The ' T' Bomb.

I saw the Ticket checker coming from the other end of the aisle and waited impatiently to enquire what was wrong. The train had been on the Kagaz Nagar station for over half an hour. That was strange since it is a very small station. I had been to this township. All it had was a paper industry( Hence the name Kagaz Nagar). This is a large industrial belt from Chandrapur in Maharashtra right upto Ramagundam in AP with many major cement industries , Thermal power station, Collieries and two big paper plants.

The train did stop at all these stations. But hardly for two minutes. Something was really wrong.

I was on the upper berth ( alas ! For the second time. And was punished with a pulled muscle in my back while alighting). The TTE took the exact moment to look up as I lowered my head down. He was a tall man. Accident prone that I am , I crashed my head into his. I don’t know what he saw. I saw stars!

The Telangana separatist movement supporters had stopped our entry into Andhra Pradesh. They were squatting in front of the engine.

Hundreds of anxious passengers inside were worried. We weren’t sure when we would reach Hyderabad. For once, the friendliest city in the country made us feel unwelcome.
Passions were running high in the city. Their leader was on an indefinite fast. His condition was rapidly deteriorating. I worried about the A/C. If they hold the train for long there was no option but to switch it off. Luckily that didn’t happen.

The cab demanded Rs.300/ hr for a 20 Km. trip. I was a bit hesitant to accept since I know the traffic snarl. It would take a minimum of two hours. But I wanted to reach home as early as possible. So I agreed.

It was pleasant though a bit intimidating to see the empty roads. I remembered the good ole days of the 80s and 90s. we reached in just forty five minutes. Incredible. In normal times we wouldn’t even have crossed Paradise!

Each person has his own theory about the Telangana Movement. The taxi driver from Adilabad feels that they have been dominated by the costal region for too long. I ask him if he feels that a separate state would drastically alter his life. He says doesn’t matter. He would be proud if someone from his region is the CM. I again asked him if all this violence is justified? He let out a colorful expletive in chaste hindi for the ruling government. He said these $%#$% wake up only when there is violence. He had a point.

I am all for smaller states. They can provide better governance.We can see how well Uttarakhand and Chhatishgarh are doing. (Jharkhand is more a victim of corruption and not poor governance). It definitely makes sense to divide a large state like UP.But does it make Geographical sense to bifurcate AP.

Who will take Hyderabad, the Jewel in the crown of AP? Or will we have a common capital like Chandigarh. More questions than answers.

Had a warm bath, hot food and now sleeping peacefully. Grab all the peace you can. We may wake up to a very violent morning. Its going to be one long and cold winter.

The soire'e

Last Friday a train carried me home. This week another one will ferry me back. What will remain is another foot print on the canvas of my life.

I am now standing exactly in the middle of my vacation. Confused if I should be happy that there is still half to go or sad that half of it is over. Nothing new though. I am always confused. I tend to look both sides on a one way street!

So what did I do? I did something I have always been good at – nothing. It takes a lot of training to do nothing. I have perfected the art to a T.

I just sat in the living room enjoying everyone playfully fighting over what to watch on the TV. Just absorbing the sights and sounds.. Hogging all the green veggies that I have missed. Mom was a great cook. Her USP was the simplicity of food. No elaborate spices. No heavy garnishing. The vegetables would still retain their original flavor. She is no more. But the tradition still continues.

Some times silence is more eloquent and more meaningful than a thousand words. We sat many a times simply enjoying each others company. If I look back I could have saved myself many blushes by just being quiet. But each has his own special talents. Mine is making an ass of myself. I remember the character played by the old time comedian who is tutored in social etiquettes and ends up asking ladies if they are married and even when a lady says she is single pops the next question – “Oh great. So how many kids do you have!”

The writer copied me but robbed me of my royalty.

Yesterday morning we were returning by road. I saw one of the most breathtaking sights. There was nothing between us and the horizon as the sun rose slowly, blushing like a newly wed bride, all crimson and round. The landscape ,deep emerald green complemented it beautifully. I was so moved I wanted to cry!

We stopped by a road side dhaba. A wedding party had taken a break. Their enthusiasm was infectious. I would have been rubbing my butt if I had traveled in that tractor. But not these beautiful people. They seemed oblivious of the discomfort and were happily chattering. The dhaba owner looked at me strangely as I requested him for a black tea.

Today I watched lazily as the golden ray of sunlight sneaked into my room. That is rare.

In Hyderabad it’s all a rush. We wake up long before the sun rises. My sister brought me the morning tea. Its my first tea in bed after a long time. Being single I can’t afford that luxury.

The delightful irony. I took some time to adjust to the cacophony of a metropolis after the serenity of Miami. Now I am again struggling to cope with the absolute silence of my brothers new beautiful duplex home. Next week I will have to again get used to the morning commotion as it would be time to go back to Hyderabad. The mad mornings, rudely waking to the shrill whistles of dozens of pressure cookers, the milk man and the paper boy noisily delivering their stuff, mundane noises smothering the pure and soothing bhajans of MS Subbalakshmi.

Last night I slept late. Since I don’t wear a watch nor keep a mobile it was difficult to gauge the time. I peeped out of the window. There’s a large lake behind the house. The city lights reflected in the calm water. The reflection looked frozen as there was no movement in the calm water. This was a symphony for the soul. The sounds of silence, the frozen lake, the still time, I felt like a king.

I am enjoying till it lasts. All beautiful things must come to an end. So will this soiree.

Its HOME SWEET HOME!!!!!!!

A gush of cold wind hit me as I alighted. My fellow passenger had warned me.” Wear something warm. You don’t feel inside because of the a/c”. I just smiled at her. She was young. She wouldn’t understand. I had been longing for this ever since I retuned from USA. It was an animal instinct. They recognize things from smell, sights and sounds. For me it was the whiff of cold breeze every year the plane hit the tarmac that screamed ‘ Home’.

I love traveling by train when I am in India. My friends often question the wisdom. There are two reasons. One Gwalior is not on the Flight map. So I have to land in Delhi and then run to catch a train. The whole travel thus becomes rush rush , wait wait. There is another very deep reason. This is the only time when I am totally removed from the world. I do not carry a mobile phone, a watch or even a pen. I spend these twenty odd hours in the company of my thoughts alone. I don’t talk to anyone nor read anything. Its splendid bliss as thoughts jostle for space with memories.

This time I took this experience to a new higher level!!!! The girl on the lower birth slept all the way. I had no option but to be on my upper berth.
It felt like I was a rishi meditating on the Himalayas.

I remembered Tanmay tugging at my heart strings as he hugged me good bye. His eyes brimming , he promised that he will be a good boy but come soon. His Environmental science subject (God ! what happened to the simple old fashioned civics!) had taught him about joint family and it left him confused that we didn’t all live together like one big joint family! his constant refrain is " why do you have to go."

It tickled me to remember the evening before. it was a dry day and the bar was closed on account of something. I thought we shall have to skip our drink. But the Indian businessmen are enterprising. The bar owner had kept a bottle for us. He arranged an impromptu seating in the garden behind and left us with the keys.

I don’t know if it was premeditated or at the spur, but friends started chiding me for worrying too much about my future. They assured me that they were there to help. One of them stood there giving me a big lecture. I suddenly giggled. A glass in hand another hand on his waist, he appeared to me like Lord Krishna exhorting Arjuna. After all this was my Kurukshetra. needless to say, all serious talks vanished once i painted this imagery to them

On reaching home I got the news that Sandeep has finally left IIT. He is joining his new job from Monday. I called him up. A lot of water has flown under the bridge. He was a 19 years old neighbour, my first teacher who taught me how to use our first computer. MS Office had still not arrived and it was the age of cumbersome DOS. C: popped up when you booted the computer. It left me baffled as to how did c arrive before a and b.Sandeep explained why. He was a student and a teacher.we owe him a lot.
He brought knowledge and virus in our life!!
Now he is a Doctor from the most prestigious school in the country.
Good luck Sandeep. IITs loss is the Corporate gain.

There is no substitute for nature. The cold water from the fridge can never really replace the refreshing and cool water of the river Ganges. Visit Haridwar and you will know what I mean. As I waited on the platform and felt that cool breeze I thought that A/C is no substitute either.

Suddenly I saw Dada , my elder brother waving at me. Sister was waiting on the other side of the bridge. I had forgotten to give them my compartment and seat no. and they were left scurrying.

It’s not easy being my brother.

We laughed happily as we hugged each other. Friends are something you can decide. But brother you just have to tolerate.

No words form in my mouth as I grin from ear to ear.
It feels great to be home.!!!!!!!

A sham called Liberhan report

The congress party can be accused of many things. But the one thing no is ever going to accuse it of , is being intelligent.

consider the timing.

This was supposed to be the finest hour for the PM. He was going to be the state guest of America. This was a much needed fillip for a government which was trundling from one embarrassment to the other and whose very credibility was at stake. This government never looks to be in control of anything, be it the spiraling prices, or swine flu or the Maoist attacks. They needed a gloss. What better way then showing the PM , as a great statesman, on the lawns of the white house shaking hands with the President of USA. Never mind if the same President on his visit to China almost accorded it the status of the leader of the Asia. (One wonders if the pomp and ceremony would alter that perception. But that’s one of PM’s least worries. He has a most genuflecting and pliant English press). But being Dr.Manmohan Singh isn’t easy. He has his party to contend with.

The Lieberhan report is nothing short of an embarrassment for any government.No government can justify that kind of delay. It took the venerable judge a remarkable seventeen years to come out with a report on the contentious Babri Masjid razing. And even after that there's nothing new and the report looks half baked.

Its not just the opposition saying that. Even the congress Governor, Mr. Satyanarayan Reddy criticized the report saying that he was in charge of the UP government after the dismissal of the government but he was never summoned by the judge. He described this report as incomplete. Mr. Vajpayee was indicted without inviting him even once. so what was so great or secretive about this report.

Yet some clever and a half Johnny from the party decided its time to honor the services of a servile paper and a TV channel. He leaked the findings.( I told you being Dr. Manmohan singh is not easy!)

He thought he was killing two birds. One obliging the said media and two dividing the opposition who had come together on issues of price rise etc. and deflect attention.

He did kill two birds though. But not the ones he wanted.

He brought the completely comatose opposition ( read BJP) to life and did the unthinkable. He united them!! and two he dislodged the PM visit from the headlines. Common sense indeed is the rarest of sense. What was lying dormant in the custody for six months with the government after dragging for painstaking seventeen years couldn’t have waited for the PM to return? The report isn’t worth the paper on which it is written on. But by leaking the contents, the government gave the opposition a stick with which to beat them.

The world has moved in the last seventeen years. Our country suffered many attacks. 26/11 is still fresh in everyone’s mind. A young voter must have been a baby when this happened. Today he worries more about recession, employment and price rise.

Another theory is that the party wanted to win the muslim votes in UP. My feeling is that it would nullify whatever good work Rahul Gandhi may have done there. Assuming this was the motive it begs one question to the intelligent English media. If pandering to the Hindus is communal , how can appeasing the muslim community become secular? But clearly we do not have many cerebral journalists anymore.

I am proud to say that throughout my life, I had some very good muslim friends. We grew together. Our different religions never came in the way. We celebrated Eid and Diwali together. I am sure that they too would be offended by this brazen tokenism. If the Government is really serious, what happened to the other commission’s findings – The Srikrishna panel on the Mumbai riots or the Nanavati commission on the Sikh carnage?

If the guy who leaked it to get muslim sympathy thinks he won a lot many admirers, he is in for a rude shock. I am sure that the muslims are not going to go running to add him as a friend if he has a facebook profile!

A common man , hindu or muslim, doesn’t ask for much. All he asks for is a decent and dignified life. Is that too much to ask?

It took Justice Liberhan 17 years to write this. It was buried for six months under the other files with the government. It could have remained buried for another 17 years.

No one would have really cared.

India Inc. Rocks.

Yesterday Warren Buffet and Bill Gates were on CNBC. They were answering to queries from the MBA students of Columbia University. One student asked Warren Buffet if he really took five minutes to take major decisions. Pat came the reply from the incredible Buffett, “ Fifty years of training and five minute of decision making!”

Today when I look at the India Inc. I see the same confidence. Deals are being made, companies are being acquired. All in no time. There are no boundaries left . So a Jindal steel goes and acquires mines in South Africa or a Bolivia while a Reliance goes and buys a company in south America. Its not just the biggies. Even small and unknown companies are on a shopping spree.

India had never had it so good. I remembered the publicity the media gave when the Mittals were bidding for Arcelor. Today everyone is talking in billions. So its no news.

If we look at the stock exchange, the sensex is healthy largely to the FII. It is a tribute to our industry that they have been giving very great Quarterly results making investments attractive. I was pleasantly surprised to listen to one of the prominent American bankers eulogizing the Indian market. He said that with the current recession in the Americas and Europe , India is the most attractive destination.

This did not happen overnight. Each company has been meticulously trying to make itself cost effective- Cutting operating costs, increasing sales , diversifying.

I am sitting here in a friends office. Ten years back when I left this country, he worked from a rented shed and a rented office. He worked hard. Withstood all kinds of pressures. He can write a book on what they don’t teach you in the IIMs and the ISBs. He had the guts to borrow money at a very high interest and invested in the business. His bad luck a few clients became bad debts. He still didn’t lose heart. Borrowed more and invested. The cheekiest part is that he even gave bonus to his workers with money borrowed from the market. He didn’t give up two things. He didn’t lose Hope and didn’t stop Dreaming.

Gradually a ray of sunlight peeped through the dark clouds of despair. A few projects clicked. He made some profits. Bought some land. Slowly brick by brick he built one factory. Every year he kept adding. A Korean bus bar bending machine here . A mini truck there. This was followed by the purchase of another factory.

But it wasn’t all work and no play. They are incorrigible when it comes to enjoying. They go vacationing to fancy places abroad, drink only scotch and are wonderful hosts. I can vouch for the that!! The moral of the story is that if you can’t slog or have vision, at least have the sense of having some friends who have!!!!!!!

Creating wealth is an art. It needs a vision. I am proud to say that Indian Corporates have shown that we have it in abundance.

Why do I Blog!

There is something delightfully refreshing about childish exuberance and youthful innocence. The only thing that separates them is the age. As the boy grows he is able to temper the effervescence. But the innocence and the curiosity still remains. Its only when he matures into an adult does the guile and diplomacy creep in. The curiosity and innocence both are buried under layers of canard. The questions are still there in the mind. But they don’t come direct. They take a tangential trajectory.

Last night after dinner I and Tanmay went for our customary walk. I took him up to the recreation hall in his community to watch Table Tennis. But he was bored. So we came out and walked a while and then sat on the kerb. He is a real chatterbox. I have to listen to all that happens in the school everday. But today was important. He pompously informed me that he is the Hospital Leader of his class. I just gaped. What on earth is that? “Well! If someone is hurt or sick , its my duty to take him to the doctor in the school.” “ But you can’t speak Telugu!” Immediately he recited what he says in front of the doctor fluently in three languages- Hindi , Telugu and English.

Before I could compliment him on his skills, the lean and gangly boy from his bus stop was standing shyly in front of us. He had that awkward teenage gait. I smiled at him and invited him to join us. Suddenly he smiled expansively and told me that he had solved the conundrum . I laughed. Conundrum indeed! These kids couldn't speak normal english!

Two days back he had met me in the morning when I went to see off Tanmay to his school. He said that he knew me but cant place it how. I was sure I didn’t know him. I can hardly recall ever talking to a teenager in India , forget Hyderabad. But I didn’t want to sound rude and I told him that he certainly looked familiar but even I cant place him.( I am an adult. And I am supposed to lie!)
“ It’s a conundrum.” He had laughed. I had to agree it indeed was. The next day we met again. He smiled at me. I had forgotten him the moment he had left.


“ When you invited me to join your Chaupal I suddenly remembered. I read your blog”. There was a glint of Joy and mischief.

I felt like Jeffrey Archer. I had to buy this kid a treat.

As he settled down, his curiosity had totally taken over and he started bombarding me with all kinds of questions. Who I am( a small fish in a giant pond), what do I do in USA ( nothing! )and why am I in Hyderabad when I am not a south Indian. (I don’t even know why am I in this world! This is my second home I instead said. He wasn’t impressed.) Did I speak Telugu. ( Kuncham Kuncham . Now I tickled him.) Did I ever try the local food. ( Ofcourse! Love Gonghura. He was now rolling). I think I passed the test.I relaxed.

Suddenly, he threw me a googly. “ why do you blog?”

I was silent for a while gathering my thoughts. “ Is it the creative urge within you?”. He enquired helpfully. Boy!. This kid has a real flight of imagination.
What will he think if I tell him the truth? I had compelling reasons. That I started because I was jobless. This was the cheapest way of killing time. That it was my safety valve. I could vent my frustration, my angst, my anger without harming any one.
That the words that I wrote were silent. They didn’t disturb anyone. if I sang or danced instead , the neighbors would have dialed 911. That the last thing I wanted was cops at my doorstep.

He was too young to understand that life doesn’t go by lofty ideals.
But I had to be honest. I had to tell him the truth. I cleared my throat and as I was about to open my mouth I looked at Chikka ( that’s how he introduced himself.) and I stopped.

His smile could light up the whole street. His eyes had that puppy like adoration. His face had a rare innocence. I wistfully thought. A few more years.

“ A writer is like an artist. It’s just that the brush is replaced by the pen. The paper is his canvas and his imagination the colors with which he paints a picture. Some deft strokes, some gentle……….”. For the first time I almost felt noble as I lied.

( Hope Chikka doesn’t read this!)

Happy Birthday Yugesh

Dear Yugesh,

Tomorrow shall be just another day for the world. The milkman shall ring the bell once precisely at 5 am. Then there would be a lull for some time until pandemonium breaks. There will a collective assault on all the senses at precisely 6am. Another day would begin.

But for us, it would be a day to gilt edge and frame it and store it in the deepest vaults of our memories along with your other birthdays and cherish them once in a while.

I try to remember the day the stork brought you home. OK. You are too old for that. And let us also not fool ourselves that you were as pretty as a picture. You were as ugly as any new born.

You were a benign Buddha. Always smiling. The only one afraid of you was our dear Alsatian, Bonny. You would shriek with delight as you saw him and try to use him as a prop to stand up pulling his skin and sometimes tripping over him. He would let out a howl of anguish as soon as he saw you crawling.

As you grew, you loved to sit on my lap and sit next to your dad while driving. I don’t remember when you suddenly grew up and I started calling you an overgrown Alsatian no longer fitting in my lap. Last year in KC chacha’s house , I felt my eyes go moist when you wore my Ralph Lauren shirt and it fitted you beautifully. KC chacha spoiled the moment by removing the plate of onions I was chopping from me. Some people are so blatant!

Do you remember that day you had your unit test and you overslept. You were afraid of going to school as the principal would punish you in front of the school. How we borrowed your dad’s car and I kept bragging that your principal doesn’t have the guts to do that to you as long as I was with you. You really believed it. How we sneaked you from the back gate to the classroom as the class came back from the prayers and how you felt so proud of me. I can let out a little secret today. I had bribed the security at the gate. You see ,even gods have feet of clay. It’s expensive to maintain the super hero status. I am glad now you are grown and accept me for what I really am.

We shared everything. Even your anguish and pains. I am proud that you always think of me when you have self doubts.Remember that night when you chatted with me at 2 am hiding the laptop inside your bed and covering yourself with quilt and using a torch. If your dad reads this, he would be horrified. So would your mom. They never knew. Wonder if you could have pulled that trick against bua?

You were always a sensitive and an understanding kid. Remember that time when I eagerly came from USA to celebrate your birthday with you and paiya? And how you ,instead, decided to go for a movie with your friends. It is this sharing and caring that keeps us together!

This birthday, I want to let out a little secret. Of all the nephews, you are my favorite. Now its not my problem that you are the only nephew I have. But let’s assume, hypothetically , that I did have, trust me you still would have been my favorite. ( It’s your birthday after all and I have to be good to you.)

But I have one more dilemma. All your friends are my friends too. Now what should I do? Support them when they give you the customary birthday bumps or save you since you are my only nephew. I am glad I am not in Dehradun. You are on your own son. I told you. This caring and sharing has kept us together so long and I see no reason to change this winning formula.

One last thing. We live in very hard and trying times. The least we can do is smile and be happy and try to make others laugh.Thanks for bringing so much happiness and laughter in our life. I am glad you have inherited my sense of humor. But trust me. You are funnier when you borrow some one else’s jokes.

Happy Birthday!