Ever wondered what games do kids play nowadays?

Gone are the days when children played games like ‘seven tiles’, ‘hide n seek’ sakli, pakra-pakri, statue-stop, langdi, dum-shera, etc. There used to be so many games to play in those days. Summer holidays meant that we would be playing all day in the building compound, playing indoor games like carom, ludo, chess, scrabble or out door games like badminton, football, basket ball, Oh! There were so many games, that our neighbors would get tired of the noise that we made and would breathe a sigh of relief when the school re-opened. This summer, too, there are many children, in the compound and the same noise is there, but the games that they play are very much different. First of all, every child wants to be the boss and nobody is interested in taking orders. So there is too much chaos. (I tried teaching them some organized games but they got bored) Either you see children running from one end to the other end of the compound, or they are just skating (Oh yes, this is the new craze now-a days, most of these kids are roller-skating.) but, then there are many children who just sit around, staring or making a small chat. I saw two kids who were busy doing something. I went over to them and asked them what game were they playing? And guess what? ..they were repairing a gun! Repairing gun at this age! I think parents should not buy such toys for their kids. It creates violence in their fragile minds. Imagine, them running from one corner of the building and hiding at the other corner and shooting, Bang! Bang!(of course, the games are innocently played but the violent feeling is there (have you seen their expressions)And so here, they are repairing the gun that has been overloaded with bullets. One child bring a knife from his house to help his friend remove the bullets that are stuck inside the gun! And they spend at least half an hour trying to figure out how to remove those bullets! And thus the kids are learning to hold guns and knives at such tender age! Unsupervised by their elders, who may be busy shedding off extra weight off their limbs at some fancy gym.

vegetable seller at corner stall

The lane in Bandra, off linking road, is to be converted into line of six malls. The road is broadened and construction is still going on. Once upon a time, this lane was the busiest street with hawkers occupying the foot paths on either side. There used be so much crowd that traffic and people, dodged each other for an easy movement. Now this street is free of hawkers, except for few vegetable stalls at the far end of the street. Although there is a big heap of fresh vegetables in these stalls (like always) unfortunately, there are very few shoppers. The vegetable sellers have stubbornly occupied the footpath, but only few passing people are patronizing these stalls. Only those, who do not wish to walk few extra steps for just buying few sprigs of coriander leaves. This is because, few meters away from these stalls, is a giant supermarket with competitive rates. The vegetables and fruits are fresh and cheaper. There is a huge variety of grocery and fruits and everything is available under one roof. I am wondering how long can these vegetable sellers at corner street survive? Gradually, their vegetables will decay and they might not have enough money to roll. They cannot compete with giant malls and they are not educated to enter IT world. What is the alternate business that they can be qualified with? I think that the malls that have sprout up at these places, must have offered their first job preference to these people who have lost their business because of them. But one wonders how many of them have compromised and taken up the jobs instead of stubbornly hanging on to their street corner hoping that things will improve.

BEST Bus Conductor of Mumbai city,

Today, on my way to school to Belapur by BEST bus, I noticed there were three conductors, all of them having same leather bag that contains money, and other steel box of tickets. I was wondering whom to approach for buying a ticket as they, all three, stood side-by-side. The mystery was solved when I was approached from the real one on duty. The other two were hitching a ride to the next bus depot. But, on second thought, (I am wondering) are they prohibited from occupying the passenger’s seat when hitch-hiking? Although there was an empty seat, none of the other two made any attempt to rest their feet. So what happens to them at the end of the day? Remember they are standing all day. We, Mumbaites, cannot stand in bus, not even for fifteen minutes of travel. Whenever we travel, we keep eyeing at those sitting comfortably and are alert to run to an empty seat immediately. (As though we are playing musical chairs) Sometimes we occupy the seat when the person has only got up temporally to peep from other window for a better view when he sits back, he feels a soft lap to sit on. It must be tough life for bus conductors. They stand all day, in the moving bus, keeping their balance during sharp jerks and turns, snaking through the standees in a crowded bus, diligently issuing ticket to every traveler at his seat. Why doesn’t he have a proper seat, a special seat, in the bus? Everybody can go to him and buy a ticket while he sits all comfortably at his seat. System in western world is better. There is no conductor in the bus. People have either to buy a ticket card which can be used for several trips or the bus driver has the ticket to issue and each person buys his own ticket before boarding the bus. But will this system work in Mumbai? Bus driver in Mumbai drive off with a speed and sometimes do not even bother to wait at the bus stops! (Why do they rush off like that? Do they get extra perks for extra mileage?) Many times, we, here in Mumbai have to board or light from a running bus. If we miss our balance, we may meet the ground in an awful poise that can be the photographer’s delight. Also, there are many dishonest travelers who get cheap thrills by saving small change that they can cash it on booze. Hic! Nah! It won’t work! Bus conductors will continue to suffer! Tsk! Tsk!

So much commotion over 'Dera Sacha Sauda'!

There has been so much commotion in the name of religion! Now take the case of 'Sacha Sauda'. This is not a name of any religion, caste, or any organization. The meaning of Sacha Sauda is to truly meditate on the names of Allah, Ram, God — all of which are different names given to the power of the soul by various religions, without interfering in anyone’s religion or caste. The aim of the Dera Sacha Sauda is to make people aware of the true presence of the Lord through the proper channel and guide humans towards the true love of the Lord. The Dera was originally set up in Sirsa in 1948 after it was displaced from Baluchistan in the wake of Partition They preach to meditate on the name of God all the time, abstain from consumption of alcohol, meat and eggs, observe truth in day-to-day life, shun evil social practices like dowry and extramarital relations and follow the path of truth. but now-a-days, it is in news for a different reason. Apparently,the Dera chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh offended the religious sentiments of the Sikhs. He was seen in an advertisement as appearing in public wearing robes akin to the ones that 'Guru Gobind Singh-ji' used to wear. The Sikh community is highly offended. they feel that he has hurt their religious sentiments by giving an advertisement attired in a dress similar to that of Guru Gobind Singh and also administering Amrit (nectar) to his followers in violation of Sikh traditions. This advertisement led to outbreak of sectarian violence in the state, claiming a life and causing much damage to government and private properties. (Whatever happened to peace and meditation!) Singh was charged by Punjab Police under pretext of deliberate malicious act intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or its religious belief, There has been uproar and the Dera has been asked to shut its doors.(I wonder if closing the Dera will solve their problems forever) The stand off between the Dera Sacha Sauda and the Sikhs show no signs of a resolution with the Akal Takht rejecting the Dera Head's regret, demanding the closure of all Deras in Punjab and calling for a state bandh.(More fuss) However, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh feels he has done nothing wrong. He feels that the entire thing has been misinterpreted. (I am sure it is) He says that whatever has triggered the controversy now has been a normal practice in the Dera ever since it came into existence. The serving of amrit that has become so controversial has been their practice since ages. They call it jaam-e-insaan, after partaking which a Dera follower becomes a true human being. where will this end? I wonder if they know it?

Whats wrong with old-age home? huh?

Imagine if you have an aging father, and you are unable to take care of him, For aged mother, it is not so difficult. Aged Mom can spent her time watching TV, attending various mandirs and tikaras, gossiping with friends in the park, she will be busy taking care of the house, searching for odds and ends to occupy her time, she will stitch the torn ends, cut the veggies, wash the plates and even make chappatis. or simply pass time taking panga with her daughter-in-law. She is never bored. But aging father? It is difficult. There are very few activities for him to do except to read newspaper, which he cannot read if he has poor eye-sight. We don’t expect him to help in the kitchen. At the most, he can go for walks or he can baby sit. But he needs/expects his tea/lunch/snack/dinner/attention/pampering, all at his convenience, and that is difficult nowadays, when there is so much of a work load. I don’t understand why old-age-home is a taboo in our Indian society. I was suggesting an old age home to my Indian friend who was worried about her aged father, and she looked shocked as if she had seen a ghost. Come on, be practical. If you look at these homes with open mind, they are no so bad, especially the ones where you can pay and stay comfortably. There are some good old age homes in India, where they take a deposit of five lakhs of rupees and you pay the rent of rupees ten thousand per month. They have an air conditioned private room plus they can have great number of professional to look to their mental/culinary/health needs. These homes ensure good health care, full services for a fee. These apartments which are equipped with 24 hour medical services, dining and recreational facilities, wheel chair facilities are available for a monthly maintenance charge plus the initial cost of the apartment. These independent living retirement arrangements enable the older people to enjoy life without being bothered about day-to-day maintenance. They can actively participate in the activities of the residents and also play games, swim, go out shopping and enjoy other cultural activities. Usually food is provided but the enterprising ones can cook their own meals. Such senior housing facilities are for those senior citizens who cannot take full responsibility but still want to be independent. Nothing however will take the place of staying at home with the family. Love and affection and the feeling of being wanted and needed can never be replaced by anything. Senior citizens staying in a family environment are the ideal scenario that they would want provided that is what the others want. But some times, certain things cannot be helped. Wise decision always helps.

A Joke sent to me by my friend...heheheehehee!

A woman comes home and tells her husband, "Remember those Headaches I've been having all these years? Well, they're gone." "No more headaches?" the husband asks, "What happened?" His wife replies, Margie referred me to a hypnotist. He told me To Stand in front of a mirror, stare at myself and repeat "I do not Have a Headache; I do not have a headache, I do not have a headache." It Worked! The headaches are all gone." The husband replies, "Well, that is wonderful." His wife then says, "You know, you haven't been exactly a ball Of Fire in the bedroom these last few years. Why don't you go see the Hypnotist and see if he can do anything for that?" The husband agrees to try it Following his appointment, the husband comes home, rips off his Clothes, picks up his wife and carries her into the bedroom. He Puts her on The bed and says, "Don't move, I'll be right back." He goes into The Bathroom and comes back. A few minutes later and jumps into bed And makes Passionate love to his wife like never before. His wife says, "Boy, that was wonderful!" The husband says, "Don't move! I will be right back." He goes Back Into the bathroom, comes back and round two was even better than The First time. The wife sits up and her head is spinning. Her husband again says, "Don't move, I'll be right back." With That, He goes back in the bathroom. This time, his wife quietly follows him and there, in the Bathroom, She sees him standing at the mirror and saying, "She's not my Wife. She's Not my wife. She's not my wife..." His funeral service will be held on Friday.

Funny kids nowadays! Studying on their mobile? How silly!

During our college days, the exam periods were the most interesting days. We would make plans to study at night. Some times we would have competitions on who studies the maximum hours. (some times, I would cheat by catching a small slumber with my light on, fooling my competitor that I was still studying) Then we would have friends stay over, to keep us awake so that we could chat/eat/make coffee in between our serious studies. Some times we would go out in the middle of the night to eat Paav Bhaji (Yes, pav bhaji and egg bhorji would be available during all night) and some times we would rush off during the early hours and eat the half-fry egg and drink Irani Chai. Our studying sessions were filled with laughter and thrill. But all that has changed! Nowadays, they spend too much time on internet or they are out all night, surfing discothèque of different suburbs and that leaves them with little time to actually prepare for their exams. And what should I say of this? In this new technological age, our future generation will just switch on their handset and answer the multiple choices available on it to prepare for their exams! And they are going to study material for competitive exams like the GRE, CET or CAT! This initiative will be called the ‘Prep Guide’ and this service will be available on phones through WAP/SMS/voice and multiple applications and would involve major operators to provide the service. All an aspiring student has to do is go to a particular study zone, type the code and avail of the services, just for Rs100. EnableM, a wireless application company, has come up with such a solution. It has tied-up with the Institute of Management Studies (IMS) to launch comprehensive MBA study material on phones within a month It is a comprehensive module catering to all the learning requirements for an MBA training program, which comprises of an English zone, Math zone, logic and reasoning and must-knows. Booo! How boring! Alas, the young kids of today may not understand nor enjoy our kind of pure fun. They can study in those crowded, smoky, ‘Kaffee’ zones.

Comics with bold messages like HIV/AIDS

During my growing up days, I found it easier to read comics because they had lot of pictures and it ended faster. I would enjoy comics like Tintin, Archies, Phantom, Batman and many more. Many of my friends discouraged me from reading those comics debating that it murdered the English grammar but since it was easier to understand, with everything left to imagination, and it worked for me. Comics are not merely for kids any more. There are new set of comics, in market nowadays, like - "Josh Mein Hosh" (Passion with Sense), "Khoon Ka Katra" (Just a drop of blood), "Savdhan Senior" (On your guard, senior) and "Pyar Ka Packet" (A packet of love) that are interwoven with messages on HIV/AIDS, and conveys the message that it is wrong to presume that "girlfriends must be meek and submissive and that a sexually aggressive woman is bad. The aim of these comics is to change social attitude and dispel the popular notion of masculinity that makes young men in urban slums indulge in violence against women and use condoms only when having a relationship with sex workers. There has been an urgency to bring out these educational comic books because in 2006, about 30 percent of HIV infections were reported in the 15 to 20 age group. Existing literature shows that young Indian men subscribe to norms of masculinity that lead to risky behavior and to change this, discussions were held with young men to understand their media habits, message retention from HIV campaigns, myths and misconceptions.. Participants were encouraged to relate real life incidents so that these comics echoed true stories. The draft stories were pre-tested in discussions with young men in urban slums and their feedback was incorporated in the final version The state and district AIDS control societies in Andhra Pradesh and Delhi have integrated elements of their campaign into the comic book series and have endorsed the products The Population Council and four other NGOS have brought out this set of comics, in four languages - Bengali, English, Hindi and Telugu. Several NGOs have been approached to integrate this package within existing outreach activities and to distribute these comics Will the illitrate population show any interest in such comics? Time will tell.

How can we help these moral policemen in saffron forces?

Sex is the most controversial topic in our Indian society. Whenever there is an assault or freedom of expression in an open space it arouses a great interest in majority of population. Lately, two people who have been in news are Shilpa Shetty (a Bollywood filmstar) and Chandra Mohan (Lalit Kala Akademi awardee from Baroda). Shilpa, who was taken by surprise when Richard bend her over in a poise, like in ‘Shall We Dance” created quite an uproar. Although the kiss was only on cheeks, people responded as though they had witnessed a porno. A criminal case was registered against her in the judicial magistrate courts of Jodhpur, Ghaziabad and Mundawar (Alwar) which is now moved to Mumbai. Then, there was arrest of Chandramohan, an art student of the MS University in Baroda on charges of ‘objectionable’ display of art work. He was arrested by moral police in saffron forces and was charged with non-bail offences, including inciting communal disharmony and public obscenity, which violated his right to express himself. It is very obvious that political parties target sensitive subjects like these to fulfill personal motives or even gain some cheap publicity. If only they would target their anger on more important issues and try to bring change in the nation in a more constructive way. If only they could focus their attention on more important problems. For example, we have one suicide in every eight hours. More than half of those who committed suicide were between 20 and 45, their most productive years. More than two thousand farmers have committed suicide in last five years and most of them have done so due to their inability to cope with stress or poverty. If only they would help these poor farmers and create opportunities for them to live with dignity. If only we knew how we could shift the focus of these moral policemen to these more important issues. We would personally help them, if we could. What can we possibly do?

I Can Prove that I am a Mumbaite.

I will say "town" and I expect you to know that this means south of Churchgate. (In Bandra, it is a suburb) I speak in a dialect of Hindi called 'Mumbaiya Hindi', which only mumbaites can understand.(Samjhe kya?) My door has more than three locks (Two strong one and one latch). Rupees 500 worth of groceries can fit in one paper bag.(its quite expensive here) Train timings (9.27, 10.49 etc) are really important events of my close friend’s life.(and they won’t speak to me, not even on their mobile) I spend more time each month traveling than I spend at home. (it takes me more than four hours to pay a visit of two hours at my school) I call an 8' x 10' clustered room a Hall. (Can’t help it) My paying guests are paying Rupees 10,000 for a 1 room flat, the size of walk-in closet and they think it's a "steal." (and I let them believe it) I have the following sets of friend: school friends, college friends, neighborhood friends, office friends and yes, train friends, a species unique only in Bombay. Cabbies and bus conductors think I am from Mars if I call the roads by their Indian name, they are more familiar with Warden Road, Peddar Road, Altamount Road . Stock market quotes are the only other thing besides cricket which my nieghbours follow passionately. (and they are happy to share) The first thing that we read in the Times of India is the "Bombay Times" supplement.(or a midday) I take fashion seriously. (I update my knowledge on TV) I am suspicious of strangers who are actually nice to me. I cannot see Hookers, beggars and the homeless at traffic signals (I am always short of change) I always compare Mumbai to New York's Manhattan instead of any other cities of India. (NY’s Queens suburb is quite backward) The most frequently used part of my car is the horn. ( I wonder how they clear traffic in western world) I insist on calling CST as VT, and Sahar and Santacruz airports instead of Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport.(Why did they change it any way?) I consider eye contact an act of overt aggression. (what do they want, huh?) My idea of personal space is no one actually standing on my toes. (my friends can call me before every visit) Being truly alone makes me nervous.(I would rather go to a crowded mall) I love wading through knee deep mucky water in the monsoons, and actually call it ''romantic'.(specially if we fall in the open manhole) Only in Mumbai I can get Chinese Dosa and Jain Chicken. (and it is available at every cross road) Don’t get confused when in Mumbai, follow your instinct not the name...Because.... Churchgate has neither a church nor a gate. It is a railway station. There is no darkness in Andheri. Lalbaag is neither red nor a garden. No king ever stayed at Kings Circle. Nor did Queen Victoria stay at Victoria Terminus. Nor is there any princess at Princess Street. Lower Parel is at the same level as Parel There are no marines or sailors at Marine Lines. The Mahalaxmi temple is at Haji Ali not at Mahalaxmi. There are no pigs traded at Dukar bazaar. Teen bati is a junction of 3 roads, not three lamps. Trams used to terminate at Kings circle not Dadar Tram Terminus (Dadar T.T.). Breach Candy is not a sweetmeat market, but there is a Hospital. Safed Pool has the dirtiest and blackest water. You cannot buy coal at Kolsa street. There are no Iron smiths at Lohar chawl. There are no pot makers at Kumbhar wada. Lokhandwala complex is not an Iron and steel market. Null bazaar does not sell taps You will not find ladyfingers at Bheendi Bazaar. Kalachowki does not have a black Police station. Hanging Gardens are not suspended. Mirchi Gully does not sell chillies. Figs do not grow in Anjir Wadi, Sitafals do not grow in Sitafal Wadi, Jackfruits do not grow at Fanaswadi But it is true that you may get fleeced at Chor Bazaar!!! so Beware!

Life in Metro

Okay, Okay, I admit, I went for this movie, first day, first-show. Well, I was too tempted to see it after all those promos on TV. Normally, I am not a movie buff, but this movie had got me real curious, and when my friend asked me to accompany her, I went ahead. And I was not disappointed. Maybe, I was in a good mood. Escaping the summer heat and relaxing in a cool multiplex on a week-end, can be luxurious sometimes. But, I wonder if people in metro city are really living in sin (how come I don’t know any?) All the people were having extra-marital affairs, infidelity, live-in relationships, and the need to make it to the top quickly. The message the film sends out is to give relationships a chance. The fact that you’re never too old to give love a chance (Dharam and Nafisa in love croonings) and that love has to be nurtured in order to let it grow. The characters are easily recognizable—the homemaker (Shilpa Shetty), whose marriage to philandering (Kay Kay Menon) has lost all meaning. She briefly finds solace in the stranger she meets every Saturday (Shiney Ahuja), who has let life pass him by as he struggles to make it on stage, but feels terribly guilty when she is overcome with strong emotions.. Then there is her sister (Konkona Sen Sharma) who is searching for love at 30 and her room mate (Kangna Ranaut), who caught up in a loveless relationship, and (Sharman Joshi) intelligent, ambitious, (who encourages loves to use his apartment while he waits on the streets.) and unable to express his love for Neha. There is also (Irrfan Khan) searching for the perfect partner on shaadi.com.(and ogling the legs of women) All caught up in the relentless pace that comprises big city life. It is basically the story of emotions. They all try to find that special someone even as they go about living their mundane lives. The ones to watch for are Konkona and Irrfan (this is worth all the money you spent on movie and popcorn) as they go about their mismatched lives till reality dawns on one and then the other. Their getting together is accomplished in a hilarious sequence. It was interesting to watch Dharma and Nafisa in their old age romantic moods. Lyrics were good although my friend had a hearty laugh every time those same three singers kept appearing, shabbily dress, and filmed in the same way. Pritam, the music director, and two cronies lip-sync the songs like three fakirs while the film's characters battle their way through their crises.

Religious Path. Follow a right direction? Which side please?

On my recent trip to Madrid, I met a Sindhi woman. We got to talking religion and philosophy. And suddenly she asked me about my Guru. She asked me to tell her which path I had chosen. Was I a follower of Sai Baba, or Dhan Nirankari or Radha Soami. I told her that I have not chosen a Guru as yet because I am highly confused. My family is Radha Soami, my cousins are Dhan Nirankaris and my friends are SaiBaba devotees. Plus there are more than twenty thousand Gurus, and all highly qualified. I want to choose a path that can guarantee me a sure shot heaven. I cannot live long enough to try all of them. I don’t have that much time. For a time being I have chosen to live the life of being an honest human being.I will make a decision soon, in this life time. I hope. She told me there is no hope for me till I make a quick decision and take sides. But yes, I am confused. What do I have to do to become a better person? If eating non-vegetarian is a sin, then, I stand as a sinner, and no Guru shall accept me. But what of those who hurt the sentiments of their fellow companions, killing their souls mercilessly? What about those gossipers who spend endless hours slandering the character of innocent and naïve people? What of those who speak endless lies without even a fraction of a blink? Do the people who have taken ‘Naam’ (initiation) get a free ticket to heaven against all odds? I have attended many discourses (satsangs) and all preach the same thing, time and again, same things, over and over, but still, I see repeatedly that the devotees nod their head in astonishment, every time, pretending, as if they are hearing it for the first time. Repeatedly they ask the same questions (at questions/answers meetings) and get the same answers, but they are surprised every time, as if relevation of solution is disclosed for the first time. Some of them have been devotees for many,many years and they are still wondering the purpose of their life. Still complaining that they find it hard to concentrate on their meditation, still curious about what is lacto-vegetarian diet, still weighing and contemplating as to what medicines (in their veggie world) are safe to take, still finding it difficult to shed off their attachment with their materialistic world. Time and again, it is pointed out that to search truth, we must learn to go inside and find a new world. But still people are outward, running in different direction, from one religious building to another, from hardwar to Beas to Ganeshpuri to Badrinarayan, through valleys and mountains, across the continents, following the Guru in human form, destroying His privacy and His independent space. Guru in human form is a Guide who shows us the right path to follow. A duty of a devotee is follow the path as shown and not have so many (endless) doubts, which don’t seem to find any solutions! A path is shown to one disciple at a time by our Guru, ‘Naam’ is the treasure to be guarded and pampered, not some thing to be worn around the neck and flash it, every time, to every passerby. It is something to appreciate it in solitude, for having a secret communication with your soul, to savor it, to relish it and help yourself to see that bright light and hear that divine music. We are still lost. I stand at a crossroad! Confused!

Organic way of life......

After attending Vijaya Venkat’s nutrition program for 2 months, I have become more and more conscious of the food that I eat. And when ever I eat unhygienic food, I am aware that I am torturing my body. Some times I look around to see if anybody is watching me eat. (Remember I am not supposed to eat!) If I keep advising everybody to eat sensibly, I should be careful too. I am supposed to concentrate on organic food, which is grown like it used to in my grannies’ era. (In its pure form, without any pesticides or chemical, that are used to make them look beautiful, that means it should be without any make-up) In organic food, instead of pesticides, they grow brave trees like neem trees, eucalyptus trees that does ‘Shoo! Shoo!’ every time any pests comes near them. In a way, it is good to eat organic food. Our body is free from all toxic waste. We can conveniently be disease free. Organic food, (besides being free from pesticides and chemical), it is also more nutritious. We don’t have to buy everything organic. We can make a gradual change. I know many people who find organic food more expensive than conventionally produced product. But they should understand that the cost of returning farms to their chemical-free state is higher. And also without fertilizers and modified seeds, the yield is lower than usual. But I think it is still cheaper than the doctor’s bill, were we to eat cheap food, we might fall sick more often and then we will make all doctors happy. (Actually doctors want to survive too and make money, so they keep prescribing pills which cure you from one disease only but create side effect which is guaranteed for a return trip to doctor for more pills for yet one more disease.) I have asked the secretary of my building to ban all those pani-puri wallahs and bhelwallh that sit outside our building. Every time I go down for a long walk, I am forced to eat their bhelpuri and spoil my health unnecessarily. No temptations no sins! I am sure of that!

Dieting in the city.

My mom lived in a nice world. She remained healthy and slim all her life and she had no restrictions on her diet. She would eat whatever she wished and there were no issues to discuss. My aunt lived in a nice world. She remained healthy and big all her life and she had no restrictions on her diet. She would eat whatever she wished and there were no issues to discuss. Nowadays, every second person you meet, you find her slimmer. And looking thin/big is a big issue, thing to discuss, thing to ponder. Whatever is happening to this world? Is there a food shortage or have people just stopped eating? Why is everyone dieting? Every body is aping each other and there is some sort of competition on getting thinner and thinner. Do they seriously mean to become so slim? But why? Why do people want to become so slim that they need to hold on to the lamp post every time there is a gush of strong wind? I think I know the answer. There has been advent of malls in our city. And there are fabulous clothes in every designer’s rack but they don’t seem to suit our big-sized sisters, so they have decided that they need to get into those small-sized pretty clothes. Or maybe, there are too many gyms in our city (one in every lane) and its is a in-thing to belong to some gym or other (‘Oh, what gym do you go?’, ‘I go this gym and we have this film star visiting too’. . ‘oh really, how lucky, I will join too’), It is the deep rooted desire to be the part of and belong to some group or other. Or is it that non-tasty, non-oily food/ snacks that is a craze nowadays? We are having great number of dietician who are trying out range of healthy foods and are seriously looking for big-bodied girls to experiment their stuff and miraculously, it works! The hot topic at the kitty parties is what you can and cannot eat. And the list is endless. And I am very much confused! Everybody says: Don’t eat anything white. That means bread, rice, milk and milk products, salt and sugar should be eradicated from our super-marketing list Don’t eat tin or preserved food. That means all the fragmented food like tin food, packed food, cold-stored food, chopped food should be avoided No drinks. So no coke, Fanta, soft drinks, aerated drinks, tea, coffee. No biscuits, skip the lane in a super market which has biscuits on display No chocolates, skip this row too. No fried stuff. So no samosas, batatawadas, bhajias, puris etc No Mithais or any other sweets. Bad for health. So what do I eat? Only fruits and vegetables, sprouts and nuts? Okay! So when can I eat my normal food again?

Card game called Rummy!

When I was small I was made to believe that playing cards is a vice to be avoided. So I only played solitaire and free cell. But as I grew up, I realized that my elders enjoyed the game of Rummy and whenever they met for lunch on Sundays, they played cards and passed their time. The family met regularly. They cheered, laughed and joked while playing rummy and sometimes they quarreled over a poor game or bad luck but the bond within the family was maintained and all the members looked forward to lunches and a game of rummy on Sundays and on festive days. My aunts and cousins would encourage me to play, sometimes sponsoring me, so that I would sit, joke and play with them. I was thus introduced to a game of Rummy and I gradually learnt to enjoy it as it kept me away from gossip and idle chat and also from taking endless, aimless walks, surfing through those shopping malls. And now I am a regular player of cards, and my educated/ literate friends don’t seem to understand my this passion. Every time I play cards, I am introduced to a new game. Many years ago there used to be only thirteen-cards-game of rummy that we would play with one or two packs of cards and there used to be one/two jokers and one pure run. But people soon got tired of playing the same game of only thirteen cards, every afternoon from two to seven. So they decided to try this game with little alteration. And the rummy with twenty-one cards was introduced. People complained at first, that they could not hold twenty-one cards, and the cards kept slipping out from the hands, but gradually people started liking it and for many years they play rummy with twenty-one cards where you make three pure runs and you play with three pack of cards. There are three real jokers plus one-up and one-down in addition to the card displayed as joker. Then, to make game more interesting, they introduced ‘andha kanoon’ where the joker was hidden till you had three runs ready. After some years again a new version of this game was introduced where you make four compulsory runs and then make your own joker to declare a game, earning the maximum penalties. And now, again, they have one more alteration. The new rummy is now played with twenty-seven cards. And they are not complaining about their inability to hold it because they have learnt the tactics of holding them efficiently in two layers. In this version, you have to make four runs and there many jokers. The main joker that is displayed carries its value two-up and two-down of same color and thus increasing the penalties. It is no more a game of wit but it is only a game of luck. If you get good set of cards, play or else pack your game and keep losing. And, I am still loving it…..

'Tara Rum Pum' go see it with children....timepass....

Went to see ‘Tara Rum Pum’ staring Saif Ali, Rani Mukerjee and two kids Priya and Ranveer. It is a cute story (more like a fairy tale) about a car racer who meets with an accident and his happy-go-lucky-live-for-a-present life goes up-side-down bringing hardships to his family. There are moral lessons to be learnt. We must save for the rainy day. (Saif buys expensive gifts like diamond ring, finishing all his money without a thought to paying of the house rent, buys big house, car and all luxury items in installments which he loses it all in his bad times when he has no money to pay for installments nor does he have enough money for his son’s treatment, who is seriously hurt when he swallows a piece of glass) Live with self-respect. (father offering 50,000 dollars to his daughter in hard times but the daughter refusing to take, prefers to live in penury), Don’t ever lie (Saif lies about his daughter being sick with pneumonia and get sympathy and cash from friends that he, then spends on celebrating the birthday of his child) and don’t worry, be happy. (The children are made to believe that they are participating in an reality show called ‘don’t worry be happy’ where they can pretend to be poor but still keep a smile. (That is why I say fairy tale, because children are no more stupid these day but still play along with their parent’s make-believe tale).

Chilled veggies at my doorstep?

I have this vegetable and fruit seller who rings my doorbell at all odd hours. Sometimes if I am too lazy to go out and buy those heavy vegetable, I welcome him and even buy from him. But there are times when I am doing my thinking exercise (for example : writing) or cleaning exercises (for example: bath) or breathing exercises (for example: meditation) Now, will I like somebody ringing my doorbell in such odd hours? So either I don’t answer the doorbell at all or answer the doorbell and show him one of my devilish moods. But I guess they are used to that and they keep coming back unperturbed by our bad moods. But, all that is likely to change. No I don’t mean that we will permanently start patronizing the food stores and supermarket but better still, in future we will not be able to refuse those sophisticated — a simple, out-of-the-box thela, that has been conceived by Acme Cold Chain Solutions, a New Delhi-based firm. Acme is investing Rs1 crore for a three-month pilot project in which 25 chilled hawking trolleys will be used to vend fresh food and fruits, improvising on the traditional sabjiwala’s facility. They are planning to have direct-to-home service providers to launch the mobile fresh foods venture called ‘All Fresh’. We will be able to book through a toll-free number, collected at a call centre facility in Gurgaon, and will be transmitted to the nearest ‘All Fresh hawking trolley operator’, who will then deliver fruit/vegetable at the our doorstep. Will I scowl at these veggie-vendor? Time will tell!

Pampering our taste buds

Though my nutritionist has prohibited me from eating road side ‘Kachra’ as she calls it, but this is the temptations I just cannot resist. We have so many road side vendors at every street that it is sometimes impossible to control the drooling. Agree, that road-side is the most unhygienic way of pampering ourselves, what with the traffic moving about, throwing the dust up in the air which finally comes to rest on the open food, and also the lack of clean water (they keep washing the used vessels from the mininmum of half cup of water) but still we drool. And before we wet the streets with our overflowing drool it is best to shuff mouths with the tasty flavors of the road side stuff. I love the Pani-Puri and Batatapuri the best. There is a batatapuri wallah who stands outside my gate and he makes the most delicious stuff. One day I had a kitty party at my place and I asked him to bring his whole stall up on the second floor. The ladies were so impressed and some of them, till today, remind me of that luxury. And what did I have to lose? I didn’t have to slog into my kitchen like our cousins in foreign country do! We, in India, just ask him to come up and handle the culinary part. (boo-boo) I also love to eat Samosas and Batawadas. I like them best with those fried soft chillies and stuffed into bread. (yummy!) Then we also have the most delicious sandwiches. Sssluurrrrp! The vegetable sandwiches and the cheese toast. Then there is Pavbhaji, Ragda-Pattis, Bhajias……The list is endless. Although, many of these stalls have been put up hygienically (wearing those plastic gloves et el) in the malls, but we still patronize the roadside, in the open air.. Who cares anyway? Dhekha jayega! We were brought up that way!

Sentiments are for foriegners in an artic zone..

Are you visiting India? It will do you good if you keep warm your sentiments behind. In India you have to be careful even while holding hands, because if you lose control, you could end up making a fool of yourself. In India, we show our affections only behind the closed doors or we can face the same fate as our Shipa Shetty, a famous Indian film star of ‘Big Brother’ fame. She stands amidst the angry conservative society as guilty. Guilty? Of what? For not resisting Richard Gere for his passionate kiss, which he couldn’t stop for three full minutes? And that too in front of truck drivers who were attending HIV health awareness program in Delhi. In a country where public display of affection are largely a taboo and the police arrest young folks who are a bit, too intimate at the sea shores, this kiss was too much to tolerate. As soon as it was flashed across TV channels, the crowds in India went berserk and starting burning effigies of Richard Gere. People viewed the event as ‘highly sexually erotic’ saying that the pair violated India’s strict public obscenity laws. And now the local citizens have filed a complaint charging that the public display of affection has offended local sensibilities. If convicted of Public obscenity, they could face up to three months in prison and fine or both. And so I repeat. Please leave your affectionate sensibilities back home, where ever you are. In India, it is not cashable.

life on Mumbai streets!

on Mumbai streets you can find many scenes, some happy some sad.... It pains me to see small children brought into this world by the parents who have no roof over themselves. what future can a child expect from those parents who have none.... Yes! they too love their children and you see them hugging their little ones amidst the traffic and dust as the empty vessels lie in front of them waiting to be filled.... what can one do about this child who is all alone on the street at this tender age? while the kids of rich parents have thousand eyes to watch over them a child of poor parents has none but One...... for year the poor live on squatted on the streets under the temporary shade of a wall that will soon fade away exposing them to the harsh cruel world.... while the elders will go on finishing their hard earned chores.....

Quiet wedding! Indeed!

If people wish to have a low profile wedding then the best way is to go to a quiet resort with some selected guest and enjoy the wedding with close family and friends and come back to your home town and hold a grand party to celebrate the occasion. But our film stars have a quiet wedding in a noisy way. The media was asked to keep out from all the details of the marriage. They were not allowed to tell the dates, the timings and the venue. They were not allowed to disclose the invitee list, nor announce the name of the designers and the decorators and the Mehandiwallahs, transport providers, band groups, photographers, choreographers, caterers, etc. And fortunately, all have become famous. The number of uninvited people that have actually attended the wedding exceeds the invited list! Thank Goodness, there is a bus strike and many of them are helplessly sitting at home and watching the live excerpts on TV. But still, there are people everywhere, on the roads, on the foot-paths, some of them perched on the lamp-posts, some on the shoulders of their buddy, taking turn, while others are in the balconies surrounding the bride/groom houses. Some of those people are paying for a balcony view, with snacks and drink included. But people on the road are crowded in the hot sun without food and drink, just craning their necks for a glimpse of the lucky guest. Sometimes I wonder how they manage to get a casual leave to attend such occasions, or is it a sick leave? And what is the thrill? Do they really have so much time to waste? While the big B pretends to show his contempt at the outrageous media, we have young B happily waving out. This is what I would call a publicity stunt!

In Mumbai we have interesting people

and the best ones you get to see when you are traveling by bus. In Mumbai we have public buses which are very comfortable and they have six seats reserved for ladies, two seats reserved for senior citizens and three seats reserved for physically challenged. This makes the ride comfortable for the privileged lot, especially during a rush hour, at the end of the day, when you are too tired to hang on to the overhand handles or to the seats. This is the time when the lucky ones are seen counting their blessing as they see a seat emptied just for them. On Saturday, while I was enjoyed my ‘only ladies’ seat, a senior citizen entered the bus from the front door (Senior citizens, pregnant ladies and handicapped enjoy the privilege of entering the bus from front exit) he looked for empty seat, but the bus was too crowded. He came to the seat that was reserved for senior citizens. There was an old lady sitting next to a young lady. The old man demanded that the young lady arise and give him the seat. But this lady refused, saying that she was a lady and he should not ever ask a lady to get up and offer a seat to a man, however old he may be. The old man got angry and he confronted the woman saying that when he sat on a ladies seat, he was asked to vacate it, and why can’t he ask her to vacate when she was occupying a senior citizen seat. The young woman refused to comply. The old man got angrier and summoned the bus conductor to solve the issue and the lady was forced to get up and offer her seat to the deserving candidate. The man, fully satisfied at his victory, enjoyed the ride, but I think he was not used to winning too many battles, so time and again he looked around and saw more uncomfortable passengers. He saw a lady with three small children, trying to balance herself and her three children, but not succeeding. Her one child leaned against his back and other fell when bus took a sharp turn. This old man finally got up and passed on his precious seat to the lady with three children, while he, himself, traveled the rest of the journey as a standee. On both counts, he was a winner!

Visit to health care centre in Wagni

Wagni is a small village near Karjat. Dr Vijaya Venkat arraged for us a visit to her farm at Wagni yesterday. At 6 a.m.(I had to break my slumber at 5a.m..yawn..so difficult actually) and set on our journey to Wagni in a special two buses with 50 more companions to enjoy this field trip. on our way to Wagni, after two hours journey, we ask the locals for direction. We then crossed the rail tracks to reach the other side.... and reached a village of wagni...can you see those buffaloes..? we reached the health center where we were welcomed warmly...... we were hungry, naturally and we were expecting soem snacks of batatawadas, samosas or pav bhaji..but oops, its a health center and junk food is NO*NO. so we were served mixed fruits which we ate listening to the experiences of other health proffessors.... after initial introduction and lots of smiles to people and to the plants that surrounded us from all direction, we were led to a meditation room where we learnt to talk to ourselves and to be with ourself. we closed our eyes (I slept, coz I wanted to catch up with the early morning sleep that I had missed because of this trip) but the room was cool and had large windows sans panes and the meditaion was done chanting out to a long OHM in a musical rhythm..... after the meditaion, we walked in the field that surrounded the meditation hall, talking to the plants, later during the day, we had to do some activity like collecting big stones and transporting them to other place and also watering the plant. I enjoyed watering the plants, it had cooling effect and I loved the smell of the earth..... after meditation we had our breakfast of saboo dhana Khichri and steamed corn which we were asked to eat in silence to be in complete company of plants and our body and to eat as slowly as we could (for full 30 minutes to eat just corn....yum, yum, yummy..) and then we went back to medition hall where we, now, did not meditate but spoke of health and many related questions were asked and were expertly answered by Dr Vijaya Venkat. at 3 pm we had our lunch, a complete organic lunch sans oil and after a group photograph we headed toward the polluted city where we continue to live against all odds.....

want to fry your brains....

When my friend suggested we go for a 'Bheeja fry', I was wondering whether it was worth it. There are no block buster stars. No heart rendering song and not even an item number. But couldn’t refuse my friend, so I decided to go. And I never expected it to be so funny. From the first scene to the last scene, it was very funny. I am glad I went.. a two hours well spent. the movie had terrific performance and crackling script.. Behja Fry, inspired by a French film, is mostly about one night in the life of an arrogant music company executive Ranjit, played by Rajat Kapoor. Every Friday night, Ranjit and his friends invite an unsuspecting wannabe for dinner. The idiot becomes the evening's entertainment. One evening, Ranjit invites a man who works in the Income Tax department but also desperately wants to be a singer. His name is Bharat Bhushan because his father was a fan of the actor. In his always locked briefcase, Bharat carries a scrapbook, that documents his own story in songs, Bhushan ki kahani, geeton ki zubani which he proudly shows to everyone whom he meets. This is the type of guy who knows that the word Aayega is used 28 times in the song, Ayega Ayega and the word chalet is used 44 time in Pakeezah's Chalte Chalte. This is the idiot to beat all idiots or so we think. Unfortunately Ranjit knocks his back out and his wife leaves him on the same night that Bharat Bhushan arrives. Naturally, he gets involved and what follows is a series of superbly funny events, which fry out Ranjit's brains and mine too. Worth a visit. Don’t miss it.

Sindhis in Uganda under great stress!

Sindhis are very enterprising and they take great risk and plunge in to foreign lands and make a bright future for themselves and their families. But some times they are not so lucky. Specially, if they go to those places where there is lack of security. Our Sindhi community friends are under great stress nowadays with the riots that broke out in Uganda. An Asian man in Uganda yesterday and two other people were killed during a protest over a plan to cut down nearly a third of a rainforest reserve to grow sugarcane, Police chiefs had approved yesterday 's march, called to protest plans to cut down tens of thousands of acres of Mabira Forest to expand the estate of the local Sugar Company, Scoul. Protest organizer Frank Muramuzi said the march began peacefully, before a "misunderstanding" with the police. All of a sudden everybody scattered and police opened fire with tear gas and live ammunition. As scores of demonstrators hurled rocks at police in the pouring rain, officers rescued more than 100 Asian men, that included Sindhis, besieged in a Hindu temple and elsewhere, and rushed them to a police station. Dozens were arrested. Some of them were inside the temple and the protesters started attacking them from outside. The scenes were similar to those of 1972, when the late former dictator Idi Amin expelled Uganda's Asians. Thousands have returned, but are viewed with suspicion by some Ugandans who resent their domination of many businesses. One Indian supermarket owner who gave his name as Kumar said rioters pulled him from his motorbike then beat him. The controversy began last year when President Yoweri Museveni ordered a study into whether to ax 17,000 acres or nearly a third of Mabira. Mabira -- which has been a nature reserve since 1932 -- is one of Uganda's last remaining patches of natural forest. The government's proposal angered some parliamentarians and residents. They argued that the environmental costs of slashing the rainforest would far exceed the economic benefits of the plantation

We all need to remember that women's heart attacks are different from that of men’s.

Many a times we see a protagonist in a movie enact a scene. Same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing a heart attack...you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor. But in reality, this woman had a different experience. She had a completely unexpected heart attack at about 10:30 pm with NO prior exertion; NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might've brought it on. She was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with her purring cat in her lap, reading an interesting story that her friend had sent her, and was actually thinking, "A-Ah, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up." A moment later, she felt that awful sensation of indigestion, like when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drinks a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was her initial sensation---the only trouble was that she hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m. After that had seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up her SPINE (hindsight, it was probably her aorta spamming), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under her sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR). This fascinating process continued on into her throat and branched out into both jaws. AHA!! NOW she stopped puzzling about what was happening--she had read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI (Myocardial Infarction...A Heart Attack) happening. Haven't we all heard it too? She said aloud to herself and the cat, "Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!" she lowered the foot rest, dumping the cat from her lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. She thought to herself "If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else.......but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in moment." She pulled herself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics... She told into the phone that she thought she was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into her jaws. She didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She was told that they would be sending the Paramedics over immediately, they asked if the front door was near her, and if so, to unbolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see her when they came in. She did as instructed and lost consciousness, as she didn't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting her onto a gurney or getting her into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to the hospital on the way, but she did briefly awaken when they arrived and saw that the Cardiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull her stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over her asking questions (probably something like "Have you taken any medications?") but she couldn't make her mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and she nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up her Femoral artery into the aorta and into her heart where they installed 2 side by side stents to hold open her right coronary artery. I know it sounds like all her thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the Paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and the hospital were only minutes away from her home, and her Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting her heart (which had stopped somewhere between her arrival and the procedure) and installing the stents. And she survived. But the point to remember is: 1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body, not the usual men's symptoms, but inexplicable things happening (until her sternum and jaws got into the act ). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one, and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation, and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up....which doesn't happen. Your symptoms might not be exactly like hers, so it is best to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to have a "false alarm" visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be! 2. Note that you must “Call the Paramedics". TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the hospital--you're a hazard to others on the road, and anyone else there with you who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road. Do NOT call your doctor—if he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Doctor will be notified later. 3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high, and/or accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI's are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better are the chances we could survive...

The day I became rich. ....well. ......almost….....

For a minute, I was happy. How did I get so lucky? Am I really eligible to receive eight hundred and fifty thousand Euros? Wow! My life is made. Now I can start planning to live like Richie Rich! I thought of buying an airplane of my own, or perhaps I would go for a world trip. Maybe I could donate some money to some charities too. I wanted to figure out how would I start spending such a big amount of money that I was promised on the net by an unknown ‘claim agent’ called Mr. William Ruffin of ‘Award free lotto company promotion’ who put my email address without my permission and drew out a lucky stake for me. I quickly made a note of telephone number, ticket number, serial number, and lucky number; I wrote in a small piece of paper and hid it in the dark corner of my desk. I was advised not to mention it to anybody till I get the full amount. It was a big, sweet secret. But, I wanted to make sure that it was real. Was the lady luck smiling on me? Thank God we have internet, where we can do the research on everything. And my research saved me from making a fool of myself. I soon discovered that it was a scam lottery. I discovered that I cannot win a legitimate lottery if I have not entered it. I have never even bought a lottery from any corner stores in my life. To win a lottery we must purchase a ticket to enter a legitimate lottery. If the claim agent has my email and my serial numbers, lottery numbers, etc, that I don’t have any knowledge of, why can’t he, the claim agent, pocket it? Why does he have to inform me? NO legitimate lottery contacts winners. Winners must always contact the lottery first. And then I will be told to pay some amount for some formalities of transferring the money to me. You never have to pay to collect winnings from a legitimate lottery or sweepstake. You pay taxes AFTER you receive the winnings. There are no other fees. I live in India, we have here our own lottery system. It is illegal under federal law to play ANY foreign lottery from the United States or Europe. My email was from ‘International email free lotto’. It is true that the scammers often use the name of a legitimate lottery in the scam. Since scammers simply invent new names for their fake lottery scams, it is more accurate to say that if you do not see the lottery on the list of legitimate lotteries, it is probably a scam. The best way to treat these "prize notification" from a lottery is to ignore it. We should not respond to these emails, nor EVER pay any money in advance to collect a prize. We must not reveal our full identity, nor reveal any financial or personal information, such as your bank account number or credit card details If you've wondered just how these scams unfold, and what happens at each stage, here is the step by step description of the typical lottery, Nigerian, AFF etc. scam: The scammers get your name and email address, physical address or phone number from somewhere online. Then he writes up a scam email or letter. Nothing in the winning notification letter is true. Don't rely on appearances. They may copy logos, photos, names, addresses and website links from real, legitimate organizations, to make their scam appear more genuine. You receive the email, letter or call. You feel happy and you contact the scammers and give them personal information. After you answer the first letter, they will write back asking for your personal identification. Sometimes, they ask for this information in the first email. This is used to steal your identity. They steal your identity by using your personal banking information, passport number, driver's license number, or credit card information. They don't care whether your credit is good or bad. They use this information to open accounts you don't know about and buy things, or commit crimes on these credit cards, in your name and then do not pay for them. Sometimes they may send you a cashier's check, DON’T EVER CASH IT. The check or money order you have received is certain to be COUNTERFEIT or stolen. If you cash it, you will be responsible for the entire amount. You may also be arrested for fraud. Legitimate lottery winnings are sent by check using DHL, UPS, or FedEx. The check has the lottery company name on it, no other names. You can go to this website and verify the routing number on the check and get the bank's phone number, then call the bank to verify that the account is real and the check is real. And thus, I was convinced that it was spam, I quietly checked the email of ‘the Award money’ and slowly clicked the button ‘delete’ and reported it to spam so that it would haunt me no more. My dreams of living like ‘Richie Rich’ evaporated. I continue to live on my own steady income and forget about eight hundred and fifty thousand Euros that had made me rich…well……almost….if only it was true.

Don’t bother going to Jodhpur for a wedding…..you are not invited….

For, the most eagerly-awaited Bollywood wedding — of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai — will be held in Mumbai on April 20. The venue, according to sources, will in all probability be Amitabh Bachchan’s Mumbai home. In case you’re headed to your wardrobe, get this. It’s not going to be the big fat Bollywood wedding. From all accounts, the guest list will be a close 15 — the Bachchan and Rai families and close friends like Amar Singh, the Ambanis et al. Jaya Bachchan was in Jaipur when she learnt about her son's decision to marry Aishwarya. SP leader and a close friend of the Bachchans, Amar Singh, immediately flew from Bhatinda in Punjab to Lucknow. From there, he went to Jaipur to congratulate Jaya. The two then flew to Mumbai. Anil and Tina Ambani too reached the Bachchan residence "Jalsa" to attend the family celebrations. The Bachchans, along with the Ambanis and Amar Singh, then went to Aishwarya's Bandra residence with the "shagun". The couple exchanged rings there. Aishwarya has of late been seen with the Bachchan family. Rumours about the impending marriage intensified in November last year, when she even performed early morning puja along with Abhishek and his family at Varanasi's famous Kashi Vishwanath and Sankat Mochan temples. Well placed sources say Ash also spent the New Year-eve with the Bachchans. Significantly, the engagement was held a day after "kharmaas" (inauspicious month) ended with Makar Sankranti being celebrated on Sunday.According to north Indian customs, no auspicious work is undertaken during "kharmaas". Big B's mother Teji Bachchan is critically ill and admitted to Lilavati Hospital. Amitabh wants the wedding as early as possible so that she can witness it.Even as the Bachchan parivaar goes low-key because of Amitabh's mother Teji being admitted in hospital, the preparations at the bride's house are hotting up. Over 15 kg of local henna will travel to wherever (the trader refuses to disclose where) the ceremony takes place. Sojat, a place in Rajasthan is from where Aishwarya Rai will get henna for her mehndi (henna) ceremony when she weds Abhishek Bachchan. The henna packets would be sent five days prior to the wedding day. These traders had prepared a special type of mehndi for model and actress Liz Hurley's wedding to NRI businessman Arun Nayar recently. Sojat and its surrounding areas in the Pali district of the state boast of the most intensive henna cultivation in India. Up to 90 percent of Rajasthan's commercial henna production is in this area. Over 100 henna processing units are in operation in Sojat. Designer Neeta Lulla, Ash's long-time friend and designer, will be dressing up the actress. The groom's family has begun preparations for the upcoming celebrations. And on top of their shopping list seems to be the bride's dress, the Bachchans have ordered a priceless Banarasi lehenga for their soon-to-be daughter-in-law. , the Banarasi lehenga, which Ash is likely to wear on the wedding day. Meanwhile, the Rai home in La-Mer building at Mumbai will be the venue for the mehendi, haldi and sangeet ceremonies while the main wedding will take place in the old Bachchan residence, Prateeksha. The ceremonies at Ash's will be attended by her closest friends and family. The invitations from the bride's side are reported to have already gone out and mother Brinda has been making personal calls to people. What sort of a wedding gift do you give a couple who seem to have it all? We're talking about the dilemma most guests to the Abhiash wedding must be going through these days — what with the wedding of the century being just over a week away. But invitee Subrata Roy sure has his gifting plan in order, down to the very last detail. Roy has apparently commissioned a 3D cast impression of Abhishek Bachchan holding Aishwarya Rai's hand from artist Bhavna Jasra, who has in the past made impressions for Fardeen Khan and his wife Natasha as well as for Zayed and Malaika Khan. As both Abhishek and Aishwarya are out of town, He cannot get a cast of their hands. But when they return, he will personally be going over and making a mould of their hands, so that the impression can be made in time for their wedding. That's what we call making a good 'impression'on the newly-weds!

Provoked...a good film...

I went for a film today after nearly three month. I went to see ‘Provoked’. My first disappointment was that the movie was dubbed in Hindi. I would have preferred to watch it in English. Anyway, my disappointed soon wearied off when I got engrossed in the movie. I really enjoyed it very much. Aishwarya Rai is a good actress and she has proved it once again that she can make you identify with the social problems and make you react to it. The movie makes you sympathizes with women, who leave their families and go in a distant land to live with a strange man. If the husband is abusive then life become hell, and she lives in fear in her husband’s prison. She gets her freedom in jail, where she is able to change her outlook and learns to express herself freely. In 'Provoked' Aishwarya Rai plays the real-life role of battered wife Kiranjeet Ahluwalia who was compelled to kill her husband Unable to bear the brutality and repeated rapes by her alcoholic husband, Punjabi housewife based in UK, Kiranjit Ahluwalia (Aishwarya Rai) sets fire to her abusive husband, Deepak Ahluwalia (Naveen Andrews) and kills him unintentionally. She is sentenced to life imprisonment where she befriends her cellmate, a wealthy white woman named Veronica Scott (Miranda Richardson), from whom she learns English. Her cell mate is so moved by her story that she asks her step-brother, Edward Foster (Robbie Coltrane), a respected Queen’s Counsel, to file her appeal. Her case comes to the notice of a group of social workers running the Southall Black Sisters organisation. They bring her plight to the attention of the media by organizing rallies. She is ultimately freed by the judicial system in the landmark case called Regina vs Ahluwalia that redefined the word ‘provocation’ in the case of a battered woman.

Cricket fever!

Hey you naughty boy! Stop bawling now! I know, I know, it hurts. I shouldn’t have wriggled your ears thus. I admit it. More than ninety degrees hurts. But you deserved it. Isn’t it? I expected you to do well. Imagine you go all the way to a strange land to play cricket and you come back so soon? You couldn’t even reach super eight! Yesterday, the media people called me. They want their money back…all their endorsement…I will never again be able to see you smiling and eating those fancy chocolates on those hoarding again. Now those film stars are smiling! Okay, calm down now. Let me think. So, what do you plan to do? I have a brilliant idea. Come, now you must learn to help me in the kitchen. You must learn to keep yourself busy. Isn’t it? Now that your cricket career is over, you must seriously think of new profession. There is lot of money in food business too. If you display your culinary skills well, the media will follow you there too; they may give you a slot in TV channels. You might even get many endorsement there too, don’t you worry about that. Eh? I will teach you basics first, then, you can enroll in the catering college. Here take this bowl, wash it for me. No! Don’t hold it like that. It’s just a steel bowl. It’s not a world cup! You dropped that cup already. Now, now! Don’t start bawling again. I told you there is an alternate profession for you. Let me teach you to make a salad first. Remember the first step to cooking is to make good salads. Hey! What are you doing? Don’t rub that against your thigh! Oh, Oh! You don’t shine that. Look carefully, that’s a potato! See that? Give me that! I said GIVE IT TO ME. Ouch! You didn’t have to swing it at me like that! You naughty boy! When will you learn! Huh? Okay, now let’s start cutting the vegetables. Here, take this knife. Uuufff! You don’t hold the knife with both hands! Just fingers man. Just fingers of hand only. Understand! Okay, never mind, leave this to me. Here, you take this carrot. What are you DOING? Why are you swinging your arms like that? You don’t need warming exercises here! Just swing your wrist. Take this grater, hold the carrot and swing it with your wrist. See! How easy it is to grate a carrot. Oh my Gawd! You cannot keep these three cucumbers in the plate like that. I understand! I understand! They remind you of those wickets. But it’s over! IT IS OVER! Now chop those and arrange it on this plate. Hmmm! The salad looks good. Perfectly oval-shaped arrangement! Now let’s boil some lentils. Lentils are easy to cook too. We just wash, rinse and pressure cook. Here, help me with this cooker. Wokaaay! When you hear four whistling sounds, you must put off the gas. No, you don’t whistle, the pressure cooker will. You wait here while I go and take a bath. BOOM! SIXER! What the HELL! OH MY GOODNESS! NOW, SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! WHY DIDN’T YOU PUT OFF THAT GAS? HUH? Come now; help me clean this lentil from the ceiling and the walls. You are good not nothing! Hey! You naughty boy! You start bawling again?

I am stressed!

Whenever, I go visiting, I am offered tea or coffee.. array baba.. I don’t want na. These drinks affect my nervous system and they deplete available supply of vitamins and minerals which are my body’s main resource. But you don’t understand. You spoilt your health and mine too. Whenever I am sick, you offer your sound advice, and then you go to your medicine box and pluck a medicine for me…array baba try to understand I don’t want drugs to cure me…. Chemical remedies cannot ‘cure’ any problems, they merely defer their effects. Do you want me to become addicted to drugs? huh? Give me herbal teas like Camomile, passion flower or lime-blossom tea this will help me to relieve stress and tension. You don’t understand my body like I do. You offer me out of good will and I can’t refuse and then I get stressed. Ok.. When ever I feel stress, I allow my body to relax a bit. I am going to sleep.

Pills don’t cure us….. they make us more sick! uufff!

Many of us just keep popping food into our mouth without thinking. We cut vegetable, in goes a piece of carrot into our mouth. We cook the meal, in goes the spoonful of broth for taste. Food left over on the table, not charitable enough to share with a helper, we stuff it in our over full stomach. And then, we complain of overweight, discomfort, or pain. The problem arises when we don’t understand our body. It is very important to understand that health is the harmony between our physical, mental, social and spiritual states and each one of us has the power to heal ourselves. The only important thing to remember is to understand what our body indicates and act accordingly. Whenever we eat, we must be aware of what we are eating. We must be in a relaxed state of mind and we should do breathing exercise before eating for the body to have enough oxygen for doing its work We must remember that our body needs time, space and energy to function properly. It has three main important things to do: Digestion, assimilation and distribution of energy and cleaning. When we eat food, the priority is first give to the brain. Therefore all the nutrients first go to the brain for a complete refill and then other parts of the body get their nutrients. If the mind is not relaxed then lot of energy is wasted and other parts are deprived of its nutrients. The enzymes that are used for digestion make the food alkaline to be distributed to different parts of the body and the toxic is discarded by the body. On eating the wrong food, there is much toxic produced and the body starts to send signals with symptoms like high fever, cold, etc. Then, what do we do? We take medicines. To kill the discomfort, we take pills, not realizing that we are interfering with body’s way of removing the toxic from the body. By taking too many pills, we suppress the discomfort from one point but we destroy the good cells that are surrounding the sick cells. Thus with weak cell wall, there is no control and the cells start multiplying leading to many more disease and that put us in bad health. There is really no need to take pills. Just control your diet and allow body to fight with the bad germs. By eating proper food we can remain healthy. When we eat fruits, they help our body to do the safaie.(cleaning) when we eat salad, we help our body to produce enzymes that are required for digestion. When we eat sprouts and nuts, we help our body in its construction task of building of its cells. When you are sick or weak, don’t touch pills. Just take rest, or better still, go to sleep and let body go to war with those naughty germs.

I like cooked food!

Human beings are the only species who cook food. Even when they eat raw food, they cannot eat without garnishing the salad. Now my nutritionist is saying that eating cooked food is wrong. She says that cooking destroys vitamins. The application of heat is destructive to vitamins, and higher the temperature, the more destructive heat will be to vitamins. Not only are these vitamins destroyed but their residue is unstable and toxic when ingested. During cooking there is mineral loss. Minerals are essential for all metabolic activities. Their presence sustains the alkalinity of body fluids. Minerals are required for structure, in healing and repair. People who lack the mineral in their diet feel the fatigue and lack of endurance and strength. When we choose mineral-rich foods and then eat them uncooked, masticating the food well, we then will provide our body with best raw materials to produce healthy cells and tissues. Cooking destroys food enzymes that are required for the digestion of the food. Enzymes activate and control all the chemical actions and reactions within the cells and regulate the energy output for all physical and mental activity. Cooking alters the proteins and they become less digestible and toxic. It is not possible for our body to build its own proteins from food if the proteins have been coagulated and amino acids de-ammonized. Cooking fat containing foods renders the fat and the foods less digestible and highly toxic. The National Academy of science has noted that. in countries where the consumption is high of food like sausages, fish, ham, etc, cancer of the digestive track is common. All these products are high in fat content and all are eaten after being subjected to heat. So I ask my nutritionist, what do I eat? I can’t possibly eat raw veggies all the time. My forefathers have introduced us to cooked meals, you don’t expect us to go back to that raw vegetable diet? And she replies, “Eat what you are used to but eat salads. Very important! Understand! Eat salad. Eat cooked vegetables to please your tongue and eat raw veggies to please your body”. So now, I eat the tasty meal and chomp it down with salad, washed and grated. Hence forth I will eat fresh veggies with cooked food so that I get enough nutrients and not worry about the nutrients that I have already destroyed while cooking!

So today is the Cheti Chand..Happy New Year to Sindhis!

Cheti Chand A new year for Sindhis, to be celebrated with much pomp and show,

It’s the day to get kharchi from elders and to wear new clothes and go to visit relatives and get more kharchi.

 In the evening to go to some entertainment show where they will sing those same songs that they have brought from Sindh (with little alteration here and there). Those same song, sung long ago by Ram Punwani and Bhagwanti Navani etc. songs like Ek soun jo rupeeo allah ree allah. and songs like ‘Lal ja jati chau Julelal Bera hi paar, Sadai Sahukar’ (now u know how Sindhis get rich? If you chant Sadai Sahukar in front of Lal Sahi, and keep such positive energies all the time and then naturally you will get rich na? JuleLal always listen to people who are hard working and hold such positive energies. Lage raho …lage raho.. Sadai Sahukar. JULELAL!

 Okay this much information is enough for a child of seven year old to understand. But I need to know more about what else do they do? So I asked my sister to give me some insight.

She asked me to accompany her to Julelal mandir and she promised me lunch (good enough reason to go, free lunch? Why not! I went to Lal Sahiji’s mandir with her. The mandir was full of Sindhi ladies in late 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. There were few children (probably the grand children) but the youngsters were not there at all. Array Baba, who will go to these Mandirs after, say next 20 years from now? Our culture is dying na! With youngster, who are not in the least interested? ‘.Lal Sahi. Are You Listening? Days are numbered…..no youngsters visiting you? Eh?’

 Anyways we reached mandir and there were some ladies making the dough of flour and shaping it into diya (lamp), (each diya was stuffed with cloves and cardamom) and another dough mould (decorated with silver vark, dry fruits like almonds and cashew nuts) to hold the misri (rock sugar), they were placed in thali (a big steel plate) and given it to those who did not bring any from their home. But my sister believes in doing everything herself, so she had come prepared bringing with her all the things in her potli (bag). She only borrowed the thali from the mandir and one by one she removed from her potli and started placing items into the thali , things like diya (Filling it with pure Ghee and cotton wick), miisri, rice, fruit, biscuit and flowers, vermillion, and few coins. She then stood in a long queue to present this thali to the guryani (a woman priest) who would light the lamp, read the prayers and bless her thali. After the prayers she placed the thali (now, after prayers, this thali is called Barano Sahib) on her head and turned 360 degrees (three times) before she went outside the mandir and place the thali in front of huge picture of JuleLal (which had many more similar thalis) for the final blessing. She started praying once more (her own method this time) putting rice in her own thali, plus in other thalis and staring at the picture then shutting her eyes again.

 I meekly asked where the free lunch is. Eh? I followed the glance of my sister which rested on the long queue, waiting in line to get the food. Queues like you see at refugee camps…or those queues that you see in movies where the prisoners wait for food. Are we supposed to stand in this queue? I remembered that dialogue in some movie where protagonist says ‘hum judar khare ho jate hai.. vahi se line suroo hoti hai….’ I wondered if I could use that dialogue here…and cut this long queue…but alas!….with my sister around, nothing will work.. Disciple comes first!

So I quietly stand behind her and wait for Prasad. Delicious Prasad! Indeed! Peas pulau, bhee aloo. Salad. Puri, achar, fried bhajiysa, sweet rice, boiled channa, and sayoo and to drown it all with rose sherbet. (all fattening….my nutrition analyst would not approve of this meal.) Never mind, its new year na! …Lal ja Jati chau JULELAL bera hi Paar Sadai sahukar! Now I am getting some idea about this Cheti Chand According to the Hindu calendar,

Cheti Chand is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month known as Chet in Sindhi. Hence it is known as CHET-I-CHAND The Sindhi community celebrates the festival of Cheti Chand in honour of the birth of Ishtadeva Uderolal, popularly known as Jhulelal, the Patron Saint of the Sindhis. This day is considered to be very auspicious and is celebrated with pompous and gaiety. On this day, people worship water – the elixir of life. Followers of Jhulelal observe Chaliho Sahab. It suggests that for forty long days and nights they underwent rituals and vigil on the bank of Sindhu. They did not shave, nor did they wear new clothes or shoes. They did not use soap or oil or any opulent thing. They just washed their clothes, dried them and wore them again. In the evening, they worshipped God Varun, sang songs in his praise and prayed for their solace and salvation. After 40 days of Chaaliho, the followers of Jhulelal celebrate the occasion with festivity as 'Thanks Giving Day' even till today. A lamp is lit on a bronze plate, and this ritual is called Jyot Jagan. One lamp, akshaoil and vermillion are kept on this plate . A procession is taken out to the river front or sea shore. Lakhs of people participate in the long processions taken out in different cities, with colourful floats, depicting the life of the Saint and other aspects of Sindhi culture. The Sindhi folk dance called "Chhej" is performed with the procession. People go to a river or a lake and Bahrano Saheb is immersed in the water along with rice and sugar prasad called "Akho". It is customary to sing Lal Sain's Panjras and Palav to seek his grace. New ventures are started on this day. After the worship of Jhulelal, the Sindhi community display and present their rich culture through dance, drama, music and folk arts that are preserved and passed on to…next generation..?

  If only, our new generation can show some interest, then maybe. the lamp will continue to be lit…….!

Oops! India lost the first game! Storm in the cup!

I am not a cricket fan and therefore am not aware how our Indian team plays. Before the world cup started, I had asked everybody whether they played well and every body was hopeful that they will bring the world cup this time. Yesterday when Indian team played with Sri Lanka and lost, I saw the disappointment on my friend's faces. Every body is making a mockery of India's 'cash-rich cricketers' and the cricketing authorities for making cricket 'a product, not sport.' For the cricket lovers in India, the four favorite teams they would have liked to watch in the semi-finals matches were India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Now, they are not so sure.