I am referring to one particular practice often exercised in closed spaces, sometimes in the open; by dim, smokey lights. This practice has parallels among other species and hence is a basic instinct but humans have added a hugely entertaining, and at times ridiculous edge to it like they have done to so many other things. They call it social dancing.
People dance for various reasons – to show happiness or to be happy; to attract attention or to answer others’ attempts of vanity; to unwind or to just kill time. Most of them need the heady feeling of being drunk before they can let their hair down. And this breed of dancers sure lets it down – hair and all. They can be a spectacle. No matter what the beat is and no matter what the lyrics are they just get stuck on to their favorite step and on and on they go repeating it with a vengeance not paralleled even by a wagging tail of a pet. A few take the adage ‘dance as no one is watching’ to another level by actually shutting their eyes and transforming themselves into a fantastic world where they are superstars.
The not-so-drunk types may do other antics. Some of them imitate hopping toads while others try the flexibility of a crane’s neck, and still others trot like a peacock. Several other organisms can be found at closer inspection. The long forgotten versions of break-dance steps go hand in feet with bhangra sways; the ‘cultured’ variety chooses a personal version of salsa over bhangra and also punctuates it with a disco delight. All of this to get laid! Sooner or later, with this one or that, or just to get off watching others almost mate on the floor.
There is another breed of jiggy-aspirants. I know of atleast one specimen of this variety – ahem - yours truly! While I smirked at the antics of all the boys and girls, men and women around me I realized that in not so a distant past I was doing just the same. Though I’d like to believe that I did it with a little more panache and followed the beat, I have no clue how many people I have made feel smug at my own version of dancing. I have danced to the most ridiculous numbers at the most awful places. Gosh!
After amusing and berating myself on the above lines for about an hour and wondering what to do with myself, I gave in. Off I went – hands flailing, feet swaying, bum swiveling, pelvis pumping, lips puckered, eyes shut – imagining myself to be the superstar! I am so glad I can still manage the feat without alcohol but if I start thinking more I may soon be either off the floor permanently or will need something very heady to head that way.
But till then I will do the Mambo laced with Hula!
PS: This post is not half as funny as I intended it to be. Hope to write on the subject again….
PPS: One Two Cha Cha Cha… Lets do Cha Cha Cha…
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Living the moment.
It was half, hung in a starlit sky, anchored by white clouds. And it shone brightly, looking upon the town down below. The earthly lights and the lunar light were mocking each other, or were they warming upto each other, telling themselves that they are not alone!
I sat by my window looking at the marvelous spectacle, considering myself blessed to be able to witness this unique amalgamated scenery of man’s endeavors and nature’s existence.
My room was dark and songs from a play-list titled “Heartache” played on the computer – Chandni Ratein; Ek akela is sheher mein; Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam…..
I was not in any particularly somber mood nor was I lamenting anything, but the whole atmosphere was apt. As I stepped out onto the balcony, the song changed to Sili hawa choo gayee…and the cold breeze left me shivering. I hugged the air, drew in a deep breath and smiled at the coincidence. As I ran back to the warmth of my room, I knew I had to go to bed and promised myself happy songs in the morning.
Is this what living the moment is?
I sat by my window looking at the marvelous spectacle, considering myself blessed to be able to witness this unique amalgamated scenery of man’s endeavors and nature’s existence.
My room was dark and songs from a play-list titled “Heartache” played on the computer – Chandni Ratein; Ek akela is sheher mein; Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam…..
I was not in any particularly somber mood nor was I lamenting anything, but the whole atmosphere was apt. As I stepped out onto the balcony, the song changed to Sili hawa choo gayee…and the cold breeze left me shivering. I hugged the air, drew in a deep breath and smiled at the coincidence. As I ran back to the warmth of my room, I knew I had to go to bed and promised myself happy songs in the morning.
Is this what living the moment is?
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| From I have a view |
Monday, October 13, 2008
Two Weeks
It takes two weeks to get everything and anything done here in Germany. Sample this:
* Two weeks to get your work permit; after you have submitted all documents already eons back during the visa process (which itself was three months long)
* Two weeks to get a new internet connection
* Two weeks to get a phone connection
* Two weeks to get a mattress delivered even though you buy it from the store two streets away
* Two weeks to get your furniture delivered at home
* Two weeks to get a new bus pass
* Two weeks to get your ATM card and PIN
So, now when I go to get something, rather than asking how long will it take, I ask will it be done in two weeks?!
Wonder if they do the following also in two weeks:
* Do they do it for two weeks at a go?
* Do they wait for two weeks to go?
* And do they continue doing it for two weeks then?
* Two weeks to get your work permit; after you have submitted all documents already eons back during the visa process (which itself was three months long)
* Two weeks to get a new internet connection
* Two weeks to get a phone connection
* Two weeks to get a mattress delivered even though you buy it from the store two streets away
* Two weeks to get your furniture delivered at home
* Two weeks to get a new bus pass
* Two weeks to get your ATM card and PIN
So, now when I go to get something, rather than asking how long will it take, I ask will it be done in two weeks?!
Wonder if they do the following also in two weeks:
* Do they do it for two weeks at a go?
* Do they wait for two weeks to go?
* And do they continue doing it for two weeks then?
The pleasures of living on the 19th Floor:
* One can ogle into other people’s windows satiating voyeuristic desires
* One can take great pleasure that the people in those windows cannot do the same at your expense cause you are so high up.
* One can roam around in the buff without drawing curtains, cause no can possibly look.
* One can see far beyond till the horizon, and actually make out the end of a rainbow.
* The moon and the stars, and the clouds are so much closer.
* One can take great pleasure that the people in those windows cannot do the same at your expense cause you are so high up.
* One can roam around in the buff without drawing curtains, cause no can possibly look.
* One can see far beyond till the horizon, and actually make out the end of a rainbow.
* The moon and the stars, and the clouds are so much closer.
Entropic, yet ordered….
They all began together, at a place far beyond. They traveled together through wild terrain, among bushes and rocks, making way for their untamed journey. On the way, other similar aspirants joined them after traveling similar umpteen miles. As they all joined each other, they intermingled and lost their individuality. They broke through each stubborn block on the way in their yearning for a common goal somewhere far, far away. If they couldn’t break through, they changed the course but stopped for no one in their eternal quest.
Then, I met them.
As they cascaded down, they were still together, but started to break away under gravity, forming milky white froth. The different broken groups still tried to stick together, but some of them met with protuberances and broke further into tiny little globules. Gravity did further damage and the globules became smaller – some of them became drops and the others got so small that the breeze caused by rushing of the others of their ilk had them airborne. I them as they formed the mist around me. They engulfed me in a cool embrace, as if to welcome me and to touch me with a million tiny little finger tips. But most of them continued their downward journey, pulled on by the full force of the magic g. And then they joined again. All of the breakaway groups joined again to form the flow of Kaveri yet again.
The magic of the Meenmutty Waterfalls was out of the world.
Initially I saw it from a distance, but the fall had a magical pull and drew me to the base where I perched myself on a rock and marveled at the ways of nature. The water gushed through, broke into several streams and showers, hit boulders and broke further still. It was magical to follow the journey of each shower as it rushed down. One has to be there to really know how out-of-the-world can the worldly pleasures be.
Then, I met them.
As they cascaded down, they were still together, but started to break away under gravity, forming milky white froth. The different broken groups still tried to stick together, but some of them met with protuberances and broke further into tiny little globules. Gravity did further damage and the globules became smaller – some of them became drops and the others got so small that the breeze caused by rushing of the others of their ilk had them airborne. I them as they formed the mist around me. They engulfed me in a cool embrace, as if to welcome me and to touch me with a million tiny little finger tips. But most of them continued their downward journey, pulled on by the full force of the magic g. And then they joined again. All of the breakaway groups joined again to form the flow of Kaveri yet again.
The magic of the Meenmutty Waterfalls was out of the world.
Initially I saw it from a distance, but the fall had a magical pull and drew me to the base where I perched myself on a rock and marveled at the ways of nature. The water gushed through, broke into several streams and showers, hit boulders and broke further still. It was magical to follow the journey of each shower as it rushed down. One has to be there to really know how out-of-the-world can the worldly pleasures be.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
I had a lovely day…
I got up a little late this morning,
Had some trouble getting into the swing….
It was my first weekend morning in my pad and I had precious little planned concretely. Woke up to the sound of an SMS canceling the plan to go to Munich. The ablutions done, I got my favorite new Hindi songs on the computer and I stood by my French window leading to the balcony. It was misty outside and everything was blurred – the perfect setting for me to dream.
They say that dreams are just for fools,
I bet you fools made up those rules…
And dream I did. I really listened to the music, using the vocals as the basis for my dreams – sometimes imagining the scenes from the movies, sometimes being part of the scene myself; sometimes singing the ditties for a long lost lover, sometimes jiggy-ing to a fast tempo number!
Then I decided to venture out. A hurried brunch later, I found myself at the bus stop. The ground was covered with yellow maple leaves, and some were on the branches still. I sat there in the sunless winter noon and marveled at the nature. And dreamed some more. Read a page of the book that I am reading which helped me dream some more cause it was describing a scene when the protagonist lovers just met for the first time and the fireworks that happened!
About forty minutes later, I was at the Numberg Bahnhof. The pretext to visit Numberg was to look for Nikon cameras (yeah, I haven’t found any worthy Nikon cameras in my little town). A quick visit to the Tourist Information center pointed me to the downtown area and I began my walk.
The place was colorful and strewn with people, cafes, imbisses (see a previous post) and a very nice winter day surrounded them all. People were out with full families – toddlers in prams, tots in toe, pet puppies following without leashes on! Lovers were walking hand in hand and groups of younger people were just hanging out. It was lively.
After my visits to photo shops and checking out the cameras, I ventured to some instant retail therapy. H&M got me and I fell in love with a white belt that I ended up buying. It’s a different story that now I will have to build a set of clothes and accessories around the belt! Another store later, and I was carrying shoes and new denims as well. Incidentally, this store also had a white belt at half the price but I took solace in the fact that it was XXL and comfortably ignored the fact that I could have altered it to fit my, ahem, L size.
While checking out the stuff, my mind wandered to A certain someone every so often imagining how the stuff would bring on a smile. But owing to the changed status, I brushed away all such thoughts. That was the only, tiny sad tinge to my otherwise very dreamy, happy day.
I discovered that the town has a Starbucks and promptly treated myself to a Hazelnut Cappuccino. As the long lost flavor soothed my taste buds and the warm coffee warmed me a bit, I strolled to a seat under a tree. I had a good view of the people sitting there. Beautiful people dressed stylishly – very Italian and effluent looking older men with nubile nymphets on their arms, old mamas buying the fresh fruits, the not-wanting-to-be-old mamas under layers of age defying cosmetics and flashy accessories, the young couples kissing on the street, the lazy ones lazing on the café chairs under blankets – it was a sight!
As it got dark, they started lighting up the place and I started back to my town. Now back home and having tucked in a very scrumptious tomato-mozzarella pizza, I sit at my desk writing this post with a dorky smile pasted over my stupid face. And my favorite old Hindi music plays in the background!
I got up a little late this morning,
Had some trouble getting into the swing….
They say that dreams are just for fools,
I bet you fools made up those rules…
So never mind what they say,
Sometimes you gotta slip n’ slide away…
Cause its okay
Had some trouble getting into the swing….
It was my first weekend morning in my pad and I had precious little planned concretely. Woke up to the sound of an SMS canceling the plan to go to Munich. The ablutions done, I got my favorite new Hindi songs on the computer and I stood by my French window leading to the balcony. It was misty outside and everything was blurred – the perfect setting for me to dream.
They say that dreams are just for fools,
I bet you fools made up those rules…
And dream I did. I really listened to the music, using the vocals as the basis for my dreams – sometimes imagining the scenes from the movies, sometimes being part of the scene myself; sometimes singing the ditties for a long lost lover, sometimes jiggy-ing to a fast tempo number!
Then I decided to venture out. A hurried brunch later, I found myself at the bus stop. The ground was covered with yellow maple leaves, and some were on the branches still. I sat there in the sunless winter noon and marveled at the nature. And dreamed some more. Read a page of the book that I am reading which helped me dream some more cause it was describing a scene when the protagonist lovers just met for the first time and the fireworks that happened!
About forty minutes later, I was at the Numberg Bahnhof. The pretext to visit Numberg was to look for Nikon cameras (yeah, I haven’t found any worthy Nikon cameras in my little town). A quick visit to the Tourist Information center pointed me to the downtown area and I began my walk.
The place was colorful and strewn with people, cafes, imbisses (see a previous post) and a very nice winter day surrounded them all. People were out with full families – toddlers in prams, tots in toe, pet puppies following without leashes on! Lovers were walking hand in hand and groups of younger people were just hanging out. It was lively.
After my visits to photo shops and checking out the cameras, I ventured to some instant retail therapy. H&M got me and I fell in love with a white belt that I ended up buying. It’s a different story that now I will have to build a set of clothes and accessories around the belt! Another store later, and I was carrying shoes and new denims as well. Incidentally, this store also had a white belt at half the price but I took solace in the fact that it was XXL and comfortably ignored the fact that I could have altered it to fit my, ahem, L size.
While checking out the stuff, my mind wandered to A certain someone every so often imagining how the stuff would bring on a smile. But owing to the changed status,
I discovered that the town has a Starbucks and promptly treated myself to a Hazelnut Cappuccino. As the long lost flavor soothed my taste buds and the warm coffee warmed me a bit, I strolled to a seat under a tree. I had a good view of the people sitting there. Beautiful people dressed stylishly – very Italian and effluent looking older men with nubile nymphets on their arms, old mamas buying the fresh fruits, the not-wanting-to-be-old mamas under layers of age defying cosmetics and flashy accessories, the young couples kissing on the street, the lazy ones lazing on the café chairs under blankets – it was a sight!
As it got dark, they started lighting up the place and I started back to my town. Now back home and having tucked in a very scrumptious tomato-mozzarella pizza, I sit at my desk writing this post with a dorky smile pasted over my stupid face. And my favorite old Hindi music plays in the background!
I got up a little late this morning,
Had some trouble getting into the swing….
They say that dreams are just for fools,
I bet you fools made up those rules…
So never mind what they say,
Sometimes you gotta slip n’ slide away…
Cause its okay
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Fabled German Rudeness
In my one month here, I have had two occasions when I got to witness the so called German rudeness.
I was at the Rathaus (Raat - as in the Hindi night, haus – house), the local registration office where each visitor to the country must go and register to get a local identity for administrative purposes. I had trouble in filling up a form which had instructions in most EU languages including English. I left a few columns empty to check before I filled in my answers. AT the counter, this burly, huge woman began in Deutsche I had not filled those columns. When I said “Deutsche Nien” she pointed out that everything was in English too. She went on blasting me off in Deutsche till the time I filled everything to the best of my knowledge. And bang – she began talking in properly, clipped English!
Do I take that as rudeness? I think she wanted to make it a point that if everything is in a language I understand, I should be smart enough to get it all! Must be one of those hard-to-please people who expect efficiency from people around them!
My bank has been issuing me ATM cards and PINs. I try them and each time the machines just eat up my card. I was exasperated at the constant runs to the bank and had had it. This woman at the counter begins explaining me that I have been using the wrong PIN and I keep telling her that I have always used the correct PIN. After help from another colleague who could talk in English, and after several sighs from me, she was able to tell me that the PINs I have been trying were of previous cards that were delivered with new cards! But this explanation came at the expense of bearing several dirty looks, flailing hands and “you are not listening to me”s from the lady at the counter.
I reckon the Germans are just an emotional people who let their anger and dissatisfaction show very easily. I guess they would also show their happiness and congeniality with equal fervor but may be they just don’t get chance enough to display the good part.
Hence, I still haven’t made up my mind if they are rude or not. I would wait and watch before I label them.
I was at the Rathaus (Raat - as in the Hindi night, haus – house), the local registration office where each visitor to the country must go and register to get a local identity for administrative purposes. I had trouble in filling up a form which had instructions in most EU languages including English. I left a few columns empty to check before I filled in my answers. AT the counter, this burly, huge woman began in Deutsche I had not filled those columns. When I said “Deutsche Nien” she pointed out that everything was in English too. She went on blasting me off in Deutsche till the time I filled everything to the best of my knowledge. And bang – she began talking in properly, clipped English!
Do I take that as rudeness? I think she wanted to make it a point that if everything is in a language I understand, I should be smart enough to get it all! Must be one of those hard-to-please people who expect efficiency from people around them!
My bank has been issuing me ATM cards and PINs. I try them and each time the machines just eat up my card. I was exasperated at the constant runs to the bank and had had it. This woman at the counter begins explaining me that I have been using the wrong PIN and I keep telling her that I have always used the correct PIN. After help from another colleague who could talk in English, and after several sighs from me, she was able to tell me that the PINs I have been trying were of previous cards that were delivered with new cards! But this explanation came at the expense of bearing several dirty looks, flailing hands and “you are not listening to me”s from the lady at the counter.
I reckon the Germans are just an emotional people who let their anger and dissatisfaction show very easily. I guess they would also show their happiness and congeniality with equal fervor but may be they just don’t get chance enough to display the good part.
Hence, I still haven’t made up my mind if they are rude or not. I would wait and watch before I label them.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
I have a view
From my 19th floor wohnung (vo-nung , deutsche for apartment). I can see far and wide. And these days I see the early fall colors. Bright yellows, fiery reds, flaming oranges interspersed by green pines (which I think will remain green till the time snow covers the needles).
I can also see a lake somewhere in the distance and took a walk in the general direction but did not find it. The wind has made the trees shiver and shed and the pavements have turned a bright yellow from a dull cement grey. I loved crushing the leaves under my feet – they are not yet dry and hence did not make much of a crunching noise – but I still delighted myself by stepping on them!
The walk around the neighborhood also upped my spirits a bit. There is a café close by which is open till 10 PM daily (note the stress on daily, which means including Sundays). Though it is not exactly cozy, but the Aquarian in me heaved a sigh of relief to know of the possibility of having a place to go with a book.
The usual Der Beck (equivalent to the Indian Café Coffee Day) is around the other corner but closes by 6 PM. And there is a Doner und Kebap place further down, also open till 10 PM. Implies I will live!
Then, behind my house is the Europa Kanal which also gives my address its name. The canal is flanked by gravel path and hence is apt for a jog. There is a rowing club and ample chairs along the canal. So, I look forward to a nice summer (it is so far away). I only wish somebody would initiate me into activities as these. I keep holding myself back for the fear of the unknown and it being an alien land, and the trigger seldom comes from within. I need to change this.
But overall, I think I would start liking being here now….!
FOr all the pictures, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/rajulver/IHaveAView#
I can also see a lake somewhere in the distance and took a walk in the general direction but did not find it. The wind has made the trees shiver and shed and the pavements have turned a bright yellow from a dull cement grey. I loved crushing the leaves under my feet – they are not yet dry and hence did not make much of a crunching noise – but I still delighted myself by stepping on them!
The walk around the neighborhood also upped my spirits a bit. There is a café close by which is open till 10 PM daily (note the stress on daily, which means including Sundays). Though it is not exactly cozy, but the Aquarian in me heaved a sigh of relief to know of the possibility of having a place to go with a book.
The usual Der Beck (equivalent to the Indian Café Coffee Day) is around the other corner but closes by 6 PM. And there is a Doner und Kebap place further down, also open till 10 PM. Implies I will live!
Then, behind my house is the Europa Kanal which also gives my address its name. The canal is flanked by gravel path and hence is apt for a jog. There is a rowing club and ample chairs along the canal. So, I look forward to a nice summer (it is so far away). I only wish somebody would initiate me into activities as these. I keep holding myself back for the fear of the unknown and it being an alien land, and the trigger seldom comes from within. I need to change this.
But overall, I think I would start liking being here now….!
FOr all the pictures, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/rajulver/IHaveAView#
Mumbai Meri Jaan
Watched the movie last night. I think it conveys several messages.
The movie tells 5 tales in the aftermath of the 7/11 Mumbai blasts.
The downtrodden tea-vendor-by-the-night Tamilian sees all the glitter and gold around him but can’t reach it. There is a very thick glass wall which he can never break. If he tries to find a duct through to touch the life beyond, he is humiliated and thrown out. He is punished for no fault of his. Freedom does not exist for him. He is an alien in his own country. The architects of India’s freedom did not have this in mind when they slogged. He devises a simple plan to get even – starts making hoax calls about malls having bombs. But life does not let him have the pleasure and he soon realizes his mistake, and makes amends. Very poignant.
The beat constable and his senior take the bombing incident in very opposite manners. The younger one feels handicapped and chained by the system he represents while the elder one preaches and almost reveres the do-not-care attitude that he has lived with forever. The interaction with each other makes their relationship so strong that they end up crying in each other’s arms – one for the lost chances, and the other scared and confused about what to do with the chances that he may get.
And then there was this Hindu chap who smells a rotten egg when the Muslim boy that he had seen in his hang-out place suddenly vanishes. He finds out the other’s house, makes enquiries with his mother, follows him to a girlfriend and hence to a dead end, ignores all affection given to him by the “other” community only to realize that his quarry had been to Shirdi to visit Saibaba’s ashram. He then fights an internal duel between Hindu propaganda and the very Indian values of secularism, to emerge a winner and make friends with the guy he thought was a terrorist.
The characters are very well etched out and have been played to the perfection by the cast. A must watch!
The movie tells 5 tales in the aftermath of the 7/11 Mumbai blasts.
The downtrodden tea-vendor-by-the-night Tamilian sees all the glitter and gold around him but can’t reach it. There is a very thick glass wall which he can never break. If he tries to find a duct through to touch the life beyond, he is humiliated and thrown out. He is punished for no fault of his. Freedom does not exist for him. He is an alien in his own country. The architects of India’s freedom did not have this in mind when they slogged. He devises a simple plan to get even – starts making hoax calls about malls having bombs. But life does not let him have the pleasure and he soon realizes his mistake, and makes amends. Very poignant.
The beat constable and his senior take the bombing incident in very opposite manners. The younger one feels handicapped and chained by the system he represents while the elder one preaches and almost reveres the do-not-care attitude that he has lived with forever. The interaction with each other makes their relationship so strong that they end up crying in each other’s arms – one for the lost chances, and the other scared and confused about what to do with the chances that he may get.
And then there was this Hindu chap who smells a rotten egg when the Muslim boy that he had seen in his hang-out place suddenly vanishes. He finds out the other’s house, makes enquiries with his mother, follows him to a girlfriend and hence to a dead end, ignores all affection given to him by the “other” community only to realize that his quarry had been to Shirdi to visit Saibaba’s ashram. He then fights an internal duel between Hindu propaganda and the very Indian values of secularism, to emerge a winner and make friends with the guy he thought was a terrorist.
The characters are very well etched out and have been played to the perfection by the cast. A must watch!
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