Friday, January 18, 2008
Catherine Zeta Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones (born September 25, 1969) is an Academy Award-winning Welsh actress based predominantly in the United States. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of UK and US television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as The Phantom, The Mask of Zorro, and Entrapment in the late 1990s. She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for portraying Velma Kelly in the 2002 film adaptation of Chicago, making her the first and only Welsh actress to do so in that category. Zeta-Jones is married to Michael Douglas, with whom she shares a birthday. They have two children - Dylan (named after Dylan Thomas) and Carys.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Time Management is must to complete syllabus as well as revision for at least two to three times. You should keep a continue and daily basis study routine so that during the period of exams you don't have to carry burden to complete the syllabus.
To make the maximum use of time you should prepare your time table after considering your every daily activity these can be your bed time, your bathroom time, your exercise, your puja and prayer time, your traveling time, your lunch and dinner time, your playing time, watching television time, meeting with friends ... in nutshell every moment ... including reading my blogs as well.
So before making any time table consider every act which involve your timing then only you can make a practical & true time table. I know we people make our time table very often ... using pencils, rubber and all ... but after few days ... same again ... but just take a look into these calculations and then try to make a real & practical time table. Do not try to avoid your favorite television program ... your cricket match ... your music ... consider everything ...
Lets discuss it with an example ... we have 24 Hrs in a day
If you are a school student -
For Sleeping you can use 7.00 hours
For bathroom timing, Exercise and Pray 1.00 Hrs
For College/School/Tuition Traveling 1.30 Hrs (depend on students home location)
For School Duration 6.00 Hrs
For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 1.00 Hrs
For playing and refreshment 0.30 Hrs
For Watching television/listening music 1.00 Hrs
For Tuition Classes 2.00 Hrs
After all considering your daily activities you still have 4.00 Hrs ... you can divide these 4.00 hours in two shift depending on your daily schedule. But best would be 2.00 Hrs for morning and 2.00 hours for evening (not for night, unless and until you feel comfortable study at night). Make your time table according to the timing of your favorite program and other stuff ... never ever clash your study timing with your fav. program (you won't able to concentrate during that time)
Break
You can also take 15 minutes breaks for every 45 minutes. But in this break time do not involve yourself in those task which can took your time away. While taking break keep this in mind that you are taking break only for 15 minutes.
=================================================
If you are a College student -
For Sleeping you can use 7.00 hours
For College Timing 5.00 Hrs
For bathroom timing, Exercise and Pray 1.00 Hrs
For College/School/Tuition Traveling 1.30 Hrs (depend on students home location)
For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 1.00 Hrs
For playing and refreshment 0.30 Hrs
For Roaming around with friends 1.00 Hrs
For Watching television/listening music 1.00 Hrs
For Tuition Classes 2.00 Hrs
After all considering your daily activities you still have 4.00 Hrs ... you can divide these 4.00 hours in two shift depending on your daily schedule. But best would be 2.00 Hrs for morning and 2.00 hours for evening (not for night, unless and until you feel comfortable study at night). Make your time table according to the timing of your favorite program and other stuff ... never ever clash your study timing with your fav. program (you won't able to concentrate during that time)
Break
You can also take 15 minutes breaks for every 45 minutes. But in this break time do not involve yourself in those task which can took your time away. While taking break keep this in mind that you are taking break only for 15 minutes.
=================================================
If you are in a Professional Course (Specially in Chartered Accountant)
Friends life is really hectic for three years, no roaming around with friends, no television, no playing ... just article ship, tuition and study. You have to capitalise every moment at the phase of this life to make your life better. I am sure you all guys out there are agree with me.
For Sleeping you can use 6.00 hours
For bathroom timing, Exercise and Pray 0.30 Hrs
For College Timing 4.00 Hrs
For Article Ship 6.00 Hrs
For College/Tuition/Office Traveling 1.30 Hrs(depend on students home location)
For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 1.00 Hrs
For playing and refreshment 0.00 Hrs - Sorry CA Institute wont allow time for this to you.
For Roaming around with friends 0.00 Hrs - You should roaming around with clients office only.
For Watching television/listening music 0.00 Hrs >>> Carry your Ipod to enjoy while you travel.
For Tuition Classes 3.00 Hrs
Enroll yourself at the best tuition classes before they filled up ... and you can also choose your favorite timing as per your time table.
After all considering your daily activities you still have 2.00 Hrs ... In this 2.00 Hrs, first give preference to revise your tuition class. As you can revise your college lecture in college.
Break
You can also take 15 minutes breaks for every 45 minutes. But in this break time do not involve yourself in those task which can took your time away. While taking break keep this in mind that you are taking break only for 15 minutes.
Mind it friends ... you can never follow your time table strictly ... say for an example ... Australia, India and Sri Lanka series is going on ... and you do not want to miss a single moment to watch Ishant reply to Symonds and all ... so just enjoy it with the commitment that its a off day and I will be back on track with my time table from tomorrow ...
BUT DO NOT FORGET TO HONOR YOUR COMMITMENT FROM TOMORROW.
Enjoy life my friends ... you got life just once and you do not know what happens after this ...
To make the maximum use of time you should prepare your time table after considering your every daily activity these can be your bed time, your bathroom time, your exercise, your puja and prayer time, your traveling time, your lunch and dinner time, your playing time, watching television time, meeting with friends ... in nutshell every moment ... including reading my blogs as well.
So before making any time table consider every act which involve your timing then only you can make a practical & true time table. I know we people make our time table very often ... using pencils, rubber and all ... but after few days ... same again ... but just take a look into these calculations and then try to make a real & practical time table. Do not try to avoid your favorite television program ... your cricket match ... your music ... consider everything ...
Lets discuss it with an example ... we have 24 Hrs in a day
If you are a school student -
For Sleeping you can use 7.00 hours
For bathroom timing, Exercise and Pray 1.00 Hrs
For College/School/Tuition Traveling 1.30 Hrs (depend on students home location)
For School Duration 6.00 Hrs
For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 1.00 Hrs
For playing and refreshment 0.30 Hrs
For Watching television/listening music 1.00 Hrs
For Tuition Classes 2.00 Hrs
After all considering your daily activities you still have 4.00 Hrs ... you can divide these 4.00 hours in two shift depending on your daily schedule. But best would be 2.00 Hrs for morning and 2.00 hours for evening (not for night, unless and until you feel comfortable study at night). Make your time table according to the timing of your favorite program and other stuff ... never ever clash your study timing with your fav. program (you won't able to concentrate during that time)
Break
You can also take 15 minutes breaks for every 45 minutes. But in this break time do not involve yourself in those task which can took your time away. While taking break keep this in mind that you are taking break only for 15 minutes.
=================================================
If you are a College student -
For Sleeping you can use 7.00 hours
For College Timing 5.00 Hrs
For bathroom timing, Exercise and Pray 1.00 Hrs
For College/School/Tuition Traveling 1.30 Hrs (depend on students home location)
For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 1.00 Hrs
For playing and refreshment 0.30 Hrs
For Roaming around with friends 1.00 Hrs
For Watching television/listening music 1.00 Hrs
For Tuition Classes 2.00 Hrs
After all considering your daily activities you still have 4.00 Hrs ... you can divide these 4.00 hours in two shift depending on your daily schedule. But best would be 2.00 Hrs for morning and 2.00 hours for evening (not for night, unless and until you feel comfortable study at night). Make your time table according to the timing of your favorite program and other stuff ... never ever clash your study timing with your fav. program (you won't able to concentrate during that time)
Break
You can also take 15 minutes breaks for every 45 minutes. But in this break time do not involve yourself in those task which can took your time away. While taking break keep this in mind that you are taking break only for 15 minutes.
=================================================
If you are in a Professional Course (Specially in Chartered Accountant)
Friends life is really hectic for three years, no roaming around with friends, no television, no playing ... just article ship, tuition and study. You have to capitalise every moment at the phase of this life to make your life better. I am sure you all guys out there are agree with me.
For Sleeping you can use 6.00 hours
For bathroom timing, Exercise and Pray 0.30 Hrs
For College Timing 4.00 Hrs
For Article Ship 6.00 Hrs
For College/Tuition/Office Traveling 1.30 Hrs(depend on students home location)
For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 1.00 Hrs
For playing and refreshment 0.00 Hrs - Sorry CA Institute wont allow time for this to you.
For Roaming around with friends 0.00 Hrs - You should roaming around with clients office only.
For Watching television/listening music 0.00 Hrs >>> Carry your Ipod to enjoy while you travel.
For Tuition Classes 3.00 Hrs
Enroll yourself at the best tuition classes before they filled up ... and you can also choose your favorite timing as per your time table.
After all considering your daily activities you still have 2.00 Hrs ... In this 2.00 Hrs, first give preference to revise your tuition class. As you can revise your college lecture in college.
Break
You can also take 15 minutes breaks for every 45 minutes. But in this break time do not involve yourself in those task which can took your time away. While taking break keep this in mind that you are taking break only for 15 minutes.
Mind it friends ... you can never follow your time table strictly ... say for an example ... Australia, India and Sri Lanka series is going on ... and you do not want to miss a single moment to watch Ishant reply to Symonds and all ... so just enjoy it with the commitment that its a off day and I will be back on track with my time table from tomorrow ...
BUT DO NOT FORGET TO HONOR YOUR COMMITMENT FROM TOMORROW.
Enjoy life my friends ... you got life just once and you do not know what happens after this ...
Friday, May 16, 2008
worlds hottest stars
Magazine editor James Kaminsky said that Miller was his
choice because 'she represents the return of the
great American supermodel'.
Expensive and Luxurious Homes
Sunday, March 23, 2008
For a common people and for his basic need a small home with basic facility are more than enough to live in. We call home where we can seat and relax ... where we can enjoy our life with our close ones ... but below given homes are more than that ... they are the symbol of wealth ... they are the perfect definition of luxury ... so friends these are the top expensive homes from all all round the world. Just have a look -
$165 million
Beverly Hills, Calif.
Once owned by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, this expansive villa sits on six and a half acres in Beverly Hills.
A massive 75,000 square feet of living space is spread across three stories. The home boasts 29 bedrooms and 40 bathrooms.
The home was built in 1926 in the style of a Mediterranean villa and was featured in the 1972 film The Godfather. The compound comprises six buildings, three swimming pools and a movie theater.
Bran Castle
$140 million
Brasov, Romania
Once inhabited by Romanian prince Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Count Dracula, this castle, built in 1212, sits on 20 acres.
The 17-bedroom castle rests on the top of a cliff and offers views across the countryside and surrounding mountains.
The current owner, Dominic von Hapsburg, is running the home as a museum.
$138 million
Updown Court
Windlesham, Surrey
Larger than either Buckingham or Hampton Court palace, this 103-room home has 58 acres of gardens and woodlands, making it the idyllic English country home for those flush with cash.
Several ballrooms and grand entrance ways punctuate this house, which has a panic room, an indoor squash court, bowling alley, 50-seat cinema, helipads, space for eight limousines and a heated marble driveway.
Marble bathrooms are nice, but some would say indoor spas, jacuzzis and pools with views of the grounds are better.
$135 million
Hala Ranch
Aspen, Colo.
Until Tim Blixseth finishes constructing his $155 million Montana ski lodge, this 95-acre ranch owned by Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, former Saudi Arabian ambassador to the U.S., is the most expensive in the country.
The Starwood Ranch estate boasts a 56,000-square-foot mansion with 15 bedrooms and 16 baths.
The estate features several smaller buildings, stables, a tennis court and an indoor swimming pool.
$125 million
Maison de L'Amitie
Palm Beach, Fla.
In 2004, Donald Trump bought former health care executive Abe Gosman's palace, Maison de L'Amitie, center, at a bankruptcy auction for $41.25 million.
With the refurbished version--complete with ballroom, conservatory and 475 feet of oceanfront--Trump is confident the property will move.
If the water is too rough on the beach, the property has a 100-foot swimming pool surrounded by gardens.
$100 million
Tranquility
Lake Tahoe, Nev.
Conveniently on the tax-free Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, this 210-acre property is owned by Joel Horowitz, the cofounder of Tommy Hilfiger, who built the property from scratch.
The main house has 20,000 square feet of living space, is modeled after a northern European mountain home and has a 3,500-bottle wine cellar.
An indoor swimming pool and atrium, as well as a 19-seat movie theater, ensure constant entertainment, even if snowed in.
$100 million
Waterfront Estate
Istanbul, Turkey
Other expensive home in the world is in a somewhat unexpected spot, located on three-quarters of an acre directly on the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey.
This residence offers more than 30,000 square feet of opulent living space in 64 rooms, which feature large windows looking to the water.
Details include gilded moldings and crystal chandeliers. The mansion has a rare quay that is nearly 200-feet long.
Eurasia
$100 million
Moscow
This sizable property consists of an 11,700-square-foot manor house, two 4,000-square-foot guest houses and a 91,000-square-foot recreation center that has a pool, Turkish and Russian baths; a gym; sauna; and lounges. The property is 15 miles from the Moscow city center.
$99 million
Bishops Avenue
Hampstead, London
Just under the $100 million mark--depending on today’s exchange rate--the Toprak Mansion was built by Turkish entrepreneur Halis Toprak.
The 28,000-square-foot house has a double staircase and glass elevator.
There is a swimming pool with a glass bridge and a Turkish bath for 20.
$75 million
Three Ponds
Bridgehampton, N.Y.
Three Ponds, which encompasses more than 60 acres of Hamptons farmland, is named for its surrounding lakes, but also features its own USGA-rated Rees Jones golf course.
Surrounding the main house are 14 gardens, a 75-foot-long swimming pool, golf pro shop, grass tennis court and a guest house.
The main house, designed by architect Allan Greenberg, has a great room with a 28-foot-high domed ceiling.
Courtsey - ForbesDEEPIKA AND HER CAREER
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Name - Deepika Padukone
Date of Birth - 5th January 1986
Birth Place - Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Nationality - Indian
Height - 5' 9"
Hair colour - Light brown
Eye colour - Brown
Father - Prakash Padukone
Mother - Ujjala Padukone
Schoool Days - Sophia High School,Bangalore
Favorite Actresses - Rani Mukherjee, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen
Favorite actors - Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan
Hobbies - Music, eating, sleeping, watching movies
Dresses - Salwar kamez, sari, jeans and T-shirt
Profession - Actress, Model
Titles - Female Model of the year [2006]
Hindi debut - Om Shanti Om [2007]
Debut - Aishwarya, Kannada [2006]
Dresses - Salwar kamez, sari, jeans and T-shirt
Profession - Actress, Model
Titles - Female Model of the year [2006]
Hindi debut - Om Shanti Om [2007]
Debut - Aishwarya, Kannada [2006]
=======================================
Her Childhood Pics, Childhood & Family
Deepika was born in Copenhagen (Denmark) in 1986 to badminton legend Prakash Padukone. Her family moved to Bangalore when she was just 11 months old. Deepika's mother Ujjala is a travel agent. With father enjoying childhood
Following her dad’s footsteps, Deepika too played badminton regularly till her tenth standard. Deepika did her schooling from Sophia High School and graduation from Mount Carmel College. Her childhood pic
“It must be my upbringing,” says Deepika, “but I’ve never felt the urge to conform with the norms of the fashion industry. Neither have I ever been intimidated by it. It has been good to me, so far.” She is often asked how she, brought up in a strict south Indian household and imbibed with strong middle class values, holds her own in the big, bad world of fashion. “It’s been big, but never bad. I have always been guided well, by my parents, my manager and all the people I’ve worked with,” she says. Maybe it’s the aura of calm innocence that hangs about her that makes people feel protective, but she says she knows how to take care of herself too. With Mother Ujjala and Sister
“I saw how my dad handled fame and adulation, and never let it go to his head. I am positive it won’t go to mine either.”
=======================================
Modelling Carrier
She might currently be the Big Thing on the fashion scene, but she is far from being new to it. After all, she started modelling as a child, doing TV and print campaigns for several brands. It helped that one of her close friend’s mother was a model co-ordinator, and she ensured that work kept coming in till she was well into school life, when she stopped modelling to concentrate on her studies. Limca Ad
Then, when she was in her final years at school, people started telling her she must enter the Miss India contests. With this goal in mind, she got her portfolio shot by ace photographer Atul Kasbekar. But she never had to take the Miss India route since she was snapped up by Matrix, the modelling agency run by Kasbekar (who was reportedly floored by her looks at first glance). Parachute ad campaign
Launched into modelling in style as the Liril girl, as prestigious a campaign as any newcomer could wish for. From here, it was on to several more popular TV campaigns such as Close Up, Maruti Alto and Limca. Liril Ad
=======================================
Film Carrier
After pursuing a career in modeling, Padukone branched out a career into acting. She started by starring in the music video for Naam Hai Tera, a song from the pop album Aap Ka Suroor, an independent album by Himesh Reshammiya.
In 2006, Padukone made her cinematic debut in the Kannada film, Casting Upendra, Daisy Boppanna. Directed by Indrajit Lankesh. The story is simple. It tells about the transformation of a rich and famous Business leader Abhishek Hegde who initially shown as woman hater, but who has to change his mind because of another assertive and fun loving girl Aishwarya.
Deepika Padukone made a successful Bollywood debut in 2007 with Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om opposite Shahrukh Khan. Her performance of a 1970s superstar Shantipriya, and later as Sandy won her great reviews.
Star Screen Awards
Winner
- 2008: Star Screen Award Most Promising Newcomer - Female; Om Shanti Om[
- 2008: Star Screen Award Jodi No. 1 along with Shahrukh Khan; Om Shanti Om
Stardust Awards
Nominated
=======================================
Her Personal Life
Deepika Padukone has got quick successes in her modeling and acting career. It is a matter of surprise that within such a short time, Deepika has got lots of success. In the same way, there are reports that Deepika has romantically involved with at least for three times. However, she has turned it down in all cases. First, she dated Nihar Pandiya whom she met at the Anupam Kher’s acting academy in Mumbai.
Now, Deepika Padukone is reportedly dating Ranbir Kapoor. She even expressed their relationship in an interview and this irritated Ranbir’s parents as they were worry about if the popularity of Ranbir Kapoor goes down. However, the situation is like that Ranbir and Deepika are in two sides of the battle field. Deepika’s upcoming movie Om Shanti Om and Ranbir’s upcoming movie Saawariya are releasing on the same date on 9 November 2007. So, it seems that their professional life may affect their relationship.
Now Dhoni had expressed his admiration for Deepika and had even invited her to a cricket match against Australians. He had said that he would want his girlfriend to be like her. Deepika too seems to enjoy watching Dhoni lead his team on the filed. She was spotted enjoying yesterday's cricket
Reiterating this Deepika flew down to Sydney on Wednesday apparently following an invitation from her latest love Yuvraj Singh to watch the on going Test match between India-Australia. And according to the reports from the close sources of Yuvi, it was he who sponsored her entire trip to Australia inclusive of air tickets and Stay.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
FLIRTING ON THE DECCAN QUEEN
FLIRTING ON THE DECCAN QUEEN
Have you ever seen a handsome strapping young man reading a Mills & Boon Romance? And that too so blatantly in front of so many people in the Deccan Queen!
I did. Just today evening [I can already hear my English Teacher scream: “It’s this evening – not today evening!”].
Okay. Okay. It doesn’t matter. This evening! This evening on the Deccan Queen!
What I am going to tell you happened this evening on the Deccan Queen. Yes, on the Deccan Queen – my favorite train that runs from Mumbai to Pune. Let me tell you about it.
But first I’ll tell you about myself. My name is Pooja. I am twelve years old and I’m a pretty girl. I love train journeys and I have traveled a lot, especially on the Mumbai – Pune route. But this was the first time I was traveling alone. So my loving father, who doted on me since I was the only thing he had in this world, was very very anxious and worried.
My father had come to see me off at Mumbai’s magnificent CST Railway Terminus. He seemed uneasy and kept on saying the same things again and again, “Pooja, take care. Don’t get down at any station. It’s only a three-hour journey. She’ll come to pick you up at Pune. I’ve told her your coach and seat number. And I’ve told uncle to look after you.”
‘Uncle’ was a young man of about twenty-five on the seat next to mine. He was very handsome, well-groomed, smartly dressed in a light blue T-shirt and trendy Jeans. 25? Maybe slightly older – but certainly not 30! He had a smart elegant beard. A proper well-kept full-grown beard, not the repulsive dirty-looking horrible two-day designer stubble young men sport nowadays. They think the filthy hideous stubble on their face looks fashionable, but let me tell you it looks sick and makes me feel like puking. But this guy had a gorgeous beard – it suited his face perfectly and made him look very handsome and manly.
“Don’t you worry, sir,” he said to my father, “she’ll be delivered safe and sound.” He gave me a friendly smile. I liked him and felt happy to have him as a companion. And of course, I had the window seat in case he turned out to be a bore.
Now my father was talking to the train-conductor, probably telling him the same things. I felt embarrassed but I didn’t say anything. For I knew my father loved me very much and genuinely cared for me. After all, he had no one else in this world except me.
I felt worried about him too. That’s why when he kissed me on the cheek just before the train started, I whispered in his ear, “Papa, don’t drink too much.” I knew how much he hated to be lonely, and now I wouldn’t be there to look after him, to take care of him, to mother him!
The train moved. I looked at my watch. Ten minutes past five. Right on the dot. Soon the mighty Deccan Queen was speeding towards Pune. We would be there by dinner-time.
I looked at ‘uncle’ – just a sideways glance. But he did not notice me as he had already buried himself in the pages of the Mumbai Mid-Day newspaper. I took out my Walkman from my bag, kept in on my knee, adjusted the earphones in my ears and looked at him again. He was still buried in his newspaper, totally oblivious of the world around him.
I pressed my earphones tighter and tried to hear the music from my Walkman, pretended to ignore him, made pretence of trying to look out of the tinted-glass window of the air-conditioned chair car. But my eyes kept wandering, trying to steal a glance at him when I thought he wouldn’t notice. Hoping he would notice me and say something; talk to me. But he remained glued to his newspaper as if I just did not exist! How mean and snobbish? It seemed he had no manners! I hated him and decided to ignore him.
After some time the young man next to me folded his newspaper and kept it in the rack in front of him. Then he pulled out his bag from below his seat, opened the zip, took out a book from his bag and kept it on his knees in front of him. It was a ‘Mills & Boon’ romance! I smiled to myself. He seemed to be an interesting character. Young men in their twenties don’t read Mills & Boon. Or do they? You tell me.
He opened the Mills & Boon and started reading intently. I know it is bad manners to disturb someone who is reading, but I was so curious to know more about him that I just could not resist. I shut the Walkman, pulled earphones out of my eras, and said, “Hello, uncle. I’m Pooja.”
“Oh yes! I know. Pooja Agashe. Age 12.”
“How…?” I asked surprised.
“I read the reservation chart,” he said.
“No. No. Papa must have told you my name,” I said.
“But he didn’t tell me your age, young lady,” he smiled mischievously and said, “Whenever I begin a train journey I always find out who my fellow-passengers are.”
“You a detective or something?”
“No,” he said smiling. “I’m in the Navy. A Chief Officer in the Merchant Navy.” He held out his hand,” Girish Pradhan. And don’t call me uncle. Call me Girish – just Girish.”
We shook hands. His grip was firm and strong. Robust. Reassuring. Redoubtable. Just like he looked.
The Mills & Boon paperback fell off. He picked it up and put it back on his knees. It really seemed funny – a solid macho man like him reading Mills & Boon.
He spoke, “Been to Pune before?”
“Oh yes,” I said. “We lived in Pune before we came to Mumbai.”
“Then you can help me out,” he said. “You know where’s a restaurant called Vaishali?”
“You don’t know Vaishali?” I asked surprised.
“No,” he said. “It’s the first time I’m going to Pune. But she told me it was a famous place. I’d find it easily. That’s what she told me!”
“She?”
“The person I have an appointment with. 10 o’clock tomorrow morning. She promised she would be there.”
“At Vaishali?”
“Yes,” he said. “She told me that the Dosa at Vaishali is even better than the one at Shompen.”
“Shompen?”
“It’s the best restaurant in Port Blair. That’s where we met for the first time.”
“Port Blair! That’s where you met her, is it?” I asked. This was getting very interesting.
“Yes. Last December. We were sailing from Singapore to Mumbai and docked en-route at Port Blair for some emergency repairs. It was just a short stay of four days.”
I love to talk to someone who loves to talk. And this was like a fairy tale. It was getting exciting and I wanted to ask him so many things. Who was she? Her name? Was it love at first sight? What happened? About the Mills & Boon on his lap?
But before I could speak, he suddenly said,” Hey! Why am I telling you all this? It’s supposed to be secret.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I won’t tell anyone.”
“Now you tell me about yourself, Pooja. Why are you going to Pune?” he asked.
“To see my new mother,” I blurted out without thinking. And then like a stupid fool I told him everything. I knew I was making a mistake but he was so easy to talk to that my words just came tumbling out. My mother’s sudden death. My father sinking into depression. His drinking problem. Everyone advising him to remarry. His refusal. Just for my sake. And this proposal. My father insisting that I see her first and we like each other. Everything – I told him everything; and it made me feel good!
“You mean your father hasn’t even met her?” Girish asked.
“No. Only relatives. Papa has only spoken to her on the phone,” I said. “Papa’s worried. He loves me so much. He wants me to like her first.” I couldn’t speak any longer. Tears had welled up in my eyes.
For some time there was silence. I felt very embarrassed at having told everything to a complete stranger. But strangely after telling him everything I felt good too.
I wiped my tears and nose with my handkerchief and said, “I am sorry, uncle.”
“Uncle? Hey come on. I’m not that old. Call me Girish. I told you, didn’t I? And don’t worry. Everything will work out.”
“For you too!” I said.
“I hope so,” he said. I’m making it to this appointment with great difficulty – I made it almost by a hair’s breadth. I signed off my ship in Perth yesterday evening and managed to reach Mumbai just a few hours ago. And here I am on this train to Pune. She told me if I didn’t keep my appointment with her tomorrow, she’d go ahead and marry someone else.”
“So romantic!” I said. “Just like in the movie …”
“An Affair to Remember?”
“No. Some Hindi Movie… I don’t remember the name,” I said, “You must be dying to meet her, isn’t it?”
“Of course I’m dying to meet her,” he said. “It’s more than one year since we said goodbye to each other at Port Blair. The tenth of November last year we promised each other we would meet tomorrow – the 10th of November this year at 10 a.m. at Vaishali restaurant in Pune.”
“Why 10th of November?”
“We met for the first time on the 10th of November last year. And yes, it’s her birthday!”
“But you must have kept in touch – e-mailed – surely spoken on the phone.”
“No. She didn’t give me her address. She was in Port Blair on a holiday. And me? Well I’ve been sailing since. She said if I really loved her I would come.” He paused, picked up the Mills & Boon romance book from his lap and said,” The only thing she gave me was this.”
“Can I see it?”
“No. You are too small for Mills & Boon.” He kept the book in the plastic book-rack in front of his seat, turned to me and said, “Hey, Pooja. Why don’t you come to Vaishali tomorrow at ten? We’ll celebrate her birthday together.”
“But you haven’t even told me her name.”
“You’ll find out tomorrow,” he said. “And suppose she doesn’t come, I’ll be heartbroken. Then you can console me. But I’m sure she will be there at Vaishali waiting for me. She promised. Whatever her decision, she said she won’t ditch me. She’ll definitely be there for our rendezvous.”
I looked out of the tinted-glass window. The sun was about to set. Outside it was getting dark. Inside it was cold. The Deccan Queen slowed down. It was Karjat, the station in the foothills just before the mighty Sahaydri Mountains .
I turned to Girish and said, “Let’s get down. You get yummy batata-vadas here.”
“Your father...”
“Please?”
“Okay.”
We strolled on the platform eating the delicious batata-vadas with the lip-smacking chutney, and suddenly Girish said, “I’m nervous. I hope everything works out well.”
“Me too,” I said. “Papa needs someone. But he’s so worried for me. Whether I’ll like her or not. And she too?”
“Of course, she will like you. You will like each other. I’m sure things will be fine. For you, and also for me. Why don’t you bring her also to Vaishali tomorrow morning along with you? And we will all celebrate!” he said.
“I’ll try.”
“You must.”
“Okay. If I like her.”
“But you must come.”
“I will,” I said. “Like a kabab-me-haddi.”
We laughed and got inside the train. Pushed by the banker engines the Deccan Queen began its climb up the steep Western Ghats .
“Hi, Girish!” an excited voice spoke from above.
I looked up. Another young bearded man. But this was a boisterous type.
“Oh, Hi Sanjiv. What are you doing here?” Girish said getting up form his seat.
“Going to Lonavala,” the man named Sanjiv answered.
“Lonavala?”
“I’ve bought a cottage in Lonavala. A sort of farmhouse. Why don’t you come and see it?”
“No, No,” Girish said, “I’ve got an important appointment in Pune.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow morning. At ten.”
“And where are you going to spend night?”
“I don’t know. Some hotel or someplace.”
“Why don’t you spend the night with me? I’ve got a bottle of Scotch and we’ve got so much to talk. I’ll drop you first thing in the morning in time for your appointment. It’s only an hour’s drive to Pune. I’ll get my car serviced too.”
I could sense that Girish wanted to go, so I said, “It’s okay. I’ll manage. She’s definitely coming to pick me up.”
Sanjiv looked at me in a curious manner, so Girish said, “This is Pooja. My co-passenger. I promised her father I’d deliver her safely to Pune.”
“Hi, young lady,” Sanjiv said. “Girish and I are batch mates and shipmates. We’re meeting after a long time.”
I knew that both of them were dying to talk to each other, have a good time, so I said to Girish, “You get down at Lonavala. I promise I’ll look after myself. I’ve got my mobile with me and I’ve got her number also. I’ll ring up my Papa the moment I reach Pune.”
I insisted, and egged on by Sanjiv, a hesitant Girish got down at Lonavala, but not before we exchanged each other’s cell numbers and he requested the lady across the aisle to look after me.
It was only after the train left Lonavala on its final leg to Pune did I notice that Girish had forgotten his ‘Mills & Boon’ romance paperback. I took out the book from the rack and opened it. On the first page was written in beautiful cursive handwriting:
To My Dear Girish,
In remembrance of the lovely time we had together in Port Blair.
Snehal
PS – Remember, there is a thin line between pity and love.
As I looked at the message something started happening within me. Snehal? It couldn’t be? Or could it? Snehal! A loving person. That’s what the name means. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Is Snehal a common name? Maybe. And there may be so many Snehals in Pune.
The Deccan Queen is rushing towards Pune. There will be a Snehal waiting for me at Pune railway Station. And do you know, what is the first thing I am going to ask her?
I am going to ask her which is the best restaurant in Port Blair.
And whatever her answer, I am going to take her to Vaishali restaurant on Fergusson College Road at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. And I'm dying to see the expression on her face, and Girish's too, when they see each other at the rendezvous.
I will not return the Mills & Boon romance book to Girsish. ’ll keep it for myself. I want to read it on my journey back to Mumbai by the Deccan Queen. And then I'll tell my Papa all about the lovey-dovey rendezvous in Vaishali.
Have you ever seen a handsome strapping young man reading a Mills & Boon Romance? And that too so blatantly in front of so many people in the Deccan Queen!
I did. Just today evening [I can already hear my English Teacher scream: “It’s this evening – not today evening!”].
Okay. Okay. It doesn’t matter. This evening! This evening on the Deccan Queen!
What I am going to tell you happened this evening on the Deccan Queen. Yes, on the Deccan Queen – my favorite train that runs from Mumbai to Pune. Let me tell you about it.
But first I’ll tell you about myself. My name is Pooja. I am twelve years old and I’m a pretty girl. I love train journeys and I have traveled a lot, especially on the Mumbai – Pune route. But this was the first time I was traveling alone. So my loving father, who doted on me since I was the only thing he had in this world, was very very anxious and worried.
My father had come to see me off at Mumbai’s magnificent CST Railway Terminus. He seemed uneasy and kept on saying the same things again and again, “Pooja, take care. Don’t get down at any station. It’s only a three-hour journey. She’ll come to pick you up at Pune. I’ve told her your coach and seat number. And I’ve told uncle to look after you.”
‘Uncle’ was a young man of about twenty-five on the seat next to mine. He was very handsome, well-groomed, smartly dressed in a light blue T-shirt and trendy Jeans. 25? Maybe slightly older – but certainly not 30! He had a smart elegant beard. A proper well-kept full-grown beard, not the repulsive dirty-looking horrible two-day designer stubble young men sport nowadays. They think the filthy hideous stubble on their face looks fashionable, but let me tell you it looks sick and makes me feel like puking. But this guy had a gorgeous beard – it suited his face perfectly and made him look very handsome and manly.
“Don’t you worry, sir,” he said to my father, “she’ll be delivered safe and sound.” He gave me a friendly smile. I liked him and felt happy to have him as a companion. And of course, I had the window seat in case he turned out to be a bore.
Now my father was talking to the train-conductor, probably telling him the same things. I felt embarrassed but I didn’t say anything. For I knew my father loved me very much and genuinely cared for me. After all, he had no one else in this world except me.
I felt worried about him too. That’s why when he kissed me on the cheek just before the train started, I whispered in his ear, “Papa, don’t drink too much.” I knew how much he hated to be lonely, and now I wouldn’t be there to look after him, to take care of him, to mother him!
The train moved. I looked at my watch. Ten minutes past five. Right on the dot. Soon the mighty Deccan Queen was speeding towards Pune. We would be there by dinner-time.
I looked at ‘uncle’ – just a sideways glance. But he did not notice me as he had already buried himself in the pages of the Mumbai Mid-Day newspaper. I took out my Walkman from my bag, kept in on my knee, adjusted the earphones in my ears and looked at him again. He was still buried in his newspaper, totally oblivious of the world around him.
I pressed my earphones tighter and tried to hear the music from my Walkman, pretended to ignore him, made pretence of trying to look out of the tinted-glass window of the air-conditioned chair car. But my eyes kept wandering, trying to steal a glance at him when I thought he wouldn’t notice. Hoping he would notice me and say something; talk to me. But he remained glued to his newspaper as if I just did not exist! How mean and snobbish? It seemed he had no manners! I hated him and decided to ignore him.
After some time the young man next to me folded his newspaper and kept it in the rack in front of him. Then he pulled out his bag from below his seat, opened the zip, took out a book from his bag and kept it on his knees in front of him. It was a ‘Mills & Boon’ romance! I smiled to myself. He seemed to be an interesting character. Young men in their twenties don’t read Mills & Boon. Or do they? You tell me.
He opened the Mills & Boon and started reading intently. I know it is bad manners to disturb someone who is reading, but I was so curious to know more about him that I just could not resist. I shut the Walkman, pulled earphones out of my eras, and said, “Hello, uncle. I’m Pooja.”
“Oh yes! I know. Pooja Agashe. Age 12.”
“How…?” I asked surprised.
“I read the reservation chart,” he said.
“No. No. Papa must have told you my name,” I said.
“But he didn’t tell me your age, young lady,” he smiled mischievously and said, “Whenever I begin a train journey I always find out who my fellow-passengers are.”
“You a detective or something?”
“No,” he said smiling. “I’m in the Navy. A Chief Officer in the Merchant Navy.” He held out his hand,” Girish Pradhan. And don’t call me uncle. Call me Girish – just Girish.”
We shook hands. His grip was firm and strong. Robust. Reassuring. Redoubtable. Just like he looked.
The Mills & Boon paperback fell off. He picked it up and put it back on his knees. It really seemed funny – a solid macho man like him reading Mills & Boon.
He spoke, “Been to Pune before?”
“Oh yes,” I said. “We lived in Pune before we came to Mumbai.”
“Then you can help me out,” he said. “You know where’s a restaurant called Vaishali?”
“You don’t know Vaishali?” I asked surprised.
“No,” he said. “It’s the first time I’m going to Pune. But she told me it was a famous place. I’d find it easily. That’s what she told me!”
“She?”
“The person I have an appointment with. 10 o’clock tomorrow morning. She promised she would be there.”
“At Vaishali?”
“Yes,” he said. “She told me that the Dosa at Vaishali is even better than the one at Shompen.”
“Shompen?”
“It’s the best restaurant in Port Blair. That’s where we met for the first time.”
“Port Blair! That’s where you met her, is it?” I asked. This was getting very interesting.
“Yes. Last December. We were sailing from Singapore to Mumbai and docked en-route at Port Blair for some emergency repairs. It was just a short stay of four days.”
I love to talk to someone who loves to talk. And this was like a fairy tale. It was getting exciting and I wanted to ask him so many things. Who was she? Her name? Was it love at first sight? What happened? About the Mills & Boon on his lap?
But before I could speak, he suddenly said,” Hey! Why am I telling you all this? It’s supposed to be secret.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I won’t tell anyone.”
“Now you tell me about yourself, Pooja. Why are you going to Pune?” he asked.
“To see my new mother,” I blurted out without thinking. And then like a stupid fool I told him everything. I knew I was making a mistake but he was so easy to talk to that my words just came tumbling out. My mother’s sudden death. My father sinking into depression. His drinking problem. Everyone advising him to remarry. His refusal. Just for my sake. And this proposal. My father insisting that I see her first and we like each other. Everything – I told him everything; and it made me feel good!
“You mean your father hasn’t even met her?” Girish asked.
“No. Only relatives. Papa has only spoken to her on the phone,” I said. “Papa’s worried. He loves me so much. He wants me to like her first.” I couldn’t speak any longer. Tears had welled up in my eyes.
For some time there was silence. I felt very embarrassed at having told everything to a complete stranger. But strangely after telling him everything I felt good too.
I wiped my tears and nose with my handkerchief and said, “I am sorry, uncle.”
“Uncle? Hey come on. I’m not that old. Call me Girish. I told you, didn’t I? And don’t worry. Everything will work out.”
“For you too!” I said.
“I hope so,” he said. I’m making it to this appointment with great difficulty – I made it almost by a hair’s breadth. I signed off my ship in Perth yesterday evening and managed to reach Mumbai just a few hours ago. And here I am on this train to Pune. She told me if I didn’t keep my appointment with her tomorrow, she’d go ahead and marry someone else.”
“So romantic!” I said. “Just like in the movie …”
“An Affair to Remember?”
“No. Some Hindi Movie… I don’t remember the name,” I said, “You must be dying to meet her, isn’t it?”
“Of course I’m dying to meet her,” he said. “It’s more than one year since we said goodbye to each other at Port Blair. The tenth of November last year we promised each other we would meet tomorrow – the 10th of November this year at 10 a.m. at Vaishali restaurant in Pune.”
“Why 10th of November?”
“We met for the first time on the 10th of November last year. And yes, it’s her birthday!”
“But you must have kept in touch – e-mailed – surely spoken on the phone.”
“No. She didn’t give me her address. She was in Port Blair on a holiday. And me? Well I’ve been sailing since. She said if I really loved her I would come.” He paused, picked up the Mills & Boon romance book from his lap and said,” The only thing she gave me was this.”
“Can I see it?”
“No. You are too small for Mills & Boon.” He kept the book in the plastic book-rack in front of his seat, turned to me and said, “Hey, Pooja. Why don’t you come to Vaishali tomorrow at ten? We’ll celebrate her birthday together.”
“But you haven’t even told me her name.”
“You’ll find out tomorrow,” he said. “And suppose she doesn’t come, I’ll be heartbroken. Then you can console me. But I’m sure she will be there at Vaishali waiting for me. She promised. Whatever her decision, she said she won’t ditch me. She’ll definitely be there for our rendezvous.”
I looked out of the tinted-glass window. The sun was about to set. Outside it was getting dark. Inside it was cold. The Deccan Queen slowed down. It was Karjat, the station in the foothills just before the mighty Sahaydri Mountains .
I turned to Girish and said, “Let’s get down. You get yummy batata-vadas here.”
“Your father...”
“Please?”
“Okay.”
We strolled on the platform eating the delicious batata-vadas with the lip-smacking chutney, and suddenly Girish said, “I’m nervous. I hope everything works out well.”
“Me too,” I said. “Papa needs someone. But he’s so worried for me. Whether I’ll like her or not. And she too?”
“Of course, she will like you. You will like each other. I’m sure things will be fine. For you, and also for me. Why don’t you bring her also to Vaishali tomorrow morning along with you? And we will all celebrate!” he said.
“I’ll try.”
“You must.”
“Okay. If I like her.”
“But you must come.”
“I will,” I said. “Like a kabab-me-haddi.”
We laughed and got inside the train. Pushed by the banker engines the Deccan Queen began its climb up the steep Western Ghats .
“Hi, Girish!” an excited voice spoke from above.
I looked up. Another young bearded man. But this was a boisterous type.
“Oh, Hi Sanjiv. What are you doing here?” Girish said getting up form his seat.
“Going to Lonavala,” the man named Sanjiv answered.
“Lonavala?”
“I’ve bought a cottage in Lonavala. A sort of farmhouse. Why don’t you come and see it?”
“No, No,” Girish said, “I’ve got an important appointment in Pune.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow morning. At ten.”
“And where are you going to spend night?”
“I don’t know. Some hotel or someplace.”
“Why don’t you spend the night with me? I’ve got a bottle of Scotch and we’ve got so much to talk. I’ll drop you first thing in the morning in time for your appointment. It’s only an hour’s drive to Pune. I’ll get my car serviced too.”
I could sense that Girish wanted to go, so I said, “It’s okay. I’ll manage. She’s definitely coming to pick me up.”
Sanjiv looked at me in a curious manner, so Girish said, “This is Pooja. My co-passenger. I promised her father I’d deliver her safely to Pune.”
“Hi, young lady,” Sanjiv said. “Girish and I are batch mates and shipmates. We’re meeting after a long time.”
I knew that both of them were dying to talk to each other, have a good time, so I said to Girish, “You get down at Lonavala. I promise I’ll look after myself. I’ve got my mobile with me and I’ve got her number also. I’ll ring up my Papa the moment I reach Pune.”
I insisted, and egged on by Sanjiv, a hesitant Girish got down at Lonavala, but not before we exchanged each other’s cell numbers and he requested the lady across the aisle to look after me.
It was only after the train left Lonavala on its final leg to Pune did I notice that Girish had forgotten his ‘Mills & Boon’ romance paperback. I took out the book from the rack and opened it. On the first page was written in beautiful cursive handwriting:
To My Dear Girish,
In remembrance of the lovely time we had together in Port Blair.
Snehal
PS – Remember, there is a thin line between pity and love.
As I looked at the message something started happening within me. Snehal? It couldn’t be? Or could it? Snehal! A loving person. That’s what the name means. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Is Snehal a common name? Maybe. And there may be so many Snehals in Pune.
The Deccan Queen is rushing towards Pune. There will be a Snehal waiting for me at Pune railway Station. And do you know, what is the first thing I am going to ask her?
I am going to ask her which is the best restaurant in Port Blair.
And whatever her answer, I am going to take her to Vaishali restaurant on Fergusson College Road at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. And I'm dying to see the expression on her face, and Girish's too, when they see each other at the rendezvous.
I will not return the Mills & Boon romance book to Girsish. ’ll keep it for myself. I want to read it on my journey back to Mumbai by the Deccan Queen. And then I'll tell my Papa all about the lovey-dovey rendezvous in Vaishali.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
City of dreadful knights
City of dreadful knights
Ah, the great Indian city! The lack of urban infrastructure destroying the infrastructure of the human soul. By 2020 Mumbai will have a population of 20 million. Bangalore, already with 6.5 million inhabitants has seen phenomenal growth. 300 million Indians live in urban areas; the figure will spurt by 40 per cent in the next 11 years. Whatever the rural romantics may say, India's future is irreversibly urban. Mumbai and Bangalore are symbols of the urban Indian dream, the first, whose present chief minister claims will be a new Shanghai, the second, which a former chief minister wanted to make into another Singapore.
But forget Shanghai and Singapore, which instead are the voices that are speaking the loudest for the Indian city? The new voices that are yelling into the urban skyline are anything but urbane or metropolitan. In Mumbai, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has declared war on north Indians, mimicking what he calls their strange accents, noisy pujas, nasty civic manners and demanding preferential treatment in jobs for local Maharashtrians. Raj Thackeray wants north Indians out of Mumbai. In Bangalore, as the campaign for the assembly elections of 2008 gathers momentum, another "son of the soil" is also demanding reservations for locals. HD Deve Gowda's political manifesto demands thirty per cent reservation of jobs in the InfoTech and BioTech sectors for local Kannadigas.
What do Raj Thackeray and H.D Deve Gowda have in common? In a fast-changing urban milieu, as cities and their enterprises turn global, Thackeray and Deve Gowda have turned aggressively local. In a modernizing economy, they have found the shortest possible political ticket to the largest possible grievance, the ever growing grievance of being left out of the new jobs that are on offer in a growing economy.
Mumbai has always attracted ambitious outsiders. The stock market, Bollywood, organized crime, the vast informal sector, the corporate sector, and the rags to riches possibilities were heady. The singing Johnny Walker was the embodiment of the happy- go-lucky urbanism of Mumbai. Bangalore was once a sleepy pensioner's paradise with its splendid old rain trees shading the streets from sun yet has always been a city of strategic and intellectual significance. From the 1950s, the Nehruvian vision dreamt Bangalore's 'modern' identity into existence. Around the parks and bungalows, rose ISRO, DRDO, HAL, NAL, giant public bodies that provided the city with the research institutions and industrial growth that created a professional educated middle class, spurring the subsequent achievements in InfoTech and biotechnology.
Sixty per cent of Maharashtra's industrial production comes from the Mumbai-Thane belt... In 2001-2002, Bangalore alone contributed 22 per cent of the state income. As economist Vinod Vyasulu puts it, Bangalore is a neighbour of San Jose not of Tumkur. Mumbai dreams that it is neighbour to Manhattan. But now Tumkur is demanding its pound of flesh from Bangalore. And the Konkan belt is demanding its share of the prosperity of Mumbai. The provinces are beating at the doors of the rich metropolis, saying we will break this door if you don't let us in.
Three years ago when Raj Thackeray broke away from the Shiv Sena and launched his own Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, he promised to create a modern version of the Sena. Three years after being in the political wilderness,after being wiped out in the Mumbai municipal polls, Thackeray has realized that modern politics is hardly ever successful in a modern economy.Instead, the best way to win votes in a reforming economy is not to join hands with the forces of change but with regionalists and cultural chauvinists, who are unwilling to compete in the open economy, but instead want the benefit of other peoples' hard work by simply the privileges of their birth in a particular state.
For the first time in Karnataka, the "Kannadiga" identity is an important factor. From Deve Gowda to Congress leaders like Siddharamaiah all are united in demanding reservations for Kannadigas in the new economy ( "IT-BT" as its called) There is Kannadiga protest against non Kannada films, English medium schools, even clubs, bars, live bands which represent the "outsider". Karnataka is trying to reclaim Bangalore. Never mind that Infosys on its Bangalore campus alone, employs 18000 young Indians from all over India, many from Bihar and UP. Never mind that Mumbai, a city built by migrants over centuries, has always counted among its loyal "citizens', not just Maharashtrians, but communities from every part of the country, all proudly classified as "Mumbaikars'. Tragically, this important cosmopolitan identity has no political face. As cities become diverse, the politicians who control the cities are insisting on chauvinistic identities, simply because their voters are not in the city.
There is a battle therefore on who will manage and control our cities. Should it be the politicians whose votebanks are not urban? If a chief minister tries to manage a city, or create urban bodies to manage civic affairs by inducting qualified urban citizens, then he is, like SM Krishna, instantly branded as high tech and elitist. Yet the fact is that cities like Mumbai cannot be managed by sugar chieftains of Maharashtra who see the city simply as a collection of real estate to be used for funding political campaigns. Nor can the city of Bangalore be managed by Vokkaliga village potentates whose economic vision only begins with the word 'reservations'.
Cities like Mumbai and Bangalore need efficient managers and public representatives who will invest in their social and physical futures, by making them as inclusive as possible, creating areas of "common space" between locals and outsiders and creating conditions for wealth generation. Wealth that can then be spent in overcome inequalities between town and provinces. Sadly, the post of a sheriff or mayor is not just undervalued but rendered irrelevant when it is most needed. There is no urban agency that can nurture new identities for our cities. Instead the politicians entrusted with Mumbai and Bangalore are only using the city's hard earned prosperity (prosperity which can be a great resource for the entire state) to attack the city and its unique ethos. Delhi, by contrast belongs to everyone and no one, the reason why regional chauvinism has no place in the politics of the national capital. Because Delhi has statehood, its rulers have a stake in Delhi's development. Any demand for similar city state status or "statehood" for Mumbai or Bangalore will be violently opposed by the hinterland chieftains.
Delimitation of constituencies has led to a great increase in urban voting power in Karnataka this time. In Bangalore alone, the number of seats have gone up from 16 to 28. The rise in urban educated voters is an enormous opportunity for the political needs of a city to be addressed. Once votebanks change from only rural to urban, urban concerns will necessarily have to be addressed. On the flip side, if urban seats rise, politicians might be even more tempted to whip up urban anger against that caricature enemy, "IT BT".
But till the status quo is broken, the "outsider", both in Bangalore and in Mumbai will be the favourite whipping boy, whether they are "English speaking outsiders" who are 'ruining' the city with a yuppie culture, or the poor migrant outsiders who are taking up the lower rung jobs. As facilities collapse and the economy grows ever more competitive, local jealousy and anger is on the rise. If a city is only abused and exploited instead of being nurtured and used to fund other parts of the state, then India's centres of the new economy will only become sites for ancient conflicts of language and identity.
Ah, the great Indian city! The lack of urban infrastructure destroying the infrastructure of the human soul. By 2020 Mumbai will have a population of 20 million. Bangalore, already with 6.5 million inhabitants has seen phenomenal growth. 300 million Indians live in urban areas; the figure will spurt by 40 per cent in the next 11 years. Whatever the rural romantics may say, India's future is irreversibly urban. Mumbai and Bangalore are symbols of the urban Indian dream, the first, whose present chief minister claims will be a new Shanghai, the second, which a former chief minister wanted to make into another Singapore.
But forget Shanghai and Singapore, which instead are the voices that are speaking the loudest for the Indian city? The new voices that are yelling into the urban skyline are anything but urbane or metropolitan. In Mumbai, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has declared war on north Indians, mimicking what he calls their strange accents, noisy pujas, nasty civic manners and demanding preferential treatment in jobs for local Maharashtrians. Raj Thackeray wants north Indians out of Mumbai. In Bangalore, as the campaign for the assembly elections of 2008 gathers momentum, another "son of the soil" is also demanding reservations for locals. HD Deve Gowda's political manifesto demands thirty per cent reservation of jobs in the InfoTech and BioTech sectors for local Kannadigas.
What do Raj Thackeray and H.D Deve Gowda have in common? In a fast-changing urban milieu, as cities and their enterprises turn global, Thackeray and Deve Gowda have turned aggressively local. In a modernizing economy, they have found the shortest possible political ticket to the largest possible grievance, the ever growing grievance of being left out of the new jobs that are on offer in a growing economy.
Mumbai has always attracted ambitious outsiders. The stock market, Bollywood, organized crime, the vast informal sector, the corporate sector, and the rags to riches possibilities were heady. The singing Johnny Walker was the embodiment of the happy- go-lucky urbanism of Mumbai. Bangalore was once a sleepy pensioner's paradise with its splendid old rain trees shading the streets from sun yet has always been a city of strategic and intellectual significance. From the 1950s, the Nehruvian vision dreamt Bangalore's 'modern' identity into existence. Around the parks and bungalows, rose ISRO, DRDO, HAL, NAL, giant public bodies that provided the city with the research institutions and industrial growth that created a professional educated middle class, spurring the subsequent achievements in InfoTech and biotechnology.
Sixty per cent of Maharashtra's industrial production comes from the Mumbai-Thane belt... In 2001-2002, Bangalore alone contributed 22 per cent of the state income. As economist Vinod Vyasulu puts it, Bangalore is a neighbour of San Jose not of Tumkur. Mumbai dreams that it is neighbour to Manhattan. But now Tumkur is demanding its pound of flesh from Bangalore. And the Konkan belt is demanding its share of the prosperity of Mumbai. The provinces are beating at the doors of the rich metropolis, saying we will break this door if you don't let us in.
Three years ago when Raj Thackeray broke away from the Shiv Sena and launched his own Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, he promised to create a modern version of the Sena. Three years after being in the political wilderness,after being wiped out in the Mumbai municipal polls, Thackeray has realized that modern politics is hardly ever successful in a modern economy.Instead, the best way to win votes in a reforming economy is not to join hands with the forces of change but with regionalists and cultural chauvinists, who are unwilling to compete in the open economy, but instead want the benefit of other peoples' hard work by simply the privileges of their birth in a particular state.
For the first time in Karnataka, the "Kannadiga" identity is an important factor. From Deve Gowda to Congress leaders like Siddharamaiah all are united in demanding reservations for Kannadigas in the new economy ( "IT-BT" as its called) There is Kannadiga protest against non Kannada films, English medium schools, even clubs, bars, live bands which represent the "outsider". Karnataka is trying to reclaim Bangalore. Never mind that Infosys on its Bangalore campus alone, employs 18000 young Indians from all over India, many from Bihar and UP. Never mind that Mumbai, a city built by migrants over centuries, has always counted among its loyal "citizens', not just Maharashtrians, but communities from every part of the country, all proudly classified as "Mumbaikars'. Tragically, this important cosmopolitan identity has no political face. As cities become diverse, the politicians who control the cities are insisting on chauvinistic identities, simply because their voters are not in the city.
There is a battle therefore on who will manage and control our cities. Should it be the politicians whose votebanks are not urban? If a chief minister tries to manage a city, or create urban bodies to manage civic affairs by inducting qualified urban citizens, then he is, like SM Krishna, instantly branded as high tech and elitist. Yet the fact is that cities like Mumbai cannot be managed by sugar chieftains of Maharashtra who see the city simply as a collection of real estate to be used for funding political campaigns. Nor can the city of Bangalore be managed by Vokkaliga village potentates whose economic vision only begins with the word 'reservations'.
Cities like Mumbai and Bangalore need efficient managers and public representatives who will invest in their social and physical futures, by making them as inclusive as possible, creating areas of "common space" between locals and outsiders and creating conditions for wealth generation. Wealth that can then be spent in overcome inequalities between town and provinces. Sadly, the post of a sheriff or mayor is not just undervalued but rendered irrelevant when it is most needed. There is no urban agency that can nurture new identities for our cities. Instead the politicians entrusted with Mumbai and Bangalore are only using the city's hard earned prosperity (prosperity which can be a great resource for the entire state) to attack the city and its unique ethos. Delhi, by contrast belongs to everyone and no one, the reason why regional chauvinism has no place in the politics of the national capital. Because Delhi has statehood, its rulers have a stake in Delhi's development. Any demand for similar city state status or "statehood" for Mumbai or Bangalore will be violently opposed by the hinterland chieftains.
Delimitation of constituencies has led to a great increase in urban voting power in Karnataka this time. In Bangalore alone, the number of seats have gone up from 16 to 28. The rise in urban educated voters is an enormous opportunity for the political needs of a city to be addressed. Once votebanks change from only rural to urban, urban concerns will necessarily have to be addressed. On the flip side, if urban seats rise, politicians might be even more tempted to whip up urban anger against that caricature enemy, "IT BT".
But till the status quo is broken, the "outsider", both in Bangalore and in Mumbai will be the favourite whipping boy, whether they are "English speaking outsiders" who are 'ruining' the city with a yuppie culture, or the poor migrant outsiders who are taking up the lower rung jobs. As facilities collapse and the economy grows ever more competitive, local jealousy and anger is on the rise. If a city is only abused and exploited instead of being nurtured and used to fund other parts of the state, then India's centres of the new economy will only become sites for ancient conflicts of language and identity.
ash-abhi
20th April 2008 - One year to their married life ... 1st marriage Anniversery of Aishwarya and Abhishek and here are some words from Aishwarya itself describing about their married life … just read them …
"I am a happy girl, can't you make out?" beamed Aishwarya.
"Everybody was teasing me when I came here to celebrate 'karva chauth' (a Hindu ritual). But I said I have to experience it," she added.
"This is the first travel where people start calling you, 'Hello Mrs. Bachchan, good evening,"'
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On last year may be around in December or January … Bollywood market was hot … rumour was flowing in the air … as everyone wants to know whats going on between little big B and most beautiful woman and heart throb Aishwarya Rai … everyone want to know. At last as they say Abhishek proposed to Aishwarya after the premiere of ‘Guru’ in Toronto and the actress accepted his proposal without a second thought and later on Big B announces that yes … Abhishek is going to marry Aishwarya … Immediately this news flashed on every news channel … and internet writers started writing and publishing their photos togther all over the internet … but this all episode started in February 2006, when Amitabh Bachchan's brother Ajitabh Bachchan admitted to media that he had gone to Bangalore-based astrologer Chandrashekhar Swamy with the horoscopes of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan.
This is quite a coincidence. Amitabh got married to Jaya after their first Hit together - Zanjeer. And 34 years down the line, history repeated itself when Abhishek got engaged to Aishwarya after their first Hit together - Guru!!
The 'roka'/'shagun' ceremony (prevalent in UP & Madhya Pradesh) taken place at Aishwarya Rai's residence, on the holy occasion of 'Makar Sankranti'. And on 20th April 2007, most awaited marriage happened, all 
bollywood stars, big names, big fames was there … media was trying hard to get the view but nothing happened … every news channel was trying to capture this moments … they were airing live every movement of Abhishek Barat … they were guessing and flashing videos of whats going on at there … after the marriage all the internet fully flowed with the photos of Aishwarya and Abhishek marriage … even today when you type Abhishek and Aishwarya on Google then you will got … Latest photos of Aishwarya and Abhishek Marriage. Huge space of Internet occupied by these photos as every alternate person is either fwding their marriage photos or just adding those photos to their websites or blogs to get traffic
Just I am wishing them … have a great time as Papa Bachchan and Mama Jaya enjoyed so far … you guys really look made for each other and compliment to each other as well … just keep cherish your life as you got life once … you don’t know what happen later on … God Bless you guys …
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Some of Aishwarya interview excerpts
"I am feeling wonderful. I am very happy. By the grace of God, everything is wonderful," Aishwarya BachchanBollywood actress said: "It's all things good. It's a blessing. And it's a wonderful family," she said, going on to describe Abhishek as "superlative and fantastic.”
Aishwarya said she had found wonderful parents in her parents-in-law Amitabh and Jaya. Asked if she had changed after marriage, she said, "No. I am just a normal girl in a wonderful time of my life, a very special time. It's fantastic. It's all things good."
"Marriage is a beautiful chapter in life. It is so blissful and wonderful...in fact difficult to articulate. I strongly recommend it to everyone. Each one of us must experience it," she told.
"Our honeymoon was our first holiday and after that we were straight back to work. I wish I could have taken more time off. I would love to spend every minute of the day with Abhishek."
At last ... what do you think about this ...
Saturday, January 26, 2008
What do Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Juhi Chawla, Zeenat Aman, Lara Dutta, Dia Mirza & Sushmita Sen have in common? Well all these hot girls are not only the proud winners of the Miss India contest but they have also made it big in Bollywood.
Ash is one of the few actresses to be immortalised in wax at the 'Madam Tussaud's Museum'. This is a great honour as she is the second Indian film star after Amitabh Bachchan, this is for sure that in coming years many more actors and actresses wax model will be there.
Till Date Aishwarya Rai Bachhan's journey can be define in
- Childhood and Teenage
- Modeling Carrier
- Acting Carrier
- Controversy
- Married
Biography -
Nickname : Ash, Aishu, Gullu
Date of Birth : 1 November 1973
Sign : Scorpio
Weight : 122 lbs.
City : Mangalore (Karnataka)
Country : India
Mother: Vrinda Rai
Father: Krishnaraj Rai (ex-merchant navy officer)
Siblings: Brother Aditya Rai (merchant navy officer)
Children: No
Marital status: Married
Husband: Abhishek Bachchan
Private life: Dated Salman Khan but after the split Aishwarya has refused to work with him again
Height: 5' 7" or 1.70 m
Religion: A practicing Hindu
Likes: Honesty, family, friends, dignity, strength of character, chocolates
Favorite food: Not fussy about food at all
Favorite color: White and Blue
Her hero: Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor
Her heroine: Madhubala & Nargis
Other facts: Trained classical dancer
Hobbies: She loves collecting watches
Occupation: Bollywood actress / hollywood actress / fashion model
Debut film: Mani Ratnam's Iruvar
Languages: Tulu, English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Urdu
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Childhood and Teenage
She excelled at academics as a child and chose science as her area of concentration, hoping for a career in medicine (zoology being her favorite subject at the time) but later on she opt for Architecture. Instead, Ash -- one of her nicknames -- opted for a career in architecture, and passed her college entrance interviews with flying colors. She made her first commercial for Camlin pencils when she was in the 9th grade.
Schooling - Arya Vidar Mandir in Santa Cruz, Bombay, India
College - DG Ruparel College, Matunga, Bombay, India
Architecture Study - Raheja College Architecture in Bandra, Bombay, India
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Miss India Runner Up, Miss World & Modelling Carrer
She then decided to take a break from architecture and concentrate on modelling. She made her first commercial for Camlin pencils when she was in the 9th grade. This green-blue eyed beauty stole ads for many prestigious firms, the ones which brought her into the limelight were the garden sari and the pepsi ad. Crowned Miss femina '94 runner up, she was a hot favorite to win the miss world title, which she did ! Her beauty and charm made her India's darling.
Facts about Miss India Competition Day
Nothing went right for her on Miss India Competition day. She lost her swimsuit, a gift from her father, and a ring , which was a gift from her mother. Then there was the much - publicized showdown that took place backstage. Sushmita Sen complained to the Times of India authorities that Aishwarya had been given preferential treatment by the hair stylists and make up artists all day, while the other contestants were kept waiting until 15 minutes to show time, and she even threatened to quit the pageant (wouldn't that have changed history quite a bit!)
Well, it came down to two. Aishwarya and Sushmita ended up in a tie for Miss India/1, so another question was pulled out for the two to answer (what this question was, and how they answered it, is unknown by me, but according to many, Aishwarya was too ready to win and too overly confident of herself) and so, the rivalry came to an end, as Aishwarya Rai was declared Miss India/2, and Sushmita Sen was declared Miss India/1, ready for the Miss World and Miss Universe Pageants, respectively.
Miss World Introduction …
At the evening gown competition in Miss World Competition, where Aishwarya, fitted in a white extravaganza, came down, and took the microphone, as this was the part where each semifinalist stated something about "If I will become Miss World" and this is what Aishwarya had to say:
"Good Evening and thank you for this opportunity. If I shall go on to become Miss World today, I shall take over from Lisa (referring to Miss World 1993') onto my duties, with as much sincerity and dedication, to go on to become an ambassador of peace, goodwill, harmony and compassion, and trying to do full justice to our motto, 'Beauty with a purpose.' Remember, people, I'll always be there for you, thank you!"
At the Top 5 round, Katherine Kelly Lange, who gave Ash this question:
Q - What qualities should Miss World 1994 embody?
Aishwarya Answer:
"The Miss World's that you've had up to date are proof enough, that they had compassion, compassion for the underprivileged ... Not only for those who had status and stature, but who can look beyond barriers that man has set up for ourselves of nationality (crowd again goes crazy with enthusiasm), color, we have to look beyond that, and that will make a true Miss World, a true person, a real person."
So at this point, the judges made their final decisions "...And Miss World 1994 is...Miss India!!!"
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Guys ... just bookmark this page as very shortly I am going to post Acting Carrier, Controversy and reason behind Aish marriage. So just wait for few days ...
- Acting Carrier
- Controversy
- Married
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