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