While I am not exactly sad to see this year go, I have to admit that this has been one of my better years.
It's almost ironic that the only nights I saw a sky full of stars were the ones I spent in Africa. That stunning equatorial sky over the Serengetti-Masai Mara was the most star-filled sky I had seen in years until I saw an even more amazing sight in a place called Malindi. There the stars twinkled and the air was absolutely as pure as anything I have ever breathed.
I got so closely drawn to Portugal by being in its former colonies. Time stood still when I sat at the plaza in front of the Sao Tome Chruch in Diu. The well-lit white-washed baroque church is one of India's many hidden treasures. The feeling of anticipation of the 15th century Portuguese Fleet felt the same way it did from the walls of the Fort Jesus of Mombasa as it did from the Diu Fort. It is one ocean after all.
Maybe it was the wettest Bombay monsoon I had ever experienced or the rediscovery of various festivals in the great city like Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali and Ramzan Eid. Or that beautiful Saturday afternoon in Kuala Lumpur when I explored its Chinatown and walked from the city market to the Merdeka Square.
Could have been the week in Vietnam, when old friendships were strengthened and I saw for myself the spirit of the Vietnamese people. The bikers of Saigon, Pho, Vietnamese Pop and the wonderful strangers I made friends with.
Delicious street food in Chandni Chowk after long conversations with gold and bullion merchants. Listening to global leaders at the World Economic Forum's India Summit. Running every one of those 21 kilometres in the most beautiful areas of New Delhi.
French lessons every evening, Italiano on weekends, evening and morning runs on Juhu Beach.
A Sunday when it looked like I had seen every stretch of beautiful coastline from Kalutara to Matara and back. Barbeque dinners by the ocean in Hikkaduwa. Welcoming a new day at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, after a gap of 5 long years. Sunset at the Galle Fort.
Crowded local trains in Bombay, the sight of shepherds in the university campus in Kalina. Cheap movie tickets for nice films in the morning. Watching the not-so nice films with "hard-core" locals in the Marathi heartland in Dadar.
Walking through the pols of Ahmedabad's Old City and having a feast of a Gujarathi Thali on the west bank of the Sabarmati. Paying tribute to the Mahatma at Sabarmati and Porbandar. Soaking in the phenomenal architecture of Junagadh and climbing Girnar Hill and being at the highest point in Gujarat.
Looking back at this phenomenal year, there is just emotion that comes across my mind: Gratitude!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Third Generation Service from a Third Class Company
I have several reasons to dislike Anil Ambani, one of India's richest oligarchs. Since his Reliance Energy took over power distribution in Bombay's suburbs, my electricity bills have progressively risen with almost no explanation. They can brag about there being no power cuts but even when BSES was distributing power, we had no power cuts. In exceptional circumstances when there was a power cut, BSES employees were more polite and prompt in their response.
The Anil Ambani group is also constructing the Versova-Ghatkopar Metro Rail project that goes through my area. Besides being slow, their work is incredibly messy when compared to the job done by E Sreedharan's team in Delhi. The latter ensured there was very little inconvenience in Delhi. The former doesn't give a hoot.
My latest experience with a company run by Anil Ambani takes the cake. Reliance was one of the first mobile operators to introduce 3G services in Bombay. I subscribed to their service yesterday and the number was activated in an hour. Good service so far. Overnight, I was horrified to see that the 1000 rupees I paid to a Reliance retail outlet was not credited to my account. The same outlet in Andheri (West) only gave me a receipt after I was forceful. They also refused to give me their phone number!! So when I called up Reliance customer care, they said, they have no record of the transaction and that I should call back in 6 hours!! (they weren't kidding)
When I went back to the retailer, the employees were busy having chai and asked me to wait.... Wow. This is a private enterprise and not a government undertaking! Finally, they ensured that the transactions were completed!! But my balance showed as Rs 100 and the Rs 899 I paid for 3 GB of Internet was no where to be seen. When I asked the shop employees, they made me call Reliance Customer Care, where the lady at the other end of the phone denied the existence of a Rs 899 plan!! This was followed by a heated argument between the shop employee and customer care.
So how do I know what my 3G balance is? Customer care refuses to answer as I am using a non-existent plan and the shop employees have no clue. They then suggested I use the net and disconnect and then see if my Rs 100 balance has changed. It turns out that it hasn't. So I guess, I used some of my 3 GB.
I heard that Reliance Communication is having major financial problems.. Gee.. I wonder why? So for those of you in Bombay that really want 3G services on your phone, hang on a bit.
The Anil Ambani group is also constructing the Versova-Ghatkopar Metro Rail project that goes through my area. Besides being slow, their work is incredibly messy when compared to the job done by E Sreedharan's team in Delhi. The latter ensured there was very little inconvenience in Delhi. The former doesn't give a hoot.
My latest experience with a company run by Anil Ambani takes the cake. Reliance was one of the first mobile operators to introduce 3G services in Bombay. I subscribed to their service yesterday and the number was activated in an hour. Good service so far. Overnight, I was horrified to see that the 1000 rupees I paid to a Reliance retail outlet was not credited to my account. The same outlet in Andheri (West) only gave me a receipt after I was forceful. They also refused to give me their phone number!! So when I called up Reliance customer care, they said, they have no record of the transaction and that I should call back in 6 hours!! (they weren't kidding)
When I went back to the retailer, the employees were busy having chai and asked me to wait.... Wow. This is a private enterprise and not a government undertaking! Finally, they ensured that the transactions were completed!! But my balance showed as Rs 100 and the Rs 899 I paid for 3 GB of Internet was no where to be seen. When I asked the shop employees, they made me call Reliance Customer Care, where the lady at the other end of the phone denied the existence of a Rs 899 plan!! This was followed by a heated argument between the shop employee and customer care.
So how do I know what my 3G balance is? Customer care refuses to answer as I am using a non-existent plan and the shop employees have no clue. They then suggested I use the net and disconnect and then see if my Rs 100 balance has changed. It turns out that it hasn't. So I guess, I used some of my 3 GB.
I heard that Reliance Communication is having major financial problems.. Gee.. I wonder why? So for those of you in Bombay that really want 3G services on your phone, hang on a bit.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
My Article on Modern Retirement Homes
This article was published in the December 26 edition of the Free Press Journal.
"More middle class Mumbaikars are discovering the benefits of moving into semi- urban retirement homes that offer everything from medical care to internet rooms and swimming pools, writes Ajay Kamalakaran
The modern gated communities, which have 24- hours security, shun using the words that conjure up images of social stigmas and taboos like " old age homes." The new buzzword is ' retirement resort,' an attempt to indicate that the community is a place with comforts and amenities, rather than a place where old people are banished to."
Read More here Details
Friday, December 24, 2010
Christmas in Bombay
Another wonderful product of the so-called "westernisation" of this city is the fact that all the malls in the city have a Santa Claus and Christmas tree and fake snow sprayed from a tin containing some toxic substances. Commercial enterprises haven't wasted any time in taking advantage of the new holiday, where parents need to but presents for their kids. Thanks to television, many Indian kids who know more about Santa than Jesus Christ expect expensive gifts! Then you have the so-called Christmas Eve parties and Christmas lunches at 5-star hotels and expensive places. Another fabulous occasion to just blow money on nothing.
Buried in all this is the vibrant Christian community in the city. Many of the city's original inhabitants are East Indian Christians, who were converted into the religion by the Portuguese. Areas like Orlem, in Malad, Bandra, Borivali and Amboli have wonderful midnight mass services, that is a Bombay institution. Often non-Christians attend these masses. Thanks to Bombay's Christians, Christmas hasn't been completely hijacked by the multi-nationals.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Nuove Tribù Zulu's Bombay performance
It was as beautiful a full moon winter night as Bombay has ever witnessed and with long weekends and holidays in the horizon, there was a definite excitement in the air.
Blue Frog in Lower Parel was set on fire by Rome-based Nuove Tribù Zulu (a gypsy rock band) with numbers that were a fusion of languages, instruments and musical styles. As a student of the Italian lannguage, I was one of the privileged invitees for the magical evening. For me, Italian music had always been about opera and classical music. Of late, I have also been endeared to the music of Sergio Endrigo. But rock and Italian were two things I couldn't put together until last night.
We were treated to rock, folk, gypsy, punk, ska, classical, polka and tarranta merged with Rajasthani folk music courtesy the Nomadic Orchestra of the World (NOW)
NOW is a project born in the remote nomadic villages of Rajasthan in January 2007, conceptualized by Meenakshi Vinay Rai, Andrea Camerini and Laura Di Nitto: an overwhelming fusion between the musicians of the Bhopa, Kalbelya and Banjara tribes and Nuove Tribù Zulu.
Music is one of my passions and it's great to see different cultures coming together and creating such incredible melanges.
Blue Frog in Lower Parel was set on fire by Rome-based Nuove Tribù Zulu (a gypsy rock band) with numbers that were a fusion of languages, instruments and musical styles. As a student of the Italian lannguage, I was one of the privileged invitees for the magical evening. For me, Italian music had always been about opera and classical music. Of late, I have also been endeared to the music of Sergio Endrigo. But rock and Italian were two things I couldn't put together until last night.
We were treated to rock, folk, gypsy, punk, ska, classical, polka and tarranta merged with Rajasthani folk music courtesy the Nomadic Orchestra of the World (NOW)
NOW is a project born in the remote nomadic villages of Rajasthan in January 2007, conceptualized by Meenakshi Vinay Rai, Andrea Camerini and Laura Di Nitto: an overwhelming fusion between the musicians of the Bhopa, Kalbelya and Banjara tribes and Nuove Tribù Zulu.
Music is one of my passions and it's great to see different cultures coming together and creating such incredible melanges.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
A Tribute to an Unsung Hero in Palakkad, Kerala
It was 1946 and India was on the verge of gaining independence from the British Empire. The adult literacy rate in India was just 16 percent and those with a bachelor's degree or even a higher secondary school certificate had bright prospects in the national capital New Delhi or the financial powerhouse Bombay. A lot of options lay before C. Ramachandran after he completed his Masters in Arts in English Literature from Madras Christian College but he answered Mahatma Gandhi's call for service to the poor in India's villages.
Ramachandran-Mash (the Malayalam word for teacher) went back to the village of Coyalmannam, near Palakkad, Kerala and set up a primary and secondary school. Besides being the principal, he taught several subjects and stressed on the need for each student to have a good character. A strict-disciplinarian, devoted to God, Ramachandran-Mash worked tirelessly to educate children from Coyalmannam and surrounding villages. Alumni from his school went on to become successful businessmen, naval officers, public sector executives and one of his favourite students, my father, became an international banker working out of an office in New York's Park Avenue.
A simple and God-fearing man, Ramachandran-Mash carried out his duties as a father, brother and teacher with a degree of selflessness that is rare to be found in any age. Today's Mathrubhumi reported that the great man passed away at the age of 86. He takes with him a legacy and the gratitude and love of thousands of people who can trace their roots to Coyalmannam, Alathur, Kotai and other scenic villages around Palakkad.
While he may not have been showered with national awards and laurels, to me, he is a great hero who chose country over self, sacrificing riches and fame to live the Dharma for 86 years.
For those can read Malayalam, here is the text of his obituary from the Mathrubhumi
സി. രാമചന്ദ്രന്
കുഴല്മന്ദം: കുഴല്മന്ദം സി.എ. ഹൈസ്കൂളിലെ മുന് മാനേജരും റിട്ട. പ്രധാനാധ്യാപകനുമായ സി.രാമചന്ദ്രന് (86) ഗുരുകുലം വീട്ടില് അന്തരിച്ചു. കുഴല്മന്ദം ആധ്യാത്മിക പ്രഭാഷണ കമ്മിറ്റി, യുവരശ്മി മാതൃഭൂമി സ്റ്റഡിസര്ക്കിള് എന്നിവയുടെ രക്ഷാധികാരി, മരുതൂര് ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണക്ഷേത്ര സേവാസമിതി, ബ്ലോക്ക് കെ.എസ്.എസ്.പി.യു., കേരള ബ്രാഹ്മണസഭ കുഴല്മന്ദം എന്നിവയുടെ പ്രസിഡന്റ്, ബ്രാഹ്മണസഭാ ജില്ലാ വൈസ് പ്രസിഡന്റ്, പാലക്കാട് ചിന്മയമിഷന് അംഗം എന്നീ നിലകളിലും സേവനമനുഷ്ഠിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.
ഭാര്യ പരേതയായ ലക്ഷ്മിക്കുട്ടി. മക്കള്: നിര്മല (തിരുവനന്തപുരം), ലളിത (വൈക്കം), സരോജ (ചെന്നൈ), മീനാക്ഷി (കോവൈ), മോഹന് (റിട്ട. അധ്യാപകന് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.), ശേഷന് (ബിസിനസ്), ഉഷ (അധ്യാപിക, പി.ജി. മറൈന് എന്ജിനിയറിങ് കോളേജ്, എറണാകുളം), മരുമക്കള്: പരേതനായ ഗോപാലകൃഷ്ണന് (ജിയോളജിക്കല് സര്വേ), മഹാദേവന് (വെള്ളൂര് ന്യൂസ്പ്രിന്റ് റിട്ട.), നാരായണന് (ചെന്നൈ), മഹാദേവന് (എസ്.ബി.ഐ., റിട്ട.), നാഗനാഥന് (ഐ.ഒ.ബി. കൊച്ചി), അന്നപൂര്ണേശ്വരി, ജയലക്ഷ്മി (ഇരുവരും സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്. അധ്യാപികമാര്). സഹോദരങ്ങള്: ബാലകൃഷ്ണന് (റിട്ട. അധ്യാപകന്, ആയക്കാട് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.), സരോജിനി പരശുറാം (മുംബൈ), പരേതരായ സി.പി. ശര്മ (ആയക്കാട് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.), സി.രാജഗോപാലന് (പെരുവെമ്പ് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.), നാരായണസ്വാമി പെരുവെമ്പ് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.).
Ramachandran-Mash (the Malayalam word for teacher) went back to the village of Coyalmannam, near Palakkad, Kerala and set up a primary and secondary school. Besides being the principal, he taught several subjects and stressed on the need for each student to have a good character. A strict-disciplinarian, devoted to God, Ramachandran-Mash worked tirelessly to educate children from Coyalmannam and surrounding villages. Alumni from his school went on to become successful businessmen, naval officers, public sector executives and one of his favourite students, my father, became an international banker working out of an office in New York's Park Avenue.
A simple and God-fearing man, Ramachandran-Mash carried out his duties as a father, brother and teacher with a degree of selflessness that is rare to be found in any age. Today's Mathrubhumi reported that the great man passed away at the age of 86. He takes with him a legacy and the gratitude and love of thousands of people who can trace their roots to Coyalmannam, Alathur, Kotai and other scenic villages around Palakkad.
While he may not have been showered with national awards and laurels, to me, he is a great hero who chose country over self, sacrificing riches and fame to live the Dharma for 86 years.
For those can read Malayalam, here is the text of his obituary from the Mathrubhumi
സി. രാമചന്ദ്രന്
കുഴല്മന്ദം: കുഴല്മന്ദം സി.എ. ഹൈസ്കൂളിലെ മുന് മാനേജരും റിട്ട. പ്രധാനാധ്യാപകനുമായ സി.രാമചന്ദ്രന് (86) ഗുരുകുലം വീട്ടില് അന്തരിച്ചു. കുഴല്മന്ദം ആധ്യാത്മിക പ്രഭാഷണ കമ്മിറ്റി, യുവരശ്മി മാതൃഭൂമി സ്റ്റഡിസര്ക്കിള് എന്നിവയുടെ രക്ഷാധികാരി, മരുതൂര് ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണക്ഷേത്ര സേവാസമിതി, ബ്ലോക്ക് കെ.എസ്.എസ്.പി.യു., കേരള ബ്രാഹ്മണസഭ കുഴല്മന്ദം എന്നിവയുടെ പ്രസിഡന്റ്, ബ്രാഹ്മണസഭാ ജില്ലാ വൈസ് പ്രസിഡന്റ്, പാലക്കാട് ചിന്മയമിഷന് അംഗം എന്നീ നിലകളിലും സേവനമനുഷ്ഠിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.
ഭാര്യ പരേതയായ ലക്ഷ്മിക്കുട്ടി. മക്കള്: നിര്മല (തിരുവനന്തപുരം), ലളിത (വൈക്കം), സരോജ (ചെന്നൈ), മീനാക്ഷി (കോവൈ), മോഹന് (റിട്ട. അധ്യാപകന് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.), ശേഷന് (ബിസിനസ്), ഉഷ (അധ്യാപിക, പി.ജി. മറൈന് എന്ജിനിയറിങ് കോളേജ്, എറണാകുളം), മരുമക്കള്: പരേതനായ ഗോപാലകൃഷ്ണന് (ജിയോളജിക്കല് സര്വേ), മഹാദേവന് (വെള്ളൂര് ന്യൂസ്പ്രിന്റ് റിട്ട.), നാരായണന് (ചെന്നൈ), മഹാദേവന് (എസ്.ബി.ഐ., റിട്ട.), നാഗനാഥന് (ഐ.ഒ.ബി. കൊച്ചി), അന്നപൂര്ണേശ്വരി, ജയലക്ഷ്മി (ഇരുവരും സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്. അധ്യാപികമാര്). സഹോദരങ്ങള്: ബാലകൃഷ്ണന് (റിട്ട. അധ്യാപകന്, ആയക്കാട് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.), സരോജിനി പരശുറാം (മുംബൈ), പരേതരായ സി.പി. ശര്മ (ആയക്കാട് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.), സി.രാജഗോപാലന് (പെരുവെമ്പ് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.), നാരായണസ്വാമി പെരുവെമ്പ് സി.എ.എച്ച്.എസ്.).
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
High Food Prices? Congress still has charisma
I have all the sympathy for the आम आदमी and the poor people of this city. Food is getting to become ridiculously expensive. Rs 80 for a kilo of onions is the icing on the cake. Everything from food grains to pulses to sugar has gotten more expensive since the Congress-led UPA government was reelected in 2009.
The Congress has always been a party that supports hoarders, black-marketers and other criminals and they get reelected because of "charisma." The poor and middle classes are infatuated by the appearances of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and swear by them to the grave. This slavery is a product of decades of brain-washing in schools, television, radio and to an extent the print media.
So if an educated middle class person who spends Rs 150 for a bottle of beer in a pub has a problem with petrol costing Rs 55 a litre or someone who spends Rs 2000 in a restaurant cringes about onions costing Rs 80 a kilo, all I can say is tough luck. You are the people responsible for voting these charismatic criminals into power. India is a backward, third world country with the largest amount of poor people on earth because the Congress keeps getting elected into power unopposed.
There will be a day in the near future when milk costs Rs 100 a litre. But why should the Middle Class care? They can be proud of their half-Italian prime minister and all his charisma!
The Congress has always been a party that supports hoarders, black-marketers and other criminals and they get reelected because of "charisma." The poor and middle classes are infatuated by the appearances of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and swear by them to the grave. This slavery is a product of decades of brain-washing in schools, television, radio and to an extent the print media.
So if an educated middle class person who spends Rs 150 for a bottle of beer in a pub has a problem with petrol costing Rs 55 a litre or someone who spends Rs 2000 in a restaurant cringes about onions costing Rs 80 a kilo, all I can say is tough luck. You are the people responsible for voting these charismatic criminals into power. India is a backward, third world country with the largest amount of poor people on earth because the Congress keeps getting elected into power unopposed.
There will be a day in the near future when milk costs Rs 100 a litre. But why should the Middle Class care? They can be proud of their half-Italian prime minister and all his charisma!
I'm in Dadar er Bombay Central
बस अभी दो मिनिट में पोहेंचेगा. (I'll be there in 2 minutes). When someone in Bombay says that he usually means 10 minutes. It's a very Indian trait to buy time when late. One thing I have noticed on the city's local trains is how much people actually lie on the phone about where they are.
It's common to hear someone in a train say that the train has crossed a few more stations than it actually has. This is something I think I hear almost every single day. Last week, I heard someone desperately plead with a loved one that he would get home soon and that he was in Dadar. Seconds later, there was an announcement in the train that the next stop is Mumbai Central. The announcement was loud enough to be heard on the other end of the phone. Guess that man would not have had a nice dinner when he got home.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The Hindu : Fake tweets aired on CNN-IBN news show
The Hindu : News / National : Fake tweets aired on TV news show
Well well well. Look what the "ethical" team of CNN-IBN have been upto.
According to The Hindu,
"A recent controversy about fake Twitter comments being run onscreen during a news show has raised questions about the reliability of instant viewer feedback. From live SMS polls to tweeted views to texted queries, many of the methods used to increase the “buzz” of viewer-interactivity in real-time can be misused unless adequate filters are put in place."
Fake tweets to make a point? How low will Rajdeep and Co go?
The article describes the modus operandi of the channel.
"IBN sources say the question of the day is usually posted on the channel's website around noon. On this particular day, however, the question was posted at 5.07 p.m., according to the time-stamp on the website. Since there were not enough responses posted, an IBN staffer quickly concocted his or her own comments and aired them on screen, attributing them to five different Twitter IDs, according to IBN sources.
A suspicious viewer checked out the IDs and discovered that while three accounts were non-existent, the others had posted no tweets at all. He indignantly posted about this at dalalmedia.posterous.com (which, incidentally, has just two blog-posts), from where it spread within the blogosphere and among twitterati"
Caught red-handed Rajdeep apologized. One has wonder as to how much the Dalal-Media of Indian television is indulging in blatant lying!!
Well well well. Look what the "ethical" team of CNN-IBN have been upto.
According to The Hindu,
"A recent controversy about fake Twitter comments being run onscreen during a news show has raised questions about the reliability of instant viewer feedback. From live SMS polls to tweeted views to texted queries, many of the methods used to increase the “buzz” of viewer-interactivity in real-time can be misused unless adequate filters are put in place."
Fake tweets to make a point? How low will Rajdeep and Co go?
The article describes the modus operandi of the channel.
"IBN sources say the question of the day is usually posted on the channel's website around noon. On this particular day, however, the question was posted at 5.07 p.m., according to the time-stamp on the website. Since there were not enough responses posted, an IBN staffer quickly concocted his or her own comments and aired them on screen, attributing them to five different Twitter IDs, according to IBN sources.
A suspicious viewer checked out the IDs and discovered that while three accounts were non-existent, the others had posted no tweets at all. He indignantly posted about this at dalalmedia.posterous.com (which, incidentally, has just two blog-posts), from where it spread within the blogosphere and among twitterati"
Caught red-handed Rajdeep apologized. One has wonder as to how much the Dalal-Media of Indian television is indulging in blatant lying!!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Navi Mumbai and what lies in between
I remember billboards in the city back in the early 1990s that tried to persuade people to move from congested old Bombay to beautiful New Bombay. New Bombay was supposed to be to Bombay what New Delhi is to Old Delhi.
The new city did have urban planning, prices were low and many companies and government offices were supposed to shift there. We're in 2010 and the only big company to shift base there is the State Bank of India. A building called the Konkan Bhavan which was supposed to house Maharashtra's legislative assembly is a white elephant. The income tax office has also not been moved from the old to the new city.
Navi Mumbai might yet grow in prominence thanks to the fact a new airport is coming up there. I had the misfortune of travelling to an area of Navi Mumbai called Nerul by train. The 39-kilometre train ride from Andheri takes about an hour and twenty minutes and you can see Bombay at it ugliest worst before actually entering New Bombay.
Garbage completely covers the railways tracks and slums are within inches of the moving trains. Since most of these slums comprise of cardboard boxes, most of the communities live on the tracks. It would not be inaccurate to say that children are born there and learn to crawl and walk on railway tracks and those that don't get killed by trains end up living there for the rest of their lives.
I saw with horror the real poverty and squalor of the city. I am pretty sure that most if those people living there are migrants from the rural hinterland. Many of these slums had visible Islamic flags. I am assuming that these people are migrants from Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. Some accuse them of being Bangladeshis
I can't possibly imagine how bad life is for these people in their native places to want to come and live in such filth and danger (trains kill people on tracks daily, with the annual figure being around 3000).
As my train crossed Mankhurd and reached Vashi, the first station on the other side of the creek, I felt like I was in another world altogether. Navi Mumbai looks like a fairly prosperous middle class version of what Indian cities can be. But I would rather not go there by train again, if I had a choice.
The new city did have urban planning, prices were low and many companies and government offices were supposed to shift there. We're in 2010 and the only big company to shift base there is the State Bank of India. A building called the Konkan Bhavan which was supposed to house Maharashtra's legislative assembly is a white elephant. The income tax office has also not been moved from the old to the new city.
Navi Mumbai might yet grow in prominence thanks to the fact a new airport is coming up there. I had the misfortune of travelling to an area of Navi Mumbai called Nerul by train. The 39-kilometre train ride from Andheri takes about an hour and twenty minutes and you can see Bombay at it ugliest worst before actually entering New Bombay.
Garbage completely covers the railways tracks and slums are within inches of the moving trains. Since most of these slums comprise of cardboard boxes, most of the communities live on the tracks. It would not be inaccurate to say that children are born there and learn to crawl and walk on railway tracks and those that don't get killed by trains end up living there for the rest of their lives.
I saw with horror the real poverty and squalor of the city. I am pretty sure that most if those people living there are migrants from the rural hinterland. Many of these slums had visible Islamic flags. I am assuming that these people are migrants from Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. Some accuse them of being Bangladeshis
I can't possibly imagine how bad life is for these people in their native places to want to come and live in such filth and danger (trains kill people on tracks daily, with the annual figure being around 3000).
As my train crossed Mankhurd and reached Vashi, the first station on the other side of the creek, I felt like I was in another world altogether. Navi Mumbai looks like a fairly prosperous middle class version of what Indian cities can be. But I would rather not go there by train again, if I had a choice.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Home field advantage
I always believed that home field advantage was over-rated. How much of a difference could a venue make for athletes? It was a convenient excuse (or so I thought) for teams to blame the heat or the cold or the light or the winds.
After running in unfamiliar conditions this morning, I realised how much of an impact familiarity has on performance regardless of the sport. All I did was change my marathon training schedule to run in the morning instead of the evening but my performance wasn't even close to what I could manage on Tuesday.
Everything seemed to bother me from the morning chill (my body didn't warm up as fast as I wanted) to the fact that the beach was dirty! The cleaning crew was just starting to remove piles of garbage from the shore. While on the topic of garbage, I wonder why is that Indian people abuse nature like this? The sea just dumps the coke bottles, plastic bags, pooja flowers and assorted garbage that is thrown in it. I appreciate the fact that Juhu Beach is cleaned every single day and is one of the cleanest big city beaches in the world.
Back to my running, when I finally did get warmed up, it was past sunrise and not past sunset so the beach wasn't exactly as nice to run on. And the winds weren't blowing the way they do in the evenings! I managed to run 5 kilometres before deciding that I had enough. I'm going have to the hit the beach this evening again but my fantastic evening runs may have given me a slightly false sense of preparation for the big day.
I better start running more in the morning since the run starts at 6:15 am AND also start running on the marathon route to familiarise myself. The run is in my hometown but the route is 25 kilometres away from where I normally train and I better get used to the sights, sounds and smells.
Here's to not judging visiting sports teams and athletes that make valid excuses for under-performing.
After running in unfamiliar conditions this morning, I realised how much of an impact familiarity has on performance regardless of the sport. All I did was change my marathon training schedule to run in the morning instead of the evening but my performance wasn't even close to what I could manage on Tuesday.
Everything seemed to bother me from the morning chill (my body didn't warm up as fast as I wanted) to the fact that the beach was dirty! The cleaning crew was just starting to remove piles of garbage from the shore. While on the topic of garbage, I wonder why is that Indian people abuse nature like this? The sea just dumps the coke bottles, plastic bags, pooja flowers and assorted garbage that is thrown in it. I appreciate the fact that Juhu Beach is cleaned every single day and is one of the cleanest big city beaches in the world.
Back to my running, when I finally did get warmed up, it was past sunrise and not past sunset so the beach wasn't exactly as nice to run on. And the winds weren't blowing the way they do in the evenings! I managed to run 5 kilometres before deciding that I had enough. I'm going have to the hit the beach this evening again but my fantastic evening runs may have given me a slightly false sense of preparation for the big day.
I better start running more in the morning since the run starts at 6:15 am AND also start running on the marathon route to familiarise myself. The run is in my hometown but the route is 25 kilometres away from where I normally train and I better get used to the sights, sounds and smells.
Here's to not judging visiting sports teams and athletes that make valid excuses for under-performing.
More from the Secret Scrolls
"Know yourself! Watch how you manifest the small things in life and think about how you felt inside with those things. Think about how easily they came. You will find that you thought of a small thing once and never thought about it again, and then it manifested.
What really happened was you didn't think any thoughts or speak any words which contradicted what you wanted, so the law of attraction was able to do its work.
May the joy be with you,"
-Rhonda Byrne
Monday, December 13, 2010
Winter's here or so they say
I was quite amused to see people wearing sweaters and woollen caps to stay warm in a bus with all windows closed. It was about 18 degrees Celsius this morning and cold northerly winds made it feel a lot cooler. This is a rare phenomenon in Bombay called winter. Winters last here just about as long as heat wave conditions last in New York in the summer.
I have to say that these December days are absolutely glorious and it's a rare pleasure to walk on the streets of this city and bask in the sunlight and not sweat three buckets of water. In fact temperatures are a lot cooler on the beach in the evenings. When training for the Mumbai Marathon ( which is just 32 days away), I definitely feel the effect of the chilling northerly winds when run from the Santa Cruz-end towards Versova.
Here's to a nice season of warm soups, hot chocolate and nice movies on the tele.
I have to say that these December days are absolutely glorious and it's a rare pleasure to walk on the streets of this city and bask in the sunlight and not sweat three buckets of water. In fact temperatures are a lot cooler on the beach in the evenings. When training for the Mumbai Marathon ( which is just 32 days away), I definitely feel the effect of the chilling northerly winds when run from the Santa Cruz-end towards Versova.
Here's to a nice season of warm soups, hot chocolate and nice movies on the tele.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Complaints against Bus, Taxi or Auto Drivers in Bombay/Mumbai
To be fair, taxi and rickshaw drivers in Bombay are probably the most honest in India. They rarely overcharge and even if they do, it's unlikely that will do so like the guys in Madras, Delhi or Bangalore. But there are rogue elements here and if you do face a problem, there are ways to register a proper complaint.
The traffic police has a website, where you can enter all the details. http://www.trafficpolicemumbai.org/Complaint_Auto_taxi_form.htm
Whether an auto or taxi driver overcharged or was aggressive or refused to go to your destination, you can file a proper complaint. This site can even be used if a bus driver refuses to stop at a bus stop. Make sure you have a pen and paper in hand for these offenders.
There's also a toll free number that you can dial and where you can register your complaint in 3 languages: Hindi, Marathi or English. 1800-22-0110
The traffic police has a website, where you can enter all the details. http://www.trafficpolicemumbai.org/Complaint_Auto_taxi_form.htm
Whether an auto or taxi driver overcharged or was aggressive or refused to go to your destination, you can file a proper complaint. This site can even be used if a bus driver refuses to stop at a bus stop. Make sure you have a pen and paper in hand for these offenders.
There's also a toll free number that you can dial and where you can register your complaint in 3 languages: Hindi, Marathi or English. 1800-22-0110
My Delhi Half Marathon Medal
It looks like the pressure on Procam worked. They sent me my medal and certificate by courier. This was in addition to an emailed response to my blog.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
An Austrian in Jhandelwalan
It was well past 2 am on a cold November night when Gunter from Gratz left New Delhi's Oberoi hotel. A night when winter had set in and the werewolves, djinns and other creatures of the Delhi night were particularly excited as the Karthik Full Moon was just around the corner.
The Austrian had been a veteran of many India trips and had a basic idea of Delhi's roads. All he needed to do was get to the Karol Bagh Metro station and he could find his way to the hotel.
A semi-drunk auto-rickshaw driver took him to what seemed like the Karol Bagh station. It was 3 am and not a creature was stirring in the dark lanes of west Delhi. As Gunter walked the streets he thought he knew well, he realised that the hotel was nowhere in the vicinity. But who on earth would be able to help Gunter? The only souls visible to him were a few homeless and packs of stray dogs. Would Delhi's Djinns provide a path out for the now-weary traveller?
Finally some recourse arrived with a "semi-decent" looking young man in a car who told Gunter that he was near the Jhandelwalan Station and not Karol Bagh. After all those beers, it all began to make sense. The Austrian was betrayed by that fiend of a rickshaw driver. The young man offered to drop a frustrated Gunter to Karol Bagh. But how could he get into the car of a drunk, who could possibly be some sort of psycho from Dwarka?
Braving the cold, the muttering of some homeless men and angry stray dogs who resented the sight of a blond European in their territory, Gunter walked ever so slowly and on guard till he reached the Promised Land of Karol Bagh. The words of Sting must have run through his mind.
Oh Oh, I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Austrian in Jhandelwalan
Be yourself, no matter what they say!
Finally after a painfully long walk in the bitter cold, Gunter was within sight of the much-desired metro station. One aggressive obstacle lay in his path. This was the king dog of Jhandelwallan. His eyes glowed in the dark and his growls and barks were of the menacing kind. Gunter's familiarity with Asian stray dogs came to his aide at that one precarious moment when rabies was imminent and the hotel seemed a hospital trip away. He picked up a stone in quick haste but the mutt was undeterred. The barking got louder and more aggressive and the mutt decided to make a charge. A charge that was successfully thwarted by a direct hit. Gunter threw the stone hard enough to have an impact but not with enough force to hurt the mutt, who retreated in anger, insulted more than hurt.
There lay Karol Bagh and the hotel and as Gunter moved into the lane, he witnessed the sight of 200 Chinese monks ready to embark on a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya. He truly had seen it all from the Oberoi to Karol Bagh but he was happy to get back unscathed by the wild Delhi winter night.
The Austrian had been a veteran of many India trips and had a basic idea of Delhi's roads. All he needed to do was get to the Karol Bagh Metro station and he could find his way to the hotel.
A semi-drunk auto-rickshaw driver took him to what seemed like the Karol Bagh station. It was 3 am and not a creature was stirring in the dark lanes of west Delhi. As Gunter walked the streets he thought he knew well, he realised that the hotel was nowhere in the vicinity. But who on earth would be able to help Gunter? The only souls visible to him were a few homeless and packs of stray dogs. Would Delhi's Djinns provide a path out for the now-weary traveller?
Finally some recourse arrived with a "semi-decent" looking young man in a car who told Gunter that he was near the Jhandelwalan Station and not Karol Bagh. After all those beers, it all began to make sense. The Austrian was betrayed by that fiend of a rickshaw driver. The young man offered to drop a frustrated Gunter to Karol Bagh. But how could he get into the car of a drunk, who could possibly be some sort of psycho from Dwarka?
Braving the cold, the muttering of some homeless men and angry stray dogs who resented the sight of a blond European in their territory, Gunter walked ever so slowly and on guard till he reached the Promised Land of Karol Bagh. The words of Sting must have run through his mind.
Oh Oh, I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Austrian in Jhandelwalan
Be yourself, no matter what they say!
Finally after a painfully long walk in the bitter cold, Gunter was within sight of the much-desired metro station. One aggressive obstacle lay in his path. This was the king dog of Jhandelwallan. His eyes glowed in the dark and his growls and barks were of the menacing kind. Gunter's familiarity with Asian stray dogs came to his aide at that one precarious moment when rabies was imminent and the hotel seemed a hospital trip away. He picked up a stone in quick haste but the mutt was undeterred. The barking got louder and more aggressive and the mutt decided to make a charge. A charge that was successfully thwarted by a direct hit. Gunter threw the stone hard enough to have an impact but not with enough force to hurt the mutt, who retreated in anger, insulted more than hurt.
There lay Karol Bagh and the hotel and as Gunter moved into the lane, he witnessed the sight of 200 Chinese monks ready to embark on a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya. He truly had seen it all from the Oberoi to Karol Bagh but he was happy to get back unscathed by the wild Delhi winter night.
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