Oi Chilli Chicken!

I love Chinese food. I do not know how the addiction began but Chinese food makes me salivate almost similar in the way I salivate when I see... ummm forget it. Lets just keep it to "it makes me salivate". I love all types of Chinese food, right from food prepared in posh, swanky over-priced restaurants to the roadside "laal-dabbas" run mostly always by Nepali guys (I don't know if it increases the authenticity of the claim that the food is Chinese). There have been times when I have been told that a particular restaurant serves authentic Chinese food but I have no way of verifying that. The only way I could do that is either

• Visit China and eat Chinese food there (ofcourse there it would be just food :P )
• Tag along with a group of Chinese who certifies that the food served is authentic Chinese

Unfortunately none of the above 2 has happened yet. It has obviously been told repeatedly that the version we get here is heavily Indianized to suit our taste but seriously speaking, I have no complaints.

It is a funny coincidence that most of my Bong friends love Chinese food. It is a possibility that its an anamoly in my group of friends but if you are reading this, then just think about it. Does your Bong friend's eyes light up everytime you say Chilli Chicken? Does his words come with a "slurrrp" sound when you tell him that you plan to go for a Triple Schezwan? Have you noticed his involuntary smile when you decide to order Chinese? I think its a fact that a majority of Bongs love Chinese food except maybe 8 or 9 guys who became a PETA member and turned vegetarian and then realized Chinese food no longer tastes that great.

I am not sure why this liking for Chinese food has developed among Bongs. Maybe its the proximity, maybe its the Chinese influx or maybe its the deep connection we have with the Reds. It was a great idea to be inspired by the Chinese and import their food and communism (ok ok I agree there were various other sources of influence for communism to enter the hearts and minds of Bongs). Now I personally do not have anything against communism, but then again we Indians like to Indianize any sort of import. I think we should have kept the Indianization limited to the food and left the Communism alone. Take a look at West Bengal and you'll know what it has done to the state. (Supporters of Communism can take my case, I have no objection whatsoever) The food though has definitely been a hit!

I remember, during our college days, I used to indulge a lot in the "Laal-Dabba" Chinese. And I used to make Nicholas and Sameer accompany me. Fortunately for them, these dabbas opened up only in the evenings. There was a high probability that I would have made them eat the same thing for lunch too. Later on after careful discussions, we assigned a particular day in the week for Chinese food. I think it was saturdays. And of course, celebrations naturally meant more of it :D

If the Bongs ever decided to attack the Chinese I am sure that the only thing they would bring back from there would be more recipes. Spoils of war, you may say. Anything else would be morally just wrong! But then such is the initmate relation of a Bong and his food, specially Chinese.

Lukkhagiri zindabaad!!

The day of "Lukkha-giri" went awesome. Spent most of the day lying all over the house, my room, drawing room, back to my room, parent's room... etc. Got the general idea right? But I did not completely vegetate. Went out for a while. Couldn't convince myself to go the gym but did do my patent walk all over the sector. I plan to go to the gym tomorrow, in the morning. Lets see if that works out :P

What's my plan tomorrow? No idea whatsoever! how cool is that :D I am enjoying it as long as it lasts. I have a feeling by next week I'll start tearing my hair out. But till then I shall do exactly what I am doing! Nothing!

I really feel bad about a certain person (I can't really say where this person belongs from coz it might give it away) :D Now this certain person knows exactly who I am talking about and I am sure a few others do too ;) This certain person will need some serious will power to stay sane for some time to come. Lets say the cause of this certain person's (CP's) insanity is another person BUG. Now BUG's IQ (irritation quotient) is so high that it makes you want to find something really heavy and hit yourself (yes! this person makes you suicidal rather than homicidal) on the head.

I have had the misfortune of spending sometime with BUG but I have, during this time, made it absolutely clear that unless me speaking to BUG would ensure world peace, I would not talk. Simple because I could and I did! Yes, I can be extremely cold and rude at times. I can also be extremely friendly and rude. The former gives me a lot of sadistic pleasure while the latter is a skill I am proud of.

The point is what will CP do now? CP is stuck with BUG and BUG will bug CP till the end of time. BUG will be there in the morning, afternoon and evening. BUG will follow CP everywhere CP goes. Unfortunately (both for CP and the rest of the world) BUG is oblivious to this fact. Truly speaking its BUG's attitude which anyone in BUG's viscinity finds unbearable. And even if told about it, BUG has no inclination towards doing anything about it. CP is stuck, and stuck bad. I wish I could do something about it but unfortunately I can't. Its just BUG Vs CP this time. Though I could blog about it and extract some fun (sadistic) out of it. And provide CP with a lot of mental support. Hahahahahah!!!! CP is going to so kill me!

Trip to Shirdi

Back from Shirdi. We left yesterday morning, ie the 14th of August. Reached Shirdi around 3:00 pm. Nowadays, we generally follow the protocol of finishing the Darshan in the evening itself. Its a lot emptier and and more peaceful. The mornings feel more like goat-herding.... hat...hat... phurrrr... !! Thats what the guards keep doing. Pushing and pulling you like one of the coconuts you offer.

My first trip to Shirdi was pathetic. Someone had given us a brilliant idea that we should just take the bus in the night, reach there early morning, do the puja, eat something there and take the same bus back. I will kill the bastard who suggested that! If only I could remember who it was. All my "bhakti", spiritualism, faith, belief, whatever you prefer to call it, went down the drains. Unfortunately it was also some special day because of which it seemed as if the whole of India had descended there. By the time I got done, I just wanted to get out of there. Seriously speaking I was so unsatisfied that I actually felt tortured and irritated.

Since then, this is my 3rd or 4th trip (don't recall actually). And all of them have gone well. Yesterday's trip was similar as far as the crowd was concerned. Crowded as hell! But this time we were smart. We didn't even attempt to get in to the line. We preferred to do the "Mukh-Darshan". The three of us spent some quiet time there, immersed in our own thoughts. And then we spent some more time inside the complex, relaxed and happy.

My last trip was on New Years. Now as I already said before, I have my doubts about the existence of God, though I believe that there is a powerful energy which can be tapped into. I feel as if Shirdi is a portal to access this energy. It could be an hypothesis which I have developed to satisfy my lack of faith in the concept of God. But I still do it. It just gives me hope to carry on, as some would put it, fooling my brain to accomplish my goals. :P

Well as human nature goes, I presented my long list of things that I need to accomplish, specially the ones which I didn't have complete control over. But then again, everytime I go there, I see all the people there, those who have come from far away, extremely poor and somehow managing to spend the night there, so that they could see Saibaba. Seeing them, makes me realize that I already have so much! What else could one ask for? I have enough money to spend a decent life style, I am able bodied and have an above average head on my shoulders (even if it isn't too far up above average), I have my parents who love me, a work that I like doing (no matter where I do it) and life is generally peaceful. Really can't think of anything else to ask for. There is only one thing I need right now and that is what I ask for. The rest I know I can manage.

I feel humbled seeing all the misery there and yet I feel and respect the faith they have, faith that Saibaba can help them out of it. Maybe that is the hope they require, to make there lives better or give them the power to fight on. Everytime I go there, the place just reminds me how happy and fortunate I am. So now I just ask for non-materialistic things and a little spiritual guidance.

15th Aug is my parents marriage anniversary and this time they spent it in a quieter and more spiritual way. I liked it, though I would have preferred had we left today, instead of yesterday. Would have been less crowded. My dad tells me this, every 15th Aug. "India got her independence and I lost mine!" This time he didn't say it.

Now what???

And so my Zeus stint ends! Its still not sunk in. Incidently it was also our 6th Foundation day. My last responsibility for the company was to arrange the Foundation Day party for the guys and professors in Mumbai. Went off pretty well :)

I had planned to spend the next couple of weeks out of bombay. Go out on a vacation or something. Nothign has worked out so far. Had just started making plans for Leh/Ladakh and the whole freaking placegets cut-off from India. Then planned to do a Malaysia/Singapore tour but the daparture dates of the tour packages didn't work out. And the worst part is that I have no one to go with! Everyone's busy with their work. The only place where I can go alone and still have fun is Kalimpong. Unfortunately, GJMM has made that impossible. I can't afford to go there and get stuck. I am so fucked! :(

Now if I can find someone to go with and the time fits in, kerala is my last option. Lets see if some miracle happens :P

Confuscious

It's my last day tomorrow at Zeus. Maybe its not time to talk about it yet. I still have a day. The change was needed but at times I wish it wasn't so. Who knows? Its all for good I guess. Its a seriously weird phase I am going through. Thinking and mulling things over is a good idea but it stays good when you think one thing at a time. Trying to multi-think is not a good idea. Everything just mixes up and confuses you even more.

Keeping an open mind is one thing and losing perspective is another. A series of events have been happening and they keep hitting me one after the other like waves. Well after giving things a lot of thought, I have decided that I will try and focus on what's happening and keep other things at bay. I got 2 weeks to get this fact across... to myself.

As far as the truth about life is concerned, I think I need to read more, interact more and then come to a conclusion as to what works for me. I'll need to follow the path of science, keep the scientific methodology alive. It'll help me question, find the actual question. Only then can I search for the answer. But I do not think science will have the answers to all the questions. I will have to search elsewhere. I will not live to see science advance to answer them. I have never been too religious, so I am not sure it will help me answer anything. Though I would like to know why they are the way they are. Hinduism has intrigued me mainly because I find ancient India interesting.

From what I have read so far, I believe that the ancient Indians had advanced quite a lot and there must be more than what meets the eye. Maybe questioning it could help clarify things, separate the facts from fiction, science from superstition and bring some credibility to it.

The problem is, religion won't let you criticize it and science is quick to dismiss anything it doesn't understand. A little arrogant at times. But it's questioning attitude will keep it alive and advance it. Not too sure about what will happen to religion though. It might survive if it balances spiritualism and science, instead of issuing doctrines and fatwas.

The hit bird!

It was not until I joined Zeus, did I first get on a plane. And it was with Chandrashekhar that I had the priviledge to fly my maiden flight. Now though, today's post is not about that particular flight, I might as well add a little information about it. It was our visit to ANURAG (a part of a defence lab) in Hyderabad for some project we were doing.

To tell you the truth, I am a little scared of flying, just for the plain fact that if I go down from there I am going straight up. And heights scare me. So everytime I look out of the window and see clouds, or the serpentine rivers running through green and brown patches of land, or just an irregular growth of concrete, I am awestruck and at the sametime a little scared. Turbulence just acts like a catalyst to my fear equation. And the seats are bloody uncomfortable.

But the fact remains that flights are a boon to mankind. It saves time like nothing else. Breakfast in Bombay, followed by a lunch in Calcutta and you could throw in dinner in Delhi if you are up for it. Its been a long time since I have travelled in a long distance train. Everytime I think of the amount of time I would save, my miser monster just gets pumelled into oblivion :P

This happened during one of my trips to Calcutta. I was going to visit a family friend's (Andy) wedding. I was to travel to Calcutta with his brother Sandy and cousin sister. The three of us boarded our flight to Bhubaneshwar. It was an indirect flight. Bombay to Calcutta via Bhubaneshwar. The first part of hte journey was pretty ordinary. No problems till we reached Bhubaneshwar. The fun began after that. We sat in the plane for quite sometime (I think about half an hour) before it started. I think the best part of a flight is just at take-off and at landing. That's the only exciting part. This trip had a little more excitement than usual.

Our plane had gathered quite some speed and I was just about done prepared for take-off, when there was a sudden bang followed by a sudden break (if it hadn't been for the seat belts I am sure I would have been sitting in the seat before me) and sound of screeching tires. Everything happened within a couple of seconds I guess and the plane came to a halt. The captain soon announced that it was a bird hit and that it would be sometime before we were in the sky again.

We waited for almost another half an hour when it was decided that the passengers had to disembark, so that the engineers could do a thorough check-up and the passengers were getting pretty crabby sitting inside for such  a long time. Sandy messaged Andy about the bird hit and told him to convey the news to our parents who had already reached a few days before us. Andy promptly replied, "oh damn! How's the bird feeling now?" :P

The wait was long and I hate waiting. But there was nothign else to do. So I decided to explore a bit and soon saw something interesting. The Indian Airlines suggestion box being put to good use :D

Awesome right!? I was so very amused by it. Made the whole bird hit thing totally worth it. Not so good for the bird though :P Fortunately, all the rest of my flights have been pretty normal and mundane, but that was indeed a not so normal experience :)

My computer is dead. Rest in Peace!

I finally have the frst season of the Big Bang Theory! Yaaay!!! Nabdu anna tujhpe keede padenge! I asked him for the 3 seasons for god knows how many times. But I am happy! Just saw the pilot and it was a lot of fun. The sad part of the day is that after spending 2 hours cleaning the cpu, cpu fan, removing every component and reattaching them back, the stupid computer fails to start.The cleaning also doubled up as an excuse to not go to the gym :P

And to add to the misery, my Dad is giving me a tough time to get it fixed. He has also threatened to go and buy a computer on his own, which I really hope he doesn't. I have an extremely strong feeling that he will be totally ripped off! And he is equally pissed off at me cause I didn't pay too much heed to his threatening to get a new pc unless I fixed this. :P Sometimes dads can be such kids! Sheesh! I only fear that if I decide to change the mother board, i just might end up upgrading the whole pc, which I seriously don't want to do now. But the way things are going, I think I'll not be left with an option :(

Well the discussion that I am having with my friend is reaching an epic proportion and we have decided that we need to bifurcate the topics and start separate posts on each, so as to improve on each of them, giving our points of view and challenging/explaining them so as to reach a concrete conclusion (hopefully). So one can expect to see some interesting discussions happening soon :) Really looking forward to it.

3 days to go and I just realized today, while telling it to a couple of friends that my last day at Zeus will be on Friday the 13th. How cool is that!? :) That's one hell of an auspicious day, eh?