THE WALK

I walk back home every day post-work and have been doing this for almost 3-4 months now; I catch a rick otherwise.

Its about 3-4 kms I guess and I decided to walk it one way (always the evening) coz it helps me expend some energy and makes me hungry enough for a nice dinner. Also, it helps me kind of unwind and look at life outside of work as I head back home. Though 7.30-8ish in the evening is not the best time to look at life!! Or maybe it is!!

Neways, I usually look around at people on the road, inside a shop, at the bus stand, in their cars and bikes, some waiting for someone, some on an evening walk/jog, some with shopping, some catching up with a friend at a roadside café. A wide of people and emotions are completely on display.I would look at an autorickshaw guy looking with hope at a prospective customer and looking in the eye asking AUTO?? I would look at a hawker busy preparing for his business for the evening, cutting paper and heating the peanuts. I would look at a girl waiting for her boyfriend to pick her up. I would look at someone shopping at a 50% off cloth store. I would look at someone being choosy at the vegetable shop.

I would look at the beggar at the signal full of renewed energy trying his luck around the most expensive car or a sympathetic looking passenger inside it. I would look the master sales man selling yellow colored wiping cloth at the signal neatly displaying the various sizes. I would look at the guy at the signal hoping the lights would turn green asap while another guy hopes he can make it just before it turns to amber.

All of us in absorbed in our lives, in small errands of our own, completely absorbed in it.

HUNGRY OR HELPLESS

Today as I was washing clothes and wrapping up cooking, I got really bugged with all this household chores and being stuck with it. Had some cleaning at home to do as well and that really got unnerving. Why the hell am I doing all of this? Wasn’t this my choice? No one is asking you to do this? You surely can get a maid to do all of this….This is boring and tedious. Do I need to do this? Why am I not outside visiting a place or partying or eating out?


Well then I kinda calmed down and said to myself - ''Listen dude, you have been out of town for 2 days and having gotten back, what you are doing is just getting the house in order. Food is anyways priority for you and so is getting your clothes ready for the week ahead. You have been cooking for a while now and you like it. So don’t get ruffled by small things and stop getting flustered by little things. Take a step back and relax dude''.

It was only after the first few morsels of lunch went in that I was actually back to my cool relaxed self. Guess food did the trick. HOME MADE SIMPLE DELICIOUS FOOD!!!! should I stress here (ahem!!). Suddenly also recollected my dad’s ever-wise words that one gets upset/angry only when two things happen – one, when you are hungry or when you are helpless. Nice one Pa!! It was the first one in my case surely.


There are times this happens to me….not a good thing. I need to take a deep breath, relax and regain my composure.

Coming back, I then followed it up with a weekly grocery shopping and a nice walk in the neighborhood. This relaxed me totally and now back settling into a lazy Sunday evening and awaiting the Monday blues.

Ok then!! Here goes my short next post…its out on my blog and out of my system.

THE LANGUAGE DISCUSSION

There was this very engrossing episode on WE: THE PEOPLE on NDTV a few weeks ago and the subject was HINDI AS THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE and why we haven’t been able to enforce it strongly and why there are still so many widely discussed language policies.

The speakers included experts in society and culture, filmmakers, teachers to remember a few. The points discussed were as below:
· Is Hindi really the national language?
· Why do we still have issues on this and different language policies across various states?

My thoughts on this are as below: The strongest point is that a language if to be proclaimed as a national language should be able to bring people together. And Hindi doesn’t do this. At least I don’t believe so. Restricted to its usage to predominantly the Northern parts of India, that’s where it stops. Western and Southern states have their own languages and with strong history to add to that. That’s precisely why there isn’t an acceptance for Hindi in these states. Let’s not forget the passion each of these states has for their native languages and culture that flames this issue more than anything else. Last but not the least, there is the political twist for short term gains that only complicates this issue.

Somewhere I also believe that people across the country don’t believe that Hindi is the common thread. In fact English probably is a stronger and more accepted bond. The influence of the British surely has created that belief far more than Hindi I believe. Well I speak Hindi for a livelihood and so do many millions across the country whose native language isn’t Hindi. And that’s exactly where it stops. However, this doesn’t happen with English because its usage is almost indispensable.

If 2 strangers meet today in any part of India, English surely will connect them better than Hindi. And that’s reality. Also, English has opened up the world to us; for employment, business and all that’s related to growth. Maybe being even indispensable. Then, why Hindi? A language which can’t take you beyond a few states within India.

That is my contention. Funnily our diversity is what’s killing this acceptance of Hindi as a national language. That’s India for you and we need to live with it. And funnily or ironically should I say, an invader’s language has a greater acceptance here. But there are a few logical reasons which I spoke of earlier.

That’s what I wanted to write about recollecting the NDTV episode of WE: THE PEOPLE. Very thought-provoking. Bye for now!!

RANDOM THOUGHTS

· When there was this big hue and cry over SRK’s questioning in a US airport, Salman in an interview with Arnab said ‘why this big fuss? Don’t we allow security to inspect us every time we visit a star hotel? Let’s support them do their job better. It’s unfortunate a particular community is being subject to this due to a stereotype...but that’s reality’. I remembered and liked his thoughts since they sounded very practical and different.

· Why do we press the elevator at least twice when it would respond with just one push!!!???

· And yes…why do we press it once even if the guy next to us just pressed it once before us a few secs earlier!!??? Lack of trust!!??

· Swades is a nice movie…ya this is an almost fossilized review of the film (hahaha), beautifully picturized and with a great theme. SRK has acted very well…subtle and understated. Gayathri Joshi rocks with great portrayal of her character. ARR music is perfecto!!!

· Kurt Cobain has this completely lost & whatever look in the unplugged version of MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD...what was he thinking?

· The lighting on stage in the PINK FLOYD: LIVE IN EUROPE CONCERT is absolute brilliance….must have been great music experience

· Suddenly cricket has gotten a lil more exciting with the ODI format…T20 sucks big time…believe me!!

· Someone pls plan and get a 5 test match series between India and Aus in Australia started asap….test match cricket and its loyal followers need it. I do surely!!

· ‘Jalwa’ title song is nice and catchy…check out the last few dance steps with Prabhu Deva in it.

· F1 season is over and I am depressed puzzled if I will see Kimi race again F1…..he might move to McLaren they say….pls pls pls do that!!!

· Why isn’t the Honda Jazz selling much? Or is it?

· The Yamaha power bikes look stylish and really muscular.

· There is nothing like eating delicious idli dipped in hot sambhar

• Wake up Sid club remix is a very peppy number and Lenka The Show is a very cute feel good song

WHAT’S COOKING & ONE SURE WAY TO DE-STRESS!!??

After close to 10 years of living out of home across many cities and eating out 3 meals a day, I am entering my sixth month of eating simple and delicious (I promise it is) home-made food. I make it just with my own hands in case you are wondering.

But why didn’t I do this before? Why didn’t I prepare food for myself prior to this? Well, 2 reasons: One, I thought cooking was too much of hard work to invest one’s time and energy. I totally realize today how incorrect that thought was. Two, I had restaurants/eat outs around to ensure I didn’t really feel the pinch of stepping out for every meal (that kills leme tell you)

The second reason was probably what pushed me to start cooking now. Believe me, there isn’t a single outlet near my home for a quick early morning breakfast or a simple lunch. This precisely got me thinking even as I was about to finalize this house ( I liked the place on first view) to get started on my culinary skills and boy, I am happy as punch to share that I do make a decent meal. I am so happy and thrilled about this. It has brought to me so much self reliance and a feeling of contentment that it’s hard to exactly describe.

Having said that, it surely is a big de-stresser for me especially at the end of a week day even if it means I am back home 8.30-9ish. All I need 30-45 mins to make something up and its yummy tummy!!!!Well I just about finished my dinner and now you know why there is a zing in my tone JJJ

THE INTERVIEW - VIR SANGHVI

I have been watching a lot interviews for some time now (on TV I meant)...NDTV, CNBC or Times Now. The interviewers I mean here are Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai, Vir Sanghvi, Omkar Goswami, Karan Thapar and many more. The interviews I am referring to are the one-on-one kinda sessions as in not related to news or a short interview. It is a one hour session if you know what I mean.

The one interviewer that remains strongly in my mind is Vir Sanghvi. In every interview I have seen of his when he is probing, questioning or grilling a celebrity/business tycoon/actor; I see a strong attitude of self-confidence, of a body language of not being over awed by the persona opposite him, of a certain nonchalant air of wanting to demand more from the interviewee, of a chilled out yet an intense listener.

I vividly remember his interview with Naresh Goyal of Jet Airways especially where I closely observed all of these; something I don't quite see in others.

Anyways, this has been long pending small post…it’s out on the blog, out of my system and I am done!!!

LUCKY ALI or LUCKY ME!!??

Every time I get my IPod turned on or play some old cassettes on my ‘just-about-working’ tape recorder, there is this feeling of being in another world…feeling a high…elated…happy and kicked about life.


This particularly happened when I recently played a Best Of Lucky Ali collection (an old cassette) on my even older tape recorder.


Almost every song that played got me kicked. When I was listening to TU KAUN HAI….and visualizing the OST video of BHOPAL EXPRESS, it was like listening to the waves as they quieten, build up and hit the shores.

When I was listening to TERE MERE SAATH, the video shot in Cuba had to play inside me…the chorus and strumming of the guitar taking you back into another era maybe and with a light breeze of romance and happiness in it


When I was listening to KITNI HASEEN ZINDAGI, well…Malaika had to pop up in my mind but it was a beautiful feeling remembering or recollecting someone you are fond of…the small things about them…maybe the laughter…their voice or even their mannerisms…awesome feeling

When I was listening to another track (don’t remember the name) where the video portrays the circus clown…it was about the feelings that all of us keep buried within us and move on with life…it was very sacrificial and those of a do-gooder with no expectations of returns…made you feel heavy and not to forget the beautiful Urdu in it and powerful lines of poetry


When I was listening to ANJAANE RAHON MEIN, it made me look closely at people and life when we are so close to what we actually yet don’t see it. It seemed to seek companionship, someone who is there for you; moments that life I believe is all about…to treasure and cherish.

So thanks Lucky Ali or like I have named this blog, Lucky Me coz you made my Sunday morning full of zing, made me start the Sunday on a high, the coffee seemed that much more delicious despite not being filter coffee (AHEM!!), the breeze in my balcony seemed that much more relaxing and pleasant

Bye for now :) :)