So, finally I started running. Some part of me always wanted to get up early in the morning and go for a short run. I started running some weeks ago and was quite gung-ho about the whole thing for the first week. As the days progressed I fell back to my old routine of walking up late and taking it as an excuse for not running in the morning. Running on the road in the evening is not a good option in Bangalore, what with the traffic and the pollution.
The first day when I started was an eye-opener. Any kind of cardio exercise can leave you exhausted when you are on the wrong side of 25 and have not done any kind of physical activity in ages. After just about a few hundred meters the mouth cracked and I was gasping for breath. So, I alternated between running and walking. When I returned home the whole body was hot with blood and wet with sweat. Although I was not very exhausted, the muscles were sore; but I had some satisfaction that I had completed the distance. This was probably my most vigorous physical activity in the last couple of years (I have played some tennis and done some trekking but these activities do not compare to running).
I think running gives some kind of high. Not sure if it is just me or if it happens with everyone, but it does elevate the mood and is also a great stress buster.
I ran 3 km on the first day in 16 minutes. Today I did it in 12 min. I am not sure how much time an average beginner should take to run 3 Km on a part-concrete-part-tarred road. For now though, this seems enough motivation. I have decided to run every alternate day, slowly increasing the pace and the distance. Let me see if I can stick to it.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Another day, another milestone
Just when anyone who had ever heard of a game called cricket (yes, I am including the ones who have never actually played it) was giving Sachin the advice to give a valedictory speech and retire, he did what no one else could in the last 39 years. This after proving himself day-in day-out, on and off the field, with a career record that requires no mention and in the last one year a performance that is much better than most in the world.
Sachin, like fine wine, is getting better with the age.
He truly rocks and for the suckers who had written his cricketing obituary-go get a life.
P.S: I had written this post just after Sachin had completed the first ever ODI double hundred. Somehow was busy with work [;)] and could not post it earlier.
Sachin, like fine wine, is getting better with the age.
He truly rocks and for the suckers who had written his cricketing obituary-go get a life.
P.S: I had written this post just after Sachin had completed the first ever ODI double hundred. Somehow was busy with work [;)] and could not post it earlier.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Vidyarthi Bhavan
I am not a fan of south Indian cuisine especially the one that is served at average restaurants in Bangalore. But there is one place that serves wonderful masala dosa- Vidyarthi Bhavan (VB). Located in Gandhi bazaar, Basavanagudi, the place reminds one of the Bangalore of the olden days. Unlike the plush eating joints that one can find all over Bangalore the ambiance in VB is nothing to write home about(except for the sketches of Kannada luminaries on the yellow, painted walls). It is often overcrowded and the service is not excellent either.
VB serves the usual south Indian fare that most restaurants do but what sets it apart is the hot and crispy masala dosa served with delectable coconut chutney. The dosa is smaller than what most other places serve but by far the best that I have ever eaten. Whenever I visit my friend in Basavanagudi , we often go to VB for the dosa followed by a cup of steaming coffee.
The menu
VB serves the usual south Indian fare that most restaurants do but what sets it apart is the hot and crispy masala dosa served with delectable coconut chutney. The dosa is smaller than what most other places serve but by far the best that I have ever eaten. Whenever I visit my friend in Basavanagudi , we often go to VB for the dosa followed by a cup of steaming coffee. 
Masala dosa and coffee
The crowd mostly comprises of old timers who have been eating here for decades and they vouch for all the fare that VB dishes out.
The menu
Left:The crowd,mostly old timers.Right:Sketches of Kannada luminaries
To keep up with the changing times the owners of VB may have to change the old-world, homely ambiance that they have had for decades (as the patrons claim). As far I am concerned I do not mind it as long as the masala dosas remain the same.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A tale of two cities
26 January is celebrated as the Republic Day in India. Every year on this day the Republic Day parade in New Delhi is telecast live on Doordarshan.
Yesterday while watching the telecast I could not help notice the contrast between the parade in New Delhi and the National Day parade in Beijing on 1 Oct 2009.
While the parade and celebrations in Delhi were marred by fog throughout the morning, the Chinese had used cloud seeding to avoid possible rainfall or thick cloud over Tiananmen Square where the ground formations and aircraft passed through during the National Day parade.
The Chinese parade was a spectacular display of military might; the parade in India did not have as many new weaponry or fighter air-crafts.
Finally the event in India was telecast by Doordarshan. The pictures on the TV were pathetic to say the least. This accompanied by mundane commentary made the whole event a parasite for the sore eyes. In contrast the Chinese telecast was wonderful and was probably aided by the latest technologies in TV broadcasting.
I believe the whole idea of parade serves only two purposes: it takes the citizens on an ego trip . It is also a medium to showcase the nation's defense (read offense) prowess and cultural extravaganza to the outside world, more of the former than the latter.
I do not know the implications of altering the weather conditions by cloud seeding but the government here can at least make sure that the telecast of the event is good. It is time that the event is handled by some professional event management agency and the telecast rights given to private channels.
In case someone missed the parade on TV in the early nineties yesterday's telecast was all one had to watch to bring back the memories.
Yesterday while watching the telecast I could not help notice the contrast between the parade in New Delhi and the National Day parade in Beijing on 1 Oct 2009.
While the parade and celebrations in Delhi were marred by fog throughout the morning, the Chinese had used cloud seeding to avoid possible rainfall or thick cloud over Tiananmen Square where the ground formations and aircraft passed through during the National Day parade.
The Chinese parade was a spectacular display of military might; the parade in India did not have as many new weaponry or fighter air-crafts.
Finally the event in India was telecast by Doordarshan. The pictures on the TV were pathetic to say the least. This accompanied by mundane commentary made the whole event a parasite for the sore eyes. In contrast the Chinese telecast was wonderful and was probably aided by the latest technologies in TV broadcasting.
I believe the whole idea of parade serves only two purposes: it takes the citizens on an ego trip . It is also a medium to showcase the nation's defense (read offense) prowess and cultural extravaganza to the outside world, more of the former than the latter.
I do not know the implications of altering the weather conditions by cloud seeding but the government here can at least make sure that the telecast of the event is good. It is time that the event is handled by some professional event management agency and the telecast rights given to private channels.
In case someone missed the parade on TV in the early nineties yesterday's telecast was all one had to watch to bring back the memories.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
So who is the real idiot?
Of late I have read a lot of blog posts and newspaper reports about how the producers of the movie '3 idiots' used the story line from the book 'Five Point Someone' by Chetan Bhagat (CB) and did not give him 'due' credit. Most of the people believe that CB has been cheated by the producers of the movie and enough newsprint and television time has been spent on demonizing the makers of the film.
Yes, the movie was inspired from the book (irrespective of what the film makers claim) but CB went over the top accusing the filmmakers of not giving him the story credit that he deserved.
I think CB is a smart ass who used media for publicity (his new book was released recently). He has painted himself to be a victim of the high handedness of the producers of the movie. Public sympathy often lies with the underdog and he has manipulated the media and the public after portraying himself as the sufferer at the hands of the rich and mighty. He may even have been looking for a share in the pie after the phenomenal success of the movie at the box office.
He had signed a contract with the producers about the movie credit and the use of the storyline (use may be 10% or 100%, he was paid for it anyways) from the book and the producers just used the contract to their advantage.
Coming from a management background (he studied at IIM-A and had enough experience in the corporate sector) CB knows the legalities involved in signing a written document.
Moreover he had one more film based on of his other books already released. He should have known how the industry works.
It was only after the producers came out with contract terms and the No Disclosure Agreement that he had signed after reading the final script of the movie that all his lies fell flat.
No publicity is bad publicity and he certainly realizes this. The time in the marketing classes at IIM-A are certainly paying him now. It is the media and his readers, who he took for a ride.
Yes, the movie was inspired from the book (irrespective of what the film makers claim) but CB went over the top accusing the filmmakers of not giving him the story credit that he deserved.
I think CB is a smart ass who used media for publicity (his new book was released recently). He has painted himself to be a victim of the high handedness of the producers of the movie. Public sympathy often lies with the underdog and he has manipulated the media and the public after portraying himself as the sufferer at the hands of the rich and mighty. He may even have been looking for a share in the pie after the phenomenal success of the movie at the box office.
He had signed a contract with the producers about the movie credit and the use of the storyline (use may be 10% or 100%, he was paid for it anyways) from the book and the producers just used the contract to their advantage.
Coming from a management background (he studied at IIM-A and had enough experience in the corporate sector) CB knows the legalities involved in signing a written document.
Moreover he had one more film based on of his other books already released. He should have known how the industry works.
It was only after the producers came out with contract terms and the No Disclosure Agreement that he had signed after reading the final script of the movie that all his lies fell flat.
No publicity is bad publicity and he certainly realizes this. The time in the marketing classes at IIM-A are certainly paying him now. It is the media and his readers, who he took for a ride.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Solar Eclipse
When I went for lunch at work today the office cafeteria was relatively empty, which was strange considering that I went at the peak hours. It was then that I remembered that today was the longest Annular solar eclipse of the century. There were very few people having lunch and most of the people were waiting for the solar eclipse to be over before they could eat lunch. One of the colleagues had in fact stuffed himself with heavy breakfast so that he does not feel hungry till 3:30 PM (when the eclipse would be finally over). It was strange to see so many highly educated people not realize the difference between faith and superstition.
A day before the eclipse most of the news channels in India had programs related to the eclipse. There were a variety of programs with guests\analysts from various fields on the TV - explaining the solar eclipse,how best to view it, how to prevent eyes from damage while viewing it and the last ones explaining the effect of the eclipse on the people.
Amidst all this there were some news channels telecasting the effect of social eclipse on the life of people. They had invited some self-styled know-it-all priests, numerologists and astrologers. The prime time discussion on the TV was informing people about how they can avert dangers arising in their zodiac signs because of the solar eclipse. This is irresponsible journalism in disguise of arguments like we-show-what-the-people-want-to-see.
While I do understand that in a democratic society people have the right to express their opinions and disagree with each other, I am all against some sections of the media blatantly propagating superstitions with such abandon. And these are TV channels with a sizable viewership in India.
By the by I did see the eclipse with a filter and it was one of the most wonderful sights I have ever seen. I pity those who were sitting inside their houses/workplaces-hungry and waiting for the eclipse to be over.
A day before the eclipse most of the news channels in India had programs related to the eclipse. There were a variety of programs with guests\analysts from various fields on the TV - explaining the solar eclipse,how best to view it, how to prevent eyes from damage while viewing it and the last ones explaining the effect of the eclipse on the people.
Amidst all this there were some news channels telecasting the effect of social eclipse on the life of people. They had invited some self-styled know-it-all priests, numerologists and astrologers. The prime time discussion on the TV was informing people about how they can avert dangers arising in their zodiac signs because of the solar eclipse. This is irresponsible journalism in disguise of arguments like we-show-what-the-people-want-to-see.
While I do understand that in a democratic society people have the right to express their opinions and disagree with each other, I am all against some sections of the media blatantly propagating superstitions with such abandon. And these are TV channels with a sizable viewership in India.
By the by I did see the eclipse with a filter and it was one of the most wonderful sights I have ever seen. I pity those who were sitting inside their houses/workplaces-hungry and waiting for the eclipse to be over.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
History
I had the following chat over instant messenger with a friend (D) while I was planning to write this blog:
me:i am planning to write a blog
D: cool
D: your blog will be good
me: why do you say so ?
D: you have a clean mind so it will come up well
me: hmm..
me: people with clear mind never created history
D: you don't need to create history... just need to create a blog :D
Nostalgia
As yet another year dawns I remember the good old days when I was a kid. The schools in Nainital would shut down for the winters (Dec-Feb) and I used to spend the three months with my parents.
Winters in Uttarakhand were severely cold and we all would stay inside our houses tucked under warm quilts. As a ritual to usher in the new year my mother would cook piping hot gajar ka halwa*. The preparation for the halwa would start early in the evening. I would go with my father to the vegetable mart and we would bring fresh carrots and khoya*. Along with these we used to buy gajak* and roasted peanuts to while away the time while the halwa would be cooked.
My contribution in making the halwa would be to grate the carrots and from there on my mother would take over. The halwa was cooked over a low flame and would take around three hours to cook.Back in the 80's and early 90's Doordarshan was the only TV channel telecast in India. After dinner we would enjoy the programs telecast on Doordarshan, usually some Bollywood dance and music, with the gajak and peanuts.
Finally at midnight we would all wish each other 'Happy new year' and eat the halwa.
There were no mobile phones then and like most middle class families we did not have a telephone connection. Friends and relatives used to present greeting cards to each other. I remember going to the market with my mother about 10-15 days in advance to select the greeting card for our distant relatives. The greeting cards would be duly posted so that our new year wishes reached the relatives on time.
I have not celebrated the new year with my family for the past 10 years. I have friends here in Bangalore to celebrate the new year, however today as I write this I somehow miss the gajar ka halwa, the Doordarshan programs, the cold winter nights and the quilt under which I would be tucked in with my head on my father's chest and my hands around his waist :)
khoya = whole milk thickened by heating it in an open iron pan.
gajar = carrot.
gajar ka halwa = sweet pudding made from carrots.
gajak = A north Indian sweet made from jaggery and nuts.
Winters in Uttarakhand were severely cold and we all would stay inside our houses tucked under warm quilts. As a ritual to usher in the new year my mother would cook piping hot gajar ka halwa*. The preparation for the halwa would start early in the evening. I would go with my father to the vegetable mart and we would bring fresh carrots and khoya*. Along with these we used to buy gajak* and roasted peanuts to while away the time while the halwa would be cooked.
My contribution in making the halwa would be to grate the carrots and from there on my mother would take over. The halwa was cooked over a low flame and would take around three hours to cook.Back in the 80's and early 90's Doordarshan was the only TV channel telecast in India. After dinner we would enjoy the programs telecast on Doordarshan, usually some Bollywood dance and music, with the gajak and peanuts.
Finally at midnight we would all wish each other 'Happy new year' and eat the halwa.
There were no mobile phones then and like most middle class families we did not have a telephone connection. Friends and relatives used to present greeting cards to each other. I remember going to the market with my mother about 10-15 days in advance to select the greeting card for our distant relatives. The greeting cards would be duly posted so that our new year wishes reached the relatives on time.
I have not celebrated the new year with my family for the past 10 years. I have friends here in Bangalore to celebrate the new year, however today as I write this I somehow miss the gajar ka halwa, the Doordarshan programs, the cold winter nights and the quilt under which I would be tucked in with my head on my father's chest and my hands around his waist :)
khoya = whole milk thickened by heating it in an open iron pan.
gajar = carrot.
gajar ka halwa = sweet pudding made from carrots.
gajak = A north Indian sweet made from jaggery and nuts.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Boredom
Working alone in the office can be really boring. One may detest crowd but when left alone in an office meant for over 100 people, working can be a real pain. After a certain amount of time the mind wanders and you don't feel like working at all.
In my case I start day dreaming and imagining things-how could life had been had I made a particular choice or what would I do 2 years from now and so on. Basically the mind is cluttered with irrelevant thoughts.
In fact my boredom and restlessness can be gauged from the fact that I have actually started to write.
In my case I start day dreaming and imagining things-how could life had been had I made a particular choice or what would I do 2 years from now and so on. Basically the mind is cluttered with irrelevant thoughts.
In fact my boredom and restlessness can be gauged from the fact that I have actually started to write.
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