Penning a few thoughts on the recent Master's Basketball Tournament at Pune - a bit long, but I hope you enjoy reading this. Thanks again to all the organizers for the fantastic event!
-----------
“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
Last fortnight, I stepped on the basketball court at my alma mater, the Deccan Gymkhana club. An opportunity to participate in the 2nd edition of the Master's Basketball League. 81 men & women of age ranging from 35 to 65 were put in 9 different teams. Quite a few of them, including me, were stepping on the court after at least a decade.
When I first heard about the league, I was quite excited to play.
On second thoughts, I wondered if I would be any good.
Then, I asked myself - what would I regret more - not having played at all because I wouldnt be any good; or having played and maybe played not good at all.
And I decided to play.
Stepping on the court, dribbling the ball, taking the layups, shooting a few baskets, playing a couple of practice games - it all seemed surreal.
Before I stood on the court at the start of the first game. My wife observed that I appeared to be quite conscious while playing those 5 minutes in the first game.
Maybe I was nervous, maybe I felt a few butterflies in my stomach.
The second game was a little more relaxed. In the quarterfinals, I felt rattled since I caused a turnover that the opposition team converted into a basket. And in the semi-finals, I was determined to put in my best - defending as tough as I could.
In all, I played 20 minutes in 4 games, spread over 2 weekends.
Did I score any points? None. Did I attempt any shots? Just one. Did I get any rebounds - only a couple.
I would have been terribly unhappy with these statistics 15 or 20 years ago, when I represented school & college and played basketball almost everyday at the same Deccan Gymkhana club.
Today, I am so glad that I played. I had a chance to meet & greet old friends. Familiar faces looked a bit wrinkled; black hair has made way for the salt n pepper look or thinned out; and fit torsos now sport pot bellies.
What has not changed at all in these years is the love for the game.
And those ethereal moments of the game when you get to see the wizardry of some of the true "masters".
Like Shantanu Pawar controlling the ball and shooting a decisive 3-pointer to take the lead in a game.
Or Dheba Don giving a fake, or giving a perfect pass to Joel or Gopika under the ring; or himself shooting a really long 3-point shot that just caresses the net and doesn't event touch the ring - perfection at its best!
Or a Sandeep Nulkar who comes as 1st substitute and shoots 2 consecutive 3 pointers to give the winning lead to his team in the quarter-final, and another 2 consecutive 3 pointers in the semifinals to gain another lead.
There are many such "masters" who are wizards of this beautiful game, and it is unfair to name just a few.
In yester years, each of them were "angry young men" with their adrenaline pumping high.
Age has slowed a few; the bodies appear battered and bruised at the end of a game. Playing on 2 consecutive days for 20 minutes each is not everyone's cup of tea now.
And after every minute or so, players on court and off the court are asking the table for "time left".
But the spirit remains indomitable. Which is why during a timeout in the final game, the first thing that Joel asks before reaching out to the bottle of water is,
"Are we winning or losing?" And then steps back on the court to score a few baskets and win the final for his team.
Triumph and disaster are impostors to be treated just the same as Kipling once said. Everyone who participated in this tournament had smiles on their faces, despite the results, whether they won or lost.
Even after so many years, it remains a beautiful game.
To be played, and not just watched.
And to live like it's heaven on earth again.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
SCMM 2011 - Sprint to Serve
Dear friends,
On Sunday, January 16, 2011, I will be running the half marathon (21km) at the Mumbai Marathon as part of my company's corporate team.
More than just running the marathon, I am supporting the NGO “Helen Keller Institute for the Deaf and Deafblind”.
I have decided to pledge to raise an amount of Rs10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand only) for this NGO.
I seek your support in this noble cause.
My running experience
So far, I have run 5 half marathons – having completed 3 half marathons at Mumbai in 2008, 2009 and 2010 along with 2 half marathons in Delhi in 2008 and 2010.
Recently, I completed my 5th half marathon in Delhi on Sunday, November 21, 2010 clocking a time of 2:44:47.
My aim is to complete the half marathon in Mumbai on January 16, 2011 in less than 2:30 hours.
My request
As part of the company corporate team, I am supporting the NGO “Helen Keller Institute for the Deaf and Deafblind”.
My goal is to raise a pledge amount of Rs 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand) in support of the NGO by December 15, 2010.
You can support my run by making a contribution by cheque in favour of “United Way of Mumbai” before December 15, 2010.
Your donation will be tax-deductible and you will receive a certificate under section 80G for the same.
If you wish to send your cheque and make a contribution, please drop me an email at kvkulkarni@gmail.com
In your email, please also send me your following details:
1. Full name
2. Complete postal address with pin code at which you would like to receive the certificate under section 80G
3. Email-id
About the Helen Keller Institute
The Helen Keller Institute is engaged in the education of deaf and deafblind children. The Institute has helped educate and train 32 Deafblind children and 130 deaf children, since its inception in July 1977. At present, the Institute has 25 Deafblind and 64 deaf children on its roll. The institute is now recognized nationally and internationally and is aided by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, New Delhi and Women, Child and Handicapped Development Office, Maharashtra.
Click here to visit their website: http://helenkellerinstitutefordeafanddeafblind.org/
My inspiration
Hindustan Times had published this award winning photograph a few years ago.
Link: http://www.hindustantimes.com/photos-news/photo-story-news/PictureoftheyearandGeneralnewsaward/Article4.aspx
22 year old Angad Dev Singh Dugal, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was inspired by the advertisements of the Mumbai Marathon, and after months of practice at Juhu beach, finally participated in the Dream Run on January 22, 2007. His mother & sister ran with him to support him all through the race.
When he used to get tired, he would sit on the plastic chair; armed with an unparalleled determination & courage, he finished the race.
If he can run, why can’t we?
Another inspiration is Dr Ashis Roy – I have seen him run personally at Mumbai marathon and at Delhi marathon in January 2010 and November 2010 respectively.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashis_Roy
The back of his t-shirt said “Dr Roy – Born 1932” – it took me a while to figure out that I was running next to a 78-year old youngster.
Wikipedia told me that Dr Roy started running at the age of 52; has run 85 marathons till the age of 76; and has a target of 100 marathons before he turns 80 in 2012.
I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.
Sincerely,
Ketan Kulkarni
-----------------------------------------------------
Monday, November 08, 2010
31 days.. no pain..
Have registered for the half marathons in Delhi & Mumbai this year... and I also intend to participate in Pune marathon next month.. as I start preparations for the same, with less than 2 weeks to go for Delhi, which is on November 21, and almost 2 months for Mumbai which will be in January 2011, I re-read something that I wrote 2 years ago.. what follows is a translation of a post on my Marathi blog that I wrote on October 9, 2008 while preparing for the Delhi Half Marathon in 2008...
Having given him what he wanted, I closed my shop for the day and headed back to the guest house.
The client office was located in one of the corporate parks in Gurgaon that housed more than 15 companies. It being a Sunday, there werent too many people around. It has been quite some time since I had left from office during daylight...
I walked outside the gate of the corporate park, towards an open ground that served as a parking lot for the corporate park. There was a cycle stand on one side, adjacent to which was the area for bikes. The rest of the parking was assigned for cars, and was almost empty.
Usually, you would find around three of four security guards manning this parking lot.. today, there were almost ten or twelve of them.. as I approached, all of them suddenly became conscious of my presence..
I smiled at Jatinder - daily he would wish me "Good morning Sir" as he handed me my visitors' card as I entered office in the morning.
"Hi Jatinder! What's happening here today? Anything special?"
-"कुछ नहीं सर! हम लोग तो बस ऐसे ही.. आप भी देखो.."
I stood aside, watching what these gentlemen were upto.
Around 25-30 yards away, there was a soliary black Atlas goldline cycle parked on its stand.
One of the security guards in his iron-clad uniform with thick heavy black boots, sprinted across the distance, and then jumped over the parked cycle in a nice, easy manner.
He sailed over the cycle, and landed on the other side, and looked behind with a beaming smile - he received a thunderous applause from all the other fellows watching him.
Coincidentally the Olympics were happening in Beijing, while these guys were enjoying their very own desi version of a high jump.
In their otherwise mundane lives, these guys were finding their own sweet little happiness. 'finding' doesnt exactly fit the description - these guys were not finding their happiness, they were 'living' it.
***************************************************************
This marathon was scheduled on November 9.. and I immediately registered online for the same.
An adventurous thought then struck my mind. The Pune Marathon generally takes place in December.
November, December & January - 3 half marathons in 3 consecutive months!
Now, that would certainly be a challenge worth doing or trying!
I had never attempted anything like this ever before.
Infact, I was asking myself - what had I done before?
February 2007 - Tampa, Florida - 15 km - 96 minutes.
January 2008 - Mumbai, Maharashtra - 21km (half marathon) - 2 hours, 48 minutes.
3 half marathons in 3 consecutive half marathons - there was definitely no harm in trying, nevertheless it did prompt me to do a self SWOT analysis.
Strength: that would certainly be 'endurance'.
At Tampa, my friends, Anshuman, Praveen and Santanu used to call me ’दानव’.
Every evening, we used to go to Mcfarlin Park where we used to play cricket for 1-1.30 hours, followed by another 1-1.30 hours of tennis. And once in a while, I would also indulge in running 2-3 laps on the 1.1 mile jogging track in that community park.
Infact, when I ran the 15km at Tampa, the stamina was pretty good. However, when I had run in Mumbai this year, my 'endurance' had helped me in a big way to finish the 21km race.
Weaknesses: the ligament behind the right knee and stamina
The less said about my stamina, the better.
After the Mumbai half marathon in January, the ligament behind the right knee used to hurt for almost 3-4 months - not everyday, but only after climbing the Law college hill, and jogging on the hill for more than 30 minutes or so..
I was afraid that the ligament would hurt when I went on the Valley of Flowers trek in August, but thankfully, nothing like that happened.
Opportunity: motivation/challenge and timing improvement
I must complete at least 2 of the 3 half marathons.. rather, I must complete all three..
the last time in Mumbai, it took me almost 2 hours and 48 minutes.. this time around, I must complete at least one of them in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes..
Threats: laziness and recovery time
I have started jogging since Monday, September 29.. wake up at 6 every morning, and go for a daily jog.. I have missed only a few days in between when I had gone on vacation to Manali & Rohtang Pass.. its the 9th of October, and I have exactly 31 days left for Delhi Half Marathon.. every morning, it takes me a huge effort to actually wake up, get out of bed, and go for the daily run.. I need to shrug off my laziness, run everyday and increase my stamina.. and more importantly, I need to recover well in time, after completing one half marathon so that I can run the next one..
As I run, I look eastwards at the morning sun..
Every step that I run, I keep telling myself "no pain"..
आंधियों से झगड रही हैं लौ मेरी..
अब मशालों सी बढ रही हैं लौ मेरी..
नामो निशान.. रहे ना रहे..
यह कारवां.. रहे ना रहे..
उजाले मैं पी गया..
रौशन हुआ जी गया..
क्यों सहते रहे..
रुबरु.. रौशनी....
The next 31 days.. I need to practice everyday.. need to control my diet..
As the Australian cricketer Michael Clarke, once said,
"the pain of discipline is preferable to the pain of disappointment"..
There's a hell lot of fun and incredible pain when you run 21km.
After a while, you feel like stopping and quitting midway.
That's when, DJ says "after the body reaches its limit, the mind takes control over the body"..
When that happened while running in Mumbai, I remembered Sylvester Stallone from Rocky..
while preparing for his boxing match, he was running in the streets of Philadelphia, and had run atop the stairs of the Musuem of Art with the soundtrack playing "Gonna fly now" in the background..
The "Eye of the tiger" from the same Rocky had inspired me a great deal..
as much as I endured all the pain, I kept telling myself just like Rocky with every stride, "no pain.. no pain.."
A lot of times, I face self doubts.. will I be able to complete this.. that's when I remember the old Rocky telling his son who had lost his own confidence..
I'd hold you up to say to your mother, "this kid's gonna be the best kid in the world. This kid's gonna be somebody better than anybody I ever knew." And you grew up good and wonderful. It was great just watching you, every day was like a privilige. Then the time come for you to be your own man and take on the world, and you did. But somewhere along the line, you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you're no good. And when things got hard, you started looking for something to blame, like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that! I'm always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You're my son and you're my blood. You're the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain't gonna have a life. Don't forget to visit your mother.
I have 31 days left for me..
Like Aditi, I wish to have no fear and scale new heights..
Like the security guard, I want to 'live' my happiness..
Like Rocky, I want to keep telling myself 'no pain' and raise both my arms towards the sky as I cross the finish line of the marathon..
I wake every morning at 5.45 before the alarm thats supposed to go off at 5.55.. and I hit the ground.. listening to the music.. breathing the early morning fresh air.. watching the gardeners watering the flower beds.. smile at the kids waiting for their school bus.. and tell myself with every step..
तुझमें अगर प्यास हैं..
बारिश का घर भी पास हैं..
रोके तुझे कोई क्यों भला..
संग संग तेरे आकाश हैं..तु धूप हैं.. छम से बिखर..
तु हैं नदी.. ओ बेखबर..
बह चल कहीं.. उड चल कहीं..
दिल खुश जहां... तेरी तो मंज़िल हैं वहीं...
as the guitar strings hit the crescendo, my pace increases too..
and I keep telling myself with every breath that I take..
"No Pain"..."No Pain"...
~ I completed the Delhi half marathon on Sunday, November 9, 2008 in 3 hours, 6 mins.. i wish i had done it faster.. but i had plenty of excuses.. lack of practice (after writing this post, i jogged not more than 5 or 6 times in the remaining 31 days).. laziness.. sweets during Diwali :D
nevertheless, the recovery was much better than i expected it to be.. I then completed the 10km in Pune on Sunday, December 7, 2008 in 1 hour, 20 mins.. followed by Mumbai half marathon on Sunday, January 18, 2009 that was completed in 3 hours. You can read about my 2009 Mumbai half marathon here in marathi.
The threat of laziness still rules, but the desire and motivation to complete a half marathon in less than 2 hours, 30 minutes encourages me to attempt 3 half marathons in 3 consecutive months yet again.
My alarm clock was set for 5.55am... however, I woke up almost 10-15 minutes before the alarm buzzed.. since I didn't get the wireless signal in my room, I moved downstairs with my laptop and occupied a comfortable seat on the sofa in the common area of the guesthouse.. a dear old friend caught me online, and asked "How come you are up so early?".. I retorted with my usual terse reply "work".. Nandu, the guest-house attendant, came along with my regular cup of steaming hot ginger tea with one spoonful of sugar..
That's when Ravindra walked in from outside..
"Arey Ketan! Just go outside on the lawn.. it is so beautiful & pleasant.."
Early in the morning, Ravindra looked quite different - almost unrecognizable, without his usual turban. He was a recent acquaintance of mine - we had met very just a few days ago at the client guest-house itself, and I wouldn't have spent more than 15-20 minutes during my entire life in conversation with him. But Sardars usually make good friends very quickly.
Introducing me to his colleague, he said -
"अजय, इनसे मिलो.. यह हैं केतन.. हमारे परम मित्र..." and then continued to inform Ajay about what I do, etc.
Since Ravindra insisted vehemently, I finally gave in and went outside on the lawn... it was around 6.45-7am..
across the pleasant morning sky that appeared a little cloudy, a flock of birds appeared to fly or dance merrily to the notes of a soft musical note..
a pink bougainvillea plant that separated the two adjacent bungalows, became the perfect playground for a couple of chirping sparrows' 'catch-me-if-you-can' game..
a pair of pigeons were engulfed in their morning conversation atop the roof of the opposite house, constantly moving their necks in acknowledgement to each other..
a squirrel jogged happily along the compound wall of the guest-house taking small jumps all along..
Taking off my slippers, I started walking on the lawn.. the bare feet happily enjoying the soft ticklish feel of the lush green grass beneath them.. I walked towards one end of the lawn, and then turned around..
Unknowingly, I stared at my own footprints created in the dew laden grass. I had thought that I was walking carefree in gay abandon. Little did I realize, that all this while I had walked in a straight line.
All my footprints so far, stared at me in a simple straight line..
***************************************************************
It was the night of Janmasthami last year, as I left office at around 8.30-9pm. Bang opposite Shivsena Bhavan, was the venue of the "dahi-handi" at Shivaji Park, Dadar where I stood for more than an hour witnessing the 4-5 different groups that attempted to break the "dahi-handi". The entire atmosphere was electrifyingly chaotic.. the roaring sound of the drums, the deafeningly loud music..
Amongst the different groups that I witnessed, I couldnt help but remember Aditi. Every successful team was invited on the stage to receive their prize. Aditi belonged to one such successful team - she had reached the top of the human pyramid and broken the handi.
She was called on stage, and asked -
"Hi, little girl, what's your name?"
-"Aditi Nilesh Dhande!"
"In which class do you study?"
-"In class 2."
"How many days have you been training? For training, did you bunk your school? Which school do you go to?"
-"We have been training for the last one month. No, I didnt bunk school. My school is..."
"Aditi, you were atop a 7-storeyed human pyramid? Did you not have any fear at that height?"
-"No!"
"Why?"
-"Because my dad was at the 2nd level in our pyramid. If I had fallen, I knew he would catch me, so why should I be afraid."
Fear.. in absence of fear, is there any limit to what we can achieve.. and there again, each person has his or her own reason of not knowing fear..
And if for some reason, in event of the fear coming true, all you need is someone to take care of you.
***************************************************************
It was a Sunday August afternoon when I heard Rishi's booming voice in the client office.
"Hey dude! Do you never go home and stay away from office?"
Rishi was part of the marketing team of our client. He was working on some assignment which is why even he was in office on a Sunday.
-"Nothing much. You tell me, what do you need?"Having given him what he wanted, I closed my shop for the day and headed back to the guest house.
The client office was located in one of the corporate parks in Gurgaon that housed more than 15 companies. It being a Sunday, there werent too many people around. It has been quite some time since I had left from office during daylight...
I walked outside the gate of the corporate park, towards an open ground that served as a parking lot for the corporate park. There was a cycle stand on one side, adjacent to which was the area for bikes. The rest of the parking was assigned for cars, and was almost empty.
Usually, you would find around three of four security guards manning this parking lot.. today, there were almost ten or twelve of them.. as I approached, all of them suddenly became conscious of my presence..
I smiled at Jatinder - daily he would wish me "Good morning Sir" as he handed me my visitors' card as I entered office in the morning.
"Hi Jatinder! What's happening here today? Anything special?"
-"कुछ नहीं सर! हम लोग तो बस ऐसे ही.. आप भी देखो.."
I stood aside, watching what these gentlemen were upto.
Around 25-30 yards away, there was a soliary black Atlas goldline cycle parked on its stand.
One of the security guards in his iron-clad uniform with thick heavy black boots, sprinted across the distance, and then jumped over the parked cycle in a nice, easy manner.
He sailed over the cycle, and landed on the other side, and looked behind with a beaming smile - he received a thunderous applause from all the other fellows watching him.
Coincidentally the Olympics were happening in Beijing, while these guys were enjoying their very own desi version of a high jump.
In their otherwise mundane lives, these guys were finding their own sweet little happiness. 'finding' doesnt exactly fit the description - these guys were not finding their happiness, they were 'living' it.
***************************************************************
On the last Friday of September, I received an email confirming my registration for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009. The half marathon was on January 18. And I was extremely happy to see that email. In my otherwise mundane, routine life, this was something different, something that I liked.
That day itself, I heard the advertisement of the Delhi Half Marathon on the radio,
"बचपन में खुशी थी.. हर बात पर दौडने की..आओ.. दौडे.."This marathon was scheduled on November 9.. and I immediately registered online for the same.
An adventurous thought then struck my mind. The Pune Marathon generally takes place in December.
November, December & January - 3 half marathons in 3 consecutive months!
Now, that would certainly be a challenge worth doing or trying!
I had never attempted anything like this ever before.
Infact, I was asking myself - what had I done before?
February 2007 - Tampa, Florida - 15 km - 96 minutes.
January 2008 - Mumbai, Maharashtra - 21km (half marathon) - 2 hours, 48 minutes.
3 half marathons in 3 consecutive half marathons - there was definitely no harm in trying, nevertheless it did prompt me to do a self SWOT analysis.
Strength: that would certainly be 'endurance'.
At Tampa, my friends, Anshuman, Praveen and Santanu used to call me ’दानव’.
Every evening, we used to go to Mcfarlin Park where we used to play cricket for 1-1.30 hours, followed by another 1-1.30 hours of tennis. And once in a while, I would also indulge in running 2-3 laps on the 1.1 mile jogging track in that community park.
Infact, when I ran the 15km at Tampa, the stamina was pretty good. However, when I had run in Mumbai this year, my 'endurance' had helped me in a big way to finish the 21km race.
Weaknesses: the ligament behind the right knee and stamina
The less said about my stamina, the better.
After the Mumbai half marathon in January, the ligament behind the right knee used to hurt for almost 3-4 months - not everyday, but only after climbing the Law college hill, and jogging on the hill for more than 30 minutes or so..
I was afraid that the ligament would hurt when I went on the Valley of Flowers trek in August, but thankfully, nothing like that happened.
Opportunity: motivation/challenge and timing improvement
I must complete at least 2 of the 3 half marathons.. rather, I must complete all three..
the last time in Mumbai, it took me almost 2 hours and 48 minutes.. this time around, I must complete at least one of them in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes..
Threats: laziness and recovery time
I have started jogging since Monday, September 29.. wake up at 6 every morning, and go for a daily jog.. I have missed only a few days in between when I had gone on vacation to Manali & Rohtang Pass.. its the 9th of October, and I have exactly 31 days left for Delhi Half Marathon.. every morning, it takes me a huge effort to actually wake up, get out of bed, and go for the daily run.. I need to shrug off my laziness, run everyday and increase my stamina.. and more importantly, I need to recover well in time, after completing one half marathon so that I can run the next one..
As I run, I look eastwards at the morning sun..
Every step that I run, I keep telling myself "no pain"..
आंधियों से झगड रही हैं लौ मेरी..
अब मशालों सी बढ रही हैं लौ मेरी..
नामो निशान.. रहे ना रहे..
यह कारवां.. रहे ना रहे..
उजाले मैं पी गया..
रौशन हुआ जी गया..
क्यों सहते रहे..
रुबरु.. रौशनी....
The next 31 days.. I need to practice everyday.. need to control my diet..
As the Australian cricketer Michael Clarke, once said,
"the pain of discipline is preferable to the pain of disappointment"..
There's a hell lot of fun and incredible pain when you run 21km.
After a while, you feel like stopping and quitting midway.
That's when, DJ says "after the body reaches its limit, the mind takes control over the body"..
When that happened while running in Mumbai, I remembered Sylvester Stallone from Rocky..
while preparing for his boxing match, he was running in the streets of Philadelphia, and had run atop the stairs of the Musuem of Art with the soundtrack playing "Gonna fly now" in the background..
The "Eye of the tiger" from the same Rocky had inspired me a great deal..
as much as I endured all the pain, I kept telling myself just like Rocky with every stride, "no pain.. no pain.."
A lot of times, I face self doubts.. will I be able to complete this.. that's when I remember the old Rocky telling his son who had lost his own confidence..
I'd hold you up to say to your mother, "this kid's gonna be the best kid in the world. This kid's gonna be somebody better than anybody I ever knew." And you grew up good and wonderful. It was great just watching you, every day was like a privilige. Then the time come for you to be your own man and take on the world, and you did. But somewhere along the line, you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you're no good. And when things got hard, you started looking for something to blame, like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that! I'm always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You're my son and you're my blood. You're the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain't gonna have a life. Don't forget to visit your mother.
I have 31 days left for me..
Like Aditi, I wish to have no fear and scale new heights..
Like the security guard, I want to 'live' my happiness..
Like Rocky, I want to keep telling myself 'no pain' and raise both my arms towards the sky as I cross the finish line of the marathon..
I wake every morning at 5.45 before the alarm thats supposed to go off at 5.55.. and I hit the ground.. listening to the music.. breathing the early morning fresh air.. watching the gardeners watering the flower beds.. smile at the kids waiting for their school bus.. and tell myself with every step..
तुझमें अगर प्यास हैं..
बारिश का घर भी पास हैं..
रोके तुझे कोई क्यों भला..
संग संग तेरे आकाश हैं..तु धूप हैं.. छम से बिखर..
तु हैं नदी.. ओ बेखबर..
बह चल कहीं.. उड चल कहीं..
दिल खुश जहां... तेरी तो मंज़िल हैं वहीं...
as the guitar strings hit the crescendo, my pace increases too..
and I keep telling myself with every breath that I take..
"No Pain"..."No Pain"...
~ I completed the Delhi half marathon on Sunday, November 9, 2008 in 3 hours, 6 mins.. i wish i had done it faster.. but i had plenty of excuses.. lack of practice (after writing this post, i jogged not more than 5 or 6 times in the remaining 31 days).. laziness.. sweets during Diwali :D
nevertheless, the recovery was much better than i expected it to be.. I then completed the 10km in Pune on Sunday, December 7, 2008 in 1 hour, 20 mins.. followed by Mumbai half marathon on Sunday, January 18, 2009 that was completed in 3 hours. You can read about my 2009 Mumbai half marathon here in marathi.
The threat of laziness still rules, but the desire and motivation to complete a half marathon in less than 2 hours, 30 minutes encourages me to attempt 3 half marathons in 3 consecutive months yet again.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
"make believe" to "make.believe"
"make believe"... a thought that has been on my mind since the last couple of days... after I watched a couple of movies on tv..
"Interstate 60" - the movie talks about a hypothetical & imaginary I-60 (Interstate is US equivalent of expressways).. a 22 year old guy called Neal finds himself driving on the I-60 to find answers to the Qs he has for himself in his life.. his experiences on the drive help him identify those answers as he awakens from the dream..
"Jakob the liar" - with a background similar to "Life is beautiful"and yet quite different.. it talks about a polish chap called Jakob living in a Jewish ghetto governed by the Germans during WW-II.. Jakob apparently gets caught in a world of lies about him having a radio & listening to the BBC news - something forbidden by the Germans - he fabricates news stories that the Allies (Russians) are advancing and will overthrow the Germans soon.. thus giving hope to the Polish Jews who are waiting to be sent to concentration camps where they'll eventually die..
Was just wondering if we continue to live in a "make believe" world .. we lead a life full of illusions, dreams, aspirations, hope.. and wake up rudely every morning to face reality day in & day out..
My wavering mind was fixated on the words "make believe".. when I remembered that sony uses these very words in its new tag line.. and I wondered why would they use a phrase that suggests something that they might not want to associate their brand with.. and then realized that they have put a "." in between "make" and "believe".
Read more about what they say officially about this tag line:
http://www.sony-asia.com/pressrelease/asset/339863/section/regionalpressreleases
A single dot "." that unites those dreams, aspirations & hope with the action & realization.
I tell myself - just connect the dot - simple, isn't it?
life.is.funny
"Interstate 60" - the movie talks about a hypothetical & imaginary I-60 (Interstate is US equivalent of expressways).. a 22 year old guy called Neal finds himself driving on the I-60 to find answers to the Qs he has for himself in his life.. his experiences on the drive help him identify those answers as he awakens from the dream..
"Jakob the liar" - with a background similar to "Life is beautiful"and yet quite different.. it talks about a polish chap called Jakob living in a Jewish ghetto governed by the Germans during WW-II.. Jakob apparently gets caught in a world of lies about him having a radio & listening to the BBC news - something forbidden by the Germans - he fabricates news stories that the Allies (Russians) are advancing and will overthrow the Germans soon.. thus giving hope to the Polish Jews who are waiting to be sent to concentration camps where they'll eventually die..
Was just wondering if we continue to live in a "make believe" world .. we lead a life full of illusions, dreams, aspirations, hope.. and wake up rudely every morning to face reality day in & day out..
My wavering mind was fixated on the words "make believe".. when I remembered that sony uses these very words in its new tag line.. and I wondered why would they use a phrase that suggests something that they might not want to associate their brand with.. and then realized that they have put a "." in between "make" and "believe".
Read more about what they say officially about this tag line:
http://www.sony-asia.com/pressrelease/asset/339863/section/regionalpressreleases
A single dot "." that unites those dreams, aspirations & hope with the action & realization.
I tell myself - just connect the dot - simple, isn't it?
life.is.funny
Monday, March 30, 2009
If only... perhaps...
The VCD lay unopened for quite a few days.. in fact, months... finally, managed to watch it on a lazy Saturday afternoon...
कदाचित (if only.. perhaps..)
A Marathi movie.. I was watching one after a long time.. quite a different tale.. as opposed to the usual stuff dished out in the Marathi film industry.. and hopefully not lifted from any Hindi or English movie either..
The central character is a well established neuro-surgeon - an extremely intelligent and confident lady - who's aware of how good she is and makes no qualms in acknowledging it as well. Her self-confidence and strong belief in herself is what gives her immense strength.
All is well till the fateful day when her biological father comes back in her life. Years ago, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for his wife's murder - the testimony of the daughter being the evidence that tilted the judgement against him.
And the father comes back to reveal the truth - that the highly intelligent and razor sharp daughter had unusually faulted. And he was actually innocent.
Her life crumbles all around her, as she suspects her own judgement, her own intelligence. Was she wrong? Did her own father suffer because of her own mistake? As she gathers evidence, she realized that probably.. she indeed made a mistake...
The outcome is as expected - from the highs of confidence she falls into the depths of depression...
Ever observed your own shadow?
Your shadow is actually an image of your own personality - your belief system is the light shining behind you that creates that shadow.
As long as your belief is strong, the shadow is clear and full... and it stays with you always to keep you aware of your own presence..
As the light becomes weaker, the shadow fades away into an emptiness... an emptiness that dares to dissolve you into nothingness...
No wonder, the challenge for the lady remains.. can she revive that light of her own belief to keep her shadow alive...
If only.. perhaps.. she were right that fateful day as she had always been...
~ Quite ironically, I decided to write about a Marathi movie in English; while I have written about English movies on my Marathi blog...paradoxical, I say.. but then, c'est la vie..
कदाचित (if only.. perhaps..)
A Marathi movie.. I was watching one after a long time.. quite a different tale.. as opposed to the usual stuff dished out in the Marathi film industry.. and hopefully not lifted from any Hindi or English movie either..
The central character is a well established neuro-surgeon - an extremely intelligent and confident lady - who's aware of how good she is and makes no qualms in acknowledging it as well. Her self-confidence and strong belief in herself is what gives her immense strength.
All is well till the fateful day when her biological father comes back in her life. Years ago, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for his wife's murder - the testimony of the daughter being the evidence that tilted the judgement against him.
And the father comes back to reveal the truth - that the highly intelligent and razor sharp daughter had unusually faulted. And he was actually innocent.
Her life crumbles all around her, as she suspects her own judgement, her own intelligence. Was she wrong? Did her own father suffer because of her own mistake? As she gathers evidence, she realized that probably.. she indeed made a mistake...
The outcome is as expected - from the highs of confidence she falls into the depths of depression...
Ever observed your own shadow?
Your shadow is actually an image of your own personality - your belief system is the light shining behind you that creates that shadow.
As long as your belief is strong, the shadow is clear and full... and it stays with you always to keep you aware of your own presence..
As the light becomes weaker, the shadow fades away into an emptiness... an emptiness that dares to dissolve you into nothingness...
No wonder, the challenge for the lady remains.. can she revive that light of her own belief to keep her shadow alive...
If only.. perhaps.. she were right that fateful day as she had always been...
~ Quite ironically, I decided to write about a Marathi movie in English; while I have written about English movies on my Marathi blog...paradoxical, I say.. but then, c'est la vie..
Friday, January 30, 2009
Rivalry
Remember that last epic marathon match between these two?
The Wimbledon final of 2008, which many say has been the greatest final ever played on Center Court, and few or probably none would choose to disagree.
A lot of water has flown under the bridge since last July. The Emperor has been dethroned by the King. Call it fate or luck - but the two have not met since - neither at the US Open, nor at the season ending Shanghai Masters.
As the new year unfolds, as the first major of the year culminates tomorrow - the two gladiators wait behind the gates of the Colloseum, brandishing their swords, pumping their fists, getting ready for their first duel in seven months.
While Roger possibly faces self-doubts on whether he can beat Rafa who enjoys a 12-6 head-to-head advantage and more importantly, who beat him in that Wimbledon final; Nadal faces the enormous challenge of pulling himself up - physically as well as mentally - after that nerve sapping semi-final against Verdasco.
It is also the first time in the final of a major that Rafa is seeded first while Roger is seeded second. I am not sure but I am guessing that while all the 5 majors won by Rafa have come when he was seeded second, Roger has won all of his 13 majors while being seeded first (need to confirm this). But this would probably be the last thing on the minds of the two of them.
I for one, can hardly wait till tomorrow's final. Just putting together a few links to some interesting articles, posts on one of the greatest rivalries of all time in the world of tennis. Any guesses who I predict to win? - Well, none other than RF in 4 sets. Let's wait till tomorrow. Till then, enjoy reading these...
Peter Bodo, in TennisWorld on the rivalry
http://tennisworld.typepad.com/tennisworld/2009/01/tj.html
Sampras least expecting his record to be threatened
http://www.tennis.com/tournaments/2009/australianopen/australianopen.aspx?id=162342
A Nadal fan predicting his win
http://tennisworld.typepad.com/thewrap/2009/01/oz-the-duel-goe.html
Federer's tryst with the Australian Open
http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/tennis/federer-with-all-due-respect/2009/01/30/1232818732483.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Complete head-to-head match summaries between the two rivals on the official ATP website http://www.atpworldtour.com/1/en/news/newsarticle_1967.asp
...and...
Can Federer regain the numero uno spot again?
In history, only one man called Ivan Lendl has been able to do that.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/5/en/deuce/january2009/federer.asp
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Flowers at Kamakura
A bud blossoms.
Into a bright pink-red flower.
Oblivious to the grey-white surroundings.
Small dark green leaves offer support or company.
A few Japanese characters appear blurred in the background.
Who knows?
What will be life of this flower?
And what does tomorrow hold for the bud that has not blossomed?
Is it a bunch of wild flowers & buds on a stem?
Or a bunch of garden flowers & buds on a stem?
What difference does it make?
Nothing.
Our lives continue.
Their lives continue too.
Yet, two solitary moments remain frozen in time.
The moment that captured their life in this picture.
And the moment that opened this picture in our's.
Frozen colors that appear so vibrant.
Frozen buds that appear so hopeful.
Frozen leaves & frozen flowers that appear so lively.
Frozen thoughts that convey so much.
And as happens always.. life moves on...silently..
Into a bright pink-red flower.
Oblivious to the grey-white surroundings.
Small dark green leaves offer support or company.
A few Japanese characters appear blurred in the background.
Who knows?
What will be life of this flower?
And what does tomorrow hold for the bud that has not blossomed?
Is it a bunch of wild flowers & buds on a stem?
Or a bunch of garden flowers & buds on a stem?
What difference does it make?
Nothing.
Our lives continue.
Their lives continue too.
Yet, two solitary moments remain frozen in time.
The moment that captured their life in this picture.
And the moment that opened this picture in our's.
Frozen colors that appear so vibrant.
Frozen buds that appear so hopeful.
Frozen leaves & frozen flowers that appear so lively.
Frozen thoughts that convey so much.
And as happens always.. life moves on...silently..
~ A few thoughts penned after watching a nice picture.
Source of the picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/toshio1/188998382
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Life in a... Metro.. with some chai..
~A few thoughts penned after watching the movie "Life in a Metro"
Its the month of March. The mercury's already gone over 37degC in Pune. But today's a different day. The skies are grey the whole a'noon - looks like it would rain anytime - a welcome shower in this heat. I stand in my balcony, holding on to my cup of strong adrak chai. The cool evening breeze carries the sweet smell of the earth - I wonder is there any appropriate word in English that describes "soundhi" so beautifully.
And then I wonder about Life in a Metro.
They say, movies usually depict life in real. How much does this movie actually represent? I have no statistics or real life examples that come to my mind. Maybe it does, maybe it does not.
Are relationships in today's metro really so complicated?
Isnt it an eternal conflict - the head versus the heart.
What I should do versus what I want to do.
The heart speaks first.
Isnt that why Shruti (Konkona), the 28 year old virgin, lets go off herself in the end - she couldnt infinitely wait for her 'perfect man' - he doesnt exist until she actually gives it a try - the head made her wait for so long, finally she listened to her heart.
The head gets defensive. What about Shruti's very own sister, Mrs Ranjeet, er.. Shikha (Shilpa Shetty)? Had she listened to her heart, she would not have stayed on with Ranjeet (K K Menon), but she would have rather gone on with Akash (Shiney).
Is the heart really so selfish?
The heart cant bear all this abuse.
It retorts angrily. What about Rahul (Sharman Joshi)?
He listened to his smart head, didnt care two hoots about any morals or principles, and just found new ways to make money. Finally, when he realised that he was sacrificing his love, he listened to me, his heart, and gave everything up! It wasnt just his bag that lay scattered on the railway platform - it was his life. And thankfully, Neha (Kangana) realised it too. Thats why she came to him.
The head cant stop laughing.
It was because of you, my dear heart, that Neha fell in love with her boyfriend, and then got ditched. Then she listened to me and got into the relationship with Ranjeet - both were happy in life until you decided to meddle in her life again. She was getting promotions & perks, he was getting sex - their mutually exclusive needs were being fulfilled - but you couldnt see that happen, could you? Thats why you made her ask for more out of that relationship. You made her attempt suicide - has she listened to just me, her head, she would have never been that unhappy in her life.
What about Ranjeet then, asked the heart.
You will never understand him, chuckled the head - his head & his heart lie in his loins - I wonder if he ever listens to us.
The heart suddenly remembered Amol (Dharmendra) & Shivani (Nafisa Ali) and exclaimed that love finally conquers all obstacles. He listened to his head in his youth - but towards the end - he realised his folly. After so many years, the two of them reignited their love & feelings for each other & became happy.
What about Monty (Irfan Khan) then, asked the heart?
Yeah, what about him, retorted the head.
He is a simpleton who gives simple answers to all questions in life.
Want to vent out your anger, just shout at the top of your voice.
Want to give love a chance, just go ahead, fall in love.
So, what do you do in the end?
Listen to the head or your heart?
Or wait for your head to permit your heart to make decisions for you?
With my eyes closed, I hold out out my hand to catch some of those raindrops on my palm. I feel mesmerized with that mitti ki soundhi-soundhi khushboo.
And I continue to sip my favorite adrak wali chai.
Its the month of March. The mercury's already gone over 37degC in Pune. But today's a different day. The skies are grey the whole a'noon - looks like it would rain anytime - a welcome shower in this heat. I stand in my balcony, holding on to my cup of strong adrak chai. The cool evening breeze carries the sweet smell of the earth - I wonder is there any appropriate word in English that describes "soundhi" so beautifully.
And then I wonder about Life in a Metro.
They say, movies usually depict life in real. How much does this movie actually represent? I have no statistics or real life examples that come to my mind. Maybe it does, maybe it does not.
Are relationships in today's metro really so complicated?
Rishtey to nahin, rishton ki parchaiyaan miley..All this while, its the head that is talking.
Yeh kaisi bheed hain..
Bas yahaan! Tanhaiyaan miley...
Isnt it an eternal conflict - the head versus the heart.
What I should do versus what I want to do.
The heart speaks first.
Isnt that why Shruti (Konkona), the 28 year old virgin, lets go off herself in the end - she couldnt infinitely wait for her 'perfect man' - he doesnt exist until she actually gives it a try - the head made her wait for so long, finally she listened to her heart.
The head gets defensive. What about Shruti's very own sister, Mrs Ranjeet, er.. Shikha (Shilpa Shetty)? Had she listened to her heart, she would not have stayed on with Ranjeet (K K Menon), but she would have rather gone on with Akash (Shiney).
Is the heart really so selfish?
Dil khudgarz haiWhy does she not choose Akash over Ranjeet? Is it because Akash is a loser in life? Is it because of societal norms? Is it because she & Ranjeet have been married for 9 years, have a 6 year old daughter - and she cant imagine herself leaving all this for the sake of a love which is not more than 4-5 weeks old, and which has not withstood any real test of time?
Phisla hai yeh, phir haath se...
Kal uskaa rahaa,
Ab hai teraa.. is raat se..
The heart cant bear all this abuse.
It retorts angrily. What about Rahul (Sharman Joshi)?
He listened to his smart head, didnt care two hoots about any morals or principles, and just found new ways to make money. Finally, when he realised that he was sacrificing his love, he listened to me, his heart, and gave everything up! It wasnt just his bag that lay scattered on the railway platform - it was his life. And thankfully, Neha (Kangana) realised it too. Thats why she came to him.
The head cant stop laughing.
It was because of you, my dear heart, that Neha fell in love with her boyfriend, and then got ditched. Then she listened to me and got into the relationship with Ranjeet - both were happy in life until you decided to meddle in her life again. She was getting promotions & perks, he was getting sex - their mutually exclusive needs were being fulfilled - but you couldnt see that happen, could you? Thats why you made her ask for more out of that relationship. You made her attempt suicide - has she listened to just me, her head, she would have never been that unhappy in her life.
What about Ranjeet then, asked the heart.
You will never understand him, chuckled the head - his head & his heart lie in his loins - I wonder if he ever listens to us.
The heart suddenly remembered Amol (Dharmendra) & Shivani (Nafisa Ali) and exclaimed that love finally conquers all obstacles. He listened to his head in his youth - but towards the end - he realised his folly. After so many years, the two of them reignited their love & feelings for each other & became happy.
Baatein kuch ankahee si, kuch ansooni si hone lagi..You are crazy! shouted the head. Had Amol listened to you in his youth, he would have ended up being a loser in life like Akash. It is only after you become old & senile, you end up doing insane things and not care about the consquences - coz anyway, there's not much left in life to lose.
Kaaboo dil pe raha na, hasti hamaari khone lagi..
Shayad yahi hai pyaar...
What about Monty (Irfan Khan) then, asked the heart?
Yeah, what about him, retorted the head.
He is a simpleton who gives simple answers to all questions in life.
Want to vent out your anger, just shout at the top of your voice.
Want to give love a chance, just go ahead, fall in love.
So, what do you do in the end?
Listen to the head or your heart?
Or wait for your head to permit your heart to make decisions for you?
In dino... dil meraa.. mujh se hai keh rahaa..I watch the small raindrops fall pitter-patter on the ground below.
Tu.. khwaab sajaa...
Hai, tujhe bhi ijaazat..
kar le.. tu bhi..muhabbat..
With my eyes closed, I hold out out my hand to catch some of those raindrops on my palm. I feel mesmerized with that mitti ki soundhi-soundhi khushboo.
And I continue to sip my favorite adrak wali chai.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Kal kya hogaa?
Ever seen a batsman bend his back more majestically?Starting the day at 297/6 with Dhoni & Pathan at the crease, India got bowled out by Australia for 330 - 4 wickets fell shockingly for just 2 runs - way too short of a 400-450+ total that seemed quite possible y'day when Dravid (93) and Tendulkar (71) were batting.
Australia were then reduced to 61/5 by a fiery opening spell from Pathan, RP and Ishant Sharma (they probably missed the services of Hayden much more than they could have imagined) before Symonds(66) and Gilchrist (55) combined forces to forge a 102-run partnership and restore some pride for the team that is seeking its record-breaking 17th test win on the trot.
A brilliant spell by RP Singh & Anil Kumble (who picked up his 600th wicket in the form of Symonds) ensured that the Australian tail did not wag much after the departure of the attacking duo, and the Aussie first innings folded for a mere 212. When was the last time that such a thing happened?
India now has a lead of 118 runs.
At draw of stumps on Day 2, they find themselves at 52/1 with Viru unbeaten on 29.
Three days remain in the 3rd test of this series, in which Australia leads 2-0.
Aage kya hogaa? A result is obviously in store.
Will India script a win and stop the Aussie victory run yet again?
Will Australian seamers fire back at the Indian batting line-up??
What should be India's target for the 2nd innings? Do you think they can make 300 or 350 or even more? Will SRT fire one more time at this venue?
What will be Australia's game plan? Will Brett Lee spit fire? Will Shaun Tait prove not to be a dud?
Will Ponting and his men still continue to wear the garb of sportsmanship?
Will Kumble and his team not succumb to the pressure of being in the driver's seat?
Its all happening down under. At WACA. At Perth. Probably, the wind is blowing either too hard, or it has changed direction.
Only time will tell...ki kal kya hogaa...
Australia were then reduced to 61/5 by a fiery opening spell from Pathan, RP and Ishant Sharma (they probably missed the services of Hayden much more than they could have imagined) before Symonds(66) and Gilchrist (55) combined forces to forge a 102-run partnership and restore some pride for the team that is seeking its record-breaking 17th test win on the trot.
A brilliant spell by RP Singh & Anil Kumble (who picked up his 600th wicket in the form of Symonds) ensured that the Australian tail did not wag much after the departure of the attacking duo, and the Aussie first innings folded for a mere 212. When was the last time that such a thing happened?
India now has a lead of 118 runs.
At draw of stumps on Day 2, they find themselves at 52/1 with Viru unbeaten on 29.
Three days remain in the 3rd test of this series, in which Australia leads 2-0.
Aage kya hogaa? A result is obviously in store.
Will India script a win and stop the Aussie victory run yet again?
Will Australian seamers fire back at the Indian batting line-up??
What should be India's target for the 2nd innings? Do you think they can make 300 or 350 or even more? Will SRT fire one more time at this venue?
What will be Australia's game plan? Will Brett Lee spit fire? Will Shaun Tait prove not to be a dud?
Will Ponting and his men still continue to wear the garb of sportsmanship?
Will Kumble and his team not succumb to the pressure of being in the driver's seat?
Its all happening down under. At WACA. At Perth. Probably, the wind is blowing either too hard, or it has changed direction.
Only time will tell...ki kal kya hogaa...
~ My feeble attempt at being a cricket reporter.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
When V Met
U n I - two different individuals, as different as the proverbial chalk n cheese.
U - the ever talkative, ever smiling, ever enthusiastic, ever crazy gal.
Me - the ever silent, ever brooding, ever boring, ever serious guy.
And one fine day, V met on a train.
The train was a metaphor for life - I had no clue where it was headed, I had no ticket and I desperately wanted to get off it.
Whereas, U were one who never missed catching your train, U knew where U wanted to go, U knew what U wanted to do.
And when I got off my train, U left the train too. And came with me.
It was destiny that our paths crossed. Destiny, they say, is a matter of choice than chance. Is it?
I dont know, but what I know is this -
when V met, U showed me the way.
U were the leader and I became your follower.
हम जो चलने लगे,
चलने लगे हैं यह रास्तें,
मंज़िल से बहतर,
लगने लगे हैं यह रास्तें...
आओ, खो जाये हम,
हो जाये हम युं लापता,
आओ, मिलो चलें,
जाना कहां ना हो पता...
During our journey together, I was simply floored by you.
I was amazed by U, amazed coz U were crazy and did simply whatever that came to your mind, or should I say your heart.
I envied U, envied U coz U loved yourself so much.
I loved U, loved U coz U were in love.
U showed me that when a person is in love, it shows.
U were so colorful, so happy.
And U looked so forward to meeting your love.
हां, हैं कोई तो वजह,
जो जीने का मज़ा युं आने लगा,
यह हवाओं में हैं क्या,
थोडासा जो नशा जो छाने लगा..
पुछो ना पुछो, मुझे क्या हुआ हैं,
तेरी राहों में आकर,
पुछो ना पुछो, मुझे क्या मिलेगा,
तेरी बाहो में आकर..
यह इश्क हाये,
बैठे-बिठाये, जन्नत दिखाये हां..
Until I met U, my life appeared to be completely shattered.
But U showed me the way. I argued with U that life cannot be led the way U led it - U have to be serious in life - and I was stumped when U posed me this Q,
"U were serious, weren't u? Then why did this happen to U?"
I had no answer.
But after meeting U, I turned over a new leaf. Whenever I faced a problem, a crisis, a challenge, I put on Ur thinking hat, I put myself in Ur shoes and asked myself how would U react, what would U do. And I did just what U would do.
And I became happy. And succesful.
Even in Ur absence, U became a part of me, my thoughts, my life.
ना हैं यह पाना,
ना खोना ही हैं,
तेरा ना होना जाने,
क्यों होना ही हैं..
तुमसे ही दिन होता हैं,
सुरमयी शाम आती हैं,
तुमसे ही, तुमसे ही..
हर घडी सांस आती हैं,
ज़िन्दगी कहलाती हैं,
तुमसे ही, तुमसे ही..
And then, destiny played its part again - your love realised his love for you, and came back to you with open arms. U looked at me; confused; torn between two loves; not sure which path to take; whom to choose as your life partner.
Two people should get married only if both of them are in love with each other - both of us knew this.
And I walked away, for your happiness...
Maybe, you realised at that moment of separation that U were missing a train; missing a journey of life that both of us could enjoy together;
and maybe you didnt want to miss this train...
... and you came running towards me... and I reached out for U...
that's Jab V Met...
U - the ever talkative, ever smiling, ever enthusiastic, ever crazy gal.
Me - the ever silent, ever brooding, ever boring, ever serious guy.
And one fine day, V met on a train.
The train was a metaphor for life - I had no clue where it was headed, I had no ticket and I desperately wanted to get off it.
Whereas, U were one who never missed catching your train, U knew where U wanted to go, U knew what U wanted to do.
And when I got off my train, U left the train too. And came with me.
It was destiny that our paths crossed. Destiny, they say, is a matter of choice than chance. Is it?
I dont know, but what I know is this -
when V met, U showed me the way.
U were the leader and I became your follower.
हम जो चलने लगे,
चलने लगे हैं यह रास्तें,
मंज़िल से बहतर,
लगने लगे हैं यह रास्तें...
आओ, खो जाये हम,
हो जाये हम युं लापता,
आओ, मिलो चलें,
जाना कहां ना हो पता...
During our journey together, I was simply floored by you.
I was amazed by U, amazed coz U were crazy and did simply whatever that came to your mind, or should I say your heart.
I envied U, envied U coz U loved yourself so much.
I loved U, loved U coz U were in love.
U showed me that when a person is in love, it shows.
U were so colorful, so happy.
And U looked so forward to meeting your love.
हां, हैं कोई तो वजह,
जो जीने का मज़ा युं आने लगा,
यह हवाओं में हैं क्या,
थोडासा जो नशा जो छाने लगा..
पुछो ना पुछो, मुझे क्या हुआ हैं,
तेरी राहों में आकर,
पुछो ना पुछो, मुझे क्या मिलेगा,
तेरी बाहो में आकर..
यह इश्क हाये,
बैठे-बिठाये, जन्नत दिखाये हां..
Until I met U, my life appeared to be completely shattered.
But U showed me the way. I argued with U that life cannot be led the way U led it - U have to be serious in life - and I was stumped when U posed me this Q,
"U were serious, weren't u? Then why did this happen to U?"
I had no answer.
But after meeting U, I turned over a new leaf. Whenever I faced a problem, a crisis, a challenge, I put on Ur thinking hat, I put myself in Ur shoes and asked myself how would U react, what would U do. And I did just what U would do.
And I became happy. And succesful.
Even in Ur absence, U became a part of me, my thoughts, my life.
ना हैं यह पाना,
ना खोना ही हैं,
तेरा ना होना जाने,
क्यों होना ही हैं..
तुमसे ही दिन होता हैं,
सुरमयी शाम आती हैं,
तुमसे ही, तुमसे ही..
हर घडी सांस आती हैं,
ज़िन्दगी कहलाती हैं,
तुमसे ही, तुमसे ही..
Fate, they say, can be cruel at times. How ironical then, that at the same time when I started living life on the very rules that U defined, U lost faith in yourself. Reality hit hard on U, when your love did not respond the way U wanted it to.
It was then my turn to help U get aboard the train again; albeit at a different station; on a different route. I showed U the mirror - a mirror that helped U look at Ur own reflection of Ur old self. Once we were back on track, U asked me if I loved U; and I could not hide the truth.And then, destiny played its part again - your love realised his love for you, and came back to you with open arms. U looked at me; confused; torn between two loves; not sure which path to take; whom to choose as your life partner.
Two people should get married only if both of them are in love with each other - both of us knew this.
And I walked away, for your happiness...
Maybe, you realised at that moment of separation that U were missing a train; missing a journey of life that both of us could enjoy together;
and maybe you didnt want to miss this train...
... and you came running towards me... and I reached out for U...
that's Jab V Met...
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Whats wrong RF?
Wikipedia defines "inflection point" as follows:
a point (x,y) on a function, f(x), at which the first derivative, f'(x), is at an extremum, i.e. a minimum or maximum. (This is not the same as saying that y is at an extremum).
It follows from the definition that the sign of f'(x) on either side of the point (x,y) must be the same. If this is positive, the point is a rising point of inflection; if it is negative, the point is a falling point of inflection.
Consider these statistics:
2003: 72-16 win-loss record 7 titles 1 major
2004: 74 -6 win-loss record 11 titles 3 majors
2005: 81-4 win-loss record 11 titles 2 majors
2006: 92-5 win-loss record 12 titles 3 majors
2007: 65-9 win-loss record 7 titles 3 majors
Suppose these statistics were given to a statistician or a mathematician. And he or she were asked,
"please build a statistical model that defines RF's career.
please define a function f(x) that traces his career over time.
calculate its first derivative f'(x) that indicates the rate at which f(x) changes, to trace the rate at which his career changes.
and then pray tell me - is the year 2007 the point of inflection in his career?"
Note that the point of inflection could be either a rising or a falling point of inflection.
One look at the statistics and it is evident that 2003 seems to be the rising point of inflection.
(I dont have his win-loss record in 2002, but he won only 3 titles and no majors in that year.)
If we look at the majors, then 2007 certainly does not seem to be a cause for concern.
However, if we look at the win-loss record, or at the drop in the number of titles won in a year, it certainly seems to be either a blip or a falling point of inflection. (I trust a mathematician or a statistician to prove me right or wrong on this one.)
2 consecutive defeats in 2 consecutive matches is a rarity for RF - this last happened 4 and a half years ago, sometime in 2002.
2 consecutive defeats to the same guy - this happened versus Nalbandian in the last few days, and versus Canas in March early this year - twice in 2007 - when did this last happen? 2002? 2001?
Losing a match versus a guy (Fernando Gonzalez) against whom he had a 10-0 overall career record.
Do these factors fit somewhere into that model f(x)?
If someone does come up with that model, I am sure RF's opponents will certainly be interested to find a statistical based way of beating him.
Btw, here's something interesting for RF's opponents - a couple of factors that need to be plugged in the fuction f(X) - these factors could determine your chances of winning against RF in 2007:
1. you know Spanish (Nadal, Canas, Nalbandian, Gonzo all speak Spanish - exceptions are Djokovic and Volandri - but rumour has it that they underwent Spanish learning sessions in secret)
2. you have long hair (all of them have long hair, with the same exceptions again)
Well! I have the inputs/factors/statistics ready at my disposal.
Just waiting for Mr Statistician / Mr Mathematician to conjure function f(x) and tell me if 2007 is the point of inflection for Mr Roger Federer.
Till then, hopefully, RF will return to his winning ways at the season ending Shanghai Masters.
As one Mr Muhammad Ali once famously said,
hopefully, he will once again dance like a butterfly and sting like a bee.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Deux frères and a Goal
Deux frères - Two brothers. Twins - one shy and gentle, the other bold and fierce. Separated in their early childhood. Grow up in different environments. The bold brother gets confined to a maverick life of performing odd tricks to the tunes of his master. The shy brother grows up under a royal patronage that urges him to become a fighter.
And one day, the two brother find themselves pitted against each other - to fight until death.
What an irony of fate!
Seems like the story of Manmohan Desai film based on the "lost n found" funda.
Thats where the similarity ends.
The two brothers in question arent Amar, Akbar or Anthony - but they are two tigers - yes, two tigers living somewhere in Cambodia in the 1930s.
One grows up in a circus, learning tricks from the ring master.
The other grows up in the local prince's private zoo.
And when they look into each others' eyes in the fighting arena and realize their relationship, they unite to escape from their caged lives - helping each other on their way to freedom.
No words are spoken between the two brothers - it is just the look in the eyes, the shallow gnarls and loud roars, the majestic walk, the aesthetic acrobatics while jumping over fire, the cuddling and gentle pushes - that impresses you with the love and admiration that the brothers share with each other.
A movie that is certainly very different from the usual stuff that comes on TV. Especially for a person like me who has not yet seen a tiger in the wild - but only on either TV or in zoos.
**********************************************
He is a young man who continues to impress. He is just 3 movies old - and I have liked all three, but my favorite is the second one, which wasnt as commercially successful as his other two.
The movie in the spotlight - Lakshya.
Every time I catch this movie while surfing the TV, I watch it over n over again.
Is it because of the empathy I feel in the helplessness of Karan Shergill who cannot decide what he wants out of his life - deciding to join the army just because his friend wants to - being influenced by the herd mentality - not sure if that is really what he wants.
Is it because he leaves the IMA feeling frustrated with the discipline and hard work that he is not used to, only to come back again since he feels that it is the only way to restore some self-respect and also his fair share of respect from his own father;
Or is it how his relationship with Romi evolves. The moment when they look at each other under the shellings with my favorite song from the movie in the background,
Kyun Poori Ho Na Paayee Daastan...
Kaise Aayee Hain Aisi Dooriyan...
Kitni Baatein Yaad Aati Hain..
Tasverein Si Ban Jaati Hain..
Main Kaise Inhein Bhoolon..
Dil Ko Kya Samjhaon...
Or is it the sublime moment when he realizes what he finally wants in life.
When he sets a goal for himself.
A goal that is not just personally satisfying, but tests his strengths and stretches his limits beyond the farthest. A goal that helps him redefine his relationship with Romi; with his father; and more importantly with himself.
FA's other two movies are fabulous too. But this one stands apart.
A well laid out and taut story; refreshing music by SEL (another favorite of mine); a superlative performance by HR - all others including PZ, AB n others are in supporting roles imho; beautiful cinematography - there are just too many reasons for me to make me watch this movie over n over n over again.
**********************************************
Two movies that I watched recently on TV.
One new, and the other oft repeated.
Loved them. Absolutely.
And one day, the two brother find themselves pitted against each other - to fight until death.
What an irony of fate!
Seems like the story of Manmohan Desai film based on the "lost n found" funda.
Thats where the similarity ends.
The two brothers in question arent Amar, Akbar or Anthony - but they are two tigers - yes, two tigers living somewhere in Cambodia in the 1930s.
One grows up in a circus, learning tricks from the ring master.
The other grows up in the local prince's private zoo.
And when they look into each others' eyes in the fighting arena and realize their relationship, they unite to escape from their caged lives - helping each other on their way to freedom.
No words are spoken between the two brothers - it is just the look in the eyes, the shallow gnarls and loud roars, the majestic walk, the aesthetic acrobatics while jumping over fire, the cuddling and gentle pushes - that impresses you with the love and admiration that the brothers share with each other.
A movie that is certainly very different from the usual stuff that comes on TV. Especially for a person like me who has not yet seen a tiger in the wild - but only on either TV or in zoos.
**********************************************
He is a young man who continues to impress. He is just 3 movies old - and I have liked all three, but my favorite is the second one, which wasnt as commercially successful as his other two.
The movie in the spotlight - Lakshya.
Every time I catch this movie while surfing the TV, I watch it over n over again.
Is it because of the empathy I feel in the helplessness of Karan Shergill who cannot decide what he wants out of his life - deciding to join the army just because his friend wants to - being influenced by the herd mentality - not sure if that is really what he wants.
Is it because he leaves the IMA feeling frustrated with the discipline and hard work that he is not used to, only to come back again since he feels that it is the only way to restore some self-respect and also his fair share of respect from his own father;
Or is it how his relationship with Romi evolves. The moment when they look at each other under the shellings with my favorite song from the movie in the background,
Kyun Poori Ho Na Paayee Daastan...
Kaise Aayee Hain Aisi Dooriyan...
Kitni Baatein Yaad Aati Hain..
Tasverein Si Ban Jaati Hain..
Main Kaise Inhein Bhoolon..
Dil Ko Kya Samjhaon...
Or is it the sublime moment when he realizes what he finally wants in life.
When he sets a goal for himself.
A goal that is not just personally satisfying, but tests his strengths and stretches his limits beyond the farthest. A goal that helps him redefine his relationship with Romi; with his father; and more importantly with himself.
FA's other two movies are fabulous too. But this one stands apart.
A well laid out and taut story; refreshing music by SEL (another favorite of mine); a superlative performance by HR - all others including PZ, AB n others are in supporting roles imho; beautiful cinematography - there are just too many reasons for me to make me watch this movie over n over n over again.
**********************************************
Two movies that I watched recently on TV.
One new, and the other oft repeated.
Loved them. Absolutely.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Les Feuilles Mortes...
Was reading Paulo Coelho's "Like the Flowing River" last week, when I read about a song that was briefly mentioned in one of the stories. A song called "Autumn Leaves"; actually a French song called "Les Feuilles Mortes". Being interested, I googled for it, and found its amazing lyrics (along with its English translation)that I am putting below .
Havent had a chance to hear the song, but yes, I am looking for it now. In the meanwhile, I will just enjoy reading the lyrics...
Les Feuilles Mortes
Lyrics by Jacques Prévert, (1945)
Music by Joseph Kosma, (1945)
Oh! je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes,
Des jours heureux où nous étions amis,
En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle,
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié.
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi.
Et le vent du Nord les emporte,
Dans la nuit froide de l'oubli.
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié
La chanson que tu me chantais...
(Oh! I really hope you remember
Those happy days when we were friends.
In those times life was more beautiful
And the sun brighter than today's.
The dead leaves gather on the rake.
You see, I have not forgotten...
The dead leaves gather on the rake,
As do the memories and the regrets,
And the north wind carries them
Into the oblivion of the cold night.
You see, I have not forgetten
The song that you used to sing to me.)
Refrain
C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais.
Nous vivions tous les deux ensemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais.
Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment,
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit.
Et la mer efface sur le sable,
Les pas des amants désunis.
(It's a song that resembles us.
You, you loved me and I loved you
And we lived together,
You who loved me, I who loved you.
But life separates those who love,
Gently, without making a sound,
And the sea erases from the sand-
The footsteps of separated lovers.)
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle
Sourit toujours et remercie la vie.
Je t'aimais tant, tu étais si jolie.
Comment veux-tu que je t'oublie ?
En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Tu étais ma plus douce amie
Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets
Et la chanson que tu chantais,
Toujours, toujours je l'entendrai !
(The dead leaves gather on the rake
As do the memories and the regrets
But my love, quiet and loyal,
Always smiles and is grateful for life.
I loved you so much, you were so beautiful.
How can you expect me to forget you?
In those times, life was more beautiful
And the sun brighter than today's.
You were my kindest friend
But I only created regrets
And the song that you used to sing,
I hear it always, always...)
Havent had a chance to hear the song, but yes, I am looking for it now. In the meanwhile, I will just enjoy reading the lyrics...
Les Feuilles Mortes
Lyrics by Jacques Prévert, (1945)
Music by Joseph Kosma, (1945)
Oh! je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes,
Des jours heureux où nous étions amis,
En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle,
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié.
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi.
Et le vent du Nord les emporte,
Dans la nuit froide de l'oubli.
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié
La chanson que tu me chantais...
(Oh! I really hope you remember
Those happy days when we were friends.
In those times life was more beautiful
And the sun brighter than today's.
The dead leaves gather on the rake.
You see, I have not forgotten...
The dead leaves gather on the rake,
As do the memories and the regrets,
And the north wind carries them
Into the oblivion of the cold night.
You see, I have not forgetten
The song that you used to sing to me.)
Refrain
C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais.
Nous vivions tous les deux ensemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais.
Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment,
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit.
Et la mer efface sur le sable,
Les pas des amants désunis.
(It's a song that resembles us.
You, you loved me and I loved you
And we lived together,
You who loved me, I who loved you.
But life separates those who love,
Gently, without making a sound,
And the sea erases from the sand-
The footsteps of separated lovers.)
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle
Sourit toujours et remercie la vie.
Je t'aimais tant, tu étais si jolie.
Comment veux-tu que je t'oublie ?
En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Tu étais ma plus douce amie
Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets
Et la chanson que tu chantais,
Toujours, toujours je l'entendrai !
(The dead leaves gather on the rake
As do the memories and the regrets
But my love, quiet and loyal,
Always smiles and is grateful for life.
I loved you so much, you were so beautiful.
How can you expect me to forget you?
In those times, life was more beautiful
And the sun brighter than today's.
You were my kindest friend
But I only created regrets
And the song that you used to sing,
I hear it always, always...)
Monday, July 02, 2007
Interesting people I met...
I look forward to travel. Gives me a great opportunity to meet strangers, talk with them, observe them and if possibly, learn from them. Here's an account of three such very interesting people I met last month.
It was the day of the French Open final. Having slept at 2.30am after a long and tiring day spent in packing my bags & clea'r'ing my apartment in Tampa that I had to vacate, I was looking forward to catching a few winks on my flight to Chicago. Uncharacteristically by my own sleep standards (trust me - I can sleep anywhere, anytime), I was awake 15-20 minutes into the flight. Since I had no intention of reading, the usual bunch of books I carry were tucked up into the cabin bag put safely at the top. Reading the airline magazines in the front pocket isnt exactly my cup of tea, and I was finally relieved when the big burly American gentleman sitting next to me offered me his newspaper to read.
An old retired American chap well into his 60s, he was a jolly old fellow who loved to talk as much as I do. We were then talking for a whole 2 hours on different things ranging from sports, culture, cracking jokes, politics as well as personal stuff!
I was stumped with his amazing sense of humour as well as his good-heartedness; a drunk guy sitting in front of us talked very rudely to the airhostess; and my neighbour called her to tell her,
"Look Anna darling (yeah, he did note her name), I dont care what that gentleman sitting in the front tells you - I know this! You are doing a wonderful job! And we all appreciate it very much!"
When he ran out of his champagne, he would call Anna again, and then hold his throat and enact as if he is going to choke to death if she couldnt refill his glass. This he did atleast a good 3 or 4 times!
I was a little disappointed with myself of not having confirmed my 'vegetarian' meal preference with the airline, and I had to refuse the salmon and the beef options for lunch. My good neighbour then offered me his cookie and requested Anna to give me an extra cookie! And then fooling around with me, he told Anna who brought me the extra cookie, that I ate his cookie :D
Uncle Dan showed me his wife's photograph. She was Japanese and very beautiful. He told me that they had different likes & dislikes. While she loved New York, he hated it. He loved watching football over beer in the evenings, and she would keep nagging on something that bothered her. Yet they loved each other deeply.
They had met in Japan, fallen in love with each other, and she moved with him to the US.
They then moved to Dubai where he ran his business for a good 20 years. And then he sold his business to his Indian partner and came back to lead his retirement life in Florida.
He asked me about my experiences in the US - what did I learn, what did I think aboutt American people in general, and told me that
"Forget the war; an average American is basically good at heart."
He asked me how old i was. I replied I was 28.
And he told me, "Wowww! You are at such a fine age! You can still do so many things at 28. You know what? You wont have such freedom or flexibility in 10 years from now when you become 38. But 28 is such a nice age to be..."
**********************************************************************
The same evening was my flight from Chicago to London. Till the very last minute, I was calling friends across the US to tell them that I am going home for good. Speaking in Hindi/Marathi/English, the lady sitting next to me in the flight was obviously a little perturbed with all the excitement in my voice. Finally, the air hostess came and told me that I had to switch off my phone and the plane was going to leave. Sheepishly, I apologised to her and the lady and switched off my phone.
Her name was Lara. She was a woman in her late 30s. Looking at her, I thought that she was neither a Brit nor an American. Turned out that she was a Russian Jew whose grandparents had immigrated to South Africa during the WW-II. She had done her schooling and college in SA, UK and US; was married an American and was now settled in the UK.
She worked as one of the head honchos for a beer company, and said that she was the best friend for all her friends coz they got free beer from her. I had to admit to her that unfortunately for her or for me, I didnt drink beer. :(
She took a 15 day vacation every year to go home in South Africa; I had heard of the beautiful Garden Route, a 200 km adventure filled drive along the West Coast from Jo'burg to Cape Town, from a colleague at work; and Lara endorsed it saying that I must visit her 'home' country and especially the Garden Route. :)
As we spoke more on the different cultures, she said that she never wanted to stay in the US coz she felt that Americans always considered her as an alien, which surprisingly she didnt find in London.
She asked me if I was married. I said no, and added that in India, I am supposed to be married at this age. Very interestingly, she said that she understood, coz its the same in Jews - even for them, they are bound by tradition to get married at a certain age, have kids at certain age, etc, etc - which she did not do. She went out of the system by marrying an American, but most importantly - she chose to make a decision.
We wished each other luck for the future, and after knowing that I would be spending a week vacationing in London & Scotland, she even recommended me a nice Indian restaurant in London that was her favorite. :-)
************************************************************************
Our Scotland trip had been really very fantastic - it was a family vacation coming after a good 4 years and we had a great time. Amongst the places we visited, I fell in love with Inverness, especially the lovely walk along the River Ness that runs through the small town. The Scottish are very nice people to talk to - their accent is very much different than the English, whose accent is again very, very different from the Americans. Infact, I had much trouble in understanding the English accent - but I loved hearing the Scottish speak in English. And all the Scots I met - at the railway station, at the tourist info desks, at the restaurants and at the hotels - all of them seemed very simple, genuine and happy souls.
Having almost finished our trip, we were waiting for our train in Glasgow, when me n mom decided to do some window shopping. Entering a jewellry shop, mom was looking at something that caught her fancy.
That is where we met Lisa, a 22-23 yr old girl who worked part time in that jewellery shop. She was originally from Dundee in Scotland, had done her schooling and college in Scotland itself - Dundee & Edinburgh and told us that she never wanted to leave Scotland.
This was going to be my gift for mom - she was interested in a pearl set, while I had liked a crystal set. We asked Lisa for her opinion, and being the sales-girl she was, she told us,
"If you like the classic look, go for the pearls. But if you like something more modern, go for the crystal set."
A typical consultant's reply - let the customer make the choice! :D
While mom was making up her mind, I was chatting with Lisa. I asked her how much she knew about gems, pearls & jewellery and if she had undergone some formal training. She surprised me by saying that in her under-grad, she had studied Microbiology, but she realised that she could never pursue that as a career. Using her arms to gesture, she said that looking into the microscope all day long did not fascinate her very much!
Her big eyes became even bigger when she said that what did fascinate her was nursing. She was working currently in summer to earn some money to pay for her tuition, and then come September, she would undergo training to become a professional nurse and then work in some hospital in Scotland itself. She was so content in remaining in her home country or hometown itself.
Needless to say, she was extremely delighted when we ended up buying both the sets :D
************************************************************************
Three people - Uncle Dan, Lara and Lisa - from three different backgrounds, countries and cultures; and standing at three different stages in their lives.
The common thing to each of them was probably that all three of them had taken a decision in their life about what they wanted to do. And they were happy in doing that.
As I remember them today, I cant stop smiling as I also remember the beautiful song sung by 6 year old Connie Talbot on Britain's Got Talent show on TV,
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
It was the day of the French Open final. Having slept at 2.30am after a long and tiring day spent in packing my bags & clea'r'ing my apartment in Tampa that I had to vacate, I was looking forward to catching a few winks on my flight to Chicago. Uncharacteristically by my own sleep standards (trust me - I can sleep anywhere, anytime), I was awake 15-20 minutes into the flight. Since I had no intention of reading, the usual bunch of books I carry were tucked up into the cabin bag put safely at the top. Reading the airline magazines in the front pocket isnt exactly my cup of tea, and I was finally relieved when the big burly American gentleman sitting next to me offered me his newspaper to read.
An old retired American chap well into his 60s, he was a jolly old fellow who loved to talk as much as I do. We were then talking for a whole 2 hours on different things ranging from sports, culture, cracking jokes, politics as well as personal stuff!
I was stumped with his amazing sense of humour as well as his good-heartedness; a drunk guy sitting in front of us talked very rudely to the airhostess; and my neighbour called her to tell her,
"Look Anna darling (yeah, he did note her name), I dont care what that gentleman sitting in the front tells you - I know this! You are doing a wonderful job! And we all appreciate it very much!"
When he ran out of his champagne, he would call Anna again, and then hold his throat and enact as if he is going to choke to death if she couldnt refill his glass. This he did atleast a good 3 or 4 times!
I was a little disappointed with myself of not having confirmed my 'vegetarian' meal preference with the airline, and I had to refuse the salmon and the beef options for lunch. My good neighbour then offered me his cookie and requested Anna to give me an extra cookie! And then fooling around with me, he told Anna who brought me the extra cookie, that I ate his cookie :D
Uncle Dan showed me his wife's photograph. She was Japanese and very beautiful. He told me that they had different likes & dislikes. While she loved New York, he hated it. He loved watching football over beer in the evenings, and she would keep nagging on something that bothered her. Yet they loved each other deeply.
They had met in Japan, fallen in love with each other, and she moved with him to the US.
They then moved to Dubai where he ran his business for a good 20 years. And then he sold his business to his Indian partner and came back to lead his retirement life in Florida.
He asked me about my experiences in the US - what did I learn, what did I think aboutt American people in general, and told me that
"Forget the war; an average American is basically good at heart."
He asked me how old i was. I replied I was 28.
And he told me, "Wowww! You are at such a fine age! You can still do so many things at 28. You know what? You wont have such freedom or flexibility in 10 years from now when you become 38. But 28 is such a nice age to be..."
**********************************************************************
The same evening was my flight from Chicago to London. Till the very last minute, I was calling friends across the US to tell them that I am going home for good. Speaking in Hindi/Marathi/English, the lady sitting next to me in the flight was obviously a little perturbed with all the excitement in my voice. Finally, the air hostess came and told me that I had to switch off my phone and the plane was going to leave. Sheepishly, I apologised to her and the lady and switched off my phone.
Her name was Lara. She was a woman in her late 30s. Looking at her, I thought that she was neither a Brit nor an American. Turned out that she was a Russian Jew whose grandparents had immigrated to South Africa during the WW-II. She had done her schooling and college in SA, UK and US; was married an American and was now settled in the UK.
She worked as one of the head honchos for a beer company, and said that she was the best friend for all her friends coz they got free beer from her. I had to admit to her that unfortunately for her or for me, I didnt drink beer. :(
She took a 15 day vacation every year to go home in South Africa; I had heard of the beautiful Garden Route, a 200 km adventure filled drive along the West Coast from Jo'burg to Cape Town, from a colleague at work; and Lara endorsed it saying that I must visit her 'home' country and especially the Garden Route. :)
As we spoke more on the different cultures, she said that she never wanted to stay in the US coz she felt that Americans always considered her as an alien, which surprisingly she didnt find in London.
She asked me if I was married. I said no, and added that in India, I am supposed to be married at this age. Very interestingly, she said that she understood, coz its the same in Jews - even for them, they are bound by tradition to get married at a certain age, have kids at certain age, etc, etc - which she did not do. She went out of the system by marrying an American, but most importantly - she chose to make a decision.
We wished each other luck for the future, and after knowing that I would be spending a week vacationing in London & Scotland, she even recommended me a nice Indian restaurant in London that was her favorite. :-)
************************************************************************
Our Scotland trip had been really very fantastic - it was a family vacation coming after a good 4 years and we had a great time. Amongst the places we visited, I fell in love with Inverness, especially the lovely walk along the River Ness that runs through the small town. The Scottish are very nice people to talk to - their accent is very much different than the English, whose accent is again very, very different from the Americans. Infact, I had much trouble in understanding the English accent - but I loved hearing the Scottish speak in English. And all the Scots I met - at the railway station, at the tourist info desks, at the restaurants and at the hotels - all of them seemed very simple, genuine and happy souls.
Having almost finished our trip, we were waiting for our train in Glasgow, when me n mom decided to do some window shopping. Entering a jewellry shop, mom was looking at something that caught her fancy.
That is where we met Lisa, a 22-23 yr old girl who worked part time in that jewellery shop. She was originally from Dundee in Scotland, had done her schooling and college in Scotland itself - Dundee & Edinburgh and told us that she never wanted to leave Scotland.
This was going to be my gift for mom - she was interested in a pearl set, while I had liked a crystal set. We asked Lisa for her opinion, and being the sales-girl she was, she told us,
"If you like the classic look, go for the pearls. But if you like something more modern, go for the crystal set."
A typical consultant's reply - let the customer make the choice! :D
While mom was making up her mind, I was chatting with Lisa. I asked her how much she knew about gems, pearls & jewellery and if she had undergone some formal training. She surprised me by saying that in her under-grad, she had studied Microbiology, but she realised that she could never pursue that as a career. Using her arms to gesture, she said that looking into the microscope all day long did not fascinate her very much!
Her big eyes became even bigger when she said that what did fascinate her was nursing. She was working currently in summer to earn some money to pay for her tuition, and then come September, she would undergo training to become a professional nurse and then work in some hospital in Scotland itself. She was so content in remaining in her home country or hometown itself.
Needless to say, she was extremely delighted when we ended up buying both the sets :D
************************************************************************
Three people - Uncle Dan, Lara and Lisa - from three different backgrounds, countries and cultures; and standing at three different stages in their lives.
The common thing to each of them was probably that all three of them had taken a decision in their life about what they wanted to do. And they were happy in doing that.
As I remember them today, I cant stop smiling as I also remember the beautiful song sung by 6 year old Connie Talbot on Britain's Got Talent show on TV,
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
Some day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Happy Birthday Sachin :)
Four years ago, you won the 'Player of the tournament' award in South Africa.
Four years ago, on this very day, Mid-Day celebrated your 30th birthday in style by having the entire newspaper printed with stories, news and articles that revolved around you. Like many of your fans, I bought that copy of Mid-Day and have treasured it to this very day.
Four long years have passed since that summer of 2003.
They say, fate is cruel and time has no mercy on any soul in this world.
Who else, but you yourself have realised it the bitter way.
Today, you have been apparently 'rested' for the Bangladesh tour.
Your birthday this year is covered by an article on page 32 of Mid-Day.
And a photograph on the cover page.
Nevertheless, a birthday is always an occasion to celebrate and be happy.
It is a wonderful gesture from your childhood pal, Vinod.
Four years ago, on this very day, Mid-Day celebrated your 30th birthday in style by having the entire newspaper printed with stories, news and articles that revolved around you. Like many of your fans, I bought that copy of Mid-Day and have treasured it to this very day.
Four long years have passed since that summer of 2003.
They say, fate is cruel and time has no mercy on any soul in this world.
Who else, but you yourself have realised it the bitter way.
Today, you have been apparently 'rested' for the Bangladesh tour.
Your birthday this year is covered by an article on page 32 of Mid-Day.
And a photograph on the cover page.
Nevertheless, a birthday is always an occasion to celebrate and be happy.It is a wonderful gesture from your childhood pal, Vinod.
Here's wishing you many happy returns of the day.
And here's hoping that you emerge stronger from the current misfortune for a final redemption.
Happy Birthday Sachin! :)
The Emperor & The King
The Emperor 3-7 The King
(Overall Head-to-head)
The Emperor 0-5 The King
(Head-to-head on clay)
The Emperor rules the world on all surfaces & conditions - be it hardcourt or grass, indoors or outdoors, except one surface, viz. the red clay. It is the King who is the wizard on this slow surface. Built like a matador, he flexes those biceps bulging out of that sleeveless T every time he hits with that astounding top spin, and then moves effortlessly in those cargo pants almost 6-8 feet behind the baseline to chase every ball sent down, and then rattles the Emperor every time they have faced each other. And the Emperor is not the lone subject in the King's reign on clay - the reign extends supremely over 67 consecutive matches!
5 of those 10 matches between the two of them have been played on clay - 4 of those have been finals along with a solitary semi-final. 2 matches have been played at Roland Garros while the remaining 3 have been at Masters Series events.
In these 5 matches, the Emperor has managed to take only 5 sets while the King has won 14.
All 5 matches have resulted in the King being victorious.
Seems like a one-sided contest, n'est ce pas?
No wonder, Mark Twain famously remarked something about statistics being nothing else but damn lies.
Then consider this fact - out of these 19 sets, 6 have been tie-breakers and another 6 have been decided by a single break of serve. In fact, in the epic 5-setter final (that had 3 tie-breaks) at Rome last year, the Emperor won more points (179 to 174) than the King, yet lost the match.
Just goes to show how close, how tight and how nerve-wracking it gets when these two slug it out in the middle on the red clay.
Just goes to show how much important it is to win those key points.
The 2007 clay season has begun.
These two have shown yet again that they are way ahead of any of their contemporaries by reaching the final of the Masters Series tournament at Monte Carlo last Sunday without dropping a single set.
The final was a contest between the left handed wizard and the right handed genius.
The Emperor opened aggressively, but his forehand, incidentally his biggest weapon, let him down on that day.
The King proceeded to win the final without dropping a set.
The Emperor still has enough time to make amends - the Masters Series at Rome and Hamburg follow suit in May.
The French Open at the end of May and early June is when both the Emperor and the King are likely to cross their swords (or should I say racquets) for the ultimate prize on the slow, red surface.
It is the only major that the Emperor does not have in his prized collection of 10 other majors.
And it is also THE only major that the King has in his kitty.
Both of them have great respect for each other.
When asked about it, the King could not have been more humble or realistic in his reply,
"What can I say about ten Grand Slams against two?"
When it comes to slams, this is the sole difference between the Emperor and the King. Other titles, tournaments and Master Series events will come and go. But nothing more than a slam or a major matters to the Emperor and the King.
This year's French Open may well turn out to be the defining moment in each man's career and the history of the sport of tennis.
Amen!
Monday, April 16, 2007
The pursuit of...
Finally watched a movie this weekend that I had been wanting to watch since last December. It is the story of a middle-aged guy, struggling to make both ends meet, struggling to look after his 5-year old son, struggling to keep his marriage working, struggling to make his mark in life - a few of those struggles end in success, a few in failure - but there's one struggle that is never ending, it is... the pursuit of happyness.
There's a moment of realisation of this particular struggle, in the movie when Chris Gardner, the central character enacted by Will Smith, says
"And it was at that time that I thought about Thomas Jefferson writing that Declaration of Independence. Him saying that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I thought about how he knew to put the 'pursuit' in there, like no one can actually have happiness. We can only pursue it."
Aren't we all pursuing happyness? Can any one of us ever claim that we have found happyness for ever and ever?
Obstacles always arise in our path. It is the belief in ourselves and in our dreams that should always be unwavering, so that we can overcome those obstacles.
Chris' 5-year old boy wants to become a good basketball player, when Chris tells him that he can't be that because his dad always sucked at it as a child. Then realising his mistake, he tells his son,
"Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period."
The saddest moments in life are those when the heart cries silently with no tears in the eyes.
And the happiest moments are those when the heart smiles with no words spoken, and the eyes are filled with tears.
The saddest moment is enacted incredibly well when Will Smith has to spend a night in the restroom of a metro with his son, after they become homeless - he has no money to go anywhere - and he pushes the restroom door with his leg that someone is trying to open, while he holds on to his son sleeping in his arms.
To act well in such a heart-wrenching scene comes naturally to Oscar nominated actors. You dont expect anything less from them in such scenes.
But the scene where Will Smith truly shows his limitless acting potential is when he finally succeeds in achieving his long-held dream, and experiences that rare moment of sublime happyness.
You can see it in his eyes and his whole body language - no words are spoken - he comes out of his office to mingle into the crowd on the street, yet stands apart from the rest of the crowd.
He simply cannot believe he's finally achieved it against all odds, and he wants to share his happyness with the whole world around him. It is what you can call the perfect moment.
What is it that I am in pursuit of? happyness? success? perfect moments?
Will I ever achieve all of them?
All I know is that -
You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.
My pursuit continues...period.
There's a moment of realisation of this particular struggle, in the movie when Chris Gardner, the central character enacted by Will Smith, says
"And it was at that time that I thought about Thomas Jefferson writing that Declaration of Independence. Him saying that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I thought about how he knew to put the 'pursuit' in there, like no one can actually have happiness. We can only pursue it."
Aren't we all pursuing happyness? Can any one of us ever claim that we have found happyness for ever and ever?
Obstacles always arise in our path. It is the belief in ourselves and in our dreams that should always be unwavering, so that we can overcome those obstacles.
Chris' 5-year old boy wants to become a good basketball player, when Chris tells him that he can't be that because his dad always sucked at it as a child. Then realising his mistake, he tells his son,
"Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period."
The saddest moments in life are those when the heart cries silently with no tears in the eyes.
And the happiest moments are those when the heart smiles with no words spoken, and the eyes are filled with tears.
The saddest moment is enacted incredibly well when Will Smith has to spend a night in the restroom of a metro with his son, after they become homeless - he has no money to go anywhere - and he pushes the restroom door with his leg that someone is trying to open, while he holds on to his son sleeping in his arms.
To act well in such a heart-wrenching scene comes naturally to Oscar nominated actors. You dont expect anything less from them in such scenes.
But the scene where Will Smith truly shows his limitless acting potential is when he finally succeeds in achieving his long-held dream, and experiences that rare moment of sublime happyness.
You can see it in his eyes and his whole body language - no words are spoken - he comes out of his office to mingle into the crowd on the street, yet stands apart from the rest of the crowd.
He simply cannot believe he's finally achieved it against all odds, and he wants to share his happyness with the whole world around him. It is what you can call the perfect moment.
What is it that I am in pursuit of? happyness? success? perfect moments?
Will I ever achieve all of them?
All I know is that -
You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.
My pursuit continues...period.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
What color do you want?
A childhood game involved making a 4-petaled paper structure that you hold in your fingers and pop a question to your friend,
"Tipi-tipi, Tip-top,
What color do you want?"
Nikhil posed this very question to a bunch of friends one by one, and here's what each one of them replied:
Shiven (Akshaye): Please dont ask me! I have nothing else but BLUE in my life - it is the color of the sea and the sky - both are boundless and free, and I prefer not to be tied down by anything in life just like them!
Gia (Ayesha): I love PINK - calm & peaceful, tender & caring, accepting & self-assuring.
Raju (Govinda): Arey bhai! Believe in your dreams with all your heart - one fine day, they will turn into reality. For me, it is the colour YELLOW that represents my optimism.
Stephanie (Shannon): I am an IVORY tower, in search of a love I want but does not reciprocate, and oblivious to the one that I have already with me, but I do not know.
Ashutosh (John): I am earthy & solid by nature; I stick to my roots & convictions, and when I have my love by my side to give me my strength, I dont mind taking on the world - I am the quintessential BROWN guy.
Tehzeeb (Vidya): I am all for a new beginning, a fresh start, and I go by GREEN, a color that complements my soulmate's BROWN perfectly.
Having heard what his friends wanted, Nikhil got a little confused - the 4 paper petals on his fingers could hold only 4 colors, but his friends had asked for more colors than his paper petals could hold. He tried to please everyone, but it became unmanageable so much so that he also resorted to having 2 more persona, viz. Ramdayal (Sohail) & Phulwati (Isha), who were desperate to paint the town RED!
If only, he had stuck to 4 colors, the game would have turned out to be such a wonderful tribute to love in the true sense, n'est ce pas?
No wonder in the end, we agree wholeheartedly with Kailash' plea to all of Nikhil's friends in the form of a beautiful rendition,
प्यार हैं या सज़ा,
ऎ मेरे दिल बता
टुटता क्यों नहीं,
दर्द का सिलसिला
इस प्यार में हो कैसे-कैसे इन्तेहान
यह प्यार लिखे कैसी-कैसी दास्तान
या रब्बा!
दे दे कोई जान भी अगर,
दिलबर पे हो ना,
दिलबर पे हो ना कोई असर...
*Salaam-e-ishq*
"Tipi-tipi, Tip-top,
What color do you want?"
Nikhil posed this very question to a bunch of friends one by one, and here's what each one of them replied:
Kamini (Priyanka): I aspire for WHITE because it stands for purity & innocence, but deep down inside me I know that my favorite is RED - a color known for power & love.
Rahul (Salman): I appear to be aristocratic & artificial, no wonder you will find me in PURPLE.
Vinay (Anil): Ah well! My life is nothing but dull, uninteresting, un-'happening' if you may call it - what else can I have but GREY in my life?
Seema (Juhi): I am the perfect woman with the perfect kids, a perfect husband & a perfect family; I am the perfect BLACK.
Shiven (Akshaye): Please dont ask me! I have nothing else but BLUE in my life - it is the color of the sea and the sky - both are boundless and free, and I prefer not to be tied down by anything in life just like them!
Gia (Ayesha): I love PINK - calm & peaceful, tender & caring, accepting & self-assuring.
Raju (Govinda): Arey bhai! Believe in your dreams with all your heart - one fine day, they will turn into reality. For me, it is the colour YELLOW that represents my optimism.
Stephanie (Shannon): I am an IVORY tower, in search of a love I want but does not reciprocate, and oblivious to the one that I have already with me, but I do not know.
Ashutosh (John): I am earthy & solid by nature; I stick to my roots & convictions, and when I have my love by my side to give me my strength, I dont mind taking on the world - I am the quintessential BROWN guy.
Tehzeeb (Vidya): I am all for a new beginning, a fresh start, and I go by GREEN, a color that complements my soulmate's BROWN perfectly.
Having heard what his friends wanted, Nikhil got a little confused - the 4 paper petals on his fingers could hold only 4 colors, but his friends had asked for more colors than his paper petals could hold. He tried to please everyone, but it became unmanageable so much so that he also resorted to having 2 more persona, viz. Ramdayal (Sohail) & Phulwati (Isha), who were desperate to paint the town RED!
If only, he had stuck to 4 colors, the game would have turned out to be such a wonderful tribute to love in the true sense, n'est ce pas?
No wonder in the end, we agree wholeheartedly with Kailash' plea to all of Nikhil's friends in the form of a beautiful rendition,
प्यार हैं या सज़ा,
ऎ मेरे दिल बता
टुटता क्यों नहीं,
दर्द का सिलसिला
इस प्यार में हो कैसे-कैसे इन्तेहान
यह प्यार लिखे कैसी-कैसी दास्तान
या रब्बा!
दे दे कोई जान भी अगर,
दिलबर पे हो ना,
दिलबर पे हो ना कोई असर...
*Salaam-e-ishq*
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Dor...
~ A few thoughts penned after watching Nagesh Kukunoor's new movie 'Dor'
Dor - a single rope of hope that ties the destinies of a hapless young widow and a never-say-"die" fearless widow-to-be.
The rope brings the cold mountain breezes and lush green valleys of Himachal Pradesh to meet the hot desert winds and dusty sands of Rajasthan. With this rope in your hands, you meet vagabonds on your way - strangers essentially good at heart, but who may dupe you for their own survival; and the bonding of the rope ensures that the vagabonds reach out to you in your moment of distress, thereby becoming your friends for life.
In one moment, this rope defines the boundaries of societal norms & customs that define your life; and yet in another moment, it also helps you climb over those tall orthodox walls then they question your very own existence. A solitary rope that can become the path towards freedom for a person, can also be equally effective as a noose for another - the person who holds this rope, has the right of choice between forgiveness and revenge, life and death, joy and sorrow, freedom and bondage - a right of choice that even angels would be envious of.
How this rope will change your destiny, depends on how strong you pull it, or how loose you keep it - this rope is as strong as your determination is, as flexible as your heart is, as resilient as your will power is, and as long as the reach of your friend's arms is.
That is what Dor means to me...
Dor - a single rope of hope that ties the destinies of a hapless young widow and a never-say-"die" fearless widow-to-be.
The rope brings the cold mountain breezes and lush green valleys of Himachal Pradesh to meet the hot desert winds and dusty sands of Rajasthan. With this rope in your hands, you meet vagabonds on your way - strangers essentially good at heart, but who may dupe you for their own survival; and the bonding of the rope ensures that the vagabonds reach out to you in your moment of distress, thereby becoming your friends for life.
In one moment, this rope defines the boundaries of societal norms & customs that define your life; and yet in another moment, it also helps you climb over those tall orthodox walls then they question your very own existence. A solitary rope that can become the path towards freedom for a person, can also be equally effective as a noose for another - the person who holds this rope, has the right of choice between forgiveness and revenge, life and death, joy and sorrow, freedom and bondage - a right of choice that even angels would be envious of.
How this rope will change your destiny, depends on how strong you pull it, or how loose you keep it - this rope is as strong as your determination is, as flexible as your heart is, as resilient as your will power is, and as long as the reach of your friend's arms is.
That is what Dor means to me...
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Chote-chote shehro mein..."Experiencing a coal mine"
~ A mail I sent in July last year to my friends from CTS, about my experiences of visiting a coal mine @ Gadarwara, MP.
Hi everyone,
Hope this mail finds all of u in the best of your health. Good to hear from Jesse, PT, Bhavin bhai & Amit.
Things are fine at my end as well. Here's an update from my side..
Last week for my current project, I visited a coal mine at Gadarwara (MP).. just came back today.. had quite an interesting time.. had never been to a coal mine before.. pehli baar pataa chala ki not all mines are underground.. this one was a surface mine.. chaaro taraf koyla hee koyla.. coal mining is quite a different operation from the usual mfg stuff... abhi tak, I have seen automobile mfg, boiler mfg, paint mfg factories... lekin mining is totally hatke (ne one interested can get the details on www.worldcoal.org ).. had the good fortune of watching the live "blasting" of coal using explosives, before it is extracted..
Talking abt Gadarwara - its a sleepy little town, lying between Itarsi & Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh - a 16-hour train journey from Mumbai.. was instantly reminded of the song "chote-chote shehron mein" from Bunty & Babli, as soon as we landed at the Gadarwara (pronounced as GaaDarWaaDaa) railway station..
The coal mine is located at some 25 km from the town.. so, it used to be a daily nice 30-40 min drive in a Mahindra Bolero - a panoramic view of lotsa birds of the feathered kind, sugarcane fields, lush green fields & signboards in Hindi "aage paath-shaala hai".. which really bring me to the usage of hindi in this part of india.. sample the new (or previously known but now forgotten) words used in day-to-day lingo: samay-saarini ( = "timetable" @ rlwy stn), nirgam ( ="exit" @ movie hall)..
watched 2 movies - B&B, Paheli in the "VIP" seats.. yeah, the movie hall "Alka" had 3 classes - stalls, balcony & VIP.. and u wont believe it, but there was actually a 3-wheeler tempo having 2 loudspeakers attached in front & back, playing the song "kajra re" & advertising for the movie B&B in the town - "Dekhiye, dekhiye, dekhiye - Amitabh, Aishwarya aur Abhishek ka dhamakedaar superhit gaana.. Bunty Aur Babli picture mein, aap hee ke theatre Alka mein"!
The best part was probably the food - b'fast was usually samosas, pohe, garma-garam jalebi, gulab-jamun (each of the size of a tennis ball).. lunch or dinner was roti/naan, with some paneer sabzi, daal, rice, dahi & salad.. had some really good desserts in the form of rabdi, jalebi and some good chaat as well... and if u really wanna hv some fun post dinner, try taking a tanga ride post-dinner ;-)
Life was a little different than usual.. considering tht u never got mobile range in the hotel room, but had to step out to the open chowk inside the hotel if u wanted to speak.. even at the mine, the range was available only at the top of a tower, of the coal washery.. also, one has to wait for almost 20-30 mins at a rlwy passing if a train is gonna cross ur road (or is it the other way round?).. ;-)
Getting an English newspaper was quite a Herculean task.. on Sunday, we managed to locate the local newspaper vendor, who had just 1 copy of Hindustan Times, which he let me read there itself saying "saabji, yeh kaapi to graahak ki hai.. ise hum bech nahin sakte".. on asking him why he doesnt stock any extra copies, he said "saab, poore shahar mein 20-25 copies hee bikti hain.. jyaada rakhne ki jarurat kya hai"... thankfully, managed to sell him tht last copy to myself.. n the excuse he intended to give to the "grahak" was "aaj kaapi nahin mili"
We went searching for an internet cafe to check the PNR status of our waitlisted return tickets only to find out that the cafe closes at 6pm.. then being reminded by one of the town folks tht we can get the status on our mobile phones itself!!
Next on the agenda is a visit to a place called Mithapur in Gujarat next week, where i'll be getting to see a metallurgical coke mfg plant.. hopefully, tht shud be an interesting experience as well (no worry - wudnt wanna bore u guys again) ;-)
Newys, abhi ke liye itnaa hee..
Ciao,
Ketan
Hi everyone,
Hope this mail finds all of u in the best of your health. Good to hear from Jesse, PT, Bhavin bhai & Amit.
Things are fine at my end as well. Here's an update from my side..
Last week for my current project, I visited a coal mine at Gadarwara (MP).. just came back today.. had quite an interesting time.. had never been to a coal mine before.. pehli baar pataa chala ki not all mines are underground.. this one was a surface mine.. chaaro taraf koyla hee koyla.. coal mining is quite a different operation from the usual mfg stuff... abhi tak, I have seen automobile mfg, boiler mfg, paint mfg factories... lekin mining is totally hatke (ne one interested can get the details on www.worldcoal.org ).. had the good fortune of watching the live "blasting" of coal using explosives, before it is extracted..
Talking abt Gadarwara - its a sleepy little town, lying between Itarsi & Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh - a 16-hour train journey from Mumbai.. was instantly reminded of the song "chote-chote shehron mein" from Bunty & Babli, as soon as we landed at the Gadarwara (pronounced as GaaDarWaaDaa) railway station..
The coal mine is located at some 25 km from the town.. so, it used to be a daily nice 30-40 min drive in a Mahindra Bolero - a panoramic view of lotsa birds of the feathered kind, sugarcane fields, lush green fields & signboards in Hindi "aage paath-shaala hai".. which really bring me to the usage of hindi in this part of india.. sample the new (or previously known but now forgotten) words used in day-to-day lingo: samay-saarini ( = "timetable" @ rlwy stn), nirgam ( ="exit" @ movie hall)..
watched 2 movies - B&B, Paheli in the "VIP" seats.. yeah, the movie hall "Alka" had 3 classes - stalls, balcony & VIP.. and u wont believe it, but there was actually a 3-wheeler tempo having 2 loudspeakers attached in front & back, playing the song "kajra re" & advertising for the movie B&B in the town - "Dekhiye, dekhiye, dekhiye - Amitabh, Aishwarya aur Abhishek ka dhamakedaar superhit gaana.. Bunty Aur Babli picture mein, aap hee ke theatre Alka mein"!
The best part was probably the food - b'fast was usually samosas, pohe, garma-garam jalebi, gulab-jamun (each of the size of a tennis ball).. lunch or dinner was roti/naan, with some paneer sabzi, daal, rice, dahi & salad.. had some really good desserts in the form of rabdi, jalebi and some good chaat as well... and if u really wanna hv some fun post dinner, try taking a tanga ride post-dinner ;-)
Life was a little different than usual.. considering tht u never got mobile range in the hotel room, but had to step out to the open chowk inside the hotel if u wanted to speak.. even at the mine, the range was available only at the top of a tower, of the coal washery.. also, one has to wait for almost 20-30 mins at a rlwy passing if a train is gonna cross ur road (or is it the other way round?).. ;-)
Getting an English newspaper was quite a Herculean task.. on Sunday, we managed to locate the local newspaper vendor, who had just 1 copy of Hindustan Times, which he let me read there itself saying "saabji, yeh kaapi to graahak ki hai.. ise hum bech nahin sakte".. on asking him why he doesnt stock any extra copies, he said "saab, poore shahar mein 20-25 copies hee bikti hain.. jyaada rakhne ki jarurat kya hai"... thankfully, managed to sell him tht last copy to myself.. n the excuse he intended to give to the "grahak" was "aaj kaapi nahin mili"
We went searching for an internet cafe to check the PNR status of our waitlisted return tickets only to find out that the cafe closes at 6pm.. then being reminded by one of the town folks tht we can get the status on our mobile phones itself!!
Next on the agenda is a visit to a place called Mithapur in Gujarat next week, where i'll be getting to see a metallurgical coke mfg plant.. hopefully, tht shud be an interesting experience as well (no worry - wudnt wanna bore u guys again) ;-)
Newys, abhi ke liye itnaa hee..
Ciao,
Ketan
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