Merry Xmas & Happy New Year!

Dec 25, 2009

Meri Jaan, as the ball drop begins for another year, I am sure most of us are making plans for next year.

What more can be achieved, should I get married or stay solo, will I find that love of my life, should I stay steady or move on beyond the current Gf/Bf/job/house/place, should we plan for a kid, how much more can we save, where else can we travel, where to plan the kid's next birthday party, how much % of my next pay will go towards this asset, house, or investment?

Oh Yeah !! We take life so much for granted - Don't we? :)

We get so engrossed in our specific lifestyle, that we start believing in our day-2-day schedule and start framing our lives around that schedule.

Well, most of us will say, schedules and routines are part of life and then we have to plan for the future? Don't we?

True! But, who knows about the next moment Meri Jaan, Predictive schedule and future is a very lonng way?

I am pretty sure all of you know this, but one thing that I have learn-ed over the years is that the greatest thing about Life is im-permanence: Life is always changing and it has its own schedule.

Do you know the most read story in Time magazine this year was of this lady who missed the flight from Rio De Janeiro?

Johanna Ganthaler had been on holiday in Brazil with her husband Kurt and missed the doomed Air France Flight 447 that went missing over the Amazon. Ironically, Johanna safely reached her hometown and the very next day she died in a car crash.

So, events constantly keep happening around you pledging to move you away from a frame. Sometimes we keep moving with those events and sometimes we choose to ignore those events. But things will keep changing and so will the time frames in your life.

Think of the people who attended the Obama inaugration? Or, those that survived the deadly recesssion that was deadlier than the Swine-Flu? Think about the pedophile MichaelJ who was really working hard on his stage comeback show, OR, poor Brittany Murphy who was still trying to move on in Hollywood. The Time Frame just changed the surroundings around all these people.

So, should we stop making plans? Should we not do anything? No resolutions?

Meri Jaan, dont make any resolutions, dont make any plans - but just go DO SOMETHING!

Do anything to break beyond your existing routine and time frame - for you know not what is coming.

Go sailing, go travelling, learn an instrument, language or go dancing, go fishing or dive into cooking, run a marathon or exercise a ton, but just dont follow a routine and stagnate in your so called - protective front.

I remember the story of a Raja.

Once, there was this ruthless king.

In the day, he used to be a very strict ruler with no-mercy on the people of his kingdom. But, every night, in his dreams, he used to wander into the villages to go help these same villagers in every possible way.

One day, he called his local counseller and told him about what had been happening.

The Raja said, every day I do my job, I follow my routine of what I am supposed to do, but every night I wander off to help the same people. So, then what it the true world - is it after I sleep, or is it when I wake up? Sach kya hain?

The counsellor smiled and said - Raja, I cannot answer that question, for it is you who dreams of a different world. So, Neither state - day or night is a true or definitive state. The only truth in this world is time and its feature of constant change !

In the day, you are stuck in a routine of your governance, this is what a Raja should do - be strict, ask people to obey those ordinances or bear strict consequences. In the night, your heart takes over your mind, and you start doing what you really believe.

So, it is you who has to decide which is the true world. Night or Day?

If you really believe in something, then why not bring that change in the world? Why be so merciless on those peasants during the day?

Why just follow a track or routine of kingdom governance? You have the power to change it, you can do it King.

Meri Jaan, the Raja's dilemma is not a new one. For the Raja, it was kingdom governance for most of us it could be life-governance. Keep the thinking cap on, and never leave the thought-flux; is this the real life, or somewhere else?

All, I will say is that - You Decide, but you better decide fast for you never know when those lights will change from amber, orange to red !!

Tou Meri Jaan, till we meet next year, stay safe, be aware of those changing time frames around you, and most importantly stay in loeve !

Wishing you all a great Holiday season and a Very Happy New Year !!

- Pankaj

SuPaa !

Dec 13, 2009.

Meri Jaan, does DA man ever stop to amaze the viewers?

How much can you praise this actor? If it seems like I am repeating myself, I am not sure what happens with the critics and the column writers.


What do you write more about an actor who just outperforms his previous performances?

This is an open question to you all ! If you have not still seen the movie, you can respond after you see the movie, but honestly, did you find Amitabh Bachchan in Auro?

From what I saw - NO! It was simple a character called Auro, there was no presence of Big B.

That my friends is the power of the actor that just amalgamates into the character. What a performance - Splendid Indeed.

Well, whether you gave Auro's performance a hit or a miss, I know that some of you asked about the other political performances going around. I have not been following too much, but these are some from the top of my head

• Hillary Clinton performing fantastically in Pakistan and speaking beyond political diplomacy


• Obama's Die-Hard performance to get the health bill passed in the US Obama's pacifying performance to appease political parties and V-Vets on the Afghan troop recall/deployment issue


• Dr. Chandrashekhar's idiotic fasting performance for separation of Telangana as a state in Hyderabad (this has now gone beyond a pandora's box)


• Bal Thakre's lacklustre performance in criticising Tendulkar for saying he is an Indian first and Mumbaikar second


• Mukesh Ambani's media performance in praising and honoring Tendulkar


• Mukesh Ambani's political performance of travelling with the PM to tap on Siberian Oil fields


• Jaimee Grubbs emotional performance with the media to tap on Tiger Wood'$ re$erve$ (Bechara Tiger, no CLUBBING with Golf anymore :)


• Sarah Palin's non-literary performance with her book writing skills


• Lady Ga-Ga's suicidal performance in front of the Queen in UK


• Toy industry's marketing performance in selling Zhu-Zhu/Go-Go hamster as THE toy for christmas

Meri Jaan, with all these performances around, I think I will stay in the background for some more time.

Till we meet next, stay safe, stay performan-tic and stay in loeve,

-Pankaj

Bugle Salute Boss !

12 Nov, 2009.

Meri Jaan, give me a BUGLE salute people!
I have completed 2 months of my re-journey in Apna-Des.

What a fundu dimaag ka bheja fry these 2 months have been! It seems like a lifetime.

In this lifetime, I have dealt with the local electrician, plumber, mail-man, watch-man, and the highly reputed, respected and dignified kaamwaali-bai. (Beezlee bai maantyaa-e malaaa :)

I have dealt with the local sabzi mandi vedors, the local small store grocery sellers (aate daal ka ab bhaav maaalum pad gayaa :).

I have also dealt with sales people in the Shop Rite, Baja Fresh & Wegmans wannabe stores like Reliance Fresh, Food Bazaar, More, Spencers and likes.

On the “Go verna- u-will-be-tor mented” office side (Oho- the government office Meri Jaan), I have dealt with the Puneri RTO (local DMV), and BSNL (telephone exchange).

I will tell you more about my RTO experience in the next posts, but on the other hand I also have dealt with people that ring the house bell at 5:30 in the morning, sales people calling on your cell at 10:30 in the night, and numerous sales and marketing people that come by/call up to sell their product at any hour of the day.

The funny thing is that in these 2 months, I have met so many people who have come back from the US, and not a single person dying to go abroad.

For folks who do come to me for advise about US, I tell most people that:

It is REALLY EASY to go to the US,
but it NOT EASY to come to India
You will not even blink once to pack-n-go to the US,
but you will think a lifetime to come back to India.

Just keep in mind that Videshi Money, Comfort and Success has no end, but people do !

Tou jo bhi ho, this is apna swades, apne log, apni khushiyan, and apne bhog (food options :)

Meri Jaan, till we meet next, stay safe, and stay in Des-loeve !

- Pankaj

The Scent of Diwali !

Oct 18, 2009

Meri Jaan, wishing all of you a Very Happy and Prosperous Deepawali!

Its the time for the Diyas, the Decorations, the Dhoom dhadaka and Daawat-e-Dishes !

Happy Diwali - It’s the festival of lights in India !


For some of you who might not be aware, the festival of lights is also celebrated in many other countries like Nepal, Mauritius, Guyana, Fiji, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Indonesia, Japan and in Thailand around this time of the year.

This festival in Thailand is called "Loi Krathong" and the Thai Kingdom just lights up during this time.

The ritual involves setting adrift traditional "krathong's (banana leafs with a diyas on top)" in the local rivers.

Generally, people take a boat till the middle of the river and float their diyas or "wishes" in front of the "Wat's (Temples)".

I don’t need to tell you the sight of a layer of millions of simmering lights, floating candles and lanterns, the firecrackers all across the rivers and the waterways !

Its literally a sight of Taare Zameen Par !

Meri Jaan, for years, I spent Diwali with friends, family and loved ones away from India!

Par jo Diwali ka real mazaa hain, woh hain to celebrate Diwali with loved ones – In INDIA.

Yeh Roshni ki chamak-dhamak, lines at the mithai ki dukaan, mob and shopping frenzy in the stores, da festive feel on the roads!

The frenzy kids at the local pathake ki dukaan, the mystere of that “pathaaka jo nahin jalaa”, the smoke of the burning anaar and zameen chakkar, the rangoli ke rang, woh different styles of diye!

Above all, the happiness of being in India and with family, the music of rejoice & the real mood of celebration !

Ohh yes, how could have I missed this scent of Diwali?

For people in the US, let me paint you a picture: Think of the times around Christmas, when all the shops are lit with glitter and shining shimmer.

Now, multiply that by a million and now imagine the feel.

Meri Jaan, tou khoob deep diwali ke jalao, and Laxmi Mata aur Buzurgon se Sukh aur Smriddhi ka ashirwad lo !

Till we meet next, Stay Safe, Stay diwali-social and Stay in festive loeve !!

- Pankaj

Boss - You R Bigg !!

Oct 8, 2009

Meri jaan, so another week is almost gone. For Desi public, Dussera has gone and now everyone is looking forward to Diwali. (ofcourse for the day off :)

For Uncle $am ki junta, say bye-bye to the Happy summer days and welcome those Sad-n-Gloomy evenings of DST.

Its time to stay home, watch football and stay glued to that TV :)

Well, Meri Jaan, I am not sure how many of you really care about Idiot box (TV) in US. In India the new season of Bigg Boss started last weekend.

This show is hosted by the one and only Big B - Amitabh Bachchan.

Bigg Boss 'Triteeya' has started with a huge bang and I caught a glimpse of the opening show on Colors (TV Channel).

Whether you like the actor or not, no one can deny the charismatic style of Bachchan Saab, and yes his epitomic eloquence! Hindi or English, he is par exellence !

Incase you have not heard the name, Amitabh Bachchan is a huge actor in India (Bollywood) and is also very popular across all over the world.

Today, let me share a small nostalgic story of my liking for the actor, and my fan-ism journey for this actor. The year was 1980 and friends, romans, country men, I remember watching a movie called NASEEB.

Now, many of you may have not seen that movie, but there is a sequence in the movie, where a baddie is boxing the hell out of this actor (Big B), and Big B does not want to fight, because he is waiting for his lady love.

Suddenly, his lady love appears, and this actor regains his power to fight. Now imagine, a Kid, and the Fight sequence, where Amitabh goes JOHNNY !! JOHNNY !! and the crowd goes berserk!

This guy right there was my HERO !! This was AMITABH BACHCHAN !!


Such scenes alongwith the n-numerous scenes in movies like Trishul, Deewar, Kaala Pathar, Dostana, Yaarana, Ram Balram, Sholay, Don and then songs like John, Johnny, Janardan (that inspired Deewangi from Om Shanti Om), My name is Anthony Gonsalvez, and so many other kept me-da-kid dreaming away :)

I am pretty sure millions of individuals were not the same after watching those movies, and many more similar ones, and then I was only a kid! :)

Deewar Ka Billa, ya Trishul ki ambulance, people just adored Big B !

I am a chronic movie fan and critic. I watch more than 65% of the popular movies made in Hollywood and Bollywood.

It is not just my adore for the actor but his acting capabilities that make me say - AMITABH BACHCHAN IS FAR MORE VERSATILE THAN ANY OTHER ACTOR IN THE WORLD.

Most actors have a specific style of acting and act in a specific genre of movies. Amitabh Bachchan's roles and style of acting cannot be summed up in any special genre of movies.

Big B is one star & actor who rises much beyond and way above the basic screenplay or movie script.

In all - even if you create a blend of Clint Eastwood, Howard Keel, John Wayne, James Dean, Sean Connery, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Pierce Brosnan, De Niro, Richard Gere, Al Pacino, and add in Johnny Depp, Denzel alongwith Robin Williams, Peter Sellers and Dudley Moore, this ensemble of stylish stars will still fall short of the versatile and dynamic style of AMITABH BACHCHAN!

Anyone who really does not know about this Bollywood actor and wants to know more about Mr. Bachchan and has any doubt on my claim will easily take back his/her claim after watching BIG B's (as he is popularly known) movies.

For some of you who may want to start watching the Bollywood movies that pedestalled Amitabh Bachchan's stardom should watch - Sharaabi, Silsila, Bemisaal, Zanjeer, Deewar, Kaala Pathhar, Mukaddar Ka Sikander, Main Azaad Hoon, Agneepath, Black, Dev, Trishul, Anand, Namak Haram, Mili, Abhimaan, Sholay, Shakti, Suhaag, Khuddar, Akhri Rasta, Cheeni Kum, Khuda Gawah, Yaarana, Jurmana, Satte Pe Satta, Namak Halal, Amar Akbar anthony, Naseeb, Lawaris, Coolie, Hera Pheri, Shaan, Kaliya, Eklavya, Inquilab, Don, Sarkar Raj, Baghban and Hum to see for themselves - THE DYNAMICISM OF THIS ACTOR's PERFORMANCES and HIS RANGE OF VERSATILITY..!!

If you have not guessed it by now, I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Bachchan and a simple example of that was when I bought my first car in the US.

When I filled the form for the special name tags, I did not have to think twice, my name plates were - AKAYLA ! (a Bachchan movie)


11th October is Mr. Amitabh Bachchan's birthday. Meri Jaan, lets wish him good health and all the best for his forthcoming movies Aladin, Paa, Teen Patti, Shoebite and many more !

Bachchan Saab, may you keep us entertained for many many more years to come! Wishing you a Very Happy Birthday!

I have said this many times that Amitabh Bachchan has re-defined old age in India.

He has broken the myth and proved that old age is not only about retirement, but it is about livin-n-enjoying life by proving your experienc-ial excellence to the world !!

Now, people in India, want to grow old to be as young as you Mr. Bachchan !! We salute your Energy and Enthusiasm even as you ride the summer of 67!

With that Meri Jaan, Stay Safe, Stay AB-Magical and Stay in Loeve !

- Pankaj

Dussera Mubarak !

Sep 28 2009

Meri Jaan, sabse pahle, a very big THANKS to all of you who try to visit this blog once every 7-10 days. Its absolutely great to hear the feedback for my rumblings.

Honestly, I am not in an India-bashing but Dashing India mode :)

Especially today on this auspicious occasion of Dussera and Durga Puja, I am glad with all my heart to be in India. I feel so more connected with the environment and the things happening around.

I feel so glad to really enjoy the kasav-dahan, or the garba's, and the festivity foods, and not just worry about petty-people-playing-party-politics about where to plan the next time-killing event and on top who to call and who not to call for their meetups or get-together :)

Some of you folks felt that I was bashing India, but what I wrote in my last few posts were mutterings of just a few of the observations that I have been seeing around me. They were not a reflection of India-as-a-whole.

Meri Jaan, I don’t think any desi who has been out of the country for the last 10-15 yrs or more can deny India's progress and future global impact.

There is no denying there are lots of areas that need to be looked at, but I personally think India has progressed a lot in the last 20 yrs and especially in the last 10 yrs.

Look at it from a broader perspective, every metro and semi-metro cities now have fantastic fly-overs and bridges that has reduced traffic congestions immensely across these cities.

Lets not forget the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the upcoming Signature Bridge over Yamuna Nadi in Delhi. That is an amazing feat in itself (Especially with the political-politics in apna Des :)

There have also been great initiative by leaders in some states to better the infrastructure of the roads, and have the proper signs, lanes, dividers etc.

Most of you already know about the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which is almost at par with roads seen abroad!

If you go anywhere in Gujarat, or parts of Karnataka or Bangalore, Chennai or major highways around Maharashtra, or near Delhi or in Rajasthan, you will be amazed at the width of the roads and the construction of roads with lanes/ signs etc.

If you move beyond Infrastructure to public awareness, there has been immense outburst for prevention of spitting on the roads.

For some of you khopdi-ka-bheja-fry types, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued a notice that any person found spitting in public will be fined Rs 1,000 starting September 26. There have been 500+ volunteers across all major Chowks and areas to enforce this ordinance.

Beyond infrastructure and public awareness, I am amazed at the number of mini-best buys and mini-circuit cities in India.

You can walk to your gali-ka-nukkad and see atleast one Sony Center or a Croma store, or some other shop selling electronics that includes everything from Laptops, TVs, Blu-Ray players to n-variants of phones.

You might also find some electronic stuff that people in the US/UK might still not even have imagined (Cell phones with dual sims, LEDs in abundance, variants of mp3 players etc).

You are no longer limited by the option of going to only a Best Buy or a Circuit city. You can shop online as well as walk to the store to see the piece in actuality. Most of these shops have layouts which are almost a replica of a Circuit City or Best Buy.

Malls are getting huge and huge-er. I walked into a mall called Ishanya and it was a combination of Home-Depot, Bed Bath, Walmart, Circuit City, PC Richardson, Home Improvement, Ikea and n-number of stores all under one roof. (Same items, except the prices were in Rupees :)

Tou Meri Jaan, if you can look beyond some of the issues, I can tell you one thing that when you dont have to worry about cleaning the house, getting groceries, washing the clothes/and or/ vessels.

When you dont need to worry about food-n-cooking needs, When you can have a dependable 24hr nanny for kids, and a driver at your disposal to take you around in your 8 SEATER MUV.

When you dont have to worry about leaving your kid with the neighbor, or about that whackjob redneck in the neighborhood, the grass will stop appearing gr$$ner that side :)

Tou, before I let you go beyond this day of Vijayadashmi, let's not forget to wish a very Happy 80th Birthday to the "Nightangle of Indian Music - Lata Mangeshkar".

Lata Mangeshkar has sung so many wonderful numbers that it is simply not possible ot pick just 7-10 numbers, but here are some of my favorite numbers sung by this queen of melody.

- Lag Ja Gale Ke - Woh Kaun Thi
- O sajna barkha bahar aayee - Parakh
- Aaj Phir Jeene Ki - Guide
- Aap Ki Nazron ne - Anpadh
- Yeh Zindagi Usi Ki Hain - Anarkali
- Na tum Bewafa Ho - Ek Kali Muskai
- Ja Re Ja Re Ud Ja Re Panchi - Maya
- Uthaye ka unke sitam - Andaz
- Tu jahan jahan chalega - Mera Saaya

Meri Jaan, till we meet next week, enjoy Dusshera, have fun, stay muzical and stay in loeve !

- Pankaj

Desi Diary - III

September 18, 2009

Meri Jaan, while I look around apna-des, I am noticing a world so diverse that it is just amazing to see the disparity in lives simply due to the social circumstances that surround different individuals.

Honestly, I am not trying to give a bhashan on gareebi-hatao, par c'mon, if everyone is writing that India will be a world power by 2020, Meri Jaan, World power in what? Dogs and cattle on the streets? Messed up traffic? Power-n-water cuts?

Forget it yaar, we cannot even provide basic needs of food, water and electricity to the people! Infrastructure and development is in a land far far away !!

Oho! Dont do Dimaag ka Bheja Fry, apart from some of these issues, life is fantastic because of small-small things Meri Jaan !

Every day I wake up with an alarm, not my alarm clock, but the cycle waala's trin-trin !! That dude has to ring his bell while driving through the streets at 6 in the morning!

Meri Jaan, why do YOU need to hornk? To scare those street birds?

Horn is a big thing here! Cycle, Scooter, Mopeds, Bike's, Cars, Trucks, Buses you name it, and they all have to honk to keep driving or riding off their lanes !

Talking about lanes, no one drives in a lane here ! So, if you need to drive, you better be off lane !

But, think about it, if one of the lanes is always occupied by grazing cows , then where are people going to drive those sprawling-n-crawling cars !!

Meri Jaan, we really-really ought to think!

The country is sprawling in MNC's, Skyscraping apartments, Luxurious cars, Malls etc. but we are still missing the basics and that is not going to even build together a life, forget a nation !

Till next time Meri Jaan, stay safe, stay conscious and stay in loeve !

Bollywood Diary

Sep 10, 2009

.....and one more 9/11 passed !

Meri Jaan, moving on from 9/11, as I continue my re-journey in India, I should not forget the Bollywood piece of swades. So lets see whats goin-on in Apna Bollywood.

I am sure by now you all must have seen the HISS-ing growth of apni Maal-ikka SHE-RA(wa)T in Hollywood. She has been officially awarded for her TALENT by the Newark Jersey City Mayor and the City Hall Council of Chambers in LA.

She has been hanging around Yanni, Usher, Tarantino, Jackie chan and yes Twitting around the Twitter headquarters.

And did you see her at the latest Hope Charity Ball in California!

Phew ! This gal has really been busy ! (Doin what :)

While Maal-ikka has been dressing down into 12 cuts, Priyanka Chopra has been ramping her style-avatar into 12 roles.

Yess, in the new movie "Whats your Rashee?" Priyu baby is performing 12 roles as 12 gals from the 12 zodiac signs !

For the khopdi-ka-bheja fry-types, the movie is based on a novel called "Kimball Ravenswood" written by US-based Gujarati writer Madhu Rye.

This might just bring her a Guiness ! Oho - not the dark beer, but an entry in the Guiness book of awards for performing 12 roles! Well, we wish Priyu baby all the best in continuing her hat trick after the very successful Fashion, Dostana, and Kaminey !

Another star who has really been busy bee is apne Sallu-miya. He has back to back releases in the next few months including Wanted (with Ayesha Takia), Main aur Mrs Khanna (already making music waves), Veer and London Dreams (with Ajay Devgan and Asin).

To top it all, his show on Sony TV (10-ka-Dum) is a huge hit. It appears that Sallu miya is striking back with a vengenace (against someone who is not smarter than a paanchvi paas :)

Talking about small screen, Big B is returning back on TV in the 3rd season of a show called Bigg Boss.

Oho! he is not one of the contestant, but Bachchan Saab will be the "Pop Philosopher" who will try to understand the psychology of the contestants.

Apart from TV, Bachchan Saab is also finishing up other movies like Aladin, Teen Patti, Shoebite and RGV's India 24X7 or Rann (already in controversy because of the modified national anthem - jan, gan, man-rann hain ).

Meri jaan, beyond all these movies, Bollywood has lots of other new releases coming up - SRK's My Name is Khan, Rani and Shahid's Dil Bole Hadippa, Sanju Baba's All the Best, Priyanka's Pyaar Impossible, Ranbir Kapoor's Wake up Sid (Reminds me of those Adam Sandler movies)

Let's also not forget Aamir Khan's 3 Idiots, Hrithik Roshan's Kites, and Akshay Kumar's De Dana Dan & Blue. Other ones are Rajkumar Santoshi's next - Ajeeb Prem Ki Ghajab Kahaani with Ranbir and Mani Ratnam's Ravana with Abhishek !

Tou, Bollywood is going to keep you berry-berry-busy but before I leave you with today's post, some of you had asked about the latest songs.

These are some of the popular ones lately:

I wanna chiggy-wiggy with you - Blue
Dont say Alvida - Mr and Mrs Khanna
Sang mere bol Hadappa - Dil Bole Hadippa
Tum ho tou, Jao Na & Kahi Do - Whats your Raashee
Bebo - Do Knot Disturb

Till next week Meri Jaan, stay safe, stay muzical and stay in loeve !

- Pankaj