cup of potatoes
1/2 cup of peas
2 tbsp of tamarind pulp
5 tbsp bisibelebhaat masala
1 tsp red chilly powder
2 tbsp ghee


Method:
Boil the toor daal. When nearly done add the potatoes and peas to it.
Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract its pulp.
Cook the rice.
Add the daal, potatoes and peas to the rice.
Mix the bisibelebhaat masala with a little water, stir and add to the rice.
Add the tamarind pulp, the chilly powder and salt to taste.
Serve with ghee.

Pasta

Apparecchia la tavola!

Let's revive our Italiano
Apparecchia la tavola! (literally, set the table): (ah-ppah-re-kee-ah la ta-vo-lah)to prepare the table that will receive yours friends.
Gira il sugo (literally, turn the sauce): (gee-rah il soo-goh) say this when making a sauce which needs to be stirred with a spoon.
Buon appetito (have a good meal): (boo-on app-èt-it-oh) before a dinner with friends say this to the whole company and expect the same answer in return. it is a blessing for the meal to come.
Complimenti alla cuoca (compliments to the cook): (com-plee-men-tee alla coo-oka)after enjoying an excellent meal, say this to compliment your hostess and (female) to demonstrate your appreciation of her efforts. The male version is "com-plee-men-tee al coo-oko".
La specialita' della casa (the restaurant specialty): (le speh-cee-ah-lee-tah della ka-sah) use this expression to ask for the dishes characteristic of the restaurant.
Pizzeria: (pee-zzeh-ree-ah) very common restaurant where you eat the most famous Italian dish, pizza. We especially recommend pizza margherita, pizza quattro stagioni and pizza capricciosa.
Ristorante Italiano (Italian restaurant): (ree-stoh-ran-teh ee-ta-leea-noh) has an elegant atmosphere where one can enjoy typical soups, pastas, gnocchi, risotti and interesting meat and fish dishes, and where every dish is accompanied by the appropriate wine.
Antipasto (the appetizer): (an-tee-pah-stoh)it's an excellent idea to begin the dinner in the best way.
Primo piatto (the first course): (pree-moh peea-ttoh), generally it consists of pasta, soup or rice.
Secondo piatto (the second course): (she-kon-doh peea-ttoh), generally it consists of meat or fish.
Contorno (side dish): (kon-tor-noh)i is the food usually served with second course, and is usually vegetables.
Cena a lume di candela (light candle dinner): (Ce-nah a loo-meh dee can-deh-la) a romantic tête-à-tête with a special person…
Ho una fame da lupi (literally I'm hungry like a wolf): (oh oo-nah fah-meh dah loo-pih)) if you feel especially hungry, say this as a little joke about how hungry you are.
E' una buona forchetta (literally he is a good fork): (éh oo-na boo-oh-na fork-eh-ttah)an expression used to describe a gourmet, someone who enjoys eating well and appreciates high quality dishes.
Sono pieno come un uovo (literally I'm full like an egg): (soh-no pee-eh-no ko-meh un oo-oh-voh) say this when you've just finished eating and you want no more food, as an excuse for not eating anymore. It actually means that you are full, literally, "as full as an egg".
Ho l'acquolina in bocca (my mouth is watering): (hoh lah-ck-ooh-oh-lih-nah in boh-kah) say this when you see a particularly inviting dish.
Pasta al dente: (pas-tah al den-teh)when pasta is well cooked and seems almost hard and dense. This is the best way to eat pasta.

---

Ingredients:
2 cups pasta
3 cups water
1 cup milk
3 medium onions, chopped
3 chillies, chopped
450g tomato puree
peas
broccoli
cauliflower
salt to taste
oil for cooking
cheese for garnishing

Method:
Boil the water and milk. Add the pasta and bring to a boil. Continue to boil till the pasta is well cooked.
Meanwhile, pour some oil in a pan. Allow it to heat.
Add the onions and fry.
Add the broccoli, cauliflower and peas. Fry for a few minutes.
Add the tomato puree and stir. Add a pinch of salt.
Add the chopped chillies.
Add the pasta to this sauce and stir well. Allow it to boil.
Add salt to taste.
Buon appetito!

Punch line

Ingredients:

Method:

wash and Boil masoor with 2 kanda and 3 tomato

separate excess water and mash

oil

heat

jeera - fry till colour change

curry leaves

ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp amti powder
1/3 tbsp chilly powder

fry for one sec

add daal to this

turmeric

coriander

1/2 sp cutneypudi

salt

toop

Chole masala

Spicy and hot!!

The other day, I was lunching with my collegue who has never been to India in his entire life and yet knows 'chole', the better known name for chick peas in Hindi. And that made me think how big a small-town dish like chole masala had made it! So, here's to chole! Served with rotis, batures or rice, but necessarily served hot.

---

Ingredients:

1 cup chole
4 medium sized white onions, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped (alternatively. tomato puree)
3 potatoes, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard
4-5 curry leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp amchur powder
2 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
oil for cooking
coriander for garnishing
lemon for garnishing


Method:
Soak the chole overnight. Boil for an hour with a bay leaf.
Meanwhile pour some oil into a pan. Allow it to heat.
Add the mustard. When it starts to splutter, add the cumin seeds. Saute.
Add the curry leaves. When it turns crisp, add the bay leaf. Saute.
Add the onions and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste.
When the onions are nearly done, add the potatoes and fry.
Add the tomato (or puree) and fry.
Add the masalas (garam masala, chilly powder and amchur powder).
Add the salt to taste. Add water to match the required consistency.
Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon
Savour!!

Misal

Self Torture !!

Ingredients
200g matki
3 medium onions, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
½ tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp kanda-lasoon masala
1 tsp red chilly powder
½ cup water
salt to taste
oil for cooking

Method
Soak the matki overnight.
Drain the water and keep aside for (12+12+12) hrs so that it sprouts.
Boil the matki.
Pour some oil in a non stick pan. Allow it to heat.
Add some ginger-garlic paste. Stir twice.
Add the onions. Fry till it is half done.
Add the potato. Fry till it is half done.
Add the tomato. Fry till it is half done.
Add the kanda-lasoon masala. Follow with the chilly powder. Top up with the garam masala.
Add the matki. Add the salt to taste. If required, add the water till the consistency is satisfactory.
Relish.

Varan

It doesn't get any better than this!

Each day, I suffer the phobia of answering the question 'What shall I cook today?' and each time, Ma comes to my rescue. I still have the emails which she'd sent me in October 2006 explaining how to make Varan. And guess what, it also included tips like when to turn the stove on and off. I still remember one of her mails instucting me, 'Sona, don't eat the cardamom pods - keep them aside while eating'. That's how caring my mother is. And she gives importance to even the minute details!

Serves 4
Time taken 60 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup of toor daal
3 medium white onions, chopped
5 green chillies, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp of jeera
1 tbsp of mustard
4 corns of black pepper
5 curry leaves
1/4 tsp of ginger garlic paste
1/4 tsp of turmeric
1/4 tsp of garam masala
salt to taste
oil for cooking
coriander for garnishing

Method:
Boil the toor daal till it is soft and nearly melts into the water. This should take around 30 minutes. Once done allow it to cool. Separate the daal from the water. Mash the daal.
Meanwhile, pour oil into a non-stick pan. Allow it to heat.
Add the jeera and mustard. Follow by adding the pepper corns and curry leaves.
Add the chopped onions and chillies. For for about 3 minutes.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry a little more.
Add the chopped tomatoes. Fry.
Add the mashed daal. Allow it to boil.
Add the turmeric, garam masala and salt to taste.
Add the coriander for garnishing.
Serve piping hot.

Picture unclear. Title unclear.

---

Someone mentioned today that the problem with me is not my work or my ethics. The problem is that I do not know what I am going to be doing tomorrow. True. The picture, honestly, is not quite clear to me. But more than that, i was told that I’m not stong. That I don’t always stand for what I believe in. Rather, I don’t believe very strongly in many things. Particularly, those that are related to my life. Strange, that I have very strong and clear pictures and ideas about how the world should be or what other people should do, and yet at that same time a very poor picture about what I should be or what I should do!

I don’t plan my work. I think, I can do with organizing myself a bit. I’m quite loosely held in terms of my tasks for the day. Lets see, this is day 1. From historical data, not sure if I will even see day 2! Its time to go to sleep. Can I wake up at 0540? Well, when I had to write the J2EE certification, I could! I was OK to sleep for 3½ hours that night.

Or maybe it was just a moment of weakess in which I must have appeared to be miserably disorganised. Or, maybe the picture really isn't clear. Damn. Whatever.

The best trip with my best buddies

We spent about a week in Scotland and another in England. It was Christmas/ NewYear's of Dec2007/Jan'08 and my parents were visiting me. Once they landed at LHR, we spent the first day in the suburbs of London just relaxing and giving them a chance to unwind from the 10 hour long flight.


Next, we took a train to Edinburgh reaching there in the morning. We spent the first day enjoying the tour of the castle and the other attractions on the Royal Mile covering everything on foot right down till Hollyrood Castle. We stayed in Edinburgh that night and rented a car the following morning. We drove around to Linlithgow Castle, Doune and Stirling; explored the Trossachs and the Three Lochs Forest, spent some time at Loch Lomond, met Hamish at Callander and stayed the night at Stirling. The following day, we drove via Glencoe to Ben Nevis, Castle Stalker and then followed the A82 by the side of Loch Ness, spending some time at Fort Agustus and then to Inverness where we just crashed for the night. The next morning we shopped at Inverness (it was Boxing day!) and visited Urquhart Castle before starting our drive through the beautiful Cairngorms, to reach at Dunfermline for the night stay. We returned the car the next day and embarked on our journey to London.


Once back in London, we rented a car again to do a series of day trips around London to Cambridge, Windsor, Hampton Court etc. We used the tube and walked around to get to the usual attaractions: Lords stadium, Wimbledon, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Greenwich, Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St. James Park, St. Paul's, etc.


What made this trip the best one was not the beautiful locales were in or the weather, food or culture but the amazing company I had - that of my parents - my most amazing travel buddies from whom I have inherited the travelling bug!