Rendezvous with Oslo

Lively dew drops, brought to a standstill by frost...
hurried morning walks and the child-like fascination with cold breaths...
surreal yet real imageries...of a city unfolding bit by bit...
A city that whispers- about the land and its people...
A shadowy stranger, listening to those...
and then like some sudden wave of cold...
nothing was left to be said- but the stillness of frost!!

The Spirit of the traveler

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

In the dusty lanes of Haridwar
Rumbling with the echoes of the Om
The smeared vermillion- ash and the karmic cycle of life and death
All these I see; I being the spirit of the traveler


In the sunshine land of Goa
The feni and the swaying palm leaves, blonde hippies and youthful rave
Dancing to the tune of Galiyan Saakli Sonachi
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


Hindustan ka Dil- or call it Lutyen’s Delhi
The stroke of the midnight hour, the unfurled tricolor in the Lal Qil'ah
The days of the Raj, of Firangi Paani and Paranthe wali galiyas
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


In the land of the Rajas; bounded by the Thar
Brave people long gone; but their legends still holding strong
The azure of Jodhpur, the balletic poise of the Ghoomar
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


In the land of the mighty Hoogly
The early morning daaks and the festivities of DurgaPujo
Enthralled by the Bauls and the ektaras; and the crescendo beat of Tagore’s ekla chalo re
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


In the misty fog of the Lake Umiam
Meghalaya- they call, the abode of the clouds
The Strummin’ of the guitar and the alluring Miss Monalisa Lingdo
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


The birthplace of our Father, Gujarat it is- On the western front
The salty desolateness of the Rann of Kutch, the holy Jyotirling of Somnath Temple
The Dhoklas and the Theplas and the youthful beats of the Garba
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


Aamchi Mumbai- the Sapno ki Nagri-Of Stardust and Greasepaint
The City that gives everything but takes some part of the soul in trade
The Taj of Apollo Bunder and the teeming millions of the Churchgate station
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


Kashmir- the jannat on Earth, bounded by the Himalayas
The boat ride on the Dal Lake, the coveted invite to the Wazwan feast
Of Rogan Josh, saffron flavored Kahwah and the comfort of the shawl Cashmere
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


Karnataka- Of boiled beans and the Sword of Tippo Sultan
The ruins of Hampi and the Vijayanagar Empire
The mridangam, tambura and the kanjira and the divine gāyaki of Carnatic music
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


Assam- The land of the Red River and Blue Hills
Of the Rhinos and the slopped beauty of the tea gardens
The enchanting spirit of Rongali Bihu, bringing distant hearts together
All these I see, I being the spirit of the traveler


I am- the spirit of the traveler
I wander, I search, I seek; I tread the path unknown- far and wide
Nameless; yet a chronicler of the living history
I am alive within all, I am- the spirit of the traveler- unbound!

Brahmaputra - Incredible River in Incredible India

A video that I made from pics that I took with my Nikon D40.

India's largest river Brahmaputra which flows through my native city Guwahati is the subject of my romance!! :-)

Sweet Dream Shillong

 

Mysterious evenings

and the distant strumming of the guitar.

People huddled together over glowing embers

the freshness in the dew soaked air

filling up my heart's innards.

The tall snow covered pine trees

and Jesus looking intently from the church

Children in bright woolens

and young lovers and their sweet nothings.

The intoxicated nowhere man lying in the dark, wet street

Oblivious to the slow life around

And the Kongs with blood red lips chewing kwai

the taxis crammed with comrades

ferrying them to never never land.

The abode of the clouds it’s called

and its crowning glory being Shi-llong.

The long winding roads

and the breathtaking view from Shillong peak.

The sails of the leisurely boats

In the silent waters of the lake Umiam.

The Scottish cottages in its wooden antiquity  

Remnants of the bygone days.

The beautiful damsels in Police Bazaar

dressed up for life’s carnival

their laughter fills the air...

and many a young hearts flutter.

Lazy Sunday morning

Sunbeam piercing through the clouds

cheerful birds and their fanciful flights

in the blue blue sky.

Beatles and ABBA joining hands with Dylan

music wafting from the antique radio in the porch.

People dressed and queuing up

to sing paeans to the Lord.

Old gents in tartan coats

with their smoking pipes akin to Sherlock

wrinkled, wizened and the signs of a good, relaxed life

ol' world charm and heart full of memories to hold onto.

The young widow with two tiny tots

Deserted by the guy whose promises meant so much once.

Bitter sweet is life's song

the crescendo intertwined with the low tunes.

Shillong gives so much to you

but it takes back some part of you too

some part of your heart…  will forever belong

and roam around in the winding lanes of Shillong.

Shillong- mysterious, mesmerizing, enticing and a cloud capped dream.

-------------------------------

Kwai= betel nut in Khasi language
Kong=Sister (mostly used as a dignified salutation for any unacquainted lady)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My tribute to the beautiful hill-station called Shillong (Capital of Meghalaya) where I’ve spent some of the best years of my life. Have tried to narrate some of the most enduring images of Shillong that I still hold close to my heart...

Do you still remember?

Do you still remember?

Those sweet nothings that we shared

Sitting in the dew kissed evenings

The fragrance of the night jasmine

That enticed our minds to wander

Do you still remember?

A cerulean sky full of Hope…

And the spirit’s eternal shore…

Do you still remember? 

#Translated from a poem that I wrote in Assamese language.

Through the Looking Glass

PIC: SKYLINE BANGALORE

A special journey called life

Another candle added

To the journey called life

Flickering in the winds

Reminding me of the years gone by

Memories of a lifetime—bitter and sweet

Ethereal and sometimes clinging to the heart

Trying to find some meaning

That was lost somewhere in mire

When the journey will end at the road’s bend

When Time will also lose its meaning…

Giving life a shy grin…

I’ll beat a slow retreat

Staying long but just enough

Bringing stray tears to someone perhaps

In some dusty photographs

Life’s unfulfilled promises will be met…

On the shore where spirits unite

It’s Faith that has kept me going on…

Coz one day I know it will triumph!

One birthday pic: Pizza Hut, Forum Mall, 7th January 2009

 

 

My first horror movie!!

The Evil Dead, 1981

I was chatting with my friend online about some must-watch horror flicks and the usual suspects’ name came rolling… The Blair Witch Project, The Exorcist, Poltergeist, Rosemary’s baby etc etc. I recollected my first brush with cinematic horror… I was perhaps in Class 4-5 then… and we used to hire VCR player and cassettes during our summer vacations and such other times. The movie in question was The Evil Dead, which was highly ‘recommended’ by the movie rental person. We brought the movie along with 3-4 other movies from many genres like ‘action’, ‘adventure’, kids (Famous Five series). Even now my brothers make fun of me when they recollect that once I asked them to bring the Amitabh-in-aluminum movie named Ajooba (some Russian collaboration period drama)!! But the case in point is that we brought the Evil Dead VHS tape and started watching it around 830pm (late start to get the feel of horror more!!). In the movie… the hero, heroine and friends rents a secluded house which the previous owner has sold off at throwaway price… and from then onwards things got creepy… the death by numbers continued and in turn the dead friends turn into zombies and starts attacking the remaining ones… which started to give us goosebumps… 

The childhood bravado was the only thing that prevented me from going hyper although my big bro closed his ears at the slightest hint of zombie action… his philosophy was perhaps NO HEAR, NO FEAR!!

In the later part of the movie, something happened that could not be described merely in words. The movie was a Hindi dub and hence many of the dialogues were lost in translation. One of the female leads was killed and became a zombie and was locked inside a cellar by the guy… she manages to break open the lock and starts singing a song… “Haal kaisa haie janaab ka.. kya khayal haie aapka…” in all her bloody elegance!! It was a piece of cinematic brilliance (!) and we all started laughing out loud… it was so hilarious… and for a moment we forgot that we were watching a horror flick!! So much so for my first experience of a horror movie!

Romancing life!!

As I was going through some of my childhood pics I remembered one incident that took place perhaps 13-14 years back... It was a windy winter afternoon and most of the neighborhood kids were busy making kites for the late afternoon showdown in the vast barren paddy fields in the other side of the locality across the forest. Suddenly a crazy brainwave struck my younger self then... why not make the biggest kite among all of the peer group... what I lacked in skill in making kites was more than made up by reams of colored paper, thin bamboo sticks and dollops of glue made from rice and starch!! 

After various attempts at making a contraption that vaguely resembled an apology of a kite I finally succeeded and hold aloft my green colored kite that was atleast 1.5ft on all sides with a 1 meter long tail to add to the effect. I left it to dry in the Sun for sometime so that the glue sticks fast and then I could go to the battle ground where other warriors would display their stuffs and try hard to rule the skies with their confetti colored colorful kites.

Just then my cousin came home... he was a known semi-pro at kite flying and I offered him to have a first go at flying my kite. His eyes goggled out of the sockets when he saw the big kite... had it not been for the windy conditions it would have needed an engine to fly that heavy monster!!

After much coaxing and emotional blackmail he told that he will give it a shot. He told me to get the strings ready and then off we went with the green monster... after 10-15 mins across the forest and taking the short cut through the lake we entered the vast vast paddy fields where the yellowish cut stems of the harvested crops hinted at the imminent community feast and also that my birthday was not far off either!!

The wind almost pulled my woolen cap off as I ran backwards holding the kite as my cousin got ready to pull the strings (literally!!). The half-cut paddy stems made whitish scratch marks on my knees and below... but it was no way going to dampen my flying spirits. The cerulean sky was like a giant polka dot skirt... being dotted with tiny colorful kites of all hues and shapes and sizes and feverishly excited kids shouting and egging on their respective flight commanders. 

My cousin struggled initially to launch the kite but as the wind grew stronger it was propelled into the orbit with much further ado... but since the other kites were the usual variety being light and small they became increasingly difficult to control and maneuver and most of the players tried to pull down their kites to save them from being torn apart. But my 'green-eyed monster' with the long pinkish tail was gaining height and was the monarch of all it surveyed. My cousin was shouting that the kite was so un-worthy that only an insane gust of wind could have lifted it up... I gave a sheepish grin and admired my creation flying majestically!! Just then my cousin gave me an offer that I couldn't refuse... he handed me the strings and told me to control the kite for sometime. O God I was so happy... it felt like I was flying along with the kite... in the open open sky!!

Just like any Bollywood potboiler there was a twist in the tale... a monster appeared... with fangs of fury and violence in its mind... the eagle zeroed down on my kite and in a cruel twist of fate it cut the string and off went my kite in a random tangent... and then the entire world passed into a blurred existence as I dropped my the string-box and ran after the kite... as fast as my small legs would carry me. My cousin took a while to get a grip on what's was happening amidst the cries of the other kids who kept on shouting that the big kite was cut off by the big bad bird. I ran past the silent stream, the forest and entered into our lane and then across the street to the other locality... and at the same time keeping an eye on the 'lost' kite being swept away by unfriendly winds. I could vaguely make out that my cousin was also running behind me... his concern was entirely on recovering me from my madness and not the kite... bt nevertheless he was there. I crossed the busy road and then into the narrow lane that leads to another barren field that closely resembled the paddy field where we were flying our kites. I looked around but somehow I lost track of the kite and it was nowhere to be seen... still wondering what might have happened to my dear kite. Dejected and drenched in a cold sweat I turned back to return home and could see my cousin huffing and puffing and swearing at me at my madness. But I was oblivious to his admonishments and my eyes were just searching for any signs of the kite. As we turned back to take the long walk home we could hear a group of kids shouting lustily and when we went near we could see a large green kite hanging from one of the branches of the tall tree. It was still trying to fly... more of a symbolic gesture but how I wanted my kite back. My cousin told all the kids that it was my kite and the entire story... they reluctantly agreed to buy the story and my cousin climbed the tree and got back the kite... 'my' kite!!

That night I kept on looking back at the kite and then fell asleep smiling. That was the last time the 'gentle giant' ever flew in the skies but the memory lingers on. I was the 'kite runner' for a day and I got my kite back... even an ill mannered eagle couldn't take away from me what was mine… ‘my kite’!!

Something like Love

  
When I looked at you across the crowded room
And my eyes met yours
I coerced time to come to a stall
Baby at that moment... I lost myself!!

When under the moonlit night
Amidst the sea and the palm grooves
My fingers searched for and found yours
baby at that moment I found myself!!

Your princess tresses and sweet sweet smile
Ah! that heady feeling of your presence in my life
You mean everything to me, perhaps I mean something to you too
In that feeling baby let's lose ourselves for eternity!!

Ol' Man River silently keeps flowin'

Brahmaputra, Guwahati, Assam, India

It was already twilight when I reached the Sukreshwar Ghat of the Brahmaputra river that flows through the heart of Guwahati. One could see the 4km long Saraighat bridge which connects the North and South Guwahati and Umananda Island (world’s smallest river island)… and dotted along the scenery were numerous small boats carrying dark shadows… resembling people… but faceless, nameless and with a sense of purpose that was perfectly alien to me.

The silent waves of the mighty river were such a sharp contrast to the fury it unleashes in Assam during Monsoon… but I can’t imagine Assam without the Luit criss crossing through the heart of Assam… it has inspired romance, poetry, nationalism, courage and prosperity and is one of the most potent symbols of the Asomiya identity.

I adjusted my new DSLR camera to a distant boat which was swaying in the gentle waves like a paper-boat and just then a few birds flew over the river with such mighty grace that I remained transfixed at them long after they disappeared into the distant sky… everyone returns to their home, to their roots... sooner or later… and we are all blessed to have something called Home. What is a human being without history, without roots we won’t know from where we are coming from and where we are going… this sense of earthiness overwhelmed me and I made a huge effort to detach myself from those thoughts for the moment and concentrate on clicking the fotos.

After clicking fotos to my heart’s content I went to the park on the banks of the Brahmaputra and sat down for a while… in introspection… about our lives in the Big city… my longing to come back to my home-city… I always felt that I belonged there. 

And in the stillness of the night in my room… I slept off.. still thinking of the man rowing the small boat and disappearing into the fog...

Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories...

Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.
~Bill Morgan, Jr.

As I waited for my Infy bus in the morning I was tingled by a cool gentle breeze. Winter has surely put a foot on nature’s door and waiting for the chance to welcome itself in.

Winter… ah… it always manages to bring such sweet laid back memories from the “Land of the Red River and Blue Hills”. The winter school holidays after the exams… the “chor-police” games in the nearby jungles…   the night badminton games in our backyard replete with blazing lights and a motley crowd of country cousins cheering to their heart’s contents.

As we had a huge backyard in our compound we always hosted the ‘community feast’ during the New Year and “Bhogali Bihu”. It was a mélange of traditional Asomiya/Assamesse delicacies like masor tenga (Sour Fish gravy), poniya maangsho (thin gravied meat curry), bengena pura pitika (barbequed Egg-plant), homemade pickles and a host of other lip smacking items which were as much visual treat as for the taste buds. The mirthful time spent in front of fire-logs where we were told so many anecdotes and vignettes of Life will be there in my memory bank forever. And not to forget the sweet potatoes baked in the glowing ambers!! One story I vividly remember after all these years is-- how my dad’s best friend (during the mid-70s) was shot dead by a rickshaw-wallah due to some animosity while he was sitting next to my dad smoking cigarettes.

I remember my Mom knitting sweaters for myself and my 2 brothers (no sister) and the only difference (if any) would be the color of the yarn but the design would invariably remain the same. Maybe that was her way of showing her impartiality!!

I recollect myself sitting in the mid-day Sun after a bath and with the oil-soaked hair and all… I used to like Oranges very much those days and I always counted the number of slices in an orange and more the number of pieces the bigger was my childhood grin!! J

As I grew up I spent some years in Shillong—which being a picturesque hill station always gave me a sense of eternal Winter… the thick jackets, the hot jalebis, the small variety of chilly which always makes your nose to water… and the breeze that blows across one’s face.

I am eagerly waiting for the winter to set it in Bangalore … which will be a break from the sultry climate that Bangalore has witnessed the last few months.

When I visited Bangalore in 2000 I remember wearing a jacket to college in mid August… the weather was so pleasant then… the traffic was less… no malls… no multiplexes… but now things have changes for the better or worse.

---

Postscript:

1. My Birthday comes the week after New Year Eve and hence my love for winter season may be a bit biased!!

2. But now winters will also mean that I’ve grown one year older than last year!

3. The post title is a quote from the movie ~An Affair to Remember~

Down memory lane...

It happened to me some 4 years back while I was in my engineering days. I boarded a city bus and since there were no vacant seats I had to stand in the back side of the bus… to make matter worse the Guwahati buses have roof which are on the shorter side and being of a lanky kind (~6ft) I was finding it difficult to stand straight… After some time luckily I got a seat and was hoping there won't be much traffic enroute. Just then a young guy (~20-21 years) sitting next to me asked whether I was the same guy who won the Telegraph Open Quiz Show Regional finals which was conducted by Derek O'Brien's team a few weeks back. I was pleasantly surprised… and replied that I was the same person! It's a small world for sure…

Excerpts from The Telegraph newspaper:

Quizzing is sometimes like the 100-metre dash in the Olympics? It's all about speed and photo-finish. Three young men, calling themselves MI3, crossed the finish line a fraction of a second ahead in the tie-breaker to emerge winners in the Guwahati leg of TOPS on September 4. Jagat Jyoti Saikia, Manas and Biswajit, however, will not be able to make it to the Calcutta finals due to exams. Taking their place will be Vedanta, Pranami Tamuli and Hrishikesh Mali-- Class XI students of team Mensa, who came in second after losing the tie-breaker, despite tying with MI3 with 105 points after eight rounds..

After continuous quizzing from Class 4-5 onwards… and traversing the entire Quizzing life cycle… I can look back at some very sweet, satisfying moments… those calls from a gal who became a 'fan' after we went to her college n won a state level inter-college Quiz… to the more than 1.25 lakh rupees that I've won so far as prize money… to the hundred odd certificates and the newspaper clippings of our wins… to meeting stalwarts like Derek, Giri, Harsha… to the Pub Quizzes in Guwahati… and the quizzes that we used to organize in our backyard while in school where we used to save our pocket-money to buy prizes like fancy pens, posters and chocolates… to the over flowing cabinets at home full of golden silver medals n trophies n shields… to be taken in a procession with the winning trophy in a small locality after winning a Quiz organized in the memory of a young lad… being given so much respect by the departed guy's parents as if I have helped in his soul's eternal peace. And I still remember how a young lad cried after losing another Quiz to my team... those days we were quite invincible as far as quizzing was concerned!! It has been many years since this wonderful journey began... Old quizzers like old soldiers die hard… they just fade away into the sands of time… hope I can stay in the limelight a bit longer!!

Down memory lane

In the Circle of life… the present soon becomes the past and reality takes the shape of memories… some gets faded over time and some remains… like some stray lines etched forever in stones!! 

I was trying to rekindle the earliest recollection of my childhood… those halcyon days with my parents n brothers… and I could visualize flickering images of my neighborhood childhood school while I was in Upper KG (perhaps)… where my mom used to bring delectable lunch during the lunch breaks.

I also remember going to a magic show where the magician plucked imaginary coins just by pinching our bellies and how I dreamt of becoming a magician one day!! My maternal grandpa used to scare us by telling us stories about the ‘Red Eyed’ monster that was always lurking in the darkness near the olive tree in our backyard.

I still recall how my parents would illuminate our entire lane with more than 200 diyas during Diwali… and how my Dad would maneuver our 1947model Willy’s Jeep in the dark highways… zigzagging through the majestic tea-gardens on our way back after visiting our relatives during the festival time. My memory of those times comprise of a mélange of such charming images… which are permanently engraved in some deepest corner of my heart… and whenever I would look back at my life… taking a break from the din and bustle of the City life… I am sure those memories will always bring a smile to my face… and my heart would always leap up with immense joy!!

Miracle

It was just another day...
The same sunrise, and the same old life...
The guitar and the lyrics...
long forgotten and gathering dust

The swaying flowers in the gentle breeze
in uncounted hues... and sweet sweet fragrances
once took my breath away...
but slowly they lost their charm like withered memories

Scruffy and in a daze...
tired after the late night's sleep
splashing my face with icy cold water...
and glancing at my reflection after a long long time

The glint and the forgotten smile came back
as if in a wonderful serendipity
instant karma kissed me long and hard
and embraced me till time came to a sweet pause

It's that wonderful feeling...
that warms the heart's intimate corners
Leaping up in countless emotions...
to savor life... in blissful adoration!!

Chariots of Fire

This incident happened in January last year after our placements got over… it was the annual Sports extravaganza of TAPMI called SPEED and all the 4 senie and junie sections with names like Diehards, Mavericks, Azurras etc crossed swords for sporting supremacy… something they can brag about until the next edition!! I was not in good shape due to my troublesome ankle n knee (thanks to endless overs bowled in the cricket field) but I got a call from my team captain at 6am in the morning stating that since I was a known sprinter (?) I’ll have to run in the sprinting events… winning or losing doesn’t matter!! Half asleep and still fearing about any major breakdown I decided to turn out for my team.

After a few moments of warming up I knew in my heart-o-hearts that I wasn’t fully fit… and the hard track of the MIT sports arena was making it more difficult.

I ran in the 400m heats and after maintaining my tempo for half the distance I couldn’t run… it was as if someone has tied a heavy stone under my legs and it wasn’t allowing me to surge ahead… dejectedly I lingered off the field… knowing well that the 100m will be more tougher.

And then in the semis I ran… and ran hard… came a comfortable 2^nd and qualified for the finals… the fact that one is competing with 2 junie sprinters who were professionally trained and naturally gifted was something that was playin on my mind. But I moved on without many expectations except the inner thoughts that I’ll give it my best.

The whistle was blown and 8 of TAPMI’s fastest sprinters flew along with the wind… the atmosphere was charged with such nervous tension with scores of fellow people cheering their teams… my lungs was gasping for breath… I could feel my blood rushing through my veins and the thumping of my injured legs…

After 50m I could see that the 2 junie sprinters have created a lead of around half a meter… and they had the momentum… and there were people breathing down at my neck… then suddenly something happened… as if some wild animal power has been teleported into my legs and I was running as fast as I could... without any feeling of the pain in my ankle and left knee…

As I pushed for the finish line the 2 junie sprinters managed to brush the tape in a brilliant 1-2 and there was a guy and myself in a virtual photo finish for the 3^rd position… and then I fell down… down and hard with all the mass and acceleration that comprises Newton’s Force!!

There was blood all around my left shoulder and the hands were scaled and blood oozed out… and beneath the torn T-shirt I could see white-flesh…

I was trying to edge out my competitor in a photo-finish and just managed to bend my head and body ahead of him… and in the result I fell down… but not before coming 3^rd for my team… I won’t forget the adulations that I received from my team mates… I gave it my all when my body told me to keep away…

The marks on my shoulders are still there… a constant reminder that in a small little place… in a small little game… I tried my best against all odds.

I don’t have any answers for why I did what I did… coming 3^rd wasn’t a big deal… but still why I literally threw myself to come 3^rd I don’t know!! Maybe it’s the sportsman spirit within us all…!!

Like SRK said in CHAK DE INDIA... about the 70 minutes which even God can’t take away… maybe those were my 12 secs which God created especially for me.

The Final Homecoming

Lush green scenes of my birthplace
The breeze sweetened by bloomin flowers
The morning crispness...
romancing my heart's innermost corners
Faded memories...refreshed in an instant mix
The old red river of my childhood yore
dried down and sullied
it must be crying... I am sure it is
Big fella the river... now only the quaint memories remain
in dried up silt!
Freshly bloomed flowers... in nature's myriad hues
swaying and dancing through the entire route
welcoming my homecoming as the long-lost son
Softly caressing me into a trance
My journey..tracing the roots from the past
as the distant miles came to a nigh
And there I behold my childhood home
My steps being halted by a sea of emotions
Smiles and tears all rushed past me
My childhood home... waiting still...
finding comfort from the good ol' days!!
Within its faded walls... memories sprang up in flight
Pangs of sadness engulfed me...
knowing very well that...
very soon strangers will paint away my childhood memories
Silent tears brewed within...
and then I turned my back and bid adieu
to my sweet childhood home
for the last last time...

IF-- the best poem ever written!! (By Rudyard Kipling)

"If"

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

By Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936).

Rafa couriers Fedex out of Wimbledon throne!!

The epic Wimbledon final clash between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal was so riveting and at the end of it all I was really not sure whether to be happy at Rafa's victory or sulk at Roger's loss. It was an awesome display of mind over the elements... and the gusty wind and rain-breaks only added to the folk-lore. I am sure this match will be remembered for a long, long time. Rafa has been a constant threat to Roger Federer and Wimbledon was the ultimate frontier as far as he was concerned since in Wimbledon there is no greater God than Fedex!! I am sure it's the beginning of a long, long rivalry that will match the Borg-McEnroe rivalry ball by ball, serve by serve and what not!!

Congratulations to both Rafa and Fedex for such an awesome display of tennis. Very few people know that lines from Rudyard Kipling's immortal poem 'If' appear over the player's entrance to Wimbledon's Centre Court - a poignant reflection of the poem's timeless and inspiring quality. I am sure this will continue to inspire a generation of players who try their best to transcend the physical barrier and raise their game to a metaphysical level.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
Except If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you the
Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

The KITE Runner

Started reading Khaled Hosseini's much acclaimed novel The Kite Runner since yesterday evening in the Infy bus and today morning as well. The visual treat that the writer provided was amazing... so much so that while sitting in the sunny side of the morning bus with a splitting headache... my mind was wandering in those dusty lanes of Afghanistan, sometimes running alongwith Hassan and Amir as the Kite-runner!!

The part of the world we live in might be different but the ethos and pathos remains the same... we share the same joys, same sorrows, same inner demons, same flights of courage. Kabul might get transformed into Manhattan but the players playing their part and the story binding them together remains the same.

A salute to the stupendous gift called the 'written words'!!

Indeed 'There is a way to be good again!!'

O Mor Apunar Desh-- State Anthem of Assam

A video that I've created. There is no place better than dear motherland!!

Who am I?

Can there be a life without dreams?
-A rebel without a cause?
-A heart without a song?
Can a man exist with nothing but HOPE?
Can there be a world without God?
Can Love triumph over Destiny?
Will I be able to convince others for a blind leap of faith?
If I close my eyes will it become darkness all around?
Can I become the thesis n antithesis at the same time?
Can there be a method in my madness?
Can I become truly blessed... by simply refusing to give up on Love?
Can I destroy the things I truly, madly Love in one go?
Will I die or just fade away?
Will I ever get a second chance in Life?
Can I inspire people... long after I am gone?
Will I be able to die without any regrets?
Will I be able to start a revolution without any bloodshed?
Can I turn a seemingly negative-sum to a positive sum game?
Can I savor the journey and not care about reaching the destination?
Can I resurrect a shattered dream... and coax it to dare again?
Will I ever get the courage to walk down the road less traveled?
Will anyone come near my grave with lilies and some silent tears?
Can I transform my name from being a proper noun to an adjective?
Can I sleep when my pen silently runs dry?
Will I ever know who am I and what I am going to do with my Life?

Dreamscape

Staring at some broken lines...
Blankly, in a doped state of fixation
I was like a wrecked dream, like an abject non-entity
The lines mocking me...
At my efforts to understand myself
I guess that’s the toughest part
Understanding something that doesn’t make any sense
Chasing dreams… and not knowing what it was all about
Rising like the Phoenix ... straight from the ashes
O' how I want to fly again...
Does not matter how insane it might seem...
Life isn’t only about the-- unbroken, unbent and perfect things
It’s also about what you can imagine
No rules, no shackles holding me back...
Trying hard to join the broken tracks
I will define my means and the ends too...
Otherwise life is such a terrible waste
I am a free soul; unbound, unshackled to the core
The broken lines…
Giving me some hints that no one else could see…
The Holy Grail… hidden somewhere
Telling me that there’s life even after despair
Coaxing me to fly even if my wings aren’t there
Exhilarated after my rendezvous…
Tears of joy flowing… after the reincarnation
Reviving myself to join the broken lines
And then swiftly I ran towards life…

The Devil wears Prada but God wears Gucci!!

"Do you wanna know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing."—this iconic line by a teenager named Brooke Shield catapulted her into instant fame and the rest as they say is history.

A few days back I was browsing through the perfume section of The Landmark store in Bangalore which was choc-a-bloc with high profile brands like Hugo Boss, Davidoff, and Chanel. Although it seems strange now but a few years back the typical well-heeled Indian had to wait to travel abroad to buy their favorite designer wears, perfumes and accessories or ask their NRI friends to grab the stuffs from Duty-Free stores in the airports. With the opening up of the Indian economy and a higher disposable income Indians are welcoming the most sought after brands and labels with great fervor. With greater FDIs in retail we might many other brands coming to cash in on the great Indian retail story which is expected to see boom time in the coming years. Retail space is a great concern in the Indian metros and many of the brands prefers high streets for their outlets or in the 5-star hotels, and it will take some time to iron out some of these pain points.

I saw a Reebok T-shirt proclaiming that there are two people in one and my materialistic side is eyeing a nice haute couture Hugo Boss suit, Davidoff CoolWater Perfume, Shoes by Clarks, and a sleek watch by Omega :-) Down with increasing consumerism and materialism... but atleast let me try for once...

I browsed the web and made a list of all the luxury brands that have opened shops in India, although they are still limited to the metros.

Tommy Hilfiger
• India Operation: Tommy Hilfiger has-
– 9 free standing stores across 7 cities
– Licensed products are available in over 300 selected retail stores across the country.

GUCCI
• Line of Business— women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, fine jewelry, furniture, and more.
• Gucci operates 425 stores worldwide and it wholesales its products through franchisees and upscale department stores
• Revenues of €8.7 billion
• India Operation: One store in The Galleria, Mumbai
• Gucci is the second biggest selling fashion brand after LVMH .
• AC Nielsen has rated GUCCI as India's most desirable brand.

Bottega Veneta
• Line of Business— men's and women's ready-to-wear clothing, small leather goods, and exclusive home items
• Revenues of €267 million in 2007
• The company merged with Gucci Group in July 2001.
• India Operation:
– One store in The Galleria, Mumbai

MOSCHINO
• Line of Business— women's and men's fashion, accessories, perfumes
• It has 4 stores and 31 in-store boutique operations around the world
• Revenues of $284 million (2001)
• India Operation: 2 stores
– New Delhi, a 140 sq.m boutique at One Style Mile
– Mumbai at the Taj Mahal Palace & Towers.

ROBERTO CAVALLI
• Line of Business— women's clothing, sunglasses, men's clothing, women's & men's shoes, handbags, timepieces, underwear, beachwear, eyewear, kid’s line.
• It has 200 stores around the world
• Revenues of €700 million in 2007 (doesn’t report its earnings )
• India Operation:
– 2 stores in Mumbai and New Delhi are in the pipeline

Marks and Spencers
• Line of Business— largest clothing retailer in the country, as well as being a multi-billion pound food retailer
• Revenues of £7.798billion of –worldwide
• 760 stores world wide in 30 countries

Indian Operation: M&S has 12 stores in India across-
• Bangalore
• Chennai
• Gurgaon
• Hyderabad
• Lucknow
• Mumbai (3)
• New Delhi (2)
• Pune
• Kolkata

MANGO
• Line of Business— luxury leather goods, fragrances and clothing,
• Revenues of €1.1 billion (2002)worldwide
• Mango has 850 stores in 81 countries around the world
• Indian Operation: Mango has 4 stores in-
– Bangalore
– Mumbai (2)
– Gurgaon
– New Delhi (Opening shortly in Select City Walk)

FCUK
• Line of Business— Western formals to casuals for men and women and Accessories
• Revenues of £265.7 million in 2005
• FCUK operates in over 25 nations with 1500+ outlets
• India Operation: 5 outlets in India (as of Oct, 2007)
– Mumbai (3
– Delhi
– Pune

Calvin Klein
• Line of Business— jeans, coats, underwear, fragrances and home decor to watches
• 760 stores world wide in 30 countries
• Revenues of £7.798 billion worldwide
• Indian Operation: Calvin Klein hopes to have
– at least 20 to 25 points of sale in the 1st year in-
• Mumbai
• Delhi
• Chennai
• Bangalore
• Hyderabad
• Kolkata

HUGO BOSS
• Line of Business- high-end apparel, accessories, perfumes
• Hugo Boss brands are available 103 countries and more than 5,002 retail stores.
• The brands are Boss, Hugo, and Baldessarini.
• Revenues of € 1.270 billion (2006)
• India operation: Hugo Boss has 4 stores in India
– Delhi (2)
• [Recorded sales worth Rs 10 crore in 2005]
– Mumbai
• [Recorded sales worth Rs 7 crore in 2005]
– Bangalore [The Leela Palace]
– In the pipeline are stores in Chennai and Hyderabad

ARMANI
• Line of Business- accessories, apparel, cosmetics, fragrances, home interiors, jewelry, eyewear and watches
• Armani sells under the various labels including-
– Giorgio Armani
– Armani Collezioni
– Emporio Armani
– Armani Jeans
– Armani Junior
– Armani Exchange AX
– Armani Casa
• Armani has nearly 300 stores in 36 countries around the world
• Revenues of $1.69 billion (2005)
• Indian Operation: Armani has 4 stores in India in-
– Mumbai
– New Delhi

COCO CHANEL
• Line of Business— cosmetics and accessories and prêt-a-porter (ready-to-wear)
• Revenues of €15.3 billion worldwide
• 1,800 stores across the world
• India Operation: Coco Chanel has-
– 1 outlet at Imperial Hotel in New Delhi
– The Chanel store in Imperial Hotel in New Delhi has the brand's range of cosmetics and accessories, and the prêt line.

ESPRIT
• Line of Business— manufacturer of apparel, footwear, accessories, jewelry, and house- wares.
• Revenues of $5 billion worldwide
• 640 directly-managed retail outlets and 12000+ wholesale outlets in 44 countries.
• India Operation: Esprit has 28 outlets in India
• 16 exclusive stores
• 12 shop-in-shops
• Bangalore
• Delhi
• Mumbai
• Chennai
• Chandigarh
• Pune
• Ahmedabad
• Ludhiana
• Jalandhar
• Gurgaon
• Noida

LACOSTE
• Line of Business— high-end clothing, footwear, perfume, leather goods, watches, eyewear, tennis shirts.
• Revenues of €1.5 billion in 2007
• 640 directly-managed retail outlets and 12000+ wholesale outlets in 44 countries.
• India Operation:
– 3 flagship stores in-
• Bangalore
• New Delhi
• Chennai
• 5-7 such stores are scheduled to be operational by 2010.
– 30 small stores at present
• In the pipeline, 50 more small stores by 2010

VERSACE
• Line of Business— Apparel clothing, Accessories, Watches
• Revenues of € 288 million (2006)
• Franchised brands in India include-
• Corneliani
• Versace Collections
• Gianni Versace
• Versace Jeans Couture.
• India Operation:
– 1 store in JW Mariott, Mumbai (being closed down to lack of sales)
– 1st store in Delhi coming up in March 2008
– Expansion to a 5-store network
• Projected turnover of around Rs 25 crore for financial year 2008 and Rs 40 crore for 2009 in India

CLARKS
• Line of Business— women's and men's casual and dress casual shoes, outdoor boots
• Revenues of £830 million in 2000
• Clarks is the #1 non-sports shoe brand in the world
• India Operation: Clarks has stores in-
– Ahmedabad
– Mumbai
– Bangalore
– Expansion plans: 1 new store every month
• C&J Clarks has tied up with lifestyle retail company Lifestyle Asia in India
• Clarks will currently offer only ladies and men's shoes in India

DEBENHAMS
• Line of Business— Clothing, cosmetics, house wares
• Revenues of £2,090 million GBP (2005)
• Debenhams the leading department store group in the Middle East Master and #2 in UK.
• Franchisee for Debenhams in India: Planet Retail Holdings.
• India Operation: Debenhams has-
– 1 store in Gurgaon
– 2 stores in New Delhi
– In the pipeline, 15 more stores in the next 3-5 years in
• Mumbai
• Bangalore
• Kolkata
• Chennai
• Hyderabad
• Ludhiana

Burberry
• Line of Business— clothing and other apparel, bags, leather goods, accessories
• Revenues of $1.61 billion in 2006
• Available in 130 stores worldwide
• India Operation: Burberry has an outlet in-
– Mumbai, The Taj Palace

TRUSSARDI
• Line of Business— manufacturer and retailer of men's, women's and children's ready-to-wear clothing, accessories and jewelry , perfume.
• Revenues of $500 million in 1998 (latest figures not available)
• Trussardi has-
– 100 boutiques around the world
– 7 stores selling clothes and accessories designed for young urban customers
• India Operation: Trussardi has an outlet in-
– Bangalore, The Leela Palace

DAKS

Line of Business— manufactures and retail of tailored garments and accessories for men and women
• Revenues of £500 million in 2007
• DAKS has-
– 2,000 specialty shops, major stores and concessions in 30 countries
• India Operation: DAKS has a store in-
– 1 store in Bangalore, The Leela Palace
– 3 stores in Mumbai
– In the pipeline, 25 outlets across India
• DAKS is brought into India by the Forbes Gokak group

GAS
• Line of Business— Jeanswear, casual wear, footwear, beachwear and accessories
• Revenues of €150 million worldwide
• India Operation: Grotto SpA’s GAS has—
– 5 flagship stores in-
• New Delhi (2)
• Mumbai (3)
– Departmental Stores in-
• Mumbai
• Bangalore
• Hyderabad
• Kolkata
• Pune
– Premium Multi-brand Outlets (MBOs)
• Ahmedabad
• Bangalore
• Pondicherry
– In the pipeline, 4 more stores and 14 franchisee stores by 2008
• Raymond Ltd launched GAS with a 50:0 JV with the Italian company Grotto SpA
• By 2010, GAS aims to have 600 retail points-
– including flagship stores, exclusive franchise stores, large format stores, MBOs

Dolce&Gabbana
• Line of Business— manufacturer and retailer of men's, women's and children's ready-to-wear clothing, accessories and jewelry, perfume.
• Revenues of €1.05 billion in 2006
• Dolce&Gabbana has-
– 90 directly-operated stores worldwide.
• Tie-up with real estate developer DLF Group in India
• India Operation: Dolce&Gabbana plans to open 2 stores in-
– Emporio Mall, New Delhi

Jimmy Choo
• Line of Business— Luxury Shoes, Accessories
• Revenues of $1.69 billion (2005)
• Jimmy Choo has 60 stores worldwide
• India Operation: In India, Jimmy Choo has-
– 1 store in The Galleria, Mumbai

TUMI
• Line of Business— suitcases and bags for travel
• Tumi has 56 stores around the world and are also sold in Departmental stores
• India Operation:
– Tumi has a store in The Galleria, Mumbai
• The Murjani Group plans to open 10 freestanding Tumi stores in India by 2010, with the first store opening planned for in Delhi or Mumbai

Dunhill
• Line of Business— luxury leather goods, fragrances and clothing
• Alfred Dunhill is part of the Richemont luxury group,
• Revenues of $1.69 billion (2005)
• 158 stores worldwide
• English luxury menswear brand Dunhill will make its debut in India through a deal with local fashion company Brand House Retail.
• Dunhill expects India to account for 10-20% of its global revenues.
• Indian Operation:
– 1 store in New Delhi, Shangri-La Hotel
– 4 stores will open in the next two years
– A total of 8-10 stores are planned in the next five years in major cities like Bombay and Bangalore.

FENDI
• Line of Business— handbags, apparels, footwear, eyewear and watches
• Part of the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) Group
• Revenues: LVMH does not break out Fendi's sales and earnings
– 1.89 million Euros in the first half of 2003 (estimate)
• India Operation: Fendi has-
– One outlet at The Taj in Mumbai
– In the pipeline, 6 stores in the next 5 years

LOUIS VUITTON
• Line of Business— luxury leather goods, fashion accessories, prêt-a-porter and jewelry
• Revenues of €15.3 billion worldwide
• 1,800 stores across the world.
• India Operation: Louis Vuitton has-
– 2 outlets in Mumbai and New Delhi
– In the pipeline: Upcoming retail project, UB City -The Collection in Bangalore ]

Christian Dior
• Line of Business— shoes, leather bags, costume jewelry and dresses
• Revenues of $20,094.5 million in 2007
• 1,800 stores across the world
• 760 stores world wide in 30 countries
• India Operation: Christian Dior has-
– 1 outlet in New Delhi at The Oberoi Hotel

GUESS?
• Line of Business- the brand includes clothing and accessories for men, women and children, as well as home collections.
• Guess? has-
– 184 retail stores in the US
– 213 international franchises around the world
– 1,135 shop-within-shops around the world
• Revenues of $936.06 million (2005)
• India Operation: Guess has 16 stores in India across the various cities mentioned below:
– Bangalore-2
– Mumbai-3
– Lucknow
– Ahmedabad
– Gurgaon
– New Delhi-2
– Hyderabad
– Chennai
– Pune
– Ludhiana
– Noida
– Kolkata

AIGNER
• Line of Business— high-end leather, clothing and accessories
• Revenues of $77.8M in 2006
• Available in 151 stores in 40 countries
• Sports Station India Pvt Ltd is the exclusive distributor for Aigner in India
• India Operation: Etienne Aigner AG has stores in-
– New Delhi
– Mumbai
– In the pipeline, new stores in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore

BVLGARI (Bulgari)
• Line of Business— Italian jeweler and luxury goods retailer(watches, handbags, fragrances)
• Revenues of €1010.4 million in 2006
• Available in 150 stores worldwide
• India Operation: Bvlgari has stores in-
– New Delhi
– In the pipeline, new stores in Mumbai and New Delhi

Ed Hardy & Christian Audigier
• Line of Business—
– The Ed Hardy line caters to men's, women's & kids wear and stocks drinking flasks, Sunglasses, Key Chains, Watches, Air Fresheners, Energy drink, Shoes, Bags and Accessories.
– Christian Audigier sells the entire line of Bags, Hoodies, Accessories, Belts, T-shirts, Shoes and Lowers embellished with gold prints and sequined stone detailing
• 760 stores world wide in 30 countries
• Revenues of £7.798billion of –worldwide
• Ed Hardy & Christian Audigier has 2 stores in India in-
– Mumbai
– New Delhi

Other notable foreign brands in India
• Mother Care
• Royal Sporting House
• Austin Reed
• Levis
• Pepe
• Lee
• Nike
• Reebok
• Adidas
• Arrow
• Wrangler
• La Perla