Sweltering summer cold...

As if tolerating the heat wave here in Bangalore is not sufficient, I managed the near impossible task of catching a terrific cold. As usual, I tried managing on my own for two days but the status quo situation made me see my doctor and I must add; even he was impressed seeing my feat. Severe cold in summer?? Oh wow…. 

I don’t know if he really does it but I have a feeling he prescribes more medicines than required. Of course I’m no expert in dealing with even drugs but I do not believe in popping pills till illness completely eludes me. We fall ill when our body loses strength and immunity. An interesting fact is that our body fights diseases, infections and microbes to a great extent. I can safely comment without any medical authority certification that our body’s natural resistance begins its war against illness ages before we actually fall ill and we fall sick when that resistance crumbles. 

So I believe our body is naturally capable of taking care of itself, and since the battered resistance is the shortcoming for illness, the medicines we take should only aid the body till such time that resistance gets better. I bought only half the course prescribed and took the very first dose yesterday night!!

To my ignorance, I did not know that all medicines for common cold are sedative in nature. I know Benadryl cough syrup has high alcohol content but not a tablet taken for common cold, despite my doctor’s claims of that particular brand being the mildest of all.. Early mornings are, as it is, the bane of my existence and I slept with a sedative, to add to my agony!!

Waking up at 6.00am today morning, coupled with getting ready on time to catch my regular 6.50am office shuttle, was the second near impossible task I accomplished. I expected the long journey all the way till EC and the boisterous breakfast with colleagues to suffice in keeping my slumber at bay. But no, as I sat in front of my system, I was unable to comprehend even a single line of code, the coding of which had taken up most of my evenings in the past one week. I tried reading a novel (an e-copy of A kingdom of dreams!) to pipe up interest but the drowsiness got better of me. When neither the freshly brewed Barista Hot Chocolate nor splashing cold water on my face had any impact, I retired to the dormitory. Walking till tower-10 was a pain and I knew how I’d feel if I ever got tipsy and then tried walking, déjà vu!! Thank God, there was an empty bed and I only remember hitting the sack. I woke up almost 2 hours later when my team mate called to check on me. 

Anyways I had to return for an urgent meeting and I was better after lunch break. Phew!! That was indeed a soporifically adventurous day……

My first "halli jatre" experience...

My first ever experience of sorts, I visited a typical “halli jaatre” (village fair) over the weekend. Thanks to Paa, we received an invitation to participate in the KaViKa rathotsava (chariot procession) on the auspicious of Ramanavami celebrations at the Ghali Anjaneya Swamy temple in Mysore road.

Despite living in close proximity to the place and for over 20 years now, I had no idea this annual festivity would be so grand. I knew there was a rathotsava but never knew there would be over 12-13 chariots carrying the many utsava murthis (idols meant for procession) and it would be a grandiose affair with dwellers from just about everywhere reveling in the celebrations till early dawn. There are many temples in the vicinity. Each of those temple deities had a chariot and the entire sight was worth a dekko!

The complete stretch of Mysore road was brilliantly lighted, with vehicles barred right from the Mysore road - Chord road junction and the police ever vigilant; we reached the KaViKa factory (Karnataka Vidyut Karkhane) at about 10.00pm on Saturday night (4th of April, 2009) for the chariot procession that would begin by 10.30pm. The crowd had me spellbound; it did not look like it was near midnight. The rural ambience was stunning and totally unexpected. A local orchestra was pelting out the latest hits and the loud applause and encores showed how the people were enjoying themselves. Umpteen hawkers were on the streets selling sweets, toys, clothes and just about everything. There even were computerized astrology predicting robots. The women and children seemed to have a blast while the men took pride in purchasing stuff for their families and protectively guiding them through the rush. We made our way through the din on foot to reach the KaViKa factory premises.

As soon as the chariot decorations were done with, my folks and I went with KaViKa chairman Mr.Kulkarni to the venue. The chariot was huge, at least 20 feet high and an equally massive girth. It was a hoovina pallakki (chariot of flowers, jasmine in particular) unlike the 12 others which were all mutthina pallakis (chariots of beads). The aroma of fresh jasmine mixed with the tinge of incense sticks lingered in the air and the richly decorated idols of Ram, Lakshman, Seetha and Hanuman were becoming. It was a treat worth looking at. The crowd went ballistic when the pundits did the aarti and the procession began with shouts of “Ramchandraji ki jai, Seeta ji ki jai, Vaayu suta Hanuman ki jai..”

My folks and I too, were a part of the group of people who pulled the chariot ahead for the initial few feet. While a gang of guys kept breaking coconuts all through the way shouting the Lord’s name, another gang kept brushing the broken pieces aside to keep the group pulling the chariot from hurting our feet. Another gang burst crackers, everyone reveled and participated in their own way.

As usual, there was a power cut in the middle of the celebrations but the dazzling deepas (oil lamps or diyas) and the glare of bursting crackers made the jewel studded idols look splendid. That, coupled with the devotion of the hundreds of people gathered to witness the procession, the nonstop chanting of mantras, the loud shouts of the Lord’s name, the way people participated, reminded me of the Ramayana sequence of “ALilu seve” (squirrel service).

In the midst of all this, I realized with a shock that I had tears running down my eyes. I could visualize my music teacher Sharadha ma’am explaining Tyagaraja’s love and devotion for Rama while telling the meaning of each composition she taught. It made so much sense. My mum apparently echoed my sentiments and said its no wonder Rama is called “Chakravarti tanuja” (emperor’s son), he deserved all the glitter, grandeur and more.

Suddenly everything else became insignificant!! For someone who hates crowds of any sort, I no longer minded the brash rural crowd gathered there. I did not wince at the way people pushed and pulled at each other, for a closer glance of the Lord. I did not feel anything except that idyllic bliss at the bottom of my mind. I was swayed off my feet at the devotion of the common man there and the words about everyone being the same in His presence seemed so true. We are all so insignificant in front of Him.

As the procession entered the main road, we stood aside watching the procession, the fire works and the people for a while. Later we were escorted by a KaViKa official to the Ghali Anjaneya Swamy temple for darshan. Lord Hanuman there seemed almost alive that night, grandly adorned by a myriad of choicest colored flowers and jewels. We offered our prayers and left.

As I retired to bed later that night, my head was full of the events of the previous hour and complete mish mash of so many emotions. A truly gratifying experience!!

Concerns of a first time voter...

With the election fever around the corner and being the first time voter that I am, I just wonder...

The first and foremost fact is that none of the candidates are worth voting for. All of them surely have allegations stacked against them or worse, a criminal background; though I must admit I have not done any kind of background verification. I don’t need to! Another thing I’m sure of, without having to verify, is that they are all uneducated. School or college drop outs at some time, they took to politics like the oft repeated Johnson’s definition of politics being the last resort of scoundrels. They neither have any sort of developmental works to their credit nor a flattering profile. The power mongers took to politics with the sole intention of growing rich by milking the system dry, thanks to the million loopholes and our shameless custom of bribery.

I do not want to choose any of them but the fact remains that, I can only choose the lesser sin of the lot. The Electronic Voting Machines rule out the option of invalid votes. The 49-O forms will never be found at polling booths and heck, I will not have someone else voting in my name.

I’m no expert and I may be wrong talking with respect to India, but I somehow feel the dual-party system, as in USA, works well. There are only two options to choose from, it is either this or that! There will never be an issue of coalition government or a Hung parliament. Somehow we will have a better choice of candidates, if two-party system is the case.

Even better, we can have an ombudsman for ticket seeking candidates. The candidates should have at least a formal degree from a recognized university and a profile that matches the requirements as mentioned in a framework set by the connoisseurs of the arena. This framework should be revised to stay in tune with the changing times and necessities.

Sledging is another commonly used technique. Allegations against opposition party candidates sensationalized especially when elections are around the corner. Another thing is the way issues are blown way out of proportion. Little do they realize that, any publicity is good publicity; tasteless nevertheless. The Varun Gandhi episode, Pramod Mutalik versus Renuka Chowdary and the Pink Chaddi campaign, Modi bashing for publicity, seeking mercy votes and targeting minority vote banks etc. All this should somehow be nipped in the bud, it is disgusting!

Another thought of mine is that only tax payers should be eligible to vote as only they truly value their hard earned money and put in the effort of correctly deciding who should lead and how. A teenybopper I once knew voted for a candidate at the last elections (she was then a first time voter) because she thought he was cute! A bedridden octogenarian (May his soul now rest in peace!) said he always admired Nehru and declared that voting for the daughter-in-law of the family was his way of showing loyalty. How can we expect to have proper leaders when we have voters biased on such unreasonable terms?

It is probably the Ayn Rand influence but we cannot sit back and expect things to become the way they ought to be. The system will not change till the leaders change and the leaders will not change till the people desire the change. We are a democracy and we should find a way of getting the changes we desire to see.

Well, I’m just a first time voter and these are just a few of my concerns! :)

Sniff sniff.. But I'm not weeping!!

After many years, I got a chance yet again to travel in Mysore Road in a two-wheeler and I experienced an aching sense of nostalgia. What seemed to be an olfactory adventure once has now become a sweet memory tucked away into the time elapsed folds of my childhood.

Travelling pillion in Mysore road with Dad was a routine. The fun would actually begin at the Mysore road and West of Chord road junction near the BHEL office. The game was simple, to identify as many different smells as possible from the junction till we reached The Club opposite the Rajarajeshwarinagar arch. I would become all stiff and ready as we neared the BHEL junction.

As we turned towards Mysore road at the junction, I would start sniffing lightly. The first smell was from the fishmonger’s, right at the turning, on the footpath of BHEL office. Of course I found the smell of fish revolting and I would never take more than one whiff of breath as if anything more would kill me.

A few tens of meters ahead from the junction and there would be a light aroma of confectionaries from the roadside bakery. A deep breath and yum, I’ve even remember having water in my mouth a few times.

Further up ahead, the main road had petrol bunks on both sides and the addictive smell of petrol would lightly linger in the air. Another deep breath, I have been a sucker for petrol smell ever since.

As we progressed in the direction, my most awaited landmark in Mysore road would near. The Kwality Biscuit factory, opposite the Siddharooda Aashram!! The air would be rich with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked biscuits. I would inhale and exhale deep and fast as if I wanted to take in every whiff of the delicious smell. Heaven lasted a little while here.

A few more hundreds of meters from there and I used to be wary of even breathing, let alone sniff at the smell in air. One of the major water sources of Bangalore once and polluted beyond all limits ever since, Vrushabhavathi flowed. Monsoons and cyclones were the bane of existence for the regular commuters of Mysore road, when the polluted water would overflow onto the main road. The stench emanating was unbearable at all times. I would carefully breathe and as soon as the stench began, I would hold my breath for as long as I could.

Finally, a few more minutes along the same road and I would be hit by a pungent blast of Hydrogen chloride from the chemical factory next to the Rajarajeshwarinagar arch. Another few seconds of holding my breath and I would be gasping for fresh air. Thankfully, I’d have reached my destination by then!!

When I drove along the familiar road after many years, every minute of the journey reminded me of the innocent little girl and her so called olfactory adventure while riding pillion with her father. No, I did not try doing the same this time and I’m sure I’d have choked on the thick smoky air, had I tried.

Other than that, I could not help but notice many other changes. The fishmonger now sells fried fish too; the smell is probably more repulsive now. The old confectionary shop has closed down. The old petrol bunks are now replaced by sleek Shell fuel stations. Kwality Biscuit factory has vanished and replaced by a Bajaj showroom. The absence of the aroma of freshly baked biscuits touched a sentimental note as though it made the end of my childhood glaringly obvious. Nevertheless Vrushabhavathi stank just the same!!

I broke out of my reverie soon, but the aching nostalgia persisted. I wished I could go back to those glorious days of my childhood, when million such little things filled the days and the sole purpose of every minute was to have fun. Period.

Tyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam...

Currently playing on my IPod is a beautiful rendition of Tyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam in Anandabhairavi by Sanjay Subrahmaniam. The lines –
Tyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam…
Raja Yoga Vaibhavam..
Yoga Vaibhavam..
Vaibhavam….
keep coming to me over and over again; I’m reminded of waves in the sea. Nonstop waxing and waning..

Sanjay is undoubtedly one of the finest classical vocalists of recent times. The last time I attended his live concert was at Bangalore Gayana Samaj last year and the only way I could describe the concert was to say that it was electrifying!!

There was no need for this blog but its just that I remembered that concert today morning, while listening to Tyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam for the nth time in the past few days..

How cool it would be if I could deliver an electrifying concert too!!

Adventures on the Valentine weekend - 14th Feb 2009

Every time I have plans of going out, I make it a point to take a leak before stepping out of the house. One can never be sure of sanitary conditions and cleanliness outside, be it hotels, cinema halls (malls are clean I must admit), coffee shops etc. It never hurts to go prepared so I make sure I don’t have any washroom-visiting-urges till I return home. I’m sure most of us do it, nothing special about it!!

It so happens that every time I go to a film, despite all my precautionary measures I end up being tank-full by the time the film ends. The culprit must be the soda drink during the interval. I consciously do not drink aerated drinks otherwise, so I give in to the temptation only I go to see a film.

Same thing happened last week. It was the Valentine weekend when Sahana, Appu and I went to see Billu at Cauvery matinee show. We left the house at 1.30PM for the show that began at 2.30PM. I went all prepared as not to have any issue till I returned back. The movie was not even 3 hrs long but thanks to the Pepsi I bought in the intermission, I was unusually full (it will not be exaggerating to say I was really really really full) by the time the movie ended and badly wanted to take a leak.

The stench permeating down the corridor extinguished any thought of using the washroom there in the theater. I told Sahana and Appu that I’ll manage and so we walked out. We had agreed to walk all the way till Malleshwaram 8th cross and shop there, after a visit to Janata hotel for their yummy masala dosas. Frankly I had no idea how long I could hold out but refused to think of it and walked on!!

We were barely halfway when we came past Chowdaiah Memorial Hall and this brainwave stuck me. Necessity is the mother of all inventions, so they say. It held true with respect to ideas in my case.

A few weeks back, I’d attended a play at Chowdaiah and had seen how well maintained the washrooms were. Neither a speck of filth, nor spilt water anywhere on the polished mosaic of the washroom!! Anyways we were right in front of the building and it was open, why not use the toilets and rid myself of great worry and the obvious issue??

The huge hoarding on the gate endorsed a dance and music extravaganza Attakalari the next day. I promptly went in telling Sahana and Appu of my intentions. Sahana needed to use the washroom too but here?? Like this?? Oh no!! They two of them shrunk from the prospect of breaking in to an auditorium to use a washroom, but nevertheless followed me inside the gate.

As I made my way into a side entrance, I was accosted by a watchman who wanted to know what business we had there. We did not appear suspicious to anyone from the manner we were dressed. We were casual friends catching up on a weekend and that was precisely what we were. Sahana and Appu froze behind me wondering what I would say to this watchman’s question. The proximity of a usable washroom was so tempting that I wouldn’t have hesitated to run inside before he caught up with me despite the embarrassment that would follow. A hundred answers popped in my head within a nanosecond and before I realized I said we were looking for brochures and info regarding sunday’s programme and if possible the tickets too. I never realized the hoarding advertising Attakalari had caught my attention so strongly till I blabbered this. The watchman obviously finding nothing strange about my reply showed me the very VIP entrance I would have probably barged into. It apparently leads to the side entrance of the main stage and there is this heavenly board that reads LADIES WASHROOM at the entrance.

Stealing a glance inside the auditorium, I saw many artistes setting up the stage for the upcoming show. I returned back to the entrance and went in the sparkling clean washroom. It was empty and very very clean, as expected!!

I next signaled Sahana towards the door. She was now confident, after witnessing my convincing performance in front of the watchman. While Appu and I waited for Sahana, I even managed to show an art-enthusiast the way to the main entrance. She was a firangi and was lost!!

We three had walked but a few steps out of the gate when Appu let out a relieved sigh. She said she has seen such things in films and in TV but could not believe her eyes when I actually “dared” a stunt of the sort. The fact that my face showed no sign of shock or surprise or even fear apparently left her stunned. Impressed too, if I may add. She called me dare-devil, a tom-boy and a string of many such names all the way to Janata hotel.I merely had to walk chuckling and acting like a heroine who managed a non-performable stunt with panache. It feels great to be appreciated, no matter how stupid the reason is. The dumber the reason, the greater kick it gives and this, exclusively when there are friends like Appu to give the perfect reaction sought!! Lol…

Honestly, I was only enjoying a huge sense of relief all the while. I could not have borne that load a minute longer!!!!

7th March 2009 - You've got mail

Yesterday and the day before were apparently the most boring weekend of my life. I’d rather do something I don’t like, than be left with time on my hands but no purpose. This “idle” state of mind drives me crazy and heck, I do not even get devilish thoughts when idle!! I just go nuts and retire into some cocoon that doesn’t exist at other times..

To consciously come out of my cranky mood on saturday, I saw this beautiful flick I’ve seen times without number now – You’ve got mail..

“You’ve got mail” is undoubtedly one of the finest films I have seen. I adore the Tom Hanks–Meg Ryan combination as much as I love the inimitable SRK-Kajol pairing. For those of us who love books, this movie touches a special chord.

I’m not exactly a romantic (hopeless or otherwise) but a few aspects of the film that appealed to my temperament make me wish I was Katherine Kelly myself and I go back to the film over and over again!!
1. The fact that the story revolves around books and a book shop. Books truly mean a lot more than just pages with info sewn together.
2. Joe Fox respects Katherine Kelly for being the professional she is and despite ruining her business, he does not insult her by offering her a job at Fox Books.
3. NY152 encourages Shopgirl to speak her mind when she encounters someone very unpleasant but warns her that she will be filled with remorse later not finding a convincing excuse for her behavior.
4. Joe hates to “stand her up” when he realizes his chat friend Shopgirl (who is waiting for him at a café) is none other than his arch rival Kelly. He stays with her the whole evening without divulging his virtual identity that she was expecting to meet.
5. NY152 cannot lie as to why he never came to meet her at the café despite having no compulsions to be truthful. He promises to reveal the truth later but does not disclose that NY152 is Joe Fox himself and he did keep the date.
6. Joe realizes Fox Books can never mean as much to him as The Shop Around The Corner means to Katherine. The note on her door "We are closing our doors after 42 years, we will miss being a part of your lives" was too touching.
7. Joe goes to see Katherine with a bunch of daisies when she is ill and for the first time, each one creates the right impression on the other.
8. Joe does his best to befriend Katherine rather successfully and even banters about her anonymous chat friend NY152. He realizes he has fallen in love with this spirited woman!
9. Joe asks Katherine how she can forgive someone who stood her up on a date but hate him (Joe) for the smallest mistake of putting her out of business. (The subtle whiff of romance here is mind blowing! Its even wonderful that she has a trace of tears, I did too..)
10. Joe’s words “Don’t cry Shopgirl” when they finally meet, gave me a lump in my throat and for once I even wondered if I was wrong in my belief that romance is best left to books and films.
Hmmm… Lastly, to wrap it up, I came out of the hang over soon and realized that romance seemed so magical precisely because this was a film and my life is way too realistic. I'm no schizophrenic to believe in wanting drama and fantasy in my everyday reality. But for giving me a beautiful outlet to momentarily escape to utopia, I must say -
Three cheers to “You’ve got mail”!!!!