Ooops...I'm sorry I said that!

Hypocrisy and double standards to the core-
If US President's cat can be named INDIA, if the avatars of Hindu Gods and Godesses can be printed on shoes and t-shirts that are nothing but misused in pubs and on beaches, then why not call America the middle finger? It is of the same magnitude.....I'm not anti-American but whats taken has to be given back. Just as they said....it all depends on the way you take it :P

"Following my remarks to the graduating class of Columbia University's Business School in New York City, I have come to realize that my words and examples about America unintentionally depicted our country negatively and hurt people.

I appreciate the honest comments that have been shared with me since then, and am deeply sorry for offending anyone. I love America unshakably -- without hesitation -- and am extremely grateful for the opportunities and support our great nation has always provided me.

"Over the years I've witnessed and advised others how a thoughtless gesture or comment can hurt good, caring people. Regrettably, I've proven my own point. Please accept my sincere apologies."-- Indra Nooyi

If this is the explanation she provided after the speech, if she's taken back what she'd said earlier, then I take back my support too! If Mrs.Indra is not standing by what she said, then the woman is a hypocrite [sorry Ma'm ...I did not mean to offend or hurt you too!! Uh....what the hell?!?!!] Apparently, some narrow minded Americans have decided to boycott the purchase of any Pepsi co's products until she's fired. And I say what? She must be fired because she's not ready to stand by her own words! Just when I was thinking 'she's made me proud'....

Indra Nooyi's thoughts

It has made headlines in the blogosphere, not much in the newspapers. Wonder if people really lent their ear to this. If you havent read it already then read it here. I second her speech. She could'nt have put it in a better way. 'A thorn can be removed by a thorn itself' - goes the saying in a regional language. What better way to talk to Americans [you can also include Britons here] than to rely on their very own 'middle finger' policy?
CHEERS TO MRS. NOOYI-ONE GUTSY WOMAN!!

BTW, We found a house!! So cheers to Han and Me as well - two tolerant girls!

This you have to read!!

Two young girls, both outsiders, looking for a house to move in....me and Han. We saw an advertisement at our University and contacted the landlady of a house by email....this is what I wrote in the email...


Hi,

We were looking for a self contained flat for the two
of us who are students at the University. We found the
advertisement on the Unipol website where we found some
information about the flat.
There would mainly be two of us living together. One
of our parents will also be staying with us
temporarily for 6 months. We insist that we take a
look at the flat since we are interested in it. Please
let us know of the availibility of the flat. If the
flat is available, kindly also let us know when we can
drop in to have a look.

Thank you,

Archana and Han

NOW YOU KNOW HAN IS A CHINESE GIRL AND WE BOTH LIVE IN THE SAME FLAT

Here's what the land-lady replied....



Dear Archana and Han,

Thank you for your enquiry.

Are you husband and wife undertaking study at the University of
Bradford? [HUSBAND AND WIFE?? Excuse me, but we both happen to be from different countries...Oh well actually, both of us are GIRLS!!!!] What course are you studying and what department
are
you studying in?[We both happen to be a close aid of Osama Bin Laden and we were interested to know how you beings maintain peace and harmony. Thus we are studying peace studies at the peace studies department] What are the start date and end date of your studies?[as if you care...]
What date are you looking to rent accommodation from and what date are
you
expecting to rent too? [We can move in this minute......if you dont mind] Is it possible to state why you would be looking
for
a parent to be accommodated with you for a 6 months period temporarily
as
this is a most unusual request? [unusual?? A mother visiting her 18 year old daughter is definitely UNUSUAL in your country ma'm!!] Where would your parent be arriving
from
and where would they be departing too once the 6 month period has
passed? [She figured out that Iraq would be a safer place to live...so she would migrate from India to Iraq]

Are you both visiting Bradford at present?[Oh yes, we are visiting Bradford beacuse we were kicked out of our countries] Is your parent their too? [Yes, they were sent out too]
If,
so, how long will you be looking for to visit Bradford to find
accommodation?[Have some mercy on the two homeless and countryless girls. We want to stay forever.....is that a problem?? ] If not, are you already residing in Bradford and if so
who
is your current landlord and when does your contract end and has your
parent
being accommodated at present too? [No, actually no-one provided us shelter....so we are street dwellers] If you do not have a current
landlord
where are your staying and do you have a contact number for to reach
you?[No, the phone in the booth aint working]

You state that you insist on looking at my property if you are
interested
and want to drop by to have a look - where are you dropping by from?[I told you, we'd drop in from the street]
And
what timescale are you looking to view accommodation before actually
taking
up any prospective tenancy? [Since we're busy studying and begging during the day, could we visit during 1:00 am in the morning??]

Regards,[I'm thoroughly in need of your regards ma'm]

XXXxxxxxxxxxxx

The lady ended up asking us 14 questions all in all. Han had nothing to say except "Go to HELL you!!!!!" Even the immigration officer didnot ask me a single question when I landed at the Heathrow airport. But this lady, though we haven't met her, thinks that we are from AL-QAEDA, plotting to kill her, as she happens to be the First lady of UK.

Obviously 'me'

There should be a reason I posted so many pictures. All of them taken in India. Okay okay, I'm getting there........CHANCES OF GOING TO INDIA ARE AS HIGH AS THE SKY! But do I really want to go there?
Heart says 'YES : grab the opporunity!'
Mind says 'NO : All you do is spend money there'
Heart again : 'You love that place....besides you have to apply for a course there. Its useful if you go'
Mind : 'What rubbish? All that can be done without you. You've told every being you know that you are not returning back until June'06'
Heart says : 'If you dont go back this summer, chances are that you will not go back until next summer. Also you have an unused oneway ticket!'
Mind says....something.....I'm not listening to anything now!!
I''ll take a break.....let them battle!
Maybe all this happened courtesy of my friendly fellow bloggers....Sheeshers says he will travel in December [he's already started to blog about it]. Chakra, I guess, is leaving today and Parth is already in India!

The first drop of the first rain in a new year. It rained a day after Ugadi [when a new year begins in the Hindu calendar]. The picture, taken at Vishwaneedam by my little brother, captures my vision. If you can observe, there is a bird right over the trees and the dark rainy clouds provides a perfect background.

Bangles by the dirt

Fresh and Colourful : spirit of a festive season [taken during Ugadi in Bangalore]

Current news

My state : Happy, stressed out, confused,burried in books, extra time at the library, house hunting, job hunting, C.V writing, everything everything!! Semester Exams in 10 days, so I would be an irregular blogger until the 9th of June.
Blog state: Changed the template. The previous one didnot work well with firefox. Thanks to Sheeshers and Percy, I changed it. It works fine on Firefox and Internet Explorer. If it doesnot work, contact me immediately.
News at the University : Imran Khan, yes, the cricket legend has been asked to take over as the University's chancellor....always admired him.
On the movies front : Watched a lot of movies despite deadlines and exams..
1. Troy : This one got into me....I really liked the movie. The character of Eric Bana is one of the best ones I've ever seen.
2. Life is beautiful : Fantastic movie, Roberto Benigini is awesome!
3.Terminal : Yes the Tom Hanks movie which ends in a typical BOLLYWOOD style! Nevertheless Tom Hanks did a good job as a citizen of "Krokhozia".
4.A few good men : Loved this one the first time I saw it....Demi Moore is perfect.
5. Legally Blonde 2 : Now why the hell did I buy this VCD?Please donot watch this one!

Also watched Braveheart, Gandhi [common element is that these two heroes realise reality only when they faced problems], Good Will Hunting [5th or 6th time - an all time favorite].

See you all in a while....

When things go wrong............blame it on time!

This happened when I missed my flight.....As usual, almost every person that I can recognise, blessed me with their presence the day I was leaving Bangalore again. These included my maternal and paternal grandmothers, my aunts and uncles, a lot of cousins - everyone were at home the previous day itself! Our home was nothing less than a convection hall. Evening flight...no hassles...woke up late, did bits and pieces of packing left from the previous night. I am accustomed to wearing a 'saree' [national costume] and visiting a temple before leaving home. I did so and got plenty and plenty of compliments. I head out for the temple and realised that someone important has "borrowed" MYYY CAR!! I am very much attached to my car .... I love it...I mean, how can I leave home without saying 'goodbye' to my car?? I yell out loudly..."I am not going back without looking at my car!!" Okay...after some consolation from my mother, I catch an autorickshaw and go to the temple. It has been a perfect start until now and guess whats more?!! The temples were all closed at 5:30 in the evening. I return back home dissatisfied. My father arrives and we all leave for the airport ONTIME! God knows what went wrong! The flight which usually leaves at 9:30 is rescheduled to 9:15. After bidding tearful final goodbyes, I check in at 8:25. The guy at the check-in counter says "No Maa'm you are too late to check-in your luggage!" So, I've missed a flight....
Tears were pouring out of my eyes after Dad scolded me for accurately 50 minutes on our way back. I came back home only to see NO ONE ELSE BLAME ME! That was a blessing...thanks to all the ELDERLY and WISE people at home. They blamed the tragedy on time itself and these were the reasons :

1 . Exactly a week before all the pictures [of God Almighty] in our small little pooja room fell off....and nobody was in the pooja room at that moment!
2. I was wearing a blue coloured saree and as my aunt said "Its not your fault...dont worry!! Kisiki nazar lag gayee"
3. I should not have said "I am not leaving without looking at my car"...because I said it at the wrong time and also because I happen to have a few moles on my tongue. This means that if I say something then it is going to come true!!
4. The temples were closed.....this is another reason!
5. My grandmother had terrible dreams the night before...

Well, I am not a person who believes in superstitions. In normal conditions, I speak up against them. But time was against me.....what could I do? I just nodded my head to everything they said!

For you

When I first opened my eyes to see life, I saw you holding me with utmost care, just like a little flower, gleaming your eyes at me.....I didnot know the joy I brought to you but with your arms around me, I knew that I would be safe. You wore a pleasant smile on your face, when you first heard me say "Maa...ma..maaa...maa", watched me over when I tried my first steps. The first birthday we celebrated together; the small cake, the small candle,the small house, the small me ; the first day,when I returned from school, did I not cry "No, I hate school!"? The days when I used to run home after classes "Mi, I'm hungry!" The days when I was mad at you because you picked me up everyday from college. I 'd feel tired only to put my head down on your lap so that you caress me with your hands moving swiftly through my hair. You grew old and I grew up. Suddenly I realised that you were not my mother nor was I your child....we grew up together to be the best of friends.
It was my turn now, at the hospital, by your side, to put my hands around you knowing we could fight together. We were victorious, couldnt do it without you. It was time for me to leave....it was hard, but couldnt do it without you, without your undying trust, without your neverending support. Like all mothers you packed a lot of masala ingredients though I, like all children, insisted you not to! You didnot speak to me the whole day as I was leaving that night. You would cry by just looking at me. You came to the airport to see me off, and what a mess that was...all the 30 of you crying so much!!
I miss the times we hugged and cried together, the situations that made us quarrel with each other, the laughs that we had together when Yashu would complain "you love her so much, nobody loves me!", all the shopping we did together....and what not?
You've done so much for us...you've sacrificed all that a woman can all your life...people call you ' an Angel '
but what do I call you? a strong support? a good guide? a best friend? a wise mentor? a fine example? May be all these adjectives would be included in a word called MOTHER. I dont know if I'd want to be like you but I truly want you as my mother in all my lives. I'm thankful to God to have created me as your daughter...
Thank you Mi, for being a MOTHER to me..

And when he is tired of work, he rests his head down on the hardest stone. How much would he earn these days when the kids in town want high-tech gadgets as toys? May be a rupee or two.. 

Changes that are necessary

On my mind : the new look
Music : Shubha Mudgal in Raincoat........perfect background

It had started to look all familiar and boring....so I cleaned it up and replaced it with something new. Now I feel the blog looks quite simple and pleasant.
I returned a week ago, yet I feel at home. So, here's a way of experiencing Bangalore.
Assuming that your day starts at 9 in the morning, just freshen up and head towards MTR near the Urvashi theatre for breakfast. Trust me, these people make the best 'Masala Dosa' on earth. You simply cannot resist them.Time for some action and adventure? Let your car be. Try something new...Find the most arrogant rickshaw driver which almost every young driver is and go on a roller-coaster ride of your life through the city. You will be fascinated by the skills of the driver to squeeze his way through the jam packed roads and his ability to break every traffic rule. Chances are, you are going to enjoy it or hate it to the core. Take a stop at Anil Kumble circle and walk on the green filled right side of the road if you are not shopping. Walk on the left side if you wish to be looted by beggars or haunted by little children who urge you to buy red roses. The sight is a pity. I could not say no to them on the first day. This is where you get to witness the best and the worst part of the city. Hungry? Eat at the many multi-cuisines' restaurants situated on and off Brigade/ M.G. road. My pick is Nakshatra on Lady Curzon road that offers the most delicious Andhra dishes. Expensive but worth it. Dessert at Nilgiri's is a must! It must be past 3 now. Closer is the cubbon park, where you can relax reading a book or enjoy watching the world go by....or just walk on the grass, bare foot that is! Avoid watching the nonsense that most people tend to do and instead relish eating Gola or Bhel Puri from a street vendor. Lalbagh [the botanical garden Bangalore is famous for] is an ideal place but the distance is what you have to cover. Evening time : the city has got everything you wish for. If you are a music fan, there should be someone performing. If interested in theatre, travel to Ranga Shankara in J.P Nagar to catch on some well directed plays by eminent directors [the one I wish I could go to was Girish Karnad's 'A heap of broken images' ]. Movies is not a problem here : Bangalore once had the highest number of cinemas in India. Pub culture is at its peak and Bangalore has been named the pub capital of India. A lot of English culture bars, discotheques, pubs have taken their stands....heard and read a lot about them, so I'm sure you can find the one thats best to your interests. A drive out of the city is always a nice choice during 11 or 12 P.M. I'd always choose to drive towards Nandi Hills with Dad ofcourse. Its just heaven to watch the clear sky from the top of your car at this time.
Ground realities you are going to confront : Honestly speaking, with all my love aside, Bangalore is not crowded or polluted, it is over crowded and over polluted. Air is not of breathing quality. Donot be surprised if you donot hear one speak the local language. Too many non-Bangaloreans have presided over that you may find only about 10-15% localites in the city centre.The funniest thing is that NOT even the beggars are localites. Construction works have all started at one go, so you will find a lot of traffic chaos. Heavy pockets are necessary as everything is expensive. All that apart, Bangalore is still better than anyother city in India. It is modern, laid back and undoubtedly the most happening city. But, if nothing is going to change ,then Bangalore is another Bombay in the making.