REALITY SHOWS

I have been  watching “FEMINA MISS INDIA -the making “ on Zoom. Couple of days back I was following DANCE INDIA DANCE on Zee Tv. Sony TV is busy showcasing INDIAN IDOL these days like each year. Colors channel gained good TRPs with KHATRON KE KHILAADI and India’s got talent.TV channels have been bustling with unlimited reality shows and surprisingly people watch it whole heartedly inspite knowing the reality behind the scenes. Ah! that holds true for me too!! I loved Dance India Dance . India’s got talent inspired me to learn contemporary dance. Every reality show holds a special importance in everybody’s life. My friend Sid participated in Indian Idol-1 but was shown the exit during the initial screening. Still he watches Indian Idol without fail! My ex-colleague Swati was a part of MTV Roadies who watches the series with equal enthusiasm till date despite being voted out so heartlessly. She definitely cherishes the moments of adventure and fun.

But what makes the reality shows so exciting for everybody? Why do people watch these with so much interest and charm? Why do people flock to the gates of the auditions when they know they are not well trained? Well, there could be many reasons. Everybody wants to be in limelight, famous and be in news for some reason. One never knows where does the luck factor works or who knows the judges might like somebody instantly. There are many testimonials to this fact in end number of reality shows.  Indian Idol, Fame Gurukul etc are few shows to begin with the list of examples.(Of course I don’t want to name the participants on this social networking site lest their fans should outburst against me and write venomous messages for me!!)

All the ideas are copied from the western reality shows, none of Indian origin… anyway who cares!! !!! Big Boss , was one pathetic  reality I ever watched and hate it from the bottom of my heart( Fans please don’t kill me!!) I hated “Is Jungle se Mujhey Bachao” where the participants were asked to consume mixture of animal spleen, liver, testicles, do all sorts of crazy things in a so called jungle and crown the winner for the jungle mania!! (By the way, what was Mankea Gandhi doing then? I shouldn’t be saying this..I am a member of People for animals after all. Ok , don’t jump to conclusions before I say anything. The animals were domesticated ones which are nor endangered and are consumed in daily lives.) Whatever, I simply hated this horrible reality show of the jungle mess, the celebrity tantrums and the loosely written script.

Ya…reality shows are scripted, don’t be surprised. Even the results are pre-decided. Public voting just occupies the public and huge income for the telecom giants. A participant from a particular community, caste or tribe attracts audience from the same social circle who pleads for votes. No wonders why do people glue to these reality shows to vote for their “favorite” participant. No offences meant, my mom does that each time! A Bengali participant occupies a special place in my mom’s heart always…be it a singing show or dance competition.

Want to see real footage? Switch to National geographic or discovery yaar!!At least they make some sense!

A lost friend

He would have been a grown up man today, probably working in an MNC or running his business. Or may be pursuing some professional course -of his choice, of something which he liked. But what did he like? What was he passionate about? Let me think….uh!! to hard to recollect..it was a long time back that I remember anything apart from his shy smile and dark eyes. And we were too young .  Students of second standard, Prashant and I were classmates and next door neighbours. I was a frequent visitor to his place to catch up on my missed class work or to play with him at times. His younger bro Ankush and a cute sister Gudiya were adorable siblings. Prashant was a quiet child and very shy, to such an extent that he refused to go to anybody’s place for school work or notes. His mom used to call me to their place and that’s how I became a regular visit at Prashant Singhal’s place. We became best childhood buddies , used to play often and do our home work together.

Singhals were a happy family. A happy go lucky family of our neighbourhood, as a child I had always seen them smiling and enjoying each moment of their lives till that unlucky day. I still don’t remember  the date..after all I was young. So was Prashant. I have the faded picture of his in my mind when I had saw him last evening. Well, actually the last evening of his life.

He loved cycling. That evening too, he went on his bicycle to enjoy the evening. (I think now I recollect one of his hobbies-Cycling. But how irrelevant is it now, I suppose). His grand mom felt quite restless when he did not return till late. His mom went crying to the police station with his dad to report Prashant’s missing from the place where he had gone cycling. The whole night saw a tensed Singhal family, probably for the first time. I remember my mom worrying about him and peeping into the Singhal house every fifteen minutes. Prashant’s father was frantically wandering on the streets with his scooter to search for his eldest son. It was a terrible night for everybody.

And the news arrived, the next morning..of what I guess most of them had anticipated. Prashant’s body was fished out from the manhole right outside the construction site of their new house. Time of death- late evening.Last remains- his slipper in the right foot and his cycle outside the house. What pushed him to his death was the reason that he was not accompanied by anybody to the construction site where the open manhole invited his death while he was jumping over it, all by himself. Days passed mourning and wailing in the Singhal house grieving over the irreparable loss of the eldest son of the family.

Soon, things started turning normal and Prashant started fading from the memories of everybody. Yesterday when I was talking to my brother Tarun (catch him at tarunisblogging.blogspot.com) he sounded upset. He too was grieving over the loss of his facebook friend whom he had befriended three days ago. Consoling him, suddenly Prashant’s thought struck me. Had he been alive, he would have been somebody like me.

I can’t say I miss Prashant, however I do feel that every human life is meant for something, lives for a purpose and creates a void after he leaves. I was too young to feel that void, but I do feel bad that he left the world much before he could see anything.

God bless your soul my friend.

This was an ode to Prashant Singhal.

A day in life of anybody

I like my boss, she is supportive, but my job profile sucks.

I love the job, but I have b#%@ colleagues.

My workplace is too far from my residence, which drains all my energy while commuting.

My job pays me well, but I hate the work.

Seems, people keep cribbing each day with new excuses yet they go to work. Why? Coz life has to move on. Simple! Sometimes its money which stops you from changing your job, at times u have no other job in hand. U hurl abuses at ur boss or ur job profile, u still come to work every morning to make a living for urself.

Even the fingers of our hands are not equal, so how can life be a smooth ride? Impulsive people like me leave their jobs without keeping an option in hand. Others create a job opportunity and then make a move. But atleast I don’t crib! Haha…I was at peace of mind for few days before I began job hunting again.

I remember I continued to work in a BPO unwillingly since I had to take care of my MBA course fee.I had the worst boss on this planet, I hated my work but thankfully I got colleagues who were angels for me. I could endure all the pain at work because of the good companions whom I had befriended at the workplace. Nidhi, Tarun, Vikram still continue to be my good friends long after we quit that organization.Its important to have supportive colleague at workplace I guess. Bless you guys.

We get good education to grow and earn in life, have a family to support, money keeps u running and perform the responsibilities. No what bogged down u feel at work, no matter how demotivated u feel, u still have a reason to keep going. Correct me if m wrong. U might be fighting at home and vent it in office and in return bring the frustration back home, the cycle still keeps going. U ought to think positive and move ahead.

God hate me, so he has piled up all problems for me only…….Love life screwed up. At office boss insults me, To add to the deep wounds I don’t get a conveyance to commute and miss my meals too. My appraisals are on hold, my colleagues mock at me and I vent it all at my child or family member.I had a fight with my best friend and fought with the autowala too. At night I shed tears and pray to god to help me.(Funny,nobody prays to God when one is happy). Anyway, that’s a typical diary of a common man whose level of frustration is getting high each day. Yet he dosen’t quit hopes and continues to struggle…..because there are no gains without pains.We should be thankful to god that we have the physical ability to work. Think of the ones who are visually or physically impaired. Think about those “special children” whose parents cry each day and leave no stone unturned to give them a normal life.

Life is not a cakewalk.U need to be tough and prove ur mettle in every step,lest one should overpower u. Be thankful be gratified and keep moving ahead gradually.

Mayawati's Maya

Few years ago, my friend returned from South after a huge offering in a temple(What we call Chadhawaa, in Hindi).The occasion was her grandfather’s 80^th birthday. The chadhawaa was worth lakhs of rupees asa donation to the temple authorities. I said, instead of this donation, if her family would have donated this amount to some needy or poor, god would have been happier. With due respect to the sentiments and the religious beliefs, I strongly believe that God would be happier with the donation made to AIDS or cancer patients who do not even have enough money to survive, let alone treatment.Service to mankind is service to God.

This incident struck my mind again when UP CM Mayawati celebrated her extravagant birthday while she was felicitated by a huge currency garland worth crores of rupees. Ah!! If ministers turn so spendthrift imagine the rate at which our economy will go down the drains.To add to it, one garland wasn’t enough, she was garlanded second time witha garland weighing little less than the first. I guess they couldn’t find more currency notes in reserve. Post the criticism of the pomp and show , the authorities claim that it was a gift from the collection made by the supporters of the party and their savior Behan.

How inconsiderate can somebody be !! UP government almost everytime has been pinpointed for its mismanagement and ineffective rule. Poverty and unemployment still are the major issues of the state. How can some body even think of being so ruthless and self centered? On one hand we avoid crackers on Diwali to keep a check on pollution, and look at this extreme case of extravaganza on minister’s birthday!And how calm can the Income Tax dept remain about this blatant show of money and power. Its the public money after all.

Our former President Dr. Kalam kept such a low profile on his birthday. Why can’t others learn something from such an iconic personality? Had she spend this amount on the welfare project for UP state, I am sure she would have been blessed a triple times!

Reviving the relics of Hockey

It actually takes a lot of efforts to build a brand name for somebody or lets say gain a positive image in public. Pertaining to the image of Hockey in India, it was lot of hard work and concrete results to make it a popular game during those days. India consistently won Hockey championships and it was promoted nationwide on a massive scale. Players like Dhyan chand, Dhanraj Pillay, Udham Singh Did proud to our country end number of times. Cricket barged in later and caught attention like western culture. Factors which promoted hockey started deteriorating. Money which was spent on Hockey promotion was gradually directed to cricket.

Even our players agree that they are not well paid. True!!Cricket players when retire, have a good amount of property value with them, while hockey players are still struggling to live a decent life. There are no sponsors for hockey any more!! India has not shown consistency in winning hockey championships too…..I would like to state that the cause and consequence are inter related or depend on each other. Isnt it? Its formed a vicious cycle. To add to the fact, its wouldn't be wrong if I say that Hockey is not encouraged at the school level too. If the school authorities take some interest in the sport and encourage it at the grass root level, it would certainly produce some good players in future. Good players and supporters after-all take the league ahead!

N not only hockey, but over all, sports is not encouraged as a career by Indian parents. Bogged by society and class pressure, parents envisage their children to excel in academics rather than sports. Strange! Father and son enjoy cricket together, but father never encourages son to choose cricket as a career. However, cricket  has a good fan following than hockey has. There are no takers of our national game in our nation. What a shame.

BCCI has crores of INR to spend on cricket. But, Is hockey federation that broke? If even one third of the money which BCCI has, is spent on hockey ,then at least Hockey would not lie neglected the way its today. Players should be well treated, taken care of. They deserve some investment, don’t they?

Gradually Hockey vanished from the screens of the televisions and the fame faded in the façade of time. Cricket has gripped the nation with its charm.Cricket brings the nation together.So why cant Hockey? Well, because hockey players are mostly from specific communities or castes only which leaves a fan following only from that section. People representation is missing I guess!!

Government should have taken some extra steps to promote hockey like they are doing now.It was only after CHAK DE that many people realized the actual situation of the players and the state of the game.We need more initiatives.

Sponsorship, a world cup victory and root level nurturing is what one needs to bring that passion for something, be it cricket or be our national game which has lost its shine now.

This was my 5th winning blog in indyarocks.

My name is Khan

Friday,12th Feb'10 experienced a massive crowd towards the multiplexes for the awaited KHAN and KAJOL starrer 'My name is Khan'. The movie was given a five star rating by the leading dailies and media went crazy publicising the movie.Surprisingly my sis was able to e-book tickets for Sunday, so I watched it yesterday.

Frankly speaking,I dont think the movie deserves a 5- star. Infact I believe that it was over-rated. Undoubtedly the message which was conveyed was good and valuable.Characters portrayed the real incidents so well that I found 50 percent people sobbing.

The story was well woven around the plot of 9/11 and the strong consequences on the lives of the people with specially the Muslims being racially discriminated and abused. SRK has delivered a powerful performance as a autism patient.I am sure this message has been conveyed to all that an autistic is different from an abnormal and also has desires to fulfil,a life to live,a right to be well treated. Kajol, needless to say was remarkable again. The trauma,the fright, the anxiety post 9/11 was very well played by the actors. 'My name is khan and I am not a terrorist' was the theme of the movie.However the second half of the film was stronger than the first half. The first half seemed to be a fairy tale cum merry go round story. Music by Shankar, Ehsaan,Loy was good ,so was the cinematography.

I felt the movie was a little above average.If I had to rate it,i'd give it a three star or genoursouly a 3.5.  A five star was over publicity I guess. If there are SRK fans who read my blog,please don't kill me.I am rating the movie ,not SRK.

King Khan has done a great job. Karan Johar ,I think,had consulted some astrologist,so for the first time, the name of his movie doesn't begin with  K. But the title does have 'K'han in it,his lucky charm ....Hehe..

Miley sur mera tumhara- Magic recreated?

I think “Miley Sur mera Tumhara” was a superb effort for peace and harmony initiative undertaken years back in India. I grew p watching the video and still remember the lyrics in different vernacular languages.

Years later we see the magic again with new music directors, new actors, new video but with the same objective- to spread the message of peace, unity and harmony. I appreciate the initiative and salute the spirit of unity .The actors/artists spared time from their busy schedules to be a part of the prestigious video. Icons like Dr Abdul Kalaam and Sachin Tendulkar not being a part of the video, arouses controversies.

Well we must understand that this video was an effort to shrink the borders of the nations. If this contracts controversies, then what’s the point of taking such initiative? Agreed, they were missed out…but does this justify a reason to ban the video? This portrays a negative picture of the nation for all apparent reasons. There must have been unknown constraints. If this is the reason for which the video is getting negative publicity ten I think Common man should have been filmed instead of the known icons cum artists. Because it’s the common man who lives and goes through the rough patches of life. It’s the common man who needs to know the importance of the message. Missing somebody in the video makes more sense than getting into a controversy against a cause as noble as “Miley sur mera tumhara”

As far as the music is concerned, I vote for the old one…I mean the original version. It was much beyond melody. I’d like to say it was closer to heart. The new one has been given a good cinematography, however fails to recreate the same ripples of magic(Like Lata ji did in the original version-Remember “Sur ki nadiyan, har disha se” ?)
Mastero Bhimsen Joshi Ji was riveting and so was the presence of Ustad Zakhir Hussain and Pundit Ravi Sahnkar. The new video looks more of a remix. Original one was easy to comprehend in terms of music (The high and low tones). Shankar Ehsaan Loy have iven their best yet I prefer to hear the original ravishing one.

Every effort to bring in peace and love is a step towards better India, united India. The song is known to all Indians like our national Anthem. I salute the togetherness and the glorious years of ‘Miley sur’ post independence.

Formation of Indian Constitution:RE-PUBLIC

Feels good to breathe in independant air! Feels good to see an independant country! While 15th August saw the independance day for India,26th January empowered the country with its own constitution.Great achievement yeah? But have we made good use of this power given to us? More often the power has been misused or lets say has not been realised to its full potential. When the country has the power to choose its own leaders and Goverment , then why do we fail to see the promises being kept each year?We talk of economic growth and increase in the gross domestic income, why do we forget the illetracy and poverty trailing at more than 33% ?

Ofcourse there has been a substantial growth in the disposable income of the average Indian family .Agreed there has been a considerable rise in the education level.Yet the power we have has not helped us to achieve this dream for every Indian Family.Probably thats the reason that every now and then we see rebels demanding a separate state.Those who have been staying below poverty lines,have not seen electricity or schools in their villages,are frustrated with the lifestyles.And we call this a lifestyle! wow! hats off to the republic country.

As a citizen of this country,among the first three changes I would like to see in the constitution are these:

-Invest in the rural places and develop the basic amenities of lives. Atleast free health and hospitals to begin with. I appreciate the efforts taken by times of India ,the “Teach India” campaign which encourages the youth and veterans to spare few hours for the underprivileged. I wish that these kinds of initiatives should be taken on a larger scale by the government and provide free education to the ones who have never seen or known books/schools.

-A friend of mine from Muscat once said to me ” A country is known by the roads it has” .Definitely I feel the same.Besides concentrating only in the metro cities,our Government should take a look at the roads and infrastructure of three tier cities and rural /small towns.This not only provides employment but also encourages investment from private firms.I hope our UP chief minister shifts her focus from building her own statues to better things which needs her attention.

-Our judicial system should work faster so that its doesnt take a decade’s time to solve a case so evident and strong yet making the victime feel helpless.Thosands cases lie pending.While the ones reopened stirred the air for some time .However justice delyaed is justice denied as correctly said.To Name a few-Jessica Lal, Ruchika,Vikas Yadav, Sanjeev Nanda or the Mumbai attacks 2008,Bhopal Carbide gas plant are few names which have seen decades pass away before they got justice or are still awaiting justice. I wish I had a magic wand that did not need to go through the tedious judiciary jigsaw puzzle and depend on the evidences so clear yet not “adequate”…..

Happy republic day to all …..

Jan 28,2010

Followed ur heart?

Like majority of Indian students, when I had a choice in school to opt between science and commerce, my mom went head over heals to convince me to choose science. I studied science till I graduated from high school. I hadn't followed my heart then. Though I scored well in science, I opted for Commerce in senior secondary which I enjoyed and excelled in, as against science which seemed dead and boring to me.

Came the time to choose a career, I again found myself entangled between my parents’ choice and mine. They wanted me to study Law or work in banking sector.

Crap!!! Who cared for my thoughts? I was the only one in my school and probably the only one in my peer group who chose ADVERTISING as my career. Late working hours, extremely non-conventional, hectic job, not good for girls…….and so on excuses were given to me to discourage me from taking this decision.

I had starry dreams and high ambitions to nurture. I never wanted to stick to a 9 to 5 job and waste my life. Travelling, dancing, photography have been my areas of interest which I could have pursued as career if little encouragement and motivation was present. Dance still happens to be one of my biggest passions. But there I followed my mind which said that dance as a career isn't too substantial. Today I learn new forms of dances but as a hobby only.

However, I followed my heart and horse blinded myself with the decision of choosing advertising as a career. Post I completed Bachelors, I frantically searched for good colleges of advertising in Delhi. My hard work paid and I got through the written exams. I felt like on top of the world. However couldn't clear the interview.

I lost that year trying to crack entrance exams in various colleges. Looking at my dedication and determination, my parents started supporting me; at least my Mom wasn't hostile any more.
Finally I got admission in a good MBA college. But the struggle wasn’t over there.
With MBA 2nd semester came the choice of steams i.e. Marketing, HR, IT, Finance. I was clear was about my goals-MARKETING.. But as expected there were hurdles in the way which came in the form of advices /suggestions from parents, friends, class mates; that MARKETING is not meant for Girls! My parents were extremely worried with this choice of mine. They used to have discussions about my career with relatives and friends over cup of tea each evening. HR is meant for girls, said my mom. Go for FINANCE, it has good scope -advised my classmates.

But I chose that non-conventional stream. I was among the few girls seated in marketing lectures amidst classrooms full of boys. Now I am happily working in a private firm post competing MBA as a marketing executive. Though the salary is not too attractive, yet the most important thing is that I enjoy my work. I don’t crib like others who are caught in wrong jobs. Why? Because one should follow what heart says and I was driven by my heart. Do hell with people!!! It’s my life after all and its my heart who will be most hurt; not the people. I am looking for an opportunity in the field of advertising. I won’t think for a second before changing my job because I believe in “Do what you love and love what you do”.

India is country where people think that a career selection depends on what feeds your family irrespective u enjoy it or not. That’s the reason why sports as a career isn’t encouraged, neither is a career in non conventional fields like photography, choreography, chef etc. Its high time people change this perspective. If we envisage India to stand out or excel in any field, we need to take initiative of changing the thought. May be its then when we would see a reduction in the suicide rates of students who succumb to parental or society pressure!!!

Winding up..What stood out in 2009?

Time ticks without waiting. What remains are the trails of memories, some for good reasons and some as pricking thorns. It’s up to us weather we learn something from them or merely add them to the book of history like other pages. 2009 has been a year of mixed experiences for everyone. Have we learnt lessons from the mistakes committed in ’09 and wow not to repeat them? Or we sit blindfolded without letting us affect anything?

Kargil operation and IC- 814 hijack incident completed 10th year, Tsunami victims saw the 5th death anniversary of their lost ones in 2009. Have the conditions improved in 2009? Kargil Operation was a victory yet the deceased soldiers’ families are still waiting for compensation from the Government. Villagers who were devastated in Tsunami are still leading a nomadic life waiting for somebody to either help them relocate with a normal life or die with poverty.

The Hijacking was a slap across the face of the Indian Government for the inability to negotiate and let anybody walk in with guns hijacking people. 2009 marked the same history post 26/11/08 Mumbai Attack revealing the vulnerability of the System here. One year has passed by the cruel massacre and our Government is spending Crores of rupees on the terrorist Kasab in order to keep him alive who claims he was framed falsely! That’s where I feel that our system is amputated. However, setting up of NSG hubs in other metro cities by the government was a well appreciated welcoming decision.

Students like me who were ‘soon to be’ MBA graduates spent sleepless anxious nights worrying over the tight market conditions resulting in no vacancies. So I feel lucky to grab a job in an organization which has supported me a lot and given me a great learning platform while a number of my classmates are still unemployed. I wish they get a job for them selves in 2010.Year 2009 will also remain special to me because of the traveling opportunities I got during my tenure in this organization. I feel I am a traveler now :-)

2009 witnessed airlines industry rolling in dust and it was equally painful to see Indian students becoming victim of Racial Attacks abroad. India was bursting with outcry of separate states and a forced thakrey raaj while on the other hand, it gave me some relief to see nations come together for rising concerns of Global Warming. Swine flu was a major concern consistently.

Well, I would run out of pages to wind up 2009 in few words. According to me, the most appealing incident, or lets say the striking moment was the Gay rights support movement in India which came as good news for bisexuals. Activists against it said, that it was nothing but effect of western culture. I fail to understand this statement of theirs. Something which comes naturally to human beings is definitely not a modernized form of living. So far the Indian Government has been quiet on the legalization of the gay rights. I felt the plight of the bisexuals who were cornered by the society where bisexualism was a taboo. The High Court adhered to Constitutional Morality and gave the Homosexuals or the transgenders a reason to cheer. Atleast they would be able to live as part of the society now!

I pity the bisexuals who were prohibited to practice what they wanted. What did the law sing about freedom of choice and freedom to practice? This was one sect of the society who were ill treated even worse than the low castes. My heart went out for them since their discrimination was so unfair! People who married the same sexes whom they loved were either burnt to ashes or disowned by the civilized society. Only few empathized their pain that they were born with this. It wasn't a mere pleasure they gained by posing a “gay” rather they were send by god like this.

The priests and religious leaders left no stone unturned to prove them culprits of the society, misguides of culture. They were humiliated and I salute the spirit of the Indian Law who took a stand to make their lives better unlike our own so called cultural & regional boundations. For me this was something which stood out in 2009 and I wish that the Indian government wakes up on such issues on time.

My winning blog again from Indyarocks.

Golden Memories-Bajaj Chetak losing its hold

“BULAND BHARAT KI BULAND TASVEER—HAMARA BAJAJ” was the popular slogan of Bajaj scooters which were a roaring success all over India. These lines make me nostalgic of my childhood days I spent taking rides on my dad’s Bajaj Chetak. Undoubtedly Old is gold and those memories are cherished forever.

Chetak happens to be special for my family in a special manner. Soon after my parents were married, in 1983, the registration papers of Bajaj Chetak arrived. My mom was termed lucky for the family and so was the scooter. Dad tried teaching mom driving the scooter, but it was too bulky for her to handle. She tore her saree while learning to ride Chetak. However she never let Chetak go.

I have the fond memories of dad dropping me to school on Chetak and picking me in afternoon. When I started growing I used to go walking yet remained dependant on Chetak during rainy days, waiting for dad to pick me from the school gate.

When my younger sister was born, dad got our Bajaj Chetak painted in dark green. Every major occasion in family would have been incomplete without Hamara Bajaj. Be it picking up somebody from some place, be it doing a small errand from the local market or be it any urgency, Chetak was present in every hour of need. Like a silent spectator and a strong supporter it never failed us. My dad was rushed to the hospital on the same scooter minutes before he met a stroke. How do I thank Bajaj Chetak for its support?

Its Performance made it outstanding and we were the proud satisfied consumers.

Mussorie, Sahastradhara, Rishikesh are few places at a distance of few kilometres from my home town Dehradun. We used to go for picnics there every summer vacations and dad used to prefer riding Bajaj Chetak to these places. My dad’s best friend Ashok Uncle also owned a Bajaj Scooter and he used to join us for picnics. My sis and I used to sit with Ashok uncle on his scooter and Mom of course with Dad. Those long rides to the picnics spots were so much fun through the green valleys and natural beauty. Not even once did Bajaj break down or cause a bit of a trouble!!

Bajaj Chetak had captured a major market share in India and it became a must have for every middle class Indian. Affordable prices, powerful engine, world class mileage made Bajaj Chetak class apart. Later followed Bajaj bikes keeping in mind the new generation. Yes agreed, the young MD must have studied and envisaged a huge profitable market for bikes, however there is still a section of people who identify themselves with Bajaj scooter. It will be unfair to separate them from the identity and something close to their hearts. Production of Bajaj scooter, I suggest, should not be ceased, rather can be streamlined or decreased.

UTTERLY BUTTERLY DELICIOUS-AMUL and BULAND BHARAT KI BULAND TASVEER—HAMARA BAJAJ were short listed for Guinness book of world records for the longest running ad campaigns. But Bajaj lost it to Amul pertaining to the changes they made.

When I say Old is gold, people would say that nobody sticks to typewriters or gramophones these days. However I would like to state that these old items of the past are of an aesthetic value. These unique items with golden memories should be kept alive with the common man than in museums instead.

23 Dec,2009 my second winning blog in indyarocks blog contest

Development vs separatism- an outcry

India-We proudly say is unity in diversity-rather we used to say this with pride.Where is that pride lost now?Political issues have lashed the silent water of the nation and there is a roaring outcry for diving LOC all over the country! Be it Jharkhand,Uttaranchal now Telangana formation or the “Marathi Manus” rage over the North Indians,the situation has more or less been the same for years.Who cares about development once the political motives are fulfilled?Party rulers concentrate wealth in their hands ,make tall promises in return for votes, bask in the limelight and show an “Alice in Wonderland” story to the masses.Alice remains in wonderland forever.

Infact dividing borders across the states does nothing more than geographically reducing the state size and juggling with the rules of the old&new states. Noida for example,the closest Delhi NCR,has been facing dwindling issues over road transportation and electricity.

I belong to Dehradun,which was a part of UP,now the capital of newly formed Uttrakhand. Is Dehradun a developed town now?Ask the residents,do they feel they are better off than before?I don't think so.Common Man faces the same problems and lives the same kind of life.Then why draw lines for new states and make things difficult for the Survey of India to design new political maps frequently?

More the number of states,more the rules and hence more the number of pending cases.Coz the old cases under the old state rules will definitely not be applicable to new states..

So where is the development factor?

This was the first winning blog in indyarocks blog contest. Thanx to those who liked it!

My travel diary

My current job ,demands traveling out of Delhi often. Though I have frequented many places a number of times, there are two places which I long to visit again.

Recently I was on an official tour to Agra. Amid the busy schedule I found some time to enjoy and laze around .It became a nice holiday rather. Since I had seen Taj Mahal before, I asked my colleague to visit the massive Agra Fort. I had no idea how was it going to be, but I swear I was speechless the moment I entered it. The huge monument still stands tall with pride and sets a remarkable example of perfect ancient architecture. Be it the Deewan-e-khaas , Deewan-e- Aam , Jahangiri Mahal,Sheesh Mahal or the entry gates for the Army, I was mesmerized by the beauty of the fort comprising a blend of white marbles & red sand stones. My colleague agreed with me that ancient engineering has no equals and nobody can reproduce the magic with the same grace and perfection. Some portions of the fort are not accessible to the public, of course for security reasons .The portions which are open for all, are masterpiece of creations.

I am too fond of sweets. So I hogged Agra’s pethas. I was surprised to see a huge variety like Angoori petha, Chocolate petha, colorful petha and so on…..I had a feast with pethas and hot kachoris with finger licking “aaloo ki subzi ” 

My official tour to Amritsar happened to be my first visit to Punjab. Visiting Amritsar was a wonderful experience, even better than what I had heard and read. I wonder why is the Golden Temple not one of the Seven Wonders of the World? Left spellbound again by the lovely construction of the Gurudwara, I appreciate the efficient management which controls the crowd so well and keeps it running 24×7. The Gurudwara also called Sri Harmandir Sahib is home to the shelter less and treats all castes-religions with equal love and request. I was touched to see physically challenged people working and helping the temple management since they believe that seva to mankind is seva to God.

From Golden Temple we headed towards Wagah Border the same evening. The place was overcrowded much more than what I had expected. The sunset ceremony which takes place daily is a spectacular event which I witnessed that day. The tall BSF rangers from India proudly walked at the gate while the audience hooted and cheered enthusiastically. The black uniformed Pakistani Rangers were seen walking with the same pride and attitude. Post the 1947 partition, Wagah village, controversially lies half in Pakistan and half in India. Both the countries host colourful functions on their sides. The flags are lowered at sunset and the rangers confront each other after the gate opens. It was a wonderful sight to watch. With the loud thump of the rangers, my heart was pounding loudly. I was full of pride for the nation and for the Armed forces who have left no stone unturned to keep the country’s honour.

Not to forget the people in Punjab- cheerful, helpful and open hearted. I couldn’t digest the amount of butter I was served with each meal yet I loved the local food.(Can never forget Phirni, lassi, sweets and parantha). I felt so safe in the new place which I never felt in Delhi despite having spent 6 years here. Such was the lovely connection I made with Amritsar in mere 1 day and the memories will be cherished forever.

26/11- Race against time

26/11- The naked truth of Valor and Shame

Hemant Karkare, Chief of Mumbai ATS, Ashok Kamte, IPS officer Additional Commissioner of Police, and Vijay Salaskar , encounter specialist & Senior Police Inspector ,are the three most remembered names of the black Wednesday ,in the History of Indian terror attacks on Mumbai 26/11/08 who laid their lives for the country . Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Hawaldar Gajendra Singh were the brave hearts of the NSG force who set a remarkable example posthumous for the one who serve the nation. This is an ode to the brave soldiers and their families for the sacrifices and impeccable valor.

I pray for those who lost their lives in this cruel incident and wish for the well being of their families.26/11 marked a shameful day in the milestones of the Indian History which pointed the weakness and flaws in the Indian “System”. 26/11/09 will be the first anniversary of the same day and the trials are still going on despite the clear CCTV footages and hundreds of witnesses.

A handful of terrorists (10 in number) went on a rampage killing people ruthlessly at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident,the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe ,Cama Hospital, the Nariman House, the Metro Cinema,St. Xavier’s College. There was an explosion at Mazagaon, in Mumbai’s port area, and in a taxi at Vile Parle. The terrorists opened fire at the CST which claimed more than 50 people and left hundreds injured. It took Maharashtra Govt. more than 10 hours to communicate & bring in the NSG forces into Mumbai. By the time the commandoes took charge, most of the damage had been done.

Taj heritage hotel was damaged to a great extend including the main building burnt and the dome damaged. CST was vandalized. One bomb explosion took place at the Oberoi Trident and six at Taj. People inside Nariman House were tortured and murdered. Most of them were NRI’s. By 27/11 rest of the places in Mumbai were under control; however people were taken hostage inside The Taj and the killing game continued till 28/11.
The terrorists seemed to know the internal map of the Taj well hence taking advantage of their geographical position. Hostages were asked to switch off their cell phones and a number of them shot dead. Smoke, gunshots, blood, bullet marks, burnt buildings and crying faces was all which could be seen and heard as the aftermath of the D –Day.

My heart goes out to those who lost their precious lives. For those who were rescued or spared alive by the terrorists, their memories are still haunted by the horrendous day. The kilns of the deceased , shed tears silently even today, thinking of the bullets which hit them or the blasts which blew them alive.

People paid a heavy price with their lives, for the flaws which the Government had overlooked. The coastal areas are now under scrutiny since the terrorists had arrived from Karachi in a boat contacting their master planners continuously.

What had happened to the interception and Coastal Security then??
When the fishermen who raised an alarm, informed the police while the gunmen arrived, the police turned a deaf ear to the suspicions. An immediate action could have saved Mumbai that day.
Was the most alert Police team sleeping?
Hemant Karkare lost his life since he was not given a bullet proof jacket. He was shot dead on the spot.
Why wasn’t he facilitated with this amenity?

When the situation was out of control and needed to be given to NSG forces, it took 10 long hours for them to arrive from Delhi to Mumbai. It was here realized that NSG hub should be set up in major cities too.
The CCTV footage clearly showed the faces of Terror. Among them Ajmal Kasb was the only one caught alive. Shamefully, even Pakistan denied his Pakistani nationality. What has been the Government been waiting for? Long after Pakistan accepted the claims of his Pakistani Origin, our Indian Government is still in the process of winding up the trials!! The Taj and Oberoi are sill under repair constructions and NSG hubs have been setup since then in other major cities including Bangalore & Kolkata. Politicians were condemned for the blame game they passed on instead of ensuring the safety and well being of the sufferers and survivors. Lives lost cannot be brought back however we can make an effort to build this country a better place to live in.

MNS chiefs- hope you understand. There are better things to cope up with than taking a so called stand for Marathi Culture. An infant doesn’t arrive with a culture tag n this world. It’s we who teach him. Our prime culture should be to speak up for the common man and not make his life misery. Its our responsibility to see weather the authorities stick to their promises or not. In action of the inability to do so, we may use the democratic power to resolve the issue.

26/11 will remain a scar in the face of India and the politicians. Lessons learnt should help in future to combat terrorism.

Nov 24,2009

Freshers stuck in recession

Amidst the gloomy situation for the whole economy where organizations are sacking their employees and filing for bankrrupcy,the Soon to pass out MBA,engineerS,graduates etc are also spending sleepless nights.
My friend Swati hu was known for her chubby and smiling face has lost that smile!we seldom see her smiling and is always worrying about her placement.

Gaurav, a bright fellow student from the IT stream says, he abruptly wakes up from his sleep with a pounding heart thinking about the bleak placement scenario.

Our placement officer has allegedly reported that there has been a 50% drop in the number of organizations approaching the institute for placements.Certainly ,the students are not left with much choice and hence, each day, almost all the students can be seen flocking to the placement cell of our college.
Anticipating the acute shortage in jobs, students don't want to lose any chance of job and they appear for all the interviews irrespective of their chosen fields.

DOES RECESSION MEAN ONE SHUD ACCEPT ANY OFFER THAT COMES their WAY? IS THIS THE WAY ONE SHUD START THEIR CAREER?
HAS BRAND NAME TAKEN A BACK SEAT?
SHUD STUDENTS STARNGULATE THEIR DREAMS?

Well, even I was in a dilemma a couple of days back when i was offered a job in an ad agency. I couldnt come at a consensus with my myself.

But i made up my mind soon and consoled myself with something which i wanna share with all -
Recent reports show that recession wont last for a very long time.So be positive and keep ur cool.Use this time gap to groom urself and acquire new skills/ knowledge to be prepared for challenges and global acceptance.Trust me, post this tuf time when organizations would start rehiring, u will have an edge over others.
Companies which are sacking employees with fat pay packages are hiring at the same time for comparitively low pay scales.Employment scenario in India is less hit in India as compared to the U.S. So guys we have a fair chance…cheer up!