A Small Slithering Surprise

There I was - attending a boring meeting in the middle of the day. Four of us hounding the round table keying in with fury on our thinkpads, writing another purposeless document.

Suddenly, there was a movement. Something caught my attention from the corner of my eye. It looked like a hairpin near of the chair's wheels. Then I saw again, it was moving. God! the hairpin was moving! I asked Amit to pick up the "hair-pin" on the carpet. He reached out, jumping back on the slight touch of the thing. It was not a hair-pin. It slithered and swayed, tried to burrow its nose (or whatever it was) into the carpet - probably trying to go down under, being the under ground dweller that it was.


There it was - small, tiny little slitherer. Slim, blind and dying. It was stamped on. May be someone had stepped on it, may be the one of the chairs had rolled over it. I don't know how, but it was at the end of its journey.

I carefully picked up the little guy on a a sheet of paper. Looked at it closely, very closely.

It was small. It was dark. It was slimy. It was not a worm for sure - it had scales. Looked like a juvenile worm snake or something to me. It was probably a Caecilian. I could not figure out where the head was. It either had none or had its head lopped off clean.

I took it outside, prodded it with my little finger. It twitched. So did I. I put it down in the grass hoping it will kick back to life. And then, it moved, it tried to burrow into the ground. Really? or was I seeing things. I was happy that the little guy will survive.

I rushed back into the meeting room and got back to work. But I was pre-occupied with the thought of the tiny guy's survival. I excused myself and went to the spot I had left the little fella.

It was still there.

And it wasn't moving. Damn! I poked it again a little, it didnt move. It lay there like it had never moved. The "hair-pin" was now crooked and stiff like its name-sake. I didn't have the heart to leave that guy out there, I moved it around but then decided that the ground is the best place for a ground-dweller to rest. I left it on a naked patch of soil and bid it good bye.

Somewhere at the back of my mind, I hoped it was playing a trick on me and would slither again and burrow deep down into the ground. I hoped it will spring back to action and grow up to be a big boy. I hoped it would live. I hope...


Update: It was probably a thread snake. More info : scolecophidians

Transformers

No! not this one.

This is what am talking about. Transformers - the movie. If you were like me - fed on a diet of American and Japanese animation shows as a kid, you'll love this. It has my childhood hero Optimus Prime so the movie could not have gone wrong.

As this is the first movie in the series, it is a bit descriptive at times, so that folks not familiar with the original series can catch up. But even that story telling part - how Megatron destroyed Cybertron and fled to Earth to crash is enjoyable too. Even those who don't give a rat's ass to the original series will enjoy the amazing CGI - the most detailed thing ever attempted.

I must admit, I felt like a 10 year old boy in a toy shop. I sat transfixed in front of the screen. It was like watching Transformers for the first time - over awed with with it all. The transforming into cars and trucks and planes and helicopters. The Autobots and Decepticons outdoing each other with transformations. The matrix, the cube, bumblebee ... Everything came rushing back to me.

Can't wait for the sequels. Can't wait for the Autobots kicking some Decepticons' ass.

Meri gaadi

2007 Royal Enfield Thunderbird

Rattles like a mixer-grinder, feeds on fuel like a Hummer and sounds like a flour mill. Handles like an angel and fits like a throne. Smoothest ride in town.

X-BOY

That's right, the thing you see on top here is X-BOY. Now, X-BOX might be the cool console everyone seems to want, but nothing beats X-BOY in price.
X-BOY comes with the old-school favorites like Road fighter, B-Wings and Baseball. And action games like Tanks and Galaxian.

Don't mistake X-BOY as a cheap chinese imitation of video game console. It is not a video game system at all! It is a revolutionary new VIDED GAME SYSTEM.
Go play!

पांडे जी

पांडे जी is the WWF souvenir I received for my membership. It currently adorns my office desk.
पांडे जी के कुछ snaps.















पांडे जी

















रामा getting पांडे जी some water.

















रामा petting पांडे जी





















लोग पांडे जी को नही, दुनिया छोड़ते हैं.

Updated my home page

My home page.

Who knew I had one? wow.
Something I had written in a past life. Came across it when I was cleaning up my bookmarks.

I know you couldn't care less, but here's something about me.

Spread your wings and soar

From an interesting conversation I had with someone who was as down as me. The lines that you see below are but the reshaped conversation.


When you are falling to the ground,
down without a parachute,
let your wings unfold and fly away,
like you've got nothing to lose.

No one holds you, not time, not fate,
so grow your wings and leave behind what you brought -
the pain, the loss, the tears, the rot
believe that nothing can stop you now, not even you,
for you are as free as a passing thought

your thoughts can not be locked down,
neither you, your flight is not earthbound.
cause the only thing you should know is,
flying is to throw your self down
and miss the ground.



If you hit rock-bottom there is only one way from there, up and in the skies.

Quite a month

It was quite a month - april 2007.

Finally got my name on the innovators list by publishing a disclosure. Well, not as good as a full blown filed patent, but good enough for a start.

An article of mine also finally got published. Was in the bags for more than 3 months. Now it's live! link

The goal is to publish another article and atleast another disclosure and this year would be set the pace for the next year.

भेजा Fry

भेजा Fry

There are lot of times when you go for a movie just to vie away your time. Deciding to watch Bheja Fry was one of those. Rediff review was for this movie, the only reason I wanted to watch it was that I like movies without the obligatory song and dance sequences.

The movie is a riot. One of the better comedies made in Indian cinema for a long long time. No slapstick, no innuendos, no nothing - pure comedic talent. I'd be disappointed if Vinay Pathak does not win an award for his role. His portrayal of an easily excitable singing idiot is perfect. He delivers every line, every scene with the exact timing and honesty as only a few can. This guy along with Ranvir Shorey are a class apart. Lesser comedians (nah, not actors) like Rajpal Yadav and Johnny lever look like Ramlila clowns compared.

The movie is about an upper class music producer (Rajat Kapoor) and an idiot (Vinay Pathak) who he brings along for a dinner game where the guy who brings the most idiotic talent wins.

Rajat Kapoor underplays his character pretty well. Vinay slips into the character very comfortable and is adorable and irritating at the same time.


Must watch. One movie I'll rewatch again (already did). A cult movie waiting to happen.


p.s. I don't give a damn if it is remake of some obscure French movie, I don't get the French anyways.

Nirvastra

निर्वस्त्र

thats what "निशब्द" should be called in the first half. The poor old (young) lady is only geiven one piece of clothing to wear to cover herself. Lecherous old Amitabh bachchan falls for the nymphet.

Summary -
Old man falls for his daughters best friend ("Jia". J for friends. As she acted quite over friendly, I'll call her J) who comes to his place to spend the holidays. Poor thing forgets to bring her clothes and senses. She bathes with a hose pipe in the middle of the lawn. With a hose pipe. now, I've seen dogs bathing with a hose pipe, even some bovine creatures. Not women, not women with little clothing on.

Our old man is a photographer (would you believe it?), snaps some photographs of the lady bathing. Blah blah blah. Predictably, they fall in love. Family finds out. Amitabh freaks out. J walks out. So does the audience, even before J does.

committee

one of the old ones I'd written for some kavita competition at college. Its an old style kavita, the ones we hear at kavi sammelans (AABBCCDD). sounds better than it reads :-D

अब्दुल मिया कि मुर्गी के अंडे को रामू ने तोड़ दिया,
ग़ुस्से में आ, मिया ने रामू का सिर फोड़ दिया.
यह देख मोहल्ले में छिडी लदी,
पीटे गए दरजी लेखक :-) , या हो नाइ,
फैले दंगे शहर-शहर हर गली,
मार पीट के जनता ही आख़िर चढ़ी बलि

बात पहुची आख़िर में दिल्ली,
ठिठकी सर्कार मानो भीगी बिल्ली.
विरोधी दल ने आरोप लगाए
कहा "सरकार को तुरंत नीचे ले आयें"
लोकसभा में मचा घाना रोष,
विरोधिया का तर्क था कि केंद्र का दोष

सभे में लगे आरोप-प्रत्यारोप,
घेर लिया पम को मानो गोपियाँ और गोप
तोड़े गए मिकेस और मचाया हुड-दंग
आख़िर जीते पहलवान और कुच्छ एक भुजंग
नेताओं ने कहा "हड़ताल पर जायेंगे"
"बेबस तो है ही जनता, इनको बदहाल कराएँगे"

त ओबंद हुए नगर गाँव, गली मोहल्ले,
हुए कुच्छ दंगे, चली गोलियां खुल्लम खुल्ले
मिल गए सरे दुच्ष्ट कमीने, पाजी,
काटे गए दलित, पण्डे और काजी.
फालतू पत्रकारों का भी काम मिल गया,
विरोधी दल को भी कुच्छ आराम मिल गया

केंद्र पे टूट पडी यह नयी मुसीबत,
सिर पर आन् पडी एक और आफत

तो फिर चली पुराणी चाल और कि कमेटी सेतुप
लागे नाका-बंदी, बुलाये बच्कुप
केंद्र ने लुटाए रुपये सैकडो करोड़,
कमेटी ने भी कि मेहनत जी तोड़
आख़िर लगाए ७ महिने, २६ दिन
पेश कि गयी रिपोर्ट एक एक पन्ना गिन

रिपोर्ट के ५६० पन्नो का एक वाक्य में समावेश है,
८ महिनो कि खोज का निचोड़ यहाँ पेश है

"जनवरी में हुए जो दंगे, सौ बातों कि बात है -
इन दंगो के पीछे विदेशी ताक्तो का हाथ है"

ek tute kalam ki syaahi

नही तोड़ सकूँगा नभ के तारे,
चांद के संग रहते वोह सारे,
ला नही सकता गगन ज़मीन पर,
क्या चांद का दिल मैं तोड़ सकूँगा?
क्या यादें तेरी छोड़ सकूँगा,
जाते लम्हे जोड़ सकूँगा?

जी ना सकूं तुम बिन शायद,
शायद एक पल, शायद एक दिन,
पर क्या तुम बिन जीवन छोड़ सकूँगा?
तुमको तनहा छोड़ सकूँगा?
क्या यादें तेरी छोड़ सकूँगा,
जाते लम्हे जोड़ सकूँगा?

तुम बिन मेरा क्या है जीवन?
बिन मंज़िल का राही,
एक टूटे कलम कि स्याही
क्या पन्ने कोरे छोड़ सकूँगा?
क्या यादें तेरी छोड़ सकूँगा,
जाते लम्हे जोड़ सकूँगा?

A political satire on re-elections

गिर पडी सरकार

गिर पडी सत्ता और एक बार,
जनता के मत्थे मधेगी एक नयी सरकार
फिर आया नेताओं का बहाव
देश में केवल इनका नही है आभाव
नज़र आये सारे लल्लू एक अर्से के बाद
सब मिल आये हैं करने देश को बर्बाद

बडे और झूठे आश्वाशन अब भी हैं
पिच्च्ले वादे पुरे नही हुए तो क्या?
वादों में टेल और राशन अब भी हैं
जनता पिच्च्ली बार सो गयी तो क्या?
लंबे-लंबे भाषण अब भी हैं
पाण्डवों का युग गया तो क्या?
खेमे में शकुनी और दुश्शाशन अब भी हैं.

निकलेंगी फिर से रैल्लियाँ, मंडराएँगे चमचे
उतर आएंगे धुरंदर नीचे, मांगेंगे वोट हमसे
चुनाव चिनंह लक्ष्मी और उनका वाहन नेता है
राजनीती के खेल में जनता मूक दर्शक, लीडर निर्देशक, कैशिएर, अभिनेता है

सोचता हूँ इस बार वोट मैं भी दाल दूं
रैली में बात ते नोट कुच्छ मई भी संभाल लूं
और अगर राजनीती नही होती तो देश के नित्ठालों का क्या होता?
पासवान चबाता खैनी नुक्कड़ पर, लालू तबेले में लगा होता
फिर भी नेता तो आख़िर नेता है, वोह भी खुदा का एक बन्दा है
आख़िर तो भी बेचारा क्या करे, यही तो उसका धंदा है.

Children of a lesser God

why all us trapped in blocks of concrete
are different those down in the streets?
Why does He serves them hunger and you your fulsome greed?
maybe we are the heirs of the almighty Lord
and they, children of a lesser God

Another one of those "existential" poems

???

Whats the truth and whats not?
Whats given and whats got?
who am I, whats my thought
What I think and what I jot

Am I th king of my fate
or just another piece on of the draught?
Is it all I can acquire?
Is it all that can be bought

Is life just another four lettered word
or does it mean more than what is sought
could this be the last day of my life
or will I just carry on like the awful lot?

Will my questions ever be answered?
In my quest will I forever trot?
Am trying to find the answers since forever
Maybe, I'll ask Him then, when I am back to naught

Inspired by listening to old nostalgic Ghazal records

फुर्सत के दिन

वोह गरजते पानी के छींटे
वोह कीचड में सने दिन
वोह छोटी कागज कि कश्तियां
वोह हर पल डूबता सूरज, पूरब से पश्छिम

वोह सर्द हवाओं के झोंकय
वोह दोस्तो कि किलकारियाँ
वोह गिरकर उठकर भागना,
वोह माँ का डांटना हर दिन

मुट्ठी में रेत सा खिसकता वक़्त
काश! तभी ठहर जाता
काश! कुच्छ रेत मई अपनी जेब में भर पाता
रूक जता शायद वोह समय वोह पल-छीन

पलट कर देखता हूँ मैं
पर शायद कई मोड़ गुज़र चुके हैं तब से अब तक
ढूँढता हूँ फिर भी मैं उन्हें,
जाने कहाँ गए वोह फुर्सत के दिन

School reunion

(l-r Sunil, Sushant, Shivram, Abhilash, Srini)














(Srini, Biren, Swagata, Nisha, Me, Manoj)















(Abhilash, Srini, Biren, Swagata, Nisha)















(Swagata, Nisha, Me, Manoj (still on the phone) )

"can somebody please turn off the movie screen?"

watched a couple of movies last week. the second movie was a bit of surprise 'coz I didn't think I'll be able to survive the first one. lets begin.


1. Movie - Fanaa
Slogan - Destroyed in movie halls

Summary - "Terrorist falls for a visually impaired girl. Gets toasted by the visually impaired girl."

English is a very inexpressive language. It can not convey the pain of wave of emotions that hit me when I remember my very uncomfortable 3 hours watching this movie.

Aamir ("Rihaan") is tourist guide in Delhi, now I have been to places and I have seen guides, Aamir did not look, act or sound like a guide. infact, he could be mistaken for a road side romeo - complete with trite shayaris and over the top hamming. The way the guy tries to grab the poor blind girl in every other frame looks like an eve-teasing FIR waiting to happen. But, our poor blind girl is more than happy to encourage his acts.
To cut the crap, Aamir woos the girl, gets her, does her, dumps her. Kajol (who we all know is the most fertile actress ever - remember "Dil kya kare"?) gets pregnant before Aamir dumps her.
It turns out Aamir is actually a terrorist working for an outfit called IKF - Incredibly Kontrived Force। IKF fights both India and Pakistan (hey, we wanna make money there too); is controlled by a guy called "Nana Jaan" and has a single soldier in its army. The soldier ofcourse is Aamir (whose name unbelievingly actually is "Rihaan", talk about going under-cover).

Slept after that.


p.s. this post was in draft for way too long, so gave it some breathing space.

kyon apna ho kar bhi begana sa lagta hai ab mera yeh desh?

kyon nahi bhaati ab mujhe woh pehli barsaat ki khusboo
kyon nahi bharta hai gaurav mujhmein ab woh rashtra-geet ka sandesh
kyon ab lagta hai ab mit jayega mera astitva ya jo kuchch hai ab shesh
kyon apna ho kar bhi begana sa lagta hai ab mera yeh desh?

manzilein kabhi thi raston ke dooje chhor pe,
manzilein ab bhi wahin hain, badla hai bas rasto ke bhesh
beech mein ab hai ik khaai, dono taraf ab eershya aur klesh
kyon apna ho kar bhi begana sa lagta hai ab mera yeh desh?

Black coffee with Karan

Karan Thapar's interview with hon. HRD minister Mr. Arjun singh.

Mr. Arjun Singh doesn't his As from his Bs. If there was one guy who could win "Single most stupid move to destroy a country's future", this guy would win hands down for his brilliant act.

Here's his interview with Karan Thapar. Arjun Singh sounds like a lost lamb. The country feels so much safer with people like him in charge.


Brilliant piece of interviewing throughout. But, the ending takes the cake (and the icing):

Karan Thapar: What about the Government of India? Has the Government of India failed to respond adequately?

Arjun Singh: From the Government of India also, the Defence Minister met them.

Karan Thapar: Only recently.

Arjun Singh: That is something because everyone was busy with the elections.

Sad, sad state our country is in.