Thoughts.....my take on certain issues

..True India ... White Tiger!

2008-12-30T08:57:00.009-05:00

I know I said I was going to read "The Discovery of India" and write back on my experiences with it! I did hold true to that thought ... for about a week … It is great reading but fairly heavy. I soon felt the need for some mainstream fiction and so went back to my genre - Epic Fantasy. I realized I needed more than a quick fix and so I covered Sara Douglass - "The Twisted Citadel", 4 books of Jim Butchers' - Furies of Calderon Series and now I am on Kate Elliott’s' - Crown of Stars Series. Some where in between I found Aravind Adiga - the winner of the Booker Prize 2008 for "The White Tiger". I picked it up with more than a little bit of dread - I had tried Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" and not had a pleasant experience with it. Of course I am not conceited enough to admit that it could have been the wrong time for me to read it. But I never tried again. But I was very surprised by this one - after a slow start that puzzled me enough to read more of it - I LOVED IT! The style, the sarcasm, and the sheer bald truth of how things are in India - India currently is very little about Gandhi, Sandalwood paste and Bharatanatyam (I give Adiga full credit for this line). Very commendable writing, simplistic in nature and not overflowing with flowery prose - it is an experience I would recommend to anyone who would like to try something different.

And this compliment coming from someone who does not like reading about true things or rather believes there is more to this world than what we can see and feel with our senses (made obvious by my choice of genre) is high indeed!

BRAVO and KUDOS!

~ HAPPY NEW YEAR Everyone!

Discovery of India ..... a journey that began 18 years ago!

2008-03-21T08:52:00.010-04:00

For me anyway ... 18 years ago was when my life inexorably intermingled with 'Bharat Ek Khoj'. I of course did not know it at the time. I was a wee babe then but I used to try and see what I could make of this 'dark' (for some reason I remember the film quality being dark) foray into India's past ... Of course my clearest memory of Bharat Ek Khoj today is the haunting introductory chant .... with music by Vanraj Bhatia.

" SrushTee se pehle sat nahin thaa, asat bhi nahin.
Antariksh bhi nahin, aakaash bhi nahin thaa.
Chhipaa thaa kyaa, kahaan, kisne Dhakaa thaa.
Us pal to agam, aTal jal bhi kahaan thaa. "

The words still ring in my ear (Well .... a good reason for this could also be that I have been listening to this everyday while I work for the past week). I have therefore decided to read the masterpiece that was the reason for this televised saga. Amazon had it and now so do I. Will let you know how it goes!

~~ Ciao.

Hi after a loooooooonnnnngggg time!

2007-12-27T16:00:00.001-05:00

Am back on the web world after a really long hiatus. Done loads of things since then - got engaged, got married, moved States and moved jobs. Still reeling from the affect of it all!

~ Adios Amigos! Will be BACH soon!

The true meaning of discrimination

2006-03-01T13:34:00.000-05:00

What is discrimination? Let me give you two examples of times when I have felt it :

Incident 1 – I am walking down a very familiar street and someone calling rude expletives from the opposite sidewalk because I am an Indian and I am in USA where I so obviously should not be according to them.

OR

Incident 2 – A very highly educated person and a person respected for their knowledge and their stand on a variety of issues writes a note in my assignment that they do not understand my numbers (large 6 – 7 figure numbers) because I have the comma in the ‘wrong’ place and removing a couple of marks from the total. All this because I am Indian and we write numbers in the British way and not the American way?

So what do you think?

Amitabh's Donation to Tirupathi - Thoughts...

2006-01-17T08:35:00.000-05:00

I read the newspaper the other day and also saw the local news. Amitabh donated a bracelet made out of gold and studded with diamonds for Lord Venkateshwara at Tirupathi. Initially I was impressed. This man who is an Icon in India respected and revered the Lord. He wanted to thank the Lord by generously donating something.

However, a little while later, I was talking to my dad about this. I wondered aloud what happened to all the ornaments that were put in the Hundi of the Lord at Tirupathi. He said that as far as he knew they would be held as fixed assets for the Lord.

That was when I started thinking. Do such donations really help. I do know that the money that goes into the hundi is used for the upkeep of the temple, the facilities for the pilgrims who visit Tirupathi, the universities and charities that are run by the Facilitators of Tirupathi. Every one in India knows that Lord Venkateshwara of Tirupathi is the richest lord in India.

Then would a donation in the form money for these charities or universities, or in the form of a trust fund for the poor, not be a better way to thank the lord for his constant strength in ones' life.

Would such a donation not be a more proactive way to thank him for the life he has given us?

ciao...

Gandhi Park, Meerut - Feminism OR Vigilantism

2005-12-25T20:21:00.000-05:00

Any one who saw the video clipping of the happenings at Gandhi Park, Meerut on ------- would have definitely wondered whether the police had inside information on the couples who were slapped so vigorously on camera.

Since the idea behind this public rampage was to stop eve teasers - maybe the police had conducted a thorough investigation and found out the guys who were in the park that day enjoying a quiet solitude with their significant others used to be eve - teasers who actually managed to "eve tease" the ladies into becoming their partner in crime.

The adaucity shown by the police astounds me. Did they actually think that walking around the streets of Meerut would lead them to eve-teasers?? Especially when they were in full uniform?? Are the eve - teasers that stupid or are the police so powerless that incidents of eve - teasing would occur in full public view of the police who are walking around with a camera crew no less.

I wonder if any of these women police officers have ever been eve - teased? Eve-teasing is done in such a subtle manner that people walking by do not even know that its happening. Police in uniform walking around with a camera crew is not going to stop it.

In fact I am sure that the perpetrators of this kind of crime, are having a nice time laughing over such pathetic attempts.

Unbelievable ......

Question ?

2005-10-03T10:34:00.000-04:00

I was reading an article on CNN today about the various Supreme Court cases currently pending. The most controversial amongst them is of course the Legalization of Abortion. I had a thought when I was reading and decided to put it across to see what others think.

There is one fact that cannot be refuted.

Men cannot get pregnant and hence do not know what it is to be pregnant. Therefore I do not see how they can have a say in whether or not a woman can have an abortion.

.. ?

Incomprehensible ????

2005-09-30T11:25:00.000-04:00

I was reading NDTV today and saw the sensational headline. 'CBI conducts raids on govt employees'. Fantastic..at long last..was my first thought. But I thought too soon. I should have known better.

Raids were conducted but of course someone found a way to leak information to the guilty parties. This is just like the movies. I am not one of those people that believe that indian movies emulate real life but in this instance its true.

So tell me, if some one in the CBI managed to leak ultra secret information about the raids, then I guess the next step is an anti - corruption raid on the CBI itself.

Its laughable really. People who uphold the law are the first ones to turn it into a laughing stock.

And look at me. I am no better. I know the futility of writing about this but could not help myself.

Farewell to Honesty & Integrity......Welcome to Profiteering & Delinquency OR rather RULE ON Nepotism!!!

.....Woe Betide

Tribute to Archie!

2005-07-15T08:23:00.000-04:00

The first time I saw Archie, I was 14 years old. Large, dark, frightened eyes looked up at me from a small face, as if to say, 'Where have I come and where is Mommy?'. That was it! I fell in love and never fell out of it. It was the same for Mr. P and Mrs. P and Miss N as well. It was one of those rare times that all four of us agreed.

Slight in figure, we all noticed that Archie had trouble balancing. A few steps and down went Archie. Then there was the first night. Archie was scared of the dark and could not sleep, so N and Archie spent their first night together. This soon became a routine at least for the next month. Archie felt lonely at night and N always had to study at night so they became nocturnal buddies.

Days and then months went by and Archie became one of us. With us no matter what we were doing - eating, drinking, watching TV, playing, cooking, the list was endless. Nothing was done without Archie being the center of all activities. And Archie enjoyed the attention. So much so, we did not realize that Archie had become possessive. No other person was allowed to become part of our group and soon we had to be very selective in who we saw. But when we did realize it, it created a warm, fuzzy feeling that we were considered so important.

Months soon became years and Archie became more attractive. Mr. P often had trouble and had to chase away, unwanted guests who came lusting after Archie. But this was all a part of life and we all enjoyed it. All of us grew up and the bond we all had grew with it. Archie was now a constant without, whom we could not imagine life at all. It was very hard to remember what life was before Archie. Friend, philosopher, confidante, comedienne and companion, Archie played many roles in our life, all of them equally important. Archie was also a shoulder for all of us to cry on when we were under the weather.

Archie also taught us a lot about ourselves. We never knew we had as much patience in our store as when we were with Archie. Another thing that we learnt from Archie was appreciating food. Archie was so enthusiastic about eating that the attitude infected us all. Mrs. P would be making something really tasty and we all knew where Archie was. With her, of course! Nothing pleased Archie any more than eating food that was freshly made.

One by one we all left home and Mr. and Mrs. P were the only ones with Archie. But it did not make any difference. They were the ones Archie relied on the most. A few more years went by and Archie was getting on in years. Activities were soon limited to taking small walks around the house but Archie was content. Soon food took a backseat and that was when we knew the time had come to let go. Though we did not know it would be so soon.

When it happened it hurt but we were all pleased for Archie because this was the way that Archie would have wanted it to be. Independence and self-respect were the two characteristics that had shaped Archie’s life. It was better this way.

So best friend, companion and shrink – Archie will never be forgotten. After 12 long, wonderful and fruitful years, this is Au Revoir but never GoodBye.

For those of you who do not know the characters – Mr. and Mrs. P are my parents, Miss N (who became Mrs. N a few years ago) is my sister and Archie the protagonist of this tribute was my 12 and a half year old Mongrel who passed away on July 15th, 2005.

Prejudice or Opinion ?

2005-07-12T19:31:00.000-04:00

Food for thought -

I came to USA 4 years ago - gauche, awkward and insecure. The world looked gigantic and I felt like a tiny speck in it. I came out of the airport and for the very first time since I had made the plan to study abroad, did a sliver of doubt enter my head. Was I ready for this.....? Was I good enough to make my mark in a country that was completely alien to me?

I then saw my sister waving to me and all was well again. My vision narrowed until only she and my BIL were in it. For three weeks I felt I was on holiday with my sister. The time then came for me to spread my wings (for a second time) and go to the University. The world had once again turned into the strange place where I was insignificant. But it had to be dealt with.

But once the program was underway, I never looked back. I still look back at that time with astonishment as I compare the person I was to the person I have now become. I learnt a lot from this country and its people.

Which brings me to the current issue. I am interning currently and am in the market for a car. After talking to several owners and turning down good cars because I cannot drive a stick shift (I still have a horrifying image of the car going backwards on a slope when I had stopped at a traffic light, in India), I came across one of my favorites. An eclipse well witting my mileage and price requirements. I called the guy and then gave him spiel of calling about the car he had advertised.

Before I even finished speaking he asked me, 'Are you Indian?'. I was a little taken aback but answered in the affirmative. Pat comes the answer, 'I don't sell to Indians, Bye'. And, click he hung up. I was stunned. In fact, I still do not know what to say about that. Maybe someone out there can help.

Fastforward to two days ago. Me and a couple of friends went walking. We live in a university town and the crowd is very interesting and never fails to disappoint. We had a nice time looking into all the shops along the sidewalk and were returning home when we here some one yelling out obscenities. I did not pay any attention to it but after a while noticed that my friend had gone very silent.

It then occurred to me that the obscenities were aimed us 'Indians'. I will try and quote from what he said. 'You Indians have to be thankful that WE accepted you.' There was also something to the affect of us being obliged and grateful that THEY had not thrown us out of the country when we first got here.

So what have you people got to say about this? I was not even angered by this. All I felt was pity. Maybe I should have been scared and I probably would have been, had I been alone when this transpired.

It felt as if this country was going backwards. This was not something I wanted to learn or remember from my time here. But the one thing that stuck with me and what prompted this write (mundane though it is), was this an opinion held by the people or is it prejudice eating away at disgruntled individuals? And is it justified?
- - Pens circa esso!

Book Meme...passed on by Anti...the superstar on blogger

2005-04-21T14:07:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the dubious honors, Anti......I have to say I did not expect this meme to be passed on to me...I have been criticized quite often about my choice of reading material (fluff, girly, superficial, and so on though my dad puts it the best - "Sunny sands, palm trees swaying, nature at its most exotic, a Hero with a grecian nose and a Romanesque build with a spirited heroine who is both earthy and angelic) but to all those people who have said this (excluding my dad - he meant this in jest) I have only one reply - I like this stuff. For me reading is an escape from reality. I think I have more than enough reality in my life to want more in the books I read.

But there is another side of my personality that I like to explore via the world of books - that of true crime with all its sweat, blood, gore and grittiness. I confess I am an eccentric and my books reflect that.

So here goes -

1. You're stuck inside Farenheit 451, which book do u want to be?
I have so many books in mind that I am not quite sure which one to focus on. But to keep the faith I will choose and I pick - the entire Enid Blyton Series of Pink Whistle, Famous Five and Secret Seven. That was about how much I could narrow it down.

2. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
Yup and surprisingly enough despite my fickle mind, I have had only one crush and it ain't in the past yet - Mr. Darcy from "Pride and Prejudice", the novel not the movie, though Martin Henderson is a good looking guy. Anyways I am digressing (and it only takes a good looking face for that to happen), this is one character that I have not gotten over and am not sure I ever will...sauve, sophisticated, exasperating and the list goes on. To put it succintly he is the only guy I felt like slapping and slobbering over, simultaneously.

3. The last book you bought is --
Leading Men of MGM -- I have always been fascinated by the stars of yesteryear - Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy, Jimmy Stewart, Rock Hudson, Frank Sinatra, the list is endless. This was pure destiny - I did not know I was looking for such till it fell into my lap when I was in a used book store looking for some more "fluff" to read.

4. The last book you read is --
"The Da Vinci Code" - illustrated version - I was speechless (well for a short while anyway).

5. What are you currently reading?
'If Tomorrow Comes'(AGAIN) by Sidney Sheldon - another need of mine that needs to be satiated periodically - the triumph of good over evil (well Sheldon does it in a classy and sneaky way).

6. Five books you would take to a deserted island?
Harry Potter (all 6 of 'em), Tintin and Asterix (the series - hats of to Herge and Uderzo), Jane Austen (P & P, S & S), "Windmills of the Gods" (Sidney Sheldon), and "The Goal" (Eliyahu Goldratt).

7. Who are you going to pass this stick to and why?
Interesting question - I shall turn it into a contest. Who ever wants to be sent this Meme, email me and I shall do it based on FCFS, LCFS, Random, (well anything that catches my fancy when I am making the decision). So play and ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On that note, this is Me signing off - Vannakam.

Hoarding stuff............One of life's --- mysteries?? or compulsions??

2004-09-21T14:16:00.000-04:00

Hey.. I am back again.......after a long sabbatical. But its been a little hectic around these parts. I moved from one place to another after three years and let me tell u it has not been easy.

I whooped with joy when I found that I had received a scholarship at another university for a second degree. Completely excited with the aspect of moving to a new place, I began making plans. I would get a nice apartment, furnish it well, make sure it was stacked with all forms of entertainment that I could afford on a students salary and so on and so forth.

I also realized this was the time to make a clean start. Ring out the old and ring in the new was my motto, my unending refrain. Thinking in this way helped me underestimate my packing to a large extent. I was totally ecstatic at the idea of beginning a new life.

The relocation process began with locating a cheap one way ticket. Of course in this day and age, this was a breeze. One of the numerous websites that sell tickets on deals provided me with an economical solution. I made the commitment and bought the ticket.

The major task out of the way, I continued in my state of ignorant bliss till two days before my departure. My friends did caution me....do u really think u can pack in two days, they said. Of course, was the confident reply. All I have to do is decide what I want to take and toss the rest. Little did I know that I was going to have to eat my words.

The Saturday before the Monday of departure arrived. I started late at night. After all, I had the whole night and whole of Sunday to pack. I opened my suitcases, fully expecting them to be empty. After all, the stuff I had been using was hanging in my closet. Imagine my surprise when I found both of them to be full. That's ok was my next thought. I will just have to sift through them and throw them since they are not clothes that I wear regularly anyway.

So I sat down. I pulled out a blue dress. Hey, this was the dress my mom sent for my birthday. I am definitely going to keep this one. Next........this is something I have been looking for, for 6 months. So this is where it was. I have to take this with me. I discarded a few items. Hey..........these were the pair of pants that I bought when I went to Cincinnati .......... I cannot fit into it but have to take it. I just might lose enough weight to wear it once more. A few more items down the line..............this was a skirt that my cousin presented to me.......can't give this away.........and so the saga continued.

Four hours later, I was still sifting through the same suitcase and still had a pile of things that I had to take with me. That was when I realized the extent of my folly. I actually thought I was going to throw away things that I had collected over the last three years. I had not considered my attachment to these things (which in some cases, was totally bizarre). So there I was, in the midst of a pile of clothes and suitcases, thinking how in the world I was going to pack in the next 30 hours or so.

I fell asleep thinking about all this and believe me it was not restful. Next morning came far too early for me. I felt like I had barely closed my eyes when I felt my room mate waking me up. Hey........u aren't packed yet. What happened to the toss what u do not use policy, she asked.

That's when I knew I was beaten. I succumbed to my baser instincts.................HELP I pleaded. My room mate rallied to my support. Of course, that was only after snickering to her heart's content first. She tried hard not to say I told u so. And she actually did not come right out and say it. But I knew it was going on through her mind when ever she saw me and the mess around me.

We then got organized. We knew what we needed. Boxes..........lots of boxes...............lots of BIG boxes. U get the idea. We then scavenged boxes from the university, and began filling them. In went every thing. Some neatly kept some thrown..............the bottom line... I did not feel like throwing as much as I thought I would.

But of course it was impossible to take everything. So with a heavy heart............. I filled plastic bags with stuff that I had not used for a while and things I did not fit into (boo hoo, in went the Cincinnati pants).

At the end of it all, it was Sunday night, 1.00 am, me and my room mate looked around satisfied with the results. We were standing amidst three big boxes, two medium boxes (one full of shoes, only and the other full of books), three check-in size suitcases, two carry-on size suitcases and one roller duffel. These were excluding my backpack. These were also excluding six large trash bags filled with clothes and things I had not used, which were given away to the thrift store.

I could not believe I had actually planned to take only two check-in suitcases and one carry-one suitcase. I was steeped in disbelief. Three years in a place and I had so much stuff that I could fill a house with it. It would cost me a minimum of a hundred dollars to ship them to my new place. Not that I minded. After all I had achieved my objective. I was packed and ready to go in less than 30 hours.

Of course, the hard part of all this was left to my room mate. Lug all this to the fedex store and send them to me. She was an angel through all this. Not a word of complaint. She did have her fun I am sure when she saw me sitting in an ocean of clothes.

Through out all this, one question pops in my mind, incessantly.................how did I end up hoarding so much stuff............. I know the answer...... I just do not like it........... I can give u a few hints and I am sure all of u will recognize them.......... sales.....and more sales...... But this does not mean I will stop buying..... OH MY GOD! That is an impossibility. It simply cannot happen.

However, just remember to pack far in advance when u r moving. Houses have a way of camouflaging things that will be apparent only when it is too late...............so until next time............ciao.

Snapshot of the unemployed and still looking

2004-09-21T14:01:00.000-04:00

Let me begin this treatise by introducing myself. Or should I ?I am probably the same as a million other people who are in the same position as me at this very moment. So what makes me different from all the other people in this universe who working towards the same goal for probably far longer than I have. What is it they are doing u say ?looking for a JOB, of course. Well, looking for a job is probably the understatement of the year. Hunting desperately in the hope that someone is enamored enough of our resume and cover letter to call and speak with us face to face?is a more apt phrase.I have spoken to so many people out there who have been in the same boat for the past months and each has a different idea as to how to land a job. Refine your cover letter specifically for each job position says one ?but do we see any difference in the response that we get from the companies? Nope, zilch.

Then we go on to the next level. Tailor your resume to mention all keywords stated in the job requirements. Try to rephrase the work that you have done to fit the job description. We do this diligently and enthusiastically hoping that this is the magic password we have been waiting for to get that much-coveted first job? We send out the resume?and the cover letters (filled with buzz words, since this is a continuation of the previous step) and wait anxiously beside the telephone for that one ring that is the answer to all our prayers. And the wait continues.........

There goes that trick down the tubes. Then starts the self-psycho analysis phase. Am I good enough? U ask yourself. To look for a job? To work in an office? To earn money? Am I important enough in this world that some one would want me to do something for them? Am I worthy enough of a piddling chance in this whole wide world that would help me stand on my two feet and grow into someone useful? Maybe not? The worst one...am I worthy enough to be alive in this world and wish to become someone of importance that people would like to look up to?

And this is where the alley goes downhill. Self doubt sets in. The job hunt goes from an almost furious pace to a tottering and dawdling pace where we are just going through the motions of looking for a suitable position and attaching a pre-standardized resume and one of the aforementioned cover letters to the application, all the while thinking that it does not matter what I send since they are going to trash it anyway or find a way to disqualify it? So why should I bother to spend any time on it. I could spend my time doing more useful things. What is more useful that looking for a job, u say? Well at that point in time cleaning the restroom would be considered more important, believe me.

So why do this at all? Well we have something called a guilt conscience that simply refuses to be silenced. It insists on taking us to task about the entire process of job hunting and how we are not doing enough to land us a job. So we do this in the fond hope that the guilt can be assuaged with these actions and we could have some peace at least some of the time. This continues for a while and as most professionals would say, if our chances of getting a job were few, now they are miniscule.

Then comes the silver lining around a humungous, mile-long cloud. There is another way to attract the attention of the recruiters towards our resume?and cover letters. Enthusiasm begins to course through our veins once again ?warm and pulsing. Adrenalin rushes through our body. Hope arises in the form of the same old thought ?the golden gateway??

We, being humans, love hoping in something. Then what was all that crap about pschyo-analysis, u say? Well that was a passing phase, a really long passing phase. Now the contender is back in the race. Hunting with an almost feral attitude. What is it that caused this sudden change in demeanor? Simple. The newly discovered technique says, when a job requirement asks for something, just put it in the resume. Whether you know it or not is extraneous. If and when you get a call for an interview, make sure you schedule it with enough lee way to enable your self to learn what it is you do now know, that you have added in your resume under technical proficiencies? Remember there should be enough time for you to gain at least a working knowledge of these so-called proficiencies. This would be about 4 days. Four days of looking through websites, books, problems, and of course software (and beware, do not sleep during this period, you will lose this time that you could use to study) and then get ready to face the lions.

Day of the interview. Amazingly enough you are able to dazzle them enough for them to give you a job. WOW. Then is this it? Is this the magic pathway that was hidden to us for so long now? It must be? When all else has failed, this worked? You are euphoric. A little thing like lying on your resume?cannot bother you. And technically you were able to deliver the goods, so to speak. So for the rest of us who are struggling to catch up. Should we or should we not do this? Is it right? Or are we past caring?

But I am digressing. The point of writing this was not to give you a lesson on morality. Nor is it berating all those great people who have helped me through so much and given very useful advice without whom, I would not be here (I am not being sarcastic). Hey, in my opinion, whatever works. As they say, all is fair in love and war and it is a war. Survival of the fittest describes this situation to a T. Yes you may get a little irritated that when you did your degree in engineering, you would have to pick up the skills of a salesman, an accountant, a financial analyst and some where push in your engineering degree to convince the recruiters that you have the technical finesse to carry out your responsibilities.

But in the end, it is worth it. And for all those who have gone through what ever I have described and have landed a job, hats off to you. And for those who are still going through it, like me, do not lose hope. Things will work out.

When ?...................I have no idea
When you need it the most ?............may be
When you are ready to though in your towel completely and say “lord, I have had enough of this??........................................................................definitely

So hang in there ?............................Cheers