Life by the window...

Was just wondering if you ever looked out of the window back in your home? Ever tried freezing life for a moment? Ever analysed the picture we instantaneously recognize but never identify with? Those semi-baked roads, honking cabs, hurrying office-goers, cursing pedestrians, screeching vendors, autowallahs yelling at each other..etc etc. Oh! the picture looks so familiar!!

Come closer and I'll show you more.

The picture has a nine-year-old Sai who sells tea on the pavements. He occasionally chats with his younger brother Seenu (6) who boot polishes nearby. They both love listening to songs on the old radio and munching groundnuts among other things. But they hate the group of Ajay (13), Wasim (9) and Venkat (11), the rag-pickers, who bully them for money and sheer entertainment. Thank God, they have a friend in Raju (13), the car-washer, who protects them each time.

Do not form your opinion, my friend, for each of them is too young to be rated good or bad. So young that they do not know that they are destined for a life not worth living. Poor them.

Don't you think these orphaned children are unfortunate souls? Have you never felt sorry for them? Don't you think you can, or rather should, do something to make them smile?

Well, actually you can do much more than you can possibly imagine. For the time being, just assemble on the Terrace on 25^th June and have a talk with us.

~WE Team.
(CSR Team of my former employer)

Garaj Baras Sawan Gir Aayo

My Dear Countrymen,

Shucks!! These bloody spelling mistakes. Lemme say it again...

My Dear ‘Country Men’,

I wish to inform you once again that you are reading the world's only monthly newsletter that comes with a delay of about 1-2 months. Eeek....... Sorry chaps, I was too lazy to write. Actually writing isn’t all that bad, but it is typing which is a major pain. I am looking for social workers amongst you who are willing to share my load. Any eyebrow interested?

Sorry, I got too optimistic. My mistake.

Anyway, this time I've come to you with tons to distribute. Please take your seats.

Movies: Have finished all the worth-watching movies(Eng + Hin + Tel) of the season (except Lakshya which I soon will). However I'm skipping this section, as the others are pretty bulky.

Places: After two years I finally got to travel a bit. Since the time I wrote to you last I've been to Bangalore, Bombay, Vizag, Vijaywada and Nizamabad. It was great meeting my old friends in these cities. None of them has changed much except in volume.

Sports: The World TT Championship was held in Hyderabad. After several rounds of blatant cheating the scoreboard look like this –

Gold – Afghanistan (Ashok)
Silver – India (Yours Truly)
Bronze – Somalia (Kalyan)

The ‘Fair Play’ trophy went to India. For more details, log on to www.espnstar.com

Books: Hmm.....I have a MIGHTY score here. Incidentally all the books I read this time revolve around women.

For some reasons I suddenly developed a fascination for Mrs. Sudha Murthy and her work. So impressed I was with one of her speeches that I went to the library and picked up her book 'Wise and Otherwise'. Unfortunately I did not find it as hard-hitting as Kiran Bedi's 'What Went Wrong'; but that doesn’t dent my admiration towards her. These nice humans are the reason behind a million smiles. They are well educated, helpful and extremely simple. I hope there are unmarried females like that.

I had been eyeing Kushwant Singh's 'The Company of Women' for a long time. But as its cover was a little ‘odd’ I cud not get it issued and take home. The day my mom left for UP this book entered my room. My God, the old man is bloody naughty and frank despite being 80plus. The book was...hmm…Utterly Butterly Delicious ;)

Here comes the big one. Seldom do we come across books that we know we’ll never forget in our lifetime. I was absolutely impressed and shaken by this author's language and outspokenness. Please read Tehmina Durrani's 'My Feudal Lord'. Its a real story of a Pakistani woman's fight against her family, her husband and her society. She belongs to one of the most influential families of her country. Her father was a top bureaucrat. Her husband (Mustafa Khar) was Zulifikar Bhutto's protégé who later became a minister in Benazir's cabinet. She had all material comforts a normal person can only dream about. But ……

This book has it all - love, power, politics, dreams, drama and deception. Has been translated into 26 languages worldwide. Get your copy soon.

I also spent some time with a few other books (English Patient, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Pride and Prejudice..) but left them incomplete. They did not interest me enuff.

Adios Amigo:
Life is a strange journey. Just when you think you are settled at a place it pushes you elsewhere. Dear friends, after two very very unforgettable years in Hyderabad, I have just got pushed towards Bombay. When I say ‘unforgettable’ here, I mean it 200%. I have seen the best of my times in these 2 years. I’ve also seen my worst times.

By the way, this was my first stay in Hyderabad since my birth, discounting the summer vacations I spent as a kid. I never had a special attachment to this place before. But now, I am really proud that I belong to this city. Just lemme make my career and a lil money and I’ll be BACK!!

I wish to thank every Hyderabadi I’ve met here. I won’t forget you ever; trust me. My special thanks to Ashok, Kalyan, Rakesh, KK, Kiran Tauro, BTS, Shyam and some others whose names I don’t want to mention. You’ve booked your place in my autobiography.

Take Care.
~Praveen/Gattu/Jugs.


Random Strokes:

I believe all men suffer from a genetic disease – Speedomania. Every man tries to hit escape-velocity (approx 11 km/sec) on his Ferrari/BMW/Pulsar/Chetak/Luna. I am no different. When my mood is at the extremes and when I see no danger ahead, I stop biking…I just fly. It needs a special force for people like me to get back to normalcy.

I saw this wonderful ad featuring a big picture of a cute baby under which it was written – 'Someone’s waiting at home. Drive slow'.

Trust me, this ad works!!