rajeshvora’s blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Bye rediff iLand

 

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This time its final.

Decided.

Lock kar diya.

No kidding.

I am leaving iLand.

I shall surely miss my friends on iLand.

All the best in life to you folks .

 

GOOD BYE REDIFF ILAND ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ooopss btw, I forgot to say Hello to 'rediff blogs'

 

 

 

 

 

 

(rediff is dismantling our favourite iLand and integrating it with their erstwhile rediff blogs (or atleast trying to do that and a very shobby job too). I don't know when my iLand will turn into just another rediffblog.

Hope to meet all you friends on rediff blog. I shall be back soon to post a blog (or make that blogs) on why I'll miss iLand the most.)

 

 

 

Aapne kya socha tha? ke aap mera pichha yu hi chhudwa saktey ho? It would be dangerous to think like that even in your dreams.

Don ka peecha chhudwana mushkil hee nahi, namumkin hai dost.

 

 

 

What do iLanders fear the most?

 

 

 

Recession?

no

 

Job loss?

could be a bit .

 

Tsunamis?

aw.. common we are more prepared to deal with them now.

 

Earthquakes?

duh? they said Chennai had a couple of them last month and I dint feel a thing.

 

Wife?

ok ok.. this is applicable only for guys .. and more precisely the married variety.

 

Swine flu?

yeah its quite a scare but I'm not unduly worried

 

 

Array?

BINGO !!

 

Ah !! now that's like it now I have got your attention.

 

Most of the active iLanders have been bitten by this Mr. Array ( or make it Ms. if you so please) in their blogs. Why are iLanders mortally afraid of it? Coz it gobbles up all the comments posted prior to it. Comments are life lines to our blogs. They are the shining stars and the feathers on the cap. And when they are gobbled up by this alien called array, it is like robbing us in broad daylight. It is frustrating to lose our comments which our friends give us so enthusiastically and which we cherish for a long long time after they are posted too.

 

I don't know if anyone of you have written to rediff regarding this. One of my friend Sarath Chandra claims that he did not get any reply from rediff inspite of writing to them thrice. I'll try to do my bit by writing to them. I would also like you to do your bit by writing to them dear friends. Please send the mail to the following ids, which I have got from a very close friend:

 

neha.sahi@rediff.co.in and anshuls@rediff.co.in

 

 

I hope that while they are reading this, I might as well bring a few other things to their notice which cry for urgent attention.

 

1. The watch@ rediff iLand on the signing page is eons old and so is the blog o maniac. My suggestion is that they should be changed once in a fortnight or maximum once a month.

 

2. The iLanders on the move is the next sore point after signing in. But then they are correct in a way most of those people have moved away from iLand. is that what they are trying to convey? lols

 

3. The most recent post is also an automated process. At many a times I have found links to empty posts or to lewd and dirty posts too being featured on the most recent post. When they can moderate dreamspaces, our pics and avatars, why not this?

My suggestion would be have atleast 10 blogs in queue featured there on a FIFO basis.

 

4. More space and formatting needs to be given to the blogger to express more about oneself. The city and interest is grossly insufficient.

 

5. The skins are the same since they were introduced except for a few that were introduced. We should be allowed to customize our skin templates and dreamspaces.

 

6. I would like to have a small space below the dreamspace for writing a couple of sentences. Bloggers can use the same at their discretion. They can use it for 'Quote of the day' or pass a message to their regular or new readers or may inform others of their status.. a la tweet

 

 

Today its exactly 4 months since i posted a blog. Its not that I haven't checked out on iLand or that I don't want to blog or cant blog . its just that tomorrows keep turning into one of these days and they in turn turn into .. duh . that calls for another blog altogether.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Akshaya Tritaya is considered one of the auspicious days in India. It usually falls in between mid-April and mid-May every year. This year today is the 'golden day'.

There must be lots of different versions on how this day was considered to be auspicious across various states/regions in India. But the most important one would be the beginning of the Tretya yug in the Hindu calendar, I guess.

But off late, esp. since the last 5-10 years I have noticed that people throng to buy Gold on this particular day. They believe that buying Gold on this day will bring them happiness and long lasting prosperity to themselves and their families. It really amazes me as to how gullible can people get. Are they trying to fool others to use this day as an excuse to hoard up on gold or are they fooling themselves? This is anybody's guess as mine.

The great marketing machinery of the modern world has managed to create an aura around this day and induce people to buy this precious stuff. And it's the Jewellers who are laughing the way to the bank. I wanted to include 'Banks' also in the previous sentence, since they have also started marketing Gold coins. But then I'd be laughed at for writing a sentence so absurd as banks laughing the way to the bank. Lols.

Gold has been an object of fascination for mankind since times immemorial. So much of history has been created or destroyed because of Gold. Wars have been fought. Kingdoms changed hands. Rags to riches and riches to Rags. People risking and losing their lives in search of the precious metal in earlier centuries. So much has happened in history because of this yellow metal. It really amazes me. I mean, I still can't understand why mankind has been so obsessed with it.

Coming back to the present, Indians buy more gold than ALL the white goods durables put together. EVERY single year. (just do some basic calculation ' how much does our govt. collect VAT on account of bullion? I guess over 80% of gold sold in India is not subject to tax. And it is the top billed item in every household.). I can understand that it is a good hedge against difficult times or in times of war/depression or other calamities. But that's all to it. But this craze for the yellow metal is going overboard. There are huge shops ' about 1 lac sq.ft. dedicated to jewellery. And I read recently that there is a dedicated Mall coming up in Chennai ' all of 8 lac sq. ft. purely for Jewellery shops. I have heard too that there are similar dedicated gold markets in the gulf and in Singapore and elsewhere too. But I can say with a certain degree of authority that all of them must surely be relying more on Indian clientele. I have seen shops which display photos of women who must be wearing more gold than clothes in Kerala. The fetish for gold is more pronounced in the southern states esp. Kerala.

I have been in this trade earlier friends and know it inside out. Most of the jewelers (I am not saying all) do not give the jewels as per the specification. And then there are making charges and wastage charges etc. And when u go to sell the jewels to them you are at a double disadvantage. You lose the making and the wastage charges and on the top of it, you stand to lose on the caratage as also a mark down from the market price too. So if at all you do want to buy it for the sake of investment go in for the 999.99% gold coins with certificate. Don't buy jewels.

As for me, I just sweet-talk my wife into post-poning any purchase of gold. Not that she complains much to me. She is the more wiser and can see thro my naughtiness and wiliness. I personally don't wear any piece of gold on myself. I have a strong dislike for the metal. In fact ‘dislike’ is a very very mild term. I guess i could as well use the word abhor. That's me ' always ulta-pulta and weird.

 

 

 

With more than half a dozen half-baked blogs vying for attention inside the hazy lazy brain of mine, I try hard to dish out one among them . Darn !! no, not this one.. the timings not correct another one.. heck no fooling april is half over another one duh? Will ya ever grow up dude, I ask me-self another one.. oops.. this is woefully incomplete and jus don't have the patience to complete it . And so on and so forth I kept squaring the circles or circling the squares wotever

 

Since the last few weeks, I almost invariably hear a moan or a growl or a shade of disappointment in people's voices/statements ' that the Great Indian Summer is almost upon us. And that they will have a tough time to outlive the next 60 to 90 days of the year that goes by the name of the summer. The hot outdoors. Power Cuts. Perspiration or profuse sweating. Stickiness. Water scarcity. Kidoos at home (parents actually like kids being packed off to school). Dusty roads and long travel travails. Train reservations. There is a never ending list out there.

 

How I really pity such people. I am really really looking forward to the summer with great enthusiasm and eagerness. I just love the summer a lot. Nothing to do with my looking at the brighter side of things in life.. but its just that I love ALL the seasons, including summers.

 

Lets give the summer its right due friends.

But for summers, we wouldn't have the long school vacation that every kid waits for eagerly each year. It's a different story nowadays that most schools organize 'summer camps' and sap every ounce of energy from children (at your cost).

 

But for summers, we wouldn't have Mangoes ' the king of Indian fruits (actually I personally proclaim it to be the king of all fruits in the world). It is my favorite fruit and I just love it like crazy. While a whole lot of the populace actually shrivels or loses weight in the summer, I am a few of those who actually put on weight. I eat so much of the fruit that I actually put on a few kgs. I eat them in the morning with breakfast. I eat them during lunch with chapattis. I eat them for dinner too. If I don't stop about mangoes here, this blog will turn out to be an out n out mango blog.

 

But for summers, we'll not be able to enjoy the slushy watermelons, mush melons and a whole lot of other melons too. Sluuurrrp.

 

But for summers, we wouldn't have 'nongus' or 'targolas' (palm fruit, for those people who don't understand the first two terms). I can say with a certain degree of authority that we get the best targolas in the whole wide world. There are 3 pods in each fruit. The vendors are experts in exctracting the fruit from the pod. It has to be cut in a particular angle and then scooped out delicately. The actually edible part of the fruit is either white or pinkish white in color. There is a wee bit of sweet nectar in the middle of the fruit. Apart from having it directly, it can also be had with lime juice or with 'padneer' (neera for the northindians).

 

But for summers, we wouldn't enjoy a refreshing cool bath at the end of a tired day. Or laze around in the pool or have a rejuvenating bath under a water fall.

 

But for summers, we wont enjoy our Sunday noon siestas those lazy lazy days wherein we do absolutely nothing . Ah !! What utter bliss . Simply doing nothing.

 

But for summers, we wouldn't be able to catch up with our cousins and aunts and uncles and all the strange people who are called 'family'.

 

But for summers, kulfis and ice-golas wouldn't be so enjoyable. Yum its sheer magic to keep slurping on the cool stuff during the hot days.

 

But for summers, we wouldn't be heading for the hills and enjoy the nature.

 

But for summers, we wouldn't have a bountiful monsoon in tow either.

 

 

Darn this is turning out to be a never ending blog .. I'll just stop my yapping here and to cut a long story short ' there is a whole lot of things we wouldn't do or enjoy but for the summer. Yeah, I for one, herald the sunny days.

I aint complaining one wee bit Mr. Suryadev. Jus love you lots. Friends Forever.

 

 

 

 

This love started on the 29^th  Mar. We found each other and fell in love.

But the strangest thing happened .. have you ever heard of a guy getting pregnant?

Yes, it happened. I got pregnant. I conceived and eventually gave birth to

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A New Blog

( I am not telling you about my new blog as of now . Shall tell when the time comes .. lols..)

 

 

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29.03.2006 -  till now.

 

3 years on iLand. Not bad I guess. Forget bad, Splendid, if I say so myself. I don't want go into any emotional nostalgic sorties into yesteryears. Too many things have happened here during this period to be documented within the confines of this small post. The trips down memory lane can be done on another day.

Actually I have blogged on almost every topic that can catch a layman's interest. Whatever your interest be, you'll surely find something that you will like on my blog. Its something like a jack of all trades. But the overriding factor was humour. Yes, that was my bottomline. And it has stuck to me for good. I dabbled with some serious stuff too. But I guess it doesn't gel well on this blog. So I'll post all the serious and the philo stuff on my other new iLand and reserve this one for all my side kicks. Neat, aint it?

 

I thank all my friends ' past and present, active and inactive, in touch and out of touch, he and she, in India and abroad ' for all the support, time and love that you have showered on me till now.

All of you rock. Keep rocking.

 

 

 

 

1   +   1   =   1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have not watched the hindi version of the movie, Ghajini (I had watched the tamil version only). Though the ending and climax has been 'tweaked' in the hindi version, the basic storyline is the same ' ie. Our hero's memory lasts for exactly 15 mins. He keeps a cache of cards on him to remind himself of what he is doing or was supposed to do.

 

We Indians are really dumb to have made this movie a huge success (both the versions). I hate this movie for two reasons ' 1. excessive violence and 2. to lead even a normal life (with such a disability) would be a nightmare. Forget plotting a revenge. This is pure mockery of our intelligence.

 

 

 

I was just wondering if I happened to be in his condition of short term memory loss.

 

 

I am going to my office which takes approx 25 mins or sometimes 35 mins if there is heavy traffic. After 14 mins into my ride, I take out a card from my shirt pocket and remind myself that I am going to office. Imagine doing all this in heavy traffic. Phew.

 

I am in a business meeting which is supposed to last 30 mins. Thanks again to the card that I keep in my pocket which reminds me that I am in a meeting. Imagine the horror on my business associates faces, if I ask them who they are after 15 mins. Lols

And after 15 mins if I forget the topic of the meeting .. they are in for a shock.

 

I get lots of phone calls whole day around some of which last more than 20 mins. I dig out my card from my pocket to remind myself that I am in a phone conversation. Here again imagine the shock on the face of the person at the other end of the line if I say in the middle of the conversation, who are you and what do you want?

 

During the course of the day at the office, another thing of grave importance would be I should remember who I should receive money from and who I should pay to.

 

Thank god I finish my lunch super quick within 10 mins. Else I would have had to have a card for that too. Thank god for these small mercies, aint it?

 

On the way back home I have to pick up certain provisions from the department store. Yes you got that right . I jus pick up the card from my pocket. Ah.. You are getting the drift pretty nicely by now.

 

Back home (hopefully I landed at my own home and not at someone else's) I sit to watch TV after a hectic day. I keep a card in my pocket to remind myself that I am watching TV. Here again I have to thank god for the small mercies that I don't have to remind myself as to what I am watching. The channel walas do it for me. They keep telling me, you are watching .. lols No guesses for knowing whether I remember to know how to operate the remote control.

 

If I was watching a movie in a theatre (no, the movie wasn't Ghajini), I would carry a card in my pocket reminding myself that I am watching a movie.

 

I remind myself that I am reading a newspaper, a book or a magazine.

 

I remind myself that I am writing a mail or a blog or listening to music.

 

 

 

                     

 

 

 

 

 

Hmm, ok… 

 

I remind myself that I am in a party or attending a marriage or a get together.

 

I remind myself to put on my clothes after coming out of the bath.

 

I remind myself 1000s of small things that I keep doing everyday through these cards. Day in and day out. But then another challenge would be to hold all those cards in my pocket. More importantly, I should remember to take the right card out at the right time without confusion, if I remember to take out the card at all. There are certain other things that are censored here so I leave it to your imagination how I'd be managing my life.

 

And lastly,

A typical rendezvous to the loo would be a nightmare for me. Due to nature's reasons, I have to spend atleast 20 mins to finish my morning chore. Since it is an emergency situation most of the times, I forget to take the 'reminder' card with me. To overcome this problem, my wife has put up a huge notice board just opposite the WC which reads,

 

 

                           

 

  

 

 

 

 

Phew, thank god this is just a part of my imagination run riot. I am not sure if such a medical condition does exist in real world or not but do hope that it does not. I wouldn't want anyone to suffer from such a condition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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If you have come here looking for the review of the movie of the above name (over and above all those published all over the net), I'm sorry to disappoint you. This is not about the original movie CC2C, what the heck, read on .

 

 

After the tremendous success of the movie, "Chandni Chowk to China" more people from different cities are flocking to make similar movies with similar titles.

 

 

 

I last heard about the following ones . You may update me with any new ones that you may have heard of.

 

 

 

Mumbaikars are making Chinchpokli to China

 

Puneites are making Chinchwad to China

 

Chennaites are making Chinthatripet to China

(tough they would have liked to make it simply Chennai to China too)

 

Kolkattans are making Chowringee to China

 

Cochinites are making Changanacherry to China

(ok, I must admit that changanacherry is not actually in cochin but it's a nearby town .)

 

Hyderabadis are making Chikkadpally to China

 

Amdavaadi's are making Chandlodia to China

 

Patnaites are making Chitkohra to China

 

Bhopalis are making Char Imli to China

 

Bangaloreans are making Chickpet to China

(for all those who are not aware please don't think I am joking about chickpet. This is actually a name of a commercial area in bangalore and if you are lucky enough you might find good chicks too lols)

 

 

Phew that was quite a list I wonder if every other person goes to china . Wot will happen to India? And more importantly wot will happen to the Chinese? We will wreak havoc on their uniformity and make it as diverse as India I guess.

God bless those chingi-pingis ..

 

 

 

(now for the fact I have visited most of the places that I have mentioned above in the list . Not kidding. Someplaces would have been just on the way, en route to my destination elsewhere, but I have seen the place nevertheless.)