TGIF - Thank God Its Friday!!!

This week has been an unusually short one for  me. Monday - Wednesday were spent in Delhi with PILs, thursday was almost half day, since the other half was spent watching the India Vs Australia Quarter Final and well - today is friday...Thank God :-). Havnt really got used to being back at work.

Must check out Twitter. Not one active member of the twitter fraternity does not comment on today being friday...and tag it with #TGIF ...everyone has plans ...though how many of them materialize is another story. And then these very members will comment on the coming Monday and its horrors...and then go ga-ga over the most awaited India Vs Pakistan Semi Final on Wednesday at Mohali and tag it with #WC2011. Twitter is one such active community where there are discussions over breakfast, lunch, dinner, shoes, sandals, bosses, politicians, etc...basically anything and everything...People love insulting...over twitter...and hey, they enjoy it too...the bouquets and the brickbats ...are all a part of the game...

Done with my morning comment of #TGIF on twitter.....decided to plan my weekend...well not much planning to do since Munish has a sprain in his right leg. He went hobbling to office today!!!! Will re-fill the refridgerator with veggies and juices!!! Got to store up some junk as well or else how is India Vs Pakistan going to be enjoyed!!!

Planning to go to Fort today after office...check out some camera bags ..which I saw in http://www.smartshoppers.in/ .... a very very useful website... will know which one is cheaper...the shops at Fort or the website!!!!

Mumbai - Delhi

Had been planning for a trip to Delhi since quite some time. My In-laws stay there. Had got the tickets booked in December itself for the festival of Holi which was on the 19 / 20 of March. Being in investment banking, it becomes almost impossible for him to pre-plan a tour or a holiday. Not untill the last minute it is decided if the planned trip will happen or not.

Seems the trip was not going to happen (because of his work schedule). Got the tickets cancelled on thursday. Started calling up my In-laws... about the cancelled plan...regretted...they were dissappointed...hmmm...well...can't help it....

Just 2 hours after my regret call...Munish called and confirmed the plans....Now, we wanted to go but well - there were no tickets...no reservations....no bookings....sigh!!!!

We got the tickets booked...at a high festival premium....Hmmmm....Well - his trip was sponsored by the company :-) so that was a silver lining....I hastily started packing - AGAIN....rushed down the building...hailed an auto - got one quickly - and left for the airport...On reaching the airport...I realised I forgot my contact lenses...I was wearing my spectacles...

[well - about my contacts...I am virtually blind if I am not using them. Was using an old pair of specks...hence they were a number less :-(...]

There were long queues at the airport....was informed there was a system failure ....SpiceJet, Go Air and Indigo were affected....Munish came in half an hour later...directly from office.....Check-in was done manually....stood in the queue for nearly an hour...Well- we finally boarded the flight...45 minutes late....:-).

As soon as the flight took off, I dozed off...Was rudely awakened during landing....It was not a very smooth one...the breaks were screeching...I remember saying my prayers during the landing process.....we landed :-). It was almost 11:00 PM....Thanks to the flight authorities, the suitcase lost a wheel...so we literally had to drag it after a point of time...mercifully, there was no other hiccup....reached home by 1:30 AM...

And Holi celebrations began the next day!!!!

P.S. Ain't got no pictures to post :-(

Pic got clicked!!!! Yay!!!

A quick update :-). One of the two pictures (The blue morning) which I submitted in the previous post has been selected for the contest. I don't expect to win anything, but I am just plain happy :-).

Thank you sooooooo much folks!!!!

Link: http://adayinlife.timesofindia.com/photoDisplay.php?photoId=161955

A Day in the Life of India

The Times of India is running a photography contest "A Day in the Life of India". I have submitted two entries to this contest. Today was the last day. Not sure if I am up to the mark or not...but I guess I wanted to contribute...

This picture was taken at 5 AM in the morning at Nigeen Lake, Srinagar from our houseboat. I cannot put in words the serenity felt at that time. An Azaan was going on in a nearby Mosque. We were sipping tea when we witnessed this view. There has been no tricks played with the picture. Its just what we saw...don't know if "saw" is the right word for it but nevertheless.... Have contributed this pic for "Incredible India".

 

This picture shown below was clicked during our drive from Srinagar to Leh during one of the jams which we faced at the mountains. Have contributed this pic for "Overloaded India".

Road Signs

 Interesting Road Signs en route from Srinagar To Ladakh. There were many more of them, but must say that I was very unprepared for the unpredictable humour found on the nook and corner on the roads of Ladakh.

Another one of the interesting road sign we came across en route from Leh to Pangong Tso...:-)

Some more dedicated to Chang - La Pass and ChangLa Baba :-)

 

History of India_Viritten

Attended the show "History of India_VIRitten" starring Vir Das at St. Andrews, Bandra on Sunday (13th March). The show takes you from the origination of "India" on planet earth to what it is on present day. It touches various aspects from the Harrappan Civilization, Indus Valley Civilization to the Moghuls, to Vasco da Gama, Britishers, Gandhi, Nehru, B R Ambedkar, Morarji Desai, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay and Rajeev Gandhi, to the Independence Struggle, to the Gujaratis, Bengalis, Delhites, 'Bandraites', Builders, 70s, 80s, 90s, to A Raja, Kalmadi, Common Wealth Games, Barack Obama, Marathi manoos, the riots......Phew!!!! The list is endless.

Needless, there was not one moment where one might have thought anything else. Either you love him for his comedy or you totally hate him (planning to shoot him). It was a very well researched and a thought out script. Well presented. There was a connect with the audience and more importantly the ability to handle eratic behaviour from the audience too.

Vir Das did an excellent job of taking his audience through the History of India with his comical touch that made you sit up and take notice and think - "Hey, Why didn't I think of that?". Not to forget, he had the audience in splits...laughing hysterically...well at the very obvious comments, and some of them at the very subtle ones too.

Thinking of Stand Up Comedy Acts, not many have dared to venture in this genre. Must say it requires a person to be well read, intelligent, articulate and well - witty. It takes a person of merit and bravery to tread where many have feared to tread or maybe not even given it a thought. India does not know many artists who can boast of having such an audience and following not to mention shows running all over.

Foot and the Shoe

 Are my feet too small or my shoe too large?!!

Source: Pic by Meghna Garg, Kala Ghoda Festival, 2011