Tuesday, December 10, 2013

#Adaywithoutphones

I hurriedly hailed into an auto and tell him “Bhaiya, station”. He nods. A universal signal here to get in. He reaches for the ignition, turns it on, and we are on the way.

A routine begins here, usually. I reach for my phone, check my e-mails, read the daily news, reply to “Gm” messages on WhatsApp, WeChat, and other 100 other social apps (they were meant to make us more social by the way, and all we have managed is get into a relationship, with our PHONES)

Today, I felt a jolt. My phone, when I reached for it in my pockets, was missing. I felt confused for a moment. I was sure I had carried it. But then, I wasn’t too far from home. So I couldn’t have lost it. I jogged back through the trails of my memory. Retraced my steps in my mind. And then I saw it happen, in my memory. In my quest for that 100% battery before I left for work, I had kept in on charge. And forgot to retrieve it. Damn.

I was in half a mind to tell the auto driver to take me back home, but I was already very late. If I missed the train, I would get extremely late to work, tempers would flare, shit would hit the fan. It was going to be a long day. But I will manage, I thought. I was wrong.

Having nothing else to do, literally, I focused more on the ride and the view outside. I heard the birds chirp as well as the traffic horns that blared, even at that time of the morning. I noticed the bumps and the potholed roads for the first time. The shops I knew on the streets had changed hands (more than once maybe), new shops lined the once familiar streets. More people were on the road than I could remember. The city had changed.

It took a long 20 minutes (It wasn’t that long when I had to reply to 3 e-mails) to reach the railway station. Time crawled today. A faced a bigger quandary when I got into the train. Over an hour of travel – and no e-mails, no internet, no music, no Twitter, no Facebook, no chatting apps, no nothing. Having really nothing to do, I decided to catch up on my sleep. Zzzzzzz.

I woke up to an announcement at a station.

“…se aane wali local aath (8) bajke…..”

I looked at my watch. My watch felt important today. Maybe after ages, I looked at it. Today it was not just another office wear. Today, it told me time. According to my watch, I still had about 40 minutes of travelling to go. I knew time was going to be a drag today.

And yet again, I knew not what to do. The brief nap was refreshing. But I could nap no more. I stood up and stretched my legs. Offered a stranger my seat. Maybe didn’t get a profuse thanks, but that wasn’t the point anyway.

You don’t need something, you give it to someone else.

I think that point has been lost on most of us.

I stood rest of the way, but I wasn’t tired or bored. I actually enjoyed watching the world pass by, as I stood by the door.

Thankfully I reached office on time. And soon, boredom started to kick in. There weren’t messages to disturb you or calls to interrupt your work. We might actually have become people with no sense of priority or to put it in a better way, belonging. We don’t belong to anyone at any given point of time.
In a very connected world, we are all very disconnected. We have our personal lives intrude and interrupt our time (May I mention ‘paid’) in office. And let office work enter our homes with us.

Surprisingly, I got much more work done today. It was a great thing to actually get into the flow of things and not get distracted by a ‘ping’ every minute or other. And spoke more to colleagues whom you hadn’t for some time, despite being a few cubicles apart. Ofcourse, they suspect the sudden friendliness. Tell them you forgot your phone and the ladies will reply with an all encompassing “Awww” and the guys will just laugh at your face.

Oh, it isn’t easy though. Every once in a while you look around to find your phone, just to realise you forgot it back home. There is that feeling of emptiness around you. Suddenly you don’t know what to do in those little breaks you take from work.

And as the day ends, you dread the long travel back home, without music, without internet, well you know the list by now.

The return journey was equally uninteresting. Didn’t find a place to sit obviously. Just stood listlessly looking around, observing others - heads down, their bright displays lighting up their ‘android’ faces (No, I am not referring to the OS, but the word itself).

15 years back, all would have been as listless as I was today, people interacting with each other - talking, crying, fighting, and beating up some (at times). But still not as aloof and cold like now. Maybe if there is a fight now, it will be all over WhatsApp and Youtube before I reached home and told my friend. And a few funny jokes made out of it too. And status messages.

As I climbed the stairs to my home, I was feeling a little different. When otherwise it would have been to charge my phone, now it was of something else. Something like serenity. I wondered if today was a sign of things to come. Whether I could do it for a longer period, say a week, or ambitiously, a month? Would I be able to live thus. Disconnected from everyone, but connected to life.


I entered home with these thoughts, the experience of the day weirdly invigorating. But then, as my eyes fell on my phone on the desk, the Gollum in my heart whispered “Precious, my precious”. And I succumbed.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Dan Brown's Dante's Inferno...


Dante’s Inferno begins with morbid visions of hell that a now familiar, Harvard iconographer, Robert Langdon experiences lying on a hospital bed in a city he knows like the back of his hand (of course). 

A few lines into the book, and he meets a beautiful, appealing and spirited woman who forms a close relationship based on intense events occurring soon after they meet (that wasn’t too hard to guess, was it?).

Naturally, there’s an object of supreme importance (in Langdon’s possession again) to the plot that is coveted by powerful men and women and organisations willing to kill for it. Throw in an epic poem for good measure, secrets being unearthed from musty scrolls and death masks (yes, this is new), a breathless race through the beautiful architectural landmarks in Florence (followed by men in black uniforms and carrying lethal firearms, obviously), a crazy man planning an apocalypse (hey, with good intentions!) and you get the repetitive plot that this book is all about.

Unquestionably, Langdon has to save the day with his indepth knowledge of every city he’s thrown in, every piece of art, known or unknown, every word of prose or poetry (with correct pronunciations down to the last damn syllable) right till the end when he elicits a kiss and a promise from the girl to see him in less testing times. Story over.


Read if Brown’s vivid description of art and architecture, the fast paced narration through museums and churches and Harris Tweed donning Langdon intrigues you. 

You won’t miss much if you decide to give it a skip.

Friday, October 21, 2011

'Are you a MBA student?' test


You know you are an MBA student when:
  • You groan every time you hear ‘case’ and ‘study’ being uttered in the same breath
  • You start working an hour before the submission deadline but still manage to complete it
  • You stay up studying late at least thrice a week – the rest of the days, you are still up late, but on Facebook
  • Your social interaction is limited to Gtalk, Yahoo, Facebook, MSN...
  • You play NFS Most Wanted in the classroom during lectures, occasionally giving ‘insightful’ comments in the class, about another subject
  • You find out the topic of your presentation moments before being ushered onto the dais and still manage to speak utter nonsense without anyone noticing
  • You inadvertently add words like ‘strategic’, ‘estimate’ and ‘careful research’ in every conversation and test
  • You message your class “So sleepy...Zzzzzz....*yawn*” and they never reply back, because they are already Zzzzzing
  • Being disturbed in class is when the professor asks you a question
  • You are online on BBM, WhatsApp and Gtalk at the same time, but still manage to give equal attention to each – especially during a lecture
  • Your messages mostly consist of “Started the ppt? Do mine too.” “Did the assignment? Get me a copy.” “Are you sitting for the lecture? Proxy maar.”
  • You have a Facebook tab open with your balance sheet reports
  • Your marketing strategy reports have been ‘researched’ from google.com
  • You are earnestly nodding after reading each statement

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Without you!


Across the window, I saw a face
As she kept with her friends apace
Talking, laughing, not smiling nay
I wished I could see her everyday

Best of friends were supposed to be
All said so, her and me
In common we had lots, it’s true
Deep trusting eyes, mantled blue

Glinted my eyes when she uttered my name
As did hers, when I did the same
We looked great together, so I was told
After a while though, that news got pretty old

As it’s with all tales, composed by a pen
The cock fell in love with the lovely hen
She baulked as I professed my love
 In a letter, sent with a dove

We are different people, you and me
Heavens would know, I am older than thee
You are a friend and nothing more, said she
Together, we are meant not to be

Being heartbroken, I had just heard before
Until, that moment shook me to the core
Ringing my ears, I heard her words repeat
While I stood at the edge of a peak

The rushing air, the adrenaline pump
I felt bare, as I made my jump
Close to the ground, as fear spawned
To my end and blackness beyond

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Office party version0.1

Last night was my first ever office party.

'It will be awesome', I was told - booze, food, booze, dancing, chilling, more booze and so on.

Reached late, was welcomed by drunken friends and a sea of dancing, flickering lights.
"Ahh...the usual", I said to myself.

That's until I saw her. Clad completely in black, she entered the lounge minutes after I did, in the arms of someone else. Something just stirred inside me. Go get her, cried every bone inside me.

I made my way across the room, treading on now-dancing floaters and flip-flops. Some barely noticed; a few others glared. I continued, nonchalant.

She stood right at the bar, full of grace, unmoving. I went and stood beside her. Then suddenly, without thinking, I slid my hand across her waist, pulled her towards me and my lips crushed hers with a passion so intense that I had never felt before.

My fiery throat felt cold as waves of satisfaction washed over it. We didn’t separate until we were both gasping for air. The world swirled around us as we looked at each other with spent passion.

She looked drained. It wasn't over for me yet. I still burned with ravenous thirst. Gathering up the last reserves of my strength, I said to the barman, "Boss, ek aur Coke dena!"

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Encounters of the 3rd kind!

As the thunder rolled and lightning struck, I looked out of the window and watched as the rain poured in unrelenting torrents. Sitting comfortably in the semi-enclosed balcony, it reminded me of a night just like this one. It was when I had of one of the most curious incidents of my life.

I was travelling home. It was late that night, and lonely. As were most nights at that time. Work being pretty heavy that evening and a firm diktat “I want this completed by tonight” issued by the ‘Creative’ Director, I had nowhere to go until the work was completed.

Rain had lashed across the city all evening and the monsoon forecast wasn’t too encouraging. Buses were stranded, trains running late by hours. It was going to be a nightmare travelling back home.

It was way past midnight when I finally left office. With the rain pouring unabashedly through the heavily darkened sky which was an azure palette with lightly swept opaque clouds in the afternoon, I was left cursing my luck, sitting alone in the empty train compartment. The train crawling like a snail on steroids, giving me false hopes every few minutes by accelerating, wasn’t helping either.

My tired mind barely registered the name of the stop as the train slowly chugged down at the next station. Moments before it came to an absolute standstill, I had a fleeting look at someone on the platform.

A girl? At this time of the night?

Clad in a floral white T-shirt and blue, worn out jeans, she was someone directly lifted off from a fairytale, someone who would stand out even in a crowd. Simple, yet alluring. An enigmatic, yet masklike visage. As I strained my neck to have a better look, she disappeared from my view.

Was that real?, I thought. Damn…If only…

My cell phone screen suddenly sprang to life and emitted a single low buzz. A message.

The stars favour you tonight. The day will bring unexpected surprises on the work and love front. For daily predictions, SMS ASTRO to 645…

Ya, work is already up ten-fold. What’s surprising in that? And love…bah!

A soft, yet clear voice interrupted my cynical chain of thoughts.

“Hey, you mind if I..”, she said pointing at the empty seat in front of me and then to my legs, sprawled across the train floor .

My head snapped up. My heart skipped a beat. It was her, the same girl from the platform. I straightened my back and pulled my legs together. She adjusted herself into the seat. Looking at me she wondered aloud in her sweet musical soprano

“Studying late?”

“I work. Am coming back from office.” I replied, affronted.

“Do I look like I am in a college?”

“Look at you.” She replied nonchalantly, a trace of a smile forming on her face.

Hmmm….a green T-shirt, a torn-at-the-knees-because-its-in Levi’s and my faithful college backpack. I do look like one of those college kids.

“Possibly, but I work at an ad firm. Formals aren’t exactly a prerequisite out there. So, which college are you from?” I commented, looking at her khaki coloured sling bag.

She laughed.

“Do I look like I am in a college?” she added, imitating my annoyed retort earlier. She continued without waiting for my answer.

“Heard of the Bryan Adams concert at BKC held tonight? I organised that.”

“Wow. That’s something.”

“You listen to music?” she asked and began humming

You're the silent type
And you caught my eye….

Somehow, without any prompting, I joined in

I would let my feelings go
And that I'd be yours before the night was through


One night love affair


That night, we sang, we talked, and sang again. Two complete strangers, after midnight, in an empty compartment of the train. Time ceased to exist. The outside world lay forgotten.

It wasn’t until wee hours of the morning that I awoke to a slight jerk as the train reached its final stop. This was where I had to get off. A delicate weight on my shoulder moved too.

“Are we there yet?”

I looked up from my hazy gaze, nodded and offered her my best morning smile. She smiled back.

“Let’s go.”

We grabbed our bags and got onto the station.

“Where do we go from here?” I enquired, the immediate future not in question.

“Home, for now.” she answered.

“But it was fun last night. Thanks.”

As she said those final words, her face came closer to mine, close enough that I could smell the last remnants of her perfume, and kissed me on the cheek. A short, but lingering kiss.

“Goodbye.”

When she turned and left I somehow knew one thing for certain. I would never see her again.

How I completed my first Business Communication Assignment!

Last night : 9 p.m.
I finally decided to write the assignment. Started, fumbled with my pen, glanced around, stared at the ceiling, back at the blank sheet of paper. Groaned. "Chuck it", I said and picked up my freshly purchased copy of 'The Secret of the Nagas'.

3 hours later.
I kept down the book, breathless. It was amazing, fast paced, full of breathtaking swordplay interwoven with a rushing, yet exciting storyline. Messaged my friends gushing endlessly about the book.

Today - 12:18 a.m
A friend replied back.
"Done with the assignment?"
"No."
"Dude, you are screwed....*evil laugh*". I realised that I actually am gonna be if I didn't start soon. Powered on my ancient desktop, ever faithful. Muttered a quick prayer, started typing furiously. The keyboard squealed and complained but I paid no heed.

Sharp 1:15 a.m
I collapsed backwards on the chair. Drained. Decided to give it a once over in the morning. Zzzz...

Today - 8:00 a.m
I edited my 3 page printout in the train, standing between two pairs of smelly armpits reeking of cheap perfume. Finally reached Nerul at 8:30 with a decent (that's what i think) essay in hand.

Minutes before 11:15
I scribbled furiously. My hand pained as I wrote as much I hadn't in months.10 lines to go....My hand dropped dead as the pen screeched to a halt with the last full stop. Maam entered. Whoosh! A sigh of deep relief.

First assignment done and delivered!