tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-368869532024-03-22T02:23:27.872+05:30Bheed main ek aur Awaaz!Adding decibel to the noise and chaos to this pandemonium!Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-68613629041745680662011-06-08T01:07:00.000+05:302011-06-08T11:20:16.864+05:30Toba Tek Singh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Read this short story online and then ordered the book. Someone told me that Manto's stories are very powerful and compelling especially in the way he captures the stuff around partition. He writes in Urdu and the first link is almost Urdu written in the Hindustani script. The second link is more hindi and easier to understand if you are not familiar with the regular urdu words.<br />
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Anyway, this is how it starts...<br />
<blockquote><b>बँटवारे के दो-तीन साल बाद पाकिस्तान और हिंदुस्तान की हुकूमतों को ख़्याल आया कि अख़्लाक़ी क़ैदियों की तरह पागलों का भी तबादला होना चाहिए, यानी जो मुसलमान पागल हिंदुस्तान के पागलख़ानों में हैं, उन्हें पाकिस्तान पहुँचा दिया जाए और जो हिंदू और सिख पाकिस्तान के पागलख़ानों में हैं, उन्हें हिंदुस्तान के हवाले कर दिया जाए.</b></blockquote><b> </b><br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/entertainment/story/2005/05/050510_manto_tobateksingh.shtml">Complete Story - More Urdu</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00urdu/tobateksingh/index.html">Complete Story - More Hindi</a><br />
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</div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-25423732238815463742011-06-03T19:03:00.001+05:302016-04-01T17:06:34.527+05:30The Language of Thought<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are times when I wonder if a generation of Indians who have migrated from their native languages to English as the primary language of thought have lost some part of their identities. This is a feeling that I get only when I look at people around my age group (+15/ -10 years), the rest clearly have a defined language of thought. </div>
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When I look at the elder group (Age > x+15), I look at a bunch of people who have their thought and the ethos in their native cultures and contexts. They can talk any language they like but you know the language they are thinking in. </div>
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Similarly, when I look at the younger bunch, they have a clear preference of language. Many of them would not even like to talk in the erstwhile native language. They have been clearly language naturalized. </div>
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But my ilk, which I refer to as the 'Bridge' generation, is a mixed up bunch. Some of them have changed their language of thought and some are firmly entrenched in the native language. As a result, they often struggle to communicate with the preceding and the following generation. Not here to comment on where they should be. It is their own choice and they have either made it or they are stuck with it.</div>
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I started on this post when I was browsing online for a few books and my site suggested 'नीम का पेड़' (The Neem Tree) to me. Some from my generation might remember this TV serial from our childhood days. It used to start with a Ghazal sung by Jagjit and written by Nida Fazli. It started off beautifully:</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">मूँह की बात सुने हर कोई,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">दिल के दर्द को जाने कौन</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">आवाजों के बाज़ारों में,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">खामोशी पहचाने कौन !!</span></blockquote>
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Let me try and translate it. This is how it goes:<br />
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<blockquote>
Everyone hears the spoken word, Whom do I share with this sadness of mine</blockquote>
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In this market of din and noise, Is there anyone who seeks silence... </blockquote>
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And as it happens almost always, it does not translate well! Sigh!</div>
Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-4401965107664557102011-06-01T21:04:00.002+05:302011-08-02T14:37:37.145+05:30Update on Running Committments<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">Hi Everyone, I have been away and I think it is becoming a pattern over the last few years. For some reason the first few months of a year, for the last 2-3 yrs, I have not been able to make any posts. I hope I will be little regular from now on.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To kick this year off, I would start with updating you on the <a href="http://prats7uf.blogspot.com/2010/09/personal-committments.html"><b>Personal Commitments</b></a> I had made in September last year. I had committed to run another 1000Km from Sept '09 through Feb '10. This is how I fared: </div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> September 2009: 235.87 Km</li>
<li>October 2009: 190.45 Km</li>
<li>November 2009: 150.19 Km</li>
<li>Decemeber 2009: 159.81 Km</li>
<li>January 2011: 161.89 Km</li>
<li>February 2011: 124.81 Km</li>
</ul>Hence, the total adds up to <b>~1023 Km</b> over the time period. It was not easy to do this distance. It was very fulfilling to fulfill this commitment. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me in this completing this. My running partners, friends, my kid sister, Dad and the better-half.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks everyone!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">PS: The blog is now mobile friendly. There is a mobile version of this blog. Take a look and give me your feedback.</div></div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-7430720229297505382010-12-15T14:14:00.001+05:302010-12-15T14:14:00.493+05:30Ek Saal...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UOOVIpLjJDXY1aS09XhYC4kJgCYldyb0GBMEYlXftc39I9H7r0dmHkCnC5YanJ2J7ilZ0qdnJpK9Hpbj4IK7gxZGQZn-ihuSmXMtwWuACVHGS9z9kmlFlt-iFfLCpexsEJ7Gog/s1600/Picture_047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UOOVIpLjJDXY1aS09XhYC4kJgCYldyb0GBMEYlXftc39I9H7r0dmHkCnC5YanJ2J7ilZ0qdnJpK9Hpbj4IK7gxZGQZn-ihuSmXMtwWuACVHGS9z9kmlFlt-iFfLCpexsEJ7Gog/s320/Picture_047.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><pre><span style="font-family: verdana;">मैं कभी बतलाता नहीं
पर अँधेरे से डरता हूँ मैं माँ
यूँ तो मैं,दिखलाता नहीं</span></pre><pre><span style="font-family: verdana;">तेरी परवाह करता हूँ मैं माँ
तुझे सब है पता, हैं ना माँ
तुझे सब है पता, मेरी माँ
भीड़ में यूँ ना छोड़ो मुझे
घर लौट के भी आ ना पाऊँ माँ
भेज ना इतना दूर मुझको तू
याद भी तुझको आ ना पाऊँ माँ
क्या इतना बुरा हूँ मैं माँ
क्या इतना बुरा मेरी माँ </span></pre><pre><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></pre><pre><span style="font-family: verdana;">मैं कभी बतलाता नहीं
पर अँधेरे से डरता हूँ मैं माँ
यूँ तो मैं,दिखलाता नहीं
तेरी परवाह करता हूँ मैं माँ
तुझे सब था पता, हैं ना माँ
तुझे सब था पता, मेरी माँ </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></pre><pre><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></pre><pre><span style="font-family: verdana;">... तुझको गए हुए</span></pre><pre><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></pre></div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-32608205498831614052010-12-14T16:26:00.004+05:302010-12-14T22:54:03.947+05:30Tumhari Yaad Aayegi<div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><blockquote>जीवन के सफ़र में राही, मिलते हैं बिछड़ जाने को </blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>और दे जाते हैं यादें तन्हाई में तडपाने को</blockquote></blockquote></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabb73q7TdlEqBp5jmL4Z23ngJ___8dapZWaDT14F0bc-ZpRFLOLFmlBylnmDh7vg8xuW6X_jKXnDNLOMW4H4RdbDgRxMow2ymfZCs7pqLlGcP9k6AAYgIC5hIH6BZuNfn9yHGZA/s1600/n640210319_2040200_7464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabb73q7TdlEqBp5jmL4Z23ngJ___8dapZWaDT14F0bc-ZpRFLOLFmlBylnmDh7vg8xuW6X_jKXnDNLOMW4H4RdbDgRxMow2ymfZCs7pqLlGcP9k6AAYgIC5hIH6BZuNfn9yHGZA/s320/n640210319_2040200_7464.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This is almost a month too late. But this has been in the offing for each day that has went by since 21st November, 2010. If in IIT I would have hummed the above tune, am sure Tank would have immediately quipped that these lines are from the film Munimji, Music by SD Burman and Lyrics by Sahir. We might have then spent some time on discussing how good a lyricist Sahir was. But sadly, none of this is going to happen...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have been wanting to write a note on Ashwini ever since that fateful day when he passed away. I started typing a note on 21 November itself but it is still in my drafts folder. Somehow, I could not bring myself to write that email. We go back a long way. He was my junior at IITB. Ragged him in the first year. He was a great hindi music enthusiast and there might have been many competitions where we competed against/with each other.<br />
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After IITB, we were together at Dell. I was moving from Citibank and he had just finished his post grad from IIM Indore. We did not meet often at work as we were in different units. But we met regularly outside work and most of that can be attributed to running.<br />
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He was a regular runner and many from the RFL group at bangalore know him. He used to typically do sub-30K kind of distances. As for the half marathon kind of distance, he would have done that multiple times (~40-50 times). We had made a running trip to mysore, where he ran up and down the Chamundi hills twice.<br />
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He was a great photographer and his oft repeated complaint about trail running was that he could never make up his mind if he should be running or be behind the lens! You can browse though his photo-stream here. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/overcooked">http://www.flickr.com/photos/overcooked</a><br />
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He had recently moved to Delhi and was putting up in Noida with his brother. I met him on 19th Nov at a friend's (Aviral) wedding. He was looking fitter than what he was in Bangalore. I joked that he is losing weight faster than the remainder of his hair. He quipped, 'Tere bhi chale jaayenge' <br />
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We were to run the Airtel Delhi Half together. We had decided that we will start from Noida together to the run venue. However, he had some work and decided to take his car as well. He reached the starting point before us and My wife, brother in law and I joined him in the line leading to the hold-up area. I had had a bad run at the Bangalore Ultra and was yearning to get a decent time in the ADHM so I sped off at the starting point. Tank jokingly complained about that to Priyanka (my wife).<br />
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We crossed and shouted out to each other on the road leading to Rajpath where he was running with another runner from Bangalore. Priyanka met him later on the course and he was going strong. That was the last that we saw of him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
After the race, I looked for him for approx 3 hours as his car keys were with Priyanka. I checked at the medical center where I was told that no one by the name of 'Ashwini Tank' reported there. I just hoped that he had gone for whatever work he had after the run and everything was all right with him.<br />
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I had a flight to catch so we moved back to Noida. In the interim, we figured out the phone number of his ex-flat mate who gave us his address in Noida. We left the keys of his car there. We also got the number of his cousin who got through to his sister. She informed him that Ashwini had had a fall during the run and was hospitalized. I thought I will talk to him and figure out how he is doing. I finally got his brother's number from his cousin and called him up.<br />
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His brother, Achint, had received a call from the Delhi police around 1:30-2:00 PM informing him about Ashwini's demise. Ashwini was picked up by the Delhi Police Control Room Jeep and not by the medical response machinery put together by the organizers. They took him to the AIIMS trauma center where he was pronounced DOA. There was no emergency contact on his bib and hence they had to go back to the organizers to figure out his next of kin. No one else had any idea about what had happened to him till then. I was extremely shattered to hear that and was not running for a few days after this incident. He had a cardiac arrest just past the 18th Km into the run. He was too good a runner to have gone this way on a half marathon. I believe if he would have had received timely medical aid, things could have been different. One can only speculate on such things. <br />
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He was a very passionate person who was always full of life. He was a photographer, runner, friend, cook, reader, talker, philosopher amongst others. He will sorely be missed by friends and family. I wish his family all the strength they need. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">RIP, dear friend!</div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-61081105595947868722010-11-19T20:02:00.000+05:302010-11-19T20:02:20.066+05:30Happy Birthday Mom <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vjRw3M1XeEn_p9d991BL5cjVCO8_8Nvku7d_-4kiyW5rF_xOjB6gkJ2AnzJ6lmjgUX1K0F8h4p1hK0_lnNC6mKjABQklbASxUgB_-5UIp4Aba7Wf5JtRoOO9xFNXvOMJlek47A/s1600/Collages_Mom_Birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="225" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vjRw3M1XeEn_p9d991BL5cjVCO8_8Nvku7d_-4kiyW5rF_xOjB6gkJ2AnzJ6lmjgUX1K0F8h4p1hK0_lnNC6mKjABQklbASxUgB_-5UIp4Aba7Wf5JtRoOO9xFNXvOMJlek47A/s400/Collages_Mom_Birthday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Mom. Thanks for Everything. </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Love</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-28875244236085899292010-11-18T16:26:00.000+05:302010-11-18T16:26:33.220+05:30Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Activity Update<a href="http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/2010/11/activity-update.html?spref=bl">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Activity Update</a>: "Most of the initial part of starting this foundation had us running around for getting the paperwork done, Pushing them through various stag..."<br /><br />Update on the recent patient aid and wheel-chair donationPrateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-9939808377482302562010-11-14T15:53:00.001+05:302010-11-14T15:53:00.478+05:30Maha parivartan!!A friend of mine has decided to contest MLC elections from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He is my classmate from IITB and then went to a different IIM. It was very heartening to see him do this. He believes he has a good chance of being elected to the Vidhan Parishan, the upper house, in UP. I wish him all the best.<br />
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More about MLC, Vidhan Parishad and the process on the following links:<br />
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidhan_Parishad<br />
http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/States/UttarPradesh/upcouncil-w.htm<br />
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh_Vidhan_ParishadPrateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-44590992527485927312010-11-12T14:53:00.001+05:302010-11-12T14:53:51.888+05:30Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: T-Shirt Launched<a href="http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/2010/11/t-shirt-launched.html?spref=bl">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: T-Shirt Launched</a>: "Hi Everyone, We have been away for the last month. There are a lot of updates that I hope to make in the following posts. There has been a ..."<br />
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We have launched a 'Beat Cancer' T-shirt. The foundation gets 150 INR for every T-shirt. Do share your feedback on the T-shirt and the design.Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-52432706758427723582010-09-23T23:20:00.002+05:302010-09-23T23:22:03.883+05:30Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Unveiling the Logo<a href="http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/2010/09/unveiling-logo.html?spref=bl">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Unveiling the Logo</a>: "After working relentlessly for a few days, we have been able to get the logo right. There was a little back and forth on this but finally ... The logo contains three key elements ..."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfpkzhvam3oWGHaXbTQuVukglUFik-k9S0eUdexY_IKxDo6Hs-VQ_8HZyrttRt74OL3K10jxD_8HerDxxj0V4cN09mg8cpUXr1gRSni2cbpiH0hQuNpWaz6e0z_vRY5z5SoC6UQ/s1600/BC_Foundation_logo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfpkzhvam3oWGHaXbTQuVukglUFik-k9S0eUdexY_IKxDo6Hs-VQ_8HZyrttRt74OL3K10jxD_8HerDxxj0V4cN09mg8cpUXr1gRSni2cbpiH0hQuNpWaz6e0z_vRY5z5SoC6UQ/s320/BC_Foundation_logo_2.jpg" /></a></div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-75715418042356067312010-09-23T14:16:00.001+05:302010-09-23T16:08:05.740+05:30Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Run report - KTM 2010<a href="http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/2010/09/run-report-ktm-2010.html?spref=bl">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Run report - KTM 2010</a>: "All the runners with SMCF finished the Kaveri Trail Marathon. We had four runners who had signed up on the short notice.<br />
<br />
We have had a lot of non-runners who are willing to support the fund raising exercise in a big way. Would really like to thank all of you who have reached out. I would be sending out the details to each one of you. Please give me some time to put together a small introductory brochure for the same. I believe this would be important as most of you have volunteered to help through the corporate route. Will try and quickly turn this around. ..."Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-80461334247820377372010-09-17T22:41:00.001+05:302010-09-24T22:11:13.087+05:30Personal Committments<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I would be running the Kaveri Trail Marathon (<a href="http://www.kaveritrailmarathon.com/">http://www.kaveritrailmarathon.com/</a>) this weekend. Am running this race for the Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation (refer the last few posts). This is my second marathon this year. The last one I ran was the Auroville Marathon in Feeb, 2010. It was a very personal run. I was running it for Mom. It was a very difficult run both physically and mentally (I guess, I was ill prepared on both fronts).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since then I have already run 850Km for SMCF and I am making a committment of running atleast 1000Km more by Feb, 2011. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Priyanka is making a committment of running another 500K in the same time period. Shantanu and Ankita are running their next four big runs for SMCF. If you want to support this initiative in any way, please drop in an email at smcfindia [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com or to me or just leave a comment here. I will get in touch with you.</div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-30181661441141675282010-09-17T22:26:00.001+05:302010-09-17T22:26:29.081+05:30SMCF: Execution plan and Help required<a href="http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/2010/09/execution-plan-and-help-required.html?spref=bl">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Execution plan and Help required</a>: "When we started the aid activities, there was an over-riding concern about ensuring the efficacy of any monetary aid we end up extending. T..."Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-25536218842937480832010-09-16T23:46:00.001+05:302010-09-16T23:47:38.061+05:30Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: What We Want to Do<a href="http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/2010/09/what-we-want-to-do.html?spref=bl">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: What We Want to Do</a>: "There have been a few questions on what we want to do and how can one get involved. I will answer the questions in two parts. This post address the first part..."Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-29569059126446640582010-09-15T20:45:00.000+05:302010-09-16T23:46:39.789+05:30Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Getting the Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation off the ...<a href="http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/2010/09/getting-sudha-mehta-cancer-foundation.html?spref=bl">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Getting the Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation off the ...</a>: "...The next set of doctors were those who had come in touch with Mom. She had literally charmed them through the treatment and they were more than willing to pitch in. The fact that she had the grace to smile just before going into her final trip to the ICU was inspiring enough to all of them...."Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-39608186654721105632010-09-13T23:39:00.000+05:302010-09-16T23:40:26.599+05:30Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Starting the blog flow<a href="http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/2010/09/starting-blog-flow.html?spref=bl">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation: Starting the blog flow</a>: "Hi Everyone, If I look back a couple of years, I had never thought I would writing a blog on this. Last year has been particularly difficult for me..."Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-33494221629376906332010-09-11T22:52:00.003+05:302010-09-16T23:38:22.252+05:30Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">On December 15, 2009, I lost my mother to Cancer. In her we lost a wife, mother, friend, philosopher and guide to this cruel disease.</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">We did not know how to react to the loss. There was a lot of anger, outrage and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. We were completely drained by the experience and yet emotionally charged. As a family, we felt a responsibility to do something concrete against the disease.</span> </div><div style="color: white; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Over the last few months, I have talked to a few people about the fact that we are planning to start a cancer foundation in my Mother's memory. Over the last few months a lot of activity is happening on that front. The foundation is called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sudha Mehta Cancer Foundation</span>. It is a registered trust now and is 80G certified now.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">We are in the process of setting up the website. I have started blogging about the initiative at http://smcfindia.blogspot.com/ and the twitter Id is @smcfindia. I will also post the blogs from that blog onto my current blog for a few days. Looking forward to support from all of you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thanks</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Prateek</span></div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-46035989854438545242010-04-13T17:24:00.002+05:302010-04-13T17:27:10.536+05:30InvictusNot the movie but the brilliant poem from Henley!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Out of the night that covers me,<br />Black as the Pit from pole to pole,<br />I thank whatever gods may be<br />For my unconquerable soul.<br /><br />In the fell clutch of circumstance<br />I have not winced nor cried aloud.<br />Under the bludgeonings of chance<br />My head is bloody, but unbowed.<br /><br />Beyond this place of wrath and tears<br />Looms but the Horror of the shade,<br />And yet the menace of the years<br />Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.<br /><br />It matters not how strait the gate,<br />How charged with punishments the scroll.<br />I am the master of my fate:<br />I am the captain of my soul.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">William Ernest Henley </span>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-55314862203918001222010-01-04T12:06:00.006+05:302010-09-16T23:43:01.787+05:30Reproducing AudenReproducing WH Auden's work with small changes<br />
<br />
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,<br />
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,<br />
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum<br />
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.<br />
<br />
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead<br />
Scribbling on the sky the message She Is Dead,<br />
Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,<br />
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.<br />
<br />
She was my North, my South, my East and West,<br />
My working week and my Sunday rest,<br />
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;<br />
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.<br />
<br />
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;<br />
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;<br />
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.<br />
For nothing now can ever come to any goodPrateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-19989877827965913512009-09-22T17:02:00.005+05:302009-09-22T17:12:55.588+05:30Topi Shukla<a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qobkpW3O1qJ2R4_VVnMH3afv_s8FjNAk8T46HRoxLCF82reoqdSWVd8yRvUr41bsPujOOH7EAAUnyilBLgDE5KsU6nT8uNPvCcvZn4RuL71yWSf5-P9NoHCHejMAg_QhpjWGCQ/s1600-h/81-267-0911-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qobkpW3O1qJ2R4_VVnMH3afv_s8FjNAk8T46HRoxLCF82reoqdSWVd8yRvUr41bsPujOOH7EAAUnyilBLgDE5KsU6nT8uNPvCcvZn4RuL71yWSf5-P9NoHCHejMAg_QhpjWGCQ/s400/81-267-0911-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384254462351606082" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I read this brilliant book sometime back (about 4-5 months back). Might have read another 4-5 books after it but have been profoundly affected by it. I wanted to write about it just after reading it. But got distracted by the wedding etc :)</span>
<br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">
<br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">And today, I was talking to a friend of mine who is from Lucknow. And suddenly, Topi from Rahi Masoom Raza’s book quietly slipped into my consciousness. He was there and I could not ignore him. Iffan was also there of course. How can one be without the other? It is not possible to think of just the one of them. They are like the yin and the yang. Not really, they are more like two shades that go really well with each other. So much that you forget for a few seconds that other shades exist. And it is ok, because you are not missing the other shades really.</span>
<br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">
<br />Topi Shukla, is a hindi-urdu-khichdi novella from the 50-60s. Though the context is post-partition India but the flavor is universal. It tells the story of people wherever they might be. It tells the story of who people have suffered separation/ loss due to events much larger than themselves. It tells the story of those who have loved in vain. It tells the story of innocence and realism. It tells your story and it tells mine. It does all that a good book is supposed to do.
<br />
<br />I read the Khichdi version. Two reasons for doing so. 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unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--><s><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">throw</span></s><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> return it if I did not like it. The other one being that I knew the language and there was no reason to read it in a foreign language. I would strongly urge you to pick up the hindi version if you can understand (not just read) the language.
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<br />Set in Aligarh, it is the story of two friends and the people around them. Raza deftly tells the tale of people who become hapless victims of history. The small ways in which partition affects conversations, silence, love, hate, friendship, daily actions, language, food and everything that might and might not matter have been superlatively captured. It did not want the book to end. In a long long time, this was a book that made me fear for its end. May be because the characters felt so close… may be because the characters felt so real…
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<br />You can read a sample of the book at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9D" com="" id="Z7DNfh7ae78C&dq=topi+shukla&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=d-tFsXFAOx&sig=WL8a44R96b2zjbiA9rFrMt-zbeU&hl=en&ei=yK64SpyoLJPDlAfQpITMDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#v=onepage&q=&f=false”"> Google Books</a>
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<br />You can buy it at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.rajkamalprakashan.com%E2%80%9D">Rajkamal Prakashan</a>. You can also buy the book at <a href="http://books.rediff.com/book/topi-shukla">Rediff.com</a>. Both Hindi and English editions available. You have the option of buying the book from Amazon/ Barnes and Nobles etc as well. But you cannot get the hindi version there.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gfyBmwUKhFIABJtwBnMmDfIUVxYIgwEtbwIk7X563ox-gFKQED-MZtrtY2hkBw8s2h0N3nSPOtr3EOuKa-YtAjOmHCJRgF3cuBfivz9h_tGLIR5lhunbDPJi9IMWTKPRjSIP_Q/s1600-h/topi_shukla_rahi_masoom_raza_idg580.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gfyBmwUKhFIABJtwBnMmDfIUVxYIgwEtbwIk7X563ox-gFKQED-MZtrtY2hkBw8s2h0N3nSPOtr3EOuKa-YtAjOmHCJRgF3cuBfivz9h_tGLIR5lhunbDPJi9IMWTKPRjSIP_Q/s400/topi_shukla_rahi_masoom_raza_idg580.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384254606021983538" border="0" /></a>
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<br /></div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-64722241525299716512009-09-11T11:10:00.005+05:302009-09-12T20:00:24.001+05:30Rubbing Hands<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I have started loving the A(H1N1) paranoia. Even though we in India lose more lives to Malaria, Hygiene related infections, the entire health machinery, media and we (the </span></span><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >aam aadmi</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">) continue to be fascinated by Swine </span></span><meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" equiv="Content-Type"><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"><link style="FONT-FAMILY: georgia" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CPRATEE%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"><link style="FONT-FAMILY: georgia" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CPRATEE%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"><link style="FONT-FAMILY: georgia" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CPRATEE%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-alt:"Calisto MT"; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-alt:"Arial Rounded MT Bold"; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} span.EmailStyle15 {mso-style-type:personal; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; color:windowtext;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><span style="font-size:100%;"><s style="FONT-FAMILY: georgia"><span style="font-size:+0;">Flew</span></s><span style="font-family:georgia;">.. Flu.
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<br />I got this from a friend. I still cannot believe it that someone somewhere thought that this absolutely needs to be posted. I love the 'Wedding Band Allowed' part the most!
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<br />Enjoy
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<br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sYJ7jzf-_-EBaBpNyfsBuoHxZgfPBwlBaLre6tylbTv_a0i84KKExer9KVPOdY4_HMiUBuzXN7UEG1CdpA2TWVUqiGMubwKj1C0msl1n_a8NgcOHUt2xJiRxZZYt9uahFxWF_Q/s1600-h/Handrub+tech.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380082258243551986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 392px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 520px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sYJ7jzf-_-EBaBpNyfsBuoHxZgfPBwlBaLre6tylbTv_a0i84KKExer9KVPOdY4_HMiUBuzXN7UEG1CdpA2TWVUqiGMubwKj1C0msl1n_a8NgcOHUt2xJiRxZZYt9uahFxWF_Q/s400/Handrub+tech.png" border="0" /></a>
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<br />Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-53504589513579380732009-05-15T22:11:00.003+05:302009-05-16T23:47:14.498+05:30Fruits and some veggies at workIn the aftermath of the <a href="http://prats7uf.blogspot.com/2009/04/me-and-other-animals-at-work.html">animals</a> post, I figured out the following fruits and veggies are colleagues as well. It seems that animals are more popular!<br /><br /><strong>Grapes</strong>, Joyce<br />Ongkiko, <strong>Apple</strong><br />Chen, <strong>Mango</strong><br />Zheng, <strong>Orange</strong><br />Lee, <strong>Kiwi</strong><br /><strong>Peach</strong>, Liz<br /><strong>Durian</strong>, Marcel<br />Zhang, <strong>Date</strong><br /><strong>Cherry</strong>, Ashlen<br /><strong>Berry</strong>, Adam<br /><strong>Lemon</strong>, Justin<br /><strong>Corn</strong>, Vance<br /><strong>Kale</strong>, Prasad<br /><strong>Turnip</strong>, David<br /><strong>Parwal</strong>, ApurvaPrateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-36211461896478473392009-04-09T11:33:00.004+05:302009-04-09T11:47:43.996+05:30Me and other Animals at work<p>Call it corporate ennui, but all of the following names are colleagues at work. My favourites being the Chimpanzee, Donkey, Doggie and the Anteryami Panda! </p><p>Enjoy!<br /><strong>Mink</strong>, Lisa<br /><strong>Pigeon</strong>, Tamara<br /><strong>Bullock</strong>, Liz<br />Ma, <strong>Pony</strong><br /><strong>Seal</strong>, Tony<br /><strong>Fox</strong>, Ani<br />Li, <strong>Tiger</strong><br />zheng, <strong>eagle</strong><br /><strong>Hawk</strong>, Chris<br />Xiong, <strong>Bear</strong><br /><strong>Llamas</strong>, Rosy<br /><strong>Puma</strong>, Terese<br />Zhao, <strong>Kitty</strong><br /><strong>Swan</strong>, Rich<br /><strong>Canard</strong>, Robyn<br />Wang, <strong>Snake</strong><br />Li, <strong>Lion</strong><br />Chen, <strong>Chimpanzee</strong><br /><strong>Fang</strong>, <strong>Jackal</strong><br /><strong>Wolf</strong>, Dafmar<br />Liang, <strong>Doggie</strong><br /><strong>Fish</strong>, Tim<br /><strong>Panda</strong>, Anteryami<br /><strong>Peacock</strong>, Justin<br /><strong>Bullock</strong>, Jeff<br />Yu, <strong>Dragon</strong><br />Lu, <strong>Donkey</strong><br />Shen, <strong>Mouse</strong><br /><strong>Crow</strong>, David<br /><strong>Bird</strong>, Richard<br />Lee, <strong>Kiwi</strong><br /><strong>Sparrow</strong>, Simon<br /></p>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-47610922582795878242008-12-24T16:25:00.012+05:302008-12-24T19:43:33.277+05:30Oye Amritsar<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">I finally took the break that I had been promising myself since a long time. For a change, I took the leave before planning what I wanted to do with it. Since a long time (after watching Rang de basanti to be precise), I have wanted to visit <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Amritsar</st1:place></st1:city>. I tried conning a couple of people into doing this trip but they wanted to hang on to the sane side of life (can also be read as were under the influence of their wives) and opted out.</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">So I landed in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Delhi</st1:place></st1:city>, met the usual suspects. Did a 15km run with Benaazir and Shantanu at the Hauz Khas Deer Park/ Rose Garden. Realized that <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Delhi</st1:city></st1:place> infrastructure has only improved with time. Realized that Gurgaon might be bigger <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Bangalore</st1:city></st1:place> now!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Managed to avoid the gurgaon malls for two days (No mean achievement that!). Managed to check-out all the usual haunts in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Delhi</st1:place></st1:city> (No mean achievement that as well!)</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:78%;">I took the Swarna Shatabdi to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Amritsar</st1:place></st1:city>. The Railway staff does try and make you eat your breakfast. I would have been woken up atleast four times for Tea/ breakfast/ the likes till I gave up on sleeping and started looking at the Punjabi landscape from the window. After a journey of roughly 6 hrs, I was in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Amritsar</st1:place></st1:city>. My hotel was some 100m away from the station but even then a cycle riskshawala conned me into taking a ride with him. <i>Arre baith jao, 4-5 rupiye jo dena hai de dena!</i></span></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">The first thing that struck me about <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Amritsar</st1:place></st1:city> was the noisy roads, incessant honking and the unbelievably chaotic traffic. Brought back the memories of all the towns that I have lived in. Everyone on the road tries to hustle you into a trip to Wagah border. You get the feeling that there is nothing more to the town but that half-an-hr ceremony of the change of guards. But I had two places on my mind before Wagah. The <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Golden</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Temple</st1:placetype></st1:place> and the Jalianwalan Bagh. </span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">First off the list was the Golden temple, it looks good in the day but is very crowded. May be because of the tourists or may be because getting a ‘dip’ in the day is more convenient. I took a few snaps and then just moved around the place. I did not go to Hari Mandir because of the long queue.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXVw-4BV7pvAzvbr0DmFyM_EIArDvA7PSmg1Sqm1U8EN8yokdhxIppwBChxIng26TOqxgnG18Yb3YnHnE75-wBnMcbN1YLvyvP8teAbrqgydpjZUOVPCQL63X9G74MfPKt1B6Tg/s1600-h/DSC02569.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283311640136342946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXVw-4BV7pvAzvbr0DmFyM_EIArDvA7PSmg1Sqm1U8EN8yokdhxIppwBChxIng26TOqxgnG18Yb3YnHnE75-wBnMcbN1YLvyvP8teAbrqgydpjZUOVPCQL63X9G74MfPKt1B6Tg/s400/DSC02569.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Next on the plan was the Jalianwalan Bagh. It has a despicable entrance. But once you are inside it, you feel the presence of the 2000 martyrs at that place. The marks made by rounds fired on that day are still preserved on a few walls. Check out the white squares on the following photograph. Then there is the well, <i>Shahidi kuan</i>, from which 120 bodies were recovered once the shooting ended.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAylu6RRFd18z4cJCXBikOzQhZbGDZX10s5oObLWoQT1IwEKtdq5vOO4SYM94K8aw0h-jO_HDHeW0nEohkKNboqHSP7N7aumsiuucRarnwL1iTipTOBlkSqciby60h1X1S12vYQ/s1600-h/DSC02574.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283312129426999922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAylu6RRFd18z4cJCXBikOzQhZbGDZX10s5oObLWoQT1IwEKtdq5vOO4SYM94K8aw0h-jO_HDHeW0nEohkKNboqHSP7N7aumsiuucRarnwL1iTipTOBlkSqciby60h1X1S12vYQ/s400/DSC02574.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">I had the <i>Dudh Rabdi Sevaiyan </i>and <i>chintoo’s tikkis</i> to refuel myself and then I started for Wagah. The crowd is loud and the ceremony is elaborate. You do well-up with a strong emotion of nationalism out there but was this was not much compared to what I experienced later in the night.</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">After coming back from Wagah, I went on my own treasure hunt. Trying to get my hands on <i>Kesar da Dhaba</i>’s Phirnis. After a circuitous walk through the old town and trashing the entire ‘men do not ask for directions’ stereotype multiple times, I reached Kesar’s dhaba. On the way, I had figured out that somebody in Kesar’s household was getting married and it indeed was his daughter (People on the road tell you all this along with the directions). As it should have been expected, much to my disappointment, the place was closed. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">But on the way, I had learnt that there are three other places which serve as good a phirni as Kesar’s. Ahuja Sweets, ‘The Unmarked Shop’ close to Kesar and one more to which the rickshawala took me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDU-x7iVLHYnmgzgWz3_RZL6Ar1syit7Bq6lJB5BYQtf8P1DZK0sQawMMi_Rb-GIzVlAw_KrFtRhJiEa5yZHAlcpbff06rdfDMn7UasbvzyMivdjWGpMlYZMrzAkp7ffsrfMyKrw/s1600-h/DSC02593.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283312891942260706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDU-x7iVLHYnmgzgWz3_RZL6Ar1syit7Bq6lJB5BYQtf8P1DZK0sQawMMi_Rb-GIzVlAw_KrFtRhJiEa5yZHAlcpbff06rdfDMn7UasbvzyMivdjWGpMlYZMrzAkp7ffsrfMyKrw/s400/DSC02593.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">I was back at the Golden temple as the twilight faded and gave way to the night. The sight was beautiful and the <i>gurbani </i>very soothing. I think I sat in the Hari Mandir for two hours and loved the sufi tone of the bhajans. And after a long long time, an avowedly non-religious person like me was moved by a visit to a religious place. I offered the Karah Prasad at the temple and ambled through the compound. Would strongly recommend a visit to this compound in the night to everyone who decides to visit <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Amritsar</st1:place></st1:city>. ‘It’ is something!</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Then I embarked on a legendary evening eating out expedition. I hit the ‘Bhravaan da Dhaba’ and ordered a lassi with a thali with aplomb. Only to get the disbelieving look from the waiter. He did almost say, ‘Will you be able to eat it all?’</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">As I waited for the grub, I realized that on the adjacent table a family of 3 was eating out from a single thali! And I had ordered, wait a minute, a humongous glass of lassi that had just been served to me along with that more than sumptuous thali!! But I did finish it all; much to the approval of the waiter who told me the story of two brothers who co-owned the dhaba had a spat because of the women that they were married to! And this is how 'Brothers dhaba # 1' came to being next the the legendary 'Bhravaan da Dhaba.' Got the feel of the local gossip- warts and all!</span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><o:p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></o:p></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;">Anyway I had a wonderful trip and was all re-charged on my return to Bangalore. Would highly recommend the town to the readers of this journal!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zdvYyHh1JUvIQtsvpofrlYGxcWyji7b5fLSAWGXILk4u2UiJyB37l-r9yS1zs-iFzolb4J0BkKwVLCMtkx-sk8NoyIWA3p35CEXhjS5VR55FASpnHKADwOJLG3HckumozeI7cw/s1600-h/DSC02601.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:78%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283313518445991954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zdvYyHh1JUvIQtsvpofrlYGxcWyji7b5fLSAWGXILk4u2UiJyB37l-r9yS1zs-iFzolb4J0BkKwVLCMtkx-sk8NoyIWA3p35CEXhjS5VR55FASpnHKADwOJLG3HckumozeI7cw/s400/DSC02601.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></p>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36886953.post-69676746340316241152008-12-17T12:27:00.000+05:302008-12-17T12:27:00.666+05:30The Ultramarathon ManC'est Moi!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280405697482834034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6Q3Xdy7-xFOFfcXxH-mOZXmd3kiIQ3LSG5LvPUwFwmWwR4MZhIzezNnl0m43Zy_S6An77mzC5wIDiAKty6hPw6XPQ3FRv9FjXHA_TiUN6tjzOqmNZRHTEFDbMLKEx5ttDgt_WA/s400/Ultra+2008.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />I did run (crawled would be more appropriate) the 50K trail run 0n November 16. Cramped badly at and after the 31st Km. But still I managed to run most of the time. Surprised myself, in a good way!<br /><br />Now, I am waiting for the <a href="http://mumbaimarathon.indiatimes.com/">Mumbai Marathon</a> that happens in January. This time I am running for Mumbai and am also raising funds for a Child Education NGO called <a href="http://www.ishavidhya.org/">Isha Vidhya</a>. In case any of you are interested in making a contribution, let me know. You can also make a contibution online. If you decide to do so, let me know (I would just want to keep a track). </div>Prateekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410042081904122890noreply@blogger.com1