Moving on...

Hello,

We have shifted...

All new posts at Our New Address

Announcing Protocollide, my new way of dealing with life.

And then, there were two..

It was the last time they met while she was still single..

They had met a couple of years ago. It all started as all of them do. She was nursing her wounds from a bad relationship that went worse, he was on the up and up in his life, having managed to salvage his soul from the deepest troughs in his life.
They met, things happened, sparks flew and before they knew, they were on.

Social mores and issues that affect every Indian relationship ensured that they didn't meet much, instead spending hours on the cellphone, discussing life's trivialities and having arcane discussions on how they would lead their lives, together.

After a few weeks, they'd moved on building their own little life together. She had overcome the things she was hurt about, while he was, on the up and up. A few weeks later, she managed to put her thinking cap on again, and felt that she wasn't up for a relationship and decided to end things there. He always felt that he's managed to pick himself up again when he'd fallen down, and he'd taken some hard ones. So he let things go.

She managed to get back to the same hole she'd climbed out of. Only now, the hole felt like a mount she had to climb all over again, just to make herself worthy of the man she'd scorned. And just like that, one day she's ready to get married, and guess what, it was fixed. She was getting married to the guy of her dreams. Only that her dreams had been superimposed with other images, playing mind games till her mind was numb, beyond disbelief, and above understanding.

Life moved on, and she was to get married in two weeks time. The time was right for the two of them to meet, and seek closure, for they had never truly sought it. He was running full speed in life, having moved through another relationship, while she managed to walk back hurriedly into the chasm she started out of. The last evening they spent together was spent discovering things about each other still.

He was still trying to imprint as many features of her face into his memory, for they hadn't met so often, and she'd be moving overseas once she got married. She wanted to know what was new to him and to his life. If still the same obtuse, off the way topics consumed his interest like there was no tomorrow.

They couldn't hold eye contact, for she still found it troublesome to look into them, lost as she'd get at the myriad emotions she saw out there. He found it funny, and could guffaw about it aloud, thinking to himself, even in today's day and age, you actually have a woman who has the patience to be worked up about holding eye contact. It was a classical romance between Ayn Rand's objectivism and Mills and Boons' topsy-turvy sordid tales, books they'd read and absorbed well.

While he dropped her back, the car stopped in the same dark alley he'd always dropped her, not because they fooled around in the back of his car, but she didn't want to get off where someone saw her and all that jazz.

She was going away, again, but this time it was for good. No turning back, no looking back.

It was the last time they met while she was still single.

He wanted to kiss her forehead, for the first time in their lives, and wish her all the best. Before he could do anything, she opened the car door, the dome light went on. He saw an elderly man passing their car, he wanted her to wait, but she'd already say goodbye.

He was left with a chasm of his own, all he wanted was to leave an imprint of what things were about, the times that they'd shared. All he had now was the memory of a relationship that'd changed the way he looked at things and at life, and a blog that would enable the people in his life to know at length about the one thing he'd cared for in recent times.

He had already moved on, but retrospect was the one thing he looked forward to.

Pujo

Have too many bongs around who bring a lot of happiness to me.. Here's raising one to them.

Dig A Hole To China?

Dig A Hole To China?
Originally uploaded by drp

Click on the photo and read what it says below. One of my fave fotographers in the world has something very interesting to say!

And bring the bloody bread out on the street.

Random Sprinkles

Needed to get these things into writing before they went out of existence, they are feelings and random thoughts that have occured lately. In essence, a piece of my mind, out here in the open.

Part rant,
part chant,
part thought,
part blot,
part dream,
part scream,
part acute,
part obtuse,
part singular,
part repeat,
that's just the beat!

Ok now that the on-the-spot crap poem contest is over, here it goes-

1. If you are used to look at women everyday with their eyeliner-mascara combo on, without it, they look frazzled, sleepy, unwashed, undefined homo sapiens to you. I don't know what's good- the fact that I'm almost always looking at their eyes, or that I've started noticing absence of black?
2. Exams here are like making your first boiled egg, you cook it as you go along. Whether I get exactly that or a delicacy to relish is something that I'll share in this very forum very soon.
3. Silence does Wonders. Its just that cacophnies have some rhythm.
4. People are so talented that they can make a dance drama out of a classroom desk and freestyle dance movements. You can just open your eyes to hear the music and extend your ear to feel the beat.
5. I've stopped following most conversations people have around me. I'm getting deafer (my blog, my words) by the day.
6. Photoshop for Dummies was written for me. Pity I still can't use it.
7. A camera would do me a world of good. I'm hungrily eyeing a Nikon D 40X.
8. Ab Dilli Door nahin!

Next Post from Delhi meri Jaan.

Horrorscope

अब पेश है आपके लिए आज का मीठा-मीठा राशिफल।

सबसे पहले Aries यानी मेष राशी-

आज सबकी आंखों का तारा होंगे आप। पर आपके looks से ज़्यादा लोगों का ध्यान आपकी बातों पर होगा। इसलिये सोच समझ कर ही मुँह खोलें। आज दिमाग मे झंझंनाते ideas आएंगे, पर थोडा ध्यान practical चीजों पर भी रखें।

अब Taurus यानी वृषभ राशी-

आज लोगों की ओर आपका व्यव्हार कुछ अलग ही होगा। आपके पास अगर मदद मांगने आये तो उसकी दुविधा सुलझाते हुए आपको अपनी किसी परेशानी से भी निकलने का रास्ता दिखेगा। तो आज दिल ओर दिमाग खुला रखें।

Gemini यानी मिथुन राशि-

आज चन्द्रमा आपके घर में प्रवेश कर रहा है, इससे आपका ध्यान कुछ रोमानी बातों की ओर रहेगा। दिन शायद सोचने समझने में ही निकल जाये, आज अपनी बूझ पर ही ज़्यादा भरोसा रखें!

Cancer यानी कर्क राशि-

आज दिन हैं मौज मस्ती और मज़े का। जल्दी से सारे काम पूरे कर दोस्तो के साथ इस ख़ूबसूरत दिन का लुत्फ़ उठाइये। आज कोई नही रोक सकता आपको।

Leo यानी सिंह राशि-

आज कोई अपनी परेशानी आपसे बाँटना चाहेगा, और आपको एक अलग सा ही अहसास होगा। आज का दिन जादुई साबित हो सकता है, बस आप तैयार रहिए!

virgo यानी कन्या राशि-

आज पूरा दिन दिल बस यही करेगा कि कुछ exciting किया जाये, पर शनि आपको थोडा संभल के चलने में मदद करेगा। दिन शायद इसी कशमकश में निकल जाये पर शाम को हर आरजू पूरी होगी, निराश मत होइए।

Libra यानी तुला राशि-

आज शायद रोज़ की ऐश पर थोड़ी लगाम लगे, सूर्य पूरे प्रभाव पर है। पर घबराइये नही, आज चन्द्रमा मिथुन में है, और इसका मतलब आप आज हर ऐसे काम को हाथ लगा सकते हैं जो आपके दिमाग की बत्ती जला दे।

स्कार्पियो यानी वृषिक राशि-

पिछले कुछ दिनों की मेहनत आज रंग लाएगी, आप बस पार्टी की तैयारी कीजिये। अब पार्टी घर पर दोस्तो को बुलाकर एक खामोश शाम हो, या किसी night क्लब में एक थिरकती रात, ये आज का आख़िरी महत्वपूर्ण निर्णय होगा। तो तैयार हो जाइए!


Saggitarius यानी धनुष राशि-

आज माथे से हर शिकन हटा दीजिए, बीती बातों को भूल जाइए। अब वक़्त आ गया है कि जिन्दगी में एक नयी शुरुआत की जाये।

Capricorn यानी मकर राशि-

आज चन्द्रमा का प्रभाव कम हो जाएगा और आपका मिजाज़ भी कुछ दुरुस्त रहेगा। मेरी मानिए तो कुछ वक़्त आज दोस्तो के साथ बिताईये।

Aquarius यानी कुम्भ राशि-

आज आप किसी को गड्ढे से निकालेंगे, या एक नयी दिशा दिखायेंगे। आपकी मदद इस बन्दे के लिए beneficial तो होगी, पर उनके कदम कहीँ लड़्खड़ा ना जाएँ, धक्का थोड़े आराम से दें!

Pisces यानी मीन राशि -

आज आप अपने आपको साहस की एक नयी ऊंचाई पर पाएंगे। कुछ अलग करने की चाहत पूरी करने के लिए आज का दिन ideal है।

The above is just what I wrote for an assignment on a lark, let's see how it goes. If you feel like try going by it today, and may be I would have infused a little hope in your life. :)

Ciao

Engdi..

Alright, I agree with you that the title of the post is something as redundant as anything you've seen this side of the English language, but that's what today's post is about.

I've lately been exposed to a section of Indian society which will be the face of the Indian communication Industry for the next few years at least. And there is an amusing and intriguing trend that has emerged off late.

Hinglish is something we've all known, used and accepted over a period of time. Right from colonial times, some words became so much of a colloquial for words in Hindi that we've accepted as a part of our vocabulary. I will not bore you with sleek vignettes of these words, but would move on to the meatier part of this post.

Like we've had proper and ghar ka names for times immemorial, we've also managed to convert the Hindi language to our advantage. Hindi gives us the additional cushion of using tu, tum and aap for the levels of comfort or familiarity that we share with a person. Some people have a habit of announcing and addressing themselves in plural in public (Hum abhi aa rahe hain). This is further amplified by the use of forms of Hindi language that we use at home and in public. These are specific and sometimes special forms that are used by you and me with our family members and close relatives. For example, the term "Mooh loos gaya" will not make any sense to you unless you either come from a specific part of western UP or are a blood relative of mine (If you are one or both, and still don't understand, come to me and I shall elaborate).

Khichdi Hindi is another form where the kind of Hindi spoken borrows heavily from the local dialect. Try speaking Hindi with a genuine bengali and they'll bowl you over like a rasogulla with their interchange of genders. Each masculine thing becomes feminine and vice-versa. Before my Bengali brothers, sisters, daughters (can't explain, don't ask), nephews and nieces take offense, let me assure them that I'm talking of certain Bengalis, including them for some instances.

Further, some people well versed in the matrabhasha are able to catch the nuances of any local vernacular and converse in that. My brothers from the Bihari heartland will agree that I manage to converse with them in their language, a combination of Hindi, Awadhi and magahi languages and local addendums. Equally so for people from South India and somewhat from the Cow belt as well.

I think I've established that the Hindi language, in its current form, exists in a manner suited to our demographic and psychographic profile. And that it has been stretched far enough in each direction for us to make any nonsense of it, and still pass muster as a Hindi-speaking Indian.

What however is the crux, and the intriguing pattern of events that we've managed to create for ourselves, can only be understood by listening to and contemplating upon it at length. I've been exposed to the English Language at both a professional and personal level extensively. As a BPO Mid-level manager, I was expected to have a reasonable command over the English language. This has only been further amplified by me joining a Media and Communication course, where English acts as the lifeblood of the connect, communicate and converge theme that we follow here. While I wouldn't call myself extremely qualified at the usage and correctness of it, I think I'll pass muster at most places in the world for my ability to communicate in it.

While listening to people, there are very significant things that you'll be able to make out. One is MTI or Mother Tongue Influence. This, as the name suggests, signifies the variations in pronunciation that people who have different mother tongues will have. Try getting a native Bengali speaker to do a tongue twister with the "Ra" and "Da" sounds, a person from Western UP to mix the "Ja" and "Za" sounds and you can go on all day thinking about their inability to sort these out. Examples for Bengalis - "Ghoda sadak par sarpat sarpat daudta hai" and for UPites, the single word Zanjeer will do.

Further, the kind of intonation and inflections used in one's mother tongue will also influence the way we speak English. This of course will happen more with people who are exposed to English in a functional way i.e. as a medium of instruction, and lesser with people like you and me who are kind of obsessed with its intricacies and lecherous correctness.

Or so I thought. Like I'm sure you know by now, I'm a part of a select group of people who form the crux and the face of the Indian Communication Industry today and tomorrow. The kind of English and its usage that you would expect from such a privileged lot, is evident. These are people who have conversed in the language for most of their lives, at least with friends, at school and also in official environments in some cases.

What is astounding is how some Hindiisms have become a part of mainstream language. For E.g., if a given person was to call someone to where they were, in our context, we will almost always say- "Come here, no?" No points for guessing where this takes roots from. And if you disagree, catch people around and yourselves doing this any given point of day or night.

This is further amplified when we directly translate Hindi to English to express our feelings. As part of a Canada based ISP, I thought it wise for the call agents in my team to talk about the oncoming Holiday season while assisting customers. One girl came up with this pearl which best exemplifies this phenomenon. She said to the customer, verbatim- "So, Mr. Smith, Christmas is over head, you must be really excited!" Ye to paani sar ke upar se nikal gaya.

If you think these are heightened examples of flawed individuals that I am posting here for making a point, be as observant as I've tried to be, and I'm sure you'll add more fat to the fire here.

I had another 3000 words on the subject, but since its real late in the night here in Bombay and kind of hot too, I think I'll stop.

More on this subject very soon. As soon as I can induce literary diarrhea again. For I'm passionate about it! Engdi and it's diverse ways.

Ciao

Photo Op..

What do you get when you charge a quintessentially Indian street festival with about 10,000 watts of Music that a DJ's belting out right there on the pavement?

Maharashtra's Janmashtami Celebrations. While I wasn't in the thick of things, both location-wise and IN the crowd, I got a whiff of what makes Maharashtra the state for Indian Street festivals.

Picture this (I rather hope I'd had a picture)-

A water tanker with an attached hosepipe, about 200 people on a smallish square, right here in Viman Nagar, a part of Pune that I inhabit. Music, people dancing like there's no tomorrow- locals and students of the nearby institutes gelling together like chalk powder and wet cheese. The Music ranged from the latest bollywood hits from Partner to International hits like Papi Chulo, the crowd swaying as enthusiastically to one as jumping to the other.

There were some things at work here that made this place, and this particular celebration so true in its essence. For one, the people around didn't know each other from hell, and they weren't checking for who's Marathi and who's not. Then, the best part was none of them had no idea of how to make a Human pyramid to get on top of where they needed to be. This resulted in their climbing aboard each others' shoulders, heads, legs et al and come tumbling down time after time. There were some heated arguments and people flying in all directions.

And then the time came, when an enterprising, bantom-weight teenager managed to get on top and reach the coveted Handi. From there on, it was rapture all the way.

Wish we had half the time and quarter the joie de vivre back home in anything we do!


Phew.. That, there, right up there, was my first attempt at writing an article. I know it kinda sucks, but I still wanted to give it and you a shot!

Post errr...

One of these days will be the last day that I start an entry with a false start.

I've been learning to write, well, more specifically how to write for mass consumption. And since this space is not intended for a mass audience, there you go.

Well, life's running along at a fine clip. The last few days were a whole lotta fun. My folks came to visit me for the times that were. The college, more importantly and thankfully the Director, decided that we needed a much-deserved break from the mayhem.

And what a time it was. To be with my parents in an atmosphere where they weren't getting all agitated with the lack of time and abundance of money that I spend whenever I'm not around them. To be able to have my father only talk about his ideas to turn this coming year into the most profitable ever, and not how I was wasting my time doing whatever I was doing, was good fun.

As I grow and mature, I think I'm kinda understanding why my father and me agree to disagree on most things- I know generation gap is the best way to put and portray it; but the difference is more on the surface than deeper for a change. My father is a man from Finance, if not for his lack of adeptness at speaking the queen's language, he would have been the Chief Equity Analyst at a Wall Street, atleast Dalal Street Firm ( I know each kid thinks that his father is the thing that's happened to mankind, but people who know me know that I don't). Now numbers are the driest things around, all fact, while what I do and want to do in life is all fiction.

So, as you can deduce and I can portray, that's just about it. Its about a sandpaper and a drip coming together. And what happens from there is the life of yours truly. I know that's a very crude way of putting it. And that's the way it should be. Metaphors that bring the truth home, and similies that take it there.

All I attempt to do is play with words, and all he does is predict numbers based on facts.

Facts and fiction are just that.