Some Sizzling Scintillating Speculations

Situation 1: 745 to 8 AM: The Man takes a deep breath as he parks his bicycle. He enters, and, the first thing he does, after folding his hands in front of God’s picture, is to tell his assistant’ take this glass and get tea ’. The tea comes. He divides the hot tea into three(The glass, one saucer and another glass) portions and sips his portion. The sipping process (which goes ‘slurrrrrpp’ and ‘hsshhhsshh’ in turns, takes five minutes) He ‘arranges’ the cloth, picks up his instruments, sprays ‘the area’ with water and begins his work, nee, his arduous task. In ten minutes, he takes another deep breath. He again puts down the instruments and begins smoking a beedi. (Indian cigarette). The process takes five minutes. He looks refreshed…begins working again…a snip snip here, a click click there and a snip snip here again. He talks about weather, politics, family, kids...ten minutes pass pleasantly. He again needs a sippa from a cuppa. His assistant goes across the street, gets anothe...

                                                    (Above pic: Entrance to E.M.E. Temple) Thought for the day: The difference between ignorance and apathy? I don’t know and I don’t care. ------------------------------------------------- No visit to Baroda is complete without a visit to the old city. Strangely, for some reason, whenever I’m in Baroda, both my watches stop working, and my trusted watch repairer has his shop on the ground floor of our ancestral home. (which we’ve sold, btw, as I mentioned some posts ago). So, this time also, I headed that way, with both watches having misbehaved. And, while on the way, memories of ole days couldn’t help but come flooding back. - Of the cycle shops lining our street, of Diwali and how much fun it used to be on New Year mornings with so many shop-owners setting off firecrackers -Of Balubhai’s Khaman(Austy, you know these?)- some of the most scrumptious Khaman/dhokla are made by him, with his tag line being ‘ Hawa ke Dawa karta wadhaare chh...

Thanks,everyone,for the response to the previous post. ------- (I still cannot post pics with my posts, for some reason-maybe coz uploading speed is less these days) Besides Sayaji Park, another regular place for me when in Baroda, is the E.M.E. Temple. But, I got a bit irritated this time. More about that coming up below. Most of the time, it's a smooth entry from the gate, and, walking to the temple,going to the shoe rack, walking out barefoot (Not to worry-it's totally clean) to the various locations inside is a gem of an experience in itself. As usual, the Panditjis(there're two of them) recognized me, and also the two old gentlemen who come regularly for the Pooja morning and evening, since the time I first went during this auspicious time. (Frankly, folding one's hands in greeting(Pranam mode) always seems to be so much nicer than the 'mod' 'shake hands' mode. I feel a sense of strength,each time I fold my hands thusly. Try it consciously).  In the...

I've said this earlier and I continue to say it.It's great to be alive, to have all our bodily functions intact and to be in the 'pink of health and spirits' as they say!*smiles* Everything else is secondary - how much we earn,what our neighbour has, what his neighbour has,why our flat is small, why he said this to me, why she said this to her, gossip...everything. We shouldn't allow it to spoil the gratitude we need to feel towards Him for each day which is passing without any real problems. Having said this, please go through this email I received from a friend, about a friend of his. I've reproduced it below: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Message from a friend of mine: Tragedy stuck a close friend Ramani: At this juncture of our lives and in the current scenario, I believe all our problems look meagre compared to what Ramani and his family are going through... I have known Ramani since several years during our ...

Hi,all!Whew-that was one quick trip, I'd say-but,frankly, I feel I achieve the same things in one week that I would do if I'd gone on a month's vacation. The reason is- when the vacation's a long one, the first few days go in just taking it easy, knowing there's enough time.:) Let me go back to day 1. We landed safely(Naturally,since the pilot was my namesake(Amit Jain). The usual wait at the conveyor belt for the luggage, the usual remark from the security at the screening machine(Saab, chai paani ka kuch de do khushi se- (Sir, give us something happily,for tea-n-snacks)) and,out. Reached home in a good two hours(Takes 1 hr or so, usually-but, at 6 PM,it's rush hour in Abad,so, traffic doesn't allow fast movement). And, whammo-the door was locked. Coz I'd kept my trip a surprise visit. Anyway, the neighbours have a spare key, so I took that, put the luggage in, locked the door and went to the neighbours, who'd invited me in for a cuppa tea while I w...

Hi,all!!Thank heavens-my trip materialized,even though it's just for seven days,and,today's day 2. Yes,I'm in Baroda..had planned the trip last week,checked out the net bookings,and,here I am..kept it a surprise for everyone and did not inform a soul,so everyone was astonished. It's done me a lot of good already,these first two days...away from office thoughts,away from work related calls and calls and calls....ah,but,let me not ponder over that at this time. Let me recount a bit of my trip...this time,I decided to travel by a budget flight...(Air Ind Exp)...just to see what it's like,and,of course, coz this is not the yearly vacation where the Co pays for the ticket..hehe! So,anyway,the flight goes from what I can term the 'kid brother' of Dubai airport terminals 1 and 3....i.e. terminal 2.Compared to the kilometre(s) of walk one does to reach the Departure Gate at these two terminals,this one was a cakewalk.Reached the checkin area well in time,and found ...

Thought for the day: How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct..... -- Benjamin Disraeli, "Do you know, S got a new Pajero?" "Oh!Let's go check it out tomorrow" YAWNN! "(In a car): That's the new Mitsubishi model going by. There's hardly one or two in Dubai.It's got a....and a ....." YAWNN! " Is that a new phone? which model? What are it's specialities?" " Oh,yes..this is the new Nokia.....Price.....It's got __ GB memory,GPS and email and blah blah blah" "But,you got a new one just a few months back?" "Yes,but, I got tired of it" YAWNN! "How's the share market?" " I lost....in the recent slide, but, earlier I'd made......blah blah...you know, this share of.....Co...." "Oh yes...that and the shares of .......will remain steady...blah blah" YAWNN! "Hey,is that a genuine watch?" "Of course...I got it from..... for......." YAW...