Scotland referendum

Its so interesting that it came to a referendum in Scotland and the world media didnt have anything to say about it till a month ago. Its now that the referendum is now happening that we find so much of news for the last month or so.

I was just discussing it with a friend that how many countries have come up in the last 30 years of so. Russia broke up into numerous countries. People called it the downfall of the the Russia...it weakened and it split.

But the split in United Kingdom is interesting as UK is no where close to be a weak state, though it may become one if the split happens.

Being the dreamy kinds...I think British have gotten back what they gave to the world and India in particular...a split.

But the good thing is that if this split happens, it will be in a civilised manner.

The problem of looking formal in India - suit...safari suit?

So, you have an official meeting or a formal party...what do you wear? A suit... thats the answer. Men dont seem to have any other option. But speaking from an Indian point of view and taking into consideration the tropical kind of climate here...why would anybody want to wear an extra layer of clothing when its already hot out there. Rationality says you shouldnt but still I see people wearing coats in summer despite the 40 something temperature. Enough to prove that humans are not rational minds after all.

The worst to bear this brunt are the corporate guys and lawyers. Unki rag rag men coat(read suit) basa hota hai.  I feel wearing a coat in summer is the height of stupidity. Thats the reason I have always looked down at people wearing coats in peak summer (winter its still ok).

I have always preferred to wear a kurta pyjama as a formal attire but there was a time when I was to be interviewed by some top notch corporate guy and on the suggestion of a friend...wore a suit for the interview. Obviously I had to tell everybody around...could you put on the a/c ...its hot!.

 But do we have an option. There is no other way to look formal. A simple formal shirt isnt considered formal enough in many scenarios.

Thats why millions of Indians go that way. The neck tie is another such story by the way...extremely irrelevant for India...but yet the easiest way to be formal is to wear a tie. I am glad some progressive schools have now banned it.

One thing that has gone in favour of the suit is that the usage of air conditioners in India has increased and thus you could afford to wear a suit in you air conditioned office or car. But still for God sake...its summer.

I had at some time contemplated putting a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) to stop this inhumanity. Imagine a sales guy wearing a tie and suit...running after a bus. All lawyers are subject to this humanity by wearing neck ties or something similar  right in the Supreme Court.

Anyhow, I was travelling in the metro the other day and saw a gentleman wearing the safari suit. Now thats something hard to find these days. Its probably left to some old government clerks or business people to wear. I can remember the scene from the film Bunti and Babli, where Abhishek Bacchan wears the safari suit and sells the Taj Mahal.


Reading up about the Safari suit on the net was joy. With origins in Asia, perhaps Australia, designed to go on a safari and with multiple pockets, it became a city thing and had become a rage in the 1970's and 80's in India.  As an article said:

"The 70s and 80s saw the reign of the safari. In fact, one would see both a clerk and his managing director wearing a safari."  - http://www.dnaindia.com/speak-up/report-rise-and-fall-of-the-safari-suit-1072575

Another remarkable must read article on the safari suit is here - http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/south-asia/hail-the-safari-suit-vanished-symbol-of-modern-india

Though I also don't look at it as something fashionable these days but I think it was perhaps the best way to look formal or something like that for a country with a climate like India. At least you wear only a single layer and over that its a half sleeve suit.

May be our designers need to reinvent the safari suit and give an option to the 'slaves' we are to the Western  fashion with origins in cold climate countries. I know there are numerous designers from India doing great on the fashion scene. Kuch to karo bhai.

I saw this interesting website which sells safari suits...exclusively. Check out http://safarisuits.biz/ I am putting an image from their website...Doesnt it look cool.

The Metro Washbasin tap approach to life

Dont get bogged by the name. Its a simple approach - The Metro Washbasin tap approach.

The washbasin tap in my new office has been irritating me for a while now. It has sensors and when you get your hands around the tap...it senses movement and then automatically dispenses water. At least that is what it is meant to do. Its been over a month in office now and I find the sensors moody...they just wouldnt sense my hand movement...even if I just give the tap a pat near the sensor...no water.

But I am also the experimentative types...I have expertise in closing(read turning off) taps (read tooti) which no normal person can close. You just need to give the tap a vertical push downwards and simultaneously rotate the knob and turn it off. (I didnt want this traditional knowledge/secret  to go with me to the grave...so sharing it here).

But this being an electronic type...my prior experience with mechanical taps was no help. Also, had better sensor taps at my previous office.

But, now I have found the way to make it work. If at first it doesnt work despite the pat....just move your hand back a good one feet away from the tap...and straighten up (as if you are not interested in the tap)...and then...again put your hand at the sensors...and magic...it dispenses water.

I realised the same principle works at the metro station. If despite repeated attempts at the entry gate...trying different angles to touch the card/ticket on the scanner...it doesnt work...the gates dont open. All you have to do is take a step back....pause...(and pretend to the gate that you dont want to come in) ...and try again...and yes it works.

So, as I walked out of the loo...I started thinking..how true is this philosophy/approach in life. We keep on fighting with a situation...trying different ways to get out of it...and we keep fighting. Perhaps its good to just stop that...take a pause...step back (take a break) and then try. IT SHOULD WORK.

Well I think as I figured it out with the washbasin tap...I also figured that out in life. I am at the moment doing that in a relationship in life. And...things seem to be working out...though I think human beings are a little slower than taps in dispensing.

Before writing this entry, I just shared this approach with a colleague and she started sharing a similar or perhaps the same philosophy from Buddhism. The discussion later led on to another discussion on the concept of metaphysical hesitation...which great figures faced in life. Buddha after attaining nirvana hesitated if he should share the wisdom with people (or are people ready for it?)...he hesitated...but finally he did.

I think people are ready to understand this approach to life...No metaphysical hesitations!

Highway film review and thoughts

Oh what a film!

Its truly some great cinema. I just went to watch this film considering some good reviews on facebook. Had never thought that I would be writing about it soon.

The best thing about this film is some breathtaking cinematography...great shots of Indian countryside and Himalayas...so inspiring that I am considering hitting the highway tomorrow...really. One feeling that you get at a lot of places in the film is to break free.

Alia Bhatt and Randeep have perhaps given their best perfomances ever. The script of the film would have been very difficult to carry but the Director does it amazingly well. Portraying a relationship between a contract killer and a rich lass is extremely difficult...but if flows in this film. Randeep plays the perfect Haryanvi Bhati...accent is perfect.

The Stockholm syndrome is tough to depict...but it just happens in the film.

Some scenes in the film are extremely memorable...whether its Alia playing with the pistol as it snows or its Randeep Hooda breaking down towards the end. Zabardast. All the more the movie is very realistic.

Also, the film is about transformation as Alia transforms from a carefree rich girl to someone who can take on the world and break free. And Randeep from a cold contract killer to someone extremely soft.

This film is worth the hours spent in the theatre.

We need more of such cinema. Great work.

JNU days

Visited the Centre for Historical Studies(CHS) at the School of Social Sciences in JNU after a long time.

Time Stopped...

A LCD TV greets you now as you enter SSS-I.

After years I walked down the corridors of CHS. Glad to know that our stars Shashi Kapoor and Dharmender still rule over the subjects at CHS. While the reign of many a Chairperson ended...they still rule.

It was great looking at the names of Profs outside their cabins. Many have changes but there are still many who are there.

It was good to see our favourite Prof Yogesh Sharma shift to the corner room where our favourite Bengali Prof of ancient history used to sit.

As far as JNU goes...

A shocker for me was that Ganga Dhaba is no longer the cool place it used to be. The happening dhaba in campus is now opposite Tapti. Ganga Dhaba is now perhaps for old timers for us to sit and remember the good times we had there.

Perhaps I would soon need to write an obituary to the Ganga Dhaba.

Alltogether it was fun to be there...enjoying drink with old friends...as we remembered the best Profs in CHS. Kamtekar can feel happy as he did feature in the discussions.

Best dialogue of Saheb Biwi Gangster Returns

Ab main darta hoon kahin mera personal blog...ek film review blog na ban jaye. But I guess this is me so let it be...these days  i am watching a number of films.

So this film is awesome from many  angles...the acting, the locales, the characterisation and what not. Now one thing which makes a great film is its dialogues. Remember Sholay...most of us know at least a dozen dialogues from the film starting with Kitne aadmi the and what not. This film also has its share

1. Saheb...Hamen paise chahiye - Remarkable performance by  Mahie
2. I am a king...I can afford to have an extra wife - Jimmy Shergill to Raj Babbar
3. To ab do ho gaye...tamaatar aur..sensitive - one funny  scene in the film


But out here I just want to talk about  one dialogue in the film of which I have become a fan. Darasal...being with Landmark education for so long makes me see this dialogue in a very different light...ontological. In a way this dialogue is what Landmark is all about..if I were to say  so.

So, the scene is where Mahie meets the Gangster boy Irfan Khan and there is some exchange of dialogues. Then  Mahie says 'Lagta hai aap kisi se Ishq karte hain'

And then Irfan replies 'Aadmi ishq karta nahi hai...Aadmi Ishq men hota hai'. Now that is brilliant I think. Its an ontological statement.

While writing this post I just realised that its a grammatically wrong sentence in Hindi. Though it would not be in English i.e People are in love. In Hindi it always pyaar karna. anywhow..let me leave this linguistics apart.

But I just realised main pyaar karta nahi hoon...Main pyaar men hoon.

P.S - Main nashe men hoon

Adventurous and Unique and Cool Baby names

Often whenever a friend or colleague gets a baby in his or her family...they ask me to share some cool names  So I thought why not write a blog entry and send the link to anyone...who asks me for suggestions. Simple

This is my favourite list. I have put in the meanings wherever I know it.

BOYS:

Anand - old popular Hindi name
Anthony- My name is Anthony Gonzalvis
Anubhav- means experience
Bakshi - That was my grandfather's name
Hyder or Haidar-
Kabir - A popular saint of medieval India
Rustam - Very popular among Parsees
Sufi - comes from Sufism
Tashi - A popular name among Tibetans
Tenzin - Another popular Tibetan name
Vishwamitra- That is my Dad's name


GIRLS:
Catherine - love this name
Koohoo - thats what the Koel does
Khushi - means happiness
Muskaan - means smile
Michele- love this too
Mithi - means sweet
Siya- A mod version of Sita
Zohra- popular Muslim name
Zoya - A wow name...one of my friends has a daughter named Zoya

I will keep adding to this list as and when I get to hear new names...thats it for now...May your kids give you the joy of your life. Have a great parenthood