Album Review: Kailasã (Kailash Kher)

Confession time: I tried & tried again to write a review for the album, but I'm simply pathetic at this. Thanks to Google, I found one thoroughly professional review of this delightful album. I don't have much to add to that, so read the review & get the songs! You can enjoy the songs online, here.

My favorite song from the album (mind you, all the songs are very good) -

Kaise Main Kahoon: A young girl’s in love for the first time, and is caught up in a storm of elation and confusion! Elated because she’s in love, and confused coz she just doesn’t know how to express herself, how to yell out to the world she’s in love. How on earth would you have thought an earthy, rasping voiced singer like Kher with his co music composers Paresh and Naresh have created a song to embody all this and more? But that’s just what Kher’s simple lyrics, his singing and the excellent composition does, with Kaise Main Kahoon Ki Mujhe Ishq Hua Hai. This one’s a lilting, frisky peppy song that rides on the soft tabla-dholak beats of Yusuf Mohammad and excellent violin and viola work by Jitendra Thakur, this very lovely song with a folksy, Rajsthani-Punjabi feel is definitely listenable.

Quota Raj Cometh

Excerpts from today's Economic Times front page report: Quota Raj: Half of IIT,IIM seats may be reserved -

Competition to secure admission to the IITs and IIMs is set to hot up, as reservation in these institutions is likely to increase from the current level of 22.5% to a maximum of 49.5%. These institutions already provide reservations for Scheduled Castes (15%) and Scheduled Tribes (7.5%), as mandated by the Constitution.

I could never understand the logic these politicians give behind reservation. In my eyes its all simply vote bank politics. To start with, reservations based on castes & tribes don't make any sense! If the motive is to help the socially backward people to come up, reservations should be given to the economically backward population. After 59 years of independence & reservations, what relevance does the tag "socially backward" hold? I know, in the rural hinterlands, they still discriminate on the basis of caste & tribes. But almost all of such exploited victims would come under the economically backward cover. In addition, it would also cover the poor people who are born in the higher castes.

Its again a failure of implementation. There exists a notion of a "creamy layer" crowd in the SC/ST junta. If the family income exceeds a certain limit, they can no longer enjoy the benefits of reservations. But this is another one of highly misused rules. But if the reservations are made for the economically backwards, atleast some more deserving people can avail the benefits.

The entrance exams for IITs & IIMs are extremely tough and thus it can be taken that IITs/IIMs want only the best to come there. Now if almost half of the students are going to come from a backdoor entry, how's that going to help, both the students & the institutes. The demand for IIT/IIM education has raisen considerably since the economy opened up & brought along a whole new set of high-tech jobs. The pressure on the aspirants is already enormous. Now if the seats for general category will further be reduced, aren't we defeating the purpose of opening more IITs/IIMs?

Its not tough to see why government is increasing the quota in higher educational institutes like IITs & IIMs. Its the same reason why they were pushing for reservation in private sector. Now since the private sector is booming & demand for IIT/IIM seats has gone through the roof, reservation will attract that much more votes. If the government really had the good of poor & socially backward at their heart, it would've worked towards making quality primary education accessible to all. If we comb through the IIT/IIM crowd today, very rarly we would come across someone with a rural background. Simply because the primary & secondary education system in the rural India has totally collapsed and hence the rural students can't compete with their urban counterparts. Reservations & all in the tertiary education is not going to help if the primary & secondary levels are so wretched.

Sometimes I wonder why class divisions in India (rich-poor) is weaker than religion & caste based division. The political parties find it more rewarding to call religious minorities, socially backward people and all, but no one campaigns with pro-poor policies and all. IIRC, Indira Gandhi had "Garibi Hatao" on her agenda, but hardly anything happened. Education, and thus better-informed voters, can cure it all, but then this responsibility also lies with the neta-log.

"Hope and Honor" at Desicritics

Slightly modified version of "Hope and Honor" is up at Desicritics. Do check out.

Nice Quotes

"More Tears Are Shed Over Answered Prayers Than Unanswered Ones."

– Truman Capote

So reads the epigraph of Truman Capote's last (unfinished) work. I watched the film, Capote, last night. The film ends with this quote. This quote will stay with me, for quite some time.

"Do you know what happens when you hurt people? When you hurt people, they begin to love you less. That’s what careless words do. They make people love you a little less.”

– Ammu

I'm reading The God of Small Things.

Meter Down: Living as an Auto-Wallah.

(Norah or Ned?)

Couple of days back I watched a program on TV about the author of the book "Self-Made Man", Norah Vincent. The book chronicles the 18 months Norah spent posing as a man, Ned. In her own words, Norah wanted to know "what it means to be a man". With her buddies on the bowling league she enjoyed the rough and rewarding embrace of male camaraderie undetectable to an outsider. A stint in a high-octane sales job taught her the gut-wrenching pressures endured by men who would do anything to succeed. She frequented sex clubs, dated women hungry for love but bitter about men, and infiltrated all-male communities as hermetically sealed as a men's therapy group, and even a monastery. After living as Ned for 18 months, Vincent's overall finding was that being a man is no better or easier than being a woman. Men, she tells us, have problems, fears, and societal pressures, too. Vincent decrees that the only emotion that society allows men is anger.

Fascinating stuff, isn't it? While it's the first study of its kind introduced to me, quite a few such studies have resulted in similar books. For example, Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin - he spent some time as a black in New Orleans to study racial discrimination closely; Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich - a study about millions of Americans working for poverty-level wages, working as one. I haven't read any of these book, but would love to.

I don't know what they call this kind of journalism; its not a sting operation, its not a routine interview-story. Whatever it is, I would love to see something similar in India. I had a thought some days back about the auto-rickshaw wallahs & how their lives turn out to be. It would be very interesting to spend some time as an auto-wallah & then share those experiences. Auto-wallahs do live an interesting life. They work mostly at odd & tiring hours; they interact with tens of different people daily. Its interesting, but definitely not an easy life. I'm sure they have their share of anxieties & problems. And one have to literally be in their shoes to know them. So far, Bangalore's auto-wallahs haven't left a very good impression on me. Most of them would haggle endlessly for money (outside the metered charges), they drive like manics & their autos are perhaps the biggest contributors towards the pollution in the city. I hope they have some kind of explaination for such a coarse behaviour, otherwise after spending some time as a autowallah, all that would come out would be - "Oh! They just love to be jerks".

May be the driving seat of an auto isn't very comfortable, thus causing the maniacal driving. Or perhaps they all suffer from some kind of mental disorder, so they consider themselves the kings of the roads (Long Live the King, rest get insured). Perhaps its all just some kind of inferiority complex - "haha! Earn as much as you want, we'll still haggle with you for chutta paisa". They could have some sort of Auto Wallahs' Book of World Records - "Manjunath drove from MG Road to Airport in record 12.37 minutes, killing just two pedastrains in the process" Or "Anees Abbas bumped into record 212 cars in the first week of buying his Auto". They might have some kind of gangsters, who'd torture the good natured auto-wallahs, who behave nicely with passengers & take the exact amount. "Chutta chahiye to pehle us aadmi se chutta le ke aao, jis ne mere haath pe ye likh diya - Mera Baap Imaandar Auto Wallah Hai Tha" or "Shyamlal, bahut imaandar banta hai na, ye dekh - teri biwi aur teri beti ko humne juke box se latka diya hai. Ya to tu passenger ko chutta de de ya jukebox mein chutta daal ke inko bacha le".

Whatever it is, I want to know it. Perhaps, I will spend sometime as an auto-wallah some day :-)

Book Review: We Weren't Lovers Like That

Q. What's worse than a depressing book?
A. A depressing book you can't put down.

I'm afraid We weren't Lovers like that is one such book. It's depressing to start with, dejecting in the middle and it ends with a possibility, but without the promise, of something better. But at the same time, it's a treat to read with its almost poetry-like fluent language and strong emotional undercurrents. It doesn't put its characters in absolutely abject situations and induce pity. Its depressing quality comes from the mundane failures of the day-to-day life; from the realizations about the missed chances and what-ifs and from the familiarity of the plot to our lives.

Navtej Sarna tells the story from a first person perspective. This has definitely allowed him to depict the emotional state and the thoughts of the central character with more authority. I particularly liked his way of following the trains of thought and not hesitating to digress from the flow to capture some poignant moments from the various corners of the memory of the protagonist.

The theme of the book is a winner - Aftab's wife Mina walks out of their weary marriage for another man, Rajiv. Aftab, humiliated but not hurt, gives up his insipid job, pissed off by petty office politics, and takes the Shatabdi Express to Dehradun, following a frail hope of reunion with his long lost love, Rohini. The books covers his journey from Delhi to Dehradun; his journey from his conformist and timid past to the promise of a content future.

The book reminded me of The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. I wonder if Sarna took some inspiration from Ishiguro. Sarna's work shares its reflexive and introspective qualities with Ishiguro's work. Both the books tell their stories using the flashbacks and trail of thoughts. I personally found Ishiguro's work more complex and sophisticated. The reader has to interpret the thoughts of the Butler as the layers of information are made visible to him/her. It makes you want to read the book all over again, just after you finish it once.

In the end, Navtej Sarna must be congratulated for his marvelous book. What makes this feat more commendable is the fact that this is his first novel. I have read that his collection of short stories is set to come out next. Waiting for that one eagerly!

P.S.: Navtej Sarna, as you might know, is the spokesman for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. He isn't the only diplomat to write a book; Vivek, an undertraining IFS officer & my cousin, is writing one too!
(Recently I was invited to join Desicritics.org. This review is also cross-posted here.)

Gasolina - Daddy Yankee

dame mas gasolina!

Pump up the volume and enjoy!

P.S. - Lyrics & the English translation.

Varanasi Blasts & the Rath Yatras.

Whatever I want to say has been captured well in the following two articles. I'm posting some selected snippets, do take time to read the original articles.

Varanasi's Religion by Sagarika Ghose on IBNLive -

Never was there a greater contrast between Hinduism and Hindutva. Three bomb blasts shattered the calm of 2,500-year-old Varanasi on Tuesday, March 7. Immediately, the political party that claims to defend all Hindus, swung into action implying that this was an attack on Hindus. The BJP disrupted Parliament, the Lok Sabha was adjourned, BJP leaders unleashed rhetoric about "minority appeasement" and argued that the killers were emboldened by various policy initiatives of the UPA. But as Hindutva pointed fingers at "minorities", "anti-nationals" and "religious fundamentalists", what did Hinduism, by contrast, do? Hindutva blustered but Hinduism turned to prayer. Hinduism turned its back on calls to religious hatred. Hinduism came in large numbers to donate blood. Brave, forgiving diyas floated as a holy city asserted its magnificient dignity. Let the demagogues yell, whispered the Ganga, but I, too, am here.

Now the BJP is all set to launch its twin National Integration yatras, to be led by party president Rajnath Singh and leader of the Opposition L K Advani. The yatras, Advani recently said, are a response to the "wildfire of minorityism" lit by this government. In fact, "minorityism", according to the BJP, is the main reason for the Varanasi blasts. Lets examine the "appeasement" hypothesis. If I'm a "Muslim terrorist" and the UPA center is busy trying to appease me, would I suddenly set off bombs in Varanasi knowing that in any case the government is trying to please me? Not only is the logic linking "muslim appeasement" and the blasts a little faulty but this time Advani seems to be quite out of touch with the realities of a liberalising new economy. In 1989-90, Advani launched the famous Ram Rath yatra which catapulted the BJP to the national mainstream after the Shah Bano judgement and Mandal report had created a mood of Hinduism under siege. Yet India is now a different country from 1989-90. Also, sadly - indeed tragically - society is already doing what the BJP's politics is trying to gamely follow. We are already a hopelessly ghettoized society in which Muslims, even celebrity Muslims, find it difficult to find homes in south Mumbai or south Delhi.

However in spite of this daily social catastrophe, there is a new matter-of-fact togetherness: Aamir Khan, Tabu, Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel are symbols of how a competitive talent-based society has no place for discrimination. Advani's rath yatra is hoping to capitalise on the isolation of the Hindu, but it is an isolation that the Hindu clearly doesn't feel. Many who remember the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition were expecting riots the day after the Varanasi blasts. The fact that there was no riot, that there was not even a whisper of communal trouble, that in fact Hindus and Muslims joined in condemnation, shows that we as a society may be polarised and ghettoised, but at the same time, we are looking forward not backward.

Will middle India speak up? by Barkha Dutt at NDTV.com -

Despite the lonely corner non -believers like myself inhabit, I am reasonably confident that the ordinary Indian is as mystified as me by the hysterical debate that has consumed our media these past few weeks.

The theme song, actually it was a duet, went something like this-Hindutva is simmering under the surface, waiting to leap out from the political grave into the warm embrace of a new life; and "moderate Muslims" must speak, not just speak, they must shout, scream, holler, be heard, so that there is no "backlash."

All generalizations are a gamble, but I would take the risk and say that Middle India (as distinct from both the fundamentalists and the liberals) wants to travel down the Middle Path; the age of shrill rhetoric is over, Indians, are increasingly impatient with extremism of any kind, in any faith, Hindu or Muslim.

I'm pretty sure that the ordinary Hindu, angry as he or she may be about the assault in Varanasi, and before that, Ayodhya, will also find L K Advani's Rath Yatra disingenuous and unnecessary; a poor caricature of himself.

I'm equally sure, that if I were a Muslim in India today, I'd feel under siege; claustrophobically caught between those who claim to speak on my behalf, and those who are demanding that I must speak up as a "moderate." Lost in the cacophony of argument is the clarity of exactly what we are asking them to speak up against.

Are we becoming like the United States? Fearful of minorities? Alarmed at their assertion, superior and scornful about their conventions? Unable to see them as anything but the "other?" Fifty-nine years after India was born, in a country where there are more Muslims than there are in Pakistan, we are still asking Muslims to wear their nationalism like an identity card; we are still asking for proof of loyalty. This is not their failure. It is ours.

Update: Vir Sanghvi has written a column in Hindustan Times on the same issue.

CAT and Work Experience

Gammafunction left a comment on my last post about the CAT & MBA in general loaded a bit too against freshers. I did a little bit of reasearch and found the exact opposite to be true. Check it out -

(IIM Ahmedabad, Batch Profile - Class of 2007)

(IIM Bangalore, Batch Profile - Class of 2006)

(IIM Calcutta, Batch Profile - Class of 2007)

As evident, the number of freshers joining IIMs outnumbers that of the experienced guys by far (After breaking up the experienced fellows in different brackets as per the number of years spent working). I don't have any data for student appearing for CAT, but I think it would be rather safe to assume that the number of freshers taking the exam would be far far greater than the number of experience holders. Parental pressure, peer pressure, etc. make sure one does take a shot at CAT before taking the plunge into the work life. Of course, not all of them are serious, but still it's very likely that they outnumber the experienced guys in the number of final calls received too.

I'm not sure but perhaps each IIM keeps a predetermined batch profile in mind when issueing the interview calls and offers. Say, roughly 40% freshers, 10% with 1 year's experience and so on. I'm also told that the cut-off percentiles for experienced guys is generally kept a little below from that of freshers (Though, IIMB follows the exact opposite, it seems).

Work experience does matter, especially in a professional course like an MBA. You work in the industry, you see how things work and how to make them work. You learn a lot from good managers and even more from bad managers (I've had a mixed bag). And most importantly you develop a realistic idea about what exactly you want to do (or atleast what you'll never want to do again, as in the case of many software punters ;-). Spending some time in the industry does help, but that also means that you have to be prepared about a hell lot of things about your job, your company, the market, the competition, etc. along with the academics ;-)

As for the freshers, it is indeed a tougher competition. One, because they compete against a whole lot of other freshers (if we go by the predetermined mix formula). Second, they might come out as inadequate in the interviews simply because they are still wet behind the ears in many ways. I remember, when I had my first job interview - it went really well till I told them that as my future plans I'm planning to do an MBA after say two years of experience. I didn't get the job. Truth doesn't always pay. Of course, not all the freshers are as naïve as I was.

Disclaimer: Other than the pie-charts (taken from respective IIMs' websites) everything else are my speculations about the issue. "Any resemblence with anyone yada yada yada is purely coincidential" :-D

IIMC GD/PI

Group Discussion

The group was the biggest I had this year. We were 12 on paper but one person didn't come, so in the end we were 11 around the table. The topic given to us was - "Freedom to choose is freedom to die". The discussion started with the obvious topic of euthanasia and after that people started to interpret the topic in total crazy manner. Bringing China-India, US-India, Rich-Poor and what not angles into discussion. It was peaceful on the whole, but some times few of the group members started to talk simultaneously. Once I tried to pacify them, but gave up soon. They asked me about it in my PI.

After the GD we were asked to summarize the discussion in a minute. My name came up after 8 others, so it was really tough to word it differently so that it doesn't look like I was just copying it. Overall, the GD went not too bad for me (and that was such a relief).

Personal Interview

In my panel there were three persons. All three of them looked like IIM professors to me, but I'm told the panel usually has one established alumni too. Anyway, they never bothered to introduce themselves.

P1: Where do you work, Varun?
Me: {Company}, sir.
P1: Which city?
Me: Bangalore.
P1: You've given the mailing address for Jaipur.
Me: I'm shifting house in some time, that's why.
P1: What are you, single or married?
Me: Single, sir.
P1: Why there aren't any software firms in states like Rajasthan & Gujarat?
Me: {Concentration of quality technical institutes .. Bangalore had them .. Rajasthan is coming up ... Infrastructure is another concern}
P1: That is for Rajasthan, what about Gujarat?
Me: {Lack of good institutes plus Gujarat doesn't has a reputation of being a peaceful state with all riots happening in Ahmedabad}
P1: You are getting good salary here, why do you want to do an MBA?
Me: {Money nakko, value addition mangta hai}
(P3 said "value addition" to P1 and both sniggered)
P1: So what are your plans; to be an investment banker?
Me: {Start a company .. as I have education & experience in software}
P1: Indian companies are losing out on software as the operation costs are rising in India, so why start another software company?
Me: This is a big matter of concern for all software companies. I think Indian companies should start to look out for Indian customers too. With ever-bloating upward mobile middle class with ready access to the internet, the Indian market can get big.
P1: Last thing, why didn't the Birlas enter into software?
Me: They already have this huge empire, so probably they didn't find it necessary {silent question-mark ;-)}
P1: But then, Tata entered into software.
Me: I think Birlas missed the bus. With players like Infosys, TCS, Wipro already in the market, it would be really tough for them to cut it.
P1: They could've bought stakes in Infosys/Wipro.
Me: I don't know, sir.
P1: Coming from Rajasthan, don't you praise the Birlas?
Me: They have done really good job sir. Coming from such background and to make such an empire.
(I'm now handed over to P3. P2 comes back to his seat now.)
P3: You went to Kota for IIT coaching?
Me: Yes sir, I was there for two years. 11^th & 12^th class.
P2: Oh, the famous coaching.
Me: Rather infamous sir {smiles, smiles}
P3: So what do you think about these coaching institutes?
Me: They definitely introduce a bias towards those who can afford their coaching. But then even traditionally all the IITians come from middle-class & upper middle-class. So more or less, it’s the same. It’s like saying that since America can afford to train its athletes better, its unfair advantage to America.
P3: You’ve written that you are interested in photography. Your photos got published in DNA.
Me: DNA was working on an article on Jaipur. I took some photos when I was there last time. I had put them on my website. One of the DNA editors contacted me on email for those photos.
P3: They contacted you?
Me: Yes, sir.
P3: Do you have any photos to show?
Me: No sir. (Should’ve carried some colored printouts :-( )
P3: You also review movies for a website. Which was the last movie you reviewed?
Me: Rang De Basanti, sir. I got busy after that.
P3: Interesting movie. What did you say about that?
Me: While reviewing movies, I usually divide the movie into presentation & content. RDB has excellent presentation but I couldn’t agree with the ending. {Gun is not the solution .. ULFA, Kashmir blah blah..}
P3: If you were to direct the movie, what would’ve been the ending?
Me: We can draw a parallel with movies like Yuva & Sarfarosh, where the solution is sought while staying inside the system. You don’t need to pick up the gun {blah blah}
P3: But RDB was a hit, wasn’t it?
Me: That’s because it was an entertainer, well presented movie.
P3: But the content wasn’t good?
Me: I don’t think Indian audience goes to movie to learn from the movie, they just want to be entertained. We had an very impressive movie – Bawander – on the Bhanwari Devi Rape case. It was a very well made movie, but didn’t do well on the box-office.
P2: You are so passionate about this, I can see that. Why go for an MBA? I mean today you can make good name while working in whatever field you like. AR Rahman is almost as popular as Bill Gates.
Me: Sir, I feel the coming time belong to generalists & not specialists. While I am very passionate about films, I’m also passionate about photography, software and business. I can pursue all of them simultaneously. These will be different aspects of my personality. (Generalist-specialist comment was stuck into my mind for quite some time, glad that I finally used it somewhere ;-)
P2: What do you think about the GD?
Me: I think the main meaning behind the topic was about mercy killing and euthanasia, I think the groups got a little bit too wayward at times.
P2: No, no, you are a presentation & content guy. You are talking about just the content, how was the presentation?
Me: Every aspirant dreads a fish-market GD, this wasn’t a fish market GD. Quite easy-going as everyone got the chance to speak up and make their points.
P2: You tried to stop them, what was that about? You wanted to say something and then stopped.
Me: Sir, that time two of them were speaking at the same time, I thought about stopping them. But then I thought it won’t be appropriate for me to do so. So, I stopped.

I think that was all. They gave my academic certificates’ copies back, but asked me to get the experience letters photo-copied.

Overall, the interview was very easygoing. When I came out of the room, I was glad about it. But later on, clouds of doubt rolled back – percentiles aren’t exactly brilliant, grades aren’t good, etc. etc. So, I’ve stopped thinking about it. Since IIMC started their GD/PIs this week only, the results are expected to come out in the second half of April.

I’m glad that it’s finally over. Now that the ever-nagging thought at the back of my mind, that I should read this and read that for the interviews, is gone I can read and do whatever I want. It didn’t use to stop me even earlier, but the weight of guilt kept piling up. ;-)

Also read:
IIM Lucknow GD/PI
IIM Kozhikode GD/PI
IIM Indore GD/PI

Freak Show!

(Mark Boucher pumps the air after hitting the winning runs)

Australia - 434/4 (50.0)
South Africa - 438/9 (49.5)

Can you believe this?! Would anyone believe this, who hasn't watched this match? I'm sure this match would remain like an one-off incident; one spike in the relatively saner landscape of one-day cricket; one deafening toll of some distant bell in the normal chitter-chatter in the world of cricket. Something to tell your grandchildren about. I say send this DVD to Mars and the outer space, this is the best we can offer to our alien friends!

Of course, the boundaries were short & the track was totally dead. Yet, there have been deader pitches - especially in the Indian sub continent - & shorter boundaries (Singapore pops into my mind) but never did we have a 400+ score, ever. But what makes the match extra-ordinary is the South African effort. After letting the Kangaroos run away with it and posting an impossible total of 434, one can imagine how gloomy the South African dressing room would have been during the lunch. Even the staunchest supporters wouldn't have seen any silver lining in that dark cloud. Yet, they refused to kneel down to the pressure and fought back & fought hard. And when the finally reached there, they had scripted an epic saga which made the tale of David & Goliath look like a cheap imitation.

Australian inning was dominated by their captain’s scintillating knock. There is something very chilling in the way Ponting bats. Right, he’s not the only one to play such aggressive cricket. We have Sehwags, Afridis, Gichrists & of course Gibbs, but there is a subtle difference in their approach to the game and Pontings’. While others take risks and make shots to get the scorecard hit the roof, Ponting approach is more calculated & easygoing. He has such huge confidence that rarely he mishits or looks like manufacturing shots. The difference is somehow similar to the game of Jayasurya & Arvinda D’Silva. While Jayasurya relied on high-risk shots, D’Silva could maintain the same run-rate in a very low-risk manner. And that was what made him more dangerous for the opposition. Ponting brings the same sense of danger to the opposition. His approach doesn’t have the belligerence of Afridi or makeshift brilliance of Sehwag, still he is no lesser than them in his own cool style. Lately, it looks like impossible to get him out early; his technique leaves no chink for the opposition to attack. That’s why he is the best ODI batsman in the recent times.

The South African reply was hinged around Gibbs’ innings. Though half the battle was won when they believed that such an total can be chased, still it was an impossibly uphill task and if they were to even get closer to the Australian total, they needed a solid yet speedy start. Dippenaar disappointed but this couldn’t pull the team morale down. The partnership between Smith & Gibbs made it possible to even think that this can be done. Gibbs is one hell of a character! Immensely talented, extremely unpredictable. His arsenal has almost every attacking shot in the book. He reminds me of the Windies World Champion team. His game has the same gay abandon which was once associated with the calypso cricket. On his day, I don’t think he can better this performance. Though I felt a tinge of pain when he finally fell before going past the 194 run mark (Oh! How badly I wanted him to wash that scar off every Indian cricket fan’s mind :-), I don’t think I remember any ODI innings better than this one. Batting under imposing pressure of chasing an utterly impossible total, and then to come up with such a gem – truly awe-inspiring!

This match is definitely going to be my favorite match for quite some time. It is not always that you get to see such an entertaining freak show. That's what it was, an insane freak show! Pure madness & sheer brilliance!

P.S. - Good luck to the Indian team too. Com'on, kick some pommie butts!
P.P.S. - Wish me some luck too. Have IIMC interview tomorrow.

Hope and Honor

Taxi was once a luxury, but now he didn't think twice before jumping into a taxi at airport. Coming back to the city after some time made him eager to explore her all over again. Now he had the time too.

As taxi crossed his college main gate, his mind reeled back. "This is where it all started".

***

Straight out of college with a degree in journalism, not much was expected of them. He was not to be one among "them". He started a story about child labour, as a freelancer. It started at the dhaba outside the campus. Chotu worked there. He started his story with Chotu's interview.

Chotu was not really unhappy or traumatized or anything; and he was pretty sorry for this. "What a start!". He took Chotu to the sappy questions -

"What do you feel when you see children your age going to school?"
"I will go to school some day. I want to go school."
"Don't you think you should go to school now? All the kids go to school."
"I can't."
"You shouldn't be working. You should be at school."
"I can't."

Then it finally dawned at him that Chotu works not because he doesn't know about the other cheerful ways to spend the childhood, but because he has seen many more dismal childhoods. And he doesn't want to be that way.

When leaving, he took a ten rupee note out of his pants and offered it to Chotu. An instant smile broke at Chotu's face. The note slipped out of his hands and landed near Chotu's feet. The smile disappered and now Chotu was staring him down, accusingly. He bleated a feeble 'sorry' and picked up the note and handed it to Chotu.

This was the moment. This was it! This would certainly melt the stoniest of hearts! How did he describe it? "Give them hope and honor. Don't rub the smile off their faces". Or something like that, hah! His piece was an instant hit and encouraged many similar articles on this gross implementational error on government's part; on the anti-child labour act. Government had a real tough time answering the opposition in the assembly and the press outside! They did try to curb child-labour for a while, or atleast made an impression that they are working on it.

Just out of college and he was already among the sharks!

***

"It has been a while now. Should start something soon."

The taxi stopped, with a jerk, at the traffic signal. The usual crowd of beggers fanned out in the traffic, trying their luck. He closed the window-glass, hurriedly and tried looking lost in thought as a begger boy started to knock on the window. Giving in to the weepy cries & to the stuck window glass, he finally looked at the boy.
"Familiar face?"
"Nah. Can't be!"
"Oh shit! This is Chotu!"

He was dumbfonded by the phenomenal act of chance. The begger boy finally gave up on him and was heading towards another auto-rickshaw when he hollered him back. "Chotuu. Idhar, idhar." Just as the boy came back running to the window, the taxi started to move. He hurriedly got a 20 rupees note from his shirt and extended his hand towards Chotu. The note slid out of his hand as the taxi farted and lurched ahead with a jerk.

He turned back to catch a glimpse. Chotu was picking up the note from a puddle of mud. He quickly pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and scribbled,

Rehab of child labour
???

He had a fairly clear idea about his next story now.

(Trying hands at flash fiction. What say? Hopefully, will get better.)

Heh!

A Tale of A Long Night

He missed her. The sullen gloom swallowed him, slowly. "What's wrong with her?!", he thought, cursing.

He tried sleeping. No, he can't sleep without her. Without her assuring presence, which he took for granted, always. Without her comforting existence.

He needed her badly. It was to be another long night. "Screw you, Monday mornings!"

The soppy wind at the window failed to lift his spirits. It wasn't raining furiously; it was more of an irritating, incessant rain. He stared into the vast nothingness. The fine sprinkling of water felt soothing. "Damn! The drying clothes!"

He opened all the windows of the room and returned to his bed. He tried sleeping. Just as he closed his eyes, lightening thundered. He wasn't sure if it really happened or his mind fooled him. "It'll be another long night."

Another bolt. Illumination. Electricity was back!