...the adversary!

I brandish my sword with an air of defiance - a picture of arrogance and skill...
Throughout this seemingly endless chase,
I have never caught a glimpse of his face...
I am in pursuit of a villain, an imposter, a foe - I will strike him down, I will kill!

On this nearly infinite, uncharted expanse, I search for clues in the ‘mist’...
Fighting the storms of misery and pain,
I cross this uneven, uncertain terrain...
I will not retreat, nor accept defeat – I will move on; I must persist.

I follow him through the sands of time, and the mirages of uncertainty...
Then, just as I turn another blind bend,
My arduous journey comes to an end...
This is no mere shadow – it is him – I have made my tryst with destiny!

On a night that never ends, we duel – there is rain and there is blood...
And as soon as his weariness begins to show,
I deliver a powerful, lethal blow...
My adversary cries out in despair, in anguish and falls into the mud!

Disarmed, wounded – he is where I want him – I will now see the end of this...
But, what follows is a cruel surprise,
He laughs mockingly and removes his disguise...
I am shocked and numb with disbelief... I am my own nemesis!

in the 'heat' of the moment...

The little beads above the brow join hands with one another...
A 'rivulet' then runs across the cheek;
The mercury soars - you are soon 'immersed',
And yet, the throat runs dry just as you speak.

The gigantic, mighty orb glares back at us - merciless!
The customary tie becomes a strangling, lethal noose...
Surely the angered Gods have declared a war upon us!
What 'sacrifice' will facilitate a truce?

Whilst the mind and body search for a shelter, for an oasis,
The soul cries out in pain, in dire thirst!
The occasional breeze assures us that help is on its way,
But the Sun says we must pay for our sins first...

...twenty-nine, twenty-ten!

The sights and sounds all around are typical and familiar.

Belly dancers, smelly dancers, Master "Bapi" and DJ "Montu" are all in town! There is no escaping the usual overload of 'teasers' - a diarrhoea of adverts on the telly, and on the radio, repeated text messages and emails - the newspaper, meanwhile, has an extended 'Page 3' that's spread over its entirety. 'Colourful', to say the least - you could almost use the pages as wrapping paper. Look! They're even giving you discount coupons! If you spend your month's salary on a bottle of beer and some chicken-wings while Miss Anna from Somewhere-Vague-but-Foreign says "Na-mas-tay" and does the 'thumka'... you get a full 5% off! An offer that's hard to resist!?!

Even dull, drab, everyday locations will be transformed into 'rocking' dance-floors for the "Mega-Nite", the "Gala-Event", the "Biggest Party of the Year". Are you coming?

Wait!
We're almost there...3, 2, 1... and I'll bet that, precisely at that 'magical' moment, scores of folks the world over will be "bottoms-up"-ing their way into the 'brand-new' calendar year.
Woo hoo!

But hey! As seemingly cynical as I may sound, this is my stand - of course you should celebrate. You must celebrate. Regardless of how or where. It's really none of my business what you do. To be brutally honest, I don't really care (just as long as you're more or less safe, I guess).

You simply MUST celebrate.
'Cause 2009 was a rough one!

-----------

I know I probably make it sound a bit like dancing at a funeral, but tonight, for me, is literally a send-off for one of the most testing years that I've seen in this lifetime.

It wasn't quite the end of the world (that isn't due for another 3 years!). Then again, it was never a walk in the park. For the better part of this year we've all been at the mercy of 'global' evil - the recession, which was, in my book, as big a pandemic as the swine-flu (they make quite a pair!) and a whole lot of other blood-sucking, spine-chilling, nerve-wracking nonsense took centrestage... and just stayed there! Their vicious tentacles spread themselves all across the globe and held Earth in a death-grip! (Well.. sort of)...

And, on the personal front, all of Murphy's Laws were pretty much the rule through these weeks and months. Not fair!

However, all said and done - somehow, at this point, the optimist in me has finally sprung back to life! :-D

I'm not sure - maybe it's just a simple sense of occasion that's at work. But I'd like to think that it isn't. I have this warm, fuzzy feeling about twenty-ten. No real indicators, no guarantees, but just a strong hunch that we'll be surfing on a wave of positivity well into the year ahead.

Cheers!
"Bottoms-up"... :-)

Have an awesome year!

Please Note: Master "Bapi", DJ "Montu" and Miss Anna are fictitious - they are not intended to bear any resemblance to characters living, dead or somewhat unsure. If they do, well... that's freaky.

greenhouse games...

The 'weather' really isn't getting any better...
Heat-waves, Cold-waves and futile discussions;
The polluters-in-chief are apparently leading the recovery!
The faceless, voiceless suffer - 'unforeseen' repercussions...

Men on a 'mission' huddle together in meetings...
Chaotic! A global get-together of jesters?
The only people on the scene making the right kind of noise
Are the organized sets of protestors.

Is there any magic potion left in that cauldron?
Can it heal this bruise, these wounds, this ugly gash?
What are we offering our children's children?
A plethora of poisons and islands full of trash?

Soon, the acid-rain will bore holes into our skulls;
Scorching Decembers, flooded cities, Winter Wonderlands in June!
And even before we've finished 'consuming' this planet
I'll bet we'll move calmly onto the Moon.

...'super' syndrome!

Yes, I too was once little...

I would stare transfixed at the television as an apparently unassuming, mild-mannered, bespectacled man suddenly re-emerged from a phonebooth wearing bright red underwear over a blue, skin-tight ballet outfit!

And then, Superman would simply take off!

"Up, up and away".

Bizarre.

Fascinating!

I will have to admit - no other fictional character has, till date, left a more lasting impression on me. Not even E.T. Although, E.T. could well be real... but that's another story...

Returning to our 'Man of Steel' - undoubtedly, there were flaws. Then again, most of these are common across the entire 'movie super-hero turf'. For starters, besides their rather questionable fashion sense, most of these guys can't be identified as soon as they change even their accessories. Daily Planet's Clark Kent becomes unrecognizable after he takes off his glasses! Never worked for me :-(.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. The gist of it is - if you take the trouble to look closely, there was probably lots of tackyness to go around and a plenty of 'chinks in the armour'. But to a 'wee lil' kid, the big picture was awesome! I was spellbound!

And to the sheer horror of my parents - inspired! ;-)

Episode 1-

"You haven't seen a tree...

until you've seen its shadow from the sky." ~ Amelia Earhart

The "wonder" years -

"I believe I can fly..." :

Flashback. It's the early eighties.

I don't think my parents got this for me willingly. Maybe I was rewarded! I must've coloured in the shapes perfectly in kindergarten and earned a 'star'. But hey - by then, it didn't matter. What was important was that I had it!

The 'Superman' outfit!

The stage was set. I was squinting with the Sun in my eyes and my cape flailed wildly in the wind. My mind was made up. There I was, perched up on our 4th floor balcony. And then, just seconds before I was about to embark on my first ever 'test-flight', "super-mom" (they can do it all even without the costumes), in rather dramatic fashion, came to what she thought was my "rescue"...

I was alive and well, but my confidence had taken a severe beating.

I was 3.

I have never flown since. :-(

" There is an art, or rather a knack to flying.

The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." ~Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Take two:

However, nearly two decades later, during a bash on the last day of college, the thought of making a second attempt floated into my semi-conscious mind. This time, it was well past midnight, and, in going with the 'mood' of the party, I was in a 'compromised' state of awareness ;-). Needless to say, this wasn't nearly as meticulously planned as 'take one'.

By now, the stakes had doubled - I was on the 8th floor! I gathered momentum as I steadily made my way towards the 'big gap' in the wall. Again, just when it mattered, at the brink of what I thought could have been history (read: finale!)... I bailed out. A friend (thanks AP!) who was standing by the window, skillfully talked me out of it...

Who needs kryptonite?

I became the dodo. I was momentarily filled with hopelessness. I was the toothless tiger. The fin-less fish. The moo-less cow or the quack-less duck. Well... you get the picture. The 'mediocrity' was setting in... I was 'normal'! How utterly boring! :-(

In more recent times, I have decided to pursue things more achievable... like bending a spoon with my mind! ;-)

-------------

There was always a lot on offer. Superman was pretty much an all-rounder. Amongst a host of other things, he also had invincible strength, would do the fancy laser-beam thing with his eyes and could stop a speeding train with a lot more ease than Toby Maguire did in Spiderman-2. But, for me, it was always the flying that took the cake!

However, as the comic books found their way onto the silver screen over the years, there were a lot more traits you could pick as a favourite. You could cook up quite a storm, or even heal yourself after a rather nasty brawl, or maybe you'd just settle for high-end knitting skills! Then, of course, there are other "super" heroes (read: imposters!) who weren't really born with it, like Batman, and just get by with cool gadgets like a neat car and an iphone, in addition to already having a really efficient butler. I have a bunch of friends like that ;-).

(I'm kidding... I actually think Batman rocks!)

All said and done, I'm not sure if I'd make it as a superhero. Leaving aside my present levels of fitness, I always have been rather clumsy! But then again... you never know. Tomorrow, could be my 'calling'... ;-)

So, what's your "super-syndrome"?

[Fill in the survey at the top of this page!]

politically yours...

Can you tell a chameleon apart from the branches of a tree?
And me? Am I a friend or your arch-enemy?
I am an everyday 'con-man' - a master of disguise;
I am everything you adore and everything you despise!
Fact is, the moment I walk through these doors
My mission begins - I am 'politically yours'!

'Trust' is a common error, the temptation is compelling;
So, even after the lethal blow, you do not feel the swelling.
You are numb, in a trance, you do not see the puppet strings;
And it's all over - well before the 'fat lady sings'!
It may be your row-boat, but I have the oars -
I am the friend who is a fiend - 'politically yours'!

I am Corporate Perfection - shiny shoes and the tie -
And once I win you over, I am 'your kind o' guy'.
Its a pity you didn't have your eye on the game -
I'd hate to see you fall this way - isn't it a shame!
And till an even bigger fish gets washed onto the shores
I remain unstoppable - I am 'politically yours'!

...grüezi!

[Pic: Zermatt/ Mt. Matterhorn]

Let's face it - I've never really been much of a 'blogger' per se. It isn't as though I've never wanted to be one (just for the record, I've also wanted to be a fireman, a 'ghost-buster', a 'teenage mutant ninja turtle', a journalist, Steve Jobs and Emran Hashmi amongst a host of other things, at different points in time). Its just that, by nature I'm more of a 'scribbler' at heart - a 'pen and paper' person - the kind that hurriedly churns out a bunch of lines in barely legible handwriting. Soon after, there's this mental 'disconnect', and before you know it, the words stop flowing. The 'piece' is then mercilessly chucked out with the rest of the garbage! '...I turned to look but it was gone, I cannot put my finger on it now...'. The thought has passed, almost immediately after it came into view.

So, is this some kind of a comeback? But then again, how can you 'come back' when you've never quite been in the game? It could well be a 'coming of age' or a 'brand new beginning'... but in these troubled times, I wouldn't risk putting my money on this one.

Nevertheless, today I'll just 'go for it'. I'll finish it. For better or worse.

Based on the times we live in, it would probably be fair to say that my blog posts are as frequent as salary hikes, promotions and new jobs have been in the past couple of financial quarters. The planet has seen 'happier' times for sure. Before I went into this prolonged 'hibernation', the world was "apparently" 'a better place for you and for me' - yes of course, relatively speaking. And yet, for most of this overtly eventful calendar year, I've been a fair distance away from the action; on a pedestal, in a viewing gallery, on an oasis... take your pick.

While I've braved two ruthless winters and cashed in on a beautiful Summer and Spring, elsewhere - 'Hope' and 'Change' took centrestage and hit a home-run, one of my role-models hung up his boots (well, more or less), and the cheapest car built made such a lot of noise and then disappeared into nothingness! Sadly, and on a very solemn note, there was lots of terror to go around as well. Unforgivable. Unforgettable.

I guess we're all constantly becoming different people on some level or another. In my case, over this period, I've gone from becoming more of a philosopher and less of an adventurer. I weigh more, have less hair and paid a painful price for wisdom (before the dentist put an end to my misery). I think about going to the gym for a lot longer than I actually spend on the treadmill; therefore, I am more likely to watch and wait than watch my weight. I will leave you to extrapolate this brilliant example to other day to day circumstances. :-)

[However, now that I am suddenly aware of this, chances are that I'll work towards turning things around. Especially, the part about the gym :-)]

Meanwhile, when I'm not slogging in the confines of the office, the hour-long commute to and from work and all the idle time (from time to time) give rise to an unending array of thoughts. Some of the more convincing of these have graduated into actual plans. And even if it seems as though I've succumbed to a mundane life of 'everydayness', I am constantly wrestling with a handful of these ideas; the rest of them are safely on the back burner... for now. One of the positives is that my culinary skills seem to be at an all time high! The food I make thesedays is mostly edible. Somehow, in the scheme of things, I find cooking therapeutic! Having said that, I will share with you a very important lesson that life has taught me - when times are rough and the going gets tough - anticipate this in advance and stack your shelves with a dozen packets of instant noodles! ;-)

Switzerland hasn't exactly been a 'honeymoon' experience, but, all in all, putting everything into perspective, its been good so far. Moreover, it has thrown up something special every now and then. I will never forget my first tryst with the breathtaking Alps, or the time that my parents spent with me in Zurich. I will cherish and re-live these in my head for years to come. It is a blessed country to say the least. I'm not getting into comparisons, but I'll some it up in one word - 'wow!'.

All of this, then again, has come at the expense of time spent with my nearest and dearest and with my friends from back home - worth its weight in gold. I feel poorer, now that I've thought about it ... :-(.

Anyway, I'll take a bit of risk and get 'sentimental' for a lil' while - I just want to say thanks to my pals and my family for having stood by me, for remembering to say 'hello' from time to time, for making my day when it wasn't my day, and for being who they're supposed to be. I sound like I've just won an Oscar... a la Slumdog Millionaire?! ;-)

Finally, I'd like to apologize to some people. I know you're out there. I'm sure you'll know this is for you if and when you read it. I've been really sloppy with returning e-mails and phonecalls and sometimes even text messages. Keeping in touch hasn't exactly been my forte in recent times. I assure you, it isn't intentional and, believe you me, it's nothing personal. And by the way, I'm improving, as you can see ... ;-)

With that, I'll end my directionless rant. It remains to be seen if this post provides the neccessary 'stimulus' to revive this blog. A trillion dollar question, don't you think? ;-)

Cheers!

waterworld...!

Within minutes of Dhoni lifting the coveted T20 Cup, the lights went out, almost in celebration! It had already been raining with a vengeance for the better part of the evening, but almost every living creature in our neighbourhood remained glued to the match. Meanwhile, the water-level had also 'risen' to the occasion; it had cleverly made it's way into ground-floor apartments, garages (in some cases, dangerously close to CESC meter boxes) and a number of water-reservoirs - the damage was done! Eventually, by the time Team India was comfortably in their dressing rooms, Lake Town was underwater. Though engulfed in darkness, it was evident (in spite of the poor visibility) that we were surrounded...

The next morning, Lake Town woke up to 'waterworld'!

[Above/Right: The view from our balcony on Tuesday (25th September). This is how it would remain for the next 3 days!]


For those of us who were (un)fortunate enough to have been here in 1999 - we had encountered this once before... or had we? This was unarguably the worst 'flood' that Lake Town had ever seen. Till date, the majority of the lanes that comprise this township are still water-logged. I consider myself extremely fortunate that we seem to be out of this mess for the present.

But it isn't like we're home and dry just yet - the theme for the week that follows will be 'health and safety'. And that translates into gallons of disinfectants, bleaching powder and and army of street sweepers equipped with their brooms and shovels, clearing away the muck.

Here are just a few glimpses from the week that was...

Left: En route to work! The rickshaw was a lifesaver during these trying times...












Right: The normally 'hyperactive' VIP Road is deserted due to protests and road-blocks courtesy the residents of Bangur (Photo --> from atop the Lake Town-Salt Lake foot-bridge)








Left: Tread carefully! The lake (adjacent to VIP Road) had spilt over and was one with the street...






Right: Lake Town-VIP Road crossing - Rickshaws ferry their passengers sans belongings to (relative/temporary) safety...






Left: "Pump fiction"? News channels and men in white, spotless clothing kept monotonously announcing that 'steps were being taken', but alas! There was nothing in sight... until Thursday evening. Till then, the pump was just a myth. Finally, on Thursday night, the water was slowly transported into the Keshtopur canal. This would be a daily activity for the next few days...







Right: Thursday night - VIP Road is cordoned off as the water is pumped into the Keshtopur canal from Lake Town.



Soon, all the water will subside and then the only thoughts in our minds will be those of the festive months ahead. The newspapers that carried the woes of a thousand-odd citizens will be 'recycled' by then; the media will have 'other' news. This 'issue' will soon be shoved under a carpet and 'forgotten'... till the rains return!

Complete the series: 1999, 2007, ....?

...cryptic signals

Conversations take place at times through the alphabets of human thought,
And the words fall short of revealing what is true;
When the mind recites a sonnet, but the sentences run dry
Are the 'messages' for onlookers to construe?

Give-away, tell-tale signs surface, every now and then,
For there is little that one's expressions can conceal.
The tough, rebellious 'warriors' try hard to swallow these emotions;
It would be ‘disgraceful’ if their feelings were revealed!

‘Should I, should I not’, the petals are plucked absent-mindedly
With vague, defocused eyes staring into the distance.
Easy becomes Difficult; A few simple words could clear the fog,
Yet, determinedly, one fuels this resistance.

Once in a while, there are gestures bordering on controversial,
And there is a risk that the ‘skeletons’ will be in view!
But then, hurriedly, one falls back onto the alphabets of human thought,
And the face then attempts to hide what is true.

july...

A cup of coffee; drops of monsoon rain
Come crashing down heavily on the window panes.
Strange emotions follow that we cannot explain;
'Tis just another day in July.

The horizon sports all shades of grey,
And though there's sunshine somewhere along the way,
The brightness - will it be here to stay?
Meanwhile - we are as melancholy as the sky.

Thanks to the rain, 'tis muffled, unclear
But still suddenly the radio catches your ear -
A nostalgic melody that you overhear;
There's a giddy feeling inside you can't deny.

Thoughts of different genres stringed together
With imaginary threads that withstand the weather,
All unique yet similar, like birds of a feather,
Come into view; you breathe a heavy sigh...

An awkwardness follows, which you tacitly condone;
You are neither joyous, nor sad - in a twilight zone.
Are you searching for someone or would you rather be alone?
Mysterious contradictions - you are left wondering why...

And yet, relentless, defiant - the rain will march on!
Perhaps till the scorching summer memories are gone.
But will our vibrant Sun resurface at dawn?
'Tis just another day in July.

...concrete jungle!

You are not merely who you are,
But a product of my perception -
My opinion of the "you" I see...
Through your countless veils of deception;
The concept of what is 'really' "real"
Is skewed and obscure.
And the plastic smiles that go around
Celebrate how much we endure.
Clouds of diplomacy hover between us,
As we engage in conversation.
Our thoughts and feelings trapped behind
'Masks' of our own creation!

Beneath the wafer-thin 'warm' exterior,
Are strong currents of ambition...
That drive us to where we will be from
With near-zero inhibition.
A Conscience is part of a dying species;
This is clearly the final stand.
With Ethics sentenced to the gallows,
There's now more cash-in-hand!
Almost with ease and a cheery disposition,
You stab your closest rival...
And plot the next few moves you'll make
On this chess-board called 'Survival'.

...ringing in the new year - 1414!

Shubho Naboborsho!
Happy Bengali New Year, 1414!

I've just finished clearing all the cobwebs that were clinging on to this web-page. I guess it still needs a bit of 'starch' and 'ironing', but that's something that I'm going to have to follow up and work on in the months that follow.

We rolled onto this 'brand new year' just about a week ago, but it took me six more days to take the initiative to actually type this out. The word 'procrastination' is very aptly defined through the phrase - ' the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!'. Hey! That's me! ;-)

[Left/Below: Lakshmi and Ganesh idols]

While we're on the subject of spirits (not the ones that come in attractive, alluring bottles!) - there's, of course, that divine something else that we're not normally supposed to be able to see or hear or smell or touch (unless we're just that extra bit special, or we feel just that extra bit special... hint: spirits in bottles!), but profusely believe in, fear and love nonetheless - God. [No, please don't throw down a bolt of thunder & knock my lights out for good. Not just yet. Still lots left to do...] ... Anyway, I digress... coming back to the point - the arrival of this new "bangabdo" (new year) is a total 'feel bengali' event. I mean - seriously speaking - in this day and age of total confusion and multiple-identity crises, its a nice opportunity to get in touch with who you are (without actually having to go and watch 'The Namesake').

[Right/Below]: Puja in progress]

God (which is what I originally intended the previous paragraph to be about) -- we had a lovely Lakshmi-Ganesh puja on 'poila baisakh' (the first day of the first month of the calendar - Baisakh) for the 'shanti' (peace) and well-being of our family and the world that surrounds us all. Full marks (and a pat on our own backs ;-)...) for the ambience, as well as the 'cha' and 'singaras' that followed. Finally, a bit of singing (read: Tagore) to seal the deal. Thanks for everything, Atanu-da (every 'para' should have an Atanu-da!). No, he's not on Wikipedia just yet :-)

This was preceded by a 'shopping' series - I am clubbing together 'all' the activities when I say this. Determined shoppers (mostly women - primarily our adorable moms and aunties) fighting it out for the best deals and discounts in the bazaar (buy1, get 2!). Wearing "new" clothes is supposed to be mandatory. From a shopping perspective - this is the pre-Durga-Puja fever all over again, scaled down a few factors. Meanwhile, the other family members (read: the male contingent, by default) run from pillar to post, bringing home bags full of everything from pots and pans to incense-sticks, potatoes and watermelons - based on an almost never-ending 'list' (made via several rounds of consultation with the family elders and the 'pandit') . :-)

The post 'khichuri--aloor-dum--begun-bhaja' (Mom always works wonders in the kitchen!) period saw us engaged in a serious session of family 'rooftop cricket'. Brushing our disappointment (thanks to India's 'brilliant' world-cup performance) aside, we sweated and battled on - every man for himself... and woman (my sisters were participating in this rare event) too! We had our own set of rules (e.g. 'one-drop-one-hand', for those who've been there before), some of which were harsh and unforgiving! The action continued till we were forced to call off play due to bad light. But, no worries - another attraction awaited us a few floors below - Mohun Bagan vs. East Bengal. A few 'ghoti' vs. 'bangal' duels (each of these camps is convinced that they are the "real" bengalis! :-)...) were taking place dangerously close to the television, whilst the match dribbled on. In spite of the fact that FIFA thinks we're 'ancient' when it comes to football, I thought the match was pretty good. To our delight (and Atanu-da's dismay), Mohun Bagan emerged victorious!

And now... a bunch of 'anothers'. This marks - another financial year (originally). Another chance, after 1st Jan, to rethink and renew any resolutions that may have gone astray over the past few months. Another reason to celebrate. Another day spent basking in the glow and warmth that come free with being in a typically bengali family. :-)

All in all - a good start to the 'notun bochhor' (new year) at my end. Here's wishing you the very best in all your endeavours! Shubho (belated) naboborsho once again.

May your dreams come true.
Preeti o subhechha-soho...

Sourav

life could be a book…

Life could be a book that's being written
Every single day and all the while;
Hurriedly scribbled paragraphs and sketches
Just as we progress from mile to mile.
Aided by fancy wooden bookmarks,
We keep turning back to pages from the past -
The colours – bright, vibrant, sometimes morbid
Suck us into the mystic spells they cast.
Events – those recorded in great detail,
Trigger off a ‘rainbow’ of emotion;
Even seemingly harmless, little acts
Are equipped to cause quite a commotion.
The chapters - perhaps repetitive, monotonous…
Are then revived by a bolt from the blue.
And old scenes from a long forgotten script
Replay themselves again - ‘tis deja vous!
Some of us wait patiently and watch –
Hoping for divine intervention…
Whilst the rest, we unfold our own stories;
Driven by ambition and intention.
The pages-full-of-laughter are multi-coloured,
And love is almost always a loving red;
But of course there’s no hard-and-fast convention
Feel free to use your own shades instead!

As the exuberance of youth wears thin,
With pen-in-hand, we're no longer as steady;
And the ink runs dry whilst the pages revolt,
Regardless of whether or not you’re ready.
Who 'decides' the “end” could be a matter of discussion –
Opinions may cross swords in a debate.
Do us mere mortals get to write our final chapters?
Or do the mighty 'Hands of God' pen down our fate?
Some books tell tales of ‘birds of promise’ -
Abruptly, unfairly shot down in flight!
But most stories have ingredients in proportions -
A fizzy cocktail of Sorrow and Delight.
Clockwork - soon, an epilogue is in place.
On the covers – a number assigned and engraved.
An alignment is then made - to a rack on a shelf
Based on what parameters? How you’ve behaved?
The “dead you knew” could perhaps recommend you!
You could throw in a few good deeds as well;
You’re book? Well, it’s either in the “Heaven” section
Or in the crowded space below, marked “Hell”!

"travelogs" - episode IV - Bicycle!

The Dutch have wheels attached to them almost from birth. Two of them (yes, I said 'wheels'... no, no 'inner meaning' intended). It's as if they learn how to ride bicycles before they can even walk! I've heard that a lot of kids are comfortable on two wheels from the age of two! Whatever happened to tricycles?

Anyway, so alongside the characteristic windmills, wooden shoes and Gouda cheese, another distinctly Dutch 'item' is the... (drum-roll)... bicycle! And, of course they come complete with their very own traffic lights - little red, yellow and green bicycles!

Going from one place to another is a piece of cake - 2-lane cycling paths almost everywhere. So, I thought it would be a real shame if I didn't 'join the bandwagon', even if it was just for a while.

But first - a feasibility study of course. All of a sudden. I was this 'pioneer' of sorts - 'no other IT guy from India in Breda' (what an amazing distinction!) had done this :-). So, I rented a bicycle for a week to see if I'd survive. It would be my sole mode of transport - wherever I went, I'd be pedalling there!

On Day One - the trip to work was a killer and my unfit 'machinery' struggled to come to terms with the 14 km (7km each way) trip! When I got back home, I was dead :-(

But I kept at it. In a couple of days, after the rusty joints and indolent muscles had begun responding to this 'wake-up' call, I really began to appreciate the 'quality' of the journey. The cool breeze (the fresh air!), the greenery, the beautiful houses... a small bridge, an uphill climb and an express-speed downhill stretch... and presto - I was at work.

This was definitely a good idea! :-)

I rode at sunset...

And I rode at dawn...

When the sun was rising,

And when the moonlight shone.

"Blue skies, green grass",

Smiling faces, pretty flowers...

The weather was good,

And I rode on for hours...

I never thought that my first ever 'set-of-wheels' would be a second hand 'fiets' (bicycle). Thanks to a colleague (Dank u wel, Jeroen), we found one that was just right - and I bought it off an elderly gentleman living in a cosy-looking house right outside the city.

Slowly but steadily, the 'biking fever' caught on. Sujeet would accompany me to work at times. Soon enough, after a considerable amount of marketing (it was just a matter of time), some of the others were talked into a biking trip. The destination - a lake just outside Breda - Galderse Meren.

The trip was simply extraordinary - it took us a lot of pedalling to get there, but the journey through the countryside was 'super' - picture postcards all along the way. Quaint houses, mini-mansions, the woods, colourful fields, really healthy cows and the intoxicating smell of strawberries (from the fields) were just some of the several things we came across along the way.

[Pic (right/below): Borderline! On our biking trip. At the Belgian border with Sujeet and Chandrani]

Mid-way, we needed a breather and coincidentally, we stopped at a bar which was on the Belgian border! Interestingly enough, the border split the bar in half and the 'Men's' was on the Belgian side :-)). Somehow, I found that very amusing. :-)

However, the so-called lake in itself (which I learnt later was 'artficially' created) was a bit of a disappointment - Galderse Meren was more of a 'swimming hole' and we had come unprepared. :-( By the time we were back home, we had easily travelled a good 25-30 kms (!) and were overcome with a major sense of achievement :-)!

So far so good. Brought my bike into work this morning as well. Will really miss this when I head back home...

Kring! Kring!...

...follow me

These leaves, they go from green to gold,
And are raked away when Autumn comes...
The boy and his band, they sang their song,
With just a guitar, 'cos they had no drums.
But these autumn leaves and 'wannabes'
Quickly travel from ‘now’ to ‘then’...
Like a distant dream, in another life...
And it starts to make you wonder when...
When did we stop living our lives...
And start dying slowly inside?
And where's that pretty blue-eyed girl,
That I was sure would be my bride?
Nowadays, your smile, like mine,
Doesn't reach your eyes,
And the words we exchange are borrowed lines
From someone else's lies…

I think its time we took a walk,
Back to where we're from...
To "take it from the top" again,
In our brand new, old kingdom
Beneath the tree, where we used to be...
Just us and our guitars...
We'll sing away from dawn to dusk,
And sleep under the stars.

Follow me...

You used to play those songs we sang,
But did they pay you for that gig you did?
Someone told me that you sold your six-string
To the drunkard with the highest bid.
It hurts to see us like this now,
Much more than that black-eye I got...
When I walked up to her with a withered rose,
And told her what I really thought! ;-)
But, when did we stop living our dreams...
And start dying slowly inside?
And where's that "happy place" we had,
Where we'd run away and hide?
Meanwhile, the clocks just kept on ticking;
Times have changed and so have we;
And its a tug-of-war between myself
And who I used to be...

I think its time we took a walk,
Back to where we're from...
To "take it from the top" again,
In our brand new, old kingdom
Beneath the tree, where we used to be...
Just us and our guitars...
We'll sing away from dawn to dusk,
And sleep under the stars.

Follow me...

"travelogs" - episode III - Paris - Day II (14th May, 2006)

"India?"...
"Yes..."
She was ecstatic. After all, we were from the same country as 'Amita-bashan', 'Kashol' and 'Shahroo Kaan'! This young lady had spent the earlier part of her life in Morocco and jumped up and down (in joy, I think) as she recollected the names of the Hindi movies she had seen. We learnt that Bollywood flicks are really popular where she comes from. Top of her list was 'Veer Zara'!

At that point, we were on Champs Elysses and had stopped at a small roadside stall selling beverages and snacks. Interestingly enough, 'Veer Zara' (as we soon found out) was still playing at one of the movie-halls on this very street! But this discovery was towards the fag-end of Sunday.

[Above/Right (Photo): Veer Zara @ Champs Elysses!]

Rewind.
An alarm was set for 7:30AM. This was ignored completely and eventually the four bengali sleepy-heads rose from their (much-needed) slumber at a few minutes past nine. By eleven, we had checked out and were headed towards the Louvre museum...

There was just so much to see and absorb here. All of a sudden, The Palace of Versailles was reduced to 'just another palace' in comparison... this was the 'real' thing! :-)

We travelled through time. I was reunited with my childhood heroes - Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles")... well, some of their works at least. I realized that some apparently famous Italian artists/sculptors were named after these popular cartoon characters ;-).

Quite honestly, its possible to go on about the Louvre for pages on end. I'll keep this short. For most people, some just run-of-the-mill tourists, others with that 'extra insight' (read: The Da Vinci Code), the most sought after display is still the Mona Lisa. I think we spent a good half-hour just staring at the painting... and then decided to buy a poster each, so that we could stare at it some more at leisure.

[Right/Above (Photo): Outside the Louvre Museum]

My left foot. My sprained left foot. My severely overworked sprained left foot... was making lots of 'noise'. No, actually, I was making the noise everytime I used the foot. This was... not good. But a visit to the first-aid ward took care of things for the present. I spent the rest of the day with 'cold' crepe bandage wrapped around it and made much less noise to the delight of my company. :-)

We ate lunch there like we had never seen food before (burp!)... and then 'rolled' out of the Louvre onto the walkway. Reaching the Arc de Triumph was quite honestly, a triumph indeed, of mind over body (read: long walk, with fatigued feet)!

[Left (Photo): Taking a break... L-to-R: Sujeet, Chandrani, Avishek et moi]

Meanwhile --> The Concord Square (in between the Louvre and the Arc) is sort of bang-in-the-middle of these 'touristy' places - surrounded by the Louvre, the Parliament, the Palace of Invalides, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc. While we were there, a couple of white limousines pulled up infront of us, followed by a dozen other cars. It was a Japanese invasion! Two hi-fi 'just-married' couples (sans entourage) had stopped by to click some 'fo-to-grafs' :-)

[Right (Photo): At Concord Square. The Arc de Triumph is behind us]


After the Arc, it was another long walk down to the River Seine for the final item on our list - a relaxing, refreshing boat-trip on the Seine - just what the doctor ordered. :-)

Finally, with tired legs, heavy bags and Chandrani's roly-poly strolley, we made our last journey within Paris - to Gallieni. By dawn the next day, we would be back in Breda. Yes, the fun was over. We would have to be at work tomorrow. :-(

Nevertheless, all in all, a splendid trip!
Au revoir!

"travelogs" - episode III - Paris - Day I (13th May, 2006)

The trip to Paris was both a 'very good idea' and a 'tremendous mistake' rolled into one! I will try to explain this as we proceed.

Paris is labelled as one of 'the most romantic cities in the world' and, keeping that in mind, in a way, we - the four of us - were like mud-wrestlers in a Russian ballet (?!)... or something like that anyhow :-). I think we all secretly promised ourselves that we would return one day, under different circumstances, with a different ''cast" ;-)

But meanwhile, we were here to do the 'tourist thing' and just have a great time... which we did! :-)

Avishek (the man with all the maps) can be credited with having planned this trip down to perfection (well, nearly). Its actually surprising, in hindsight, how much ground we covered in just 2 days!

The bus that we booked ("Eurolines'') left a few minutes after midnight on Friday night. This wasn't the most comfortable option but cost-effective nevertheless. It travelled all the way to the East of Paris and dropped us off in Gallieni at the crack of dawn on Saturday!

This is when we started fine-tuning our day-plan. Soon after, we were at the Notre Dame (cathedral) built in the early Gothic style of the 12th century. The digital cameras had their first glimpse of Paris...

[Right/Above (Photo): Alongside Notre Dame]

[Below (Photo): The Eiffel Tower!]

Now we catch 'da big pheesh'! Eiffel Tower! This part was exciting (and maybe a bit silly), for me at least. It was like being a kid again. After we climbed out of the 'Champ de Mars' metro-station, my radar was on. "Where is the tower?" Ironically, I was probably the last one to spot it :-(. But, when I did - I was mesmerized!

It is truly magnificent! The trip was already worth it... and I wore a permanent, exaggerated ear-to-ear smile! :-) ... The number of Indians we saw at the base of the Tower was surprising. I was tempted to sing our national anthem to see how many people actually joined in. The only thing missing was a 'tea-stall' and a 'phuchka-wala' (phuchka = pani-puri = gol-gappa = well, if you haven't had it yet, your life has little or no meaning!) ;-)

[Right (Photo): Infront of the Palace of Versailles]

During the course of the day, we would be seeing more of the Tower, but for now we had to make a move. Next stop - Versailles... The palace of Versailles! By now, Chandrani's strolley had turned into a major headache and we were all taking turns to lug it around from place to place. We breathed a little easy when we deposited it at the entry point, but our visit wasn't all that 'smooth'. First, I lost my ticket (The authorities were however, nice enough to give me a replacement). And then, there was rain! (We bought flimsy umbrellas with 'Paris' written on them) This cut short our trip around the gardens. I choose not to elaborate on the grandeur and splendour of the palace - it is but obvious. The painted ceilings in every room tell you a story, which is part of one continuous story (if you pay enough attention). It is a miracle how I did not bump into anyone! :-)

Post Versailles, we retreated back to the centre of Paris in search of our hotel – about time we checked in and got some rest. This was a nice and comfy 'bed-and-breakfast' near the Opera-house, on Rue Cadet. All of us were tempted to sink into our mattresses and get some 'shut-eye'... but better sense prevailed - a nap at this juncture would have been disastrous! So, after a quick 'refresh' we were out and about once again - Eiffel Tower, Take Two.

This time we would climb to the top... that is, eventually... when we got our turn. The queues at each of the four entry points were somewhat less menacing than the ones we saw earlier in the day. As we ascended, the view went from 'great' to 'wow' to (finally) 'breathtaking!' when we reached the summit.

[Left (Photo): The Eiffel Tower... in lights!]

The sun was setting and cast its glow on the entire city. In a short while, the city lit up as did the Eiffel Tower!

Just when you thought that things could not get any better... they just did! The Eiffel Tower was already shining majestically when it decided to start 'sparkling'!

At this point, we were stationed on the 2nd floor. Numerous bulbs along the length of the Tower blinked on and off for a good fifteen minutes... and the Tower took the form of a massive piece of golden jewellery studded with diamonds! Almost guaranteed to leave onlookers spellbound...

[Right/Above (Photo): The Eiffel Tower - dazzling in the darkness!]

This part is strictly for Hindi-movie buffs - as we walked away from the Tower (looking back from time to time), over the River Seine, the 'Kal Ho Na Ho' title track was playing in my head and seemed very appropriate... :-)

Hot Chocolate! Delicious chocolate crepes! And we marched on towards Champs Elysses. Mid-way, there was some 'action' - we bumped into this 'foreign' gentleman who tried to make conversation with us. In a matter of seconds, the police arrived! Apparently, this strange fellow was a 'money-changer' and just to prove that we were not linked to him in any way, we had to display our passports and show the cops our wallets! Thankfully, this 'ordeal' was over in a few minutes and we were 'free to go'... (phew!). A word of caution (from a lesson learnt): If you're a foreigner in the EU, always keep your passport handy.

Champs Elysses - lined with shops and showrooms of the 'who's who' of fashion - where handbags cost the same as cars back in India (Louis Vuitton anyone?)! Anyway... it was already close to midnight, and we were starving. We ended up having pizzas and spaghetti with red wine at this rather 'expensive-looking' Italian place. Pretty good :-)

Henceforth, some more action! Sujeet was nowhere to be found. He was lost! Then again, if you ask him, he'll probably tell you that the three of us were lost... although we hadn't moved an inch. This led to panic, anxiety, acidity, text-messages, attempted phone-calls (incoming calls were barred on his phone... how convenient!) and the exchange of 'compliments' (that is, when we were finally reunited); a little 'masala' as a finishing touch to a choc-a-bloc and very eventful day! :-)

We cruised down to our hotel and promptly dived into our beds. Tomorrow would be another 'non-stop' day...

double disaster (Paris curtain-raiser)!...

Today, I accomplished a 'disastrous double' in really quick time!

First, it was the 'bad' haircut; I got my hair done (or, in this case, 'mowed') at this really 'sidey'-looking place, owned and run by mysterious middle-eastern men who do not speak English and are fans of Salman Khan!

Communication was a slight problem, as was the fact that my vision is somewhat poor (read: blind as a bat!) without my glasses. So, the haircut was iterative - every 5 minutes, I would put my 'goggles' back on and check their progress. Accordingly, I would give them my valuable feedback in a language in which 'action spoke louder than words'. In fact, the words really didn't say anything at all!

This was particularly frustrating for my barber who would probably have 'accidentally' clipped one of my ear-lobes off had I not come with a solid recommendation. Lucky me - the local Pakistani cyber-cafe owner (Yousuf-bhai) had put in a good word. Oh well... I still have some hair on my head. Next time (if there is a next time), I'll just let the guys do their own thing.

On my way back, I went past the Indian convenience store ("Avtar Stores") and thought about dropping into the Afghan '24-hour-shop' near my place. Interestingly enough, even in a tiny place like Breda, I managed to spend the better part of the evening speaking Hindi (or in some cases 'Urdu'... to be 'politically' correct) :-)

Right from childhood, I have this uncanny ability to injure myself with minimal effort. (Ask anyone who knows me even remotely, and they'll tell you...). This 'talent' has withstood the test of time! I sprained my left foot as I headed home. :-((

This was just hours before we were to leave for Paris! :-(

... my brother gets married! (Dundee, Scotland - 30th April, 2006)

Above (from top to bottom): I was the best man at my brother's marriage-registry and thus, I was also the ring-bearer. The second photo captures everyone - family and friends - who was witness to this occasion. Finally, we have the happily married couple - Suman & Minha. :-)

Stay tuned for the Indian edition - the elaborate, desi wedding is scheduled for later this year!

Don't they just look lovely together? :-)

... And they lived happily ever after! God bless them.

"travelogs" - episode II - 'slideshow' (till 29th April)...

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone..."

Soaking in the sun-rays on a 'sunshine-ey'-day.

The gang at Centruum in Breda.

--------------------------------

Below: A common feature of many or our 'adventures' - Vidya behind the wheel - a picture of total concentration ;-)

Below: At the City Centre in Brussels... history and magnificence all around!

Above: DCH in Brussels? Well, we tried... :-)

Above: Dundee, Scotland - Don't be fooled by the sunshine :-) ... we went on a family picnic to Piperdam Park on Easter Sunday when the clear skies and apparently 'good' weather were plagued by gale-force winds! 2nd photo - the 'cast'...

Above: Keukenhoff, NL - The 'Silsila' pic... :-). What? Did you say DDLJ?

Above: With the members of 'Sangeetmala' at their programme - 'Badalte Mausam' in Edinburgh, Scotland on 29th April, 2006