When existence becomes boring, painful and demanding. When drudgeries of life begin to overtake you, it’s time to immerse yourself in nature’s arms. I have always loved being one amongst nature and as a member of the honourable Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), I could not have left the chance of exploring the deeper jungles of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park go unnoticed. So here I was on a Sunday morning in my trekking gear (without carrying the most important kit of all - water), joining a group of nature enthusiasts at the entrance of the park and of course my dear friend Hemant who was giving me company with his Nikon D40 and the works.
We made our way towards the deeper portions of the park called Silonda, which is a natural habitat for most wild animals including the famous leopards and the spotted deer. That also includes a variety of birds and vegetation that one must not have known despite spending half the life around this vast green expanse. Sadly most visitors to the park have rarely explored the real beauty and have turned the area into a lovers paradise. The first sighting of the morning that got everybody excited was a pair of colourful Kingfishers. Soon the cameras were pointing in that direction, the professionals peeking into their dark funnels wanting to capture this gifted moment for posterity.
The path to our rendezvous passed along a small village with thatched houses. The sun had just woken up shining mildly across the landscape that was littered with greenery, scampering fowls and a few kids getting ready for their daily wash. A little later we turned around from the paved road and prepared to enter into the arms of mother nature with a visible glee on our faces. Our walk through the dusty lane had begun. Nature indeed had surprises waiting for us. As our tour guides Sanal and Vithoba unearthed the secrets for us, everybody especially the kids were dropping their jaws in awe. The secret mother nature goody bag included trees that had medicinal qualities - one plant is used by tribals to treat some puss infected wounds, ants that chew the bark and build “pagoda” shaped nests out of the morsel, a “hitler” bug that lives in the dry leaves, a bird that literally sounds “I will beat you” when he’s calling out to his mate; not that it has any evil intentions for his partner. The group consisted of some expert bird watchers who could recognize a species by their calling sound. One such teenager was carrying a manual of birds that were found in the Indian sub-continent and showed me a particular sketch of a bird after listening to its sound (birds are difficult to be spotted in the forest environment). I was happy to see his latent enthusiasm. The guides then told us that the forest can be experienced in its full glory during the monsoon season when one gets to pass through the overflowing river and see a variety of anthropod and insect species including scorpions. During this season the forest is surrounded by tall bamboo shoots and fog which makes visibility difficult.
After walking for around 2 hours without at a stretch, we reached a dry river bed where we settled down for a round of drinks and food. A monitor lizard was basking in the afternoon sun on one of the boulders. The camouflage didn’t work for it as some members spotted it and thus began an elaborate photo session that would have made any supermodel envious. It however seemed unperturbed by the unnecessary attention it was drawing. Meanwhile I looked for an obscure spot in the terrain to rest my suffering carcass. For someone used to walking on the leveled tarred surfaces of the urban cityscape, mobility on the rocks and the uneven surfaces with the camera load could mean a huge challenge as my photographer friends would agree with me. The trek ended on a high note literally when the group congregated on a small hillock and began introducing themselves randomly while I rested my aching feet once again on the rock surrounded by some grass. At this stage I had no clue if I was thirsty or hungry. But I was feeling elated after that physically gruelling walk through the jungle and having made it this far. On our way back we saw a pair of Chital (spotted deer) behind a thick growth and we all stood in our tracks to watch the animal in its natural surroundings. Just then an enthusiastic mother bellowed gleefully to her son that alerted the Chitals who made a dash for the deeper reaches of the forest. The only sighting of a wild animal for us today (even if it was a spotted deer) was ended quite abruptly to our disappointment.
As we made our way back to our respective civilizations, leaving behind the visions of the flora and the fauna, the lingering freshness of the air and chirping of the forest birds, we promised to be back in nature’s arms very soon.
This weekend was surely a memorable one for me. It presented a great chance to catch up with my past life and relive those fine moments of childhood fun and pranks. The mad scramble for career and lifestyle had detached me practically from strengthening my friendships. It was great to meet up with the likes of Tikoo, Amish, the Dixit brothers Samir and Hiren after a long long time. These are men who were boys sometime ago and grew up with me. We played together, fought over “wrong” umpiring decisions and even stopped communicating with each other for a while but that did not dent the spirit of our relationship at all. The place where I live had a good amount of females which also gave us an opportunity to play outdoor games which today’s youth might find hard to compete. The common issues that plague our apartment ensures that we forget our miseries and unite in the favor of a solution. In such circumstances, nothing else matters to us than the protection of our “motherland”.
The weekend’s impromptu meeting was a nostalgic one. It was heartening to know that the members of our team are progressing by leaps and bounds in the society. Most of them married and settled in life but some still strongly focused on their careers. Many are making inroads into the IT and Telecom industry. TCS, Wipro, Infosys, Reliance InfoComm, they are all planted there. Nishit has been abroad for a long time now serving his IT company there in software solutions while Amish is the future of medical science for us. Samir works in shifts but finds time to take his son and family out. We caught up with him on Saturday while he was returning from one of his trips with his little angel Hrishikesh who’s bewildered look at being introduced to me, reminded of the touch that I have lost with the families and friends around.
As evening fell on the day, it was time to meet another set of friends from the school days after 18 years! It all seemed unbelievable. The Internet helped Yogesh to meet me and then we networked and got some more friends to bunch up. Finally only a few showed up but the absence did not dampen the charm of nostalgia with 4 of my trusted buddies. We decided to hook up at a restaurant owned by another of my batch mate Sudhir who was a fine cricketer and had represented our school Sheth Gopalji Hemraj in many inter-school tournaments.
I recognised the podgy Yogi and the lank Rajesh but many were surprised when Sandeep entered the scene. They were noticing the change after a long duration. After the food and drinks were partaken, we stood outside for hours on the chilly roadside gossipping and making fun on the tid-bits from our past life, relishing it with the sweet paan. Our crushes on our faithful teachers, the fun that we had ragging a certain classmate, the love stories of our childhood, the period bunks, our mates who have settled abroad and the huge fights. I did skip a heart beat reliving that time just when my buddy’s phone starts ringing, the magic spell breaks and I am brought back from time. Realization dawns that we are no longer those naughty kids. There are other important things that have taken precedence in our existence. Just like my “chaddi” buddies back at my house, my schoolmates have progressed equally strong over the years. Yogi does a good job managing his print & production business, Sudhir’s become a smart restaurateur, Sandeep has been working for an MNC bank while Rajesh has become a Homeopathy doctor with a faithful list of clientele.
Amit, Ninad, Suhas and Kamalkant could not make it for various reasons but we do hope to arrange a grand event sometime in the future and have them show up for sure. Now that we have bonded in 18 years after the unfortunate split, we must not say goodbye just so soon.
It’s unusual that I am writing this on valentine’s day for some reasons. Firstly, a handful fundamentalists in the region believe this occasion to be ‘commercial exploitation’ and it’s celebration as an insult to their religion. I mostly agree with them and certainly feel that the capitalists make a lot of profit from these festivities. Secondly, the event and the ethos has lost it’s meaning somewhere between the college and my profession for a stark personal reason. But I would like to support any such activity which promotes cultural harmony and peace in the current unruly environment in which we’re breathing. So here’s my small tribute on this official day of love and care for your mate.
I am presenting a song by Krishna Kumar Menona.k.a KK. I had written last year about his concert, how his singing performance and his atypical voice quality had left an indelible mark on my mind. During that show, KK had mentioned working on his forthcoming album after a long time - his second infact after ‘Pal’ which was a big success. The song is called ‘Aasman Ke’ (Belonging to the Skies) from his latest album ‘Humsafar’ (Companion). The lyrics are penned by Mehboob and composed by Kalyan Barua. The song is a plea to the god - ‘the stars belong to the skies so where is my moon’ says the lone lover (every loner would be chanting this on Valentine’s today). KK’s mushy voice brings a surreal romantic feel to the song which can only be experienced and rarely expressed. The enchanting music video has Suhasi Garodia in the lead. She’s a model and the actress from the TV series ‘Aek Chabi Hai Padoss Mein’ (STAR Plus), also an accomplished dancer and blessed with ravishing looks. Enjoy the day you lucky people and I wish many more to come in your life :-)
(If you’re unable to see the embedded YouTube video, click here.)
Asmaan Ke Hain Saare Taare
Hai Mera Chaand Kahan
Ankhein Hai Num
Dil Mein Hai Gum
Ho Kuch To Rehem Khuda
OuouOO Oo
Mere Pyaar Se Mila
OuouOO Oo
Sun Le Meri Dua
Hai Char Din Zindagi
Gum Hai Bepanaah
Yeh Dil Mera Kho Gaya
Dard-e-Bedawa
Berang Hai Mera Jahaan
Kismat Meri Sajaa Zaraa
Asmaan Ke Hain Sare Taare
Hai Mera Chaand kahan
Ankhein hai num
Dil mein hai gum
Ho Kuch To Rehem Khuda
OuouOO Oo
Mere Pyaar Se Mila
OuouOO Oo
SunLe Meri Dua
Chahat Ki Rasmon Ko
Hum Nibhaye Jaate hain
Ishq Ke Dard Ko Sehte Hain
Aahon Mein Ashko Mein
Raaatein Guzre Sanam
Imtehaan Sab De Chuke
Abb to Dede Sila
OuouOO Oo
Mere Pyaar Se Mila
OuouOO Oo
Sun Le Meri Dua
Dil-e-Nadan Maane Abb Na
Yeh Zid Pe Hai Yahan
Chahaton Ki De Nishani
Ya Mita Mere Nishan
Berang Hai Mera Jahaan
Kismat Meri Sajaa Zaraa
OuouOO Oo
Mere Pyaar Se Mila
OuouOO Oo
Sun Le Meri Dua
The new season of MTV Hero Honda Roadies 5 is back and the auditions began airing on the channel for some weeks now. It’s Nikhil Chinappa and Raghu Ram who are back as judges distressing the poor kids into submission in the Torture Cell as it’s famously called. To give you an example from a recent episode, a candidate was asked to act like a monkey and the guy took the word so seriously, the next thing the judges knew he was pouncing on their table, discarding the sheets of paper and dropping the objects all around. Phew! he sure came closer to being sent to an asylum or a zoo at that point. On the other hand, you can bet that the anti-censorship lobby of the media would love to watch this show. No matter how many cuss words are beeped out by the channel (which is meant for the family), one can still make out the language being used from the lip movements (which need to be blurred on screen as well). It’s evident how hypocritical our censorship rules are which are so starkly displayed on television every week, it would put even the sleazy film directors and dialogue writers of Bollywood to shame.
I acknowledge that I derive some irrational fun from the show. It’s a feeling similar to when one gets in a space whilst watching 2 hunks slugging it out on the mean Mumbai street and the rest of the crowd just stands there watching. It’s an empathetic feeling of not being in that sorry position like the two fighting men and yet participating in the proceedings in a sadistic way which is safer from a distance. I can laugh, I can swear at them and I can empathise which is more important than the rest of the excuses. The abrasiveness of the judges, the contemptuous language with which the candidates are addressed; it’s surpising that the registrants have not filed a police complaint for mistreatment on the show which is watched by thousands if not millions every week. And yet, there is such a mad rush to become a “Roady” that many are willing to undergo the brutality of the reality show.
The desperation of becoming an overnight celebrity had pushed one gentleman from the Delhi audition rounds to fake a blind person which was so pitiful and disgusting. He even turned up for the Jaipur round despite being caught and rejected previously and this time he was manhandled and thrown out of the premises. Good riddance I thought and for once even the judges seemed to have shared my opinion.
This post was lying untouched and unedited in my notebook for the past 4 months until I decided to revive it today, for the sake of those who want to opt for a branded PC in India (especially DELL). After working on PCs ( both branded and assembled) I am of the opinion that the branded ones give you the best performance and value for your money.
Last year when it was time to upgrade the PC and I picked up a DELL without much ado. I had heard praises about its sales, service and quality of the machines from my bro-in-law in Hong Kong who’s a big admirer of DELL. Soon after the PC came home, I also wrote about the deplorable experience that I faced in one of my earlier post on this website. However, I discovered another issue this time with the DVD RW/ROM that came along with the configured machine. According to a sales rep, I was the first customer reporting this problem and that shocked me even further because the issue was with my region locked DVD RW/ROM that shipped with my DELL Inspiron 530s and I swear to god, I was had no knowledge of this issue prior to settling for this configuration. My contention was that just like any other component including the monitor, the RAM, the processor, etc., I should have been given a choice by the company to select from a region locked or a region free DVD RW/ROM drive and I was completely clueless about the same. I have not received a satisfactory reply from the makers and hence this article.
What’s DVD Region Coding?
Firstly we need to understand what does Region coding mean and what are its implications. Here’s an explanation straight from a website - “Region coding” is a technological scheme designed to make a DVD purchased in one part of the world unusable anywhere else. This is done by splitting the world up into seven “regions” and then coding a DVD to only be usable on players coded for those regions [citation].
The logic is clear here - it inadvertently means the PC which I configured for myself i.e. after caring for the processor speed, the HD capacity, the monitor size, the RAM, etc. shipped with a DVD RW/ROM that was pre-configured without my knowledge to play only Region 3 DVDs. Not to forget that I can change the pre-configured region settings to upto 4 times only. Consequently the hardware locks itself permanently to the last set region-code and you have to live with it for life. It means I have no control over how I entertain myself and DELL dictates what I should be watching on MY OWN PC for which I paid through the nose! talk about fairness, huh?
What happened at DELL?
After I rang up DELL India customer service at Bangalore, they had no clue (or probably they had) about what I was talking. I was thoroughly disgusted with their laid-back replies and wanted them to replace this “faulty” DVD Drive with a region-free one. One thing I told them consistently was that I was not going to live with this thing forever. I was sure being a global company it was well within its control to do it but they were dragging it far too long and I was losing my patience on this. After several rounds of sweet telephonic talk, one of their lead technicians got back to me with a trial software which could surpass the region-locking code which was unacceptable to me because I would have to pay for using it (unless DELL India was prepared to sponsor it). I finally raised my temper and blasted the technical lead. I also wished to speak to Rajan Anandan (Vice President & GM – Dell India) or even go to the consumer court if this problem was not resolved in the next 5 days. To cut the long story short, the DELL sales rep who had taken my initial order confirmed to get back soon after some time with a solution. I haven’t heard from him as yet.
I do hope that if you’re buying a PC (from DELL or whoever else in India), please clarify the issue of DVD Region-locking first before placing the order. It’s crucial for the benefit of your entertainment freedom otherwise you’d be compelled to use some third-party software that removes the DVD region-code and plays it for you. Having said whatever I have in the last couple of paragraphs, let me conclude by admitting that I still like DELL and I expect that they’d pay attention to this problem sooner or later.
When existence becomes boring, painful and demanding. When drudgeries of life begin to overtake you, it’s time to immerse yourself in nature’s arms. I have always loved being one amongst nature and as a member of the honourable Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), I could not have left the chance of exploring the deeper jungles of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park go unnoticed. So here I was on a Sunday morning in my trekking gear (without carrying the most important kit of all - water), joining a group of nature enthusiasts at the entrance of the park and of course my dear friend Hemant who was giving me company with his Nikon D40 and the works.
