Day 22-2012 : A Hectic Start...

What a hectic start to the new year!  It is all happening, leaving me with little time to organise my thoughts in the form of a blog post.  Anyways, I am here now, so, here we go.  

We are already in the last week of the first month of the year!  For me, the year started with the drive back from Ahmedabad to Mumbai on New Year Day.  I completed the 550 kilometres long drive in 8 hours, with two stops, one for breakfast and one for lunch.  The road infrastructure which has been built on this stretch is wonderful, to say the least.  Especially, once you get into Gujarat, it seems like you are in a completely different country!  Maharashtra still has a lot of catching up to do.  I thoroughly enjoyed the drive to Ahmedabad and back.

After the refreshing week long break in Ahmedabad, it was time to get back to work at full throttle.  It is the time of the year when reviews of all kinds happen and one gets sucked into the whirlwind.  At home, the in-laws visited us.  The school breaks were getting over as well, hence getting the kids fully kitted for another term became a priority. 

And then, of course, the unpredictable happened!  I got an opportunity to take part in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.  I had actually applied for taking part in the marathon, but did not get the opportunity.  But I really wanted to run.  I had in fact started training for it as well very seriously.  However, once I did not get through, I relaxed my routine.  But as they say, if you want something really bad, the whole world conspires to give it to you!  On January 13th, a day before the D-Day, the opportunity arrived, in the form of someone who was registered but could not go.  I was happy to do the honours!  And that is how I became part of the 6 km Dream Run on January 15th.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being part of the event.  It was certainly worth it, though after the 45 minute run, the soles and ankles of my feet were complaining.  The half marathon next year?  Maybe...!  I must confess that I am tempted, though it will require a lot of training.  One thing is for sure, I am determined to run again in the annual event.

The next week is going to be very busy with various engagements at work as well, following which I fly to London over the weekend.  I fully expect the week in London to be hectic.  So a lot of activity overall in the first month of the year. Add to it, the cricket nets, shopping trips, team-building events and friends and relatives visiting over the weekends; and the month has just whizzed past me.  If January is anything to go by, I think this year is going to be action-packed.

I say, bring it on! 

Take care!

Day 268-2011 : Life In The 'Fast' Lane

I have been feeling exactly like that for the last few weeks.  Hours turning into days, days into weeks and weeks into months in a jiffy!

Nevertheless, the one thing that I have noticed in these busy times, is that the phenomenon of 'fasting' is suddenly catching on.  All credit to Anna Hazare.  The latest on the bandwagon was 'Aapno Na-Mo'.  And then it was a case of 'counter-fast', when Shankarsinh Vaghela also started his fast at the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad at the same time.

First up, the Na-Mo fast.  It was very interestingly called The Sadbhavana Mission.  Sadbhavana means, prayer for togetherness.  Togetherness and Narendra Modi?  It just does not sound right.  The man who is accused of telling the police forces to let the Hindus vent their anger and not interfere during the Godhra riots is now talking about togetherness.  Quite farcical.  It was also a 5-star fast!  No...no...I am saying that the rules of the fast allowed 5-Stars to be consumed (similar to a Perk advertisement).  However, the fast was a unique one, conducted in the fully air-conditioned Gujarat University Convention Hall.  Throughout the day, dignitaries from the BJP and other specially 'invited' prayer groups of all religions came to the stage to shake hands with the CM.  The entire bureaucracy from the capital, Gandhinagar, had stationed themselves at the hall as well.  Hence, practically, no work happened during the 3 days in the government corridors of Gandhinagar.  It was also very widely reported in the media that chants of 'Allah-O-Akbar' rented the air at the venue.  Now, were they really 'rented'?

The CM was photographed in various head gears offered by the visitors throughout the three days.  But, the bluff was called when an Imam offered Na-Mo a skullcap, which Modi politely declined to wear.  Boom!  So much for 'Sadbhavana'!  This looked to me as more of a positioning exercise before the next Assembly elections in Gujarat and the next General Elections in the country.  Clearly, the ambitious man that he is, Na-Mo has his eyes set on the national political canvass.

The competing 'counter-fast' did not even get a mention in many sections of the media.  I guess, it is very difficult to be a congressman in Gujarat these days.  So, I shall also limit my references to it on this post.

Talking of fasts, my mother was with us for the last week.  She fasts three times a week!  I have been asking her quit, as by now, I argue, all her wishes might have been fulfilled.  However, she continues to observe the weekly fasts quite fastidiously!  Let me not talk about my various experiments with fasting in the last couple of years.  The latest one is to fast for a day of the week, consuming only water and nothing else.  I am told it has a very good detoxifying effect.  The only thing that I notice it giving me is a severe headache!

In other fast lane happenings, the buzz is on for the first ever F1 race in India and I am slowly revving up my desire to be there.  Still have to figure out my schedule and whether it allows me the diversion during this festive season and the busy time of the year.  Watch this space for that.

Take care.

Day 30-2011 : A Nomadic Month

We are already at the fag end of the first month of this year!  Time is flying!

This month was full of hectic travel, largely on the personal front, but also for work.  The month started with me and the family flying back to Mumbai from Ahmedabad where we spent the last week of December and brought in the new year.  The very next day, we drove down to Pune.  Priya and the kids were going to spend the week at her mother's place and I was left to fend for myself in Mumbai for the week.  Life without wife; for a week!

I did get through the week by spending most of the time at work.  Food was on 'Delivery' mode, from a few restaurants nearby.  End of the week I travelled to Goa for an offsite meeting spanning the weekend.  An early morning flight (5 AM!) after a late night the previous day set the tone for the offsite.  The first day of the offsite was hectic and very productive.  The evening was spent having dinner on the beach along with some enthusiastic singing (mostly Amitabh Bachchan / Kishore K songs!) by the gang.  Some of the gang carried on the drinking on the beach after the dinner till very late in the night.



Sea food on offer @ Goa; none for me though!

The next day, after attending the reminder of the sessions at the offsite, myself and a few others were on our way back.  The others, of course were staying for the night as well, which I had to miss, as I had to pick up

the family from Pune on Sunday.  Hence I was back in Mumbai and on my way again to Pune the next day.  The highlight of this trip was opportunity to meet Rajee, Ashwath and Anjali, who are here for a vacation from Estonia after a long time.  We dropped them at Panvel on our way back from Pune.

@ Pune with the family. 

Lastly during the middle of the month, all of us went back to Ahmedabad for Rashmi's Seemantham.  A rush rush affair this time.  But it was great to see a lot of people in the family make it to Ahmedabad for the ceremony.

The Seemantham ceremony @ Ahmedabad.

It is said that whatever you do on the first day of any year, you are bound to keep repeating it throughout the year.  Though I am not a great believer of such superstitions, the evidence so far in January suggests that it might just be true.

Take care.

Day 255 - Parents Are GODS

If someone were to ask me: What do you fear the most?  The answer would be: Losing my parents.

Last weekend was spent in Ahmedabad.  I had wanted to go to Ahmedabad, my hometown, for sometime now, as my father was not keeping well and was hospitalized sometime back.  He was hospitalized due to a sudden surge in sugar levels, which necessitated administering insulin.  Being a chain smoker, he had also contracted bronchitis.  After being monitored in the hospital for 3 days, he was discharged.  The bronchitis infection had subsided, however, the sugar levels were still higher than normal.  The day we reached Ahmedabad, another blood sugar test was done and as they say: All wazzz well!  It is at times like these, that my biggest fears resurface, especially now that they are getting older and live alone.  Thankfully, this time, all's well that ends well.

In spite of spending the last 18 years away from my parents, I have always been very close my parents.  My relationship with my mother, especially, was always special.  My father was always, and still is, a very busy man.  He is a trade unionist and the well being of the smallest common denominator has always been the closest to his heart, sometimes even at the cost of not spending enough time with the family.  However, he made sure that he provided for the family adequately. There was never a need that was not fulfilled.  In my childhood, though we lived in the same house, sometimes I did not see my father for months together because of the odd hours.  Naturally, my mother was closest to me and my brother, as she was the 'go-to' person for everything for us.  She herself is a very strong woman and can be credited with single-handedly managing the entire house and the kids very very well.  The most difficult times being, when Emergency was declared in the country and most of the socialists, including my father, were imprisoned by the incumbent government.  Their families were harassed by the government by denying access to basic utilities like water and electricity.  My mother dealt with all of these valiantly for the sake of the love of her husband and children!  She is a winner!

Hence, my parents, in spite of having gone through unimaginable struggles in their lives, never ever left anything to chance as far as the upbringing of their children was concerned.  They have provided adequately for all our needs and wants.  Apart from all the material things, the most important thing that they gave us was the right values and morals.  Being a parent myself, I realise that it is very important to have the right set of values embedded in the upbringing of children.  That is the best gift you can ever give them because values and morals stay with you life long and help you make the right decisions throughout your life. 

My Parents

Hence the title of this post. As I write this on Ganesh Chaturthi day, an interesting anecdote comes to my mind.  Once upon a time, the two brothers, Ganesha and Karthikeya, were fighting for a fruit.  Shiva and Parvati decided that a competition should resolve the issue and asked them both to go around the world on their respective 'vahanas'(vehicles).  Whoever, comes back first after circumnavigating the world would get the fruit.  Karthikeya's vehicle was a peacock and hence he hopped on to it and was on his way immediately.  Ganesha, as his vehicle was a mouse, had no chance of winning this one.  He used his brains and had a brilliant idea.  He went around his parents in circles and told them that they were his world!  Job done.  Parents were happy.  The fruit was his!

I think he was right.  Consider your parents to be your GODS. You exist because of them. You are what you are because of them.  I hope everyone feels the same way.  Take care of your parents because you owe it to them.

Take care.

Day 3 - Ahmedabad Calling

The last couple of days, the first two of the new year, 2010, (somehow 2010 looks so much more aesthetic than 2009!) have been spent in my hometown, the place where I was born and brought up; Ahmedabad, with family and friends. The agenda: chill and relax! So, I stuck to the agenda and caught up on a lot of sleep. Taking a nap in the afternoons doesn't come easily to me, but I did exactly that for the last 2 days, which is in line with one of my resolutions for this year. Get at least 7 - 8 hours of sleep everyday, and more if possible!

One of the highlights was the dinner with Naren, Simran and their cute little daughter, Hridiya yesterday night. Had Gujarati thali at Mangalya at R3 Mall on Drive-In Road. The food was good; the drive even better. It has always been a pleasure to catch up with Naren and his family whenever I am in Ahmedabad. We missed Dhawal, Sumedha and their little son, Aditya. Naren, Dhawal and I were class-mates at school. Normally, all the three families get together at least once whenever I am in town. By the way, on our way back, we lost our way on S G Road...what else can you expect with Naren driving..:-))

One of the things that I have not failed to notice during my last few visits to Ahmedabad has been the tremendous work done by the local authorities and the state government in terms of infrastructure development. The recently launched BRTS is a great example. The pilot for the transport system failed in Delhi, but the Amdavadis are determined to make it a success. Also, the roads are great and getting even wider; at least in the new city area. Haven't been to the old city side for sometime, but I hear that the focus on infrastructure is all round.

Flew back to Mumbai today. Not the greatest of starts to the year.

1) A 3 hour delay for the flight; blame it on the fog! Have decided to take the train the next time when we go to Ahmedabad.

2) Once back home in Mumbai, Priyanksh met with a minor accident in the evening, falling down and cutting his forehead. Rushed to the hospital and was informed it wasn't too serious and will heal quickly. As far as he is concerned, he has already forgotten it as I see him jumping all around the house! Hyperactivity is the order of the day!

The new year begins at work tomorrow. Take care.

Cheers!