Iguana Lore!

By the silvery river that serpentines through the heart of Singapore,
Wind bellowed and mellowed alternately – conjuring vividly the Iguana lore!
Tongue rolled in ecstasy – as Nachos and Tortillas enmeshed themselves in Salsa and White Cream,
Chimichanga and Quesadilla did satiate the Mexican crave - as Fajitas pumped their chest in full steam!

An evening at Clarke Quay in Cafe Iguana, in honour of Vinod(my mentor) at i-flex - the gang did indeed rock!

Nachos laoded with cream sitting pretty...

Quench all worldly repugnance!

White paws, Blue-gray coat and proud whiskers - titivates a beguiling smirk,
Miniscule frame, cheese frenzy and tricks up its guiltless countenance.
Eyes never fail to pop out, Forehead never ceases to distend, Tail never ceases to be ensnared in mouse trap – Tom shall never lose his quirk,
Cheese shall never fail to entice, Samaritans always to the rescue, Smirk that never ceases to conjure jocundity – Jerry shall quench all worldly repugnance!

Keep laughing away to glory!

Lost in Indonesia!

Idea of traveling always conjures animation and unparalleled zeal – which is what prospective 2 days at Bintan Island, Indonesia managed. But what lay ahead of me – was only to be experienced to be believed.

From Wikipedia ‘Bintan is the largest of 3,200 islands in the Riau Archipelago, and is located less than 40 kilometers from Singapore. Bintan has tropical forest and beautiful white beaches’. On that note Indonesia has 17,508 islands - on last count!!

Sesh(Fellow SP Jainiite),Karthik(Sesh’s Cousin) and myself backpacked, after not much deliberations over the fate of travel, were on our way to Bintan! 9 AM(10th November 2007) ferry(Aria Bupala) from Tanah Merah ferry terminal headed towards Bintan – Singapore is gateway to the ASEAN countries with easy accessibility to most of its neighbours. 9 AM and we reach Bintan( Shocked? Bintan is one hour behind Singapore).

We were ushered in to this resort island - Northern portion of Bintan – and find ourselves in Nirvana resorts being greeted by young Indonesians performing a ritual dance – with wide innocent beams on their countenance entrenched in their occupation and celebrating our arrival in all gung ho. After figuring out our way through the resort (more on the resort to come later) – we decide to head for Tanjung Pinang(Capital of the Island) – southern portion of Bintan.

For the uninitiated- Singapore – for the betterment of Indonesia ( as well as itself) helps manage and maintain these resort( a couple of dozen of the them on the northern shore of Bintan offering tourist a world full of water sports,beaches and golf courses) – whereas the rest of the island is what you would typify to come under Indonesia. En route to Tanjong Pinang we serpentined our way through winding roads bedecked on both sides by green shrubbery and stark red soil(rich in Bauxite as per our driver –Rudi). These were dotted by small villages – strikingly desolate and deprived of the most basic necessities. Finally , we hit Tanjung Pinang - only to be hit by pangs of hunger.

Hold on! Three TamBrams in the middle of Indonesia? Thankfully – Chinese Buddhist – form a sizeable population of Bintan and make the lives of similar such vegetarians as us less thorny. Post a 7000 Rupiah lunch – our sojourn continued. 7000 Rupiah??? 1 SGD is approximately 6300 Rupiah. 50 SGD fetched us 3 Lakh 15 Thousand Rupiahs! Amusement coupled with distress clouded Karthik’s face as he held out the notes. The country hit hard by the 1997 Asian Crisis; red tap-ism and political turmoil hitting this oil producing economy.


A quick walk around the Tanjung(Bay in Bahasa) followed by boat trip along the fishermen colony(houses in the creek supported on bamboos) and heading towards a Chinese(Buddhist) temple at Senggarang. Stench wafted from the waters that our doddering boat managed to cut as we were flummoxed at the state of the bamboos that supported the hutments. At the Chinese Temple, history somehow reeked – although age and dilapidation seemed to have creeped on faster.

Post a saunter around the market area at Tanjung Pinang – we headed for Pasar Oleh Oleh(Pasar means Market Place in Bahasa and Oleh means Souverneir) – haven for tourists from Singapore for tax free goods shall entice their spendthrift(ing) urges.


Back in the resort – we strolled by beach that rimmed it – white sands and lazy waves brushing against foggy and misty clouds at the horizon – it was blissful and unaware of the world outside. As a hammock titillated between two coconut trees in the cool breeze ( climate here soothes – is mostly cloudy and averages 25 degree celcius though out the year).

A reassuring session at the Jacuzzi and a few saunters later bed beckoned.


I was up next day – 11th November - by 7 AM clicking away at the white sands and the coconut trees. The resort had one of those coconut trees – which you always think are creation of the movies - tilted at such an obtuse angle that it almost touched the sea floor ( By design I presume for it was supported on a concrete structure).

Breakfast beckoned – double omelet, bread toasts, salads, muffins, coffee and loads of pineapple. If bliss conjure itself in Indonesia – it is through those juicy pineapples that this country produces in humongous quantities. One hour of breakfast and soul levitated to unprecedented heights. Beach Volleyball and some more photographic experimentations later – it was time to get the first ferry back – Singapore.

Struggle ensued in pursuance of tickets at the ferry terminal – but we managed! Indera Bupala cruised us across the South China Sea and post a Mysore Masala Dosa at Komala’s – I was where I began , with memories I shall carry – forever.

Armaan bhara paigaam hain ye..

Choo lene do nazuk hoto ko…
Kuch aur nahi hain jam hain ye…
Kudrat ne humko baqsha hain..
Woh sabse haseen inaam hain ye…

Sharmake na yuun hi kho dena..
Rangeen jawani ki ghadiya…
Sharmake na you hi kho dena..
Rangeen jawani ki ghadiya…

Betaab dhadakte seeno ka…
Armaan bhara paigaam hain ye..


Voice so soft and soothing, for it shall wither away, that you beseech your ears to carefully harness,
Maestro could make clouds sob, make the rains flirt with beguiling winds, make the introverted moon dimple away in all coyness.
Trance encumbers my soul, as my mind rejoices over tears of joy, subconscious ventures a karaoke endeavour,
Music rendered from his soul wafting a halo of goodness - Mohd. Rafi etched forever!

Sun's Aloha....

An excursion to Lakeside in the wee hours of the morning for a photography expedition…


Trail winds - tearing through the greens braving the foliage and the aftermath,
Fog ensnared amidst the thick greens, soothingly caressing the unfaltering path.
Flowers rouse – blushing, as the dew flirts with the smiling corolla,
Sun drudges through the fog – stretching its rays - for the trail beseeching the Sun’s aloha.

Tu Tu Revisited...

Tu Tu is a sweet dish with coconut and sugar(or peanut) stuffed inside rind of powdered rice.

Concoction of coconut and sugar conjure magic as the duo titillate the savour,
Hidden under a veil of white rind – of rice – in ambush for the prospect to flirt with buds – alluring the buds with their multihued flavour.
Served on a neatly cut leaf – a bite in to this ambrosia and heaven unfurls petals of benevolence,
Memories refreshed – of the days gone by – as every morsel excites in ecstasy and music silhouettes itself in this atmosphere of dalliance.

Ganpati Bappa Moriya!

I was invited for a lunch at my distant cousin’s place here in Singapore on 15th September 2007. Banana leaf never seemed so alluring – and there in the corner on top left side ‘it’ stood brandishing its flavour and wafting an effervescent aroma.

Steam crawls over the rind - that does reek purity – like a vaporous halo – alluring all its followers seeking clemency,
Concoction within - sometimes sweet sometimes sour – levitates soul and sends the dizzying psyche in to frenzy.
Palate flirts with the ecstatic tongue as the savor immerses in to the soul ensconced in amnesia,
Time stands motionless – lost in a miasma, as the taste transcends boundaries - salute this ambrosia.

Ganpati Bappa Moriya! Pudcha Varshi Laukar Ya!

Doff my hat! Crave for more!

And yes, my Mom’s Modak (Kozhakattai) ROCKS!

Rapture Blitzkrieg

Shallow layer of blue water entices the corpse - weary and ambulating with a stutter,
Titillating senses of rapture blitzkrieg through the soul as the toe flirts with the surface tension of water.
Sprinkles of water rise - gently massaging and tickling the muscles hampered by stress and laze,
Encumbered mind flees and soul moans in rapture as the bubbling warm water unearths the mystery (of life) and demystifies the haze.


For the uninitiated..this is an Ode to Jacuzzi at my Condo - Yew Mei Green.

Octaves accolade

Melody croons from the depths – wafts sometimes in melancholy wafts sometimes in ecstasy,
Baritone yet mellifluous voice, psyche segues from rags to riches – from nadirs to summits – to rapture from despondency.
Mind and Soul levitate in to a reverie, as the tenor encumbers deliberation of this morsel.
Octaves accolade The King – as feelings transcend heights – ecstasy drools and soul does swivel.

Divya – Thanks for the Collection. Elvis never left the building!

Cafe Coffee Day and Aamchi Mumbai...

Bangalore etched memories indelible and imprinted experiences so fascinating that memory shall relish for eons to come. August 9th 2007, I left the IT city to embark on a stopover to Aamchi Mumbai. Little was I aware of what lay in ambush in the city that beckoned and in the city of Vada Pavs and Rains.

Smile embellished my tired countenance to see myself wedged at Dharavi – in the muck and smoke - in the middle of an incessant downpour – Mumbai was in its pristine elegance. Relieved looking parents awaited my arrival at residence – and a mom surprised at my saree picking abilities (well Divya- My engineering mate- takes credit for that). I wonder if the saree shall ever see the light of the day though 

9th August 2007 and time to catch up with remaining pillars of Char Minar (We were the Four inseparable Pillars during our training days at Patni) – Chirag or Chiga or Gujju Ghatti, Pramoth (our dear Giraffe) and Jasma aka Pinks. Ere the rendezvous, how dare I drop by the city and be not in the court of Pooh (Dipika). A sweet banter at Vikhroli Café Coffee Day and an Irish coffee later I was at Pizza Hut at Hiranandani. Chiga was not his usual self – not in his emblematic purple and not in his emblematic yellow – the colours might have gone in to mourning at such audacity. The bell at Pizza hut had never undergone such stern scrutiny as on that day when Chiga was around, even the waiters had a tough time. Giraffe was hoping that I get deported to Cambodia and run around the country protecting myself with a AK-47. Pinks – pictures of icecreams and pizzas still did the ruse for she still ordered by pictorial representations rather than content.

Next I caught up the ‘Hum Hain Na’ gang of Kush, Shikha and Koushik. Koushik aka Cow Boy seemed to be nucleus of all taunts - hurled at him by Kush and Shikha. Kush whose tie seemed to be more refulgent than the sun flashed his million dollar smile and Shikha was at her effervescent best. This was followed by an epigrammatic meet with Rashmi who happens to be sister of close friend of mine- Deepak. Inherit did she the poetic musings of her brother as well as the timing of wit and sarcasm.

August 14th was hurling towards the present fast and there was plenty of work left undone in Mumbai. August 11th,2007 and Sylvester aka PC aka Parasharan Chari graced my house with his un-laconic self and unmistakable charm. The duo then head to Dadar Café Coffee day where a broad beam and twinkling eyes of Rachna aka Rachno CA hails our ingress. Irish coffee again and more people trickle in – Jigar aka Jigsaw with his innocent charm and a mind hell bent on becoming the next Ambani. Ritesh aka Ritz barged in Riteshsque fashion brandishing his weighty camera and continuing further with the experiments on that front. Bhakti Bal aka Bee flew in and the keratin that overflowed from her scalp scared the air around – the spirit that lay about here was still relentless and present.

Sunday and Pooh actually undertook the arduous peregrination from Pune to Mumbai in the White and Green Asiad bus which reverberates more in the vertical direction rather than its propulsion forward. Indomitable spirit of Pooh and unbridled enthusiasm is what I have admired always. Amey aka Jet - joined at my cozy home where the trio devoured on Pooh’s favourite Pav Bhaji and Gulab Jamun. Nirmal Lifestyles was the next stopover which ensued by an encounter with Sushruta aka Derivative Champ and Lisa aka Pooh-2. Another Café Coffee Day sojourn later, the duo surprised me a typical Sushruta kind T-shirt – yellow with the addidas kind stripes- sweet indeed. The trio of Jet, Pooh and Rat (me!) then headed for Chak De India. No fuss No Songs No Rona Dhona. This was not a archetypal SRK movie and was really good in parts.

Post the movie session – Jet and Pooh drag the Rat to Fab India to bestow on him a nice kurta – blessed indeed. In the mean time Siddharth Ghaisas aka Ronald MacDonald Jr joined the trio through the peak hour Mumbai traffic. The light-eyed Ronald seemed perplexed with the discombobulating city and work pressure that seemed to mount itself in a heap. Post dinner at Ruby Tuesday – it was time to part.

Penultimate day in Mumbai – August 13th,2007 and time to catch up with Jhansi aka Anusha. Café Coffee Day again – Jhansi seemed low in health but soul within still bleated the tenacious spirit. Talk encumbered time – it flew. This was followed by a breezing visit to the Phoenix Mall with Pooh - and yes the Rat and the Pooh were lost in the twirls of Gelato. Jet – whose unencumbered spirit always lights up the fire of enthusiasm and ofcourse whose smile shall light up million mourning faces – breezed by for the final byes.

August 14th 2007 – bags packed and the wick of Mumbai sojourn flickered. 8 PM and Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport flashed a sign saying – visitors not allowed inside. Aggrieved at this – I awaited with my parents for the pony tail to conjure itself at the horizon. As Daisy Duck aka Divya waddled in – final moments at Mumbai flashed by…….

Bangalore Diaries - Part 3

Part2 of my narration of Bangalore experiences had glaring loopholes as was rightly pointed out by the gravity defying 'Dream Lover' Hemant.I had missed out on 'Biscuit Queen' Delnaz's blackberry which she would brandish at every juncture - whether to note down your number or to show the refulgence of that human invention to show how accurately it reflected the other human beings countenance. I also missed out on 'Hitler Jajee' Lohit who happened to be shoulders for crying out grub related tribulations during our college and his Hitlerish cap which reminded most of the Fuhrer's era.

Back to the source of my provender and my subsistence and a few of my colleagues. Act 1 Stage 1 - The Three Ammas - Aditi, Divya and Sireesha.

Aditi - Sleeping and Snoring Piglet. Perpetually pink and seems to have befriended cold. Slumber can incarcerate her any moment. She does indeed articulate brilliantly and was our 'awaaz' during the training period.

Divya - Daisy Duck (also affectionately called Mickey Mouse). Descry a ponytail wagging at a distance and lo! thats the duck waddling her way through. A countenance so cheerful that can stop 100 armored ships, even a grimace on her looks rapturous.My fellow Mumbaiyya loves her vadapavs and the inundating rains.

Sireesha - Badi Amma for the fact she seems to be pertinacious on getting me incarcerated for life in to a relationship called marriage. Heart which beats within is no less than gold.

Next stop - my fellow assasin in foraging for chocolates - Charu or as I would call her Parakeet or Mirchi. Wit,Optimism and sarcasam precede her presence, she adores her slumber and lugs to office in the morning under duress.Irreproachable gift for her - clothes coloured black or gray! On that note - I should thank this person for introducing me to a fabulous outlet in Bangalore- Cakewalk - Chocolate lovers of the world rejoice!

Roll back time in to my B-School days. Two people I have hardly spoken to - Love and Siddharth. Behold, I find them as my colleagues!!

Love - Energy oozes out of this 6 footer. The staff and helpers at the college know him more than the fellow students.A childish grin daubs this dudes face as he wishes you a healthy morning.

Siddharth - Punter drives his horse of trading to death and then drags the body out of the grave till the person listening to him turns deaf and may be blind due to stress. Derivatives runs through his veins and gets filtered out through his heart as treasury. Passion peaks new levels in his case.

Bangalore was an exhilarating stop over. Plenty to look back on and ponder.....

Bangalore Diaries - Part 2

As I further try to articulate my stay in Bangalore, let me venture out of the Manor. Let me warn the claustrophobics – this is no effortless task for out of the cozy comforts of the home you step in to gravity-defying vertical ‘travellator’ called the elevator which at the Manor gives you an eerie sensation of disquiet and succumbs you in to numbness as you summon aid from the mighty forces to consecrate their sanguine prayers during your voyage in this mean machine.

Next stop – Lighthouse. Yes my office building in Bangalore. The sojourn was daubed with a training period which lasted 2 months – etched indelible experiences and memories.

First stop – project presentations. Sublime team with an ever bubbling buddy and a serene and collected mentor. I have attributed them with an ode before in my blog. I shall paste the same

‘Andhra Mess drives him higher and ‘rounder’,
Kaushik effuses a pertinent beam and energy - propels him farther and farther.

Smiling eyes belie the fire that in her soul, forever, dance,
On Marketing and Branding, Jennifer takes an obstinate stance

Cheer precedes her presence and Pumpkins make her skin glow,
Sinchana can wand her magic and pinch presentations from an unutterable low!

Reticent he may appear but the talent behind those specs he does belie,
Baboo (Vikas) scales new heights in concentration, tenacity - and success I do descry!

Universal Buddy Solutions is around when you need the most,
Mani’s lunch time is with dames galore, he – grossly engrossed- almost!.

Mentor indeed slogs and inspires to drive stronger and higher,
Intuitive and thought provoking, perfection Vinod strives over and over!’

So Kaushik is ‘Andhra Mess’, Jenny is ‘Smiling Eyes’, Sinch is ‘Pumpkin’, lets call Vikas as Baboo, Mani is UBS and Vinod is….hmm…Mentor!!

My stay at Bangalore was dotted with sporadic meets with the most entertaining characters of yore who would never fail to conjure blithe and a rotund smile of my countenance.

These included the ‘Biscuit Queen’ Delnaz who with her boundless energy and spark can scintillate a smile-blitzkrieg on the most blighted of the spirits. ’Dream Lover’ Hemant was his energetic gravity-defying self (his feet are never on the ground) who would ‘networked’ with every other Bangalore-an you would have come across. ‘Two left feet’ Rajaram has stopped dabbling around with basketball for the benefit of NBA aspirants and Mother Earth – still gets fired up with the word ‘Bangalore’ and adores a place called Chennai. ‘Oracle’ Murali smoking down Bangalore with his flagship product and is the ever chirpy character who would go ends for you.

More in next….

Bangalore Diaries - Part 1

As my flight to Bangalore segued itself in to the spongy clouds that resembled wings of angels bestowing their saccharine benevolence over the city – a feeling of enchantment overcame my soul. It would be a mammoth task to narrate in to the ‘its and bits’ the of stay which began 3rd June 2007 and ended 9th August 2007 – but I shall try my best.

Let me begin with the inmates of Oxford Manor. Yes my abode during my Bangalore sojourn. The species inhabiting this place were variegated indeed as well as splendid and blithe characters.

There was Janish. The nick for him was hard to come by but I shall resort to ‘Surfer’(he surfs through not ocean but movies,channels and yes books!!) Movie buff and bookworm indeed – and yes he likes his food more for the looks than the taste! This capital chap could finish three voluminous tomes in a day or flick through five or six movies in one sitting! Adores does he – sparkling colours (kidding) and is the latest bloke to sport the Anupam Kher look.

There was Mayank. I will call him ‘Chimney’. He abhors, detests all those in the populace who have fallen victim to the dreaded tobacco and are caught using the tobacco stick (eh? Mayank?). The ‘Young Man’ is indistinguishable when flat on his cot; you would have to rummage around hard for him amongst his quilt. He adores his idols – Indian Idol – would not miss it for the world. A stopover to the Manor and you shall find this bloke – on the couch or cot (almost indistinguishable) or at his IBM machine – cursing no ends or up in smokes (: )).

Then there was Divya. I am again at loss for a nick. A decade of acquaintance has only reinforced this dude’s marvelous personality. Oft mispronounced and referred by a feminine name – he has taken it in his stride. Neat and dapper – he folds every cloth so meticulously that he will give the most benevolent housewives a complex. My hindi falls to smithereens in ignominy when it encounters this fellows chaste diction. Camera is his new found love ( Divya – get married) for he finds art even in a towel- a wet one- arbitrarily placed on the cot.

Oxford Manor – indeed were capital times – from midnight tea at Electronic city , Scoops of icecreams at Gelato, frequent visits to Manipal Canteen for filter coffee including visit to the Manipal Hospital( Me not visiting a hospital in a new city? Impossible!!) and yes – accidentally bumping on to old acquaintances as well!!

More in next……

.........in the rain

Droplets of blessings sanctify from the heavens beyond - caressing your spirit and soul,
Countenance turns heaven-wards - as rain-drops reincarnate the tranquility that time stole.
Fancy they stay guiltless - cajoling my spirit, levitating my soul as I drench in the rain.
Extend my hands like wings as heavenly plummets crash in to my palms – cleaning destiny’s stain!

Bangalore Rains!

Wind flirts with the droplets from the clouds heavenly,
Tantalizing the aquatic plummet - testing the reverence of gravity!
Winds wail, ensnared among man-made structures, in agony,
Odour, that is redolent of the mud guzzled in water, levitates soul to spirits extraordinary!

Ecstasy Drone......

Fluffy,creamy and thick – tongue twirled in sensations unknown,
Seasons of flavour danced in the palate and romanced - as my tongue would ecstasy drone!
Chocolate Mousse , O Friend I must thank thee, was a bathe of bliss with every savour,
Aroma that reeked soothed the soul as the essence lingers and yearns once again for the endeavour!

Credit Card Solutions :)

An ode!

Andhra Mess drives him higher and ‘rounder’,
Kaushik effuses a pertinent beam and energy - propels him farther and farther.

Smiling eyes belie the fire that in her soul, forever, dance,
On Marketing and Branding, Jennifer takes an obstinate stance

Cheer precedes her presence and Pumpkins make her skin glow,
Sinchana can wand her magic and pinch presentations from an unutterable low!

Reticent he may appear but the talent behind those specs he does belie,
Baboo (Vikas) scales new heights in concentration, tenacity - and success I do descry!

Universal Buddy Solutions is around when you need the most,
Mani’s lunch time is with dames galore, he – grossly engrossed- almost!.

Mentor indeed slogs and inspires to drive stronger and higher,
Intuitive and thought provoking, perfection Vinod strives over and over!

Success Ferry!

Amidst the smoke and cacophony, a zephyr caresses gently,
Verdant cover of Bangalore flutters in the wind, which is sometime benign sometime ghastly.
Fog encumbers the early dawn as canaries chirp and squirrels merry,
Weather remains a saving grace in this IT city on the success ferry!!

Pune Diaries - Day 3

Supposedly the final day of my saccharine sojourn had dawned – 20th May 2007. I had to pay tribute to my sisters and B-School Mates – Pooh (Dipika) and Pooh –2 (Lisa). Anyways 11 AM and I was all set depart Mickey Mouse’s (Nilesh) apartment leaving Giraffe (Pramoth) behind, not before a splendid breakfast.

Noon-ish and I was at Pooh’s residence – the colony is idyllic, endowed with verdant cover and blessed with an old-worldly allure - slothfully entrenched in a sofa in tête-à-tête with Pooh-2, who had camped there over the weekend. Pooh was….err..helping auntyji (her mommy) to concoct what would be nothing less than ambrosia. Yes!! Pooh was actually cooking! She in fact made dal and sev puri – all be herself and so that world would not mistrust my statement – I made a video of the same. She was in to a groove in the kitchen among the culinary – indeed, roll back time a couple of months to the B-school days and you would have been aghast by these revelations!

Lunch was nicely served and set (again by Pooh) – as Pooh-2 and myself only devoured over the sev puri,paneer sabzi, dal and gulab jamun. Lunch served as a deterrent to any lateral movement of the corpse and enhanced earth’s gravitational pull – as was witnessed in case of Pooh –2 – gravity was particularly being mean to her eyelids. I expected the afternoon to be bashing session, for myself, amongst Pooh and Pooh-2, but both the Poohs seemed to have spared me and were more ponderous than anything. Anyways Pooh once again articulated her command over the kitchen by serving us finely prepared tea that we slurped up!

Dusk was settling over Pune and as the sun was sanctifying the city with a crimson drape– it was time I set my foot out and head back to Aamchi Mumbai as Pooh-2 headed back to her accomodation– or I thought so. Swaargate ( Pune’s M.S.R.T.C terminus) proved callous and an hour’s wait in the queue proved futile as buses to Thane/Mumbai seemed to have been booked till 10:00 PM. Pune had incarcerated me. Anyways, I decided to make the most of it.

8:30 PM and a rendezvous was set at a place near Mac Donald’s. This was preceded by pillion seat ride with Pooh – who rides her scooter as if it is reincarnated Hayabusa. Roopa greeted us and the first statement that came to me was ‘ I dink I daw a Puddy Cat’ – indeed she was a human reincarnation of Tweety! Her expressive eyes (owing –as she avers- to her dance training) and unbolted beam eased me in to a conversation with Tweety – another addition to my list of sisters.

Sid Ghaisas aka Placomm guy aka Ronald MacDonald Jr was perched on a bench and seemed to have been in a profound conversation with Ronald MacDonald seated beside him. Differentiating between the two was quite a undertaking! After the usual vacillations over the venue we decided to stick to a desi restaurant (Ronald McDonald must have been extremely peeved over Junior’s conduct!). Over dinner Tweety went about interrogating me..err.. pulling my leg as well Ronald Jr’s leg as both Pooh and Tweety giggled away their time!

Post a not so auspicious dinner (the food was below par) the four decided that the soothing Pune air deserved a saunter. Chocolate milkshake – that would make my stomach linings dance to the tune of its magic – beckoned. Tweety went about explaining the galaxy of stars that stared at us and with consummate ease. After a few more rounds of leg pulling and interrogations– it was time to part ways. I would venture again on the Hayabusa, as Pooh showed me her old residence before I retired for the day, only to head back to Mumbai the next day!

Pune Diaries - Day 2

19th May 2007 would start off, late with the, usual laze, which deters most commonsensical humans from getting off their comfy cot. The day continued with sumptuous and scrumptious breakfast ..err..brunch as we gorged ourselves with upma (Minnie Mouse has an extraordinary culinary knack) daubed all over with bhujiya sev. With stomach declining any further advances of ambrosia and legs feeling the effects gravity we were vacillating over the next..err…move!

Life in a Metro at Miramax Adlabs seemed a good watch. The 2:15 show seemed apt. Giraffe (Pramoth) would pillion with Mickey Mouse (Nilesh) aka Valentino Rossi aka Bullet ki Safari while I shall venture my courage by agreeing to pillion with Minnie Mouse (Shilpa) on a use-starved Kinetic Honda. Ok, relax, I survived.

The movie was…well..convoluted to say the least. Irfan Khan despite his typecast and clichéd performance stood out as he delivered dialogues with astounding comic sense. The three singers popping up in the streets of Mumbai were the obscure elements. I wonder if they would croon for me whilst I am sauntering! Anyways, the film is a worth a watch, atleast watch it to pity Shilpa Shetty and Shiney Ahuja over their fate!

While Mickey Mouse continued in his vein of pulling Minnie Mouse’s leg, grub awaited us at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). A few roosters might have shrieked in enchantment as Giraffe and Rat ( arrey..me yaar!) ordered Veggie Delight( envisage that too at KFC!!). Back abode and away from the desiccating Pune heat and sloth encapsulated us again as the snug sofa seemed to defy gravity.

Rat was lost deciphering the fiefdom of rock music that seemed to be providing some vague delectation to Giraffe and Mickey Mouse. But the Tube Box came to rescue albeit not for long. Television brings home such startling movies that can be viewed only in the company of friends over probing looks and mirth. Lethal Dose playing on HBO was one such. Rodent bites to Human Brain the less I delve in to this the better, but it sure did keep us clinging on to our sofas..err..in frustration cocktailed with mirth! Dare not watch it alone!!

As the soothing evening air revisited Pune to tranquil the scorched souls hiding in concrete walls, Mickey Mouse would guide us to the Camp area in Pune. Abuzz with activity and filled with bevy of shoppers, Camp provides capital opportunities while away. Pangs of hunger revisited and Mickey Mouse suggested open-air restaurant was the way to go and rightly so!

Pune seemed to have congregated to eating out that night as restaurant eating entailed long waits. Finally we hit upon Prem’s which had a decent ambiance and saved on electricity by having kerosene lamps on every table(what else?? MSEB is starved of electricity anyways!!). After munching on the delicious paneer, that would make palate go wild in enthrallment, and recollecting the good old days it was time to head home. Not before we devoured over Pune’s very own Kulfi and the belly groaned in rapture for the last time that night!