Sorry folks.I am addressing my blogreaders.The few of them.For having been out of the picture for a full fortnight.That is what my blogger.com tells me.One might think I was hibernating;actually,there was so much of work pressure that I just couldn't afford the luxury of blogging.Wonder whether that is a convincing reason,but I surely will be regular from today.More than disappointing my friends and dear Lulu,I will be disappointing myself if i were to fail in continuing this wonderful weblogging to which I have been initiated by Lulu.
After the Mumbai mayhem on 27/7,the city seems to be cracking.It's cup of woes overfloweth.The Government has still to put a plan in place to ensure that the blackletter day will not get repeated.Probably it is hoping that nature will take care of that too.And hasn't New Orleans met the same fate as Mumbai they say.Courtesy,Katrina.So don't keep blaming us.We cannot take on nature's fury.And there are lot of scapegoats being targetted. Plastic bags is one of them. And plastic bags have been banned from a month from now.How that is going to be implemented is anybody's guess.Old dilapidated buildings are collapsing like nine pins and there are atleast some 25,000 of them on a rough estimate fit to be bulldozed.But where will the residents go.The answer is simple.Transit camps.And some people have been living in these camps for more than 20 years as they have not been given alternative accomodation.The latest drive to evict resident from structurally unsound buildings has met with stiff resistance.A major confrontation is brewing.Our favourite Mumbai,amchi mumbai is in deep trouble.The administration is paralysed,armed burglary is on the increase,waste is mounting up and water is not safe to drink.Diseases are spreading and there is fear in everbody's mind.August has been monthis horribilis.Well actually,I should be referring to it as Sextilis and not August.That was its earlier name after Julius Caeser's grand nephew.I'll keep that for this evening.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Friday, August 12, 2005
Hotel Shreyas-Pune
That is a hotel cum vegetarian restaurant in Pune.
I went to Pune on official work and decided to stay overnight.I prefer to stay at clubs ,if possible, for 2 reasons.They provide you with the basic comforts and don't fleece you like the 5 stars.My colleague suggested that we try this restaurant started in the 30s by the Chitale family and famous for its vegetarian fare.The food was ethnic with a dash of gujerati stuff like dokla and patra but then I was told that it is also a part of maharashtrian cuisine.The tali peet-a chappati made out of the flour of all dals was gorgeous.And there was a continuous supply of rotis,bhakris,tali peet and puris with mirchis, followed by rice and kadi and dal.The dessert particularly puran poli was outstanding.The ambience was good,and the bill for 2 persons came to a little less than 200 bucks.They only serve meals,twice a day.Period.And the clientale is awesome.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Newspapers Galore
There are just too many newspapers now.The TOI monopoly appears to be fading.Of course there is Indian Express.But IE offers no competition.But then,now you have Hindustan Times and DNA almost simultaneously released in Mumbai.After the natural rains,you now have a rain of newspapers.Would it also be a disaster?.
I was used to seeing TOI and ET all these days.But then the attraction of reading HT and the new DNA at such attractive prices was too much of a temptation to resist.Of course,I have put a temporary hold on TOI,as I quickly assess both these newcomers.My first reaction was," ok,they seem to be quite good".But then,we cannot be carried away by the form.Multicolour splashing may be a treat for the eyes,but what good does it do to the mind.
I remember in our young days in Kolkata,how we three brothers would rush to the door to grab the Statesman,first thing in the morning.And turn to the last page to see what had happened in the previous day's football matches.Our father would ask us to read the Editorial as that would help in enriching our knowlege of the English language.I wonder how many of us have the time to read editorials these days.And are they worth reading?
So,the jury is out.We will know soon whether all the hype created by these two giants before their launch is paying off.More importantly,soon I would like to rank them for editorial independence,most uptodate news,sensitivity to social issues,and capacity to create awareness for citizen's rights and responsibilities.Page 3 stuff will get them negative points!.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
They just love their morning walk.
They are very intelligent and smart.When I am up in the morning and getting ready to take them out,they have already sensed it.And if there is some delay,they ask me "What's up,why the holdup".Today,it rained quite heavily in the morning.I decided to take them separately.Mango was taken to the Oval Maidan.He absolutely enjoys it.It is 20 minutes of paradise for him.He eases himself,then starts smelling grass,bushes,trees,cricket nets,what have you and chases the crows if any.Jumps into small cesspools of water and has great fun.Cherry had gone through a surgery.So I had to be extra careful.I took her separately on the nicely paved footpath leading to HLL,ICICI,etc.The road wore a clean look;freshly washed by the rains,no hawkers to litter the place,absence of cars and people.It was a calm and serene setting which Cherry loves.
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