I am back!

I have made it back to the UK safe and sound after missing an International flight. Irresponsible? Careless? Nothing to ponder over now.....I'm here. I would have been here two days before had I not missed the flight. The brighter side of it is that I got to fly business class!!!! Now thats something I did without paying extra ..... and the experience was quite nice as I got to sleep comfortably all through the journey. A busy last month ahead at the University.....hope to get through this one nice and perfect!

'Lucky' - as it is!

A movie to watch out for! I was waiting for this movie to release for a long time....lot of expectations from the movie and it did live up to my expectations. Awesome performances, brilliant music, superb locations, everything is fine until the last 5 minutes of the movie. Try and ignore the last 5 minutes of the movie and you will agree with me that it is one fantastic debut make by the directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru. Salman did not take off his shirt for the first movie ever. Sneha Ullal would not ask for a better launch. An absolute xerox print of Aishwarya, she is eye candy....watch her on screen specially during the song 'Jaan meri jaa rahi sanam..' and she is as beautiful as none. Her screen presence is so much that one would not want take his/her eyes off the screen....be it her innocence in the graveyard or the way she follows Salman during the song 'Shayad yahi to pyar hain' or when she breaks down in the train. Salman has delivered his decent funny self in the movie unlike many of the characters that he has potrayed. Mithun Chakraborty as P.D. made a wise choice for a come back. Adnan Sami has composed melodius music for the movie. Every song is ear catching. Hear to the likes of 'Shayad yahi to', 'Chori chori', 'Jaan meri jaa rahin' and 'Sun Zara'....you will love them all!! Please go and watch this movie atleast once.....in theaters only not in a multiplex! Wheres the fun when it is all nice and cosy without much people around you?? Wheres the fun when your neighbour does not sing a song along with Adnan Sami?? Wheres the fun when a girl behind you does not scream and shout at the sight of Salman Khan??
I would rate 'Lucky' higher than 'Black'.I had a very good time watching the movie . Will watch it once more before I leave...hope you like it too!

The rickshaw harassment

I had heard that auto rickshaw drivers in Bangalore can be unreasonably demanding towards the non-Bangaloreans and more importantly towards foreigners but I got to experience what it all was yesterday. I have to say that I didnot have the slightest idea of how worse the actual situation is. I was anything but helpless to use the public transport system which is a big nuisance as my car was out for a service. Me and my friend head towards ICFAI University somewhere in the afternoon when it was still raining. When we reach the destination, the rickshaw driver takes off without returning the change. We say ' Its alright. We cannot chase him anyways in the heavy rain'. After ICFAI, we continue towards IGNOU. Since we had to search for IGNOU in an unfamiliar area, we were charged an extra over the meter. We left for Commercial street for some shopping and contrary to everything that happened, this rickshaw guy who dropped us off did not ask for anything more than the actual price. Things had just started to happen..... we walk towards a rickshaw stand and asked a driver whether he would take us to Mahalakshmipuram. He charged us an indecent 150 INR which would otherwise cost us only out 50 INR....we chose to complain to the policeman who stood on the other side of the road. We walk towards him and he is walking away from us.

[PS : You are at an advantage if you know Kannada]

Me.....Helloooooo [trying to get his attention]
policeman...[gives a mysterious look at me]
Me.....[pointing towards the auto men] Allaaa,avarella alli mooru sala jaasthi charge madthaa yiddare, auto ge. Neevenu hogi kelodilva???
[They are charging me three times more of what they should..dont you question them at all???]
policeman......Aiyyo Maay-dum, avaranna yenu kelodu? Avarella dodda loafergalu. Neevu eekade iro auto galige hogi.
[Aiyyo Maay-dum, what do I ask them? They are all big loafers. You go to the other drivers]
Me......Adu nanage goththu! Avarige warn madodu athava fine haakodu alva???
[That I know. Why dont you warn them or fine them???]
policeman ..... Illi nodi Maay-dum. Nandu ardha bookke khaaliyagi hogide fine haaktha haaktha..
[Look at this Maay-dum, Half of my book is over fining them.....points towards his fine book]

I return back without doing anything about it...

What am I doing there after the wedding? 

Mi with my sister and my Brother-in-law......why dont they smile at all?? 

Monsoon wedding.......is it monsoon?

5:35 in the evening , the clouds have just started to pour down despite the heavy winds. People heading towards shelter, women picking up clothes from their terrace and the smell of the soil to top it all makes the evening beautiful. The light is not perfect, it is rain dark...not totally dark....The power is off, my brother comes out to switch on the radio which works on the UPS and then, a familiar song on Radio City 91FM ".....duniya mein, logon ko, dhoka kabhi ho jaatha hain"..........what an imperfect song for a perfect atmosphere!

My first cousin is happily married now....I attended her reception yesterday but couldnot make it up for the 'muhurtham' , which is the main part where she actually gets married. I was pretty lazy to wake up at 8 in the morning and when I woke up, the wedding was done with....what a shame!! Some pictures I have posted below. Had a fantabulous time with all my cousins, most of them whom I had not spoken to for 2 or 3 years. Some of the conversations were quite hillarious. Good to know them all this way as most of us are of the same age. Weddings at this part of India can be quite boring though...no music, no dance , drift in traditions [a reception before the wedding], everyone busy with their own things....but regardless of all the shortcomings, this one was not boring because of all the food and the company I had. It was simply great!!!

More occasions to add to my memories.......aww....these are all fantastic!