Of course i love you Bangalore

Most of those who know me know how loyal i am to Mumbai; i ain't categorized as a mallu or south indian despite my last name - i am a true blue Mumbaikar...So what happens to this true blue Mumbaikar when she moves down south to a territory where Rajanikanth is idolized and worshipped, hindi is spoken like a foreign language, the street food - vada pav, open cheese mysore dosa n cuttin' chai do not exist, restaurants..clubs.. and everything else shuts at 11 30so as to deny me my night time cravings of burji pav, cheese pav bhaji, dabeli and masala chai .... she complains !!!

am she wrong to do so ??? No; not at the start at least but has she grown to love the city.... who's questioning that ?? My initial few days was filled with complaints - people don't speak hindi here, transport system sucks, everything shuts early, nothing to do here, things move so slowly around here .. blah blah n more of that ..

Now let's be honest most of these issues still continue to haunt me but why has the love for this city grown ?? B'lore has its own charm, it's a newer melange of people from various parts of the country - most of whom are brought by the almighty IT industry, the weather is soothing - not too harsh; winters feel like winters when everyone's wrapped in blankets, shawls and sweaters.. the sudden spring showers to cool you off; it taught me some new skills - haggling with the rickshaw guys; trying to decipher the Kannada language and getting the locals to understand my half hindi-english + hand gestures.

It taught me to live in a big city by myself but most of all, it brought this very awesome plethora of friends in to my life.. friends who have also left home and are living alone; who are also lovin' their independence and want to live it up every moment.. B'lore gives its people that chance to stop for a second and look how things are going on; things don't rush by in a mad rush. It's 3 years since i moved into this city - i cried my eyes out when i first saw my parents leave; n now the thought of ever having to move back; those tears are gonna come rushing back again !!!

Lorsque la mort est plus douce que la vie...

The past few days have seen tens of thousands of reports of the case of 60 yr old Aruna Shanbaug; a nurse in KEM hospital who was brutally assaulted, sodomized and left to die by a ward boy of the hospital. 37 years down, she is alive so to speak. The attack left her unable to move, talk or speak. Kudos to those nurse of KEM who have looked after her for nearly 4 decades. The recent petition filed in the SC by Pinki Virani dug out the old and never dying topic of euthanasia.

I know my views on euthanasia as a subject but in the case of Aruna that is so complicated, where she feels pain, smiles (at times) when called out to.. is that really a solution. I guess euthanasia does require a strong will and mind to see the person you cared for, die because you decided to pull the plug. Are we strong enough ??? i believe that is why the nurses in KEM hospital refuse to give up on her and celebrate the SC verdict on life for Aruna. So many different ways of looking at this.. what would i do if i had to see my loved one go through a similar situation, if he/she had no reaction, emotion, feeling; if his/her life was being prolong on machines and feeding tubes ?? is it fair to prolong their life bcoz i can't see them go ?? is it right to see them suffer ??

My grandma always said death should come peacefully, like it did for my granddad. I may sound cold as i take forward her thoughts and say life should be quality life as we live, else what difference would it make if we are here or not. Why be in a coma state with no reactions and feeling and still continue to "live". It saddens your family around you to see you that way, and i am sure in your heart you would never want to live that way.. They say life is a gift, live it well... so i ask if a life similar to what Aruna ( and many others across the globe ) is living is a gift, do we want it ??

India has taken a big stand by putting forward the idea of passive euthanasia; but i still wonder - are we emotionally ready to pull the plug ??

step up 2011.. it's time to kick ass !!!

It's 2011, how quickly time flies by !!!

Heard something very interesting ( could be awkward, weird and even stupid for some ); i asked my trainer at the gym today - so how was your new year ?? and he said " same old, same old... it is another year gone by, one more year in our life gone by... we have lost out on so much time"... Hhmmm is that for real ? Do people look at a new year and say God, how much time have i lost - i always believed it was a time to look and see all the wonderful things that have happened in the year gone by, leave all the sadness & tragedies of that year behind and look forward to super things in the new year.

There was a time i too had the same outlook to the new year - crib about the year gone by, complain that i don't know where i am heading and grumble that it's just another year. But 2010 has been eventful, very very eventful.

The finishing of the MBA.. many would agree thats an achievement... the call of the corporate world and the excitement of moving to your own lil house in a city outside of your home city.

Yes, i tasted the thrills of living alone away from home, from your family and usual circle of friends. From learning to manage money to learning your way around the city - it's all a headache but awesome none the less... how we crave for the 31st of every month to see the moolah in our a/c and how our hearts break when we pay rent, groceries, transport and that one damn nice meal outside... Those sodexho meal vouchers have become such an integral part of my life. Weekends is where you see the crux of the action - it is unbelievably thrilling... no my friends it's not the parties or the outings.. It is the regular jobs that need to be done around the house. The cleaning, washing, sorting, tiding up - aarrrghh !!! God forbid if u have had a nice lil party friday night :D The joy of seeing a post party house; ask me !!! But i would do it over and over again - the fun you have with all your friends at home is something you cant do in a club.. I live by my rules and noone questions me:D imagine the power trip.

It is a life i have started to love and enjoy; Thank you 2010 for all of this... 2011 ... you have to match up; you have to beat 2010 - You have to be kick ass !!!!

the animal in us !!!

So how do you feel when you are sitting there smiling at the person when you get a frown back in return ? Is it nice to hear "yeah yeah whatever" in return when your statement says " have a nice day" ? I learnt these small things when i began my first job. A customer facing role is extremely difficult; for a novice especially more. Imagine a scene where a young fawn has been released to the wild. Why do i make such a drastic comparison.. B'coz it is very much the same. The theory of evolution says we evolve from animals and in this day & age when we consider ourselves so sophisticated and refined, Our roots ( read animal behavior ) show when things don't go our way.

My job gave me a clear view of all the different animals in that jungle.. The mighty elephants which can be wild but can be tamed.. the tigers that go aggressive and cannot be calmed and the scavengers that live of the powerful tigers.

The elephants are those everyday fliers who know the airline and its rules inside out. They would know the processes better than you and point out loop holes; however they when in crisis ( read their preferred seats unavailable, overbooking ) they can be tackled with easily by offering more benefits and perks. They appreciate you for all you do and thus its always a pleasure having them back.

The tigers - those who belong to the cream of the society. the top actors, super models, politicians etc. For them its their way or they highway. You do as they say and have things as they want or else bear the brunt of it. There is no way to convince them, we have to bow down to their power. There may be those rare occasions when they would be kind enough to listen to you; if that happens count your blessings.

The scavengers - I always hated this lot... They had very little or almost nothing of their own in terms of power, prestige fame or even common sense but their inflated ego got them to float above the rest. They would be at the ground level in their line of business but their expectations are to the treated like the king of the land. Standing your ground firmly and ignoring their desperate pleas for attention helps deal with this lot and sometimes brings them back to their feet. Don't expect appreciation from them; they don't think of anything around them as worthy of it.

There are many more varieties of animals found but the above the the distinct ones. You need a different set of skills to deal with each of them.

My funda - be the ringmaster. Look tough and keep the whip handy.. you never know who might just need a lash :)

Diwali vacation

I remember when i was in school vacation time was the best time we could ask for ( obviously duhh !!! ) Summer was a long ( and i always wished it never ended ) 2 months; Christmas was a quick 10 days and Diwali a beautiful 3 weeks.

Diwali was the time every one looked forward to; i can safely say that for my house. Dad always got this whole big stack of gift vouchers from places like Shoppers Stop and it was our time to go insane shopping even though our Diwali shopping would be over by then. Sweets would keep flowing into the house; weight watchers that we all were; where and how the boxes would disappear no one claimed to know. But most of all it was about the family and having your closest family over is the best way to spend Diwali.

It is indeed a very special time. My family is unlike many others. We are South Indians only by name; our roots lie in Mumbai and we celebrate very festival that comes our way... I remember having Iftar parties in my house, Diwali celebrations happen every year and Christmas is also a time to have fun.

This Diwali is gonna be extra special... First Diwali as the working girl going home with gifts for my family and not from the money i borrowed from my parents. Can you feel the pride :D

Then i get to see all my friends; some who have always been in Mumbai and some are have come down - all about timing ya !!! Most of all i get to see my city, where the roads are familiar and people are ohh sooo great.. I get to eat the food i love soooooooooo much; my Mithibai vada pav and open cheese mysore dosa; the cheese pav bhaji on juhu beach and the pasta & pizzas from alfredos, the kati & seekh rolls from outside my school and never the least the awesome food at home ( for all those laughing at that statement, when you are not an awesome cook i will understand what i am saying )...

What an awesome Diwali vacation it is going to be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bone splinters & drops of blood... now forgotten

Most mumbaikars would agree that we, as a city have seen a whole lot of terrorist activities; probably more than any other city in India. Each incident leaves it ugly scar on the city and more so a deep, eternally burning one in the lives of the citizens. It pains me to see how justice is never meted out, cases pile up one on top of the other and the city waits silently for the next act of violence...

The media glorifies the city as being ultimately tough/ cold hearted (as you may want to interpret). They say we go on with our lives as though nothing ever happened. I ask them, do we have a choice; for many people everyday's work would mean a hot meal for the family - no work, no daily wage, no food. So is that person supposed to sit at home twiddling his thumbs or take a chance, go to work and earn so that his family can get that day's meal ???

26/11 was probably one of the worst attacks on Mumbai city; the city has never been held at ransom for almost 60 hours. So many people massacred, families torn apart, security officials killed, property destroyed; its effects can still be felt. The lone terrorist to be caught alive- Kasab; caught on CCTV footage spraying bullets at CST and then responsible for the death of a police officer who held on to him tightly even after being shot. We saw the whole ordeal of trials, read about all the questioning and his confession and we rejoiced at the verdict.

I picked up the paper today and one news item catches my eye - Kasab appeals against death sentence... WHYYYY ... who gave him the right to even appeal and the reason he states; police provided insufficient evidence and eyewitnesses accuse him bcoz they saw his photograph on TV. Why wouldn't they identify you, they have seen you kill their kith and kin !!! I don't understand why we spend so much money on keeping a person like him alive even after the verdict has been declared; it is unfair to waste tax payers' money on a terrorist. He slaughtered mercilessly and deserves no mercy in return.

Slightly hard hitting comments, one might think but it upsets me that after so blatantly attacking the city, being caught on CCTV, questioning being done & verdict being given, this person still has the audacity to state a reason as flimsy as 'insufficient evidence'. We are showing ourselves as weak by not executing the death sentence immediately. We need to send out a strong message to those who think they can bring us down that we can fight back when the need arises...

However do I see this happening in the near future; it pains me to say "NO"....

Good morning !!!

It's very strange how we go about our every day life like mechanized beings; each thing is a routine and there is nothing we look forward to... I began my day in the same fashion.

It was a usual battle of rejection as it is every morning - rejection by every rickshaw guy who i ask 'oh-so-kindly' to take me to office. But then as i was thinking of how this had become a daily occurence, along came a rickshaw with a smiling face showing on the windscreen. He agreed and very sweetly asked me to get in. As i began to dig my bag for my MP3 player to take my mind off everything else, he began a conversation. I usually hate having conversations, coz they usually only involve them complaining about the traffic, or arguing against my selection of route or fare.. But he says " so how are you today ?" ...

How are you today... How are you today .... oh my godddd !!! since when did a stranger ask you something like this with a warm smile on his face and timed it oh so correctly when my day had just begun sooooo badly !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, i silently held on to MP3 and my bag, waiting to see how the conversation progresses... My mind starts thinking ' crazy, psycho man; unnecessary talk, blabbering away' but slowly i get reeled into the conversation and my MP3 slowly slides back into my bag...

I dont think i have heard someone speak such impeccable english in a long time, no no i am not talking about myself, my rickshaw guy was like a global traveller. My 20 minute ride to office was filled with stories of France, Switzerland and USA.. He tells me the story of his post retirement life, how what he planned failed for him and then inspite of having children livng in Switzerland and USA; he decided to begin working again as an entrepreneur. His financial status didn't let him employ anyone so he rides the rickshaw himself... The best is the way he leaves you, a sweet greeting ' have a nice day' and ' god bless you' ....

My God !! would i do that ... I dont mean to be prejudiced or biased in any way but no.. i dont think i would... I see the happiness in his eyes in simply serving the passenger and no quarms of having to work at this age... Wow; really Wow !!!!

Kudos to Mr A.N Fernandez !!!