Here am talking about the anxious eyes that used to jump over the Airport wall to take a glimpse of the planes on the runway... I have seen people getting up from their seats when the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus ran parallel to the Airport wall... Have seen people every morning on this small bridge that gave a clear view of the runway and planes... Seen people sitting on trees adjoining the Airport wall waiting for the planes to take off and land... Even after the authorities covered the entire tree-trunks with sharp wires to prevent people climbing up the trees, people still found ways to reach the top... It became a routine for me to watch people doing this... Everyday... As I traveled to office from Marathahalli, I wondered why people were so curious to see these planes??? What's so interesting in them???

I realized this even more when my mother visited me a few months back, just a week before the Airport shifted... She used to get very excited whenever she used to hear a plane go above... And look up here and there to find the plane... The joy when she could locate one was just great!!! She used to go to the terrace every evening to watch the planes fly overhead and see the plane getting larger in size as they descended to land...

"Kiti motha disate ahe plane??? itka jawal... khidakya suddha disatayet..." (The plane looks so huge... So close... I can even see the windows...)

Another incident that I can relate to is the chat with a cab driver travelling to office... Though I am seldom able to crack any communication with these drivers; who mostly speak kannada or some other magic South Indian language, this time I succeeded!!! No kudos to me, actually he could speak Hindi... After some usual talking here n there, (mostly me asking and he answering); as we neared the turn on the small bridge adjoining the Airport wall...

"Sahab, woh uss din subah aap bahar muluk se aaye the na... Main aapko leneko aaya tha Airport..." (Sir, the other morning you had come from outside country... I had come to receive you at the airport...)

"Haan, haan..." (Yes, yes...) [Honestly, I didn't recollect him at all... I guess Jet Lag was the one to blame...]

"Ek baat poocho???" (Can I ask you one question???)

"Are haan, poocho..." (Yes, go ahead...)

[After a small pause, and somewhat hesitant...]
"Woh plane mein aadmi log khada rehke ja sakata hai kya??? Itna chota hota hai... Zhukake jaana padata hoyega na???" (Can people stand straight in the plane??? It is so small... One would have to stay bent inside it... right???)

[... .... ... Startled with this completely unexpected question...]

"Nahin, nahin... usme aaram se baithkar, sokar bhi ja sakate hai..." (No, no... U can sit and even sleep comfortably inside it...)

[Silly me!!! He was asking me about standing, and I answered him about sitting and sleeping... But I guess, he was good enough to understand my vague answer...]

These incidents make me realize that somewhere, once upon a time I was in the same chappals shoes... Actually slippers... or today I am still in the same place, as usual traveling to Pune by Indian Railways... all thanks to the rocketing Air fares I cannot even think of a standing travel in a plane!!!

btw, this is my 1st blog entry published from train...

Swapneel*

Hitec City

Hyderabad on Sunday (24th August) became the second largest city in India — in terms of geographical spread — and thus joined the elite league of metropolitan cities. With Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) replacing the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (Huda), the state capital, which earlier enjoyed A1 status with a population of 75 lakhs spread across 725 sq. km of area, has now surpassed four other metros in terms of area: Mumbai (4,272 sq. km); Delhi (1,483 sq. km); Kolkata (1,425 sq. km) and; Chennai (1,167 sq. km).

A rendering of the upcoming Lanco Hills with its Signature tower

With a spread of 7,000 sq. km, Hyderabad is second only to Bengaluru, which is the largest metropolitan in India with an area of 8,000 sq. km. Apart from the 16 mandals of Hyderabad and 22 mandals of Ranga Reddy, 10 of the Medak district, four of Nalgonda and two mandals of the Mahbubnagar district have now come within the HMDA’s purview. The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy set the foundation stone for the HMDA central office near Hitex in Hyderabad on Sunday. While addressing the gathering, Dr Rajasekhar Reddy assured the residents of the twin cities that within the next four to five months, they will receive 24-hour piped water supply.

Statue of Buddha standing in the middle of Hussain Sagar lake

Dr Reddy said that the formation of the HMDA — by merging adjacent municipalities and villages with Hyderabad — has paved the way for the state capital’s development as a model metropolis. Several ministers and legislators also participated in the ceremony. The Huda vice-chairman, Mr K.S. Jawahar Reddy, has been appointed as HMDA metro commissioner.

News source: Deccan Chronicle

All pictures courtesy: Wikipedia & Skyscrapercity

+++

Infosys Technologies said on Monday it had agreed to buy British consultancy Axon Group Plc for £407m (US$753m) as India’s second-biggest software services exporter looks for growth beyond an uncertain U.S. market.

The cash deal values Axon at £6 per share, a 19.4 per cent premium over Friday’s close of £5.025 and 33 per cent over the average price of the last six months, Infosys CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan said.

The offer price included any interim dividend that Axon, which has a market value of almost US$600m, may announce when it releases results on Tuesday, Infosys said. The Axon board has already ”unanimously recommended” the offer, with its large shareholders and some key employees also supporting the deal, Infosys CFO V. Balakrishnan said.

”They wanted to enter Europe in a big way, and probably this is the reason why they have paid a higher premium,” said R. K. Gupta, managing director of Taurus Mutual Fund in New Delhi.

”It’s a positive sign for the company because they were sitting on a huge cash pile, and it was not generating any return.”

Subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, Nasdaq-listed Infosys expects to complete the deal in November. Axon, which provides services to companies using products of German business software maker SAP, would be delisted, Infosys said.

Rest of the news here.

Above picture of Infosys Mysore courtesy: Karthik

+++

Now the question is, was Phoonk that scaringly spooky or was it simply unbearable (remember RGV’s Aag?? )???? YOU NEVER KNOW…If anyone among you have taken up the challenge to even watch Phoonk, Let me know your thoughts!!

BTW, heard that another brave soul in Bangalore has decided to watch Phoonk tonight at 10 all alone at INOX and he has booked the entire 225+ seater for himself by paying close to INR 48K!! All the best to him, and to RGV too…hehe!!
I have not watched this movie yet (and don’t know if I will) but I certainly won’t be watching it alone, like I did the last time with RGV’s Sarkar Raj!! Period.

*************************************************************************************

What the Newspaper Article made me aware this weekend:

Web2.0 or the social networking/user-generated content era is the latest to take over the virtual world. But do we have the Cyber law to curb the misuse of the technology?
The article gave an example (most probably, a real one) of a teen gal getting to know a guy online through one or more of the various social networking mediums (mostly Chat sites) and then how she unsuspectedly gets entangled into the trap of sexual predators which finally leads/forces her to commit suicide.

Questions asked were:
1) Should not our lawmakers analyse the impact Web2.0 has on society and prescribe educational programmes for teenagers as well as educate individuals, mainly the teachers and parents of teenagers about the possible dangers of social networking?
2) Do we have a legal system to deliver justice to people like the teen gal in the above said instance or even to book the guy?

What’s your take on this?

On one side, we see and experience the many advantages that Web2.0 has to offer us to build and maintain a social network, but on the other side, we have certain elements which bug the entire possibility of a clean virtual environment.
Now with the social interaction going to be boosted up soon with the arrival of Web3.0, I guess its time for the law makers to put the laws into ‘real’ action.!!

*************************************************************************************

What are the Indian Cricketers up to?? Man…they seem to be so confused with the whole process of playing cricket of different formats. With T20 totals in One-day matches and One-day totals in Test Matches, they seem to be heading no where. Moreover the fear factor in them about the tactics of the Lankan spin duo of Mendis and Murali seems to be reaching greater heights match after match. No idea what happened to the idea of Indians being better players of spin bowling!! Sigh!

The Men-In-Blue (MIB) are known to make heroes out of puppets…Remember the West Indian Franklin Rose? That chap got hammered and clobbered around the park at the hands of other teams whereas he came up with a 5-wkt-haul, each time he played against us. Ok…Remember Aaqib Javed, the Pakistani speedstar?? He was specially played only against the Indians and each time we didn’t disappoint the Pakistani selectors as we gifted him a bunch of wickets just like in a promised package deal!
The list continues…and so does the ‘fear factor’ of our well-nourished, well-branded and well-advertised cricketers. Hmmph!

*************************************************************************************

I have always been a Taurean, I have always read the sun-sign predictions and I have been amazed by the indifferences between what is on paper and what actually happens, always.

Check this out…this was last Saturday:
1) Good day to share work and responsibility with your peers: Sadly such things are said about me only on weekends!
2) Accidental benefits are indicated: I didn’t understand this clearly until a bus just whisked past the car when I was driving…My Dad who was in the front seat, yelled (am still not sure, it was at me or the bus driver!!) though this wasn’t indicated!!
3) Your love life will be good: Ahem…he didn’t know I was single, did he? Hmmph!
4) Don’t give into emotional pressures when making financial decisions: Early morning as I reached Bangalore, my cousin called up to remind me of the pending treat I had to give him! I have been evading him for more than 2 months, but the emotions finally got over me and I agreed to his request. So Sue’s Garden (A Caribbean Restaurant in Indiranagar, Bangalore) it is for lunch on Sunday…Ms. Sue, here we come!

Takal doesn’t read my blog, so I presume I am safe. [ Sincere apologies in advance ].

Inspirations: [ with the equivalent deft delicateness of Anu Malik ]

• Appar’s exhilarating review of his best friend’s literary masterpiece.
• A superb book review of "The 2007-2012 Outlook for Tufted Washable Scatter Rugs, Bathmats, and Sets That Measure 6-Feet by 9-Feet or Smaller in India" - the most scholarly book ever written in this field.

There are two kinds of literary critics in this world, one who totally adore Sir Takal’s succinct analogies, and metaphorical embellishments at times, and the others who haven’t read him yet. I proudly say that I belong to the first variety.

You see, when you read Takal ( a metonymic reference to something written by him ), you not only get the perception that the author is trying to convey an issue of importance, but also the subtle realization of the deeper meaning that this exalted mind offers.

Through innumerous surreal examples, chiefly drawn from the author’s experience with life, and his in-depth knowledge of the Bengalurean city-life, as well as his profound insights on global politics[ with a categorical expertise centered around topics related to the Chinese and Tibetan domain ], Takal clearly convinces of a dark and shady conspiracy that the system[ The Indian Government ], is running in the background of a hazy “India Shining” campaign.

Some Excerpts, and a Detailed as well as a Figurative analysis :-

• “I don't know why I wrote this post. It is bad. Or may be not . I am not sure. “  Never since The Tale of Two Cities, has a enantiosis, the figure of contraries, of this nature ever been displayed in English Literature.  Walking on both lines of the  paradoxical line, he gently prepares the reader for a tumultuous article ahead. He continues….
• “ It was Friday. It was when I went to piss at 4 o'clock that day, that I saw that it was a haze of grey outside . Well, with only work in my mind, I went back and hardly gave a thought to the heavy rain. " – Metaphors be damned. This is God himself writing. When was the last time you had such a phantasmagoric visual treat lined up for you[ In the most literary, straightest sense possible ].
• “Well, when I came back home, another shitty thing happened. Power went off.” - A powerful, yet hidden message to the Yeddy government.
• “ And it is the engineer's duty to do everything at the last moment. So, thinking I had all the time in the world, I disregarded the increasingly heavy rain, and started to play candle-lit carrom with Kela.” – Inspirational substance, and a brief hint at an on-going romance.
• “I went and saw to my horror that there were only girlie umbrellas available. But, when I searched properly I did find some black umbrellas. So, I decided to buy it. But wait, I saw the label, and here it was for 667 rupees only. Well, with no time, and having more than a goat's brain, I decided to adjust with a girlie umbrella for a day( which was available for 220 rupees), I got the umbrella.” - Sir Takal is a champion of the woman’s liberation movement, and he breaks all stereotypes, and urges the reader to do the same. Notice how he assigns a higher price to the “Black Umbrella”. Yes, you guessed it. Sir Takal loves the Afro-American Community as well. He is a maestro in the field of Zulu Dancing, though he is very coy about it.
• “Thus, it should be clear that a torturer is a torturer, whatever language he speaks, and whatever country he belongs to. The driver was talking to people in singular whatever, I don't remember the word. It was as if he thought he was the lord. It was as if he was enjoying the overcrowding of the bus. I realized what sadists felt like. He was feeling comfortable in his chair looking at the crowded bus. I felt what a concentration camp felt like, and I for the first time sympathized with the Jews, Borat notwithstanding.” – Just two words :- Drawing parallels between a BMTC ride and the Holocaust, Sir Takal takes the reader to an epochal period and drops him there. Also of importance are the tyrannical analogies of the bus-driver, who here is being compared to Adolf Hitler himself.   Did I say two words?.. Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

And this is just one of his works. Imagine the greatness of a man who has managed to put so many critical issues in such an eloquent manner.

I could go on an on, but I do not wish that the reader misses out on exploring Sir Takal all on their own. A chance that everyone must take.

Takal is a genre in itself. Kafkaesque creations seem pale in front of this divine force of literary grandeur.

Some blurbs from some more reputed sources:

• “This is the 98956’th Indian Origin author that I have been asked to review. Please give me a break. God Damn it.” – Shashi Tharoor.

• “To reduce such a richly diverse book to a couple of main themes is a disservice, for there is much here to reward the careful reader (notably two startlingly educative essays on the ancient roots of relations between India and China). Particularly pleasurable is Sir Takal’s masterly reclaiming of Rabindranath Tagore’s reputation from the unjust misjudgment of him in the West as a mediocre mystic poet rather than the rationalist and humanist genius and polymath Takal convincingly depicts. But -- disservice aside -- two principal arguments emerge from this collection: an affirmation of India’s political and cultural heterogeneity, and of the ‘reach of reason’ in India’s intellectual traditions.” – Shashi Tharoor on cannabis.

• "I think of the glorious Tiananmen square days, when I read Sir Takal’s works.” – Long Dong, The Times of China. he continues, “Actually, I always think of those days.” ,he clarifies.

• “I so adore Takal because he posts his articles mostly at the break of dawn. I love to wake up and read Takal, with the cup of coffee in my hand. WoW, Sir Takal. You’re totally on my favorites list. ” – Chetan Bhagat.

• “Pardon me for this infantile indulgence, but pray allow me to savour the poetic mastery of Sir Takal. I fear that if I don’t quantify it into my already vast intellectual cache, I shall miss out on something very special, the stuff that mortals are faintly aware of.” – Noam Chomsky, not on cannabis.

• “TB rules. TB is my hero. TB is GoD .” – Hashish, The Arizona Daily Star .

• “Ashish to Ashes, Dust to Dust” – Sir Takal, The Davangere  Daily.

Normally I don’t recommend authors, but in his case, I doubly do so.

Venture into the unknown,

for there is where true beauty lies,

Do not miss this literary Oasis, O’ pensive traveller,

Not a shadow of doubt, I premise.

Now the question is, was Phoonk that scaringly spooky or was it simply unbearable (remember RGV's Aag?? :P )???? YOU NEVER KNOW...If anyone among you have taken up the challenge to even watch Phoonk, Let me know your thoughts!! :)

BTW, heard that another brave soul in Bangalore has decided to watch Phoonk tonight at 10 all alone at INOX and he has booked the entire 225+ seater for himself by paying close to INR 48K!! All the best to him, and to RGV too...hehe!! ;)
I have not watched this movie yet (and don't know if I will) but I certainly won't be watching it alone, like I did the last time with RGV's Sarkar Raj!! Period. :twisted:

*************************************************************************************

What the Newspaper Article made me aware this weekend:

Web2.0 or the social networking/user-generated content era is the latest to take over the virtual world. But do we have the Cyber law to curb the misuse of the technology?
The article gave an example (most probably, a real one) of a teen gal getting to know a guy online through one or more of the various social networking mediums (mostly Chat sites) and then how she unsuspectedly gets entangled into the trap of sexual predators which finally leads/forces her to commit suicide.

Questions asked were:
1) Should not our lawmakers analyse the impact Web2.0 has on society and prescribe educational programmes for teenagers as well as educate individuals, mainly the teachers and parents of teenagers about the possible dangers of social networking?
2) Do we have a legal system to deliver justice to people like the teen gal in the above said instance or even to book the guy?

What's your take on this?

On one side, we see and experience the many advantages that Web2.0 has to offer us to build and maintain a social network, but on the other side, we have certain elements which bug the entire possibility of a clean virtual environment.
Now with the social interaction going to be boosted up soon with the arrival of Web3.0, I guess its time for the law makers to put the laws into 'real' action.!!

*************************************************************************************

What are the Indian Cricketers up to?? Man...they seem to be so confused with the whole process of playing cricket of different formats. With T20 totals in One-day matches and One-day totals in Test Matches, they seem to be heading no where. Moreover the fear factor in them about the tactics of the Lankan spin duo of Mendis and Murali seems to be reaching greater heights match after match. No idea what happened to the idea of Indians being better players of spin bowling!! Sigh!

The Men-In-Blue (MIB) are known to make heroes out of puppets...Remember the West Indian Franklin Rose? That chap got hammered and clobbered around the park at the hands of other teams whereas he came up with a 5-wkt-haul, each time he played against us. Ok...Remember Aaqib Javed, the Pakistani speedstar?? He was specially played only against the Indians and each time we didn't disappoint the Pakistani selectors as we gifted him a bunch of wickets just like in a promised package deal! ;)
The list continues...and so does the 'fear factor' of our well-nourished, well-branded and well-advertised cricketers. Hmmph!

*************************************************************************************

I have always been a Taurean, I have always read the sun-sign predictions and I have been amazed by the indifferences between what is on paper and what actually happens, always.

Check this out...this was last Saturday:
1) Good day to share work and responsibility with your peers: Sadly such things are said about me only on weekends! ;)
2) Accidental benefits are indicated: I didn't understand this clearly until a bus just whisked past the car when I was driving...My Dad who was in the front seat, yelled (am still not sure, it was at me or the bus driver!!) though this wasn't indicated!! :D
3) Your love life will be good: Ahem...he didn't know I was single, did he? Hmmph! :oops:
4) Don't give into emotional pressures when making financial decisions: Early morning as I reached Bangalore, my cousin called up to remind me of the pending treat I had to give him! I have been evading him for more than 2 months, but the emotions finally got over me and I agreed to his request. So Sue's Garden (A Caribbean Restaurant in Indiranagar, Bangalore) it is for lunch on Sunday...Ms. Sue, here we come! :D

What makes this place so appealing? For starters, its culture of acceptance and welcoming weather. Even if it’s the peak of summer, cool breeze is ensured because of its location at 919m above sea level.

It’s a place where you feel cut off from India and yet a part of it. If the central business district (MG Road and neighbouring areas) is westernised – Pizza Hut, KFC, Google, Yahoo, Standard Chartered, Citibank - the bustling local business district of KG Road stands for all things Indian – a thriving Kannada film industry called Sandalwood, a line of middle class businesses, wholesale merchants and middle class homes. It’s this feeling of attachment and detachment that keeps you company throughout your stay in Bangalore. It is no wonder that many who came as visitors have made it their home.

The city allows you to time-travel. At one end, you have thousand-year-old heritage buildings on Resthouse Road, and at the other, towering glass structures like Intel’s on Airport Road that seem to reach out to the heavens. If one is a celebration of all things British – monkey top window roofs (to prevent monkeys sitting on them), sweeping driveways, pubs, bungalows and English street names (Prince Street, Langford Town, Charles Campbell Road), the other is the Silicon face of Bangalore.

Located in the south-eastern part of the south Indian state of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city after Delhi and Mumbai. It is surrounded by the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

With the boom in software, bio technology and business process outsourcing, nobody would have had any inkling that it was once called the ‘town of boiled beans’. Legend has it that when the Chola King Veera Ballalla ruled south India, he lost his way on a hunting trip in 1120 AD. In his desperate search for directions, he ran into an old lady in a forest who offered him shelter for the night and served him baked beans for dinner. To show his gratitude to the lady, the King is said to have built a town and named it Benda Kalooru which means ‘town of boiled beans’. Hundreds of years later, a local chieftain Kempe Gowda designed this town in 1537 and gave it its modern shape. From Benda Kalooru, it came to be known as Bengaluru. During the British rule, Bengaluru became Bangalore because they were more comfortable pronouncing it this way. Curiously enough, the city was sold for just Rs 3 lakh by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. He sold it to the Wadiyars who ruled the adjacent Mysore at the time.

Today, this city of baked beans has emerged as the preferred choice of multi-national companies representing the entire gamut of industries, from pharmaceuticals, telecoms and apparel manufacture to IT, airlines and medical tourism.

Not too long ago, being sent to work in India was considered a ‘punishment’ posting, with a ‘hardship allowance’. Today, getting an India experience is becoming increasingly significant for foreign executives who recognise its tremendous growth potential. What’s more, Bangalore is now considered a veritable training ground for anyone who wants to make it in the world of outsourcing.

The word ‘Bangalored’ (which means, losing jobs to India due to outsourcing) is also assuming a new meaning. With Bangalore becoming the global back-office, it’s only a matter of time before it starts off-shoring consumer services like legal, nutrition and educational services.

Lost your job to outsourcing? Why not move to India and get it back? That seems to be a funny aside circulating among expats in Bangalore today. From a population of around 2000 in the 1990s, it is currently at 14,500, and is set to cross 21,000 in the next two years, according to the Foreigners Registration office.

Drop anchor at lounge bars like 13th Floor on MG Road or Taika on Church Street any evening of the week, and locals will find themselves a minority. Some popular expat hangouts include Nrityagram in Hessaraghatta (http://www.nrityagram.org), a school that showcases the seven classical Indian dance forms. One and a half hour away from the city, it has a village ambience - mud buildings, local materials and Indian architecture. Lush greens, leafy trees and vegetable gardens make your stroll all the more peaceful. For a small fee, you can tour the grounds on your own and observe all the different styles of classical Indian dance. The New York Times calls this concept ‘a modern devotion to a sacred Indian ritual’.

Nrityagram’s next door neighbour is Taj Kuteeram, a resort that showcases yoga and ayurveda. Those who want to stay the night and go on long hikes into the countryside love to call this their home for the weekend. The other expat hangouts include The Golden Palms Spa & Resort on Tumkur Road (spa resort that also includes Asia’s largest swimming pool), Embassy International Riding School in Devanahalli (governed by the rules set by the British Horse Society) and Eagleton Golf Club and Resort on the Bangalore-Mysore highway (rated as one of the top 5 Golf courses in India and, spread over 500 acres, the biggest of its kind in the region).

The truth is that Bangalore just lets you be. You don’t have to bother too much about the way you dress or be unduly concerned about what you eat - because you get all the world’s cuisines right under your nose. With coffee shops at every nook and cranny, you can even have your ‘alone time’ and indulge in people-watching. 

Far from being just a city of today, Bangalore has ancestral beauties in which time stands still. First off the bat is the panoramic Vidhana Soudha, an architectural delight made of granite and porphyry in 1956, and home to the state’s political and bureaucratic activity. Then there is Lalbagh. Spread over 240 acres and laid out by then Mysore ruler Haider Ali in 1740 (Bangalore was then part of Mysore), it is famous for its annual flower shows in January and August that attract hundreds of thousands of people.

The lush Cubbon Park laid out in 1864 is home to a Glass House modelled on London’s Crystal Palace, while the Bangalore Palace was modelled on Windsor Castle, complete with fortified towers and turreted parapets. Built in 1880, it’s a major tourist attraction. And don’t miss 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan’s summer palace in KR Market. Made largely out of wood with embellished balconies, pillars and arches, it was built in 1790 and has a charm of its own even though it’s in a dilapidated state.

The best part of Bangalore is that you don’t have to leave the city to sample the world’s kitchens. The city boasts of cuisines from across the globe. If it’s Japanese, there is Harima on Residency Road (+91-080-51325757) whose clientele has grown to the point that they are sending packed lunches to corporate houses. If you are into al fresco dining, Sunny’s on Vittal Mallya Road (+91-080-41329366) is where you should be headed for Italian, French and American food, home-baked breads and an imported cheese selection. Samarkhand  (+91-080-41113366) on Infantry Road serves the best kebabs and dum biriyani in town. And don’t forget to visit the only Vietnamese restaurant in town: Blue Ginger at the Taj West End on Race Course Road (+91-080-66605660). All of these have won awards, and hold out the promise of retaining their taste and trends for a long time to come.

As far as traditional cuisine goes, stop by Koshy’s on St Mark’s Road (+91-080-22213793) not only for the smileys (fried potato dish eaten with mayonnaise), appams (light rice-flour pancakes) and stimulating conversation. After all, it’s the hub of the literati and the Bangalore equivalent of The Algonquin in New York. You can expect to run into filmmakers, models, theatre persons, writers and intellectuals.

At MTR (080-22220022) on Lalbagh Road, people don’t mind waiting their turn to eat a sumptuous south Indian meal for Rs 75. For a dose of old-world charm on MG Road, a good cup of coffee and scrambled eggs on toast, there’s India Coffee House on MG Road (080- 25587088). Not to mention Vidhyarthi Bhavan (+91-080-26677588)) in Gandhi Bazaar for the best idlis (steamed rice flour cakes) and masala dosas (rice-and-grain flour pancakes) in town.

It’s this blend of the east and west that makes Bangalore so liveable, so cosmopolitan. Take pub-hopping. The city is known as a pub capital and rightly so – there are literally hundreds of pubs and bars in the city. Check out Fuga on Castle Street (+91-080-41511880) for its two-storey dance floor, Hint at Bangalore Central on Residency Road (+91-080-41123557) for its cool lounge and spacious terrace, The Polo Club in The Oberoi on MG Road (080-25585858)) for its alfresco bar, and i-Bar in The Park on MG Road (+91-080-25594666) for its eclectic playful music and exotic cocktails.

Bangalore is known for its silk and sarees, sandalwood, antique pieces and jewellery shops. To get your hands on these, the places to visit are MG Road, Brigade Road and Commercial Street. The Mysore Saree Udyog on Kamaraj Road (+91-080-25583255) is a popular haven besides Deepam Silk International (+91-080-25586191), Vijayalakshmi Silks & Sarees (+91-080-25587937) and Nalli Silks Arcade on MG Road (+91-080-25583178). All these stores have stuff to suit all pockets. For jewellery, nothing to beat the stores on Commercial Street which have a long history in the trade. Some of the older and more famous ones include Ganjam Nagappa & Sons on Infantry Road (+91-080- 22286137) and C Krishnaiah Chetty & Sons (+91-080-25588731) on Commercial Street. For readymade clothes and customisation, nothing to beat M Fazal & Sons (+91-080-25597986) and the narrow bylanes of Russel Market in Shivajinagar. For handicrafts, don’t miss Central Cottage Industries Emporium on MG Road (+91-080-25584083).

Comforting lounge bars, theme-based pubs, international schools, designer retail brands, eclectic coffee shops and a variety of new-age spiritual centres have transformed Bangalore into a truly global metropolis. And it is also a great launching pad for other discoveries in the neighbourhood – like the erstwhile French territory and beach town of Pondicherry or the coffee lands of Coorg, the hill station of Ooty or the land of beaches – Goa. They make for great weekend getaways as they are only an overnight journey away. If you have a week’s time to explore Bangalore’s salubrious neighbours, nothing better than hopping on to the Golden Chariot (http://www.thegoldenchariot.co.in). It’s a luxury train that takes you to heritage, wildlife and beach places around Bangalore – Mysore, Belur, Halebid, Hampi and Goa to name a few. If you don’t have so much time, you could drive an hour and a half away from Bangalore to reach Bannerghatta National Park. Here, you can see butterflies from around the world and watch tigers and lions in their natural surroundings. At about the same distance from the city, find the picturesque waterfalls  – the Gaganachukki and the Barachukki –  cascading 90m down in the island town of Shivanasamudram. Some two hours from the city are the hill stations of Devarayanadurga, standing at almost 4000 feet (1,219m), and Ramohalli where you run into a 400-year-old banyan tree that’s spread over four acres.

That’s the city of the future… with many companions from the past and the immediate present to keep you company for a long time to come.

(This piece appeared in SilverKris, the inflight magazine of Singapore Airlines)

But while the banks, the civil servants and the fortunate have the day off, and so a long weekend, life here in Bengaluru seems to be throbbing normally. A quick walk down 100 Feet Road demonstrated that this afternoon. And crossing the 100 Feet was as fraught as any normal day in India.

At the Examiner, the hacks have today off, so the site is being kept up to date by yours truly and the assorted stringers we have. I'm packing, ready to fry out to San Francisco for the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, so quaffing my last Haywards 5000 for about a week before I return to Bengaluru.

I'll be close to 12 hours behind my Indian hacks next week, so will be dislocated in time, space and culture. I will also be competing to some extent against the previous two plaices - the INQUIRER and The Register. I am sure to meet Charlie Demerjian and some other old pals.

See you on the other side of the bigger Pacific pond! ♦

It will be a long fright, but I am up against the challenge to end all challenges. I will be competing with three or possibly four hacks from the INQster to bring news from IDF to our global readership.

Goodness knows how many Rogister people will be there. That rag is now, thankfully,  a very distant memory of 14 years ago. The INQ has whitewashed me out of existence. So has the Rogister. I don't mind, 'cos Wikipedia continues to tell its own version of history.

I sold my shares in the Reg back to an adsales geezer, flogged the INQster to VNU, and seem to have generated loads of jobs in the process. It was something of a coup hiring Paul Hales at the INQster to work for VNU again, we're sure you will agree.

In America, I will be 11 and a half hours behind Ole Bengaluru. My loyal team of hacks in India will no doubt pick up the slack and deliver stories to the world that the INQster and the ROGster can only dream about, the little bunnies that they both are.

Lest you think I am in the slightest bit bitter about the Register and the INQUIRER, I'm not. Far from it.  I am satisfied at a good job well done. And I am looking forward to challenging them both at IDF!  ♥

The City Police have achieved a breakthrough - they have isolated the gene that is responsible for criminality in citizens. They have found that music and dancing ultimately induce hallucination in people and they reach a trance like state. And in this state, people tend to commit grievous crimes. This is highly commendable as renowned researchers around the world had been 'barking up the wrong tree' until now and ascribing the onset of criminal tendencies to the full moon, past experiences, societal injustices, poverty, etc. Besides, this is a paradigm shift from what Indians believed all along, that music can calm the soul. They have also found that dancing leads to the unhinging of the brain which consequently leads citizens to commit criminal acts.

Dr. AN.Thimmaraaga, (pun unintended) Chief Scientist of the Police Research Centre said, "I am proud to announce this finding that will create history and will be of great use to the Police around the world. I am grateful to my team of constables, inspectors and officers who volunteered as test subjects. We gained valuable insights by playing music in police stations and observing the effects on test subjects. We also found that when asked to dance they could only jiggle their bellies and perform the profane and vulgar belly dance. This belly dance is so grotesque that it can drive people to murderous acts. I am extremely grateful to them for bravely allowing us to first test this highly risky theory on their ownselves. This is a shining example of our concern for the public."

Dr. AN.Thimmaraaga also added that it was from the past history that that they picked on this connection. Emperor Nero was the first clue as he was fiddling a thamburu when Rome was burning. John Wilkes Booth was humming a tune that had the chrous "Sic semper tyrannus" when he shot Lincoln. Mark David Chapman shot John Lennon because he thought "Double Fantasy" had something to do with John getting intimate with Cynthia and Yoko only to find it was a music album. He also stated that they found strong tendencies towards crime in prominent musicians like Britney Sppearrs, Mariah Scary, Racy Chapman, Deel Diamond, Haul Simon, Johnny Stash, Justin Timberfake, etc. Some popular songs also glorified crime and unsocial behaviour including - Steal the World, El Loote, There's a Kind of Hash, etc. 

The Police have started enforcing a ban at pubs and discotheques in the city. This ban will include salsa, ball room and disco training centres. M S Subbalakshmi's "Suprabhatam" will be banned across the city. There will also be a clamp down at government functions. They will not play the traditional "Ganapati Vandanam" at inaugurations and meetings. The Police Institute is investing in training constables to mime bhajans and the national anthem. They will be part of a new troupe called 'Shankaar Beats'. Similarly, bharatnatyam will also be banned. The police will be very strict with youngsters who listen to Ipods and shake a leg or even drum their fingers to tune. Independence Day celebrations will be 'muted' this year and the police band will be disbanded. This year's 'Glorious Festival of Harmony' will be monitored closely by the police.  

The Police Chief claimed that this is for the good of the society at large and said that this has nothing to do with the force's inability to bring down crime in the city. He reiterated that they were not trying to deflect the lapses by the police in gathering any clues on the recent bomb blasts or the spate of other unsolved crimes.

Just in time for the visit home, I get this from the gutter press!

This is Madhu, really a force of nature, who works behind the scenes in a consistently positive way and who could, quite rightly, be called the VP of Operations at our Bengaluru magazine in Ole Indiranagar.

Madhu, pictured below, has just delivered yours truly to my apartment on the back of his motorcycle, and has made sure the wi-fi works, despite the "copper" from Airtel we described before. It is an interesting ride from the Examiner office to the Examiner apartment, but we had no fears of accidents on the way.

His Suzuki motorbike has more than enough power to outpace the crazy drivers veering in all directions on the now rightly famous 100 Feet Road. Plus Madhu is as safe as houses. We dunno who the bloke behind the scooter is.  ♦

Located in BTM layout, Bangalore/Bengaluru. Close to BTM - Water tank(diagnolly opposite).

Me being a die hard fan of hyderabadi biriyani, used to miss it in bangalore and used to curse bangalore a lot of depreving me from having this delicous wonder.

Fortunately they have opened Hyderabadi house in Koramangala. That was a gift, though it is not upto the standards of the one you get in hyderabad but certainly a gift in bangalore.

I used to enjoy it a lot. As it became more expensive and lot of crowd i was looking at an alternative or other options.

Then i came to know about this small place which is supposed to be best as per one of my friends.

I thought of giving it a shot, and one fine day went there and finished 2 biriyanis back to back.

You can conclude many things from this
1) This guy is a glutton
2) He might be starving from ages
3) Biriyani is too good
4) quantity might be less.

I would say, i am little less than what a glutton is, i wasnt starving, biriyani is good and quantity is less than what you get in Hyderabadi house, so is the price and ambience.

I do not really care about ambience if the food is good. anyways for the benifit of other biryani lovers,

Food(biriyani - chicken/egg) Quality is good
Veg biriyani is just ok
Chilly chicken is just ok
Mutton chops are good

Ambience is not good, just like a mess. you have family section though
Quantity just enough.
Price reasonable.

I would recommend this place.

Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi and now Hyderabad.  Its a metro boom all over India.  Finally the infrastructre boom has started and the ones who persisted and got into the deals could reap a good harvest over the next few decades.  Of course, land acquisition would be a major hurdle, with political parties eager to jump on to the bandwagon when a few properties would be demolished.

But we cant discount the fact that more than US$200 billion worth of infrastructure projects are going on in India at this time and its only going to increase.  Maybe 4-5 years down the line, we would have a better infrastructure and wouldnt be so surprised when we go overseas and see their metros, road and rail network.

The Andhra Pradesh government has formally issued the ‘letter of award’ in favour of Maytas Infra-led consortium for undertaking the development of Hyderabad Metro Rail Project on design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis.

The consortium, Navabharat Ventures Limited, Maytas Infra Limited, Ital Thai Development Public Company Limited and Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (‘NMII Consortium’), will take up the metro project estimated to cost Rs 12,000 crore (approx US$ 3 billion) in Hyderabad.

The project has three lines totaling 71km, which include

Miyapur to LB Nagar - 30 Kms
Jubilee Bus Station to Falaknuma - 15 Kms
Nagole to Shilparamam - 26 Kms

Full article here

+++

Mr Pai, said, “This campus, once it is ready, will be the largest campus of Infosys worldwide. The campus, spread over 447 acres, will have five million sq. ft area as compared to Bangalore centre’s four million. The campus will have five development centres and 1,000 room residential accommodation,” he said.

The centre, which has got platinum rating in eco-friendliness, will use solar power, solar water heating and will have best waste water and rainfall management systems. With its 25 megawatt power backup, the centre will not have to deal with the city’s unreliable power distribution system. Infosys chairman Mr Narayana Murthy said the campus will seat 25,000 people and will be developed in three phases in 10 years.

News courtesy: Deccan Chronicle.  Above picture courtesy: Spinellis

+++

It's not yet confirmed whether it's similar incident like the one happened on 25st July 2008 or something else like a recent Steam Boiler blast in downtown Bangalore. The incident has been reported on Rediff.com portal.

Update 1 (08 Aug 2008): Strangely even after so many hours (09:12 PM) after the incident there's no updates coming in on the Bomb Blast. I searched for this incident on other news portals and didn't find any reference to such an incident. May be it's just a hoax or may be Rediff.com has got some false news; unless something authenticates the blast.

Update 2 (09 Aug 2008): Finally I can confirm this incident which almost went unnoticed yday. I read in today's edition of Bangalore Mirror (Bangalore's local newspaper published by one of the leading newspaper in India - Times Of India). May be the focus was towards the Olympics grand inauguration and media was ignorant in showcasing such non-priority, non-intense incident to unnecessarily create panic and chaos among the public while the primary focus being no one of the world's most expected and much awaited event in Beijing, China. I personally don't see anything wrong the way media has handled this unless it's very intense situation like in the Ahmadabad.

NOTICE: I have written way too much about/against auto drivers. This post is just an attempt at trying to understand the way an auto driver's mind works. Yes, I am trying to justify auto drivers here. You must be thiking I am insane right? I know I surprised myself when I started writing this :-) !

Frustu sorts

They feel like the whole world is out to get them. It is his wife somedays, it is the rising fuel prices at other times. Whatever be the case, he has his customers on whom he can take out his frustration. Charging ten rupees extra from them is the norm for him, well yes, he can at least pick an arguement and distract his worried mind for a while at least. (Funda inspired by Fight Club)

The pirates

Life is pretty lousy -- read: slow -- in the outskirts, in the various hallis (villages) that surround the city we used to and continue to call Bengaluru. And everyone wants a piece of the action that is happening in the Indian silicon valley. So they hop on in their semi-kerosene powered autos and venture into the city making more sound than intended by designed. Once in the city, they catch up with city tradition of rigged metres and 'double meters' and pretty soon they are dodging traffic cops and making more dough than the auto guys with permits. But hey they do it only to feed their hungry families back in the 'hallies'. (Funda inspired by American Gangster)

The PR folk

They don't care about money, all they care about is developing autodriving into a respectable professional option. As if joining one of the top-brass auto unions in the city wasn't enough, they make an extra effort to gell with the 2.0 generation. They learn english, give advice on best residential areas and even substitute brokers/house agents at times. At the end of the day, their life is just another mask they wear during various stages of their life.
(Funda inspired by Badsha / Aye Auto -- partly)

Sneaky bast**ds

There are a lot of people who accept their fate and take it lying down. Then there is this special breed who want to beak free from all these limitations, and blow away the fate in speed. If one has to drive fast in Bangalore either he has be on NICE road or need to be riding an autorickshaw. These three wheeled vehicles have an uncanny ability to cut and nip acros even the most ridiculous jams. That reminds me of a joke I hear during my childhood. People used to keep their legs close together while waiting on he road side lest an auto pass through them! (eeks bad one I know!!)
(Funda inspired by real life auto drivers)

Home sick

It is very common that auto drivers refuse to go to a destination we intend to go. We are left at times rudely only to abuse them once they leave the scene. We hardly think what must be going through their minds. May be their home is in the opposite direction and they stand no chance of making a profit even after charging double the metre charge. Or may be he just misses his kids, his wife or may be he just wants to take a nap. It's night after all just like all of us (BPO staff and air hosteses excluded) everyone wants to get home before mid-night!

Camouflage

Imagine you have an auto with tampered metre, the traffic police won't let you live in peace and you are bound to get shouted at by almost all your passengers. What would you do? Enroll yourself in one of those prepaid stands of course! When there you don't have to use your metre and still make a few extra rupees on the metre charge and make a good impression on the police. Once pally with a few policemen he can get away always by showing this proof. Sneaky indeed heh!

Well this is an attempt to empathize with auto drivers in Bangalore who we love to hate ;-)

He was willing to go to the streets, only because he was doing a series of public service campaigns in the press to educate Bangaloreans about civic sense.

That about summed up the issue.

“Know of any pothole close to your office?” I ask him.

He laughs. “I know of a pothole close to your office… it’s gaping enough to accommodate two people,” he intones.

I say, fine. But out I step on Church Street and realise the road was brimming with confidence and no potholes in sight.

I cruise Resthouse Road, Residency Road, Brigade Road, MG Road…  but zilch potholes.

“Bad luck,” I tell the creative whiz when I meet him. “That pothole is filled.”

“But how?” he asks.

“Probably because the mayor had recently made an oath to rid the city of potholes.”

“Oh, really now?” asks the slightly embarrassed think tank of the ad agency.

“I have another idea. There’s this road sign saying, ‘Caution. Pothole ahead’. Why not take a picture of us against the road sign?”

“Good idea,” I trill.

But first, I thought some recce would do us a world of good (avoid embarrassment, that is).

Out I step on Old Madras Road and reach the designated spot.

Just when I had almost given up on the search, I locate the road sign. But before I could say, all’s well that end’s well, I squeak, “Where’s the pothole?”

The mayor had done his job, and robbed me of mine.

The 100 Feet Road is much much longer than 100 feet. Just like the equally strangely named 80 Feet Road is much much longer than 80 feet.

Walk a little way to the crossroads pictured in this video below, and you can't hear yourself scream. As you can hear. ♥

[wpvideo pyF24hc6]

Since the past academic year, I have noticed that my growth has been least evident to me. I feel I have grown, but then one does grow given the sheer virtue of time. I, within my capacities, have tried to better myself in numerous ways. I guess enrichment perhaps would be a better word. I have consistently felt a deep void in an effort to gauge my own movement. I am hoping this blog would help me do this more constructively and practically.

I owe this largely to a certain inertia that held me back. This reflects at times in my work, too. So, in a way, I am trying to plug all loop-holes that would finally get me to pen my reflections and at times, reflect better.

Geetu expects me to maintain one as this blog will be graded. (!!)

Went to Chikpet today. The tour was a part of my Studio elective, 'What Can the Matter Be?' The aim of the studio is to come up with a way to raise a materials library for Srishti. Today, we went to gather samples of materials available in the main market of Bengaluru.

The material hunt was overwhelming, at times, but we managed to get our work done successfully in time. Time here is a very crucial issue as i have been battling to whip myself in shape in order to get better at crunching more within my given time.