Life is an open road!!

Hot Hatches: Figo & Brio

2012-01-25T00:16:00.000+05:30

This is a tale of two hot hatches of the season.

The first is the one which took the market by surprise, theresponse was beyond what the manufacturer expected. Yep, we’re talkingabout the Ford Figo. I was curious to find out the reason for this success andhence headed to the Ford dealership to check out the 1.2L petrol.

What I found out was that it was not the fastest hatch, nor is itthe largest. Yet it is definitely the most balanced car I’ve driven in a while.The power is just fine, the cabin space is quite generous, it has its ownlovely features, has a pleasing exterior (don’t even remind me of those hideoustoad like creatures called the Ritz & the Swift) and most importantly- itis offered at a good price.

The best part is the ride quality and handling. Yes!! We getthe legendary Ford hydraulic steering system which gives excellent feedback. Thesuspension eats up the potholes easily and the car remains stable even atextreme turns. After getting chummy with the showroom guy and getting hispermission to push the car, I did an aggressive U-turn at around 30-40 kmph.Any other car, and our dear Shubham would have featured in tomorrow’s obituarycolumn. But the Ford made it just fine. The motor provides a flattish torqueand though it doesn’t break any records on the track, it serves well in thecity.

The second hot hatch for the day was the Honda Brio. Here isa product that has immense potential but there are great challenges it faces.For starters, Honda did not fully localize its assembly . 20% of its parts areimported. With the earthquake in Japan and recent floods in Thailand, Honda’slanded in deep trouble. They just haven’t been able to assemble the Brio andthe Jazz.

On the greener side, you’ve finally got a Honda that’saffordable without compromising on quality or performance. The finish is superband even the base model come well loaded. The engine is what you expect from Honda:smooth & silent; yet peppy. It is definitely fun to drive around in thecity and it felt at ease when I revved it to the redline in gear two. Theeconomy indicator is a great buddy to help you squeeze out more miles from thatdrop of petrol.

This is great car for a couple: you know the newly married,carefree types.. Add to that a kid or two or parents/in laws or even visitors- and then you have a problem. For the Brio’s fundamental problem is space. Theboot does not open, you have to manage with the glass lid (remember the veryfirst Maruti 800??). Rear leg space is tight and I wonder what you would do ifthere were three people and two large suitcases. The thought of such occupancylevels in a Brio seems grotesque. So if you are a Brio owner who has a coupleof visitors occasionally; like most Indians do, God help you.

There is no winner here for you’d own these carsfor different purposes entirely. As I said, the family man would love thespacious, feature heavy & economical Figo. The mod city dweller would liketo be seen alone (or with his/her spouse/ gf/ bf) in the trendy Brio. He canenjoy the quality, dependable Honda engineering and of course: the fueleconomy..

The CBR 250..

2011-11-10T11:30:00.000+05:30

The CBR 250 is hot property these days. The damn bike is soscarce that I had to travel some 200kms to a neighboring town to test ride it(the dealers in the city had already sold off everything they could get theirhands on; the test drive vehicle included).

So with that kind of effort, expectations are definitelyhigh. Add to that Honda: a name thatis synonymous with quality, refinement and perfection. Undoubtedly, the CBR 250had a lot to live up to.

The looks are somewhat moderate. Sure, the huge front andthick profile tires do appeal to most red blooded males, but that’s about it.When I label the looks as ‘moderate’, I say so because of a couple of experiencesI had. Allow me to elaborate. When a guy buys a bike, there are a number ofthings on his mind. While freedom, power, fun are important factors associatedwith a bike, ‘impressing chicks’ is a vital one as well. This is where theCBR 250 might just let you down. I told a lady friend of mine about Honda’s newbike and how it will propel riders to the sports bike category with its not soastronomical price tag. When I actually showed it to her, she said “That’s it?Ok.. Umm.. Doesn’t look like a very expensive bike though. I think the Pulsarsand Yamahas look meaner.”

Let’s leave the debate on the looks for some other day andget down to the basics. The bike feels a lot lighter than it actually is thanksto the low centre of gravity and balance achieved by Honda’s engineers. Theengine is a 250cc liquid cooled unit which generates 25 bhp and is coupled to a6 speed gear-box. Though it offers plenty of power, it does seem a bit thrashy byHonda standards when revved hard. Of late, we Indians have been spoilt by thosefree revving engines from TVS and Bajaj, so reaching the 11k red line on theHonda was not something out of the ordinary. There is almost no one who canoutperform the CBR 250, yet it does not inspire that brashness. City driving ispleasurable as the low end torque nullifies the need for frequent gear shift. Theexhaust note is a bit silent and the power delivery is a bit too smooth forcharged up riders. The gearbox is a class apart and the light clutch makes gearshifts a very pleasurable affair. I realized I was shifting a lot more thanwhat was necessary thanks to the slickness of the entire operation. Theinstrument cluster is a amiable unit and the ABS brakes are a boon for ourIndian roads where I’ve lost count of times when I’ve been forced to brake hardon our roads to avoid potholes, dogs, cows or humans.

What annihilates all debate is the price. The overall specsand price (Rs. 1,56,000 ex-showroom ) of CBR 250 help it carve a niche foritself in the market. It offers a mini-superbike experience at an acceptableprice tag. If I were to deliberately compare it with other bikes in the market,I would be lost. For the baby Kwacker: the Ninja 250 is definitely a betterperformer than the CBR but it will ask you to shell out a lot more (2.5 lakh:ex-showroom). The other competitor: Pulsar 220 doesn’t pose much of a threat asit just not in that league. No wonder this bike is already a winner.

Renault Fluence

2011-10-13T23:51:00.000+05:30

Jerome often bashes the French for being a bit boring. He’snot very wrong when it comes to driving Renaults. This is about the RenaultFluence test drive and lest you are overwhelmed with the gloomy start, let meassure you that though the Fluence is plain-Jane, it is indeed a brilliantoverall package.

Lets look at the good things first. This is Renault’s firstvehicle for the Indian market (let’s forget the Renault-Dacia-Mahindra Logan)and the company’s enthusiasm is apparent. The dealers are motivated and you doget to see the Fluence on a couple of billboards.

The car looks smart and simple. It can put up a show betterthan the Skoda Laura and the Jetta, but that’s about it. The profile is smoothand nothing outrageous so to say. The curves are just right, the prominentheadlamps surrounding the small linear grille with the huge Renault logo makequite a sight.

It is difficult to distinguish between the petrol and dieselfrom the outside but once you step in the cabin, there is a huge difference.The Petrol offers interiors which is leagues beyond the diesel. The diesel doesnot get the display, the beige interiors and the snazzy dash. Don’t get meworng, the quality is top notch. Once you touch that dashboard plastic, youwould be confused as to whether to classify it as leather or plastic. The soft compoundis something I’ve never seen before. But at a cursory look, it seems that it issimilar to a car that comes for 1/5^th the price. The music system isquite ordinary and the steering mounted controls are difficult to access. Thesteering system is European with controls on the wrong side stating that thisis just makeshift engineering from a left hand drive vehicle. The cabin noiseis negligible and the clatter of the oil burner can be sensed only at lowerRPMs. The seats are very comfortable but again I’m not sure if its leather I’mlooking at. When I expressed my reservations about the interiors, the salesexecutive suggested a Rs. 80,000 upgrade to ape the petrol’s interiors sans thedisplay.

The car is quite a decent performer though the enginegenerates only 106bhp. The word onlyis necessisated in this case due to the competition from the Chevy’s 140bhpdiesel rocket called Cruze and the Laura. The motor is mated to a 6-speedtransmission which is a pleasure to operate. The turbo kicks in a little beyond2000 rpm and is a bit gradual. (Some turbos give me jitters as they seem tomultiply power beyond 2500 rpm). I thought out aloud: “This ought to difficultin the city, shifting gears and waiting for the turbo to kick in.” The salesexecute immediately responded: “But that’s your chauffeur’s problem isn’t itsir?” Well err… he does have a point. But aren’t there any individuals whostill love driving when they move up in life?

However, once the turbo kicks in the drive is pleasurable ifnot spine breaking. The braking is a bit sudden as you take time to get used tothe vehicle avionics (EBP, ESP and ABS are standard). The steering is firm andyou get ample feedback. I loved the overall feel of the car. Lighter productslike the Civic maybe powerful and luxurious but do not like being thrown aroundcorners the way the Fluence does. You do not cringe in the Renault when you corner it hard or take off a speedbreaker. There are not many that inspire you to drive this way. The doors closewith a reassuring thud and the metal is top notch. Renault offers a 5 yearwarranty on the finish.

Bad:

Renault, please give us better interiors. Not to forget, welove delving upon the variants and accessories. Choosing from LXi, Vxi,Emotion, Tum-tum or yoyo models gives us a high which cannot be explained.Perhaps we take it as an extension of bargaining. So Renault, if you areserious about us, please offer us more configurations. Ever heard of thatcompany called Maruti? If offers Swift Vxi, Swift LXi, Swift Automatic, SwiftLDi, Swift VDi and maybe even a Swift Eco-Green (CNG) soon..

As much as we Indians love high mileage diesels, we cannotdo without pomp and show. My friend rightfully pointed out: If I were to shell out that kind of money, I’d like to be surroundedby something more graceful.

Monsoon fury: Bhandardara

2011-09-13T14:40:00.005+05:30

Bhandardara is around 180Kms from Mumbai and boasts of one of the most pleasing views and monsoon experience in the state. The bunch of us set off and a hired Chevrolet Tavera & a Pulsar 200 were to serve us today. Wilson dam, Mount Kalsubai (highest peak of Maharashtra), Arthur Lake and Ratangad fort are some of the tourist attractions here. In the rain, we decided to skip the trek to Kalsubai and visited the dam, waterfall and the lake. Besides these ‘touristy’ spots, what we thoroughly enjoyed was the journey to the place. The experience of passing through clouds, chilly winds, innumerous waterfalls, endless greenery and the continuous precipitation is hard to describe in words.

We started around 6:20 am, passed Thane by 7:30 and were speeding on the Nashik highway. Speeds in excess of 100kmph were later brought down thanks to the rain. We had breakfast midway somewhere after Vasind. The first thrill was the Sayhadri ghats. The ghats offer a spectacular view of the valley but today the clouds engulfed us. Driving through the clouds was quite an experience in itself. Though there is a way from Asangaon, we stayed on the NH3 until the small town of Ghoti. Any roads off this highway are usually in a bad shape. The monsoon had definitely taken a toll and it took us more than an hour to cover the last 30Kms. Though there were some really bad patches of tarmac, we never complained as the lush green & wet surroundings were an absolute treat.

One phenomenon that surprises me here are the winds. There were a couple of times when the Chevy passed through a gap in the valley and swayed violently. I freaked out everytime I saw this and braced myself as I went through the gap moments later on the bike. No exaggerations here: ride with extreme caution for the winds will try their best to blow you away; whatever be your ride. I have to admit that I underestimated the power a couple of times. There were times when I bent more than 10 degrees to counter the wind on a straight path. It took me a while to figure out the boundary between thrill and stupidity but a couple of bad judgments and last moment braking have taught lessons that ought to be lifelong. So please, slow down.. We hit the village around 10:30. Upon reaching the waterfall, tea and pakodas were ordered at a small shanty of a place.

The winner amongst my stupidity for the day featured the biggest Rapta of ‘em all. (for the definition of rapta, click here) We had encountered countless raptas on the way thanks to the rain but I’ll call this one at Arthur lake the ‘Big Daddy’ . We parked our vehicles on one end of the road as the driver was against taking the Chevy through it. However, I saw a Splendor come through. Then a Discover came through revving hard and coughing. If these measly machines can, then why not the beast? With this thought I mounted my machine and drove off after instructing Nishant to take pics of the victorious me splashing around. As soon as I reached halfway, the engine started coughing. No sooner had it hauled me to safety and it died. My compatriots who had attempted similar feats were also subjected to the same fate (another Splendor). What had happened was that the level had risen (Yes! In a matter of minutes) by a couple of inches. The groaning of the engine meant that there was plenty of water in both the muffler as well as the spark plugs. We hauled the bike to a small shed (the only sign of habitation/human activity within a couple of Kms) and tried everything. We titled the bike on the rear wheel to flush out the silencer. Opened, Cleaned and dried both the spark plugs. When nothing worked, we decided to wait. Sure enough the engine came back to life after repeated attempts of the above mentioned steps in 40 minutes. This time I decided to cross the rapta off the bike. So Punit and I pushed the bike, fought the fury of the water which threatened to wash away the bike and the two of us and got it back to the other side. Thankfully, the engine roared and we headed to Arthur lake. The ladies were dreaming of boating all this while and were left aghast as soon as we reached the spot. For waves that would put the shores of Arabian sea to shame greeted us. Again, wind was the culprit. Boating had been suspended for the day and we decided to head out for food. Needless to say, every bone was shivering. Even the ones in the car wet after the previous excursions and the chilly winds can make life tough. When we finally reached the MTDC resort at around 2pm, I discovered that my hands and feet could very well be featured in the fairness cream advertisements sans the shrinkage lines that had developed. For white would have shied away from the skin made pale by the non-stop precipitation of the last 5 hours. The highlight of the process of eating was not the food but the fact that we remained in a dry place for about an hour.

We headed back at around 4pm and stopped for coffee at a CCD between the Sayhadri ghats and Vasind. A word of caution: it is very hard to find a decent place to eat here. There are 2-3 resorts which may or may not entertain you for food and hence MTDC is often the only option. It is not a bad idea to stuff as much food from home; especially if you wish to trek to Kalsubai.

Ways to get there:

1. Hire a cab from Mumbai: We struck a decent deal for a 6-seater which turned out to be around Rs. 650 per head

2. Via Igatpuri: Take a train/ bus to Igatpuri. From Igatpuri, you could hire a cab (Rs 500) or take the state transport corporation’s hourly bus. Economical but you lose time.

3. Drive/Ride: A great drive but do ensure that the vehicle has already earned your confidence. The terrain is quite treacherous and there are hardly any support center/workshops here. Figure out the math depending on the kind of fuel guzzler you plan to take.

Places to stay:

- The MTDC resort is the only economical option but it can be difficult to get confirmed bookings on weekends. You may need to book weeks in advance.
- There are a couple of budget hotels in the nearby town of Igatpuri (40Kms) as well

Places around:

You can try to cover a few more places in case you want to make a trip of more than 1 day:

- Nashik : The city with many prominent temples

- Shirdi: The Sai temple in Shirdi needs no introduction. The town also offers numerous places to stay depending on your budget.

- Malshejghat: A hill station with a panoramic view of mountains and valleys. Again, it is difficult to get a confirmed booking in the MTDC resort here.

Mysterious ways .. Fate??

2011-07-23T08:41:00.001+05:30

On any other day, I would have laughed at it and brushed it away. Mysteriously, my patience seemed to have taken the day off and my temper was rising. The cause of of the mounting disgust was a jobless class where eminent personalities from the industry were shaping the future leaders. Or so they say. To cut it short, it was bullshit. The high fliers of the industry were telling tales of the do’s and don’ts in the business environment while the anxious post grad crowd listened intently. In time, the instructor proposed to introduce a role play to re-create a business case in the class. There were roles assigned to individuals who accepted their fictitious identities with great pride. Soon enough many metaphorsized into Business Analysts, technologists, high flying customers and what not..

Sounds impressive right? Should have been. The spoiler was the intellect; or should I say: the lack of it. The problem was ridiculously simple (PS: my new born nephew would able to resolve it as soon as he can start talking). Yet the energy was high and everyone had a thing or two to say. The wise have been great canvassers of silence; ie: in case you don't know something, it's smart to shut up. Yet out here, silence is not an option. Thou shall speak senselessly for there is no concern fir quality, just for attitude and speaking skills. Moreover, the evaluator is not necessarily smart enough to filter sensible stuff- he/she will reward those who are remembered for any reason:good or bad..

What happened for the rest of the hour was absolute filth. There were arguments, issues brought up and even a few digs at each other for that little screen time. The instructor applauded, rubbished and even suggested alterations for the performances.

I came out, took out the phone and was soon in conversation with a like minded friend. I could figure that I was being intrusive and the poor fellow had done nothing to bear the brunt of my anger. I disconnected and was suddenly overcome by loneliness. Loved ones were far away and the crowd around me was in the gear up for ‘high score tomorrow mode’. I was not in a mood to bother other friends and talking to family since in such a state it would invite the obvious ‘Comply, make most of your study opportunity’ talk. I was wondering what to do when a fierce looking canine came by. The eyes looked sad yet he reminded me of yesterday’s incident when one (his bro possibly?) had dug his teeth into my jeans for no reason as I was driving around town. We kept looking at each other: the beige dog and I and soon he came close and sat down near me. I patted his head and he instantly snuggled at my ankles. Now that he was regally settled in my lap, I stroked his head, back and neck. Soon I lost track of time, and everything around me..

This went on for a while until I wondered about the force which was observing me and decided to send a helping hand (or paw) to alleviate my mind. The endeavour only cost a thorough wash and that of my clothes but I was intrigued by what I had been rewarded with. For I hardly find love that is so easily reciprocated; and that’s all that dog did. As I looked into his eyes, I was reminded of something a professor said in a movie: “Do not pity the dead, (Harry). Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love"

Fear of the Dark

2011-07-10T15:15:00.004+05:30

Nope, this post is not about Iron Maiden. Just a round up of dark literature..

When I say dark there are couple of books that pop up. If you talk violence then Mario Puzo is the winner. The Last Don, Sicilian, Godfather are incomparable. The plots of these books break away from the general perception of violence with lots of guns, blades, blood and gore. Astonishingly, the most violent situations arise from the silence. Yes silence! The silence and cold demeanor of several characters in these books manage to send a chill in your spine. In fact, Omerta (the Italian code of silence) forces the readers to think about violence in a different perspective rather than be lost in the primitive idea of bloody battles. The Dark Arena remains one of the most dark and depressing books I have ever read.

My other favorite author of this genre is Edgar Allan Poe. All the classics authored by him are a little difficult to start but gradually create a macabre atmosphere that . The psychology of individuals, dark romanticism, premature burial and stages of death are spread across his works and he ensures that the reader is in a disarray upon completion. I may be taking a wild guess, but the gameplay and environment of Wolf 3D, Doom may have been inspired by Poe’s descriptions.

I conclude with the scariest book I have read: 1984..

This is a visionary’s imagination of a future where power has gone unchecked and even the human mind is no longer free. The protagonist is a person very insignificant in the society. Just like you and me, he has a lot so say about the world around him and is cognizant of the fact that there is little he can actually do to change. Drunk on hatred for the authorities and as an inquisitive soul looking for answers, he turns a rebel in the most subtle way. He chooses to take a break from the schedule the authorities have prescribed to him, he chooses to explore and falls in love.

Though he understands the ‘how’ behind the mind control by creating mass public hysteria through wars, bombarding and falsification of news, the ‘why’ intrigues Winston. The book does hint at the author’s war against socialism. Animal Farm, his other creation employs humour but 1984 is a serious political fiction on oligarchic governance.

The thought police catches up and then begins a long exercise to break the mind. They manage to break his body, make him lie, betray his love. Yet deep within, that hatred for the system exists. After all, it seems impossible to stop hating the force that reduced you to such a state. The readers can connect with Winston’s suffering, his feelings for Julia perfectly. However, the last sentence of the book is shocking. The force had managed to root out everything from the mind concluding: “He loved Big Brother!”

George Orwell is probably the only author to have two of his creations in the top 30 of the modern library’s 100 best books list. (http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/)

Toyota Etios test drive..

2011-05-31T09:52:00.008+05:30

No matter how hard I try, it is hard to keep the Logan out of my mind everytime I see the Etios on the road, in the paper or on TV. The lines, the wheel arches, the same cubic centimetres of the engine, the flat boot with a ‘in your face triangular rear lamps’ and the plain-jane front can't all be co-incidently same.

The Logan-ism is re-instated as I set my eyes on the sparkling new Etios at the Toyota showroom. The interiors are spacious. In fact, the boot claims to squeeze in more bags than the big-bro Corolla. The interiors are smart and simple. The peculiar Air-con vents and the instrumental panel at the centre of the dashboard reminds that something is new and ummm.. different. The quality is not all that great, but the plastics have been smartly used and make an agreeable sight.

Now the test drive started. The acceleration is good and there is ample torque at lower revs. The words ‘Smart and simple’ pop up yet again in my mind. The next thing that pops up is ‘Remembering the Logan, are we??’. The handling is fine and the steering is little too soft; something like the previous-gen Honda City ZX. The transmission is mated brilliantly and though there is no need for shifts at lower speeds, the power peaks at mid range. The low range torque set-up makes it a lovely city dweller. The vehicle is light and Toyota has removed anything and everything it thought was unnecessary. They even upgraded the brake casing to better it for the Indian roads where bouncing pebbles, stones are not uncommon.

As I step out, I feel peculiar as I am happy but not impressed. There is nothing missing here. It is a great deal which smartly packages the right elements to optimize comfort, power and space. Some will pay that price just for the Toyota emblem that comes along with it, because in India, hasn’t Toyota always been enjoyed only by the classes? I would love it some 10-15years later, when I need a nice sedan to haul a family and value proposition is paramount. But today, its different. I don’t want to be that sensible and no-nonsense fellow today. And this is where the Toyota lets me down. It has all the right elements; it maintains that perfect balance. The power is just enough to haul itself, there is ample space and the steering is very practical. However, most will agree that Practicality of the ideal good boy/girl has never impressed my generation. Even a fool can tell that the Etios will be a big hit, the 3 month waiting period post booking points in that direction. Yet the mean looking Fiesta, the street smart Swift and the gorgeous Linea will still attract the youth as the Toyota sadly might be too ‘nice’ for them.
The way Toyota has played with the price with the Etios has got all the competition on its toes. Suzuki is shortening it's Swift Dzire to get the tax advantage and slash its price, Hyundai &Ford are looking for replacements for their existing models. If Toyota manages to maintain similar pricing, God save the hatchback market once the Etios Liva is launched..

The Social Network.. (## friends hate this post)

2011-05-09T15:28:00.010+05:30

The rise of 'Whatsup' relationships caught my attention and inspite of my efforts, my brain wandered thinking about what actually fostered such casual relationships. For there are some of us out there who detest this trend and still like friendship the old fashioned way. Not long ago, the universal definition of a friend had a couple of words such as dependable, harbinger of happiness, help in need, etc. While the words have stayed on and perhaps their usage has been accentuated, the real meaning remains lost somewhere.. Let me attempt to explain this with the help of examples:

Example 1:

Situation: I am suffering from some wretched infection and am bedridden for a couple of days.

Part (a): Friend in need

An unexpected visit from my dear friend: for no scientific reason at all. Of course everyone knows I’d be fine in a couple of days, so why did my friend bother? Reasons are beyond the realms of practicality and rationality. It is difficult to gauge the benefits with my loneliness evaporating, the reassurance, the small talk. Why, one can’t (neither my friend nor I) even advertise this fact to others. Precisely the reason why this old friendship has lost limelight.

Part (b): Now consider another form of friendship (my friends on FB)

My status message: Recovering from a bad infection.. Doc says I’ll live!!

Friend#3, Friend#43 and 12 others like this!

Friend 1: Oh dear, get well soon!! :O

Friend 32: Da virus’z all ovr the place man.. Life’s a bi**h.. Get well soon dude!

Friend#21: Haha! Hen in a coop.. Chicken pox :P tc..

Post comment [____________]

Short lived as it may be, but a few words of jest or expressing concern are a shot in the arm for me. I may be so consumed by the pride that I often forget that:

1. Friend#3 is a very very distant relative who I have never met and chances are: never will.

2. Fact: Friend#32 ain’t no African American. He’s just a guy from my old town who has taken great pains searching for some cool words/ slang over the net before construing that comment

3. Friend#43 is an acquaintance who’d be wishing that I were dead.

4. Friend #21 is actually a very dear friend but warmth of friendship will have to make way for words that will help him step up the ‘cool ladder’

Having said this, I wonder what all that effort of posting, tracking, re-commenting, liking is all about. Sure, the social networks help us get in touch with our near and dear ones, but if you ask me: If they really are near & dear- I’d like to keep them a notch above the rest. This is where fb doesn’t go very well with me. If they are indeed are that important, I don’t want our communication to be lost inthe public domain amongst theacquaintances and well wishers who may feature lower on the relationship scale. So I ought to take that extra effort: the trips, the calls and being there when it actually matters to build relationships.

It is seen that the word 'friend' has been somewhat corrupted by the social network later part throws light upon a more interesting aspect. We always complain that social networks are platforms where voyeurs can have a ball. After deep thought, I feel that the matter be turned around to see who’s lambasting the culprit. Astonishing as it may sound, the accuser is the culprit here. In the second case, the fact that my status message invites a number of responses from all over the world gives an instant high and satiates my ego with that little airtime and audience. So it may be safely assumed that in spite of whatever I tell the world about my indifference, actually I’m actually looking for people who will are concerned with my online image. Not necessarily voyeurs, but someone to watch me, exclaim or brood aboutme. And this; my dear friends is precisely what the game is all about. P.G. Wodehouse’s creation: Jeeves the Butler always doles out reasoning to such complex circumstances accompanied with the curt words: “It’s a game of Psychology, Sir.”

The Social network brilliantly capitalizes this aspect. Look at it:

1. It feeds your ego. Why, not everyone has a 1000+ friends on Orkut+ Facebook! And not everyone gets instant comments / likes on their pictures, comments etc. It is I…. 8 people like MY comment.. 2 people responded to MY status message update in 45 seconds.. My crush likes MY picture.. It is always I…. Hence Me is now ME the great..

2. Somewhere deep within we are all voyeurs ourselves and just love to know what is happening in someone else’s life. With facebook, Yes we can!

The obsession with one’s virtual image can sometimes be scary. Instead of chasing things we like, we often find ourselves living a life which will grab attention on facebook. For eg: some people might like quiet evenings, but go out to the club xyz just so that they can upload some pictures that are bound to invite comments. More astonishing is the fact that people have seriously started judging you based on your online profile. Kummooon!!

The painful thing is how the social networks have managed to fracture relationships. I maybe imagining things but I’ve sometimes felt that that casual commenting, on and off behavior creeps into our real life without our knowing: and becomes a habit. The phenomenal paradigm shift is apparent with the behavior of some I’ve seen in real life:

- Race to meet (& keep in touch with) as many as you can (quantity quantity & quantity)..

- Consumerism triggered by updates (or in the want of new ones!)
i. Yes we party tonight (Party=cool pics=comments from interesting click pics, post and await responses<- responses of others often becomes the key driver fuelling party plans)

ii. Yes we buy that new Gadgetizmo (and post a status update belittling frnd#345’s shopping status)

- The behavior in relationships. The flick Social Network features a dialogue by the creator of fb: “What do people mainly want to do? They want to hook up!!!And he immediately incorporates ‘relationship status’ in the first version. By making it public and providing a flirting platform, it has truly created an ocean of hope and dreams for many. The felicitation of the same has paced up things a . Why, many people think they are in love coz their virtual profiles hit off very well thanks to those smart comment-recomments. (Not kidding!! Contact me or look around for yourself if you want real life examples: there’r a lot of desperate souls out there) This is not me, but a lot of people I talked to think that fb is the one responsible for the casual relationships.

Definitely there are a lot of other changes in the environment and cultural shift responsible but social network is a powerful catalyst. The scary thing is that sometimes it is impossible to get my friends’ minds off facebook. Picture this: We are on a road trip and everybody’s drunk on the nature’s fresh air and dew. The photographer of the group clicks masterpieces of the dew drops on the leaves and the sun rising over the horizon. One friend rushes to a rock and starts posing: eager to create a new profile picture. Nothing wrong with that but we’re concerned as he is totally missing the present experience; being too concerned about his online image. It would be apt to say that the mind has never got disconnected from the internet.

Having said all this, I have to bow down before facebook. My concern is about the souls who have centered their lives and relationships around facebook. Deception might be a controversial word here but I’d like someone to debate on it. I salute the social network for the power it possesses. Keeping in touch, humour, sharing info n thoughts and of course killing time at work: FB does it all. And there’s one incident that changed my perception totally. It proved to be a champion of free thought when it hosted the view point of a few and led to a nation coming together against anarchy. Who knows it better than Hosni Mubarak and the people of Egypt J

PS:

Thought process initiated by Kartikay’s line: “And the disproportionate activity on a female’s so-so witty one-liner status message. “ Check out the master’s write up: http://mochachilo.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/the-facebook-de-addiction-project/#more-712

Mahabaleshwar ahoy..

2011-05-05T10:49:00.013+05:30

People told me that my journey would be worthless. “Mahabaleshwar? In the April heat? The best time to go there is after the rains!! That's when blah blah blah.. extract maximum fun out of the place. We could all go there together when the time is right and when we have achieved...blah blah blah...” In retrospect, this indeed has been one of the biggest challenges for me whenever I try to escape from Mumbai and more specifically: my competition battered MBA campus. If there is a small thought pertaining to freedom, to do what I like, it is soon trampled by the cacophony and the pressure to comply (to ‘normalcy’- they claim). Thankfully my desperation and the disgust for the filth I’ve seen in my routine pushed my heart until it emerged victorious over the mind.

Slowly even logic was with me: Past experiences have proven that the very same critics and those promising to accompany me to Mahabaleshwar later in ‘better times’ would in all probability back out later.
So Mahabaleshwar was the destination and at 5:45am, I set off. After crossing Pune at 9, I stopped at the McDonalds beyond Pune at the NH-4 (Satara road). Some 40 Kms beyond Pune is a right turn to Mahabaleshwar. Now the greens, the winding roads start and this is a relatively slower but pleasurable drive. One may witness a jam at the toll collection centre at Panchgani, but otherwise the drive is wonderful with some serious climb and beautiful view-points 9including the confluence of rivers). The road between Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani is surprisingly full of ATV and go-karting tracks. They are not quite for the die-hard racing types, but I was alarmed by their sheer number.

I reached Mahabaleshwar at 11:15am and checked out the Mapro products (Jams, squash, etc) at the company outlet. Thereafter I headed to Arthur point: a lake with option of boating and horse-ride at the edge. Mahabaleshwar is famous for strawberries and I was ordered not to miss the fresh ones available here. Dutifully, I stopped at a restaurant and ordered the famous Cream-strawberry. I was not at all disappointed: the strawberries couldn’t have been fresher and the delicacy was quite filling. Another attraction of these small ‘garden’ restaurants is that they are literally Garden restaurants. The one I visited had a rich variety of plants and flowers. Though an illiterate in terms of identifying plants, I was nevertheless floored by the captivating landscape. I checked out hotels (for so called future plans). The tariffs are around what you’d expect at a tourist destination; slightly on the higher side.

I reached Pune around 4pm and headed for the Pune cantonment. Hard to explain; but I felt I was falling in love with the city. Great apartments, the glamorous yet spacious M.G. Road and the weather. Maybe because it reminded me of Bangalore J

The evening was spent in chatting, catching up, exploring the cantonment, the golf course and the snazzy M. G. Road market. The next morning I headed towards the other end of the town where Vaibhav bhaiya and bhabhi live. Again the heart felt heavy when I spotted the lovely airy housing societies and the clubhouses. Reminiscing the past?

The conversation never ended, there was so much we had to catch up on. The self imposed time boundaries were annihilated and I left Pune at around 5pm to greet dark clouds.

And soon after I crossed Hinjewadi road, the clouds started in full fury.

When had I last experienced this intoxicating smell of the wet earth? Nature has powerful forces and today I wanted to indulge. After waiting for the downpour to ease out for a couple of minutes, I decided to carry on in the rain. I had to clear the ghats before sunset. More importantly, when was the last time I had been this happy about my surroundings? How can I let these moments of joy pass by?

Traction on the wet tarmac scares me. So I deflated the balding tires a bit and set off. On a normal day in a city it would have been chaotic, but today it was ecstatic! The raindrops thumping your chest, the cool winds making you shiver and the vast shades of green, brown and grey skies in the horizon: feels heavenly. Thanks to the pouring rain, the traffic was disciplined. Erratic pedestrians, carts, etc were absent and mine was the only bike to be seen.

Reaching Lonavla was the sore point. Somehow the acrid smell of Mumbai was apparent from there itself and the desperate crowd killed the high given to me by nature sometime back.

My mind was laden with doubt and apprehension before making this trip. How would it be like to meet old friends? All of us change over years, so will our meeting be remotely close to the old times or will it be awkward?

Upon meeting everyone all these doubts vanished and I was overwhelmed by the love and affection I got from people. So I urge you to put such thoughts aside. To meet an old friend: make that trip..

Trip logs:

Total distance travelled: 612 Km

The route via Pune is not the shortest way to get to Mahabaleshwar but it is definitely the fastest. If you are taking a cab and the odometer reading is crucial, take the NH-17

Fuel filled: Rs 1000 (15.9L)

P-200 Mileage: 38.5 Km/L

Route notes:

The drive is spectacular throughout. The NH-4 is well surfaced throughout and you can manage speeds of 100+ for most of the journey. The last 40 Kms off the NH-4 has narrow semi-mountainous drive. You might need 1.5- 2 hours to cover this leg.

Source Code

2011-04-30T10:56:00.006+05:30

When I read the synopsis of Source Code, the following movies came to my mind:

1. The Matrix

2. Inception

3. Paycheck

It seemed intellectually stimulating and was a must watch. Hence time, distance and sleep were fought to catch this flick.
The start as expected is confusing and the audience is as lost as Capt. Cotler Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) in the initial minutes. In some time Dr. Rutledge: the father of the program tries to explain the Source Code program using words like metaphysics, time-reassignment (not time travel), quantum brain dynamics, etc. (check out wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_theories_of_consciousness). He gives a window of eight minutes to Stevens to transfer his consciousness to a traveller on a train that hosted an explosion earlier that day. Stevens discovers that though his body is just fine in the Source Code, in reality he has lost track of time and his memory and body is failing.

Before being sent in, Stevens is repeatedly reminded that he can only obtain information from the source code and there is little that he can do to change the reality. With several attempts, the objective is attained and the movie seems to wind up with the traditional ‘save the world’ theme. However, the real discussion starts after that: it’s up to you how you interpret the last 15 minutes. (Warning: a li'l teaser coming up)
Capt. Cotler Stevens manages to convince Capt. Goodwin to allow him to go into the source code one last time. Wait let’s document it first.
The body (of Stevens) is in the incubation centre in a comatose state while his mind or conscious is now in the Source Code.

Now he manages to change the series of events in the Source Code altering the consequences. As his time is about to be up, he sends a text to Goodwin describing how he managed to change the happenings in this world. As the eight minutes are up, Goodwin pulls out the plug from Steven’s life support system in the real world. Surprisingly, Stevens continues to exist in the source code in the body of the teacher. It’s the time to put your grey cells to use. One aspect is accepted: This is a parallel universe where proceedings are independent of the one of the original one. The debatable point is that the SMS received by Coleen in the new reality (the Coleen of the Source Code) interprets it perfectly. The concern arises when the semi-dead self of Stevens appears as she reads the text and is convinced that the Source Code works.. Are there two conscious states of Stevens existing in this alternate reality tangent? Or the conscious of the comatose Steven’s will come up only when Source Code is initiated in this Source Code world (think nested loops)?
Moreover, can someone please explain whatever happened to the teacher? He seems to be a goner in both ways. In the world 1, he is already dead. In the world 2 (inside Source Code of world 1) Stevens’ conscious has taken over his body.. What happened??

I’d enjoy discussions on this as much as I had enjoyed it with Inception..

A Road tripper’s ride to Shirdi

2011-04-22T14:11:00.011+05:30

The purpose was a bit different. While I was looking forward to visit the famous temple, I wanted to re-establish that relationship with my machine. In the recent past, I have had little opportunity to drive and take care of the m’cycle, and the elements were challenging the relation as well. The blue beast had been subjected to treacherous rains, moisture and vandalism in the terrible city and as much as I tried to protect it; I always a step behind the threats. A stolen relay, rusting screws and a rattling exhaust system proved that the city was powerful. “Is the performance really as good as it was earlier?” Hence one could say that the relationship that the bike n I shared was scarred and it would take a lot of Kms to rebuild that trust.

So I thought it’d be wise not to put others through the torture and set off alone for Shirdi. I started at around 5:45am. The NH-3 is relatively easy to get to from Vile Parle, the route being: cross the Western Expressway to get to Andheri (E) -> MIDC Marol (to avoid the metro construction chaos @ Andheri (E) ) -> Eastern Exressway @ Powai -> Left at the end of the expressway.

From here, the highway is phenomenal and within a few minutes, one crosses Thane. A bottleneck is found at the toll plaza before Thane. Though warned about this, I realized the intensity only when I actually saw this. The line of monstrous trucks stretches for almost a Km. The bike proved to be an advantage here and I wriggled out of this area in a couple of minutes. It was 6:45 when the odo declared that I had completed 50 Kms. The sun was not out yet and the speed ranged from 80-100kmph depending on the car I chose to follow. As the Kms in the odometer increased, another serious problem cropped up. The winds were getting chilly. In my preparation for the trip, though I had researched on the quality of roads, availability of petrol, food, etc, I had forgotten about a very vital element: The Weather. Now the winds were punishing me. Science says that sea is a great moderator keeping the temperatures almost at specific levels. The winds near Mumbai were cool and my windcheater ensured that I was comfortable. Now that I was moving away from the coast line, the real winter of India greeted me. After a few minutes, the temperature dropped drastically and I stopped at a fuel station just to ask the attendant how cold it was. “12-14 degree C sir..”. No wonder my body was numb and my teeth wouldn’t stop chattering. I had no other option but to continue at a moderate speed, praying that the sun would be out soon. At around 7:30, the dark sky slowly morphed into shades of blue & orange and just as I entered the ghat section, it happened! The sun was out!

While it was a beautiful sight, it was the warmth that I was dying for. As I ascended the ghats, the view got prettier and strangely the cold intensified; defying the might of the sun. The shivering and chattering continued and the ghats proved to be a real treat for drivers. There were slopes, banked roads which called for quick gear shifts and throttle.

The ghats end at Igatpuri and a sign declares a right turn to get off NH 3 to head towards Shirdi. The next half an hour or so was hell with pathetic roads and an average speed of 20 kmph. Vehicles rattled and even pedestrians chose to stay away from the pothole infested tarmac. Though the quality did improve a little while later, I’d recommend travellers to keep off this route. Later on my return journey, I went to Nasik to get on the NH-3. Though the initial leg had a lot of local traffic and a part of the road is under construction at Nasik, it definitely made me feel better now that my bike was saved from those horrid potholes. When I could no longer feel my palms, legs and fingers, I knew the body could take no more and I stopped at a small dhaba. A huge aloo paratha and a cup of coffee later, I resumed the journey. There were just 60 Kms left and I reached Shirdi by 10:50am: a little over 5 hours from the moment I had started.

As it is with all religious places, touts are ready to pounce on you the moment you land. Dodging the zillion offers and imperatives stated by several touts, I parked and got in the darshan queue. As it was a weekday, crowd was moderate.

It usually takes around half an hour for the darshan; that is if you reach before the aarti time (11am-12pm).

At 1:20pm, I got on the bike again. The return journey was fantastic now that I went through Nasik and the only sad part was getting back to the crawling Mumbai traffic. I reached a few minutes before sunset and the odo declared that the to and fro distance was 510Kms.

Travel logs:

Distance: 250Km+ (One way)

How to get there:

The NH-3 will lead you upto Nashik and the signs to Shirdi will guide you to NH 50 thereafter. There are packages available with overnight buses (Volvos as well) and facilities for freshening up in the morning. (www.neetabus.in)

Stay:

There are plenty of lodging facilities available for overnight stay for a ll budget ranges. Take care to book in advance if you plan a weekend visit.

The Indian MBA dream: Part 2

2011-03-23T11:48:00.002+05:30

(pre-read: The Indian MBA dream: Part 1)

The competition was overwhelming. I was sitting with great achievers, many of whom did not know what failure is. I was immediately identified as a disastrous misfit. And not without good reasons:

I’ve had my share of troubles, no doubt about that. I’m a regular feature in the defaulter list and am always threatened with dire consequences. The funny thing about these threats is that they work only against the elitist geeks. I mean, how do you expect a threat like “We’ll ensure that we cancel your candidature for the XYZ bank..” to work for someone who has other priorities and can settle for something other than the best. When I tell the dear bozos that I’m not interested anyway, I get a new dose on how apathetic I am.

Then there are projects. I’ve witnessed a healthy share of pressure in my line of work. But it seems a report on the something as important as, umm.. say “Lessons from HR practices of Zulu tribes of Mozambique” beats the work pressures of the Fortune 100 companies. Some of my classmates’ tensions pertaining to projects has been beyond my comprehension. Most of us agree that there ought to be an innate drive within to achieve. Yet, I wish we would keep a check on what our goal is and what we seek to achieve. It does not necessarily mean that one loses sleep over an assignment which is compiled through some smart googling and would be of no consequence to the world. However, time and again- I’ve seen fun (whatszzat??), family and friends taking a backseat- paving the way for preparedness for cases, quizzes, reports, exams and placements.

It doesn’t stop there. The same tense & busy ones sometimes point out the faults in the system. My patience is of great help in such situations and my exquisite code of politeness prevents me from pouncing and biting off the ears of such complainants. With my temper in check, I have many a times tried to tell that it is not necessarily the system that is flawed. A quick reality check on our actions reveals that it is in fact our drive for the number one spot (nothing else will do!), the willingness to go to great extents to gain that extra inch over your competition that has messed up the environment.

Once when I pointed this out to my colleague, there was some development in the eyes of the conversant. Whether his eyes were actually shooting flames, I could not tell you for sure, but there certainly appeared to be a distinct incandescence. Now, you would need a person dumber than me to not realize the time has come to retreat. At such instances, I quickly take the discussion to something like ‘what great companies have visited our great institution’ and what a bright future one may expect here. A talk on ‘placement’ always does the trick and the homicidal glare usually dies out of the eyes. Indeed: the grass has always been greener on the other side for humans.

The fact that my reading and writing skills have been murdered is the final nail in the coffin. Maybe I’m being too pessimistic. Or maybe it’s just the fact that I’ve been hobnobbing with so many bowed down hearts that cheeriness sounds bizarre.

So here I let Creed describe my state of mind:

I lie awake on a long, dark night
I can't seem to tame my mind
Slings and arrows are killing me inside
Maybe I can't accept the life that's mine
No I can't accept the life that's mine

Me...I'm rusted and weathered
Barely holding together….

However, there is faint glimmer of hope somewhere. Something about the human spirit that keeps us alive. So Creed acknowledges:

The earth is a voice
Speaking to you
Take all this pride
And leave it behind
Because one day it ends
One day we die
Believe what you will
That is your right
But I choose to win
So I choose to fight
To fight

Fight I will. The weapons may be different and grow sophisticated over time.

Hint: My present weapon is humour J

The Indian MBA dream: Part 1

2011-03-23T11:44:00.000+05:30

If you are from the typical background, there is no escaping the big Indian MBA dream. Aware as you are, there is no dearth of aspirants dreaming to get into a premier B-school. To get a hang of the intensity, try throwing a few words like cut-off, DI caselet, or Paagalguy (this is the most powerful weapon in the MBA-to-be lingo) at your graduating college/ workplace and see some people pounce to take the topic forward. Those who cannot relate to it are labelled as dumb and shaky on the career front by the elitist quant and VA sub minute problem solvers.

In some cases, parents have a lot to contribute as well. Why, many a times I was introduced as: “Meet my son, he’s going to appear for CAT as well as other b-school entrance tests this year”. My experiences/achievements in life and my work at one of the top technology firms of the planet were of course insignificant and definitely not worth a mention.

When I protested, some wise ones told me that I would be eligible to complain only once I’d beaten the system. Well, having made it to a tier-2 school I guess I have the right to speak out now.

First a few words about the thrill of the admission process. An underdog for a healthy portion of my academic years, I was never taken seriously (and rightly so) by the wannabe MBA community. Third person discussion featuring me would run in these lines: "Well, it is better to keep away from a guy who hardly takes interest in b-school cut-offs, the placement reports and so on. Ok, this fellow does claim to study in weird hours of the morning but blast him: he did not even join a test series! How can one be so apathetic!?"

As fate would have it, a pleasant shock was due when I got a couple of calls from some okayish schools. Without me knowing, I was elevated to a new brotherhood called the GD/PI call community. Since the hyper community freaked me out, I chose to keep distance and lived life peacefully in my own sweet world. The scene of the first interview was a rude shock to me. One memory I have is of two guys conducting a mock interview amongst themselves, and my o’ my: I was impressed. The answers were peppered by some lovely words and the tone & content was just perfect. There were beautiful answers weaved for each of the wuestions like “Why MBA?”, “Where do you see yourself 5 years down..”, “Strengths and weaknesses”. Though nothing could be done now, I was a bit disappointed in myself. I mean, what was I thinking? The war figures state that there’r a thousand applicants per interview call, a hundred for each seat in an interview/GD stage. The least I could have done was prepare for this!

Again, lady luck was kind to me and all GD’s I appeared for had no fish market traders (the screamy & hostile ones) and all interviewers I came across were more interested in my work, the books I have read and my adventures on the highways of India. The process went on and a wait for results meant that I forgot about the whole ordeal in a short while and was happily oblivious to the speculations of results, rumours of result being declared etc. It was indeed a surprise when someone called me up to congratulate and declared that I was through. The story repeated for some other schools as well. Miraculously the underdog was now in a position to choose!

The situation changed overnight back at home. There was a marked elevation in the status. Back in my hometown, I was to discover that I was a talked about figure in my parents’ social circle.

However, the battle in my head was taking it’s toll. The fabric of life: the one I had taken great efforts to weave over time seemed to be falling apart. I was proud of what I had weaved: my friends, my colleagues, the job, some material possessions, the lifestyle and it disheartened me that all this would have to go.

With a heavy heart, I undertook a lonely journey to give myself some time to think and reach a point where I accept this development. So off we went: me and my motorcycle. It took 2 days in the clear skies and a thousand kilometres to think it over, let my past go and brace myself for the new life.

However, what I witnessed was something beyond my preparedness or my dreams.

All for dopamine: Lonavla

2010-07-22T23:09:00.016+05:30

Somehow, life had lost it’s meaning. It all boiled down to that substance of my brain: Dopamine.. Docs say this substance; or rather lack of it is capable of tipping you off the cliff of sanity. Of late, monotonous incidents were controlling my life. Lest I fall victim to some chemical locha, I knew I had to get away. Fast.. Away from the city, far from the maddening crowd, from the dog eat dog world..

Easier said than done. The challenges were plenty. Assignments apparated from nowhere, dark clouds threatened and no company was to be found for this short trip. And of course, there are battles in your head to keep your dreams alive. In the end, it was just me and my faithful machine..

At 8, the dark clouds chose to give us a break from the seemingly perennial rainfall. The window of opportunity did not last long and the rain Gods were at it again an hour later as I exited the city of dreams. Once the Parel bypass was reached, the treat began.. This was when my lungs screamed out in joy, my eyes soaked the lush green surroundings and the grey skies and my spirit soared. The highway presented a decent tarmac and allowed 3 digit speeds. The precipitation continued though the intensity dropped in a while. Besides the oil sump, the water helped with the cooling and I had no qualms revving the engine hard. Since the Mumbai- Pune expressway does not allow bikes, I stuck to the NH-4 and had birds, trees, some obscure towns and the hum of the motor to keep company.. Though the wet tarmac kept the engine cool, my body begged for mercy and around 10am & I made a stop for a cup of hot coffee. Thereafter, rains kept away for a while and the cool winds helped me dry up in a while. I made a stop at Khapoli to visit a forgettable waterfall.

By 11, I had managed to beat the traffic at Lonavla and headed towards Bhushi dam. Yes! The maniacal traffic at Lonavla comprised of desperate Mumbaikars eager to get away from the city. To be honest, the rush continued upto the waterfall and the dam. Though the drive was thrilling featuring steep roads and numerous hair-pin bends, the wannabe people were bugging. Cars with people seated on rooftops or sticking out of windows are a permanent feature here.

Having heard wonderful stories of the road to Ambey Valley, I decided to push my luck and continue with my quest for beauty and peace. And bingo!! In no time, the crowd disappeared, the forests thickened and the roads remained brilliant! The dimensions of time and practicality were lost somewhere in the bliss. The engine roared, the air became purer and my spirit soared. I reached the starting point for the trek for Korikad fort and the Ambey Valley city soon thereafter. The hills at Korikad were in the greenest form and lack of company meant that I’d have to come back here sometime in better numbers. Ambey Valley was a treat again and so was the adventure camp established nearby. ATV’s are quite prevalent here.

How did I feel? Great indeed.. But as the wise have stated: sometimes the journey is the destination..

The return journey was a treat again. My feet never touched the ground; I hummed along with my machine: “Singing here we go again…”

Mumbaikar's day out..

2010-06-28T21:07:00.003+05:30

The city of Mumbai: There have been more ordeals than niceties since I came to this city. I’m still to absorb the extent of open drains, flies, the cost of living and the filmy people.. Here goes an interesting nothing in my life:

Boarding the local was a fight. It always is..

I made sure I was surrounded by the experienced ones. Their instructions were engraved in my memory. Somehow the word ‘push’ was the most prominent of all. Then the train arrived. I made little progress until I pushed with all my might. The proceedings of those few seconds remain a bit sketchy in my memory but I was happy to have accomplished the mission of boarding the train. My friends soon reminded me that the war was not over yet. I still had to fight to avoid being thrown out at the subsequent stations. As the train moved, things fell into place: gaps were filled, peace was restored. At the next station, another scene of havoc transpired. Peace was restored thereafter. The pace with which the Mumbai traveller transforms from war-peace-war mode is astounding. During one of the peace sessions, I looked around at the faces. They revealed nothing. Happiness, pain, joy, suffering: if there was any, they’re surely good at concealing it. I continued and I noticed one middle aged gentleman in the corner seat.

Even though our conversation had not started yet, I pitied him already. My sympathy had a lot to do with my experiences with insane rentals, cost of living, travelling in Mumbai etc. I made some personal assumptions about his earnings and his lifestyle (a sick thing to do I know; God forgive me). A little casual math told me that things may not be very comfortable for this gentleman here. Some small talk initiated our conversation. The moment the first words came out, they shattered all my assumptions.

He was happy!! His voice made that clear. Somehow, this does not seem right.. What about my sympathies? This fellow left no room for my generous offerings. What about the way the city breaks bodies and minds? How can this gentleman survive? I was to find out soon.

As the conversation progressed, I was to find out that our Mambaikar had his ways to take on whatever the city threw at him. That he had managed to get a seat had something to do with his strategy of ‘reverse journey’. Our protagonist travels in the direction opposite to his destination and gets off at the last stop. Here, he catches the empty train headed to his destination. But doesn’t that mean losing a lot of time everyday. Not to forget the futility of covering some stations twice? “So what? I have a seat, don’t I?”- he chimes. Wow, I should have asked him to help me out with my little problems as well. This guy seems to know it all. Now I could recall some other stories as well. I remember commenting to a corporate hot-shot: “You travel 4 hours a day. And if it rains, God save you! Don’t you ever wish to move out of the city?”.

“ I keep pillows and a lot of reading material in the car” he stated matter of factedly. “And if it rains, I have slippers and a raincoat in the boot. I abandon the car and catch a train”. If you explore, I’m sure you’ll find a lot of stories in these lines. The show must go on. A lesson in patience and perseverance to be learnt here. Whatever the city throws at you, your attitude prevails.

I was still thinking of the psychology of Mumbaikars. Don’t they ever feel cheated by the city of dreams? All the hardships and there was still something in the local traveller’s tone. Now I finally got it!! Pride. That’s what struck me in the local train Mabaikar’s tone. Pride.. This gentleman was proud to be the breadwinner. Proud to be a part of Mumbai. Proud to have made a mark, to have survived in the city. It will take a long time for me to comprehend that.

They say the city grows on you. Well, you know there’s one fellow who wishes the process would speed up..

Bangalore to Mumbai: Day 1

2010-06-09T23:57:00.007+05:30

The question I am asked repeatedly is ‘why a bike?’ There are plenty of buses and trains to take you there in lesser time..

The answer to that one is that at some point in your life there is a realization. I have been pondering on the great Indian philosophy of ‘work hard and emerge victorious’- where the emphasis is on the ‘work hard’ part. Now from my experiences, I beg to differ. There are some things that are just hard wired in your brain. Accept reality: you might be bad in some stuff but might be decent enough in something else. Efforts to improvise your weaknesses may not yield the desired results. On the other hand it might be a good idea to focus on stuff you are built for.. That gets me to the point that there is something with driving/ travelling hard wired in my brain that gives me unparalleled happiness.

Now that I was relocating, the idea of giving my vehicle to transporters so that they can deliver it to Mumbai in a pitiable state did not go well with me. Our gang’s last experience featured a punctured fuel tank, a broken fender and a seriously dislocated carburettor (read: someone was trying to steal fuel).

And I love seeing my country. The colors, the people, the climate, vegetation: I love experiencing it all. In that regard, a bike takes me closer to the elements than a car.

The start was sloppy. I managed to hit the roads around 6:45 am. By the time I was out of the chaotic Tumkur road, it was 8:15. After the Shivagange turn, I saw a CCD coming up and decided to stop keeping in mind that this might be the last decent washroom I’ll get (I was proven wrong later though..).

Progress remained sloppy. I was enjoying the surroundings at my pace. I stopped repeatedly take pictures, make phone calls and even to scratch my head! At around 10:30, I was in Chitradurga. From the elevated road, you can see the walls of the Chitradurga fort. Sadly, I was unable to capture it thanks to my camera’s resolution and limited zoom capabilities. The other interesting things around Chitradurga are the wind farms. They are everywhere in the hilly region and paint a lovely picture of ‘India shining’..

By noon, I was nearing the city of Davangere. Just three dogs and two cows seen in the 300 Km stretch. Now that’s a number we Indians can live with J. This region marks the advent of heat. I was missing Bangalore more and more. The highway beyond Davangere is still not complete and the elevated roads will take at least a year or two to be complete. In the stretch up to Haveri, speed fell numerous times and I was stuck at both the railway crossings. Beyond Hubli, things were lovely once again with a panoramic view and some hills and dense vegetation. I crossed Belgaum around 4pm and had started contemplating on moving ahead to Satara instead of the planned stop at Kolhapur.

I stopped at a fuel pump somewhere after Belgaum and struck a conversation with a truck driver. I asked him about the condition of the road and how long it’d be to reach Satara. After our jolly talk, he concluded it would be 6 hours before I reach the outskirts of Satara. I politely told him to get a better truck and I was sure the distance of 240 Kms could be covered in half the time provided the road conditions remained the same.

Entering Maharashtra marked the end of the great Indian joy ride. The winds were getting a bit annoying. The bike had to be banked by a degree or two to counter the force exerted by the wind. For a moment the thought of uneven tyre wear thanks to a long slanted ride came to my mind; but I rubbished it soon enough.

Reached Kolhapur around 6pm and stopped at the Mc Donalds out there. This was definitely the worst Mc Donalds I’ve been to. No queue, no water in the loo and the staff trying too hard to sell you something you don’t want. My experience with Maharashtra was turning out to be not at all pleasant.

I was done munching by 6pm and decided to head towards Satara. The traffic was pathetic and comprised of a rich variety (cattle, tractors, autorikshaws, etc). I reached Satara at 7:45 beating complete darkness by a minute or two. Getting off the highway before dark is vital according to my rule-book.

I found a pretty good hotel somewhere near a place called S.T. Stand. Behold, this is an important place to be remembered as it is the only part of the town blessed with a tower holding of 4 street lights. I was welcomed by a grumbling fellow who wanted to murder me since I could not reply in Marathi. Anyway, after dumping my bag, I headed to the famed S.T. Stand. After exploring the small town city centre, I headed back to the hotel. The gujju thali for 80 bucks sounded promising. And it turned out to be a treat.

In all a majestic day. The only sad fact was that the mileage figure was not very flowery. The bike guzzled a little less than 21 litres for the 770 KM run which turns out to be 37 Km/Litre. That proves that this gearbox is better off cruising on state highways where speeds range from 60 to 80Km/hr than revving hard to keep speeds of 90-110Km/hr. Also, age takes a toll on everything. This loyal motor has served 27000Km’s consistently returning a mileage of 40-45 Km/L. I guess an overhaul is due in some time.

Bangalore to Mumbai: Day 2

2010-06-09T23:35:00.009+05:30

I was exercising early in the morning when the sun abruptly disappeared. I ran to the window. Surely, there were dark clouds headed in my direction. I got ready quickly and was on the highway by 7:45am.

I studied the sky. The clouds were coming in from south east. So technically, I could outrun them as my destination was North West. I opened the throttle and cruised along. Mind you, this is not one of the roads where you can have those conversations with yourself. Philosophy will have to make way for caution keeping in mind the numerous rikshaws, tractors, etc..

If the winds yesterday were termed as annoying, today they were threatening. I saw a Maruti 800 sway furiously as it passed through a gap in the hills. Along with the driver, others following it were also visibly shaken. Speeds were reduced immediately. The struggle of lighter bikes such as the HH splendors and the TVS Victors was also quite apparent. The riders could be seen being suddenly pushed violently by some invisible forces time to time. Well, having a heavier vehicle: be it a non 100Km/L one is not that bad after all.. And this also factors in for the not so great fuel efficiency yesterday. Though at this moment, I seriously wished I was riding an Avenger. The numerous rides on Gogo’s & Vikram’s machines have instilled a lot of bottom heavy, low riding, splendid cornering memories. If I were to wage a war against the winds- Avenger would be the bike I’d choose.

There is a lot I could write about the wind as this was my first revelation with it’s power and continuity. After I finished the 5 hour journey, I noticed that my arm sockets were hurting pretty bad. I am familiar with the dull ache that comes in after a long ride, but this was different. And then I realized the difference between yesterday and today was quite clear. Yesterday was a 13 hour drive with occasional 2-3Km/hr side winds while today; although just a 5 hour ride featured continuous head on brutal winds..

The tunnels before Pune turned out to be interesting. I saw a tunnel coming ahead and thought “Tunnel! Nice! Sunglasses.. um.. Uh oh.. Tunnels and glasses don’t go well together”. I blindly followed a car ahead of me which was kind enough to switch on it’s tail lights to guide me. The first tunnel had no illumination and no board to declare it’s arrival; so be careful.

I crossed Pune around 10:15 and now I had to stay on the govt. maintained NH-4. The much celebrated Mumbai-Pune expressway does not allow bikes. Heights of stupidity! You can allow slowpoke cars like Matiz, alto, A-Star but not a 2 wheeler capable of outrunning them all. The NH-4 is in pretty good shape upto Lonavla and Khandala. Beyond Khandala, the markings mysteriously vanish and take you on and off the expressway as well. Khandala provides a view of the valley which I think is overrated. Today, I could see hundreds of vehicles clogging the expressway. Irony isn’t it? Everyone in Mumbai seems to trying hard to get out of the city while I was the sucker heading towards Mumbai.

The clouds closing in from the South East caught up with me and sprayed some rain. This was to be repeated an hour later in Mumbai as well.

I saw a board at a crossing in Panvel stating that Mumbai was still 50+ Kms away. However, direction was conveniently not mentioned. Just to confirm, I stopped and asked “Is this the way to Mumbai??” The fellow to whom the question was addressed was visibly insulted. “THIS IS MUMBAI!!” came the reply in an icy tone. Not to offend our desi ‘THIS IS SPARTA’ hero, I re-phrased my question and asked him directions to PrabhaDevi/ Siddhi Vinayak temple. After Navi Mumbai and the Eastern Expressway, I was able to recall the roads and was at my destination by 12:30..

The conclusion brings us to the question that many people may have in their minds. Is Bangalore - Mumbai or a Bangalore – Pune ride doable in a single day? On a bike? Yesterday, my answer would have been ‘probably’ or ‘I honestly don’t know’ for a Bangalore- Pune ride. However, after my experience with the NH-4 of Maharashtra my answer is ‘please avoid such a stunt’. The 770 Km ride yesterday was a pleasurable experience with sparse and organized traffic of Karnataka. The 300 Km odd ride today witnessed a lot of tractors, pedestrians, bullock carts with a majority of illiterate/ junglee drivers. Attempting to cover this leg late in the evening yesterday would have been not such a pleasurable experience. It would also mean unnecessary pressure. At the end of the ride yesterday, I could feel my senses dulling and the concentration level dropping. So riding a clearly annoying traffic in such a state of mind is questionable. In case you are a seasoned rider and have a better ride (Ninja/ Harley??), you could cut down on time a bit and make it to Pune.

A good car, a disciplined start at around 4am should get you to Mumbai the same evening.

Trip logs:

Distance covered :1073 Kms

Fuel used :28.1 L

Fuel Efficiency :38.1 Km/L

Toll paid : Rs 0.

Hee hee hee. I crossed at least 10-12 toll plazas.

@ Car owners: pity u! ;)

Here are a couple of old school rules of biking:

-Maintain a good relationship with your machine. I say this time and again: know your vehicle’s strengths and problem areas. Strictly operate within this range. For eg: the P-200 has a partial oil cooled engine. You can rev it hard but do not abuse it like a fully liquid cooled motor. I used the age old method of keeping my engine cool: taking a break after every leg of a 150km. Occasionally, I even sprayed some water on the fins. The instant vaporising of water with a fizz is highly gratifying. But be careful, don’t do this unless you know what you are doing. We don’t want water in the spark plugs. Neither do we want to promote rust on the hot exhaust pipe.

-Carry a tyre patch/repair kit. There were a couple of stretches where I couldn’t find habitation for 20Kms or so.

-Be aware of your own limitations. Follow a routine to exercise your back, legs and arms a couple of days before starting for a long journey. Most importantly, be aware of your state of mind. There is no bravery in subduing those apparent signals and continuing. If you find yourself switching lanes, indulging in unnecessary or risky overtaking and deviating from your cruising speed; it can’t be more obvious: take a break!

Go- Discover your country, and ride safe!!

Millenium Trilogy: The girl with the Dragon Tatttoo

2010-05-26T16:14:00.004+05:30

Once again, we have a brilliant book with a lame name. Title should've been something better; something more poetic to do justice to this brilliant work by Steig Larrson. Män som hatar kvinnor ("Men who hate women" in Swedish). What did they have against the original title anyway?? It is overall a brilliant thriller with a unique mix of the classical and modern Europe. The book manages to give you a tour of the Scandinavia region, especially the small towns. In this case, the author creates a fictitous town called 'Hedestad' in Sweden.

Mikael 'Kalle' Blomkovist is like any other inquisitive lead character you would expect in a bestselling fiction. The interesting character here is Lisbeth Salander: the girl with the dragon tattoo. Eccentric yet human, dangerous but unsure, her ferocity and queer nature is mystic indeed. This asocial punk’s silence, the irrationality, the memory: it might just start freaking you out.

The translation from Swedish is decent enough and keeps you glued with the old and the modern mysteries. Got my hands on part 2: 'The girl who played with fire' and I know I'll have to get the 3rd book really fast..

Iron Man 2: I'm as confused as Mr. Stark

2010-05-10T11:46:00.005+05:30

Let's start with the background first. I was movie starved, had heard great reviews from creatures overseas (read Vikram) and I had taken great pains to get a moderately priced ticket from Bangalore's movie goers' funds' embezzlement organization (the multiplex mafia). So the expectations were high..

And then the fall. Mr. Stark: the eccentric too cool guy, a mocking session with a senator, a drunk Iron man, the 'why is Col. Rhodes Iron Man's best friend??': and you lose count of the disappointing moments.

None of the bad guys manage to pose a credible threat. The Russian Ivan may be forgiven on some grounds at least: with a superb performance and some great effects with the electrified horse-whip.

The other bad guy: Mr. Hammer the competitor behaves way too silly to be taken seriously at any point of time. His main job is to be thrashed by everyone, be it some gorgeous reporter, the leading ladies and of course by Downey Jr. In spite of all his antics, he fails to make you smile with stupid comics and an irritating staccato.

Now the main problem: Downey Jr. I found him to be too jumpy to play the sober Holmes in his previous outing but the movie was a big hit anyway. Now that he’s been asked specifically to play the eccentric billionaire, he's gone overboard. Act way too cool, too fast, too erratic: It's a bit too much!

To summarize it, you go expecting an eccentric suave guy with a peculiar sense of humor of the likes of Bruce Wayne of Batman/Dark Knight. What you get here is a lot of jumpy creatures similar to the Transformers series..

Still I'll have to ask you to go and see the movie. It is a visual treat. The fight sequences: the bad guy cutting race cars, Rolls Ryce n all and of course: 'Highway to Hell' concluding the film. Worth a watch.

SuperFreakonomics

2010-05-02T10:28:00.004+05:30

First things first. A big thanks to Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner for enlightening us with economics. More Importantly I should thank them for clarifying the myth that economics has to always be about money. It was a real treat seeing numbers and data from various walks of life.

Super Freakonomics lives upto the expectations of it’s prequel. It grand, slick, shocking and err.. freaky! Geo-engineering, truth about global warming, numbers to trace terrorists and monkey business (literally)- it’s got ‘em all. The global warming findings have invited a lot of criticism from various organizations and its worth to read and analyze from the stone hearted economists' (as they describe themselves: more than once) point of view.

The numbers presented here are minimal and to the point to ensure that number fearing people like me were glued. But the data, though limited is hard hitting. And the results are eye-popping.

This is a treat, whether you like economics or not. It certainly has the power to change your perspective. You might start thinking about reality, numbers and probability in your day to day activities.

Peaks, waterfall & an ancient temple!

2010-04-27T11:56:00.008+05:30

There are some things in life that don't make sense. But they turn out to be the core reasons of your existence. Not that there's no sense at all; it's just that rest of the world can't see the reason behind that.

For some of us it's travelling, reading, watching a movie, photography, music, driving (that's me!!). And our moms won't necessarily have the same view about these wasteful activities. Yet, we indulge.. One such adventure coming up: starring four people of the travel category.

After planning for ages, we finally managed to zero in on a date and location. Thanks to advent of summer, there were only a few places that were worth trekking. So the surrounding places of Chikmaglur were targeted and Varun n Arun: both having visited these places already, would be our guides.

On a pleasant Thursday evening, Arun, Rajath, Varun n I were speeding on the Tumkur road. No, I didn't get to drive: the driver wouldn't give me the wheel and I forgot to get chloroform. The journey had a lot of music, munching and a Kannada movie. The Qualis had a DVD player & screen, but the only DVDs available were Mr. Rajiv's (our driver) choicest.

We reached our 1^st destination: Kalhatti falls at 4 in the morning. As the sun rose an hour later, we caught a glimpse of the pathetic guest house, the dismal waterfall and decided to leave. The next destination was the Kemmangundi guest house and thankfully, it turned out to be in a better state. Now that the biggest Indian tourism problem (read: finding a decent washroom) was solved, we had breakfast and started the trek to Hebbe falls. Now this is where nature offsets the gap created by infrastructure: or lack of it. The 13 Km terrain was quite treacherous and we did take a lot of shortcuts which presented more adventures.

The last 2 KM stretch involves crossing the stream thrice. Crossing water bodies never ceases to thrill. The water so clear: You could see rocks, fish and what not! Getting a view of the majestic waterfall was a reward itself and upon reaching we didn't waste any time in getting into the water.

I thought this was the most enjoyable time of the trip. Well I was to be proven wrong in some time. After stepping out of the water, we decided to head for another trail where 4X4's would be available to take us back. Tough Mahindra Commanders were found but sadly the money in our pockets could not match up to the drivers' demands. Now one guy in a pick-up offered to take us at half the price and we jumped at the offer. Though three of us would have to stand with his cargo (he'd pick that up in some time on the way), we were looking forward to the mini adventure.

We had a jolly ride until he stopped for his cargo. Surprise surprise: the cargo turned out to be chopped trunks of trees. Kindly note that I do not say chopped wood as I don't think it'd do justice to the massive blocks having volume almost equal to 1 Rajath.. We were informed to sit 'on top' of the cargo. Now sitting 'on top' of the cargo poses a greater peril than 'standing with the cargo'.

Soon the cargo and three of us were loaded (Rajath grabbed the cockpit seat). Now we started crawling on the terrain. Again, I am not using we drove on the road. Soon, we lost count of the number of near misses. Branches tried to scrape us. Tons of wood resting beneath us whomped our backs and bottoms. A live wire passed above us. Thundering clouds threatened to strike and set us on fire. All the while the vehicle tried it's best to throw us around. At one instance, the front tires could no longer hold and the front was lifted off the ground. The passengers sitting 'on top' of the cargo were asked to get off and stand on the hood to generate better traction. After fighting for our lives for the next one hour, we finally reached and jumped off. The smiling driver asked us if we had a good time and if we'd ever forget this drive. Silly question... The aching body parts kept sending signals to the brain: 'wouldn't trekking back have been less painful??'

Pain and thundering clouds did not deter us. We decided to trek to Z-point immediately. The narrow and steep trails challenged us all the way. But in the end we were rewarded with howling winds and a heavenly view.

The next day, we headed to Mulliangiri: the highest peak of Karnataka. Though they have built a road right upto the peak, Varun suggested we take the trail at the base of the mountain. A great decision! Took us almost two and half hours but again; anything for the panoramic spectacle.

We headed back after lunch and after an impulsive decision, decided to stop at the 11th century HaleBidu temples. You may detest photography or history, but you cannot help being amazed by this place. The sculptures can entice even the naive and artless mortals (I refer to my-self) and you can't help being awed at the rich history of our country.

As I said, I was a bit skeptic thinking about where we'll stay but in the end this fear is exactly what made this trip unforgettable. Not that we had to struggle a lot for a decent place.. It's just that since there aren't many places to stay around here; most of the population has stayed away and the place remains uncorrupted and pristine..

Do check out Arun's write up: http://arunmulbagal.blogspot.com/2010/04/beyond-this-horizon.html

The Maruti story

2010-04-19T20:00:00.006+05:30

As many of you might have noticed, praise for Maruti products has been limited on this page. Some not so great Suzuki products are to be blamed.

But here goes a big salute to Maruti Udyog and the creators.. For what it did for the nation, how they changed the industry..

R.C. Bhargava has never got the credit he deserved. His efforts made Maruti and the indian manufacturing industry world class. However people have heard more of Mr. Khattar than him. Not that Mr. Bhargava is a media hungry fellow. On the contrary- his humble nature is seen in this book. In a book of 300+ pages, only a few lines highlight his own efforts. It's more of 'we' than 'I'.

The story is quite gripping when there are instances which suggest that the common man's Maruti 800 could've been the Renault R-15, Ford laser, Mitsubishi Colt, or a Rover instead had Suzuki not jumped in as the last moment collaborator and technology partner..

Quality for the common man: We all know Maruti operated in an era when the only competition was from aging Ambassador and Padmini. Maruti could still have been insanely profitable had the 800 been moderately better than it's competition. We car starved Indians would still have been happy. Yet the leadership team were obsessed wit the best methods of production and technology putting the Maruti products in a differnt league altogether.

PSU Challenge: While the government backed the project initially (thanks to Indira Gandhi's emotional links) and steamrolled many barriers for setting it up, political pressure posed many challenges. Keeping recruitment, vendor selection processes free from politicians' referrals was no easy task. When the management did not select a politician's relative as the vendor, they were rewarded with CBI enquiries, legal action, etc.

Revolutionizing the Industry: PSU's were the only option for fresh graduates and their inefficiencies are no secret. The new PSU called Maruti udyog changed the rules of the game. It became a benchmark for the private sector and in some way also led to its evolution. Sadly, while the private sector was ready to learn, other PSU's were not interested in these lessons.

The interesting aspect is developing the vendors: who till then were ill-treated by their customers (Premier and HM). The company undertook vendor development plans as a priority. It deserves credit for overhauling the entire production industry. Bharat Forge, Shriram, MRF are classic examples of cases where companies chose to cater to the revolutionary quality and are currently considered leaders in the world market.

The list is endless. I’d rate this book 9/10. A must read..

Toyota Fortuner: the ploy works

2010-04-06T09:24:00.006+05:30

Being a bhp starved Indian, a big motor feel fascinates me. I refer to the instance when you rev the motor lightly and you can fell a big reactive force pushing the front end down by an inch. The big Toyota did just that and I almost jumped!

Heinous looks, a superb engine makes the Fortuner hell of a contender in the premium SUV market. Toyota has smartly given us the aging but proven Hilux (the veggie hauler of Asia) platform for the Asian markets and we see none of the Land Cruiser’s gadgetry coming in here. However, it has been proven that it beats the competition in every aspect; save off road. The good ol' Pajero is still the king there and surprisingly the timid X-Trail fares better in that department. But considering the Indian market: where SUV's are more of a status symbol and hardly 2% are used for the terrain they are built for, I would not ponder on that small fact. In fact, none of the products available are more of hauling trucks than proper off-roaders (The Endeavor’s built on the Ranger platform and not the F-150, the CRV is too soft and now we have a good looking Toyota built on a pick-up).

The sore point is that the Dashboard shares some components with the Toyota Innova. While quality is supreme, you can't digest the fact that you share stuff with a vehicle that costs half as much.

The 3 Litre engine does the job superbly. Toyota has smartly offered only this engine in India. The 2.5L (innova's) engine option is available in Thailand, Malaysia, etc but not India. A proven strategy to maintain a premium and exclusive feel for certain brands. Why, we haven't got the Corolla 1.6 (the real Altis) in India yet, or the Innova 2.0. I guess Toyota is smartly maintaining the 'luxury car' image to have the Corolla competing with the Civic which otherwise should be competing with the Honda City..

To sum it up, a really awesome vehicle with the main selling points being looks and ‘mine is bigger than yours’ mentality. Whatever it is, it has a direct hit on the Indian customer. The response has been so huge that Toyota had to close bookings. It’ll take a year to cater to the present orders..

The Homecoming:Genius is the word!!

2010-03-26T12:20:00.006+05:30

The following line is what best summarizes Shashi Warrier’s latest book and will be etched in my memory for a long time:

‘I wonder how the fabric of my life came apart so quickly. It was a rich fabric, something I’d taken great pains and over three decades to weave. We might each recover individually, but the richness of the fabric is gone.’

These are the words from Javed Shariff, the protagonist of this remarkable story. The summary states that this is a tale of a family torn apart in the battle scarred valley of Kashmir. While the battered city of Srinagar and effects of terrorism and security are beautifully portrayed from the Kashmiris point of view, the beauty of this creation lies not in the plight of Kashmir but the crisp portrayal of human nature. How the strong, well travelled and successful 50 year old Javed is tested by circumstances. He has spent his life away from his home. Now that he has established an enterprise for his sons and saved enough, the tired soul wants to return home. However, the memories of the beautiful valley will have to make way for the military dominated Kashmir and the realities of life take a toll. A son’s betrayal, plight of grandparents, losing a trusted friend- all are a feature of the journey called life. You could associate it all to anyone, including yourself. The complexity of human nature is beautifully crafted here. Javed Shariff is still unable to hate the son who took everything away, understands the circumstances that have turned friends and family against him at trying times. With commendable strength, he treads on the path built on his beliefs; silently accepting jabs from everyone and sharing others’ problems.

The book is a big winner and has an impact thanks to the degree of realism. I would have attempted to draw parallelism with Khaled Hosseini’s Kite Runner initially but this creation leaves everything I have read far behind.

Nothing less expected from an author who travels the country on his motorcycle and understands human nature!!

Economic review: post Budget 2010

2010-03-25T11:57:00.005+05:30

I am extremely happy that the budget this time has been armed with long term impact initiatives and the government had the courage to make a move that may not be politically rewarding. The good part was the income tax reduction which reappears (& is nullified) later in form of various cesses when people consume goods. The sore points amongst the general population are: withdrawal of tax breaks meant for the recovering economy (for the export sector, industries) withdrawal of subsidies in fertilizers and fuel. Jumping back to my perspective, people ask me why a die-hard petrol head like me is happy with the fact that petrol is getting dearer. After all, it has definitely taken a toll on my road trips and eventually my euphoria. However, I always found the subsidies on fuel benefiting the wrong category of people. Here’s a simple fact: the capital spent on fuel subsidy has been greater than the Nation’s health and education expenditure. While the latter are meant to benefit the masses, the petrol subsidies were predominantly enjoyed by the rich or the urban middle class.

Again an argument arises that this kind of subsidy saw a lot less of corruption than the state programs on health, education, the national rural unemployment scheme, the fertilizer distribution, etc. I was dumbfounded by this aspect initially. But with time, the Government has rewarded my faith with several other actions. The proposal of cancelling the subsidy on fertilizers and going ahead with a direct material distribution system is heartening. Such measures are bound to cut middlemen, replace cash flow with material flow and subsequently reduce corruption. In the same lines, a leader from the IT industry was invited to oversee the setup of the national-ID project. Once implemented, this system has the capacity to resolve a handful of issues. Fair ration distribution system, homeland security, taxation, the list is endless.

The Government’s latest fad of inviting renowned and proven industry veterans to optimize and create better systems has been taken positively by the society. My happiness knew no bounds when a high official from the centre invited a close relative to implement a new, better NREGS (rural unemployment scheme) system to improvise distribution and uproot corruption. It took some time to choose between the greener pastures of the corporate sector and the opportunity to serve the nation to make a bigger impact. Eventually the value of work won over the rewards (did the holy Gita have an influence here? We’ll never know!). Sustainable growth might well be an answer to a number of problems: unemployment, exports, wealth creation, security and even naxalism. Naxalism??!! Yes, Swami Ankleswara Aiyar convinced with his latest article linking industrial growth in Andhra Pradesh and drop in activities of anti-state elements.

On the darker side, the slow death of the Bt brinjal saddens me. God knows we badly need a second green revolution and time has proved that the politically safe- subsidy based system has failed us. With majority of the population still producing and sharing a small percentage of the GDP with agriculture, an overhaul is badly needed. If the current scenario prevails, we are encouraging the rural population to head for the already burdened cities. The concept of technology in agriculture could have been received better by petty politicians and activists who created a hue and cry on the Bt. brinjal without having any solid theory to back their opposition. To be honest, even I don’t like the idea of consuming hybrid vegetables but in the long run, I don’t see many other options.

As an economist aptly quoted: “Can sound economics go hand in hand with sensible politics?” Let’s hope for the best. We can only wait and watch.

Blowback: book review

2010-03-24T10:03:00.003+05:30

What started as a promising new series and a discovery of yet another Indian author has let us all down in the third book. Lashkar was impressive: the Indian special forces taking down a crime operative in a critical operation in Islamabad. The action, strategy, politics behind a war: all were impressive. So in the third book, what went wrong? The story revolves around the reformed terrorist who infiltrates the IM for Force 22. That the author's marvelous creation: The Force 22 stand and watch like buffoons doesn't make sense at all. Moreover, the terror plans lack zeal and seem very simple. Again, the only frightening part is that you can picture all the events and imagine how simple it must've been to organize the blasts at Jaipur, Delhi, etc.

The author stated that he was under tremendous pressure to finish the third and the upcoming fourth installment. If that's what pressure did to him, I doubt if I'll be picking up the Fourth book..

Anyway, I would still recommend the first book to war strategists and action junkies.. http://lifeisanopenroad2me.blogspot.com/2009/05/indian-fiction-mukul-deva-to-rescue.html

Tale of two Fords

2010-03-18T11:20:00.007+05:30

This article comes from my experience with the two Fords that I drove recently.

The first one was KT’s aging Ford Ikon 1.3 Clxi. An 8 year old vehicle, it has still aged pretty gracefully. Not like a Honda or Toyota but still decently. KT doesn’t bother to lock it as he feels no other creature can afford to maintain it or run it. He reckons the body has borne the onslaught of city traffic with a couple of nicks and scrapes; the only thing reliable about this car is mileage. Since day one, it has consistently given 7-8 Km/litre. However, I find a lot of other things built solid as well. I’ll get back to that later but at first let’s have a look at the issues present in the car. The most striking one is the engine dying whenever an attempt to accelerate above 2000rpm is made. Usually, this happens in 2^nd gear. I suspect that in all probability there’s a problem with the fuel lines or the delivery system. High revving proves that the filters are just fine.

Nevertheless, the engine sounds just fine. Another impressive thing to note is the rear suspension. Hyundais, Marutis: as reliable they may be; or Opels: as German as they want to be: cannot match the robustness of a Ford. Just recall all the aging Astras, Esteems, Accents you may have seen with a funny bent rear. A lot I’m sure. Load them a lot and the suspension takes a hit with time. Yet, KT’s Ford stood proudly: upright and attentive.

The second one was the Ford Fiesta 1.6. Relatively new; having served just 2 years, the expectations were high. And the moment I switched on the engine, a racy note greeted me. A marked improvement over its predecessor 1.6L (found on Ikon 1.6 and the old Fusion) instills a lot of excitement. Brilliant: beyond doubt. Torque could have been improvised as the acceleration still could improve to live up to the 101 horses. You have to think for a moment before touching the accelerator. The car pounces forward. With the superbly distributed weight, it seems all the more spectacular accelerating.

Now the problems started. The steering seemed to have a mind of it’s own. Sudden jerks tried to turn it by a degree or two. I know that’s hardly anything but this can be very painful on long drives. You could make out the rack and pinion system meshing on the teeth. Fluid leak? Electronic over assist? Can’t nail the problem.. The lights are operated by a knob rather than a switch. This has been very smartly hidden on the little space between the right of the steering column and the driver’s door. Dropping sarcasm for a while, I wonder why something so necessary needs to be so impractical. The label also said ‘hey! I have ABS!’ But in spite of all my efforts, I was unable to find the switch to disable it.

I suggested that the steering column be checked at the dealership and I see faces smiles morphing to frowns. Ford dealerships are a rarity in any city. Quality of service is not up to the mark and the whole affair is mighty expensive. Owners are also not happy that why after so many years in India has Ford failed to adapt to the right hand side drive? The indicators are on the right panel. Does it prove Ford’s apathy towards local markets? The Japs are ready to rebuild the instrument cluster for the Americans Nissans & Toyotas, then why can’t Americans serve the Asians better?

Point proven. Fords may not be necessarily reliable or top notch on the quality front. Yet, I love Ford. Not sure if I’d like to own one but I certainly respect it a lot. Hard to explain. It’s a lot of factors coming together: the history, the Mustang, value for money and the durability. Some might question the durability so let me be specific: I love the durability of the vital components that make a car. Both the Fords discussed here had superb engines and chassis. However, they were let down by other components. The real substance of a car is what Ford focuses on. Solid build, weight, apt cornering, well mated tyres are an integral part of the Ford DNA. Ford Mondeo: though a flop, is still considered the ultimate driving machine in the second hand market.

That is why I am confident that of the Detroit’s big-3, Ford will be the first to bounce back. While GM cars are feature intensive, they have to work a lot harder to get their engines right. Remember the Opel Corsa, the Aveo and even the new Captiva? Harsh engines screaming for refinement..

So here’s wishing the new Fiesta, the Figo and the new Focus platform the very best. May we see a lot of blue ovals in the near future.

Road to Ranikhet: return of the "Raptas"

2010-03-15T09:01:00.009+05:30

Just to satiate your curiosity, I’ll define a ‘Rapta’ and its history first. This is a word that used to prop up a lot during the senior generation’s conversations. My father, my mother, my uncles, aunts and even my grandfather- have a story or two on this. I have to admit, my ancestors were definitely a lot more adventurous than me on the road.

A rapta was quite a predominant feature in the alluvial plains of North India. Back in those times- when bridges were still a luxury, roads often passed through flowing rivers or small tributaries. This area of loose rock with water flowing is what’s called a ‘rapta’. Picture my uncles, aunties, my mummy & party in a Fiat struggling through a river and suddenly the engine stalls as water creeps in. An army truck comes to the rescue and ties and pulls them out just before the current begun to pick up strength. Am not sure if there’s a word in the English dictionary for this as this phenomenon remains pretty much localized. The first time I experienced the wrath of this was at the Dhikala camp in the Corbett national park. I still wonder how we got through those angry waters of Ramganga river. That too with the worst possible fleet- a Daewoo Cielo and a Maruti 800. Eventually, the Daewoo had to be pulled out by a helpful 4X4 Gypsy.

The road through Jim Corbett national park

Jumping to the present: My road hungry family decided to head to Ranikhet on the Holi day. The drive was a pleasant one till Ramnagar and the peripheral resorts of Jim Corbett national park. We were quite happy with our pace. 250 Kms in 4.5 hours- on the roads of UP and Uttarakhand. Our distance was just 90 Kms away and we had a lot of the morning hours left. Then they started: raptas- ample and propping out of nowhere. Some were dry and some featured flowing water. The climb was steep and the road was miserably narrow. However, papa had just switched to Bridgestone Turanzas recently- steel plated, dry tubeless. The highly angular grooves put up a good show: both in looks as well as handling. The new tyres were a boon and coupled with the Honda engine and the ample ground clearance, we made it through all with just one undercarriage thud and a couple of pebble rumbles. I can vouch for the Bridgestones, the grip was substantial and the advantage is noticeable when you tread mixed terrains. You still wish you had a 4X4 to take on the raptas but thanks to the Turanzas, such thoughts were kept at bay. The ascent took around 3 hours and the car operated in gear 2,1 and 3 most of the time (in that order). The low end torque of the engine kept shifting to the minimum (U need to do a lot of quick shifts if you’r driving mid range power delivery cars- Accents, Ikons or Marutis). The final mileage was 14.4 KM/Litre: wonderful for such a terrain:

One of the 'Raptas'

We also came across a lot of Holi hooligans, we were caught and bore the onslaught of colors twice, escaped twice and avoided 2 drunks who wanted to kill themselves in front of our car.

Anyway, reaching the place was a reward in itself and the hotel turned out to be the icing on the cake. A heritage hotel, the Chevron Rosemond has retained most of its British era features and early 19^th century feel. Though we were truly awed by the place, there was more to come the next day.

We visited the army golf grounds (definitely one of the highest), temples and spent rest of the time walking. I recommend that this be your prime activity at such places: exploring trails and the unknown peaks.

PS:

I noticed that what used to be Uttar Pradesh, was declared as the new state of ‘Uttaranchal’ and finally rechristened ‘Uttarakhand’. Also, a cursory glance at the number plates of the vehicles got my brain running in the usual direction. Cars were identified as: UK 07-xxx or UK 01-yyy. Hence I immediately messaged /called up my dear friends:

CALL:

Shubham: Hey, I’ve reached UK and am doing fine.. gotta run now, will call you later..

A: ???!! (SLAM- phone disconnected from my end)

K: How? But you wer.. (SLAM- phone disconnected)

SMS:

Shubham: Happy Holi, just reached UK. Roaming is killing me.

The subsequent responses:

SidV: cool! Becoming total globetrekker!

Bugga: hehe (this guy is smart)

Gogo: --- (I’ll post the response when I get one; Gogo takes a couple of days to notice a message and some more to reply)

Dash: what?!! Awesome yaar. Angrezo pe balloons mariyo J happy holi

Contact the senior generation for more exciting stories featuring the young, the old, chevys, fiats, Ambassadors and army convoys stuck in raptas..

Route map:

One way distance to destination: 330 Kms

Ranikhet day-2: Worshipping the Himalayas

2010-03-13T16:17:00.003+05:30

Day 2

I had heard a lot about some ‘view points’ at this hill station from where the Himalayas are supposed to be visible. We set out for a walk early in the morning hoping to catch a glimpse. An hour later, having soaked in as much fresh air, chirps of birds, but no sights of snow covered peaks, we returned to the hotel. Nevertheless, it was a divine experience.

The Army is the best thing that has happened to this place. While commercialization and mongering crowds have corrupted places like Nainital, Mussoorie and Rishikesh, the cantonment regulations at Lansdowne and Ranikhet have ensured that there is a cap on the number of hotels, hoardings and the number of incoming people. We reached our hotel where we met the manager. He did not fail to point out that the hotel had featured in a couple of movies: Koi Mil Gaya, Vivah, etc etc. We decided to have our breakfast in the lawns. I look forward to buffets and today was no exception. I was carefully bringing the mount food on my plate when my parents told me look up. Behold!!

What I saw was one of the loveliest views that will be etched in my memory forever. The Himalayan range was visible in its full grandeur. I stood still and gazed for a minute. When I recovered, my first thought was to run to fetch my laptop and try to justify the sight in words. Foolish.. I grabbed the camera. They say a picture is worth a thousand words… Several attempts to capture the grandiose of the Himalayas were made. Modes were changed, features were explored but after a while, I gave it up. They say transcendental and celestial beauty cannot be captured. Today I could understand that. Apologies to the greatest writers and the skilled photographers but no words, pictures or videos can do justice to the grandest feature of the planet. So I just stood there and stared..

We headed for the apple orchards next and rest of the time was spent exploring the unknown. The dinner at the hotel was pretty grand as well. One distinct feature of this buffet was the quality of the variety put up. The number of dishes available was limited, yet each one was a masterpiece!

To conclude, this is a place for people who can live with nature. One category of humans complain that there’s not much to do here- not enough ‘points’, boating, shops, etc. Absence of the same and abundance of natural trails- that’s what the other category yearns for..

Go kiss the World!

2010-02-18T10:16:00.001+05:30

I haven't read the first book-"The high performance entrepreneur"-so there're no comparisons drawn. Nonetheless, this turned out to be a vey pleasant read overall. Subroto Bagchi- the son, the brother, the student, the NCC cadet, the key employee and finally the entrepreneur. The initial part of his life is quite inspiring. This guy tries to prove that education and knowledge depend totally on the attitude of the receptor. How else can you justify the son of a government employee who spent all his childhood in obscure towns and villages of Bihar, Orissa- becoming a great success story?

The description of his journey is commendable. However, the beauty of this lies in his lessons from the middle class household. The lessons from the family and the adversities of our country make a pleasant read. The professional progress, though commendable seems one like the many other.

What makes Mr. Bagchi's professional story stand out is his attitude towards his co-workers. While most of the business stories are centered around an individual's or a corporation's success, Mr. Bagchi never fails to point out the qualities of people he came across at Shriram DCM, Wipro or Mindtree.

My name is Karan Johar and I am not always pathetic..

2010-02-15T09:57:00.003+05:30

Fear grips me, the walls seem to crush me am I am writhing in pain. All this when I see the name 'Karan Johar' on the screen. The otherwise melodious tone of 'Dharma productions' seems to be ghastly as all the dreadful memories of stuff in Kabhi Alvida..(sorry Dash, but it still happens to be the most pathetic movie I've seen), Kal Ho na.. etc resurface. Besides all the apprehensions, here I was- watching 'My Name is Khan' with my family.

In spite of my inhibitions, the movie turned out to be pretty good. A great watch; doesn't matter if you are a SRK fan or not. The central theme of the movie remains humanity, love, forgiveness, autism and Shah Rukh Khan. Needless to say, it does not waver from this path, and of all the SRK factor remains the prime. And yes, he lives up to it. We all have noticed that disability with the protagonist has become a major selling point amongst the Khans (remember Taare Zameen Par, Ghajini, Tere naam, Kal ho na Ho etc?). Yet I have to point out that SRK has played the autistic adult really well. Might I add that the junior avatar of SRK is even better!

The theme is noble and the only improvement that could have been would be editing of parts where they went overboard while proving a point. You know what I'm talking about: the too good good, righteousness prevails, blah blah. For example, we didn't need the firangs singing 'Saare jahaan se achcha' in English (neither did we want firangs to sing Jana gana man in K3G). And though the idea made an effect on the audience, the director decided to take it further and bring in Mr. Obama to make sure his message was accepted by creatures with no brains at all. Wait a second, 'firang' reminds me: Why do we always need to go to the US?? Trust me, there are plenty of similar issues in India that can be brought up with movies.

Now this is what I call Johar-ism. I used to call it Johar-panti but since he proved to be not so chaat this time, I'll settle for the more polished form- Johar-ism.

The fourth state: exploring Andhra..

2010-02-09T09:23:00.005+05:30

I often find myself in company of people who flaunt their set of wheels' horsepower and complain at the same time. “Our country doesn't have good roads, too much traffic, driving is a pain, public transport is a mess”- they say. My answer to such people is always the same. You haven't explored your country well enough. There is no dearth of roads, use some state transport buses to get out of the city, and there is no dearth of places to put your horses to good use. But for all this, you have to step out from your shell and explore your beautiful country.

The idea of Horsley hills was introduced to me by Sridhar uncle when I visited their place last week. In no time, I figured out we had a lot in common. Chitra aunty and Sridhar uncle turned out to be one of the few people who could connect with what I do on the road on weekends. Most of our conversation over dinner was about places in and around Bangalore, and of course his BMW 320i and my Pulsar 200. He gave me a brief introduction of Horseley hills and I loved what I heard. However, uncle warned me that as it is with the other places we discussed; I should not expect much from this place besides the serenity and the charm of being cut off from the city life.

We set out in the chilly foggy morning at around 6:40am. Vikram's delay turned out to be a blessing. God knows if we would have had the guts to continue in the dark with visibility limited to around 70 meters. We exited Bangalore from Old Madras road which transforms into NH-4. This highway is and will remain one of the worst roads of Bangalore for at least some more time thanks to the construction going on. Surprisingly, both sides of the highway exiting Bangalore (Tumkur road as well as Old Madras road side) portray the same sorry picture. Fortunately, we got off this wretched road just before Hoskote to get on the state highway 88. For an hour: we wiped our visors, we shivered, we blinked a million times but we bravely rode on. The town of Chintamani saw the end of our fog Chintaas after which we sped up with Praddy leading the way. The sun was finally victorious and we welcomed in the hope that it’d take care of our wet gloves, shoes and clothes. The roads are majestic and judging by the build quality, they should continue to be so for at least a year or so. The above mentioned Horse power flaunters/city cribbers can make a note of this. Got power? Then this is one of the places to show! We passed a queer bamboo staff and it was after a while that it struck me that it signified our arrival into the state of Andhra Pradesh. Talk about a free country and the freedom to move anywhere! That border check post; (if I may call it that) would make the city or district borders look like bullet infested war frontiers. The state highway ends at Madanpalle from where we continued on the NH 205.

This turned out to be a major trucking route and we were glad to have taken the state highway. Upon querying for the route, I was told there’s no ‘Horse-ley’ here, but I could visit ‘Haarss-lee’ hills nearby if I wanted to.. Now having corrected my pronunciation, we started our climb. The ascent to Horsley hills is very similar to Nandi hills and is characterized by monkeys, hair pin turns and a slight drop in temperature. The pleasant drive ended at the AP tourism's Haritha resort. The rooms are good value for money and this resort defines the place. There's nothing else at the hill-top besides this.

However, the 'adventure sports' banner caught our eye and we started querying about it. Unfortunately, Zorbing was out of question as they would not bother to set up the ball unless we were at least 20 people. Hence we took up net climbing and suspended walk. It turned out to be a lot more exciting than it initially seemed to the inexperienced eye. We would conclude later that this, combined with the lovely roads and the view was the best part of this trip.

We started back and stopped for a while at a handicraft shop set up on the roadside. Quality's not that great, but you do get pottery works real cheap. Thereafter, we stopped at a roadside dhaba and it was just fantastic having that kind after such a long time. Also, we were still in AP and Vikram wisely ordered butter chicken. It was just awesome with the characteristic Andhra spices! We continued driving almost non stop and made it to Bangalore a little before 4pm.

For those of you considering travelling to this place or Tirupati; I strongly recommend this route. Avoid the truck traffic and the city of Chittoor by taking the Chintamani route. Also, give a call to Vamsi (9676392142). He can work out a good package for everything: your stay, food as well as adventure sports.

For a better picture, visit http://praagraw.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/an-excursion-to-horsley-hills/ and for the masterly blend of humor and sarcasm visit http://vaultofvagaries.blogspot.com/2010/02/horsley-hills-fog-food-and-fear.html

Lee Child: creditable!

2010-02-04T16:28:00.005+05:30

"Jack Reacher: Men want to be like him, women want to be with him"

- this definitely sounds like a cheap author trying to sell a cheap book at a cheap place to some cheapskate. Too many cheaps in one sentence? Well I'll tell you something; It's a masterpiece!

Agreed, I never would have bought the book had I read these lines on it's back at the Wheeler's stall on the railway station in a dusty little town. However I was fortunate that I was recommended this book by a trusted source. Hence I did pick it up and could never put it down later.

The protagonist is a bit of a cliché. He's ex-military, no dependencies, a complex mind, has his own way of seeing & judging things and so on. However a marvelous attribute is where he spends his life. On the road. Jack Reacher is always on the move: moving from town to town. His home changes everyday with a different motel bed everyday. I will not able to justify the beauty of this attribute as this is something the author does the best.

The first book revolves around a small make believe town called Margrave where everything: though seemingly perfect turns out to be a cover for something bigger.

The next book I got my hands on was 'the Visitor'. This turned out to be a splendid saga of psychological warfare. The success of all authors of the 'thriller-fiction' tag can be attributed to withholding facts from readers in the name of logical deduction and Lee Child is not very different. Nonetheless, the books are fast paced and keep you glued.

As for the opening line mentioned, maybe the fellow who made the cover was plain dumb, maybe he had seen a lot of Kollywood movies, maybe...

Hogenakkal ahoy...

2010-01-28T14:32:00.008+05:30

Life is a sine curve. All the highs are preceded by lows. A week ago, most of us had reached a point of saturation at work. Conversations seldom featured anything bright and we were all busy proving ourselves to be the biggest sufferer of the lot. When I asked if anyone was interested in going to Hogennakal falls, I had more or less expected to get response from a few. After all, the excuses are not all that silly now: people do have better things to take care of at work and home. To my surprise, when the time of congregation was finalized; the number was staggering. All of us were going and the hot Accent Tornado, the RE Thunderbird, the Volt (Vikram's Avenger) and the two Pulsar 200's were going to serve us today!

We met at Silk board at around 7:10, a full hour behind schedule. After some name calling and delay blames we started towards Hosur on the NH-7. The expressway to Electronic City had been inaugurated just two days back and the speed starved demons of Bangalore immediately opened throttle to settle at 3 digit speeds. We got to Hosur in no time and got off the highway in search for a place for breakfast. We found a decent place and sought directions while we ate. We decided to keep off the NH-7 and take the road less travelled. This route was just what we love: small villages, twists, turns and yet awesome tarmac. The rural lands with fields extending to eternity are a treat for the eyes. We did mess up in between when we collided amongst ourselves. A tyre burst, a scraped exhaust, a broken swing-arm, a tail lamp had shaken us all a bit but in the end the spirit prevailed and we continued our journey.

After the Hogenikkal toll gate, the hills were majestic and we stopped for a few pictures. Monkey threat did not deter the brave Vanchi from mounting his camera on the tripod and capturing the majestic view with all of us. One creature also tried his hand at Sid-C's thunderbird.

He abandoned his antics in a while and was content looking at his beautiful self in the mirror. Bugga & I covered the downhill journey of around 2 Kms without starting the engine and reached Hogennakal at around 11.We parked and Mr.Vanchi put his Tamil speaking skills to good use. After haggling with the boatman for a while, we struck a deal for 200 per head- this included a coracle ride to the falls, one hour stay at an island beyond the TN-Karnataka border. This might not be the best deal but we were short on time. However, we did end up spending a lot of time at the island- and in the end it was totally worth it.

We went below the waterfall and everyone was in a frenzy to put away their cameras in a packet. We cruised through the river cutting through majestic rock formations. A number of movies: Roja, Bobby, NTR's have been shot here- or so we were told by our boatman. Reddy requested the boatman to let him row the coracle for a while and to my surprise, the amiable fellow handed the oar as well as our lives in Reddy's capable hands.

And yes, Reddy did a fantastic job, the boatman even told him to leave everything and become a boatman here. Praddy also gave it a try and while we ordered fish, Bugga too took gyaan from Reddy. We packed the fresh fish at island#1 and rowed on to reach a more spectacular and secluded bank at island#2. We gobbled up the fish which was pretty decent and absolutely fresh. While Vanchi, Bugga and Reddy headed for a massage (our boatmen doubled as masseurs), the rest of us took a dip in the water. The flow was decent and the water was chilly despite the scorching sun. We lazed around in the water while the three finished their massage.

An hour later, Vanchi claimed that the massage was totally awesome. Maybe it was. Maybe it was because they had parted with some money (in addition to part of their dignity), or maybe the onslaught of punches had had an effect on their heads. However, I still recommend people to try this out. For 200 bucks, you get a really regal treatment.

We headed back in the boat and by the time we changed and reached our vehicles, it was already 4pm.

Then started the race with the setting sun. Since time was crucial, we travelled upto Dhramapuri and took the NH-7. Since Bugga seemed a bit groggy, we made a stop to move to the car. Vanchi chose a superb spot for the stop and despite the rush we had to take a couple of pictures. The fields were lush green and further beautified by the setting sun. When my request to Anjlin & Rohonesh to enact a DDLJ scene was denied vehemently, the rest of us ran down for pictures.

Poor Gogo who had 'lent' his footwear to Vanchi couldn't step out though thanks to the dearth of the same. Again, we sped off and continued our race with the setting sun. The idea was to cover as much distance as possible in sunlight. But alas, my hopes of reaching Hosur before sunset seemed to have been shattered when I could hardly see and had to switch on my lights. However, an instant later something struck me and I removed my sunglasses. The road lit up once again and I thanked God for the light and questioned if my brain was in fact the silliest of them all?

We reached Hosur just as night arrived and continued the journey to Bangalore at a moderate pace. It was almost 8 by the time we reached NGV and started fighting for the biggest sofa to lie down on.

I won't bother summarizing: Pictures say it all!

My first Diesel Burnout!

2009-12-24T12:05:00.006+05:30

It'll take a while for me to take FIAT seriously. I can recall the numerous FIATs (the good ol' premier Padmini) my father had. The story was the same: sell the aging FIAT, move to a new place and buy another second hand FIAT. Then, there was something more besides Ambassador and FIAT. It was called Maruti Suzuki and we have never looked back to FIAT ever since. I tried to convince my father to get the FIAT Uno or the Sienna but then the Accent turned out to be the new kid ruling our hearts.. Nevertheless, one can hardly ignore the way FIAT has made a comeback. The crumpling partnership with an industrial tools company, failed service network- FIAT has finally put that ll behind and collaborated with the TATA’s to come back with a bang!

Sorry to mislead you guys all this while, but the car I’m gonna talk about here is not a Fiat. What follows comes from my experience of driving a Maruti Suzuki with a FIAT heart. Ironic isn’t it? FIAT is supplying a heart to the brand that was responsible for obliterating it in the 90s..

The story starts from the G-8 summit in my hometown. Now don't ask about G-8; that's the silly name we've given to our elite gang. When we stepped out of the restaurant after a merry time, I was zapped to see a shining new Suzuki Ritz. The modest, humble and the true gentleman- KT the lawyer had failed to mention that he's got a new car! I was on KT's head congratulating him and cursing him for not giving this news earlier!

KT threw me the keys in a filmy style and I clumsily missed them & picked them up from the ground. Clumsy start; but thankfully I am a bit better handling the wheel and the gearbox. I find the Ritz quite hideous looking. They've done a superb job optimizing space, but the car is almost as box'y as the Wagon-R. The headlamps make it look a little dumb and the rear would be more suitable to bring up the rear of a MPV on a Van. Since I did not take a full look of the vehicle and jumped to the driver's seat instantly, I had missed a big point by missing the small badge at the rear. Only when I cranked the ignition that it struck me- 'IT's DIESEL!!!'

This changed a lot of things instantly. I was wondering why KT didn't go for the i-10, but now my pulse was racing fast as it dawned to me that I finally had an opportunity to drive the world famous FIAT 1.3L Multijet! The 2005's "Engine of the year (1.0-1.4L category)"- the one that powers legendry cars like Fiat Punto, Ford Ka, Opel Astra, Lancia Musa, Alfa Romeo 159, & Fiat 500. Though most of the above mentioned cars have spruced this engine up with a turbo-charger, the cost sensitive ones at home don't have that luxury. Suzuki Swift, Suzuki Ritz, Fiat Palio, Punto , Indica Vista (Quadrajet-ted) come with the original unit while the recently launched FIAT 500 is the only one supposed to get a turbo charger.

As I pressed the accelerator, the response was immediate. You expect a lag in diesels when almost by definition- torque is supposed to kick in at higher RPM's. That too; needs to be augmented with a turbo charger. But right now, there was adequate punch. To be honest, I felt I was driving on gasoline! KT was talking about what superb mileage this car gives while something else was on my mind. Something I had never tried on a diesel driven vehicle. I told KT about it. KT thought for a second, asked me if I'd done this before and gave me a go ahead. In midst of the conversation, we hadn't yet realized that we were almost at our old school gate. Emotions heightened.. The memories of guys showing off their cars n bikes under the gates of 'Delhi Public School' came back. And so did the feeling of absolute hatred, jealousy and pain. We were decent kids remember? Borrowing dad or mom's car was out of question before 18. All we could do was gawk at these cool kids and admire their wheels.

Well, call it fate or whatever- we had stopped right in front of those gates, years later in the dead of the night. And at our disposal was a modest 75bhp engine with loads of torque beating the higher bhp engines.

The road was empty and I eased to a halt in the middle of the road. I engaged the handbrake slowly and built up the revs. When the tacho reached 4500rpm, I gripped the wheel tight, started releasing the clutch. As the power peaked and it felt the brakes could take no more, I released the handbrake instantly to greet the screeching tires as they screamed for grip.

The accelerator was floored and the speed of 35kmph was attained with the front tires still bellowing smoke and deafening screech. I engaged gear 2 and the transmission once again met the engine at excess of 4500rpm. The burnout continued a little more until grip was restored and the car continued accelerating remarkably on the straight road. Inside the cockpit, words of astonishment and abuses came up depending on one's manner of expressing awe at what the car had just done. I noticed that I was still clutching the steering tight. Then I remembered how I had fought for control in the last few seconds. Expected from the Suzuki package. Load a lot of features and numbers for us Indians. Nobody bothers about having a true car with a proper chassis.

Next Naman took the wheel. One of the top two maniacal drivers amongst us (No we didn't give it to Ayush next). While he drove, we verified the 0-100 acceleration and the braking figures and the car's maneuverability. It does feel a bit life threatening at some fast turns but that's a fair trade-off when you have tons of space..

We soon were dropped off while KT zipped away in his gleaming car. A good car with a brilliant engine!!

The magnificent 1.3!!

The tale of Wayanad and the Baleno

2009-11-27T09:39:00.016+05:30

My cubicle was killing me. My google keywords were 'drive', 'travel', 'places around Bangalore' rather than MFC calls or MAPI error codes. That urge to travel had once more reached dangerous levels.

Hence after some googling and consulting, Wayanad was zeroed in. Then came the news of rain, landslides and the resultant catastrophe in the Nilgiris. But there was also one piece of good news: the 2004 Baleno parked in my aunt's garage was looking for someone who'd put it to good use. Hence, last moment plans were made, CDs were burnt and the 200cc monster was dumped where the Baleno was once parked.

5:20am, The streets of Bangalore:: The skies were dark, the roads were wet and the winds were howling. The silver Baleno whizzed silently across the roads of Bangalore. In half an hour, we were out of Bangalore and the sun lit up the Mysore highway as soon as we passed kengeri. Generous words about this road have already been stated at many instances here. The next stop was the 24X7 Mc. Donalds just after Channapatna. After refuelling our stomachs and the car, I decided to reconfigure the tyre pressure. I was running 29/29 on the Bridgestones till now and I pumped it up to 32/31 knowing that speeds will be down in a while.

We wade through the Mysore city on the double road. The drive from Mysore to Nanjangud was the only painful stretch with local traffic comprising of maniacal KA-09 numberplates (Mysore regd) creating havoc. It felt as if a law had been passed recently mandating that all psychotics of the town to oscillate between Nanjangud and Mysore for the rest of their lives.

After Nanjangud, the road was majestic, the traffic was sparse, view was awesome and there were plenty of tender coconut vendors on the roadside. We crossed Gundulpet and took the right turn towards Bandipur. Drive to Bandipur is absolutely fascinating and the best I had on this trip. We stopped when we spotted some deer. The roads are winding and flanked by dense forests. I'd heard of Zebra crossings but out here I saw places marked as 'Elephant crossings', 'some other creature crossings'.. We rolled down the widows and enjoyed the fragrance of the forest. The Kerala check post is a big nuisance with trucks parked royally on the national highway reducing it to half a lane for both way traffic. From here, the Wayanad district starts and we drove for an hour in the hilly terrain of the ghat section to reach Kalpetta. Rain welcomed us in Kerala and made the view all the more greener.

To be honest, my first reaction on upon reaching Kalpetta was disappointment. I was expecting a hilly terrain with n number of hair pin bends, nerve crackling climbs n all. However, the entire drive presented moderate slopes. The search for a place to stay began. Our quest to stay outside the city took us to various places which turned out to be either too expensive, or too 'inside the city'. We decided to search later and headed to the Pookot lake and Lakdi trail. The visit to the lake was a pleasant experience. On a boat, in middle of the lake- we got what we had come for. Serenity, chirping of birds, peace, pure air. All these luxuries- simple but still so far in the maddening crowd of the city..

Monkeys are very decent here (yes, I cannot forget the time when I had to fight with the monkeys to retain my bag at Sivagange). The lake is formed in the valley of a number of hills and you can be assured of a majestic sight.

As we started back, the weather changed once again (and again and again in the next hour), we witnessed clouds descending from the tea gardens right onto us. We had to stop for pictures twice. I was happy that my initial inhibitions about the place were washed away thanks to the rain.

Reaching Kalpetta once again, the search for a place to stay continued. This got us to another resort called 'Haritagiri'. We still were not satisfied and after having a late lunch here (with complimentary pink ayurvedic water), the search continued. We finally landed at Green gates resort- credit goes to our persistence, our expertise in sign language (helped us ask for directions) and our craziness. But we knew our efforts have paid off as soon as we entered the resort. Located on a hill, with the drive from its gate to the actual place steep enough to keep old underpowered cars away- is the regal green gates resort. I was initially a bit wary as I had little hope that I'd find this grand place way out of my budget. The smiling staff at the reception welcomed us and as we heard the tariff, we almost pounced on them! There's no way we were going to search for any other place now that we were getting this beautiful place at such a reasonable price. With breakfast too..

This was one of the first for me: where the resort turns out to be better than the place. Located on a hill, there was ample to explore here. We took a couple of walks here and each breath was exhilarating. The air so pure, the surroundings so green and all the amenities!

We explored the resort for the rest of the day. Though we did go out in the evening – determined to explore the place and eat somewhere. However, yet again every place we went to reminded us that we could go to a better place- by going back. Hence, we returned and had dinner at the resort’s restaurant under the starry sky.

In all, the trip turned out to be a wonderful one with the prime reasons being the resort, the Baleno and the roads..

About the Baleno:

++ :)

- Confidence of taking it anywhere thanks to assured presence of a Maruti service station everywhere

- One of India’s favorite ‘mod-ded’ cars. Surely has potential. I drove the stock one with decent acceleration but have been outrun splendidly by some modded Balenos in Bangalore. A K&N filter coupled with free flow exhaust system can do wonders.

- Mileage. The big word in Indian motoring. Since my aunt’s driver cribs that this car manages only 10.5 kmpl in the city, I was expecting the trip to burn a big hole in pocket. I was amazed when calculations at the end of the trip revealed a figure of 15.8kmpl. I’ve checked, rechecked and re-rechecked. Guess need to have a word with Mr driver and ask him if he can change his driving style. Mind it- I did switch off the engine when I was coming downhill at times. Something that is not a very wise thing to do in a hilly terrain. And yes, I am a miser driver as well. The car ran between 1000-1900rpm for most of the journey. The higher tyre pressure also helped.

- Fuly loaded: I was driving the Vxi model and for that price; getting a Sony Xplod system, electric mirrors, alloys and a spoiler is just wonderful. A ‘value for money’ car.

- Riding height: I love being close to the road. No explanations needed for that!

-- :(

- Maruti engineering. Well it lasts but is always coupled with a couple of squeaks and rattles that refuse to die.

- Lacks precision: Though the basics are right: engine, chassis and suspension can take on Indian roads, but…. You miss precision engineering. A couple of tight corners, feedback from the steering- you drive it long and you know its not perfect.

- Space: I am convinced that Santro or i-10 could beat it in terms of cabin space. Two tall people- one in the driver’s seat and the other behind hime are bound to have a fight regarding pushing back the seats.

- Riding height- yes I did mention that I love being low, fast and close to the road. But given the condition of our roads, this is a big problem. Sickening crunches or chassis scrapes are painful noises even to the non- automotive population.

Road Trip- Salem and back..

2009-11-02T12:18:00.003+05:30

As Vivek handed me his wedding invitation and declared that his wedding was on a Sunday just 200Kms away, I knew that I had to go. So a week before, preparations were on. I got a new sprocket chain assembly and new sparks for my Pulsar 200. Though there was no problem as such, but I like to treat it well. And hypothetically, I am determined to keep my bike Ladakh ready. If an opportunity to drive down to the toughest motorable road in the world comes up, 'my bike is just not ready yet' is the last bahaana I want.

Thanks to my extravagance, I had just enough money to buy fuel to drive me to Salem and back. Saturday evening, I get a call from my office people that they would not be able to make it. Yes, I would convey their wishes and no, I would not take their advice and take the bus instead of driving alone.

I suspect all readers will point out my madness. I'm used to it-"driving down??!! On a highway?? On a bike?? Too far; Its way too risky!!!". I'm used to comments of this sort.. And I won't deny that. Riding a motorcycle is risky. Period.

But if you are a cautious driver, I believe that driving on some highways is safer than driving in the city. I do find out the details of the roads I have to travel before undertaking an adventure. I would never dare to drive the highways on Delhi/UP/Harayana on two wheels. Driving cars is risky enough there. Thanks to some first hand experiences from people as well as some well maintained blogs, I knew the highway (NH-7 to Salem) and its stretches fairly well. The roads were good and the traffic is moderate. And most importantly, my bike is in top condition. And it is a reliable and proven highway machine. Attempting such a feat on a Yamaha-YBX or Caliber is stupid.

The events of Saturday night though entertaining, did not turn out to be in line with my pre-road trip schedule. I returned late and found the fuel pump shut. Contrary to my plans of sleeping early, it was midnight by the time I slept.

I got up at 4:30am and started getting ready. By the time I had had a light breakfast and mounted the bike, it was 5:20. The new helmet and the gloves gifted to me were a boon, they were one of the reasons I was in a mood to ride forever today.

It was still dark outside and I cruised the bike at moderate speeds of 60-70 on the Hosur road. This is the major part of NH-7 where construction is still on. At 6am, I saw the first rays of the November sun. As the road lit up, I opened the throttle and was riding around 90-100. Occasional drops were thanks to fog at some places. Though I was looking for fuel pumps ever since I started, none were open yet. Heights of stupidity! On a National Highway you don't have any 24X7 pumps! Our usual early morning fill-ups on NH's and SH's whenever I'm on a road trip with my parents had got me a bit overconfident about fuel availability. NH1,24,2,8,10, 58, 91- I can recall filling up early every time. Though I had enough fuel for another good 150Km's or so, I like to prepared. Plus, I also had in mind to stabilize my bike further by adding weight to the tank. Here are a couple of other things I'd done xtra to be xtra careful knowing that I was riding alone:

1. Kept the tyre pressure low (a unit or two below my standard figure) for more grip

2. Add more weight to the front (for most of the journey) with lots of fuel.

3. Never bend down. I do this at 3 digit speeds to cut down the drag and increase the mileage & speed. But today, caution was paramount.

Finally, at 6:30, I found a pump open at the other side of the road. I had to go a couple of KM's extra for the U turn, but I did.

Now everything was the way I wanted to be. Since all the specs and rules in my notebook were checked, I opened up the throttle. I was cruising at 100-115Kmph for most of the time. Though there are enough of crazy maniacs here, the density of stupidity is low thanks to the low population density across the highway. Soon, I was the only KA registered vehicle amongst the sea of TN number plates. I might as well have replaced it with a plate called ‘tourist from outer town’. However the traffic was moderate and mostly comprised of trucks and buses. The only good vehicles that overtook me for the entire journey was one Skoda and a Honda CRV. The Marutis and Indiacas could never catch up. However, I slowed down whenever I felt I was approaching a village or any miniscule habitation. I strongly advise anyone who drives on this highway to not to waver from this rule. Also, don't be shy using the horn. I usually slow down even if the road crossing candidate has stopped to allow me to pass. However, this was seen as a sign of weakness and people would start running when they noticed me slow down a bit. Honking furiously helped to maintain aggression from my side and keep these candidates off the road. The variety of antics people put up are hard to describe in words. Here is some stuff I noticed & I suspect most are rules for the people here. I have noted down some of the local rules followed religiously by people here:

- Never look before you cross the road

- Overtaking is never dependent on the vehicle you drive. For eg- It does not matter if you are driving a TVS champ and you want to overtake a BMW on a highway. If Rajnikanth can do it, so can you.

- Attempt overtaking everytime. Whether its possible or not, we'll see later. That there is a bus coming the wrong way, you must still attempt the impossible overtake maneuver and back out at the last life threatening moment.

- If you are a lorry driver driving at the top speed of 40Kmph and there is another lorry driving at 39.75Kmph, thou shall not reduce the speed by 0.25kmph and follow it. Thou shall take 3 full minutes to overtake it. For 3 minutes, you shall race the slow-poke parallelly and jam the highway in the process. Rajini saar never reduces his speed when he's driving.

- If any other driver shows signs of caution, he is a weasel (specially the one on the blue Pulsar 200). Carry on with your crossing the road, evasive movement, etc. He is no match for your bravery.

- If going on the wrong side of the road saves you 10 meters, in that case- driving on the wrong side is your birth right.

- Rear view mirror is a useless device. And changing lanes doesn't mean you have to bother about others. They'll take care of themselves if they can. (Again, using the horn to declare my presence helped a lot while overtaking lane changing trucks)

By 8:10, I was entering the ghaats area. The odo said I'd done around 160Kms. I stopped for a while for fuel and took a couple of pictures. The ride through the ghats is majestic. It is by far the widest road I've seen in a hilly region. The roads are well banked and I was doing around 50-70 without compromising on safety. The interspersed speed breakers in this area are well marked so not a problem. I entered Salem city at 8:30 and opened my second google map print out of the city of Salem (the first one was about the NH7). I was at the venue at 8:45 without ever asking for directions. Jay google devaaya namah! It took me 5 minutes to take off my alien attire (helmet, gloves, jacket) and packing it up. Thankfully a former colleague found me and educated me about the rituals and do's and do-nots as soon as I entered. I liked the event immediately. Everything was simple and on time. When the thread ceremony was over, I stood up. Having mastered my line breaking skills in UP & Delhi, I ran up on the stage from the other side and greeted Vivek. And yes, he was visibly happy and astonished to see me. The photographers ordered me to pose and I complied while they blinded us with their flashes.

Vivek's father then directed me for the 'thindi'. As food kept on coming on the banana leaf, Keanu Reeve's Matrix voice echoed in my head "There is no Spoon...!!". In my case, it was less about philosophy & self-realization and more to do with lack of the metallic object. Since the way I eat using my hands is as good as my tongue blabbering Greek, I was in bit of a fix. However, I carefully observed the actions of the gentlemen sitting next to me. I managed pretty well and the food was great. However, when the people next to me left, I noticed that they had left the leaf cleaner than I had. After jogging my brains for a while, I requested for one more dosa and swept my leaf clean. I left the table happy and pride to continue taking pictures. As people were leaving, I reckoned I should make a move as well.

I started around 9:30 and stopped in the ghaat region to take pictures. Soon after I made a stop at the BP A2B plaza. This is the best place for stopping with a proper restaurant, washroom, etc. I bought as much fuel as I could. The high octane fuel is around 2 bucks cheaper in Tamil Nadu. After this I drove continuously and enjoyed all the way. In one of the routine rituals: i.e.- taking off a glove and touching the engine to note the temperature; I figured it was heating up. I had been driving for more than 90 minutes at 115kmph so this was something expected. The 200 Pulsar has a partially oil cooled engine. The engine base is cooled by circulated oil and the rest is air cooled. That I had managed to run the engine continuously at 7000-8000rpm for this duration without a problem astonished me. Noting the heat levels now, I carried out the standard series of tests:

1. Close the throttle and open it again. There was a miniscule lag.

2. Reduce speed to 60, shift a gear down and accelerate. There was a small drop in power (around 5% if you concentrate) as well.

Both are signs of excess engine heat. I made a stop and chatted on the phone with my dad for around 10 minutes allowing the faithful engine to cool down.

Though I agree the engine did heat up, I am still impressed that it took so much time. My experience with air cooled bikes is far worse. The CBZ and Fiero would overheat in around 10 minutes if they were run at anything more than 90 on the NH-24 to Noida. I've heard stories about the Apache as well. Hence, this bike did me proud. Though I do wish I could have the liquid cooling system like the new R-15.

Henceforth, the ride was pretty easy and I covered the next 40Kms fast. The traffic after Hosur ensures that you limit your speed to 60Kmph. I was home by 12:30 pm.

I will not be able to provide accurate mileage logs as I filled up excess fuel from TN. In the initial run upto Hosur in the morning, the P-200 returned a mileage of 46.7 Km/litre. However, I know that the bike gives around 39-43kmpl when I'm driving at 3 digit speeds. The numerous runs on Mysore road certify this.

Travelling 435Kms, attending a marriage, stopping for pics- all in 7 hours 10 minutes.. Not bad at all!!

Apna desi Jason Bourne

2009-10-23T10:53:00.001+05:30

Yep, that's right. Our Colonel Menon is no less than the silent, street smart and lone operative created by Robert Ludlum.

I have been repeatedly impressed by Indian fiction of late. Shashi Warrier: with his book- 'The Orphan Diaries' (formerly know as 'the Orphan') creates a superb fugitive on the loose adventure. You have got military precision, the political games and emotions that drive people. The title of the book is revealed only at the end.

Warrier has truly created a hero you'll start to respect: the 39 year old- about to retire- Colonel Menon. He is not without problems though: his inability to connect with the political figures, times when he's possessed by emotions and his never ending injuries. Again- all this makes him more real.

Highly recommended read. Rating 8/10...

What not to do at Diwali..

2009-10-21T13:56:00.011+05:30

However realistic and rational you may be, no matter how much one may laugh off the emotions during festivals; it is impossible to not fall prey to the festive spirit. I might be considered a toned down version of the 'humbug' muttering, Christmas hating Scrooge. As Diwali approached, I could not help feeling disgusted about the way people splurge money and the retailers create and capitilize the 'feel good' attitude to drive their sales figures. Moreover, mummy’s orders meant that I had to fly to my home at an inflated fare thanks to the festive season. Blasphemy!

Reaching home, life settled into the expected routine. Got very little time to talk to my parents initially thanks to the inflow of well wishers and my parents visiting friends and family as well. I grumbled when I was asked to accompany. But with time, I enjoyed this and was soon looking forward to more visits.

Friday night we had a cards game scheduled at our place. I was responsible for entertaining the younger generation. Since the brain I possess works in line of chaos, I purchased immense firepower for the evening.

The proceedings of the evening were spectacular and in a way many were inspired to continue the trend the next day. Our gang was there- Ayush, Ritesh, Rachita, Vaibhav bhaiya and me. @Akshat, Richa, Piyush- missed you guys terribly..

It's time to spread the word.. And the word is: CHAOS..

So here's on what NOT to do at Diwali:

1. Tying 2 hydro bombs (no not the fission one; the local ones with fashionable name) and placing them in a closed box:

The results we experienced were quite majestic. The box blew off and landed 10 seconds later. We repeated this until it finally flew into our neighbor's house. Fearing that this might have caused some damage to their vehicle, we never attempted to ring the bell to retrieve it.

We graduated to tying three of such bombs together. The scary part was when we heard two blasts and the search for the third began. Seconds later, it was found at the ramp where we were standing. The blast from the previous two must have thrown it here. Fortunately, we ran just before it exploded. Ayush didn't have to though, he's the guy who's already a kilometre away after lighting something.

2. Trying stuff with rockets:

The bunch of us consider lighting rockets a waste if they are aimed upwards. Credit goes to Richa for enlightening us some years back. Ritesh played the daredevil here along with Mukesh.

2.1

A hydro foil bomb was tied to the rocket. The Hunter (a doodley sparkler) was responsible for the ignition system.

It was exciting to see the rocket take off in one direction and turn thanks to the explosion.

2.2

Next we tied a ladi aka chatai- a mat made of small bombs tied together. This time, it was more treacherous.

The rocket took off and bent thanks to the weight. The ongoing blasts kept wavering the rocket until it decided to come down with the chatai still crackling to a bush. A small fire came into being in the dry bush but was doused immediately thanks to the bucket of water we had.

2.3

We tied two rockets together. Aligned them so that the two face different directions. Watched the rockets fight mid air- each one trying to tug the other in its direction.

2.4

Finally, we headed to the park with our left over rockets. Out here, we tested and understood all concepts of a missile system. Miraculously, one of these featured a homing device. It took a u-turn mid way to head towards Ritesh. Though Ritesh did take a minor hit, hats off to his courage. Nothing stopped him to let the chaos reign.

3. Lighting up chakkars on stretched arms with sparkler ends

There is a chance that you discover holes in your sleeves the next day.

4. Havan

This is our finale: where we burn the leftovers in the ‘havan’ fire. The fun part is when you go to drop a handful of crackers: you have to analyze and judge if any of the previous feed will burst as you approach.

Wish you all a very happy and prosperous Diwali!!

Note:

The author will not entertain any words of criticism from the environment friendlies as the author firmly believes his contributions to protect the climate and reduce his carbon footprint make up for a lot. The author saves fuel and energy whenever he can thanks to his miserly nature. He is also a firm believer of upholding Diwali tradition. Lights, crackers n joy included.

Malaysia: the nation

2009-10-14T14:55:00.008+05:30

I was still high on the smoking rubber, monstrous sounds of the F1 engines I had greeted the last evening. Now we were heading towards Johr Bahru: the border town in Malaysia. It took us almost 30 minutes to clear the immigration.

The GPS took us through the city and we blinded followed. However, this is not what I'll regret. I got to see the Johr city. The cities in Malaysia are a unique blend of classic and modern characteristics. There's a majestic town hall, city centres to take care of the classic part. Parallely, the cities are powered by a grand infrastructure. The highways, city roads, superstructures: you've got 'em all. We spotted an Indian restaurant just outside Johr and stopped here. Surprisingly, the only thing they had for vegetarians here was a meal with the main star as ghee rice. Nevertheless, after the meal we were singing about this.

We continued on the Kuala Lumpur highway and made a stop to switch the wheel. Mama offered me to drive. I was ecstasic! On a highway in Malaysia with the might of the Nissan Sunny. My excitement soon wore off as I neared boredom in a while.

2 reasons:

First, the highway was too good. I could have slept on the wheel and we would have reached our destination in the same time safely. I mean, at least give the driver a chance! At places, even the slight turns were banked in such a manner that you'll hardly need to turn the wheel.

Second, the Sunny: mighty as it may be was still automatic transmission. So while overtaking (one of the few tasks demanding the driver's brain here), I miss the sequence: Clutch, shift, release, accelerate. All this was compressed to a single step: press the accelerator.

However driving is a pain thanks to all the rules and regulated humans here. If you change your lane without announcing to the world you’ll create havoc. Rear view check, indicator, steer, indicator off. The driving method we're used to is: every man for himself; expect the worst from everyone. The game is fundamentally different here where every other driver depends on you and that thou shall never break the regulations or deviate from the text book rules. That thou shall not change lanes, thou shall stop from 100kmph just to let one pedestrian cross, thou shall not be reckless. Quite a challenging proposition for the Indian drivers.

The beauty of the countryside is just unbelievable. One of the big advantages the nation has is its population. The population density figures are absymally low. Credit also goes for the people and the government for conserving their resources and vegetation. I have seen endless green lands in some of the remote places I've been to in India. But out here, the sheer size and density of vegetation creates a different effect. Not a spot of brown or even a shade deviating from lush green was found in the 100Kms we covered. There are also several 'Rehats' spaced at appropriate distances on the highways. Imagine a structure with a well planned mall, fuel station and a food court every 50 Kms you travel! We reached the Melaca district in 2 hours (A few sign boards declared that we had; the scenery was still the same). After exiting the highway, a complicated set of roads took us to A'FaMosa resort. The resort is visible from a distance thanks to its size.

We checked into the 'room'. To my surprise, what they called a room was a fully furnished retreat with 2 rooms, a drawing-dining, a kitchen and picturesque balconies.

As the sun went down, we headed for the 'cowboy town'.

There was a 4-D movie. We managed to catch 'Horror stories in the office'. We then headed for the 'Red Indian' show. The performers were spectacular. Lots of fire breathing, a small play involving the audience.

This was followed by the carnival. This is something that is very very hard to put in words. The number of things that happened in the next 40 minutes is too much. The camera ran out of battery, my fingers might faint with exhaustion if I start writing. The highlights were the animals, Malay ladies in lovely attires, vehicles, planes, birds and everything else you can think of. The firecracker show was the grand finale.

But more than that what touched me was seeing the Malaysia flag at the event. Agreed, carrying a flag is not a decree of being patriotic. But talking to people, you generally get the idea that the people love their country. More than that, they are nice to you and tell you how tourism is important for their country and eventually for the people. Thinking from your country's perspective and then about yourself- that's something that needs a lot of deep thought.

Since we were assured that we won't get anything vegetarian here at this middle of nowhere resort, we headed for the Melaca town in search for food. The drive was somewhat scary since I'm so used to seeing traffic or people or some fool while driving. Out here, we were just a car, 2 headlamps and zillion trees around us lit by the moon in a spooky manner. We found a Pizza hut in this tiny town called Melaca and gorged all that was veg on the menu.

The next day, we had breakfast in one of the restaurants of Cowboy town and headed for animal world. Now the size of the resort found its true identity. It took us almost 15 minutes of driving at decent speeds within the resort to reach the place. We came across lovely lakes, golf courses (yes, there's more than 1), paintball, paragliding and other adventure sports area.

At animal world, we attended the elephant show, the animal show and the bird show. I do not very much enjoy this but they put up a great show. Though I am very much against such kind of training for animals but I have to admire the platform the people and animals get.. I can't help comparing the state in my country. I've read of the condition of the bhallu dance, bandar dance wallahs once this kind of stuff was banned. Of course, animals belong in the jungle but what if they can't be protected the outlaws or poachers? Here we have the second best option that comes into picture. The animals are protected and the people make a living. And yes, art or skill gets a stage, where it can be appreciated by the world.

We then went for the safari. They put us in a caged van and took us to the animals' habitat. The lions were shouting to their cubs- ‘who dekho aadmi, who dekho aadmi ka cub’. There were giraffes, tigers, bears, leapords but the cute girl sitting in front of me was interested in antics of some other creature. ME.

Lastly was the monkey island. We took a boat to this place and came across a humorous board.

Among other creatures, I noticed one peculiar kind. These monkeys are the most disciplined creatures I've ever seen. They were eating in a proper manner. Never did they attempt any mischief, just accepted food in an orderly fashion from us.

In the evening, we headed back for Singapore. I saw families driving cheerfully around in their tiny Perodua's and Protons. I recalled Proton motors as the company which recently bought the prestigious British Lotus cars. The Malaysian government is the majority stakeholder in Proton. Even I'm proud of the PSU's of my nation: DRDO, ISRO, BHEL, Coal India. But looking here, I see there could have been more. The government here had the hindsight to create highly competitive (export oriented as well) companies to create wealth and providing employment. This backed by rapid infrastructure development brought in investors as well. The result is right in front of us: A country that gained independence 10 years later than us, had a lot more to worry than what we had at the same time grew rapidly to be an industrial superpower.

Everybody has a car here, I mean everybody. Be it a nurse, shopkeeper, janitor. Difficulty in finding people to attend to at gas stations and restaurants led to the so called 'brainy' Indians to take up these jobs. The local people are happy working for their nation. Come on, you can't say you've never heard of PETRONAS (does Sauber- Petronas F1 team ring a bell) and I can assure you that you'll hear of Proton soon. Also, the efforts of leadership have finally paid off with investors lining up creating more jobs.

I could not help contemplating: While the Gandhi family was busy convincing people that infrastructure is meant for rich 'seths' and their motor cars, implementing schemes based on populist measures to take care of immediate problems and votes. Not far away, Mahathir Mohammed was working to give people what they deserved: a better future. I can't help saluting to this man who truly describes the power of human nature. One man can build a nation!!

Worshipping the ultimate Automobile..F1 @ Singapore

2009-10-06T15:19:00.015+05:30

Come Friday. After admiring the 4 passes for the 20th time, the grin on my face widened as I realized that it was time to leave for the big event. Though the practice was to start at 6, I had pestered Mami and Shreya to start early so I could worship the race track. We parked the car at a mall and took the MRT to the city centre- Raffle's place.

It was a peculiar feeling- strolling on the otherwise busy roads packed with Mercs and Bentleys ferrying the bankers, executives to and fro the central business district. The race season meant that the CBD roads were either gobbled up by the race circuit or open to the general public minus vehicles. So it was either race cars or none at all.

As we neared the entrance, I heard the sound of engines! I literally ran as I inferred that the Formula-BMW qualifying had started. The security guys frisked my bag and stated that we weren't allowed to carry cans inside. I could dispose them off at the bin over there.

Dispose them??!! Didn't those silly people realize that I'm an Indian??

I ran out and finished off two cans of the flavored milk. We rushed again to the circuit to catch the junior champs whirring their BMW engines. The Formula BMW is based on cars somewhat similar to Formula 3 and the winner gets a place as a test or reserve driver in Formula 1 the next year. The boys are a fun to watch coz at times, you can catch certain level of immaturity- late braking, near misses and lots of wheel locking. Mami commented on how noisy the cars were and I started blabbering on the kind of pressure the engine is in at 18000RPM and the job here is to extract as much power as you can from that engine rather than focusing on noise reduction. Shreya skillfully stopped my car talk bombardment. Yes, a tough task to stop a fellow whose aim in life is to educate people about the greatness of the automobile.

After the qualifying was over, the track marshals made a round in the stunning BMW X-6. Is it an SUV? A sedan? BMW doesn't have the answer and calls it a 'cross-over'. But the real star was the AMG Mercedes safety car that came out later. The distinct angry howl of the motor is difficult to forget.

We then walked down the perimeter of the Zone 4. I was awed by what I saw. Had I been alone, I am sure I would have bent down and kissed the ground. Not to embarrass my family, my happiness was limited to my mind and my smile. We caught Vijay Mallya speaking on how Fisichella's exit won't be a problem for Force India and Sutil could carry on as the lead driver pretty well.

Just before the start, we took places at the straight. The track was just around 3 metres away from us separated by a metal mesh.

A few minutes past 6, we heard the roar of a monster. A monster: eager, ready and with power beyond imagination. As the roar neared, I kept my eyes trained at the corner. Soon enough a shining purple dot was seen coming out of the corner and heading straight towards us. The roar was growing to a thunder. In time best described in millisecond units, the purple Red Bull RB5 thundered past us. When it flew past us, everyone was looking at everyone else in a shock. I remember the mystic look on Mami's face. The unspoken words between us were something like: 'And we thought the formula BMW cars were loud'!! Though the passes clearly stated that having ear plugs is a must in this zone, we never bothered. Other people around us were struck by similar revelations. As the second Red bull whizzed past and the Renault was coming in, people were already retrieving their ear plugs or heading to the counter selling the same. Mami took out her heaphones to abate the thundering monsters.

They say nothing can capture the majestic thunder of F1 engines. Agreed. But more than that, nothing can come even close to being with the cars in a circuit. I remembered a couple of friends laughing off at the prospect of me missing the race: no overtaking, no winner and so on. But beat this. I am on the circuit, close to the racers and the cars than I can ever be. The smell of the burning rubber, the faint odor of fuel and the wind created by man made phenomenon!! The heat, sparks, the flames from the exhaust at gear shifts. The Singapore 2009 tagline says it all- 'NOTHING ELSE COMES CLOSE'.

Mama joined us in a while. His office is a couple of blocks away and he walked down. At about the same time, Luizzi came out in the Force India car. No matter how much I hate Mallya and Luizzi, I have to thank them. I am no patriotic zealot but my chest swelled with pride as I saw the tricolor on the Force India car.

By this time, one Ferrari and both the Williams had also come out. Night had also arrived. Being the only night circuit in the world, this does add a lot of thrill and glamour. Alonso had commented before the practice that all drivers had complained of headaches as well as bruises on their feet after the Singapore GP last year. We headed to the corner where the Singapore river meets the Marina bay. Chance to roam around the track beats all awesomeness! At the corner, its a different story. While on the straights I was amazed by the phenomenal acceleration, here the braking took me. One can actually see the brake disks turning orange as the metal heats up to red. Soon enough, the Renault did something similar to last year and Grosjean upheld the tradition by spinning out at the same place. The smoking tires were quite entertaining if you have a knack for automotive humor. Another McLaren caught my eye. The golden visor helmet in it had to belong to Hamilton. Even at a distance, there is no mistaking that the McLaren is being driven by Lewis Hamilton. The car was pretty low and we saw a couple of sparks as it negotiated curves on minor invisible bumps. At one instance, Hamilton even drifted at the Esplanade turn. Speed must have definitely been 140-180 at that time.

As the first session of practice ended, we had food and roamed around to soak in more of the F1 festivities. The Esplanade upheld its grandeur for this event and a F1 village had also been set up.

Before I knew it, the 1st practice session was over. We had to wait until 9:30 for the second session to start. But, the circuit would be used for the practice session of the Porsche Carrera championship. Most people found the Carreras slow after having seen the Formula 1 cars in action, it was still fun to watch as again, I got to see a lot more skids, screeches and drifting.

For the second session, we headed for the longer straight. As Kovalinnen drove through, I figured the reason why we can't have F-1 in India. Singapore is a very clean city and I remember being astonished on not finding dust on my clothes after a day long excursion on my first visit. However, the drivers complained of dust last year at Singapore. This year, I saw it with my own eyes! As the cars crossed the 250 kmph mark, we could see the dust being streamlined from the frond wings upto the rear! U had to look hard to find this live lesson of aerodynamics at display.

As we headed home in our more sane Nissan Sunny, images still flashed in my head. That I had witnessed the greatest engineering marvels in action, the ultimate machines on one of the most glamorous tracks of the world! It seemed that life had a meaning now, a dream fulfilled, memories to cherish. The dark skies, sparkling circuit and the machines! They say you feel like that when you bask in glory, when you are in love; but here it was just a man and his respect for the automobile.

Cold Steel: The war..

2009-09-07T13:58:00.016+05:30

Lots of action starring the French PM Chiraac, the royal Duchy, the Indian PM Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram and the finance ministries of Luxembourg and France; The war rooms in London and the mystic castle where Arcelor is headquartered; And of course the respective CEO's Guy Dolle and Lakshmi Mittal. The comments by Dolle were in fact quite entertaining.

-"I present you the Arcelor board of directors. And my son is not on the board.." - a direct hit on Aditya Mittal and Mittal's problems with corporate governance where the family rules.

- Reference to Mittal's share offering to buy Arcelor shares as 'funny money'

I love action and this book was never short of it. The Zaoui brothers were an interesting find. Michael Zaoui- heading the M&A at Morgan Stanley is fighting for Arcelor while his brother Yoel Zaoui of Goldman Sachs is readying the Mittal camp for the attack.

The French are belittled in the book thanks to the government's statements such as 'Mittal must be stopped at all costs'. The French government- though devoid of any shares in Arcelor, calls itself a 'stakeholder' and claims it was angered that Mittal didn't let the French know before going hostile by making an offer directly to the shareholders.

Mittal is at his charismatic best with the ever smiling composed demeanor in the most trying times. A memorable incident was when Arcelor brought in Mordashov's SeverStal steel as the white knight to fend off Mittal. While the Mittal camp was in distress: Goldman and Societe Generale people included, Lakshmi Mittal innocently walks up and asks with a smile- "What is this word stoyc? People are saying I should not be stoyc. And I can't find this word in the dictionary." The lady: surprised and amused at the same time, replies "the word is 'stoic': refers to one who lets loss take a toll on him for a long time. And clearly Mr. Mittal you do not seem stoic at all!!"

However Mittal does unleash his fury when the time is right. The lashing the backstabbing Thyssen Krupp lead received was something he'd remember for quite some time. Mittal warned him: " I am bidding for Arcelor for consolidation of the industry for a better future for everyone. Stay out of the way now". This was after Thyssen Krupp wanted to act as a white Knight for Arcelor even though they already had a deal with the Mittals on the future of Dofasco.

The hostile bid made Mittal and Dolle live spy movies. The blue BMW following Mittal, information leaks at Arcelor and Dolle getting bodyguards are some instances straight out of the book. Plus the tapped phones and a chopper chase add a filmy touch. Some things have been left unsaid though. How did Mittal find out about the white knights? Was Mittal or the Indian government responsible for leaking the news of the Luxembourgian finance minister arrival in India so that the media could slaughter him? How did Sudhir Mahishwari get hold of Arcelor's attacking remarks before they were aired: helping Mittal to have an apt defense ready? All this still remains a mystery.

One of the grandest corporate battles ever fought? But.. But.. Too many names.. I can remember some 15 names after the read. Hats off if you manage a higher figure!!

Gives you a great insight of the steel industry and the hunger Mittals' possess. However, this book does not seem that majestic for the Mittals as of today. While in the end we see Mittal creating the biggest steel manufacturing entity, the truth today is something different.

True: Mittal is capable of outputting maximum tonnage in the world, but the slowdown has hit him really hard. Together with Arcelor, Mittal managed to create an entity for high grade steel. Geographically, he has conquered Europe, America while touching parts of Kazakhstan, Brazil, etc. But these times have hit the premium segment the hardest. Fact remains that Arcelor-Mittal does not have adequate presence in BRIC (Brazil-Russia-India-China). Hence, gobbling up Arcelor may not be considered the right time. With record losses and bureaucratic tape in eliminating workforce, situation looks grim for them today as well as in the near future.

My guess is that we'd have to wait for at least 5 years to find out if Arcelor was worth it. There have also been fears that Arcelor's image might have been pushed up just by Project Tiger (Yes! Arcelor had a team already in place to keep a track on Mittal even before he launched his bid) to make Arcelor look more spectacular than it actually was. As for today, it seems like Mittal's former strategy (of buying small sick plants and turning them around) would've kept him healthier. However, the stock price trend shows an optimistic view amongst shareholders. Lets wait n watch..

Screw it, Lets do it: Review

2009-09-04T10:53:00.004+05:30

Quick read edition of the Branson's Autobiography- "Losing my Virginity". In case you have read this, don't bother with this book or treat it as a refresher course. Since I am a fan of the dyslexic- beating all odds- Branson and see him as an inspirational figure, I had to read this.

In this, you get quite some instances from the workaholic Branson's life. While he does assert the importance of ethics and values, he will definitely add fuel to your fire- 'go for it'.

As always, his achievements- in business, adventures are inspiring. Seldom do you find a leading business figure breaking world records in hot air balloons, speed boats. And even rare are dyslexic individuals building an empire right from the scratch. He does touch a lot about Virgin records, Virgin Airlines, Virgin aerospace but for the details you will have to read his autobiography- ‘Losing my virginity’..

His role in sorting out the crisis in the middle east (Jordan and Iraq) were a revelation to me. At that time, I had dismissed it as a publicity stunt by the rich and powerful. But his will to act and concern bought me over- even if it were to be it for the Virgin brand name.

Then he talks about the original 'British' spirit and culture. How he was brought up to be strong and independent. His parents undoubtedly love him, yet they always set up challenges to him and kept him abreast with realities and problems- right from his childhood times. Branson criticizes the modern day protective nature of the parents and holds it responsible for the loss of the 'entrepreneur/fighting spirit'.

Branson has promised another autobiography of his (he wrote the first one thanks to a near death experience in a hot air balloon). What more can he come up with? Let’s wait n watch…

How Toyota became # 1

2009-08-28T14:55:00.008+05:30

Highly recommended.

Throughout the book, the emphasis is on simple principles such as 'removal of waste', austerity, quest for quality and most importantly- continuous efforts for improvement.

Skeptics like me did find a lot of 'hail the great Toyota stuff' but with the book's title, you won't be surprised.

Some stuff about the 'Toyota culture' that stuck on long after I had finished the book . Some of these are:

Zero tolerance for waste: Examples are plenty

Zeal for improvement: No matter how good your process is, there has to be a better way to do it- that's what everyone in this corporation swears by. This philosophy ensures that change becomes a religion.

Worrying all the time: Achievements are somewhat downplayed and there is always talk of the problems the company faces. The American leadership gave a very honest insight how different it was for them in their initial days not to blurt out their acheivements at Toyota.

Calculated moves: There's no need to start on how much research Toyota does before starting a new project. The objective is: Take your time to plan well, but once decided- move fast. All products we see in the markets are a hit. Our Indian Qualis is a perfect example: Toyota looked at the market and said- ok we need a competition for the Tata Sumo. They didn't bother to develop a new vehicle or bring their elite offerings. They simply revived their two decade old Qualis and the rest is history. A couple of more pages added to Toyota’s success stories.

The book tries to convince you that Toyota America is a very 'American' company with a Nascar racing team to prove it (haha). However in the later part the author mixes up and says how deeply rooted Toyota's value system is and how great the Toyoda family is. I had a feeling that Toyota America is suffering from an identity crisis??!!

Success stories of the Prius and the Camry are a treat for the car loving population.

Besides knowing about the Toyota way, you might start thinking about implementing Toyota practices in real life.

Munching miles: Shivasamudram..

2009-08-26T10:47:00.011+05:30

'It eez ae louvlee weathaeer today. I hope it stays dees way..' Inspector Jack Clouseau's voice kept ringing whenever I looked up at the sky. The time was 7am and dark clouds and chilly winds greeted my bike this morning.

Since Vikram and I had vowed to make a road trip (a month + had passed since the last one), turning back was not an option. Our vow meant that we'd go alone if need be. And so it was. Today it was just Vikram, Manisha and me. Shivasamudram beckoned. The driving conditions were perfect: Sub 20 temperatures that kept the engines cool and slightly wet tarmac to take the excess heat off the tyres. Optimum grip was attained thanks to adequate speed and the cool surface conditioning the tyres. Within 40 minutes, we were out of Bangalore on the Kanakpura highway beyond the NICE road.

In a little less than 3 hours, we were at the Gaganchukki falls. The odo told us that we had covered 140Kms. The view is just spectacular. This is the first place I've been to in Karnataka where there is something in the name of 'tourist infrastructure'. Not much- just a loo, a boundry wall and a small resort. But compared to the plight of other remote n lovely places wee've been to, this is a lot.

The resort has a small restaurant and a play area. This is home to several creatures as well.

"We drove 140 Kms just for this??!!"- Vikram

From the moment I started, I was convinced that we would be drenched in the rains at least once today. However, we were fortunate to have been to places AFTER they had had their spell of showers.

On our way back, we thought of the milestone pointing to Talakad we had seen earlier. Having covered around 140 KM's without any sign of fatigue, we though we should visit this place as well. Hence, we took the left a couple of KM's away from Sivasamudram.

This is when we came across the most treacherous terrain we've ever driven a set of 2 wheels on. Having gobbled up 140 KMs in something less than two hours, the assumption was that we'd cover the 20 Kms in half an hour. However, the terrain (note that I don't call it road or path) tried to throw us around. We treaded at around 10-20Kmph and any attempt to waver from these limits meant near-fall/skid experience. The slush and the ups n downs made driving a bigger challenge. After covering a couple of Kms, we spotted habitation and asked the village folk how far it was and if roads were any better ahead. ‘5kms ahead, roads are wonderful’- came te reply. Like fools, we decided to drive on. The cars that were following us had already turned back. In the next hour of adventure, the so called wonderful roads were nowhere to be found even when we reached our destination.

A tip- there's nothing much here- a temple and the banks of Cauvery. But you can visit this place if:

1. You are a fan of motocross rallies and dirt bikes

2. You have a quest for adventure that touches the boundary of madness.

I think we fall in the second category and enjoyed it in spite of the blows taken by our backs and arms.

We crossed the treacherous terrain once again to come on the state highway. By now our stomachs were communicating their state of hollows. Since the Kanakapura highway has no places to eat, we decided to get on the Bangalore-Mysore state highway (SH-17). In our attempt to reach this, I took the advice of some scheming auto-wallahs in Maddur district. On their advice, we took a turn to land up on the 'Mysore road' 5Kms later, the sun made a brief appearance and made me realize that the direction in which we are headed isn't right. We stopped at a fuel pump since this was the only place where we could expect to find a human. We fuelled and our fears were confirmed. We had been sent on the wrong track. So after a detour of 12 Kms we got back to the SH-33 again and to Mandya in half an hour. The road got terrible again and we had to stop to stretch for a while.

Reaching Maddur and getting on the majestic Bagalore-Mysore SH brought a smile on everyone's face. Immediately we sped to 100Kmph and stopped at the Maddur CCD.Thereafter, we stopped at the Mc-Donalds for more food before continuing to Bangalore. We reached home around 6pm.

The Pulsar 200 looked battle worn on the exterior, but the heart was ready to munch more miles.

AweFome flick!!

2009-08-18T09:50:00.007+05:30

A big thanks to Vishal Bharadwaj for giving the Indian population a chance to use their own brains for a change. His abnegation from explaining all facts explicitly: is a mark of respect for the audience. You are expected to put the pieces together on your own and figure out what's happening- especially the gang wars and the drug deal-gone sour in the first half.

This does come with the charm of the 70's. There's lot of masala and the dhan te nan tune will never leave you once you have seen this flick. The corrupt police personnel, gang wars remind you of old thrillers like Don, Shaan, etc. Remember those times? There was actually thrill in the classic mysteries. Kaminey treads in that path while bringing alive the street life of Mumbai. The dizzy hand-held camera coupled with 70's tunes create spectacular scenes. When talking about masala; It has everything- twins, runaway couple, gangsters, corrupt cops, wily politicians and some sense as well. The last Bollywood flick starring sense I can remember is Luck by Chance & Delhi-6.

Saif uncle's Love AajKal, Dostana etc. fail to convince you on the lifestyle and success of the characters. The usual story is: First of all, conveniently take all characters abroad, then give them a super hep vague profession-immensely successful architect, immensely successful designer, immensely successful banker, immensely successful businessmen (yes- immensely successful Indians is a must). All the 'trivial' problems of life like earning a livelihood, limited vacation are taken care of automatically and the entire focus is on more 'important' stuff like relationships, love, traveling a zillion miles with friends, beating up baddies (doesn't everyone do this everyday?), etc.

The movie discussed here portrays characters that do not seem larger than life or out of their ecosystems. The gullible cash starved- NGO worker Guddu lives in a run down hostel room with a shared bath. The 'Jai Maharashtra' politician (Amol Gupte) lives in the narrow Mumbai lanes and convinces you on his background and poor know-how. Somehow, the director has ensured that the characters seem real and the audience can connect with them easily.

While I won't make this a spoiler by giving you some of the story, I have to mention about the Bengali brothers. The maniacal shooter trio seem to be straight out of Counter strike. One particular part even makes you feel like you are in a role play shooting game. The role played by the youngest is spectacular and hats off to Chandan Sanyal for bringing this character alive. The funky hair-do ensures that you will not be seeing his face ever; I had to google to find out about this guy..

@All- Muft fee thif movie..

*For those who like this movie and enjoy reading- Shantaram is a must read.

New Home!

2009-08-17T13:58:00.012+05:30

There been quite some change in our life ever since we moved here. We actually look forward to heading home instead of loafing around after work.

The drawing-dining and the kitchen are phenomenally large. Partly because we don’t have much stuff to fill in.

This is my bed. Before you point out, yes I accept there is a bed- mattress size mismatch. No, my brain has not gone cuckoo. We got the bed from the owners which could not house our previously bought mattresses very well.

The Bellandur lake is a heavenly site every morning. Contrary to my inhibitions, we do not have a mosquito problem. The maintenance people fog the area and that must be keeping those stinging maniacs at bay.

Morning view from my balcony :)

The services are pretty good and I have to complement the security and maintenance guys. The lighting is magnificent at night often making the area look like it's more expensive than it actually is. Construction quality: definitely the best. Priced like DLF's, Unitechs but your money gets better stuff here.

Praddy & Bugga

I liked the house the first time I saw it but when we saw the club-house, there were no second thoughts. All three of us knew instantly that getting this facility at this price is sort of a lottery.

A world class tennis court, 2 gymnasiums, an indoor badminton court (particularly proud of this one), a squash court, TT Table library and a swimming pool. I guess I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Am loving my life ever since I moved here. Though a lot of work has to be done: My Squash forehand is borrowed from Tennis’ and the badminton backhand is a disaster. I hope with time and practice, I’ll set it right ;)