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Thursday, October 29, 2009
Reality, Dreams and Illusions
No, don't get baffled by the title. I am not reading Carl Jung or Freud. Actually, I am not reading anything nowadays. Just being trained at the "school of life" as I rationalised to my mom, who wants me to think of getting a PhD next ( I have no clue in what subject. I have never studied any one subject for more than 6 months during my higher education! See, another rationalisation). I tried to pick-up and finish Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, quite fluffy by most standards but its lying on my table gathering dust since the past 2 months.
Instead, I 've been thinking (whenever I have some quite time to myself ) about how we are in love with certain notions. Not exactly dreams, because they occur in broad day light, and are manifested in our behavior unlike dreams which happen in the sub-conscious. These are our sense of how things should be: like the notion of falling in love (I 've never liked this phrase, one should RISE in love!), Well, see that's my notion: that love will somehow should have transformational and positive effect on the human beings involved. They'd just blossom and rise above petty issues, forget differences...a surreal notion certainly. Or take the notion of a cushy job. In a b-school ,we all are swimming in the hope that someday we will be well-paid, by all comparative standards and become respected, management proffesionals. That's a mere notion. Some of us will experience only a part of that for some time only. Maybe there is likely to be a lot of struggle before that notion gets materialised , the job may lack fundamentals of what we percieve as cushy, or even comfortable but just the notion keeps us going here. I'm not disillusioned, but astonished at how powerful notions can be. They can keep us comitted, motivated and focussed. At the same time, these define our interpersonal- interactions. Sometimes these notions become so powerful that we forget our reality. We just believe in how things should be...I think that's when we become rigid rocks and rationalise our actions.
Einstien once said "Reality is an illusion, albeit a very persistent one!". I agree. It will be better if we can assume that our reality is an illusion rather than believing that our illusions are the reality. Atleast, that's my notion :)
Posted at 1:54 am by qwertyavnika
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Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Joy of Naturals Ice-cream
 If you are in Mumbai, chances are you must have tried Naturals ice-cream.
If not, I would recommend you find out the the nearest outlet. Though I miss Mother Dairy here, they have the most brilliant fruit flavors, guaranteed to lift up your spirits. My take: don't fall for the chocolates and vanillas here, try the desi, the exotic......Sitaphal, Watermelon, Papaya, Guava, Litchee, Cheekoo !!And roasted almond (with fresh hot waffle cone please), which tastes like first love! Yeah ok, that's an exaggeration, but hope you got the point. The prices are reasonable, and I often wonder why do we need the over-priced Baskin Robbins who I am sure cannot do the light texture and unique local flavors such as this one.
Posted at 1:38 am by qwertyavnika
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Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Usually the newspapers are full of problems: city's, nation's and the world's. A little ray of inspiration today with unseeded 26 year old "mama" , Kim Clijsters winning the US Open after goodbye to tennis. Indeed, her family photos with a cup in one hand and her lovely daughter, Jada in another had something magical about them!   
Posted at 2:45 pm by qwertyavnika
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Saturday, August 01, 2009
Love Aajkal- Silence has to be broken!
So here is the setting- In less than two weeks exams are due, add to the suffering of an adenoid attack. And I decide to go out to the latest movie, well, just because everyone does on a Saturday in Bollywood (and yeah got the tickets!). Guess what, the movie turns out to be rather sweet!
Love Aajkal is a modern love-story with a message: that the fundamentals of love will not change, atleast in Bollywood. The locations, the fashion, the feel and the characters might change, but love remains what it is- a saga of confusion, sacrifice and pining hearts. The seasoning alters to a new- age setting and then goes back into a flashback only to come back again to the present.
We don't have a pair of star-crossed lovers, but 2 real people ("Mango people" watch the movie to get the joke), who are bonafide fools in love. We don't have the usual tears, what we have are "break-up parties" and a rather 'fruitful 'process of self-discovery on the lovers' part. We don't have didactic dialogues but real conversations between 2 generations - Rishi Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan.
We don't have well-defined characters. We don't have excellent dance or acting. Deepika and Saif appear to be good friends rather than obsessive lovers- a "thanda pair". She doesn't sizzle and he doesn't thrust his pelvic the right way- what a let down!
But then we have fancy occupations: Deepika Padukone is a art restorer, who later marries an archaeologist! We have Mr. Saif, who is most certainly not a dancer, but does something that makes San Fransisco his dream destination ( he is an architect or a civil engineer I think). We have Rahul Khanna, a cutie- pie onscreen who has just one meaninful dialougue in the movie, that too he utters it with an american twang. Who cares, ooh, I still like him. We have great shots of meri dilli- Dill haat! Purana Quila! Delhi Metro! Ansal Plaza! Oh my, the flyovers and Qutub! I miss you, home.
As usual its a true-blue hindi movie, even when you pray it should not go the usual way, it twiggles to go back to the predictable plot. The flashback story of Harleen and young paaji is a gripper, and makes you appreciate the older days of roadside romeos vis-a-vis the contemprorary internet stalkers. Sometime the movie tries to capture many facets: career -oriented, pragmatic youth, promiscuity, self-destructive tendency in love, long-distance relationships and even shows indirect references to the recent racist attacks on Indian students in Australia. Happily, it doesn't take a moral stance on either of this but weaves the story in them. All in all, go watch it, you will enjoy it and makes you wonder- love is really not about being practical at all. Till next, so long.
Posted at 6:38 pm by qwertyavnika
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Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Mumbai: Impressions of a Newbie
The city has sent me many invitations. And I have never said "No" to Mumbai. In fact, for one reason or the other, I was never in a position to say "No" to it. So here I am, in a city that can be either terribly indifferent or affectionately warm to its inhabitants.
Reaching that conclusion has been an experience in itself. I have indulged in so many "Delhi" Vs. "Mumbai" debates only to see a sense of envy in Mumbaikar's eyes. "The capital gets all the funds while Mumbai works for the tax - men", "But you have so many open spaces", "Oh and the roads are so wide in Delhi" they cringe , and I smile.
The best part of being in Delhi is that the city is humbly historic. In no other city will you be part of 5000 years without any fuss. You have the most magnificent monuments throughout the city.Yes, Delhi is my home and shall always remain so. It is where I have spent more than two decades of my life! Still, I will try and avoid the bias.
To be honest, Mumbai has only one major factor which Delhi doesn't: The Sea. It makes all the difference. In Delhi, people crawl up to malls, here they crowd-up around the sea or go for movies (bollywood is here because of the sea, dummies). For me the seaside (however polluted) would be a better option than jam packed- malls or shady parks in Delhi. The weather in summer is excrutiating in Delhi, and the sea in Mumbai acts as a savior in this case too. In fact, the Sea is what made it "Bom-Bay" (or a portuguese port).
All said and done, I am not an admirer of jam - packed trains, traffic jams and crowded foot paths and we have all that in both the cities (Mumbai again, is the queen of crowds). So, I am trying to still find order in these chaotic cities, carve out something I can call my own, like millions out there. True it is, a city is a place where many people feel alone together!
Posted at 12:18 am by qwertyavnika
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Thursday, June 25, 2009
The mind has to be in a delicate balance of freedom and chaos to be able to write any poetry. So here and now I find the perfect chance.
"I start over with a clean slate and a tidy mind,
These ways are new, and only few a ties that bind.
Sense of freedom, salvation and relief
The worst may come, but I' ll hold on to the belief.
I'll change for good, exceed my own expectations,
I live with a calm sense of satiation!
Show me, us the light, dear lord.
Prove those who wander, seldom get lost.
I look forward to all that life has to bring
God, make me strong and willing!"
Posted at 2:53 am by qwertyavnika
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Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Dear God Yes, I have to write to you ( I'm assuming this blog is popular in heavenosphere). Most of my conversations are with me, myself and I assume you will be eavesdropping and hopefully will sort out all the tussles that go in between my ears. I understand you have such a huge role of overseeing the universe. You must be some project manager. I feel like bringing to your notice the troubles of the universe but I assume you will already be well-aware of the sorrows of the junta. My troubles are trifling in comparison. Neverthless, overall, I would like to say that I am a big fan of your creations. And I'd like to thank you of the blessings in my life. I would like to wish that everyone gets what they want they want in life, provided they want it for the good of others. I wish to you that there is peace. I wish everyone gets another chance with the ones they truly love. I wish people realise your powers without god-men, zealots and fanatics. I know you are an artist. You are clever. You have your own designs. I believe that you also give off signs. Give me the wisdom to follow these signs. -A FAN
Posted at 5:36 pm by qwertyavnika
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