As a common Indian

Don't they feel ashamed about this? It is really disgusting to see the reactions of these politicians. May be because -they live in another India. Where there are cars to travel, bodyguards to protect and money to be squandered - is obtained without any struggle.

These people know it very well that they are miles away from any train which might contain RDX explosives.
They are never going to enter a railway station or a Cafe or a city footpath where a bomb can explode anytime.
At any given moment - safety is not a concern for any of them.
Shameless leaders(?) like Vilasrao Deshmukh and R.R. Patil - who took the Mumbai terror attacks as a "regular incidents" prove the already proved fact again - India for politicians is different from the India we live in.

And ofcourse the bomb blasts - Mumbaikars are now used to them! Goevernment can in fact officially declare a bomb scare like "heavy rains" warning in any city of India....

We are destined to be common- acceptable.
We have no special status - acceptable.
We are supposed to do common things and live a common life - acceptable.
But it is simply unacceptable, as a citizen of India, that anyone can come here and kill my countrymen - Simply not ACCEPTABLE.

Sadly, It seems acceptable to our Govenrment and politicians as a lot.
Naseeruddin Shah speaks as a common man about Terrorism & Government in "A wednesday"

Dear PM !

Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh,
As you must be aware there was an incident in a city called Mumbai, where several people were killed. Nothing special, I agree. These days there are one or more bomb blasts happening around.
I also know that you are a very busy man and have numerous meetings everywhere.
But i really have a problem and I do not have an answer to that question, thought I would tell you !

At this moment- these terrorists have created havoc in Mumbai, my city. People died like mosquitos. Many brave policemen lost their lives. Amongst dead were elite, less and lesser elite, and ofcourse the beloved target of terrorists- the common masses!

I know, Government, police force etc. are unable to protect common people like me. Ofcourse there are many important ministers, actors, businessmen to be protected with Z+ security.
So there are generally not many left to protect people like me!

My question is - "How do I protect myself and my family?"
I cannot kill anyone nor have I taken any NCC traning. Say a terrorist approaches me- What am I supposed to do?
Logic tells me that this situation should have been prevented in first place. How can a terrorist enter my city and threaten me at a gun(that too a semi-autometic)point?
So I consider that as a life threatening situation.
I say this, because when I leave my home each day- a bomb can explode, terror can strike from all 360 degrees. Trains, officeplace, theatres, railway stations - everywhere I am alert these days.
Anyways, that's not very important- at max I might get killed.
Even if that happens, please answer my question in public. Someone else might be able take necessary measures.

tuely,
Not at all important who!


PS - Could you please tell me a good place where I can get an AK-47, preferably at discount rate?

The Idiot - By Dostoyevsky

Few man can portray human beings like Dostoevsky does. He's the master of masters.
Even the great Einstein had once said, "Dostoevsky gives me more than any scientist, more than Gauss".

"The Idiot", often considered as one of the greatest work of Dostoevsky, proves this-and how!
The master portrays truly amazing image of a man whom they all call an Idiot.

Dostoevsky's motives for writing The Idiot stem from his desire to depict the "positively good man"- Prince Myshkin.
By making Myshkin a paragon of kindness and humility, Dostoyevsky shows what can happen when such a man is confronted by society. Myshkin frequently confronts society's norms with his "idiocy", which is merely his apparently naive approach to life. However, it is merely a search for truth in human relationships, he is not naive about what others say to him and about him, he merely assumes they're true because human beings should have no need for falsehood. The prince frequently faces various social turmoils throughout the novel, petty arguments and ridiculous assumptions. Unfortunately, the "idiot" cannot save himself from society and fails in the end. [description from wikipedia]

Myshkin is indeed one of the most beloved and truest character in literature. A child at heart, naive and ever kind - closer to being a saint.

I wish we had a few Myshkins amongst us right now, amidst all the hatred littered all along.....

Bead & the Bea(r)d

I was going through my photo album when a particular photo attracted my attention.

<--This, I realized is indeed a special photo!

A tiny drop of an unknown source of liquid object sharply entangled into a thick and dense clot of beard. Beautiful as a bead !
well, Look closer and you might even find the image of photographer captured inside the "bead".


The model for above photo is undisclosed and protected by the same thick dense hair!
I am thinking of sending this for Pulitzer prize .....

हरवलेली माणसे - lost

हरवलेली माणसे
-------------------

फार पूर्वी TV वर एक प्रोग्राम लागायचा - " आपण यांना पाहिलात का ?"
त्यात कुठे कुठे हरवलेली माणसे दाखवायचे. आणि आता TV बंद करायची वेळ झाली ही सूचना नकळत मिलायाची.

असाच विचार करताना मला एकदम आठवण झाली की कुठे जात असतील हे हरवलेले लोक?

हरवलेली माणसे नक्की कुठे जातात?माणूस हरवतो म्हणजे नक्की काय होते?
काय करतात त्यांच्या घरातले? अचानक आपले माणूस असे नाहीसे झाले की कसे वाटत असेल?

आपण नाही का जाहिराती बघतो -"हरवला आहे. वय - १४ वर्षे. सावला रंग. कृपया संपर्क साधावा - " आणि एक फ़ोन नम्बर .
बाहेरच्या अफाट जगात आपले कुणीतरी फसलेले आहे, माणसांच्या जंगलात कुठे तरी अडकलेले आहे ही किती असहाय्य भावना असेल.

माणसे रोज येतात आणि जातात. रेलवे स्टेशन , बस स्टॉप, सिनेमा घर अशा असंख्य ठिकाणी अगणीत लोक आपल्याला रोज दिसतात. त्याम्ध्येच असतात का हे हरवलेले लोक ? असा विचार केला की रोजचेच बिन चेहेरयाचे चहरे अचानक ओळखीचे वाटायला लागतात.
शून्य नजरेने कुठे तरी टक लावून बघणारा तो कोपर्यावरचा वेडसर मनुष्य कुठून आला असावा हा विचार दिवसभर डोक्यात घुमत राहतो. आणि संध्याकाळी त्याचा वेडसर चेहरा तितकासा वेडसर वाटत नाही.

बाकड़यावर दिवसभर बसून राहणारे कुणी वृद्ध गृहस्थ कुठूनसे आले असावे? ते दुपरिसुद्धा तिथेच का बसून असतात?

भिरभिरत्या नजरेने आजुबाजुला बघणारी छोटी मुले - नेहेमीच कशी स्टेशन वर पडलेली असतात ? "हट" असे म्हणुन जेव्हा आपण त्यांना झिडकारून लावतो, तेव्हा त्यांना कसे वाटत असेल?
घरी जायचे असुनही ज्यांना घरी जाता येत नाही, अशी छोटी मुले काय करतात?

आपण असे सगळ्या जगात एकटे. कोण कुठले काहीच कल्पना नाही. केवळ "अन्तर" ही एकाच मिती उरते मग.
हे किती विचित्र आहे !

मला माहीती नाही. पण "हरवलेली माणसे" ही कल्पनाच फार भयानक आहे.

एक दुर्घटना - Accident

Now.. It doesn't take a nuclear reactor to create a mishap. Marvels of modern technology can do it within no time.

I mean it was all going perfectly. In fact a matter of few minutes and it would be over.
But the regular stuff went horribly wrong.
Poor creature was melted after keeping it inside a Grill at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
We tried rescue efforts but it was already too late.
The thing had taken 33rd degree burns and was deformed beyond recognition.

We had to believe our eyes somehow and console ourselves.
It was a fine blue plastic dish before going in !!!!

This is what happens when you keep a plastic dish in a grill.
The dangling tentacle looking thing is molten plastic.
I am really choked up to continue writing !

Image !!!!!

This was just another photo till i posted this on Orkut.
And as soon as I posted it - I got several replies from people saying that this snap is pretty "cute". I have always wondered what this word means exactly !!!
And now here I stand searching the cuteness in my own photo .....

A wednesday... YO !!!!

Well it's hard to believe!
Watched 'A Wednesday' - again a good movie!!

It's fast, grippng and very "smart" !
Tahaan is already there, Last Lear coming up next..
They are coming like Tendulkar's boundaries- all in a row :D

Ladies and Gentlemen - we present - Hindi Cinema!!!

Mumbai meri jaan ... Yo !

I must have really liked it like anything ...
otherwise why would I restart my machine at 4.30 AM in the morning and write few lines about it?
This is just about the perfect movie of this genre - and it's just too good !
well, please don't read this if you still haven't seen "Mumbai meri jaan"
What's so special about this ...

-> There is no central theme, and yet a very powerfull , gripping storyline revolving around few lives
-> Kay Kay , the guy gives such an amazing performance!
-> Paresh Rawal, he's given the policemen a new look, realistic as well. Few his scenes just stand out
-> Irfan khan and the angle his character brings into the story

Screenplay and script as well, they are again top notch
And Last but not the least - Song at the end, well that's just - ______________ !!!!!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen we present to you, "Mumbai meri jaan"

immunizations or inhumanization ?

This one has a circular pattern.

Hey , don't worry, just read on. Its not about some geometric function or a linked list. But just a label!

It so happened that the (N+1) vaccinations my family doctor had done - were insufficient. So I was told by a NCSU medical record assistant. Now before I could complain anything, they handed me a piece of paper - " there you go. Meet so and so on so and so date." and in a realllly nice tone - " I'm afraid I can't explain why".

So I took and appointment( yes, even if you want to say hi- you need an appointment). On the given day I presented myself to the mentioned person.

"well .... ummmmm", ZZZZZZzZZZzzzzzzzz she goes thru the pages and suggests that I would need 3 Vaccinations and a PPD test for Tuberculosis.

"But I do have a chest X ray.. and that's perfectly normal....." I protested rightly becasue my doctor had done the X ray thing in Mumbai.

"yesss, I understand, but we need the PPD test.. So please come on ___ day."

OKKK. And right there without any kind of hint- she stings me twice on right arm with a sharp needle. Ladies and gentle men - I'm proud owner of few Measles and Diphtheria vaccinations!!!

So finally i reach the clinic with the PPD test done.

the nurse checks the PPD. " Ohh, I'm afraid you would need a Chest X-ray."

I couldn't believe my ears. Did she say the chest X RAY? that's what I had given them!!!

This tooo much. Or did I say I have "a toung X ray" last time?

Or did she think that it was some one else's - may be the doctor's chest X ray?

Or do they think that we paint X rays by ourselves back there in India- for 5 Rs??

Or may be, X ray's gonna reveal that I'm a mutant exposed to Galactic radiatyion pattern???
Or does an Indian X ray has expiry date of some kind????

I really don't understand the rules here.
But the funniest part is - neither do Americans!

*PS - this was confirmed as the lady called me after 10days and told me - Nothing's wrong with my chest X ray!!

Kissa @ Burger King

Why on earth would you think beaf is veg? I just have no clue at all. All we did was - to order a cheese sandwich at a Burger King. And the follwowing conversation took place.

ME:" Do you have cheese burger?", Now i am no blind and it was written that they have such dish on menu. I was just making things sure.
Guy at Counter: Owwe we Do 'ave 'em.
ME: "Could you get me a veg cheese burger?"
Guy: "It is veg cheese burg'.
ME: Okay, how much?
He started punching the machine - Wrrrrrrrrrrp, Burrrrrrppp- khatackhkk etc.
ME: "Ohh, is it pure veg?"
Guy: "wass that? Pu... wat?"
ME: "Puuuure VEGETERIAN... No meat, chicken, beaf-"
Guy:"Ahha, 't 'as beaf- itis cheese burger."
I mean what is this? If you think beaf is veg, you might as well think Vivek Mushran is Bollywood superstar !!!
Certainly not fair Uncle Sam, I'll have my revange soon - I bet i shall.
Dare you come to Mumbai and order a Vada Pav !!