Toe Knee Unplugged

Revisiting God's own country

2012-01-04T18:12:00.000+05:30

Am back in New Delhi after a two-week vacation in Kerala, having welcomed 2012 in God's own country. It was a good trip -- despite my BlackBerry going on the blink.

Visions of machete-wielding mustachioed men targeting us in Tamil Nadu gave Mom sleepless nights so we ditched plans to take a taxi from Coimbatore, opting for an uncomfortable train trip to Thrissur instead.

There was no real danger the Mullaperiyar dispute would spark riots (apart from the stray stone-pelting incidents reported on TV) and ironically, the only reference to the whole dam controversy was in the Christmas cribs I spotted in at least two Kerala churches. Baby Jesus would surely have been surprised to see this huge structure (pic above) just metres away from his tiny manger in Bethlehem.

Wedding bells were in the air (for one of my cousins), one of the reasons my family was in Kerala after six years. Not that I could do much sightseeing, we were mostly meeting relatives -- breakfast with Uncle X, lunch with Cousin Y, dinner with Grand-aunt Z, with a couple of 15-minute brunches and coffee thrown in for the not-so-related acquaintances. Which means you shouldn't really ask me how much I weigh -- am still carrying some holiday weight (as Friends character Ross Gellar would say).

A highlight of the trip was waking up in Anthikad (the native place of noted Malayalam film director Sathyan Anthikad) to find an elephant grazing in the backyard. Arjunan had been hired for the local Saint Sebastian feast. I'm not usually fond of pachyderms but this majestic creature was a pleasure to behold -- the amiable elephant kept us entertained. Happy New Year.

What is it with men and their maids?

2011-05-19T01:52:00.000+05:30

Think "Maid in Manhattan" and what usually came to mind was a fairytale Hollywood romance between Manhattan hotel maid Jennifer Lopez and aspiring Senator Ralph Fiennes.

Not any more. The arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn for attempted rape at a luxury Manhattan hotel has robbed the phrase of all its charm.

Although lawyers for the head of the International Monetary Fund have denied the charges, there’s no denying Strauss-Kahn is the latest celebrity to get into trouble over their maids.

In March, Bollywood star Shiney Ahuja was convicted of raping his maid in a case that shocked the world's largest film industry.

This week, former California Governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger acknowledged fathering a child more than a decade ago with a member of his household staff.

And NBA star Kobe Bryant was charged with sexual assaulting a hotel concierge in 2003, though the charges were later dropped.

What is it about celebrities that they take such risks at the cost of their family and careers? Are the famous more likely to cheat because they are powerful and hope to get away with it? Share your views.

7 in world's 100 richest. What about India's 'hidden' billionaires?

2011-03-10T18:25:00.001+05:30

The number of Indians in the annual Forbes rich list came as no surprise. But stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan wasn't among the seven Indians in the Top 100.

Khan, who insists he earns a modest living as a scrap metal merchant, is accused of illegally stashing billions of dollars in overseas accounts.

Media reports suggest the Pune-based businessman will have to cough up 620 billion rupees in tax evasion penalties. That's over $1.3 billion -- and may be just a fraction of Khan's net worth.

A fortune of $9 billion is good enough for a place in this year's Forbes Top 100 list. Does that mean India is home to more such 'hidden' billionaires?

Somebody save Delhi's Airport Express

2011-03-08T03:51:00.000+05:30

And you better do it quick. The Airport Metro guys aren't too happy with the way things are going for the New Delhi Airport Express. Two weeks after its launch, just about 6,000 people have been hopping on board every day.

No great shakes if you consider the other Metro train network -- yup, the slower one which is always crammed with people -- ferries some 1,500,000 commuters daily.

When the Airport Express opened, I was one of the few who made a beeline for the Dwarka Sector 21 station to fully experience its snazziness.

It was Day 2 and so I didn't get a Metro souvenir, a garland or even a petal. Those were gifts reserved for the lucky souls who used the airport Metro on the first day. I did get plenty of stares though, being the only commuter in sight -- the rest were all Metro employees.

After I bought a token for Shivaji Stadium (inaugural fare 80 rupees), I walked to the security line where a burly guard stood next to the X-ray baggage scanner. When the guard asked a fellow employee to switch it on, I guessed there hadn't been too many commuters before I walked in.

I turned a corner and used the stairs to descend to the platform level below and was relieved to find a fellow commuter waiting below. Yup, it isn't really fun to walk on a deserted platform and ride a ghost train, is it? More commuters walked in while I waited.

The Metro Express runs every 20 minutes and soon enough, the glass doors opened and I had stepped inside the train for my debut journey on the Airport Express. As I whizzed past the dark tunnels, my eyes took in the shining screens with station info, the spacious luggage racks and the blue-hued cushioned seats. Not to forget the liveried Airport Express stewards who could answer all passenger queries. Surely a boon for foreign tourists, some of whom were on the train, trying to find the quickest possible route to Ramakrishna Ashram.

A lot more people got in at the Airport station. I noticed the train halted there for a couple of minutes -- possibly for the benefit of passengers with heavy luggage.

Shortly afterwards, the train moved to the elevated section of the line. From inside the Metro, you realise why this part of India's capital is so beautiful, especially with the spacious roads and the lush greenery of Delhi Cantonment.

Don't miss the imposing Manekshaw Centre which looms on the left. A station later (Dhaula Kuan, which is still under construction), the Metro hurtles into Delhi's Ridge area and then descends underground once more. Next stop Shivaji Stadium where I get off astounded -- I had covered the distance in less than 20 minutes. As the Metro sped off towards the New Delhi railway station, its final destination, I explored the station complex -- a shining steel structure which seemed festooned with escalators and elevators.

Given the staff strength, commuters would find it difficult to conjure up enough paan stains and spit to sully the complex. And I sure hope they won't, because destroying something as world-class as this would be unpardonable.

Will I take the Airport Metro again? Yes, but not too frequently. The Dwarka Sector-21 station is a bit out of the way for me -- they will have to start more feeder buses within Dwarka before they win me over. Also, from Shivaji Stadium, it takes me another 15 minutes to walk to my office on Barakhamba Road. But on the whole, the Airport Express is a boon for frequent fliers and train passengers, and of course a joyride to be enjoyed by lovers of Delhi.

More info on Airport Express fares, stations here

Related posts from Toe Knee's blog

An ode to the Delhi Metro
Reflections from the Delhi Metro
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part I
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part II
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part III

Breakfast at Tiffany's: 50 years of "mean reds"

2011-02-06T22:54:00.001+05:30

Watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" today. It's a movie I'd been trying to catch for some years now -- and it just happened to be showing on the telly. Coincidentally, it's 50 years since its release and I can understand why people still talk about it.

This 1961 film was perhaps Audrey Hepburn's most challenging cinematic role and she excels at playing the eccentric Holly Golightly.

Hepburn lost the acting Oscar to Sophia Loren that year (perhaps unfairly) but there's no denying she brings the character to life.

I'd loved Hepburn in "My Fair Lady" and "Roman Holiday" but there is something magical about Hepburn's "mean reds", her personality and her equation with the cat in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" that will make this the more memorable role.

I'd read the novella some years ago and had been wondering if the film version did it justice. Critics often say Hepburn's Holly is a toned-down version of what author Truman Capote created in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", but I say it's an improvement. I liked all the changes for the film version and my only regret is they should have got an Asian actor to portray Holly's Japanese neighbour. Others think so too.

As for the film's controversial 'happy' ending, which Hollywood romance would be complete without it. The unresolved ending of the novella had left me dissatisfied. What's the point, I thought as Holly and her cat went their separate ways.

The movie (spoiler ahead) instead brings Holly, the cat and the writer together in the rain, in an embrace that almost suffocates the poor feline. (Animal rights activists, where were you in 1961?)

Hepburn's rendition of "Moon River" (which won the Oscar for 'Best Song') is one of my favourites and watching the famous sequences unfold on screen was even better.

All in all, a great way to spend my Sunday. If you're a sucker for Hollywood romances, this one is for you. If you haven't already, go watch "Breakfast at Tiffany's".

India Blog Mela: May - September 2010

2010-10-10T00:29:00.000+05:30

Been extremely busy and sorry for the delay. Have clubbed together the best blog posts between May and September and hope to resume the monthly "blog mela" shortly.

Radio Parul is going through some dental drama.

Mamasaysso's son has plane madness.

Silverine is connecting the dots.

Zigzackly knows ten ways to impress a journalist.

Neo Indian negotiates with his maid.

The Restless Quill wants to smoke.

Alaphia gets a scare and a scowl on the Tube.

Known Turf is into ghaghra feminism.

Falstaff is discussing theology.

Dave and Jenny have some Delhi travel tips.

That's all for now. The October 2010 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the May - September 2010 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the October 2010 Blog Mela being hosted here on November 5.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com
RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 October 2010 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on November 4 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January, February, March, April

India Blog Mela - April 2010

2010-05-15T16:23:00.044+05:30

Here are the best blog posts of April.

Jabberwock is missing comfort food.

Alaphia remembers her 8-year-old self.

Anand Ramachandran solves the IPL crisis.

Upasana's office friend is expecting.

Neo Indian has a foreigner's guide to Indian dining etiquette.

The Restless Quill detests acronyms.

Dave and Jenny explain why they are scared of the water.

The Compulsive Confessor has some observations on England.

IndieQuill is going Gimme Gimme.

Silverine has a colleague with verbal diarrhoea.

That's all for now. The May 2010 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the April 2010 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the May 2010 Blog Mela being hosted here on June 5.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com
RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 May 2010 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on June 4 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January, February, March

India Blog Mela - March 2010

2010-04-08T02:04:00.051+05:30

The India Blog Mela is now three years old. Congratulations to all the bloggers whose posts featured in the monthly editions. And here, albeit a bit late, are the best blog posts of March 2010.

Sayesha is interrogating a boy.

Gawker is hiking up Mt. Whatsitsface.

Krish Ashok is busy at the meeting.

Sad Old Bong is ordering room service.

Neo Indian provides a quick refresher of ancient Indian history.

The Restless Quill wants you to fake it right.

Neeraj thinks giving is an art.

Shanu is googling memories.

Kanupriya hopes for more Days.

Silverine is dropping hints.

That's all for now. The April 2010 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the March 2010 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the April 2010 Blog Mela being hosted here on May 5.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-30 April 2010 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on May 4 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January, February

India Blog Mela - February 2010

2010-03-10T01:10:00.006+05:30

Smi is turning over a new leaf.

Silverine is on the no-fail diet.

Great Bong goes to the barber shop.

Annie Zaidi is wondering if women are safer in Mumbai. Or Delhi?.

Shekhar Kapur remembers Nirmal Pandey.

Jade is working.

NeoIndian is just an Indian.

Divya and the permanent chaddi.

Dave and Jenny have two bargaining tactics.

Narendra Shenoy was trying to be funny.

That's all for now. The March 2010 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the February 2010 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the March 2010 Blog Mela being hosted here on April 5.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 March 2010 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on April 4 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January

India Blog Mela - January 2010

2010-02-09T01:49:00.023+05:30

Alaphia thinks It's Never Us. Its Always Them. .

Silverine experiences maternal connectivity.

Great Bong delivers an SRK-ian chuckle.

Krish Ashok is obsessed with Mile Sur Mera Tomorrow.

Aditi Sen is thinking about some random stuff.

Jade is facing street harassment.

NeoIndian is wondering if he's made the transition to living in India.

Divya lives in an industrial godown.

Spaz Kumari didn't like 3 Idiots.

OuchMyToe didn't get any credit for 3 Idiots.

That's all for now. The February 2010 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the January 2010 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the February 2010 Blog Mela being hosted here on March 5.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-28 February 2010 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on March 4 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Staying at the Neemrana Fort Palace

2010-02-01T02:39:00.003+05:30

Being a fan of modern plumbing, I am usually not too keen to spend time in 15th-century forts. But heritage hotels are different and an off-site office meet at the Neemrana Fort Palace was just what the doctor ordered.

Harry Potter fans would enjoy visiting this imposing hillside resort in Rajasthan's Alwar district -- it's a maze of tunnels and stairways that would put Hogwarts to shame.

Yes, there are attendants but come nightfall they all seem to melt into the walls, leaving me to navigate the indistinguishable passages to my ninth-floor Chandan Mahal.

Thankfully, there are no ghosts around -- no raja was beheaded, no princess jumped into any well (as far as I know) -- and I never came across any wandering spirit in the fort's turrets and courtyards.

I was a bit disappointed to learn that my apartment, albeit furnished with mahogany almirah and Rajputana fittings, was a 20th-century creation built above the refurbished medieval rooms. But it had its charms. The windows gave me a bird's-eye view of the sunset and the village beyond the ramparts.

There are no television sets or landline phones but the BlackBerry does work and once through with the office meet, it's good to unwind with an hour of traditional folk music -- complete with dancers in sequinned costumes and fire-spitters. The food, especially the desserts, is not too bad either.

But what really got me hooked was an attack on the fort. Not by looters or armies, but by a bunch of wildly screaming tourists zipping down cables from the hilltop.

Visitors to Neemrana can get the complete flying experience -- strapped into a harness and propelled hundreds of feet below from hillside platforms -- on a wire.

People wary of 'Made in India' tags can take comfort that the Flying Fox zip tour is "Swiss-made and British-operated" and there has not been a single fatality since it opened at Neemrana.

What would probably kill you though is the gruelling climb to the first zip platform. I was panting by the time I reached the top, my legs buckling under me as I resolved to do something about my out-of-shape body.

The zip tour, in comparison, was a breeze. There was no way I was going to climb all the way down so performing a death-defying flying stunt seemed the better option. There were a few anxious moments as I swung off the platform, but I relaxed soon enough, even finding time to enjoy the aerial view of the fort and the fields in the distance.

Two hours and five zip runs later, I no longer thought this modern sport was an anomaly at Neemrana.

I wonder what the 15th-century inhabitants would have made of the heritage zip tour -- it does make a whooshing sound each time someone is using it. Probably would have scared them out of their wits. Maybe that's why even their ghosts didn't stop too long.

But there's no stopping the tourists. Apparently Kate Winslet keeps coming to Neemrana. And with good reason.

(Photos and video by Rituparna Bhowmik)

India Blog Mela - December 2009

2010-01-05T00:55:00.000+05:30

Alaphia goes to Lunar House.

Silverine is having wardrobe woes.

Shekhar Kapur writes about the wallahs in his life.

Krish Ashok is going through the slacker's dilemma.

Son of Bosey wants the Delhi Commonwealth Games to include tambola as a medal event.

DoctorAtLarge celebrates his crowning glory.

Dave and Jenny find they are the attractions in Delhi.

Narendra Shenoy gets his first massage.

Surkhi thinks she's not good looking enough.

OuchMyToe has a four-point plan to survive the economic crisis.

That's all for now. The January 2010 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the December 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the January 2010 Blog Mela being hosted here on February 5.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 January 2010 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on February 4 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November

India Blog Mela - November 2009

2009-12-12T21:24:00.000+05:30

DoctorAtLarge is not counting on his lady luck.

Silverine has some advice for her HR manager.

Doosra thinks Ponting was King Pyrrhus in his previous birth.

Banno makes it clear she's not dancing for Gabbar.

Our Delhi Struggle were put off by India's time zone.

Narendra Shenoy goes to China.

IndieQuill does not like rice.

eM has some musings on multiculturalism.

MamaSaysSo has been dethroned.

OuchMyToe has a guide for foreigners in India.

That's all for now. The December 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the November 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the December 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on January 5.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 December 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on January 4 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October

India Blog Mela - October 2009

2009-11-11T01:48:00.002+05:30

DoctorAtLarge is indulging in Sem(en)antics.

Great Bong writes in defence of Bengali men.

Silverine is going Oh My God!.

Ramesh Srivats brings us the Nobel Peace Prize behind the scenes.

Thomas is indulging in random chat.

Suchitra is impressed with the Mumbai police.

Krish Ashok is crowing about crows.

Annie saw the bad and the ugly.

Sidin is suffering the effects of retreebution.

Surkhi is trying to be a Punjtam.

That's all for now. The November 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the October 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the November 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on December 2.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-30 November 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on December 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September

Sex and the Schoolboy

2009-10-20T02:14:00.000+05:30

I looked up from my textbook. Harpreet, a gangly boy with a conspicuous red turban, was the only other student in the classroom. And he was talking to me.

"Do you know where babies come from?"
"What?"
"How babies come into the world?"
"From the stomachs of women"
"Yes, but before that"
"God puts them there"
"You are just a child," Harpreet sneered.

He looked around and then whispered in my ear.
"You have to put your pee-pee in a woman's pee-pee"
"Are you crazy?"
"Sex, they call it sex"

Pee-pees were usually an uncomfortable topic but I sat there transfixed by this revelation.

I had never felt the need to explore the origins of tiny little things that bawled at odd hours.

Someone (the nanny? a playmate? I don't remember) once told me that God put his finger in women's belly buttons and made babies grow. I had believed it. It never struck me why men didn't have babies -- after all, they too had belly buttons.

Suddenly, now it all made sense.

Harpreet looked triumphant. He had imparted forbidden knowledge to another human being.

"Today, you are all grown-up," he said, scratching the front of his red turban. "Now you know the secret."

I don't remember much about that day in the classroom. But this first conversation about sex seems to be imprinted in my mind.

It was years later that we had our first formal sex-education class. We had learned much more by then and the sex therapist who was invited to school had little new to tell us.

At the end of the session, he picked up chits from a bowl in which students had been invited to pose anonymous questions. And there was one question which stumped even the instructor.

"The hair on my head is growing like my pubic hair. Please help."

Dear 'Bigg Boss 3' Video Editor

2009-10-11T22:45:00.000+05:30

We have a bone to pick with you over censorship of live footage from the Bigg Boss house each night.

We are seasoned 'Big Brother' voyeurs and claim the right to watch what really happens in the house at midnight.

We want to see every tear that rolls down Rohit Verma's cheek, every gesture Tanaaz Irani makes asking irritants to disappear, each side-splitting antic by Raju Shrivastav and every clichéd one-liner Kamaal R. Khan uses to woo Claudia Ciesla.

What we get instead in the live feed are close-ups of the fish pool, the garden seats, the jail, the gym treadmills and the futuristic furniture.

The Bigg Boss inmates are speaking, crying, laughing, sleeping nearby and yet you never reveal their faces or allow us to eavesdrop.

Are you falling asleep at your work station and missing the correct camera feed? Do drink a cup of coffee and pay more attention.

Mom is livid. She wants to catch hold of you and grind you into a million pieces to be mixed with tomorrow's breakfast chutney.

"Let me get my hands on the camera guy," she says, her hands gesturing in the air for that invisible neck -- your precious neck, Mr. 'Bigg Boss' Video Editor. So please be more careful.

Yours sincerely,

Disgruntled 'Bigg Boss 3' voyeur

To fast or not to fast

2009-10-08T03:21:00.002+05:30

Mom doesn't like the concept of Indian women fasting on Karva Chauth for the long life of their husbands.

It's not that she's a feminist but after cooking and cleaning up after husband and two messy kids for thirty years, who isn't?

It isn't really cool for women to sit and starve at home while hubby dearest stuffs himself with samosas from the office canteen.

That's what Mom tried to tell her more traditional friends while helping them shop for silver bracelets on the eve of Karva Chauth.

"Okay, I get it. You want to fast. Fine. But at least get him to fast with you. Tell him to prove his love for you."

But to no avail.

The young mommies pretend to listen to Mom. And go back to their houses to watch 'The Perfect Bride' on television, eager to dress up in their Karva Chauth finery and swoon in their husband's arms.

Mom is irritated. Her FarmVille plot isn't doing too well. A certain someone is not following her on Twitter. And the neighbourhood mommies have all ignored her request.

I ask Dad if he ever wanted his wife to fast on Karva Chauth.

Before he could reply, Mom piped up from the kitchen.

"If he says yes, there wouldn't be any food on the table."

Dad didn't dare reply.

India Blog Mela - September 2009

2009-10-05T20:37:00.027+05:30

After a week of battling the common cold and keeping my laptop at bay, I am back in the blogging business. Without further ado, here are the top 10 Indian (or India-related) blog posts for September 2009.

Surkhi is one in one thousand.

Great Bong gets nostalgic when it's that time of the year.

Silverine goes through the final diagnosis.

Rituparna is testing pink ka dumm.

Thomas is burger-crazy.

Suchitra is having a Q and A.

Krish Ashok does his take on the making of Mile Sur Mera.

Annie is rambling on self-indulgently.

Banno is fashionista Banno or an old horse with red reins.

Mudra has something for you while travelling on the Harbour Line.

And here's a bonus post by Jamshed. If you like ear hair.

That's all for now. The October 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the September 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the October 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on November 2.

HOW TO NOMINATE
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 October 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on November 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August

An even more embarrassing moment

2009-09-17T02:43:00.001+05:30

Some give speeches with their flies undone. Others wear mismatched socks. I perform lap dances on unsuspecting women using public transport.

Inadvertently, of course.

It happened when I was 17 and returning home from school, weighed down by a bag that was bursting at the seams.

It must have been a pot-hole or the driver swerving to avoid a jaywalker, for whatever reason, the bus lurched and the jolt sent me sprawling across the laps of two middle-aged women.

For a split second, two pairs of eyes locked into mine. And then out of nowhere, their arms hit out at me, their mouths hurled abuse. I must have been heavy -- all 70 kilos of me.

I flailed about for support, but couldn't get up immediately, burdened down by the schoolbag on my back.

Eventually, I broke free and escaped to the back of the bus, unable to stem the stream of abuse that still poured from their lips.

And which part of all this embarrassed me the most? The fact that some passengers thought I did it deliberately.

RELATED POST
Most embarrassing moment

When Tony became Tara

2009-09-12T20:28:00.000+05:30

Back in my Delhi University days, I used to do the rounds of college festivals, participating in the one event that I ever had any chances of winning -- creative writing.

At one such event, I registered with a girl sitting at the front desk, and she clearly had too much on her plate.

"Name?"
"Tony Tharakan"
"What?"
"T-H-A-R-A-K-A-N"
"Again please"
"Tharakan. T-H-A-R-A-K-A-N"

Tharakan is a fairly common surname in Kerala but in New Delhi, it never rolls off people's tongues as smoothly as it should.

An hour after the creative writing competition, the twenty-odd contestants gathered to hear the results.

The top prize had been won by Tara Khan. But no one came forward to collect the cash.

As the rest of us looked at each other, wondering who or where Tara Khan was, the lecturer-in-charge went through the list of participants, reading them aloud and ticking off the names of those present in the room.

I was not on that list. But the mysterious Miss Khan had the same registration number as my winning entry.

The problem was solved, I got the cash and Tara Khan was history.

ALSO READ: Tony Tattle

India Blog Mela - August 2009

2009-09-08T04:15:00.000+05:30

Suchitra Krishnamoorthi encounters the casting couch.

Great Bong gives readers the lowdown on the Unputdownables.

Silverine went for a shotgun wedding of the Goan kind.

Mathew attends a hochzeit im Hamburg.

Ramesh Srivats is blogging about happenings in Pigland.

Kapil knows what brought on the drought.

Krish Ashok investigates the case of the attempted mango pickle kidnapping.

Thomas Sebastian is a power saver.

Banno is caught in rush hour.

Sidin muses on the alphabetical ardour of life.

That's all for now. The September 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the August 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the September 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on October 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-30 September 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on October 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July

And Delhi's favourite FM radio station is

2009-09-02T02:18:00.004+05:30

The results are in. And the winner of the blog poll for Delhi's best FM radio station is 93.5 FM.

Red FM 'Bajaate Raho' is the flavour of the season, winning 38 percent of the votes polled on the blog. Radio City 91.1 FM was in second place with a fourth of the vote.

Full results here

Two years ago, the then newly launched Meow 104.8 FM was the surprise winner of this blog poll with 28 percent of the votes cast. Hit 95 FM finished in second place with 20 percent, just a vote ahead of Fever 104 FM.

RADIO TALK FROM THE ARCHIVES
Adam moos better than Amit Varma's cows
Delhi's "all talk" radio station
Getting high on Fever 104
Ten hits in a row, anyone?

The mysterious old man

2009-09-01T03:14:00.002+05:30

When I left for work this morning, an old man was standing outside my house. He smiled as I walked past and asked me where I was going.

"Office"
"And where is that?"
"Connaught Place"

Normally, most of my neighbours are strangers to me -- even if they happen to be residents of the same block of flats.

I am one of a breed of laptop-loving asocial beings, for whom the four walls of a house are like cocoons spewing forth humans, only to accept them back when they return from office.

But this stranger, who seemed like a harmless little man in his seventies, continued to address me as if I were a long-lost friend.

Suddenly, he raised his right arm in the air as if to strike me and started mouthing obscenities.

Taken aback, I smiled, took a few steps back and then continued on my way. As I reached the colony gate, I looked back and saw the old man still mumbling, his right arm still outstretched in the air, a frailer version of the Statue of Liberty.

I am not sure what was wrong with him. Perhaps, he is suffering from Alzheimer's. Maybe he mistook me for some former office subordinate who had irritated him.

Whatever the reason, I wondered why no one from his family was near him, why he was left free to prey on unsuspecting visitors, and did he even have a semblance of normal life?

I am not sure I want to know. The next time I meet him, I may not stop to chat. Will you?

(For more snippets from Toe Knee's life, keep reading his blog)

Reflections from the Delhi Metro

2009-08-30T02:20:00.003+05:30

Travelling alone on the New Delhi Metro Rail? Short trips are fine but an hour-long commute in a jam-packed compartment can be deathly boring.

Wondering how to pass your time? Eavesdropping helps.

Woman 1: My boyfriend says I don't provide him enough intellectual conversation
Woman 2: Really?
Woman 1: So I said we could talk about derivatives
Woman 2: Derivatives?
Woman 1: There was this programme on the stock market on NDTV Profit and I learned a bit about derivatives.
Woman 2: And?
Woman 1: Raj said he was impressed
Woman 2: He must have hoped that would make you very happy
Woman 1: Yeah, I said I am very much obliged (Laughs)
Woman 2: Men are all the same

RELATED POSTS
An Ode to the Delhi Metro

ALSO READ
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part I
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part II
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part III

A House for Mr. Bobby

2009-08-28T02:07:00.005+05:30

Bobby the toad entered our lives this monsoon season. One unusually rainy day in New Delhi, he leaped his way into our ground floor flat and has stayed ever since.

Believe me, it's not that easy trying to get rid of a toad. Bobby has the attributes of a master criminal -- he's nimble, silent and low-key.

We didn't like him one bit. Until we spotted him pouncing on a stray cockroach and eating it whole.

For Mom, that's a feat worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.

She and cockroaches go way back.

As a college student, Mom once ran out of her house into traffic, chased by someone dangling live cockroaches in his fingers. Her brother.

She never forgave my uncle for that prank and talking about it still gives her the creeps.

But I digress.

Ever since he polished off the cockroach, Bobby has lost his pariah status and is welcome to stay at home as long as he wants.

Dad is not amused.

(For more snippets from Toe Knee's life, keep reading his blog )

Do blueberry muffins ring a bell?

2009-08-27T01:18:00.009+05:30

It's quite late by the time I get back from office. And dark too.

In not-so-safe New Delhi, it's a good idea to know who you are opening your doors to -- especially at night.

So when someone rings the doorbell, and all Mom can see through the grill door is the silhouette of a person standing outside, she asks "Who is it?"

And I answer 'blueberry muffin'.

That's the cue for her to open the door.

Yes, we have a password system that's safer than most burglar alarms, vicious dogs and electric fences.

This month, the magic word is 'blueberry muffin'.

Last month, it was 'chocolate chip icecream'.

"But why only food?" says Mom. "Why can't we have sensible passwords?"

Well, that's because I set the passwords and I have a sweet tooth. It's a diet that has seen me go from 'thin' to 'no-longer-thin' on my blog profile in just five years.

And if cutting back on desserts (I swear I am) is a good thing, I can at least relive those sweet memories at night -- when I utter the calorie-filled syllables that gain me access to my home.

Why the water scares me

2009-08-26T01:12:00.003+05:30

Nearly 20 years ago, a little boy ran down a rocky stretch of Kovalam beach in Kerala, thrilled with his first look at the sea. He stepped into the water gingerly, allowing the gentle waves to lap at his tiny feet.

The boy then ventured further – and further – into the inviting arms of the sea. But he slipped and fell and the waves, no longer gentle, carried him away. As he bobbed up and down, his gaze turned to the shore where his mother stood, gesturing wildly and shouting for help -- ironically in Hindi and not in her native Malayalam.

As he flailed his arms in a desperate attempt to keep afloat, sea water found its way up his nose and he panicked. The little boy had never experienced such helplessness before.

Suddenly, he felt someone grab him. A group of men playing beach volleyball had seen the little boy struggle and rushed to save him. He didn't look at their faces, he had eyes only for his mother as the Good Samaritans bore him back to her -- safe and unscathed.

That little boy was me. And I am still scared of drowning.

RELATED POST
Suicide Blues

True Love -- 34 years on

2009-08-24T01:48:00.005+05:30

So I was reading the Remembrance page in 'The Times of India' (FYI, I do not have a morbid fascination for death) and I chanced upon a message for Sayta Rani.

Who left 34 years ago this day in 1975
Fragrance of your love surrounds me always
Deeply missed by K.K.

Now, I found that interesting -- the other messages in the Times Obituary were all for people who died in the last five years. And there's this person who is mourning the passing away of his spouse (or mother maybe) 34 years after her death. Now that's true love.

And has K.K. been publishing a Remembrance message on August 22 each year? That's one thing I really want to know.

Sona Mohapatra back with 'Diljale'

2009-08-22T22:35:00.010+05:30

Remember Sona Mohapatra. The Indian pop/folk sensation sort of disappeared off the radar after her debut album "Sona" in 2006. But the 'Bolo Na' and 'Aaja Ve' singer is now back with 'Diljale'.

Her new video single will be officially released on September 1, 2009. But you can catch a preview here.

From the looks of it, this one is going to match the popularity of her first album, which remains one of my favourites.

In a blog interview in 2007, Sona told Toe Knee Unplugged her main objective was to create 'soul music', music that moves you. Her new album will carry forward that objective.

TV viewers have already heard the 'Paas Aao' number from the album -- it's the popular Close-Up song, one of the many jingles Sona has sung for television commercials.

Vote for Delhi's best FM radio station

2009-08-17T01:24:00.007+05:30

It's time you voted for Delhi's favourite FM radio station -- again.

Two years ago, the newly launched Meow 104.8 FM was the surprise winner with 28 percent of the votes cast on this blog. Hit 95 FM finished in second place with 20 percent, finishing just a vote ahead of Fever 104 FM. Full results

Will we see the same results this time around? Vote for your favourite FM radio station. Polling ends August 31, 2009 and results will be announced soon after.

RADIO TALK FROM THE ARCHIVES
Adam moos better than Amit Varma's cows
Delhi's "all talk" radio station
Getting high on Fever 104
Ten hits in a row, anyone?

India Blog Mela - July 2009

2009-08-16T00:46:00.015+05:30

Sorry for the delay but here's the July Blog Mela -- finally.

HawkEye is part of the Diaper generation.

Great Bong identifies the dying traits of the Bangali.

Silverine is stuck with a knotty problem.

Ramesh Srivats envisages Modi & Modi united.

Jamshed V. Rajan is telling the untold story of the Taj Mahal.

The Daily Tamasha finds Baba Ramdev going the family way.

Krish Ashok is reading stuff on Rediff.

IdeaSmith on the Advocate and Other Married Men.

Dilip D'Souza is a Lemoterian playing tennis.

Jabberwock is ranting against Facebook birthday wishes.

That's all for now. The August 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the July 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the August 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on September 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 August 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on September 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June

Writing a novel? Just tweet it

2009-08-10T00:05:00.003+05:30

When Matt Stewart's agent submitted his debut novel to publishing houses, he didn't quite get the response he wanted.

"Many of them loved it, but none were willing to buy what they viewed as a 'risky' novel — vivid language, elements of fantasy and farce, raunchy humor," the San Francisco resident wrote on his website.

But Stewart didn't lose heart. On July 14, he started posting "The French Revolution" on Twitter.

More here

India Blog Mela - June 2009

2009-07-02T01:31:00.017+05:30

YOnEarthNot is experiencing some Sunday morning drama.

Alaphia was souvenir shopping in Alaska. Or not.

Silverine knows how to make a Chinese film in four easy steps.

Banno has written a memo to old people.

MamaSaysSo is telling Ayaan about the baby.

The Daily Tamasha finds Mayawati has woken up as a statue.

Krish Ashok was spending time on a plane.

Whatay is having fun with Beeblotra Ji.

18,000 RPM is going through Terms and Conditions.

Mudra is ready with The Dummies' Guide to Driving.

That's all for now. The July 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the June 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the July 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on August 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 July 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on August 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May

Which is your favourite Michael Jackson song?

2009-06-27T13:03:00.003+05:30

I took a trip down memory lane on the day Michael Jackson died and listened to songs by the 'King of Pop'. I have had favourites over the years but now if I had to choose one song that exemplifies Michael -- it has to be 'We Are the World'.

But I can't seem to choose my favourite among his solo hits. Each song has its unique appeal. What about you?

Shiney shining no more -- and the media too

2009-06-21T16:41:00.004+05:30

Okay, I get it. Bollywood star Shiney Ahuja has been charged with raping his maid. And wife Anupam is saying he's innocent.

What I don't get is how the media is already assuming Ahuja is guilty.

I was shocked to hear a Delhi radio station use the news for a call-in contest.

"Anupam is defending her husband and has forgiven him," the RJ said. "We women keep forgiving our husband's mistakes and defend them. Tell us about when you covered up your husband's mistakes."

Even assuming Ahuja is guilty, the media is more obsessed with the celebrity scandal rather than the rape victim.

Author and blogger Amit Varma spoke to his friends and finds many of them surprised not because Ahuja allegedly raped someone, but because the victim was his maid.

So I guess it would have been less of a surprise for them if Ahuja had raped someone better looking and befitting his status -- a Bollywood actress perhaps.

What do you think?

India Blog Mela - May 2009

2009-06-02T20:43:00.017+05:30

Twisted DNA is at the receiver's end.

Silverine is Hindicapped.

Nikhil is dealing in lost soles.

The Daily Tamasha finds multiplex popcorn sellers have gone on strike.

Suchitra is talking about the ying yang balance.

Whatay goes to the UK - Part II.

That's all for now. The June 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the May 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the June 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on July 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-30 June 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on July 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April

Snapshots from Ahmedabad

2009-05-09T21:26:00.022+05:30

Here are photos from my trip to Ahmedabad last week. I keep going to the "city of my birth" every year to drop in on my cousins still living there -- and somehow the place seems hotter each time.

I am used to the summer in New Delhi but the Ahmedabad sun drains you of all energy and all I ever want to do there is lie down and sleep. There's nothing much to do any way -- for all of Modi's achievements being trumpeted, it's still a drab little place where memories of communal tensions abound.

There was little election fever actually -- except posters and Gujarati jingles on the radio. The most striking polling day image was a group of women dancing on the road apparently celebrating 'Akkha Teej'.

And the sweetest memory? A malnourished cat and her newborn kitten sought refuge in our garden. I spent most of my time feeding them milk and curd.

For the record, New Delhi does have its flaws but I wouldn't want to shift anywhere else.

The 2008 trip: A trip to Modi-land

India Blog Mela - April 2009

2009-05-02T22:24:00.020+05:30

Sidhu is offering diplomas in shoe flinging.

Silverine thinks her boss needs therapy.

Niranjana is misplacing letters from Indian classics.

HawkEye is an expert on desi mating patterns.

Suvrat Kher has evidence that females entered India before males.

Whatay goes to the UK.

18,000 RPM finds it weird to go shopping in Indian stores in the U.S..

The Purple Cow remembers her Scottish tragedy.

Bikerdude is having Peer Sahib for lunch.

Banno is going through testing times.

That's all for now. The May 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the April 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the May 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on June 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 May 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on June 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March

Mean Little Kitty

2009-04-11T16:51:00.000+05:30

Happy Good Friday!

2009-04-09T00:50:00.002+05:30

K: Happy Good Friday, Tony
Me: What?
K: I said Happy Good Friday
Me: Dude, Good Friday is not Happy Good Friday
K: But it's good, right?
Me: Ya, Jesus saved us from sin so it was kinda good for the world. But he was crucified too, remember?
K: But you call it Good Friday. And confuse the heck out of people
Me: Well, it's good because Christians believe Jesus died for people's sins. And when we remember his death more than 2000 years ago, we are inspired to lead better, sin-free lives
K: But he still died. That's a sad thing, isn't it?
Me: Ya, but sometimes good stuff can come from sad things
K: So why isn't Good Friday happy too?
Me: Are you ever happy when people die? The fact that Jesus died is sad but then Christians believe that good came out of it. But people are happy on Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead
K: So you are saying I can wish you Happy Easter but not Happy Good Friday
Me: Exactly
K: Does it offend Christians if I wish them Happy Good Friday
Me: Not really. It sounds weird though. But I guess you took the trouble to remember it's an important day for us, so I should be happy
K: So you can be happy on Good Friday?
Me: Well, not really. I am fasting today and you are eating icecream. How can that make me happy?

(This post was first published on this blog on 'Good Friday' April 7, 2007)

India Blog Mela - March 2009

2009-04-07T00:38:00.006+05:30

Ramesh Srivats is giving out the Bhaskars.

Mudra Mehta writes something for Gujjus.

Twisted DNA is having some sick fun.

eM has a quick guide to being fabulous even with a recession on.

Anjali is suffering from ...modesty.

Abodh remembers the strays he knew that passed away.

Neelakantan writes an open letter to Indian IT companies.

Great Bong reveals the new London of 2013 under Boro Didi.

Rituparna Bhowmik finds it hard being fat in an anorexic city.

Krish Ashok is explaining song lyrics with graphs.

That's all for now. The April 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the March 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the April 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on May 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-30 April 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on May 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January,February

My mom's a serial killer

2009-04-05T00:33:00.000+05:30

Well, sort of. She doesn't really kill people. She kills mosquitos.

Each evening, armed with an electronic mosquito-killing racket, she goes from room to room swatting at any flying pest that dares to hover in the vicinity.

Her yellow battery-operated machine looks as mild as a badminton racket but is far more lethal -- several volts of electricity frying any wayward mosquito that dares to penetrate its wire mesh.

Am not really sure if my mom likes eliminating them this way. But there is this hint of a smile, almost a sense of achievement when she hits a Steffi Graf forehand, there's a spark and yet another mosquito bites the dust.

I like dogs and cats and don't really like mosquitos but even so, the sight of their carcasses stuck to the racket mesh gives me no special thrill.

I can't even watch television in peace. Mom swoops in, racket held high in her right hand, her eyes scanning the ceiling and walls for any sitting targets. She makes me get up from the couch so she can spot the enemy better -- and she does, there are always some nibbling away at my ankles.

Rest in peace, poor mosquito. Mom will not rest until she gets you, your children and your children's children all in one grave -- the kitchen dustbin.

"Aren't you scared?" I often ask her. "Think of all their souls in one place, plotting how they can avenge their deaths."

"They can send in reinforcements," says Mom. "I don't care."

And she doesn't. She's a professional killer, trained not to show any trace of emotion.

But I am still worried. What about the animal rights activists? Maneka Gandhi, please don't put my mom in prison. I promise I'll make her mend her ways.

Until then, I'll just put up a sign for all the mosquitos out there 'Don't come in here, please. My mom's gonna kill you'.

India Blog Mela - February 2009

2009-03-07T13:30:00.021+05:30

This is about Silverine and her cousin brother Jose.

Ra has a toilet fetish.

Sujatha is hoping for some good news about Phelps soon.

IndieQuill is having breakfast.

Ramesh Srivats is hoping to get a leaner, meaner council of ministers.

Greatbong tells a Valentine Day story.

Anand Ramachandran says young couples are delighted by Muthalik.

Krish Ashok brings you the anatomy of a disastrous Indian vacation.

Jammy gives a girl a fourth free birthday gift.

Toe Knee is suffering from the damnedest cold man ever caught.

That's all for now. The March 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the February 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the March 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on April 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 March 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on April 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January

The damnedest cold man ever caught

2009-02-10T01:29:00.012+05:30

I have a cold. A very bad cold. As I walk up to my office on Delhi's Barakhamba Road, I see a man blissfully asleep on the sidewalk.

My nose is very very red. His isn't.

I don't usually feel like switching places with sleeping vagrants but today I wished I was lying spread-eagled there, dreaming of God-knows-what but dreaming nevertheless.

I had slept little the previous night, sniffling and coughing in what seemed like a tic-tac-toe contest between my nose and my mouth. My nose won.

And when the alarm rang this morning, my body said to me -- "Hey dude! There's no way you are getting out of bed."

But I had to. I had taken a day off on Friday, hoping to recover fully over the weekend. And here I was on Monday, still clutching my sore throat and dripping mucus all over a soggy handkerchief.

You know what hurts most. When a woman catches a cold, notice how everyone is nice to her.

"Go home to your nest,
My remedy is the best,
Two teaspoons of honey,
Steaming tea, plenty of rest,
And wake up bright and sunny."

As a man, I am supposed to possess stoicism in Spartan proportions.

"Get over it, do you see X complaining?
He broke his wrist and he's not squealing."

No one really understands -- until they catch a cold themselves. Wait a minute. That's a good idea. I can infect someone and smile a wry smile when they run out of tissues.

But then it's just microbes on the rampage. A week later, they will tire and move on to the next victim. Life comes full circle and I may be infected again.

I wish someone could find a cure for the common cold. What good is a Nobel Prize if you can't rid mankind of this wretched malady.

Go Mr Scientist, go seek nirvana among your stem cells and cloned canines. I love dogs but what good is a hairy poodle to me? Especially when I bury my nose in a handkerchief and can't play fetch with the puppy.

To sneeze or not to sneeze? That is the question. When the boss is speaking on the other line, there you are, staring at the tip of your snout, waiting for the inevitable -- Atichoo!

The deed is done. No one cares.

No one ever cared, except for Ogden Nash in The Common Cold
...
By pounding brow and swollen lip;
By fever's hot and scaly grip;
By those two red redundant eyes
That weep like woeful April skies;
By racking snuffle, snort, and sniff;
By handkerchief after handkerchief;
This cold you wave away as naught
Is the damnedest cold man ever caught!

...
Bacilli swarm within my portals
Such as were ne'er conceived by mortals,
But bred by scientists wise and hoary
In some Olympic laboratory;
Bacteria as large as mice,
With feet of fire and heads of ice
Who never interrupt for slumber
Their stamping elephantine rumba.

India Blog Mela - January 2009

2009-02-08T22:45:00.025+05:30

Falstaff is telling a tale - The Further Adventures of Hark! DaButt.

Greatbong reviews Rajesh Khanna's comeback film.

Ramalinga Raju to star in new film 'Millionaire Slumdog'. Anand Ramachandran has the details.

The Infinite Monkey 2.0 has a go at 2008. Krish Ashok tells you how.

Yossarian is reading readers on the Tube.

Shekhar Kapur talks about Rahman and the Oscars.

Annie Zaidi hasn't forgotten.

Twisted DNA had to contend with Pablo Peecassos.

XX Factor has switched on her gaydar.

Dilip D'Souza has to be really old. His wife was born in 1899. Or was she?

That's all for now. The February 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the January 2009 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the February 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on March 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-28 February 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on March 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Shilpa Shetty is picking up some Chinese

2009-02-01T00:44:00.005+05:30

But Shilpa Shetty still can't pronounce her Chinese co-star's name. Shilpa, who's working with Xia Yu in the film "The Desire" dreads calling out his name on the sets -- lest she gets it wrong.

"It invariably was wrong, the exact pronunciation being S(h)iya Yeoh! which means "summer rain." Sweet! The director addressed him as Sha Wu which meant "Afternoon", Sha Yu, which meant "Oil" and many more interpretations with different christenings."

And Shilpa's proud of the film (there are plans to show it at Cannes).

"For a change the international audiences will get to see more than just SLUMS, filth and an unhygienic environment and will see the deep rooted culture and beauty of India."

Did you hear that, Mr Danny Boyle?

More on Shilpa's blog.

Americans are not stupid -- a CNNNN video

2009-02-01T00:35:00.003+05:30

Slumdog Millionaire Sock Puppet Show

2009-01-28T00:40:00.000+05:30

We can sleep in peace. We know how 'The Italian Job' ended

2009-01-24T14:21:00.006+05:30

"Hang on a minute lads - I've got a great idea." We hung on a minute. We then hung on a further forty years.

For all those dying to know how the robbers 'save' the gold at the end of The Italian Job, the Royal Society of Chemistry finally has an answer.

John Godwin won a competition to guess the cliffhanger ending with the most plausible explanation.

But of the 2000 entries, this one got my attention.

Hollywood stars are having a bad week

2009-01-24T13:53:00.005+05:30

Brad Pitt poses for photographers in Paris with his flies undone while Halle Berry's dress gets caught in an escalator while rushing to Obama's inauguration Ball.

It wasn't the best week for Hollywood.

How "Slumdog Millionaire" got its name

2009-01-24T01:16:00.003+05:30

If you are wondering why "Slumdog" and why not "Slumboy", there's a story behind how Danny Boyle's Golden Globe-winning film got its unusual name. Read more here.

By the way, the director still thinks the movie is not perfect.

Where the hell is Matt? On VISA

2009-01-10T19:39:00.003+05:30

Just in case you haven't caught Matt Harding in the new VISA ad

FYI, Matt's dance moves on his hugely popular YouTube videos have made millions of Netizens smile.

So have his Outtakes - the ones that didn't make the cut.

INTERVIEW - Matt Harding

The President is Coming -- is finally here

2009-01-09T07:57:00.003+05:30

The President is Coming, a film set in Mumbai during George W. Bush's trip to India in 2006, tells the fictional tale of six Indians vying for a chance to shake hands with the visiting head of state.

The film opened in Indian cinemas on Friday. Here's what Rajeev Masand has to say. And Nikhat Kazmi.

How a cockroach got drunk on the sets of 'Mr India'

2009-01-04T22:57:00.013+05:30

Remember that scene in Mr India(1987) where Sridevi comes face to face with a cockroach.

Turns out director Shekhar Kapur had to coax the roach with some rum to stand still for the shot.

Kapur wrote about it on his blog.

"Well, I needed the cockroach to be very still for the camera as he/she eyed Sri Devi threateningly. Focussing takes a long time and the cockroach needed to be patient. So we got the cockroach drunk !! No kidding, we surrounded the cockroach in a pool of my favorite Old Monk Rum, and the cockroach was soon lolling around like a drunken sailor, giving in to the DP, Baba Azmi's every demand."

Good thing PETA wasn't really in the picture (in Bollywood) 20 years ago.

India Blog Mela - December 2008

2009-01-04T02:50:00.042+05:30

Ramesh Srivats is back with a second post on 100-word election speeches -- fictional, of course.

Greatbong reveals why he does not like Arundhati Roy.

Did you hear about the guy who threw a DVD of 'Drona' at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh? Anand Ramachandran has the details.

He was destined for glory right from when he was small. He broke all the rules. Krish Ashok writes an obituary.

Rajesh Ramaswamy remembers the Cocojumbo man, the Scatman troop and the Nirvana chick.

Thanks to Muffin, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi finally understands men.

Sauvik Chakraverti wants to shut down the DDA.

Jai Arjun Singh has a credit card almost thrust upon him, then taken away.

Amrita bumped into the rooster in the kitchen. When she was three.

Jammy is thanking God for helping his family survive winter in north India.

That's all for now. The January 2009 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the December 2008 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the January 2009 Blog Mela being hosted here on February 2.

How to Nominate
- Leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

RULES
- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-31 January 2009 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on February 2 stand a chance to be featured in the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

PREVIOUS BLOG MELAS
2007
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November

Luger Shiva Keshavan does India proud

2009-01-04T01:42:00.009+05:30

It was a good year for Indian sports and Shiva Keshavan just made 2008 better.

In case you didn't hear about it, India's most famous luger won a bronze medal at the Asia Cup this December, three years after his first podium finish at Nagano(Japan).

What's luge? Well, it's been a Winter Olympics sport since 1964 and involves a high-speed sled ride through a semi-circular ice track.

At 27, Keshavan is already a luge veteran -- having taken part in three Winter Olympics and now preparing for his fourth at Vancouver next year.

On Christmas Eve in 2005, Keshavan won his first international medals in the sport, picking up a bronze (singles) and silver (doubles) at the Nagano Asia Cup.

Two months later, at the Torino Olympics, Keshavan finished 25th -- a creditable result considering only a second separated him from the gold medallist in terms of best lap time.

Moreover, Keshavan did it against all odds -- no funding or help from a defunct national luge association.

He's got himself some sponsors now and is back on the luge track after a sabbatical of nearly two years.

So here's wishing Keshavan best of luck for a Herculean task in 2010 -- bagging India's first medal at the Winter Olympics.

INTERVIEW (July 31, 2007)

The Smoke Ring fraternity

2008-12-14T13:42:00.006+05:30

I went for a party last night and was faced with empty chairs at periodic intervals. Where were all these people going?

Jugular Vein helped me get to the bottom of it.

I went outside and spent a very pleasant evening with people i'd never met before. I never did get their names, but one was an India Kings Extra Mild, two were Marlboro Lights and another was a Habanos Monte Cristo No 4 Classy.

How many calories does it take to win 8 Olympic golds?

2008-12-09T00:54:00.003+05:30

Remember all those news items about Michael Phelps taking in 12,000 calories every day.

Turns out they weren't entirely true.

November 2008 Blog Mela

2008-12-06T18:06:00.010+05:30

In this special edition of the monthly blog mela, here are the best of Indian blog posts on the Mumbai attacks.

Prem Panicker - The morning after

India Uncut - A Night Out in Mumbai

Ramesh Srivats - It would be funny if it weren't so scary

Sonia Faleiro - Children of Bombay

Amitabh Bachchan - A nation is upset and angry

Great Bong - The way forward

Annie Zaidi - Mumbai, post

Mudra Mehta - -------------------

Karan Johar - The Fire Within...

Green Channel - Nightmares

Yuvvraaj: Brilliant score let down by lacklustre script

2008-11-22T04:47:00.003+05:30

Unfortunately for Subhash Ghai, the era of formula films has long gone and even the most ambitious project can't afford to take it easy in the writing department.

And that's where "Yuvvraaj", the 18th film by a director known as Bollywood's Showman, fails despite liberal doses of Ghai's trademark opulence and grandeur.

Essentially the story of three brothers, "Yuvvraaj" revolves around the free-for-all that ensues when a London-based billionaire dies, leaving behind his fortune to autistic son Gyanesh Yuvvraaj (Anil Kapoor).

To read more, click here

Hocus-pocus Hill-Billy-Boo

2008-11-20T02:32:00.003+05:30

This Saturday, a U.S. magician will either astound you or pay you $100. That's my prediction.

Dostana: A spectacular first half but nothing great overall

2008-11-15T14:38:00.002+05:30

The opening shot of John Abraham emerging from the sea sets the tone for the film, with the camera lens lingering a tad too long on his bright yellow trunks.

The latest offering from filmmaker Karan Johar features the usual mélange of romance, snazzy designer wear, exotic locales and foot-tapping numbers.

But writer-director Tarun Mansukhani plays a masterstroke with the 'gay' plot, setting the stage for a hitherto unused treasure trove of witty one-liners and bawdy humour. To read more, click here.

Dasvidaniya: Bittersweet slice of middle-class life

2008-11-15T14:29:00.004+05:30

If you were expecting Vinay Pathak's latest film to be a comic caper, you are in for a surprise.

"Dasvidaniya" is a bittersweet comedy about a man diagnosed with cancer and how he spends the last three months of his life.

Heard that one before? It's a subject Bollywood has dealt with in films like "Anand" and "Kal Ho Naa Ho". The 2007 Hollywood film "The Bucket List" also had a similar storyline.

But Shashant Shah’s "Dasvidaniya" gives the plot some original twists. To read more, click here.

Help a virgin

2008-11-10T23:53:00.004+05:30

Once upon a time there was a 25-year-old guy. Unfortunately, he was still a virgin. Desperate, he went to his only friend -- a pretty girl -- for help.

V: Can you help me, Pretty
P: On one condition
V: Name it, Pretty
P: Set up a website asking people to help you
V: Help me to do what?
P: Get more people to visit your website
V: So?
P: If you get five million hits by New Year's Eve
V: Yes
P: Then I will help you
V: Help me with my problem?
P: Yes
V: You mean it
P: Yes, but
V: But?
P: If you fail, you'll have to do anything
V: Anything?
P: Anything I want for a month
V: Done

Okay, okay so this conversation is a figment of my imagination.

But such a website does exist and the 25-year-old virgin is a long, long way from achieving his goal.

Do help him out before he becomes a slave to his pretty friend.

For Twitter feed, click here

It can't get more sexist than this

2008-11-10T23:50:00.001+05:30

(Link via Reddit)

Ganguly takes off his shirt one last time

2008-11-10T18:21:00.001+05:30

It wasn't the way Saurav Ganguly wanted to walk off into the sunset. A century in Nagpur, the final test of India's most successful test skipper, would have made it memorable.

But he did make it memorable and how. Read more here.

Can't mention Obama's name at school

2008-11-09T22:08:00.008+05:30

U.S. television channel WLBT reports that that a school in Mississippi is not allowing students to mention president-elect Barack Obama's name.

"Melissa Hayes says teachers at Puckett Attendance Center told her daughters they could not talk about Obama in class or in the hallways."

I am not sure how reliable WLBT channel is and the parent quoted by it does not point to "racism" being behind the ban on mentioning Obama's name.

But I still think it's too soon to expect everybody in the world's most powerful country to accept a black president. Change can happen but it's going to take time.

I wish Obama all the best.

Start your day with a smile

2008-11-09T21:34:00.002+05:30

I usually get irritated by forwarded emails but this pic just made my day.

The name is Bond. Black Bond

2008-11-09T16:22:00.005+05:30

Now that Barack Obama has gone right ahead and broken the black barrier at the White House, I think it's time we have someone black playing James Bond.

Not that Daniel Craig is doing such a bad job. It's just that Ian Fleming's master spy needs to evolve with the times and be shaken, not stirred in more ways than one.

My choice -- Denzel Washington. If he declines, then Will Smith.

You might be laughing now but if Obama can be voted U.S. president, a black Bond is not that big a deal.

Or is it?

Barack Obama - seems he's India's choice too

2008-11-08T03:02:00.004+05:30

You would have thought so too -- if you were present at Delhi's American Center on Wednesday morning.

And by the way, I voted for Obama. Click here for more.

Slideshow

Partition: A not so epic love story

2008-11-08T02:07:00.007+05:30

Watched Partition (2007) on television. This Canadian production revolves around the love story of a Sikh man and a Muslim woman drawn together by the partition of India in 1947.

The storyline is familiar -- the Bollywood hit Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) had an uncannily similar plot. But despite a host of accomplished actors, this Vic Sarin film is never as impressive.

Illiterate villagers mouthing dialogues in English is okay but an Indian actor in the role of Naseem (Kristin Kreuk) would have been more believable. And although Jimi Mistry as the protagonist Gian is first-class, Irrfan Khan and Vinay Pathak are wasted in their two-bit roles.

Neve Campbell plays with aplomb the role of an English lady who helps Gian search for Naseem's missing family after the riots.

This is certainly not one of those 'Pakistan is bad' propaganda movies -- director Sarin ensures there are good and bad characters on both sides of the border. But Naseem's brother Akbar (Arya Babbar) remains a stereotype.

Partition loses its bearings after a placid first half, hurtling towards a predictable and unimpressive climax. Still, it's worth a watch for its lovely cinematography.

I wasn't so sure about the trains depicted in the film -- they seemed too modern to be around 60 years ago. And the idea of a devout Sikh converting to Islam just to get across the border seemed a bit far-fetched.

RATING: **

(For other reviews of this film, click here and here )

Moving house to Dwarka

2008-11-02T06:24:00.014+05:30

After 20 years of living in a not-so-posh area of south Delhi, we have shifted to the subcity of Dwarka.

Yes, there have been teething troubles. It was tough living without broadband internet for a fortnight and Tata Sky's less than exemplary service did give me a headache or two.

But I can assure you all the horror stories of water scarcity and Dwarka residents bathing once a week are not true.

Even if you need five buckets of water for a single bath (Water conservation, anyone?), you should be okay.

It's nice to live in an apartment complex with intercom facility, educated neighbours, a park, a fixed parking space and generator.

Yes, for those of you who have grown up in any of Delhi's apartment complexes, it's nothing new.

But I spent two decades in a place with not-so-nice neighbours (the kind that have fights and spew abuse past midnight), teeming with cows and buffaloes (usually harmless but my mom was once an unwilling combatant in a bovine tussle) and long, frequent power cuts.

It's nice to finally live in an area where Nirula's, Pizza Hut and Domino's deliver food. Not that we eat out often. But it's good to know a Hot Chocolate Fudge is merely a phone call away.

It's nice to finally have a bustling market nearby, with a choice of department stores where I can use Sodexho coupons.

It's nice to finally have a Delhi Metro station only a mile or two away.

I have found paradise in the concrete environs of Dwarka. And hope it stays that way.

September-October 2008 Blog Mela

2008-11-01T22:27:00.028+05:30

If you thought Toe Knee Unplugged was all plugged up and gone, you are in for a surprise.

I am very much alive and well, though yet to recover from a bout of blogger's block.

The monthly Blog Mela resumes with the November blog mela early next month, but for now here's the best of Indian blogs in September and October 2008. Enjoy.

Anand Ramachandran is smitten by Apple's iThing

Great Bong reveals more about Drona and soiled pots

Twisted DNA is not a big fan of kids on the phone

Krish Ashok authors the Dummies' Guide to the US elections

Coconut Chutney is compelled to write about CAs

Neelakantan dreams up a ban on eating out

Sidin Vadukat is using a questionnaire to trace a 'Singur' personality

Jaideep Varma is disappointed by the reviews of 'Hulla'

IndieQuill is waxing

Jammy is making love, not sex

That's all for now. The November 2008 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the September-October 2008 Blog Mela.

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the November Blog Mela being hosted here on December 2
To nominate, leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle
- Only posts published between 1-30 November, 2008 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on December 1 stand a chance to be featured on the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

Check out previous Blog Melas
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008

How many men does it take to hold a water pipe?

2008-10-26T13:58:00.004+05:30

Eight. Especially when the office next door is getting spruced up for some pre-Diwali fanfare. They connected the pipe to the fire hydrant thingy and let loose a volley of water. The trees surely appreciated it, although the cars parked nearby didn't like getting their wheels wet.

Let sleeping dogs lie

2008-10-26T13:53:00.003+05:30

During a recent trip to Delhi's Qutab Minar (mandatory whenever relatives drop in), I saw these stray dogs sleeping next to three tombs.

Waiting for their masters' call, eh?

Taking the red bus home: a joyride in New Delhi

2008-10-19T02:28:00.002+05:30

Riding home in the air-conditioned comfort of a gleaming red bus, I find it hard to believe I am travelling in New Delhi.

Squeaky-clean seats, no crowds jostling for room, automatic doors and huge windows offering panoramic views of the bustling streets — it's a far cry from the torture I have endured in the past.

Click here to read more.

(Photo by Vijay Mathur)

RELATED POSTS
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part 1, 2, 3

And here's a picture of the devil's pet

2008-09-29T01:05:00.001+05:30

Evil Bunny link from here

Dog Wars: The Poop Strikes Back

2008-09-25T22:12:00.018+05:30

Heard of the "dog poop DNA reward & fine scheme" yet?

Okay, it's not called that but believe me -- this is exactly what a program launched in a Tel Aviv suburb is doing.

Using a DNA database to match faeces to a dog and identify its owner. Ensuring that people clean up after their pets.

Isn't technology wonderful? Stock markets are in a turmoil, people are dying in floods, bombings, shootings (you-name-it and they are dying of it) and what do the people of Petah Tikva do? Worry about the origins of canine poop.

I wonder who came up with the idea. P Diddy?

Last week, hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs stepped in a dog's leftovers - literally.

Or was it someone who hates Britney Spears? Remember how the pop star let her puppy poop on a $6,700 Zac Posen gown during a photo shoot last year.

Anyway, the scheme is doomed to fail in India -- where millions of stray dogs rule the streets. Imagine the time and effort it will take to test their collective poop.

Of course, there's no one to pay the fines. Unless you consider these dogs property of the state. And make the municipal authority cough up the money.

On second thoughts, that's not a bad idea.

By the way, did you hear some crap about Indian stray dogs being voted the world's sexiest?

August 2008 Blog Mela

2008-09-18T01:24:00.042+05:30

I know, I know it's a bit too late to be talking about the best of Indian blogs in August 2008 when we are already midway through September. Hope readers will bear with me and continue to send in nominations for the Blog Mela. I promise the next one will be on time.

For now, here's the best of the Indian blogosphere in August -

Asal Tamil Penn ponders on the quality of obituary writing

Lucifer House Inc is part of the great Indian bride hunt

Twisted DNA believes women suffer from physical disability

Toddyshop on being an HR professional

IndieQuill is on the lookout for Indian bras

Anjali is very bad

Jabberwock is watching Ekta Kapoor's Mahabharat

Great Bong is busy explicating the expletive

Mudra Mehta demands privileges for non-celeb bloggers

Gawker needs a man servant

That's all for now. The September 2008 Blog Mela returns early next month. But before leaving, do please vote for the best post in the August 2008 Blog Mela.

Check out previous Blog Melas
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008

Did you just come across a quirky, interesting or something-that-tugs-at-your-heartstrings blog? If yes, feel free to nominate it for the September Blog Mela being hosted here on October 2
To nominate, leave a comment on this post OR better still - Mail me at toeknee (at) gmail (dot) com

- Posts must have been written by Indians or have an Indian angle - Only posts published between 1-30 September, 2008 would be accepted
- If possible, please nominate individual posts, not the whole blog
- Feel free to nominate something you have written. Immodesty appreciated
- You can nominate as many blog posts as you like - provided you really like them
- Only nominations received before midnight on October 1 stand a chance to be featured on the Top 10 list
- No, you don't get any moolah for nominating or getting featured in the Blog Mela. That could change once I am a millionaire but for now you'll just have to bear with me
- Yours truly reserves the right to nominate good posts which you ignore

Losing sleep over Apple's iPhone 3G

2008-08-27T01:10:00.003+05:30

I am not crazy about cellphones. So when I was asked to cover the midnight launch of the Apple iPhone 3G in India, it didn’t really seem worth sacrificing my sleep.

I walked half-heartedly to the Vodafone store in nearby Connaught Place, hoping to see frenzied youngsters jostling for vantage position outside its shutters.

I had read horror stories of people abroad queuing up 60 hours ahead of schedule for a chance to buy the iPhone first.

For more, click here

Jesus played cricket? It's an Olympic campaign

2008-08-11T00:34:00.005+05:30

No, I really don't think Jesus Christ played cricket as a child as some media reports would have us believe.

That seems more like a conspiracy, to establish cricket as the game played by the saviour of the world -- and then use it to squeeze cricket into the next Olympics.

I am not complaining though coz India has a good chance of winning a medal in cricket.

But if you ask me, Jesus would have been a sure winner in the walking on water category, if that ever becomes an Olympic sport.

Surviving Delhi Bus Rapid Transit Corridor III

2008-08-10T21:53:00.013+05:30

Want to irritate me? You can show me the Delhi government ad on television that lists the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor project as one of its achievements.

Just because it's disappeared from the front pages of newspapers doesn't mean commuters are now in some sort of heaven. They are just resigned to the fact that there's no getting away with the bottlenecks at Chirag Dilli and Archana crossings.

The time taken is the same but the hot May sun is no longer beating down on motorcyclists and cars.

When you are waiting in the BRT line in August, the rain splashes down, dribbling down the car's windscreen and you can sit back and relax, armed with the knowledge that the car in front won't move another inch anytime soon.

Yes, the rain gods had pity on Delhi's hapless BRT commuters -- making that interminable wait at least tolerable.

But that doesn't make the corridor project a success. Hindustan Times claims people are adjusting to BRT, that Delhi has learnt to live with it. They should have asked me, I guess. Or anybody who goes through the BRT corridor day after day, month after month.

What worries me is this Times of India article, which says the Delhi government is planning more BRT stretches. It seems Sheila Dikshit hasn't learnt her lesson yet. Does she really want to lose the next election?

If only she had spent a few extra crores and extended the Delhi Metro till Khanpur. People would have been singing her praises. Alas! Each commuter on the corridor has only curses to offer.

My colleagues don't believe me. They feel I use BRT as an excuse.

"How bad could it be?" they ask.

"Travel down the corridor and you will see," I reply.

Unfortunately, they don't live anywhere near the BRT. And they will never experience the torture. After all, the rains will go away soon, the sun will come out and the commuters will sweat again -- and their murmurs would grow louder and louder still.

ALSO READ
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part I
Surviving Delhi's Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Part II

The best of December 2008 blog mela
	Ramesh Srivats
	Greatbong
	Anand Ramachandran
	Krish Ashok
	Rajesh Ramaswamy
	Suchitra Krishnamoorthi
	Sauvik Chakraverti
	Jai Arjun Singh
	Amrita
	Jammy
	None of these

pollcode.com free polls

The best of Sept-Oct 2008 blog mela
	Anand Ramachandran
	Great Bong
	Twisted DNA
	Krish Ashok
	Coconut Chutney
	Neelakantan
	Sidin Vadukat
	Jaideep Varma
	IndieQuill
	Jammy
	None of them were that good

pollcode.com free polls

The best of August 2008 blog mela
	Asal Tamil Penn
	Lucifer House Inc
	Twisted DNA
	Toddyshop
	IndieQuill
	Anjali
	Jabberwock
	Great Bong
	Mudra Mehta
	Gawker
	None of them were that good

pollcode.com free polls