Tags are so difficult and time consuming ! Devil Ji ne kaha ki mai yeh tag le loon...So here go...
Four Places I have lived
I have only three here:
Mumbai
My Home. Writing about Mumbai isn't easy. Being born and brought up here makes it difficult to be objective about the city. All I can say is that it's a place for every kind of soul.
Gandhidham
Naani ka ghar is what Gandhidham is all about. Have lived many a months there. A small, sleepy town with warm hearted people and joint families, lots of food, gaane ka juice, kulfis, games, fun and frolic. My childhood would have been incomplete without this lovely place. Another connection I feel
with Gandhidham is due to my Sindhi Roots. After Partition, hordes of Sindhis came and settled down here,re-built their lives and fortunes. The place makes me proud of my lineage.
Hong Kong
After Mumbai, if I ever decide to make a second home, it sure would be HK.
The place taught me what true independence meant. I love the place, the helpful people, the law & order and the safety it ensures for everyone. The best thing about HK is that it is a melting pot of so very many communities and religions, lots to learn by way of observation. Again traveling to other Asian countries is bliss due to it's favourable location. My stay there is very close to my heart and I cherish all my friendships born on that land.
Four TV shows I love(d) to watch
Small Wonder
The lovely family, the witty kids and the whole Sci-Fi thing made it a lovable series.
Different Strokes
I absolutely loved this series too. Lovely story and very sweet characters. "Arnold" and his "What you talkin about Willis?" became an anthem for all of us.
Friends
I had always stayed away from this series. Major reason being that every other person loved it ! I just couldn't understand what was soo very good about a sitcom which outlined lives, sex lives, (mis)adventures of a group of 6 people! Only when I started watching it late last year, did I realise that there was a lot more going on here. It's one of the most humorous series ever to have come out.
Sarabhai vs Sarabhai
Iske baare mai kya kahen? The whole Sarabhai Family is fun to be with :-) Its difficult to decide here about who takes the best acting trophy !
Vacation
Daman
Fabulous place with some great beaches. Smooth winds, finger licking food and lazy people. A big fave with alcoholics too since alcohol is dirt cheap here.
Goa
Again, amazing beaches, lots of parties and some of the laziest blokes you shall ever find around.
Macau
One of the most scenic places ever ! Macau is rightfully known as the Las Vegas of Asia. Apart from the mindless gambling, the city offers some of the best architecture ever seen. Casinos in the form of old, dilapidated forts and war torn buildings really had me fooled! I love the place because of the multi-cuisine
restaurants and the fun activities it has to offer. Also, this was the place where I tried some gravity defying stunts and went on for the Sky Walk at the Macau Tower! Given my fear of heights, that day truly made me feel proud !
Shanghai
I don't follow F1. Yet, when a friend booked tickets for Shanghai GP 2007, I couldn't stop myself from actually finding out more about the city Mumbai wanted and still wants to ape. Shanghai... Lots of sweet memories and awe. Lots of fear and anxiety too. Finally, faith in Humanity. I had a whale of a time going for the GP. The rush, the cars zooming by - all could be heard about 1 km away from the actual stadium ! I could see how and why Shanghai attracted so much investment ! The government has done ample to provide some world class infrastructure & amazing connectivity. The city also has a dedicated area to showcase the Old Shanghai and has done it's bit to protect the Old World Buildings, temples and art forms.
But all awe and fun ended when I missed my return flight to HK and was stranded at the Shanghai Aiport for 12 hours ! I was very foolish. Don't know why I didn't carry my cards.With not enough cash to buy tickets and no one ready to listen to English, I lived some of the scariest hours at the Airport.This is when Swayam Bhagwaan ke Roop mai ek insaan ne meri madad ki.
The best and the most unbelievable thing was that he didn't know me !! In an unknown land, not knowing someone, not knowing the credentials of the person you are about to help, Unsure if your money would ever be returned, you decide to pay up a few thousand $s for the person! This, among many incidents, still makes me very emotional and believe in humanity.
Just an FYI - The guy who helped me was from HK :-) So again, HK !!
Fave Foods
Anything Related to Paneer - Anything, absolutely anything.
Rice - Be it dal chawal, kali daal-rajma aur chawal, Biryani, kheer, chawal ka paratha, khichdi...I love Rice in all it's forms.
Bhindi - Need I again repeat the above mentioned sentences?
Chocolate Cakes & Pastries - Absolutely nothing beats a warm, spongy Chocolate Cake.The rich aroma is what I love the most about such cakes and pastries.
Four Places I would rather be
Kashmir - One of my dreams is to go to an Ice Laden locale. Nothing beats Kashmir at that!
England - I would love to go to England. The place has a rich history. Would liketo know more about this place, the birthplace of industrialisation and also colonialisation. Also, many small towns in and around England would offer perfect chance to enjoy an un-adulterated, simple life.
Australia - I somehow feel Australia offers a lot more beauty than an of the westernised nations. Hence...
Mathura
Would love to go to this amazing town and find out more about Lord Krsna's pass times...
Before I die
A World trip with Family
Do my bit to re-vamp education system in India
Open a world class facility to look after and care for animals
Own a Multi Cuisine Restaurant
Four Books
To Kill A Mocking Bird
A classic that every one should read. Atticus Finch is my ideal man :-)
Pride & Prejudice
The best love story ever ! A lovely, yet, difficult heroine and an seemingly hard hearted yet amazing hero ! Lots of mis-understandings, yet a fabulous climax !
The Chamber
My favourite Grisham novel. The book is a psychological thriller which traces the lives of two men - One on the death row and burdened with a life riddled with Racism, Prejudice and Guilt. Another, who is hell bent on saving the first one. Though the book is a work of fiction, I learnt a LOT from it. Guilt is definitely
the worst emotion one can ever live with.
The Kite Runner
A wonderful look at a war torn country and an even more amazing account of two intertwined lives. The book very beautifully portrays how one's childhood never really leaves one. I say, don't watch the movie ! Go read this masterpiece.
The Outliers
I just can't not add this book in my fave list ! The best Non-Fiction I have ever read!
Four Movies
Andaz Apna Apna - This is my all time favourite movie and can watch it day in and day out.
Swades - Another favourite movie. I think this is the only sensible and likable movie ever done by SRK. Amazing lyrics and lovely music. The simple yet sweet, intelligent yet ziddi Geeta AKA Gayatri ki fan ban gayi mai..
Muskurahat - A small town, a mentally challenged girl in search of her father, a soft hearted Coolie and a Hitler kind of a Barrister...Don't know how many people remember this lovely movie... I absolutely love the story. Amrish Puri & Revathy have given some remarkable performances in this flick.
Mr India - I don't think any childhood is complete without this movie ! An absolute sweetheart in the form of Arun Verma, an invisible man with a heart of Gold. I remember wanting to become Mr India too till my parents made me realise ki technical problems ki wajah se mai kabhi Mister nahi ban paaungi...
All my blogger friends are invited to take this tag. I, however, especially tag ARJuna. Don't think he has ever taken a tag :-)
India's got talent - This is a new show on Colors. I must say, it has some pretty good talent coming over from all across the country.
A wonderful platform for one and all. The show is telecast on Saturdays and Sundays between 9-10 PM.
Do watch it.
Rakhi's Sawant's Swayamvar - Is the collective intelligence of "man"kind actually down in the dumps?? I find the show and Rakhi to be *bullshit*. No, not funny at all.
All the crap about a sad, deprived childhood and wanting now to become a committed bahu, biwi and maa just don't cut through me.
Did thousands of guys actually send through the proposals? I mean they reallllyyy want to settle down with Rakhi (the scary babe who looks scarier after her surgery)?
Ya ya, all you guys are free to think - aurat hi aurat ki dushman bani hui hai ;-)
But seriously?!
Movies -
Juno - Had heard a lot about this caper and how it showed a new and different perspective on teen age pregnancy and the responsibilities involved.
I found the Lead Actress, Ellen Page, to be very charming on the whole. Can't say so about the movie.
Ice Age 1 & 2 - I saw this lovely movie back to back with my mom. Both of us absolutely loved the characters, the story and the antics involved. It's safe to say that it is now my favourite animation movie, followed by Monster's Inc. & Finding Nemo.
Uploading two videos from India's Got Talent -
Krishna Transformation - Some fabulous moves here by this team from Orissa. See if you can recognize what these formations stand for -
Malakhamb - Watch the video from the 4th minute onwards. Amazing show of strength and grace here !
Thoda Has Lo Pehle....
Just came across this fab joke on Deepak's Blog and here.
How Does one Fight Terrorism?
A Probable PM in the making replies -
I am confident that this country can take on terrorism. Defeating it is no problem. If we empower those people in villages, we can sit back, relax and we will destroy terrorism in 15 minutes."
I have been having fits of laughter since I read this one :D
Ab Thoda Soch Lo...
Just read somewhere that -
"A gentleman is simply a patient wolf"
What say guys? Is it true? :)
