0.09 seconds v/s 2 hrs.!!!

we all are aware of the SRK fiasco..it is simply unbelievable..but wat is harder 2 fathom is the ruckus that has been created around dis incident..too much of mud-slinging...ppl who have no business with this jumping in uninvitedly and giving their expert but uncalled comments...it was an entire circus show...without any ticket of course...i m all for security and taking all the reqd.steps 2 ensure that..but finding n establishing SRK's identity took 2 hrs??i m sorry amigoes!!!u need 2 speed up ur system then...u have computers..u hav all the database...everything...it takes less than 0.1 seconds(0.09 to be precise) to find out on google(guess americans should know how to use google!!!its their baby after all!!) who SRK is and what does he look like...u hav already issued him a visa..he has a valid passport..still if u need a re-check..2 hrs???time is money,my friends..dis is american philosophy..nt mine..n u most certainly don't ask a person 2 step aside for questioning if u hav lost his luggage...u 'apologize'..u r courteous 2 him..n u make sure that u leave no stone unturned as far as hospitality is concerned..so dis "luggage-lost" theory is hard 2 believe...
y just SRK was asked 2 step aside..if u r doing dis for security..i m sure there were other passengers who were foreigners..n who wre NOT questioned...n if it was done cuz he is KHAN..well..i l refrain frm commenting..u can't typecast people..much less someone who is adored by 1/6th of the world's population..those who say even bob dylan was questioned..allow me 2 inform u that mr.dylan was nt carrying ny identity proof whereas SRK had a legal n valid passport with a visa stamped..issued by USA embassy of course..
another section of people say that even the-then defence minister george fernandes was frisked at moscow airport,our beloved ex-president dr.kalam was searched..then why such hue and cry abt SRK being questioned...my point is...ask SRK 2 pass thru all the detectors..frisk him..he is such a gentleman that he will never object...scan him..make him go thru all types of x-rays n y-rays...but 2 humiliate someone for 2 full hours who has every document required..is uncalled for..no matter who he is..whether SRK,dr.kalam or a common person like me..do u question every passenger for 2 hrs?if u dnt,then y single out him?
cuz SRk is a star..n cuz it happened 2 him..we hav got an opportunity 2 know abt the loopholes wid their system..if it wud hav hpnd 2 a common man..it wudnt hav cm 2 our notice..so i m glad it hpnd 2 him..at least nw ppl knw wat happens..hw ppl are segregated and targeted..n wat r d loopholes wid der system..guys stand up!!i dnt hear victoria beckham being questioned...i dnt hear jude law being questioned..y an indian then?do they question jackie chan?michelle yoh?n SRK is a common man after all..he felt humiliated..has a right 2 bring it 2 every1's notice..did dat exactly..if he is fortunate enuf..or has that aura that the media dances around even if he sneezes..then i m glad he brought dis 2 every1's notice..if a common man rises 2 a level..faces injustice n makes it a public knowledge..i dnt see where is d pblm afterall..make me understand if u feel otherwise..to tolerate injustice is a bigger crime..salman khan wnt object 2 it cuz..lets face it..half the time his passport will be confiscated n locked safely in the police department..on other occasions his shootings(however much he has nowadays) will be indoors...i wish we needed 2 have a visa if we were to travel 2 one state frm another..then i wud luv 2 see the no.of times he wud be detained in rajasthan for questioning(for the security of black-bucks of crse!!) n the level of tolerance he wud show..all for security,aren't u mr.salman khan?wat abt security of those poor animals whu dnt hav a voice??whu r helpless against ur mighty gun?wat abt those poor ppl whu sleep on the footpath n ur car just happens 2 take the footpath route n kill them?they dnt need 2 be secure?is safety of a human being no concern in ur otherwise very "MATURE" mind??mend ur own ways first..b4 taking a go at someone who is way better a human being than you..maybe u need 2 assault another girl friend of yours or threaten another colleague b4 u get some sense..dnt try plz..u might be held for questioning on SECURITY CONCERNS!!!
dis unfortunate incident happened 2 a common man..who happens 2 be well knwn..n luckily the media covers him well..dis man thot of bringing the loophole of a system 2 every1's notice..cuz he is noticed..result??hunting hounds pounce upon him..a whole lot of mud-slinging starts..n every tom,dick and harry throws in his expert comment..u forget the pblm..join in the mud-bath..n forget..that it could hav easily been you..if it were you,then i would simply ask-"HOW U DOIN'?"maybe then i would find u smiling,co-operating,n saying that its all ffor security n nt cuz u r being segregated n detained..find the answer within urselves..

hosh ki hadd behoshi se guzar ke dekhte hai
kahte hai aag ka dariyaa utar ke dekhte hai

hame sametne waala bhi koi hai ki nahi
yah dekhne ke liye hum bikhar ke dekhte hai

suna hai ishq ibaadat bhi hai,museebat bhi
yah baat hai to chalo ishq kar ke dekhte hai

koi to baat hai yakeenan us mein sabse alag
varna log usse kyu thahar ke dekhte hai

fir zindagi bhi hosh me nahi rahti
wo jab nazrein utha kar hame dekhte hai

ek kami si

ek kami si
ek nami si
chaaro or phail rahi hai
kayi jamaane ek hi pal me
aaj mil kar bheeg rahe hai
andar sab kuch sookh raha hai
baahar manzar bheeg rahe hai

a journey frm pune 2 delhi

I m sweating it out in delhi…well…quite literally..on 12/08/09..with no idea wen I shall be able 2 go bk 2 d city of love pune..i m enduring the delhi heat..more so..cuz there’s no electricity here..i m in the outer area of nazafgarh..where amenities like power n water r prone 2 fluctuation …cnt do much there..can we? I hav no access to internet here..n I feel “cut-off” from the civilization in a way.but dats life..unpredictable 2 d core..2 days back I was wrecking my brains over an article on ‘emotional intelligence’..nw..i feel like a refugee..dunno wen I shall b bk 2 pune..much less..wen shall I be able 2 post dis.. lets rewind a bit...cuz i m gng 2 take u thru my journey 2 delhi..n d journey starts in pune..ryt then..on 10th..a one week break was declared n on dat nyt at abt 11 p.m. or so..it was decided that i l go 2 delhi..after booking the tickets online frm mumbai 2 delhi...there was only one way 2 go 2 mumbai frm pune..by road..i was apprehensive abt gng via volvos..too much crowd..greater risk of infection n more significantly...my negligible knowledge abt the roads of mumbai..so i wanted a sure shot coveyance that took me directly 2 d airport..n dats where KK travels cab came 2 my rescue..so i booked a cab at abt 2 a.m. n then went abt my packing...whch wasnt gng 2 b much considering i was gng 4 a week...but more importantly...i packed everythn inside the cupboard..my room..specially my area..had never looked so clean since the fateful day i had moved in...i wrote a couple of mails...n at 7 30 am..wid my eyes ready 2 drop dead ny minute..i took the college bus 2 city..cuz i intended 2 meet m friends b4 i set sails.. the city was oddly deserted..nt many ppl on the streets...no it wsnt cuz of the early hours..attribute it 2 d swine flu..ppl whu were der...were covered like assassins on a mission..nt a pleasant sight 4 sm1 whu is used 2 seeing the 100 autos per minute passing ny gvn point on S.B.Road..i painfully missed the urchins..the hawkers..the autos...the pulsar 220s n the karizmas zooming by...none of it wre 2 b seen..i reached law college road frm atur centre in flat 4 minutes..smthng unthnkble normally... my cab picked me up at 5 min to 11..n by the time i was on the flyover 2 pashan..where he hd 2 pik the next passenger up..i was as sleepy as i cud ever remember..but i was sitting on the passenger seat whch i did nt wanna gv up for smthn as trivial as sleep..more so cuz i wanted 2 enjoy the picturesque mumbai-pune expressway...so i fought my sleep galiantly...smtyms my eyes dropped...smtyms i managed 2 fight my sleep off...after picking up all the 4 passengers(n 2 xtra..whu wud b nthng less than a pain..)..my cab was finally on the expressway..nw i hv a soft corner 4 nature..personally i prefer water but hills r welcome nonetheless...for nature lovers...the stretch of the highway frm lonavla till the khopoli exit is a sight 2 behold...u gotta see it 2 knw wat i mean..no..its nthng compared 2 mussourie..or even patratu valley...but u tend 2 xperience a calm u hav hitherto nt cm across...wid radio city playing sm good music..specially ye dooriyan frm love aj kal..u tend 2 go back down the memory lane..get in2 dat whole nostalgic mode..u tend 2 rewind a lot of stuff..sm of it is bitter-sweet...some of it is pleasant n brings dat same smile bk on ur face..the ride is worth it...n u tend 2 believe dat dis break...no matter under wat circumstances it has cm..is something dat u needed..n smthn dat shud do u a lot of gud..hw much of dat is true,remains 2 be seen.. the bandra worli sea link is a masterpiece..i was completely in awe of it..no it wasnt the golden gate..but fr me..smthn far superior n dear..reached the airport way b4 tym..n had nthng 2 do..didnt wanna watch the swine flu updts whch i heard nywayz cuz dats all ppl were talking abt..ppl wre masked up..but strangely..there was no chking like i had xpected..a lady searched me..n chided me for carrying a couple of coins in my pocket..but the more pressing thng at d moment..there ws no temperature detection 2 b seen..its sad 2 see the government's apathy 2 dis pandemic..how many deaths do they need 2 spring in2 action..wat count of infected ppl will instill sm sense in them?even the ppl were nt covering themselves whle sneezing occasionally..n it irritated a common indian like me 2 no extent..i m still nt a tax-paying citizen..but my parents are..n as an indian..i expect sm civic sense frm my fellow-men..n sm solid,sound action frm the government when we are facing a pandemic lyk swine-flu..wake up india!b4 its too late!! cribbing abt the government's apathy 2wards swine flu 2 Arundhati..n a bit apprehensive abt the 1.5 hr air-journey..i sat in the plane..had nt been air-borne for the past 9 odd yrs..n suddenly i was apprehensive..almost like a toddler..after countless reassurances frm Arundhati...i held my breath..prayed ..n left my plight at the hand of the pilot..oh laugh all u want 2..but if u r cynical like me..a whole lot of complex thots invade ur normal,rational thnkng...add 2 dat the lady on my side...whu 2 my dismay was frm patna..n wanted 2 knw every tiny change dat patna has undergone since her days almost 15 yrs bak...(m nt against co-passengers whu talk...but tk a hint wen the other person shows a disinterest)...i even faked sleeping...2 no avail..still..all dis did nt take away the shine frm my 1.5 hr flight...the rush in the gut wen the plane just gets air-borne frm the runway...the almost 45 degree ascent...frm the slums of dharavi 2 bandra-worli sea link,frm the runway 2 d sea..everythn lukd so miniscule...i was flying!!!beyond the clouds...almost reaching the sun..the euphoric feeling was one i had nt felt since adolescence..in ny case..at my age..its tuff 2 feel nythn so innocent n pure..with an exception of a thng or 2..ryt then..the flight was pretty uneventful..till the captain announced that we wud be descending..the contrast was noteworthy...the area arnd delhi airport is pretty much uninhabited..loadsa empty fields..i even caught a few cows grazing lazily..delhi is nt my hometown..but is one thats dear 2 me..the spunk..the vibes...the attitude 2 live life king size..mahn!!!its hard 2 find d same spirit elsewhere...u l counter me by saying dat every city has its USP whch is hard 2 find elsewhere...say wat u want to..."par saddi dilli da jawaab nahi".. i had nt even stepped down frm the plane..but the feeling of being in delhi was already gripping me..i ws looking forward 2 spending some time in delhi..despite the humid conditions..the weather remains one of the major drawbacks of being in delhi..but then somewhere it fades in comparison to the advantages of being in delhi...easy and flexible transport..amiable people..language u knw n understand..cheaper living..(talk about it!!)..on my way home frm the airport..i breathed in the familiar delhi air as much as i could...so wat if it was somewhat stale wid pollution..it was worth it..it had been 4 years..i remembered my evenings in mayur vihar phase 2...in centrestage mall n wave cinemas..in PVRs n connaught place..in palika bazaar n sarojini nagar...in a DTC bus to rohini 2 go 2 my cousin's in-laws' place n in the metro 2 dwarka frm yamuna bank n return..in bikaner house 2 catch a bus back 2 boarding(arghhh..)n in dhaula kuan...delhi is nt just abt india gate n qutub minar folks!!!the real delhi lies in paschim vihar..in kalindi kunj(yup!!)..in hauz khas..in mayur vihar..rohini n countless places like dis..delhi here i come..i l crib later..abt power n water..abt heat n having nothing 2 do...but for nw..i was mesmerized wid Delhi...yet again..for the umpteenth tym...

terrorized!!!

i m doing the thng i least wanted...running away!!!
deserting the city i luv...my friends...like an absolute bloody coward..who is selfishly smhw trying 2 save his skin..the college closed down abruptly and the event of thngs made it compulsory for me 2 catch a flight out...so m outta pune...for a week at least...gonna b moving like a vagabond...dis is so nt hw i wanted 2 go home..leaving...well quite honestly another home...it may sound unnecessary n quite dramatic too...but my apologies 2 all of u whom i hav let down with my act of cowardice...just a day after pledging i wud nt leave pune..i had 2..rather i am..i am at a loss 2 describe wat i am going through..but its certainly not pleasant..
i sincerely hope n pray all of you remain safe n healthy..plz use mask..it helps more than being widout ny protective covering..n nt the ordinary 10 rs or 2 rs one...the proper 3 M or N 95 ones..else its as gud as using an ordinary handkerchief..
be safe..be healthy...tk precautions..
god bless pune n puneites...god spare humanity now!!!
enough!!

oxford of east

it hurts 2 see the trauma puneites are gng thru...swine flu has caused such a terror among the ppl of pune...dat ppl r fleeing the city at d 1st chance they get..its mayhem here...ppl r lining up at Naidu hospital...chaos..confusion everywhere
pune has a special place in my heart...nt only has dis plce been my home for the past 3 yrs..(n d next 2 at least)...but its d place where i v had the best days of my life...i found my life here..my identity...the essence of my life...luv...friends...family...everythng here...frm peace 2 contentment..this place has virtually gvn me everythn i desired...n dats y it hurts 2 see pune traumatised...i may nt b a "marathi manoos" cuz despite several attempts...i cud nt learn the language..but m a punekar 2 d core...i did nt flee the city wen north indians were under attack...n hopefully i wnt hav 2 desert the city cuz of swine flu..the oxford of east is suffering due to the terror of a beast...lesser mortals like me live in constant hope...may god shower his blessings on punekars n humanity as a whole n end dis ordeal soon
dunno hw it shall be tomorrow...but hopefully this ends asap...
be careful...stay safe...n if u can...use a mask...

Adam Gilchrist

arguably the most devastating wicket-keeper batsman,he is doubtlessly the most dangerous batsman 2 hav ever walked on the pitch at no.7..dressed in whites or colors...every bowler dreaded running up frm his mark 2 bowl 2 him...afterall how many batsman hav scored an undefeated century at no.7 only in his 2nd test wen ur team faces a mammothian target of over 370 on a hostile 5th day WACA pitch...is 116/5 and yet wins the test against a pace battery of wasim akram, shoaib akhtar n waqar younis by 4 wickets..??he scored a double century in 216 balls..blasted the lankan attack in the 09 world cup final...single handedly crushed the delhi daredevils in IPL09 semis...etc.etc.etc..add to this...his immense value behind the stumps n u get a package hitherto unknown in the cricket arena..this man finds his name in ny dream-team...he was one of the players who found themselves in the coveted wisden's list of "players of the century"...who "walked" wen he knew he was out..even after the umpire had r uled him not out...dat too in a world cup semis...this man brought an honesty to the game..n more significantly...2 the aussie team..dat at his time was lacking...he became an icon for lesser models like me cuz of his savage batting...but created a place for himself in history cuz of his honesty...i v followed his entire career..n v never found him lacking in upholding the spirit of the game...he was a player par comparison...as teams found out yet again in the recently concluded IPL..sure..he does nt hav as many runs as ponting or sachin..the arrogance of hayden...the records like lara or a technique like dravid...but he made up for all these with the sheer confidence with whch he backed himself up...he was as invaluable as any in the history of the game..and wud hav found a place in ny team at ny gvn time...being a part of three consecutive world cup winning teams is no mean a task...n certainly not..wen u hav played a mercurial part as he did..sure..he had his own weaknesses..as flintoff bothered him wid the "just outside the off stump line frm round the wicket"...but he successfully covered it up by hoisting everythn over midwidket...wat he lacked in technique was made up with aggression...i m nt sure hw many coaches will actually train u 2 build ur batting like his...but m sure that none will ask u to alter it if u alrdy bat like him..2 hav a package like him happens once in a lifetime...n we are lucky enuf 2 witness it all in our generation...sure...great cricketers come in every generation...but there never was...nor will there ever be...another...Adam Craig Gilchrist!!

i had initially thot of rytng abt the much-talked abt "swine flu" but so much is alrdy been takd abt it dat i hv lost my inclination abt it...folks may nt b able 2 tell u who the governor of maharashtra is...but they can easily tell u the variety of masks available in the market...i mean sure...the problem is too grave to be summarized in mere words...but i also feel dat the media hype coupled wid government lethargy has multiplied the effect manifolds...ppl are freaking out...scared 2 d core..terrorized 2 d hilt..(that includes yours sincerely)..watever happend 2 responsible journalism...well watta say abt it?tk all the precautionary measures...keep ur surroundings clean...n pray fervently that neither u or ur loved ones fall a prey 2 it...also 4 sm days...let us all nt try 2 b heroic...agreed ki "jab jab jo jo hona hai...tab tab so so hoega"...but it still doesnt mk ny sense to invite trouble...does it???so tk the precautions...report ny symptoms immediately...n b safe...may god be wid us all...

ryt then...wid swine flu outta consideration...wat else cn v talk abt?there r no movies worth discussing...(sorry imtiaz ali....i was a bit too disappointed wd ur "love aaj kal"...)..i havent read ny books for a while now..i indeed hav started reading...hold ur breath..."Pride n Prejudice" for the 1st tym in my life...n 2 b blatantly honest...its way 2 heavy for me..not just the archaic english..but the plot and the grammar...its tkn a toll on me...i m quite ashamed to call myself a "voracious reader" anymore...but 2moro i m gng 2 gv another sincere n honest shot...

my college fest has been postponed indefinitely...n almost every1 is a tad disappointed...ryt nw it remains 2 b seen whethr v can actually fit it in our acad calendar or nt..but i feel dat it was a justified decision..wen ppl r panicking left n ryt...der is no point holding a fest where the zeitgeist will nt be wat it shud be...like it or nt...swine flu has engulfed one of my fav cities...n sadly its gng 2 stay dat way for a while...all v can do is hope n pray...n as i said earlier...tk the precautions...for me...i m gng 2 keep battling till i can...n ask u all 2 do the same...

stay healthy...be safe..

fickle

shall i hear the lament of the nightingale, submissively lending my ear?
am i the rose to suffer its cry in silence, year after year?
the fire of my verses gives me courage and bids me no more to be faint
with dust in my mouth, i am abject: to you i make my complaint
sometimes you favor my rivals then sometimes with me you are free
i am sorry to say it so boldly, you are no less fickle than me!

blog aaj kal

i had been planning 2 start a blog since ages..but smhw it never materialized b4 2day...07/08/09 seemed as auspicious a day as i was ever gng 2 get...ppl blog for a variety of reasns but i hav no specific reasn 2 start blogging..its a mix of loads of reasns...n it certainly does nt involve a few reasns...my peers told me regular blogging improves the hold on the language...so daat was certainly one...then i also wanted 2 express my views abt certain thngs...discuss a few things wid fellow bloggers..i never wanted 2 blog 2 take digs at ny1...the way a ceratin mr.khan often tries 2 rip apart Shah Rukh Khan..but always in vain...y waste ur energy n tym trying 2 rip sm1 apart wen he cares a damn...is n shall remain beyond my limited scope of understanding...
i m a born cricket fanatic n a ferocious reader(fiction only)..n A R Rahman's music is one of the things i swear by...so most of the times i l be found talking abt these thngs...feel free 2 comment on my posts..n on my views...we apparently live in democracy...
that shall be it for now...
cheers!!!

intro

well...finally after a hell lot of deliberation n thinking...m here wid my blog...
gotta rush ryt nw...but shall be bk soon enuf...