Not a bad sunday the last one! Actually the fun began from Saturday night.. Watched the movie "The Recruit" starring Al Pacino and Colin Farrell. Nice one, the CIA thriller types.. The female lead was quite cute.. Forgot her name though.. She has also acted in Coyote Ugly.. Sunday morning, on a colleague's recommendation, went to Cafe New York for breakfast. Its located about 5 mins before Opera house (if u r cmg from worli).. Its bang on the main road just after u cross the breach candy bridge.. Very nice place and what food! Me and Sharwani had baked beans on toast, masala omlette, scrambled eggs on toast and cold coffee! And the bill came to just Rs.195.. I think this is the first time ever in my life that 1) while in Mumbai I actually went out somewhere to have a breakfast and 2) while in Mumbai I actually ate so much for breakfast! Needless to state lunch was given a go bye.. Watched 2 movies on Sunday, The Taking of Pelham 123 starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta and Sehar starring Arshad Warsi and Pankaj Kapur.. Both awesome movies! The latter one especially, if u ever had any doubt about Arshad Warsi's acting skills, u shud watch it.. The director Kabeer Kaushik (i wonder whether he has made more such movies) has done a brilliant job.. By the way 'sehar' means dawn..
On another note, have started wondering whether the wheels have finally started turning.. Of course there are miles to go before I sleep but then a start is just what I needed and I strongly suspect I have achieved that.. The question is only of keeping the momentum going.. There are a few things I have to straighten.. Few mistakes I have to undo.. Its not going to be easy but its not impossible either.. At some level, its all about mind games.. Intentional or not.. Its about holding ur cards and not revealing them.. Its about setting a thief to catch a thief.. I am not averse to doing 'ideal' things.. But then give me an ideal environment for that..
As always, thanks for reading:)
Cheers
Ashu
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Friday, 6th August 2010
There comes a point in everyone's life when you know that something's gotta give now. Its as if you were waiting for the last straw on the camel's back. Mind you, this is never an overnight phenomenon. Its usually a culmination of events and circumstances for a considerable period of time, some of which you control and are responsible for and some not. Unfortunately you allow youself to believe that things will take care of themselves without your intervention. But its never like that. You have to intervene, you have to take some bold and harsh decisions and most importantly you have to back yourself. Because unless you are confident that what you are doing is necessary (even if it is not right), you will keep stumbling and you will keep standing on a crossroad. Reminds me of the King Bruce and the Spider story. Except that real life does not give you those many chances. You have to make the most of what you get. Life is not about pleasing everyone. Life is neither about pleasing your own self. Life is about having dreams and pursuing them. Life is about making mistakes and learning from them. Life is not about being judgmental, neither about others nor about yourself. Life is about knowing that there is not just black and white, there is also gray. Life is about knowing when to call it quits and then not looking back. Because the moment you do, it is a never ending story.
If only everyone was mentally strong and disciplined, there would be so less misery in this world. Every night when I go to sleep and every day when I wake up, it strikes me that there are quite a few things left for me to do. So many places to see, so many books to read, so many movies to watch, so many lessons to learn and the backlog is just increasing! Heard a very interesting thing from a friend today, If you are doing what you love or if you love what you do everyday, life is a vacation. How I wish it was true in my case! Its quite a challenge to fight monotony, to be surrounded by mediocrity and yet smile.
There are always some relationships in our life where things are always unsaid and incomplete. Its as if you go to watch a movie and the movie abruptly ends. So many things are left to be said, to be done. But then the other way of looking at it is that isnt it better that the things have remained unsaid and incomplete. At least there is less misery. Because there is always a time and place for everything. And till the time and place comes, you have to be patient and wait. It may also happen that the time and place may never come in your life. But so be it. After all you can always choose to blame 'fate'. It may even happen that you will be accused of 'inaction'. Even for a person like me, sometimes there is greater satisfaction in not taking the initiative. Yes that may mean that the loss will be mine. But at least I can hope that some day I shall be taken by a pleasant surprise.
They say expectation is bad. Expectation leads to misery. But wouldnt life be dry and dull without expecting things from people around us?
I am hoping that one day I will wake up with a song on my lips and a smile on my face and I will be looking forward to facing the world knowing fully well that there will be misery, there will be sorrow, there will be anger and there will be loss of expectation. But the skies will still be blue and the sun will still be shining brightly as it did before and then I will know that I shall overcome..
If only everyone was mentally strong and disciplined, there would be so less misery in this world. Every night when I go to sleep and every day when I wake up, it strikes me that there are quite a few things left for me to do. So many places to see, so many books to read, so many movies to watch, so many lessons to learn and the backlog is just increasing! Heard a very interesting thing from a friend today, If you are doing what you love or if you love what you do everyday, life is a vacation. How I wish it was true in my case! Its quite a challenge to fight monotony, to be surrounded by mediocrity and yet smile.
There are always some relationships in our life where things are always unsaid and incomplete. Its as if you go to watch a movie and the movie abruptly ends. So many things are left to be said, to be done. But then the other way of looking at it is that isnt it better that the things have remained unsaid and incomplete. At least there is less misery. Because there is always a time and place for everything. And till the time and place comes, you have to be patient and wait. It may also happen that the time and place may never come in your life. But so be it. After all you can always choose to blame 'fate'. It may even happen that you will be accused of 'inaction'. Even for a person like me, sometimes there is greater satisfaction in not taking the initiative. Yes that may mean that the loss will be mine. But at least I can hope that some day I shall be taken by a pleasant surprise.
They say expectation is bad. Expectation leads to misery. But wouldnt life be dry and dull without expecting things from people around us?
I am hoping that one day I will wake up with a song on my lips and a smile on my face and I will be looking forward to facing the world knowing fully well that there will be misery, there will be sorrow, there will be anger and there will be loss of expectation. But the skies will still be blue and the sun will still be shining brightly as it did before and then I will know that I shall overcome..
Sunday, August 1, 2010
2nd August 2010
Monday morning(blues!).. Weekend was good.. Let me clarify here that my "weekend" begins on a Saturday night after I come back home from office.. Anyways.. Saw 3 movies in the past 36 hrs.. Sat night, watched "Quick Gun Murugan".. quite a disappointment actually. Had heard some good things abt it when it was released.. Sunday morning, watched Fight Club starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. Total weirdo pscyho movie! Sunday evening, watched Invictus.. Now thats what I call a real good movie.. Starring Morgan Freeman (who has played the character of Nelson Mandela) and Matt Damon.. Must watch.. Especially if u r a Morgan Freeman fan.. Had gone for lunch to a buffet restaurant on Sunday afternoon.. Place called 'Oasis' at Chembur.. Food was good but service was pathetic.. Wonder why they have named it 'Oasis'. Coz neither there is a desert around nor is it a watering hole:)
Monday morning drove to office with bro.. Have stopped counting the potholes.. Actually some of them may find it offensive if they are called potholes anymore. I guess they would be happier if called 'craters'. Same old story.. Rains, floods, pathetic roads.. As usual the milking cow (Mumbai) gets the worst treatment. May sound cynical but I think we deserve it to some extent with the apathy that we display.. A close friend of mine is in India (he stays in UK).. Dont think he would be visiting Mumbai but its nice to know that he is in India (even if it means Ahmedabad).. The other good part is that now I can call him (and so can he) at much cheaper rates:)
Bye for now. Gotta get back to work.. As always, thanks for reading:)
Cheers
Ashu
Monday morning drove to office with bro.. Have stopped counting the potholes.. Actually some of them may find it offensive if they are called potholes anymore. I guess they would be happier if called 'craters'. Same old story.. Rains, floods, pathetic roads.. As usual the milking cow (Mumbai) gets the worst treatment. May sound cynical but I think we deserve it to some extent with the apathy that we display.. A close friend of mine is in India (he stays in UK).. Dont think he would be visiting Mumbai but its nice to know that he is in India (even if it means Ahmedabad).. The other good part is that now I can call him (and so can he) at much cheaper rates:)
Bye for now. Gotta get back to work.. As always, thanks for reading:)
Cheers
Ashu
Friday, July 30, 2010
30th July 2010
Thanks atya.. Ur phone call was really the final push that I required. Didnt expect my blog would come up so soon! Well, now that I am here, must use my literary skills to the fullest as also enhance them.. After all we are always students of the game.. To begin with, let me post a couple of articles (if one may call them so) that I have written in the past few years. One may wonder why only two? But then I am myself to blame for that. So much laziness and as always the world's favourite excuse "No time/ too busy". As atya rightly put it across today, marriage, work, family, kid(s), these things are always around. Its really up to each one of us how to manage them and yet exploit our skills/ potential on a regular basis.
Here's my first article:
Destination- Nasik
Vehicle- Skoda Octavia
Date- 23rd and 24th February 2008
The Famous Five- Ashutosh, Rahul, Hiren, Vaibhav and Siddharth
Our trip to Nasik was a culmination of quite a few dreams having been realized at one and the same time. Firstly, in the 66 years of W.S. Kane & Co, for the first time, a Saturday was about to be spent as a holiday by all of us. A Saturday which was neither a Republic Day nor an Independence Day nor was it a festival or a “It has rained too much, we cannot come to office” day. Secondly, five of us were actually going somewhere together for an overnight trip. Nasik was only the means to an end, the end being the idea of spending quality and quantity time together. I still remember the days of planning and “convincing each other”. Well, actually the realistic threat of dropping out was only from Rahul dada. Not his fault though, he was just not used to the idea of not seeing office on Saturdays. I still find it hard to believe that things happened so smoothly and so quickly. Thankfully, by the time the departure date arrived, there were no casualties and the group was all excited and ready to go.
We left at around 5.30 a.m. from Rahul dada’s place (Wadala). Not surprisingly, I was in the front passenger seat with Rahul dada driving. Well, the advantage of being huge and bulky is that you are discouraged from sitting behind and causing ‘inconvenience’ to others, which only means that you get a nice lone front seat all by yourself! When we started, it was still dark. As expected, the highway was clear and we were cruising at a good speed. As Hiren had already warned us, there is not much to see or admire on the Mumbai-Nasik highway. The only entertainment (besides the one playing inside the car) was the various messages displayed on the back sides of trucks. Some of them were hilarious to say the least! The mood in the car was more of a “Lets talk about something” types. With Rahul dada and Siddharth around (and Vaibhav happily listening to the music), there was every chance of eternal silence in the car. I don’t know whether it was the excitement of the trip or the fear of being noticeably quiet, but Rahul dada and Siddharth quickly proved that they are a wonderful, and more importantly, ‘talkative’ company. Vaibhav was talking just enough to make his presence felt in the car.
Our first and only halt was at Manas Lifestyle Resorts, Igatpuri (I am not counting the brief and yet all important roadside toilet break on the way). The resort was very nice, spacious and seemed to be luxurious enough. Just ideal for a weekend trip. Breakfast was to be at Hiren’s house, so there was no point in staying for long at the resort. Our remaining journey was quick and peaceful. We started realizing the advantage of leaving early when we entered Nasik. Firstly, there was not much traffic to slow us down. Secondly, when we looked at our respective watches, we realized that it was only about 9.10 a.m., which meant we had an absolutely entire day at our disposal. As soon as we entered Nasik, Hiren (who hails from Nasik) started showing us around. We were glad that our first impression of Nasik was that of an early morning one. By the time we reached Hiren’s house, it was almost 9.30., and breakfast was on everyone’s mind (though nobody was ever going to admit it). Hiren’s one-storeyed house (read bungalow) is big, spacious and beautiful. The locality is calm and peaceful. Hiren’s mother warmly welcomed us and made us feel comfortable immediately. After resting for a while and having refreshed ourselves, we were shown our respective rooms. Me and Rahul dada were to share a room downstairs. Siddharth, Vaibhav and Hiren were to share a room upstairs. Breakfast was plenty and sumptuous to say the least. And with Hiren’s mother at her affectionate best, it was not long before we realized how much we had stuffed ourselves.
Post breakfast, we stepped out for local sight-seeing. The Skoda was given its due rest and Hiren’s Innova was chosen to be the local mode of transport. Hiren, not surprisingly, doubled up as the driver and guide both. In the morning session, we saw Hiren’s petrol pump (BPCL), Panchavati area and most of Nasik city (at least those places which one normally ought to see). Hiren turned out to be an excellent guide and enthusiastically showed us around. We clicked quite a few snaps and visited a lot of places, reminiscent of our curiosity, eagerness and enthusiasm to know more about Nasik.
By the time, we returned to Hiren’s house, it was past 1 p.m. Thanks to the lack of exercise, none of us were very hungry. But little did we realize that a feast would be waiting for us! One look at the spread on the dining table convinced us that Hiren’s mom was expecting a football team. The chicken and fish was excellent and even a mild and fussy non-vegetarian eating person like me couldn’t resist myself. Post lunch, siesta was being considered as a serious option but finally we succumbed to the temptation of watching a Bollywood flick and “Johny Gaddar” was the chosen one. The movie was a thriller and certainly entertaining. Rahul dada joined four of us at the climax of the movie, having completed his siesta. In the evening, we ventured out and proceeded to Sula vineyards. The drive was a pleasant one and by the time we reached there, it was past 6 p.m. Our first impression of the place was more of the “We are in France” type. To say that the Sula vineyards are charming and beautiful would be an understatement. Hiren took us to the main building where one can taste and drink the finest wine one can get in this part of the world. Thanks to Hiren (and a long lost friend of his), we managed to ‘taste’ not only the wine but even a bowl full of peanuts and cheeselings. By “we”, I mean myself and Rahul dada. Because as it turned out to be, the rest three are teetotalers. The wine was excellent and except for Vaibhav, all of us bought some. Siddharth topped the list with his dad ordering half a dozen (I think he managed to bargain it to four). We had a wonderful time sipping the wine and enjoying the lovely view and ambience.
Dinner was suggested to be taken at a Marathi theme restaurant called “Sanskriti” just outside Nasik. The idea was appealing enough and having already witnessed Hiren’s tastes and preferences, we knew we were in for another visual and gastronomical treat. The place turned out to be as good as you can get. One can see the effort and enthusiasm behind creating and sustaining it. Once again, we were led directly to the owner of the place (by this time we were convinced that we were the guests to the “royal family” of Nasik). The owner’s son proudly showed us around and for a few minutes, we really felt as if we were in a different century, a different era. Dinner was taken at a ‘Wada’ in full traditional Maharashtrian style i.e. Zunka, Bhakri. Batata bhaji etc. The only disappointing part was that none of us could do real justice to the food (having stuffed ourselves throughout the day). For desert, we returned to the 21st century and had the likes of cold coffee and hot chocolate at a Café Coffee Day outlet in the heart of Nasik. By the time we reached Hiren’s house, it was past 11.30 p.m. The next day being Vaibhav’s birthday, we were anxiously looking at our watches (though none of us was going to reveal that) waiting to bring in his birthday. We passed time by watching television. At exactly midnight, it was time to blow the candles and thanks to Hiren’s presence of mind, we also had a small cake ready for Vaibhav. Post cake-cutting, we lazed around for a while and by the time we went off to sleep, it was past 1 a.m.
Next day morning saw us wake up before 8 a.m. (I don’t remember the last time I woke up so early on a Sunday). The idea was to go to the Taj Nasik (once again thanks to Hiren) and enjoy swimming, steam and jacuzzi. The Taj Nasik is a beautiful property (inspite of being in the city). Our entry to the hotel was smooth (as if we owned the place) and very soon, we hit the pool. Post swimming, we enjoyed the steam and the jacuzzi (this was the best part). We were really living the lives of kings. For some of us like me and siddharth, after a brief stay at the jacuzzi, the gym was a good option for more adventure. By the time we returned to Hiren’s house, we were a happier and healthier lot. Breakfast was light with the intention of having an early lunch. Post breakfast, it was cricket time and we displayed our gully cricket skills for more than an hour. Finally, the scorching sun and the sweltering heat forced us to retreat to Hiren’s house to enjoy the cooler and shady ambience. After relaxing for a while, we packed our bags and bid goodbye to Hiren’s mother. Lunch was at a roadside dhaba in Nasik and the carnivores had a ball. For the herbivores like me and Siddharth, aloo mutter seemed to be the best bet. After lunch, we proceeded back to Mumbai, this time taking a different and slightly longer route.
The journey back home was quieter. For those who were awake, we were lost in the lovely and beautiful memories of our trip to Nasik. For those who had fallen asleep, they were sharing the same feelings but in their dreams.
Note: It is not often that five different and contrasting personalities come together and have such great fun as we did in our Nasik trip. One of the best things that happened in the trip was the coming of age of Siddharth. (I still have to pinch myself to believe that he is just 19). The camaraderie and bonding that we displayed was something that we will all cherish for a long time. Most importantly, the fact that this trip was such a wonderful success only means that there are many more to come.
My second article( hoping that you still have the stamina to read it!):
Thursday, 13th July 2006.
Nothing significant about this day really except that today I traveled by train to office for the first time after the much talked about Mumbai train blasts. You might ask that what did I do yesterday then? Because, yesterday should have been the first day of my travel after the blasts. Well, the reality is that yesterday I chose to seek comfort in driving down with my dad to office. I don’t think it was really a case of fear (as some of my office staff thought it was). The fact is that I got up late on that morning. And by the time I was ready to leave, so was my dad. Hence, the driving together to office. But let me confess here that after Tuesday’s horrendous evening and night, driving in our own car yesterday was bliss. I felt like President George Bush traveling in the Air Force One. As if, nothing else could have been more safe and comfortable in the circumstances.
Anyway, coming back to my train journey today. The walk from home to Matunga Road station was full of thoughts. Wide, varied thoughts. thoughts ranging from what’s important to do in office today to whether I will see office today. I boarded the train (in the first class compartment as I always do) and thankfully there was not a big crowd. I managed to find a place to stand peacefully in the corridor (which by the way is a luxury in itself in Mumbai local trains). The first thing that struck me in the train was the unassuming silence. Not that people were not talking, but it wouldn’t have been rocket science to figure out that nobody was his normal self and why he wasn’t so. I have never seen Mumbaikars stare so much at each other, especially in a local train. It was as if each one was entrusted the task by the Intelligence Bureau and the police to find the invisible terrorist in the compartment. Two gentlemen started talking about one Mr. Sharma who stays (or ‘stayed’ now) on the ground floor and who was caught in the Matunga Road blasts. I had to get away from that conversation.
After three stations i.e. Lower Parel, I finally managed to find a place to seat. There were a few men sitting around me. One of them opened a Gujarati daily, and as is the usual habit of us commuters, there were suddenly a few faces staring at the newspaper trying to catch a glimpse of the headlines (at least), as if it was going to make a world of difference to us. But one look at the coloured photograph of one of the blast sites and the gory images, and all of us, like robots turned our heads the other side.
The young college student sitting in front of me was trying to read his class notes. In a short while, I realized that he was on the same page for more than five minutes. I don’t think he looked that dumb that he couldn’t’ grasp one page in five minutes. The truth was obvious. He was distracted, seriously distracted. And after what seemed like eternity, he gave up and put the notes back in his bag. The young man sitting two seats away was constantly staring at me (judging by his looks, he looked like a Gujarati diamond merchant). Not my fault obviously, but then, not his either. Mind you, I had shaved today and put on my best shirt also, just in case.
By a sheer coincidence, I was in London when the 7/7 blasts happened on the tube and bus networks. And I did travel by tube a few days after the blasts. Nothing had changed really. The same faces. People trying to put on the same ‘brave’ masks. And quite obviously, once again, their expressions betraying them. For me, London and Mumbai couldn’t have seemed so identical.
Finally, Charni Road station arrived and I got down. Ready to take the long walk to office. But before that, I looked back at the passing train, hoping that it would reach Churchgate as peacefully as it delivered me at Charni Road.
I think I should wind up for now. Seems more like a triple century on debut! Thanks for reading.
Cheers
Ashu
Here's my first article:
Destination- Nasik
Vehicle- Skoda Octavia
Date- 23rd and 24th February 2008
The Famous Five- Ashutosh, Rahul, Hiren, Vaibhav and Siddharth
Our trip to Nasik was a culmination of quite a few dreams having been realized at one and the same time. Firstly, in the 66 years of W.S. Kane & Co, for the first time, a Saturday was about to be spent as a holiday by all of us. A Saturday which was neither a Republic Day nor an Independence Day nor was it a festival or a “It has rained too much, we cannot come to office” day. Secondly, five of us were actually going somewhere together for an overnight trip. Nasik was only the means to an end, the end being the idea of spending quality and quantity time together. I still remember the days of planning and “convincing each other”. Well, actually the realistic threat of dropping out was only from Rahul dada. Not his fault though, he was just not used to the idea of not seeing office on Saturdays. I still find it hard to believe that things happened so smoothly and so quickly. Thankfully, by the time the departure date arrived, there were no casualties and the group was all excited and ready to go.
We left at around 5.30 a.m. from Rahul dada’s place (Wadala). Not surprisingly, I was in the front passenger seat with Rahul dada driving. Well, the advantage of being huge and bulky is that you are discouraged from sitting behind and causing ‘inconvenience’ to others, which only means that you get a nice lone front seat all by yourself! When we started, it was still dark. As expected, the highway was clear and we were cruising at a good speed. As Hiren had already warned us, there is not much to see or admire on the Mumbai-Nasik highway. The only entertainment (besides the one playing inside the car) was the various messages displayed on the back sides of trucks. Some of them were hilarious to say the least! The mood in the car was more of a “Lets talk about something” types. With Rahul dada and Siddharth around (and Vaibhav happily listening to the music), there was every chance of eternal silence in the car. I don’t know whether it was the excitement of the trip or the fear of being noticeably quiet, but Rahul dada and Siddharth quickly proved that they are a wonderful, and more importantly, ‘talkative’ company. Vaibhav was talking just enough to make his presence felt in the car.
Our first and only halt was at Manas Lifestyle Resorts, Igatpuri (I am not counting the brief and yet all important roadside toilet break on the way). The resort was very nice, spacious and seemed to be luxurious enough. Just ideal for a weekend trip. Breakfast was to be at Hiren’s house, so there was no point in staying for long at the resort. Our remaining journey was quick and peaceful. We started realizing the advantage of leaving early when we entered Nasik. Firstly, there was not much traffic to slow us down. Secondly, when we looked at our respective watches, we realized that it was only about 9.10 a.m., which meant we had an absolutely entire day at our disposal. As soon as we entered Nasik, Hiren (who hails from Nasik) started showing us around. We were glad that our first impression of Nasik was that of an early morning one. By the time we reached Hiren’s house, it was almost 9.30., and breakfast was on everyone’s mind (though nobody was ever going to admit it). Hiren’s one-storeyed house (read bungalow) is big, spacious and beautiful. The locality is calm and peaceful. Hiren’s mother warmly welcomed us and made us feel comfortable immediately. After resting for a while and having refreshed ourselves, we were shown our respective rooms. Me and Rahul dada were to share a room downstairs. Siddharth, Vaibhav and Hiren were to share a room upstairs. Breakfast was plenty and sumptuous to say the least. And with Hiren’s mother at her affectionate best, it was not long before we realized how much we had stuffed ourselves.
Post breakfast, we stepped out for local sight-seeing. The Skoda was given its due rest and Hiren’s Innova was chosen to be the local mode of transport. Hiren, not surprisingly, doubled up as the driver and guide both. In the morning session, we saw Hiren’s petrol pump (BPCL), Panchavati area and most of Nasik city (at least those places which one normally ought to see). Hiren turned out to be an excellent guide and enthusiastically showed us around. We clicked quite a few snaps and visited a lot of places, reminiscent of our curiosity, eagerness and enthusiasm to know more about Nasik.
By the time, we returned to Hiren’s house, it was past 1 p.m. Thanks to the lack of exercise, none of us were very hungry. But little did we realize that a feast would be waiting for us! One look at the spread on the dining table convinced us that Hiren’s mom was expecting a football team. The chicken and fish was excellent and even a mild and fussy non-vegetarian eating person like me couldn’t resist myself. Post lunch, siesta was being considered as a serious option but finally we succumbed to the temptation of watching a Bollywood flick and “Johny Gaddar” was the chosen one. The movie was a thriller and certainly entertaining. Rahul dada joined four of us at the climax of the movie, having completed his siesta. In the evening, we ventured out and proceeded to Sula vineyards. The drive was a pleasant one and by the time we reached there, it was past 6 p.m. Our first impression of the place was more of the “We are in France” type. To say that the Sula vineyards are charming and beautiful would be an understatement. Hiren took us to the main building where one can taste and drink the finest wine one can get in this part of the world. Thanks to Hiren (and a long lost friend of his), we managed to ‘taste’ not only the wine but even a bowl full of peanuts and cheeselings. By “we”, I mean myself and Rahul dada. Because as it turned out to be, the rest three are teetotalers. The wine was excellent and except for Vaibhav, all of us bought some. Siddharth topped the list with his dad ordering half a dozen (I think he managed to bargain it to four). We had a wonderful time sipping the wine and enjoying the lovely view and ambience.
Dinner was suggested to be taken at a Marathi theme restaurant called “Sanskriti” just outside Nasik. The idea was appealing enough and having already witnessed Hiren’s tastes and preferences, we knew we were in for another visual and gastronomical treat. The place turned out to be as good as you can get. One can see the effort and enthusiasm behind creating and sustaining it. Once again, we were led directly to the owner of the place (by this time we were convinced that we were the guests to the “royal family” of Nasik). The owner’s son proudly showed us around and for a few minutes, we really felt as if we were in a different century, a different era. Dinner was taken at a ‘Wada’ in full traditional Maharashtrian style i.e. Zunka, Bhakri. Batata bhaji etc. The only disappointing part was that none of us could do real justice to the food (having stuffed ourselves throughout the day). For desert, we returned to the 21st century and had the likes of cold coffee and hot chocolate at a Café Coffee Day outlet in the heart of Nasik. By the time we reached Hiren’s house, it was past 11.30 p.m. The next day being Vaibhav’s birthday, we were anxiously looking at our watches (though none of us was going to reveal that) waiting to bring in his birthday. We passed time by watching television. At exactly midnight, it was time to blow the candles and thanks to Hiren’s presence of mind, we also had a small cake ready for Vaibhav. Post cake-cutting, we lazed around for a while and by the time we went off to sleep, it was past 1 a.m.
Next day morning saw us wake up before 8 a.m. (I don’t remember the last time I woke up so early on a Sunday). The idea was to go to the Taj Nasik (once again thanks to Hiren) and enjoy swimming, steam and jacuzzi. The Taj Nasik is a beautiful property (inspite of being in the city). Our entry to the hotel was smooth (as if we owned the place) and very soon, we hit the pool. Post swimming, we enjoyed the steam and the jacuzzi (this was the best part). We were really living the lives of kings. For some of us like me and siddharth, after a brief stay at the jacuzzi, the gym was a good option for more adventure. By the time we returned to Hiren’s house, we were a happier and healthier lot. Breakfast was light with the intention of having an early lunch. Post breakfast, it was cricket time and we displayed our gully cricket skills for more than an hour. Finally, the scorching sun and the sweltering heat forced us to retreat to Hiren’s house to enjoy the cooler and shady ambience. After relaxing for a while, we packed our bags and bid goodbye to Hiren’s mother. Lunch was at a roadside dhaba in Nasik and the carnivores had a ball. For the herbivores like me and Siddharth, aloo mutter seemed to be the best bet. After lunch, we proceeded back to Mumbai, this time taking a different and slightly longer route.
The journey back home was quieter. For those who were awake, we were lost in the lovely and beautiful memories of our trip to Nasik. For those who had fallen asleep, they were sharing the same feelings but in their dreams.
Note: It is not often that five different and contrasting personalities come together and have such great fun as we did in our Nasik trip. One of the best things that happened in the trip was the coming of age of Siddharth. (I still have to pinch myself to believe that he is just 19). The camaraderie and bonding that we displayed was something that we will all cherish for a long time. Most importantly, the fact that this trip was such a wonderful success only means that there are many more to come.
My second article( hoping that you still have the stamina to read it!):
Thursday, 13th July 2006.
Nothing significant about this day really except that today I traveled by train to office for the first time after the much talked about Mumbai train blasts. You might ask that what did I do yesterday then? Because, yesterday should have been the first day of my travel after the blasts. Well, the reality is that yesterday I chose to seek comfort in driving down with my dad to office. I don’t think it was really a case of fear (as some of my office staff thought it was). The fact is that I got up late on that morning. And by the time I was ready to leave, so was my dad. Hence, the driving together to office. But let me confess here that after Tuesday’s horrendous evening and night, driving in our own car yesterday was bliss. I felt like President George Bush traveling in the Air Force One. As if, nothing else could have been more safe and comfortable in the circumstances.
Anyway, coming back to my train journey today. The walk from home to Matunga Road station was full of thoughts. Wide, varied thoughts. thoughts ranging from what’s important to do in office today to whether I will see office today. I boarded the train (in the first class compartment as I always do) and thankfully there was not a big crowd. I managed to find a place to stand peacefully in the corridor (which by the way is a luxury in itself in Mumbai local trains). The first thing that struck me in the train was the unassuming silence. Not that people were not talking, but it wouldn’t have been rocket science to figure out that nobody was his normal self and why he wasn’t so. I have never seen Mumbaikars stare so much at each other, especially in a local train. It was as if each one was entrusted the task by the Intelligence Bureau and the police to find the invisible terrorist in the compartment. Two gentlemen started talking about one Mr. Sharma who stays (or ‘stayed’ now) on the ground floor and who was caught in the Matunga Road blasts. I had to get away from that conversation.
After three stations i.e. Lower Parel, I finally managed to find a place to seat. There were a few men sitting around me. One of them opened a Gujarati daily, and as is the usual habit of us commuters, there were suddenly a few faces staring at the newspaper trying to catch a glimpse of the headlines (at least), as if it was going to make a world of difference to us. But one look at the coloured photograph of one of the blast sites and the gory images, and all of us, like robots turned our heads the other side.
The young college student sitting in front of me was trying to read his class notes. In a short while, I realized that he was on the same page for more than five minutes. I don’t think he looked that dumb that he couldn’t’ grasp one page in five minutes. The truth was obvious. He was distracted, seriously distracted. And after what seemed like eternity, he gave up and put the notes back in his bag. The young man sitting two seats away was constantly staring at me (judging by his looks, he looked like a Gujarati diamond merchant). Not my fault obviously, but then, not his either. Mind you, I had shaved today and put on my best shirt also, just in case.
By a sheer coincidence, I was in London when the 7/7 blasts happened on the tube and bus networks. And I did travel by tube a few days after the blasts. Nothing had changed really. The same faces. People trying to put on the same ‘brave’ masks. And quite obviously, once again, their expressions betraying them. For me, London and Mumbai couldn’t have seemed so identical.
Finally, Charni Road station arrived and I got down. Ready to take the long walk to office. But before that, I looked back at the passing train, hoping that it would reach Churchgate as peacefully as it delivered me at Charni Road.
I think I should wind up for now. Seems more like a triple century on debut! Thanks for reading.
Cheers
Ashu
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