Twitter Effect

First there were the newspapers, then came emails, google, facebook and just when you are settling into the zone of quick-reads, is the next big thing on the block – the Twitter Effect. There is no denying that this has become the most popular social media tool – the so-called high muckamucks who use it to describe their up-to-the-minute endeavors in 140 characters. Students, Professors, Politicians, Corporate honchos - they all have a (fan) following to the extent that ‘I twittered’ has become a popular jargon among many a few ‘twitterers’. Not too long ago, my organization had a brown bag lunch on twitting as a low-cost media tool – sure thing! While we may have already been late entrants into this arena, it did not take too long to figure out how the functionality gets executed minute by minute. I am not a twitterer and while I do have a presence there (curiosity after all, DID kill the cat), my dear A is the only follower in there. So what is the point of all this?

I haven’t yet gotten myself to recognize the power (is there?) that rests in there and especially after having heard this to be the next contagious disease, I feel it best to get immunized. But is it really something to care for? A friend’s recent facebook status was ‘I have 250 followers on my Twitter’ – now what does that mean to a layperson like me? Does that make him celebrity personified? Its great to see what people/places are upto but updates-on-the-go can be quite intimidating.

While on one hand I am quite excited about using this tool – I see its usefulness in the kind of work I do, or simply introducing this technology to my professional role – however, on a personal note, I am yet to determine. There are some really ‘cool’ applications in here that I recently learnt at work – something called a vision thing that provides updates on what is happening in the twit region from across the world or that an application that keeps you informed about your friends on-the-go and not-on-the-go. But somehow, I do not get it. I mean, what would happen to it next? Is it just another fad that will die down or would it evolve into a revolution of sorts? The cacophony created is enough for one to expect some great things for the future rather than knowing who is eating what and where and with whom. Would there be more beyond this mundane-ness or would it lead to the dullest blog feature?

A couple of months ago, there was an eruption of hacking and phishing among twitter accounts so if you really think you are following tweets by me, think again; and dear A, if you wonder why I am not following your tweet, think again :-))



Image from http://www.seattlepi.com/fun/bizarro.asp

The 'Do-Re-Mi' Spirit

There is something about this video, released quite a while ago, that made me smile on a manic Monday like today - it has surely made my day and would be totally thrilling to be part of such a free-spirited act. If you have not already seen it, turn on your speaker volume and enjoy how people broke the norm from their daily routine and had some real fun!

Happy Monday!

Tis Grad Time

This and the past couple of weeks have been all about graduation and commencement speeches. Facebook has photos of friends graduating while emails galore with the transcript of several speeches by the oh-so-popular celebrities – Jobs, Page, Bush, Oprah, Schmidt, Clinton, the First Lady and POTUS himself. It’s a moment of pride and exhilaration, a day to laugh and to revel in all the adulation the graduands receive from their families, professors, friends to the speaker of the day.

It has been quite some time since I graduated and while I can barely recall the commencement address given at my graduation, I quite enjoy reading what varied orators have to say on that day year after year. Sometimes it is the typical cheesy stuff about growth and change while some with a few funny anecdotes thrown around but most with utmost sincerity, good food for thought and a path stirrer. Baz Luherman did a good job with his sunscreen sequence, in my opinion, of providing snippets from retrospection and thanks to the musical note, is something one can easily remember. There are some inspirational statements which I can almost never remember but one gets the gist, or so I assume.

However, do these speeches do any good, I still wonder. For one, they provide the media with a tool to hammer the speakers about what they ‘said’, why they said what they said and what they support/do not support. They are also considered as fillers to the overall handing-out ceremony. My parents really enjoyed the speech given during my brother’s graduation ceremony years ago so that did some good there. Other than that, they become items to forward around, motivating quotes to quote, some for future reference et al. But otherwise, wonder if they are merely transcripts archived in the books of yesteryears.

Seriously though, there are way too many distractions in the Hall/Lawn to be focused on the prose being delivered – be it the outfit, the weather, those shoes, the lighting or the heartthrob. My colleague mentioned that a good commencement speech is one which makes a statement with “…if you could remember one thing from my speech that would be…..”

So a day considered to be a momentous occasion, with newest possible ideas out in the open still remains fragmented with tit-bits of time. Is that what it takes to be a Graduate?

Stir the World?

Someone wise once told me that God has a purpose for each of us for which he has already prepared us. I know that more often than not, I have gone astray from my purpose and from the path that I set out on. At times, I feel I am living in a matrix and there would never be a way out. Or that, I simply do not want to venture out; after all this is comforting enough. Yet, there are times where my ideological inclinations are strong enough and that itself lead me to the feeling of actually being outside the matrix. So as I switch in and out of this so-called virtual reality, I do so assuming that I am not alone. Often, this issue of purpose, journey et al figure in my conversations with friends who think that the odyssey of our lives take their own course but there is always a particular 'something' that guides us, directs us and leads us on. Frank Buchman used the North Star as an interesting metaphor in describing IofC's (formerly, Moral Re-Armament) overarching objectives of being the change in the world in that, "We may never reach the North Star but it always guides our path".

In this day and age, it is easy to be carried away with what goes on in our daily routine and take comfort in what we seek around us. However, once in a while we come across instances - what we see, experience, something we reflect on, a complete 'deja vu', or just an act of being - that remind us of our paths, of where we belong, and of where we are set out to be. A video I came across recently has stirred my path, to remind me where I ought to be. I share this with you hoping that you too would be reminded of yours -

Much ado about gifts

They say that it is not the gift that matters but indeed the thought that counts! Clearly, this would be an easy way out in my never-ending plight to hunt for a (decent if not perfect) gift for A. But then a serious problem arises when there is a greater mismatch between the thoughts and the gifts per se. I mean, if this were true then I could really just express what I ‘thought’ of gifting him – saving myself the trouble of the larger issue. Or simpler still, thanks to the virtual realities we live in, use the Facebook gifts option (oh gosh, that would be terrible indeed!). So I wonder if it is merely the ‘thought’ of the gift or the entire package – the thought, the intention, the actual gift.

Now do not get me wrong here. I love to gift; love the ‘thought’ of gifting and the entire process involved right from ‘shopping’ around town (or better still, creating something from sctrach), making sure it is the right match, to the funky wrapping, ensuring there is enough gag-ness to it and the works. HOWEVER, the problem lies when deciding what to get especially with the D-Day fast approaching. So as I near the deadline, the struggle currently lies in whether to gift something:

1. that is top-of-the-line product one is sure to like (boring?)
2. I 'know' he wants (quite predictable)
3. I 'think' he needs (dangerous)
4. I 'know' he needs (boring again)
5. I like and hence he may like it too (assumptions are not healthy)
Or 6. I like and hence get it so I could use it too (perfect)

While this dilemma is endless, the question really is whether the thought matters more than the gift. I would say the thought is as important as the gift. In a way, we humans live in a cycle of give-and-take and are genetically programmed to be touched by receiving gifts - irrespective of occasions - to love, cherish and enjoy.

I mean, seriously, the element of pleasure and surprises we revel in when someone showers us with gift, no matter what the occasion, is priceless as opposed to when someone told you I 'thought' of getting 'x' for you but could not do so which may be sweet but not as exciting. Also, age must have something to do with the way we perceive gifting. As a kid, the concept of gifts (both, receiving and giving) was much much much more thrilling and sort of intellectually stimulating as opposed to the brain-dead that exists as we move out of childhood (that would be my present status). Yet, somewhere deep down there do exist those 'memories' of gifts in the past where the thought indeed mattered and it is those moments that naturally trigger our innate being. So the intermix of thought, love and 'action' is what goes into a gift and that matters most to me when gift-hunting. But my search to gift A still continues...

Women Beings

"Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weaknesses"
- Madame Marie du Deffand

Two pieces of news (that I came across this week) exemplify this quote and proudly, I support them.

1. There is a good chance you must have already viewed this video thanks to facebook/twitter/other sources of networking/media. Susan Boyle, a Scottish from West Lothian ("a collection of ....... villages" she terms it) is taking part in Britians Got Talent 2009 and clearly, she is beyond this show. First glimpse of her and she must have already got dismissed right before she even starting displaying her talent. But that did not, for once, dither her from giving one of the finest performances ever experienced by any audience in a 'reality talent hunt'.

Here's the video, if you haven't already seen it.


2. The second piece is rather appalling and boils me (sure others too) to even fathom the extent of ridicule and authority the men of Afghanistan must have had in passing a new law that:
- forbids women to leave their homes except for emergencies (To me, even getting groceries is an emergency - how do they define it?);
- forbid women to work or receive education without their husband's permission (Insane!)
- takes away custody from the mothers' right to their children incase of divorce (and create more monsters like them?);
- disallow women to own land of house from their husbands (I'd totally support this 'the other way around' which will happen one day);
- Allow rape of wives by the husband i.e. women cannot refuse sexual relations when the husband demands unless she is sick (such husbands should be hanged, period.).

The women of Afghanistan opposed this law and continue to do so here.

I realize that a lot of the above happen in different countries, different cultures. With all due respect to each culture, I personally believe that any act that:
(a) does not take into consideration respect for an individual;
(b) takes away the right to live with equality; and most importantly
(c) treats women as if they were pawns of a chess board which you pick and move and throw as you please;
needs to be condemned for sure but more than that, punished with utmost severity.

I am not a feminist but by default those genes reside in me. It is a shame indeed, that the very ideologies our predecessors fought for - equality, justice, freedom - do not apply to women. Like I said earlier, such instances happen in different cultures too, some personally known to me. I wait for the day when I can expose these people and it would be a way of doing my bit to fight for this cause.


Susan Boyle, kudos to you for standing up to that crowd who might have initially mocked at you but you truly shut them off!

To the women of Afghanistan and also to those who do face such situations, I pray for your fight, and your cause to win over such atrocities.

To the women beings -
Citius Altius Fortius
(Swifter, Higher, Stronger)

Go Vote..

Elections are considered a lifeline of a functioning Democracy and India witnesses this event (drama?) in the coming weeks. With preparations on-going, it is indeed a war of the parties with hidden agendas as always. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a long-drawn 25-day agenda culminating into a new (hopeful) government in June. So far, the fight has been between The Congress and the BJP but clearly, with the Third Front forging ahead, would be a crucial decision for the country.

Some claim this to be India's first ever digital election campaign. L K Advani has become a blogger we see! With best practices from the 2004 election campaign - remember India Shining and Feel Good Factor? - there are also various initiatives to drive the citizens for an informed, more conscientious decision-making on whom to vote - Tatas with Jaago Re, Idea Cellular with My Idea, Times of India with Lead India and many more. Then there are the likes of Agni and IVote as well. Not sure of whom to vote in your constituency? How about locating your MLA through Empowering India? And to spice things up, Congress has bought the rights of Jai Ho for its campaign visitations.

I remember election day as being the day when, for once, it would be fun to 'show the finger' around!




Voting in India has changed over the years and contrary to what people may say - their names not being part of the voter registration - no longer holds true. Pan-India drives have taken place through household surveys to ensure eligible voter is included in the data. And after all, it is also the duty of each individual to ensure his/her name exists in the voter registration. Infact, Google India, in partnership with Hindustan Times and nonprofits including the Liberty Institute, has set up the India Elections Center, to enable voters to confirm their registration status, polling booth. So no more excuses out there! Surprisingly, this time around, majority of the young have entered the political fabric of this system albeit greater apathy exists among several who simply cannot be bothered to go vote. "What difference would a vote make?" is a typical reasoning but seriously, if we do not do our bit, how can we expect any wonders to take place?



Let us not be cynical of the drama that unfolds before us during this election; if we truly want to see India Shining, let us be a part of it. So a humble request to the Indian voter out there -
Go Vote, It Counts!

Review: Six Suspects

Jessica Lal, Manu Sharma, Sanjeev Nanda, Salman Khan, Barkha Dutt, petty-criminals from UP, the 'Page-three' celebrities, the Underdogs of Indian Political System - What you get when you combine these pieces together? Vikas Swarup's latest - Six Suspects - adds these together (in a fictitious sort of way) to give yet another piece leading the reader into the nooks and corner of India which we daily witness, discover and revel.

In this one too, Swarup presents a style similar to that in Q&A, in that the story looks back from a particular event and then uncovers its way to describe the present. As the title goes, Six Suspects revolves around these six (of course!) characters, distinct in every way, each of their stories compelling enough with whodunnit at the core. One thing they all have in common is Vivek aka 'Vicky' Rai - complete playboy industrialist and bollywood producer - who is killed on the eve of his birthday party at Number Six, his famous farm house at the outskirts of Delhi. And as a matter of fact, our six protagonists happen to be at that party, and some of them with the intention of killing the casanova! So while the book takes us through the journey of these unique individuals, it goes way beyond 'who killed Vicky Rai'.

So who are these six suspects?

1. An American tourist whose tales take us through the realms of being cheated by the 'Indians', the country's call centers in Mumbai to the peak of terrorism in Kashmir and above all, his 'Americanism' in between all that. About to marry his 'pen-friend', he lands into this 'inscrutable' country not knowing what likes ahead; oh and he also happens to share his name with the Google entrepreneur - Larry Page.

2. An indigenous tribal from Andaman whose travelog involves cutting through the gritty regions of the 'non-tribal' India that he is bewelidered by and somehow this character makes the reader realize the facets of India not known to its own people.

3. A corrupt bureaucrat who serves on the board of Vicky Rai's company and by a sheer accident of sorts, is amusingly transformed into the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi that leads him to Gandhigiri in splits.

4. A Bollywood starlet for whom Vicky Rai has a special inkling, an indecent proposal of sorts, that she reluctantly accepts. Maybe, there is a hidden motive there?

5. A small-thief caught in the angst of rich versus poor, love versus hatred; whose fate leads him into a situation that is beyond what he could fathom.

6. Finally the father of the deceased and also the home minister of UP - Jagannath Rai - who has very strong inclination in having his own son dead.

With a gun found from each of these suspects at the scene of the murder, the book takes us through a roller-coaster journey into the lives of these individuals (and those that link them all to Vicky Rai) from the partially-narrative eye of an investigative journalist, Arun Advani.

Having read Indian authors the likes of R.K.Narayan, Amitav Ghosh, Salman Rushdie and Shobha De, they all provide diverse outlooks on India, its people and the culture that defines them both - be it the rural authenticity of Malgudi Days or the Sunderbans described romantially by Ghosh, the mythical fantasies associated with Rushdie or the upper class turbulences by De. Infact, Swarup does none of that and when you read this book, it sems like an expose of characters taken from those we see through our rear-view mirrors. He brings to life an intermix of people, culture, race, religion all derived from one mass, and yet so distinct!

Not many may approve of his style of writing wherein the characters are not succinctly defined or the fineness in the plot but in my opinion from his two books, both the language and the outline are gripping and total page-turners. Fast-paces dialogues make it surreal and extremely entertaining but maybe not from a literary perspective. It is said that too many ingredients (or is it cooks?) spoil the broth but this one spices up some bizarre twists of fiction and weaves them together with a vast breadth of information thus making it totally worth a read.

Yeh Hain Mumbai Meri Jaan_100 Things x 1

I chanced upon a list of 100 things to do in Mumbai and almost every one of them brings back memories of times spent gallivanting around the city! Each of us have our own 'things to do' in the city we love, the city that runs through our memory veins and the city that has the ability to bring out the best AND the worst in us.

I reproduce this list as is here with my comments on some of the things I have done, yet to do and my own interpretation of some that I am attached to:

1. Get high on Qawaali at Haji Ali - Not sure about the Qawaali but totally worth walking through the slippery, rocky path that lead up to the Masjid and then do the 'maatha teko'. Make sure the head is covered as a form of respect to the place. It is a norm.

2. Spot a celebrity at Juhu PVR

3. Sit down on the steps of Asiatic Society Library - and watch the world go by!

4. Crane your neck to see the Bombay Stock Exchange building - The site of watching brokers and those alike on-the-go and on-the-phone. For a photographer, it would be fun to capture images and expressions of these individuals.

5. Spot a leopard in IIT Bombay Campus. If you can't, settle for an IITian girl.

6. Enjoy a play in Prithvi Theatre - absolutely! A personal favorite!! And not to forget, some hot coffee to sip along with some brownies too. If keen on dinner, some aloo paratha with kaali dal and raita!

7. Enjoy the NCPA in a play or opera - their experimental theatre showcases some of the best talents in the city! Also, it can be followed by some good road-side Chinese food if those stalls still exist considering, they were banned at several places.

8. Find some calm around the Banganga Tank - I'd say, visit this place during the Banganga Festival. It is priceless!

10. Haggle for non-antiques in Chor Bazaar - they say, you never know what will be handed to you!

11. Face the high tide on Worli seaface - and thereafter, munch on some grilled veggie sandwiches and gulp down Energy! If its a rainy day, how about a cup of tea and some butta?

12. Bet money on race horses at the Royal Western Indian Turf Club, Mahalaxmi - More of a fashion show and since I am always low on cash, I would avoid this one. However, I would recommend some nice brunch at Gallops and watch the horses trot.

13. Dangle your feet, lean back on your palms and enjoy the sea from the Marine Drive promenade - Apply #7 and latter part of #10 here as well.

14. Go for a heritage walk in the Naval Dockyard (first Sunday of every month, Indian nationals only) - Wow, this sounds intriguing! Will try it the next time I am in the city.

15. Explore the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. A National Park in the city limits? Oh yeah! - Totally recommend this one. It seems there is less-travelled path that leads form Borivili to Powai (An IITian friend did this one!) and some of us friends did attempt on this one, after bunking a dreary lecture but 15 minutes into the stretch and we returned!! But do recommend Kanheri Caves and rock-climbing.

16. Soak in the Victoria Terminus - Delight to the eyes at night and something to soak in! Also, interesting is to hop on a 'shared' cab ride during peak times from here. You'd be surprised at the kind of people that would ride with you.

17. Watch DDLJ at Maratha Mandir - Come Fall in Love?? Totally cheezy! I am not a big fan of this movie yet, everytime it plays on TV, I tend to grab some moments from there. While Maratha Mandir has set a Guiness Record by showing this movie for the last 14 years (kidding!!), I am not sure how it'd be to watch it from there. Nevertheless, visiting MM is an fun considering the booming multiplexes that have made these ornate structures redundant.

18. Park at Hard Rock Cafe and mourn for a minute the death of mills around Parel.

19. Jog on Juhu Beach - The stretch next to the Godrej Bungalow near Holiday Inn is one of the better stretches to jog on. And not to forget, the indulgence of GOLA and all of #84 out here! Also, some kiddie moments of merry-go-rounds out here could be a good laugh.

20. Sit on a tetropod at Nariman Point in midnight till the police constables shoo you away.

21. Stand still on the flyover bridge at Dadar station and watch the crowd whiz by you - And if you are a woman, be prepared to get molested with n number of men touching you briskly. Yet, changing the trains from western to central lines at Dadar station at peak times is an experience to cherish. Kudos to people I know who did this every single day and to those who do so as I write!

22. Find out who is grittier You or Crawford Market? - The butchers' market area is extremely gory and I do think I can ever visit that part again!

23. Find the Fort Wall - now this would be interesting. I know that the Khaadi Bhandaar, Horniman Circle Gardens, Kala Ghoda are all part of this wall and mesmerizing to the core! But will have to see if I can spot the Wall beyond those vendors. On another note, a total must is to (a) enjoy the Kala Ghoda Festival (#92) and (b) watch a play/musical at the Horniman Circle Gardens. This can transform you to a magical night of light, color and grandeur.

24. Ride the Victoria on Marine Drive.

25. Discover the city's Jewish connect at Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue - added to my to-do list. I learnt more about this during the 26/11 attacks on the Jews.

Yeh Hain Mumbai Meri Jaan_ 100 Things x 2

26. Watch the sunset over Aksa Beach in Madh Island - If I had to go this far, I'd choose the Renaissance in Powai overlooking the lake. Also, the sunset from Haji Ali (#1), from the upcoming sea-link, from the princess necklace they are all worth it!

27. Discover the underbelly of Mumbai in Dharavi - and make sure you do not get lost! On second thoughts, get lost and see where you land. If you are a shopoholic, venture into one of the leather shops and check out how the store owners boast about the display look-alikes of Louis Vitton, Gucci, Nine West, Prada and many more.

28. Stay for a night at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. You definitely want to tick off this luxury address for the oh-I-stayed-there-for-a-while conversations. - More of the NRI types but worth being pampered at the Taj even if it means going to any of their restaurants or a massage at their salon. They surely know the essence of hospitality.

29. Catch the national madness of cricket in Oval Maidan.

30. Cheer a football match at Cooperage ground - and cricket at the Bombay Gymkhana especially if it is between the Xavierians and their Alumni!

31. Bury your nose in books for hours at Strand - enjoy bun-maska with tea at the corner and check out some souvenirs at the Bombay Store.

32. Stroll in Bombay University.

33. Climb the airport wall in Kurla to gain a phenomenal view of Boeings - I thought this was wired after it got destroyed during the 26/07 rains.

34. Swoon at a concert in Bandra Kurla Complex - worth visiting is the BKC gardens right ahead and enjoy the serenity there. It is a rare to spot such a place in the city unless it has already been infested by civilization.

35. Gaze at the Queen's Necklace from the Hanging Gardens at dusk - there used to be Cafe Naaz which was the bestest place to hang out. Sad they demolished it :-(

36. Hunt for antique furniture in Oshiwara.

37. Hike up the Mazgaon Hill.

38. Buy books from roadsides around Flora Fountain - one can get all kinds of banned books and some weird ones with spoofs on Men are from Mars...

39. Enjoy the private palaces of Malabar Hill - with flourishing towers, few exist. Nevertheless, the drive up and down the Hill are nice especially the latter which merges into an open stretch to get the first glance of the ocean.

40. Part on a ferry in the Arabian Sea off Gateway of India - how about ferrying up to the Elephanta Caves especially during the festival?

41. Take a break from the city. Vasai offers the ramparts of Bassein fort, ruins of Portuguese churches and East Indian food.

42. Trek in the Sahayadris - The best is Bhimashankar especially during the monsoons. Another thing during the monsoons is rafting in the Ulhaas River. Good rapids on the west coast of India!

43. Say hello to the fauna at Byculla Zoo.

44. Buy a camera from D N Road's gray market.

45. Dare the red light district of Kamathipura - this is not as bad as it sounds. Kind of overhyped and walking during broad day light, you do come face-to-face with stark reality that makes you wonder who is living in a bubble - them or you.

46. Guess what RFID system they use to tag clothes at the Dhobi Ghat - forget that. Just visiting the Ghats in unique and a photographer's delight. One needs to get there by 7am. Better still, watch as the sun sets it first rays on the Ghats as the beloved dhobis get to their act.

47. Take a power nap at David Sassoon Library.

48. Catch movies at art-deco cinemas: Regal, Eros, Metro - Sterling would top my list here.

49. Bow your head before the city's famou deities: Mumbadevi (where it all began!!), Mahalaxmi (Sunset view is awesome), Walkeshwar (beautiful architecture), Siddhivinayak (overrated but a must-do when in Mumbai), Iskcon (extremely serene..do try the coffee here)

50. Dine where Shahrukh Khans and Ness Wadias dine: Olive, Indigo. - If you do want to splurge, I would actually recommend Souk at Taj, Franjipani at Oberoi or Emperor's Court at Renaissance (The view from here is to die for).