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Rapist Men in India to Breastfed car drivers in Saudi Arabia
2010-09-18 16:32:00
Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan remarked that ?due regard? should be given to the wishes of a rape victim if she chooses to marry the rapist or have the baby conceived as a result of the crime. This means ' if a rapist gives consent to marry a woman he has raped, there lies an opportunity of rehabilitating victim in the society?. This is an example of a modern welfare mechanism of Indian Society whose ancient mythology cites rape as one of the eight forms of marriage called ' Rakshas Vivah - devilish marriage '. In a vocal and argumentative India society, the views of Chief Justice were promptly denounced by woman organizations.In the space of a year, Official Saudi cleric proclaimed that if a woman breastfeeds another male, he become her son. Another debate followed - expressing shock, surprise on such a statement but this statement was smartly used by intelligent Saudi woman to substantiate their claims of letting them drive. Saudi woman are prevented from driving on ...
More About: Drivers , Saudi Arabia

A small story of simple Indian Farmer
2010-09-14 11:31:00
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* 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-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} It has been an exhilarating and exhaustive experience to find a land for factory project in India . This exercise took me to Mahindra Industrial Park in Chennai, MIDC in Vile Bhagad - Raigad, Chakan -Pune, Shirwal - Satara, GIDC Jaghadia - Ankaleshawar, Sanad - Gandhi Nagar, Manesar- Haryana. Some of them were spanking clean with the entire industrial infrastructure ...
More About: Story , Indian , Small , Simple

Ukadiche Modak
2010-09-10 07:39:00
There is saying in Marathi that if a girl could make 'Ukadiche Modak' or 'Puran Poli', she could preapre any cuisine. I tried my hand at Ukadiche Modak first time. Thanks to Khana Khajana with Bharati Acharekar, I managed to try it without a major fiasco. Jaggery had already turned into stone so it was difficult to measure its quantity in proportion to the coconut. It turned out bit more juicy, thereby making it bleed from the rice cover. We also had aluminium mold that could shape it like a modak but the fun was giving it a shape with fingers. It turned out with every conceivable shape from 'crispy chicken' to ' batata wada' but it did taste like a modak.In my school days, there was a poem in Marathi named 'pola' on a festival to honour farming companion bull. I had forgotten about this festival till our neighbour came with their son carrying wooden ' bailoba'. Its indeed nice of her to carry this indian rural tradition in a distant land. This is a day of a cow , ox or...

'Hare Rama' and 'Hari Raya'
2010-09-10 05:12:00
' Muslim celebrate Hare Rama '. A statement that is as explosive as US pastor announcing the burning of Quaran. Akshta proclaimed this while informing us about her school today organizing a talk on ' Hare Rama '. What three and half year old Akshta could not decipher was the difference between ' Hari Raya' and ' Hare Rama' !travelogue,descriptions,experiences,obse rvations from curious and imbecile mind of goggly

Jihad against ?Jugad? and ?Chalta Hain?
2010-09-10 05:02:00
'Emotional Empathy' and 'Pecuniary Gain' are two potent forces to get the work done and achieve something in India . But it's not necessary to use these forces in absolute manner. Very often, a ' promise or assurance ' is good enough to get the work kick-started. Mutual expectations are never spelt out in the beginning nor work accomplishment schedule. All that is agreed is a overwhelming desire to help each other in the spirit of friendship or 'dostana 'As things stutter, as they often do after initial euphoria, both parties deviate from their assurances but maintain sketchy friendship enough to throw respective names for future transactions with prospective clients. With this scenario pervading all over, it has opened new careers that few management graduates may have envisaged. Breed of consultants, PR managers, Fixers galore and shine as the desperation sets in to match deadlines of projected activities.I am experiencing the above scenario as we battle one of our ambitio...
More About: Jihad

Kabhi Yun Bhi Aa... Dr Bashir Badr
2010-09-09 08:10:00
Both these rendering are so exquisite that its difficult to choose either as a favorite but as I listened to both , words enamored and in the process I learnt about Dr Bashir Badr , a prolific gazal writer. Socha Nahi, Accha Bura, Dekha Suna , Kuch Bhi Nahin is another creation. Kabhi yun bhi aa meri aankh mein ke meri nazar ko khabar na hoMujhe ek raat navaaz de magar uske baad sahar na ho[navaaz - to grant]Vo bada raheem-o-kareem hai mujhe ye sifat bhi ataa kareTujhe bhulane ki duaa karun to duaa mein meri asar na ho[raheem-o-kareem - kind & generous; sifat - talent]Mere baazuon mein thaki thaki , abhi mahav-e-khvaab hai chandniNa uthe sitaron ki paalaki, abhi aahaton kaa guzar na hoYe Gazal ki jaise hiran ki aankhon mein pichhali raat ki chandniNa bujhe kharabe kii roshani, kabhi becharaag ye ghar na hoVo firaaq ho yaa visaal ho, teri yaad mahakegi ek dinVo gulab ban ke khilega kyaa, jo chirag ban ke jalaa na hoKabhi dhoop de, kabhi badaliyan, dil-o-jaan se donon qubul hain...

Killing me Softly with his Song
2010-09-07 07:06:00
Y'day Roberta Flack performed in Singapore at Esplanade Theater and Asha Bhonsle be here on Saturday. Both concerts I won't attend. Just to hear one song ' Killing Me Softly' for S$6o plus may not be worth it and listening to Asha at Suntec would not be as memorable as it was at Dubai world Trade auditorium or at Esplanade. I would rather enjoy it on You Tube.. along with the version of Perry Como .. what a rich voice.Strumming my pain with his fingersSinging my life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songKilling me softly with his songTelling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softlyWith his song...ooooo....I heard he sang a good songI heard he had a styleAnd so I came to see him and listen for awhileAnd there he was this young boyA stranger to my eyes...Strumming my pain with his fingersSinging my life with his wordsKilling me softly with his songKilling me softly with his songTelling my whole life with his wordsKilling me softlyWith his song...I felt all flushed...
More About: Songs , Song

Two weeks, Three Countries and Seven Cities
2010-09-05 02:56:00
Two week travel in three countries is defintely tiring when its a business travel. A measure of that is felt when sleep comes without any effort and lack of desire to do any physical exercises. Visit to ' Gadget Capital of the World' ' Sex and Spiritual Capital ' and 'Population Capital' gave a chance to see contrasting lifestyles that are slowly fading in this global era. All in one Wash basin - Remote sensing water, foamed soap dispenser and dryer. A new gadget in the realm of Toto - a ubiquitous name in Japan Toilet Industry. Hotel Toyo at Osaka is now Ramada but it abandoned old refrigerator that housed cans in horizontal position . Would there any technological marvel that has surpassed my observation of previous visit of 5 years ago ? Visit to Yodobashi in Osaka rekindled the memories of previous visits. It used to be TV era , then came Walkman era , DVD and PlayStation era ans now ? It is struggling to keep interest with US gadget iPhone and 3D display on PC. Englis...
More About: Travel , Cities , Countries

Yukata
2010-08-30 03:51:00
Akshta was delighted to wear Yukata - a casual light cotton kimono worn in Japan during summer. I had a choice between silk and cotton - both brightly coloured designs but was recommended by Japanese friends to go for cotton. Silk in Singapore weather would have been painful as experienced with Chinese attire. The name Yukata comes from the word ?yu? (bath) and ?katabira? (under clothing). It seems during Heian era (794-1185), court nobles wore linen ?yukata? which were draped loosely after taking a bath. I couldnt get wide obi belt but managed to get matching geta (wooden sandals) and purse to complete the attire. travelogue,descriptions,experiences,obser vations from curious and imbecile mind of goggly

Bangkok and Japan
2010-08-21 16:07:00
I don't quite understand when and how Thai immigration charge visa fee. This time, they didn't but previous time they did and before that they didn't. I guess it could be based on their tourist numbers. If an airport were to have transit hotel inside, would it run profitably? I think Dubai has one; others have day rooms that are often booked in advance. I stayed at Novotel to get my 5 hours of sleep and shower. Another chance upgrade to First Class avoided long walks and stands at the airport. How times change for Japan ? A decade and half ago, Japan consumers were exhorted to buy imported products so as to make foreign trade gap palatable to her trading partners, mainly USA. Today, Japan's debt is almost twice that of her GDP, economic growth is slipping and Yen is below 85 to a dollar - 15 year low. I don't quite understand why Yen gets stronger when her economy gets battered? In most countries it's the opposite. Is it because its export driven economy but this d...
More About: Bangkok

Commonwealth and Yog
2010-08-19 15:35:00
Commonwealth games are still three more month away but India media is made sure that event is well publicized with news from ' Kalmadi wealth'. I wonder what effect would it have on business managers that would be working round the clock to match the deadlines. In most countries, such an expose would have been covered till the conclusion of an event and later would have taken the culprit on task. But democracy in India never stops throbbing so Auditor or comptroller , who so ever he is took upon him to do the task leaving media blazing with all guns. Organizing committe instead of worrying about functioning of games now must be thinking how to defend their decisions. I only hope no fatal disaster happens when games are in full swing. Almost 32 years ago, India hosted Asian Games to the perfection. It took New Delhi infrastructure at a new level but it also coined a brand ' Asiad' from housing complex to Mumbai Pune Bus service. What would be the legacy of this year's commonweal...

Happy B'day India
2010-08-15 08:16:00
travelogue,descriptions,experiences,obser vations from curious and imbecile mind of goggly
More About: India , Happy

HP sales Basics
2010-08-02 02:43:00
It's almost three decades that I had my first exposure to this term but lessons taught by HP sales basics stayed, nourished and shaped my attitude and continues to be so. The written stuff was interesting but video presentation was more gripping. I remember borrowing bulky UMatic tapes from Blue Star video library over the weekend and watch them with great passion. A good coach would make those lessons live and vibrant with role playing techniques. Telephone speaking, non verbal communication, Art of Listening, making a proposal, Benefits versus Features and above all passionate zeal to lead a life. India lacks smart, great sales people. Era of salesmanship has now arrived. Prior to liberalization, an art of bribing Govt officials, securing licence and approvals shaped the path of success. Post liberalization, flurry of foreign investments created many job opportunities. With euphoria for foreign touch, customers flocked and art of salesmanship had to wait. Now with global recessio...
More About: Business , Sales

Anjanibai Malpekar
2010-08-01 14:56:00
I remembered this day of 1974 when we got a message of passing away of Smt Anjanibai Malpekar. What I wasn't aware that the day was August 1st. Swarmandakini has profiles of musical maestroes. This is what it says about Smt Anjanibai Malpekar.Anjanibai was born in musicians' family in Goa on 22nd April, 1883. She started learning music from Ustad Nazeer Khan at a tender age of 8 years. She used to learn from Ustad and then practise for herself and the sessions would extend up to 10-12 hours every day. She had stated that Ustad first taught her Raga Yaman for three and a half years and then Bhairavi for one and a half years.(both the ragas together covered all the twelve notes of the octave). After the two ragas were thoroughly mastered by Anjanibai, he taught her many other special Ragas. He also taught her Sangeet Shashtra and the method of writing notation for Bandishes.She made her debut in a public performance in Mumbai at the age of 16 years. The performance was so exhilarati...

Thanks Kuber, Geetha and Rane family
2010-07-31 15:24:00
Thanks Kuber, Geeta and every member of Rane family for being saviour of my mother's life. Definition of clairvoyance says it as 'A power to see objects or events that cannot be perceived by the senses'. But for me, it wasnt just your clairvoyance but your immediate collective response to respond to the situation in an effective manner that deserves our accolade and gratitude.travelogue,descriptions,experie nces,observations from curious and imbecile mind of goggly
More About: Family

Govt Colony Bandra East - an article in Times of India
2010-07-31 15:04:00
With the redevelopment of Government Colony at Bandra (East ) round the corner, nostalgic old-timers say it was the best place to grow up in."We had the feeling of living in one big family," said Syed Ismatulla Pasha, a resident from 1964 to 1977, who now lives at Andheri. "As kids, we played together and went to the same school. We practically lived in our neighbours' houses," he said. "Whenever there was wedding in the neighbourhood, all of us worked as if it was in our own family," recalled Pasha, general manager at an IT firm.The colony for state government employees was developed on 100 acres between 1958 and 1968 and its two and three-storey buildings have almost 5,000 flats for Class I to Class IV employees. Now, these are to be replaced with 12-storey buildings.Manisha Gujar spent 25 years there from 1961 to 1986 and is still attached to the colony. "I know every lane and every building," said the mother of two grown-up girls. She said that it was such a safe place that her ...
More About: India , Article , Times

Detroit of India : Pune or Chennai ?
2010-07-11 02:40:00
Here is an article in a recent wall street journal that talks about Chennai as a new Detroit . It's also interesting to read the interactive comments from readers who analyze the ramifications of the fall of Detroit and environmental effect of rampant industrialization of China and India . I am not sure how far is Pune behind Chennai as an auto hub. Mercedes, Skoda, Tata, Bajaj, Volkawagon in Pune versus Nissan, Hyundai, Ford and BMW in chennai. An old article on Pune as a motor hub.Chennai or Pune, India's emergence of economic might is pleasing.travelogue,descriptions,experien ces,observations from curious and imbecile mind of goggly

USA, Russia Trip
2010-07-09 04:25:00
Narita, Los Angles, Las Vegas , Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Venice, Miami, South Beach, Islamorada, Key Largo, Key West, Lion Safari, Everglade, Orlando, Disneyworld, Downtown Disney, Kennedy Space Center, St Augustine, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Ocala National Forest, Lake Charles, Mobil, Pensacola, New Orleans, French Quarter, Baton Rouge, Houston, Galleria., Domodedovo Airport, Lenin Prospect, Moscow, Kremlin, St Basil Church.In Australia, it was southern most point 'Wilson Promontory in Victoria'. This time, in USA it was turn to visit Key West. Why Are they called Keys ? A question was answered once I came back. The word "key" actually comes from the Spanish word cayo, meaning "little island". This is not one island but they are a chain-like cluster of about 1700 islands . They begin as we we past Everglade National Park - South of Miami , dividing the Atlantic Ocean to the east from the Gulf of Mexico to the west. Seeing the home of Earnest Hemingway was great albeit from ...
More About: Russia , Trip

Lata and Pancham.... some great songs
2010-07-08 05:04:00
Pancham is not associated with Lata as much as with Asha & Gulzar... ...Ijaazat, Namkeen, Ghar ..... The songs sung by Asha for Pancham were pathbreaking, innovative and experimental and were tough to render too. But so are some of Pancham and Lata and they are memorable too....Kitni khoobsurat yeh tasveer hai.....Tere bina zindagi se koi......Tune O rangeele kaisa jaadu kiya.......Haan jab tak hai jaan jaan-e-jahan...........Baahon mein chale aao............Jeevan ke din chhote sahi..............Kaanta lagaaa.............Jaane kaise kab kahan.............Tere liye palkon ki jhaalar boonun..............Tere bina jiya jaaye na.............Kitna pyara vaada hai in matwali aankhon ka..............Saajna mein sada tere saath hoon..............kuch na kaho...............beete na bitaye raina.............Na koi umang hai na koi tarang hai............Apne pyar ke sapne such huye.............Jaane kya baat hai.................humne sanam ko khat likha................
More About: Songs , Great

Happy B'day Cho Cho
2010-07-06 05:54:00
travelogue,descriptions,experiences,obser vations from curious and imbecile mind of goggly
More About: Happy

Krishna Nee Begane Baro
2009-09-23 12:35:00
I heard this music as a mobile tune while making a business call and was immediately captivated by the sweetness of the melody. On my next call I was hoping that the telephone is not picked up quickly so I get chance to hear this song little longer. Words didn?t matter when it comes to music . Few more calls and I had to ask the reciever about the singer and all I got was ?chitra?. It wasn't that difficult to listen to the music but it did take some efforts to secure lyrics and meanings.Here is Chitra's rendition.krishna nee bEganE baarO (Krishna ! Soon You come!)bEganE baarO mukavannu tOrO (Soon come and show [Your] face.)kaalaal landhigE gejje niladha baavuli ([With]Anklets on the feet, [and] blue-sapphire bracelets)nilavarNane naaTya vaaduta baarO ( [O!]Blue-hued One, come dancing. (Krishna! Soon You come!)krishna nee bEganE baarO (Soon come and show [Your] face.)Odiyalli Odigejje beraLalli ongura(On the waist, the waistband; on the finger[s],)koraLalli haakida vajayantima...

Maurya Experience and Customer Service
2009-09-16 04:01:00
Situation 1: At buffet B'fast, in an hotel; like other guests, I was promptly escorted to the table by a smiling and cheerful hostess . Once I was ensconced comfortably, a beeline of well-dressed, courteous waiters approach me one after the other to check if I would prefer a tea or coffee. Soon I realize, they just disappeared as fast they had arrived. I had either to go to the coffee station myself or politely remind a passerby waiter who then would promptly deliver my coffee with profuse apology. When this happened every day over a week, I kept wondering the possible reason for this occurrence.Situation 2: Guest 'assistance' was available at the touch of button on a room telephone. A woman responds promptly with ' Namaste ' listens to your request and immediately diverts my call to the concerned person or department. So far so good but what if the person on the side is not available or busy. I would get a dose of melodious music and be back to the same 'Namaste La...
More About: Customer Service , Service , Customer , Experience

Akshta @ Pasir Panjang ,Marathi Mandal Ganeshotsav,Nasik,Mumbai
2009-08-27 10:25:00
travelogue,descriptions,experiences,obser vations from curious and imbecile mind of goggly
More About: Mumbai , Marathi

Godavari Ghat at Nasik ? a distressing experience
2009-08-14 11:11:00
Sept 2003 issue of Times of India reported Raj Thakre?s blue Print of Nasik : " A jogger's park along the Godavari ghat with the trees to be planted along the route, , snow-theme park, a health spa, boat club and an amusement park ".Somewhere in the by lanes of my memory labyrinths lie a wonderful memory of Godavari Ghat that refuse to smudge or fade. Image of me holding the fingers of my grand mother, going along the sloping road from Bhadrakali temple to Godavari Ghat. Standing along the river in the twilight, youngsters wearing ?red langoti? diving off from the trapezoid shaped ?cement block? that stood in the middle of the flowing Godavari river . That cement block may have been served as the measuring device to know the depth of the river.My visit in 99 to Godavari Ghat shook my childhood image and another visit last month is now threatening to tatter that image forever. It pained me that see the plastic packets chocking the standstill water of Godavari that was reg...
More About: Experience

Pancreatitis
2009-08-09 06:59:00
'Is there any way we could be forewarned of this dreaded disease? Can this be avoided?' I asked Dr. Udwadia, whose skills in combating complicated physical disorders that require intensive care are legendary. ?There is no solution that one can do that, Even if one discovers gall stones in gall bladder, they are harmless. Generally, no one would advice to have them removed'. He continued. ' It is only in rarity that these stones may pop out from the bottom of the bag , come to bile duct and block the mouth of the pancreas thereby beginning a rapid chain of events that would bring a human being on the threshold of life and death'. I was witness to two incidents of Pancreatitis that turned horribly fatal. Usually Pancreatitis (chronic) is associated with alcohol abuse but in these two cases, both became victim of 'gall stones' leading to 'acute pancreatitis'. I think one should be lucky to have it quickly diagnosed. I felt, most general physicians don?t always detect the sympt...

Taj Mahal and Lalitpur on Rakhi Purnima
2009-08-05 16:13:00
Raksha Bandhan reminds me of my journey from Gwalior to Agra. I had been to Gwalior to visit Cancer Institute - that was to be part of the beneficiary of JAICA aid for CT scanners.Visiting Agra and seeing Taj Mahal was a dream come true. Agra is in UP and belonged to Northern region while Gwalior was in MP, part of western India , my sales territory. Getting a chance to visit Gwalior gave me my best opportunity to see the Taj. Gwalior being just few hours train journey from Agra. Holiday of Raksha Bandhan came as a special boon . I took a mid day train that stopped at almost every station. Little kids dressed in traditional Indian attire, boys with rakhies tied on their right wrist, red tilak on the forehead while girls decked up in shimmering, glittering chunidars looked very adorable. Moms wore their choicest jewelry while dad carried boxes of sweets. Every station would have new set of families board and alight making me my first northern experience memorable. I realized the impo...
More About: Rakhi

Sant Dyneshwar, Konkan and Walwalkar Hospital through Dr Ravin Thatte
2009-08-05 04:25:00
A long ago, a business friend from South Korea had arrived in Mumbai after his visits to other parts of India. I took him to the Elephanta caves - the cave temples to Shiva, on an island ,10 km from Mumbai harbour. This was my visit to this place too. During the chat, he commented ' I have been to different parts of India, every one was enthusiastic in showing me the great monuments of India of different centuries. Why no one is showing me something of this century ?'. His comments made me realize the validity of his remark. We tend to preoccupy ourselves with history leaving the current accomplishment unnoticed.At jewellery shop in Shivaji Park while keeping Akshta occupied and entertained, my probing eyes reached for a box that stacked some books. What more can I ask for ? I pulled up a nearby wooden stool and started flipping through this hard bound Marathi book that talked about the famous personalities from Konkan. What impressed me about this book was the quality of ...
More About: Hospital , Maharashtra , Sant

Lokmanya Tilak & New English School, Bandra
2009-08-01 10:49:00
From the class third till the eleventh, I studied at the New English School , Bandra. The name English remained only for the namesake, everything else in the School was Marathi, including the teaching of English language.In those eight years, this school underwent a physical transformation from tin roof to asbestos one with a another roof top structure came next to the first one. What remained unchanged was a brass bell whose frequency of tolls would announce different events and the calender day of August 1st - birthday of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. This day was commemorated, year after year , with only one agenda - that of public speaking competition.Every year, select students would participate in classroom speaking competition on Lokmanya Tilak and they covered four aspects of his life. ' Swarajya maza janmasiddha hakka ahe'(freedom is my birthright) , I won't take a beating for a crime that I didn't do (incident of groundnut eating and making classroom a mess) , his publi...

Kadachit Movie, Gaytari Devi and Pebble Pedometer
2009-07-30 04:17:00
What is the right English word for Marathi equivalent of '?????????????'. I think it is ' Being Berserk'. I thought of this word, day before y'day, while watching a Marathi Movie '??????'. Sadashiv Amrapurkar, a fine actor but often portrayed in Hindi movies as a ' loud man who has gone berserk'. Give him a role that brings out a controlled aggression in him in a checked manner (??????) , his histrionic brilliance is at its best . In this movie, he vividly portrayed a character of a criminal who spent his life time behind the prison , for a crime he may not have committed and yet carries with him humane qualities that ever always present but never exuded through his rough exteriors.The website of this movie is very trendy like a Hollywood movie. I always have great admiration for woman who quit their gloried career to look after the family and raising children, used their spare time to enhance their skills and come back with a greater mission and accomplishment. Ashi...

Lovely cartoons
2009-07-29 04:53:00
What would be The Times of India without R K Laxman. But with such lovely cartoons, it would still be enjoyable. travelogue,descriptions,experiences,obser vations from curious and imbecile mind of goggly
More About: Cartoons , Lovely