Seething rage struggling to break thrugh the surface layers...tamping it down coz this time I'm shit-scared of the damage my angry words will wreck...ugh, why couldn't I be blessed with a calm, gentle soul? Sigh..ah well...forget it...
On the other hand I'm kinda content - my trip to Ahmedabad is happening. And if all works out fine, I might even go for a quick trip to Udaipur with Kunaal - and get to see Devigadh...yippeee! Looking forward to that break and getting rid of all these unpleasant emotions warring inside me, not to mention the confusion of the past few months...no therapy beats travel and being pampered by one of your closest friends! ;-)
Also glad that I'm got to see the movie I wanted to, and am going for a play tonight at Prithvi. The movie in question was "Meenakshi" by M.F.Hussain - wanted to see the movie mainly for its music and cinematography...and I wasn't disappointed. Though the movie has no plot to speak off (or if there was one I couldn't decipher it out!), its a treat for the senses....colours literally leap from the screen at you...be it the yellow of the lemons and the auto-rickshaws in Hyderabad, the saffron on the dresses or in the jalebis, the green of the grass, on the kites...its definitely the most aesthetically appealing movie I've seen off late! The way Santosh Sivan has captured Jaisalmer and Prague is simple unforgettable! I was saying before the movie that atleast I'll get to see Prague in a movie. I did, and it only served to whet my appetite for Prague! Went into a bit of nostalgia as well, seeing the railway station at Prague and those typical narrow cobbled pathways of European cities!!!
As for performances - Tabu never disappoints. Not to forget her sensuality - if she oozed sensuality in "Maqbool" , she's sensuality personified here...her dialogue, where she compares the earth which parches under the brutality of the sun, and the human body which gets wet with sweat, yet both of them are made of the same "mitti" is mindblowing sensual!!! Kunnal Kapoor? I have just one thing to say about him - He's HOT!!! He lierally sizzles on screen whether in his avataar of the poet composing poetry on rooftops and nooks and corners of Jaisalmer, or as the guy from the seamier side of Hyderabad!
All in all an extremely sensuously appealing movie!
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Know The "REAL" ME?
OK, this ain't a questionnaire I found on the net so don't get ready to scroll over it or move that mouse to the little cross on the right hand of the screen which will shut the window!! :) This is a result of a conversation I had with my mother yesterday when she remarked on how I am with certain people - my "real" self is what I like to call that side of my personality, the one that rarely bobs to the surface.
Sheesh, making myself sound real schizophrenic am I not? *Rolling my eyes* What I mean to say is that I let my hair down with very few people, am nasty and bitchy, or just plain silly with a selected few, exchange witty repartees or get into a verbal tango only with those few lucky buggers, or expect them to understand those flicks of tongues that produce my own language, can call just those people a "RAT" or a "KAMINI" at the same time as reaching out to hug them with all the affection I bear towards them.
Everyone else just sees the "society" me who doesn't do such horrifying things...So I figured if you've seen me in this avataar, you couldn't know me any better, hell you couldn't get any closer!!! Quite easy to figure out how well you know me, eh?
Just wait till I call you a "RAT" with a wide smile on my face...simple! ;-)
Sheesh, making myself sound real schizophrenic am I not? *Rolling my eyes* What I mean to say is that I let my hair down with very few people, am nasty and bitchy, or just plain silly with a selected few, exchange witty repartees or get into a verbal tango only with those few lucky buggers, or expect them to understand those flicks of tongues that produce my own language, can call just those people a "RAT" or a "KAMINI" at the same time as reaching out to hug them with all the affection I bear towards them.
Everyone else just sees the "society" me who doesn't do such horrifying things...So I figured if you've seen me in this avataar, you couldn't know me any better, hell you couldn't get any closer!!! Quite easy to figure out how well you know me, eh?
Just wait till I call you a "RAT" with a wide smile on my face...simple! ;-)
Thursday, April 08, 2004
Dream Time
Coming back home from AF last night I decided not to ponder and plunge into my psyche for the answers I've been seeking, but indulge in some wishful fantasies, and so I did :) My senses felt very pampered by the time I got home, to the point that I walked the short distance from the bus-stop to home bestowing smiles on everyone I passed, not to mention the extremely bizarre eye-lifting conversation I had with a guy who was (as usual) fascinated by what my tee-shirt had to say to the world - at this rate I could easily become an expert at the art of answering questions with a lift of an eyebrow and dismissing men with a side-long glance! LOL! Anyways coming back to dreams, I have a load of them...not all of which are open for discussion! *Wicked smile!* But among those that are open, is my dream to travel...I've always wanted to travel - not just arond the world, but also explore the many hidden delights within our own country. Infact I used to think that I'd rather discover my country first, travel its length from North to South, West to East before venturing across the "kalapani"! That obviously didn't happen the way I planned for there's so much I've still to see in India - but here's the hitlist for the near future or distant future (as life shall see fit to follow!I'm quite flexible when it comes to wish-fulfillment!) :
1. Pondicherry
2. Hampi
3. Kodaikanal
4. Udaipur (If I could stay at DeviGarh I'd go to Heaven a most content woman!!)
5. Jaipur (seen it already, but want to experience it in post October when the weather is more conducive to appreciation of its beauties and wonders - stay in one of those hotels that are palaces transformed into commercial outlets, be pampered silly by the grandeur and luxury - roam around all day in the labyrinth of streets, in the colourful markets, visit the historical places, soak in the atmosphere in the evening when the town is lit up by soft-glowing lamps around Diwali time...stuff dreams are made up of, eh?)
6. Jaisalmer
7. Assam (post Monsoons when its all lush and one can soak in the verdant beauty of the state)
8. Add to the North-East trail, Sikkim, and Manipur
9. Leh- Ladakh (tho how I'll survive in that bitter cold, and with that level of oxygen I have no freaking clue...the stark beauty of the mountains and the cute yaks will have to make up for the lack in oxygen! The warmth I guess I could get if by then I manage to hook up with someone! Muhahah!)
10. Amsterdam (nearly reached there, but cancelled the trip last minute becuase it was too close to my trip to France, and way too rushed!)
11. Prague (Pls God get me there in this lifetime)
12. Rome-Milan-Venice (It's Italy...I don't need to say any more!)
13. Provence (for its glorious sunsets), South of France, another more extended trip to Paris (this time loaded with cash hopefully-hehehe! )
14. Greece (I HAVE to see the Acropolis before I die!)
15. Last but not the least - Poovar Island! (I dunno yet, who he is going to be, but the man of my dreams better be prepared to take me to Poovar Island. Ever since I've read about it, it's been right at the top of the list of most Romantic places in my opinion...the very fact that is in Kerala says alot, add to that house-boats! Hell, I could sink into reverie even now :) )
Thats just the top few, the ones I could sell my soul to see...well not nearly! (That was a hyperbole, for those you who couldn't recognise it!)
Enough dreaming for now - time to get back to reality and ground earth baby! :)
1. Pondicherry
2. Hampi
3. Kodaikanal
4. Udaipur (If I could stay at DeviGarh I'd go to Heaven a most content woman!!)
5. Jaipur (seen it already, but want to experience it in post October when the weather is more conducive to appreciation of its beauties and wonders - stay in one of those hotels that are palaces transformed into commercial outlets, be pampered silly by the grandeur and luxury - roam around all day in the labyrinth of streets, in the colourful markets, visit the historical places, soak in the atmosphere in the evening when the town is lit up by soft-glowing lamps around Diwali time...stuff dreams are made up of, eh?)
6. Jaisalmer
7. Assam (post Monsoons when its all lush and one can soak in the verdant beauty of the state)
8. Add to the North-East trail, Sikkim, and Manipur
9. Leh- Ladakh (tho how I'll survive in that bitter cold, and with that level of oxygen I have no freaking clue...the stark beauty of the mountains and the cute yaks will have to make up for the lack in oxygen! The warmth I guess I could get if by then I manage to hook up with someone! Muhahah!)
10. Amsterdam (nearly reached there, but cancelled the trip last minute becuase it was too close to my trip to France, and way too rushed!)
11. Prague (Pls God get me there in this lifetime)
12. Rome-Milan-Venice (It's Italy...I don't need to say any more!)
13. Provence (for its glorious sunsets), South of France, another more extended trip to Paris (this time loaded with cash hopefully-hehehe! )
14. Greece (I HAVE to see the Acropolis before I die!)
15. Last but not the least - Poovar Island! (I dunno yet, who he is going to be, but the man of my dreams better be prepared to take me to Poovar Island. Ever since I've read about it, it's been right at the top of the list of most Romantic places in my opinion...the very fact that is in Kerala says alot, add to that house-boats! Hell, I could sink into reverie even now :) )
Thats just the top few, the ones I could sell my soul to see...well not nearly! (That was a hyperbole, for those you who couldn't recognise it!)
Enough dreaming for now - time to get back to reality and ground earth baby! :)
Saturday, April 03, 2004
Happening Life?
"Happening life you lead" - atleast two of my friends have said this to me in the past 72 hours...and it had my immensely puzzled. I just couldn't get their definition of "happening" - one said it coz I eat out regularly with my family...in the last one year this habit of ours had gone a bit out of order and we were increasingly ordering food home, but after my three months hiatus when I was "restaurant-deprived" I've been insistent that we go out atleast once a fortnight, if not every week. Been to Noodle Bar last Sunday, and today it was Just Around the Corner to satisfy my craving for salads...and that to my dear friend classifies as a "happening life"!!! To me it classfies as having a life, plain and simple...
The other friend truly puzzled me coz from what I understand I have a "happening life" because I'm confused, because I carry around with me a sense of void, an emptiness that I don't want to deal with after nearly two years of battling with it - seriously if this is "happening" I'd rather lead a very placid boring life....the sense of emptiness, I thought I'd developed methods to deal with, but every now and then it crops up to cripple all my reasoning, logic and rationalising, playing havoc with the decisions I take, the relationships I have in my life and generally leaving me totally screwed up. And the confusion of where I'm going, what direction my life is gonna veer in...hell I could soooooo do without that "happening" to me!!!
On a different note, I saw two movies yesterday - I returned from my Drama exam (which went pretty well) with a rather vague, irritating head-ache....while I waited for the Dispirin to kick into action I was flipping channels and out of sheer boredom settled on this teen-flick - the only description I can come up with for the movie is that it was totally "condom centred" - been ages since I saw a movie as ridiculous as that! The second movie is worth talking about...
"The Pianist" (2002), the movie that got Adrien Body his Academy award last year for best performace in leading role, is based on the auobiography of Wladyslaw Szpilman. Wladyslaw Szpilman, in the 1930s, was known as the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe. At the outbreak of the Second World War, however, Szpilman becomes subject to the anti-Jewish laws imposed by the conquering Germans. By the start of the 1940s, Szpilman has seen his world go from piano concert halls to the Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw and then must suffer the tragedy of his family deported to a death camp, while Szpilman is conscripted into a forced German Labor Compound. At last deciding to escape, Szpilman goes into hiding as a Jewish refugee where he is witness to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Warsaw City Revolt in 1945.
The Pianist
Wladyslaw Szpilman
(I strongly recommend that you go through both sites to get a better feeling not only of the movie, but also of the life and passion of Szpilman!)
The scenes in which they've shown the devastated city of Warsaw, Szpilman hiding in the bombed-out buildings, rummaging through abandoned houses for some food, at times even just some clean water to drink are some of the most stark scenes I have seen in movies...but by far, the most moving scene is the one where a German officer discovers Szpilman in his last hiding place and asks him to play the piano...Szpilman does, and does so for the entire day. The German officer lets him stay in the attic of the house and helps him till the last days of the war. Though not as hard-hitting as "The Schindler's List" which I maintain is a must-see, (since this is more of a surviver's tale than an indictment of the holocaust) the movie nevertheless leaves an imprint on the mind...definitely a Must See!!!
The other friend truly puzzled me coz from what I understand I have a "happening life" because I'm confused, because I carry around with me a sense of void, an emptiness that I don't want to deal with after nearly two years of battling with it - seriously if this is "happening" I'd rather lead a very placid boring life....the sense of emptiness, I thought I'd developed methods to deal with, but every now and then it crops up to cripple all my reasoning, logic and rationalising, playing havoc with the decisions I take, the relationships I have in my life and generally leaving me totally screwed up. And the confusion of where I'm going, what direction my life is gonna veer in...hell I could soooooo do without that "happening" to me!!!
On a different note, I saw two movies yesterday - I returned from my Drama exam (which went pretty well) with a rather vague, irritating head-ache....while I waited for the Dispirin to kick into action I was flipping channels and out of sheer boredom settled on this teen-flick - the only description I can come up with for the movie is that it was totally "condom centred" - been ages since I saw a movie as ridiculous as that! The second movie is worth talking about...
"The Pianist" (2002), the movie that got Adrien Body his Academy award last year for best performace in leading role, is based on the auobiography of Wladyslaw Szpilman. Wladyslaw Szpilman, in the 1930s, was known as the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe. At the outbreak of the Second World War, however, Szpilman becomes subject to the anti-Jewish laws imposed by the conquering Germans. By the start of the 1940s, Szpilman has seen his world go from piano concert halls to the Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw and then must suffer the tragedy of his family deported to a death camp, while Szpilman is conscripted into a forced German Labor Compound. At last deciding to escape, Szpilman goes into hiding as a Jewish refugee where he is witness to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Warsaw City Revolt in 1945.
(I strongly recommend that you go through both sites to get a better feeling not only of the movie, but also of the life and passion of Szpilman!)
The scenes in which they've shown the devastated city of Warsaw, Szpilman hiding in the bombed-out buildings, rummaging through abandoned houses for some food, at times even just some clean water to drink are some of the most stark scenes I have seen in movies...but by far, the most moving scene is the one where a German officer discovers Szpilman in his last hiding place and asks him to play the piano...Szpilman does, and does so for the entire day. The German officer lets him stay in the attic of the house and helps him till the last days of the war. Though not as hard-hitting as "The Schindler's List" which I maintain is a must-see, (since this is more of a surviver's tale than an indictment of the holocaust) the movie nevertheless leaves an imprint on the mind...definitely a Must See!!!
Thursday, April 01, 2004
Preening My Feathers...
Preening my feathers like a pompous peacock...umm...peahen (just doesn't have the same effect does it - peahen? Anyways you get the message! ) Why? Well, several reasons to feel good about myself...for one, yesterday's paper was damn good. Pretty much as my expectations for the paper went (not to mean that Lit Crit was below my expectations - I didn't have high expectations from that paper, considering it's my weak point!) - it always feels good to write a good paper...and yesterday I wrote well. Now if the remaining two papers go as well, or better (that would be ideal) then i'll be truly content! Ah well it all depends on how I study...ab kal ke paper ke liye maine abhi tak gadha majuri shuru nahin ki hai to dekhte hain kal kya gul khilati hoon mein! LOL!
Yesterday just before Annika left she commented on the dignified, ''cultured'' way I carry myself. I was tickled silly when I heard that. Why? Coz "cultured" always reminds me of a comment made by a friend's mother, who was lecturing us against having boyfriends, believing in this Western notion of "love" and held that "cultured khandaan ke bacche love marriage nahin karte" - ever since I've found it remarkably hilarious when the adjective is used for anyone...invariably makes me resist the urge to smile broadly! And to have the term applied to me...EGADS!
Speaking of Annika, she left yesterday....she's gone back home...infact she should be in Frankfurt in another few minutes...gonna miss her. I got used to having her come down for breakfast daily...and then join us for lunch/dinner sometimes, go to LoPrice with her to pick up something, discuss our mutual experiences...just have her around!
Here she is, before she left :
Wearing a salwar kurta! Aadhi Hindustani hai woh - she's taken back atleast 7 kurtas and several dupattas! :)
Just before she left, with her bags...I wish I could travel as light as her!! LOL!!
After she left, I felt so bereft that I ended up calling Kunu, for some "human" conversation as I said to him...wrangled with him over who's achieved more in life - him or me! Hehehe....and apna usual TP...LOL!!
Oh before I go...there's new stuff for you to read on Literary Mosaic and Literary Mosaic II
Satirical Poem 'Innocent England'
and
Feminist Reading of 'Medea'
Yesterday just before Annika left she commented on the dignified, ''cultured'' way I carry myself. I was tickled silly when I heard that. Why? Coz "cultured" always reminds me of a comment made by a friend's mother, who was lecturing us against having boyfriends, believing in this Western notion of "love" and held that "cultured khandaan ke bacche love marriage nahin karte" - ever since I've found it remarkably hilarious when the adjective is used for anyone...invariably makes me resist the urge to smile broadly! And to have the term applied to me...EGADS!
Speaking of Annika, she left yesterday....she's gone back home...infact she should be in Frankfurt in another few minutes...gonna miss her. I got used to having her come down for breakfast daily...and then join us for lunch/dinner sometimes, go to LoPrice with her to pick up something, discuss our mutual experiences...just have her around!
Here she is, before she left :
Wearing a salwar kurta! Aadhi Hindustani hai woh - she's taken back atleast 7 kurtas and several dupattas! :)
Just before she left, with her bags...I wish I could travel as light as her!! LOL!!
After she left, I felt so bereft that I ended up calling Kunu, for some "human" conversation as I said to him...wrangled with him over who's achieved more in life - him or me! Hehehe....and apna usual TP...LOL!!
Oh before I go...there's new stuff for you to read on Literary Mosaic and Literary Mosaic II
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Going Down Nostalgia Lane To Discover Lil Imp Geets
Pulled out my childhood photographs among other stuff, coz Annika wanted a "dekho" - and took a lil trip down nostalgia lane. The school/college photograph albums are lying outside, so I see them often. But the album with my kiddie snaps is lying inside a cupboard and rarely ever comes out - the only kiddie snaps I see often are the two that are in my parent's bedroom : one in which I'm angry about being made to wear a new dress ( can't imagine that happening today - LOL! ) and the second where I'm all over my father like a little monkey! Hehehehe...anyways most of my photos have captured that facet of my personality...I hate being called "bandariya" but as I saw the photos yesterday I realised how I earned that title - I was obviously an impish kid...there were hardly any photos where I wasn't laughing with this mischievous glint in my eyes, or looking like the devil is plotting something - there's even one where I'm smiling like this angelic kid, but you get the impression that I've just done something naughty and am gonna lay the blame on my brother! LOL! And then my mother related a few instances - like the time I dislocated my elbow, or ran the sewing machine needle through my index finger, or set my thumb on fire, or shared a toast with my pet dog Tika...and Annika is pretty sure now that the devil she thinks lurks somewhere in me, resides there permanently! LOL!
Ain't it so much fun to hear these silly little stories of the stuff you did as a kid that put those extra grey hair in your parents' hair? :)
Ain't it so much fun to hear these silly little stories of the stuff you did as a kid that put those extra grey hair in your parents' hair? :)
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Sex on Demand?
I am totally playing into my friend's hands by doing this, I know, but I just couldn't resist...So if he rolls of his chair laughing at my predictability, so be it! I had to blog about it...when he sent this to me, I was all but spluttering in indignation..as he expected me to...just can't believe this - take a look :
"NEW YORK: A hot meal on the table, a dab of fresh lipstick and sex on demand: such are the duties of a modern wife as described in a runaway bestseller that is infuriating the feminist lobby across America.
A book that panders to a distinctly retro look on marriage has caught the fancy of millions of men in the US. "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands" , a distinctly retro look at the chemistry of marriage, has sold 750,000 copies in America since publication in January, and is set to reach British bookshelves this autumn.
Its author, Dr Laura Schlessinger, a controversial radio host, prompts angry mutterings among the politically correct, but her forthright views on just who in a marriage should pick up the dirty underpants are winning over the American mainstream.
None of this should be any surprise to the 15 million fans – many of them appreciative men – who regularly listen to Schlessinger’s radio show. Women who whine on air about their sorry lot are given short shrift.
Change your ways or you will be dumped, she admonishes them. At the opening of her book, Schlessinger cites approvingly a caller named Vince. "As a man, I can tell you our needs are simple," he declared. "We want to be fed, we want our kids to be mothered and we want lovin'."
Schlessinger’s views are predictably robust and direct. She believes wives should put their husbands first in a marriage and not use their children as an all-too-common excuse for ignoring them. The refrain "I’m too tired for sex" denotes a lack of consideration and respect.
Career women suffer from "hurried woman syndrome", she argues, depriving themselves and their families of the pleasures of home life. If women must work, they should arrange their hours to suit the family. She has one son, now aged 18. "I walked the talk. I always got up at 5 am to write."
Dr Laura is so reviled by the chattering classes that her book of supposed home truths has barely been reviewed in the press. She has been cold-shouldered by many writers for being an antediluvian anti-feminist and gay basher.
Sunday Times, London"
My objections to this dumb woman's book need not be expanded on, coz it's pretty clear why I don't think much of her book or her views (she needs to be sent back to the cave-man age and forced to stay there when she realises that she has put her foot in her mouth...and I'm being kind)...but one thing did come into my mind as I read this the other day. Obviously the 1st sentence describes the "ideal woman" for many men (I say many coz I'm sure there are men who do not want this doormat of a bimbo, that's been described ) You can see I've put 1 phrase in Bold...
"sex on demand"
Pray explain to me what's so gratifying about getting sex on "demand"? Hell when I am married, in love with a guy, I'd want him just as much as he wants me, if not more! What can possibly be so exciting about having to "demand" sex...shouldn't it be something that's a result of mutual combustion (to use a rather sad analogy if I may) and chemistry? Something that occurs as a result of desire on both sides, rather than some kind of activity remote controlled by the man? Reason away all you want, but I don't think a man can actually prefer an unthinking doormat to a woman who makes him feel alive!
"NEW YORK: A hot meal on the table, a dab of fresh lipstick and sex on demand: such are the duties of a modern wife as described in a runaway bestseller that is infuriating the feminist lobby across America.
A book that panders to a distinctly retro look on marriage has caught the fancy of millions of men in the US. "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands" , a distinctly retro look at the chemistry of marriage, has sold 750,000 copies in America since publication in January, and is set to reach British bookshelves this autumn.
Its author, Dr Laura Schlessinger, a controversial radio host, prompts angry mutterings among the politically correct, but her forthright views on just who in a marriage should pick up the dirty underpants are winning over the American mainstream.
None of this should be any surprise to the 15 million fans – many of them appreciative men – who regularly listen to Schlessinger’s radio show. Women who whine on air about their sorry lot are given short shrift.
Change your ways or you will be dumped, she admonishes them. At the opening of her book, Schlessinger cites approvingly a caller named Vince. "As a man, I can tell you our needs are simple," he declared. "We want to be fed, we want our kids to be mothered and we want lovin'."
Schlessinger’s views are predictably robust and direct. She believes wives should put their husbands first in a marriage and not use their children as an all-too-common excuse for ignoring them. The refrain "I’m too tired for sex" denotes a lack of consideration and respect.
Career women suffer from "hurried woman syndrome", she argues, depriving themselves and their families of the pleasures of home life. If women must work, they should arrange their hours to suit the family. She has one son, now aged 18. "I walked the talk. I always got up at 5 am to write."
Dr Laura is so reviled by the chattering classes that her book of supposed home truths has barely been reviewed in the press. She has been cold-shouldered by many writers for being an antediluvian anti-feminist and gay basher.
Sunday Times, London"
My objections to this dumb woman's book need not be expanded on, coz it's pretty clear why I don't think much of her book or her views (she needs to be sent back to the cave-man age and forced to stay there when she realises that she has put her foot in her mouth...and I'm being kind)...but one thing did come into my mind as I read this the other day. Obviously the 1st sentence describes the "ideal woman" for many men (I say many coz I'm sure there are men who do not want this doormat of a bimbo, that's been described ) You can see I've put 1 phrase in Bold...
"sex on demand"
Pray explain to me what's so gratifying about getting sex on "demand"? Hell when I am married, in love with a guy, I'd want him just as much as he wants me, if not more! What can possibly be so exciting about having to "demand" sex...shouldn't it be something that's a result of mutual combustion (to use a rather sad analogy if I may) and chemistry? Something that occurs as a result of desire on both sides, rather than some kind of activity remote controlled by the man? Reason away all you want, but I don't think a man can actually prefer an unthinking doormat to a woman who makes him feel alive!
Friday, March 26, 2004
Skirting Around Matters
Off late I've started wearing alot of skirts...wrap arounds, ankle lengths, slit up the side, short denim, shorter denim ;)...I shied away from wearing the 2 skirts I had in my cupboard till last year, but in the time-span of a year I've bought loads more and wear them almost as much as I do jeans...anyways since it's so hot these days, skirts are definitely the better option...more ventilation being the primary reason!!!
Last week I happened to wear skirts for three days consecutively and got strange reactions for people each time...mostly funny, but one rather creepy...
1) Walking down Hill road after my AF class, I cross this woman who sells hats at the Ban of India corner...when I crossed her, she looked me up and down and said "Itna bhi kyu pehna hai" - I was flummoxed coz I was wearing an ankle length skirt and thought she meant someone else, but she clarified by saying - "Kapda le kar bandh liye kamar par, ek side par phad diya aur usko "sikart" bolte hain!" To say I was amused by her description of my skirt is an under statement, I was chuckling all the way upto the bus-stop.
2) Went to class again wearing a wrap-around skirt - I got this stitched from a material that comes from Assam and is used for the traditional dress there...so it looks different...anyways a classmate of mine thought I'm wearing a lungi, coz I was wearing it with a kurta! Sure I know it looks a bit like a lungi, but well I was kinda deflated! LOL! And then a lady in my building complimented my "body-wrapper" !!!
3) The day I went for La Nuit de Publivores at Jai Hind I was wearing a denim skirt..we met up at Churchgate station and then walked up to Jai Hind together...I was there first and then another girl from class arrived...both of us were wearing denim skirts, her's was a bit shorter than mine...the number of men who passed by leering at our legs was not funny! And as if that wasn't enough, there was a group of men who were standing just opposite us very pointedly looking at our bare legs...CREEPY VERY CREEPY!!!
Last week I happened to wear skirts for three days consecutively and got strange reactions for people each time...mostly funny, but one rather creepy...
1) Walking down Hill road after my AF class, I cross this woman who sells hats at the Ban of India corner...when I crossed her, she looked me up and down and said "Itna bhi kyu pehna hai" - I was flummoxed coz I was wearing an ankle length skirt and thought she meant someone else, but she clarified by saying - "Kapda le kar bandh liye kamar par, ek side par phad diya aur usko "sikart" bolte hain!" To say I was amused by her description of my skirt is an under statement, I was chuckling all the way upto the bus-stop.
2) Went to class again wearing a wrap-around skirt - I got this stitched from a material that comes from Assam and is used for the traditional dress there...so it looks different...anyways a classmate of mine thought I'm wearing a lungi, coz I was wearing it with a kurta! Sure I know it looks a bit like a lungi, but well I was kinda deflated! LOL! And then a lady in my building complimented my "body-wrapper" !!!
3) The day I went for La Nuit de Publivores at Jai Hind I was wearing a denim skirt..we met up at Churchgate station and then walked up to Jai Hind together...I was there first and then another girl from class arrived...both of us were wearing denim skirts, her's was a bit shorter than mine...the number of men who passed by leering at our legs was not funny! And as if that wasn't enough, there was a group of men who were standing just opposite us very pointedly looking at our bare legs...CREEPY VERY CREEPY!!!
Power of Cricket
Despite the fact that Cricket and India seem to be synonymous, I have never fond a passion for the game, or even an interest...I haven't retained any interest in sports, though I used to enjoy watching tennis as a kid, but Cricket always had the effect of a sedative on me...anyways it always amazed me when there was a cricket match going on and people would be glued to the Television, but nothing to beat days when India and Pakistan are playing...Ofcourse if we happen to win, well nothing like it!!!
I remember when we won against Pakistan in the last World Cup - apparently it was as good as getting the Cup back home! I had gone to see "Mango Souffle" with Kunu, coz we were sure that we'd get movie tickets that day...we did, the hall was empty! LOL!! After the movie, we thought we'd go for coffee - but when we came out, we were stunned - it was like everyone had gone nuts while we were watching the movie...there were hoards of people on the street, driving around with the flag fluttering from their car windows, or marching down singing some patriotic song, with the flag in their hand...and Cafe Coffee Day was playing the National Anthem through-out the time we were there!!! I'm still amazed at how the game manages to inspire such patriotic feelings in Indians...
Got yet another illustration of this day before yesterday when India beat Pakistan for the first time on their grounds...to say that people went berserk is to put it mildly..they were people marching down the road with a full band playing the national anthem, dancing with the flag...with police escort!! And people were joining them as they went along...this at 11 in the night...it continued till way into the wee hours of the morning!!
I'm still struggling to digest it all - but I have to admit it's kinda exhilarating to watch this kinda camaraderie amongst people, even if its only coz of 11 guys chasing a ball!!! ;)
I remember when we won against Pakistan in the last World Cup - apparently it was as good as getting the Cup back home! I had gone to see "Mango Souffle" with Kunu, coz we were sure that we'd get movie tickets that day...we did, the hall was empty! LOL!! After the movie, we thought we'd go for coffee - but when we came out, we were stunned - it was like everyone had gone nuts while we were watching the movie...there were hoards of people on the street, driving around with the flag fluttering from their car windows, or marching down singing some patriotic song, with the flag in their hand...and Cafe Coffee Day was playing the National Anthem through-out the time we were there!!! I'm still amazed at how the game manages to inspire such patriotic feelings in Indians...
Got yet another illustration of this day before yesterday when India beat Pakistan for the first time on their grounds...to say that people went berserk is to put it mildly..they were people marching down the road with a full band playing the national anthem, dancing with the flag...with police escort!! And people were joining them as they went along...this at 11 in the night...it continued till way into the wee hours of the morning!!
I'm still struggling to digest it all - but I have to admit it's kinda exhilarating to watch this kinda camaraderie amongst people, even if its only coz of 11 guys chasing a ball!!! ;)
Thursday, March 25, 2004
The Joys of Being Bizarre :)
Fell back into what I'm more familiar with as my normal ways of studying...the odd habit I have of waking up at some god forsaken hour of 4.30 am and studying as the dawn creeps around the corner...but I'm already awake, well before the first rays of sun touch this part of the world...awake and buzzing with life...all thanks to my music...gosh the thought of studying without those ancient cassettes of mine which actually come out only at this time of the year, just leaves me at a loss of thoughts...hehe...now thats a contradiction in itself, a thought that leads to thoughtlessness! Hey am I possibly being influenced by Derrida and his concept of Deconstruction? Nah...not in this life-time will I understand that man and articulate his ideas from my own unconscious...just don't have that intellect or the wildness of imagination!!! ;)
Listening even now to music...I shouldn't be here blogging...ideally I should be cramming up...but 3 non-stop hours of studying has left me impatient, and I had to just do something else...so here I am...hehehe...just remembered Annika's reaction yesterday morng...she had spent the night with us, coz the 6th floor flat was occupied by some of Suku's guests...anyways she stumbled out of the room at 5.30 and squinted at me...poor babe couldn't figure out what I was doing "listening to some old music in the middle of the night" and being all chirpy and sunshiney about it!! LOL!!! She woke up much later to inform me that she's now absolutely sure that I'm wierder than anyone else she knows....and (this is the best) that she doesn't pick up atleast this habit from me!! ROTFLMAO!!! That was a reference to the fact that she's picked up traces of my funny habit of making these sounds and using neologisms that make sense only to me...a "Pch...tsk-tok" can be translated into an entire expression of thought when it comes from me! And no I'm not talking in Zulu when I'm "talking"' like that...
Totally love being my bizarre self... :)
Gosh I wanna blog so much more, starting with last night's victory and the celebration on streets to yet another funny (tho unsolicited this time) reaction to my clothes...but later...for now a shower is the need of the hour!
Oh and one last thing before I go : All the Best to ME!!! Muhahahahaha!!!
Listening even now to music...I shouldn't be here blogging...ideally I should be cramming up...but 3 non-stop hours of studying has left me impatient, and I had to just do something else...so here I am...hehehe...just remembered Annika's reaction yesterday morng...she had spent the night with us, coz the 6th floor flat was occupied by some of Suku's guests...anyways she stumbled out of the room at 5.30 and squinted at me...poor babe couldn't figure out what I was doing "listening to some old music in the middle of the night" and being all chirpy and sunshiney about it!! LOL!!! She woke up much later to inform me that she's now absolutely sure that I'm wierder than anyone else she knows....and (this is the best) that she doesn't pick up atleast this habit from me!! ROTFLMAO!!! That was a reference to the fact that she's picked up traces of my funny habit of making these sounds and using neologisms that make sense only to me...a "Pch...tsk-tok" can be translated into an entire expression of thought when it comes from me! And no I'm not talking in Zulu when I'm "talking"' like that...
Totally love being my bizarre self... :)
Gosh I wanna blog so much more, starting with last night's victory and the celebration on streets to yet another funny (tho unsolicited this time) reaction to my clothes...but later...for now a shower is the need of the hour!
Oh and one last thing before I go : All the Best to ME!!! Muhahahahaha!!!
Monday, March 22, 2004
La Nuit de Pub Francophone
I had gone for La Nuit de Pub Francophone organised to celebrate rancophonie day, by Alliance Francaise on 19th March at the Jai Hind auditorium...the venue isn't important, nor the date (though I must inform you that Francophonie day is 20th March)...anyway cutting the crap and coming to the point - this concept is very cool. initiated by Jean-Marie Bouriscot, a film buff who collected over 7,00,000 films from all over the world, La Nuit de Puublivores (Night of Ad-Eaters) was created in 1981 in Paris. Each year 500 publicity films are screened from around the world on varied themes. The event is now in its 23rd year and has visited 160 cities and 47 countries to celebrate more than 200 years of francophonie publicity.
La Nuit de Pub Francophone organised by AF Mumbai, had support from the Consulates of France (biensur!),Belgium, Mauritius, Canada, Switzerland and Madagascar(which the prini of Jai Hind college pronounced as MAD SAGAR!) , the Consul-Generals of all but the last two attended the screening. They screened a collection of the best publicity spots from all times, starting from the first one created by the Lumiere brothers in 1898 to to latest creations from the Francophone countries : France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canda, Central African countries, North African countries and some from the Middle East.
Some of the Ad-films were down-right stupid, like our desi variety...but some of them were truly ingenious - like the Milk ads from Switzerland, the Red Bull ad from Belgium, the Palm Beer ads from Belgium, Philips Ad from France, the Chanel no.5 ad from France etc etc....my favorites were the Milk and Palm Beer ads!!! 2 ads I found a bit shocking, were the Condom ads from Switzerland (amazingly direct and well they make you sit up in shock when you first see them!) and the ad for a literacy campaign (Swiss)...the statistics are shocking!
This was the first event organised by AF that I've attended (embarassed to admit it!!), and I'm glad our class decided to go for it, instead of having a regular class (this is much more edcuative in terms of culture and accent and intonation etc)...now I'm eager to attend more of these things - maybe in April before Niv III gets over and defi in Pune!!! Chalo enough about Publivores...
La Nuit de Pub Francophone organised by AF Mumbai, had support from the Consulates of France (biensur!),Belgium, Mauritius, Canada, Switzerland and Madagascar(which the prini of Jai Hind college pronounced as MAD SAGAR!) , the Consul-Generals of all but the last two attended the screening. They screened a collection of the best publicity spots from all times, starting from the first one created by the Lumiere brothers in 1898 to to latest creations from the Francophone countries : France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canda, Central African countries, North African countries and some from the Middle East.
Some of the Ad-films were down-right stupid, like our desi variety...but some of them were truly ingenious - like the Milk ads from Switzerland, the Red Bull ad from Belgium, the Palm Beer ads from Belgium, Philips Ad from France, the Chanel no.5 ad from France etc etc....my favorites were the Milk and Palm Beer ads!!! 2 ads I found a bit shocking, were the Condom ads from Switzerland (amazingly direct and well they make you sit up in shock when you first see them!) and the ad for a literacy campaign (Swiss)...the statistics are shocking!
This was the first event organised by AF that I've attended (embarassed to admit it!!), and I'm glad our class decided to go for it, instead of having a regular class (this is much more edcuative in terms of culture and accent and intonation etc)...now I'm eager to attend more of these things - maybe in April before Niv III gets over and defi in Pune!!! Chalo enough about Publivores...
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Cheezed Off At Khushwant Singh, the Chauvinist (So What's New?)
Khushwant Singh has just released yet another book at the grand age of 90 - another one of his sagas on Indian history, bogus religion, and sexuality - full of allegories and allusion to politicians, and pages of erotica! It's been described as vintage Khushwant Singh by critics - OK I really don't have a problem with him churning out books at this age - and if he has the readers, he can go ahead and write what he wants...the reason why I'm fuming is his appalling statement on television :
A Condom for the Pen hasn't been invented yet, so as long as I hold the pen in my hands, the ink will keep flowing!
Now for those of you who can't understand why I'm foaming at the mouth, I'll explain.... Putting it simply, it re-affirms Singh's belief that the pen is a phallic symbol. The flow of ink from the tip of the pen represents ejaculation. Need I say more?
It's absolutely disgusting that he can get away with something like that on national news, and worse that the news channel broadcasted it!!! The man thrives on controversy, but isn't this taking things too far? Or am I the only one who is not thrilled with his analogies?
Pen and Metaphor - The Gendering of Writing
A Condom for the Pen hasn't been invented yet, so as long as I hold the pen in my hands, the ink will keep flowing!
Now for those of you who can't understand why I'm foaming at the mouth, I'll explain.... Putting it simply, it re-affirms Singh's belief that the pen is a phallic symbol. The flow of ink from the tip of the pen represents ejaculation. Need I say more?
It's absolutely disgusting that he can get away with something like that on national news, and worse that the news channel broadcasted it!!! The man thrives on controversy, but isn't this taking things too far? Or am I the only one who is not thrilled with his analogies?
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Mr.Ginger Schnapps
Schnapps has always been a source of amusement and wonder for all of us at home - whether it was his tiny size when he came to us as a puppy, his crawling around the house like a lil mouse, his fondness for carrots, cucumbers, capsicum etc....tout tout tout tout tout!!! Recently he has developed some new habits - he can't stand people shaking hands with the women of the house. The first time he exhibited this chauvinistic pattern of behaviour was when Hardo had come home for the first time - the minute he shook hands with Amma, Schnapps was jumping in between, barking angrily at Hardo! Next time was when Kunaal shook hands with me...and when I sat down next to Kunaal, Schnapps just kept barking at poor Kunu till I moved away! Guess all men are the same at the crux of it, eh? LOL!!!
Even more amusing is his possessiveness of my brother - he actually sits at the bathroom threshold while my brother is inside...with this sad, neglected "mere piya mujhe chod kar chale gaye" look on his face!! But nothing beats his reactions to when Bhaiyya-Bhabhi are talking...he goes and plants himself in between and promptly starts distracting Bhaiyya or tries to climb onto Bhaiyya's chest! A few days back Bhaiyya put his arm around Bhabhi while talking to her - and dear Mr Schnapps couldn't take that...he didn't stop barking till Bhaiyya moved away from Bhabhi - now whether that was possessiveness towards Bhaiyya or chauvinistic protectiveness towards Bhabhi, I leave you to figure out!
His recent favourite meals - roti with tomatoes and carrots (cucumbers have been retired for the time being) and in fruits it's oranges - when oranges are being peeled, he even leaves his position by Bhaiyya to come sniffing and then starts his jumping 2 feet in the air routine till we give him what he wants!! Total darling, isn't he?
Even more amusing is his possessiveness of my brother - he actually sits at the bathroom threshold while my brother is inside...with this sad, neglected "mere piya mujhe chod kar chale gaye" look on his face!! But nothing beats his reactions to when Bhaiyya-Bhabhi are talking...he goes and plants himself in between and promptly starts distracting Bhaiyya or tries to climb onto Bhaiyya's chest! A few days back Bhaiyya put his arm around Bhabhi while talking to her - and dear Mr Schnapps couldn't take that...he didn't stop barking till Bhaiyya moved away from Bhabhi - now whether that was possessiveness towards Bhaiyya or chauvinistic protectiveness towards Bhabhi, I leave you to figure out!
His recent favourite meals - roti with tomatoes and carrots (cucumbers have been retired for the time being) and in fruits it's oranges - when oranges are being peeled, he even leaves his position by Bhaiyya to come sniffing and then starts his jumping 2 feet in the air routine till we give him what he wants!! Total darling, isn't he?
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Hymne A L'amitie - Celine Dion
(I liked the lyrics of this song - here it is with the English translation provided :))
Si c'est un ami
S'il est pour toi
Ce que tu es pour lui
(If it's a friend
If he's for you
What you are for him)
Celui qui peut t'aimer
Sans jamais te juger
Celui qui reste quand les autres t'ont deja quitte
(The one who can love you
Without ever judging you
The one that stays when the others already left you)
Je dis que si c'est un ami
Alors tu as bien reussi ta vie
Tu as deja trouve l'etoile du berger
Et tu n'es plus seul sur la route
(I say that if it's a friend
Then you have succeeded in your life
You already found the evening star
And you're not alone anymore on the road)
Si c'est un ami
Donnes ton pain et ton vin et ta vie
Et refais le monde comme l'ont fait trois cents fois
Don Quichotte et son vieux Sancho Panza
(If it's a friend
Give your bread and your wine and your life
And do the world all over again like have done three hundred times
Don Quixote and his old Sancho Panza)
Si c'est ton ami
Dis-lui qu'il chante et puis chante avec lui
L'amitie c'est le plus beau pays
(If it's your friend
Tell him so he'll sing and sing with him
Friendship is the most beautiful country)
Si c'est un ami
S'il devient fou quand tu fais des folies
S'il te montre parfois qu'il avait peur pour toi
Si rien de moins que le meilleur ne le satisfait pour toi
(If it's a friend
If he becomes crazy when you do crazy things
If he shows you sometimes he feared for you
If nothing less than the best satisfies him for you)
Je dis que si c'est un ami
Alors tu as reussi ta vie
Chacun de son cote
On est que deux moities
A deux on franchit des montagnes
(I say that if it's a friend
Then you succeded in your life
Each one on our side
We're only thow halves
Together we go over mountains)
Si c'est un ami
Donnes ton pain et ton vin et ta vie
Et refais le monde comme
L'ont fait trois cents fois
Don Quichotte et son vieux Sancho Panza
Si c'est ton ami
Dis-lui qu'il chante et puis chante avec lui
L'amitie c'est le plus beau pays
Si c'est un ami
S'il a ton rire s'il a tes larmes aussi
Si les memes coleres
Le prennent quand la terre
Avec ses trompettes et ses guerres
S'en va de travers
(If it's your friend
If he has your laughing if he has your tears too
If he has the same angers
Fill him when the earth
With its trumpets and its wars
Goes wrong)
Je dis que si c'est un ami
Tu peux dire un grand merci a la vie
Puisqu'elle a fait de lui
Un frere que tu choisis
Et le compagnon de la chance
(I say that if he's a friend
You can say a huge thank you to life
Because it made of him
A brother you choose
And the companion of luck)
Si c'est un ami
Donnes ton pain et ton vin et ta vie
Et refais le monde comme
L'ont fait trois cents fois
Don Quichotte et son vieux Sancho Panza
Si c'est ton ami
Dis-lui qu'il chante et puis chante avec lui
L'amitie c'est le plus beau pays
Si c'est un ami
Donnes ton pain et ton vin et ta vie
Et refais le monde comme
L'ont fait trois cents fois
Don Quichotte et son vieux Sancho Panza
Si c'est ton ami
Dis-lui qu'il chante et puis chante avec lui
Si c'est un ami
S'il est pour toi
Ce que tu es pour lui
(If it's a friend
If he's for you
What you are for him)
Celui qui peut t'aimer
Sans jamais te juger
Celui qui reste quand les autres t'ont deja quitte
(The one who can love you
Without ever judging you
The one that stays when the others already left you)
Je dis que si c'est un ami
Alors tu as bien reussi ta vie
Tu as deja trouve l'etoile du berger
Et tu n'es plus seul sur la route
(I say that if it's a friend
Then you have succeeded in your life
You already found the evening star
And you're not alone anymore on the road)
Si c'est un ami
Donnes ton pain et ton vin et ta vie
Et refais le monde comme l'ont fait trois cents fois
Don Quichotte et son vieux Sancho Panza
(If it's a friend
Give your bread and your wine and your life
And do the world all over again like have done three hundred times
Don Quixote and his old Sancho Panza)
Si c'est ton ami
Dis-lui qu'il chante et puis chante avec lui
L'amitie c'est le plus beau pays
(If it's your friend
Tell him so he'll sing and sing with him
Friendship is the most beautiful country)
Si c'est un ami
S'il devient fou quand tu fais des folies
S'il te montre parfois qu'il avait peur pour toi
Si rien de moins que le meilleur ne le satisfait pour toi
(If it's a friend
If he becomes crazy when you do crazy things
If he shows you sometimes he feared for you
If nothing less than the best satisfies him for you)
Je dis que si c'est un ami
Alors tu as reussi ta vie
Chacun de son cote
On est que deux moities
A deux on franchit des montagnes
(I say that if it's a friend
Then you succeded in your life
Each one on our side
We're only thow halves
Together we go over mountains)
Si c'est un ami
Donnes ton pain et ton vin et ta vie
Et refais le monde comme
L'ont fait trois cents fois
Don Quichotte et son vieux Sancho Panza
Si c'est ton ami
Dis-lui qu'il chante et puis chante avec lui
L'amitie c'est le plus beau pays
Si c'est un ami
S'il a ton rire s'il a tes larmes aussi
Si les memes coleres
Le prennent quand la terre
Avec ses trompettes et ses guerres
S'en va de travers
(If it's your friend
If he has your laughing if he has your tears too
If he has the same angers
Fill him when the earth
With its trumpets and its wars
Goes wrong)
Je dis que si c'est un ami
Tu peux dire un grand merci a la vie
Puisqu'elle a fait de lui
Un frere que tu choisis
Et le compagnon de la chance
(I say that if he's a friend
You can say a huge thank you to life
Because it made of him
A brother you choose
And the companion of luck)
Si c'est un ami
Donnes ton pain et ton vin et ta vie
Et refais le monde comme
L'ont fait trois cents fois
Don Quichotte et son vieux Sancho Panza
Si c'est ton ami
Dis-lui qu'il chante et puis chante avec lui
L'amitie c'est le plus beau pays
Si c'est un ami
Donnes ton pain et ton vin et ta vie
Et refais le monde comme
L'ont fait trois cents fois
Don Quichotte et son vieux Sancho Panza
Si c'est ton ami
Dis-lui qu'il chante et puis chante avec lui
Amitie
Amitie = Friendship
I've often said how important my friends are to me - this despite the fact that I've often erred in my judgement of people and deliberately distanced myself from some of my "friends" when they themselves didn't do so...(I almost pride myself in my clinical detachment at such times, for that helps to get over the hurt and disappointment much faster)
But a few days back I was just pondering over the changes life will undergo once I shift to Pune...I saw some changes after I returned from my 3 month hiatus in Germany - some big, some small, some in me, some in others - all significant! One thing that I'd been scared shit about was the changes in my friendships - there were few, none damaging luckily...atleast not in friendships that truly matter to me...but I realised that distance DOES strain relationships, specially if one person isn't good at 'staying in touch.' This brings me to my biggest fear - that there will be a day when these friends who I value so much and who are almost my entire support system (my guardian angels as someone once called them!), will not be there in my life....the thought filled me with such dread I can't even begin to describe the fear. Oddly enough I dealt with the fear with anger...not tears, not anxiety, but anger...anger at silly little things that you normally ignore in friendship, that don't matter...but for some reason I was remembering them and justifying a distance that doesn't even exist. Defence Mechanism? I don't know...think I was being incredibly paranoid and stupid. And hot headed - that's a new development, by the way...or should I say resurfacing - my childhood 'tatiya' red-hot temper seems to be back with a vengeance!!! Not exactly thrilled with it...sigh, one more thing to combat...lotsa deep breathing lined up for me!!!
I've often said how important my friends are to me - this despite the fact that I've often erred in my judgement of people and deliberately distanced myself from some of my "friends" when they themselves didn't do so...(I almost pride myself in my clinical detachment at such times, for that helps to get over the hurt and disappointment much faster)
But a few days back I was just pondering over the changes life will undergo once I shift to Pune...I saw some changes after I returned from my 3 month hiatus in Germany - some big, some small, some in me, some in others - all significant! One thing that I'd been scared shit about was the changes in my friendships - there were few, none damaging luckily...atleast not in friendships that truly matter to me...but I realised that distance DOES strain relationships, specially if one person isn't good at 'staying in touch.' This brings me to my biggest fear - that there will be a day when these friends who I value so much and who are almost my entire support system (my guardian angels as someone once called them!), will not be there in my life....the thought filled me with such dread I can't even begin to describe the fear. Oddly enough I dealt with the fear with anger...not tears, not anxiety, but anger...anger at silly little things that you normally ignore in friendship, that don't matter...but for some reason I was remembering them and justifying a distance that doesn't even exist. Defence Mechanism? I don't know...think I was being incredibly paranoid and stupid. And hot headed - that's a new development, by the way...or should I say resurfacing - my childhood 'tatiya' red-hot temper seems to be back with a vengeance!!! Not exactly thrilled with it...sigh, one more thing to combat...lotsa deep breathing lined up for me!!!
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Back after ages...
Am back after ages to blog...its been a while, hasn't it? Ok, more like aeons, but then some other stuff took priority and then I was usually to tired or "mand-buddhi" last week to even attempt to blog...as a result, my poor blog has been neglected and is looking rather sad these days...LOL!!
A quick re-cap of my week:
Major activites : Let's see, being sick doesn't count as an activity, does it? Nor does being lazy? Guess I can just put down AF, cursory attempts to study as an accurate response!!
Songs I'm rocking to these days : "Get Busy" by Sean Paul and "Powerless" by Nelly Furtado - they never fail to get my feet tapping, hips swinging and my mood upbeat, even when I'm cursing the mother all all back-aches!!! :) Funny, but I'm almost addicted to those two songs these days...
Karla Caves : I'd like to re-produce what our guide told us about the caves and its origin, history, special features etc...since I'm sure I'll forget soemthing in my narration I'm taking the liberty of referring to a site - don't complain, I'm making life easier for you...this way you get spoon-fed info, and you don't have to do any mehnat yourself!! LOL!!!
The Caves are high on the surrounding hills. A narrow winding path leads up. Built centuries ago by Buddhist monks, the caves are in keeping with the Buddhist ideas of simplicity. One wonders why this isolated spot was chosen as the site for the caves. After all, a rock-cut structure high in the remote hills is not something immediately associated with a place of worship. Until the arrival of the Buddhists, there had been little building activity of any consequence in this difficult terrain. During their very first season in the hills in thatched huts, the monks must have had to face the fury of the rains. Rains, which lashed down the hillside non-stop for half the year. Rains that could wash away an entire village without leaving a sign and rains that could make worship around a stupa in the open an unpleasant task indeed. Under the circumstances, they could have built prayer halls of timber. Wood was at hand from the forest. Bricks baked in the plains could be hoisted up. However, even such a hall would have been difficult to maintain and preserve under the unrelenting fury of the monsoon. Only the hills seemed to withstand the ravages. With their great desire to make the Good Law of the Buddha outlast time itself, the Buddhist monks decided to carve their sanctuaries out of the living rock of the immovable mountains.
Rock cut structures are one of the earliest and most primitive forms of architecture. They were particularly well adapted to Indian conditions, both material and spiritual. Cool in summer, cozy in winter, cave temples are well adapted to the Indian climate. Low cliffs often mean waterfalls, a stream or simply water percolating down from the tableland above. Unfortunately, this pretty picture of dense forests and welcome waterfalls is a thing of the past. Now, the hills around Karla are bald and water is a scarce commodity.
From the late second century BC till the mid-second century AD, thousands of caves like Karla were built in the Sahyadri Hills. They were apparently all for Buddhist communities. These cave sites were not randomly chosen. They were selected in accordance with the Buddhist prescription that the holy man should live neither too near nor too far from the cities-not too near to be distracted, nor too far to make begging rounds impractical or to put the monks out of reach of people. Naturally, the existence of a natural cave was another determining factor.
Karla was a natural cave, excellently situated, and also used to be along one of the major caravan trading routes. This made Karla an excellent choice for the monks to build the cave shrines here.
The caves consist of two types: chaitya halls and viharas. Chaitya halls were for congregational worship (an activity which fundamentally distinguishes Buddhism from Hinduism). The viharas were the dwelling place of the monks and usually consisted of cells cut into the walls around three sides of a hall. All very austere and demanding great hardships from the body. Enduring feature of these caves are the arched entrances and vaulted interiors. This basic structure was very dear to the Buddhist monks.
The actual process of construction is fascinating. The chosen hillside was cleared of shrubs and other growth. The parallel tunnels were then run to the desired depth and timber wedges driven vertically into the exposed rock at convenient centers. When moistened, these wedges expanded and dislodged large chunks of stone that were removed through the mouth of the cave. Thus, the rock was exposed. At this point all the exposed rock were chiseled and polished and only then the workmen continued the excavation. Gradually, with mere one fourth inch chisels and hammers as the tools, the excavation was carried on from the ceiling downward. A tedious process but one that has survived, as Karla testifies. Once excavated timber trelliswork and balconies were added as trimmings.
Cave paintings in Karla :
The workman recreated in stone what they would normally have built of timber. Gradually the stone carver's art became unique. He began to exploit the potential of this new medium. The monumental culmination of this extraordinary art form is the famous mammoth hall at Karla. The gigantic hall, built in the first century AD is adorned with architectural motifs; lions and elephants whose tusks were probably of genuine ivory but no longer exist. The architect of this hall was fully aware of the potential of the visual drama and awe that could be infused into a visitor entering such a vast, sacred hall. At the entrance are two enormous 50 feet high columns crowned by glorious lion sculptures. One passes into an anteroom lit by a recessed sun window set in a huge horseshoe archway. The light is wonderfully diffused. The walls are richly sculpted and at one time there were frescoes too. Moving further in, one discerns the most sacred object of veneration looming out of the dark-the stupa. Magic is created by a soft luminosity that filters in through the rows of flanking columns. The stupa seems situated in a fathomless cavern. Though many rock cut techniques evolved over the centuries none have ever rivaled the chaitya hall at Karla. It embodies the powerful relationship that has endowed the caves of the Buddhists with magical qualities beyond the comprehension of day-to-day architecture.
My Photos of the Karla Caves
My own vishesh-teepni : Try and get there by 9am, coz the climb upto the caves is very tiring once the heat of the day has set in. If you manage to get there early, then the climb will be more fun, and you will appriciate the caves much more...and oh, don't forget to carry plenty of water, a hat and your camera!!! (Also I personally think it's better to visit this place just after the monsoons coz then the view will be more green, than brown as I got!!) And don't forget to wear sensible shoes, coz the steps have weathered over time and can be very tricky at places...Bon Voyage!
A quick re-cap of my week:
Major activites : Let's see, being sick doesn't count as an activity, does it? Nor does being lazy? Guess I can just put down AF, cursory attempts to study as an accurate response!!
Songs I'm rocking to these days : "Get Busy" by Sean Paul and "Powerless" by Nelly Furtado - they never fail to get my feet tapping, hips swinging and my mood upbeat, even when I'm cursing the mother all all back-aches!!! :) Funny, but I'm almost addicted to those two songs these days...
Karla Caves : I'd like to re-produce what our guide told us about the caves and its origin, history, special features etc...since I'm sure I'll forget soemthing in my narration I'm taking the liberty of referring to a site - don't complain, I'm making life easier for you...this way you get spoon-fed info, and you don't have to do any mehnat yourself!! LOL!!!
The Caves are high on the surrounding hills. A narrow winding path leads up. Built centuries ago by Buddhist monks, the caves are in keeping with the Buddhist ideas of simplicity. One wonders why this isolated spot was chosen as the site for the caves. After all, a rock-cut structure high in the remote hills is not something immediately associated with a place of worship. Until the arrival of the Buddhists, there had been little building activity of any consequence in this difficult terrain. During their very first season in the hills in thatched huts, the monks must have had to face the fury of the rains. Rains, which lashed down the hillside non-stop for half the year. Rains that could wash away an entire village without leaving a sign and rains that could make worship around a stupa in the open an unpleasant task indeed. Under the circumstances, they could have built prayer halls of timber. Wood was at hand from the forest. Bricks baked in the plains could be hoisted up. However, even such a hall would have been difficult to maintain and preserve under the unrelenting fury of the monsoon. Only the hills seemed to withstand the ravages. With their great desire to make the Good Law of the Buddha outlast time itself, the Buddhist monks decided to carve their sanctuaries out of the living rock of the immovable mountains.
Rock cut structures are one of the earliest and most primitive forms of architecture. They were particularly well adapted to Indian conditions, both material and spiritual. Cool in summer, cozy in winter, cave temples are well adapted to the Indian climate. Low cliffs often mean waterfalls, a stream or simply water percolating down from the tableland above. Unfortunately, this pretty picture of dense forests and welcome waterfalls is a thing of the past. Now, the hills around Karla are bald and water is a scarce commodity.
From the late second century BC till the mid-second century AD, thousands of caves like Karla were built in the Sahyadri Hills. They were apparently all for Buddhist communities. These cave sites were not randomly chosen. They were selected in accordance with the Buddhist prescription that the holy man should live neither too near nor too far from the cities-not too near to be distracted, nor too far to make begging rounds impractical or to put the monks out of reach of people. Naturally, the existence of a natural cave was another determining factor.
Karla was a natural cave, excellently situated, and also used to be along one of the major caravan trading routes. This made Karla an excellent choice for the monks to build the cave shrines here.
The caves consist of two types: chaitya halls and viharas. Chaitya halls were for congregational worship (an activity which fundamentally distinguishes Buddhism from Hinduism). The viharas were the dwelling place of the monks and usually consisted of cells cut into the walls around three sides of a hall. All very austere and demanding great hardships from the body. Enduring feature of these caves are the arched entrances and vaulted interiors. This basic structure was very dear to the Buddhist monks.
The actual process of construction is fascinating. The chosen hillside was cleared of shrubs and other growth. The parallel tunnels were then run to the desired depth and timber wedges driven vertically into the exposed rock at convenient centers. When moistened, these wedges expanded and dislodged large chunks of stone that were removed through the mouth of the cave. Thus, the rock was exposed. At this point all the exposed rock were chiseled and polished and only then the workmen continued the excavation. Gradually, with mere one fourth inch chisels and hammers as the tools, the excavation was carried on from the ceiling downward. A tedious process but one that has survived, as Karla testifies. Once excavated timber trelliswork and balconies were added as trimmings.
Cave paintings in Karla :
The workman recreated in stone what they would normally have built of timber. Gradually the stone carver's art became unique. He began to exploit the potential of this new medium. The monumental culmination of this extraordinary art form is the famous mammoth hall at Karla. The gigantic hall, built in the first century AD is adorned with architectural motifs; lions and elephants whose tusks were probably of genuine ivory but no longer exist. The architect of this hall was fully aware of the potential of the visual drama and awe that could be infused into a visitor entering such a vast, sacred hall. At the entrance are two enormous 50 feet high columns crowned by glorious lion sculptures. One passes into an anteroom lit by a recessed sun window set in a huge horseshoe archway. The light is wonderfully diffused. The walls are richly sculpted and at one time there were frescoes too. Moving further in, one discerns the most sacred object of veneration looming out of the dark-the stupa. Magic is created by a soft luminosity that filters in through the rows of flanking columns. The stupa seems situated in a fathomless cavern. Though many rock cut techniques evolved over the centuries none have ever rivaled the chaitya hall at Karla. It embodies the powerful relationship that has endowed the caves of the Buddhists with magical qualities beyond the comprehension of day-to-day architecture.
My own vishesh-teepni : Try and get there by 9am, coz the climb upto the caves is very tiring once the heat of the day has set in. If you manage to get there early, then the climb will be more fun, and you will appriciate the caves much more...and oh, don't forget to carry plenty of water, a hat and your camera!!! (Also I personally think it's better to visit this place just after the monsoons coz then the view will be more green, than brown as I got!!) And don't forget to wear sensible shoes, coz the steps have weathered over time and can be very tricky at places...Bon Voyage!
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Phew....
Phew...a trip to Pune with en route halts at Lonavala and Karla caves, for house-hunting, followed by Holi on Sunday...jesus but days seem to be flying past...I didn't even realise how fast the mid-term break at AF got over...now that I think back I seem to have accomplished little...sigh...ah well I did have my share of fun...which is ALSO imp in life, in order to not get stuck in that boring old rut! :)
Pune was good...as in I had fun this time. We had breakfast at Fariyas, in Lonavala - pretty much pigged out - it's been ages since I've had such a sumptuous breakfast(the Danish pastries were to die for!!!). After that Amma-Papa and Schnapps moved onto Pune in our car, while Bhaiyya, Bhabhi,Annika, Suku and I headed towards Karla caves in Suku's Bolero. That was interesting - the 150 steps climb was worth the effort. Have to put up photos of that....tomm hopefully.
Pune was HOT - 38 degress in the day time...that made it exhausting, specially coz we were mostly just looking at possible future homes...not the most fun thing in most circumstances, but with this kinda scorching energy-sapping heat...need I say more? Liked a couple of places, but have to consider the distance to Papa's factory as well...lotsa thinking lined up ahead for us... :) Ofcourse my father also HAD to go build his factory on a 'dongar'...couldn't belive it! i mean the land is great...the view is awesome..but the drive to that place daily is ...well gonna be tiring to say the least! But who can argue with dear Mr.Shrivastava?
Hmm....ok I do have loads more to say, but I'm truncating this coz I gotta go to BCL today and get some stuff for poetry...guess I'll wrap this up tomm in peace and with more details....
Pune was good...as in I had fun this time. We had breakfast at Fariyas, in Lonavala - pretty much pigged out - it's been ages since I've had such a sumptuous breakfast(the Danish pastries were to die for!!!). After that Amma-Papa and Schnapps moved onto Pune in our car, while Bhaiyya, Bhabhi,Annika, Suku and I headed towards Karla caves in Suku's Bolero. That was interesting - the 150 steps climb was worth the effort. Have to put up photos of that....tomm hopefully.
Pune was HOT - 38 degress in the day time...that made it exhausting, specially coz we were mostly just looking at possible future homes...not the most fun thing in most circumstances, but with this kinda scorching energy-sapping heat...need I say more? Liked a couple of places, but have to consider the distance to Papa's factory as well...lotsa thinking lined up ahead for us... :) Ofcourse my father also HAD to go build his factory on a 'dongar'...couldn't belive it! i mean the land is great...the view is awesome..but the drive to that place daily is ...well gonna be tiring to say the least! But who can argue with dear Mr.Shrivastava?
Hmm....ok I do have loads more to say, but I'm truncating this coz I gotta go to BCL today and get some stuff for poetry...guess I'll wrap this up tomm in peace and with more details....
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
ROTFLMAO
I've had 2 very funny experiences in the recent past, that I wanna share with all and sundry - so here goes...enjoy them people!
I have this bright orange tee-shirt with an extremely obnoxious print on it - I bought it for the sole purpose of seeing how people would react to it. Till date I've recd quite a few interesting reactions, but the best was last Tuesday when I walked into my AF class. Rohan and Mehrnaaz were discussing something when I sauntered into the classroom ...here's what happened next:
R: Arre FBI and all huh? So when did you work for them?
G: *Smiling like an angel*
R: Ai, I also want that tee shirt. Where did you buy it?
M: Rohan I don't think you can wear that tee shirt...
R: Why not? Like she really worked for FBI that she can wear it, and not me!
M: Oh you've missed the fine print....
G: *Reading aloud for Rohan's benefit* Fabulous Body Inside
R: *Blushing a fiery red all the way upto his ears* Aaj kal ki ladkiyan..tum log kuch bhi pehente ho!!!
- Mission accomplished. I think I might just finally retire the tee shirt to night-wear! Muhahaha!! ;)
The next one deals basically with how EVERYONE reacts to what Kunu and I share. The concept of a friendship like the two of us share, without any other feeling coming in, is simply alien to everybody. Practically everyone who sees us together, assumes that we are 'going around' - friends, people in the building, people on the road, people in the bus etc etc. I thought it's something to do with 'Indian Mentality' but now I know it's not, coz even Hana and Hardo thought the same! *Almost Exasperated* It's always a source of amusement for me to hear what these people say, and its devilish fun to watch them squirm as they try to figure out how exactly they should ask the question without being too nosy...
Latest reactions go on this line of thought - "they aren't going around yet, but watch out, they are gonna hook up soon and then I'll be able to tell everyone I saw it coming!" OR "Oh...I can feel the love blossoming, isn't it so cute?" This one was met with rather disbelieving looks from Kunu and me - we were like, yaar in logon ki akkal kahan par hai? Hai bhi ya nahin?
ROTFLMAO!!
I have this bright orange tee-shirt with an extremely obnoxious print on it - I bought it for the sole purpose of seeing how people would react to it. Till date I've recd quite a few interesting reactions, but the best was last Tuesday when I walked into my AF class. Rohan and Mehrnaaz were discussing something when I sauntered into the classroom ...here's what happened next:
R: Arre FBI and all huh? So when did you work for them?
G: *Smiling like an angel*
R: Ai, I also want that tee shirt. Where did you buy it?
M: Rohan I don't think you can wear that tee shirt...
R: Why not? Like she really worked for FBI that she can wear it, and not me!
M: Oh you've missed the fine print....
G: *Reading aloud for Rohan's benefit* Fabulous Body Inside
R: *Blushing a fiery red all the way upto his ears* Aaj kal ki ladkiyan..tum log kuch bhi pehente ho!!!
- Mission accomplished. I think I might just finally retire the tee shirt to night-wear! Muhahaha!! ;)
The next one deals basically with how EVERYONE reacts to what Kunu and I share. The concept of a friendship like the two of us share, without any other feeling coming in, is simply alien to everybody. Practically everyone who sees us together, assumes that we are 'going around' - friends, people in the building, people on the road, people in the bus etc etc. I thought it's something to do with 'Indian Mentality' but now I know it's not, coz even Hana and Hardo thought the same! *Almost Exasperated* It's always a source of amusement for me to hear what these people say, and its devilish fun to watch them squirm as they try to figure out how exactly they should ask the question without being too nosy...
Latest reactions go on this line of thought - "they aren't going around yet, but watch out, they are gonna hook up soon and then I'll be able to tell everyone I saw it coming!" OR "Oh...I can feel the love blossoming, isn't it so cute?" This one was met with rather disbelieving looks from Kunu and me - we were like, yaar in logon ki akkal kahan par hai? Hai bhi ya nahin?
ROTFLMAO!!
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
Movie Reviews
Cold Mountain (2003) - I just found out that the movie is based on a novel by some Charles Frazier guy...and well, we all know by now that Renee Zellweger won the Oscar for Supporting Actress for her role in the movie. Set during the American Civil War, the movie tells the story of a wounded Confederate soldier named Inman (Jude Law) who struggles on a perilous journey to get back home to Cold Mountain, N.C. as well as to Ada (Nicole Kidman), the woman he left behind before going off to fight in the Civil War. Along the way, he meets a long line of interesting and colorful characters, while back at home, Ada is learning the ropes of managing her deceased father's farm with Ruby (Renee Zellweger), a scrappy drifter who assists and teaches Ada along the way.
What I liked about the movie, was the way they've captured the effects of war on the common man, the brutality of the soldiers and the emotions of those innocents who are caught in the fire. The landscapes in the movie were mindblowing as well, enough for me to ignore the few cliched situations they've shown with Inman's journey and the struggle of the two women. The music on the banjo was cool...I think I'd like to own some country music soon...
Something's Gotta Give (2003) - A very cliched love story featuring Harry (Jack Nicholson) who has so far dated only young women, like Marin (Amanda Peet). Things get complicated when he meets her mother Erica (Diane Keaton), has a heart attack in her home, and then the doctor (Keanu Reeves) has the hots for her...do I need to go on? It's a chick-flick all the way, with a very obvious ending and well...the kinda movie that you must watch with your brains safely locked up somewhere at home.
Maqbool (2004) - starring Pankaj Kapoor, Irfan Khan and Tabu, the film is an adaptation of Shakepeare's Macbeth. Set in present day Mumbai, the film uses the all-too familiar politician-underworld-police nexus as its plot line, but manages to make it seem new. I don't want to give out much of the plot, coz it's a movie I think, everyone must see for themselves - the acting is brilliant and they have adapted the Shakespearan play marvellously.
Oh just go and see it please!!!!
Macbeth - to tempt you into seeing Maqbool
What I liked about the movie, was the way they've captured the effects of war on the common man, the brutality of the soldiers and the emotions of those innocents who are caught in the fire. The landscapes in the movie were mindblowing as well, enough for me to ignore the few cliched situations they've shown with Inman's journey and the struggle of the two women. The music on the banjo was cool...I think I'd like to own some country music soon...
Something's Gotta Give (2003) - A very cliched love story featuring Harry (Jack Nicholson) who has so far dated only young women, like Marin (Amanda Peet). Things get complicated when he meets her mother Erica (Diane Keaton), has a heart attack in her home, and then the doctor (Keanu Reeves) has the hots for her...do I need to go on? It's a chick-flick all the way, with a very obvious ending and well...the kinda movie that you must watch with your brains safely locked up somewhere at home.
Maqbool (2004) - starring Pankaj Kapoor, Irfan Khan and Tabu, the film is an adaptation of Shakepeare's Macbeth. Set in present day Mumbai, the film uses the all-too familiar politician-underworld-police nexus as its plot line, but manages to make it seem new. I don't want to give out much of the plot, coz it's a movie I think, everyone must see for themselves - the acting is brilliant and they have adapted the Shakespearan play marvellously.
Oh just go and see it please!!!!
Monday, March 01, 2004
Rollercoaster ride
Gosh but I feel drained and confused...I am actually feeling the need to take 2 mins off and erase everything on my mind, every few hors, just so I can gain control over all the crazy number of thoughts racing trhough my head all day long...ranging from where I have to go with whom, to what I need to accomplish by when, from my studies, to how to go about organising the day, how to make the most of my mid-term break at AF etc etc...
So anyways....now lets see...on thursday as I said I scrapped the plan for South Mumbai..instead we headed to Bandra on a shopping excursion...Hana, Annika and Hardo- all three shopped till they dropped-pretty much! Saima joined us for a while, but later it was just the 4 of us...I left them at 5.30 to go for french, but joined them again after class. We went for "Cold Mountain" at Globus - damn good movie. It was the first movie I've seen in a theatre in ages..the last time I saw a movie in a theatre was like Mumbai Matinee, just before I left for Germany...so I was truly glad that this movie was a good one. Came home by 10.30 but it was midnight by the time I slept...
The next day was incrediby tiring...I wanted to get out of the house by 8.30 so we could get an early start, but with Hana and Hardo (who is very un-German in his concept of punctuality) it was 9.30 by the time we left the house...putting us back quite a bit. Anyways we reached gateway of India and were on the ferry by 11.30 and headed towards Elephanta Island soon after...the trip opened my eyes to just how ludicrous people get around "gori chamdi" - the kind of offers they make, the kind of stupid statements they come up with left me rather appalled and embarassed. True they are from richer countries but just how "smooth" is it to try and seel an extremely kitschy souvenir by saying "sir you are a crorepati...buy sir buy buy"? God I could have slapped the idiots who mouthed those words all the way up to the caves...(you have to climb up the hill to get to the caves and the path is lined with souvenir shops etc)....once up we first cooled off at a restaurant, had lunch and then headed for the caves. embarassing again coz Indians are charged a mere Rs 10/- while foreigners fish out Rs.250/- My question for the day - don't we have Indian tourists, who should also be responsible for the 'maintainance' of the caves...or do we have to rely on foreigners for that as well?
The caves proved to be interesting - the last time I was there I was disappointed..but this time with Hardo's steady commentary (he's devoured several books on them and was most amusing in his explanations which I had to tone down at times), the whole experience was fun....we got back to mainland at 5.15...having spent a large part of the day at the caves. Unfortunately this meant that we had barely any time to do much else - so all we got the chance to do was make quick stops at the Fort Campus of the Mumbai University (built in Venetian Gothic style and a most impressive building, with its Raja Bai Clock Tower and Convocation Hall) and the buildings of the District and High Court, before we crossed the Oval Maidan over to Oxford. Hana picked up some books - I gifted her a cookbook with Indian recipes - kinda cliched gift, but she wanted one so I figured it was an apt gift. Was dying to pick up a book for myself as well, speically since I hadn't stepped into Oxford for months....but had to restrain myself to picking up just one collection of Indian folklores, purely for economic reasons!!! Sigh....anyways next stop was Gaylord for a quick bite and coffee to rejuvenate ourselves....
Photos of the Day
Hardo left us then to run some errands and Hana and I went to Khar to get some stuff exchanged from Pepe - caught a bus from there and got home at 9.30 pm. Got home and seperated for a shower...and were out again by 10.30...Kunal and Annika added to the group...we went to the Juhu Mocha. They were having a DJ night...so it was alot of LOUD remixed music..some good, mostly trash...but suited the 'party' mood that was the need for the hour, so I was happy with the music...we got back home at 2 am....too tired to even fall asleep instantly...and Schnapps didn't help by barking atleast twice in the night and waking me up in the morning at 8 am by pouncing on my cursed toe! And I couldn't even rail at him coz I looked at the time and immediately jumped into action...
We caught another movie in the morning - a chick-flick as Aditi would say - "Something's Gotta Give" - terribly cliched and way too long for its trivial theme. The first half was OK, but in the second half, both Hana and I caught ourselves napping...and Kunaal ( who I conned into accompanying us) all but strangled me for making him see such a movie!! More about it the movies in my next blog on movies! And the latest on what people NOW think of Kunal and me - they never cease to amuse me!!! :) After the movie Hana had to pick up some gifts for her grandparents and then we rushed home so she could pack and shower before leaving...
I left her at the airport at 5pm....she was sad to go, and I was sad to see her go. Though we ddin't know each other too well in Magdeburg I enjoyed spending this time with her and getting to know her better - she's a wonderful girl. Hope we stay in touch and meet in the future!
Phew--I thought that was it and sat down to pick up the threads of my studies in the evening. Started my morning routines of 5.30 am from Sunday without realising that it would be yet another long and tiring day. I ended up going for "Maqbool" with Annika and her friend -I don't regret going for the movie - it was fabulous and totally worth it. After the movie I'd promised to meet Kunaal for dinner. We went to Crepe Station - the crepes were good, but not the least bit "French" as they promise to be!!! Ah well...Indianised French food? after dinner Annika met us at Carter Road and we walked down the promenade and meandered through the narrow Bandra galis towards Mocha for coffee and dessert - The chocolate fudge was TOO sweet and my coffee had TOO much milk and felt like milk and not coffee...that was the only part I truly regretted in the whole day, specially coz I was dead on my feet by the time I got home past midnight.
I had to force myself outta bed this morning to study...and as a consequence I slept like a log in the afternoon...still I seem to have accomplished a decent amount in just 2 days of serious studying....hell I always knew I'd manage- I mean Geetanjali can't NOT manage right? Reputation ka kya hoga? what would people say? Poor people wouldn't recover from the shock...(Yeps if you don't get it, 2 things can happen to the next person who hints that I don't need to work for my marks - if he/she is lucky I just freeze the person outta my life, or else my talons seem to be quite sharp these days!LOL!)
More soon...
So anyways....now lets see...on thursday as I said I scrapped the plan for South Mumbai..instead we headed to Bandra on a shopping excursion...Hana, Annika and Hardo- all three shopped till they dropped-pretty much! Saima joined us for a while, but later it was just the 4 of us...I left them at 5.30 to go for french, but joined them again after class. We went for "Cold Mountain" at Globus - damn good movie. It was the first movie I've seen in a theatre in ages..the last time I saw a movie in a theatre was like Mumbai Matinee, just before I left for Germany...so I was truly glad that this movie was a good one. Came home by 10.30 but it was midnight by the time I slept...
The next day was incrediby tiring...I wanted to get out of the house by 8.30 so we could get an early start, but with Hana and Hardo (who is very un-German in his concept of punctuality) it was 9.30 by the time we left the house...putting us back quite a bit. Anyways we reached gateway of India and were on the ferry by 11.30 and headed towards Elephanta Island soon after...the trip opened my eyes to just how ludicrous people get around "gori chamdi" - the kind of offers they make, the kind of stupid statements they come up with left me rather appalled and embarassed. True they are from richer countries but just how "smooth" is it to try and seel an extremely kitschy souvenir by saying "sir you are a crorepati...buy sir buy buy"? God I could have slapped the idiots who mouthed those words all the way up to the caves...(you have to climb up the hill to get to the caves and the path is lined with souvenir shops etc)....once up we first cooled off at a restaurant, had lunch and then headed for the caves. embarassing again coz Indians are charged a mere Rs 10/- while foreigners fish out Rs.250/- My question for the day - don't we have Indian tourists, who should also be responsible for the 'maintainance' of the caves...or do we have to rely on foreigners for that as well?
The caves proved to be interesting - the last time I was there I was disappointed..but this time with Hardo's steady commentary (he's devoured several books on them and was most amusing in his explanations which I had to tone down at times), the whole experience was fun....we got back to mainland at 5.15...having spent a large part of the day at the caves. Unfortunately this meant that we had barely any time to do much else - so all we got the chance to do was make quick stops at the Fort Campus of the Mumbai University (built in Venetian Gothic style and a most impressive building, with its Raja Bai Clock Tower and Convocation Hall) and the buildings of the District and High Court, before we crossed the Oval Maidan over to Oxford. Hana picked up some books - I gifted her a cookbook with Indian recipes - kinda cliched gift, but she wanted one so I figured it was an apt gift. Was dying to pick up a book for myself as well, speically since I hadn't stepped into Oxford for months....but had to restrain myself to picking up just one collection of Indian folklores, purely for economic reasons!!! Sigh....anyways next stop was Gaylord for a quick bite and coffee to rejuvenate ourselves....
Hardo left us then to run some errands and Hana and I went to Khar to get some stuff exchanged from Pepe - caught a bus from there and got home at 9.30 pm. Got home and seperated for a shower...and were out again by 10.30...Kunal and Annika added to the group...we went to the Juhu Mocha. They were having a DJ night...so it was alot of LOUD remixed music..some good, mostly trash...but suited the 'party' mood that was the need for the hour, so I was happy with the music...we got back home at 2 am....too tired to even fall asleep instantly...and Schnapps didn't help by barking atleast twice in the night and waking me up in the morning at 8 am by pouncing on my cursed toe! And I couldn't even rail at him coz I looked at the time and immediately jumped into action...
We caught another movie in the morning - a chick-flick as Aditi would say - "Something's Gotta Give" - terribly cliched and way too long for its trivial theme. The first half was OK, but in the second half, both Hana and I caught ourselves napping...and Kunaal ( who I conned into accompanying us) all but strangled me for making him see such a movie!! More about it the movies in my next blog on movies! And the latest on what people NOW think of Kunal and me - they never cease to amuse me!!! :) After the movie Hana had to pick up some gifts for her grandparents and then we rushed home so she could pack and shower before leaving...
I left her at the airport at 5pm....she was sad to go, and I was sad to see her go. Though we ddin't know each other too well in Magdeburg I enjoyed spending this time with her and getting to know her better - she's a wonderful girl. Hope we stay in touch and meet in the future!
Phew--I thought that was it and sat down to pick up the threads of my studies in the evening. Started my morning routines of 5.30 am from Sunday without realising that it would be yet another long and tiring day. I ended up going for "Maqbool" with Annika and her friend -I don't regret going for the movie - it was fabulous and totally worth it. After the movie I'd promised to meet Kunaal for dinner. We went to Crepe Station - the crepes were good, but not the least bit "French" as they promise to be!!! Ah well...Indianised French food? after dinner Annika met us at Carter Road and we walked down the promenade and meandered through the narrow Bandra galis towards Mocha for coffee and dessert - The chocolate fudge was TOO sweet and my coffee had TOO much milk and felt like milk and not coffee...that was the only part I truly regretted in the whole day, specially coz I was dead on my feet by the time I got home past midnight.
I had to force myself outta bed this morning to study...and as a consequence I slept like a log in the afternoon...still I seem to have accomplished a decent amount in just 2 days of serious studying....hell I always knew I'd manage- I mean Geetanjali can't NOT manage right? Reputation ka kya hoga? what would people say? Poor people wouldn't recover from the shock...(Yeps if you don't get it, 2 things can happen to the next person who hints that I don't need to work for my marks - if he/she is lucky I just freeze the person outta my life, or else my talons seem to be quite sharp these days!LOL!)
More soon...
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