The history of IT

..in India

Imagining India
by Nandan Nilekani

After hearing of this interview, I finally managed to sit down with the book. Slowly, but surely, I made my way through it. And what a ride it was! Nilekani wonderfully recounts the growth of the IT sector in Indian from the 60s through the 21st century when India has emerged as a leading market in Asia-Pac.

What makes it even more fascinating is the fact that it is an India all of us have lived through- names likes Sam Pitroda and Nayan Chanda- the shift of a country from an industrial economy to being an IT force to reckon with. It talks of the middle class making a difference to a nation and its paradigm shift. It talks of the brain power that has fueled the economy into meteoric heights. The history, while factual and sometimes dry, is interesting and relevant to the times we live in. It helps us understand the evolution of globalization and open trade at a time in India that had just come out of emergency, thanks to Indira Gandhi. The story of the people and the factors that influenced this revolution needs to be told and who better than by someone who was and is at the core of this emerging nation?

An excerpt

"India has always had its share of Cassandras, pessimists who point to the country's deep divides, the feudal nature of our politics and our slowness in reforms to suggest that the country's success remains improbable, difficult to sustain. But I still think that after a long and convoluted path, after many a stumble and wrong turn, a different kind of moment seems to be upon us. For the first time, there is a sense of hope across the country, which I believe is universal.

As I traveled around India, I realized that this feeling, this intense belief in the future, has not yet infiltrated our governments, and our ministers still talk about the people as masses to be taken care of, as one would ten an ailing patient, rather than as fellow citizens to empower. For this to be mirrored in our political institutions it requires us to imagine an India that rests not on the struggles of our past but on the promise and challenges of the future.

India, rediscovered, has proved to be young, impatient, vital, awake- a country that may finally be coming close to its early promise."

A story in letters

....the written kind.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
- Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

I had almost forgotten what it was to read a book like there was no tomorrow. The kind that makes you set all your chores aside and just lounge in a comfy couch, book in hand. To go along with the book I was hooked to, I made samosas and dipped them in tangy Maggie's tomato-pudina sauce- again some thing I haven't done in a very long time. It has been a while since a book has kept me in one place, aching for more. I have been on a reading hiatus for some months now and the bestseller lists from NY Times or the Washington Post weren't cutting it for me. But I had pre-ordered the latest book in the Mma Ramotswe series which arrived last week(Tea time for the traditionally built). I want to believe that jump started my reading habit. Once that was out of the way in a short span of two work days, I decided I'd check out Guardian.UK for the bestseller list across the pond. And I am so glad I made that leap. For this was what I picked at the library.
Aside, what are your usual sources for good reading material?

The whole book is in the form of letters back and forth between various characters. The story is set in post-WW2 Britain, ravaged by long years of war. Its about a writer who is on a book tour of her latest release- a humorous take on the effects of war. A farmer in Guernsey writes to her asking for some help finding more works of Charles Lamb. He also mentions in the passing about this literature club that they have- the Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society. And thus she gets introduced to this Channel island of Guernsey. Aside, this was the first time I was hearing about Guernsey and the way the characters in this quaint little islet come alive is so endearing, I would book myself on the next flight out there in a heartbeat! She starts interacting with other people from this island, hearing about their experiences with the German occupation and the rationing and curfews that had been imposed on their lives, cramping their style and coercing them to start the Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society. How this title came about, who were its members, what did they do for a living...all make up for some wonderful reading and even more beautiful letters- the ones that make one store them in shoe boxes to be read and re-read for generations to come.

The writer eventually decides to go visit Guernsey and see for herself all these friends that she has made through letters, who have gone through trying war times and have still emerged as survivors in their own right. There are many small incidents in the course of the letters and the book that are utterly cute. There is one character in the island and in the club- Isola. She is by far my favorite. She finds some letters written to her Granny Phin(short of Josephine) that are traced back to Oscar Wilde. Yes, Oscar Wilde himself wrote 8 letters to her grandmother.

What happens next? Does the writer find fodder for her next novel out here? Who are the other members? What do they do? Find out for yourself and get carried away to this charming and precious little island- a journey in words, a time capsule ride into the past, a vacation well spent.

A memoir

Dreams from my father : A Story of Race and Inheritance
~Barack Obama

My reading cart has never been this bare for this long. I finally managed to finish this memoir, and while I might have taken a long time to finish it- it by no means implies it was not a good read.

Oh, it was. A very inspiring and honest piece of work. If you ever wondered what the formative years of a US President could have been...this is the most relatable, realistic account you could find. And don't be surprised if your chest wells in pride at such a young achiever that has made his way to the topmost position in the country. It could have be you...or me...or any one of us. And that's what make it stand out.

Definitely worth a read...go check it out!

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.
~Carl Jung

Notes for 2009-1

* Watched 'Slumdog Millionaire' recently. See, I have this problem- when books are made into movies, I take it in the literal sense. I expect every detail covered in the book to make its way to the movie. Especially if its a book I enjoyed. I have had this experience with many such...like 'Kite Runner' or something as simple as 'Devil wears Prada'...I expect one-to-one matches. Also, the advantage with books and words is the freedom it gives the reader to conjure up images and settings and backgrounds and characters that's hard to match with movies. In that sense, movies take away the fun of imagination by spelling everything out. There's no work for the mind.

Anyway, as always I was expecting Slumdog to be just like Vikas Swarup's book Q&A which I read back in December of 2007. I had loved the book and the plot and the theme. Slumdog, while the framework is somewhat like the book, the actual storyline differs. And honestly, I prefer the book.

The movie is great, don't get me wrong. It was typical Bollywood masala, woven into a Mumbai slum setting with liberal doses of intrigue and romance with a backdrop of the squalor and depravity we have come to know exists in the 'heart' of 21st century India. Anil Kapoor has definitely done a great job, considering I came away despising his character. My favorite song is 'Jai Ho'. The two young adult actors Dev Patel and Freida Pinto are impressive.

That's all I've got to say. Go watch for yourself, for sure. Its worth it!

* Read John Grisham's Appeal. A typical case of class-action on chemical poisoning in small-town US. Reminded me somewhat of King of Torts.

* And so in other news, being that I am a big fan of the 'Shopaholic series', I am actually looking forward to the movie. Oh, remind me to tell y'all about this book I am currently reading, once I am done.

Woman in white

....No! This isn't about Teesri Manzil. I am talking about the novel of the same name by William Wilkie Collins.

But lets begin with a foreword, shall we? I haven't read much in about 3 months. Its been one of those dry patches where I have been unable to sufficiently entertain myself with some good reading material. What with the holiday season and a short trip in the works and a long trip around the corner- a good friend of mine casually mentioned this book. Now its interesting she suggested this book, because it so happens that 'The Moonstone' by the same author happens to be my very first "adult" novel. I found this in our family "library" and plunged right into the worn out copy like a fish takes to water. I loved it, I was terribly impressed with the aura of suspense and mystery that was woven into the tale. Coincidentally wiki tells me that the Moonstone is considered to be the first detective novel in English language, hm!

So that's how I happened to pick up a copy of the Woman in white from my library and over the Thanksgiving weekend, I managed to finish it.

'Woman in white' is about an art teacher that is hired to tutor a young and budding heiress, Laura. She also has a half-sister who is somewhat of her guardian angel. In this beautiful Victorian setting, the author describes the budding romance between the art teacher and the heiress, which eventually is detected and dispelled by her half-sister Marian who informs the art teacher that Laura is engaged to be married soon. Dejected, he leaves the estate on a flimsy pretext. Laura's fiance and eventually her husband comes along with a baggage of mystery and intrigue forms the bulk of the story. Do the art teacher and Laura meet again? What kind of a man was
Laura's husband? Who is the 'woman in white'?

This amazing tale weaves through complex characterizations, plots and machinations of the human kind, the follies and failings of those around us and a mystery that forms the cherry atop the proverbial icing.

Quintessential Wilkie Collins, cant expect any less from this superb storyteller.

I needed this, to resync with my lost reading bug.

Call for book suggestions

Have any?

Reading cart is empty.

All yours to fill.

Thank you.

Oh, and Happy Gandhi Jayanti!

First 3 good suggestions will be rewarded.(Dont ask me how!)

The other Boleyn girl

by Philippa Gregory

Phew! What a huge book(600+ pages)!

That said, I'd read 'The six wives of Henry VIII' by Alison Weir a long time ago. This book solely dwells on the time period in which Henry VIII broke away from the Church of England in order to be able to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Ann Boleyn. But its really about Mary Boleyn, Ann's younger sister who was in the Queen's entourage. She was the first pick to tempt Henry to have heirs, given that she was already married kinda put the spanner in the works for the Boleyn family in their path to fame and fortune. Ann Boleyn is a simpleton- not one to adapt well to her family's genetic trait of plotting and planning. Mary seems to have been an unsuccessful pawn, after which her bolder, aggressive sister Ann seems to have made progress, succeeding to become Queen. The entire process for Henry to be able to successfully get his marriage to Catherine annulled and be able to take another Queen was long drawn and laborious. Mary seems to have retired to a life of anonymity after Ann was beheaded along with her brother, George. End of story. The schemings, the machinations, the trickery, the treachery- yup the works that goes behind the scenes of any court.

Yup, kinda a long drawn affair, literally speaking. I'm not sure just this section of historical fiction warranted 600 pages of literature. At most points, I was close to egging the author to just move one and be done with it already! After all, who wants keep hearing about Henry's promiscuous ways and harem gossip in every 2 pages, incessantly?

This is the first book of Philippa Gregory that I read. I dont find her language distinctive and/or captivating. At best, it barely holds your interest and intrigue. Would I read more of her works? Hm perhaps I would if I didnt find anything else to read....which certainly seems to be the state of affairs right about now.

The most popular boy in fiction

"We've not had television," said William triumphantly.

"Well, we couldn't have that."

"I bet we could," persisted William. "I've seen it an' it's only people's heads carryin' on-actin' an' suchlike-in a little hole. I bet we could easy make a little hole an' have our heards in it, actin' an' suchlike."

~Excerpt from the story 'A Question of Exchange' from "William, the Dictator" by Richmal Crompton.

:), Cute isnt it? Imagine a time when TV wasnt around. What did kids do to entertain themselves? Think of all the imaginative ways they devised to while time. And who better but the Outlaws to come up with innovative ideas?

What?? What have you come to Altoid?, you ask? Yes, the William series of books by Richmal Crompton is for young adults. Many years ago, a relative of ours, on one of her visits, bought me a couple and since then I have been hooked. Within the next few months I'd devoured every one of the 38 books written by this author. And after all these years, I can never say no to a re-read.

Whilst I am here, I seem to have lost my appetite for reading. I have tried to goad myself with some new releases, classics and the like. Finally I found my calling. Yes, re-reading the William series! With such a temperamental and mischeivous school boy as William and his band of staunch followers, together forming the Outlaws, their tales of excitement and adventure, their exploits, the trouble-making...what an endearing character! While I can never imagine the plight of parents with kids such as William, these books are a delightful read. The wonderful characters of the William books are thus : Violet Elizabeth, the girl with a lithp; Hubert Lane and his cohorts-adversaries to the Outlaws; Robert- Wiliam's older brother with a roving eye; Ethel- William's older sister, who'd much prefer to disown her kid brother; Archie-the scatterbrain adult in the neighbourhood, the only "adult" William can relate to...and the Outlaws themselves comprising of George, Henry, Douglas and of course, William.

Overheard!As I pack yet another William book into my bag to accompany Amma to the doctor's.

Amma - "Can you please not come out in public with a William book in your hand? Its weird to have a grown up daughter reading a children's book, people look at you strange!"

Me - :(

Footnote : I believe this was one of the reasons I used to frequent Usha's blog, cos some time ago, her blog header/template had a picture of William(isnt it, Usha?).

A case of the classics

I volunteered to take up this tag from Usha(Ya, I know! For the fuss I create about doing tags, *rolling eyes*) - it interested me since I've always fared abysmally with so-called classics. This tag is right up my alley as it has all the categories that apply to me. One thing that struck me was its a list of 106 books, not a well-rounded number like 100 or 125, but 106! Anyway, without further ado, here goes......

"Following is a list of books that decorate most people's bookshelves but not always read. In this tag we are supposed to reveal how ill read we are by showing the ones read in bold, by underlining the ones read at school, and by italicising the ones started but never finished. "
I added one more category which is the ones I have read abridged versions and never bothered to read the “real deals”- these are identified in blue.

1. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
2. Anna Karenina
3. Crime and Punishment
4. Catch-22
5. One Hundred Years of Solitude
6. Wuthering Heights
7. The Silmarillion
8. Life of Pi : a novel
9. The Name of the Rose
10. Don Quixote
11. Moby Dick
12. Ulysses
13. Madame Bovary
14. The Odyssey
15. Pride and Prejudice
16. Jane Eyre
17. The Tale of Two Cities
18. The Brothers Karamazov
19. Guns, Germs, and Steel
20. War and Peace
21. Vanity Fair
22. The Time Traveler’s Wife
23. The Iliad
24. Emma
25. The Blind Assassin.
26. The Kite Runner
27. Mrs. Dalloway
28. Great Expectations
29. American Gods
30. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
31. Atlas Shrugged
32. Reading Lolita in Tehran : a memoir in books
33. Memoirs of a Geisha
34. Middlesex
35. Quicksilver
36. Wicked : the life and times of the wicked witch of the West
37. The Canterbury Tales
38. The Historian : a novel
39. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
40. Love in the Time of Cholera
41. Brave New World
42. The Fountainhead
43. Foucault’s Pendulum
44. Middlemarch
45. Frankenstein
46. The Count of Monte Cristo
47. Dracula
48. A Clockwork Orange
49. Anansi Boys
50. The Once and Future King
51. The Grapes of Wrath
52. The Poisonwood Bible
53. 1984
54. Angels and Demons
55. Inferno
56. The Satanic Verses
57. Sense and Sensibility
58. The Picture of Dorian Gray
59. Mansfield Park
60. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
61. To the Lighthouse
62. Tess of the D’Urbervilles
63. Oliver Twist
64. Gulliver’s Travels
65. Les Misérables
66. The Correction
67. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
68. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
69. Dune
70. The Prince
71. The Sound and the Fury
72. Angela’s Ashes : a memoir
73. The God of Small Things
74. A People’s History of the United States : 1492-present
75. Cryptonomicon
76. Neverwhere
77. A Confederacy of Dunces
78. A Short History of Nearly Everything
79. Dubliners
80. The Unbearable Lightness of Being
81. Beloved
82. Slaughterhouse-five
83. The Scarlet Letter
84. Eats, Shoots and Leaves
85. The Mists of Avalon
86. Oryx and Crake
87. Collapse : how societies choose to fail or succeed
88. Cloud Atlas
89. The Confusion
90. Lolita
91. Persuasion
92. Northanger Abbey
93. The Catcher in the Rye
94. On the Road
95. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
96. Freakonomics : a rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything
97. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance : an inquiry into values
98. The Aeneid
99. Watership Down
100. Gravity’s Rainbow
101. The Hobbit
102. In Cold Blood : a true account of a multiple murder and its consequences
103. White Teeth
104. Treasure Island
105. David Copperfield
106. The Three Musketeers

There, these are my dismal stats : 25/106.

If anyone else is interested, please do take up the tag.

Freedom

Freedom, you are
an arbour in the garden, the koel's song,
glistening leaves on banyan trees,
my notebook of poetry, to scribble as I please.
~Shamshur Rahman, Shadhinota Tumi

...........such is the preface to....

A Golden Age
by Tahmima Anam

Whats the story about?
....about a widow with a daughter and a son living in East Pakistan(pre 1971 now known as Bangladesh). The nerves of steel of this young widow by which she survives a life long struggle to keep her kids who in turn join the war for independence. The poignant tale of this woman of steel caught between holding her children close to her heart and letting them go for a higher cause.

What makes it special?
.....the powerful script, the moving tale, the strong characters, the travails of a common (wo)man in a freedom struggle.

What keeps the story going?
.....the challenges that life throws at one and all, the inevitable depravity that war brings along with it, the scars that take an eternity to heal.

What do you need to keep in mind?
.....somewhere about 2/3rds into the book, it begins to drag some. But keep prodding along because the end makes it worth the effort. Its the cincher that makes a good tale catapult into the elevated ranks of a masterpiece.

Reading cart update

'Unaccustomed Earth' by Jhumpa Lahiri
- This is again a short story collection. It almost feels like starting off where 'Interpreter of maladies' left. In the same vein, these stories are about immigrant Bengali families in the USA. It seems like a mixed bag in that the generations it covers is expansive and relevant, more so for first generation American children born to immigrant parents. Some of these stories have been published in the New Yorker, and can be found online. I found them in part good and interesting and in part not so.

My take : I am probably saturated with the topic of situational tales that can be spun around immigrant Indian families . Thats the most rationale I can assign to the fact that I felt it to be some kind of a chore to finish this book. Perhaps if I were to have read it at another later time(maybe 2-3 yrs later), not so close on the heels of "Interpreter of maladies" and "The Namesake"(which really I must have read more than a year ago), I might have enjoyed these short stories better.

'Miracle at Speedy Motors' by Alexander McCall Smith
- Latest in the Mma Ramotswe series, published April 15th 2008. As always, I am still enjoying this series and soaking in the interesting character quirks that it dwells upon. Also, I seem to have settled into a comfortable rhythm with it all.

Footnote : As of now, the reading card is empty, but not for long. Its going to be rectified soon enough thanks to a long overdue trip to the library.

The Sound of Language

The Sound of Language
by Amulya Malladi

Previously, I've read Amulya Malladi's 'Mango Season', 'Serving crazy with curry' and 'A breath of fresh air'. None of these have impressed me much. They're alright, was my take. Not outstandingly brilliant.

'Sound of Language' is different for a few reasons. For one its her first novel where her characters are not Indian or of Indian origin. Secondly, the story line in itself is an unusual take on the lives and struggles of Afghan refugees(immigrants) in Denmark. Its almost like a parallel story from Khalid Hosseini's 'A thousand splendid suns' only without his powerful writing style.

Which brings me to AM's penmanship. I dont find the fluid, potent scripting that one sees in other writers. But one does find simple and succinct storytelling. Which is good and is needed once in a while. The pace of this story is sufficient to keep one going. She obviously understands what episodes to elaborate on and what not to.

On to the story. I found two very interesting points to note from this tale. One was the situation of Afghan refugees that took asylum in an EU nation such as Denmark. That it refers to current times of Taliban regime in Afghanistan and post 9-11 war on terror makes the story very relatable. Its interesting to read about how Afghan immigrants(much like immigrants in any nation) try to adapt to the different cultures and languages, while fiercely holding on to their own roots. The book also dwells on how the Danish try to open up to accomodate other cultures into their society which has been closed and protective for so many eons. Like a character in the book says, its going to take some time for change to happen, it cannot be an overnight process.

The other point to note from the book was that it addressed the turmoil of the central character, Raihana, a widow who is forced to flee from Kabul after her husband is killed in an Afghan prison as she goes through the healing process of letting go of the ghosts of her terrorised past and starts building a life for herself in this faraway land where language is the biggest barrier and the culture is liberal, poles apart from her own. Its endearing to read about her passion to learn the language and to praktik(intern) at a beekeeper's place so she could stand on her own feet. The beekeeper himself, recently widowed is grieving and having this young girl around asking curious questions and eager to learn the trade lightens his spirit. Nelson Mandela once said 'Courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it'. This story is about this young Afghan girl trying to overcome her fears and rebuild her life. Hence she is courageous. One part of her wants to immerse herself in the new culture and its ways, another tugs at her heart and gently reminds her that however strong and wide the wings she sprouts, she will always remain tied to the customs of her upbringing. Family, marriage and bearing children is but an eventuality. At least in this new land, she has the right to voice her choice.

The prelude to each chapter with a small snippet about bees and beekeeping added an interesting twist. Kinda like the kick delivered by squeezing some lemon juice on spicy poha .

Footnote : I am enjoying these latest series of books like this one and the Alexander McCall Smith ones which provides the reader a glimpse into other cultures, countries, the people and their lives. For most part, one invariably realises people everywhere, all over the world, are the same and think similarly. Cultures, languages and traditions might vary, but the essence of humanity is unific.

CBD 2008

'Palace of Illusions' by Chitra Banerjee Diwakaruni

Finished the book over the weekend.

Headnote 1 : I cant remember when and how I got to know the Mahabharata stories. It could've been Amar Chitra Katha, or the TV serial, or Amma's bedtime stories or a mix of all these. But I never could digest the incessant cursing and strong emotions that goes along with the epic story. Sages that got infuriated and spewed curses, skilled teachers that spouted revenge, honor-bound kings, devas, asuras, earthly beings all inhabiting the earth at the same time....while the grandeur of the epic was wonderful and mystifying, there were always nagging doubts that surged my mind all along, when the logic side of me surfaced, which happened off and on.

Headnote 2 : Looks like it is a season where female characters from history and mythology feature as leads in the latest novels. After 'The Twentieth Wife' and 'Feast of Roses' based on Nur Jahan's life in the Mughal dynasty by Indu Sundaresan, 'Palace of Illusions' depicts our biggest epic , the Mahabharata through the eyes of Draupadi, the woman who for years to come would be known as the cause for the biggest war of Dwapara Yuga.

Now, on to the book itself.

As expected most of the stories of Mahabharata in itself were not new, but reading about them through the eyes of Draupadi was certainly a fresh twist. While the central character comes across as an independent, strong willed and outspoken woman, I have no scriptural knowledge to disprove the theory that Draupadi might not have been so. It does sound strange to read the Mahabharata stories from the eyes of such an individual. Certainly, as Chitra Banerjee mentions in her preface, many of our mythological stories are written by men and hence dont provide a sentimental/emotional angle.

This was the first time I heard about Draupadi having had feelings for Karna, and that he had been her first suitor at the Swayamwara. But like I said, I cannot recall how I know some of the stories, and I know for sure I never read an unabridged version of Mahabharata(if there is one), so perhaps this might be something I totally missed. I also did not know that she had received special powers from Vyaasa to be able to watch the Kurukshetra war as a bystander and record for posterity. While some of the characterizations were pronounced and elaborate, some key events of the epic were skimmed over rather flippantly.

As always, CBD's style of writing is powerful, gripping and keeps one hooked till the end. If not anything, I enjoyed reliving the Mahabharata tales, spicy and when it was being delivered with a tangy twist through the eyes of Panchaali, sure why not?

Some excerpts:

"What did I learn that day in the sabha?
All this time I'd believed in my power over my husbands. I'd believed that because they loved me they would do anything for me. But now I saw that though they did love me- as much perhaps as any man can love- there were other things they loved me. Their notions of honor, of loyalty toward each other, of reputation were more important to them than my suffering. They would avenge me later, yes, but only when they felt the circumstances would bring them heroic fame. A woman doesnt think that way. I would have thrown myself forward to save them if it had been in my power that day. The choice they made in the moment of my need changed something in our relationship. I no longer depended on them so completely in the future. And when I took care to guard myself from hurt, it was as much from them as from our enemies."

"I remembered how tricky gods are. How they give what you want with one hand while taking away, with the other, something much more valuable. Yes, fame would come to both the young men(Ghatotkacha and Abhimanyu), and bards would sing of their exploits oftener than they sang of their fathers'. But when they did so, listerners would turn away to hide their tears."

"Its only now that I see he'd always ben there, sometimes in the forefront, sometimes blended into the shadows of my life. When I thought myself abandoned, he was busy supporting me- but so subtly that I often didnt notice. And his love was totally different from every other love in my life. Unlike them, it didnt expect me to behave in a certain way. It didnt change into displeasure or anger or even hatred if I didnt comply. It healed me. Krishna's love was a balm, moonlight over a parched landscape."

Footnote : I HAD to read the book, when I saw that the front cover had a picture of one of the doors that I'd loved and captured from the City Palace in Jaipur.

Two's company

This past week/end has been an unusually hectic one. Work has been busy, some paperwork to be taken care of, and then a surprise visit from an old friend over the weekend.

Its too early to claim, but it must be a season of getting together with long-lost friends. After the dinner out in downtown DC last month with a long-lost ex-coworker, that which I blogged about earlier, here's one more.

Had one of these days? Back in Pre-Univ ....staying past the normal hours of a particularly interesting trigonometry or calculus class, working out some of the exercises, like piecing a jigsaw puzzle together? The thrill of a challenge, the excitement over a succesful solve...sitting under the trees of a college campus lawn. Or walking over to a buddy's house, on the porch and working out the last kinks of a particularly difficult problem? Those late nights, with hindi film music providing for a background score, long discussions ranging from the wonders of algebra, the boring notes of physics, the debates on whether differential calculus was better or integral, whether microprocessors were a boon or a bane.....coffee, respective ammas dishing out piping hot food, served right where you were sitting...room service at its best.

My dear friend S was one such. We both knew what we wanted to graduate in. We had the same goals, we studied together but landed in different colleges for undergrad....and once we graduated, it appears, we each parted ways. Each on a different track, parallel but never in touch.

After all these years(10, to be exact), I miraculously got back in touch with her. Surprisingly not through orkut or facebook, gtalk or blogs....it was by sheer coincidence and by unconventional means. Over the past year, we've corresponded. And she surprisingly was able to come to the US on a year long project to NC, she works in Bangalore. On a busy thursday afternoon, I get a call from her.

She : "What plans for the weekend?"

Me : "Oh, nothing- as usual!"

She : "Hm, well a colleague of mine is visiting his cousin in DC, he wants to know if I want to carpool, should I?"

Me : (amidst balancing a celebratory jig and whoops of joy) "OF COURSE, YOU SHOULD!!!!!"

She :(calmly) " Alright, send me your address and I'll print directions. I'll call you when I start driving from here".

As I hung up, an email from our corporate informs us that if the weather gets too inclement on Friday, we could stay home and not drive under bad road conditions. Schools were declared closed prematurely, it was supposed to ice and rain all day on Friday. I pretended to ignore the severity of weather related warnings.

Thursday evening, after finishing my last gym workout for the week, I decided to finish all my weekly grocery shopping chores. The pantry was stocked up, milk and dairy rations refilled....a good part of the evening was spent in cleaning the house, new sheets for the guest bed and a fresh vase of flowers.

Come Friday morning, thank the Lord, the weather was not as bad as was predicted. It was dull, cloudy, and wet. But not torrential rains or ice storms. As she drove her rental car at 11:30 that evening into my driveway, it all dawned on me. The last I had seen her was at her wedding 10 yrs ago. Then I'd left for Singapore and onwards to the US, she (I assumed) settled into a career and family life. Now, here she was....on her first visit to the US, having driven 5 hrs on her own, in not so perfect weather...just to visit me!

Its been an amazing weeekend, as I took her around to the tourist spots best visited during these cold months...Luray caverns, Ikea (I know! But she wanted to go, and I had to hold her back from plundering the place!) and a museum. While we watched Sa Re Ga Ma and Boogie Woogie on Saturday night, it was like old times. Music, TV, a simple special meal of pulav/raitha and rasmalai- gossip, laughter, catching up. I swear, we had no time to reminisce cos there was so much to catch up on. We probably need another weekend to go down the memory lane.


“Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.”
~Henry David Thoreau



Footnote 1 : Last weekend, I managed to catch Jodhaa Akbar in the theaters, a girls outing. I'd recommend it for those a. Who can enjoy screen after screen of HR, in royal glory or b. Enjoy historical period love stories or c. Both a and b.
For attention deficients like me, C would be the right answer.

Footnote 2 : Sadly, I finished the entire series of 8 books in the Mma Ramotswe series by Alexander McCall Smith. I say sadly, because this experience and excitement of having so much to read is very rare. Usually its an uphill struggle to find ONE good book to read, leave alone this many. But I'm already in the waiting list for the next in the series thats due in April. All in all, its been an enjoyable series, I love all the characters, and have fallen more so in love with the Botswana thats described in the book. It really says a lot about the writer.

“Don't be dismayed at goodbyes, a farewell is necessary before you can meet again and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.”
~Richard Bach

Here's to the beginning of a...

.......long and enjoyable time with Mma Ramotswe. I just finished reading "The No 1. Ladies Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall-Smith. And there's no stopping. I intend picking up the rest of the series soon enough.

The friend that I mentioned in my earlier post, the one I had dinner with, remember? Well he recommended the author and this book. I lost no time ordering it and very soon I was well on my way into reading it, despite it being a work week and along with all other commitments. And as I finish it, I yearn for more...more of this wonderful, warm, buxom woman detective called Mma Ramotswe. What is enticing is the locale...the wild and awe-inspiring Botswana, where the entire series is set. Mma Ramotswe's love for her country, her simple pleasures and her admiration for Miss Marple of Agatha Christie. Simply charming. The author has a way with his words, while its about the cases that Mma solves as the first and only woman detective in Botswana, much of the beauty is from the characters that are defined, it feels like characters from our own lives, people that we might see and encounter anywhere in the world. That is what makes the entire plot so endearing. Africa never sounded so enticing as the author has managed to achieve through his words - fluid like water, smooth as silk, rich as chocolate. Lipsmackingly delightful!

Onto the next :

Tears of the Giraffe
Morality for Beautiful Girls
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
The Full Cupboard of Life
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
Blue Shoes and Happiness
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive

*rubbing hands in glee*...I am sure set for the long haul.

Dont disturb me people!!

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.
Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), Pride and Prejudice, 1811

Footnote : Aside, I also managed to finish Intern by Sandeep Jauhar, upon NN's recommendation. The NY times review is quite comprehensive and accurate, so I will not bore you by repeating the same. Also, I need to get on with going back to my pile of Mma Ramotswe books, remember?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/books/11book.html

Oh for a book and a shady nook...
John Wilson (1785 - 1854)

Alright, enjoy the wonderful weekend.

Two movies and a book

What do I have to show for a week. Exactly that- two movies and one book(incomplete)

• On a slow Monday evening, after a late day at work, I decided to check out Kite Runner, the movie(limited release that it was, what could be better than having it at a theater en route between office and home, a few yards away from home sweet home?). Its been a couple of years since I read the book. Thankfully. Since the details were hazy enough for me to not obsess over minor omissions or nitpicky comparisons, I went and watched with a nearly clear mind. And felt good. While the book delved into a lot of minute details about life in Afghanistan and the social structure, I'm sure a lot of it was infeasible to capture in a movie...or it would have to be turned into a 4 hour one. The book itself was enjoyable because the writing was fluid, gave a lot of room for using one's imagination to understand the background and situation. In a movie, unfortunately all that is visual. Takes away a good part of pages from the book. A phrase I felt for the movie was "less is more". A lot of restrained acting, subtle picturisation and minimalistic. So, if you are expecting a popcorn popping, thrill ride, this isnt the one for you.

• Evano Oruvan : Maddy's movie based on the Marathi original, Dombivli Fast. A very realistic movie on the life of any middle class family in India. One feels instantly bonding with the characters and their situations. With a middle class upbringing and the values that get imbibed, its a tough struggle to balance one's ethics and yet survive in the system. Quoting a line from the movie "Page 3", one needs to be in the system to change it. Again, not your everyday fantastic movie, no star studded stunts, no dreamy locales and finally none of the fancy star cast. I, however, did not relate to the ending. For the wonderful build up, this was not a matching end. But then, realistically speaking...perhaps, there is no other way out!

• Upon SK's suggestion, I got "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts. I believe its about 1000 pages long, so its going to be a while before I am done with it. But I definitely have enjoyed it thus far, which is about a couple of chapters. Thanks SK, for the reco.

And thus ends yet another weekend in 2008.

Couch bound

Phew!

This holiday season has been filled with watching Hindi movies. In the past 45 days the roll-call goes thus :

Jab we met :
After a very long time, a delightfully cute film has kept me engrossed. Pure, simple entertainment- these are the only words I can find to describe this movie. If one could rehash a love story, this has to get an Oscar for doing it in such a way to not come across as cliched, boring or repetitive. Shahid and Kareena just had to have been the pair for this.

Manorama 6 feet under:
Despite critics claiming it to be a rehash of Jack Nicholson's Chinatown, this movie definitely is a decent watch. If one has not watched Chinatown, then watch and just follow the suspense...like sitting through an Agatha Christie novel. The movie definitely delivers what it set out to do...entertain...with a murder mystery. Abhay Deol is an actor, sans the star hangups. Gul Panag, what can you say. She's an actress who also happens to be Miss India. With Saarika in her comeback role, the movie definitely had to be noteworthy.

Jhankaar Beats :
Stupid me! How could I have not watched this movie till now? Rahul Bose, Sanjay Suri, Juhi Chawla....again pure and simple masti. With a little bit of optimism thrown in. I mean, who doesnt like a happy ending? Enjoyable is the right word.

Pyaar ke side effects :
When I realised I had two vcd's of this movie...one that someone brought from their desh trip, another that I brought, cos I didnt realise the former existed...well of course, I had to watch the movie. Decent fare...Mallika Sherawat and Rahul Bose...not a spectacular movie. Passable, watchable...hey you have a couple of hours to spare, sure why not!

Taare Zameen Par :
What can a commoner like me say that can match all the good things thats already been said about this movie? Nothing much. Except chant...definitely watch. The casting, cinematography, dialogues, songs...every aspect...in this package..make it an award winning offering. For such an unusual topic as dyslexia for Hindi movies, coupled with such an unusual setting for a children's movie..its moving, its touching, its emotional...yet powerful. Aamir Khan is amazing as always...consistent and superb. Darsheel Safary is outstanding. None of the chocolate faced kid action that we are so used to from Bollywood movies. And my favorite song? In keeping with my trend, I gravitate towards soulful songs...this one moved me to tears. Shankar Mahadevan has outdone himself, yet again, in this song...with a bare minimum instruments, his voice shines through..bright and clear.
Excerpt from the song...
Meri Maa

Jab Bhi Kabhi Papa Mujhe
Jo Zor Se Jhoola Jhulate Hain Maa
Meri Nazar Dhoondhe Tujhe
Sochu Yahi Tu Aa Ke Thaamegi Maa

Johnny Gaddaar :
There are some so called "suspense thrillers" where you know exactly what is going to happen next...how it happens is why you stay glued to the seat and watch. When I watched "Ek Haseena Thi" I could never predict where the movie was headed at any stage. Such is the case with Johnny Gaddaar as well. Not surprising...cos both movies have been made by the same man..Sriram Raghavan. I will surely be watching out for more of his movies. Cos he sure knows how to weave a tale. Again, critics might cry aloud...about references to Johnny Mera Naam(the Dev Anand starrer, which I havent watched, so no comments) and many other Bollywood movies. Take it for what it is, and you find yourself with a decent thriller. Certainly kept me hooked to the screen...which is saying a lot, considering how distracted I can get. And Neil Nitin Mukesh? What can I say? Just a very promising young lad, with plenty to show in the looks department.

The End

Footnote :
Did someone say what about books? ONE, just ONE! To account for these past few weeks. And that was "Q&A" by Vikas Swarup. Tale of a waiter boy in Mumbai who lands in a KBC type of show and goes on to win the grand prize. A very good read, with interesting experiences in the life of an orphan who is tossed around between Mumbai and Delhi, with a brief stint in Agra. The people he meets, the folks he has worked for, his friends, some acquaintances...a circle of social interactions. And a grand prize.

Dismal as it sounds, yes just one book made it all they way to the end. The rest were disappointing. Within a few lines, pages, I'd stop and before long I had a pile of returns. The clerk at the book store definitely didnt approve. But what to do, it appears I have turned into a very picky reader. I refuse to read, for the sake of reading. Its got to grab my attention and keep me chained, else it just aint worth it!

'The feast of roses'

3am Saturday night : While all over the US, time reverted back from Daylight Savings to Standard, all I heard around me was the silence of the night, the glow from the reading lamp, ticking of a clock somewhere in the house and every few minutes the hurried turning of pages. And somewhere around 3:30 AM, I was all done.

'The Feast of Roses:- simply a superb piece of written work. I enjoyed the sequel twice as much more than the first one. If the first was a slow waltz that covered Nur Jahan's birth and culminated in Mehrunnisa finally marrying the Emperor, the sequel was a salsa number and covers a lot of how Nur Jahan took over the operation of an Empire, the political games, the chess moves being made on a daily basis and finally culminated in the death of the eternal couple. The times covered in this book are even more captivating to read since it covers the landing of the Sir Thomas Roe to establish the East India company, the squabbles between the existing Portuguese and the British, the trading ships that were taken hostage...such interesting times, each a mile marker in its own standing. Somewhere along the way, the lines between facts and fiction gets blurred and one feels like watching a live act of Mughal history.

Sigh! Its going to be a tough act to follow to find something just as interesting to read.

NN! Help!!

The Twentieth wife

Following closely, on the heels of City of Djinns, with tales from the Mughal rule in India, was my next book in the reading cart - "The Twentieth Wife" by Indu Sundaresan, this again, recommended by NN, a brilliantly crafted tale about Nur Jahan's life(Jahangir's twentieth and last wife) culminating in the marriage between the Mughal Emperor and this Diwan's daughter. A daughter born in times of strife and struggle, Mehrunnisa(meaning Sun of Women), as Nur Jahan was called, 'The Twentieth wife' focusses on the life and times of women in the Mughal empire, which is very unique in itself, the power they weilded, their daily struggles and how they rendered themselves invaluable to their Emperors.

Wonderful narrative and after a long while, I finally found a book I couldnt put away for extended periods of time- yes, the un-put-downable kind. In fact, I set aside all chores for today, and after I returned from work, over a nice hot cup of chai, I decided I HAD to finish it before the night :).

Indu Sundaresan's writing definitely has a captivating style, and a luscious, dreamy narration that reminds one of fairy tale romances. The setting, the dialogues are rich and very palpable, which makes it hard for one to conclude the book to be a fictional piece. Cant wait to lay my hands on its sequel- 'The Feast of Roses'.

So thats whats next in the reading cart. John Grisham's 'Playing for Pizza' will certainly have to wait!

Footnote : NN has also egged me to sign up for Shelfari. Hm, not sure if I want to, yet!

City of Djinns

The following morning, we were woken at 7:30 sharp by 'Land of Hope and Glory'. Half asleep, I shuffled to the door to find Ladoo, Mr. Puri's bearer, waiting outside. He was holding a tray. One the tray were two glasses of milky Indian chai.

'Chota hazari, sahib' said Ladoo. Bed tea.

'What a nice gesture,' I said returning to Olivia, 'Mrs. Puri has sent us up some tea.'

'I wish she had sent it up two hours later,' said Olivia from beneath the sheets.

I finished the tea and sank down beneath the covers. ten seconds later the Indian national anthem chimed out. I scrambled out of bed and again opened the door. Outside was a tin man with purple betel-stained lips. He had a muffler wrapped around his head and despite the heat, a thick donkey-jacket was buttoned tightly over his torso. I had never seen him before.
'Mali', he said. The gardener.

He bowed, walked past me and made for the kitchen, From the bedroom I could hear him fiddling around, filling a bucket of water then splashing it over the plants on the roof terrace. He knocked discreetly on the bedroom door to indicate he had finished, then disappeared down the stairs. The mali was followerd first my Murti, the sweeper, then by Prasad, the dhobi, and finally by Bahadru, Mrs. Puri's Nepali cook. I gave up trying to sleep and went downstairs.

'Mrs. Puri', I said, 'There have been a stream of strange people pouring in and out of my flat since seven thirty.'

'I know Mr. William,' replied Mrs. Puri. 'These people are your servants.'

'But I dont want any servants'.

'Everyone has them, that is what these people are for!'

'And we dont need a bearer. We both enjoy cooking'

' Then have a cook-bearer. One man, two jobs. Very modern. Its very important to have a good chauffeur. Some pukka fellow with a smart uniform.'

' I dont have a car, so its pointless having a driver.'

' But if you have no car and no driver' said Mrs.Puri, 'how will you be getting from place to place?'

Excerpt from City of Djinns by William Darlymple.

Yes!!! NN- I finally did finish this book. And I am glad I revisited it, cos it definitely was an enjoyable read. Still slightly slow, but love his writing style. Very orthodox and wonderfully fluid.

City of Djinns is a uniquely narrated piece about WD's experience of his stay in Delhi and talks about the aftereffects of Partition and the riots that happened after Indira Gandhi's assassination. About how the city and its multicultural inhabitants coped and recovered from the trauma. I also read on Wiki, that this book has also been made into a play.

One down in the reading cart, 2 more to go.