Smartness and Smartphone..

Cellphones quickly turned into necessity from luxury. People got very little time to flaunt them. If you have it you flaunt it but one cannot flaunt when everyone has it. They became like a wrist-watch. Everyone would have one and some would have more than one though it may look odd to wear watches on both hands but to keep two cellphones in pocket would boast about connections. So the auto-rickshaw driver carrying you has a cellphone, the maid coming to work at your home has two cellphones, your friend has one, your office colleague has one, your boss has one. There was nothing to differentiate. Even usage of cellphone was not enough to differentiate you. It would be used to talk, text and to some extent for music. Yes, you may have a western ringtone but that won't make such a huge difference. Entered the Smartphone - A smart cellphone. Smartphone is the latest buzz helping people to differentiate themselves from their competitors. A competitor can be anyone who can arouse your ego.

The word 'smart' is the cool word of present generation just like 'dude', and 'bro' are. The word 'smart' has the potential to change perspective, for example, if today you seek some advice from a experienced professional before entering into corporate world, he or she would say, "do smart work and not hard work". Sounds so cool though how to do smart work is a matter of research. I don't know whether a cellphone is called smartphone because it has lot of software intelligence build into it or it is called smartphone because it makes you smart and hence differentiate you. Some say whatever it is, at the end of day it makes you smart. So, the word 'smart' has done the trick for cellphones.

People are busy buying smartphones. They wait for the first of next month to invest into a product which they think can make them smart or is making others smart. But does it really make you smart ? I am not sure. I still do not have one. I do not know that the first of which month will make me buy one. But till that time I have come up with a mathematical equation to counter all of you who has a smartphone.

The sum total of smartness of you and your phone is constant.

Those of you who have still not bought a smartphone can apply my equation before deciding which one to buy if it is not disturbing for you.

Torna Trek

Pune is a amazing city in the sense that you just have to travel less than 50 km to escape away from concrete jungle and immersed yourself into life so away from roads, traffic, noise, office, internet and mobile network. It becomes much more bewitching during Monsoon. I used to think that to do treks one needs days as you have to travel far from city. But this perception changed after coming to Pune. I have been to few places in Maharashtra and its landscapes always mesmerize me. This time I went for a one day trek to Torna and it was quite a exceptional experience.

It is so scenic in Monsoon that one take time to comprehend the surroundings and still the mysticism remains unsolved. Monsoon is like a aesthetician, who pays annual visit to adorn the whole landscape. It deluges everything and gives birth to hundreds of waterfalls and tributaries.

As soon as we started from the village, this small river came to welcome us. We wanted to remain dry for as long as possible but for this little water stream which was all set to throw water on our plans. As if it wants to make sure that your feet are washed so that it can keep the hills pristine.

Over the hills the wind was quite strong. Those who think they are over-weight will feel happy in this force of wind energy. One understands why we have two ears, so that air can enter one and escape from other else you might get blew away. The combined force of incessant rains and wind is like a natural water canon used for protestors and in intruders. Yes we humans were intruders here. Drops were falling on faces like hundreds of thin arrows pinching you hard.

And as if the winds and rains were not enough, the fog also crosses your path frequently leaving behind a mist on your spectacles. Sometimes you really hate wearing spectacles. Why they have not invented spectacles with wiper yet ?

A unique plant on the hills. Looks like a group of tortoise coming out of water down the hills ascending so slowly that they always apper immovable. I believe its shape give it the strength to survive the winds. The greenery on mountains is like a huge sheet of velvet fabric showing its different shades as air moves over it. The bushes creates pattern as if anacondas are passing through them.

Sometimes attack is the best defense. Since rains were drenching us hard, we drenched ourselves in waterfalls to neutralize the rains. I almost developed hydrophobia.

After rain soaking ourselves in water and we soaking ourselves in waterfall, this tapri provided the much needed relief by providing the favorite beverage of India, chai. The warmth of holding the hot glass in hands was sufficient to order it twice.

Finally a bath in a more civilized waterfall.

All in all a unique experience. It is not a long trek, however one day is less to comprehend the looks of nature . There are couple of rough and steep rock patches which becomes more difficult to descend in rain. When you go to places like torna and put effort to ascend and descend it , the comfort of life in city comes to your mind. You will want to go back and feel better in your lifestyle but only for few days.

Cellphones ke side effects...

Cellphones are frequently referred as Mobiles though there is nothing mobile about them. They just remain with you while you move. There is hardly any relative motion between you and your cellphone. You take them to your office, you take them to bedroom(s), you take them with you when you go for a walk, you take them to restaurants and parties and you take them with you in toilets. It goes wherever you go, it just depends what all places you go. Sometimes you even manages to take them to places where you are not supposed to take it such as temples, museums and jail. Yes, You are so smart!

Recently there has been a lot of debate around cellphones causing cancers or making you infertile if you keep them into your trouser's pockets. There has been a experiment where someone boiled a egg using radiation of cellphone. All sorts of reports to wake up PR cells in cellphone companies. Of course all cellphones companies have denied that. Moreover, they don't have to worry much as cellphones have entered into our lives just like television, alcohol, tobacco or drugs and one might need special treatment to avoid them.

Nevertheless consider some side effects of cellphones...

1. Girls can lose more weight if they stop bringing their cellphones to gym. For one hour spent in gym half an hour is spent on cellphone & other half an hour on anticipating calls and SMS.

2. Cellphones makes your memory free (useless). No one makes effort to put things into brain. People just prefer putting them into cellphones.

3. Bad handwriting. If computers and emails are responsible for making you hand write less and less, cellphones have even taken away the little opportunity away from you as you prefer taking short notes through your touchscreens.

4. No surprise visit by your friend or relative. One is expected to call before ringing the door bell.

5. Before saying 'hello' you know who is calling. So no voice surprises. Now no one ask, 'Who is speaking ?' or says, 'Pehchana kya?'. There is a feel good when someone recognizes your voice.

6. Less mystery and suspense in life with blank calls going completely out of fashion.

7. Less chances of getting-eyes-in-eyes-moments with girls or boys on road. The moment girl feels awkward on seeing a boy on road or a bus stand she is quick to become cozy with little instrument containing the world.

8. People have become more tolerant to unpunctuality as they have cellphone to play with while they wait.

9. Optimism has reduced its lifespan. For example, If one is waiting for a call from someone then your optimism may die as soon as you see the screen before you hear the voice.

10. Interpersonal skills take a severe beating. You remain engrossed in your cellphone while in a public transport, office cab or at a party. You don't meet new people on your own. You stop using your senses to observe.

I guess 10 is too much.

Wah Taj!

Last week I got an opportunity to enter & see the famous Taj Mahal Palace hotel at Gateway of India, Mumbai. I had seen it from outside so many times & have always desired to spent sometime inside it. If i remember correctly when i was doing my summer internship in Mumbai in 2004, me & my friend entered it & came out after using the restroom on the top floor of its new building or tower. That was a very juvenile effort & a short lived adventure. The longing to see it from inside was still there. Last week it got fulfilled partially. It was more of a confident & relaxed visit as I had the invitation to enter it & attend one session in its Gateway Hall. The few hours i was inside flew away in no time. It was as if earth was spinning at speed of light. I have been to only few five star hotels but this one is beyond any scale of rating. A sheer beauty.

The building is always like a beautiful Indian bride on her wedding day waiting anxiously for its groom. You feel the aura of its hospitality in the air. An ascetic may get tempted to appreciate its luxury. The halls are warm and quiet, galleries are majestic, staircases are magical and lobby if full of life. Each of its gallery wall is a history book of this building & India. They tell you about those famous gatherings and parties it has played host to. The dance that was performed on its red carpet or the menu that was served to queen or the melody that was played to made the ambiance. You get an insight into how princely & wealthy India was. My slow senses took too long to comprehend the portraits and pictures on its wall. When you look outside from the window of Gateway Hall, you see the Arabian sea & its waves desperate to touch this building to make love. The various boats being attracted towards it. The Gateway of India guarding the palace and welcoming the guests. You see people below on street happy to click themselves in front of this Palace. Photographers still managing to find business in this age of digital camera. Various tonga-wallahs giving royal rides to people. So much of euphoria.

Yes I was in awe for few hours !

Not all people are bad..

My experiences with auto-rickshaw drivers have always been bad. I am not sure why i always used to land up in arguments with auto-rickshaw drivers. May be it was my bad luck, my behavior or just bad auto-rickshaw drivers. It would be fair to assume it was due to mix of all those. But now i can think beyond this jinx because few days back I finally met one auto rickshaw driver who was good enough to make you feel less cynical about this world.

I took an auto-rickshaw to office in the morning after thinking that i have missed my office bus. ( though later i came to know the bus was late ). The bill was Rs. 63. I gave auto-rickshaw driver Rs.100. He said he doesn't have change. My office is in a so called modern cyber city where all sophisticated means are adopted to make it look like a western world. Street vendors or shops are not allowed. It becomes very difficult to get a change. Sometimes i wonder about opening a business of tendering change & end up making more money than my job. I tired to get change from security people around & all those people i could see nearby. None had it. I kept on trying for couple of minutes. 'Baad mei de dena', said the driver. I couldn't believe it. There was calmness & assurance in his voice. I was surprised because a similar kind of incidence has happened with me before where the auto-rickshaw driver took Rs. 100 and told me that he will find me near my home to give me the remaining amount. I have never seen him till now. I asked the driver to keep Rs. 100 & give me the remaining amount later if he finds me next time near my home. He refused saying, 'Aap mujhe de doge, mei aapko nahi de payunga'. What indifference & honesty ! It was if he wanted to repair the trust deficit or wanted to challenged my values. I was nonplussed, felt helpless and couldn't force him to take Rs. 100. It didn't struck me to take his mobile number but as he went away i noted his auto-rickshaw number because now the onus is on me.

In this cynical world of self interests they say not all people are bad, you will encounter some good people in your life. It's TRUE.

Joy of a billion plus nation...

How do you soak in the feeling of a billion plus nation going crazy with tears, laughter, hugs, jumps, dance, whistling & what not ? It's not easy to take these emotions. For a outsider it would take a while to understand what is going on. A therapeutic method will fail to contain it. You might do something which may make you feel embarrassed afterwards. But that is just OK ! It's not easy to be different among crazy fans to show how happy you are. You will find someone else doing more than you in celebration. You won't mind that! This is that moment which can be mentioned as one of the happiest moment, the moment when your inhibitions will find it difficult to resist you, the moment when you won't mind spending the last penny in your account to spend on celebrations.

India winning a world cup becomes more dramatic & emotional when you bring in the picture a man called Sachin Tendulkar. No one can write a better script than this for Sachin who was carried by Yusuf Pathans & Virat Kohlis on their shoulders all round the ground after that winning moment. It happened finally in his sixth world cup, in his home ground & in front of our eyes. Virat Kholi puts it perfectly when he said, "Sachin was carrying us all along for 22 long years, its time we carry him". This belong as much to you Sachin as it belongs to India.

I am in USA as i write this. I know there cannot be a bad timing than this to be outside India. I woke up at 4 AM to catch the match. Every ball of it was crucial, some were taking us close to the cup at the end of dark tunnel while some were creating more darkness. Still with every ball we were moving. That is what mattered in the end. Well played Guys! What a sensible batting! Me and my friend went berserk at that last helicopter shot by Dhoni. My friend went in hotel lobby to dance & whistle. Hotel staff couldn't understand the feelings. They thought he was mad. They were right. Our hotel owner ( an Indian ) was not at all worried at the outcome of this final. He said, "We have already won the world cup by beating Pakistan the other day". We couldn't stop laughing in joy. I tried calling friends back in India but couldn't get through any number. Apparently all networks can't take the load of joy of billion plus nation. We will celebrate more with Desi junta but nothing that can be matched with India! People in India will find it hard to sleep when they are seeing a dream. For us it is a long day to celebrate.

On the couch with barber

I am sure almost all of you must have waited inside barber-shop ( ok beauty parlor for ladies ) for your turn on a weekend unless off course you were born bald. Have you ever thought while waiting inside a barber-shop that the profession of barber is unique in the sense that here one works maximum over the weekend ? Ironical ! And a barber never complains about working on a weekend. In fact barber earns most of his monthly income on 8-10 days ( Assuming people count Saturday and Sunday as weekend ). It is also true that while a barber uses his time most efficiently over the weekend, his customers waste most of their time waiting for their turn.

To wait is one activity which i finds challenging & demands considerable effort from me. It irritates. I usually gets this irritation once a month unless my hairs decides to grow too slow or too fast. It is very unlikely that you immediately get your turn when you walk inside the barber-shop. You would generally wait and leaf through several Bollywood magazines. Suddenly you would sense that one seat is about to get unoccupied as barber is finished with hair-cut. But the irritation gets aggravated when you realize that person sitting on the chair has gone into hibernation because on a weekend you are expected to sleep long. It doesn't matter that this come on a barber couch. This is the opportunity for which the barber was waiting. He is a smart professional service provider who works on basic fundamental of extracting maximum out of his customer by keeping him engage for as much time as possible. The barber keeps on working over his client, whispering something into his ears & getting a nod in response. When the barber is about to complete the hair cut, he will slowly whispers into the ear of his client to ask, "Shall I shave you ?" The client nods. When the barber is halfway shaving and the blade is exactly on customer's throat, he will whisper, "Would you like to go for a facial, you have some dark spots on your nose ?" Try saying no or shake head in denial in this position. A nod is the only gesture customer can afford to make. Soon the client will be turned into a ghost with yellow paste all over his face. The customer would even enjoy the few slaps on his cheeks barber would give him while doing face massage. In about half an hour more the barber would be done and would adjust the chair to give his client a jolt to wake him up.

So much of irritation! You lose your hairs. You lose your money. You lose your time. It makes me nostalgic too by reminding me of my days in our village when a barber will come home to offer his services to make heads of whole family a bit lighter for a fraction of money we pay today.