My 5 secs of fame (bright red striped t-shirt) - always with my back to the camera though :-(!!
For those who are not from IIMB, apologies for posting something very topical!
For those who don't visit the class of 2004 blog, FYI -
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Flinched
Saw this on Gullu's blog and liked it enough to flinch it (but not without acknowledgement :-) As they say, there is a fine line between inspiration and imitation...
From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
- Edgar Alan Poe
From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
- Edgar Alan Poe
Service
I've realised something recently that gives me patriotic joy - the Indian hospitality industry is far more advanced than our western counterparts.
During my work at my previous job, I would often stay in hotels in different cities in India. Though expensive and tough to book into, the quality of service, food, promptness of staff were all exemplary. The Taj, Oberoi and even ITC Welcomgroup chain of hotels all met this quality bar nicely.
Contrast that to my recent experiences. In Phuket, I lived at the Hilton. Nice rooms and great views, but once when I was ravenously hungry and ordered some food and tea, the room service manager refused to serve anything, saying that they were short of staff!! After some cajoling, she finally agreed to send something after 60 minutes, and after 120 minutes of waiting, I was almost eating the pillows!! This was not a one-off during the week that I was there.
Similarly, the Marriott in London has got a great location, but the service leaves much to be desired. For one, it is devilishly expensive. But we can let that pass. After having my clothes misplaced, and after not getting a wireless broadband signal inspite of paying a bomb for it, I have formed a pretty unflattering view of the place. And the gym they have is a joke!
I've had not too great experiences with the Westin in Sydney, the Millennium in London too. But the Taj in Mauritius was awesome. The Indian connection? A lot of my European colleagues who have been to India and stayed at hotels there hold similar opinions.
I think its time for Indian Hotels, ITC, Asian Hotels and their ilk to go out and conquer the world. Maybe I should buy their stocks in anticipation!!
During my work at my previous job, I would often stay in hotels in different cities in India. Though expensive and tough to book into, the quality of service, food, promptness of staff were all exemplary. The Taj, Oberoi and even ITC Welcomgroup chain of hotels all met this quality bar nicely.
Contrast that to my recent experiences. In Phuket, I lived at the Hilton. Nice rooms and great views, but once when I was ravenously hungry and ordered some food and tea, the room service manager refused to serve anything, saying that they were short of staff!! After some cajoling, she finally agreed to send something after 60 minutes, and after 120 minutes of waiting, I was almost eating the pillows!! This was not a one-off during the week that I was there.
Similarly, the Marriott in London has got a great location, but the service leaves much to be desired. For one, it is devilishly expensive. But we can let that pass. After having my clothes misplaced, and after not getting a wireless broadband signal inspite of paying a bomb for it, I have formed a pretty unflattering view of the place. And the gym they have is a joke!
I've had not too great experiences with the Westin in Sydney, the Millennium in London too. But the Taj in Mauritius was awesome. The Indian connection? A lot of my European colleagues who have been to India and stayed at hotels there hold similar opinions.
I think its time for Indian Hotels, ITC, Asian Hotels and their ilk to go out and conquer the world. Maybe I should buy their stocks in anticipation!!
Friday, August 03, 2007
London
I've been in London for about a week now, and it is delightfully European! With the benefit of the English language as a bonus!! :-) (though to be absolutely honest I still need to get used to the strong accents here).
London must definitely count as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Very old world and graceful in its architecture, no buildings over 3 storeys tall and greenery everyewhere, the city is ideal for walking about. And it is also the home of capital and enterprise - every pretty house I see has a discreet nameplate in front - xyz Capital or abc Partners. Hedge funds and capital pools abound in plenty. Not very surprising, given that the English were the original bankers to the world (or was it the Swiss? - I suspect it was the English, and the Swiss got their fame for being discreet)
London is frightfully expensive. And not expensive when compared to India, it is expensive when compared to Tokyo, or mainland Europe. A modest meal would set one back by an average of GBP25, and lodging is just plain unaffordable (my colleague here pays about GBP2,000 per month for a 500 sq ft apartment in a not-so-central locality)!! And when I venture into the big shopping places on Oxford Street, I usually marvel at the fact that anyone is buying anything at all at these rates!
London is also distinctly English! Understated, solid and polite to a fault! More conservative than the Europeans (no topless sunbathing in public parks in London!!), and much more cosmopolitan. The last week, I've feasted on Japanese, Lebanese, Italian, Indian, American and English food (the last could perhaps be an oxymoron - fish and chips is what I'm alluding to :-)
Though surprisingly, I haven't found any English ale or beer easily available - most alcohol is the standard European / global stuff. The office I work in has only a couple of Brits - the others are all German / Dutch / American / other Europeans.
The best part about this time of the year in London is the fact that it is daylight from very early morning to about 9:30pm. Getting out of office at eight is such a pleasure, because it seems to be afternoon still! Speaking of which, Londoners are also full of the same work ethic as Americans - very little chatting or socialising in office. No one breaks for much, and even lunch is a hurried affair - usually take-out food eaten on the desk.
One other oddity I noticed is the English fascination with lions. Surprising, given that the UK didn't have any of its own! All public places, sculptures, coats of arms MUST have a couple of fierce lions! And one of the most famous kings of England was Richard the Lionheart!
Speaking of oddities, I must mention here the Brit cab. It looks quite weird, unlike any other car I've seen - a bit like an Ambassador, but more like a horse buggy!! The inside though is very spacious and comfortable. I wonder if its manufactured only to be used as a London cab, because I certainly haven't seen the car anywhere else. But then maybe its a bit like the fact that all Fiat cars in India are found running as taxis in Bombay..
Unfortunately I have no photos - my wife is our official photographer, and she is not here with me :-( But then I dont think photos could do justice to this beautiful city.
London must definitely count as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Very old world and graceful in its architecture, no buildings over 3 storeys tall and greenery everyewhere, the city is ideal for walking about. And it is also the home of capital and enterprise - every pretty house I see has a discreet nameplate in front - xyz Capital or abc Partners. Hedge funds and capital pools abound in plenty. Not very surprising, given that the English were the original bankers to the world (or was it the Swiss? - I suspect it was the English, and the Swiss got their fame for being discreet)
London is frightfully expensive. And not expensive when compared to India, it is expensive when compared to Tokyo, or mainland Europe. A modest meal would set one back by an average of GBP25, and lodging is just plain unaffordable (my colleague here pays about GBP2,000 per month for a 500 sq ft apartment in a not-so-central locality)!! And when I venture into the big shopping places on Oxford Street, I usually marvel at the fact that anyone is buying anything at all at these rates!
London is also distinctly English! Understated, solid and polite to a fault! More conservative than the Europeans (no topless sunbathing in public parks in London!!), and much more cosmopolitan. The last week, I've feasted on Japanese, Lebanese, Italian, Indian, American and English food (the last could perhaps be an oxymoron - fish and chips is what I'm alluding to :-)
Though surprisingly, I haven't found any English ale or beer easily available - most alcohol is the standard European / global stuff. The office I work in has only a couple of Brits - the others are all German / Dutch / American / other Europeans.
The best part about this time of the year in London is the fact that it is daylight from very early morning to about 9:30pm. Getting out of office at eight is such a pleasure, because it seems to be afternoon still! Speaking of which, Londoners are also full of the same work ethic as Americans - very little chatting or socialising in office. No one breaks for much, and even lunch is a hurried affair - usually take-out food eaten on the desk.
One other oddity I noticed is the English fascination with lions. Surprising, given that the UK didn't have any of its own! All public places, sculptures, coats of arms MUST have a couple of fierce lions! And one of the most famous kings of England was Richard the Lionheart!
Speaking of oddities, I must mention here the Brit cab. It looks quite weird, unlike any other car I've seen - a bit like an Ambassador, but more like a horse buggy!! The inside though is very spacious and comfortable. I wonder if its manufactured only to be used as a London cab, because I certainly haven't seen the car anywhere else. But then maybe its a bit like the fact that all Fiat cars in India are found running as taxis in Bombay..
Unfortunately I have no photos - my wife is our official photographer, and she is not here with me :-( But then I dont think photos could do justice to this beautiful city.
Friday, July 27, 2007
What did I do right?
I usually track the milage I'm getting from my car quite religiously. The last few weeks I've been driving around quite a lot, and therefore I have been filling up the tank each time. I buy a thousand bucks worth of premium petrol each time (gives around 22 - 22.2 litres).
The milage I got the last 6 times has been (with AC on 100% of the time) -
Now, in my whole driving life, I have never been fined or had any mishaps. I've been told I drive well. And yet in the last 3 weeks, I have paid out to traffic policemen the following amounts -
The milage I got the last 6 times has been (with AC on 100% of the time) -
- 362 km
- 368 km
- 362 km (this was 1k worth of normal petrol, therefore more litres)
- 182 km (with Rs 500 of petrol)
- 362 km
- 398 km!!
Now, in my whole driving life, I have never been fined or had any mishaps. I've been told I drive well. And yet in the last 3 weeks, I have paid out to traffic policemen the following amounts -
- Rs 500 (talking on a mobile phone while driving)
- Rs 900 (speeding at 71 kmph - the speed limit is apparently 50!!)
- Rs 600 (damaged number plate - some retard actually got kicks out of scratching out a character from my number plate)
I dont know if its luck or Delhi police in need of funds. Any which way, I'm a more careful driver this week!!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
More creativity
Sarayu had this to say:
called vishesh there was a boy
to bother he had a ploy
sent rhymes unbid
distract it did
That alone gave him joy
And in return I said:
Sa-ra-yu
went to the zoo
she saw a lion
who was the scion
of the king of timbuctoo!
Dominic added -
Sa-ra-yu
in a short haikoo
i could envelope
all your develop-
ment needs too
This thing is addicitve :-)
called vishesh there was a boy
to bother he had a ploy
sent rhymes unbid
distract it did
That alone gave him joy
And in return I said:
Sa-ra-yu
went to the zoo
she saw a lion
who was the scion
of the king of timbuctoo!
Dominic added -
Sa-ra-yu
in a short haikoo
i could envelope
all your develop-
ment needs too
This thing is addicitve :-)
Ridiculous rhymes
Andre's profile on orkut is frequently refreshed with some poetry. This is what he has there currently (among other things):
A man of Chicago named Young,
Who once, when his nerves were unstrung,
Put his mother (unseen)
In the chopping-machine,
And canned her and labelled her "Tongue"
Quite macabre!! But this led me to google for limericks, and here is one collection of truly wacky stuff: http://www.geocities.com/ridiculousrhymes/morelimericks.html
A sample of the stuff on offer:
There was this bizarre young fella
Who had a magic umbrella.
When he went on a plane,
And the engine caught flame,
His umbrella became a propella
I know this strange young lass
Whose body is made of glass.
Whe she stands in a queue
She does not block the view,
But she's still no easier to walk past
I have this friend called "Stink"
Who would wash his brain in the sink.
But the daily routine
Of keeping it clean
Played havoc with his ability to think
I once met a friend of Ned's,
Who had one hundred heads.
For the body to walk,
The heads had to talk
About who had control of the legs
And more risque stuff:
There was a young man from Australia
With incredibly huge genitallia.
He went off to France
For some extra large pants,
And they said "when we get some, we'll mail-ya"
I think I should try my hand at writing some :-)
A man of Chicago named Young,
Who once, when his nerves were unstrung,
Put his mother (unseen)
In the chopping-machine,
And canned her and labelled her "Tongue"
Quite macabre!! But this led me to google for limericks, and here is one collection of truly wacky stuff: http://www.geocities.com/ridiculousrhymes/morelimericks.html
A sample of the stuff on offer:
There was this bizarre young fella
Who had a magic umbrella.
When he went on a plane,
And the engine caught flame,
His umbrella became a propella
I know this strange young lass
Whose body is made of glass.
Whe she stands in a queue
She does not block the view,
But she's still no easier to walk past
I have this friend called "Stink"
Who would wash his brain in the sink.
But the daily routine
Of keeping it clean
Played havoc with his ability to think
I once met a friend of Ned's,
Who had one hundred heads.
For the body to walk,
The heads had to talk
About who had control of the legs
And more risque stuff:
There was a young man from Australia
With incredibly huge genitallia.
He went off to France
For some extra large pants,
And they said "when we get some, we'll mail-ya"
I think I should try my hand at writing some :-)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Getting there... but when?
These days I spend a lot of time driving to and fro Gurgaon. It takes me about 35 minutes to cover a 30km stretch from home to Gurgaon, and then another 40 minutes to get to the office building in Gurgaon (a distance of some 2 kms). And this is no matter what time I leave home (I've tried 30 minute intervals starting 7:30 am to 9am). The reason is quite silly - there is one particular stretch of road which is all broken down and frequently gets waterlogged, stopping all flow of traffic on it.
Another time I was stuck at the airport in Mumbai for over 12 hours, not able to fly out as Indian flights were not leaving due to low visibility, and not able to leave the airport because the access road was totally under water and no vehicle could pass (this was quite an experience and probably deserves a blog post of its own!!)
I do feel quite often that infrastructure in Delhi has improved by leaps and bounds. Travelling on the newly done up NH8 is quite a pleasure! But even this 8 lane expressway gets bottlenecked each morning and evening, due to a very very silly reason - a couple of toll gates bang at the mouth of the expressway(operated manually, and with no system for disaggregation of commercial vehicles and other vehicles).
I'm quite optimistic about infrastructure in India in general. For example, I find the Metro quite convenient and comfortable to travel in Delhi. I find the new airport terminal for private airlines in Bombay also quite easy to navigate. What I don't get though is the 'last mile' or last detail lapses that skew the experience so much. I wonder why we are poor as a nation in designing systems? I can confidently assert that the average Indian is smarter than the average Japanese, but Japanese systems are far superior to ours. Perhaps it has to do with our education - we learn more theory and less application based stuff (at least that's what I felt all through till I went to IIT).
I'm sure all these niggling lapses will eventually be sorted out. What I'm not sure about is when this will happen? And what can I do to expedite the process??
Another time I was stuck at the airport in Mumbai for over 12 hours, not able to fly out as Indian flights were not leaving due to low visibility, and not able to leave the airport because the access road was totally under water and no vehicle could pass (this was quite an experience and probably deserves a blog post of its own!!)
I do feel quite often that infrastructure in Delhi has improved by leaps and bounds. Travelling on the newly done up NH8 is quite a pleasure! But even this 8 lane expressway gets bottlenecked each morning and evening, due to a very very silly reason - a couple of toll gates bang at the mouth of the expressway(operated manually, and with no system for disaggregation of commercial vehicles and other vehicles).
I'm quite optimistic about infrastructure in India in general. For example, I find the Metro quite convenient and comfortable to travel in Delhi. I find the new airport terminal for private airlines in Bombay also quite easy to navigate. What I don't get though is the 'last mile' or last detail lapses that skew the experience so much. I wonder why we are poor as a nation in designing systems? I can confidently assert that the average Indian is smarter than the average Japanese, but Japanese systems are far superior to ours. Perhaps it has to do with our education - we learn more theory and less application based stuff (at least that's what I felt all through till I went to IIT).
I'm sure all these niggling lapses will eventually be sorted out. What I'm not sure about is when this will happen? And what can I do to expedite the process??
Friday, June 29, 2007
An amazing adventure - III
Our next mission was to get to the top of Mount Harriet. This was the highest peak in the South Andamans, and also the British summer capital (the Brits certainly knew how to live life!!). We trekked a bit of the distance and were rewarded with a cool wide vista and a cool breeze. We discovered a 16km trekking path through wild jungle at the top, but did not go because we did not have footwear which would protect us from leeches..
After exploring all these interesting places from Port Blair, we set off for Havelock island with great excitement. After a three hour boat ride, we arrived at Havelock. We were quite excited to be there, what with Time magazine naming Beach no. 7 on Havelock as the best beach in Asia and one of the best in the world (though I am quite puzzled at how something so subjective can be ranked...).
Havelock was a real revelation!! Half the island was still uninhabited (unexplored dense jungle). No cell phone signal, no cable tv, no newspaper, no STD phones!! One dirt track (the highway!!), about 200 population, and massive beauty all around.. check out some of the landscapes there. We would usually wake up at five am to catch the sunrise (and mostly missed!!) and would be in bed by eight cos it would be pitch dark by six!!
We rented a couple of bicycles on this idyllic island, and would set off for Beach no. 7 which was 13 km away from our pretty resort!! Believe me, it was not easy (the pictures say it all :-))
Finally I come to the icing on the cake - our scuba dive into a live coral reef. It was scary and majestic at the same time. We were underwater for 63 minutes straight, and I have never been so determined to keep breathing in my life!! My ears hurt, my nose were blocked and my mouth was totally dry from the dry air pumping from the oxygen tank, and yet I was mesmerised by so many different fluoroscent fishes, snakes, corals and plants!! We went down to a depth of 12 meters (which does not seem so much on paper, but is actually damn scary if you happen to look up!!) and thankfully we were able to overcome our fears and panic (the guide later remarked that it was one of the smoothest rookie dives that he had ever undertaken!). My only regret is that all the wonderous stuff I saw at the bottom of the ocean will remain only in my memories...
After two nights in Havelock we returned to Port Blair. The return ship ride was quite rough (a storm brewing and a choppy sea tossing our ship about as if it were made of paper!!). We were quite grateful to get back to land safely, and our enthusiasm for the sea was severly tempered :-) A couple of stiff drinks helped restore nerves, and yet after this we did not venture back to the sea for the duration of our holiday...
As I revisit my bland narrative I find there is so much I have missed - the shells we collected, the elephants we encountered, the ghost house we lived in, the nice time we had solving very hard sudoku puzzles over neat whiskey, the strange ship with underwater first class... there is enough in my memory to populate many posts. Yet that will have to wait for some other time.
 |  |
After exploring all these interesting places from Port Blair, we set off for Havelock island with great excitement. After a three hour boat ride, we arrived at Havelock. We were quite excited to be there, what with Time magazine naming Beach no. 7 on Havelock as the best beach in Asia and one of the best in the world (though I am quite puzzled at how something so subjective can be ranked...).
Havelock was a real revelation!! Half the island was still uninhabited (unexplored dense jungle). No cell phone signal, no cable tv, no newspaper, no STD phones!! One dirt track (the highway!!), about 200 population, and massive beauty all around.. check out some of the landscapes there. We would usually wake up at five am to catch the sunrise (and mostly missed!!) and would be in bed by eight cos it would be pitch dark by six!!
 |  |
 |  |
 |
We rented a couple of bicycles on this idyllic island, and would set off for Beach no. 7 which was 13 km away from our pretty resort!! Believe me, it was not easy (the pictures say it all :-))
 | |
 |  |
 |  |
Finally I come to the icing on the cake - our scuba dive into a live coral reef. It was scary and majestic at the same time. We were underwater for 63 minutes straight, and I have never been so determined to keep breathing in my life!! My ears hurt, my nose were blocked and my mouth was totally dry from the dry air pumping from the oxygen tank, and yet I was mesmerised by so many different fluoroscent fishes, snakes, corals and plants!! We went down to a depth of 12 meters (which does not seem so much on paper, but is actually damn scary if you happen to look up!!) and thankfully we were able to overcome our fears and panic (the guide later remarked that it was one of the smoothest rookie dives that he had ever undertaken!). My only regret is that all the wonderous stuff I saw at the bottom of the ocean will remain only in my memories...
 | |
 |  |
After two nights in Havelock we returned to Port Blair. The return ship ride was quite rough (a storm brewing and a choppy sea tossing our ship about as if it were made of paper!!). We were quite grateful to get back to land safely, and our enthusiasm for the sea was severly tempered :-) A couple of stiff drinks helped restore nerves, and yet after this we did not venture back to the sea for the duration of our holiday...
As I revisit my bland narrative I find there is so much I have missed - the shells we collected, the elephants we encountered, the ghost house we lived in, the nice time we had solving very hard sudoku puzzles over neat whiskey, the strange ship with underwater first class... there is enough in my memory to populate many posts. Yet that will have to wait for some other time.
An amazing adventure - II
Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, is a small, beautiful and neat town. Hindi is the most commonly spoken language, followed by Bengali and Tamil. The town looks somewhat like this -
Our resort (the Fortune Bay Island resort) had a fantastic view of the bay and North Island.
Port Blair does have basic infrastructure (unlike Havelock, but more on that later) - you do get a cellphone signal sometimes, and typically get yesterday's newspaper.
Post Blair was only our base station. From there, we visited a multitude of different islands. Viper island was the first - it was somewhat macabre, since all it contained were a prison house and a gallows, and especially since it had been devastated completely by the tsunami and had been abandoned since!!
The next island we went to was North Bay. The island is known for its beach where one can snorkel. We took a glass bottomed boat and saw some corals (which were mostly dead, alas!). However, we took off into the forest and were rewarded for our efforts when we came to this massive lighthouse (the same as seen behind the twenty rupee note!). After a rough and tough climb to the top of the lighthouse, we were rewarded with a massively cold and strong breeze, and a view to die for!! Check out the misty mountains in the distance.
Our next stop was at Ross Island. This island is only a small distance away from Port Blair, and was the erstwhile colony of the British army. It was known as the Paris of the East, so beautiful was it. Even now, ruins of the Brit settlement can be seen. The island is currently owned and run by the Indian navy, and has deer and peacocks, in addition to a beautiful melancholy abandoned beach and lonely World War II Japanese bunkers!!
Next came Baratang Island. To reach this distant place, we had to pass through a tribal reserved forest (no pictures are permitted, so we dont have any, though we did manage to see a lot of tribals). The tribals are totally naked, except colorful belts of beads, and are seen with bows and arrows. They looked totally African, with flat noses, very dark complexions and curly hair!
Baratang island is in the middle of a mangrove swamp. The boat ride to the limestone caves was awesome, through dense and thick mangroves!!
The entrance to the limestone cave came after a trek through dense forest which came after the mangroves. Though the cave itself was pitch dark (so no photos!!), we could see massive stalactites and stalagmites being formed before our very eyes.
We encountered some wild fauna en route (check out this sleeping bat from close quarters and this multicolored reptile!!)
After returning from the mangroves, we trudged further uphill on Baratang to view this mud volcano. Though we could see the bubbling mud oozing out, I must confess the damn thing was a bit underwhelming. Somehow when I think volcano I think of huge craters and large seething masses of lava. This was unique, but distinctly timid :-)
Our resort (the Fortune Bay Island resort) had a fantastic view of the bay and North Island.Port Blair does have basic infrastructure (unlike Havelock, but more on that later) - you do get a cellphone signal sometimes, and typically get yesterday's newspaper.Post Blair was only our base station. From there, we visited a multitude of different islands. Viper island was the first - it was somewhat macabre, since all it contained were a prison house and a gallows, and especially since it had been devastated completely by the tsunami and had been abandoned since!!
The next island we went to was North Bay. The island is known for its beach where one can snorkel. We took a glass bottomed boat and saw some corals (which were mostly dead, alas!). However, we took off into the forest and were rewarded for our efforts when we came to this massive lighthouse (the same as seen behind the twenty rupee note!). After a rough and tough climb to the top of the lighthouse, we were rewarded with a massively cold and strong breeze, and a view to die for!! Check out the misty mountains in the distance.
 |  |
Our next stop was at Ross Island. This island is only a small distance away from Port Blair, and was the erstwhile colony of the British army. It was known as the Paris of the East, so beautiful was it. Even now, ruins of the Brit settlement can be seen. The island is currently owned and run by the Indian navy, and has deer and peacocks, in addition to a beautiful melancholy abandoned beach and lonely World War II Japanese bunkers!!
 |  |
Next came Baratang Island. To reach this distant place, we had to pass through a tribal reserved forest (no pictures are permitted, so we dont have any, though we did manage to see a lot of tribals). The tribals are totally naked, except colorful belts of beads, and are seen with bows and arrows. They looked totally African, with flat noses, very dark complexions and curly hair!
Baratang island is in the middle of a mangrove swamp. The boat ride to the limestone caves was awesome, through dense and thick mangroves!!
 |  |
 |  |
We encountered some wild fauna en route (check out this sleeping bat from close quarters and this multicolored reptile!!)
 |  |
After returning from the mangroves, we trudged further uphill on Baratang to view this mud volcano. Though we could see the bubbling mud oozing out, I must confess the damn thing was a bit underwhelming. Somehow when I think volcano I think of huge craters and large seething masses of lava. This was unique, but distinctly timid :-)
More to go in part III...
Thursday, June 28, 2007
An amazing adventure - I
First, a trivia question - what do you see on the back of a twenty rupee note?
Answer - this (Check it now!!)
Second trivia question - what place is this??
(Easy to guess) answer - North bay, South Andaman islands
Before you go on reading this blogpost, a quick warning. I'm just back from an amazing adventure in the Andamans, and I may suffer from an overdose of enthusiasm as I describe all there is to experience there. Please bear with me!! The second warning is that words may not be able to describe the sheer beauty of the place, therefore I will depend a lot on photographs (this could make it tough to load this page)
The Andaman islands offer a smorgasbord of different ecosystems - emerald blue sea, dense rainforest, mangroves, high altitude mountains, and of course the best beaches in the world. We were lucky to visit in the lean tourist season, so we had the whole place to ourselves! We had planned the trip as an adventure trip, and we surely had quite a few - scuba diving in a live and impossibly colorful coral reef, trekking through dense forest, going deep into a dark limestone cave, seeing a bubbling mud volcano, and cycling, cycling and more cycling!!
First, the origin - the Andaman islands apparently got their name from Handuman (or Hanuman, son of the wind). This is because in the Ramayan, Ram's army of apes had initally planned to launch an attack on Ravan's Lanka from these islands (though it seems to be quite surprising, given that these islands are quite a distance away from the mainland - it takes the same time to get to the Andamans from Chennai by air as it takes to get from Delhi to Chennai!). Hanuman had come to these islands to do a recce, and wisely decided against it!! The islands have been inhabited by aboriginal tribes (a few of which are cannibals!!) since time immemorial, and only when the British decided to set up a penal outpost (sometime at the end of the nineteenth century) here did these islands see civilization. These islands came to be known an 'kaala paani' or 'black water' ever since the dreaded Cellular jail was built to lock up political prisoners.
We travelled a lot by a small boat between these islands, and though the waters are usually friendly and emerald green, they do suddenly become very scary, black and opaque whenever its cloudy!! More recently, the islands were severely affected by a tsunami, and even a eighteen months later, the effects are there to see - uprooted massive trees, waterlogged shops and destroyed flora, ships etc.
Answer - this (Check it now!!)
Second trivia question - what place is this??(Easy to guess) answer - North bay, South Andaman islands
Before you go on reading this blogpost, a quick warning. I'm just back from an amazing adventure in the Andamans, and I may suffer from an overdose of enthusiasm as I describe all there is to experience there. Please bear with me!! The second warning is that words may not be able to describe the sheer beauty of the place, therefore I will depend a lot on photographs (this could make it tough to load this page)
The Andaman islands offer a smorgasbord of different ecosystems - emerald blue sea, dense rainforest, mangroves, high altitude mountains, and of course the best beaches in the world. We were lucky to visit in the lean tourist season, so we had the whole place to ourselves! We had planned the trip as an adventure trip, and we surely had quite a few - scuba diving in a live and impossibly colorful coral reef, trekking through dense forest, going deep into a dark limestone cave, seeing a bubbling mud volcano, and cycling, cycling and more cycling!!
First, the origin - the Andaman islands apparently got their name from Handuman (or Hanuman, son of the wind). This is because in the Ramayan, Ram's army of apes had initally planned to launch an attack on Ravan's Lanka from these islands (though it seems to be quite surprising, given that these islands are quite a distance away from the mainland - it takes the same time to get to the Andamans from Chennai by air as it takes to get from Delhi to Chennai!). Hanuman had come to these islands to do a recce, and wisely decided against it!! The islands have been inhabited by aboriginal tribes (a few of which are cannibals!!) since time immemorial, and only when the British decided to set up a penal outpost (sometime at the end of the nineteenth century) here did these islands see civilization. These islands came to be known an 'kaala paani' or 'black water' ever since the dreaded Cellular jail was built to lock up political prisoners.
We travelled a lot by a small boat between these islands, and though the waters are usually friendly and emerald green, they do suddenly become very scary, black and opaque whenever its cloudy!! More recently, the islands were severely affected by a tsunami, and even a eighteen months later, the effects are there to see - uprooted massive trees, waterlogged shops and destroyed flora, ships etc. |  |
Back again
Whew!! Its good to be back again...
Here is a narration of what's been going on in life in the interim -
http://iimbclassof2004.blogspot.com/
More updates in a bit!
Here is a narration of what's been going on in life in the interim -
http://iimbclassof2004.blogspot.com/
More updates in a bit!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Geography
I was trying to figure out what would be a good place for a 2 week vacation (the jury is still out, after having considered Bali and Indonesia, Maldives, Greece and Sri Lanka, I seem to be deciding on good ol' Andaman and Nicobar islands right here in India!), when I tried to recall the places I've been to and what I've liked about them.
As far as I can remember, I have been to 16 countries apart from India (my ambition is to visit 24, then I will call it a day!!) - vis -
Europe: Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, the UK, Belgium (in passing)
Middle East: Kuwait
Asia: China (Hong Kong), Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, Malaysia
Australia
Africa: Mauritius
I think the big ones I've missed (and should definitely visit sometime in the next 5 years) would be the US, Switzerland, Indonesia (i.e. Bali), South Africa / Sri Lanka. That leaves me with 4 more countries to be visited. The Caribbean islands would figure on the list, and so would a South American country (maybe Brazil, though my buddy Mahender strongly recommends Peru, which seems too radical to a guy like me). But who knows what spin of dice life may play, so we will see when it actually happens!
But this post was about what I liked in the places I've visited.
Without exception, Europe has the most beautiful places (London is lovely, as is Munich, and Amsterdam is delightfully bohemian - but I think Florence wins hands down). What I really like about European cities is their smallness - you can walk about for a day or two, and you find that you have seen most of the city already. I did not like Paris because it seemed to me to be too big, and I thought Venice was overhyped. In addition to small size, I seem to like old, beautifully architected grand buildings. Cobbled streets are another favourite. Its places like Pisa or Florence or Salzburg that really get me going.
However, when it comes to comfort, I find Asia much more welcoming. Japan is relentlessly efficient and painfully polite. Singapore is too artificial for me. Hong Kong was refreshing. But Thailand is what I loved. It has the right amount of chaos, beauty, commerce and activity to make it very very relaxing.
Australia is also very nice (esp Sydney - the Harbour Bridge walk was amazing, as was the Opera House cruise), but good only for a week's vacation.
Mauritius had possibilities - nice friendly people, laissez faire attitudes, beautiful beaches, unique experiences (i.e. the artificial ship building industry, sugarcane fields) but again possibly would get tedious after a week.
For the Andamans, I'm looking forward to three things - one is a scuba dive (after some half day training course apparently), the other is a visit to tribal forests (the tribes still live in aboriginal times, according to whatever I've been able to read), and the third is an active mud volcano and limestone caves. Added to sights of the 'Kaala Paani' or the jail which had tales of terror from the freedom movement. All doped with days of doing nothing on the beach (beach no. 7 on Havelock island was rated the 2nd best beach in the world by Time magazine - thought it beats me how you can have a definite rating for a subjective thing like this!!)
I hope I get tickets!!
As far as I can remember, I have been to 16 countries apart from India (my ambition is to visit 24, then I will call it a day!!) - vis -
Europe: Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, the UK, Belgium (in passing)
Middle East: Kuwait
Asia: China (Hong Kong), Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, Malaysia
Australia
Africa: Mauritius
I think the big ones I've missed (and should definitely visit sometime in the next 5 years) would be the US, Switzerland, Indonesia (i.e. Bali), South Africa / Sri Lanka. That leaves me with 4 more countries to be visited. The Caribbean islands would figure on the list, and so would a South American country (maybe Brazil, though my buddy Mahender strongly recommends Peru, which seems too radical to a guy like me). But who knows what spin of dice life may play, so we will see when it actually happens!
But this post was about what I liked in the places I've visited.
Without exception, Europe has the most beautiful places (London is lovely, as is Munich, and Amsterdam is delightfully bohemian - but I think Florence wins hands down). What I really like about European cities is their smallness - you can walk about for a day or two, and you find that you have seen most of the city already. I did not like Paris because it seemed to me to be too big, and I thought Venice was overhyped. In addition to small size, I seem to like old, beautifully architected grand buildings. Cobbled streets are another favourite. Its places like Pisa or Florence or Salzburg that really get me going.
However, when it comes to comfort, I find Asia much more welcoming. Japan is relentlessly efficient and painfully polite. Singapore is too artificial for me. Hong Kong was refreshing. But Thailand is what I loved. It has the right amount of chaos, beauty, commerce and activity to make it very very relaxing.
Australia is also very nice (esp Sydney - the Harbour Bridge walk was amazing, as was the Opera House cruise), but good only for a week's vacation.
Mauritius had possibilities - nice friendly people, laissez faire attitudes, beautiful beaches, unique experiences (i.e. the artificial ship building industry, sugarcane fields) but again possibly would get tedious after a week.
For the Andamans, I'm looking forward to three things - one is a scuba dive (after some half day training course apparently), the other is a visit to tribal forests (the tribes still live in aboriginal times, according to whatever I've been able to read), and the third is an active mud volcano and limestone caves. Added to sights of the 'Kaala Paani' or the jail which had tales of terror from the freedom movement. All doped with days of doing nothing on the beach (beach no. 7 on Havelock island was rated the 2nd best beach in the world by Time magazine - thought it beats me how you can have a definite rating for a subjective thing like this!!)
I hope I get tickets!!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Black and white
Warning: this post is somewhat meandering and ambiguous - I'm writing as I think!!
I was thinking about this question yesterday - do i really prefer black or white? Dark and mysterious or sunny and cheerful? Do I look at people mostly as black or white? The chain of thought led to some interesting digressions.
My initial thought on this was a balanced 'horses for courses' kind of phenomenon (i.e. on particular days / situations, I prefer black, on others white). Most time anyway is spent experiencing a huge big swathe of gray (or is it grey? - never could remember!!). Most movies, popular literature, and life as we know it is full of the golden mean, the ambiguous middle, the 'balanced' path. Therefore it is probably true that in my inner world, I always look at everything from two points of view. Nothing is right or wrong, there are only situations and actions. Everything can be justified from the other point of view.
But as I think about this, I grow uneasy. To say that everything is gray (or grey) is the easiest way out. It enables you to not take sides. But seen deeply, everything which is meaningful has happened because it was for a cause, a belief. Once you admit the supremacy of gray, everything can find an excuse, a reason for inaction, and inertia would reign supreme.
I think the truly successful person, the real virtuoso, the grandmaster strives to break free from the shackles of gray and strive for the pure. Black or white, never gray!! One or the other, never both. Yes or no, never maybe.
This thought completed, I return to the original question - is it white or black for me? I am allured by black. It beckons with power and secrets. But I think deep down I like white. I'm always optimistic, always believe the best of everything. I like summers and sunshine. I believe in good over evil. Definitely white!!
Till yesterday I would have said I like white on some days and black on the other. But today I can say I like white :-)
I was thinking about this question yesterday - do i really prefer black or white? Dark and mysterious or sunny and cheerful? Do I look at people mostly as black or white? The chain of thought led to some interesting digressions.
My initial thought on this was a balanced 'horses for courses' kind of phenomenon (i.e. on particular days / situations, I prefer black, on others white). Most time anyway is spent experiencing a huge big swathe of gray (or is it grey? - never could remember!!). Most movies, popular literature, and life as we know it is full of the golden mean, the ambiguous middle, the 'balanced' path. Therefore it is probably true that in my inner world, I always look at everything from two points of view. Nothing is right or wrong, there are only situations and actions. Everything can be justified from the other point of view.
But as I think about this, I grow uneasy. To say that everything is gray (or grey) is the easiest way out. It enables you to not take sides. But seen deeply, everything which is meaningful has happened because it was for a cause, a belief. Once you admit the supremacy of gray, everything can find an excuse, a reason for inaction, and inertia would reign supreme.
I think the truly successful person, the real virtuoso, the grandmaster strives to break free from the shackles of gray and strive for the pure. Black or white, never gray!! One or the other, never both. Yes or no, never maybe.
This thought completed, I return to the original question - is it white or black for me? I am allured by black. It beckons with power and secrets. But I think deep down I like white. I'm always optimistic, always believe the best of everything. I like summers and sunshine. I believe in good over evil. Definitely white!!
Till yesterday I would have said I like white on some days and black on the other. But today I can say I like white :-)
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Anusmaran 2007 in Delhi
This post comes about due to Alam's effort at informing all our batch junta about the happenings in various cities. I was 'volunteered' by him to cover events in Delhi :-)
Last night IIM Bangalore had its annual alumni meet in multiple locations across the globe. The Delhi meet was organized at the Hyatt, and the party rocked quite a bit!
Among the batch of 2004, turnout was fairly good (certainly much better than last year). I remember seeing Uncle Sarovar (after a long hiatus), Nishant Kashyap, Mayank the sailor, Pranjal, Sameer Mahandru (still living his role of President as he handed out his card which said Managing Director, Indospirits) and Budddy. Drinks flowed freely and the food was quite good (actually I dont know for sure, all I know is that the salmon rolls were yummy!!)
Although a lot (most?) of the faces were new (I felt positively an old fogey as I saw people with badges saying batch of 2008), it was good to catch up with familiar faces from 2003 and 2005. Prof. Rajeev Gowda spoke at length about the good things happening at IIMB. Among other things, i was pretty impressed to learn that Harshdeep Jolly had written a novel on life at the IIMs (the book was on display at the venue), Sameer Mahandru is going great guns in his business of alcohol distribution (his firm had supplied the drinks for the party), Vineet Khunger is experimenting with a multi cuisine restaurant and everyone else was well settled in their 3rd or 4th jobs since campus.
The party blazed into life once the dance music started playing, with the old regulars (Rajeev Chaba, the India head of General Motors and a lot of people from his batch) hitting the dance floor with gusto along with the more recent folk (most notably a stunning looking Pooja from the batch of 2003). The party however thinned out pretty early, with most people gone around the time of the witching hour.
When it was time to leave, I omitted to carry back a plaque that declared that I had attended the alumni meet. However, it was good to have caught up with everyone (most after a year), and renewed and refreshed everyone's numbers in my phone book.
Last night IIM Bangalore had its annual alumni meet in multiple locations across the globe. The Delhi meet was organized at the Hyatt, and the party rocked quite a bit!
Among the batch of 2004, turnout was fairly good (certainly much better than last year). I remember seeing Uncle Sarovar (after a long hiatus), Nishant Kashyap, Mayank the sailor, Pranjal, Sameer Mahandru (still living his role of President as he handed out his card which said Managing Director, Indospirits) and Budddy. Drinks flowed freely and the food was quite good (actually I dont know for sure, all I know is that the salmon rolls were yummy!!)
Although a lot (most?) of the faces were new (I felt positively an old fogey as I saw people with badges saying batch of 2008), it was good to catch up with familiar faces from 2003 and 2005. Prof. Rajeev Gowda spoke at length about the good things happening at IIMB. Among other things, i was pretty impressed to learn that Harshdeep Jolly had written a novel on life at the IIMs (the book was on display at the venue), Sameer Mahandru is going great guns in his business of alcohol distribution (his firm had supplied the drinks for the party), Vineet Khunger is experimenting with a multi cuisine restaurant and everyone else was well settled in their 3rd or 4th jobs since campus.
The party blazed into life once the dance music started playing, with the old regulars (Rajeev Chaba, the India head of General Motors and a lot of people from his batch) hitting the dance floor with gusto along with the more recent folk (most notably a stunning looking Pooja from the batch of 2003). The party however thinned out pretty early, with most people gone around the time of the witching hour.
When it was time to leave, I omitted to carry back a plaque that declared that I had attended the alumni meet. However, it was good to have caught up with everyone (most after a year), and renewed and refreshed everyone's numbers in my phone book.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
The silver lining - link repaired
Life sometimes hands us a lemon. Only a few of us, however, are able to make lemonade out of it. This was the thought that came to my mind when I saw the following link:
Alam's time on national tv
Lage raho, Alam bhai!!
Alam's time on national tv
Lage raho, Alam bhai!!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Monday morning
I write this on a dreary Monday morning. There is plenty of work to be done, but little enthusiam for it. The week stretches out long and onerous ahead, and five days look like eternity. Monday mornings often do this to me.
Interestingly, the 5 day week is a relatively recent phenomenon. Not too long ago, it was usual for people to go to office 6 days of the week. I wonder how people would stand Mondays then!! The history of the short work week is a violent one. Organized labour in countries like Britain, Australia, the US and Europe had to struggle long and hard for limiting the legal work day to 10 hours. Robert Owen (a Welsh socialist and social reformer), first proposed the 8 hour workday way back in 1817 (God bless his soul!!). He coined the slogan Eight hours labour, Eight hours recreation, Eight hours rest. Due to his efforts, the working day came down to 12 hours, then 10 hours in different countries one at a time. However the idea took time to mature.
At its convention in Chicago in 1884, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions resolved that "eight hours shall constitute a legal day's labour from and after May 1, 1886, and that we recommend to labour organizations throughout this jurisdiction that they so direct their laws as to conform to this resolution by the time named."
There was a massive parade of 80,000 workers in Chicago on May 1, 1886, what is regarded as the first-ever modern May Day Parade, in support of the eight-hour day. In the next few days they were joined nationwide by 350,000 workers who went on strike at 1,200 factories, including 70,000 in Chicago, 45,000 in New York, 32,000 in Cincinnati, and additional thousands in other cities. Some workers gained shorter hours (eight or nine) with no reduction in pay; others accepted pay cuts with the reduction in hours.
The real impetus came, not surprisingly, from market forces and the father of capitalism.On January 5, 1914, the Ford Motor Company took the radical step of doubling pay to $5 a day, and cut shifts from nine hours to an eight hour day, moves that were not popular with rival companies, although seeing the increase in Ford's productivity, most soon followed suit.
France, of course, took the lead in legislating 35 hour work weeks, ironically enough, not out of any altruistic motives, but as a means to combat unemployment!! Most European countries have 40 hour work weeks, while the US has usually 50 hour work weeks. Of course, we in India have 65-70 hour work weeks on average (outside of Government service).
I hope this changes soon, and we move to 35 hour work weeks like our French brethren! For now, of course, this looks like a pipe dream. I'll settle with getting through Monday mornings :-(
Note: italicized portions of the post are courtesy Wikipedia
Interestingly, the 5 day week is a relatively recent phenomenon. Not too long ago, it was usual for people to go to office 6 days of the week. I wonder how people would stand Mondays then!! The history of the short work week is a violent one. Organized labour in countries like Britain, Australia, the US and Europe had to struggle long and hard for limiting the legal work day to 10 hours. Robert Owen (a Welsh socialist and social reformer), first proposed the 8 hour workday way back in 1817 (God bless his soul!!). He coined the slogan Eight hours labour, Eight hours recreation, Eight hours rest. Due to his efforts, the working day came down to 12 hours, then 10 hours in different countries one at a time. However the idea took time to mature.
At its convention in Chicago in 1884, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions resolved that "eight hours shall constitute a legal day's labour from and after May 1, 1886, and that we recommend to labour organizations throughout this jurisdiction that they so direct their laws as to conform to this resolution by the time named."
There was a massive parade of 80,000 workers in Chicago on May 1, 1886, what is regarded as the first-ever modern May Day Parade, in support of the eight-hour day. In the next few days they were joined nationwide by 350,000 workers who went on strike at 1,200 factories, including 70,000 in Chicago, 45,000 in New York, 32,000 in Cincinnati, and additional thousands in other cities. Some workers gained shorter hours (eight or nine) with no reduction in pay; others accepted pay cuts with the reduction in hours.
The real impetus came, not surprisingly, from market forces and the father of capitalism.On January 5, 1914, the Ford Motor Company took the radical step of doubling pay to $5 a day, and cut shifts from nine hours to an eight hour day, moves that were not popular with rival companies, although seeing the increase in Ford's productivity, most soon followed suit.
France, of course, took the lead in legislating 35 hour work weeks, ironically enough, not out of any altruistic motives, but as a means to combat unemployment!! Most European countries have 40 hour work weeks, while the US has usually 50 hour work weeks. Of course, we in India have 65-70 hour work weeks on average (outside of Government service).
I hope this changes soon, and we move to 35 hour work weeks like our French brethren! For now, of course, this looks like a pipe dream. I'll settle with getting through Monday mornings :-(
Note: italicized portions of the post are courtesy Wikipedia
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Flash of insight
The last word has not been said on the war of the cities. Although I make no secret of my preference for Delhi over Bombay, I think I've been successful in becoming friends with Mumbai. We understand each other better now :-)
I've been spending a lot of time recently in Mumbai. Although I live (at someone else's expense!) in the tony southermost part of the city, I have been travelling a lot by local train and autorickshaw, visiting the suburbs. On one of the local train journeys, hanging on to a thin pole (my only anchor against approximately 5000 people who seemed to want to push me off the running train), trying not to breathe in the stench from the tracks, and longing for a sight of land that was not covered in garbage, I finally had the eureka moment.
Mumbai is loved because it is the city of dreams. Survival in this great city requires you to rise above the mundane parts of life. The garbage, stench, crowds, heat and dust - all are mere trifles that necessarily must be overcome if one is to stay sane. An escape from reality becomes a must, and what better escape from reality than through dreams. I have not met many people local to this city who do not dream of great rewards or accomplishments for their toil. And the city of such beautiful dreams necessarily needs to be beautiful.
Mumbai's greatness lies in the fact that dreams could actually come true here. It is a truly green city - only the green is not provided by mother nature, but by the great god Mammon!!
I dont love Mumbai any more than I did before, but I think we understand each other better now :-)
I've been spending a lot of time recently in Mumbai. Although I live (at someone else's expense!) in the tony southermost part of the city, I have been travelling a lot by local train and autorickshaw, visiting the suburbs. On one of the local train journeys, hanging on to a thin pole (my only anchor against approximately 5000 people who seemed to want to push me off the running train), trying not to breathe in the stench from the tracks, and longing for a sight of land that was not covered in garbage, I finally had the eureka moment.
Mumbai is loved because it is the city of dreams. Survival in this great city requires you to rise above the mundane parts of life. The garbage, stench, crowds, heat and dust - all are mere trifles that necessarily must be overcome if one is to stay sane. An escape from reality becomes a must, and what better escape from reality than through dreams. I have not met many people local to this city who do not dream of great rewards or accomplishments for their toil. And the city of such beautiful dreams necessarily needs to be beautiful.
Mumbai's greatness lies in the fact that dreams could actually come true here. It is a truly green city - only the green is not provided by mother nature, but by the great god Mammon!!
I dont love Mumbai any more than I did before, but I think we understand each other better now :-)
Friday, April 27, 2007
The Good German
I almost missed this gem!!
Even though today is a working day, I went out to watch 'The Good German' in the multiplex close by. The two hours it took away from my day were repaid in ample measure by this searing movie set in 1945 in Berlin.
The movie is in black and white, and stars George Clooney, Tobey Maguire and Cate Blanchett, and is the fifth Steven Soderbergh movie I've seen (Traffic, Syriana, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve being the other ones). Apart from Ocean's Twelve, which was so-so, all the others have been brilliant movies.
The movie is set in post-war Berlin, and is a tale of murder, intrigue and mystery. It is Hitchcock-like in its use of frames without dialogue, and background scores which heighten the tempo. Most of all, it is a movie that makes one realize the horror of war and the depths to which human kind can plummet.
Like Traffic and Syriana, this movie also takes 15 minutes after the movie has ended to figure out, and once you do, it stays with you for very long!!
For reviews, visit this http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/good_german/
Even though today is a working day, I went out to watch 'The Good German' in the multiplex close by. The two hours it took away from my day were repaid in ample measure by this searing movie set in 1945 in Berlin.
The movie is in black and white, and stars George Clooney, Tobey Maguire and Cate Blanchett, and is the fifth Steven Soderbergh movie I've seen (Traffic, Syriana, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve being the other ones). Apart from Ocean's Twelve, which was so-so, all the others have been brilliant movies.
The movie is set in post-war Berlin, and is a tale of murder, intrigue and mystery. It is Hitchcock-like in its use of frames without dialogue, and background scores which heighten the tempo. Most of all, it is a movie that makes one realize the horror of war and the depths to which human kind can plummet.
Like Traffic and Syriana, this movie also takes 15 minutes after the movie has ended to figure out, and once you do, it stays with you for very long!!
For reviews, visit this http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/good_german/
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Bheja Fry
I saw this movie recently, and only the magical sight of the sun setting into a calm ocean could get me to recover from the impact. But first, the context -
I had heard great things about this movie from a dear buddy, who confidently expressed great approval of the plot. Therefore I stood in line for a significant time on Sunday afternoon, and actually gloated when I managed to procure the last ticket in the house - a front row seat about two feet away from the screen.
My enthusiasm waned a bit when I entered the movie hall and saw the seat I had got. Anyway, being a philosopher, I accepted it as fate and settled down to enjoy the movie. With every additional tortuous idiocy from the main character, my neck got more and more sore. At one point in time, I felt the distinct need to shake the main characters by their lapels and ask them to PLEASE get some sense.
I came away from the movie strangely irritated, although I think other people in the movie hall enjoyed the shenanigans of a half-wit idiot and the weird cast of characters. Thinking back, I think what got to me was the complete lack of reality in the movie - such incidents could never happen in real life. Though the acting was good (I particularly liked Ranvir Shorey's cameo), the story and the treatment left me very very cold.
All in all, a complete bheja-frying experience!!
I had heard great things about this movie from a dear buddy, who confidently expressed great approval of the plot. Therefore I stood in line for a significant time on Sunday afternoon, and actually gloated when I managed to procure the last ticket in the house - a front row seat about two feet away from the screen.
My enthusiasm waned a bit when I entered the movie hall and saw the seat I had got. Anyway, being a philosopher, I accepted it as fate and settled down to enjoy the movie. With every additional tortuous idiocy from the main character, my neck got more and more sore. At one point in time, I felt the distinct need to shake the main characters by their lapels and ask them to PLEASE get some sense.
I came away from the movie strangely irritated, although I think other people in the movie hall enjoyed the shenanigans of a half-wit idiot and the weird cast of characters. Thinking back, I think what got to me was the complete lack of reality in the movie - such incidents could never happen in real life. Though the acting was good (I particularly liked Ranvir Shorey's cameo), the story and the treatment left me very very cold.
All in all, a complete bheja-frying experience!!
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