"15 or 50+”….does it matter?

As I take some more strides in 50s, I guess the life has taken a full circle. Till the age of 16, my life was all about sports. I never actually excelled in any of them. But then, if one had to consider just enthusiasm for the same, I might probably rank right up there.

Like many in their teens, I was oblivious of the talent of the others, I just thought it was a matter of being spotted whilst playing and I will make it to the Mumbai Team. Well, forget Mumbai, I did not make it beyond Division E in Kanga.  I made it to the first eleven mainly because the Captain liked to throw his weight around and I was the only player with whom he could.

I find it strange that people of my age actually think sports or any physical activities are behind them and their indulgence is limited to watching and giving their sports wisdom with full gusto.

 I can now afford a branded pair of shoes, tennis racquet or any accessories and feel totally convinced that I fit the bill.  But then, what I think is what matters and I am totally unmindful of the chuckle as I walk past guys of my age potbellied ( more than mine J), with a fag in hand thinking the world is meant for taking a pot shot at others.  Come to think of it, just the other day, I hit an ace not because the other player could not run towards the net to reach the ball. It was actually fast enough.

Till my late 20s, the Swimming Pool was something I could see only in movies. It was associated with ‘western ladies’ in ridiculous glares and polka dotted swim suits. Only stinking rich business men and their sidekicks hang around to get bashed up or get killed in the pool for the mystery to get solved by our hero.

It is a nice feeling to get into pool now. I splash around manage to reach the other end of the pool, filling all the void I used to feel those days watching extras and villains in their ill fitted swim suits.  Actually, more than the swimming, I always wanted to recline and read a novel by the pool side.  

Now, of course, all proper gear in place, swim glares, head cap ( more to cover the greys). Very careful to check when the pool is without any kids who just keep doing lap after laps much to my dismay. My best time is when I am out of the pool, hair disarray, getting in dry cloth but body wet enough for all to know I was in the pool.

So what was my passion in till 15, which I lost it in between is coming back in big way in my 50s.

I am not complaining nor am I taking a deep breath to tuck in my tummy which still is a pot of concern. Next year this time, it will not be there, I mean that ghastly extra flab.

Weekend Junkie

Yes, I am a weekend junkie. I look forward to the weekend from Wednesday onwards. It takes two days or so to get over it, I put in an honest day’s work and then start my plan for the coming weekend. 

The last weekend was a change of a sort. I went with a business associate with his family and friends. Total strangers to me and it took a while and the years of experience helped me with small talks to get over the awkward silence.

Their respective wives were not very helpful but were laughing in chorus for every attempt at humour from their life partner.

It was a beach resort. My first impression was it should have been a last resort. But then I started looking at the place from the villager’s point of view and not from a brown sahib pair of glasses.

The topic of fish, crab and other coastal delicacies stops only when it was served to my fellow travellers. The detailed discussion and analysis of the fish can only the compared with the spiel of Italians for coffee or wine. It does not matter, even if you were to order the same stuff from the same joint every time.

It is nice to see our countrymen getting involved in water sports. You get to ride a jet ski as a pillion rider!! Very brave indeed much to the lovely patronising smile of appreciation from the spouse.  I did ask whether I can ride on my own. It was a straight NO. Their grouse was that quite a few adventurers did not bother to come back. It still is a mystery whether it was jetjacked or the rider lost his turn in the deep ocean.

Quite a few took to para sailing. It is nice to see the expression of valour and satisfaction, when you see a typical pot bellied government clerk as he walks to his group after a sky ride. In Goa, you see much younger crowd but here in MS side of the beach front, I somehow felt, our  octroi agents and Mantralaya employees were more in numbers. 

Coming back to food, the quality of food when you travel is always compared to the previous outing. Of course, the last visit remains a memorable one till you travel next to talk about this one. 

I never can understand why this racial bias against black sand and also why Maharashtra/Konkan belt needs to be compared with Goa. They will remain a poor cousin to their more illustrious neighbours, even if the food is equally bad. The Goa booze tastes much better for they are devoid of tax or excise or perhaps both. But as my wise friends tells me you burn more petrol to reach there and hotel tariffs are dearer.

It is more homely here compared to Goa.. You are given the towel which is also used by the owner of the resort. By the way, they live here and eat the same food. Ghar ka khana and ghar ka towel. It can well be used as a tag line. 

Web site of these resorts are very innovative… the distance to the beach is always ‘walkable’. Food is always authentic, 24 hours water should not be mistaken for your bathroom. Well,they are referring to the SEA. 

My Bhandup Diwali

Bhandup Diwali as I Remember…. Year 1971

 

4pm the school bell rings, books are stuffed to my khaki bag. The bag sure has seen better days. There are spots of ink and stitches on the handle. That bag fight with CS Raman proved costly for me. But then we have our own sewing machine at home. Teacher wished us all Happy Diwali with some serious vacation homework. Anyways, those are to be done only on the last few days of Diwali. The front benchers wished her back in unison

Teacher reminds me in particular that she expects me to have brown cover once again for all my note books. I muttered and cursed slightly to get a hot stare back.

Of course, one dharavi student gets picked for bursting one atom bomb ( that square one) in the hallway.

I was glad not to be picked for that too. Time to go home for that shopping at chavan bros. Not sure whether I can get trouser /shirt and also a footwear for Diwali this time. The footwear is also used as stump for playing cricket and also as crease for runner.

In the evening, I go with Appa, to Chawan Bros and get greeted with a broad smile and the owner conveys with gusto he was wondering as to when we were coming. He does some profiling on his own and decides to show the mid-range first and then the lower one. Tags are prominent and what is written on that determines our budget for home for the rest of the month. Technicalities are discussed and it is conveyed for umpteen time that color will not fade.

I express my unavailability to my building friends Suresh, Mukund and Bhagu for cricket they had planned to play at night. We used to roll and flatten the ground to play cricket during vacation.

We reach Bhandup a day or two before Diwali. For us it is like boarding an outstation train. This is once or twice in a year the most awaited event. Working Chithees will have a a dabba or two of sweet box. The division and distribution is invariably Venguttu Mama’s forte and so is the distribution of crackers.

I still remember the first year when that thing made out of injection bottle was displayed. If I am not mistaken, it was a joint effort of Mama and Radhai.

Get up by 5.30 am… Manni will apply oil on our head and will be joined by Amma and Kamali for that epic song…. Someone help me here…. Which one is it?..”

Rafi and Lata’s songs will be played in the Bush or Philip Radio amidst karrrrrrrrrrrrr sound and Indira will write the wordings on the wall.

Indira, Radha, Kannan and myself were then the dare devils then for bursting the noisiest firecrackers. The whole stock of firecrackers will get over in some 20 min. or so amidst shouting of parthu, parthu, saree mela pidichukko from balcony. Best balcony accordingly to me built by any builder in Mumbai. This gets over by 6.00 am. We then have our Diwali sweets . By 8.30am I will have some mark or the other on my shirt… chutney or mulagapudi to invite the wrath of someone…. Ivan urupuddavai mattan..

Evening plan will be to visit back waters and then the next day first movie on a screen for me in Krishna…. CARAVAN… staring Jitendra.

The IPL Mela

People have drawn out their Pen, vented out their spleen, keyed in millions of letters condemning the authorities, management and players for this year’s IPL fiasco.

My little observations….. Mixed and dazed one at that

Sreeshant, no money found in his possession. Police with their team of detectives found that he has shopped in Diesel for few lacs. He was found with 3 girls in his car.

Very very bad indeed…… this is ultimate scandal

News Media came out with a scoop of Sreeshant, Ankit talking to each other with a girl in the hotel passage with shopping bag in their hands….. this is absolutely nonsense… they should not be allowed to get away with this.

20 lacs recovered…….. this is huge hard cash. 3G and coal gate, there were no cash found. .2G no proof, people are only ranting and raving… ask Sibal. Zero Loss

Guru and Srinivasan, how can anyone suspect any ulterior motive…. Check out tikka in Srini’s forehead…. Moreoever he is a tambram….. Guru is just a misguided youngster. He did not kill 5 people sleeping in the pavements or shoot some ducks…. Please spare him…

Make betting legal to pave way for call center companies to flourish. … can’t wait for a call on a Monday morning…. “good morning, sir appko betting ke bare mein jankari chhaihe” we are 100% subsidiary of CITI Bank”

The suspicion on Chandila or Ankit happened, when they rushed out of their dug out in a frenzy with great excitement, after the final ball was bowled in few of their matches. They did this when actually their team had lost. They are just upcoming cricketers …. The learning curve is steep.

“TWO SIDES OF A PAGE” 1ST side written by just pass Raju , 2nd side by Natarajan V. CEO

 “TWO SIDES OF A PAGE”  1^ST side written by just pass Raju , 2nd side by Natarajan V. CEO

Long ago, one Chithappa (uncle) made a statement amidst jaw dropping relatives that every coin has two sides. It made a lasting impression on me being the first English proverb which made sense to me without checking with Balu, who was then the ‘good in english’ in the family.

This blog is titled such that every experience of today makes me go back in a flash to some incidence of the past which just whizzes past me. 

This blog will outline incidences of today and how I relate with that of yesteryears.

Page 1

Got up in the morning, shrugged out with a pang of regret that no tennis today. .. It is not possible, anyways as I have to drop mother to Airport.

My note book is in tatters, the brown cover has come out, stuffed everything to my khaki bag, it is 8.40 already, mother has again wrapped 3 chappathis with baji in the middle in a eversilver dabba.....8.50 I go past the tennis court in Indian Gymkhana... uncles in white and white play tennis and in between break will have idly wada or uppma in canteen. Wondered kya life hai.... it is indeed nice to be pasia walla. Feeling thirsty, would the mali in the gymkhana   allow me to have water from the cooler or shoo me away like yesterday.  I had my sweet revenge, when I threw big stone on the left side shutter which is always closed.  I am sure he will not remember me.... no soul around the cooler, had a quick fill of the glass and gulped it down and ran. Days first sense of achievement!

MY CORRUPTION TRAIL...................FROM 15 YEARS TO NOW..

In 70’s ...  I was 15 or 16 years old.

My folks asked me to get tickets from VT station for vacationing in South during summer holidays. I went to VT station and saw some 500 odd people standing in queue already at 5.am. I was perplexed and one guy approached me to assist me in jumping the queue for Rs. 20/=. I paid and I was taken inside the office and I got the tickets for my folks. I was patted on my back for being Smart boy.  I talked about it to some 10 odd friends of mine who in turn learned what to do in similar conditions. I am sure each of them would have talked to 10 others on how to be a Smart Kid.

In 80s... in my 20s

I got my driving licence from RTO for 2 wheelers by paying Rs. 50/= without having to go through any test. I now became a Smart Alec/Chap

In 90s... in my 30s..

Being a sales guy, I had to travel on a drop of a hat notice and would get into reserved compartment with an ordinary ticket. Smooth talk with the TC who would act difficult initially and would finally allot me a berth over some consideration..... My management could always rely on me to travel anytime anywhere.... I became a Smart cookie/ GO GETTER.

In 2000s....

My consignments were not cleared on time. Customs authorities’ create some problem or the other. Clearing agent asked my approval to spend Pepsi money to make this faster. I agreed... I am now a seasoned businessman, who knows how to do “Dhanda”.

In 2011.

I AM NOW 49 YEARS AND FEEL SO ORDINARY  FOR HAVING PLAYED A PART FOR WHAT COMMON CITIZENS LIKE ME HAVE DRIVEN THIS COUNTRY TO. WELL,  I AM YET TO HAVE ANY INTERACTION WITH ANY POLITICIANS TO HIDE BEHIND THEIR CORRUPT DEEDS.

I AM  GUILTY AND ASHAMED FOR WHAT I HAVE BECOME.... I AM WILLING TO CHANGE AND WILL DO MY BEST... thanks to ANNA

70s movie.Yaadon ki Bharat

This morning I saw Yaadon ki bharaat about for 10 minutes. It was gripping, funny, serious, had a turning point and a high-drama climax all put together. 

The scene was the last song of family re-union with Tariq holding the guitar stem so tight with a clenched fist in one hand and slapping thundering riffs with the other.  The scene depicting Dharmendra holding on to the pillar with his face getting distorted with all sorts of emotions - crying in grief and smiling in happiness is kind of cemented in our memory. Arora, the second brother, running towards his bro with over-exaggerated strides is one scene which used to bring tears to warring brothers in a chawl.

Ajith always suited and with glares which could pass today as the latest style was just classy. I was told, he was particular about the dress code for his side kicks too.

Most hilarious is when dhammu and his side kick call on all the shoe shops to find out who has bought a pair of shoes with size 8 for right and 9 for left.  I used to wonder then,  Ajith being so rich he could actually buy a pair each of 8 and 9. I got a sharp rap on my head from someone for being stupid. 

I am sure

Please do not be surprised if we are requested by Indo-Japanese  Association guys to adopt a small family from Japan for a period of 6 months to 1 year .

I will not be surprised if few good Samaritans from Colaba, Kemps corner,  Juhu,  Defence Colony or Whitefield or Nungkambakkam elitists accept it as well.

I am sure these elitists would also extend this favour to Bangladeshi or Assamese families, who go through some sort of natural calamity almost every 2^nd year.

 I am glad to see involvement and intellectual participation with news channels beaming miseries which engulf Japan today. 

I feel sorry for Earthquake and Tsunami affected Japanese people that they had to through these sufferings and turmoil.

I am glad that Indian Government despatched blankets and other aids to Japan. This is right and anything we can do to reduce the suffering of humankind is just fine. Our Government is known to think beyond border for sure.

I am glad our Government did all possible to people in Leh & Ladakh who had a similar fate due to landslide.

I am glad that our Government has done whatever is possible for Kargil War affected families (forget Adarsh scam)

One needs to check though, but I am sure our Government did provide a house for the displaced families of our fellow Southies who were devastated by Tsunami a few years ago

I am pretty sure that our Government did give blankets to thousands of people living in the pavements in North during winter

I am very sure that our Government does have plans for several towns and villages which look as if Tsunami has struck them just yesterday.

I don’t know when I last undertook a local train journey in Mumbai.  I guess there was this one time when I had to go to a bank in Masjid some 4 years ago and before that in 1999.

We tend to be critical for no reason and I started believing local trains are not for me anymore. Well, one thing for sure, nobody cares from railways...
Local Trains of Mumbai carry some few millions everyday from places as far as Virar, CBD Belapur, Kalyan and Badlapur. I am insignificant and I really am no one to say anything about service/standard and my likes and dislikes about railways. Business guys, executives, staff and students travel at a cost which perhaps is the lowest in the world and they reach on time.

 What I experienced was fantastic. Platforms are clean, Train bogey or wagons are mighty impressive and punctual to the nearest minute. I travelled Dadar/Vasai/Dadar which I believe should be 140 km. I spent Rs. 220/=.  When I embarked on my journey, I had an outlook as if I am doing a favour to Railways by travelling. When I reached home, I was humbled by sheer experience and in my mind did a small calculation and realized that I have saved close to Rs. 600/= and not to mention no risk and no stress of driving.

 Few stray of thoughts as I was looking around with sheer admiration with the progress, all over.
1)      Builder make mega mega bucks: provide residential accommodation in extended Mumbai  towns, very conveniently assuring “ just 5 or 10 minutes from station”.... what does the railways get, more passengers and more strain on capacity... using railway’s goodwill for their business!!!
 2)      Most abused phrase is ‘there are scope for improvements in service’ they have to do this... and that.. What about scope of improvements amongst people... they continue to place their legs on empty seat in the front, spit and stain the corners of platform which is cleaned twice a day.
3)      I shudder to think of the statistics and logistics of number of train, number of passengers, technical trouble shooting, rail roko etc. We all work somewhere, run a department or execute some functions... I can only say this, Hats off to operational and support staff of Indian Railways
4)      A fellow passenger was complete with latest mobile and MAC laptop and was working with total dedication.  I thought I was stupid to  drive 140 km and listen to some atrocious music in FM

 As to whether I did have vada pav in Dadar Station, NO.... Vada might be of same quality as before, but cautious part in me in me prevailed. I guess I will overcome this too, in next 2/ 3 journeys.   I saw  a guy with a bag pack about 22 years old, hogging vada pav and holding Energy drink in another hand.  I just couldn't stop envying him. Somehow, I could just script what he will do in the evening, weekend and his rigorous thinking on how to achieve his career objectives........I just saw myself in him

no new year's day.......

We are just about a couple of months away to group sms all in our prized list of contacts. Happy New Year.  We are just a month away perhaps to plan out painstakingly where the hell we go out during New Year eve and sport a right social image of ourselves.

To me till date, I can recall only 3 or 4 new year party which was different otherwise it is the same old thing,  Earliest, I recall was  riding with Venkat to Gateaway in Yezdi in my early teenage years, drinking to the brim  and coming back at 3am. We danced to the tune of music blaring ‘i want to take you to ... funky town.... this is all I could follow.... rest was all noise to my ears.

Had a couple of Catholic friends, who would pronounce ...aks me to say ask me and would mumble man, whath a parthy we had man.... the only time we used to think of these bums were during xmas and new year.

Never understood, why it was such  a big deal for these  native east Indian guys to claim they are Goans when only time they have gone there was during a college picnic to sing ‘brown girl in the ring...’ But certain Fernandes’, note not Fernandez’ prefer to say they are from Mangalore.. It was never from Mysore or Karnataka. Mysore just became a city from a state with one headline in morning newspaper.  No morcha, no lochas.... they were too busy forwarding Bio data through a friend for job in  Bombay /Muscat or Kuwait.

I remember visiting a college mate named Rodrigues... he was called Rudy of course. . I saw only Pink in their house. Lady of the house had worn a pink skirt with polka dots,  the curtains were pink with big flowers, Rudy’s sis ( remember it is never sister those days) in a pink mini skirt with a frilled blouse with pink flowers again.  When introduced, she flashed her eyes and gave a coy smile ... before you could work out a smart thing to say, she would leave with her boyfriend Tony for a party, who is invariably the best friend of Cousin Martin. Party I realized later on is to go to neighbouring building terrace. Guys from that building would visit this building of Rudy. Man of the house, Rudy’s dad was on his own world, in a vest and Indian Bermudas, drunk. 

Life just drifted from one cricket series to another, it was Gavaskar and Vishwanath in 70s to 80s, Kapil and Shastri in 80s to 90s.  I don’t need to name the God who played cricket and brought smile to us often from 90s till date.

Coming to films during these period, for me,  it was  Amit in 70s, Amitabh in 80s to 90s, AB in 90s onwards till date.

Our fight for livelihood, recognition and achievement has been a continuous process from 70s till date.. I thank these sporting legends and artist for giving us great joy during our journey from school days to college days to Aura.

MGR to Rajni in Aurora

I am not too sure whether my excitement is to see the Endhiren the movie or to see a tamil movie in Aurora.

It seems just like the other day when Aurora was showing MGRs  Kavel Karen, rickshakaren, vetaikaran...from 12 to 3, 3 to 6, 6 to 9 and 9 to 12.  Not to disappoint the Malayalee crowd, on Sunday 9 to 12noon the classic and serioust flick of Madhu/Prem Nazir / Sathyen will be shown.

For SIES student from tamil division, I always used to wonder why is that Malayalam movies have the same cast movie after movies. It was like a family of 15 odd people moving around as a troupe to act in some 100 movies.

Usually the well behaved Kerala crowd will be followed by a frenzy crowd after a blaring alarm bell would make a dash for gate which will be manned by a hapless guard, who will eventually leave his post to a much tougher looking local dharavi born bouncer.

 Bouncer will also have business interest of being the inside man for the touts sellingtickets in black. The tout is   a woman with  50 odd tickets rolled and hidden in her no look (can’t look) area.

Promoting a movie is not recent a phenomena, MGR and Shivaji, used their massive fan base to just do this 30 years ago.

The purist would like to sincerely see the photo posters of the existing movie neatly displayed on the left side of the entrance and to the right would be the ‘coming attraction’  Claims and prediction whether the movie will run for 15 weeks or 25 weeks will be made then.

Cat calls followed by roaring laughter and reprimanding by a serious movie buff will be followed by a nice live fight.  It will be over in 5 minutes and they will continue to enjoy the movie being seated in the adjacent rows. When the show gets over, both will do their best to avoid each other but will loudly ask engaiya avan... The proud lady from his family would say .... vittu thallu ya....

With all these happenings, Aurora was the place to be with family for movie watching

It is sad to hear that this could well be the last movie of Rajni and Last movie to be shown in Aurora.

Chennai Super King.... ku whistle podu...Rajni will b probably be the last Super King from Tollywood.