Is extremely important of course in all walks of life, in cricket ...
It so happens it is also important in your daily Tekdi visit.
Of course, Tekdi is a hot topic in the blogosphere of Pune bloggers courtesy this post by Gaurav (see here and here) and hence thought I might as well add my two-pence to it.
Yesterday I started climbing at 6 and it was a touch too late. For while returning it gets a bit dark and lonely.
Today I started at 5.20 and it was a bit too early !! Because the crowds really don't start pouring in that early and the Tekdi is resultantly much less romantic, devoid of life. Of course a bit too sunny too.
So you see, tomorrow I think I should look to start at around 5.40 ...
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Ubuntu - Humanity To Others
Check this out.
Linux for Human Beings it seems. In African other than the above mentioned title it also means "I am what I am because of who we all are".
'The Ubuntu Linux distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world.' according to their website.
My good friend Pavgi will no doubt be already onto it.
Interesting ...
Originally found via slashdot.
Linux for Human Beings it seems. In African other than the above mentioned title it also means "I am what I am because of who we all are".
'The Ubuntu Linux distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world.' according to their website.
My good friend Pavgi will no doubt be already onto it.
Interesting ...
Originally found via slashdot.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
US Open Men's Final 2005
What a grand final ! After the rather tame affair on the women's side, this was certainly a final worth waking up late at night to see. First of all, Agassi's march to the final was extremely creditable. Agreed, he got a "relatively" simple draw and I say that because he is after all 35 and was playing people 10 years younger most of the while. He beat Blake in a classic who himself had played gorgeous tennis to beat the red-hot Nadal and then Ginepri who had ousted Roddick's conqueror and had done really well leading up to the US Open.
And in the final, right up until the third set tie-break, it genuinely seemed that a "match" was on, unlike say when Hewitt played Federer when it looked like he was playing just for honour and the result a foregone conclusion. For some time now, Federer must have been thinking that it was about time somebody stepped up to him (according to one of the commentators) and Agassi did so in spectacular style. Looking at the way Agassi played in the earlier rounds, it seemed that he would be thrashed by Federer - he only barely managed to get past Blake, Malisse and Ginepri in 5 sets. But today against a champion he realised he had to lift his game and did so quite magnificently. It was indeed sad that he should come out second in the end - after all, this could well be his last realistic chance at a Grand Slam title.
But there is no shame and indeed nothing to feel to bad about to lose to a champion like Federer. Not only is he probably the greatest ever tennis player to have walked this Earth, he is also such a wonderful human being. At the end of the match Agassi said so in precisely these words. And Federer paid homage to the senior pro and the champion of a generation when he said that this was his biggest career final (no disrespect to the Phillippousises, Safins, Roddicks and Hewitts although after this performance by Agassi one wonders whether they are really any good capitulating so easily to the Master) and in a touching gesture hoped that Andre kept on playing so that they could have many more great matches.
Also, it was wonderful to see Steffi Graf and the two kids at the matches. Looking forward to the day when Andre and Steffi are in the stands cheering their kids !!
And in the final, right up until the third set tie-break, it genuinely seemed that a "match" was on, unlike say when Hewitt played Federer when it looked like he was playing just for honour and the result a foregone conclusion. For some time now, Federer must have been thinking that it was about time somebody stepped up to him (according to one of the commentators) and Agassi did so in spectacular style. Looking at the way Agassi played in the earlier rounds, it seemed that he would be thrashed by Federer - he only barely managed to get past Blake, Malisse and Ginepri in 5 sets. But today against a champion he realised he had to lift his game and did so quite magnificently. It was indeed sad that he should come out second in the end - after all, this could well be his last realistic chance at a Grand Slam title.
But there is no shame and indeed nothing to feel to bad about to lose to a champion like Federer. Not only is he probably the greatest ever tennis player to have walked this Earth, he is also such a wonderful human being. At the end of the match Agassi said so in precisely these words. And Federer paid homage to the senior pro and the champion of a generation when he said that this was his biggest career final (no disrespect to the Phillippousises, Safins, Roddicks and Hewitts although after this performance by Agassi one wonders whether they are really any good capitulating so easily to the Master) and in a touching gesture hoped that Andre kept on playing so that they could have many more great matches.
Also, it was wonderful to see Steffi Graf and the two kids at the matches. Looking forward to the day when Andre and Steffi are in the stands cheering their kids !!
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Clijsters v Pierce In US Open Final
I have this weird tendency to find patterns in the weirdest of things. Quite often, in cricket and tennis - my favourite sports. Take this one for instance. In 2005, Lindsay Davenport made it to the finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, losing both, one to Serena Williams, the other to Venus. Mary Pierce made it to the finals of the French Open and was destroyed by the Belgian Justine Henin Hardenne. Now she makes it to the finals here and takes on another Belgian. What are the odds then of Clijsters breezing to her first and long overdue Grand Slam title ? To make the analogy stronger, both Pierce and Davenport are veterans on their last legs in professional tennis.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Ganpati Bappa Moraya
On the auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi, Namaskar. The enthusiasm of the youngsters in organizing the society Ganpati celebrations brought back nostalgic memories of those good old days in Rajdoot, the place I used to live as a lad. The last 2 years when I was overseas, I had kind of missed this excitement. Of course we had Ganpati celebrations at a few of my friends' place but the atmosphere here is totally different. There are programs like dramas, dance and music at night and it is just wonderful.
Which brings me to another important social issue. For what is Ganeshotsav if not a celebration of the society ? It so happens that this year, all our evening programs start at 8 pm. Which means that people like my father won't be able to enjoy most of these. Why is it so ? Because it has been ruled that the use of loudspeakers will not be allowed beyond 10 pm.
I find this really very disturbing. I am all for allowing people their privacy and peace. I do not support the blaring use of loudspeakers at night that ruins the lives of those all around. But if you are not allowed open-air theatres beyond 10 pm at night nor the use of light-and-sound of Ganpati, you are really destroying the soul of the whole festival. It is an occasion for families to get out and roam the streets of Pune late into the night watching the various decorated Ganpatis. If all is going to be shut at 10 pm, how do you expect someone who works hard till say 9 o clock return home and take his family out to enjoy the festivities ??
I think this is a problem of rigidity, adamancy and stubbornness alongwith a lack of will and organization. One must make exceptions for cases like these. Of course, you might argue that it would be unfair on others who might want exceptions on occasions of say Id, Christmas etc (hypothetically). Sure, if so is the case, I have no problems in granting them the exceptions as well. The issue is that this is what the people want. It is not something for 1 particular individual. After all, since our legislators represent us, they should make the exceptions in the law and I do not quite blame the courts as much as I blame them.
Another arguement is that Ganpati is a phenomenon restricted to the people of Maharashtra, more particularly those of Mumbai and even more than Mumbai, Pune. The ban on use of loudspeakers is nationwide and is overseen by the Supreme Court. What do the politicians in Delhi care of what we want here locally ?? To hell with this rubbish, I say ! I think we should fight for greater autonomy. Such decisions which are not of national importance should definitely be made at state level, if not even lower. In the United States, every city has the autonomy to decide on use of fireworks and the like. If you do not allow each city to retain its soul, its character what is to happen to the great Indian ideal of "Unity in Diversity" ? How is the diversity going to be sustained ? Isn't this akin to the BJP's dangerous proposal of a Uniform Civil Code ? We should take care that we do not destroy the diversity of this country in strengthening the unity.
Already, great traditional cultural activities in Pune like the Sawai Gandharva have had to bear the brunt of this draconian rule. I would like the PMC to file a PIL against this and this should come now for next year. Not five days before. I would also like people to undertake civil disobedience and court arrest. Of course, I doubt any of this is going to happen. We are like this only. Aren't we ?
Update: In lieu of the the restrictions on the loudspeakers, the leading Ganpati mandals decided to initiate action. The 5 Manache Ganpati decided to observe an hour of silence for one hour as a mark of protest. The newspapers too were filled with stories of the death-like silence that had marred this year's celebrations. It looked likely that some sort of action would follow. However the next day a poll in the newspaper showed that in fact over 70% of the people were happy with the embargo on loudspeakers and did not support the Ganesh Mandal's protests. This was an eye-opener for me. Truly, the residents of Laxmi Road and downtown Pune must have been relieved and happy at being able to live in peace and silence. What still needs to be addressed however is the issue of the blanket ban. True, a loud-speaker blaring out stuff like "Dhoom Machale Dhoom" and "Kajara re" for hours late at night is definitely a pest and should be an absolute no-no. On the other hand, a loudspeaker that is narrating a story about some scene or is used for open air theatre should be allowed to function ?!?! The issue is one of discrimination. We are very good at discrimination in general. We have reservations in colleges, in the Parliament, in the Government jobs and now are planning to extend it to the private sector. Why then do we refuse to discriminate here ?
Which brings me to another important social issue. For what is Ganeshotsav if not a celebration of the society ? It so happens that this year, all our evening programs start at 8 pm. Which means that people like my father won't be able to enjoy most of these. Why is it so ? Because it has been ruled that the use of loudspeakers will not be allowed beyond 10 pm.
I find this really very disturbing. I am all for allowing people their privacy and peace. I do not support the blaring use of loudspeakers at night that ruins the lives of those all around. But if you are not allowed open-air theatres beyond 10 pm at night nor the use of light-and-sound of Ganpati, you are really destroying the soul of the whole festival. It is an occasion for families to get out and roam the streets of Pune late into the night watching the various decorated Ganpatis. If all is going to be shut at 10 pm, how do you expect someone who works hard till say 9 o clock return home and take his family out to enjoy the festivities ??
I think this is a problem of rigidity, adamancy and stubbornness alongwith a lack of will and organization. One must make exceptions for cases like these. Of course, you might argue that it would be unfair on others who might want exceptions on occasions of say Id, Christmas etc (hypothetically). Sure, if so is the case, I have no problems in granting them the exceptions as well. The issue is that this is what the people want. It is not something for 1 particular individual. After all, since our legislators represent us, they should make the exceptions in the law and I do not quite blame the courts as much as I blame them.
Another arguement is that Ganpati is a phenomenon restricted to the people of Maharashtra, more particularly those of Mumbai and even more than Mumbai, Pune. The ban on use of loudspeakers is nationwide and is overseen by the Supreme Court. What do the politicians in Delhi care of what we want here locally ?? To hell with this rubbish, I say ! I think we should fight for greater autonomy. Such decisions which are not of national importance should definitely be made at state level, if not even lower. In the United States, every city has the autonomy to decide on use of fireworks and the like. If you do not allow each city to retain its soul, its character what is to happen to the great Indian ideal of "Unity in Diversity" ? How is the diversity going to be sustained ? Isn't this akin to the BJP's dangerous proposal of a Uniform Civil Code ? We should take care that we do not destroy the diversity of this country in strengthening the unity.
Already, great traditional cultural activities in Pune like the Sawai Gandharva have had to bear the brunt of this draconian rule. I would like the PMC to file a PIL against this and this should come now for next year. Not five days before. I would also like people to undertake civil disobedience and court arrest. Of course, I doubt any of this is going to happen. We are like this only. Aren't we ?
Update: In lieu of the the restrictions on the loudspeakers, the leading Ganpati mandals decided to initiate action. The 5 Manache Ganpati decided to observe an hour of silence for one hour as a mark of protest. The newspapers too were filled with stories of the death-like silence that had marred this year's celebrations. It looked likely that some sort of action would follow. However the next day a poll in the newspaper showed that in fact over 70% of the people were happy with the embargo on loudspeakers and did not support the Ganesh Mandal's protests. This was an eye-opener for me. Truly, the residents of Laxmi Road and downtown Pune must have been relieved and happy at being able to live in peace and silence. What still needs to be addressed however is the issue of the blanket ban. True, a loud-speaker blaring out stuff like "Dhoom Machale Dhoom" and "Kajara re" for hours late at night is definitely a pest and should be an absolute no-no. On the other hand, a loudspeaker that is narrating a story about some scene or is used for open air theatre should be allowed to function ?!?! The issue is one of discrimination. We are very good at discrimination in general. We have reservations in colleges, in the Parliament, in the Government jobs and now are planning to extend it to the private sector. Why then do we refuse to discriminate here ?
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Pune Traffic
This morning I was a victim of the notorious Pune traffic system. No, don't worry - I did not face a near-death experience. "Earree !! Mag kay ??" I know several of you will rebuke me for making such a big deal. If it is not near-death, it is not worth fretting about, is it ?? An hour's delay here and there is something to be expected, is it not ? Well, what if I then tell you that my delay didn't really last for an hour but about ten minutes ?? Well, I can already hear the "pch pch" es from all of you - What a cry-baby I am ! Ain't I ??
So be it. I will lodge my complaint anyway. This morning I was walking to the nearby grocer (kiranamalacha dukaan), Umesh to get some milk. Those who are aware of the geography of the region will agree that walking out of the back gate of Himali Society via the narrow lane that opens into Lakshminarayan Nagar on the left, it should take an average walker no more than five minuted to get to Umesh. Allowing for two minutes ito get the milk (he is very efficent, that man), the complete excursion should not take more than 12 minutes. Of course, only if you do not take into account the delay caused by the infinite time required to cross the Gulawni Maharaj Road. So it happened that today it took me about 20 minutes to complete the above mission.
To look to your right and see an ocean of cars and two-wheelers like Ganpatis in the Anant Chaturdashi procession is quite overwhelming. I waited for ten minutes (well maybe seven to eight, but what the hell) patiently looking for an opening. Again, I can hear you chiding me for following the wrong strategy and then bickering. "This is not the way it works in Pune, is it ?? You have to keep moving forward regardless of the flow and through the chaos will emerge a strange kind of order and you will reach your destination safely 99% of the time, isn't it ??" Well, call me American-minded (since I have just returned after staying there for two years) for expecting a sense of discipline and method if you like. I am sorry, when it comes to such things where I feel the American way is right, I will not desist from saying so. I expect some sense of decorum. I expect that while the traffic is in flow, the pedestrians should stop and the vehicles return the favour in due course of time.
It is not that I just want to bicker and preach. I want to practically try to analyse the situation and make suggestions to improve it. One, the difficulty mainly arises with the traffic that is moving towards Mhatre Bridge, not away from it. This can quite clearly be attributed to the existence of the signal just after Mhatre Bridge at the ... Chowk. (Note to self: Find out the name of this chowk, too) which regulates the flow of traffic allowing periods of calm for the pedestrians to cross. Now, there exists a signal at the other end too - near Kirloskar Cummins - (Note to self: Find out the name of this chowk also) which clearly isn't functional. At least, it was not this morning and based on the experiences of many people's complaints and resultant reluctance to cross this road, does not for a major part of the time. It is imperative that this should be looked into. There should be no excuse for a signal not functioning at all. People not obeying it is a secondary matter. Otherwise there is no way we can break out of this vicious circle - vehicles not bothering to stop to allow pedestrians to cross and pedestrians pushing their way through. As I said that it will work 99% of the time is no justification. Last week an old woman was killed in front of Vishrambaug Wada doing just this. The papers were quick to castigate the "reckless vehicle drivers" but can they really be blamed if people are pushing their way through heavy traffic ?? The next day, another paper carried a piece lambasting these "careless and irresponsible pedestrians" - but pray what are they supposed to do ?? Wait for an eternity to find some breathing space ?? Clearly the answer does not lie in blaming either. The time must be fairly divided to allow both proper use. After the Vishrambaug Wada incident, the city police were shaken into action - and the idea of using a rope at the signal at Alka is certainly a welcome one. But at other places like this one too, signals must be strictly enforced.
Now let us look at the context. Umesh is a pretty well-known and significant trader and has several customers in the region, particularly in Himali. There are a lot of senior citizens living in Himali and while most are fairly well-to-do, not all have servants who can deliver their groceries home. Even though Umesh provides for home deliveries when purchases are made in bulk, there are occasions where people will want the odd item like I did this morning or where they will just feel like walking to the grocers. This number will soon grow when more people move in into the newly built Sankul. Already there is a lot of traffic flowing in and out of Dinanath Hospital - access to which from either side is not easy to put it mildly. In such a scenario it would not be unjustifiable to demand for a signal in the Chowk of Umesh itself. At least, the authorities should make sure that the existing signals are functioning properly.
It is said "Charity begins at Home." I think we need to start taking an interest and resolving local issues like these. There is no question Pune is growing fast. But it is growing in a wild, indisciplined manner. We need to make sure that it remains a decent place to live in. We need to follow the examples of Bangalore (BATF) and Kozhikode (the first litter-free city in India). I wonder if there is any group of bloggers interested in making Pune a better place and are working for that - I would be keen to join - similar to the effort 'Mumbai Help' by some Mumbai bloggers. While Pune has been lucky that it has suffered much less than Mumbai with regards to natural and man-made disasters, it is severely lacking in other respects such as traffic and discipline.
I admit I don't really know how to go about trying to make a difference by myself. I know I should and I probably will communicate this to the authorities, newspapers etc but we all know for any change to happen, people in large numbers need to come out and voice their opinion. I am not the best at organizing people to do that. Hence I am making use of this blog to communicate with similar-thinking people who are interested in bringing about a change. Let us hope we can make a difference.
Update: I did check the signal later in the evening and while it was working, it is run in such a manner that it gives the pedestrians negligible time to cross. Really, it should be better regulated.
So be it. I will lodge my complaint anyway. This morning I was walking to the nearby grocer (kiranamalacha dukaan), Umesh to get some milk. Those who are aware of the geography of the region will agree that walking out of the back gate of Himali Society via the narrow lane that opens into Lakshminarayan Nagar on the left, it should take an average walker no more than five minuted to get to Umesh. Allowing for two minutes ito get the milk (he is very efficent, that man), the complete excursion should not take more than 12 minutes. Of course, only if you do not take into account the delay caused by the infinite time required to cross the Gulawni Maharaj Road. So it happened that today it took me about 20 minutes to complete the above mission.
To look to your right and see an ocean of cars and two-wheelers like Ganpatis in the Anant Chaturdashi procession is quite overwhelming. I waited for ten minutes (well maybe seven to eight, but what the hell) patiently looking for an opening. Again, I can hear you chiding me for following the wrong strategy and then bickering. "This is not the way it works in Pune, is it ?? You have to keep moving forward regardless of the flow and through the chaos will emerge a strange kind of order and you will reach your destination safely 99% of the time, isn't it ??" Well, call me American-minded (since I have just returned after staying there for two years) for expecting a sense of discipline and method if you like. I am sorry, when it comes to such things where I feel the American way is right, I will not desist from saying so. I expect some sense of decorum. I expect that while the traffic is in flow, the pedestrians should stop and the vehicles return the favour in due course of time.
It is not that I just want to bicker and preach. I want to practically try to analyse the situation and make suggestions to improve it. One, the difficulty mainly arises with the traffic that is moving towards Mhatre Bridge, not away from it. This can quite clearly be attributed to the existence of the signal just after Mhatre Bridge at the ... Chowk. (Note to self: Find out the name of this chowk, too) which regulates the flow of traffic allowing periods of calm for the pedestrians to cross. Now, there exists a signal at the other end too - near Kirloskar Cummins - (Note to self: Find out the name of this chowk also) which clearly isn't functional. At least, it was not this morning and based on the experiences of many people's complaints and resultant reluctance to cross this road, does not for a major part of the time. It is imperative that this should be looked into. There should be no excuse for a signal not functioning at all. People not obeying it is a secondary matter. Otherwise there is no way we can break out of this vicious circle - vehicles not bothering to stop to allow pedestrians to cross and pedestrians pushing their way through. As I said that it will work 99% of the time is no justification. Last week an old woman was killed in front of Vishrambaug Wada doing just this. The papers were quick to castigate the "reckless vehicle drivers" but can they really be blamed if people are pushing their way through heavy traffic ?? The next day, another paper carried a piece lambasting these "careless and irresponsible pedestrians" - but pray what are they supposed to do ?? Wait for an eternity to find some breathing space ?? Clearly the answer does not lie in blaming either. The time must be fairly divided to allow both proper use. After the Vishrambaug Wada incident, the city police were shaken into action - and the idea of using a rope at the signal at Alka is certainly a welcome one. But at other places like this one too, signals must be strictly enforced.
Now let us look at the context. Umesh is a pretty well-known and significant trader and has several customers in the region, particularly in Himali. There are a lot of senior citizens living in Himali and while most are fairly well-to-do, not all have servants who can deliver their groceries home. Even though Umesh provides for home deliveries when purchases are made in bulk, there are occasions where people will want the odd item like I did this morning or where they will just feel like walking to the grocers. This number will soon grow when more people move in into the newly built Sankul. Already there is a lot of traffic flowing in and out of Dinanath Hospital - access to which from either side is not easy to put it mildly. In such a scenario it would not be unjustifiable to demand for a signal in the Chowk of Umesh itself. At least, the authorities should make sure that the existing signals are functioning properly.
It is said "Charity begins at Home." I think we need to start taking an interest and resolving local issues like these. There is no question Pune is growing fast. But it is growing in a wild, indisciplined manner. We need to make sure that it remains a decent place to live in. We need to follow the examples of Bangalore (BATF) and Kozhikode (the first litter-free city in India). I wonder if there is any group of bloggers interested in making Pune a better place and are working for that - I would be keen to join - similar to the effort 'Mumbai Help' by some Mumbai bloggers. While Pune has been lucky that it has suffered much less than Mumbai with regards to natural and man-made disasters, it is severely lacking in other respects such as traffic and discipline.
I admit I don't really know how to go about trying to make a difference by myself. I know I should and I probably will communicate this to the authorities, newspapers etc but we all know for any change to happen, people in large numbers need to come out and voice their opinion. I am not the best at organizing people to do that. Hence I am making use of this blog to communicate with similar-thinking people who are interested in bringing about a change. Let us hope we can make a difference.
Update: I did check the signal later in the evening and while it was working, it is run in such a manner that it gives the pedestrians negligible time to cross. Really, it should be better regulated.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Weird Windows XP
Over the past few days, I was facing peculiar problems browsing the Internet via my new HP Notebook. Peculiar because several sites like Blogger, Cricinfo, Yahoo Mail refused to load at various times. And did load on other occasions. Every time it seemed it was some site or the other that caused problems and I could find no underlying pattern. All this while MSN and Yahoo Messengers performed to perfection.
I tried the usual fixes. Went through two vain attempts of troubleshooting the problem. My brother had already disabled the firewalls so I was sure that that was not what was causing the problems. When I looked up on the Internet today, someone suggested that I should check Internet Explorer in the Exceptions to Windows Firewall List. Though it should not have made a difference, the firewall already being disabled, I went ahead and did it anyway. Lo and behold, here I am comfortably able to access all the above mentioned sites and writing to you all via one of them !!
Really weird. I wonder if this is just another manifestation of random behavior of software in general or Windows XP in particular and if in ten hours' time Im frustrated by the same old problems again. Or is this really a bug in Windows XP ?? My friends in Microsoft, care to help me out ??
I tried the usual fixes. Went through two vain attempts of troubleshooting the problem. My brother had already disabled the firewalls so I was sure that that was not what was causing the problems. When I looked up on the Internet today, someone suggested that I should check Internet Explorer in the Exceptions to Windows Firewall List. Though it should not have made a difference, the firewall already being disabled, I went ahead and did it anyway. Lo and behold, here I am comfortably able to access all the above mentioned sites and writing to you all via one of them !!
Really weird. I wonder if this is just another manifestation of random behavior of software in general or Windows XP in particular and if in ten hours' time Im frustrated by the same old problems again. Or is this really a bug in Windows XP ?? My friends in Microsoft, care to help me out ??
Friday, July 29, 2005
Of Hope ...
Have been reading reports of the terrible tragedy Mumbai suffered - all over the electronic media and in the blogosphere. Sitting here 5000 miles away it is difficult to completely grasp the gravity of the situation but even if I was in closeby Pune which was completely unaffected I'm sure it would have made no difference. Once again the spirit of Mumbai and the Mumbaikar has shone through and the city is slowly (or maybe prettty quickly) returning to normal. On this occasion, I remember and find it apt to quote a poem by the Late Harivanshray Bachchan that I studied while in high school:
Need Ka Nirman Phir Phir, Neh Ka Ahvan Phir Phir
Yeh Uthee Aandhi Ki Nabh Mein Chha Gaya Sahasa Andhera
Dhooli Dhoosar Badalon Ne Bhoomi Ko Is Bhaanti Ghera
Raat Sa Din Ho Gaya Phir Raat Aayee Aur Kali
Lag Raha Tha Ab Na Hoga Is Nisha Ka Phir Savera
Raat Ke Utpaat Bhay Se Bheet Jan Jan Bheet Kan Kan
Kintu Prachi Se Usha Ki Mohini Muskaan Phir Phir
Need Ka Nirman Phir Phir, Neh Ka Ahvan Phir Phir
Yeh Uthee Aandhi Ki Nabh Mein Chha Gaya Sahasa Andhera
Dhooli Dhoosar Badalon Ne Bhoomi Ko Is Bhaanti Ghera
Raat Sa Din Ho Gaya Phir Raat Aayee Aur Kali
Lag Raha Tha Ab Na Hoga Is Nisha Ka Phir Savera
Raat Ke Utpaat Bhay Se Bheet Jan Jan Bheet Kan Kan
Kintu Prachi Se Usha Ki Mohini Muskaan Phir Phir
Friday, July 22, 2005
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Parineeta
Overall an excellent movie. Parineeta means "The Married Woman" - a fact I discovered only during the movie. Kind of helped me appreciate it all the more. The story albeit simple is a pretty well-acclaimed classic but where the director Pradeep Sarkar scores is in its sensitive yet well-paced handling. Nowhere (except at the fag-end ... "Tod Shekhar Tod" ...) can you sense a trivialisation of issues (unlike Munnabhai MBBS, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's previous work); at the same time your patience is not tested by ultra-sentimental and hyper-emotional scenes.
I will not dwell too much on the story here, but just briefly describe what I appreciated the most. Lolita (Vidya Balan) is the central character - the married woman, the Parineeta. Her lifelong love is Shekhar (Saif) - a love while strong and pure, is unexpressed in words and almost taken for granted to the point where it is never acknowledged until the arrival of a third angle Girish (Sanjay Dutt). In one moment of realization, unknown to the rest of the word Shekhar makes Lolita his Parineeta. But things take a turn, Shekhar is convinced that Lolita has given in to circumstances (which I wont describe here) and decided to wed Girish. He condemns her and decides to move on with life and get married. On the day of his wedding Girish arrives to finally let him know that Lolita had in fact refused to marry him(Girish) because she has already accepted Shekhar as her husband. What happens next is obvious (even trivial). But herein lies the essence of the story.
The strengths of the movie are many, primarily the direction - the portrayal of the 1950s Kolkata is immaculate. While the obvious indicators are minimal - the Victoria Memorial, the Hooghly Bridge and the Goddess Durga make only momentary appearances; it is in the other minute details - the characterization and the picturisation that the director has been able to bring out the true spirit of Kolkata - a tribute to him and the entire cast.
The songs while stopping short of being great are very very good. "Piyu bole" is melodious and hummable while "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani" is truly enjoyable - Rekha is amazing.
Finally, the starcast. Saif delivers another extraordinary performance. While I believe his role in Hum Tum though good was not worth a National Award there is no doubt that Saif's star is on the rise and since 2001 he has been the biggest hit in Bollywood consistently. He portrays the rich, young Bengali babu perfectly but the movie in the truest sense belongs to the Parineeta - the beautiful and hugely talented Vidya Balan. She has literally walked into a very demanding role with utmost ease. Nowhere do you find her making an effort - she looks most natural. Sanjay Dutt is good only in parts and probably looks a tad too old for the role. The support cast is excellent.
In the end, a comparison with Devdas is inevitable - both being Sarat Chandra's novels. Parineeta in my view scores hands down over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus. While the main reason is that Parineeta is simply a much better and positive story, the relatively light-weight starcast has also been a plus-factor. Devdas it seemed was made to showcase Aishwarya, Madhuri and Shahrukh and was resultantly much too elaborate even gaudy. In Parineeta the actors fit into the characters so smoothly to result into an almost perfectly underplayed product.
I will not dwell too much on the story here, but just briefly describe what I appreciated the most. Lolita (Vidya Balan) is the central character - the married woman, the Parineeta. Her lifelong love is Shekhar (Saif) - a love while strong and pure, is unexpressed in words and almost taken for granted to the point where it is never acknowledged until the arrival of a third angle Girish (Sanjay Dutt). In one moment of realization, unknown to the rest of the word Shekhar makes Lolita his Parineeta. But things take a turn, Shekhar is convinced that Lolita has given in to circumstances (which I wont describe here) and decided to wed Girish. He condemns her and decides to move on with life and get married. On the day of his wedding Girish arrives to finally let him know that Lolita had in fact refused to marry him(Girish) because she has already accepted Shekhar as her husband. What happens next is obvious (even trivial). But herein lies the essence of the story.
The strengths of the movie are many, primarily the direction - the portrayal of the 1950s Kolkata is immaculate. While the obvious indicators are minimal - the Victoria Memorial, the Hooghly Bridge and the Goddess Durga make only momentary appearances; it is in the other minute details - the characterization and the picturisation that the director has been able to bring out the true spirit of Kolkata - a tribute to him and the entire cast.
The songs while stopping short of being great are very very good. "Piyu bole" is melodious and hummable while "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani" is truly enjoyable - Rekha is amazing.
Finally, the starcast. Saif delivers another extraordinary performance. While I believe his role in Hum Tum though good was not worth a National Award there is no doubt that Saif's star is on the rise and since 2001 he has been the biggest hit in Bollywood consistently. He portrays the rich, young Bengali babu perfectly but the movie in the truest sense belongs to the Parineeta - the beautiful and hugely talented Vidya Balan. She has literally walked into a very demanding role with utmost ease. Nowhere do you find her making an effort - she looks most natural. Sanjay Dutt is good only in parts and probably looks a tad too old for the role. The support cast is excellent.
In the end, a comparison with Devdas is inevitable - both being Sarat Chandra's novels. Parineeta in my view scores hands down over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus. While the main reason is that Parineeta is simply a much better and positive story, the relatively light-weight starcast has also been a plus-factor. Devdas it seemed was made to showcase Aishwarya, Madhuri and Shahrukh and was resultantly much too elaborate even gaudy. In Parineeta the actors fit into the characters so smoothly to result into an almost perfectly underplayed product.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Wimbledon
Very enthralling match - the Women's final - 2 veteran Americans, Venus and Lindsay producing some marvellous tennis to give us one of the best women's finals in recent memory- particularly after the farce at Roland Garros ... and last year's mismatch between Serena and Sharapova. This is the real stuff ... reminiscent of some of the great finals that the Williams sisters played in the 2002-03 period ... Still anybody's game at a set-all and on serve in the third ...
Lindsay got off to a great start ... though Venus fought back she took the first set and had a chance to serve out the match but Venus fought back with seven straight points and I was happy then because I want to see a longer match ... but now I think I'm supporting Lindsay again ... because she is the older player and this could very well be her last realistic shot at Wimbledon ... probably at any major .. Come to think of it she could be the oldest player to win since Martina Navratilova in 1990 !!
Update: Venus in trouble on her serve ... is the end near ??
10:56 am Central Time Venus broken but breaks right back !!! Great game continues ... We could be here for a while
11:00 am Central Time Sad !! Lindsay has an injury and has to take time-out !! Just when she was almost 5-2 up in the final set ... we are back on serve still ... and this could still go wither way after the break ... Venus looking remarkably and unusually calm and composed ... gotta say she is the favorite from now on ...
11:06 am Central Time Lindsay is back and fighting but Venus appears much the superior player now .... Great pity if the match is decided due to injury ... as it looks like 4-4 now ... taking away nothing from Venus though ... great match
11:10 am Central Time A great point a couple of errors ... Lindsay is back on top ... this match never ceases to surprise ... one game away from a hugely-deserved win ... can't help feeling it is going to be Venus's superior physical ability vs Lindsay's will-power now ... after all she surely wants this MUCH more desperately than Venus at the age of 29 ... in close situations like these it is often the one who is mentally stronger that wins ... could be Lindsay's game after all ... Venus exploiting Lindsay's injury going for her body all the time ... still too close to call Venus at 4-5, 30-15
11:14 am Central Time Lindsay has match point and Venus saves it ... no nerves there !!
11:16 am Central Time 5-5 and this could well go on to be a classic in the mold of the Graf-Sanchez match of 1995
11:25 am Central Time Again Lindsay has a chance on the Venus serve at Deuce ... every point is crucial from now on in ... and nervous times for the server !! Thats the way to beat it ... hit an ace !! Only Williams third of the match
11:27 am Central Time It is 6-6, no one letting down ... this is now the longest ladies final in Wimbledon history
11:29 am Central Time (Time zone implicitly assumed now): We are likely to go on and on here ... Lindsay leading 7-6 and for the first time Venus looking a bit ruffled ... vow ... really difficult to bet on this one now ... thought Im tending towards Lindsay ... gut feeling ... and even difficult to predict what the final score will be
11:33 What a dejavu !! Again Lindsay had 15-30 on the Venus serve and after a mesmerising power-filled rally it is 7-7
11:38 It seemed like that rally would be decisive - so it might be !! Venus having the better of some great power rallies - and though Lindsay fights Venus now has the break ... but this has been tennis of the highest class - especially the last set and in particular the last 2 games ... this is the longest third set in the history of the Championships
11:42 All over ?? Now Venus with 3 match-points !!
11:44 Indeed it is all over !! Venus Williams 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 in a classic final and a most magnificent comeback performance against a valiant 29-year old lady ... Really no losers in this one !!
With 3 Wimbledon titles now, Venus can have some legitimate claim to consider herself above the plethora of one-time (or 2-time) winners ... and hope to get closer to the levels of champions such as Steffi Graf and Martina Navaratilova
Lindsay got off to a great start ... though Venus fought back she took the first set and had a chance to serve out the match but Venus fought back with seven straight points and I was happy then because I want to see a longer match ... but now I think I'm supporting Lindsay again ... because she is the older player and this could very well be her last realistic shot at Wimbledon ... probably at any major .. Come to think of it she could be the oldest player to win since Martina Navratilova in 1990 !!
Update: Venus in trouble on her serve ... is the end near ??
10:56 am Central Time Venus broken but breaks right back !!! Great game continues ... We could be here for a while
11:00 am Central Time Sad !! Lindsay has an injury and has to take time-out !! Just when she was almost 5-2 up in the final set ... we are back on serve still ... and this could still go wither way after the break ... Venus looking remarkably and unusually calm and composed ... gotta say she is the favorite from now on ...
11:06 am Central Time Lindsay is back and fighting but Venus appears much the superior player now .... Great pity if the match is decided due to injury ... as it looks like 4-4 now ... taking away nothing from Venus though ... great match
11:10 am Central Time A great point a couple of errors ... Lindsay is back on top ... this match never ceases to surprise ... one game away from a hugely-deserved win ... can't help feeling it is going to be Venus's superior physical ability vs Lindsay's will-power now ... after all she surely wants this MUCH more desperately than Venus at the age of 29 ... in close situations like these it is often the one who is mentally stronger that wins ... could be Lindsay's game after all ... Venus exploiting Lindsay's injury going for her body all the time ... still too close to call Venus at 4-5, 30-15
11:14 am Central Time Lindsay has match point and Venus saves it ... no nerves there !!
11:16 am Central Time 5-5 and this could well go on to be a classic in the mold of the Graf-Sanchez match of 1995
11:25 am Central Time Again Lindsay has a chance on the Venus serve at Deuce ... every point is crucial from now on in ... and nervous times for the server !! Thats the way to beat it ... hit an ace !! Only Williams third of the match
11:27 am Central Time It is 6-6, no one letting down ... this is now the longest ladies final in Wimbledon history
11:29 am Central Time (Time zone implicitly assumed now): We are likely to go on and on here ... Lindsay leading 7-6 and for the first time Venus looking a bit ruffled ... vow ... really difficult to bet on this one now ... thought Im tending towards Lindsay ... gut feeling ... and even difficult to predict what the final score will be
11:33 What a dejavu !! Again Lindsay had 15-30 on the Venus serve and after a mesmerising power-filled rally it is 7-7
11:38 It seemed like that rally would be decisive - so it might be !! Venus having the better of some great power rallies - and though Lindsay fights Venus now has the break ... but this has been tennis of the highest class - especially the last set and in particular the last 2 games ... this is the longest third set in the history of the Championships
11:42 All over ?? Now Venus with 3 match-points !!
11:44 Indeed it is all over !! Venus Williams 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 in a classic final and a most magnificent comeback performance against a valiant 29-year old lady ... Really no losers in this one !!
With 3 Wimbledon titles now, Venus can have some legitimate claim to consider herself above the plethora of one-time (or 2-time) winners ... and hope to get closer to the levels of champions such as Steffi Graf and Martina Navaratilova
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Home
Lord Im Five Thousand Miles Away From Home !!
I wanna go home ...
Update:
Not a shirt to my back, not a penny to my name
Lord I can't go back home this a way !!!
I wanna go home ...
Update:
Not a shirt to my back, not a penny to my name
Lord I can't go back home this a way !!!
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Ideology Change
I'm going through a process of ideology change I think ... I no longer feel that I am a firm believer in the principle of rationality and scientific thinking. I am beginning to see that there are certain things that are beyond the comprehension of the rational mind and need to be taken care of by the heart, instinct, gut ... whatever you call it ...
So I will be revamping the structure of this page quite a bit soon ...
So I will be revamping the structure of this page quite a bit soon ...
Addicted
To Coffee ?? I feel like drinking coffee all the time ... It is the way I find relaxation and peace of mind in these turbulent times ... Am I going insane ??
Update: I do not actually have coffee 25 times a day. I just feel like. I have it only twice.
Update: I do not actually have coffee 25 times a day. I just feel like. I have it only twice.
Chaos
... not just in my mind but also elsewhere in the Universe. Chaos - The Making of A New Science - amazing book ... just started reading this week. By James Gleick. It is science and non-fiction but written with amazing clarity and simplicity.
Just to make things clearer ... remember that stuff about "A butterfly flapping its wings in China can affect the wheat production in Indonesia and cause thunderstorms in New YorK" ? ... well it is about that stuff ... although let me warn you the above is not literally true ... or is it ??
Just to make things clearer ... remember that stuff about "A butterfly flapping its wings in China can affect the wheat production in Indonesia and cause thunderstorms in New YorK" ? ... well it is about that stuff ... although let me warn you the above is not literally true ... or is it ??
:(
Feeling low again. This is how I feel every morning these days and fortuantely/unfortunately it changes dramatically in the evenings to being hopeful ... weird cycle that I need to get out of. Have no work to do, missing home ... missing friends ?? ... I don't think so ... just the fact that I have very little clue what I want to do with my life
An empty mind is the devil's workshop .... Gimme some work to do !!!
An empty mind is the devil's workshop .... Gimme some work to do !!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
The old saying which has been brought into disrepute as a result of being entitled upon a mediocre film. That does not however take away from the veracity of it.
Sitting alone in a distant land, doing nothing, pondering and worrying about the future, longing for home, and at the same time eager to find that place of eternal joy and fulfillment in life, it is natural to connect to the Internet and start Orkutting or browsing people's blogs - and then the realization dawns - that the World is not against you and that you are not the victim of some wicked conspiracy - (wow ! Just realized I tend to write much more fluently if I let it flow rather than go for well-thought constructions) - anyway, you realize that everyone wants the same things in life - joy, achievement, love, home and is struggling in his/her own way through difficult times in that particular quest. Kind of makes you ashamed of yourself for brooding over less serious problems when you read some of what people are going through - also makes you realize that there is no shame in being uncertain, groping about and insecure and also in admitting it openly.
Back to that good old (non)movie title - the happinesses and sorrows of the World flip-flop more frequently than I thought - I imagined it would be a period of a few weeks or months - but the more I think of it - it can vary every half an hour or so - because after all, so much of it depends on what you choose it to be. Like those other eternal truths, beauty and trouble they too lie in the eyes of the beholder.
Sitting alone in a distant land, doing nothing, pondering and worrying about the future, longing for home, and at the same time eager to find that place of eternal joy and fulfillment in life, it is natural to connect to the Internet and start Orkutting or browsing people's blogs - and then the realization dawns - that the World is not against you and that you are not the victim of some wicked conspiracy - (wow ! Just realized I tend to write much more fluently if I let it flow rather than go for well-thought constructions) - anyway, you realize that everyone wants the same things in life - joy, achievement, love, home and is struggling in his/her own way through difficult times in that particular quest. Kind of makes you ashamed of yourself for brooding over less serious problems when you read some of what people are going through - also makes you realize that there is no shame in being uncertain, groping about and insecure and also in admitting it openly.
Back to that good old (non)movie title - the happinesses and sorrows of the World flip-flop more frequently than I thought - I imagined it would be a period of a few weeks or months - but the more I think of it - it can vary every half an hour or so - because after all, so much of it depends on what you choose it to be. Like those other eternal truths, beauty and trouble they too lie in the eyes of the beholder.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Faith
There comes a time in life when one feels the need to believe in faith.
Being a rational and scientific-minded person I was of the opinion that everything had a rational explanation, that with sufficient effort one can, with the assistance of nothing but one's mind work out any circumstance he encounters.
But today I realize that one needs to have faith at least to believe in him/herself. That whatever actions one takes (s)he shall hold him/herself accountable and have the courage to keep going ahead unwavering.
Being a rational and scientific-minded person I was of the opinion that everything had a rational explanation, that with sufficient effort one can, with the assistance of nothing but one's mind work out any circumstance he encounters.
But today I realize that one needs to have faith at least to believe in him/herself. That whatever actions one takes (s)he shall hold him/herself accountable and have the courage to keep going ahead unwavering.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
"So What's Your Plan ?"
When you are 23, single and just out of school that is often the most exclusive and frightening question you are attacked with. With time you develop your defenses and have at your disposal a ready response to shut off the questioners.
But yesterday I discovered that the weapon is not quite exclusively designed to attack and knock the sails out off the aforementioned category of persons. It is a universal irritant that can be employed against anyone by anyone at anytime.
I was exhausted after manfully defending against it for the last few days. Then in front of my eyes and to my astonishment, it was directed at my six-year old cousin !!! "So what's your plan for the summer ??" Poor chap - he replied earnestly after much thought - swimming in the pool, playing computer games - but that was simply not a good enough defense !! A more detailed explanation was demanded of the nature of the computer games - why and which and what else ??
Take a chill pill people !!!
But yesterday I discovered that the weapon is not quite exclusively designed to attack and knock the sails out off the aforementioned category of persons. It is a universal irritant that can be employed against anyone by anyone at anytime.
I was exhausted after manfully defending against it for the last few days. Then in front of my eyes and to my astonishment, it was directed at my six-year old cousin !!! "So what's your plan for the summer ??" Poor chap - he replied earnestly after much thought - swimming in the pool, playing computer games - but that was simply not a good enough defense !! A more detailed explanation was demanded of the nature of the computer games - why and which and what else ??
Take a chill pill people !!!
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