Mumbai - Passing Dhobi Ghaat and some more - II

Aye Dil hai Mushkil, jeena yahan..
Zara hatke Zara bachke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan !!

Sunset at Worli Sea Face

I had heard this song so many times during the sunday morning "Rangoli", that i always took it at face value. Taking a song at face value, would mean being happy just by the tune and look of the song and having never to delve into the lyrics part or what it meant to the protagonist singing the song. It was when i happened to listen to this song on the radio, while on a local train, that i finally took notice of the clever words, that hid behind Johnny Walker's amusing face.

There's a running joke, that the best way to make God laugh is to tell him your future plans. Well, that gives a rather sinister picture of the old man up there, doesn't it?? Holds good in my case. When you live in a fast city, disappointments come thick and fast and after a few knockouts, you do start thinking fast in your head and try coop up with them even faster. Plan A never works, there ought to be a Plan B and yeah while you are at it, please also prepare for Plan C,D and E.Heck, u might as well be a crisis manager and have no plan at all. To each his own, calamity has no funny bone !!

Jobs changed, roomies too.And what great ones there !! These two were my past and my present..one the chaddi buddy and the other, fresh out of my B-school. The trio had some great times and even now when we retrospect almost invariably we end up miming each other on that statement "Rangari heights" was the bestest times in Bombay". Yeah, the place i'd taken up, was a 1 room+kitchen MHADA flat (for non-mumbaikars, slum development flats, which the original slum dweller leased out to me, as he was already living in another proper 2BHK slum development flat!!!). The two of them joined me later, and while space was a big constraint, it never dampened our spirits and we lived in full glory at "Rangari Heights", the modified name, we'd given to "Rangari Bori Chawl", which was the actual name of the apartment. How a 300sq feet flat accomodated 3 folding beds, 2 cupboards, a TV a DVD player, a Playstation, a whole lot of clothing and three adult individuals, will remain an unsolved mystery forever. There are a lot of funny stories of our times there. We had a humongous big head of a neighbour, who was a self-proclaimed "Retired-Model". He was henpecked, and was found outside our door, laying flat on his fat ass (we'd high jump him everytime we had to step out !). Everytime we ordered Pizza, there would be an enquiry if it was somebody's birthday today. The females coming into the house, had to have a strict dress code, and a straight-to-lift-and-room-on-the-left-policy.

The Republic of powai, viewed from Hotel Rennaissance

The gang gained numbers thick and fast. It was also then that i realised, i was not Superman. I could never be at all places at all the required moments. The party groups changed, commitments broken and rituals unobserved. It was time to move on, and to a new place. Powai it was !! The central suburb of the city. No more the craziness, no more the hustle bustle. It was time to settle down and enjoy what a majority of people in the city never can - tranquility. And with the best loved company !! Life was in much order now, when we were at home. Travelling took a toll but the first class compartments of Eastern Line Local Trains, were quite generous ( i use were, as i haven't taken the locals over the last 2 years, bless me !!) and it was all good. Bombay had this side to it as well. The greenery across the railway tracks, was something i had forgotten while dwelling amongst the hard landscapes all the time. Lifestyle was cheaper in comparison. While "Going out" was the mantra for the day, now "house parties" were somehow the most happening agenda we could come up with. Wild bunch of people, with lots of spirits and food, music in full blast, enjoying each others company. And lo behold...a gazillion times, and still rocking !!! Sometimes it felt as if we were playing "Settlers", or you know "The Sims".

With great powers comes great responsibilities, and with recession comes the management ability for lay-offs without any credibility. How much ever amusing the last statement might appear, losing your job can be a bitch. I'll quote Jolie's tattoo here - "What nourishes me also destroys me". While maximum city here, opened its mouth to engulf you while all its expensive tentacles blocking your airway of monetary passage, the spirit of the city, never allowed me to retreat, repent, sit back and retrospect. It was Bombay, for heaven's sake !! If i couldn't bounce back here, i couldn't anywhere. The ideology paid off in sometime. While i might project it as a victory of the soul, it wasn't possible without the best buddies' support. There was this one time, i even went to Haridwar, for a great job opportunity and had made it through, but a thousand things were not right about it . I remember foolishly asking someone about broadband connections. I'd asked for a smoke in the main market and was gazed upon as an alien, leave aside, the expectation of booze. The film they were airing in the nearby theatre, was "Barsaat" - Bobby Deol's debut movie !! Bobby Deol !!! OMIFFFFFFFGAWDDDD !!! A week back from the holy place, my sins were washed off and i managed to strike gold in Bombay. Been close to two years now. I ain't looking back (except the retrospection i have had to do for this post).

Maybe, its just me. Maybe thats what Bombay does to you. Decreases other cities expectations, by such a drastic limit, you fear leaving from here. Maybe i am wrong. Maybe i didn't take the right decisions, board the right trains to success. But, i am happy, yeah deep within i am. My words may not sound poetic, liberal, or like the last scenes of Luck by chance, Konkana Sen taking the taxi or whatever. But the feeling is the same. My last two years have been a delight I have met up with awesome people, lost a few of my best buddies to the bitch called "migration" and yet am living amidst all love and friendship.

I'd been to Nariman point a few weeks back for a meeting. Did manage to pass through the same point of the sidewalk, where it had all started. It was empty. Innocence gave a weak smile from inside, as if i was about to tease it for what i had done back then. The smile was priceless. It was one of those that you realize alone, and close your eyes immediately.

Mumbai : Passing Dhobi Ghaat and some more - I

Off late i have been pretty intrigued by the "different" trailer Aamir Khan's new movie "Dhobi Ghaat (Mumbai Diaries)" has showcased. In retrospection, I have been in the city of dreams since the last 4 years. And yes i have my diary of thoughts about Mumbai. I guess not only me, everybody, who's a part of the city or has been a part of this city, has thoughts and memories about the maximum city, some expressed in words, some etched in memories, something wonderful, something ugly, but yes, experiences that are a part of our lives, and will forever be etched as a part of us.

I "basically" come from Orissa (interviewers like me can have a lot of fun with what i just wrote), and I studied in Pune for a bit. Hence i never had an inkling of a thought how this was going to be. How Mumbai was going to be. And yes, i never wanted to be here in the first place. The interviewer who selected me at campus, might have thought else-wise and thats how i landed up here. I came to Mumbai late in Jan 2007, to figure out my accommodation first before i moved base. Armed with numbers of several P.Gs and a few brokers and with the smallest possible idea of geography in this city, i made my way here. And that is when realisation struck. And badly !! The city appeared huge, wanting to engulf me in an ominous manner. Every stranger i met seemed to know i do not belong here and spoke with an air which made me suspicious if he/she was trying to con me. The black n yellow cab drivers were faster than their meters, the brokers appeared to be land sharks and the sweet 50+ aunties managing Paying Guest accommodations no where appeared to be as kind, as i thought they might be.

"Yeh Mumbai hai Mumbai..yahan time ka matlab hai paisa !!" A then-recently seen movie, had this dialogue. I was on the path of realisation. Why didn't Pune prepare me for this ? Why wasn't this a part of the costly B-school education i underwent ??  Any ways, miracles do happen. The city made me do something i could never have otherwise. Pull a fast one. Yeah... my FIRST CRIME !! Managed to note a cell number from a broker's cell phone, upside down, break away for a minute and manage a conversation in English in front of the broker. The cell number belonged to a guy, who was ready to share his 1 room kitchen space with another guy. Managed to strike a deal with the guy, managed to save brokerage money (which looked huge back then) and managed to sideline the broker.

Thats how i moved in to Mumbai. It seems incredible now. I was possibly lucky. My roomie turned out to be a fashion designing chap, in his second year at college. This gentleman was queer to say the least. I had to bear up with odd activities of seeing a guy shaving his legs, wearing capris, strange temporary tattoo designs, apply kajal in his eyes and speak with a language-fucking accent. The first time he invited me to go shop with him, we went to a mall and he insisted at the beauty section to have the latest lip gloss be applied on his lips. I was scandalized and maybe my face still gave nothing away, but i was terrorized with how i am about to coop with this human. Well, it took time, a bit of it. What however turned out later was that i had the place all to myself. My distinguished roomie, was out, most of the time, sometimes at college, sometimes at functions and fashion parties and a lot more time back home in his native place in Maharashtra.

The place i resided those days was in Mahalaxmi, yes as close to "town/south mumbai" as you could call it and yet affordable. And yes I passed through the "Dhobi Ghaat" almost every day during my daily commute to office.After getting down at Churchgate station, i needed to hire a shared-cab which took me straight to my office building, but not before giving a splendid view of a stretch of the famous marine drive, that we get to see in select movies.  I worked at Nariman Point, the poshest office area in all of Mumbai, and with one of the leading Financial Services companies in India. Work was good, colleagues were great and supportive and my professional life was off to a good start.

I had received my tuitions well about boarding local trains in Mumbai. The key was to stand amidst the crowd waiting to board. They did the rest. They pushed you in a queue and within moments of restlessness and armpits and sweat and cursing, you found yourself in the train !! Okay, it might not be as fancy as i just made it sound, but what the hell ?? These are my memories and i had a jolly good time in the mumbai locals, so many people have such negative opinions about. The perspective always has to be clear if you want to enjoy yourself, and in this case there was no point complaining complaining about the crowd while you yourself forming the crowd in the first place !!

I remember after my first day in office, going up to marine drive, standing upon the pavement, which majorly witnessed joggers or love-lorn couples or few lonely souls. I dropped my bag, and tried opening my arms wide, as if to engulf the sea before me, to embrace the city and to say it out to myself - "I have arrived". It was quite a filmy moment, and i wont forget it ever. Especially the reactions i got from people around me. Two sets of couples were looking at me with puzzled expressions, a rag picker with contempt, and an old uncle, who just smiled while passing by.

View of Mumbai from the 18th Floor BSE Building, clicked on my cell cam

Living in town (South Mumbai) was a boon, as i realised much later. There was so much to do, so much to see and the city opened its arms to you, be it when I took a quiet walk across the stretch at Haji Ali or sped off in a cab from the famous J.J flyover after a night of partying in Town. The streets of Colaba, which always had something to offer to everybody, Gateway, which was flocked by tourists all the time and the old cinema halls which still managed to retain the old world charm. I used to aimlessly wander in town, after office, without a bit of fear, without any worldly burdens on my head and without any deadlines. If there is something in Mumbai i miss, i miss those moments !! The foodie in me was satisfied by Delhi Durbar, Cafe Noorani, the  midnight buffets at Marine Plaza and the small eating joints that we stumbled across.Special mention here for - Bachelor's, the best ice-cream joint i'd been to. The pirated DvDs we siphoned off the streets in Fort, was serious cinema and for crying red murder here, but i still will, coz' this treasure, will not be available at any tom,dick and planet-m store !!

"Town had action, town had soul
the sea breezes, the skylines and the watering holes..
Town had a lot of me, and a little bit of you...
and lo behold we passed off a year and two !!!"


To be continued.........

The year 2010

We are truly arriving at the end of what would be called a very optimistic year for mankind !! Yes, 2010, truly was a fabulous year. It gave assurance to a gentleman named Kasab against death in a country where he raised mayhem. It saw delayed legal proceedings against the gentleman who once promised to change the face of Indian sports arena (he did change it although, to a very sorry one) - Mr. Suresh Kalmadi as he smiled through the Commonwealth Games fiasco with a naughty boy grin. We also saw people behind online social networking or news platforms - Mark Zuckerberg(FB) and Julian Assange(Wikileaks), beating the US president, in the "Times" magazine, person of the year, thus giving the idea of the increased domination of cyberspace in our lives (i am expecting a few nightmares on the lines of Terminator: Salvation).

We saw hope of getting along well with extra terrestrials, when Lady Gaga strutted around with hideously designed weird clothing pieces. The Indian govt. also grew increased confidence in the nation's ability to take shocking scams in it's stride and move on, little perturbed by the 2G in the air, foreign athletes' woes at the games village, Kargil martyr's apartments being taken over by the our true son's of the soil - the dirty politicians and the latest, ulterior corporate motives and active lobbying which came to the fore with the Radia-tapes episode.

Ok, enough with the satire !! There were feel good things also. The Indian Cricket team, finally achieved no. 1 status and held on to it. Quite a dream for the millions of fans who have ate slept and drunk cricket all their lives. We got to watch Indian athletes winning medals by the dozen. We saw the rise of Saina Nehwal, as a top shuttler in the world!! We saw the stock markets rollicking back to the top, adding happiness with generous helpings of caution this time around amongst the investors. We saw a careful budget and a fair court order on the age old Babri Masjid issue. We even managed to warm our eyes to on the hip-shaking Badnaam Munni and Jawaan Sheila.We had Amitabh Bachchan welcoming us on national television yet again in that "omigawd-its-so-grim-n-sexy" tone that only he has, to play Kaun Banega Crorepati. We had Dolly Bindra, who reminded us of what a feel-good happy life we are leading (by not facing her in the Big Boss House). We had a whole bunch of Box office "jewels", to discard and yet, surprisingly, a decent number of good movies on offer from the Indian Film Industry.

Personally, my year was pretty good. I continued to live amongst love, fun and friendship, passing yet another year in glory. Here's a funny list of my achievements or high moments (not weed, silly!!) this year :

1. Managed two full fledged trips back home !! (Ideally the norm is one)
2. Managed to retain the "Single and unbothered" status (Ok, this might not be an achievement, for some, but hell, it's my list and i need to feel good about it !!) :-)
3. Saw the Indian cricket team achieve No. 1 ranking in the world (for a boy, who followed cricket when the national side was beaten blue and black most times, this is a dream..and the best part is it continues...)
4. Devoured an inhuman number of movies, possible in a year, in many languages, while still continuuing on a job and raising a family (ok, the last phrase sounded valiant, i know it ain't true).
5. Saved Money !! (yes..yes..yes...Finally proud of myself....Thank you Mom !!)
6. Struck to the same job, beyond a year (a first of it's kind, didnt happen earlier, for unfortunate "haalaats" !!....now, still well on course..)
7. Started watching Plays, two infact - "Class of 84' " and "Get rid of my wife" and loved the experience.
8. Successfully avoided meeting the frightening species of "choose-me girls" for marriage. With all due respect, will not get to enjoy this luxury for long.
9. Managed a large all-girls team at the workplace with no issues, and surprisingly no catfights !! (I sometimes feel like Aamir Khan from Hum hain raahi pyaar ke.. remember the song.."Chikni soorat" hehe..)
10. Succeeded in reviving this blog....despite fewest hits possible...my busy hunky dory schedule and my lack of skills in writing on interesting issues !! The motto was and will be to write for self, with an idea to entertain somebody, if he/she happens to stumble across these pages of my creation !!

I think this will be my last post for this year. Thank you 2010, for all that you bestowed. Hope for an even better one in 2011.

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin


Last Pic Courtesy - The Weekday and the Weekend by Your's truly !! 

Me and Harry Potter

Fantasy has a part in all our lives. We fantasise, expect, make castles in the air, get dissappointed, move on and then fantasise some more. Over the passage of time, and our journey into adulthood, what is startlingly observed is that, our fantasies have become tangible and realistic, thereby loosing the essence of the term. As kids fantasy meant much more. From Granny's stories to Fantasy fables, there were sizeable contributions for increasing our appetite.

Personally, books have been my major friends since childhood. I devoured stories, comic books etc as a child and probably that led to inculcating reading as a habit. Fantasy, as a medium of prose in my country was very limited. There were tales about magical creatures, forbidden castles, wonder caves, but in solidarity. The more one wanted to read about, the less there was material to look forward to. I remember Chandamama, the children's magazine carrying a series of fantasy adventures, but soon lost focus and it's readers. DD TV serials such as Stone Boy, Alif Laila (unintentionally hilarious), Captain Vyom also faded away. Soon, I graduated into classics and subsequently popular fiction novels.

I was in junior college, and was leafing through a popular magazine those days - "Cricket Talk". It carried a column of Top 10 International Bestsellers Fiction / Non-fiction, and as my eyes fell upon the list i could notice 3 Harry Potter titles in the fiction list competing with the likes of Michael Crichton and other popular writers. I tried inquiring about Harry Potter from different sources ( no, googling was not an option those days, atleast not for me !!). The best i could conclude, was that, it might be a detective series a la Holmes or Poirot and I was looking forward to read them.

My mother had an Operation in mid 2001 and i was attending to her for a brief period in the nursing home in Cuttack. Cuttack happened to be the literature capital of Orissa, my state and I had access to loads of good books and authors at street side 2nd hand shops as well as the famous book stores in the city. This time too, i went about searching for good books to give me company, while i spent time at the nursing home, with Mama.

The book seller proudly showed me fiction novels and thrust in a few Harry Potter books as new arrivals. Upon gazing at the cover art, which appeared quite childish, i wondered if this would at all be a good buy and if it would appeal to the "adult" in me. However, after sparing a careful thought i did buy one of the books - "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", little knowing that it was the fourth book in the series. Perhaps the size of the book (fattest back then) and the slightly adventurous cover art, got my goat !!

The beauty of the prose was such that i could understand the stuff even though i broke midway from the fourth part of the series. Soon i was enthralled, and picked up all the remaining parts of the series, available back then. It was sheer joy, being transported to the magical world of Wizards and Witches. I wasn't a "muggle" anymore !! The whole concept was simple yet mind boggling. The presence of wizards amongst common folk, the platform of 9 and 3 quarters, Hogwarts, Quidditch, the magic lessons and the exciting adventures of Harry, amidst all of this.

I kept up with Harry, reading his adventures as i grew from a teenager to adulthood. I introduced him to several of my friends. Imagination was getting colour by the harry potter movies that kept releasing. Daniel Radcliffe surely was the Chosen one, aprtly supported by Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Ron and Hermione, Harry's best friends. However the best potrayal of the character was and is being done by Alan Rickman, in and as Severus Snape, the almost evil, Potions teacher at Hogwarts. A few years back, the last Harry Potter book - The Deathly Hallows was released, and thus the prose came to an end. The movie franchise is soon catching up and the first part of the last book, has already hit the theatres (i saw it a week back). Very soon, next year, the last movie would be released, and Harry will fade away from our expectations, to come again. He will be cherished in the 8 DvDs and 7 books that I will treasure. I hope I keep re-visiting the memories. I also hope to pass my joy to my next generation and i hope they cherish the experience as much.

Harry Potter will continue to be the boy who lived.

Trip Back Home

Chhod aaye hum woh galiyaan....

Yes, I have just returned from a home trip.

Rejuvenated, tired, excited, happy and sad at the same time !! There aren't too many occasions when you experience these emotions all together. While i was on my flight back to Bombay i was contemplating on blogging about my trip. Not the usual holiday diaries, people post, though !! Rather a more heartfelt account of my experiences in my hometown.

I have gone back home several times during my professional tenure. Managed to live through the madness of office work, people frantically calling to check upon work, and me happily basking in the small town's laid back sunshine. Never bothered about things such as career, packages, recruitments, MISes, training, performance etc etc n blah, during those 8-10 wonderful days.

This time was no different. "I shall not be accessible on the phone" mentioned my out-of-office mail.

The welcome at home, the warmth from my kith and kin and the angelic face of my mom. The face that makes me forget all worries in life, forget any ambition, abandon any desire and just sleep with my head down in her lap while she keeps chatting about almost everything under the universe, from the 7th marriage proposal she received for me to my neighbour's cousin's career interests. Of course Dad's mock anger only enhanced our will to gossip a little more. He, although, was happy with the bunch of novels i took home. Time has a strange way of repeating itself with a twist. It seemed like yesterday, me smiling deeply because of the 3 double digest comic books he'd bought me, on his way back from business.

The awkward hugs i receive from my chaddi buddies, back home are a thing to remember. I have blended into the semi-north indian culture of Free Hugs for everything, and this has become a way of life. However things back home are still the same. A friend meeting after long, is shown the same warmth, same love, yet unspoken. And while i embark on the tradition of hugging, they share half a hug, making the shoulders to barely touch and an arm on the neck, and thus we meet !!

We sit down to discuss... and for once i am glad, we are not touching upon points of discussion such as the big corporate honchos in their respective companies and their astounding ways of success. I am not given pre feeds about the next overseas business trip they shall be going upon and our views on the next tax planning and investments for the next quarter do not matter. We do not discuss world cinema or the latest gizmos we are looking to buy. We discuss life, love, happiness, problems, how it was, when we were kids, how it is now. We discuss about other friends, we discuss our small dreams for the future (neither overwhelming the other), we joke, kid around, pull the silliest of pranks and pass off endless hours by the sea side.

I play a lot of badminton every time i go home. Good way to burn all the extra calories i gain from mom's cooking. This time was no different. Although, the guys praised my current form :D , i sincerely hope they were not trying to flatter a desk job professional with limited exposure to practice. I do wear out faster in about an hour's rigorous game-play. Cut to memories of the champ playing like there was no tomorrow during college days. I look at the trophies, cups and shields i earned from the game and the pride still gives a weak smile from deep inside.

I visit places. Sometimes with people, and sometimes alone. I steal a peep at my alma-mater, my school. Holiday time !! :'( Couldn't go inside !!
I sat by the sea, the same spot i have always been to. Memories came flying. Reckless sea baths in the salty water....holding hands.....sand castles.....the awkwardness of meeting girls near the Puri Sea Beach (understood locally)...beach football.....sand art....the setting sun.....the confused tourists...the yuppy foreigners....!!
It rained while i was sitting by the beach this time (yes it had been raining a bit in Puri). I was listening to a bluetooth transferred version of Guzaarish's title track. The moment felt ethereal. While i do share this in words now, in reality i am weirdly selfish, i wouldn't want anyone to be a part of that experienced moment.

I ate, ate and ate...yes that is understood. Coming from my present situation of self imposed diets and the crappy maid food, home is where the sorrow ends !! My roomie had mentioned once, its good that we get crappy food here, it helps us stay fit. If we were subjected to home food on a daily basis, God alone would measure my waist !! Anyways, the tastiest of fishes, the mutton, the veggies, the sweets all went inside in large quantities and every moment was relished.

I went to the temple, with mom as always. I'm not very religious and every time i pray i feel i am pleading. So i discontinued the habit. But when i enter the big temple of the greater God, every logic, every argument seems baseless.. The atmosphere is so overwhelming, that i do not mind being even a beggar before Lord Jagannath. I pour my heart out before him and realize towards the end, i have been saying things out loud and Mom is peering blankly at me having finished her prayers.

I came back to Mumbai this morning. Waved to my parents till the last sight of the visitors window while getting on the plane. I wonder sometimes if its going to be a trend that i will slog for 50 weeks in a year to have 2 weeks of pure happiness in life. Conscience is a nasty little prick, always posing the wrong questions....

P.S -
Dear Conscience, I chose this life. I have lived and loved it. And i look forward to make it more meaningful.

Independence..Now

I have noticed a trend. Important Landmark events or dates always coax Bloggers to write. Results as i have seen could be fab and quite the opposite.
So i never stuck to Father's day, Momma's day, Valentine's day (that's a separate story eh fellas !!), Canine day or Independence day for that matter !!
Independence caught my fancy this time around. Maybe the influence of social networking had a role to play. The randomness with which people were wishing independence, was a little unnerving. It was nice to see people valuing independence but slowly when they tried going into pseudo half introspection half sarcastic mode, the comments generated were amusing to say the least if i could refrain from dirt.

"Inflation, child labour, shit, crap etc etc on the rise % x goes to % y, Govt is going to the dogs, ARE WE ACTUALLY FREE??"
"Iss se achche toh hum Ghulam the"
"Rant rant rant rant rant......100 mein se 80 beimaan, fir bhi mera Bharat Mahaan (80% corruption, yet India is great), Happy Independence Day."

No, what's your point exactly here? Things are fucked up ?? Right ?? And what are you doing to change anything over here ???

You say, slavery was better ? Did even your friggin Dad experience a life under British Rule ? Things were more organised then, eh, classy ?? Says who ??? Did you see it for real ? Did you get flogged ? Did you like it ? Bondage fun huh ?? Marvellous !!!

I tried imagining a life of slavery in current situations. In one word....Scary !! I value my freedom and all that the country bestows upon me. I do not take pride in being patriotic, i rather am happy being a responsible citizen, that being the least i can contribute to the growth of the country / economy etc etc. Yes i am selfish, as an individual in the social hierarchy. I cannot sacrifice my life in the pursuit of more glory for my country, the civil affairs etc etc the works. I lose the right to criticise those who do, there itself. I may question or raise propaganda to collectively shake the foundations of wrong doings such as the Common Wealth Games, but thats it. My government has given me the power to choose and not-choose, and i do not consider myself too small to make a difference. What if a thousand others thought just like me by coincidence and abstained or engaged from doing the right thing. Aren't we creating a difference there ?

I consciously look to vote. I have contributed occasionally to a specific NGO and am trying to be more regular at that. I haven't engaged in mal-practice or exercising social influence. I hope I do not consider these as "Virtues", rather try bettering them at each given chance.

I am a free Indian. I love my country.

Football World Cup 2010 - The Memories

The Football World Cup 2010 was here. Waka Waka....What joy !!! Much like the boys enjoyed watching the games..leaving the girls to sulk for attention or pretend to be indifferent.. it was heaven for 90 minutes (if a game stretched beyond that...twas bliss). A football world cup comes once in 4 years, and chances are, a guy would get to enjoy only 2-3 of them during his prime time, that is..after the harassment of studies/entrance exams/homework and before the ultimate justice that awaits him - grocery shopping, nappy changing and being the head of the family. Please do not hold the time-continuum arrogance against me. I am just one of those guys at the moment, and hence such statements would make me bask in my youthful glory, again and yet again. I am sure the other age groups can be as big fanatics of the game as any one else. Even women, YES (i came across a few rare breeds who actually loved football...quite so unlikely..but, what the hell...a WOMAN who loves football !! For your benefit O fair maidens...this is almost a metaphor for a guy who loves mindless shopping for hours and doesn't tire out even after your 13th dress trial and offers different sweet comments each time). So bear with me sweethearts, on this one....

So onto the football now. Yeah, this was the 4th World Cup i consciously watched and maybe followed the game most seriously this time around. South Africa played hosts to the world and although now i get to read of the aftermaths and turmoils of creating such billion dollar infrastructure, it all looked grand, the Aadivasi flavor attached. The games progressed very well and some minnows did spring surprises to start with. World Champions SPAIN suffered the first heart attack when Switzerland beat them. The New Zealand teams outing was said to be a vacation, but they proved their salt when they drew with Italy. There were cakewalk groups out of which teams like England still made heavy weather. There were fiercely competitive group like that of Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast, and quality football was almost always displayed.

France and Italy received the first heartbreaks, bowing down in the group stages. The French team came with it's share of controversies, and Italy paid the price for compromising on experience. Ivory coast was another star studded side and they must consider themselves unfortunate to go out in the group stages. One particular game when the Portuguese slammed 7 against North Korea, stood out. The Germans were also scoring prolific in most of their games, with a much balanced side of youth and experience. Argentina came in as a strong contender, and I stand in true testimony, that if there ever was a man most involved in this World Cup, it was their coach Diego Maradona. Jumping on the baseline, kissing the players, screaming at the refs...the little man did everything !! Spain proceeded slowly but confidently with David Villa making his reputation grow stronger as one of the best strikers. The dutch team had its stars, but were always comsidered unpredictable. However this time they were firing.

The round of 16 saw some of the minnows making name for themselves. Japan, Paraguay, Ghana, Mexico...all bowed out but gained a lot of respect. England, my first favourites had a humiliating exit at the hands of Germany. There might have been a dubious decision but now as the record books show, they lost comprehensively. Sob Sob... Time for the quarters... The Uruguay team had performed marvelously mostly being led by the most inspiring player i saw this time - Diego Forlan. Forlan did everything that a footballer could and whenever he played it looked as if the game revolved around him. Hw scored long distance goals, he scored on free kicks..he rubbished the Jabulani ball myth and he truly went into the record books head held high as the recipient of the Golden Ball. There was the young gun Suarez too who scored a lot of goals but will be remembered also for a few wrong reasons as he repeated the Hand of God - part 2 during the quarters against Ghana. Asamoah Gyan failed on the penalty, the black stars and Africa's only hopes went crashing. Heartbreaks were plenty when the dutch beat Brazil in the quarters, with the whole of Kolkata shedding copious tears that could have possibly led to a flood over howrah bridge. Joga Bonito - not this time pals !! The best game of the tournament was touted to be the QF between Germany and Argentina and then came the shocker. The fuhrer's men beat Maradona's boys, Messi, tevez and sundry all high and dry. The raw physical power and counter attack was too much to handle. Mesut Oezil and Thomas Mueller had arrived at the international stage and are sure to grow into stars soon. Old timers like Lahm, Podolski and Schweinstiger were also playing extra special, while Miroslav Klose etched his name on the WC record books as one of the most successful strikers of all times.

The 4 semifinalists weren't quite the most popular predictions. The Oranges edged over Uruguay and broke Forlan's and his countrymen's hearts. Spain benefitted with their most of their players' experience of playing
 together and controlled the ball in a frenzy and making the germans play at their pace. It was an educational game for the learners of the game. Finally a clever set-piece did Germans over. Carlos Puyol, the defender, the rockstar..had scored.

Spain and Netherlands went into the finals, both waiting to be crowned world champions for the first time. Wisdom and clever play prevailed over aggresive fouling, which was the only resolve the dutch could come up with to counter Spain's brilliant ball game. It was almost a fitting end as, Andres Iniesta..the think tank, the strategist, the MAMAjee of Rajneeti, scored the winner in the 116th minute of extra time. Espanyollllllllllllllll my status message on FB read then and they didnt dissappoint.

This World Cup, had its share of fun and distractions. The Jabulani, the Vuvuzelas, the crowd all prevailed, good and bad, and in the end Football ruled. A game most followed in the world, as simple as involving just 1 ball and a whole lot of skills and enough attraction to even move cricket crazy nations like ours sit up and take notice, truly - JOGA BONITO - it's a beautiful game.

This world cup will remain as heartfelt as this post. I am writing this so that in the future i can read this and revisit my days of youth. Those beer bashes...those cursing your mates when their team scored against yours...those victory dances...those OMIGAWD moments...shall always remain. 4 years from now will never be the same...i hope the game however will remain as awesome as it is. Brazil, a 4 year older than now man, will await you. For all the footballing moments i shared with my gang...guys...it was a pleasure !!