Dear Elizabeth here I come...

Bismilla-e-Rehman-e-Rahim. Rehmantulla-e-Allah-e-Rajahu. Pehle toh main Allah tala ka shukriada karna chahunga.

Finally got the VISA for United Kingdon yesterday evening. Two-three days of stupid tension got over at 5.30 PM yesterday.

One of the best examples of outsourcing was seen yesterday. Here in Madras you need not go to the British Consulate for VISA. All you need to do is submit all your papers to the VFS office and they will check if your papers are ok or not. If the papers are perfect they send it to the British Consulate and then you come back the next day to collect your passport. Three possibilities, either you get the VISA or you dont get the VISA or you are called to the consulate. In my case I got the VISA. Its like a movie thing going on; they call your name and the Passport is in a bag and you dont know whether you have got the VISA or not till you open the bag. Total Alfred Hitchcock types movie funde. In about 100 people who came in the afternoon to collect the papers and passports only around 10 were called for the interview to the British Consulate. Excellent example of outsourcing.

Nao I gu tu de Pub and haf a lut uf Bee(R silent) and kick de arse uf de Brit and teach him how tu du de Bangra. Aye aye lads here I cum.

Few of the friends said; when you first land in London, every person speaking english there would look like a guy who knows a little english, all because of his awesome accent. You would feel like "Yes this guy knows a little english but he must be a French or from Check republic or somone from Croatia and knows little english and is trying to speak english."

Would be leaving Hindustan ki dharti on 10th most probably.

Jai Raam Ji Ki...

V...

PS: please dont laugh at the photo on the VISA thing. Its horrible.

Marriages are made on the Internet???

Today when I opened Rediff, this big pop-up window or screen came up. It has this stupid window saying "GET MARRIAGE PROPOSALS BY EMAIL from Shaadi.Com" I really don't think anyone gets married by sending the resume to someone. Cut the crap man. Do the amma and appa of that South Indian Brahmin everyday pooja doing girl know what the groom was doing all his life??? You never know where the guy would be hanging around before he thinks "Ok I have done everything with every girl in this town, now I should get married to some girl from some where else." You never know its a possibility I say.

See we should all get married (if we want to) by the old fashioned way. Girl meets boy, then the brahma-astra of Mr. Cupid strikes and then.........................................

I am totally against the marriage through internet thing, which is florishing in India like the DotCom boom. I think for marriage love is most important. Moms and Dads should understand that next 50 years of the life when they will not be around, their sons or daughters should have someone to look after him or her. They should look at the girl or guy more than looking at her cast or creed or color of skin or religion.

Well one counter view is also there; which says, its a big business and internet is allowing it to florish and also now you can choose from a huge database of to be brides and grooms. But I am still against it because whats the fun then?? No falling in love?? No fighting?? No roothna manana?? Maza kahan hai yar?? Also I think that the internet thing is for girls and guys who can't chose one for themselves.

Kini has already made it clear to his parents, "Look I am only going to marry after I fall in love with some girl, not just someone whom you say she is ok for me" I hope some day some girl finds him attractive enough to say "Yes Kini darling I do" Till then Kini will kep searching for "The one"

Well these site and business houses will keep florishing in India till Mr. Cupid is busy in other countries.

V...

Khalistan!!

I saw this photo on a Punjabi daily which is published from Ontario, Canada called Sanjh Sawere. The guy in pink turban in Chief Minsister of Punjab, Captain Amrinder Singh. On the wall we can see its written KHALISTAN ZINDABAD in punabi. This is the worst thing that could have happened to the Punjabi community after the Blue Star and end of terrorism in Punjab. I hope he gets some sense in his head and doesnt attend functions that spread anti India feelings.

Jai Raaam Ji KI...

V..

Just Perfect

Clockwise, from right top : Formula 1 starting, Mexicans teach samba to the Brazilians, Bangaldeshis think they have won the worldcup and Japs trashing the Greeks.
It was indeed a weekend I had been waiting for. Football, Cricket, Formula 1 what else does a guy need?? With your aunt cooking great food for you and your cousin brother sitting next to you and shouting. You obviously enjoy the sport more.

Saturday : Bangladesh thrashed Australia in Natwest Cricket Challenge in England. They screwed the happiness out of the Ozzys and one Bangladeshi pigmie scored run-a-ball century. McGrath and Gilespie were hit all around the park and Ponting was cutting grass rather than hanging on to the ball.

Sunday: Australia loses their second match in Natwest Cricket Challenge. Pietersen hits the Ozzys for huge sixes and scores 91 of 65 balls. The last 61 of his runs came of just 25 balls.

In football, World Champions Brazil lose to Mexico 1-0 and Euro Champions Greece lose to Japan. What is happening to the field of sports??

Now the mother of all stories.

Formula1 Motor racing: Only 6 cars start the United States Grand Prix and Ferrai finishes first and second. The problem was with the Michelin tyres which were not safe for driving at 345 Kms/hr. According to some people "making tyres is like black magic" and Michelin engineers got it all wrong this time. They arrived there with 2 sets of tyres and were not performing well. Some slipping kind of thing in that loooooong stretch of the Indianapolis circuit. ralf Schumacher had a bad accident on Friday practise sesion. Michelin asked US GP guys to make a new chicane so that speed is reduced and slipage doesnt occur. Stupid request which can never happen. All fault was with the Michelin engineers who couldnt get the tyres right. After the formation lap, the cars running on Michelin tyres went into the pits and race started with 6 cars from the Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi constructors.

Our own Narain Kartikeyen came 4th and obviously the awards ceremony was really sad. Only Tiago Montiero (who came third) opened the champagne bottle. Rubens Barichello (came 2nd)and Michael Schumacher (came 1st) just walked away after the ceremony. This was really sad for the fans who had spent more than $ 100 for tickets.

I hope the controversy doesnt happen again and we can see some great races in future. All the best Narain.

JRJK...

V...

Thrbbrrrtttthhhh !!!

Two Kids (Priya and Aditya)

Bhavdeep Virdi
Priya loves to stick out her tongue at anyone she wishes and this photo was taken very smartly by me, what timing I have. I hope she doesnt change her habit once she reads the blog. She looks like of a little kid with her tongue out. :-)
The little kid is a nice little guy & a naughty fellow of one Mr. Rakesh or Ramesh; I forgot his name; who happens to be some friend of my mamaji. Everytime I wanted to take Adiyta's photo, out came his tongue.
So here we are two kids ith their tongue sticking out and they look so cool. :-)

I really liked creating this collage in PICASA. My first collage. Yahoo. Balle Balle!! :-)
V...

Paratha Time Folks!!!

Room 319, Ganga Hostel, IIT Madras, 8.30 PM to 9.30 PM

From Left to Right : Vital, Tullu and Rajesh Mishra. People missing : Me and Tiny

My cousin shifted to Madras and is staying with me. He has joined school and also coaching institues for IIT-JEE preparation. His mommy (my mamiji) is here to just get him settled and then she will leave in few days. This was an opportunity for all my friends, especially Tullu to say "Abe ghar ka khana khila de yaar. Kab layega yaar?? OK bring tomorrow." Tullu didnt give me an opportunity to say NO.

So, yesterday Mamiji made some 20 aalooo parathas, aachar and curd for friends. And the feast started at 8.30 PM. Maaza aa gaya. Wah Wah Wah. Maamiji ke haath ke bane parathe wah wah wah. Zindagi jeene ka maaza aa gaya. (can't explain this in english but means, its greatest of all the great feelings in life... something like that)

Tiny gave gyan about how my cousin should study for JEE, so that he gets a good rank. Vital gave his vishesh comments (his weight is around 120 kgs pakka) "Arre yeh toh poora deja vu ho gaya hain yaar, mere ko laga main aaj aaloo ke parathe khaunga, aur le Virdi aaaloo ke parathe le ke aa gaya." Tiny replies, " Oh F%$#, sahi hai yaar tu Vital ek dum sahi hai"

and as usual Tullu was busy eating and baatein kam. Saale ne panch parathe kha liye. Mota sandh ho gaya hai (and yes he was again with out clothes in his room) .

Maza aa gaya kal. Kya life hai. wah wah wah.

Rajesh also brought some mithai which Tullu had it alone and gave us all just one piece which we all had to share. He is a mean man and if I get a chance I will throw him down from the hostel balcony. (waiting for my chance... hehehhe... Calvin wicked laughter)

JRJK..

V...

Michael "White" Jackson - Not Guilty

Michael Jackson's fans have been celebrating the pop star's acquittal on child abuse charges after a four-month-long trial in California. About 300 people cheered and sang the pop star's songs outside his Neverland ranch, but were ushered away by security guards after nightfall. Hundreds of fans had rejoiced outside the court as the verdicts were read.

Its a great news for the Afro population in the United States of America yet again. After the O. J. Simpson trail we have yet another Afro American (who doesnt quite look Afro anymore) escaping the clutches of law. Oh and on top of all this, Mr. Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe, who defended the star in court, said she was "overjoyed that the justice system really works". Michael "White" Jackson has been found not guilty of the child abuse charges. Despite his innocence, his career, reputation, family life and finances hang precariously in the balance.

I really dont know whats the connection betwen votes and the Afro American population. and one more thing I just wanted to add. "There can be no smoke without fire!!!" The king of pop is now "KingKong- the Villian."

V..

Parineeta

Saw Parineeta on Friday night.

Though Sarat Chandra Chatterjee wrote Parineeta in 1914, the movie adaptation is a period production set in Calcutta, in the 1960s. It flits from Lolita's (Vidya Balan) home, a magnificent haveli now past its prime, to Shekhar's (Saif Ali Khan) rich and tasteful abode to Girish's (Sanjay Dutt) warm home. Then there's Calcutta of the time -- political, energetic, teeming with rickshaws and trams. There are exotic nights on Park Street, the heart of the city, and classic Durga Puja settings. (Right now Calcutta is behind some 20 years to the rest of the good cities in India but is still able to maintain its culture)

Plus points in the movie:

Saif Ali Khan. He is not the Saif from the movie Yeh Dillagi singing the song "Jab Bhi Koi Ladki Dekhoon..... Ole Ole Ole" He has class, very suave and carries his role very well. And now we can say he acts well.

Sanjay Dutt. The name says all.

Vidya Balan. She is the real character around whom the movie moves and she doesnt' look like she is doing a movie for the first time.

The art direction. If its Calcutta then you can see the old cars, the bag (jhola) where the bengalis go for buying fish everyday, Howrah Bridge, Victoria Memorial, Rickshaw pullers, naxalite movement of the sixties. The bengali touch is really there in the movie.

Negative Points in the movie :

Rekha. She looks like a real................. in the Moulin Rouge song.

The "Musi aa gayi hai" song in the begining. What was that song?? Utter bakwas. Sweety was sitting next to me and he said "Phew. Shukar hai its over. Total Waste"

Shekhar (Saif) saying to Lolita (Vidya) nayi dhun banayi hai aake un lo. Arre mere ko koi kaam nahi hai kya?? Dhun banayi sun lo??

Very slow movie.

Ending of the movie is really really bad. Mithu movie : Mithun kils 200 bad guys. Pareenita: Saif breaks the Berlin wall. End of story.

If you have time and you are Saif fan, then go for it or else many good movies coming soon.

Jai Raam Ji KI..

V..

Me in Barista

Generally, I never smile when someone takes a photo, priya took this photo and it came out really well. And yes yes yes I smiled, yahoo... (jumping with joy) and obviously I dont look that bad when I am smiling.

Mommy said "beta ek aachi si photo bhej de aapni". So here it comes mommy. Aap ke soone soone jahe puttar di sooni sooni jahi photo. Kinna sona munda ya dekho teh sahi.

(Blowing my own trumpet)

V..

My office photo

From left to right: Virdi (pseudest guy), Gomathi (he sits on 6th floor near me, brought chocolates for me when he came from London), Saif (he has quit the company), Srivatsan (silent killer), Santosh (talks like a real Hydrabadi), Puzghal (quit the company) and last but not the least Kaushik Moorty (mallu - thats all it says everything about him)

Songs

Listening to some total masti type songs these days.... Total timepass songs...
1. Just Chill Chill from the movie Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya
2. Dus Bahane Karke Le Gaya Yeh Dil from the movie DUS
3. Woh Lamhe Woh Batein from the movie Zeher
Total dance numbers. Dhick Chick Dhick Chick. MTv Enjoy Panro.
Am I missing some good songs?? Bolo agar aap ko kuch pasand hai toh.
V...

Chappell wants biomechanics, kinesiology, driver and vada-pao experts

Chappell

BCCI has very correctly decided that after a good stinct of John Wright as the Indian Coach we need a forteign coach for the Indian Cricket team. In comes Greg Chappell, great player and has been a successful coach too. But now he wants biomechanics, kinesiology and what not experts.

Biomechanics is understandable he is really really needed in the team. The Bio-Guy would say during net practise "You idiot Harbhajan!!! You bowled that delivery at 15.87 degrees arm angle, you are allowed to bowl at 15 degrees only. Understand?" Harbhjajan "Fikar not yaar. Oye BioMechanico, Dalmiya sab hain na yaar. The rules will change soon yaar. Havent you heard about Murlitharan yaar?? Yeh kaun hai yaar??"

By the way whats this Kinesiology expert?? Looks like a killer disease is speading very fast in the Indian team and great specialist in Kinescothermia is needed. He comes in an says "Iski toh gayi. Aab dava ki nahi dua ki zaroorat hai, Indian team to bacha sakta hai toh sirf woh uupar wala" I dont know what radical changes he is going to bring in the team.

Next in line would be the need of a driver for the Indian team bus from Queensland, a vada pau (read dietitian) from Tasmania and dhobi for ironing clothes from New South Wales. Its needed yaar, they are so important in the team that without them the team would not be able to play cricket. Comeon India do it for the Dhobi and the Driver.

Its high time that we inculcate the idea of professionalism in every field, be it sports or politics or reaserachor everyday work life or be it even milk man. Why do we have to look forward to someone from the western world coming in and giving the same gyan again and again on professionalism?? We know we are good and its high time we prove that to everyone. We can do it.

All the best Chappel Saab. All the best India.

JRJK...

V..

Flame

beautiful photo

Ok now this is such a beatiful photo I couldnt stop myself from putting it here. The hand looks so beautiful. Sayesha has the prettiest hand I have ever seen in my life. She lives in Singapore. Has little chinki chinki types looks but is pakka Hindustani, she even tells me "abe kar di na sardar wali baat. " pata nahi who told her I am surdar.

Anyways lets not divert from "the hand" to "the surdar"(or rather sar-dard)

Enjoy the photo. The flame's reflection makes the photo even more awesomest and beatifullest and fantabulous ( just now thought of this word , fantabulous = fantastic + fabulous)

JRJK..

V...

Praying

God


Many people pray regulary. But not me. WHY??? I dont know. Its just that I am not giving GOD priority in my life.
I really believe in God and I think there is someone or something, who/which is controling most of the things as they are happening. Yes behind that, there is science; its correct but belief is something which science cant explain.
I think sience can explain how a rocket works but whats going in the head of a scientist, which makes him think that yes he can build a rocket that can fly from one continent to the other in few minutes is "Belief" . Belief in himself, in his colleagues, in his family. Somethings science cant explain and then we say "In God we trust "
So I think I will start praying regularly from now on and "HE or SHE" need not put up ad in the paper. ;-)

Had a great weekend.
Friday night movie, watched "D". Movie sucked bigtime. (your 6th sense is good anonymous)
Saturday " I am not telling anything"
Sunday - went to IIT in the morning and watched 3 hockey matches India beats malaysia. poor umpiring but ultimately Indians won the match in extra time. Ozzys won the Azlan Shah Tournament beating Korea 4-3. they were 1-3 down at one point in the match.
JRJK...
V..

Bunty aur Babli

Jai aur Veeru

Saw Bunty aur Babli.

After reading Sukanya Verma's review on Rediff about the movie, me and Ashwin with lots of enthu, went to Mayajaal to see the movie.

Whats great about the movie? Nothing. Remember the 1970's movies Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor in Shaan and Do-aur-Do-Panch?? Those were the ultimate con-men and full time masti types movies.

In B&B there is no effort to show how they con people, except for the first time. We can see parts of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow and Kanpur where they are creating havoc but no real idea is shown here. Atealst one good scene is necessary (but missing) in the movie where they screw the police and run away. Mazza nahi aaya, I would say. Its just the newspapers that say "B&B are creating havoc in state", things like that. The movie should have shown one big scheme in which they make an ass of everyone and that should have also looked flawless. Like in the movie "Catch Me If You Can" where Leonardo di Caprio starts making real currency notes. Now thats a real conman.

And Abhishek Bachchan's dialogs like "Is duniya mein do type ke people hote hain....." are stupid. And the sale of Taj Mahal was even more irritating. In the start of the movie I was thinking if the movie shows sale of Taj Mahal it would look really stupid and thats what happened. :-(

In the end the two become secret agents. Oh my gawddddd please help me. What is this idioticity-stupidity-nonsensity-madicity and bombay city. Ekdum bakwas ho gaya.

And suddenly there was item number of Aishwarya Rai. Out of no where. It was not needed. Infact who wants Aishwarya rai when there are two Bachchans in the movie.

The movie is waste of time. But you can check out Rani Mukherjee's smile if you are a big fan.

Jai Ram Ji KI...

V...

Indian Hockey

Jugraj Singh

If there was one person who could have changed the face of Indian hockey it was Jugraj. Unfortunately he met with an accident in 2003 September and is still not back to his best. The passion is now lacking in the hockey team.

Right now our hockey tam is touring Malaysia for the Sultan Azlan Shah cup. India won the first match with South Africa 2-1 and after that it has been a downward trend. We drew with New Zealand 2-2, lost to Malaysia 4-1 and lost to Korea 4-1. We still have to play the super -powers Australia and Pakistan where I hope, they will put in at least half a dozen goals.

I am a fultu fan of hockey and I have played hockey for my school, my UG college, my university and PG college. Played in any posible position except "Golie". I know whats the problem with Indian hockey, although I was always an average player. But the IHF Administrators are doing nothing about it. They have turned their backs towards the problem. What we need today is new ideas and for doing that we need a foreign coach. Even the hockey coaching legend Ric Charlsworth from Australia, said he wants to coach the Indian team. But the old man Gill (who should die as soon as possible) said "No" to him.

The problem is not astroturf. Players like Prabhjot Singh, Arjun Halappa and Gagan Ajit Singh have been playing on it for more than 10 years now. The problem is that they have been playing the same style of hockey for 50 years and have learnt nothing new. I felt very bad when I could see the players doing nothing in the match against Malaysia on Saturday. After the left flank was blocked by the Malaysian defence. I could see the coach was like "Jao kheelo, aaj tumhara match hai." No motivation from the bench, no new strategy. This is not a team. Our IIT team could give them a tough competition I think.

god save our team thats all I can say.

V...

This is what Harsha Bhogle had to say about Astroturf and Indian Hockey. The article came in Indian Express:

Hockey’s Grass Act

The Bukit Jalil Stadium isn’t the most spectacular piece of real estate in Kuala Lumpur, it is nowhere near as extravagant as many of the buildings around it that are engaged in a relentless battle to be taller. But as I walked through the unassuming gates I stopped to stare. It is pretty, it is photogenic and it exudes the kind of warmth a home for sport can. The Sultan Azlan Shah, quite a personality himself, can be happy with what Kuala Lumpur has thrown up for his tournament.
But as you watch the ball skim along the surface, you start to wonder what happened to the original theatre. Hockey moved to astro-turf many years ago but it did so to the total exclusion of grass or natural turf. It needn’t have been that way, and those running hockey in our part of the world must come forward and admit that, but, more important, it needn’t be that way any more.
All over the world, sport demands proficiency in different conditions. To be able to adapt and then deliver is one of the great skills of a sportsman. Rahul Dravid is among those at the top of the world today because he can score a hundred in blustery, seaming conditions in England, on a dry surface in Pakistan and on a rank turner in India.
Andre Agassi will go down in history because he won a Grand Slam event on each of the four surfaces tennis is played on. Indeed Roger Federer, and before him another great, Pete Sampras, were asked questions about their relative inability to play on clay.
For us, believers and pilgrims, sport is about challenges encountered and vanquished.
If tennis, cricket, cycling, even golf, can be played on different surfaces why not hockey? It might demand different skills, it should, and that itself will render it more fascinating. Today it doesn’t seem to matter as much whether a tournament is played in Kuala Lumpur or in Hyderabad, it looks and feels the same. It demands great skill, enormous fitness and often, bravery, but it demands the same qualities everyday.
Wouldn’t you want to know, for example, whether Troy Elder and Jamie Dwyer can play on natural grass the way they do on astro turf? Would Holland and Germany be major forces? Would India and Pakistan emerge as the kings? I don’t know and it doesn’t matter.
In fact, one of the myths going around, and often discussed with nostalgia rather than reason, is that if hockey allowed itself the old, traditional grass variant, India would mesmerise the world again; a new Dhyan Chand and Balbir Singh and Ajit Pal Singh would emerge, the old wooden sticks would, like the flute, play a magical tune again.
And socialism would re-emerge, the Ambassador would be king of the roads and Bajaj would have 10-year waiting lists!
No. A good player has to be a good player on any surface and the Europeans might still turn up trumps but they would have to re-evolve to do so.
And if Asia does indeed emerge the best on grass, so be it. We don’t have to feel the lesser for it. The Spaniards and Latin Americans are about the best in the world on clay and can hardly play on grass but that didn’t stop you admiring Juan Carlos Ferrero, or Sergi Bruguera, or now, Rafael Nadal and Guillermo Coria. Gagan Ajit Singh or Prabhjot Singh might emerge as the best in the world on grass and that would be fantastic, not wrong.
It requires initiative and it requires finance. I can bet that if the event was sponsor- and TV-friendly the second of the two would not be a problem in the new India. But I can just as strongly bet that initiative will be a problem. I cannot imagine a prize money tournament not attracting Australia and Holland. The audiences are here, the corporates are here.
Fifteen years ago, it would have been thought of as blasphemous for Sundaram Clayton and Bharat Forge to emerge as world class suppliers to world class automobiles, for Indian students to be openly solicited by US universities for their ability to pay, for Australians to want to live in India and coach India!
They had initiative and they discovered finance and markets. Sport can too if it sheds its own reticence, if it breaks the shackles of government lending, if it looks beyond petty elections. The IHF, like other sports bodies, need to open their windows and breathe the air of the country they live in.