18 Feb 2010
Will Google be able to digitalise books and create an online library? What will be the consequence of US unemployment which will remain high despite its growing economy? Will Sino-US relations spoil post Dalai Lama’s visit? What will be the extent of unrest in Greece and southern Italy? How long will it be before the Taliban are wiped out? How far will the rekindled tension between the Israel and Palestine go? When will Incredible India stop being inflammable? (that’s what Papan mama calls India after the recent blasts in Pune.) Will life in Haiti ever be normal? Where will global warming take us?
These were exactly my thoughts last night. Probably I had enough time to brood and was in one of those moods where you feel like Atlas with the burden of the world on your shoulders and wonder what the world’s coming to. And if ‘One World One Dream’, will after all, be an impossible dream.
Though my mind was flooded with thoughts like these, I was very positive. Infact, I have never believed in all those foolish predictions about how and when the world will come to an end. God will never have the heart to do that. And man(and woman) will always invent and innovate and find newer ways and means to deal with newer problems, situations and crisis. God has made Man( and Woman) so intelligent, that they have come a long long way, making extraordinary progress from just being the disobedient Adam and Eve. God has helped us achieve the unimaginable, and he tests us and our ability by posing new problems everyday, in every walk and all spheres of life. I am sure together will find a solution to all. The only thing that is important is, that just while we should always have our head on the shoulders, the connection to our heart and soul should never be severed. All the answers that we are looking for, will follow.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The day when everything goes wrong !
16 Feb 2010
In school, there was this essay topic which I found most interesting and easy to imagine– ‘The day when everything goes wrong!’ Today was one of those days. Pam is away in Sweden and we are feeling a bit lonely. I am not feeling too well. The cold has gotten to me. My throat is paining and so are my feet. We are paying for our inappropriate footwear, I guess. To add to the misery, the net has not been working for the past 2 days and I have no choice but to listen to some songs or watch the same old CD’s to keep myself entertained. My stock of books is also exhausted. I am so frustrated today.
If it wouldn’t have been for other things, I feel like living in Kolkatta. I was scheduled to go to Anu’s school today, generally to meet the teacher and befriend some of the other mums. I stood and stood at the bus stop and not a single bus in sight. That is one someone brought to my notice that there was a strike and buses on that line wouldn’t run for four hours today. Normally there is a small notice put up at the stop but today the notice was pinned onto a pole next to the stop where it was not easily noticeable. This is probably the 4th or 5th time that the strike has taken place within a month. I remember, last week too there was this kinda strike. I stood waiting for Anu’s bus to arrive when a lady came up to me and narrated her tale of how she was made to get off the bus at a stop, simply because the strike had begun and the bus refused to move any further. At least the bus could’ve terminated at its final destination. Aai shapat, Mumbaieet asa zalach nasta. And zala asta tar lokkani zodapla asta!!! Poor thing had to walk all the way in the bitter cold. Shameless creatures. No bloody insaniyat….
In school, there was this essay topic which I found most interesting and easy to imagine– ‘The day when everything goes wrong!’ Today was one of those days. Pam is away in Sweden and we are feeling a bit lonely. I am not feeling too well. The cold has gotten to me. My throat is paining and so are my feet. We are paying for our inappropriate footwear, I guess. To add to the misery, the net has not been working for the past 2 days and I have no choice but to listen to some songs or watch the same old CD’s to keep myself entertained. My stock of books is also exhausted. I am so frustrated today.
If it wouldn’t have been for other things, I feel like living in Kolkatta. I was scheduled to go to Anu’s school today, generally to meet the teacher and befriend some of the other mums. I stood and stood at the bus stop and not a single bus in sight. That is one someone brought to my notice that there was a strike and buses on that line wouldn’t run for four hours today. Normally there is a small notice put up at the stop but today the notice was pinned onto a pole next to the stop where it was not easily noticeable. This is probably the 4th or 5th time that the strike has taken place within a month. I remember, last week too there was this kinda strike. I stood waiting for Anu’s bus to arrive when a lady came up to me and narrated her tale of how she was made to get off the bus at a stop, simply because the strike had begun and the bus refused to move any further. At least the bus could’ve terminated at its final destination. Aai shapat, Mumbaieet asa zalach nasta. And zala asta tar lokkani zodapla asta!!! Poor thing had to walk all the way in the bitter cold. Shameless creatures. No bloody insaniyat….
Monday, February 15, 2010
Travelogue 15
15 Feb
One by two. This is one of the most nice discoveries by man(and woman kind) while eating at a restaurant. It helps poor eaters like me to share my meal. And if one wants to experiment with the menu, it is nice to order only one portion, and let everybody have a taste of it. If the taste buds are unhappy you don’t feel guilty of wasting food and money. I am fondly reminded of all those times when I have had a 1/2 juice, lassi, a soup or a Chinese rice with my friends. Pam and I have kept up this tradition alive here. The portions here are too large for us to finish.(though Aparna tells be they are larger in the US). While the people here gobble up everything in no time, we often find ourselves struggling to finish what’s on our plate. Last year when we had come to Hamburg, we went with a friend of ours called Andreas, for dinner at ‘Le Meridian’ which overlooks the beautiful Alster. I was already feeling quite full from my lunch of 3 boiled potatoes with a creamy mushroom sauce and a half a kilo of red cabbage salad, which I shamelessly left almost untouched. I was just not game for a full seven course meal. So guess what, we did a most unusual thing. We split the entire seven course meal between the three of us. The waiter was kind enough to allow us do that and what’s more he actually made smaller portions of the whole course and served it individually to us on separate plates, complete with garnishes and all. So it was like a custom made meal. Ever since, Pam, Anoushka and I have often shared our meals and it is a ‘ful-filling’ experience in the true sense.
The only thing that we manage to eat without sharing, are the Donner Kebabs, which are huge. We have had falafel ones quite a few times now. They overflow with a 3 fistfuls of mixed salad and yoghurt dressing and of course the falafels, and we are yet to master the art of- first opening our jaws to fit that thing, and then eating it with dropping the content. Most of the times more falls out than inside the mouth and we look extremely clumsy. I look in awe like a small child at people who have mastered this art. Since this is one of the most available tasty vegetarian options, I have less choice. And I am determined to practise, until one day I manage to write a book called .- ‘How to eat a Donner without dropping a morsel’. By the way some things that are on the menu here are beyond my understanding! Spare Ribs- which animal will spare ribs willingly for us to devour? Buffalo Wings- 33 years chi zalyay me. Mhashila shiga astat that I know, pan wings suddha astat he mhaeetach navhta!
T.V cannot have a more complicated name than what it is called here. For more than a month now I have been watching Deutche T.V.( Fenseherapparat, that’s what they call a it). The programs are quite uninteresting. Except for the language and the actors, they are the usual…Many of them are dubbed ones, including all the cartoon shows on a channel called KiKa. I wonder if any cartoon characters are natives of Germany. Besides the usual teleshopping network and gaming shows, they have a show on gardening and farming just like our good old Aamchi Mati Aamchi Mansa, there is Kaun Banega Europati, Song and dance shows, Big Brother, minus the original Rakhi Saawant but instead her look and behaviour – alike, cookery shows, run off the mill daily soaps, but certainly not inspired by E. Kapoor because here ‘phamily only is not there, then where is the question of joint phamily melodrama?’ Perhaps the late night edition is the only unusual thing for me - who you will agree is the embodiment of sainthood and innocence, simplicity and decency. I’ve grown up watching two flowers coming together in Hindi movies or the camera suddenly shifting its focus to the blue clouds, and no more…..
T. V. does not seem too popular, as people here are outdoor types. You would see a lot of people jogging , cycling and running in temperatures as low as -13. But Bollywood actors and actrsses are extremely popular. It is amazing to see these people buy Hindi movie DVD’S and CD’s. Just last week, when we were at a bus stop, we heard a ‘nakti chapti looking girl’ talking over the phone in Deutsche and mentioning Ranbir Kapoor over and over again. Kay attraction asta na filmi lokancha!
Back home, the ‘T’ gang made news once again. One man said, I am Uddhav. Uddhav Thackrey. The other replied,“ My name is Khan”. While Mumbai was all ears for the verbal war that followed Khan’s so-called objectionable statements, it was soon put to rest, thanks to the State Government and Khan’s fans who flocked in huge numbers to watch his latest flick. It also premiered big time here in Berlin with all the actors in attendance. Rajdeep Sardesai had written an open letter to Uddhav Thackrey. (available on IBN.com). I agree with most of what he has to say, but want Khan to for once stand up and speak in favour of our the country and stop making politically correct statements at the mention of Pakistan. Look at what he said after 26/11 attacks. It enraged a lot of people including me, to see him take a neutral stand when everybody else was fuming at Pakistan’s involvement.
Me Mahan, maza Desh Mahan….
Hamburg is known to have small people and by small, I mean slim n fit. The girls’ here are beautiful - with their flawless skins and sharp features. Pam falls in love with many faces everyday. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about the men. Not much eye candy for me here. But what puts you off is that, behind these pretty faces there is often bad breath. Kai mhait evadhya thandit roz aanghol tari kartat ka nahi?? Hya lokanna hath dhuvaycha suddha mahit nahi!! Tech tech haat saglikade lavtat! Shemdi lahan mula road varcha snow khatat, kheltat, and then tyach hatani kadak pav khatat…. Amhi, India maddhe suddha sanitiser waperto ho!!! Chaintanya and I could picture what Vashu maushi would do if she came here. Padaracha tok nakawar theoon….giving a disgusted look… Haha ha….
One by two. This is one of the most nice discoveries by man(and woman kind) while eating at a restaurant. It helps poor eaters like me to share my meal. And if one wants to experiment with the menu, it is nice to order only one portion, and let everybody have a taste of it. If the taste buds are unhappy you don’t feel guilty of wasting food and money. I am fondly reminded of all those times when I have had a 1/2 juice, lassi, a soup or a Chinese rice with my friends. Pam and I have kept up this tradition alive here. The portions here are too large for us to finish.(though Aparna tells be they are larger in the US). While the people here gobble up everything in no time, we often find ourselves struggling to finish what’s on our plate. Last year when we had come to Hamburg, we went with a friend of ours called Andreas, for dinner at ‘Le Meridian’ which overlooks the beautiful Alster. I was already feeling quite full from my lunch of 3 boiled potatoes with a creamy mushroom sauce and a half a kilo of red cabbage salad, which I shamelessly left almost untouched. I was just not game for a full seven course meal. So guess what, we did a most unusual thing. We split the entire seven course meal between the three of us. The waiter was kind enough to allow us do that and what’s more he actually made smaller portions of the whole course and served it individually to us on separate plates, complete with garnishes and all. So it was like a custom made meal. Ever since, Pam, Anoushka and I have often shared our meals and it is a ‘ful-filling’ experience in the true sense.
The only thing that we manage to eat without sharing, are the Donner Kebabs, which are huge. We have had falafel ones quite a few times now. They overflow with a 3 fistfuls of mixed salad and yoghurt dressing and of course the falafels, and we are yet to master the art of- first opening our jaws to fit that thing, and then eating it with dropping the content. Most of the times more falls out than inside the mouth and we look extremely clumsy. I look in awe like a small child at people who have mastered this art. Since this is one of the most available tasty vegetarian options, I have less choice. And I am determined to practise, until one day I manage to write a book called .- ‘How to eat a Donner without dropping a morsel’. By the way some things that are on the menu here are beyond my understanding! Spare Ribs- which animal will spare ribs willingly for us to devour? Buffalo Wings- 33 years chi zalyay me. Mhashila shiga astat that I know, pan wings suddha astat he mhaeetach navhta!
T.V cannot have a more complicated name than what it is called here. For more than a month now I have been watching Deutche T.V.( Fenseherapparat, that’s what they call a it). The programs are quite uninteresting. Except for the language and the actors, they are the usual…Many of them are dubbed ones, including all the cartoon shows on a channel called KiKa. I wonder if any cartoon characters are natives of Germany. Besides the usual teleshopping network and gaming shows, they have a show on gardening and farming just like our good old Aamchi Mati Aamchi Mansa, there is Kaun Banega Europati, Song and dance shows, Big Brother, minus the original Rakhi Saawant but instead her look and behaviour – alike, cookery shows, run off the mill daily soaps, but certainly not inspired by E. Kapoor because here ‘phamily only is not there, then where is the question of joint phamily melodrama?’ Perhaps the late night edition is the only unusual thing for me - who you will agree is the embodiment of sainthood and innocence, simplicity and decency. I’ve grown up watching two flowers coming together in Hindi movies or the camera suddenly shifting its focus to the blue clouds, and no more…..
T. V. does not seem too popular, as people here are outdoor types. You would see a lot of people jogging , cycling and running in temperatures as low as -13. But Bollywood actors and actrsses are extremely popular. It is amazing to see these people buy Hindi movie DVD’S and CD’s. Just last week, when we were at a bus stop, we heard a ‘nakti chapti looking girl’ talking over the phone in Deutsche and mentioning Ranbir Kapoor over and over again. Kay attraction asta na filmi lokancha!
Back home, the ‘T’ gang made news once again. One man said, I am Uddhav. Uddhav Thackrey. The other replied,“ My name is Khan”. While Mumbai was all ears for the verbal war that followed Khan’s so-called objectionable statements, it was soon put to rest, thanks to the State Government and Khan’s fans who flocked in huge numbers to watch his latest flick. It also premiered big time here in Berlin with all the actors in attendance. Rajdeep Sardesai had written an open letter to Uddhav Thackrey. (available on IBN.com). I agree with most of what he has to say, but want Khan to for once stand up and speak in favour of our the country and stop making politically correct statements at the mention of Pakistan. Look at what he said after 26/11 attacks. It enraged a lot of people including me, to see him take a neutral stand when everybody else was fuming at Pakistan’s involvement.
Me Mahan, maza Desh Mahan….
Hamburg is known to have small people and by small, I mean slim n fit. The girls’ here are beautiful - with their flawless skins and sharp features. Pam falls in love with many faces everyday. Unfortunately I can’t say the same about the men. Not much eye candy for me here. But what puts you off is that, behind these pretty faces there is often bad breath. Kai mhait evadhya thandit roz aanghol tari kartat ka nahi?? Hya lokanna hath dhuvaycha suddha mahit nahi!! Tech tech haat saglikade lavtat! Shemdi lahan mula road varcha snow khatat, kheltat, and then tyach hatani kadak pav khatat…. Amhi, India maddhe suddha sanitiser waperto ho!!! Chaintanya and I could picture what Vashu maushi would do if she came here. Padaracha tok nakawar theoon….giving a disgusted look… Haha ha….
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentine's Day in Hamburg
I slept well and late. Thanks to my Travelogue, and Pam (who read it), my day began with a couple of dozens Tulips. It was snowing outside as I made myself a cuppa tea and Pam, coffee. By the time Anoushka woke up, we were already gorging on steaming hot idlis. Just then the phone rang …. Our friends, Cem and Vivian( with their three children), were inviting us for a visit to the Alster Lake.
They picked us up at 11am and we headed to the Alster. Long ago, some self proclaimed “Baba” in India had attempted to walk on water midst a huge crowd of people who had bought tickets to watch him do the feat. Of course he failed. As a child I always wondered if it would really be possible to do something like that. And guess what, I did it today!!! I cautiously put my foot in the lake. Hoping it will stay afloat, I took another step and was soon walking over it effortlessly. This was the same lake on which we had taken a cruise some months ago. It was most amazing to see the entire lake frozen now! There were people all over the place, enjoying this rare phenomenon. Now that’s what I call a ‘white carpet treatment’. The children too had a ball, rolling and sliding. Occasionally, I would stomp to check if “All is Well”. I don’t weigh too much but I am a living example of someone who has forgotten how to swim. Ice break hoon Ugach aat padle mhanje??? Titanic madhli “Rose”, zale aste na mi…
Soon our legs were freezing and we moved out of the lake. We drank some piping hot red wine mixed with rum and spices. Never before have I had a cocktail like this which phunkar marun marun pyaycha asta. But even this is inadequate to keep you warm. The toes and the hands start freezing and then all you want, is to rush to the cosy 20 degree indoors. We had our lunch at an Italian restaurant and all that was on my mind then, was a nice afternoon siesta.
They picked us up at 11am and we headed to the Alster. Long ago, some self proclaimed “Baba” in India had attempted to walk on water midst a huge crowd of people who had bought tickets to watch him do the feat. Of course he failed. As a child I always wondered if it would really be possible to do something like that. And guess what, I did it today!!! I cautiously put my foot in the lake. Hoping it will stay afloat, I took another step and was soon walking over it effortlessly. This was the same lake on which we had taken a cruise some months ago. It was most amazing to see the entire lake frozen now! There were people all over the place, enjoying this rare phenomenon. Now that’s what I call a ‘white carpet treatment’. The children too had a ball, rolling and sliding. Occasionally, I would stomp to check if “All is Well”. I don’t weigh too much but I am a living example of someone who has forgotten how to swim. Ice break hoon Ugach aat padle mhanje??? Titanic madhli “Rose”, zale aste na mi…
Soon our legs were freezing and we moved out of the lake. We drank some piping hot red wine mixed with rum and spices. Never before have I had a cocktail like this which phunkar marun marun pyaycha asta. But even this is inadequate to keep you warm. The toes and the hands start freezing and then all you want, is to rush to the cosy 20 degree indoors. We had our lunch at an Italian restaurant and all that was on my mind then, was a nice afternoon siesta.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Dekha Ek Khwab
Okay now, as my dear friend Amit Pradhan would’ve said, enough of my Puran on Desh Prem. Long ago when I was a child I first saw them in Yash Chopra’s Silsila. Amitabh and Rekha romancing to the tune of Dekha ek Khwab toh yeh silsile hue, Phool bhi ho darmiyan toh fasale hue…It is because of this song that I associate them with Love. Vast farms of these beautiful multicoloured flowers were the backdrop for this wonderfully written Javed Akhtar song. Never paid too much attention to the riot of colours. Perhaps I was far to busy swooning over “passion personified” Amitabh. Later in life I learnt that these flowers are called Tulips… Here in Germany, they are all over the place. I saw them and touched them and the song rang in my ears….Kal agar na roshni ke kafile hue, Pyar ke hazar deep hai jale hue….. Dekha ek Khwab…….
I will not say I am a big fan of Amitji. I am beyond that. I am in love with so many characters that he has skilfully portrayed. I have grown up watching Don, Deewar, Shaan, Do Aur Do Paanch, Coolie, Toofan, Shokay, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Namakhalal, Zanjeer……..I have watched these movies again and again with daddy. So much in awe I was with this angry young man’s persona, so much I was influenced by the ‘actor Amitabh’ that I fantasised being a Don someday, bashing up the bad guys, having an island to myself and sharks and crocs as pets …..I often would imitate his dance and dialogues. Just couldn’t have enough of him … I remember watching Shakti at Bhanu Sagar in Kalyan with Aai, Daddy, Papan mama, Sanju mama-mami, Aaji-Baba, … my entire family. I must have been three or four years old. I saw Dileep kumar bring a beautiful flower basket for Rakhee who is unwell. Had never seen anything like that before. Here in Germany, on dark nights, when the moon hides behind the clouds, I, by default say Amitji’s line : Aei raat kya tujhko yeh khabar hai, tere chaand ko lagi kisiki nazar hai….
I also remember how Daddy got tickets for Sholay at Mehul in Mulund. He just said that he was from CID, and we skipped the serpentine crowds. I miss him. I think it his love for movies that he rubbed on to me. He even bought a VCR so that we could have our weekly dose of cinema. I miss him. We watched a lot of Classics together. Guide, Jewel Thief, Kala Bazar, Waqt, Mera Naam Joker, Naya Daur, Leader, Amrapali, Mera Saaya, Anadi, Teesri Manzil…….Recently I watched Jewel Thief at Eros. It was a special show organised by Radio Mirchi attended by Dev Anand. Thanks to Baba’s sketch of Dev Anand, we won tickets in a contest. I thought of daddy throughout the film….Prince they used to call him too….
It all began with the Tulips!!! This filmi nostalgia!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Travelogue 12
Here everything comes with a price tag. I realised it the moment we landed at the Hamburg Airport. One Trolley for your luggage costs 1E. Now tell me, one spends so much on the Airfare, it is a basic service that can be offered to Flyers. After all nobody will go home on it.… In Bombay,oops! Mumbai, trolleys, drinking water, even Newspapers are free. Restaurants don’t serve water here. If you are thirsty you either drink bier or something else which is anyway always cheaper than water. Why is gas water (soda) such a favourite with people here, I don’t understand. After eating bread and cheese and cold cuts all the time, passing of air may be the reason why… I miss all those waiters who get you water first thing after you are seated, and also bring in “Chakna” with the drinks and green salad with the main course for free. Here nothing is free. Not ketchup at McDonalds to go with the Burger nor the place of the worship… One has to pay a membership fee to be able to go to a church regularly.
The Public Convenience Facilities, generally charge 50 cents.
I very quickly grew out of converting the Euro into Rupees. But every time I pay 50 cents( 30 Rupees!) for the( very cold) nature’s call I cant help frown…. Many people rave about the ‘quality of life’ in the phoren countries. The fresh air, no all three types of pollution, the quality of products, cleanliness and greenery…. But I terribly miss our maids, our laundry wala, milkman, paper and cable walla, our driver… In India, ‘below the house’ you will get all the services from paan wala to puncture. What is life without them.
Value people, for here, there are no people to touch your lives in so many ways…. For example, at the Frankfurt Airport there are machines (let’s call it that) that give the Boarding pass. No pretty face smiling and greeting you.Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Travelogue 11
We take so many things for granted. We just use and over use and abuse. Our own body to begin with, people that we love and don’t, the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, the natural resources that are god’s gift to us, the animals that we slaughter to satisfy our ever greedy taste buds, and everything else that we are fortunate to have soon becomes a matter of fact and we cease to value it.
Our country is Freedom personified. We truly enjoy a lot of freedom. Not just of Expression, Speech, Religion, Travel… ( and I can say this even more emphatically now). It is not anymore necessary for a child to fill in the father’s name on forms. A person can choose to change his or her name with an Affidavit. Post marriage a woman can attach her maiden last name and her husband’s last name to her first name. I recollect hearing on T.V. that forms will now have an additional column -“Others”, in category Sex. There is Right to Information. Public Interest Litigations can be filed. These are little things but significant. And yet all that most of us who are cynical and sarcastic, ever do is crib and criticise India. The politicians, the corruption, population, the infrastructure……I think for our size and the cultural, religious, political and social diversity, we are not doing bad. .
No place is perfect. There are people here too who jump signals, who litter in the buses and trains and who spit around... I guess the sheer size of our population makes more visible, back home. It’s not about a developed or developing country. It’s about in-disciplined people which you will find world over. The garbage bins overflow in this country too, and just now the local government is in a helpless position, unequipped to deal with so much of snow. The roads are dirty with slush, that the cars splash on to you, the footpaths are slippery with ice, the buses and trains get dirty with dirty wet footwear. Also some essential winter wear is out of stock in the shops and so on. This country also has her own share of problems. Alcoholism, Drugs, Unemployment, an ageing population, lack of child care facilities which make it almost impossible for most women to work, Religious Minorities, East Germany and all her problems because of lack of development, and generally a lack of spiritual unrest and disconnect........... Unfortunately it is never the people but the country that always carries the blame burden.
There are so many things that all of us find fault with and would want to change. Especially all things around us. Our pay checks, our boss along with his caller tune, the way our girlfriend cooks and wife looks, the noisy neighbours, the stubborn policeman, the stench in the train, the flashy clothes of a local corporator, the corporator himself, the huge statue placed in the middle of a small road, your best friend’s boyfriend, deforestation, Daily Soaps and Reality shows, the gaudily painted temples, pollution of rivers, forced donations of all kinds, the jasmine hair oil that a colleague wears, medical facilities in rural areas, firecrackers during Diwali, the uniforms of postmen and peons, Mumbai as Bombay, the condition of our Architectural Heritage, the Zoos, and the Loos, vote bank politics, Grading system in schools, slums, verbal diarrhoea, roads with potholes, female infanticide, cycle rickshaws, even worse - Tongas, Reservations for minorities, Inflation, Olympics and us….. All needs a change. All, but ourselves. We won’t change. We don’t need to!!!!! Says who????
I say, if you want change, be the change. Change cannot always be a matter of convenience.
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