It's Raining, It's Pouring...

For all those of you, who've been following the news (closely or not) the deluge in Maharashtra that has caught most people unaware and has created a pandemonium like never before in Bombay, and parts of the Konkan region, this post comes a little late. I thought I'd refrain from posting about it lest someone complain loudly about my ridiculous obsession with the Mumbai monsoons and the romantic nuances of this season (yes, even when there are landslides, floods, and people are stranded in offices/schools/colleges/friend's homes/roads I find a certain romantic strain to this weather)...

But I couldn't resist. More so, since I have been told to sit at home like a good girl and not think of venturing out in such weather - pleading that Pune rains are non-existent in comparison to Bombay rains didn't help my cause, for I was kindly reminded that Bombay has an excellent public transport system that fails only when the Rain Gods unleash their complete and undiminished wrath on the city - that doesn't hold true for Pune. And then ofcourse the gentle reminder that I maybe up and about and prancing around like a gay deer once again, but the congestion is still there and I can't risk getting wet and/or falling sick again - so here I am marooned at home and with nothing to do but contemplate this season's best (or worst, depending on your perspective) display...and here's a random toss-up of scenes I saw on the news or heard about from friends and folks in Bombay or similarly rain-affected regions in our own friendly neighbourhood next IT destination:-

• "The bridges in Pune are submerged under water. Those who haven't crossed the Sangam bridge as yet will have to stay in their offices" - ahem. First bit of rather exaggerated news about the state of affairs in Pune. It rained, but we weren't exactly submerged under water and commuting by waterways!
• Bombay has recorded 940 mm of rain this season - having broken records of even Cherapunji, which recorded the highest of 830 mm in 1910! Now if that ain't BREAKING NEWS I don't know what is! It takes a downpour of this magnitude to bring that awesome city to a standstill - and even then, doesn't break the spirit of the city! A reporter who hails from Delhi remarked on how well the people are coping with the calamity - hear hear!!
• The roads in Andheri West have been transformed into meandering rivers, as have the roads in several other quartiers in Bombay - verified on phone from friends and family in Tinsel Town and by our gleeful news reporters who are merrily blaming the 'prashasan' for the chaos that rules Bombay at the moment.
• Thousands of people spent the night on the road yesterday - stranded in cars or other modes of transport, kilometers away from their own home or from those of friends/family. Thousands others waded (that isn't a typo- they waded, didn't walk) their way home - taking hours at end to cross an area just 1-15 minutes away from home.
• My cousins had varying experiences - one cousin spent most of the evening and night in a bus and reached home at 4 am. His wife, was stranded in Goregaon and got a message that her father-in-law was stuck nearby - before cellphones networks got jammed - she was lucky enough to find him and they spent half the night in the car, inching their way towards home.
• Yet another cousin waited too long to leave work and spent the night in his office, since the railway tracks were flooded with more than 6" of water and the local train services were shut down till water levels receded.
• Areas that never got flooded several years ago, have been experiencing ankle-length water-logging for the past few years (I'm sorry if I offend someone when I place the blame for this directly on the public who support road-side vendors and turn a blind-eye to the use of storm-water drains as garbage-canals - if the BMC has a job to do, so do you as citizens of this planet). This year the areas experienced flooding - I'm talking waist-high water in most areas and water that went as high as 5' in others and reached the 1st floor in yet others...
• Many areas experienced power-cuts and telephone lines are down, while cellphone networks are hopelessly jammed. So are roads - people are stranded at airports and railway stations; hotels are overflowing.
• Children who attend the afternoon shift were stranded in Podar school, without electricity and adequate food. Apparently harassed school authorities finally put phones off the hook so that they could focus on calming the kids down, instead of answering to frantic queries from parents and guardians...
• My friend spent the night at a colleague's place after his own building got flooded, making it impossible for him to go home - keeping in mind his paranoia about rains and water (he hails from Rajasthan and must be excused since such a phenomenon is very alien to him), it must have been quite bad for him to agree to spend a night without access to internet! ;-)
• A distant relation was stuck in Chiplun for a couple of days after the route to Goa got blocked by a landslide - her husband and brother rushed to rescue her, and now all three are trying to make their way back from Ratnagiri, even while the NH is submerged under water in certain sections! Adventure galore!
• Pune seems to be limping back to normal today - am still grouchy about having to spend the day at home with nothing to do but study! Even the fact that I've got my computer back after a week isn't making me feel too delighted about this house-arrest...think I'll go make myself a cup of steaming Cappucino flavoured with Cinnamon and try and cheer myself up :-)

And latest news :- A fire broke out on an ONGC oil rig 150 km from Bombay, in the middle of the Arabian Sea, surrounded by water, even while it continues to pour!

It's Raining Movies

I'm someone who isn't a movie-buff and has rarely ever felt the desire to watch the latest block-buster (and still continue to avoid most of them!). I'm someone who hasn't seen the landmark films of all time and is blissfully content with that state of things - I'm probably the only person alive who hasn't seen The Godfather and continues to resist the movie, despite innumerable recommendations, gentle hints and threats of dire consequences on not watching it! And then ofcourse there are those well-meaning friends who castigate me for wasting the money my folks have sunk into my education by not having seen that particular movie! Muhahah - priceless!;-) This isn't the only landmark movie that I haven't seen - there are many more! Sometimes I think I stick to my stubborn refusal of watching them, just so I can relish the look of complete shock on people's faces when I blithely announce I haven't the faintest clue what they are talking about because I haven't seen the film!

And so, for such a person, it's more than a little disconcerting to be suddenly watching so many films - that too, on the big screen!!! I started the year with the Pune International Film Festival, seeing three to five films a day, and I was sure that I'd exhausted my year's quota of films by the end of that movie-packed week! Little did I know, that PIFF was just the beginning - have been watching films consistently since then. For a regular movie-buff I still don't see enough - but as I mentioned to a friend yesterday (another one who is constantly horrified at my refusal to watch certain movies and shakes his head sadly at my philistinism in this department) I have probably seen more movies in the past six months, than I have in my entire life! And I'm almost certain that ain't no hyperbole!

Aviator. Black. My Brother Nikihil. Kaal. Parineeta. Sarkar. Dus was the last movie to be added to that increasing list of movies seen this year (which by the way was such a waste - the only good things about the movie were the Theme song and delciously eatable Abhishek! Seriously, if they had to copy a movie, they could atleast do it with more credibility and spend less time on the detailing - Read, ridiculous American accent - in officers of the Anti Terrorist department for chrissake - and fancy wardrobe, not to mention the Honda CRVs!!)
I'm about to add a few more by indulging in a few French films of the Romance genre! Yes it's certainly raining movies!

Pop-Poll :- AB senior is class-apart and that is a well-acknowledged fact, but AB junior is just so much more delicious! He's definitely got his moves right, what say?

Blogging From Heaven

On Sunday evening, so aggrieved was I by my pathetic state of health (congestion, palpitation and fever) and so phased out was I by the medication being pumped into me, not to mention the previous night's insomnia, that I rambled away and wrote this completely ridiculous email to my dearest friends - informing them that I am dying and how certain people couldn't care if I die a dog's death, so wrapped up are they in their petty issues! I also vaguely remember leaving similarly asinine comment(s) on others' blog(s) - *rolling my eyes and flushing in embarassment*

Of the friends who rushed to reply promptly was new addition to the 'inner circle' - Titash...I reproduce un-edited his email:-

"Incase you are dead, I hope you are checking your mail from the world beyond life. Being an atheist I cannot subscribe to the heaven-hell theory, but I do strongly cling to the hope that we transform into beings intelligent enough to be able to check emails and live in environments friendly enough to give us free internet access.
"The world beyond life" is perhaps the most politically correct way that an atheist can put it. Come to think of it, an atheist's definition of heaven would be where they gave you sleek laptops with wi-fi internet that was free too. Hell would be a old celeron dabba with a dialup connection where you were charged by the hour for both the net and the phone calls :D
That makes me think, the way you are, the first thing you would do, irrespective of whether you landed in heaven or hell would be to go blog and bitch/praise ur new life. and then there wuld be precisely 12 comments.
9 from your regular bloggers who would go gaga about "gurl you are having soo much fun up there...ooo...you wrote so nicely...aww wat a pity, what a shame you landed up there.....blah blah blah" or some such equally noncomittal nonsensical comment.
1 from Kunu Baba saying that he really misses you and that it was a nice post and gave good idea of how things were with you. 1 more anon from me. 1 anon from mon amour...or rather your amour. (These last two comments you think up cos now I am hungry and planning to end this crap I am writing :P ) "

Such is the concern expressed by those I value the most on pronouncement of my impending death!!!

Page 3 Report

Date & Time: 14th July, 2005, 7 p.m
Venue: Le Meridien, Pune
Decor: Decent - Red and Blue sashes, White Balloons
Music & Food: Good - Specially liked the Florentine dish. The Tiramisu was also nice. Just wish they would pass around wine, instead of Khus with Sprite, but I guess that's asking for too much eh? And I definitely can't afford wine at Le Meridien (and my conscience won't allow me to buy it on Daddy's money - good girl, aint I?)

Random Observations:

• Nothing like an old classic (albeit remixed) to truly set the party in motion - last night it was Madonna's Like a Prayer. She's still the Queen, boss!
• Some people get really enthusiastic and can shed all inhibitions, others (like me) need time to warm up and a gentle nudge (sometimes even alcoholic) to truly let their hair down.
• There is something about the way Black people move - even apparently trained Salsa dancers couldn't shake their booty as well as this Black couple.
• Not everyone who is dressed to kill wants their photograph published on Page 3 of a leading (or not) daily! Some people dress for their own pleasure, not for that of others, nor for publicity! They are the ones who truly rock!
• Some girls can be amazingly inelegant while dancing - the enthusiasm is there, so is the ability to match upto the tempo, but there is simply no grace! I look at them and simply can't find the femininity in their movements.
• Whatever you wear, however skimpy it may be, once you get on the dance-floor, you are bound to sweat! It's worse when you're bald - this one smart, bald gentlemen had rivulets of perspiration running down his scalp within 15 minutes of being on the floor!
• Guys have it easy - they just saunter in wearing jeans and tee-shirts with sneakers. No pre-party stress about what to wear, and no post-party stress of feet that ache from hours of dancing in heels - nor of toes minced under some guy's enthusiastic leap into the air with Summer of '69!
• Hair left open may look sexy, but it is no fun having it stick uncomfortably to your neck and back when you're trying to set the floor on fire! It kinda turns down the excitement of the racing pulse (and a later thought - inhibits him from spontaneously kissing that neck, doesn't it?)...
• Kajra Re (Bunty aur Babli) may be a very happening number, but it's incredibly difficult to groove to it, unless you're really into it and have no problems doing mujra!
  So is Kaal (Theme song) unless your form of exercise/weight-loss program is the currently popular pole-dancing aerobics! Or you're willing to indulge in the kind of back-breaking exercise SRK grooves to, in the video!
• Once you've imbibed some alcohol, it doesn't matter what country you are from, or whether you understand the lyrics or not - a Frenchie can do the bhangra just as well as any Indian! ;-)
• Last but not the least - Where was the French music? Wasn't this party celebrating La Fête Nationale de la France?

Let's Swing, Let's Dance...

It's that time of the month when my moods are oscillating like nobody's business - and so it is, that I shift from sheer happiness to depression, from contentment to frustration and from child-like enthusiasm to a lackadaisical response to everything. All these and a myriad more subtle mood shifts have been part of quotidien routine for the past few days!

Today I started the day with enthusiasm - it's 14th July! Ring any bells? Fall of the Bastille? La Marseillaise? French National Day, or as the globe-trotting Akshay pointed out La Fête Nationale! Before you start throwing bricks and bats at me for being snooty traitor and devoid of patriotism, let me rush to add that the enthusiasm is for tonight's soiree, organised by Alliance Francaise de Poona...now that the confusion over what to wear has passed, I'm all set to shake a leg (and more) tonight :-)

And So the Oracle Spake...

There used to be a time when any self-respecting person who claimed to be of the logical, analytical school of thought, would scoff at the very notion of believing an astrologer/tarot card reader etc. (This came after years of blind belief in the family astrologer prophesies). These days I find, much to my amazement, an increasing number of people who have the most complete faith in astrologers, and tarot readers (quite the rage these days).

I myself, have always had rather ambivalent feelings about this - my brain geneally refuses to accept that somebody else can look at my hand, make some calculations about stars and planets and tell me how my life is charted. It was always more of fun, than something I truly believed in. That I question how accurate they can be is a different matter. Even accepting that they are accurate for the most part, I wonder if it really helps knowing what's going to happen in the future. If the astrologer says you're going to get what you want, doesn't that make you complacent? Don't you strive less hard and take more risks/liberties, since somewhere at the back of your mind a tiny voice is reminding you of what lies ahead? And if you know that something won't work out the way you want it, doesn't that make you bitter, and make you lose heart even before you started trying?

Meanwhile I find myself in a wierd dilemma - a couple of years back I was kidding around and ended up getting my "future revealed" to me by an uncle who is an astrologer. Now this same uncle has been remarkably accurate about other family members, so despite my ambivalence I couldn't completely dismiss or forget his words. Specially since one of things he spoke about is something that is perhaps the most important thing for me - it's something for which, I've been waiting for a long time. Everytime a friend says it will happen for me and I can only wish their words come true, for I honestly don't know what I'll do if they don't come true. And I can only pray, that the hope that has been kept alive inside me for the past couple of years isn't for nothing...

And I wonder if it woudn't be better if I didn't know? Because then, I would have continued to carry on, and wouldn't be planning things with that one thing in mind (always) and would be prepared for either eventuality...

PS Speaking about prophesies, just can't help but remember the great Oracles and Sophocles' Oedipus and Electra.

Of Rendezvous, Pals, Bonhomie and Bombay...

It's always a pleasure to meet friends, but when it comes coupled with a Bombay trip it amounts to sheer undiluted times of fun :-) And so it was this weekend - the trip, was made primarily to meet my childhood friend Mansi, who is down for her annual "India" vacation. That translates into hours and hours of talking, walking around our beloved neighbourhood (irrespective of the rains, muck, traffic congestion et al), shopping and last but not the least being over-fed by Mansi who thinks the weight looks good on me! *Rolling my eyes*

But when do Bombay trips comprise of meeting just one person? How incredibly sedate and soporific! So there was the rendezvous at Mondegar on Friday evening with some Bloggers ( Akshay, Rahul, Phal and moi) and some Blogwhores (Kunal, Aparna and Anurag - who came (un)fashionably late!) - loads of fun, what with shouting over the juke-box din, singing along with favourites, indulging in friendly mud-slinging, spilling beer and wine - generally a lot of bonhomie going around our tiny little table! This was followed by a quick and delicious dinner at Bade Miyaan - ironic that I never went there while I was still in Bombay but finally reach the road-side eaterie famous for its "Bheja-pav" after having moved to Pune! All in all, a wonderful evening that I'd love to repeat some-time soon - rarely am I so chilled out with people I've just met - - - do I hear any "ayes" for an encore?

And then ofcourse I met darling Appu - some more talking and eating - nothing fancy, but it was like the good old times when conversation flowed easily and jibes were taken in good spirit. More happiness...On Sunday Madusa and I dropped in for coffee and conversation at Dr.Bharucha's - our M.A prof. An extremely intelligent and smart lady - I've said this before, but I'll reiterate it - if I can end up even half as intelligent, accomplished and well-read as her, I'll die a content woman!

Picked up some great stuff from Bombay this time - someone was amused that I save up certain shopping for Bombay 'coz the stuff would definitely be available in Pune too, but I'm loath to scour the "market" areas of Pune, when I know just where to go in Bombay for exactly what I want AND in the budget I want! Same reason why I continue to get my hair-cut in Bombay - this way I run no risk for my hair looking like a broom! :-)

Moral of the story - BOMBAY ROCKS
(Yes I am a Bombay-phile; Yes Bombay mere rag-rag mein dodta hai; Yes I'm incorrigible and suffer from the incurable Bombay Disease)

Alas all good things must come to an end - and so did this trip, though with a fitting end. The drive back to Pune was divine, what with all those misty clouds, verdant hills and silvery cascades flowing down the slopes onto the expressway. Soaking it in greedily I allowed my eyes to feast on the brilliant display Nature had set out in front of me even as the wind caressed my cheeks - why would anyone want to travel by A/C bus when this mode enables you to make the most of the awesome drive and weather?

So now I'm back and I really must settle down to some kind of studying routine - sigh.

P.S. Adi and Rahul have swanky new looks on their blogs - I want chic look too! Damn, looks like I'm going to be scouring for templates all over the internet once again!