R.I.P Asheem...

I got to know of Asheem's demise from the newspaper on 26th Dec morning...being a fan of Indian Ocean for long, but never seen them play live...I now will never be able to see these 4 play together ever!

There is nothing more to say...I hope his soul rests in peace...

Negativity Percolates Faster...Lasts Longer

Hi,

In past 6-8 weeks there have been many thoughts running through my mind, thoughts I didn't know I could harbour, thoughts I didn't know could weigh as much and thoughts that would demand a conscious effort to fight off!

Normally, I am an easy-go-lucky kinda guy; normally, things happening around don't perturb me easily; normally, I feel I am in control of my thoughts; normally, I manage to stay happy from within. Last 6-8 weeks haven't been like that...

I wouldn't dwell on everything that has caused this turmoil in my mind. Just wanted to share that I haven't given in to negativity, but I have realised that once you go weak, negativity percolates faster and lasts longer!

I am not sure how long would I need still to get to my "normal" self, but I know I am better now than I was a couple of weeks ago.

Tatto & Me...Is it Real?

I had been thinking of and wanting it for some time...thankfully my wife agreed to it as well. Finally, we got ourselves a tattoo!

Though this is my first, but I am confident it won't be my last...

The Language Barrier

Hi,

I am back from my recent-most visit to Calcutta (err...sorry it is Kolkata now). To my surprise it was my 5th visit there, 4th in eight years and 2nd in one year. Probably even after marrying a Bengali I hadn't imagined I would visit Cal' as much as this...things we don't think will happen - happen the most to us! But - since my in-laws are now in Cal', both me and my wife try to go and visit them as and when possible.

It isn't a challenge for me to meet my in-laws, having known them for most of my life - first as friends of my parents, then as parents of my friend - to my would-be in-laws and finally as my in-laws! The challenge is my inability to understand and keen disinterest in trying to learn the(e) language. It is as good as going on an overseas trip, where you land yourself on foreign soil and everyone but you understand the language spoken on that land.

I at times find myself in the middle of a conversation where I am the only one who has no clue of what is being talked about - and at times people around me don't bother to explain everything either. There are occasions when all four of us are in the car (me + my wife + MIL + FIL) and there is a conversation that starts, continues for sometime and ends with a laughter - and in all this I understand a few random words here and there. My wife tries to explain / translate such chit-chats most of the times...but I think I have, by now, become used to this and not worry about it.

There is pressure on me to learn the(e) language, not just from family - but from a restaurant that I really like to visit here in Delhi, Oh Calcutta! I love the food there, visit there often, know some faces there and am greeted warmly everytime I go there. On my last visit, I was firmly told by my friendly waiter that next time, if I do not place the order in bengali - he's not accepting my order...well, some incentive to learn and understand.

So far I don't see myself learning the(e) language - as I have this innate ability to not learn languages that I was not made to speak as a child - I think I will just have to learn to live without crossing over the language-barrier...

I turned THIRTY yesterday...

Lyrics of a song by Randy Stonehill

AND LATELY I'VE BEEN TAKING STOCK OF ALL THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH OH TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY FEELS FUNNY BUT IT'S TRUE I'M TURNING THIRTY

NOW I'VE GOT A WIFE WHO REALLY LOVES ME SHE MAKES MY LIFE SO SWEET... ...AND MY WORLD IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM LOST LAZY BACHELOR YEARS BUT IF I HAD THE CHANCE TO GO BACK I'D RATHER STAY RIGHT HERE TURNING THIRTY

WELL, NOW THIRTY AIN'T LIKE FIFTEEN AND IT'S NOT LIKE TWENTY-FIVE MY BACK'S A LITTLE STIFF AND THERE'RE SOME LINES AROUND MY EYES BUT I'VE STILL GOT MY ENERGY AND I'VE GOT MOST OF MY HAIR AND I'M NOT TOO OLD TO ROCK 'N ROLL AND I'M NOT REALLY SCARED OF TURNING THIRTY

OH, THE NINETIES LOOK LIKE TOUGH TIMES THE WORLD IS TURNING SOUR SO I'LL KEEP ON SERVING JESUS AND AWAIT THE FINAL HOUR AND THOUGH I'VE OFTEN FAILED HIM IN THESE THIRTY ROCKY YEARS HIS MERCY BROUGHT ME THIS FAR AND HIS LOVE HAS DRIED MY YEARS I'M TURNING THIRTY I'LL TREASURE THESE YEARS I'M TURNING THIRTY I'LL TREASURE THESE YEARS TURNING THIRTY

It indeed is a big deal...it is indeed a milestone...it is indeed something that is much more fun than turning twenty...looking forward to years ahead!

Mrigya

Hi,

Another Indian group that has really made an impact on me with their music is Mrigya. It was yet again the year 2001, I had the opportunity to see them perform live and could not believe that a group play genres like rock, folk, jazz & sufiana and combine it all so effortlessly.

If you haven't heard their music - please do so here. Believe me this will make you feel enriched in experience.

Indian Ocean - The Band

Hi,

As a child, I grew up on the music that dad had, which basically had the likes of Beatles, Capenters, Trini Lopez, Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte, Jim Reeves... Other than this there were many Indian classical albums at our place...so, I was at best a non-rock kinda person. I lived with a few misconceptions about music...

Misconception 1: Rock is too heavy on ears...this was broken only in college when I was introduced to some Gods of Rock and it took me a while to stabilise from Rock-mania.

Misconception 2: In India, there were three kinds of musicians - bollywood, Indian classical and singers like Jagjit Singh / Pankaj Udhas. For someone who had recently fallen in love with Rock music...I was actually going back in time to find more and more of singers / albums that I hadn't heard.

In 2001, a friend lost one of my T-shirts and in lieu of that - he gave me an album of Indian Ocean...Kandisa. With reluctance I accepted the cassette and loved it from the first time I played it on my walkman. In all these years, I had the first opportunity to see Rahul and Amit on stage at a Parikrama & Friends concert in 2009. Though they didn't play any of their own compositions that evening, but seeing them in person - made me want even more to see one of their own shows.

This post is to let everyone know that I am big fan of Indian Ocean's music. Guys...listen to their music if you haven't...it is absolutly mind-blowing!

Old is Gold...

Hi,

I am looking forward to turning thirty...I am looking forward to be in a more matured sounding age-group...I am looking forward to (hopefully) becoming matured...but this post is not about me!

I wanted to share my Old is Gold experience...have been driving my Zen Carbon for six years now and using Nokia 6230 for nearly five...both seem to be much better and sturdier than what I can hope to replace them with...so why should I?

Both of them have supported me when I used them in most rugged manner...now that they are getting old, I support them with more care and peaceful use. I am confident that since they belong to a previous generation, they have it in them to last with me for many more years...

Smart Monkey

It is true...indeed...see no evil, hear no evil and say no evil...but no one ever said anything about blog no evil...

Cheers!

Johari Windows

I had first been introduced to the concept of Johari Windows in 1999-2000. My sister had undergone this test as an off-site activity and came back ga-ga about these windows. It was that sort of a phase for me that I was absorbing just about anything non-academic and Johari Windows became one such concept.

I don't want to try and hold a class or lecture on what this tool does. I am sure you can read and understand all that you my want to from following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johari_window

I basically want to introduce this tool, which can help improve interpersonal skills, to people who do not know of it. Better still - you can take this test online and know how you stand on this test. Just one suggestion, take this test if you are willing to take some feedback from your friends - if not, then better not try it.

Well - for those who want to try it out...try it here:

http://kevan.org/johari

You could leave your feedback for me @

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Tidum

Thanks!

Coffee - Bringing the World Closer

“Wanna go out for a cup of coffee?”

“Let’s meet over coffee...”

“I haven’t had my morning cuppa coffee yet!”

“Want to come upstairs for coffee...”

In such manner and many other ways we in India have moved towards Coffee. Coffee and cafe’ culture has changed our “going-out” definition totally.

Be it meeting friends, or just feeling like sitting quietly with a book; be it going out on a date, or getting to meet that someone special for the first time; be it taking a break from work, or completing that pending presentation; be it a late night get-away from home, or an early morning stop-over before office; be it before a movie or even after would do; be it post dinner, or post getting sloshed at some pub; be it an official meeting, or just a casual get together...be it any reason – being at a coffee cafe’ today is one of today’s most preferred going-out activity.

To me – coffee cafe is more than just about coffee. It allows young to be youthful and at the same time makes the not-so-young-but-young-at-hearts to come out and enjoy equally. I see a societal change that has come about in India due to this concept...to me; coffee cafe is the offline version of online social networking sites. What impresses me the most – all this has been achieved by coffee in India, in less than a decade – when India has been a tea-loving population.

Complacency Won't Work...

This post is actually in continuation with my previous post, which was on the New World Order. Both these posts have been sparked off by the latest terror-strike that took place in Pakistan – where some gunmen opened fire at the Sri Lankan cricket team. I, like almost all others, can only be thankful to God that no serious harm happened to the Sri Lankan team.

This incident has not just ignited another round of abusing and finger-pointing towards Pakistan and failure of the state in preventing such an act on their soil, but also managed to actually send across a message that this can happen. Well, it happened in India on 26/11 – less than three months ago…didn’t it?

Last night, I was channel surfing – shuffling between various news channels and there was a lot of buzz about how wrong such an act is…so on and so forth. There were some statements being issued by Indian ministers that “cricket is safe in India”. Amongst all this, on one of the channels, I came across an interesting discussion taking place. I wouldn’t take any names – but the fact is there was one gentleman who said something very different, which was the most interesting at the same time. He was asked, “…as an international sports person and a public figure, do you think Pakistan should be excluded / boycotted from the international sports arena?” To this, the gentleman replied thoughtfully…started by saying “Look, I understand what happened is wrong in every sense; but I still think that we should not exclude the country basis this incident. I know that I am in minority to think so...but I still feel that cricket or any other sport should continue. What we need to do is to understand and accept the changing scenario of world or terror…”

I think the last statement was the most interesting bit for me. It actually made me realise, for the first time, that today we are probably dealing with the most organized form of terrorism that our society / civilization has ever seen. If this is not understood as this, then we run the risk of underestimating its power and thus run a bigger risk of becoming complacent.

Let’s actually look at India for instance, after the parliament attack in Dec 2001 – did we not feel that this should never ever happen again? Well – true to the word, since then there have been no attacks on the parliament; just that terrorists made a mockery of our security on 26/11, which was bigger than the attack on our parliament.

The point here is – today’s world has terrorism as a part of it and there is just no point in acting ignorant to this fact. We have to find better ways to protect ourselves and even better ways to fight terror. One can no longer say – “Ignorance is Bliss”!!!

The New World Order

Terrorism has been a part of our society since my childhood. This I do not say with pride, but with some amount of fear and sadness. But till a little while ago - terror was terrorising someone else. Now that it has entered my own house - how do I keep quiet and how do I ignore it any longer?

I think the new world order is to accept terrorism and to understand that this scenario cannot be ignored or underestimated. I am not suggesting that we should all live in fear and I am most certainly not suggesting that we should accept defeat and give-in to whatever demands terrorist outfits may have. All that I want to say is - do not be complacent. Do not live with "it-won't-happen-to-me" attitude...because, it actually can!

I do not know how this will change our society or how the coming generations will deal with it. What I do know is - life is set to change and we need to wake up to it, we need to accept it, we need to prepare ourselves for it.

My Blog turns ONE...and counting

WISIR - another example!!!

I feel terribile about the fact that every now and then I come across examples of WISIR (what I say is right) practitioners...it is our politicians calling women "adventurous" when they want to come home from work alone late in the night; it is some minister announcing "let this incident be a warning to all companies who sack their employees" when a mob of fired labourers killed their MD; it is when a media house slaps a fellow-blogger with legal notice on expressing his views; it is when we have the self-proclaimed moral police taking over and police becoming helpless; it is when we have a group of seemingly educated and smart women decide to send 'chaddis' to the moral police to show that they don't care...

Welcome to the 21st Century India!!!

11 years and counting...

Is it not clear yet... LOVE = LIFE. And I am happy to turn eleven 'love-years' tomorrow...

Customer Service - Is India the hub?

Hi,

 

Last weekend was very interesting for me - met a few of my school friends, some of them I hadn't met since school days got over (12 years). All of us are doing different things in different parts of the world...that was the interesting part.

 

This group brought along a wide range of experience and knowledge to the table and somehow during our reliving the "good-old" days - we approached the subject of Customer Service. I do not remember the incident that must have prompted this discussion - the main point of discussion was that it is observed by globetrotters that Indians have a higher customer service quotient vis-a-vis developed countries, i.e. we are better in providing service. 

 

Though I do not dispute the statement that service levels in India are good, but in my experience there is no consistency. Quality of service is certainly not directly proportional to price of service.  It will be foolhardy to think that quality of service will be poorer at a dhaba than a five star hotel or that the local kiryana store owner will be any less respectful of your business than a shop in a mall. Also, I cannot say with confidence that service levels across same price-bands will be consistent (e.g. service of all five stars will be equally good) - rather I can prove it that this is not the case.

 

I wonder why my friends feel pampered when they seek service, while in India. Few thoughts come out - one, they are back in their "own country" and this would make them feel good about everything; two, service in certain sections is certainly top-class; third, probably customer service is really poor in their part of the world and lastly probably they can see-n-feel this difference and may be actually correct in their assessment.

 

What do you guys think? Is India that lonely planet where customer service is the way of life, where customer is the king...where the words "Atithi Devo Bhava" actually come out in action?

 

Do let me know what you think of this, leave a comment and share some experiences to elaborate on this.

 

Thanks...take care and keep smiling.

We Deserve Us...

Hi,

In past, I have written about how all of us just love to put the blame on the system, how easy it has become for us to point fingers at the government, how blind have we become to our responsibilities towards the society that we live in. Today a comment from a friend made me realise that we actually deserve every bit of it.

When we don't vote - Yes, we deserve it...

When we don't follow law / rules - Yes, we deserve it...

When we don't even know the law / rules - Yes, we deserve it...

When we don't want to contribute to the system - Yes, we deserve it...

When we learn to live with it, forget it and move on - Yes, we deserve it...

When we stop thinking, stop dreaming, stop caring, stop hoping - Yes, we deserve it...

Come to think of it - when I just want to write about it and do nothing further - Yes, I deserve it!!!

Speciality Restaurant Group...My latest favourite!

Hi,

My experience of eating at three restaurants of Speciality Restaurant group has been exactly opposite of the cartoon put up...I loved the food so much that I must post it on my blog.

In my knowledge, this group has three brands operational in Delhi - Oh! Calcutta, Mainland China and Sigree (this is just a few days old in Delhi and is not even updated on their website). I am sure you can assume the cuisines offered in these three restaurants...

I had first eaten @ Oh! Calcutta sometime last year and in past one year - I have been there at-least half a dozen times. It is a place where one can safely take guests as well - knowing very well that there shall be no mishaps, nothing would go wrong with your order and most importantly - you will get the most authentic bengali food, without a doubt! Do make a reservation in advance - there is a chance that you may have to wait to be seated.

My favourite dish is a mutton-dish that is to be eaten with 'luchi' (or as I understand puri). Other than mutton - if you like or would like to try authentic bengali food - just lean on the well-mannered and extremely knowledgeable team of waiters - who will gladly assist you in deciding what to order. As for desserts, do try the malpua and the lychee vanilla ice-cream.

Mainland China (MLC) - there are 2 in Delhi now. The older one is in Masjid Moth, GK and the recent-most restaurant has opened in Rajouri Garden. MLC @ RG is on the ground and first floor, while the second floor has the first and only Sigree in Delhi.

Senior staff at these two new outlets has been brought in from Oh! Calcutta team - and it was pleasantly surprising to be welcomed at these restaurants as a regular of Oh! Calcutta. Once our patronage was recognized and appreciated - it was only but-natural for us to be pampered (literally) by food and service. The only thing I can say about it all is - I cannot recall any better eating-out experience than the four meals I have had across these three restaurants in last three weeks.

I wish the best to the entire team of Speciality Restaurant...they have done a fabulous job so far!

Most Memorable Moment - 2008

Hi,

In a family gathering yesterday, all were asked to think about the "Most-memorable-moment of 2008"...this was indeed a thought provoking question. Each one of us took sometime to think about this and came out with meaningful answers...

For me, the MMM of 2008 has to be when I visited the Taj Mahal with Tina, on our wedding anniversary. I was completely awe-struck, mesmerised by the sheer beauty of the Taj. Having heard so much about the Taj and having seen zillion photographs in past did not dilute the pleasure of being there in person!

To be there, at the monument of love...with the love of my life...on our wedding anniversary...well all this was divine.

Happy New Year - 2009