Where are you from?

Let me write the disclaimer first: I am not a Raj Thackeray or MNS or Shiv Sena fan, neither do I have any connection with them. Personally, I don't see the reason for the hue and cry over Mrs. Jaya Bachchan's recent comment in the music launch of a Hindi film, "Hum UP ke log hain, humein Hindi mein baat karni chahiye" (We are from UP, we should talk in Hindi). It was a Hindi movie after all! If these guy had their way, they would make it mandatory for all hindi movies to be dubbed in Marathi before release in Maharashtra. Won't even try to find a reason for their actions, as I don't think they apply logic.

But Jayaji, tell me something: You are from a fairly well known family in Jabalpur / Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), and your first few acting ventures, all in Bengali movies, are well documented in Kolkata. So is your move to Bombay, and subsequent achievement of stardom and marriage to Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. Now, how the hell did you become "UP ke log"? Your family has Mr. Bachchan Sr. who is from UP but spent few years in Kolkata, and then settled in Mumbai; you, yourself a Bengali now settled in Mumbai; your daughter-in-law is from Karnataka and has represented India internationally in a beauty paegent: you could have projected your family as a perfect example of national integration. But instead, you choose to make off-hand, ill-thought comments. You are a Rajya Sabha member - you should say "We are the people of India, let's speak the success language of India".

Help!

Last evening, I stepped out of my house for a stroll. After a few minutes, I was on a semi busy road, when suddenly, barely 10 mtrs in front of me, an elderly man let go of his walking stick and fell on the road. He was in obvious discomfort as his whole body was trembling and he was sweating profusely. I helped him stand up but he was unable to grab his walking stick or stand on his own. I asked him where he stayed or if he had a phone number, but he couldn't answer. He just stared blankly. Till this point, I am alone with this man, and no one stopped to help us. After a few minutes, another elderly gentleman came and asked about the problem. We called a local lad and arranged for a chair to sit and a glass of water to drink. Meanwhile, he still couldn't remember where he stayed. Neither could he remember his name. We searched him for any identification, but to no avail. Many passed by after saying they have seen this man before walking nearby, but no one could tell us where he lived. Fortunately, after a few minutes, he started feeling better. He told us his name and address. We took him to his house shortly afterwards.

Two points here:

Each of us, specially elders, should carry some sort of identification with address and contact numbers. If this man would not have regained his memory / speech, we would have been in big trouble.

I am disappointed by the apathy from people. Most people just looked and walked away. Some people would stop and comment, and soon be on their way. Just two men were there to help this man! All this, in the city of joy, where people are known for being helpful to others!

Homecoming anniversary celebration post

Last year at around this time, I was still a normal guy. A guy working for several years with reputed companies, working his way slowly up the corporate ladder, enjoying his travels, his photography and football. One unsuccessful relationship leaving him devastated, difference of opinion with part of his family leaving him hopeless.

Then I quit my job. A lot of people ask me why? Well, to start with, it was all getting too boring for me. Going to office, coming back, getting ready for next day's office, waiting for the weekend to arrive, only to find it gone too soon. I had reached a point when I realized the bigger company I joined the lower the job satisfaction I had. I wanted to take a break from this life.

The second reason which is harder to explain is a calling from within to come back home to my family. Inexplicable, since I was not too happy with things in Kolkata and kept myself away from here for a long time. Looking back, it may have been a premonition. Since only a few months after coming here, my father passed away.

So, while I try to escape the normal life, life drags me to lead a life that I never thought I would live. I guess that's why they say - Cest la vie.

Last word on Indians at Beijing Olympics

My 82 year old aunt was greatly disturbed the other day because of India's Olympics performance. She said, "Boxing, wrestling... are these sports? Hurting each other... ". I pointed out that the other medal, the big medal, came from shooting guns, which if someone from Iran or North Korea would have won, Mr. Bush would have labeled as WMD. She said, "Still, they are only practising... hitting targets, not a person".

Then I came out with my ace of spades, saying, "These games of archery / shooting was the cause of Ramayan. If only King Dasarath would find a gentler pastime than target practise with arrows, Ramayan would never have happened". To avoid any counter point, I quickly added. "And look at how much drama a game of target practise created", referring to the archery competition during Draupadi's swayambhar. My aunt diverted the topic, "I like gymnastics".

Talking about gymnastics (and India and Olympics), did you check out the Israeli rhythmic gymnastic team's performance in the three rings and two clubs routine? The background music was "Dhoom Tana" from Om Shanti Om.

Indians at the Olympics

As the Indian participation in this Olympics came to an end today, everyone is going ga ga over the Indian performance in the Olympics. We have managed one Gold, and two Bronze medals - the best ever by any Indian contingent in the history of the Olympics. Already crores of rupees has been promised to these guys as gifts or prize for getting an Olympic medal. We, as a nation, are very emotional and show this outburst of generosity whenever someone from our country achieves something in the international arena. After all, we saw the same frenzy when the young Indian cricket team won the T20 World Cup. Being emotional is good, at least in some situations, but unfortunately, not in this case. We tend to reward those who achieves something despite the system, where we should really develop the system so that future athletes achieves due to the system.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem in these champion sportsmen getting money or accolades, they deserve it. It's just that I think if only a fraction of that money was spent in development of infrastructure and other aspects of sports, we would have much better chance of achieving something in sports in future.

And there is no better time to say these hard words than now: when the nation is overjoyed and celebrating, before we stop forgetting about them. Otherwise, before the next Asian games, Commonwealth games, or Olympics we will suddenly wake up and start finding medal prospects.

Bloggers of the world, united

Rohit Talwar a.k.a RT had been making plans to come to Kolkata to meet Sayantani Dasgupta, when she is here in Kolkata and me. So mid July, we had booked tickets and made a plan for the long weekend of 15th August.

After much confusion, cancellation (of tickets) and change of plans, RT finally arrived in Kolkata late on Thursday night. We came home, and talked, gossipped, discussed everything under the moon. Also since he came with a long list of things-to-do-in-Kolkata, we discussed those and decided that only a quarter of that could be done in the three days he was here, and made a feasible plan for the weekend. This was accompanied by the usual snacks - biscuits, potato wafers, and Maggi, of course. Finally slept around five in the morning.

Next day, RT woke up at one in the afternoon (despite my attempts to wake him up since 8:30), which meant all the plans that we made last night were to be reworked. So we ended up having lunch at Mocambo in Park Street, and I showed him Park Street. Then we went "sightseeing" - Eden Gardens, High Court, GPO, Writer's building, Howrah bridge, 2nd Hoogly bridge, Race course, Victoria memorial, Fort William - all from outside in an hour or so (I am proud of myself). Then we strolled in the old market area of Esplanade called New Market. Rohit finally had something that he liked - the mutton roll from Badshah. We took the Metro to Rabindra Sadan and had coffee and browsed books at Crosswords. Later in the evening, handed him over to Sayantani, who took him to her grandparent's house in Salt Lake.

On Saturday, RT came back around noon, and informed me about yet another change of plan. He had to prepone his going back to Delhi. So we had lunch at home (he liked the poshto or poppy seeds, I think), got his new tickets online, and cancelled his old tickets. We had fuchka (paanipuri) nearby, and strolled over to Rabindra Sadan / Nandan complex. We saw Victoria Memorial, and then went to Park Street once again. Had tea at T3 (The Tea Table) and then went to the highly anticipated (by RT) Someplace Else - a pub. A few drinks later, we came out and had rolls from a local vendor and came back home.

On Sunday, we got ready early and then went over to young blogger Sinjini Sengupta a.k.a Butterfly's home. Sayantani and her brother - Aritro also came there (Sayantani and Sinjini are first cousins). We took a cab and went to Vedic Village, a resort in the outskirts (technically outskirts, looked outside) of Kolkata. While going there, we revised our discussion of the remake of Sholay that RT and Manasi are supposedly making, with all the meaty roles going to them and people they like. Meaning, I am reduced to the minor villainous role of Kalia, and Sayantani is Samba. Watch out for this movie, as this is going to be the first time that Veeru (played by RT himself) is going be be beaten (badly) by Kalia.

Anyway, so we reached the middle of nowhere Vedic Village. The resort is nice with spa facilities, conference facilities and nice restaurants. We chose Bhoomi, the bengali restaurant, and enjoyed the lunch (not sure about how much RT enjoyed it) there. Here is Butterfly's version of our day at Vedic Village.

As Rohit's flight was later that evening, we came out soon after lunch. Dropped the Dasguptas and the Sengupta at Salt Lake, came back to my place at Bhawanipur, quickly packed and went to the airport to see off RT. A very enjoyable weekend came to an end with a tired me reading Haruki Murakami's Underground, a gift from RT, just before going to sleep.

P.S: The title should really read "Bloggers of India, united", but then, Sayantani does stay in the US these days. Some photographs to go with the text will be published as soon as RT sends me his set, or Sayantani uploads pictures taken from her pink Nikon Coolpix.

Serendipity

Yesterday, I had gone to a village about 70 kms away from Kolkata to attend a wedding. It was a distant relative's wedding (infact she happens to be my grand niece), and I had only gone there once as a child. Anyway, the plan was to go there in the afternoon and come back early in the evening. However, it rained heavily here in the afternoon and it took me quite some time to reach the bus terminus. Another hour of queue and waiting, and it was already early evening when the bus left the terminus! A few rounds of traffic jams and snarls, and I finally reached the place well past eight! As soon as the pleasantries were over, I was quickly informed that there was no way to return to Kolkata at that time. So, there I was, all dapper and dandy, stuck in that far from anywhere village, with the prospect of having to stay with the 'wedding party' looming large. No way, I was going to do that! Damn, if only I had my all-terrain boots on (or even my sneakers) I would have started to walk back.

Just when I was about to embark on my backup plan of going to the nearest town - Diamond Harbour and stay put there in a hotel, my aunt (maternal) appeared. Now, I was not even expecting her to be there (the marriage was on my father's side), but somehow (long story) she was invited too. She happened to be associated with a school nearby. After she heard of my plan, she recited a grand plan of taking me to the school, which had a guest house, and where she would be staying as well. A quick ride and a short plod over mud road to the school, and I was in a comfortable guest room, with clean sheets and towels and all. The bonus was total isolation from the urban world, meaning frog croaks and cricket sound mixes were playing as lullabies. After a good night's sleep and a great cup of tea in the morning, I caught a bus for Kolkata.