Chennai Part II

So here is a run down on my week 2 and 3 in Chennai. Last two weeks have been more about exploring the city, hangout places and settling down in the new house, and my new flatmates. Also have had some great timing with 2 traveller friends from Germany who were visiting India and happen to be in the city for my 2nd week in Chennai. So well I was taking them around and exploring the city myself with them. (Due to technical problems unable to upload a few pics of the city - but will do it soon :))

Weekends @ Chennai: Starting with something that I was most worried about before I moved to Chennai. Thinking about what I am gonna do for two whole days where I don’t know anyone (almost no one) – was quite a nightmare. But before I knew it – I found myself in the company of some real cool party people in Chennai. Thanks to my colleague and friend RN (who hails from Chennai is not a typical madrasi boy) I got introduced to some fun times here. So lets see what all places I have been to over the weekends:
• Zaras: Zara’s is as close as you can get to a chilled out pub in Chennai  Half the city pub community is found here and after a time you all know each other. So on a Saturday night if you are having a tough time coordinating an outing just head to Zaras and you fill find great company there. Not only in terms of people but also the music. Anyone looking for bollywood can forget about it and that’s true for most places in Chennai be it a pub or a discotheque.
• TDS: Or 10 Downing Street – one of the rare places that’s open till 1 a.m. Yes! It came as pleasant surprise to me. In fact for the first time I think I have left a place before it shut down. So I am actually assuming it shut at one cos I left at 12.45am.  Again great music and Wednesdays are ladies nights
• Distill: Distill at Taj Connomera is not your usual pub or clubbing place. It’s fit for anyone looking for a peaceful drink with some good music. A great ambience and tables not to forget the very well made drinks. Unlike Taj stds the place I must say seems priced pretty reasonably.
• Dublin: Dubiln @ Sheraton – ahem ahem – lets avoid this place. A srict no no – priced outrageously and the mossy confused DJ!!

Ladeis Nites @ Chennai: This is the most interesting part of Chennai; and I hope the ladies are listening  Almost every nite of the week has some or the place welcome the women with Special Ladies Nites.

One thing is guaranteed in all of these – Free drinks for women. So TDS has Wednesdays and Distill has Fridays and another place (im yet to check it out :P has Thursdays. Distill gives you 2 free cocktails and trust me its not diluted – great cocktails. Then TDS has free beer for girls till 9.30!! Beat that!! Drink all you can. Im glad I am getting used to beer ;)

Another peculiar thing about clubbing / partying in Chennai is that at most places ‘stags’ are not around – only couples and girls of course.

Moving in @ Chennai: So I moved in last weekend – stuff came in on Friday and unpacking on Saturday and I moved in with my final stuff on Sunday. Yes it happened in phases but yea I am settled finally in the new house. All cartons unpacked and in place. Have taken a few pictures of the house and attached for all of you!

Weekend Getaways @ Chennai: Weekend getaways are great in Chennai – or atleast for me have been. So I got this chance to go to 2 AWESOME beach houses. Its all about meeting the right people. So lets say a friend has a beach house with an amazing beach right behind it and you can go take a swim whenver you want. And I happened to visit a friend’s friend who has a bach house as big and as nice as a RESORT!! Man!!

Some great times in the swimming pool just sitting at the porch and reading, a nice nap and well just an awesome time away from the hassles of any city life, work life and complete relaxation.

Another way of a nice weekend can be getting some nice massage and a lazy afternoon nap – this Im sure Mumbai can give you as well :P

Flatmates @ Chennai: Both my flatmates are nice simple girls from Orissa. KN and AP working with holiday company. Not the complete city party chics – but pretty independent and Indian in their own nice way. And here is the best part, KN LOVES cooking and to an extent that she just does it everyday!!! Man!! How lucky you think I could get. And well, before you guys pour in your comments on this one – well, I do my bit too at times helping her out with making one dish for dinner. Breakfast I make my own completely!

So well here is a snapshot on the city. And coming to an interesting part, there was a cosmetic brand launch in the city with a fashion show. So well I was told it was some big fashion show gala etc etc. Nothing like that – the good part 3 very good models and free food at Le Meridien and the bad part – everything else.

So here is the much awaited first account of my week 1 in Chennai. I got here on a Monday morning after one week of awesome food and cool weather in Delhi. So my company booked me onto an early morning Indian Airlines flight from Mumbai to Chennai. My schedule looked something like this:

6th Nov – Last day in Mumbai – I hit HRC (no surprises here) with some office friends joined by Bhau and Dave (thank you guys!!!)

7th Nov – Movers & Packers take my stuff off to Chennai and I leave for Delhi for a week meeting my relatives and lots of gol gappe, papdi chaat, bhalle papdi, dal ke pakode etc etc!!

15th Nov – Return to Mumbai at midnight to meet my dad who couldn’t join us on the Delhi trip. My last night in Mumbai coupled with a complete lack of sleep  no guesses here why.

16th Nov – Leave early morning for the beginning of a new chapter in Chennai 

While I was sitting at the airport, surprisingly I wasn’t feeling excited or anxious, no anticipation of what is to come, no ‘butterflied in the stomach’ feel nothing at all!! It was like just another day of work, where instead of regular mode of transport I was taking a flight.

Like every other flight we began to board the flight half an hour before take off. So I took my seat and decided to sleep – on account of lack of sleep over the past few days. I get up suddenly an hour later only to realize my flight is still at Mumbai airport. So that’s how my first day of work failed to meet Maersk standards of “ON TIME EVERYTIME” ;)

So anyway with the flight delay added up with lots of traffic I manage to reach office at 12.30 p.m.!! (it pretty ridiculous considering I got up at 0400 hours in the morning) I was welcomed by an extremely polite and nice group of my new office colleagues. I only later realized how they crack up so very politely on people from top to bottom in the industry. Leaves you wondering where is this little devil hiding in the nice ‘sharif’ tam guys from Chennai.

From here on all references to the people of Chennai will be made as TAM not Madrasi. Now that I am in the Tam land I shall maintain the correct phrase usage ;)

Work & Colleagues @ Chennai
Office in the last one week has been pretty nice and fun. People are extremely helpful to a point that I had the whole office giving me random contacts for my house hunting. They would ask me everyday if I’ve had any luck and that I could approach them anytime I might need anything. At times, I feel like if I open up too much I might be the “bully” out here. I happen to think twice before I crack a joke or pull anyone’s leg. Phew!!

New profile looks good. Briefly its about equipment (container fleet) planning. So keeping a tab on the expected exports and Imports in the short and long term and ensuring all south India locations (and Colombo – part of India cluster) are adequately stocked. Planning movement (inland) of containers between various location at the right
time and the right cost. This is how simple it can get, and like any other profile it has its own set of complications and exceptions to deal with everyday.

Office lunch again isn’t as expected. Its pretty decent and something you can have everyday and still not lose your appetite. There is rice, chapatti (Chennai style), 2/3 vegetables, 1 non vegetarian dish (with the exception of Tuesday and Thursday), dal / sambhar / rasam etc. Curd is an all time dish. So yea, I don’t think I am gonna be complaining on this front.

So Friday like most of you would have noticed – was tambola at my office and I won a prize!!!  So well Chennai office is quite happening and looks like there play at the end of a long work day.

Life @ Chennai: This is a brief on week 1 and not life in general in Chennai. But yea it’s a sample (though much smaller in size) its pretty representative ;) of the fact. I am staying with a friend’s (also my colleague in the MISE programme) parents. A nice upper middle class family in Chennai – and yet so different from ones in Mumbai or Delhi. They are as simple as one could be and yet so sophisticated. Usual houses in Chennai are independent unlike Mumbai but similar to Delhi – guess its all the space game. Home cooked food has been a blessing. Again being very helpful and polite looks like a way of life and I have had a great one week here.

House hunting @ Chennai: House hunting my friends is pure hard work and then one day you strike a pot of gold. This goes for all those who aren’t born with the usual stroke of good luck ;)

So house hunting started for a month ago, when I was looking online for houses at Sulekha.com. And I strongly recommend this site to everyone. So its been a month now or more of cold calling people and last 4 days of looking at 2-3 places everyday. Nothing really like what I am looking for. My office is in Nungambakkam – which is the heart of the city and supposedly one of the happening areas of Chennai. As a result, PGs around here are as expensive as 10k!! Something cheaper is then so far off that I would end up paying obscene amounts to the auto guys which is another interesting fact to note abt the city. They are a complete Rip off and buyers bargaining power ain’t that strong; especially when you are new to the city and don’t speak the language.

Saturday @ Chennai: Today being my first Saturday in Chennai – I spent it nice lazy Chennai style and ended it the Mumbai way. So I got up had a nice south Indian breakfast. Went to this furniture place – complete import stuff from Indonesia – real good stuff. So anyone looking for a nice piece let me know  A little expensive but worth it! Afternoon lunch and then siesta time! I checked out this mall in Chennai – pretty small – not so bad again  Ended the day with a couple of new people I met today – who would now be a part of my Chennai friend circle. We went to this nice little place called Zaras for a drink. Good music and good crowd; discovering new places to hang out in Chennai. So whenever anyone of you come here – Zara is a must go place 

More account and details soon with pics this time.

Me Mumbaikar

Mumbai is the Financial Capital of India - "its not a place made by politicians, but the Aam Aadmi working endlessly to make money."

Post the terrorism in Mumbai on the unfortunate night of 26th November 2008, 'Me Mumbaikar' seems anguished and disappointed at the same time. Crores of people working day in and day out, keeping and making the city what it is today. It's you and me that hold Mumbai in the pride that we do. It's not the politicians - they look at capitalizing on the Mumbaikars hard work. What happened last week left us all shocked, hurt and disappointed. More than the terror attacks, it was the attitude of the system - The Govt - that broke down the spirit of the city of dreams.

I am ususally not a person who gets into politics or what politicians say. Infact I am too careless to even bother about my voting card and my voting rights (this would tell you I have never voted). Out of laziness and lack of clarity of who am I gonna vote for. For me all the politicians are the same - I don't trust anyone of them. This attack on Mumbai has for the first time got me to listen to what the politicians have to say. And they have said the most disappointing things I could ever imagine in my life. With all this I do plan to exercise my right of not voting. Let them know that of all the people voting there is someone out there, who is NOT voting for anyone. Does this help?? I don't know. So why am I doing this. Maybe because it's time I do something, own some responsibility for the state of affairs in Mumbai.

I never expected anything of this magnitude to happen in the city. As we took a quiet little stroll outside the Oberoi - Trident hotel, I kept wondering, what kind of a night would that have been. What went on the inside of the walls of one of Mumbai's old legendary places. We could see broken windows, big black marks from the blast, and I was trying to imagine what would it be looking like on the inside on Saturday morning after the massacre was brought to an end.

Do I blame anyone? Yes, I do. I blame the lack of attention that was paid to the innumerable warnings issued. I wonder WHY, WHY on earth would someone ignore it. Ignore something of that high significance. Do I have an answer to it?? No I don't and I might probably never get answers to my questions just like all other people in Mumbai.

At times, I dont even know what is this whole thing about, religion, terror, politics?!!! Lost - once again in the vicious circle of things unknown.

There is a lot of debate and differed opinions on the spirit of the city. Will it ever come back to the way it was. Yes it will!! It will bounce back, and with always the big black scar that the terror attacks left on us. The average Mumbaikar may return to the usual way of life, love the city like he always did, do the same things he always did in Mumbai, still call Mumbai much safer than other places in India, still the most happening place. The charm of the place shall always stay - stay with a big black scar. Only now it would be with a big black scar, a lump in our throat, and praying everyday for peace.

The Happy Day Feeling :)

The “Happy Day” Feeling – well, lets see what it means. Ummm… isn’t the term self explanatory?!! Well, yes it is.

A happy Day feeling is when you want to jump around, dance, sing to yourself, walk on the road aimlessly – smiling at anyone and everyone you come across. Talk to all your friends. Wish everyone “Happy Day” and just be as happy as you are. This is a day when you do all the right things, all on time, when you are completely satisfied with yourself and also you are happily comforting the most cranky people you would otherwise avoid.

So yes, a Happy Day feeling is about you – cos as the philosopher’s say Happiness is internal. Look for it within yourself and when you constantly look for it, after sometime you will realize that its just there in you all the while, it will overcome the not so good times and will let you enjoy the very good ones to the fullest.

A Happy Day feeling makes the dullest environments around you lively, buzzing with life and energy. You will ignore the dull and slow elements and the energy touch points will shine out bright :)

This is how it seems to me on a typical Happy Day feeling:

“Office buzzing with work and my head and system running go go go with more and more work with every minute. More so when the minutes pass away and the work load increases tooo… some pass and some more come in, meetings and discussions. Organizational goals, departmental goals and then my personal goals. And I am all pumped up with the Happy Day feeling – that nothing bogs me down. I am a go getter, and I say, “Bring it on!!!” I am unstoppable, unconquerable, I can reason, im ready to listen and accept, to prove my point and see the brightest points in others throughout. Im eager to help, oversee mistakes of my colleagues and take the tantrums. And I want to come back to work everyday, or maybe I don’t want the day to end. I want the work hours to extend. I can work over 12 hours at a stretch. Blah blah blah”

And I can go on and on about the Happy Day Feeling. And happy day feeling can come easily to anyone anytime you want. To me at times it comes even with 2 strong Espresso shots!! Try and tell me about your Happy Day feeling :)

Watch out for: "MISE Module as a source of Happy Feelings!!"

The Unconquered

The weekend at Goa has so far been one of the best getaways from work.

Something that really struck me more than the sheer beauty of the place is the strength of its beauty and what really makes it what it is. And this would seem more if you too have felt what I have on this trip to Goa. The place creates THE magic.

I mentioned earlier that the sea fascinates me, thinking about it now; I realize it’s the water. Its the power, the beauty, the depth, the infinity, the strength that amazes me. Water is one thing mankind has not been able to conquer. It always beats us.

Walking on the top of the Chapora Fort (popularly known as the ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ point) I realized that the waves coupled with the strength of the powerful winds can so break you down. It broke me down. Sitting at a rock, on the top of the fort, staring down at those powerful waves brings about a sea change in emotions. It brings out in you all that you were trying to avoid from thinking and all that you tried to keep away from your mind. Things that are in you and dug so deep into you that you don’t want them to come out. It is like hiding yourself from you.

Sitting on the Worli seaface one night I was observing how hard the waves would go and hit against the pillars of the new sea link (from Bandra to Worli), and trust me it feels like it will just break down. The waves hit it hard and it will keep doing that forever, we have treaded on its territory. It will fight back forever.

And once it starts breaking it, it just breaks and breaks it further down. You think you can fight it, you can’t. I wonder how those rocks stand it. And I guess they are the only things that can stand it. Not completely though. They don’t break yes, but they certainly change. They change to suit the direction of the force of the water.

It makes those paths in you that if you resist you break down. It might not break you but will definitely bend you down.

A New BLUE World

The beauty of the world grows and increases with every new experience that you have with it. It’s the ‘newness’ that happen to entice you towards it. I wrote about how difficult it is to let go and how we suddenly realize certain things have come to an end. Well, don’t be surprised if the next minute you are already looking forward to the next phase of your life, of starting into the NEW world.

For me it’s NEW all way. A new house, new people, new workplace, new way of life, new thoughts, new encounters, new rules, new …!!!

There is a moment you think that you are just not the correct fit for the surroundings. And the next minute you are a part of the group, wanting to live more and more of the new life life. For me the new way is BLUE!!! Yeah it’s a true blue world – facing right on to the sea. All I need to do is look up towards the window from my seat and I can see the unending horizon. The blue sea, the perfect clouds and the vastness – the Infinity of the world. I have always been fascinated by the sea; as a child I used to wonder what is at the other end and now I wonder where the sea would lead me to.

The last 2 years of MBA have reinvented me as a different person altogether and now I find my discovering more and more about being me. Maersk would definitely bring out a new me at the end.

And yes, however, new it may be one thing is true, this is what I had thought of always – My life is a manifestation of my thoughts. I am today what I have always wanted to be and seen myself as.
And here is a snapshot of the vastness.

PS: Special thanks to my friend NB for sending me the picture.

Last Day

There is something about 'Last Day'. They are not unhappy, they are just unbelievable... A friend sent me a message this morning which read, "Some people say that you don't know what you have until you lose it. The truth is that you always know what you have, you just never thought you would lose it."

Unbelievable yes that's what I call them. And what makes them more striking is the fact that you know they are gonna come, you know precisely when it would happen. You also know how would life be like after that. And when the Last Day is there... you say, "Already!!" You want to stop it from coming. You just want to UNWIND a little more. A little more time in the past that has passed by. Just a little more of it. :)

When I resigned from my job before my MBA, it was for the simple reason that I didn't want to be there anymore. I was fed up of it. And then on the last day, I didn't want to leave. I didn't know it was time to go. Well, I did go yes. They always say there is something better waiting for you instead. :) And there was.

There would always be a better time waiting for you. And there are somethings, you never thought you would miss, but you do, a lot. And this is where we say, "You don't know what you have until you lose it" :)

All the best!!!

Melange 2008 - Ending in STYLE!!!!

Melange our annual most awaited festival which brings together all the SIMSRites is undoubtedly most enjoyed and loved by all.

What makes me write this is not cos its another college fest and the fun you can have or fun we had at Melange. It's because Melange this year has made us end our MBA in style!!!

Had Melange not happened the way it did, I am sure quite a few of us would get bored of college and not spend time in college meeting each other. I take Melange as my last day of college :) Never would be a last day spent in soo much celebrations and fun as it was at Melange (Melange 2008 - 29th & 30th March 2008). Not just my batchmates, I loved working with all our juniors as well. One time that we all bonded so so so well. Will miss you all!!!

We spent more than a month on Melange working, having fun, enjoying ourselves and loving SIMSR. And all the while we just hoped that time would stop and we never finish college, always be here :D. Cos end of Melange met end of the life at SIMSR.

I am so glad that we all feel the way I do which just goes on to show how much we all mean to each other and how we loved spending time with one another and do all that we did!!!

And the class skit - nothing could beat that!!!

Love you all!!! Rock On!!! It just couldn't get better!!!

Accidents, Coincidence - PHENOMENA!!!

On my way to the station today, I almost ran into an auto-rikshaw. Unlike most days when my thoughts wander away (which is quite often) I was quite alert today. With hands on the brake, the rear view properly adjusted, my speed too was quite less and in control. And suddenly I found myself ramming onto my brakes struggling to stop my scooterette. Not that the guy in front of me goofed, well, it just happened.

It happened in a way I couldn't understand - what, where, when, why and the how of it.

So does everything that happens - just happens. Is it a chance a coincident?? Some things just happen - they don't seem to have a rationale or a logic. And I am wondering why???

How do we explain the coincidences in life? Well, we call it destiny. At times when I say, "It was destined to be" I get a reply, " No, it was just a coincident". Well, if so then can you explain a coincidence?? Well, I cant explain destiny either. The only thing I perhaps can make sense out of is that - Coincidences make destiny. Its an unexplained PHENOMENA!!!

A lot of things I guess are beyond us. Science says there is no God, we can't explain it. Well, can they explain coincidence. What is it we call a coincidence and why? When we meet someone on road some old friend, just like that... we call it a coincidence, When we happen to be in the same city planning to meet a friend since ages and cannot - and then one fine day we bump into each other in some other part of the world its a COINCIDENCE; A Phenomena - Unexplained, yet true.

Touched!!!!!

I thanked a friend of mine recently for the concern he had shown once. What strikes me is the reaction - he was surprised, wondering and confused WHY I thanked him!!!

I am sure many of us have come across a similar experience (being on either side of the fence). There might have been a time when we are really touched and moved by something a friend said for us or a gesture they showed. And think about this, for them its just a passing moment for them. They haven't put in a lot of time on it thinking about it. And we felt so touched that we go to them and thank them and hold the moment in such a high regard.

There would be a time when someone would come to you and say thank you and would leave you wondering "what was it u did, that made them say it to you". You may not even remember your own actions and words then. Well, I had the privilege of being thanked by a batchmate and I didnt realize why... and when she told me I was truly TOUCHED!!!! Touched to see that people remember such trivial things and acknowledge them!!!

The Secret

My love for reading, brought me across this lovely book. As optimist as it can get, and as true as you think it would be... My optimist self make me believe 100% in what the author said. Its about this secret, which if I hold for too long from you would be incorrect.

The Secret of Life. Its about YOU. Yes, the secret is as simple as you. You are your life. This is quite on the same lines as my earlier post on Things Happen

Here goes the logic, first, it works on the law of attraction. Law of attraction is considered to be nothing but the Law of Love. The second part of the logic is about magnetism that our thoughts possess.

When a thought comes to or mind, and we go over it again and again, it attracts like thoughts from the universe. So, a positive thought brings in more and more positive thoughts and same goes for negative thoughts. And when similar thoughts are attracted to one another, there are forces that create an environment to put thoughts to reality. Thats how, what you think is what you get. Today what you are and what you have, is a manifestation of what you thought about in the past. Thats why you are happy about the way you are, the way your life is.

Something interesting mentioned in the book was that, the mind doesn't read or notice words with a negative connotation. For instance, if you say,"I don't want to be late for work..." it catches, "I want to be late for work..." When you say on a particular day, that you had a bad start to the day, your thought triggers more number of bad thoughts for your day and they build on one another. And it's simple to turn around your day. Just get some good thoughts for the way you want your day to be, the way you want to spend your day, and you will be able to see your day turning out to be exactly like that. What makes this work is simple. When you have one good thought, one good memory of your life, it is followed by more such thoughts and memories. This brings you amidst good thoughts and good feelings, which translates into a good day.

It is important, hence, for you to focus on what you want. Focus on it with all your energies, your thoughts, and you can see, the things you want coming your way. The thought, basically throw out certain frequencies in the world. These are matched by similar frequencies and attract them to you. And this is the prcess, that SRK mentioned in OSO, "Jab aap kuch dil se chaho, to saari kaynat aapko usse milane me lag jaati hai...:

Yes, its a simple as it can get. It's just a matter of your thoughts, you get them right and your life is in your hands, completely the way you want it to be.Your thought is your life.

Vodafone – Not So Good A Change

Hutch is now Vodafone... and the banners go red. The Hutch logos on the wallpaper change to Vodafone. The Hutch song is remixed with beats to the new Vodafone tune. The dog finds a new kennel too.

And where does the customer find himself… The change after all is not so good.

Well, I am or rather was a hard core Hutch loyal. Didn’t even change the logo, till they did it for me.

However, things seem to be changing. I am even thinking of changing my card … giving it a thought… something till recently I was never going to do. And maybe the only reason I am not doing it is because I have been using this for the last 3 years and have built up all contacts on this number. But the way Vodafone is working now, the very first opportunity and I might just switch to another network.

Well, to quote some problems with Vodafone. I get random messages saying some service has been activated and then I call and get it deactivated. I get the confirmation message for that and again in a couple of hours the service is again activated.

Well, all the best to all Vodafone customers… its going the ICICI way… bad experience… anyone else out there facing the same problem???

Things Happen

My post on want, very strongly spoke about the “WANT” being the driver, the force of our lives. A friend of mine told me that the book “The Alchemist” speaks something in relation to the want. It says that if you desire something truly from your heart, something that you really WANT, and then there are energies that you leave out into the world. These energies connect to the cosmic and it’s the power of the Cosmic that makes things happen, things possible. It’s based on some concept of the flow of energy in the universe. If you really want something, it happens.

Things happen… this is something else that a lot of us know of somewhere deep inside us. Then there is the madness, the tension, the adrenalin rush and so on, on all crucial times of our life. We run frantically around to do things, get things done, and then BOOM… something goes wrong. This brings me to the second principle a friend told me about – The Murphy’s Law – “What has to go wrong will go wrong”.

And these two things justify what we call Destiny. Yes, what has to will happen – is how we describe destiny.

So do we suddenly feel helpless and at the mercy of some unknown energy. No, and that’s what we are all about. We are all about the life that we live, the decisions we take, the choices we make. It’s the belief that we have in ourselves more than anything else that keeps us on the move, on a constant road – the journey as Life is popularly known as.

Try this, sit down and think what you most truly want and want it forever, it will come to you.

Ganpati Bappa Mourya!!!

The 11 day festivities of Ganpati kickstarts the cycle of festivals we all look forward to each year.

Today was the last day of Ganpati. Like every year, we had Ganpati at our place this year too. And, the best thing about Ganpati, well, a lot of people visit your place for the puja for all 11 days.

We had a loads of people coming over too Some friends I got to meet after a year!! Thanks to Ganpati!!!!


The visarjan is one of the brightest things about Ganpati, there is color, there is music and there is some amazing bonding among the people - whether or not they know you. On a Ganpati visarjan you will typically find the roads closed (almost), lots of traffic, lots of LOUD music playing along the road. People are dancing, and having a time of their life. Talking of my visarjan experience today, we left for the visarjan at around 6:15 p.m. The drive till the river was quite smooth. On the was you could see, a full line of Ganpati idols one after another with band-baja !!! The visarjan, if I remember correctly has been going on since the last 5 hours now and is expected to extend till midnight tonight. It started raining heavily the minute we stepped out of the car to walk towards the river.Mom and dad were trying to keep the Ganpati idol away from the water, while I wondered, "why are we protecting the God from the rains...??? It's the most natural thing, and they would never mind it..." Well, the puja and visarjan after that went off smooth. The area in and around in the river, was under strict security, with not only the policemen on job but a lot of volunteers too. Its great to see the enthusiasm of the people trying to keep the crowd in control, streamlining the entry and exit points, and keeping people happy too. And well, its good to see the common man responding to it in a good matured manner and cooperating with the authorities.

What amazed me was the way Indian political parties don't leave a single opportunity in making their mark. There were 2 small pandals set up by the 2 political parties. And the respective members came down to greet every single Ganpati idol that passed the way, with flowers and loud calls of "Ganpati Bappa Mourya". There was also a bank trying to capitalize on the audience with a stall and loudspeakers !!!!

Well, Ganpati Bappa has a rom for everyone I believe. So looking forward to Ganpati next year around as well. Till then,
Ganpati Bappa Mourya!!!
Pudhchya varshi lawkar yaa!!!

Hectic and High Pressure Continues.....!!!!!!

Yeah... I am alive...!!! I hope you will be glad to know... though I haven't finished all that I was supposed to yesterday... I manage to spend another day... and its the night again when I am unsure if I would see the sun tomorrow... not meant literally though...


Well, another day that I wanna scrape through and hope that I finish what I wanted to... see you tomorrow then.

Hectic and High Pressure!!!!

19th September 2007... one day that I m gonna remember always... woooo!!!! What a day?!?!! It started like any other Wednesday, with the exception that I reached class before the professor, attended the lecture I usually bunk (Quantitative...not perspective) and then some Masala Thumbs Up (the only time I think I managed to take a break!!!). Well, now if you are wondering why was it hectic. Apart from the routine work that we usually have in college, today looked like a day of deadlines!!!

I am doing a concurrent and the submission for it was today. Well, to finish that it's gonna be a whole long night for me. Marketing Research analysis.. well... takes quite sometime. And another submission for another subject's assignment tomorrow and considering the time that I spend in college, for me to submit it by the desired deadline looks difficult. So that's another reason for me to have a whole night session. The life of an MBA!!! Craazzzyyyy !!!

And if this weren't enough... my bike ran out out of petrol on my way back home from the station... so that meant dragging the bike to the petrol pump some half a km away (this is forming one of my service journal encounters). Not that bad, and what made it easier was the sweet Pandu I met on the way.

Off late the Mumbai police has been going through some tough times, but, this Mr.Hawaldar, was one of those NICE policemen we have with us. Seeing me dragging my bike on the way he asked me," क्या हुआ बेटा?!!!" Wow!!! I was soo amazed at the way he spoke to me and was ssoooo concerned seeing me drag my bike at 11 in the night. Proud of the Mumbai Police!!! And, yes I must tel you all, that most policemen that I have come across have been nice. 9 out of 10. Well, sorry about the exceptions, but yeah I guess from a personal experience, I feel safe when the police is around.

Yeah, so coming back to my day, quite a bit of running around and still have a long way to go today. Will perhaps, let you know whether or not I managed to finish everything - if I am alive to see the day tomorrow. So till then, bye. Goodnight.

Tell me if you have had, days like these or perhaps even worse....

Just Wondering...

Few things that I have been wondering about... see if you have ever wondered about them too.

• A person standing next to you, who was once your classmate. Just an acquaintance perhaps and to see them after say 3 years, do you wonder what he or she is doing now??? Wondering if they are also on the same lines as you... working, studying, married ???
• To see a man outside his shanty house alongside the railway track, playing with his little kid... that he is not just a poor man, but, very much a father, a husband and shouldering all those responsibilities which are much more difficult for him to shoulder than you or me.
• To overhear a conversation, about someone having a very hard time in their life and wonder about what all they have gone through ( a 8 day old marriage turning into a disaster...) Do you ever wonder, all the cribbing we must be doing of how unfair life is to us, we might actually be better of than most others. And should be happy and living for that.
• To wonder how the entire SEC classification that we as MBA students find so very important, seem to just vanish at the smallest instances. Take today for example, if you would see the way EVERYONE was geared up for Ganpati... there was no chance you would classify them into any segments. The way they do the stuff, for all festivals for that matter, purchasing POWER has nothing to do with anything.
• You wonder what, where and with whom you would be spending our life tomorrow.
  
• You wonder, how your parents were when they were your age (cos you never got t see them like that) ...
• You wonder how these old people when they have reunions behave, just the way you do with your friends today.
• You wonder that at this very moment when you are reading my post (or when I was writing this one), what would some friend of yours would be doing on some other end of the world.
  
• You wonder standing on sea side, where this would be stretching to. And if you were to go over straight on it, where would you reach.
• When you fly, you wonder whether you would fly from over your home.
• When you see a plane go over you, you wonder, if anyone you know would be aboard.
• You wonder, what and how you had be, if you weren't doing something else and not what you are currently doing in life. If you were perhaps not an MBA students, but, say a painter or a singer.

There are so many things to wonder about, that I am sure you would be able to add more to this list.

And ya, I am sure, we are all wondering at so many instances of our lives that there is a little WONDERLAND in all of us!!!

Brutal or Blind?????

The Indian News Media is creating waves in the industry these days. People are mocking at the extent to which the media can go to create stories and be the number one in doing so.

One of the stories that I happen to ridicule and hate the media the most for is the one created prior to the Abhishek - Ash wedding.

All the news channels covering Jhanvi Kapoor, the girl who claimed to be married to Abhishek Bachchan. The media not only covered the smallest of the details, but also, mocked at the tyranny of the girl, who was not even in her senses.

The media somehow failed to empathize with the girl. Let me explain to you the real problem with her.

I am sure you would have heard of "Schizophrenia".

It is defined as a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental illness characterized by impairments in the perception or expression of reality, most commonly manifesting as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions or disorganized speech and thinking in the context of significant social or occupational dysfunction.

In simple terms, Schizophrenia is a mental disorder where the person under its influence, begins to imagine himself in various situations. For him they are the true world. Under the influence of this, they are not able to distinguish between real and imaginary, because for them the imaginary becomes real. And stands true irrespective of everything else. A person suffering from this disorder does not even realize that they are under its influence. It's a fragment of their imagination which starts ruling them completely.

They tend to behave according to what they think is true. They perhaps don't even realize what they are doing and why so?? For them, what they imagine and think at that point of time become true; the truth of their life, the truth that they believe in. The truth that they live for.

Yes, it is a fatal truth for them. Something that is capable of driving them into death. Something which is a temporary state of mind and once they come back to their normal states they have no memory of what happened in the past.

Coming back Jhanvi Kapoor. A sad victim of the media's quest for higher TRPs and creating waves. Jhanvi was unfortunately a victim of schizophrenia and what the media gave her was complete mockery. Every singly news channel was seen making a "show" out of it. For them it was a "breaking news". Despite repeated pleas by he father, trying to explain that she was mentally not stable, the media continued its fanfare.

Well, the most grueling part of the whole episode is the fact that, the next day morning when Jhanvi would get up to start a new day, she would not be even aware of the story on which everyone was busy making money.

I think we need to to give it thought, are we moving towards development and away from humanity. The media, the biggest force and driver of change and revolution... is it here to present facts or are they here to create sizzling stories.

It wont be long, when the average Indian would doubt the credibility of the news industry.

India Auto Irony

"India's Auto Irony - Rs.1-l car to jostle for space with Rs.8-l super bikes."

...so goes the headline in the ET dated 7th July 2007. Definitely an irony The article spoke about an irony of a car being so cheap and a bike being so expensive. A car meant for the masses and the bike for the classes.

What however, strikes me as an irony is this: A 1 - L car looks at a HUGE market in India. Every Tom, Dick and Harry can pride itself with being a car owner. But, do we have the roads to drive the car. I am not very technically aware of the specifications of the car - but from the look of it, it gives me a feel that it is meant for driving small distances (within a city) and not really long ones. And if this assumption of mine is correct - then it makes me wonder if we have the roads to drive them on. Having seen the traffic in Mumbai and Bangalore, I don't wanna see more people commuting by their own cars. Then again, if its about the Tier2 and Tier 3 tows. Do they have a sound enough traffic systems, bot in terms of roads and traffic control to handle mass customers for a car!!!!

Coming to the bikes... Rs.8-L for a bike!!! Well, we do have a huge number of roadies I assume. But, would they be ready to pay Rs.8-l lacs for a bike. And the only place they would be able to ride such a bike would be a smooth long road, and not the roads of Mumbai. 1000cc, 1670cc on Mumbai roads could be both a pitiful and hilarious site. So where does it leave the company in terms of the market they are looking at.

Well, but if it is about TATA, Yamaha and Suzuki - I think they have done their homework well. And the Govt. authorities in India should be working on the roads, the traffic control, the parking, the accidents and the endless list of complications.

If nothing maybe, TATA as a part of their social responsibility could help build some good roads in Mumbai.

Lemme kno if any of my assumptions are wrong. If nothing the Govt. would definitely try and stop or delay the launch of these cars...

My Internship with Friends!!!

No Machcha!!! Listen da!!! Hey you F****r!!!! Like Dhuh!!! Chumma!!! Namaskara!!! And matar paneer!!!! Not to forget the Bloody Mary and Screw Driver... ;-)

Well, in short my new bunch of freakingly awesome friends from Bangalore. The summers were for an internship - serious research work etc. But, it turned out to be more of fun, food and frolic!!! Two months away from family for the first time ever, and I found myself entirely amongst friends. All new to me... for one day... and from the very next moment, they were as if I have always known them.

They made sure I have a great time. Then be it partying, dinners, wedding or just a DBC!!!!!! I always felt one of them... and I loved being one of them. All the photo sessions, the card game - "teen patti" (the maru made some money there, and yes, the sardar wasn't far behind.. thanks to all the loans ;-))

What I will cherish the most is my "silly naughty friend"!!! He cribbed and cribbed... but he was always there... took me to this awesome shop... A&S.. damn neat... great cook... had the privilege of being invited to lunch... and have some tasty matar paneer... good job dude!!!

Here is one pic of all of us... truly reflects the time we had together... CRAZZZYYYYY!!!!!















There was a time I was thinking, "What am I gonna do there???" And was carrying 5 to 6 novels... but i ended up reading just 2 of them... so that must explain to you what a blast I had there.

Anything for a trip like this. I miss Bangalore.... more than anything for my friends!!!