A Train Trip to Banaras - Without Tickets - 2nd AC

A recent ad for a premium consumer durable brand said: India Jadoo ka shehar hai, yahan har cheez baaton se hal ho jata hai (translated – India is a magical country, here every problem can be solved by words).

I had the first had the first hand experience of the same on a trip to Banaras. It was Richa’s wedding and we had booked our tickets well in advance. It was waiting list 2,3,4 and 6. For our group of four people: Anuj, Monika, Vinod and myself. Ala KKR, we depended on luck and it never smiled at us. So we were at the station, very sure that 2,3,4 and 6 waiting list must have been confirmed. But none of the damned travellers had backed out: or so it seemed. And then it dawned on us: India Jadoo ka shehar hai, yahan har cheez baaton se hal ho jata hai. So we went to the TT, to see that perhaps he could do something for us. And thus we sang in chorus: ‘ Words and Words is all we have to take your heart away, oops, seats aways’. Teehee!! And he asked us to sit in a sleeper class and then he said he would transfer us to the 2nd AC. The train left the station at 10:30 pm and then we waited for another half an hour before our Saviour in Black Jacket came and as promised took us to the 2nd AC and gave us our berths. Words does work but then they need to be backed with money. But the TT was not rude, he showed us an elaborate calculation, if we choose to go by the rule books, to make us understand we are going to pay a ransom for travelling without tickets(point to be noted: He only had asked us to get into the train). And then he wrote down a figure which was less than the price of ticket for one person to travel in 2nd AC and the deal was struck. Some skills I must say. So as the papers changed hands, we were promised a berth per person and thus we had a happy journey, even without tickets to Banaras. I don’t know whether we got looted or did we manage to get a bargain, but it definitely was a learning experience…

Lesson learnt: India Jadoo ka shehar hai, yahan har cheez baaton(read negotiation) se hal ho jata hai.

And whoever said you need tickets to go places, please refer here. More on the Banaras trip next…

Bye Bye IMRB

Three long years in an organization definitely make you a part of the organization and more than that the organization and its people become a part of you, an indispensible part. But change is the only constant that keeps the life moving and therefore when I decided that I needed a change from IMRB, it was not only a very hard decision to take on a professional front but also at a personal level.

Being my first job, IMRB not only taught me MR but also a lot about other aspect of corporate world. So in a sense IMRB was a home for me. And leaving home is always painful. It definitely was. Leaving people you know, leaving the place that you knew like the back of your hand and the fact that the new place would be a new beginning. A beginning where things are not certain and where you have etch out your ownself, all over again. But life is so and if we need to grow, we need to take strong decisions.

A new journey begins in TNS with hopes that things would be challenging, full of learning and fun-filled.

I am Back

Have been a really long time since I last wrote and the delay is due to my unconvincing self, which never let me sit down and get keying-in. So now after almost 5 months I am here again. I will definitely try to be more regular.

Well long delays always mean that I have ample things to tell. Many things have happened during this time. For starters my status has changed from committed to married and still committed. I got a chance to go cycling into the wilderness of Chakrata mountains, which was not only refreshing but also a very very humbling experience. Met some people and more importantly made some more friends in life. Have a lot to share and am dying to do it.

On professional front I am now into a new organization. And also trying to get used to the culture of this organization. Well people lets get started then…. New blog article coming up soon…

3 Idiots and A wronged Writer!!!

INSPIRED BY VIR SHANGVI's COUNTERPOINT, HT

Starring:

Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra as 3 Idiots
Chetan Bhagat as Wronged Writer

3 Idiots is a wonderful movie and I am in awe of Aamir Khan when I saw the movie. But it has left a bad taste post the credit-fiasco it ran into, with Chetan Bhagat claiming that he has not been duly credited by the producers of the movie.

The story so far....

The movie 3 Idiots is released with no opening credits to Chetan Bhagat or his book 'Five Point Someone: What Not To Do at IIT', though it finds a mention in the closing one. Chetan chooses to make his outburst public and comes out cursing the producers of the movie. The Producers and Aamir Khan (Actor), then comes out all fuming against the writer in a news conference, citing the movie is partly inspired by the book and was made a movie largely due to the creative inputs by Hirani and Joshi (the writers of the movie) and Chetan's book was not a script/screenplay material and needed a lot of working. Some bad blood is drawn, some publicity is surely ensured. So the cash register would be ringing a little more, if it has not already done an overtime. For those who are not aware of an opening credit, it is the credits shown at the beginning of the movie.

Now who is to decide how much did the movie actually inspired and how much was invented. Or for that matter would there have been a movie without this book in the first place. Did Chetan handle the situation in the right way?

I am not here to take sides or colour the much talked about episode in black and white. But all I want to say is that the matter has not been handled with class by either party. Slumdog Millionaire played around the storyline and still credited Vikas Swarup. It didn’t cut the profits that the movie made. Neither, would the bottomlines for 3 Idiots would have been impacted by this act.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra has been a volatile person, in career and in character. So when we see him making movie like Parinda, he also came up with a cropper like Eklavya. His outburst at the news conference in Noida, was uncalled for.
I even don’t understand Chetan Bhagat’s outburst, couldn’t this have been handled with elegance, which I am sure he doesn’t lack with.
The only hindrance that bollywood is facing in its path to become world’s most successful film industry is lack of good writers. It would stay forever if we don’t give the due credit.
I would like to mention VIshal Bharadwaj’s name here. In his movie Kaminey, the opening credits were given to Cajetan Boy’s short story Koho. However, those who have read the story would understand the story has been completely changed and been handled in a completely different way than Boy had done in his novel. But Vishal certainly rose above the rest when he credited Boy.
I think we need to understand that the fiasco has been blown out of the proportion and should have been ended with a short apology from the Producers or inclusion of Chetan Bhagat’s name in the credit.

Guys please grow up!!!

P.S.: Hope Mr Sanghvi doesn't make a noise over this... I have tried to credit him duly..

Remembering Home...

Remebring about the place I once belonged,
The place I called home,
Of the people I called my own
The faces that I knew
Of love and of warmth

Where childhood grew
And the youth got a name
Where I learnt to walk
Where I spoke my first words

Where I fell in love
Where I had my first heart break
Where I had people I still call my friends
Where every person I knew had a relation with me....

It still is in my heart,
And will always be...
And will be carried to my grave
And lay beside me as I sleep forever

Lost and Found....

An alphabet lost a word. The word lost its meaning
A meaning lost life. It was going nowhere
A direction lost a traveler. The traveler chose the road less trodden
A love lost two hearts. They were lost in each other before that
An innocence lost a child. He grew up to be a man
A melody lost its song. Never did we hear it hummed
A follower lost religion. He is free
A road lost its way. Now it goes everywhere
Losing is a journey, gaining is the destiny
I lost 'Me', to find 'We'
And 'We' lived happily ever after...

The Wanderers - I

I was not willing to let go off her hand. It was the final paging call for me and I knew this is the last time I would be holding her hand the way I did.

Two days ago when I landed at the Mumbai airport, she was already there. She had come to pick me up. I had booked a hotel for myself and didn’t want to bother her, but she insisted. I came out the airport and was welcomed with a warm hug. I knew them from a long time. I had their company at the weakest and the happiest moments of my life. I hanged on for little more time and so did she. Then I flung my bag to the rear of her car and placed myself on the passenger seat. I didn’t want to drive; she asked me “So, where is the master wishing to be driven?”, ‘Someplace where a hot cup of tea and a friend would be present’, I replied.

“So what about your Hotel?”

“There’s a booking and I can walk in anytime I want to, but not now”
I was tired and she understood, she didn’t speak all through the journey upto her apartment.

Only when I got down, did she tell “Apu passed away, last week”, her voice was quivering and I knew how much she loved him, her pet puppy. She had told me the day he passed away but I think people, when they are brooding, tend to forget stuffs.

Ali was at the lift, he has been managing the lifts ever since Mia moved into the apartment. Must be 6-7 years. I at times wonder, do these guys have anything like promotion. I mean what would be promotion for a lift guy, something like; Mr Ali is promoted and from tomorrow he would be working from 1st floor and upward only, no more ground job for him.

I walked into the lift behind Mia. He looked at me and smiled, I smiled back, no words exchanged. ‘Fourth Floor’ the mechanical voice of the lift announced. We walked out of the lift. Mia was walking infront of me. She was always in a hurry and I was dragging myself. Too much of work over the week had drained out all of my energy.

She rang the bell of her apartment, Bina Kaki was there. She has been taking care of her since her childhood days, almost a mom-like figure for both of us. She hugged me with that motherly affection of her, that I was very accustomed with. “Kitna dubla ho gaya hai(How thin are you looking)” she said, she is always like that. Very caring and very sweet. I just smiled and said “Iss baar lambi chhuti pe aaya hun, mota hoke hi jaunga (This time I am here for a longer time, I won’t leave before I am fat enough)” and both of us laughed.

Mia had been uncharacteristically quite since the morning. I knew there must be something bothering her but I waited for the right time to ask her.
Mia showed me the room I was meant to be in. I took a shower, changed my clothes and came out. The breakfast was ready and there was Bina Kaki’s special tea. Mia joined for the breakfast and tea.

“So how you feeling now?” she asked. “Fine, infact much better”, I replied. “I spoke to your mom, she was complaining that you have not been calling her up regularly?” she was a bit angry, trying to be my mom. She has been like that all the while.“Actually I have been a lot busy”“I think you just try to be irresponsible”, that was short and sharp.

I didn’t dare to speak more. We finished our breakfast. Carried our cup and went to our fav spot. It was her balcony. It opened to an artificial lake and greenery, a rarity in Mumbai. And something for which you pay an heavenly price.

We sat there for sometime filling ourselves with the serenity of the atmosphere around us. We knew, inside there was a turmoil that was building. She moved closer, laid her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. I didn’t want to disturb her, I didn’t move a muscle.

“So how is your job treating you”, she broke the silence, without moving“I am liking it” I said. “And how have you been doing?”“Not bad either”, she said.“What are you reading now?”, she asked“Nothing, in fact not getting enough time”

I just loved it when she rested on my shoulder, and that fragrance of her body filled me with a sense of pride.

....To be continued....