Bangalored...

Title reminds us of the newspapers proudly flashing this with regard to the success of BPO in India. My 'Bangalored' is more concerned with the common Bangalorean or some outsider who has visited Bangalore. This is more of a sarcastic version of the original one which was infact coined as a jealous praise. Though I am not at all near an authority to write on this topic, I just am crying as every one else. It represents not only mine but every other Bangalorean's frustration who has been in the rush hour traffic, or been threatened by the flood waters in his living room. Yes! you can probably use this as a sarcastic and unpleasent remark if you are stuck in that horrible traffic next time. I get Bangalored every now and then, travelling to E-city on Hosur road , or Bannerghatta road. Fortunately I have not had any other bad experiences with this city apart from this.
I work in electronics city which is accessible from the city through the notorius Hosur road. A lot has been said and heard about this tainted road, in newspapers to cabinet meetings. Now some action seems to be taking place after a long time. Let me give you a brisk ride on the hosur road. It starts from the Silk board flyover ,acting as the traffic easer for the busy Madivala junction. Then there is this huge stretch of road wide enough for 3 buses, flanked by swanky glass buildings and small petty shops alike, on both sides. For people from the nearby villages this road is like the lifeline as is for the IT companies in E-city. There are quite a few important companies along the road, Wipro, Novell, HTMT to name a few. And there is a Gold hill square - home to Bosch, Sasken and HCL -which is one of the major bottlenecks. It is believed that on the way back home from office , if you cross Sasken, you are done with half of your share of traffic jam for today because after this point there is more or less free moving traffic. Virtually at every junction, you find that traffic coming to a halt and a huge pile of automobiles honking at each other creating undue noise. Please note you will find very few autos on this road. Its the swanky cars and two wheelers careening their way through the pile,and offcourse the Infosys buses. I hope that one day when the elevated highway from silk board to E-city will be complete, all this chaos will be a sweet or bitter memory. This slow slush(In the top view ;)) of vehicles is till Electronics city, a major hub of IT co.s in Bangalore. For every commuter who travels on the stretches of pothole ridden, clogged Bangalore roads , word 'Bangalored' brings a sarcastic smile onto the lips. Tell me if I am wrong here. And for the non IT people, its the rising cost of living and the flooded areas of outer skirts of Bangalore( IT ppl also complain about this no less!). Bangalore's traffic is overflowing onto the pavements. If you don't believe me, please try to take a stroll on BTM ring road at 7 in the evening. Don't complain if you are run over by a two wheeler. So is the population. I dont think Bangalore can take it anymore at this pace of growth, unless something is done at ground level. We have to act before the word 'Bangalored' will be recorded in the dictionary for a phenomenon which occurs when a city bursts at the seems at a time when it's own growth becomes it's enemy. No Bangalore! you cannot go down like this!.

Saturday noon Lunchathon

You know wat?.. Burrrrp!! ... oooops!.. wait that was the result out of the frustration of not getting a parking slot for my little bike in and around Jayanagar 4th Block...Confused eh?.. yea.. It's a saturday .. like any other..
It was 12:00 noon today and my stomach had given me enough calls for lunch time.Off I go on my 'fresh out of service' bike, to fill in. I roam around the whole of 4th block, from Adigas to cool joint, the cross roads and one ways, and I come back to where I started; NO SIR.. it's easy to find a house in Bangalore but You will be really very lucky if you get a parking slot for ur bike during peak shopping hours. But today it was terrible, adding to my frustration, arising out of my incessently running nose. It's still running like Jog falls!!- both nostrils.. :P..Thus my lunchathon halted at my room. Frustration sometimes helps you in many ways. I decided that today was the day.. I have to have lunch at MTR, and why not?, I have a strong reason..no parking in Jngr. I called up Prasanna as there was one near his house(duplicate but still). He was busy! Hmm.. I am going to the real genuine MTR on 'helmet road':D. I really don't know the name of the road.. but ever since I have come to Bangalore, I have found this road to be very special, as it has all helmet and auto accessories shop. You will not probably not find any other shop, but line of shops with colorful helmets. That's helmet road for me!. BMP should actually come up with this name,like there is a 'Gali paranthewali' in Delhi.
MTR though famous , still stands shyly on helmet road.The building bears an old look . You will hardly notice her though. Interiors are no different,except a computer at the billing counter. There were a few people booking their lunch.
Yes! I bought a 80Rs. coupon for lunch and went upstairs for the waiting room. There are infact two waiting rooms. Please note TWO WAITING ROOMS. That means you spend more time waiting than having lunch. Yet both halls were full, people waiting for darshan... Oops! I mean the darshan of the thali. I waited for nearly half an hour. I was the only guy who had come without a company. That is why I stress that I should have a girlfriend.. but!.. . Anyways, it was easy for me to get a seat. They call people in batches depending on their roll no. .First come the plates, then a strange kind of juice in a silver lota(was it?!!). Someone there said it was an appetizer. No need as I was hungry already. It was tasty though. Next come the carrot salad, and achar, and kheer and curry. And the pooris . Wow they are so soft and melted in my mouth. And then there came a yellowish thick paste kind of thing. It was a sweet. All I did was take a small sample on my finger and taste it. GOSH!! It was like some drug. Instant high! I have rarely tasted a sweet so good. It was a badam halwa it seems .Next two minutes I was meditating as the sweet spread itself through my brain. I wanted to ask for more, but I am shy you know :$.Then as I was slowly recovering from the sweet surprise, things came and went, the bisibele bath and raitha, rise sambar and rasam, curd rice and..huh!.. Huh!!Burrrrppp!! Ice cream,MTR one. No guesses! that was great too. By this time water resources in my nose had grown in excess and they started flowing. I was just blowing my nose by the time rasam rice came. It was embarassing for me and for the people around,though everyone was enjoying their nice, sumptuous meal with their head held low. And a perfect finish for a perfect lunch, packed in nicely and rolled in tight comes a fresh, green pan. WOW! I couldn't have asked for more!. Great!! I thought my jeans are going to tear off! God save my belly!. I somehow with great difficulty reached my room. What?!! I cant lie down. Something gushes up my throat if I try to. Probably I had overloaded a bit too much.After a few rolls and small walk in the room, I could go to sleep. Wanna MTR ?..not until you don't find a parking space in Jayanagar .. hehe :D

One night's journey

The long weekend is over and leaning onto look out for another weekend,just short of 2 more days :D. Was a nice experience last weekend when I had been home, after more than a month long gap! given its not far than 450kms. Its raining like crazy in those parts and its very chilly indeed . I visited my native Kadatoka and the crowd there were asking me one thing if not anything. Guess!!.. "Ammmm.. I heard Infy is giving away 128 crores as bonus!! did u get it?" .. their tone was filled with such enthusiasm that it was as if I am alone getting that 128 crore!. Believe me ..even I wanted to call my friend to make sure its not 128crore/employee. Anyways hats off to their curiosity to information,living in a world of their own far far away from all this corporate buzz..
Last night when I was travelling back to Bangalore, I was reminded of this strange feeling I have, everytime I do a night's journey. I have this strange bouts of enthusiasm. Suddenly creative thoughts rush to my mind. I am in shock at times seeing the amazing thoughts I have then. This has sort of become a common phenomenon during my journeys. And moreover this happens on my return journeys to Bangalore. This is how it unfolds; I sleep off for a brief period of say an hour or more initially, and then suddenly there is jolt or a stop somewhere,and I wake up. I again try to slip back , but its hard. Then I start gazing at the dark night outside,whizzing past. Meanwhile , my mind, which never stops thinking(most of which is rubbish), embarks on a thought and an unending chain of thoughts unfolds. Its really amazing to observe the thoughts. They are really creative and awe-inspiring. Sometimes I wonder at myself ,"is this me who's thinking all this?". "Boy!! That was a gret saying there!" . " Man!! this idea rocks". " Jesus christ! what was I doin all these days!, I think I should start off on this next morning :)!" Such is the amazement I experience when soak myself in this juice.
Then after a while, which is approximately more than an hour almost always!, I slowly feel drowsy and go to sleep!!.. But the thoughts and the momentary rush of blood to brain still lingers on!. The explanation?!! Well! this is probably because the human mind is like a battery. It might have drained off completely, but a short recharge in the form of rest or a nap can completely recharge it, long enough to last for a couple of hours more!.. Interesting! :) .. I wish I could ride on that wave on and on!.. Then I might need a constant dose of such short spells of energy :$
hmmmmmmmmmmm .... WaiT!!!!
I think I have it already! MY BREATH!! :D . I can change the rhythm.. I can tune to a more racy beat! and dance, dance!.. wowow!! .. I need to!! .. LETS JIGGY!!.. :D

A Small shift

The shift.. the change.. has come..
Firstly I was looking for a different house .. wher I can stay alone.. undisturbed, and probably doing my own things and whims.. I got it.
Its been more than a month and a half since I shifted to my new house in Jayanagar.
And then, closely followed by this( Infact a day later) came a another thing, which has made sure that my life doesn't remain the way it was. I joined an Art of Living course and then things followed. I am very glad that inspite of all the odds, I attended on all 7 days and completely took in whatever was taught by them. It was an exhilirating experience(I am notorious for exaggerating but I am not, this time!).
This sudden shift has given way to a series of smaller shifts.. its happening.. slowly... I can feel the change.. though the remnants haunt me.. trying to take me away again into the depths. I should admit one thing though, that I have not completely implemented all the sutras, like go n talk to a gal.. tel her that she is wearing a nice dress today, take her out for a coffee.. JESUS!! How can I do that?!! :O ..She wil smack the hell out me!! call the security to clear my body..
Yes, definitely I would luuuuuvvvv to ask a nice gal out sometime , but not now!!..
Thus goes the story of a small shift.. now lies ahead a whole new life.. :)..
Pain I might speak, but then its only just the fire for a thousand new lights.