Saturday, December 27, 2008

Dismantled Podiums

We had got these beautiful marble statues of Ram, Lakshman, Sita and Shreekrishna. The statues are around 6 inches high and each has a separate marble podium. The podiums are made up of beautifully crafted pieces.

They are with us for quite some time now. And, required cleaning. The work on podium is so delicate and minute just dusting was not enough. So I took all those 4 podiums and immersed them in tub filled with water. After an hour, I checked again, to dry them and put them back.

But whoa!!

They all were dismantled! All those pieces were stuck together with some adhesives and they all were separated out.

After 3-4 hours of hard work I got to put them back together. But unfortunately something was miscalculated and Sita and ShreeKrishna Statues refused to fit back in their own podiums. It was impossible to figure out as to what happened exactly. So we just took out backs of the podiums made more space so the statues can fit in L

So is the life. Sometimes, few things get dismantled when you don’t really intend them to be. You just realize it a tad to later that something is wrong. Most of the time, you can piece it together with some thought and consideration. But careful, little miscalculation and it would remain wrong for the rest of the life! 

Card Fraud

Card money, easy to carry, easy to use, easy to settle. But not everything is so simple.

My Dad received a card from a company. A very reputed company. He has not requested for any call. He dialed call center and asked why they have sent it? They said its promotional offer. No costs attached. If it is not required he can still keep it. It could be used whenever need arises. Well Ok.

A couple of months passed by alright. In the third month we got a bill of 2000 Rs.

For what? The card is never ever have seen light of the day. Still! Dad called call center again. They said to send the request stating the said transaction is not by him. He did so. Next month same story!

He then cut the card in 4 pieces and sent it to the company as said in the instructions manual. :) Even after that lot of follow up was required on that so that bills get cancelled.

The whole episode was just so absolutely unnecessary. My dad who already is wary of using plastic money got completely driven off with it.

Using cards is good. But do make sure you follow few basic rules. Make sure you are aware of all the costs, validate the bills once you get those, never leave card unattended (giving your card to the waiter and letting him carry to and back from the counter is a NO). Remember, we still don’t have any strict rules on card frauds. And even if we have some, it requires lot of following up in anti customer society. So be careful.  

Friday, December 19, 2008

Murabba

Murabba or I think in marath it's called Maravala. To simplify a khatta mitha pickle.

This basically made up of Kaairi, or kaccha aam. You have to put of lot of sugar and boil it. And the end result is just amazing.

 

Once, my mom made it with different kind of Kaairi, which was not very khatti. So she needed less sugar. N boss that year no one was ready to eat Muraaba.

Cause it was not just the same with less quantity  khataa and mitha. My mom made sure after that  the kaari she is choosing is khatti to proper amount.

 

Ditto with life. Right?

Life ka maja nahi ayega if it is less on Khatai or Mithiai. What's say?

Life is a Gamble

Life is a gamble boys

So u know dat ur better

a play ur card rite

If u gona take a chance

Then u know tht u stand up vam time

This is not just a game

So u gona keep on playing

Cos u know wht i m saying

and know u might win this tonite

 

Tel me u will handle game

kya hoga woh hai teri kismat

Tel me u will handle it

Lekin bazi khelega is waqt

U cud get rich or poor

Baby better really take it slow

or u really know

so here we go hit the show

 

Agree with this to the T.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

On a Musical Note

Around two years back, I went along with Mom to Sawai Gandharav Mohatsav. Just to give her a company. With out my inclinations, what so ever.

That day they had a session of Basari, Flute. It was just WOW!! I don’t know a bit of classical music. Yet, the whole experience was amazing. Heavenly!!

After that each year I just have to be there.

No, I don’t yet sit for all the sessions. But I make it a point to attend at least 2-3 sessions. Each time I end up completely overwhelmed by the hard work and dedication of all the artists. What an amazing gift!!

Point is, yes you could be very cynical about trying Sawai. Reason? “Classical music, not my coup of tea.” It was or rather it still is not my coup of tea. But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it. Don’t miss this heavenly experience while on earth J

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Mumbai Mayhem

What happened in Mumbai was just unimaginable!

Terrorists not only got inside with lots of weaponry and bombs but they managed to stay there 59 hours!!

The loop holes in intelligence were yet exhibited again!! Amadabad, Delhi, Mumbai… How many more are needed to realize this fact??

Why people are angry to the wits end is the way the whole thing is handled.

No doubt the security agencies did a great and brave job. Kudos to them!!

But, the politicians? They gave out all the wrong, wrong statements.

CM saying “PM says we have done satisfactory job!” Really?

Home minister of state saying Bade bade shaher mein aasi baat ho sakati hai” Dude this dialog suits SRK in a movie yaar. This was such an irresponsible statement.

News paper printing “War Won!” Really? They managed to do their bit. They managed to prove that they can get inside your homes. Your home is not safe!

I am not sure if politicians realize but they could really win people’s heart, if only they will say right things, if only they do right things, if only they think like a common man, if only they emphasis with public. If only they could understand the anger everyone is feeling right now. But, no!! I am yet to hear a statement from politician, listening to which I can say, “Yeah, that is right move, That is the right statement”. The statement, with which everyone can say, “Ya, that’s the way to go about it.” The statement, the initiative which could create rippling effect. Everyone is seeing this as just another opportunity. Mumbai’s spirit is famous. They will move on with life the next day. Who cares? But remember this issue in the next elections. Great!!!

About Pak allegations they say it is knee jerk reaction. May be. What our officials are doing to make it more impact full. Have we had any concrete statement yet? No!! Just saying Pakistan’s Foreign minister that we are concerned about all links with Pakistan are not enough guys!! May be that is politically, diplomatically correct. But this is not right time to do that!!! This is time to be emotionally correct!! And no one from the government is doing that!!

There are been number of debates on news channels. Very interesting views:

When Finance Minister says” India is doing well and has 8% growth rate” Is this really helpful when the whole family of the US multinational’s manager’s whole family could get killed in the Taj Hotel.

When it is said that we need stricter laws against terrorism, it is true. But, do we need stricter law just to prevent a ship filled with weapons, bombs from coming near our coast??

We all need a whole lot of introspection.

Government need to figure out some way to give out their reactions faster and more concretely. They should reassure people. And that needs stronger statements!! Not after 10 day. It needs to be done on the DAY!!

All parties must seat together and figure out a plan acceptable to all. One government gets POTA other takes it back. Won’t work guys!

Juridical systems need to put a self induced deadlines on themselves. Give these trial highest priorities, push all agencies involved and get to a strong verdict in short span. Justice delayed is justice denied. And in such cases when trials go on for such long time, it sends very wrong signals.

Intelligence agencies need to figure out way around the whole lot of loop holes. Need more man power, equipments and collaboration, whatever! Next time no Indian will be able to hear an intelligence failure for an excuse. This was not the 9/11 of America guys. This is well planned, well thought, well rehearsed plan.

Media! I don’t know what to say about them. Vultures! That’s what I call them! They have the power. They could have done, can do a very constructive job here. But no! All they will do is this news is exclusively given by our channel. Asking people stupidest and immature questions like “Do you regret coming to India?” to a foreigner, how they felt while being hostage. Ridiculous. In the tone they talk, repeating the same thing at least 15 times in 10 minutes. Do they think the viewers are kids?

Most importantly, our take away. How many of US are aware about the surroundings. How many of us will make sure they find out if there are any suspicious people or activities going on around them? How many of us will report them? How many of us are curious enough for that? I for the one, am not. I do make a resolve to be more inquisitive from Today.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Being Childish...

I always feel childish of doing something I did 2-3 or more years back.

I laugh at myself thinking how naïve I was.

Not realizing that whatever I am doing today, for that too I will be laughing few years down the line J

It's easy to laugh at something that happened years back. It doesn't matter much now. U don't generally end up thinking "What-If" scenarios.

Somehow this "Laugh back" duration is becoming smaller n smaller now.

I fear the day when I will do something an immediately realize how stupid it was! Coz then the feeling will be of regret. It will be hard to laugh then.

Or worse…

Realizing that what I am gonna do is stupid, and yet doing it!

But to rethink about it, I will be able to call it Guts rather than Stupidity? :D

What's say?  

Striking Back…

Unfortunate incident…

Lt colonel Purohit involvement in bomb blasts!

His ways was wrong, certainly wrong!

As the saying goes, "If you decide to hit an eye for an eye, whole world will be blind!"

Still it's worth trying to understand his perspective on it…

The bomb blasts in India are on rise under the hood of Jihad. He was trying to counter attack that.

Think about it! Why?

Because he doesn't see enough steps taken to do something about it by the government, by the law authorities. So he decides to do it himself!

I don't know his background.

But imagine there are so many people in India who have lost their near and dear ones in blasts. They follow the trial for years together( more than decade!!) n finally hear the punishment given which is minuscule compared to crime they have committed. What they must be feeling? Rage?

When the government is gonna wake up?

When they will seriously think about terrorism keeping aside their politics around vote banks?

When will we have stricter rules? If POTO is not good get something else which is better! Who is stopping you?

When will the courts makes sure they punish terrorists with maximum punishments?

When will we see trials about any terrorist activity getting finished within a year or two?

And when all this is DONE, n still Lt colonel Purohit rises to strike THEN you have a right to say "This is unduly called for!"

Monday, October 27, 2008

Spooky?

This one was really silly, honestly!

 

One of my friends in office called me on my cell, said she was trying my office extension but someone else picked up. I told her that's not possible because all the time I was at my desk.

I tried to call my office number from my cell, and yess! Someone else picked up!

I then tried calling my cell from office extension and it showed some entirely different number! For office extensions your first 4 digits don't change only the last four. But this new number was completely new! If the first number got changed or even being going to change I am sure we would have been informed in advance!

I thought of calling some concerned person after I return from a meeting.

After coming back from a meeting I decided to reconfirm the story and called from Office extension on cell. Well this time the number was right!

 

The whole scenario similar to "Airtel Ooops" I had posted earlier. Wireless to wireless, landlines bhi?

 

So, aisa bhi hota hai!

Next time someone tells u, I had called u but no one picked, or someone else picked, don't be surprised!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Kissa Telephone ka

My Dad narrated his experience about Telephone exchange officials…

Here how it goes…

 We brought a new house in Raviwar Peth around 1977. We shifted here from our Guruwar Peth place. My uncle shifted to the old Guruwar Peth place.

We had a telephone at home which was allocated to the firm named G & B where my dad was partner. The firm provided residential telephones for all the partners. The firm was dissolved in 1974. According to the oral deal that was done all the residential phones were given to the corresponding partners.  

After shifting to new place dad wanted to apply for relocation of the telephone. He sent a peon from his office to submit the form. The peon went and submitted it. The telephone exchange employee there asked the peon who is Mr. Shah from G & B firm. The peon replied that the firm is resolved and Mr. shah is now partner in firm B & S.  The telephone exchange employee wrote the comment on form to get “Dissolve deed” for the firm. Peon came back and told so to my dad.

Now the trouble started…

There was no Dissolve deed. Indian law allows to waiver of dissolve deed and allows oral commitments when there are no debatable issues between partners. My dad went to telephone exchange, told the employee that he doesn’t have any such deed, showed him the law book that no written deed is required. But the employee said no but the deed is necessary for transfer. Phew…

Dad consulted a lawyer who suggested to make affidavits from all partners that they don’t have objection if you take your residential telephone with you to your new place. There were 4 partners in G & B including dad. Dad requested each one to make affidavit. He took all 3 affidavits to telephone exchange. But the employee refused to took them too. No I need the deed. After 4 years of dissolving make a deed? Dad went to all higher levels in that exchange but to no avail.

Ahh… Hopeless…

Complicatedly,

Dad had brought Raviwar Peth house from Mr. Gandi. My uncle worked with Mr. Gandhi. The Gandhi firm used to provide residential phones to all the employees. So he needed to provide one to my uncle. His own phone was not transferred from Raviwar peth house to his new place. So what he suggested to my Dad is you use my phone and instead of providing a new phone to your brother let him use your phone in Guruwar Peth. OK.

We operated like this for 6 years.

One day my dad met some telephone exchange officer. Dad told him what had happened. The officer says if you have partnership deed that is sufficient if you have all 3 affidavits that’s more than sufficient. Dissolve deed is not needed. Make a fresh new request in telephone exchange. Dad did and the telephone was transferred in no time.

The regular employees from government services do know there mundane work but will be completely unaware about the exception rules. More so they don’t know the law. And when someone tries to make them understand, they refuse.

Well this sure was the story way back in 1977. Hope with competition from TATA and Reliance now things have changed and are changing for better.   

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Language Divide

Few days back there was this Jaya Bacchan Vs Raj Thakare episode.

Good example of "Making mountain out of mole" :D

Almost everyone sympathized with Bacchans. Rightly so.    

 However, for Raj Thakare who seems to be strong believer of "Any publicity is good publicity" it was one more opportunity. The point he is raising however is not completely baseless. Taking that point of view…

 Raj Thakare's concern for migrating non Maharatrians in the state is not without reason. Increasing un-employment for the local people and reduction in cost of labor is cause of worry for US, Europe and all the so called developed countries too. No. of H1 visas are restricted, migrations rules are stringent and Embassy officials are whimsical. So if they get paranoid then why not Maharashtra. Politicians need to acknowledge this and say "Yes, there is a problem" and try to seek solutions instead of playing politics around the issue including Thakare!

Problem is not so much with migrating Middle class or upper class families. When they migrate they build a house, pay taxes and become part of that state. Others will stay in shabby places spend as less as possible here and send all money they earn back home. No taxes and problem of unemployment for locals + reduction in cost of labor again creating problem for locals who have to sustain in the high cost of living here and also look after their families. Non tax payers put more pressure on the infrastructure which not already in very great state.

It's very unfortunate that different states in same nation would face such a problem. It needs to be discussed why people are migrating, create employment in own states and in mean time have some rules in place to protect the local interests.  

Friday, September 12, 2008

Cleaning the attic

My stuff occupies so many various places in the house that finally I decided to make room for other’s stuff, get all my things together basically be little more organized.

My old cupboard. It was like a Pandora box.

I found so many things which are quite useless today. Admission receipts and examination cards, syllabus books, old papers. Which were just there because I never bothered to throw it.

Few college books, reference books, notes, Xeroxes of some one else’s notes :D. This I had kept thinking this will be very useful material when I will enter the corporate world. It will act as quick reference material. I am today not using any of that, almost any of that. The books the notes, I may never refer too. But still it is so hard to give away.

Finally took out few things which will surly of no use. Few I know will be of no use, still I have kept it. (Possibly I will take this out next time I decide to clean the attic :D ) And few I kept because I know it is good stuff. I may never need it. But yaar, you need to keep some evidence u have done hardcore electronics, maths etc. Because forget about others, in later years u may urself not believe it. ( IT field is just to dynamic, some how I don’t end up finding it as a hardcore academic subject. Anyways… ) Just makes me think how much our academic syllabus is in line with the practical knowledge we require.

And apart from all this I found so many entries I made in the diaries. So many things I have kept… the envelopment in which I got my price money for a competition, Cadbury wrapper which I got after winning a bet with a friend, Air ticket for my first air travel, couple of photo albums where college friends made faces looking in camera, letters, greeting cards, Wedding invitations of couple of friends, friendship bands. J Opened up all old memories. Ahhhh those were the days…

And my mom wonders why it takes me so loooooooooooonnnnnnnnnggggggg just to reorganize my stuff! 

Doomsday Conspiracy! :D

World is waiting for the Big bang experience. The experiment has started but the collision will be happening around in a month’s time.

Some say it will help reveal lot of questions around the universe creation. This will give great scientific break through and understand other mysteries too.

Some say it will end the world. Others say this is baseless. The experiment will be well controlled and will not cause any disastrous effects on earth’s environment. They must have there research to back it and reasons to believe it.

I am no scientists and don’t know all the logic, But …

Isn’t that undermining nature’s power little too much? There have been so many unpredictable things that have happened. Earth is quite capable of frightening humans. Tsunami, earth quacks, volcanoes, hurricanes and what not. This is an experiment. And it is being performed to unveil mystery. Right? So what will be the out come who knows? It could be anything.

Anyway now that scientists around the world are performing it anyway Let’s hope for the best and All the Best to them!

I may sound like a Devil’s advocate but if would have been making this choice I would have invested all that money into solving problem of present and those that can happen in near future and developments to scale the space, rather than going back to beginning of the world with an experiment which potentially could invite the DoomsDay! 

Dream as if u r going to live forever, act as if u r going to die tomorrow!

Very true saying.

Banglore blasts then Ahmdabad blasts, a college mate’s accidental death and then a suicide of one employee from the company. Huh…

All these people may not have thought 2 days before that they will not be living more than 2 days later. Scary!!

Yes it is! You may never know when will be the last day, when will be the last minute. What scares me most is will I become a ghost because I would have so many wishes unfulfilled? I have to do so many things; I have to visit so many places. Not all but can I start working towards fulfilling some of these?

In the day today routine all these things go to a back seat and remain there day after day.

Now is the time to revive them one by one, coz u never know. May not get a time later in life. Time is like sand, slips by ur hands!

Monday, July 14, 2008

2B || !2B , That’s the question!

The most classy question! The great dilemma of all the times! Or rather say that’s the only question in the whole world.

Any decision you take can turn into a +ve and –ve answer. To do or not to do. To say or not to say. To be or not to be.

Sometimes the time is right but you don’t get the opportunity. Sometimes the opportunity is there but you don’t think the time is right. Sometimes right time and right opportunity is there but you have not decided yet what to do! What a dilemma!

Being Arrogant

Few days back read one Article about blogging. It said how arrogant the phenomenon is! You would write something on net, someone will actually care and go read about bits and pieces in your life, and he will actually react to it! You are not a movie star, you are not a celebrity. Even then! Thinking you are so important is height of arrogance.

Made me think!

Well may be, may be not.
I write blog more like I would write my diary. So do I write so that someone will react? Not really. You don’t write diary for that. It is just to vent out your emotions.
Then what makes me publish it? That some one will read, react? If at all someone reads and says, “Hey, you know what, that was dictto with me too”, won’t it make my day too?

Take care

I was not well for almost a week. Was getting high fever. What it could be? Doctor told me to get hospitalized.
He put me on saline. Did all the tests. Finally it turned out to be stomach infection.
Almost two weeks in hospital!
What time it was. Parents were paranoid. I was overall paranoid about hospital, needles, nurses, doctors, X-ray rooms etc. etc etc.
All relatives were coming to meet. Everyone giving advises and examples who have had something similar and the things that worked for him/her. It looked like we were the only one who had never heard anything similar to this.

I had never really taken any special care of myself before. This was like to teach me a lesson. Learn, damn it, at least learn now.
Yes Boss! I learned finally.

In that duration and after that too, priorities in life changed so drastically. Really how many times we do things because we Want to against we Have to?

Bird’s point of view

While traveling to Brussels my plane was at night. What a view I had imagined. I will get to see the city lights getting smaller and smaller. I will feel like going up above in the heavens.

Big disappointment! :(

In the plane I felt practically nothing except that there was lot of noise! No elevation, no going to heavens.
Looking down from windows I can see lights, all right. But when did the guidance lights on runway stopped and when city lights started god knows! As in, I could not see the city getting smaller and smaller. When I realized I am looking at the city it was already small.
Ditto while coming back. The plane was in the morning from Brussels. I thought chalo now I can see the city getting smaller and smaller. But there the cloud cover or fog was so thick hardly could see anything :(

Brussels Trip

Happen to go to Brussels on a business trip. What an experience!
First time I was all alone, on my own. Got to learn a lot of things. In fact it was more like I was sent there specifically to learn lots of things! :))

When I decided finally to take the opportunity and go, had so many comments, suggestions, advises, experience narrations etc. etc. etc. When you have two brothers who have traveled almost ½ of the globe between them I was getting advises on smallest of the things.

To start with, the weight allowed on airlines was 28 kilos as check in luggage. Phew! Only 28 kilos? One bag of 28 kilos or two bags of 28 kilos? :D

Finally, after all preparation and anticipation I got checked in without any issues and reached without any issues. Number of people eliciting from flight to Brussels were 5. Me, one couple and two boys. Rest were taking connecting flight to SF. Brussels Airport is HUGE!! You have to walk and walk and walk to get out. The airport was all empty except we five people. Compared to our Airports it looked so strange. Even if we take out all passengers we still have so many employees left in our Airports. Here there was hardly any.

Out of the airport, I was not sure where to look out for Taxi. So I asked a guy, “Where can I get a Taxi?” He said “No English”. : )) Waw! I mean common thik a, you don’t understand English, but “Where” and “Taxi” could also not be understood?

Got the Taxi. I had to pick up the keys and from couple of apartments from there was my apartment. The taxiwala was not ready to wait till I pick up the keys. Ok yaar, fine.

Finally reached the apartment. And it was beautiful! Fully furnished and with nice view. First day reached office on time and then onwards following the routine was no big deal.

In mean time, once the taxi to take me office never arrived, could not get appropriate fit for my laptops power cord, the boiler in my apartment decided to stop working on Saturday which was start of the long weekend before Christmas ( with temperature reaching -5 C) , Night lamps bulb went out, Tv’s remote stopped working on and on. All this in less than 3 weeks I was there.

Over all the experience on client site was good. I also get to do some sight seeing.
And got to live on my own like in hostel which I always wanted to try out. I was so so home sick. After the whole experience realizing big time how important is my family for me.