Think: 80%, Communicate: 20%.
Relate theory to practice.
Think before speaking.
Never be a postman.
Clarify roles and responsibilities.
Carefully think about approach to professional relationships.
Think about other people's motivations.
Stop cribbing professionally.
Seperate working hours from fun hours.
Switch off post work.
Have fun post work.
Learn to have fun without drinking.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Metal detectors and being effeminate
Why can't cinema halls have metal detectors for security checks? In their absence, their security personnel have a field day groping all and sundry in the garb of frisking. The experience is amazing in its consistancy. It happens at every cinema hall in the country. Seems they have all included it in their procedure for providing superior customer experience. God! Save me from superior service. I can understand how girls feel when they get similar unwanted attention from certain men. Its disgusting but not, I dare say, as much as this superior customer experience for three reasons. One, at least it doesn't happen at, through (whatever) the hands of somebody from the same sex. Two, it doesn't wear a garb of legitemacy and one can move away, protest, give a dirty look, beat up (depending on the possibilities, dictated by the circumstance). Three, the thoroughness and the professionalism of the cinema job simply cannot be matched by furtive, blink and you miss it efforts made on crowded roads, public transports et cetera.
Within a week, I have been chided by two girls for being effeminate. I don't know what to make of it. I am midly perturbed and amused by it. It surely is a huge change from my school days, when I can safely say that I was one of the bullies, bad boys. Out of the hardships experienced then arose a desire to better oneself. Paths of righteousness were explored and walked down. I think this sucked out all the bravado and some of the ego of human males from me. I am just saying that men and women have different types of ego. While I can make an effort to describe them but I think its better that everybody thinks about it himself/ herself. Two presumptions, regarding readership and its willingness to ponder over my writing are both examples of the ego common ground between men and women but there are gender specific ego points as well. Digressions aside, lack of male bravado, bluster and ego coupled with certain habits acquired have threatened to give me an effeminate tag. However, people who know me better would never say I am effeminate. They know a nasty, ugly side of me remains, which surfaces far less frequently but every so often. Also, I think that these habits and sweet exterior are just the surface. Scratch it and one can find a practical, almost unemotional , mean me.
Within a week, I have been chided by two girls for being effeminate. I don't know what to make of it. I am midly perturbed and amused by it. It surely is a huge change from my school days, when I can safely say that I was one of the bullies, bad boys. Out of the hardships experienced then arose a desire to better oneself. Paths of righteousness were explored and walked down. I think this sucked out all the bravado and some of the ego of human males from me. I am just saying that men and women have different types of ego. While I can make an effort to describe them but I think its better that everybody thinks about it himself/ herself. Two presumptions, regarding readership and its willingness to ponder over my writing are both examples of the ego common ground between men and women but there are gender specific ego points as well. Digressions aside, lack of male bravado, bluster and ego coupled with certain habits acquired have threatened to give me an effeminate tag. However, people who know me better would never say I am effeminate. They know a nasty, ugly side of me remains, which surfaces far less frequently but every so often. Also, I think that these habits and sweet exterior are just the surface. Scratch it and one can find a practical, almost unemotional , mean me.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
orkut description
March-August 2007
I am a standard issue human male of Indian origin- did my undergrad in engineering and my post grad in management. I have joined work recently. I have always been so grounded in reality that going orthogonal to it is a huge temptation for me at times.
I aspire for beauty and sweetness in life and aim to live the small details- doing the small things that make me happy.
My undergrad took me to Delhi, post grad to Ahmedabad and job has brought me to Mumbai. Will I survive Mumbai? Hope springs eternal
I like to write. I like people reading my writing even more. Here’s the link: http://achaln.blogspot.com
I am a standard issue human male of Indian origin- did my undergrad in engineering and my post grad in management. I have joined work recently. I have always been so grounded in reality that going orthogonal to it is a huge temptation for me at times.
I aspire for beauty and sweetness in life and aim to live the small details- doing the small things that make me happy.
My undergrad took me to Delhi, post grad to Ahmedabad and job has brought me to Mumbai. Will I survive Mumbai? Hope springs eternal
I like to write. I like people reading my writing even more. Here’s the link: http://achaln.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Three months into my first job
Its been exactly three months since I began working. It it too early to pass judgement on its pleasures, trials and tribulations but its time to take stock. Its not been hard work. My mind does not shut off the moment it hits the pillow, some days I have to cajole it in a million different ways for it to lose its grip on reality and make acquaintance with dreams. At the same time, its been stressful. My job requires me to listen to, talk to and convince a lot of people. This is what has proved to be stressful. Doing work by oneself is not difficult at all. Our education system teaches us to do exactly that and people who excel through the system do not find it difficult to do things by themselves in the job. However, the same system does not teach, and I agree its not easy to teach such things in classroom situations, inter personal skils. All the heartburn in my job emanates from the difficulties I face in inter personal situations.
Another thing that's become apparent is: working a job requires a lot of patience. No matter how fast one wants to and can move, work will only move at the pace of the slowest link involved. I have been impatient, leading to a lot of anguish. Its a fine line. One has to be impatient and push for results but at the same time have the awareness of one individual's limitations in a team set up to push things.
I also have the feeling that I have been intellectually lazy. This has two parts. One, I have got in to an execution mind set: let others do the thinking and I will execute it. It clearly hasn't worked. Other people also haven't thought much about it since it was my job. I haven't been able to influence things as much as I would have liked. Also, it has led to a lower level of job satisfaction. Second, I havent kept track of what is expected of me.
Lastly, I have the vague feeling of dislocation. Today, I can't tell you where my home is. I can solve it by getting used to the idea or getting a girl friend. Of course, getting a girl friend is a solution to a lot of other things, but that for another time :)
What I think I have to do to be a lot more happier in work and hence in life:
1. Prepare for people interactions
2. Be patient
3. Work harder intellectually
4. Get a girlfriend :D:D
Another thing that's become apparent is: working a job requires a lot of patience. No matter how fast one wants to and can move, work will only move at the pace of the slowest link involved. I have been impatient, leading to a lot of anguish. Its a fine line. One has to be impatient and push for results but at the same time have the awareness of one individual's limitations in a team set up to push things.
I also have the feeling that I have been intellectually lazy. This has two parts. One, I have got in to an execution mind set: let others do the thinking and I will execute it. It clearly hasn't worked. Other people also haven't thought much about it since it was my job. I haven't been able to influence things as much as I would have liked. Also, it has led to a lower level of job satisfaction. Second, I havent kept track of what is expected of me.
Lastly, I have the vague feeling of dislocation. Today, I can't tell you where my home is. I can solve it by getting used to the idea or getting a girl friend. Of course, getting a girl friend is a solution to a lot of other things, but that for another time :)
What I think I have to do to be a lot more happier in work and hence in life:
1. Prepare for people interactions
2. Be patient
3. Work harder intellectually
4. Get a girlfriend :D:D
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Strawberry Cheese Cake
For all the subsequent disappointments that all of us have had to face from Nain, I must still thank him for introducing me to Strawberry Cheese Cake (SCC from here on). I was 21, Bush was about to start the war in Iraq and I hadn't been introduced to SCC. Good job Nain did there. Another step in the education of the middle class, small town boy.
I have always been partial to sweet things. OK, this includes women too but sweets of the culinary variety came first. It has had its consequences. Nobody has to date urged my mother to feed me better. One of my mother's friends who was eyeing me for her daughter even suggested otherwise. I promptly cleaned her plate of gulab jamuns to contribute my bit towards dissuading her from her dangerously dangerous designs. Very satisfactory day of business that one.
To return to business here, my earliest memories are of going to school on a daily retainer of 4 rasogulle. I absolutely refused to go to school unless promised rasogulle for lunch. Then I got hooked to the whole school business; the lunch time games and Nisad Mehndi and my retainer was reduced to 2 per day and finally stopped all together. I was introduced to injustice and the utility of keeping one's emotion to oneself.
Ah! I was to speak of SCC's. They are made of a thin layer of sliced strawberries laid over a syrupy layer of strawberry derivative laid over a far thicker layer of some knid of cheese laid over a thin layer of almost always disgusting biscuit like substance (thats the only part I don't like and frequntly give it to the person on my right). I wouldn't bet my life on it but I think that defines SCC quite well. For best results, SCC is to be had by cutting thin vertical slices of strawberry layers and cheese layer leaving the biscuit layer undisturbed. Roll the bit around the front of your tongue and you may experience heaven, although having no experience of the heaven experience I cannot vouch for its goodness in the same way as I can vouch for SCC's goodness. There are two restaurents in Delhi which make excellent SCC, one is the very old establishment in CP (where nothing is new) and one is a very small establishment in Gk, Gourmet something. In Ahmedabad, Upper Crust offers the goodie, although of wildly varying quality. Of course, the said SCC tastes much better if the hole it burns is in somebody's else pocket.
I have always been partial to sweet things. OK, this includes women too but sweets of the culinary variety came first. It has had its consequences. Nobody has to date urged my mother to feed me better. One of my mother's friends who was eyeing me for her daughter even suggested otherwise. I promptly cleaned her plate of gulab jamuns to contribute my bit towards dissuading her from her dangerously dangerous designs. Very satisfactory day of business that one.
To return to business here, my earliest memories are of going to school on a daily retainer of 4 rasogulle. I absolutely refused to go to school unless promised rasogulle for lunch. Then I got hooked to the whole school business; the lunch time games and Nisad Mehndi and my retainer was reduced to 2 per day and finally stopped all together. I was introduced to injustice and the utility of keeping one's emotion to oneself.
Ah! I was to speak of SCC's. They are made of a thin layer of sliced strawberries laid over a syrupy layer of strawberry derivative laid over a far thicker layer of some knid of cheese laid over a thin layer of almost always disgusting biscuit like substance (thats the only part I don't like and frequntly give it to the person on my right). I wouldn't bet my life on it but I think that defines SCC quite well. For best results, SCC is to be had by cutting thin vertical slices of strawberry layers and cheese layer leaving the biscuit layer undisturbed. Roll the bit around the front of your tongue and you may experience heaven, although having no experience of the heaven experience I cannot vouch for its goodness in the same way as I can vouch for SCC's goodness. There are two restaurents in Delhi which make excellent SCC, one is the very old establishment in CP (where nothing is new) and one is a very small establishment in Gk, Gourmet something. In Ahmedabad, Upper Crust offers the goodie, although of wildly varying quality. Of course, the said SCC tastes much better if the hole it burns is in somebody's else pocket.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Immoral
Ram Gopal does not make easy movies. "Nishabd" continues the tradition. Its depressing in the hopelessness of everybody's situation. There is a lot of controversy about this movie, people are protesting against it's immorality. These are my thoughts after the movie:
Among animals, the male and the female do not come together on basis of some contract. There are no age or other apppropriateness restrictions. Quite frequently, if the male is able to woo the female that is it. I do not know if there is rape in the animal kingdom but I suspect there might be. Nothing preempts it. However, there can't be gang rapes. Animals won't collaborate for that. There's a difference and people have tried to sepearte the case of one man alone raping a woman from a gang rape. At the cost of enraging the feminists, I think there's a point there. However, this is neither here nor there.
On to humans. Men and women traditionally come together on the basis of some contract. While the necessity of marriage has significantly dwindled in the west, in India it still holds by and large. There are age and other appropriateness conditions on whom you can marry and mate with. The logic is: these are necessities for human society to function. I think its true. We have a synthetic society (vis-a-vis animals) and it needs special conditions.
But what if a non-appropriate man-woman pair get attracted to each other: want to hold hands, sing songs, cook, mate. Problem, my dear Watson. If one of them is already in an appropriate pairing; kaput. The taboo of divorce makes the situation even more complicated.
So, whether we love or not is not important. What is important is whether we make appropriate pairings and add to our already excessive population.
Another thought: In Mahabharat, Kunti has the blessing that she will forever remain young. Somebody asks, Yudhisthir, "Don't you lust after your mother?" Yudhisthir says, yes, but I control my passions through reason.
Reason, be reasonable.
Among animals, the male and the female do not come together on basis of some contract. There are no age or other apppropriateness restrictions. Quite frequently, if the male is able to woo the female that is it. I do not know if there is rape in the animal kingdom but I suspect there might be. Nothing preempts it. However, there can't be gang rapes. Animals won't collaborate for that. There's a difference and people have tried to sepearte the case of one man alone raping a woman from a gang rape. At the cost of enraging the feminists, I think there's a point there. However, this is neither here nor there.
On to humans. Men and women traditionally come together on the basis of some contract. While the necessity of marriage has significantly dwindled in the west, in India it still holds by and large. There are age and other appropriateness conditions on whom you can marry and mate with. The logic is: these are necessities for human society to function. I think its true. We have a synthetic society (vis-a-vis animals) and it needs special conditions.
But what if a non-appropriate man-woman pair get attracted to each other: want to hold hands, sing songs, cook, mate. Problem, my dear Watson. If one of them is already in an appropriate pairing; kaput. The taboo of divorce makes the situation even more complicated.
So, whether we love or not is not important. What is important is whether we make appropriate pairings and add to our already excessive population.
Another thought: In Mahabharat, Kunti has the blessing that she will forever remain young. Somebody asks, Yudhisthir, "Don't you lust after your mother?" Yudhisthir says, yes, but I control my passions through reason.
Reason, be reasonable.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Friends: part 1
I have been closer to friends than family for most of the time I can remember. While my conversations with family have mostly been functional, with friends I have shared my thoughts. It is time to pay homage to all the friendships that have shaped me.
My first set of close friends were in high school. We were a group of three guys who felt that we were like minded people, distinct from the rest of the class. May be it was the freedom our families gave us to do basically whatever we wanted. It actually didnt mean much in a desolate little small town in Bihar but we were free spirits, the freedom resulting in more than a few transgressions. Let it suffice to say that I have a colorful school record, with no fewer than three suspensions and one rustigation.
What did we do? Well we talked. It was the time when we had our first crushes and they formed the focal points of our conversations. That reminds me; where is she now? Doing what? We would complain how academics sucked, something that I have continued to do with remarkable consistancy since then. Indeed, it was a habit well formed. Sometimes we would wise up and detail out everything that was wrong with the state and the country and how it could be sorted out. It was a fool proof plan, if only I could recall it now. What I can recall though is talking about career choices. I wanted to become, at various times; an army officer, a politician, a marine engineer. Thankfully for those professions, I became none of these. Jokes apart, these conversations were the first time I developed opinions on so many things.
Another thing we did was to cycle around the town and the neighbouring areas. Bhagalpur is a small place and fields start some 5 kms out of the town centre. Some of the views we savoured on these trips out of town did a lot for making me an optimist. Indeed, I like cycling through those fields so much that even today when i go home, I would go out for a 30-40 km cycle trip. There was a spot on Ganga bank that was a particular favorite with us.
We would go to certain fixed places to eat pani puri or samose and that particular favorite of mine, lawanglata. We used to play cricket, sometimes football. Heck! I even joined a tuition I didnt need just because the other two were joining.
Most importantly, we developed a real sense of camaraderie. Closeness with another human being, a person to share all your thoughts with, is a wonderful phenomena. Of course, it becomes more wonderful if the other person happens to be an intelligent, good looking girl, but then we are talking of an endangered species. This friendship was a real strength for me in what was the most turbulent time in my life.
Of course, it had to end. I got kicked out of school and had to go to Bokaro for my plus two. My two friends stayed back. Then I moved to Delhi and they to other places. Now we haven't met for more than five years. Even if we meet, I fear we wouldnt have things to talk about for five minutes. And times were when we spent three hours everyday talking. Things change. Still when I remember them, it is with fondness and good wishes. That's an elevating feeling.
My first set of close friends were in high school. We were a group of three guys who felt that we were like minded people, distinct from the rest of the class. May be it was the freedom our families gave us to do basically whatever we wanted. It actually didnt mean much in a desolate little small town in Bihar but we were free spirits, the freedom resulting in more than a few transgressions. Let it suffice to say that I have a colorful school record, with no fewer than three suspensions and one rustigation.
What did we do? Well we talked. It was the time when we had our first crushes and they formed the focal points of our conversations. That reminds me; where is she now? Doing what? We would complain how academics sucked, something that I have continued to do with remarkable consistancy since then. Indeed, it was a habit well formed. Sometimes we would wise up and detail out everything that was wrong with the state and the country and how it could be sorted out. It was a fool proof plan, if only I could recall it now. What I can recall though is talking about career choices. I wanted to become, at various times; an army officer, a politician, a marine engineer. Thankfully for those professions, I became none of these. Jokes apart, these conversations were the first time I developed opinions on so many things.
Another thing we did was to cycle around the town and the neighbouring areas. Bhagalpur is a small place and fields start some 5 kms out of the town centre. Some of the views we savoured on these trips out of town did a lot for making me an optimist. Indeed, I like cycling through those fields so much that even today when i go home, I would go out for a 30-40 km cycle trip. There was a spot on Ganga bank that was a particular favorite with us.
We would go to certain fixed places to eat pani puri or samose and that particular favorite of mine, lawanglata. We used to play cricket, sometimes football. Heck! I even joined a tuition I didnt need just because the other two were joining.
Most importantly, we developed a real sense of camaraderie. Closeness with another human being, a person to share all your thoughts with, is a wonderful phenomena. Of course, it becomes more wonderful if the other person happens to be an intelligent, good looking girl, but then we are talking of an endangered species. This friendship was a real strength for me in what was the most turbulent time in my life.
Of course, it had to end. I got kicked out of school and had to go to Bokaro for my plus two. My two friends stayed back. Then I moved to Delhi and they to other places. Now we haven't met for more than five years. Even if we meet, I fear we wouldnt have things to talk about for five minutes. And times were when we spent three hours everyday talking. Things change. Still when I remember them, it is with fondness and good wishes. That's an elevating feeling.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
As thoughts flow through
Taking stock of life gives the feeling of being in control.
Being in control gives a feeling of well being.
Doing productive things instead of pleasant things also gives a feeling of well being.
Productivity and pleasure seldom go together.
Choosing productivity over pleasure requires discipline, smothering of senses.
Life, for the most part, has been a constant struggle for discipline.
Struggle for discipline is a losing war, bohemianism always return to claim its victory. For a 'progressive' human being, victory is never absolute.
Goal posts are always shifting.
Two hundred years ago man was born in a village, grew up, worked, married, bred, grew old and died in the same village. He would experience spring follow winter, summer follow spring, rains follow summer, winter follow rains, spring follow....., and so the cycle would go on. Since the man never went anywhere, he faced every season in its due time, without escape. Now man travels. During the same day he can travel 10000 kilometers. He can cheat seasons. He can follow summer wherever it went and never see winter at all. Also, he can stay for a while in a place where the winter is really severe and then move on to someplace where winter is like an offseason vegetable, a damp squib. Some people do it out of choice. Some may be forced to do it. I will not choose to do it, but I have been forced to and will in future continue to be forced. I don't like it, it leaves me confused.
I dislike confusion, makes me uncertain of my responses.
Women I like also make me uncertain of my responses.
There is an inexplicable restlessness. It arises out of the two facts. I should be doing certain things which I am not doing. Work, exercise, home calls. There are things that I have not done and the time to do them is gone for ever. So, life has entered a stage when, for the first time, things, things that matter, are no longer doable. Or, is it just a feeling I have, havng no great ability to see in to future and imagining oneself more bounded that one really is?
Having, explaind my inexplicable restlessness, I have contradicted myself. Something I do because I speak as I think, before my thought process reaches its logical conclusion.
I am confused, restless and hasty.
Being in control gives a feeling of well being.
Doing productive things instead of pleasant things also gives a feeling of well being.
Productivity and pleasure seldom go together.
Choosing productivity over pleasure requires discipline, smothering of senses.
Life, for the most part, has been a constant struggle for discipline.
Struggle for discipline is a losing war, bohemianism always return to claim its victory. For a 'progressive' human being, victory is never absolute.
Goal posts are always shifting.
Two hundred years ago man was born in a village, grew up, worked, married, bred, grew old and died in the same village. He would experience spring follow winter, summer follow spring, rains follow summer, winter follow rains, spring follow....., and so the cycle would go on. Since the man never went anywhere, he faced every season in its due time, without escape. Now man travels. During the same day he can travel 10000 kilometers. He can cheat seasons. He can follow summer wherever it went and never see winter at all. Also, he can stay for a while in a place where the winter is really severe and then move on to someplace where winter is like an offseason vegetable, a damp squib. Some people do it out of choice. Some may be forced to do it. I will not choose to do it, but I have been forced to and will in future continue to be forced. I don't like it, it leaves me confused.
I dislike confusion, makes me uncertain of my responses.
Women I like also make me uncertain of my responses.
There is an inexplicable restlessness. It arises out of the two facts. I should be doing certain things which I am not doing. Work, exercise, home calls. There are things that I have not done and the time to do them is gone for ever. So, life has entered a stage when, for the first time, things, things that matter, are no longer doable. Or, is it just a feeling I have, havng no great ability to see in to future and imagining oneself more bounded that one really is?
Having, explaind my inexplicable restlessness, I have contradicted myself. Something I do because I speak as I think, before my thought process reaches its logical conclusion.
I am confused, restless and hasty.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
About me at the turn of the year
I have taken a course under a professor whom I have come to intensely dislike. However, he said something that was a lesson. He said, " The purpose of communication is to expess and not impress". I would like to make it my guiding principle. I have a few of them actually.
I am dissatisfied with my life. Yes, that might be a very common sentence. Nevertheless, I would like to list my grievances. Despite best intentions and some feeble attempts, I have not learnt to enjoy daily life. Destination completely obscures the journey. For many days, I haven't looked at the sky, or walked a leisurely walk. Life's pace consumes me and I do not, cannot stop. Where it leads to, no idea. Distance between my family and me is increasing. It sounds blasphemous and the temptation is to gloss over it but it won't do. I don't respond to music and my reading has drastically reduced. A movie that takes my mind away from the comfort zone that it has enconsed itself in, it rejects. I am becoming more and more overweight.
There are a few positives. My group spends a wonderful time together. I have become mellower. It sounds aged but its right for me. I don't snap as often and am generally less erosive of people's egos. I have become a more sincere worker. Ambition has grown in me and for the moment I would consider it positive.
I remain as indecisive as ever. "Forever at crossroads" is a description that fits me well. Never knew a thing about career preferences, now don't even know love and such like.
There are no major worries and that, thank God, is a relief. The time ahead, next two three months are career fashioning. Its a time of opportunities and immense pressure.
Prayed in a temple for the first time in a long, long time. Didn't do it well. Should do it more often.
Tomorrow is New year's eve. I would set up a party in the dorm. That should be exciting.
I am dissatisfied with my life. Yes, that might be a very common sentence. Nevertheless, I would like to list my grievances. Despite best intentions and some feeble attempts, I have not learnt to enjoy daily life. Destination completely obscures the journey. For many days, I haven't looked at the sky, or walked a leisurely walk. Life's pace consumes me and I do not, cannot stop. Where it leads to, no idea. Distance between my family and me is increasing. It sounds blasphemous and the temptation is to gloss over it but it won't do. I don't respond to music and my reading has drastically reduced. A movie that takes my mind away from the comfort zone that it has enconsed itself in, it rejects. I am becoming more and more overweight.
There are a few positives. My group spends a wonderful time together. I have become mellower. It sounds aged but its right for me. I don't snap as often and am generally less erosive of people's egos. I have become a more sincere worker. Ambition has grown in me and for the moment I would consider it positive.
I remain as indecisive as ever. "Forever at crossroads" is a description that fits me well. Never knew a thing about career preferences, now don't even know love and such like.
There are no major worries and that, thank God, is a relief. The time ahead, next two three months are career fashioning. Its a time of opportunities and immense pressure.
Prayed in a temple for the first time in a long, long time. Didn't do it well. Should do it more often.
Tomorrow is New year's eve. I would set up a party in the dorm. That should be exciting.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Italy: 3-5 November
Italy was where we were between 3rd and 5th of November. Places we visited were Rome, Venice, a small place on the Swish border called Como and Milan.
Rome is history and the Vatican. When I was at the Colosseum and the nearby Roman Forum, I tried to visualize the romans of yore walking through the same ground, no doubt aided by imagery from that unforgettable movie, Gladiator. There was nothing much to see but the deep sense of history that every stone in the place was steeped in was awe inducing. The holiest seat of the biggest relision of the world is noteworthy for its size. Saint Peter's basilica and the square in front of it are huge. the enteriors of Saint Peter's Basilica are decorated with an unimaginable number of sculptures and frescos. unfortunately, i could see the sistine Chapel as it was closed for the week.
Of all the cities in Europe, Venice stole my heart. Not for its canals or its gondolas but for its bazaars. I am not a shopocoholic by any stretch of imagination but the displays in the market were magnetic. One is perforce drawn to them. We didn't do any places but just wandered along the narrow alleys of venice. They are incredibly narrow, sometimes even two people can't walk abreast.
Como is just a nice little resort place with a lake and mountains and what I imagine would be excellent summertime weather. the day we went there was sunny and it was fun to sit on a bench next to the lake. Also I had the most delicious food I have had in Europe at Como.
In Milan I saw the castle and a India gate like structure, Frankly nothing much. There was a street display of photographs about Italy in what I imagine was one of the shopping streets of Milan which was interesting and informative.
On the way to Italy, I had a stopover at Munich and i saw and felt snow fall for the first time in my life. It was nothing more than a drizzle equivalent of snow but it was a first.
Rome is history and the Vatican. When I was at the Colosseum and the nearby Roman Forum, I tried to visualize the romans of yore walking through the same ground, no doubt aided by imagery from that unforgettable movie, Gladiator. There was nothing much to see but the deep sense of history that every stone in the place was steeped in was awe inducing. The holiest seat of the biggest relision of the world is noteworthy for its size. Saint Peter's basilica and the square in front of it are huge. the enteriors of Saint Peter's Basilica are decorated with an unimaginable number of sculptures and frescos. unfortunately, i could see the sistine Chapel as it was closed for the week.
Of all the cities in Europe, Venice stole my heart. Not for its canals or its gondolas but for its bazaars. I am not a shopocoholic by any stretch of imagination but the displays in the market were magnetic. One is perforce drawn to them. We didn't do any places but just wandered along the narrow alleys of venice. They are incredibly narrow, sometimes even two people can't walk abreast.
Como is just a nice little resort place with a lake and mountains and what I imagine would be excellent summertime weather. the day we went there was sunny and it was fun to sit on a bench next to the lake. Also I had the most delicious food I have had in Europe at Como.
In Milan I saw the castle and a India gate like structure, Frankly nothing much. There was a street display of photographs about Italy in what I imagine was one of the shopping streets of Milan which was interesting and informative.
On the way to Italy, I had a stopover at Munich and i saw and felt snow fall for the first time in my life. It was nothing more than a drizzle equivalent of snow but it was a first.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Austria Trip
This weekend we went to Austria, Vienna and Salzburg. Vienna is mainly a city of museums and big buildings, nothing different from the capitels of Europe I have seen so far. Went to the museum of natural history and the royal treasury. Unique thing about Vienna are the innovative artists beggars. i have seen them in other Europena cities but no where as there as many as in Vienna. they would paint themselves in silver or some other paint and act like statues. Then there were others, one dressed up like a soldier, giving the full salute with a sword and all while the other was dressed like a ghost.
Salzburg is the real deal. Out of all the cities in Europe I have so far visited (the big one's are missing: Paris, Rome, Berlin, Barcelona), Salzburg has the most to offer. We went to the ice caves which is 40 kms by train, 5km by bus and a cable car ride flanked by a fair rek on either side. The ice caves themselves are an extended version of the Amarnath caves and a guided tour is informative and enriching. In the evening I went to a castle, the Hofensalzburg. Aprt from that the other things to see, which we couldn't are the "Sound of Music" tour and eagle's nest. Eagle's nest is high up in the Alps and is where Hitler held his diplomatic meetings. The place sells like hot cake. I am hoping to make a second trip to Salzburg. In the old city part of the town there was a huge chessboard in one of the squares. Soon i will upload its photos. Dubey and Raman went for a free concert while I visited the castle. Salzburg is where Mozart lived and the city earns its bread selling his name. There are music concerts everyday and everything from chocolates to condoms sell with the Mozart name on them.
I have posted some pics from bergen to Oslo tour in Norway. It was very scenic. The description will follow shortly. The link and password for photos remain the same. If you are looking for sensational content, don't bother.
Salzburg is the real deal. Out of all the cities in Europe I have so far visited (the big one's are missing: Paris, Rome, Berlin, Barcelona), Salzburg has the most to offer. We went to the ice caves which is 40 kms by train, 5km by bus and a cable car ride flanked by a fair rek on either side. The ice caves themselves are an extended version of the Amarnath caves and a guided tour is informative and enriching. In the evening I went to a castle, the Hofensalzburg. Aprt from that the other things to see, which we couldn't are the "Sound of Music" tour and eagle's nest. Eagle's nest is high up in the Alps and is where Hitler held his diplomatic meetings. The place sells like hot cake. I am hoping to make a second trip to Salzburg. In the old city part of the town there was a huge chessboard in one of the squares. Soon i will upload its photos. Dubey and Raman went for a free concert while I visited the castle. Salzburg is where Mozart lived and the city earns its bread selling his name. There are music concerts everyday and everything from chocolates to condoms sell with the Mozart name on them.
I have posted some pics from bergen to Oslo tour in Norway. It was very scenic. The description will follow shortly. The link and password for photos remain the same. If you are looking for sensational content, don't bother.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Oktoberfest (28th September)
I went to the Oktoberfest which takes place in Munich in 28th September with a group from my exchange school. Actually Oktoberfest takes place all over Europe but the one in Munich is the most famous. My guess is that originally it was celebration of harvest and provided welcome gaiety before the onset of the harsh European winter. Today it’s a festival of unbridled beer drinking.
Oktoberfest is a fair in which breweries set up huge tents which can seat up to 10, 000 people. Beer is sold in one liter mugs, nothing less. The beer is very good and even though quite expensive is worth it for its quality and the ambience. There is lot of local Bavarian music and one can see lots of people dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes. An amusement park is also set up and there are stalls selling food and memorabilia.
The visit to the Oktoberfest has been the highlight of my stay in Europe so far. Since us Indians have been traveling a lot it hasn’t been possible to mix with other exchange students so well. This trip was perfect for it as many exchange students went and, of course, alcohol is always the best ice breaker. And break the ice it did, I remember spending all my time with girls who surely don’t remember my name now that we have been absent from the school for ten days owing to our trip to Scandinavia. It was a truly multinational effort ranging from Germany to Hungary to Mexico to Russia to Turkey to China and even India. Guys before you get all excited it was all very platonic. Our tight schedules don’t allow for anything more at all. Okay, I am being both vain and presumptous.
An Indian friend of mine had a little too much too quickly and passed out by three in the afternoon. The security carried him to the bus and he slept peacefully for the next three hours. We had to catch a train to Copenhagen at seven and in between waking him up, our bus getting stuck in the evening traffic and us losing ourselves; by the time we got to the train there were less than two minutes remaining. Some adventure. We hadn’t taken any water along and with alcohol working its effects we were both bone- thirty soon. The water on the train was 3 euros for half a liter. Earlier we had been teasing somebody for buying water for 5 euros a liter at the Oktoberfest. Talk about poetic justice. It is funny how in Europe water is as expensive as beer, juice and milk; sometimes even more.
Oktoberfest is a fair in which breweries set up huge tents which can seat up to 10, 000 people. Beer is sold in one liter mugs, nothing less. The beer is very good and even though quite expensive is worth it for its quality and the ambience. There is lot of local Bavarian music and one can see lots of people dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes. An amusement park is also set up and there are stalls selling food and memorabilia.
The visit to the Oktoberfest has been the highlight of my stay in Europe so far. Since us Indians have been traveling a lot it hasn’t been possible to mix with other exchange students so well. This trip was perfect for it as many exchange students went and, of course, alcohol is always the best ice breaker. And break the ice it did, I remember spending all my time with girls who surely don’t remember my name now that we have been absent from the school for ten days owing to our trip to Scandinavia. It was a truly multinational effort ranging from Germany to Hungary to Mexico to Russia to Turkey to China and even India. Guys before you get all excited it was all very platonic. Our tight schedules don’t allow for anything more at all. Okay, I am being both vain and presumptous.
An Indian friend of mine had a little too much too quickly and passed out by three in the afternoon. The security carried him to the bus and he slept peacefully for the next three hours. We had to catch a train to Copenhagen at seven and in between waking him up, our bus getting stuck in the evening traffic and us losing ourselves; by the time we got to the train there were less than two minutes remaining. Some adventure. We hadn’t taken any water along and with alcohol working its effects we were both bone- thirty soon. The water on the train was 3 euros for half a liter. Earlier we had been teasing somebody for buying water for 5 euros a liter at the Oktoberfest. Talk about poetic justice. It is funny how in Europe water is as expensive as beer, juice and milk; sometimes even more.
Brussels (16-17th September)
I saw very little of Brussels. Locals and the IIM A people on exchange in Brussels said there is very little to see. I saw the Grand place, which really is a courtyard surrounded by majestic buildings on all sides. Of course, the architecture of all the buildings looked very similar to my uneducated eyes. A friend of mine tells me that they might be different styles, e.g. gothic and renaissance. I also saw a thirteenth century cathedral called the ‘Cathedraal’. Took a couple of really good photographs but they aren’t remotely ‘interesting’.
From Brussels, we went to Bruggs, the real tourist place of Belgium. Really nothing much to see except once again a lot of old houses. It’s all preserved history. There were horse cart rides which we didn’t even enquire about, fearing the costs.
The real deal is the beer. Belgians are quite proud of their beer, and for once rightly so. Every region in Europe says their beer is the best but so far I have liked Stella the most. I had Stella and another one whose name I forget. Both were excellent, particularly Stella, which has incredible smoothness. The company producing Stella, by the way, is the oldest company in the world, now existing for some eight hundred years, almost the same time as Oxford and Cambridge, the oldest universities of the modern kind and times. Beer and scholarship have close ties.
Another thing about cities in Europe are the road side cafes, very classy looking. All cities have them. So far, we haven’t tried the food but hence forth we plan to.
From Brussels, we went to Bruggs, the real tourist place of Belgium. Really nothing much to see except once again a lot of old houses. It’s all preserved history. There were horse cart rides which we didn’t even enquire about, fearing the costs.
The real deal is the beer. Belgians are quite proud of their beer, and for once rightly so. Every region in Europe says their beer is the best but so far I have liked Stella the most. I had Stella and another one whose name I forget. Both were excellent, particularly Stella, which has incredible smoothness. The company producing Stella, by the way, is the oldest company in the world, now existing for some eight hundred years, almost the same time as Oxford and Cambridge, the oldest universities of the modern kind and times. Beer and scholarship have close ties.
Another thing about cities in Europe are the road side cafes, very classy looking. All cities have them. So far, we haven’t tried the food but hence forth we plan to.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Amsterdam trip
On arrival in Germany I needed a so called resident permit from the foreigner’s authority, officially to continue my studies beyond the 90 days that my visa allowed. As always, beyond the official reason, there was a more pressing personal motivation. This same resident permit allows me to travel to 18 EU countries besides possibly Switzerland.
Khair, got my resident permit last Friday (15/09/2006) and have since been to three countries besides Germany. Indeed, I have been changing countries more often than my clothes. The same afternoon we (four other Indian exchange students and me) got our residence permits, we headed to Amsterdam, that Mecca of sleaze. We didn’t know what we would do in Amsterdam, how long we would stay or where we would spend the night. First thing we do on getting down is to buy the city map, a tradition which we have followed in all other cities we have visited except Brussels, where the city map was simply not available. In fact when we told the tourist official that we were tourists she said, “If you are tourists what are you doing in Brussels?” In Amsterdam, we wandered around, clicking photographs like true blue tourists until our pilgrimage was complete and we reached the red light district. Amsterdam, mind you, has the most famous red light district in the world. By now it was getting late, there were plenty of dubious characters, some nine feet tall, on the streets and we had nowhere to spend the night. Various creative solutions like the park benches, the central monument of the city and the railway station were mooted. The railway station closes at midnight, the parks were considered too dangerous and it was hazarded that the police would not allow us to set up camp at the city monument. Luckily, accommodation, at 26 euro per bed was arranged for the night. That taken care of, we set down to the business of the night. A show of certain, shall we say, unique character was watched, along with, surprise of surprises, two middle aged couples from desh!! Thereafter was time for some idle roaming around the streets; soaking in the incredible street activity of the Amsterdam night, savoring women dressed in the fanciest clothes. We turned in at around 3:30.
Amsterdam is a discreet whore. Its daytime character is completely different, one abounding with museums. Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Anne Frank and Madame Tussad’s are the main. I could visit Van Gogh and Madame Tussad’s. For the first time, I can tell you names of famous paintings by anybody apart from Da Vinci and Michael Angelo. Van Gogh’s most famous paintings are the Sunflower and the Potato Eaters, both of which I saw. Of course, I know as much about paintings as about wine, absolutely nothing. It’s vanity, these visits to intellectual museums. Madame Tussad’s was a completely different matter. This is the original one and all of us clicked numerous photographs with the wax works. Had we planned a little better I would have definitely gone to the Anne Frank museum. Some other time perhaps, solace for all missed opportunities.
From Amsterdam, we moved to Brussels where we got the terrific response from the tourism authority. That in the next post
Khair, got my resident permit last Friday (15/09/2006) and have since been to three countries besides Germany. Indeed, I have been changing countries more often than my clothes. The same afternoon we (four other Indian exchange students and me) got our residence permits, we headed to Amsterdam, that Mecca of sleaze. We didn’t know what we would do in Amsterdam, how long we would stay or where we would spend the night. First thing we do on getting down is to buy the city map, a tradition which we have followed in all other cities we have visited except Brussels, where the city map was simply not available. In fact when we told the tourist official that we were tourists she said, “If you are tourists what are you doing in Brussels?” In Amsterdam, we wandered around, clicking photographs like true blue tourists until our pilgrimage was complete and we reached the red light district. Amsterdam, mind you, has the most famous red light district in the world. By now it was getting late, there were plenty of dubious characters, some nine feet tall, on the streets and we had nowhere to spend the night. Various creative solutions like the park benches, the central monument of the city and the railway station were mooted. The railway station closes at midnight, the parks were considered too dangerous and it was hazarded that the police would not allow us to set up camp at the city monument. Luckily, accommodation, at 26 euro per bed was arranged for the night. That taken care of, we set down to the business of the night. A show of certain, shall we say, unique character was watched, along with, surprise of surprises, two middle aged couples from desh!! Thereafter was time for some idle roaming around the streets; soaking in the incredible street activity of the Amsterdam night, savoring women dressed in the fanciest clothes. We turned in at around 3:30.
Amsterdam is a discreet whore. Its daytime character is completely different, one abounding with museums. Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Anne Frank and Madame Tussad’s are the main. I could visit Van Gogh and Madame Tussad’s. For the first time, I can tell you names of famous paintings by anybody apart from Da Vinci and Michael Angelo. Van Gogh’s most famous paintings are the Sunflower and the Potato Eaters, both of which I saw. Of course, I know as much about paintings as about wine, absolutely nothing. It’s vanity, these visits to intellectual museums. Madame Tussad’s was a completely different matter. This is the original one and all of us clicked numerous photographs with the wax works. Had we planned a little better I would have definitely gone to the Anne Frank museum. Some other time perhaps, solace for all missed opportunities.
From Amsterdam, we moved to Brussels where we got the terrific response from the tourism authority. That in the next post
Friday, August 18, 2006
Treat Club
This is not my writing. But its a part of who I am. Its a tribute to the time I spent in IIT, the best time of my life, so far.
The Brothers Kara-mazov (ByVarun Sud)
While I have your undivided attention let me make the most of it and maro a ganda you might otherwise have refused to be tortured with : Why can’t anyone find rooms B-23 to B-34 in Karakoram House IIT Delhi?.... Well, uhm uhm, because it’s the unreal wing!
Pick a random hour on a random day in a random semester. Mer, GrimReaper, Shakti, Pongi, DilbaghSingh, Maddu, PappiSingh, Vivid and TreatClubber are in intellectual discourse. A finished packet of Hungarian chocolate lies discarded in a corner. The topic of debate on 9 days out of 10 would have been the female homo sapien, but a certain Reading Comprehension in CAT 2003 has changed all that, and girls now come in a close second to Cultural Capital (or CC as it is colloquially known). Just then the phone rings in B-26 and a female voice (with which the above characters are by now only too well acquainted) asks: ‘Can I speak to Rohit Arora?’
And then before the topic of discussion can go back to how red (of low CC content) or green(of acceptable CC levels) a certain random someone is, Adidas makes the characteristic loud entry. And as always he has news. Mer has been spotted with two different female soldiers in Nescafe in the last 24 hours and what follows is a lengthy Spanish inquisition.
Just as the inquisition seems to have dragged on for too long without any logical conclusion, news arrives that X has just got a job. But Pongi crushes all cheer and hopes of demanding a party by recalling the rules of Treat Club, to which we swear allegiance.
The 1st RULE of Treat Club : You do not ask for a treat.
The 2nd RULE of Treat Club : You DO NOT ask for a treat.
The 3rd RULE of Treat Club: If someone says "no booze" or goes broke, taps out the treat is over.
The 4th RULE of Treat Club: Only two guys to an extra large pepperoni pizza and pitcher of beer.
The 5th RULE of Treat Club: One treat at a time.
The 6th RULE of Treat Club: No Vegeterian, no Chinese.
The 7th RULE of Treat Club: Treats will go on as long as Mer has not had his fill of cheesecake.
The 8th RULE of Treat Club: If this is your first night at TREAT CLUB, you HAVE to treat.
The mood is suddenly mellow as we realize rule 1 and 2 cannot be violated. But GrimReaper saves the moment by pointing out that Adidas should be currently attending the Ghazal Nite and not lurking around in this boring map, and everyone joins in the nuking as the normal mood of cheer and excitement returns.
It’s now close to 2 in the morning but that does not deter PappiSingh from being spotted in his towel, just out from his fifth bath of the day. (Now you know whom to curse the next time you are forced to use an unflushed toilet). Nor does this unearthly hour stop two friendly neighbourhood attachees, from Nil and Kumaon, respectively, from dropping in to check out a certain Vivid video creating waves on the LAN.
And GrimReaper has a party to attend at the Elite modeling school the next morning and Maddu has class as 8. And Shakti is apparently going to have a hangover tomorrow for he has been eloquently quoting Wordsworth for the past 20 minutes. And its now four in the morning and everyone clearly needs to sleep, but kya karen, UT pay jaana hai!!
The Brothers Kara-mazov (ByVarun Sud)
While I have your undivided attention let me make the most of it and maro a ganda you might otherwise have refused to be tortured with : Why can’t anyone find rooms B-23 to B-34 in Karakoram House IIT Delhi?.... Well, uhm uhm, because it’s the unreal wing!
Pick a random hour on a random day in a random semester. Mer, GrimReaper, Shakti, Pongi, DilbaghSingh, Maddu, PappiSingh, Vivid and TreatClubber are in intellectual discourse. A finished packet of Hungarian chocolate lies discarded in a corner. The topic of debate on 9 days out of 10 would have been the female homo sapien, but a certain Reading Comprehension in CAT 2003 has changed all that, and girls now come in a close second to Cultural Capital (or CC as it is colloquially known). Just then the phone rings in B-26 and a female voice (with which the above characters are by now only too well acquainted) asks: ‘Can I speak to Rohit Arora?’
And then before the topic of discussion can go back to how red (of low CC content) or green(of acceptable CC levels) a certain random someone is, Adidas makes the characteristic loud entry. And as always he has news. Mer has been spotted with two different female soldiers in Nescafe in the last 24 hours and what follows is a lengthy Spanish inquisition.
Just as the inquisition seems to have dragged on for too long without any logical conclusion, news arrives that X has just got a job. But Pongi crushes all cheer and hopes of demanding a party by recalling the rules of Treat Club, to which we swear allegiance.
The 1st RULE of Treat Club : You do not ask for a treat.
The 2nd RULE of Treat Club : You DO NOT ask for a treat.
The 3rd RULE of Treat Club: If someone says "no booze" or goes broke, taps out the treat is over.
The 4th RULE of Treat Club: Only two guys to an extra large pepperoni pizza and pitcher of beer.
The 5th RULE of Treat Club: One treat at a time.
The 6th RULE of Treat Club: No Vegeterian, no Chinese.
The 7th RULE of Treat Club: Treats will go on as long as Mer has not had his fill of cheesecake.
The 8th RULE of Treat Club: If this is your first night at TREAT CLUB, you HAVE to treat.
The mood is suddenly mellow as we realize rule 1 and 2 cannot be violated. But GrimReaper saves the moment by pointing out that Adidas should be currently attending the Ghazal Nite and not lurking around in this boring map, and everyone joins in the nuking as the normal mood of cheer and excitement returns.
It’s now close to 2 in the morning but that does not deter PappiSingh from being spotted in his towel, just out from his fifth bath of the day. (Now you know whom to curse the next time you are forced to use an unflushed toilet). Nor does this unearthly hour stop two friendly neighbourhood attachees, from Nil and Kumaon, respectively, from dropping in to check out a certain Vivid video creating waves on the LAN.
And GrimReaper has a party to attend at the Elite modeling school the next morning and Maddu has class as 8. And Shakti is apparently going to have a hangover tomorrow for he has been eloquently quoting Wordsworth for the past 20 minutes. And its now four in the morning and everyone clearly needs to sleep, but kya karen, UT pay jaana hai!!
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Impulsive
Thats what I am, impulsive. Quick to hope, quicker to dispair. Quick to love and to indifference (hatred is too strong to me). And this post too, an impulsive inspiration which deserted me as soon as I touched the keyboard. Now, i dont have a story to tell.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Stoned!!
Had decided that i would smoke grass once before i leave college. i did it today. in fact, am perfectly stoned right now. umpteen shots of vodka and as much grass as i could take. still after that i danced as well as i have ever done at the saturday midnight party we have at college. even danced with three girls and i don't think they would have been offended.
It's a day of firsts anyways. i bought my laptop and this post is being typed on that laptop.
All my drunkeness makes me think, is it a bad thing? No, i think not. not at all. i have been happy and bold, asked people to dance with an abandon that my sober soul hardly knows. i think this is good, heaven. world opinion be damned. and i am good enough to type out this post. god i wish this would last. but i am graduating early next year and then it would be all over. a thousand responsibilities, a mule under the yoke. sad human plight is, and we call it a career and a success. makes me laugh and cry out simultaneously.
What would i do if they allowed me to relive the last ten years of my life? I think i would become a perfect disgrace to my family. But i would not, my father would be too broken. Ah! there lies the chain with which i m tied to all, to the median path, to the standard, to oblivion.
Alas, I go to being the unknown citizen. How i would have loved ignonimony! ha ha
It's a day of firsts anyways. i bought my laptop and this post is being typed on that laptop.
All my drunkeness makes me think, is it a bad thing? No, i think not. not at all. i have been happy and bold, asked people to dance with an abandon that my sober soul hardly knows. i think this is good, heaven. world opinion be damned. and i am good enough to type out this post. god i wish this would last. but i am graduating early next year and then it would be all over. a thousand responsibilities, a mule under the yoke. sad human plight is, and we call it a career and a success. makes me laugh and cry out simultaneously.
What would i do if they allowed me to relive the last ten years of my life? I think i would become a perfect disgrace to my family. But i would not, my father would be too broken. Ah! there lies the chain with which i m tied to all, to the median path, to the standard, to oblivion.
Alas, I go to being the unknown citizen. How i would have loved ignonimony! ha ha
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Novels I Have Read- Part III
Do you take a little time to warm up when you write? I do. More on that later. To the novels now.
1. Diary of Anne Frank (2000): It is tough to belive that this book is the diary of a thirteen year old. Sweet book. Not for the intellect, but for the soul.
2. Heart of Darkness (2002): It is impossible to belive that the author wrote the book, ten years from the time he had his first brush with the language. The language, as I remember, is definitely a challenge. The book talks about White pioneers in Africs, of the white man's burden. Will have to re-read the book. This exercise is throwing up an unexpected benefit. I know which books I can and should re-read.
3. Tamas (2002): One of the two books I read as part of an Indan writing in english course. Talks of the communal tensions just prior to partition. Distinctly average book. The author came to address our class. next year he was dead. I had an autographed copy which some borrower never bothered to return.
4. Those Days (2002): The other book. Liked the book much more, much better told story. There are many love plots woven in a broad theme of the ills of Bengali society and its subsequent reform. The author is Sunil Gangoadhyay. His other book. first light is one which I will read on of these days.
5. Far from the madding crowd (2002): A simple romance by Thomas Hardy. A simple man and his fair maiden. Stuff of extremely naive dreams and crappy movies of the sixties. However the same story comes across much better in verse.
6. Ivanhoe (2002): A really old book, early 1830's I belive. Love and fighting. A gallant hero and a beautiful heroine.
7. Train to Pakistan (2002): I had heard so much about the book before reading it that expectations killed it. Frenzied hatred and inherent goodness of human soul set against the backdrop of partition is the theme.
8. Midnight Children (2002): The book began impressively well. Its a chronicle of India's progress from Independence to eighties. A lot of fantastic story telling which makes no attempt at sounding true at all. However, towards the end, it became well nigh impossible to follow the book. Left it incomplete
1. Diary of Anne Frank (2000): It is tough to belive that this book is the diary of a thirteen year old. Sweet book. Not for the intellect, but for the soul.
2. Heart of Darkness (2002): It is impossible to belive that the author wrote the book, ten years from the time he had his first brush with the language. The language, as I remember, is definitely a challenge. The book talks about White pioneers in Africs, of the white man's burden. Will have to re-read the book. This exercise is throwing up an unexpected benefit. I know which books I can and should re-read.
3. Tamas (2002): One of the two books I read as part of an Indan writing in english course. Talks of the communal tensions just prior to partition. Distinctly average book. The author came to address our class. next year he was dead. I had an autographed copy which some borrower never bothered to return.
4. Those Days (2002): The other book. Liked the book much more, much better told story. There are many love plots woven in a broad theme of the ills of Bengali society and its subsequent reform. The author is Sunil Gangoadhyay. His other book. first light is one which I will read on of these days.
5. Far from the madding crowd (2002): A simple romance by Thomas Hardy. A simple man and his fair maiden. Stuff of extremely naive dreams and crappy movies of the sixties. However the same story comes across much better in verse.
6. Ivanhoe (2002): A really old book, early 1830's I belive. Love and fighting. A gallant hero and a beautiful heroine.
7. Train to Pakistan (2002): I had heard so much about the book before reading it that expectations killed it. Frenzied hatred and inherent goodness of human soul set against the backdrop of partition is the theme.
8. Midnight Children (2002): The book began impressively well. Its a chronicle of India's progress from Independence to eighties. A lot of fantastic story telling which makes no attempt at sounding true at all. However, towards the end, it became well nigh impossible to follow the book. Left it incomplete
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Novels I Have Read-part II
Here begins my college sojourn. It would be very difficult to remember the choronology out here and the years i would give are approximate.
1. Atlas Shrugged (2001): The other epic of Ayn Rand, which is much more explicit about objectivism. however, for that very reason, I found it less enjoyable. It's a lot of theory and only a little a story.
2. Hundred years of solitude (2001): Magic realism, magic. This book introduced me to the writings of Gabriel garcia Marquez. The use of only two first names for all male characters in the book is what gives the book its character of stagnation but is, at the same time very confusing. However for people who want to read marques I wouldnt recommend this book as the starting point.
3. Love in the times of Cholera (2001): Best of the three Marquez books I have read and the one I will recommend for strangers to magic realism. However, this book is least representative of MArquez's patnt style of magic realism. Sometimes, but just as alcohol, its better that the introduction is small and mild.
4. A Portrait of the Artist as a young man (2001): Inspite of the fact that I can't remember the exact name of the book to save my life (goofed up in A interview) and the book was part of course reading, this is my favorite book. Introduced me to stream of consciousness, a style which appeals to me equally for its close imitation of reality and its complexity. Can't say that I can understand books written in this style completely, but still enjoy them a lot. These books are eminently re-readable, something which can't be said about too many books. Also, the description of the travails of growing up, and that too into something radical, is something I could understand. The irish setting exposed me to the hitherto unknown history of a new country, something thats never ceases to please me.
5. Lolita(2001): Don't shrug. Yes, the subject matter of the book is repulsive but this too was course reading. It is an example of experiments in modern fiction. Didn't enjoy the book that much. One last word, contrary to popular perception, there isn't much masala in this book.
6. A Clockwork Orange (2001): The third book I read as part of the same course, along with the two above. Even crazier that Lolita, this book by Anthony Burgees has been highly controverial in its time. The book is actually a thought experiment in my opinion and a rather intersting one. Rather sadly, I can't even remember the plot of the novel. Strange, very strange.
7. Grapes of Wrath (2001): Book by John Steinback, talks of poverty in America. Rather strange, you would think. But this was oklahoma, in times of depression. The book is a wonderful naration of how things go wrong with poor people.
8. Disgrace (2001): Award winning book by J.M koetzee, is about postb aparthied South Africa. Raises the question about historical retirbution and forms it can take. Distantly related to the reservation issue.
1. Atlas Shrugged (2001): The other epic of Ayn Rand, which is much more explicit about objectivism. however, for that very reason, I found it less enjoyable. It's a lot of theory and only a little a story.
2. Hundred years of solitude (2001): Magic realism, magic. This book introduced me to the writings of Gabriel garcia Marquez. The use of only two first names for all male characters in the book is what gives the book its character of stagnation but is, at the same time very confusing. However for people who want to read marques I wouldnt recommend this book as the starting point.
3. Love in the times of Cholera (2001): Best of the three Marquez books I have read and the one I will recommend for strangers to magic realism. However, this book is least representative of MArquez's patnt style of magic realism. Sometimes, but just as alcohol, its better that the introduction is small and mild.
4. A Portrait of the Artist as a young man (2001): Inspite of the fact that I can't remember the exact name of the book to save my life (goofed up in A interview) and the book was part of course reading, this is my favorite book. Introduced me to stream of consciousness, a style which appeals to me equally for its close imitation of reality and its complexity. Can't say that I can understand books written in this style completely, but still enjoy them a lot. These books are eminently re-readable, something which can't be said about too many books. Also, the description of the travails of growing up, and that too into something radical, is something I could understand. The irish setting exposed me to the hitherto unknown history of a new country, something thats never ceases to please me.
5. Lolita(2001): Don't shrug. Yes, the subject matter of the book is repulsive but this too was course reading. It is an example of experiments in modern fiction. Didn't enjoy the book that much. One last word, contrary to popular perception, there isn't much masala in this book.
6. A Clockwork Orange (2001): The third book I read as part of the same course, along with the two above. Even crazier that Lolita, this book by Anthony Burgees has been highly controverial in its time. The book is actually a thought experiment in my opinion and a rather intersting one. Rather sadly, I can't even remember the plot of the novel. Strange, very strange.
7. Grapes of Wrath (2001): Book by John Steinback, talks of poverty in America. Rather strange, you would think. But this was oklahoma, in times of depression. The book is a wonderful naration of how things go wrong with poor people.
8. Disgrace (2001): Award winning book by J.M koetzee, is about postb aparthied South Africa. Raises the question about historical retirbution and forms it can take. Distantly related to the reservation issue.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Novels I Have Read- Part I
I have often wanted to list down all the novels I have read. It will be useful in my old age. I will try to list them in the approximate order in which I read them but it might not be always possible. Also, will try to write a couple of sentences about what I remember from the book. So here I go:
1. A Tale of Two Cities (Class VIII): Marked as the beginning of my reading though I think I had read a few before this one. Set against the backdrop of the French revolution, it is a romance. This book will never have made Dickens a writer for children.
2. Little Women, Robinson Crusoe, White Fang, Wuthering Heights, Heidi and some more I don't remember(Class VII-VIII): All children books, all classics. I wouldn't have got anything else from my schoool library in a small town. Wuthering Heights impressed me most at that age. It's a story of kindness to a forsaken infant, of cruelty, of victory of good. Sadly, its the author's, Emily Bronte's, only book. I was in love with the author and the narrator for a while (I often had/have problems seperating the two).
3. War and peace (Class IX): I began reading serious stuff. To me, the book is nothing special even though its conseidered one of the two greats by Leo Tolstoy. The book's merit, I hink, lies in its recording of russian society of that time.
4. Anna Karenina (Class X): The second book by Tolstoy. While War and Peace is about public affairs too, this is more about family lives of the russian rich and not so rich.
5. Mother (Class IX): My favorite among the three russian novels I read in rapid succession. This novel is set against the growth of the socialist movement in Russia. Very effective narration of how common people, in factories, old women got into the revolution. Could be motivational/propaganda writing.
6. Sherlock Holmes (Class VIII-X): I read and re-read the entire collection. The plots, the thrill, the cool character of Mr. Holmes, lounging on the sofa at his 221, baker street lodgings, the descriptions of English coiuntryside and London: Mr. Holmes was my first hero.
7. Freedom at Midnight (Class IX): A wonderful account of the situation prevailing in our country just before independece through impartial eyes.
8. Fountain Head (Class IX-X): I read the book from cover to cover around seven times. The book was my favorite for many many years and I absolutely worshipped the character of Howard Roark right into the first year of college. An extremely well told story expounding the philosophy of objectivism. An interesting aside: Very aptly the author, Ayn Rand, was a russian who emigrated to USA.
My school readings in terms of serious literature ends with this. i also read Shakespeare's work, The Merchant of Venice, as part of course work but didn't find it very appealing.
1. A Tale of Two Cities (Class VIII): Marked as the beginning of my reading though I think I had read a few before this one. Set against the backdrop of the French revolution, it is a romance. This book will never have made Dickens a writer for children.
2. Little Women, Robinson Crusoe, White Fang, Wuthering Heights, Heidi and some more I don't remember(Class VII-VIII): All children books, all classics. I wouldn't have got anything else from my schoool library in a small town. Wuthering Heights impressed me most at that age. It's a story of kindness to a forsaken infant, of cruelty, of victory of good. Sadly, its the author's, Emily Bronte's, only book. I was in love with the author and the narrator for a while (I often had/have problems seperating the two).
3. War and peace (Class IX): I began reading serious stuff. To me, the book is nothing special even though its conseidered one of the two greats by Leo Tolstoy. The book's merit, I hink, lies in its recording of russian society of that time.
4. Anna Karenina (Class X): The second book by Tolstoy. While War and Peace is about public affairs too, this is more about family lives of the russian rich and not so rich.
5. Mother (Class IX): My favorite among the three russian novels I read in rapid succession. This novel is set against the growth of the socialist movement in Russia. Very effective narration of how common people, in factories, old women got into the revolution. Could be motivational/propaganda writing.
6. Sherlock Holmes (Class VIII-X): I read and re-read the entire collection. The plots, the thrill, the cool character of Mr. Holmes, lounging on the sofa at his 221, baker street lodgings, the descriptions of English coiuntryside and London: Mr. Holmes was my first hero.
7. Freedom at Midnight (Class IX): A wonderful account of the situation prevailing in our country just before independece through impartial eyes.
8. Fountain Head (Class IX-X): I read the book from cover to cover around seven times. The book was my favorite for many many years and I absolutely worshipped the character of Howard Roark right into the first year of college. An extremely well told story expounding the philosophy of objectivism. An interesting aside: Very aptly the author, Ayn Rand, was a russian who emigrated to USA.
My school readings in terms of serious literature ends with this. i also read Shakespeare's work, The Merchant of Venice, as part of course work but didn't find it very appealing.
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