I am back!
Yeah, I know it has been a while but then now I AM back. Now, here is news. I have switched jobs from the biggest events company to the biggest TV network. Lots of reasons that went in to changing places of work but then…let it be for now.
As of now I was thinking on making a little film (I mean really little because so far, I am a little guy) on the effects of global warming. I am planning to focus on the effect of heat on things. And for demonstrating the example, I was thinking of showing a little boy who’s concentrating the rays of the Sun on a sheet of paper, with a magnifying glass, on which the globe is drawn. The camera zooms in through the magnifying glass, close to the paper and smoke starts rising from the paper. After a second, the paper catches fire. And the globe which is drawn on it, burns. Then there is a voice over which says: “heat destroys everything indiscriminately. It will soon burn the entire globe if you don’t stop global warming now”. All the while that the voice over goes on the camera focuses steadily on the sheet of paper which continues burning till the entire globe turns into ashes. Then, text appears at random on screen which gives statistics of how many people have died in heat waves across the world in the past decade. Trust me, the stats are horrifying! 35000 people died in Europe in one year. Many more across the world!
Now…I am storming my head for a few more ideas. And I need to take your leave. So…till I put in my other ideas and tell you what’s happening, please please please do tell me if this one is good or not. And please be honest about it! Ok?
Adios.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Thursday, May 03, 2007
The bear…and the Corbett Falls (refer previous post)
And so the cub came and sat down. He (or she, maybe) seemed to like finger chips immensely so he happily nibbled on them in peace. Chomp chomp…
We sat…happy high and watching the cub have his fill of finger chips. Coming to think of it, the name of the dish sounds pretty strange. How can one have chips made out of FINGERS??? Anyway, creative insanity rules I guess. So it happened…till the mother actually came and picked him up like one would pick a child up from the neighbours. But then again, we WERE neighbours of sorts! Though, from a different species. The rest of the night was pretty uneventful because we drifted off to the land of sleepy oblivion sooner than we had expected. It was strange to see the difference in the nights of a city and a forest. At just 10, the night looked so dead and sleepy. But I loved the silence. We all did. Maybe because we crave for it in the lives that we lead in the city. Big city. Lots of facilities. Many advantages. No peace. No silence to sit back and think. For some reason, it reminded me of a poem that I had read long time ago, in school. Leisure, by W.H. Davies. Beautiful poem. The lines go as:
Very true, isn’t it?
WHAT is this life if, full of care,We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth canEnrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.
Anyway, the trip ended. We started on our way back. Back to the maddening crowd of the city. We planned to visit the Corbett Falls on the way back. So we took a detour. The falls were breathtaking. Not for the height but for the fact that it was nature in its unbridled glory! It was just 40 feet or so but the water was crystal clear and it was unbelievably cool for summers. People thronged the place so we decided to go to a higher altitude and sit. So we trekked up higher than the others and sat in the middle of the spring. Crystal clear water, beautiful setting and food. Life sometimes IS paradise. Then we came down, drenched and took a bath under the fall. Needless to say, most of it was filmed and hence we had to be clad in SOMETHING!! And oh! Did I tell you that one of the guys forgot a T-shirt given by his girlfriend at the top so two of us went to get that back. On the way down, we ended up bumping into a TV crew from Jain TV and they informed us that the way we took was dangerous and we shouldn’t do it. We mentioned a few unmentionable words and came back.
The rest of the journey was pretty uneventful because all dozing off. Then there was dinner. No particular incident I can think of!
Anyway…I am bored now so I will get going and there is a good chance that wouldn’t have liked the ending of this post. Oops! Sorry. Will make up for it in the next post! Ok?
Adios.
Friday, April 27, 2007
One WILD trip!!
The journey began in the night. Summer was at its peak and Delhi was scorching hot. Starting in the day was simply unthinkable. The destination was Jim Corbett National Park. Amidst tigers, leopards and other wild animals…it was going to be a one memorable holiday.
Four guys. One driver. One car. 300 kilometers. Things looked promising. Among burning cigarettes and bottles of beer and pieces of chicken, conversation gained momentum. Initially it was funny and eventually took an emotional turn as everyone started to open up under the influence of the marvelous discovery of human beings – alcohol. The traffic of the city gave way to nearly deserted highways, save a few trucks which were plying at the wee hours of the night. But oblivious to the surroundings, the four boys in the huge car were lost in their own happy high world. The driver though, was unaffected by all the chaos around him and focused entirely on the road.
I am not aware exactly when conversation, coupled with music as intoxicating as the alcohol itself, gave way to the Tootsie Fairy of sleep! But sleep came deep and sound after really long. I guess the rat race of daily life had tired all of us beyond realization. I remember dreaming. Though, I have forgotten exactly what the dream was…
I opened my eyes of the dim light of the rising Sun. one by one, all of us woke up, rubbing our eyes to adjust to the light. Slowly, the Sun rose higher and got brighter like a ship sailing towards someone from the horizon. Soft clouds encircled the Sun and looked like the untamed waves of a fathomless ocean! It was a sight to behold! We were speeding at 80kph. Rural landscape greeted our eyes and I felt like a prisoner who had been let out on parole…though, the parole was a little wild!
Our destination was within sight. I felt like could already feel the presence of the Panthera tigris (that’s what biologists would call a tiger) in the air. We were to board at a guest house in the middle of the jungle. All of us were tingling with excitement.
We reached. For all of us, it was love at first sight with the wild. It was simply mesmerizing and something we city dwellers do not get to see too often! The fact that it was an all boys’ outing made it even more exciting.
We were shown to our rooms and we showered and changed as soon as our limbs would allow us. After breakfast, the plan was to go on a forest walk! Whoa! My spine still tingles when I think of it!
The walk was long and supposed to be tiring but we were so excited that we didn’t realy feel the tiredness. Looks like the nicotine failed to dampen our zest. We came across plenty of langurs, leopard paw marks and deer. One strange thing that we all noticed about our ‘guide’ was the fact that he added WILD before every animal to make us probably feel that it was very exquisite. So, a pig was renamed WILD pig, buffalo became WILD buffalo, rooster became WILD rooster, peacock turned into WILD peacock and so on. The list is endless…
We drank water from the springs and fountains and very honestly, it was the best tasting water I ever had. And sparkling clear and cold. Probably, even an entire crate of aerated drinks will not quench thirst like that plain, cold water of the mountains. We went to a temple in the mountains which was inhabited by just one very old priest. And there we rested for a while. As we took a look around the temple, one of us discovered a footprint. Nothing extraordinary about coming across a footprint but this one was a little different. It was barely 3 inches long. The toes were the size of a full grown man but the heel was the size of an infant’s! And even more eerie was the fact that it didn’t exist when we came to the temple and nobody (atleast nobody visible) has passed by…for all practical reasoning we urban people might give, it had appeared out of thin air! One of us took a picture of it but later, it was noticed that the photo had just disappeared! The video that we took during the trip was playing perfectly except for that one part which had the clip of the footprint! Strange, isn’t it?
A safari followed. Time was short and a lot was to be seen. It is surprising how much 200 rupees can fetch in this country! For us, it landed us bang in front of the tiger’s den in the restricted area. Two little cubs were playing outside and our open gypsy parked itself right next to them. Seeing tiger cubs, which looked like little fur balls with small teeth like thorns, we were a little surprised. We picked up one and I put it on my lap. It didn’t disturb him one bit and he kept playing with me and clawing with his tiny paws at my palm and wrists. Then it happened. A soft growl…then a full fledged angry roar! The mother was standing behind our gypsy. We froze. The cub jumped off my lap and went running to mommy! The angry tigress started circling our vehicle. Anger, arising from motherly instincts, flashed in her eyes. Another roar arose from the den. Probably the tiger. We had taken it for granted that we were destined to die in a forest reserve at the paws of a tigress. An interesting death in many ways but a death nevertheless! But something made her leap back to the den. I still shudder at the thought of what MIGHT HAVE happened!
We came back…with no videos and no pics because it wasn’t allowed. That was not a rule we could afford to break! We came back and while drinking at night, we were paid a little visit by a little bear cub who came and sat at the steps of our room and ate French fries and nuts. But that is another story altogether and for another time…
For now, the fun ends here. Tell me how you liked this narration.
Adios.
Four guys. One driver. One car. 300 kilometers. Things looked promising. Among burning cigarettes and bottles of beer and pieces of chicken, conversation gained momentum. Initially it was funny and eventually took an emotional turn as everyone started to open up under the influence of the marvelous discovery of human beings – alcohol. The traffic of the city gave way to nearly deserted highways, save a few trucks which were plying at the wee hours of the night. But oblivious to the surroundings, the four boys in the huge car were lost in their own happy high world. The driver though, was unaffected by all the chaos around him and focused entirely on the road.
I am not aware exactly when conversation, coupled with music as intoxicating as the alcohol itself, gave way to the Tootsie Fairy of sleep! But sleep came deep and sound after really long. I guess the rat race of daily life had tired all of us beyond realization. I remember dreaming. Though, I have forgotten exactly what the dream was…
I opened my eyes of the dim light of the rising Sun. one by one, all of us woke up, rubbing our eyes to adjust to the light. Slowly, the Sun rose higher and got brighter like a ship sailing towards someone from the horizon. Soft clouds encircled the Sun and looked like the untamed waves of a fathomless ocean! It was a sight to behold! We were speeding at 80kph. Rural landscape greeted our eyes and I felt like a prisoner who had been let out on parole…though, the parole was a little wild!
Our destination was within sight. I felt like could already feel the presence of the Panthera tigris (that’s what biologists would call a tiger) in the air. We were to board at a guest house in the middle of the jungle. All of us were tingling with excitement.
We reached. For all of us, it was love at first sight with the wild. It was simply mesmerizing and something we city dwellers do not get to see too often! The fact that it was an all boys’ outing made it even more exciting.
We were shown to our rooms and we showered and changed as soon as our limbs would allow us. After breakfast, the plan was to go on a forest walk! Whoa! My spine still tingles when I think of it!
The walk was long and supposed to be tiring but we were so excited that we didn’t realy feel the tiredness. Looks like the nicotine failed to dampen our zest. We came across plenty of langurs, leopard paw marks and deer. One strange thing that we all noticed about our ‘guide’ was the fact that he added WILD before every animal to make us probably feel that it was very exquisite. So, a pig was renamed WILD pig, buffalo became WILD buffalo, rooster became WILD rooster, peacock turned into WILD peacock and so on. The list is endless…
We drank water from the springs and fountains and very honestly, it was the best tasting water I ever had. And sparkling clear and cold. Probably, even an entire crate of aerated drinks will not quench thirst like that plain, cold water of the mountains. We went to a temple in the mountains which was inhabited by just one very old priest. And there we rested for a while. As we took a look around the temple, one of us discovered a footprint. Nothing extraordinary about coming across a footprint but this one was a little different. It was barely 3 inches long. The toes were the size of a full grown man but the heel was the size of an infant’s! And even more eerie was the fact that it didn’t exist when we came to the temple and nobody (atleast nobody visible) has passed by…for all practical reasoning we urban people might give, it had appeared out of thin air! One of us took a picture of it but later, it was noticed that the photo had just disappeared! The video that we took during the trip was playing perfectly except for that one part which had the clip of the footprint! Strange, isn’t it?
A safari followed. Time was short and a lot was to be seen. It is surprising how much 200 rupees can fetch in this country! For us, it landed us bang in front of the tiger’s den in the restricted area. Two little cubs were playing outside and our open gypsy parked itself right next to them. Seeing tiger cubs, which looked like little fur balls with small teeth like thorns, we were a little surprised. We picked up one and I put it on my lap. It didn’t disturb him one bit and he kept playing with me and clawing with his tiny paws at my palm and wrists. Then it happened. A soft growl…then a full fledged angry roar! The mother was standing behind our gypsy. We froze. The cub jumped off my lap and went running to mommy! The angry tigress started circling our vehicle. Anger, arising from motherly instincts, flashed in her eyes. Another roar arose from the den. Probably the tiger. We had taken it for granted that we were destined to die in a forest reserve at the paws of a tigress. An interesting death in many ways but a death nevertheless! But something made her leap back to the den. I still shudder at the thought of what MIGHT HAVE happened!
We came back…with no videos and no pics because it wasn’t allowed. That was not a rule we could afford to break! We came back and while drinking at night, we were paid a little visit by a little bear cub who came and sat at the steps of our room and ate French fries and nuts. But that is another story altogether and for another time…
For now, the fun ends here. Tell me how you liked this narration.
Adios.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
A rainy night.
I can hear the clouds thunder as the rain lashes against the window panes. I listen…
Listen to the sounds of the silent walls that make up the room I am sitting in. I think…because... if I don’t then I will perish.
In one corner of the room, wilted flowers stand drooping in the vase. It’s not much of a vase, actually! Just an old…curvy bottle that contained alcohol at one time. I think about the wilted flowers. Despite the fact that they have lost the charm they once had, literally and figuratively, they look good because they help me get into the cocoon called The Past. A past that gave me a lot of things to cherish. Lots of things that made life a lot simpler than it is now.
School. That’s one chapter of a person’s past that is cherished forever. The sheer oblivion that one lies in. home work…well it’s a pain, no doubt but then…that is a different genre of fun in itself. Living on a shoestring budget and those little souvenirs bought from the tiny amounts of money called allowance. It surely was fun. On the other hand, now…I am earning money on my own…and money that’s considerably more. Much more…but there is an inexplicable void somewhere. No…it’s not the void that is caused by the lack of romance in life…neither is the void that is caused by lack of company or the so-called fun. That’s why I said that it’s kind of…inexplicable.
College life again has a different charm! The women watching and all the related craziness. But now…feels like the days are creeping towards me at a murderous pace. I continue to fight. Some battles have been won…some have been lost…but something tells me that the war is yet to some.
I lie on the bed and think. Think of ways to conquer. I strategize. I make plans. Looks like I am trying to beat myself at something. What…? I do not know. As the cigarette burns in my hand, I feel my life melting away in the smoke. Slow and steady melting. So very painfully slow. But now…I feel the sweet pain that I felt in school.
Today, I have converted my hobby into a profession. Into the means of earning my bread and butter…and jam...and sausages. I have forgotten to write for pleasure now. Now…I write…my hands spell words on the page according to people’s whims and fancies. People…who pay me to do that. Sometimes…I wonder if I still remember how to write from the heart or is it only my mind that’s doing all the work?! As more documents lie on one side of my bed…as I write this piece…I feel like giving it all up…and running. Just running till I am tired…worn out…broken…wilted. But I can’t! Alas! I just can not!
As I try to lose myself in my thoughts…I end this piece now. I shall come back…hopefully with more pleasant things to write about.
Adios.
Listen to the sounds of the silent walls that make up the room I am sitting in. I think…because... if I don’t then I will perish.
In one corner of the room, wilted flowers stand drooping in the vase. It’s not much of a vase, actually! Just an old…curvy bottle that contained alcohol at one time. I think about the wilted flowers. Despite the fact that they have lost the charm they once had, literally and figuratively, they look good because they help me get into the cocoon called The Past. A past that gave me a lot of things to cherish. Lots of things that made life a lot simpler than it is now.
School. That’s one chapter of a person’s past that is cherished forever. The sheer oblivion that one lies in. home work…well it’s a pain, no doubt but then…that is a different genre of fun in itself. Living on a shoestring budget and those little souvenirs bought from the tiny amounts of money called allowance. It surely was fun. On the other hand, now…I am earning money on my own…and money that’s considerably more. Much more…but there is an inexplicable void somewhere. No…it’s not the void that is caused by the lack of romance in life…neither is the void that is caused by lack of company or the so-called fun. That’s why I said that it’s kind of…inexplicable.
College life again has a different charm! The women watching and all the related craziness. But now…feels like the days are creeping towards me at a murderous pace. I continue to fight. Some battles have been won…some have been lost…but something tells me that the war is yet to some.
I lie on the bed and think. Think of ways to conquer. I strategize. I make plans. Looks like I am trying to beat myself at something. What…? I do not know. As the cigarette burns in my hand, I feel my life melting away in the smoke. Slow and steady melting. So very painfully slow. But now…I feel the sweet pain that I felt in school.
Today, I have converted my hobby into a profession. Into the means of earning my bread and butter…and jam...and sausages. I have forgotten to write for pleasure now. Now…I write…my hands spell words on the page according to people’s whims and fancies. People…who pay me to do that. Sometimes…I wonder if I still remember how to write from the heart or is it only my mind that’s doing all the work?! As more documents lie on one side of my bed…as I write this piece…I feel like giving it all up…and running. Just running till I am tired…worn out…broken…wilted. But I can’t! Alas! I just can not!
As I try to lose myself in my thoughts…I end this piece now. I shall come back…hopefully with more pleasant things to write about.
Adios.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The roller coaster called life
After a long break I am back yet again to chew your brains! Sorry dear readers! Now, natural questions that will probably follow are questions like where was I all this while?! What have I been up to and stuff like that.
I said probably because not everyone essentially will ask me these questions right?!
Now…I graduated with a silver medal and landed a job. And a good one at that. So all those people who thought I could do nothing…yes I will enjoy seeing you eat your words. Munch munch…
Anyway…right now, I am in Delhi…the capital of India. Hehe…like you didn’t know! And it’s past 11 in the night and I am sitting here getting audio visuals made for a client of my company. The thought just occurred to me…why are these called audio visuals and not visual audios because technically, light travels faster than sound and hence visuals should come first! Yeah, I know…English is a pretty weird language and hence the terminology is a little weird. I now I am harping on the same strings that have been harped upon by plenty. But you see, it’s late at night and creativity isn’t really seeping through my brain right now! But at the same time, I don’t know when will I ever have the pleasure of indulging myself in the pleasure of blogging during the day!
Coming back, I am in Delhi and have been here for almost three months. Life is running at the speed of a thunderbolt and I am trying to hold on…
Days pass…tempers fly…deadlines get lethal but life…life doesn’t stop! Zooming through the lanes of life I catch glimpses of the past and the present. One fading out as the other rapidly fills it’s space. Like shoving the other into non existence. I am not making much sense now, am i? but then…pray tell me…when have I ever made absolute sense?! And I bet that not even half the people reading this can crack a joke on themselves.
Met quite a few interesting people while I have been working and it’s nice to get to know more people because that pulls one out of one’s previous life. Lots of new names to mention on a blog page. Friends, acquaintances and lots of other people. And two months into my new job and I already have a couple of more job offers! Now, where are those people who are eating their words?! U full or want another helping?! Hehe…I can be pretty mean isn’t it?! My bike is back on road and the rides to and fro are fun, though tiring.
And I have already done weird things like taking pictures of my first salary cheque and going on a spend spree once it was cashed. But then…as one of my friends said…the dust has settled down and now the road is clear. Life is fun, though home food is a vital ingredient missing in the daily course. And for a hog like me….it’s painful!
Ok…I have to go and look at what work has been done so far so I will be off…and besides…I need to reserve a few things to ramble on about, right?!
Adios.
I said probably because not everyone essentially will ask me these questions right?!
Now…I graduated with a silver medal and landed a job. And a good one at that. So all those people who thought I could do nothing…yes I will enjoy seeing you eat your words. Munch munch…
Anyway…right now, I am in Delhi…the capital of India. Hehe…like you didn’t know! And it’s past 11 in the night and I am sitting here getting audio visuals made for a client of my company. The thought just occurred to me…why are these called audio visuals and not visual audios because technically, light travels faster than sound and hence visuals should come first! Yeah, I know…English is a pretty weird language and hence the terminology is a little weird. I now I am harping on the same strings that have been harped upon by plenty. But you see, it’s late at night and creativity isn’t really seeping through my brain right now! But at the same time, I don’t know when will I ever have the pleasure of indulging myself in the pleasure of blogging during the day!
Coming back, I am in Delhi and have been here for almost three months. Life is running at the speed of a thunderbolt and I am trying to hold on…
Days pass…tempers fly…deadlines get lethal but life…life doesn’t stop! Zooming through the lanes of life I catch glimpses of the past and the present. One fading out as the other rapidly fills it’s space. Like shoving the other into non existence. I am not making much sense now, am i? but then…pray tell me…when have I ever made absolute sense?! And I bet that not even half the people reading this can crack a joke on themselves.
Met quite a few interesting people while I have been working and it’s nice to get to know more people because that pulls one out of one’s previous life. Lots of new names to mention on a blog page. Friends, acquaintances and lots of other people. And two months into my new job and I already have a couple of more job offers! Now, where are those people who are eating their words?! U full or want another helping?! Hehe…I can be pretty mean isn’t it?! My bike is back on road and the rides to and fro are fun, though tiring.
And I have already done weird things like taking pictures of my first salary cheque and going on a spend spree once it was cashed. But then…as one of my friends said…the dust has settled down and now the road is clear. Life is fun, though home food is a vital ingredient missing in the daily course. And for a hog like me….it’s painful!
Ok…I have to go and look at what work has been done so far so I will be off…and besides…I need to reserve a few things to ramble on about, right?!
Adios.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
more of jaipur...the better part
(This post was supposed to be here three days back but my blog was giving me problems...but finally, here it is!)
Hello people who have bothered to open this page and read!
Now…this post is mainly going to be about Jaipur. But first, tell me something…why do people lie? Inspite of saying that they wouldn’t, they do. Strange!
Anyway…let’s now get to the topic and not waste further time mentioning mundane and usual things.
I told u about Jaipur. This place is ACTUALLY strange! I mean, pink buildings were strange enough but this place has stranger things to see! Ok, let’s start with the Jal Mahal. It’s a building made long ago by one of the kings (I don’t remember the details because I was always bad at history) and he used to sit there and watch the dancers and stuff of that kind. One floor of the building is now underground. The place is known to be jinxed because every attempt to break that structure and make something new there has been foiled. Creepy! Now I jump (force of habit) to Amer Fort. It’s more like the king’s harem. The king, who made it, apparently weighed 250 k.g. and was seven feet tall! Yikes! That must have been scary. Added to that, the guy had nine wives! This concept, I don’t understand. I mean, why does one need to have nine women in his life? Why not just love one, care for one and be with one? Plus, economically seen, it increases maintenance cost! The fort, by itself, is pretty nice. Though not marvelous or anything of the sorts. And yes, before I forget, the Rajasthan tourism department has maintained the structures really poorly. I mean, these structures deserve more care! The guide we had could beat me any day at yapping. He just went on…and then said…”this is, after all, my profession!” Christ! In the fort, the prettiest queen had a bigger room on the ground floor and the other queens were put up on the first floor. Now, who was the one who said looks don’t matter? And somehow, just like in fairy tales and folklore, this queen was both the prettiest and the most intelligent. Beauty and brains eh? Anyway, one can see the entire Jaipur city from the fort. And I have just lost count of how many gates this city has! Everywhere that one can see, there is a gate. Next, I was looking at how block painting is done. Pretty interesting. And hand done, of course. Then I saw the hundred gram quilt that is famous because it uses just hundred grams of wool and is very warm. Most of the painting work in the city is done with vegetable colors.
Oh…and now coming to the best part. Chokhi Dhani. It’s a place where one can eat, take a few rides, get a head massage, get into the maze (which has a weird outlet), see what an ancient Rajasthani village looks like, see tribals, buy souvenirs and basically, have a blast. There were hookahs put up at places and though I have given up smoking, I sneaked in a couple of drags when dad wasn’t looking. Was missing someone who I thought was very close. And then there was this cave which was made artificially but looked pretty real! And I played the tribal drum for sometime…felt weird but was a great experience. Got a head massage. Those who think that it was one of the nubile, good looking, ravishing girls giving the massage will be highly mistaken ( come on, this isn’t Thailand or Malaysia!) because it was one of those huge Rajasthani chaps who ALMOST broke a few bones of mine while giving me that massage. But it felt great after that because the entire body felt like it had been loosened up. The set up of this place is brilliant, least said. Right from the ambience to the uniforms to everything else is in sync with the ethnic feel. But thankfully, the cleanliness of the place has been maintained very well. And now, I come to the most wonderfully torturous but wonderful part of the deal….FOOD. A word of caution. People who are on a diet, or are thinking of going on one, don’t even DREAM of coming here. It’s going to be fatal. Suicidal. But I loved it because the thought of dieting can never even occur to me! Butter and ghee flow at this place. I mean…actually flow and if the roti isn’t buttered properly, people may take offence. Here, it's not buttered roti...it's roti'ed' butter! The calorie count goes for a royal toss. But the food is awesome. There is something called bajrey-ki-khichadi which has huge quantities of sugar and butter in it. But it tastes great. Plus the menu is LONG. Really long. And vegetarian! For a carnivore like me, that sounded miserable. And doing proper justice to it will mean half and hour of time at least (if you are one of the proper eaters, that is). This place is paradise for hogs like me. Oh! the buttermilk...it's fantastic...great...brilliant! Since my dad is a lot more civilized than me and not that big a foodie, i compensated for what he couldn't extract! The eating place is this typically Indian setup where one has to sit on the floor and there are these short stubby tables put out in front. Crockery was all leafy! I mean, the ones that are made out of those tree leaves...even the bowls were the same. For glasses, there were clay glasses! There are camels and rabbits and statues of bulls and a few other animals!
Ok, I have been typing and the Sun has come out. I have to sleep. So, take care and hope you have had a great diwali!
Adios.
Hello people who have bothered to open this page and read!
Now…this post is mainly going to be about Jaipur. But first, tell me something…why do people lie? Inspite of saying that they wouldn’t, they do. Strange!
Anyway…let’s now get to the topic and not waste further time mentioning mundane and usual things.
I told u about Jaipur. This place is ACTUALLY strange! I mean, pink buildings were strange enough but this place has stranger things to see! Ok, let’s start with the Jal Mahal. It’s a building made long ago by one of the kings (I don’t remember the details because I was always bad at history) and he used to sit there and watch the dancers and stuff of that kind. One floor of the building is now underground. The place is known to be jinxed because every attempt to break that structure and make something new there has been foiled. Creepy! Now I jump (force of habit) to Amer Fort. It’s more like the king’s harem. The king, who made it, apparently weighed 250 k.g. and was seven feet tall! Yikes! That must have been scary. Added to that, the guy had nine wives! This concept, I don’t understand. I mean, why does one need to have nine women in his life? Why not just love one, care for one and be with one? Plus, economically seen, it increases maintenance cost! The fort, by itself, is pretty nice. Though not marvelous or anything of the sorts. And yes, before I forget, the Rajasthan tourism department has maintained the structures really poorly. I mean, these structures deserve more care! The guide we had could beat me any day at yapping. He just went on…and then said…”this is, after all, my profession!” Christ! In the fort, the prettiest queen had a bigger room on the ground floor and the other queens were put up on the first floor. Now, who was the one who said looks don’t matter? And somehow, just like in fairy tales and folklore, this queen was both the prettiest and the most intelligent. Beauty and brains eh? Anyway, one can see the entire Jaipur city from the fort. And I have just lost count of how many gates this city has! Everywhere that one can see, there is a gate. Next, I was looking at how block painting is done. Pretty interesting. And hand done, of course. Then I saw the hundred gram quilt that is famous because it uses just hundred grams of wool and is very warm. Most of the painting work in the city is done with vegetable colors.
Oh…and now coming to the best part. Chokhi Dhani. It’s a place where one can eat, take a few rides, get a head massage, get into the maze (which has a weird outlet), see what an ancient Rajasthani village looks like, see tribals, buy souvenirs and basically, have a blast. There were hookahs put up at places and though I have given up smoking, I sneaked in a couple of drags when dad wasn’t looking. Was missing someone who I thought was very close. And then there was this cave which was made artificially but looked pretty real! And I played the tribal drum for sometime…felt weird but was a great experience. Got a head massage. Those who think that it was one of the nubile, good looking, ravishing girls giving the massage will be highly mistaken ( come on, this isn’t Thailand or Malaysia!) because it was one of those huge Rajasthani chaps who ALMOST broke a few bones of mine while giving me that massage. But it felt great after that because the entire body felt like it had been loosened up. The set up of this place is brilliant, least said. Right from the ambience to the uniforms to everything else is in sync with the ethnic feel. But thankfully, the cleanliness of the place has been maintained very well. And now, I come to the most wonderfully torturous but wonderful part of the deal….FOOD. A word of caution. People who are on a diet, or are thinking of going on one, don’t even DREAM of coming here. It’s going to be fatal. Suicidal. But I loved it because the thought of dieting can never even occur to me! Butter and ghee flow at this place. I mean…actually flow and if the roti isn’t buttered properly, people may take offence. Here, it's not buttered roti...it's roti'ed' butter! The calorie count goes for a royal toss. But the food is awesome. There is something called bajrey-ki-khichadi which has huge quantities of sugar and butter in it. But it tastes great. Plus the menu is LONG. Really long. And vegetarian! For a carnivore like me, that sounded miserable. And doing proper justice to it will mean half and hour of time at least (if you are one of the proper eaters, that is). This place is paradise for hogs like me. Oh! the buttermilk...it's fantastic...great...brilliant! Since my dad is a lot more civilized than me and not that big a foodie, i compensated for what he couldn't extract! The eating place is this typically Indian setup where one has to sit on the floor and there are these short stubby tables put out in front. Crockery was all leafy! I mean, the ones that are made out of those tree leaves...even the bowls were the same. For glasses, there were clay glasses! There are camels and rabbits and statues of bulls and a few other animals!
Ok, I have been typing and the Sun has come out. I have to sleep. So, take care and hope you have had a great diwali!
Adios.
Friday, October 20, 2006
a few things said and asked :) and about jaipur
Hey people!
10 days since my last post…and I am back! This time with something new that I have to say…express and even ask!
Have you ever felt the joy of giving a surprise to someone you very dearly love and can do anything for? No? then I suggest you go ahead and do it right now because the feeling is simply amazing! Specially, if, for that surprise, you have pushed your limits, put in extra work so that you can make time and just wanted to see the person smile. All you expected to be a return for that kind of a surprise is a genuine warm smile on the person’s face. Trust me; the feeling is like one you would have never had before. I have done it and hence, this comes from the horse’s mouth! And also, you will realize that more you stretch yourself, harder you work for that surprise, more is the joy of seeing that smile. Specially, because you never expect anything tangible or profitable to turn out of that surprise. It need not be an expensive one (though, better if it is, I guess) and I agree, in some cases the surprise may even backfire but when you look back at it, think about it, it all feels worth it. Just because the one you did it for, matters to you more than you can ever say. When you think about the person you did it for and all that you went through to do that, you realize to what lengths you can go for that ONE person who means all that your life has ever signified! Simply everything! And after it’s over, you don’t remember the hardship that you had to go through…it’s just those few moments of the surprise that stay in your mind. Because for someone else, you would have never even dreamed of doing it, let alone actually going ahead with the plan!!
Try it. And hey, another thing…if there is someone you love a lot and who means a lot to you, then never tell that person that you don’t have time. NEVER. Because if that person means so much to you then you will always make time. Remember, nobody has the 25th hour in the day…it just depends on how significant someone IS for you. If essential, stretch your limits, push yourself harder, bully yourself to work faster so that you end up saving a few hours for someone who defines your life. It’s like you work hard throughout the year to save up for Christmas or New Year! And the joy of spending that saved up time makes memories indelible. They stay forever. Oh! But one word of advice there, do not leave your work pending and then spend the time. It takes the joy having SAVED time to spend. Understand? If you don’t then you got to be REALLY DUMB! Beyond hope is more like it. And in that case, you should be reading nursery rhymes instead of this post!
Anyway, enough of grandfather type of advice and counseling. Now, let’s change the topic.
I am sitting here in Jaipur. Actually, a little away from Jaipur, at a place called Dausa. This place is in Rajasthan. What am I doing here? Well, that’s a good question! I am here to visit my dad. And all that I am doing here is sleeping (alone), eating, watching movies and thinking. Well, that’s a lot for a day I guess. This is what I call a thinking holiday! And hey, did I tell you that I saw BLACK camels for the first time here! This makes me think, can there be racism among camels too? Yikes…what am I thinking?! So, sitting on this machine (it has been borrowed for sometime), I thought of typing out a post and that’s how, this post came about. Now, about this place. I know Dausa sounds like some distant, remote island where you wouldn’t want to be marooned (unless, it was with your girlfriend, like they show in the movies) because you will die due to lack of resources and technology! But it’s nothing like that. This is, in fact, pretty neat a place! With big houses (which don’t look like they have been made from concrete sheets), lots of cool air, thanks to the AC, T.V., fridge and DVD player and even internet! Coming to think of it, this place rocks! And food…its fab. Surprisingly, though I hadn’t been much in touch with the idiot box for quite sometime, I am already bored of it in just two days! Holy heavens! Lots of lawns and stuff around. This looks more like some kind of resort instead of work location! I wish I was an engineer too (just kidding, I love advertising) so that even I would get such benefits!
Passing through Jaipur, I saw a few monuments. This city is called the pink city of India. The reason being, apparently, that the stones that were found in the region were pink in color and hence, all construction was done with that stone, giving the buildings, a pink look. But these stones were blindingly bright in the Sun. hence, it was decided that the building should be painted. On further examination, it was found that the color of paint that would absorb the sunlight was also pink! Sheesh! Yikes! And hence it happened. The buildings were painted pink (I would hate living in a pink building)! And to think of it, I always thought it was called the pink city because the people here were very healthy and hence it came from the saying “in the pink of health”! Stupid, I know! But to be very honest, and a little critical, the color is not really pink. It’s actually a very confused color between pink and peach. This isn’t meant to be a sexist remark, but it is a very feminine color! In fact, in the old city, where most of these heritage buildings are, the government has instructed that all building should remain painted pink! Now, who was the one who said I WAS CRAZY?? And hey…this just occurred to me, many times, when we give directions to people, it’s like, you go straight up, turn left at the fourth turn and it’s a blue ( or green or yellow or white) building on your left. Here, if you say, go straight up and it’s a pink building on your left…the most natural question that would follow would be “which pink building?” because ALL of them are pink! Christ…what confusion! This place has something called the Hawa Mahal (Wind Palace, if translated literally) and a few forts (which I still have to cover). And the city is very dusty, least said. Oh…and did I tell you the strangest thing about the city…there is a jail here and right outside the jail, you have an ATM counter of UTI bank! It’s like all the prisoners are paid through banks and their money gets credited to the account and when they are walking out, they can just swipe their card and get the cash! Now, THAT is what I call technology! Plus, who would possibly want to go and withdraw cash from outside a prison for heaven’s sake? On the other hand, this ATM counter is pretty secure in the sense that possibly nobody would think of robbing one that stands right outside a prison and has cops everywhere! Isn’t that funny? Come on, it is SUPPOSED to be! Otherwise, the city is fine and good for a visit. I shall tell you more about the city as I get to see it.
Right now, I am tired of sitting on this freaking chair and I will thus end my post here. Hope it was a good read!
Adios.
10 days since my last post…and I am back! This time with something new that I have to say…express and even ask!
Have you ever felt the joy of giving a surprise to someone you very dearly love and can do anything for? No? then I suggest you go ahead and do it right now because the feeling is simply amazing! Specially, if, for that surprise, you have pushed your limits, put in extra work so that you can make time and just wanted to see the person smile. All you expected to be a return for that kind of a surprise is a genuine warm smile on the person’s face. Trust me; the feeling is like one you would have never had before. I have done it and hence, this comes from the horse’s mouth! And also, you will realize that more you stretch yourself, harder you work for that surprise, more is the joy of seeing that smile. Specially, because you never expect anything tangible or profitable to turn out of that surprise. It need not be an expensive one (though, better if it is, I guess) and I agree, in some cases the surprise may even backfire but when you look back at it, think about it, it all feels worth it. Just because the one you did it for, matters to you more than you can ever say. When you think about the person you did it for and all that you went through to do that, you realize to what lengths you can go for that ONE person who means all that your life has ever signified! Simply everything! And after it’s over, you don’t remember the hardship that you had to go through…it’s just those few moments of the surprise that stay in your mind. Because for someone else, you would have never even dreamed of doing it, let alone actually going ahead with the plan!!
Try it. And hey, another thing…if there is someone you love a lot and who means a lot to you, then never tell that person that you don’t have time. NEVER. Because if that person means so much to you then you will always make time. Remember, nobody has the 25th hour in the day…it just depends on how significant someone IS for you. If essential, stretch your limits, push yourself harder, bully yourself to work faster so that you end up saving a few hours for someone who defines your life. It’s like you work hard throughout the year to save up for Christmas or New Year! And the joy of spending that saved up time makes memories indelible. They stay forever. Oh! But one word of advice there, do not leave your work pending and then spend the time. It takes the joy having SAVED time to spend. Understand? If you don’t then you got to be REALLY DUMB! Beyond hope is more like it. And in that case, you should be reading nursery rhymes instead of this post!
Anyway, enough of grandfather type of advice and counseling. Now, let’s change the topic.
I am sitting here in Jaipur. Actually, a little away from Jaipur, at a place called Dausa. This place is in Rajasthan. What am I doing here? Well, that’s a good question! I am here to visit my dad. And all that I am doing here is sleeping (alone), eating, watching movies and thinking. Well, that’s a lot for a day I guess. This is what I call a thinking holiday! And hey, did I tell you that I saw BLACK camels for the first time here! This makes me think, can there be racism among camels too? Yikes…what am I thinking?! So, sitting on this machine (it has been borrowed for sometime), I thought of typing out a post and that’s how, this post came about. Now, about this place. I know Dausa sounds like some distant, remote island where you wouldn’t want to be marooned (unless, it was with your girlfriend, like they show in the movies) because you will die due to lack of resources and technology! But it’s nothing like that. This is, in fact, pretty neat a place! With big houses (which don’t look like they have been made from concrete sheets), lots of cool air, thanks to the AC, T.V., fridge and DVD player and even internet! Coming to think of it, this place rocks! And food…its fab. Surprisingly, though I hadn’t been much in touch with the idiot box for quite sometime, I am already bored of it in just two days! Holy heavens! Lots of lawns and stuff around. This looks more like some kind of resort instead of work location! I wish I was an engineer too (just kidding, I love advertising) so that even I would get such benefits!
Passing through Jaipur, I saw a few monuments. This city is called the pink city of India. The reason being, apparently, that the stones that were found in the region were pink in color and hence, all construction was done with that stone, giving the buildings, a pink look. But these stones were blindingly bright in the Sun. hence, it was decided that the building should be painted. On further examination, it was found that the color of paint that would absorb the sunlight was also pink! Sheesh! Yikes! And hence it happened. The buildings were painted pink (I would hate living in a pink building)! And to think of it, I always thought it was called the pink city because the people here were very healthy and hence it came from the saying “in the pink of health”! Stupid, I know! But to be very honest, and a little critical, the color is not really pink. It’s actually a very confused color between pink and peach. This isn’t meant to be a sexist remark, but it is a very feminine color! In fact, in the old city, where most of these heritage buildings are, the government has instructed that all building should remain painted pink! Now, who was the one who said I WAS CRAZY?? And hey…this just occurred to me, many times, when we give directions to people, it’s like, you go straight up, turn left at the fourth turn and it’s a blue ( or green or yellow or white) building on your left. Here, if you say, go straight up and it’s a pink building on your left…the most natural question that would follow would be “which pink building?” because ALL of them are pink! Christ…what confusion! This place has something called the Hawa Mahal (Wind Palace, if translated literally) and a few forts (which I still have to cover). And the city is very dusty, least said. Oh…and did I tell you the strangest thing about the city…there is a jail here and right outside the jail, you have an ATM counter of UTI bank! It’s like all the prisoners are paid through banks and their money gets credited to the account and when they are walking out, they can just swipe their card and get the cash! Now, THAT is what I call technology! Plus, who would possibly want to go and withdraw cash from outside a prison for heaven’s sake? On the other hand, this ATM counter is pretty secure in the sense that possibly nobody would think of robbing one that stands right outside a prison and has cops everywhere! Isn’t that funny? Come on, it is SUPPOSED to be! Otherwise, the city is fine and good for a visit. I shall tell you more about the city as I get to see it.
Right now, I am tired of sitting on this freaking chair and I will thus end my post here. Hope it was a good read!
Adios.
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