A Midnight Stalker.....

Just so you all know, my sister is getting married on 21st of August 2008. Not even a month left, and i feel terrible being stuck in this desert till the 12th of August instead of helping my parents prepare for the wedding. Shucks!! I hate grad school and my star 'visakha'. Fellow visakhites, i know you all share the same feeling too resulting in indecision at the appropriate moments.

At this point of time i can practically forsee what i will be doing, who all i will be meeting with (75% people i wont have a clue of); everything except what i will be wearing. As my sister insists that she picks the appropriate dress for me; like i dont have no dressing sense huh?
Eeks. I picked the wrong moment. The other side of me is still awake at 2:30 AM.!
(pssst....look into your wardrobe dude. All i see are the colors red, blue and black...!!and an ocassional green. Does it always have to look as though some one beat you up???)

I know, I know!! but my mom begs to differ with me! She thinks dark colors suit me!
(Duh??? I dont think there is any difference between you and Jesse Owens)

Uhuh? Thanks for the confirmation and stop treating me like a narcissist!
(Allright get on with it will you, the readers are getting bored with all this talk about you)

Yeah, okay if you say so. Stop stalking me. You are getting under my skin.

Well so the point i was driving was.....was...eh...uh....ahem....well......?? none, actually!

So feel free to ignore this post. I am in no mood to write anymore. Has anyone tried an intravenous therapy by substituting blood with caffeine?? I think i need some.

'Mon-soon' Endeavors....

I can feel it in the air; RAIN!! Here in texas or for that matter of fact in the land of america's, a monsoon season does not exist! Heavens break loose at any point of the day, any day of week, any month of the year.
Irrespective of the difference in geographical positions, rain still smells and feels like rain. Of recent its, courtesy of Hurricane Dolly which hit South East Coast of Texas. (I know its complicated -but why do all these disasters have a feminine touch to them.?? any idea? - Dolly, Rita, Katrina...)

Monsoon in 'mera bharat mahaan' had a feel of its own. It cannot be replicated eslewhere. Activity on the streets, mixed emotions....all were caught in my eye than in my camera (its not waterproof!!). While working in Ahmedabad, at the end of the day (irony being, it was night usually) i always used to look for something different. But a visit to a roadside vendor for tea was never ruled out...Biking on the highway during the rains, was a favorite activity too....My 'dark knight' (hero honda splendor; :))...had been true to me for 7 long years!! Be it water logged streets or fuel crisis (170 miles to a gallon, now compare that with the paltry 32 miles to a gallon by a car here)....

Now let me try to portray the scene, as i walked to the parking lot having wasted 12 hrs in the office..., with the first showers, the combination of tea with bhajiya, tea with corn etc...sells like hot cakes! Warmth outside brings the warmth inside....that changes with the course of the rain. The first showers rejuvinated me and my passion for biking.....

Walking up to my 98cc, none other than a black knight
Shimmering in the darkness, lonely in a dusty lot
For thee, another day with a signature end

Looking up to the sky, eyes searched for an unfamiliar sign
A smile on a sullen face, nose caught a familiar smell
For me, the night broke the signature trend

Mean clouds caught a cool breeze, heaven burst into infinite tears
Sounds of rejoice, faces tilted skyward embraced the rain
Eyes searched for combinations, hot tea and grilled corn was around the bend

Parched trees showed signs of revival, an aura of rebirth
Hanging cloth sheltered a certain livelihood, life overshadowed blight
Simmering tea and spicy corn worth a 100, hole in wallet was easy to mend

A sip followed a bite, thunder and lightning was in sync
Drenched from head to toe, mounted on the ‘dark knight’
My throne of shining leather, one I will never lend

Time stood still, thin stream rolled across my shining ‘swatch’
Knee deep water and open drains, distress amidst a swollen sky
Eyes searched for shelter, children ran helter-skelter

Mounting on my 98cc, none other than a sparkling knight
A rip of the throttle, engine and thunder was in sync
For thee, a night with a signature end

Looking up to the sky, eyes searched for a familiar sign
Harmony of the clouds and breeze, rain splattered on my shining armor
Speeding on a desolate highway, life will take no ‘u-turns’

For thee, another day with a signature end
For me, the night broke the signature trend

words of wisdom for american/asian (other than india) brand ambassadors....

Of recent statistics seemed to indicate increasing number of foreigners (Americans flocking to visit India instead of Europe). Thats understandable, playing see saw with the Indian rupee is more profitable than with the Euro. India has always stretched her arms wide open....more inflow of dollar!!. Tourism is one of the biggest industry in many states across the nation of one billion. There is diversity in the approaches too. Rajasthan promotes drinking, Gujarat is a dry state and Goa (it goes without saying). Some of my friends (americans and asians) had been asking me of the tourist destinations, the do's and don'ts, etc... Thats usually a never ending list in a country such as India. Let me start of with explaining some of the do's/dont's and watch out's.... It is not a comprehensive list but certainly, things that one would want to consider for sure.

Let me start of with priority: on road features!!
1. Walking is safe, as long as you walk on the road and not on the pedestrian pavement, for there are no pedestrian pavements! You are more likely to fall into a ditch, twist your ankle while walking on the so called paths. Or you are more likely to trip over an electric wire, people, cycles. Almost anything and everything can occupy a pedestrian path.
2. Keep a watch out for traffic in all directions. In america, all are trained for 'defensive driving', but in India its all about 'attacking driving'. 75% of the people love formula 1 racing on the streets where the maxium average speeds are at the most 30 mph (50kph). Don't even bother to look at the speedometers in a taxi if you end up traveling one. Heart failure is possible.
3. Never drive your own vehicle. Thats as good as seeking an appointment with death.
4. People love to use the horns. They even try to make it a musical tune. So dont be offended. If your ears are sensitive, be sure to carry an extra pound of cotton. You will need it.
5. Never stay in a line. You are more likely to cause congestion by doing that. Every space on the road counts. Hence dont stick your head out of the vehicle. You don't have health insurance coverage in India. Dont be surprised either to see side view mirrors of vehicles kissing each other.
6. Never stay behind an auto rickshaw. They are likely to do a 180 deg turn at any point of time. Always watch out for hand signals, in some cities the leg is used. Indicators are mere show cases.
7. At night, if you happen to travel on the road, watch out for the one eyed monsters. Mostly, they are trucks with one functioning headlight. Its most likely the drivers are drunk.
8. Animals have their own right of way. Its totally flexible. If you see a cow, dont disturb it. Cow is sacred in India. Dogs often have the tendency to run besides two wheelers and cars, baring their teeth. Its just a show of affection, but i would advise against sticking out your hand or leg for that matter!
9. Policemen/con-men are everywhere on the streets. And they will dissapear exactly when you need them. Its black magic. Even if you happen to see a green signal, always keep a watch on what he policeman signals. Traffic moves according to his musical arm movements.
10. Never enter a one way street. Its most likely that you will confront vehicular traffic from the opposite direction. One way essentially indicates one way in both direction. In some cities like bangalore, one ways have so been planned that you would end up circulating. Reminiscence of the American freeway loops - difference being ten lanes there, and two lanes here.
11. Camels, Horses, Oxen are all part of the traffic composition. We in india believe in equality.
12. If you happen to visit chennai (you would know by the yellow colored auto rickshaws, and taxi drivers who have faces similar to veerappan), walking would be a cheaper option to a rickshaw or taxi. Drivers have the tendency to be extremely friendly and show you the whole city while covering 5 miles.
13. People will be often found to be hanging from buses, vans, trains. Its perfectly normal for someone to jump or fall off a moving vehicle. Accident rates are as high as US, less with people but more with animals. We believe in being a global nation.

Most of the 'routes' mentioned above help attain 'Nirvana'.

Market Features:
13. Walk around with a local you know, lest you get duped while buying. That which is sold at Rs.100 to an indian, you are more likely to end up paying Rs. 500 (as bare minimum). Dont even try to argue in such a case. Indians have no idea of bargaining.
14. If you happen to walk into shops run by chinese, dont bother taking an indian with you. Indians cannot bargain, and the chinese cannot give a bargain.
15. If people are eyeing you on the streets, those are not signs of inquisitiveness. Make a run for it with your belongings, take cab to your hotel, get under the bed and wait until its dawn.
16. You would want to avoid eating food from the streets. Colorful as it looks, dont get deceived. It would also be home to a number of bacteria, viruses and fellow cousins. Only the indian digestive system has been designed to fight it.
17. If you happen to visit Kerala, dont be surprised if you dont see people. Its most likely that there has been a call for a protest (and dont be surprised if the reason is someone has got killed in thailand). Another aspect, majority of shops in Kerala close at 8pm. People actively watch soaps on TV. So shopping is a day time activity.

These are the basic principles. So dont worry, now you have a clear picture of what to DO. Its not a great deal. Keep an open mind. India always welcomes foreigners. The best locations, cheapest arrangements, diverse ethnic food and tastes...you name it!! Welcome to Heaven.

New Blog

Fellow Bloggers and Readers! An update:
I am starting to write up a second blog - this time though its purely memoirs.....
Some incidents are treasured for a life-time, some just cannot be forgotten....so before the power in my brain cells start eroding and i opt for a generator; i think i will start penning them down. I wont say they are as they happened; but close to it. I think i will trust on my creative instincts to add a little twist now and then....
Gosh!! Don't give me that look. Its just to amuse you all. I am not the JOKER!...maybe i am at times.....but i am a not a serious joker...just a sincere one.
So here is the link....

http://memoirlane2400.blogspot.com/

Have fun reading; Oh! btw , I havn't actually written my first post yet. Having fiddled around with the HTML section to understand the computer jargon, i am feeling a little worn out.

tea time stories - memory lane

If there is one thing that stimulates the senses its either tea or coffee. Caffeine no doubt is necessary to keep one awake, but what if the reason is purely an excuse? 'Chai' was a signature of excuse to spend some time away from work. Architects somehow always seemed to prefer 'tea' to 'coffee'. Nothing abstract in the thought; and neither is for the choice to start work from ten in the night. God knows how many cups of tea we used to have in a single day during undergrad. The terminology used in the conversation is 'ek cutting'; meaning a half cup of tea. And then pointless discussions continued over one hour of tea and snacks. The usual spot preferred was by the railway station. The sequence of events which followed during submission are what i have tried to reflect in this poem.

U, ‘Chai’ & I

Three minutes to four, for some its time to snore
A knock on the door, same as before
Eye Meets the Eye, for some its time for ‘Chai’
A chilly winter looms ahead, for U & I

Four sheets down, six sheets to go
Detailing a door was once easier than kneading the dough
One minute to four, one hour to dawn
Eye Meets the Eye, neither has moved the pawn

Three A1 pinned to a wall, for some its time to whine
Sound of snapping bones, none other than attrition of the spine
Eye Meets the Eye, for some its time for ‘Chai’
A long walk looms ahead, for U & I

One minute to five, a desolate depot roars to life
A tap on the shoulder, same as before
Eye Meets the Eye, “do cutting, ek plate bhajiya”
Short was the kid, curt was his reply “ji bhaiyya”

Smell of ginger and smell of onions, for some this was bliss
Sound of crackling oil, a taste too good to miss
Eye Meets the Eye, for some its time for ‘Chai’
A day of finite lines looms ahead, for U & I

Five minutes to six, ‘Intercity Express’ sounds siren of arrival
A lull street fills with people, sparrows screech from a steeple
Eye Meets the Eye, “vapas chale bhai?”
A long walk looms ahead, for U & I

Sun winks through a cloudy eye hole, for some its time to rise
An elderly at the hostel steps, stimulations of reprise
Eye Meets the Eye, “bun butter aur Chai?”
A long day steers ahead, for U & I

Back in Room No 75, light bounces off hanging glass
3 sheets hung from the wall, 6 meant skip the class
Eye Meets the Eye, “Wake me in an hour”
It is only apt to say, Brains are at Par

Dawn meets Dusk, for some its time to lie
For U & I, It is time for another ‘Chai’

Monday the 21st of July 2008...

Nothing spectacular about Monday the 21st of July,2008... Am not sure why i have titled it hence. But I am in no mood to use the 'delete' key today. There is an ugly spot on it that requires cleaning.

"I have been losing track of the days and time since the past month. Dont me give that ridiculous look, Mr.warriOr!!" said the warriEr to the warriOr...who is none other than a persona identified by the author as a result of a ludicrous state of mind. Now one would imagine there would be a plausible reason; but the answer is 'NO' (font size 200 if it exists!). All i am trying to do is get into a character, a character who is a part of me; maybe within me....some one who is yet to identify his identity. This is a honest venture in the research of self-identifyology....(i created that word). Hmm....this reminds me of the JOKER. I am serious.

'The Dark Knight' hit the theatres on Friday the 18th (not the 13th). With all the hype surrounding it and ofcourse being the last movie by 'heath ledger', i too wanted to act like a batman fanatic. In a city like College Station, you would not really have expected a theatre to be house full; which was the case and hence I had to wait for a 11pm show (ah...these crazy texans). Painful as it was i had made up my mind to watch the movie even if it meant sitting in the second row. The american phrase "you are in my face" holds good, especially while monitoring the movements across the screen at an angle of 42 deg and 27 minutes. At the end of 2hrs and 30 mins, one would not have to wonder the reason for the death of a promising actor at a young age who has delivered a stunning performance, and they remain etched in the brain cells as you leave the hall. To get under the skin of the JOKER and portray his 'identity'on the screen is tougher than scaling Mt. Everest....Now all those medications are understandable. Heath Ledger had an identity! Now he has a dual identity as he lives in the hearts of millions.... I second the motion for a posthumous OSCAR!!

"Allight Mr. WarriEr! now that you have proved your pointless point, can we make a move? After that one hour work-out in the jam packed rec-centre, I am more concerned about OUR stomach than YOUR identity".

"Eh... Mr. WarriOr, I am trying to mobilize my feet but at this point of time they seem to be paralysed due to the horrendous tunes played by some asian chick. I think she is learning the piano, but does she have to choose the memorial centre???...talk of horrifying memories!!"

One look at her face; i could not make out her brand... (chinese/korean..? singaporean?..).! Here i am complaining about 'identity', God help these Asians. But please do identify yourself before you do that!! I am tired of religious wars in the name of Allah, Ram, Krishna, Jesus.......

Architectural Reminiscense

Upon graduation with a bachelors degree; there is always a shine in the eye and a vigour to prove yourself to the world. With a degree in Architecture too its very much the case. Styles have moved on, technology has moved on; but the mentality of people is very much the same. A NORMAL architect's life often starts with sorrows and ends with sorrows - (if you know what i mean). Believe me when i say it "I am abnormal". Its a path less taken; hence I felt like taking a stab at poetry and converting a daily sequence of a recent graduate with a degree in architecture from say the University of India (who cares), into poetic expressions....Just a second stab, just so you know before you start ripping it apart!!

-------------------------------Architect’s life-less Parody----------------------------

Midnight Calls, Noon Meetings, Shifting Shifts
Often an epitome of ‘Architecture’ degree Gifts

Awaken by a distant hooting; an owl’s day breaks
Heart skips a beat, nerves apply a brake
Clock strikes two, two blinks of an eye
Time for milk and rye

Silence screams in the air, twin cylinders make a pair
Brain tussles with the Heart, wind ruffle the streaky hair
Streak of lightning meters away, speedometer fakes a ninety
Rusty Yezdi is still almighty

A musty smell greets an abstract entrance; Raamji snores few feet away
An empty bottle and a smile of satisfaction; peace engulfs as he floats away
Rolls on the floor, drapes apart; light music sets the tone
For you know you have entered twilight zone

Plans, Elevations, Sections throng a free standing wall; music skips to‘one must fall’
“More changes”, rued the solemn soul; if only client meetings were a brawl
Corinthian columns, dome roof, brick walls and curtain glazing; murder at 1400
If only this was a set on “The 300”

Clock strikes six, thunder sounds a warning bell
Clock strikes eight; but there is more to 'struggle' than a battle with CAD and DELL
A tap on the shoulder, heart skips a beat; boss is here
If only there was nothing to fear

“More changes”, rued the solemn soul, perfection is not here to stay
Satisfaction is all, but a mere display
Staring at the pampered wall, eyes search for the route which was forsaken
Framed in glass was the only reminiscence of a path less taken

Midnight Calls, Noon Meetings, Shifting Shifts
Often an epitome of ‘Architecture’ degree Gifts

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some of you may wonder about the 'rusty yezdi'. For those who have no idea; Yezdi previously known as Jawa were a brand of motorcycles made in India but they could not survive due to the competition from the Japanese. It was not unusual for bikers in the yester years to opt for it; may be so in recent years but like i mentioned earlier, architects often choose the path less taken. Its sometimes these 'smaller' ventures which make them a class apart in a society of engineering and management graduates.

A rural perspective...

Having seen regional movies a lot over the years and been in the rural parts of kerala; there is one thing i have always caught my eyes - small shacks run by either a person, or a mother and her kid. The locations have bothered me more than the appearance of the shack. I often wonder if they actually make enough to sustain themselves. This is an attempt to describe one such person's life....call him peter or muthuswamy or ibrahim.

---------------------------A RURAL REFLECTION--------------------------

Yet another Sultry Morning
Trudging along a gravel path, the path of mourning

Opened the door to the wooden shack
Bottles fell from a dangling rack
Six bells chimed in the distance
Yet no change in my stance

A solitary soul wandered the nearby field
A plough in his only hand, yet he does not yield
Shoddy clothes, hours of sweat, and a parched farm
‘Toddy*’ works better than a balm
Approached, the diminutive man towards the shack
No doubt, with the intent to quack

“Sparks in the Sky”, said the guy
I chimed, “What will you buy?”
A derogatory response, it was
My prerogative, it was
Six bells rang in the distance
Yet no change in my stance

Sun gave way to the Moon
I trudged back to my ‘castle of hay’, by the lagoon
A solitary reaper visited my humble shack

As always, dangled the onion sack

Yet another Sultry Evening
Trudging along a gravel path, the path of mourning

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This has been my very first attempt towards writing a poem: Successful or not, meaningful or not, i still feel like a poet!! I have neither a garland nor a bouquet to give to myself!! :(

A pen perhaps? Naah...bloggers dont use pens!

'Toddy' is also known as 'Palm Wine', common in South India - obtained from the sap of Coconut Trees (locally known as kallu). Next time when you drive along the rural parts of kerala, you would know where to stop to ask for directions and where not to!!

what happens when mental imbalance, nature's balance and global humanitarian concerns mix... SLUSH!!

Fellow Earth Beings!! (why earth beings?? because i am excluding the aliens...and there are some crazy discussions on UFO sightings in Texas. I ask you, why on earth would aliens pick Texas??? - a fantasy for cow boy boots and riding horses perhaps).

Coming back to the topic of concern; Rising prices!! Its happening all over the world and has nothing to do with Nature....(Ahem...well maybe it does. M.N.Shyamalan's, 'The Happening' deals with the same scenario; dont be surprised if all the people come out of the theatre hall looking dazed....they all including you would have got hit with unexplained 'scientific theories'. The final verdict is plain and simple - DONT MESS WITH NATURE!!...Huh you would think anyone is listening? At this moment probably hundred more wells are being dug in search for oil....And this crazy country wants to still import and not tap its resources in Alaska).

I guess i have gone off track again...this is one of those days of multiple nerve fractures! With the Dollar see-sawing with the Indian Rupee, and a stronger Euro; people will now consider flocking towards the East instead of the West...EEks....does that mean the population density is going to increase??? 1.13 billion indian in india...and a million others outside...As it is nearly 10 people stand in 1 square meter space in the Mumbai suburban railway! If an architect expains to you the 'less is more' philosophy; be sure to throw him on of those trains during peak hours....
Ah...you must be wondering which direction am i headed. Not to worry....All roads lead to Rome (and I didn't make that statement). Increasing population, soaring prices of commodities, rising fuel prices....I wonder, Isn't anything going to go down??? This is an explicit case of Imbalance....
But sure enough, in a competitive market the necessity arises to cut down on costs! "lay offs" has been the fear factor in 2008. Over the past month, mergers have become common; the airline industry has cut down on staff and routes.....(personal prayer: I hope jet airways and continental stays afloat...) Imagine a world without airlines (A face to face meeting with talking mummies would be a more comforting thought)....We can take the 'columbus' route though...but atleast we know the location of INDIA...The whole world is swarming with Indians (16% of the world population...) makes the task a touch difficult...I can imagine landing in the 'icy' 'Greenland' (talk of irony huh) and being greeted by a Gujarati, Raman patel..."Kem cho saab...khovayigayo che?"... (How are you sir? Did you lose your way)...shucks! side tracked yet again...

Before complainig about inflation we really need to think about the millions living BPL (I am not referring to British Petroleum...think beyond fuel)...'Below poverty line'. Hence the question of affordability/equality...The prophecy is that 'all are equal in the eyes of the God'; i wonder, did god just turn his back ???....a diplomat i must say. Talk of Dirty Politics huh...

Oh my god!! did i just spot an alien??? Someone please dial 'MIB'....
Ah, finally...a positive sign, the temperature just dropped a few degrees; normalization curves....beep...beep...beep

Security s 'T' imulations....

Those who have traveled to the US, and been in and out of airports in the various cities here would be able to relate to the following colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green....
And for those who have no clue...(dont rack your brain......they do not have anything to do with recycling!!)
Those are results of security measures taken by the department of homeland security. Color codes which in essence indicates the risk you have just taken by opting to travel....! Let me explain this a bit further; i have always been intrigued by the sense of 'terror' that seems to prevail in the people here....
Red - A Severe Risk of 'T' Attack; - "forget the freaking flight and run for your life....and terrorists we are coming to get you...."
Orange - High Risk of 'T' Attack; - "do not even trust your own belongings or the kid sitting next to you if he/she is unrelated!! be suspicious of everyone....!!!"
Yellow - Significant Risk of 'T' Attack; - "keep a look out for those unusual movements or signs.... did that guy just raise one of his eyebrows...???"
Blue - General Risk of 'T' Attack; - "you are as safe as you can be when walking on Indian Roads...."
Green - Low Risk of 'T' Attack; - "not saying you are safe....but dont walk under a ladder..."

Now isn't that not a wonderful piece of color coding?? Everytime i have walked into an airport, within 15 mins (especially if there are lots of International Flights to Asia) I hear this...."...the dept. of home land security has raised the safety level to ORANGE....". I feel indebted to them as a passenger for making me feel extremely SAFE!!.... Ever since 9/11, there are tremendous concerns with security. One of the biggest all time disasters but....One question; why is it that, this is the only country feeling threatened???.... One can safely remove India and Pakistan from the list though; citizens of both countries have got used to bombs/blasts....But what about other non-american countries?...aah..MAYBE they have hidden weapons!!...you know like spears and arrows....Now i see the reason to invade iraq....okie who's next in line??

Often, when i see the weather channel here on TV; again a bunch of color codes !!! Unless you are a geography major it is going to sound gibberish....hence it always is, to me. Given the feel of security measures all over and especially at airports; there porbably should be an additional channel - 'now it is time for an update of the terrorist weather report'....

A possible excerpt: "Its sunny today....but this section to the north east is a little mellow...oh i am sorry...yellow!!, and Arizona though hilly and having temperatures soaring as high as 50 deg C is green....as it always has been :)
oops!! alert...alert...chicago has suddenly turned from blue to orange....
Miami has been hit by a tornado, but its totally safe out there....the color is green...so enjoy the beaches....Have a nice day."