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Showing posts from November, 2009

What I have lived for

Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind. These passions, like great winds, have blown me hither and thither, in a wayward course, over a deep ocean of anguish, reaching to the very verge of despair. I have sought love, first, because it brings ecstasy—ecstasy so great that I would often have sacrificed all the rest of life for a few hours of this joy. I have sought it, next, because it relieves loneliness—that terrible loneliness in which one shivering consciousness looks over the rim of the world into the cold unfathomable lifeless abyss. I have sought it, finally, because in the union of love I have seen, in a mystic miniature, the prefiguring vision of the heaven that saints and poets have imagined. This is what I sought, and though it might seem too good for human life, this is what—at last—I have found. With equal passion I have sought knowledge. I have

Dubai spoils holiday mood

My Grandfather rode a camel. My father rode a camel. I am riding Ferrari, Benz and BMW but I am also riding on the bonds that people in the west fear of becoming a junk. Would my son also ride a camel ? One such comment by a reader on the news of Dubai Government seeking a six month standstill for Dubai World on it's payment due this month, sums up the feelings of those who have lost their money on speculative investment in Dubai. Dubai world is the economic might of Dubai and includes DP World, that operates global ports, Nakheel the property developer behind iconic projects such as The Palm Islands and The World. Dubai has the worst debt per capita in the world and is always portrayed as one end of the credit crunch spectrum. A year ago, economic commentators and analysts were harsh on Dubai's economic revival hopes. But all along, Dubai Govt defied those postures and managed to stay afloat. Big brother Abu Dhabi came to her rescue including the last week’s subscriptio

Visiting Taj post 26/11

'Eerie' is one word that I could sum up my feelings when I visited Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai few months ago. As I stood in the lobby of Taj facing white plywood that blocked the corridor, images of my past rendezvous along the corridor that led past ' Golden Dragon' Chinese Restaurant, 'Tanjore' Indian restaurant leading to an elevator that takes to various function halls and residing rooms, flashed my mind. It was difficult to conjure the plight of hapless tourists that must have been trapped in the ruthless mayhem on that night. I thought of myself being in the situation and was wondering the possible escape routes that must have been available then. When I used the toilet just behind the reception, I thought this could have been one such hiding place. Once I was there , I realized how vulnerable that place must have been. No hideaway except three toilets facing the barrage of terrorist guns, if he opens the door. At Taj, like every big hotel property in Indi

Akshta @ new place

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Ground to Top Park to Green Street 1 to Street 4 We move on ....

मागे उभा मंगेश, पुढे उभा मंगेश

मागे उभा मंगेश, पुढे उभा मंगेश माझ्याकडे देव माझा पाहतो आहे जटाजूट माथ्यावरी, चंद्रकला शिरी धरी सर्पमाळ रुळे उरी चिताभस्म सर्वांगास लिंपून राहे जन्मजन्मांचा हा योगी, संसारी आनंद भोगी विरागी की म्हणू भोगी शैलसूतासंगे गंगा, मस्तकी वाहे Lyricist :Shanta Shelke Singer :Asha Bhosle Music Director :Hridayanath Mangeshkar Movie :Mahananda (1984)

Bhumika - movie by Shyam Benegal

A good movie and a good scotch both briskly transport you to another plane of thoughts and brings back at a speed of ' slow flyer ' leaving behind a refreshing outlook of ' the world around you' that stays over a long time. Yesterday, I watched 'Bhumika' - a movie that I had read, heard and talked about but not seen. Few questions that immediately posed and stirred my mind ' Does an Indian actress go through the same journey as that of Usha ? '. Is that the reason why every established Bollywood movie star though put all his financial and social might in launching his son as a movie hero, is not keen for his daughter to be a movie heroin? Examples of Sunil Dutt, Amitabh Bacchan, Rajendra Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Jeetendra, Firoz Khan, Sanjay Khan come to my mind. On the larger canvas, 'Bhumika' also made me squirm of the feeling that being a woman is to some degree 'less advantaged' and ' less privileged' gender compared to a man. State

Title musical tracks of Hindi Movies

I am enjoying the luxury of working from home. Eat, Work and Sleep all from the comforts of bed and sofa. It also gives me time to scribble on my blog. Y'day was Salil Da's B'day . I learnt it only by late evening and had a chance to rummage through two good websites on him. Tribute to Salil Da has some selected Bengali Songs. The world of Salil Choudhary tells us more about him as a person and his political & social leanings beyond the music. Some years ago, I had interacted with his daughter on RYZE . I believe she is a singer too. I have a CD on title tracks of James Bond movies. Instrument, orchestration and digital recording has terrific impact. It is amazing to hear the track without any distraction of visual or a storyline. I started searching for mp3 clips of some of the musicals tracks on Hindi music. As I delved deeper more on to various music sites, I came across many as the hours ticked by. Unfortunately, I couldn't lay my surfing fingers on my f

Corruption Ranking of India

The result was predictable. India's stood at No 85 on corruption ranking. Some solace in the fact that there are still some countries like Somalia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Sudan and Iraq behind us. Singapore as has been for last decade stood among top three along with New Zealand and Denmark. As I read more about corruption, its menace and methods used to root out the corruption, I realized the single most effective step is the 'will of the governing leader'. Unless the person at the helm of India's governance has the courage and will to confront this monster, only then he would have necessary implementation program to make institutions ‘corruption free' . In India, it is obvious that election funding is the primary cause for institutional corruption that is backed up, encouraged and protected by political party in power. Corruption patronized by politicians during Arms purchase, Import of commodities, awarding infrastructure projects, land acquisition and disbursemen

A journey past Mulshi Lake

I had heard about ' Vadkhal Naka ' in the context of some alleged smuggling scandal involving A R Antule . I also knew about Karnala being famous for bird sanctuary and existence of the fort. Last week, I passed by both Vadkhal and Karnala on route towards the discovery of ‘Vile Bhagad ’, a new industrial township being built by MIDC . But the travel past MIDC till Mulshi Dam made our day memorable. Our ride started from Mumbai at 9am and culminated at Koregaon Park in Pune at 6pm. We passed through Panvel - Karnala -Pen - Vadkhal - Kolad - Vile Phata - Vile Bhagad - Bhira ( Tamhini Ghat) - Mulshi - Paud - Pirangut - Bhoogaon - Bawdhan - Chandni Chowk - Pashan - Kothrud - . Alternating between plains, steep mountain curves, along the contour of an expansive Mulshi lake encircled by Sahyadri ’s massive mountain range, this journey was turning out to be spectacular. This was a surprise package that we did not envisage. Road from Panvel to Vile Bhagad

Death must be beautiful

This time, I was keen to erase my unpleasant memories of 1981. Then, the incident was 'acute appendicitis surgery'. Now, it was the surgical correction of ' avulsion fracture with displacement at the base of fifth metatarsal'. In 81, the procedure started with the local anesthesia induced through spinal injection. Was it the cause of an anesthetic agent or my fear ? I don't know. All I recall was I struggled violently for water to quench my parched throat and body. There was no mercy. I was forced to sleep and to wake up after 12 hours. The torrid memories stayed with me all these years. This time, I wanted to be alert to witness that moment of slipping into sleep. As my mobile stretcher wheeled inside the OT, familiar brands of Valleylab , Maquet were in sight. A bolus through the IV cannula pushed into the vein of my left wrist as the Nurse standing next to my right shoulder sighed in exasperation for a hairless site on my chest to paste ECG electrodes. That was

'Auro' in 'PAA'

In my wildest imagination, I wouldn't have conjured that photo of 'Auro' in 'PAA' is that of Amitabh Bacchan. What an amazing creativity that must have involved top class sculptors, cast makers, make up artists, computer graphic designers. The illustrative, vivid description by Amitabh in his blog held me these artists in awe. To endure all that trouble and at the end of it give a theatrical performance is a tribute to Amitabh's abundance dedication to his profession. I like numerous others now await seeing this performance . It is too early to talk about the commercial success of this movie but one thing is sure, it is going to get lot of accolades and recognition for physical portrayal of 'Auro" I agree with another reader’s observation that Amitabh's posts away from home country - be it from another city, hospital, hotel and aircraft ‘ has lot of depth, profundity and fabulous choice of words . I guess his busy schedule in India and cacophony tha

Mind Boggling stuff by Pranav Mistry

Just today morning I read a news clip forecasting new Bill Gates would be from either India or China. In next few hours, I happen to see this clip by an Indian student at MIT. It's incredible how the technology - Pranav Mistry called it Sixth Sense - would have an human interface with all its natural abilities that nature has endowed with. As I finished seeing this presentation,mind was almost tizzy as if I had come out of roller coaster ride. This amazing thought process backed by ingenious work sure would change the world sooner than mere advancement of technology.

Phrases that stay fresh !!

If Columbus had been married he might never have discovered America because he would have had to answer all of the following : · Where are you going? · With whom? · Why? · How are you going? · To discover what? · Why only you? · What do I do, when you are not here? · Can I come with you ? · Coming back when? · Dinner ghar par hi khaoge? · Mere liye kya laoge? · It seems you deliberately made this .... · Don't lie.... · Why r u making such n? · You seem to be making a lot of such programs.. · Answer me..Why? · I want to go to my parents place.. · I want you to come and leave me.. · I don't want to come back.. · I will never come back.... · Why are u not stopping me.... · I don't understand what is this discovery chakker? · You always do like this..... · Last time also u did like this.... · Now a day's u always seem to do like this.... · I still don't understand what else is left to be discovered..