The wise men said Athithi Devo Bhava, I have also read about it in text books in school. Experiencing it could be a little tough but if you pay loads of money people might do ADB duty reluctantly.
I was suffering from a terrible headache for around 3 three days. I wanted to consult a doctor for the same. I walked into a swanky hospital very apprehensively knowing that I can come out in tattered clothes. Since the headache was just unbearable the part of the brain which wanted to save itself from the raging virus forced me to enter the premises of a hospital which offers a discount on heart surgery (as suggested by a board outside ).
I had to wait for another half an hour to fourty five minutes during which I had to fill up a gazzilion forms asking questions to the uninterested receptionist. Finally my turn came and I entered the doctors cabin. She was late by another 15 minutes. The lady smiled, we shook hands , apologized for being late after which she started asking me about what I do where I work etc. After around 10 minutes she asked me what my problem was. I explained that I have a persistent headache which is driving me crazy. In between our conversation she had also mentioned that she was working in the US before coming back to India. My head had stopped thobbing a little, the lady made me feel really comfortable. Before every question with repect my personal habits she added words like "If you dont mind may I know if you are a smoker ?". Her instructions where crystal clear and she examined me almost for half an hour.
She wrote her instructions on a paper like an essay explaining my condition so that the next time I come with the same problem I dont have to "go through" a lot of formalities or at least there would be a history of all my health issues. I had an issue with my neck beacuse of spending long hours in front of the computer and not exercising it enough - and that was causing a throbbing headache. As opposed to the usual . What do you do ? I am a software engineer. Hmm You people are so reckless with your habits. Hehe. Ok take these medicines on time, and a . . you come back to me after a month or two. Ya ok fine . Nurse !!
Headache or no headache I felt like seeking an appointment with the Doctor every week so I can just talk with her feel happy and start my day. It was a first time experience for me.
The Flip Side.
I had to check if my Bank Account had been created with a leading PS Bank on the same day. I felt really happy because of the doctor experience. I sat in front of the lady who was supposed to anser my questions. She was talking over the phone sometimes and talking to the person sitting next to me. The dude left and I was alone in the cabin with this sleepy old lady. She kept checking some stuff, signing letters, cheque books , she was also talking over the phone. This continued for another 15 minutes. I initiated 'Madam I have come here to collect my cheque book, it has been a month since I applied and I have not received any post regarding this'. Then I had to answer a series of questions which I have answered at least 5 times - "When did you apply for the account ? " - Answer - 3 months back. "When did you apply for the cheque book ?" - Answer - 1 month back. "Hmmm Can you come next week, I am really busy this whole week " - Answer - But that is what you said last week. "Arrey !! You should have come in the morning then , I am really tied up in the afternoons " - Answer - I am sorry I am working and I can come only during lunch hours. "Sigh ! Ok fine ". Some name was called and it turned out to be a peon. He was instructed to give me the cheque book. He shook his head and went inside in a hurried manner. He came out with a flask of coffee or tea or poison or whatever it was. I asked him - "Boss where s my cheque book " - "Oh sorry sir I ll bring it rightaway ". After 15 mins I got my cheque book. The lady smiled feebly , I left the bank in a huff.
I guess since I did not have billions of notes in my account I was treated shabbily . Another instance is when I had to change my address. I was made to go through 5 minutes of hell before the half bald guy changed it.
Well, I experienced rare treatment on that day . The other 'normal' treatment was what I could relate better with. :D
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
The sad story of culture
Right and Left are strange bedfellows. They care of their child Culture with a feeling of overwehlming responsibility. To the extent of becoming overbearing.
Right also hates Left and vice versa, they snide and chide each other but to the outside world they are one. Since our society has undergone rapid urbanization in the past decade, the rules of playing the game seem to have changed. Culture is a big person now, Left thinks that Culture should not be hanging out in pubs and strutting about in malls wearing loose clothes. Left does not like the attention Culture is getting. Left wants Culture to be demure and workaholic, Culture should not indulge in acts of pompousness or indulgence. Culture is not acting upon the standards set by the forefathers.
Right on the other hand has radically different thoughts. Culture can be indulgent. What is so wrong about it ? Even if Culture tries to be like some other person. Right gives two hoots about having a defined identity. Culture can be imitative and pretentious. Theres no problem with that. Left and his friends and idiotic and unreasonable. Why should they put shackles on Cultures feet. Right quotes Cool and says this is correct. Gives examples of evolving cultures, quotes lines from movies and snubs Right. Right secrelty asks Culture to stay away from Left as much possible. Left is bad influence.Left fears for some reason that if Rights ideas are followed, Culture would remain backward.
Right conversely thinks that if Lefts ideas are implemented then the Rights lofty ideas of respect would be lost.
Unfortunately, Culture could not thrive in a place where everybody is right and wrong !
Right also hates Left and vice versa, they snide and chide each other but to the outside world they are one. Since our society has undergone rapid urbanization in the past decade, the rules of playing the game seem to have changed. Culture is a big person now, Left thinks that Culture should not be hanging out in pubs and strutting about in malls wearing loose clothes. Left does not like the attention Culture is getting. Left wants Culture to be demure and workaholic, Culture should not indulge in acts of pompousness or indulgence. Culture is not acting upon the standards set by the forefathers.
Right on the other hand has radically different thoughts. Culture can be indulgent. What is so wrong about it ? Even if Culture tries to be like some other person. Right gives two hoots about having a defined identity. Culture can be imitative and pretentious. Theres no problem with that. Left and his friends and idiotic and unreasonable. Why should they put shackles on Cultures feet. Right quotes Cool and says this is correct. Gives examples of evolving cultures, quotes lines from movies and snubs Right. Right secrelty asks Culture to stay away from Left as much possible. Left is bad influence.Left fears for some reason that if Rights ideas are followed, Culture would remain backward.
Right conversely thinks that if Lefts ideas are implemented then the Rights lofty ideas of respect would be lost.
Unfortunately, Culture could not thrive in a place where everybody is right and wrong !
Monday, February 9, 2009
Dial/Do Nothing for the Moral Police
The Indian Police are famous for arriving at any crime scene after it has been committed, thus goes the cliche. But not the moral police, they are always present at the scene of the crime even before it gets committed. It is a part of their job description - finding couples comforting each other in the public because of parental issues at home and shooing them off because they wanted that shady part in the park to smoke their beedis and play cards.
I salute the Pink Chaddi campaign and their initiative to take this issue to the next level of its fate. Frankly there is no end to this debate. That is precisely the reason why these hoodlums get their employment and their employees the moollah to carry out valiant attacks on pub going people. That is exactly the reason why there are so many people affiliated to political parties - because there is so much to debate. And, the best part is you do not have to conclude anything. Did Ram live here ? Did Ram actually build a bridge to Sri Lanka ? The debate is endless.
What defines our culture ? Who is the caretaker ? Which communities should be allowed to do what ? Ok let me define it. Who the heck are you to define it ? It is my prerogative. No its mine.
Doesnt this explain all the excitement !!
I salute the Pink Chaddi campaign and their initiative to take this issue to the next level of its fate. Frankly there is no end to this debate. That is precisely the reason why these hoodlums get their employment and their employees the moollah to carry out valiant attacks on pub going people. That is exactly the reason why there are so many people affiliated to political parties - because there is so much to debate. And, the best part is you do not have to conclude anything. Did Ram live here ? Did Ram actually build a bridge to Sri Lanka ? The debate is endless.
What defines our culture ? Who is the caretaker ? Which communities should be allowed to do what ? Ok let me define it. Who the heck are you to define it ? It is my prerogative. No its mine.
Doesnt this explain all the excitement !!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Awaiting the biggest blockbuster of the year.
Yes ! Barack Obama swearing in to become the president of the United States of America. Like a huge blockbuster in the making, publicized and marketed, Obamas presidency has huge expectations on it. The swearing in ceremony has whipped up huge interest and people are going to throng around Television sets all over the world to witness the new star.
He is going to deliver the world from its current economic woes by bailing out the economy. He would forge new partnerships with India. Raising spending on healthcare and other tax related reforms. Osama bin laden will be captured ! He is basically going to clear the rot which has been fermenting under the dirty carpet. These expectations are not less than sky high. Obama related goodies has suddenly become a profit making business in the United States.
This is just the build up to the actual thing and people have already started feeling happy about it. That is where the problem basically starts. Everyone wants to live in a recession and terror free world. But it is wrong of everybody again to pin their hopes on the president of the the United States.
Obama is no superman. I do not expect much of him. However I am happy that he is holding the position because he seems to have a rare case of sophistication !! Reviving the economy or doing magical things is not the doing of a single individual. If his team does a good job it can stem the rot to a certain extent.
He is going to deliver the world from its current economic woes by bailing out the economy. He would forge new partnerships with India. Raising spending on healthcare and other tax related reforms. Osama bin laden will be captured ! He is basically going to clear the rot which has been fermenting under the dirty carpet. These expectations are not less than sky high. Obama related goodies has suddenly become a profit making business in the United States.
This is just the build up to the actual thing and people have already started feeling happy about it. That is where the problem basically starts. Everyone wants to live in a recession and terror free world. But it is wrong of everybody again to pin their hopes on the president of the the United States.
Obama is no superman. I do not expect much of him. However I am happy that he is holding the position because he seems to have a rare case of sophistication !! Reviving the economy or doing magical things is not the doing of a single individual. If his team does a good job it can stem the rot to a certain extent.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Slumdog Millionare
A Bollywood masala flick by a Hollywood director. The mozart of Madras winning the Golden Globe award for what is certainly not his best composition. A very 70's Bollywood rags to riches formula with the present day & Mumbai scum as its background. It was a truly gripping film with its share of twists and turns but from a very Indian point of view this is certainly not that movie which should have got the first Golden Globe. There have been many truly wonderful pieces off Indian Cinema which have been doled out for the past so many years but they were never recognised .
Whatever the movie has to offer has already been discussed. These are my opinions on the other stuff.
Anil Kapoor has long been one of the most underrated actors in the Hindi film industry - constantly sidelined and always out of the glare. The host of 'Who wants to be a millionare' in Slumdog, Anil Kapoors performance was top class. The negative shade was rendered beautifully in the movie, it was also a never seen before gig by him.
A.R.Rehman has always been away from the din of the media. The soft spoken genuis from Madras whose talent has been begging for attention for the last couple of decades. With an impeccable record Rehman should be revered as a contemporary musical genius. The 60s and 70s were considered to be the golden age for Hindi music. This is very much true but good music in the 90s and 00s has very much had the 'Rehman' stamp on it.
Mahesh Manjrekar for delivering all those profanities with so much ease - another under rated actor/director.
A bunch of talented but unkown/ under rated/ unknown actors have hit the nail on the center of the head with less effort. It is easy to make a movie on Mumbai - theres a tale in every street. But it is not possible to make another Slumdog Millionare or Satya or Vastav.
Kudos to team Danny Boyle who had the guts to do something like this.
Whatever the movie has to offer has already been discussed. These are my opinions on the other stuff.
Anil Kapoor has long been one of the most underrated actors in the Hindi film industry - constantly sidelined and always out of the glare. The host of 'Who wants to be a millionare' in Slumdog, Anil Kapoors performance was top class. The negative shade was rendered beautifully in the movie, it was also a never seen before gig by him.
A.R.Rehman has always been away from the din of the media. The soft spoken genuis from Madras whose talent has been begging for attention for the last couple of decades. With an impeccable record Rehman should be revered as a contemporary musical genius. The 60s and 70s were considered to be the golden age for Hindi music. This is very much true but good music in the 90s and 00s has very much had the 'Rehman' stamp on it.
Mahesh Manjrekar for delivering all those profanities with so much ease - another under rated actor/director.
A bunch of talented but unkown/ under rated/ unknown actors have hit the nail on the center of the head with less effort. It is easy to make a movie on Mumbai - theres a tale in every street. But it is not possible to make another Slumdog Millionare or Satya or Vastav.
Kudos to team Danny Boyle who had the guts to do something like this.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Media Sensibility and other Jokes Part 1.
India's fourth estate is as diverse as the country itself.
You have the national news channels - motley of Hindi and English news channels and entertainment channels. Or as Homer Simpson would suggest 'Infotainment Channels'. From a dog marrying an guy ( is it a bitch !? who cares ) to Magicians performing their mumbo jumbo on scantily clad girls. This is what our Hindi media has to show from a country of some millions more than a billion . Oh yes ! I forgot about the talk shows - the audience is fed with all this gobledeegook and then comes that part when phony people up to ask their weirdo questions.
Out of Cricketers comment on the performance of the Boys in Blue. Thank God the team has been winning more than often nowadays. At least for the good of the country the media has good things to say about them. Otherwise the current working/performing cricketers would see their own putlas burning in some by alley of Kanpur - as part of an 'exclusive' coverage by some news channel.
The english news channels are a bit more polished because they cater to the so called intelligensia ( I do not think any body in their right minds would listen to the Hindi media ). They seem to have better content obviously in a country like India you cannot run out of content. And then theres the world to cover and comment about ! Sometimes you get the feeling that the over the top news anchors know very less about the subject so they act emotionally and become a part of the debate instead of moderating the conversations. I am referring to the India - Pakistan debates hed on television in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks.
Even if the content is same there is a small difference between the Hindi and English media the way it is presented is pretty different. The Hindi news channels add adjectives and adverbs in a very politicianisque way so even a remotely positive news , rare species but not extinct yet.
The debates are better in the English news channels simply becasue of the contacts the higher ups in the news channels hav got and not because of the information provided or debated over. The hindi news channels are just not interested in quality - It is not a part of their manifesto !
The most intriguing part of the whole Infotainment business is the music. Well, the haunting music which becomes a part of any so called serious news item has such screwball bgms that you are reminded of a Ramsay ghost buster flick.
You have the national news channels - motley of Hindi and English news channels and entertainment channels. Or as Homer Simpson would suggest 'Infotainment Channels'. From a dog marrying an guy ( is it a bitch !? who cares ) to Magicians performing their mumbo jumbo on scantily clad girls. This is what our Hindi media has to show from a country of some millions more than a billion . Oh yes ! I forgot about the talk shows - the audience is fed with all this gobledeegook and then comes that part when phony people up to ask their weirdo questions.
Out of Cricketers comment on the performance of the Boys in Blue. Thank God the team has been winning more than often nowadays. At least for the good of the country the media has good things to say about them. Otherwise the current working/performing cricketers would see their own putlas burning in some by alley of Kanpur - as part of an 'exclusive' coverage by some news channel.
The english news channels are a bit more polished because they cater to the so called intelligensia ( I do not think any body in their right minds would listen to the Hindi media ). They seem to have better content obviously in a country like India you cannot run out of content. And then theres the world to cover and comment about ! Sometimes you get the feeling that the over the top news anchors know very less about the subject so they act emotionally and become a part of the debate instead of moderating the conversations. I am referring to the India - Pakistan debates hed on television in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks.
Even if the content is same there is a small difference between the Hindi and English media the way it is presented is pretty different. The Hindi news channels add adjectives and adverbs in a very politicianisque way so even a remotely positive news , rare species but not extinct yet.
The debates are better in the English news channels simply becasue of the contacts the higher ups in the news channels hav got and not because of the information provided or debated over. The hindi news channels are just not interested in quality - It is not a part of their manifesto !
The most intriguing part of the whole Infotainment business is the music. Well, the haunting music which becomes a part of any so called serious news item has such screwball bgms that you are reminded of a Ramsay ghost buster flick.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Movie Buff
What are your hobbies? Well, I love reading books, listening to music and watching movies - I am a movie buff if you like it.
Who is the true movie buff ?
I hear a sob as I watch Taare Zameen Par in the theatre ( First Day First Show ! ). A seemingly normal guy cries as he sees Ishaan Awasthi struggling with his Math, English and all the other subjects. I am sure like a Yash Chopra dream sequence he would have sung Maa in the screen but with a mid ninties sort of editing. Although the song was really heart warming meant to melt even the hardest of iron hearts. The same person would empathize with Ranbir Kapoor in Bachna E Haseeno and feel loved/ cheated in the same way as the protagonist himself. An elder version of this movie buff clan would have surely got influenced by Kamals Indian ( Hindustani ) and got an adrenaline shot after coming out of the theatre. The wannabe friendly 'Bhai' across the street wants to be the next Munnabhai. The next successful entrepreneur ( which is like 90% of the educated youth of today ) wants to be like Guru - mouthing dialogues from the movie very seriously when faced with uncomfortable questions. The worst variety - people who cry while watching a Karan Johar movie ( eeeewk )
Who is the true movie buff ?
I hear a sob as I watch Taare Zameen Par in the theatre ( First Day First Show ! ). A seemingly normal guy cries as he sees Ishaan Awasthi struggling with his Math, English and all the other subjects. I am sure like a Yash Chopra dream sequence he would have sung Maa in the screen but with a mid ninties sort of editing. Although the song was really heart warming meant to melt even the hardest of iron hearts. The same person would empathize with Ranbir Kapoor in Bachna E Haseeno and feel loved/ cheated in the same way as the protagonist himself. An elder version of this movie buff clan would have surely got influenced by Kamals Indian ( Hindustani ) and got an adrenaline shot after coming out of the theatre. The wannabe friendly 'Bhai' across the street wants to be the next Munnabhai. The next successful entrepreneur ( which is like 90% of the educated youth of today ) wants to be like Guru - mouthing dialogues from the movie very seriously when faced with uncomfortable questions. The worst variety - people who cry while watching a Karan Johar movie ( eeeewk )
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