Food for the mind

The past two weeks saw me reading fiction like a maniac. One different from the other as chalk is from cheese. Ayn Rand's 'We the Living' stirred mixed emotions deep inside. A love story, triangle of sorts, set in Communist Russia appealed to me greatly. Three main characters were so immaculately delineated, that you would want to know more about them. I quite liked the three of them for their earthiness. At the end of the novel, it will be difficult to pick your favourite. All of them attract you. Such is the power of the writer. Pick it up, its worth a read.

But I did not find Yann Martel's Booker prize winner 'Life of Pi' sweeping at all. Well, I must confess that I am no animal adventure freak. So my take on the book could be biased, be warned. Unless you love animals and would like a yarn which narrates how a boy is marooned in the Pacific with 5 of such species, only then ask for it. The tome is painstakingly detailed, often rambling and therefore a trifle boring. Well, my opinion!

Not always, therefore, you come across books that take you by the hand and then runs at high speed. Chetan Bhagat's 'Five Point Someone-What not to do at IIT' is surprisingly one of them. No wonder the book has grossed huge earnings for the author. Already into the eight chapter today, I must say it is a compelling read. There is a certain simplicity and matter-of-factness in this autobiographical tale. The characters are like any of us, very very universal. And with dollops of humor. I have not been to IIT but the story has struck a chord in me, so far. It will appeal to anyone, especially who wishes to relive their student days. Kudos to Bhagat!

Days of Yellow

Days of my childhood revisited me today. Our office celebrated Sarawati Puja with grandeur. I was reminded of how we, as little children, were so enthusiastic on this day. We wore a yellow saree and offered 'anjali'. And then how we eagerly waited for the 'khichudi' bhog.
Today most of us wore lovely sarees (not yellow though) and were resplendently dressed. We were all huddled in one room where we intently watched our electrician-cum- purohit perform the puja. Everything were so neatly and perfectly arranged by some of our efficient colleagues.
After a gap of some years, i offered 'anjali'. And I prayed hard. I felt good.

The ambience today, in office, was very homely. It didnot seem office at all...it was quite like the 'pujo' in our college/university days....when we were young adults and enthusiasm in our hearts and minds knew no bounds. As little children, we gorged on the 'khichudi bhog' in office. The platter was tempting with side-dishes like 'beguni', 'aloo dum', 'chatni' and 'papad'. Hats off to HR who organised the whole affair, leaving nothing out. And gifting us with such an enjoyable day. What was noted in office was the ubiquitous smile in everyone's face and the camaraderie. I enjoyed Sarawati pujo after a long time.

So can we say in unison and with confidence ' asche bochhor aabar hobe' ?

Another year!

2006 has set in quietly. Another year. We are older by another year. Not sure whether I like the fact of growing older. But that's inevitable...right? Time is just flying. It seems 2005 just begun that day. With a new year, comes a whole set of expectations, anticipations, dreams, joys and sorrows. I don't like talking or thinking about sorrows. So there is no place of sorrows in my life. This year would be equally fun-filled as the earlier ones. It will be a different year- 2006! Very very different.
I haven't blogged for quite some time now. Pressures of the project kept me away from my blogs. The gap this time was quite a long one. But i will get back now more often. Perhaps I could not bring myself to blog these months....had i run out of topics? Maybe. I was saddled with a strange feeling of ennui that kept me way from scribbling. I did not find nothing interesting to pen down. But now i am back. Back with a bang!

After so long!!!!

Oh it is such a delight that i can suddenly connect to blogspot and access my blog and that I am back again with my scribbles. I missed blogging so much. Good, the system admin of my company finally gave in to our requests...how nasty he was! He simply had denied all our access to blogspot. Said it consumed a lot of bandwidth. Thankfully, matters are settled now. So much to catch up in the blogosphere..so many blogs of my favourite bloggers to read....whew!!!

Back in office after a neat 12 days leave. Durga Puja and its revelry has soon receded in the background...though I did not quite paint the town red those 4 days. Nevertheless the 4 festive days add a whiff of fresh air to our humdrum lives. They bring in so much of conviviality, cheer and unbridled happiness. But why mourn? It'll come every year....till eternity perhaps. In any case the last months of the year hold celebratory mood for one and all...fun days and partying sets in automatically with the onset of fall/winter. So it's a big ball ahead.

Don't forget to invite me!!!

Gosh it was not at all funny.

I knew something was severely wrong when the lift took me to the 14th floor instead of 6th. And then, the horrible thing happened. Happened to me today. It took me down straight to some in-between floor and stopped. The floor indicator now showed 'Lift under Maintenance'. Good God, I am trapped in the office lift. No way, I did not lose my cool. Ok I don't deny the little flutters in my heart but I jumped the gun and hastily dialled one of my colleague Aditi, hoping against hope the signal would work inside the lift ( usually doesnt- But i love my Hutch for nothing-you are the best provider!!!! Keep up the good work!!). Voila..i was lucky. My call was connected and betraying no emotions of panic, told her ' Yaar i am trapped inside one of the lifts.' To be doubly safe, i kept pressing the alarm. Did it work? Questionable.
Within minutes i heard assuring voices of ' Dont worry, we have located the lift. You will be out in few minutes. Are you Ok?' I remained unruffled u know. The door slid open, I saw i was trapped between the basement and first floor. Quite an eerie feeling though. Saw some familiar faces reassuring me. Baby, don't -be -afraid, we- are -here- to- save- you sort. Spent some awfully boring 20 minutes inside while a battalion worked to put things right. Finally i emerged from the jinxed lift absolutely self-possessed, flashing my smile intermittently to my rescuers indicating i-am-fine-and thanks for being prompt.
Thank God atleast I was alone and not with others. I tell u if you are with people who become agitated in such situations or lose their composure at the slightest danger, it tends to rub on you as well and then you lose your cool and blah..blah ..blah.
All's well that end's well....though I admit I would be little wary of my office lifts from now on. Early morning mis-adventure, shall I call it?

All Roads lead to Sweden

Hey you naughty guys, how many times you felt that irresistible urge of taking a sneak peek inside a girlie's skirt? And ofcourse without being noticed or else your cheeks would turn ruddy for a different reason ( i mean a tight slap being the cause). How you boys go delirious in joy when accidentally the mad wind lifts the babe's skirt and then lo and behold... you have had the time of your life!!! Never mind that she feels like burying her face anywhere in sheer embarrassment.
Lets imagine how would looking up a girl's skirt is no more the stuff of your wild, wet dreams and need not wait for an occasional chance but something legalised and girls are more than obliged to do ' for your eyes only' !!? Hold your horses little dickens. No way that's legalised in India. You need to pack your bags for Sweden, world's most sexually lib country, as they say.

Check out this article below (from www.weeklyworldnews.com) that I chanced upon amidst the numerous forwards that floods my mailbox to be doubly sure that I am not speaking gibberish or showing false dreams.

SWEDEN LEGALIZES LOOKING UP LADIES SKIRTS!
By MARK MILLER

ADDING to its reputation as the most sexually liberal nation in the world, Sweden has just legalized looking up ladies' skirts! In a nearly unanimous vote in the Swedish Parliament, the motion was carried 332 to 17. To celebrate the new law, the Parliament's second floor was replaced with a see-through glass floor, and women were invited to stand on the floor, wearing their loosest, widest skirts, with or without underwear. Men were invited to bring their cameras, stand on the floor below and look up. "I was fully aroused for the next three weeks," gushes male viewer, Tor Lundgren, 24.
The women standing above the men were no less enthusiastic. "It was even more exciting than I'd imagined," reveals Christina Schollin, 32. "I chose to wear no underwear, and, well, I just felt this electric thrill run through me as the men stared up at me. I may just leave my underwear home from now on." Lutheran minister Gunnar Bjoernstrand, 40, has made peace with the new law. "It was just a question of time before it became legalized. And, really, something harmless like this should not be a crime. Sex and the body are beautiful, natural things. "When we appreciate and adore the body by looking up ladies' skirts, we are, to a certain degree, giving thanks to the creations of God, who after all made us in His image."

What say you guyz? Impressed with such an advanced nation? Must be cursing our damned, doomed, backward country and its bunch of fossiled politicians? So you boys and girls (why not?-girls would also like to have the pleasure of being admired) it is no more destination US of A . Ask your bosses to send you to Sweden. That's where the fun is or shall i say your work is. Remember legalised. No fear of anything. Ha ha!

Floodgates have opened

Maiboxes, over the last month, were bombarded with shocking pictures of Mumbai reeling under incessant floods. Oh my...one had to see the images to believe the magnitude of it! Why did God unleash such a disaster, annihilating 1000's in its wake and rendering so many homeless? Reading so many children had died in Marol, Andheri east, opened the floodgates of my memories. We had spent one whole month on a training this May in Mumbai and incidentally we were put up in a deluxe apartment in Marol. We had seen the slums in and around our area and how children spent their miserable days.....probably those little ones were relieved of the ignominy of their existence.

Mumbai, as we had seen this May, has left an indelible impression on my mind. I sort of fell in love with the city. My friend had told me before I left for Mumbai that, ' The city, u know, grows on you. It has a certain addiction.' Not far from truth. I found the city very charming and it does have its addiction. I have nothing very memorable about the downmarket, potholed, mucky Marol-Andheri east but I fell head-over-heels for the chic and swanky locales of Lokhandwala, Bandra, Juhu, Malabar Hills or Marine Drive. The gorgeously and always so fashionably turned out youth of Mumbai endlessly fascinated me. You know I admired their spirit. The determination of living life to the lees, of savouring everyday and everymoment, of making each day count.

I could just go rhapsodic about the fantastic restaurants and the real scrumptious food they dished out..be it 'Mahesh lunch home' or 'Lemon Grass' or 'Thai Ban' and the innumerable shopping malls, not necessarily exorbitant and some offering good bargains.I could sing peans about the safety of girls/women in the city (unlike Delhi), allowing us jolly well to return home after catching a late night show. I was out and out enamored of the sea that draws throngs of people of all section everyday in the evenings. However i found Juhu (the most popular one) extremely crowded and therefore unclean. Well then if I am talking about anything squalid, then Bandstand takes the cake. But Bandstand is every voyeur's delight!! You know what I mean!!
Marve beach, to me, was truly beautiful. The ball of orange slowly and silently dipping into the blue expanse and vanishing for the day swept us off our feet. Good for them yaar! Atleast people can, after a gruelling day's work, amble on the shore and the let the breeze recharge their frayed nerves. I miss it.
But total let-down were much hyped Elephanta caves and Sanjay Gandhi National park which has nothing to boast of apart from two emaciated tigers and a non-chalant lion. I believe those four-leggeds were 'cast-offs' from a local circus. What a pity! Not worth a dekho. I might have missed out on many other places worthy of a visit. Ok, this reminds me of Karla caves in Lonavla. Yes, if you are a Buddhist monastery, Stupa freak, then the climb to the caves and the magnificent Stupa is indeed worth seeing. You know the steep climb to the caves offers a breathtaking sight of the valley down. Though I heard Lonavla is lush green in the monsoons and thats the right time to visit the valley. No such luck.

Although I vow never to visit Mumbai during monsoons, I feel bad about the city's unprecedented sufferings. Hope, everyone with their never-say-die attitude will overcome their griefs and losses and get on with their lives.