Of all the things that I was looking forward to, when I landed at Bangalore, Radio City 91 FM was on the top of the list.
Darius, Sunaina, Vasanthi, Kiran Sridhar - these names are good companions to me now. I remember my stint here from Mar 04 - Apr 05 in here when all I survived was on the endless wisecracks by these RJs. Now back in Bangalore, I thought this fondness would grow unabated.
But I was disappointed to see such a steep decline in the station's appeal to my soul. When I was working from the Bannergatta Road office, it took me around 35-40 minutes max at the worst to commute and I could catch some 6-7 songs in the same. Now as I am seated in the bus that proceeds towards the electronics city with a sigh, a groan and what seems a permanent limp, I have never heard more than 4 songs in one sitting lasting around 1.5 hrs nearly…
The reason? Ads obi. I swear I haven’t picked up lyrics to any new song in this period [& I need to listen to them just twice to do so]. I can recite all of the Ads verbatim now. Even the background scores and disturbances in the recordings a permanently imprinted in there…
And as they say, the worst is yet to come? God! When they announced they are doing a special episode on A R Rahmans birthday and the special episode is scheduled to be telecasted from midnight to 3 am I was like, Aw! Forget it! The rest of the day, that was Rahmans birthday, was more or less dedicated to his compositions. Ok. Point conceded. Rahman is a musical genius. And his compositions, even if played all day long, can sustain the listener’s interest.
Then, yesterday, was Hrithik Roshan’s birthday. Hmm! Not such a palatable thought. All morning I had to endure “Nagme hai, Shikwe hai” “Ek pal ka jeena” “Teri zindagi mein chali aayi chali ayyi”. Worse still, yesterday Hosur Road had a bad jam in the evening and God! Sunaina was interviewing Hrithik Roshan’s driver and spot – boy. Puhleeej! What do you think your audiences are? Dumb Morons, perhaps?
Then, Div and I were talking about the futility of it all last night. Both sadly agreed the Radio City 91 FM has ceased to be the lifeline of our souls any longer now.
This morning, as we were getting ready for work and Radio City was humming in the background [Yes Sir, incorrigible we are!] I was pleasantly surprised to hear “Aa jaaneja” from Inteqam and “Zara Zara” from RHTDM play in succession. “Wow!” I thought, “Hope remains aflutter!”
And then, Vasanthi’s voice boomed through the hallway.
“Rahul Dravid celebrates his birthday today! Join me as I wish him a very very happy birthday!”
Div and I looked at each other and as if bang on cue burst out laughing. Div was like “Ab kya ye Rahul Dravid ke gaane bajaenge sara din?”
Vasanthi continued, blissfully unaware of Divs remark, “So pick up your phone and tell me which song you think suits Rahul the best! And I will play it right here, at YOUR favorite radio station, RADIO CITY 91 FM!!!”
Will someone please get me a hammer now? I need to break my walkman!
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Indian? Step aside...
She asked me, “Are you an Indian?”
I nodded to her and she shoved me back.Sometimes in life, we get into situations where we are at a loss for words. This was one of those times in my life. Not only is this kind of a treatment unheard of in the civilized world, what’s more appalling is that fact, I was in India, at a very famous religious center, waiting anxiously for a darshan, when this happened. And the lady in question was an Indian too.
“This…” I mused “after 52 years of independence.” as I saw a foreigner being ushered in with all the possible respect and congeniality. I don’t have anything against the people who, in search of peace and spirituality, trod on to our land. But where are our sensibilities that allow us to ill-treat our brethren to kowtow to the people who are not-our-own. “Vasudeva kutumbakam” doesn’t mean that you look down of those who are your own. Where else in the world is the Asian community more ill-treated than in their homeland? Cite me one country overseas where the visiting folks are preferred over the natives? Why we are still obsessed with those people so much so that we fail to see the humiliation we cause to the fellow-countrymen? Sad but true. Our fascination for the lighter skin tones had never really gone off.
For the people who can categorize people as men and women before letting them in, why not categorize the areas further between the locals and the visiting devotees. This is racism, I know and I wouldn’t have subscribed to it under normal circumstances. But then, if the Indians waiting to get in since 4 in the morning are turned back and not allowed to get in, while the others happy stroll in at even 9’o clock, THAT IS NOT A NORMAL SITUATION. And abnormal situations need drastic measures.
My heart went out to the 80+ old ladies and young women with new born babies, fighting off the cold bravely just in the hope of getting in... The tears that wet their cheeks when they were being turned away - I just couldnt help feeling engraged.
How could we do this to a fellow human being, forget one of our kith and kin?But, what about the pride of being an Indian? The joy of being from here? Where and whom do I ask for love and respect? Where am I welcome?If in not my own country, where else? If not by my own people, then who else!! Any answers?
I nodded to her and she shoved me back.Sometimes in life, we get into situations where we are at a loss for words. This was one of those times in my life. Not only is this kind of a treatment unheard of in the civilized world, what’s more appalling is that fact, I was in India, at a very famous religious center, waiting anxiously for a darshan, when this happened. And the lady in question was an Indian too.
“This…” I mused “after 52 years of independence.” as I saw a foreigner being ushered in with all the possible respect and congeniality. I don’t have anything against the people who, in search of peace and spirituality, trod on to our land. But where are our sensibilities that allow us to ill-treat our brethren to kowtow to the people who are not-our-own. “Vasudeva kutumbakam” doesn’t mean that you look down of those who are your own. Where else in the world is the Asian community more ill-treated than in their homeland? Cite me one country overseas where the visiting folks are preferred over the natives? Why we are still obsessed with those people so much so that we fail to see the humiliation we cause to the fellow-countrymen? Sad but true. Our fascination for the lighter skin tones had never really gone off.
For the people who can categorize people as men and women before letting them in, why not categorize the areas further between the locals and the visiting devotees. This is racism, I know and I wouldn’t have subscribed to it under normal circumstances. But then, if the Indians waiting to get in since 4 in the morning are turned back and not allowed to get in, while the others happy stroll in at even 9’o clock, THAT IS NOT A NORMAL SITUATION. And abnormal situations need drastic measures.
My heart went out to the 80+ old ladies and young women with new born babies, fighting off the cold bravely just in the hope of getting in... The tears that wet their cheeks when they were being turned away - I just couldnt help feeling engraged.
How could we do this to a fellow human being, forget one of our kith and kin?But, what about the pride of being an Indian? The joy of being from here? Where and whom do I ask for love and respect? Where am I welcome?If in not my own country, where else? If not by my own people, then who else!! Any answers?
Monday, January 09, 2006
Incessant Calls!
Last Thursday my itinerary read like this.
6:00 am – Wake up and start getting ready for the drudgery.
7:20 am – The bus!
9:00 am – Arrived!
Work hours are a blur to me anyhow. So let’s not get there. Suffices to say, tiresome.
7:45 pm – Reach home.
8:00 pm – Start cooking.
9:00 pm – Clean the utensils.
9:30 pm – Wash the soaked clothes.
10:00 pm – Eat.
10:25 pm – Get ready to hit the bed.
Then around 11:00 pm, trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring went the phone. Agonized and intrigued, I blinked in half slumber and groped around for the phone in the darkness. Finally as I managed to get it, I looked through the transparent panel and the call register blinked the name of not-so-stranger-hello-acquaintance whom is famed as the pain in the neck in our group.
I groaned in disbelief and despair. Cursing myself for not turning off my cell phone in silent mode [I always do it now a days] I picked it up as I knew he could go on and on trying to buzz me the whole night, screwing my whole battery life in the process.
He immediately shrieked from the other end “Hello Sweetheart. What’s up? How come no calls from your end in spite of being in Bangalore for so long now??”
I was wondering to myself, cringing at his choice of words “Now isn’t that a BIG hint in itself?” Audibly I muttered, “No, just been a bit busy. You know… settling down and all!”
The rest of the conversation went something on these lines.
P-I-D-N: Pain In D Neck
[IA] – Inaudibly
[A] - Audibly
P-I-D-N: Arrre! Poor little baby! Why dint you buzz me? I would have helped you, nah!
Me[IA]: Awwggh!
Me [A]: [in a not so inviting tone. Some of my close friends read this tone as sign of imminent danger.]Thanks but I can do it all on my own.
P-I-D-N: Oh! Uh! Aaa! Um! Did I disturb you?
Me [IA]: :-@ :-o
Me [A]: P-I-D-N! It’s close to midnight. I was half asleep.
P-I-D-N: Oh! I am sorry.
Me [IA]: Phew! He got the message. Now its time for tata goodbyes and then back to dreamland.
P-I-D-N: By the way, what’s the plan for tomorrow?
Me [IA]: {Groan!!!}
Me [A]: Haven’t really thought, P-I-D-N!
P-I-D-N: Can we meet tomorrow?
Me [IA]: What! And ruin my weekend. [I am generally not too high in the air. But with 3 weekends in transit + the P-I-D-N Mr. P-I-D-N is actually famed to be, I had to be a bitch!]
Me [A]: No, P-I-D-N. Tomorrow I am busy. I am going to meet my granny.
P-I-D-N: You generally are back by evening, aren’t u? Dinner together?
Me [A]: Can’t be sure. Don’t cancel any other plans for me.
P-I-D-N: You are talking about dinner… {here I seriously phased out of the convo}… what say!
Me [A]: P-I-D-N. I have a serious headache. Cant we talk sometime else?
P-I-D-N: Oh! Poor baby! Look at yourself. Try and take care na. I will give you a buzz tomorrow. We shall plan little something. Don’t miss me too much.. he he he
Me [IA]: Sweet Jesus!!!!
Me [A]: Whatever. Catch ya later!
P-I-D-N: Good night. Sweet dreams.
Me [A]: {Click!} Good riddance!
And I thought, he would have been offended enough not to call for a lifetime. But true to his acronym the next call I got was at 8:30 in the morning. Real blue blooded P-I-D-N.
Wonder why people don’t really get the message and get it straight. Would have cribbed about it all a bit more but lo! The phone started ringing again.
6:00 am – Wake up and start getting ready for the drudgery.
7:20 am – The bus!
9:00 am – Arrived!
Work hours are a blur to me anyhow. So let’s not get there. Suffices to say, tiresome.
7:45 pm – Reach home.
8:00 pm – Start cooking.
9:00 pm – Clean the utensils.
9:30 pm – Wash the soaked clothes.
10:00 pm – Eat.
10:25 pm – Get ready to hit the bed.
Then around 11:00 pm, trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring went the phone. Agonized and intrigued, I blinked in half slumber and groped around for the phone in the darkness. Finally as I managed to get it, I looked through the transparent panel and the call register blinked the name of not-so-stranger-hello-acquaintance whom is famed as the pain in the neck in our group.
I groaned in disbelief and despair. Cursing myself for not turning off my cell phone in silent mode [I always do it now a days] I picked it up as I knew he could go on and on trying to buzz me the whole night, screwing my whole battery life in the process.
He immediately shrieked from the other end “Hello Sweetheart. What’s up? How come no calls from your end in spite of being in Bangalore for so long now??”
I was wondering to myself, cringing at his choice of words “Now isn’t that a BIG hint in itself?” Audibly I muttered, “No, just been a bit busy. You know… settling down and all!”
The rest of the conversation went something on these lines.
P-I-D-N: Pain In D Neck
[IA] – Inaudibly
[A] - Audibly
P-I-D-N: Arrre! Poor little baby! Why dint you buzz me? I would have helped you, nah!
Me[IA]: Awwggh!
Me [A]: [in a not so inviting tone. Some of my close friends read this tone as sign of imminent danger.]Thanks but I can do it all on my own.
P-I-D-N: Oh! Uh! Aaa! Um! Did I disturb you?
Me [IA]: :-@ :-o
Me [A]: P-I-D-N! It’s close to midnight. I was half asleep.
P-I-D-N: Oh! I am sorry.
Me [IA]: Phew! He got the message. Now its time for tata goodbyes and then back to dreamland.
P-I-D-N: By the way, what’s the plan for tomorrow?
Me [IA]: {Groan!!!}
Me [A]: Haven’t really thought, P-I-D-N!
P-I-D-N: Can we meet tomorrow?
Me [IA]: What! And ruin my weekend. [I am generally not too high in the air. But with 3 weekends in transit + the P-I-D-N Mr. P-I-D-N is actually famed to be, I had to be a bitch!]
Me [A]: No, P-I-D-N. Tomorrow I am busy. I am going to meet my granny.
P-I-D-N: You generally are back by evening, aren’t u? Dinner together?
Me [A]: Can’t be sure. Don’t cancel any other plans for me.
P-I-D-N: You are talking about dinner… {here I seriously phased out of the convo}… what say!
Me [A]: P-I-D-N. I have a serious headache. Cant we talk sometime else?
P-I-D-N: Oh! Poor baby! Look at yourself. Try and take care na. I will give you a buzz tomorrow. We shall plan little something. Don’t miss me too much.. he he he
Me [IA]: Sweet Jesus!!!!
Me [A]: Whatever. Catch ya later!
P-I-D-N: Good night. Sweet dreams.
Me [A]: {Click!} Good riddance!
And I thought, he would have been offended enough not to call for a lifetime. But true to his acronym the next call I got was at 8:30 in the morning. Real blue blooded P-I-D-N.
Wonder why people don’t really get the message and get it straight. Would have cribbed about it all a bit more but lo! The phone started ringing again.
Gloomy Monday Morning!
A gruesome article to start of my blog but then, what has to be, has to be...
I was happily listening to the Radio City en route to office when suddenly at the MICO signal; a middle-aged man barged into the bus [KA-07 F-3430] and started hitting the driver mercilessly. I was appalled to see this. Seems the bus had hit the gentlemen’s matador and one of the headlights had dangled off. Now, I was sitting in the bus and not asleep too. And, I din't feel a thing! So surely there wasn’t much to cry blood for!
The driver kept reasoning with the Angry old man to allow him to park the bus after the signal as the ruckus was creating a traffic jam at a rush hour on an already choc-a-block road. As he was trying to maneuver the vehicle the AoM and his entourage started banging on the bus from outside. After parking the vehicle, as he got down a few of my colleagues also got down and accompanied him. A few others took the others buses to work. I got down to board another bus too but my curiosity got better of me and I joined the driver and my colleagues. The AoM was abusing not only the driver now but also a few of my other fellow-Infoscions who were trying to reason with him.
For some time, this altercation went on. Even the traffic police on duty there joined this ruckus as a mere onlooker and dint bat an eyelid to my chagrin. Thereafter the driver got into the bus and gave some money to the AoM and asked him to let the bus move ahead. By this time, there were some 10 of us left in there.
After we reached the Infy Bus Depot, we asked the driver to provide us the Matador Number so that we can lodge a complaint. The sorry figure, already red from the bashing and the tears broke down again and asked us not to complain against him as he was scheduled to get confirmed in 2 months and this could turn things the wrong side for him.
We assured him that we are on his side and not the other way round. A gloomy start for me. My heart really went out to the poor man who was under considerable amount of duress already. We are lodging a complaint against the AoM and his fellowmen today. Hope justice prevails.
I was happily listening to the Radio City en route to office when suddenly at the MICO signal; a middle-aged man barged into the bus [KA-07 F-3430] and started hitting the driver mercilessly. I was appalled to see this. Seems the bus had hit the gentlemen’s matador and one of the headlights had dangled off. Now, I was sitting in the bus and not asleep too. And, I din't feel a thing! So surely there wasn’t much to cry blood for!
The driver kept reasoning with the Angry old man to allow him to park the bus after the signal as the ruckus was creating a traffic jam at a rush hour on an already choc-a-block road. As he was trying to maneuver the vehicle the AoM and his entourage started banging on the bus from outside. After parking the vehicle, as he got down a few of my colleagues also got down and accompanied him. A few others took the others buses to work. I got down to board another bus too but my curiosity got better of me and I joined the driver and my colleagues. The AoM was abusing not only the driver now but also a few of my other fellow-Infoscions who were trying to reason with him.
For some time, this altercation went on. Even the traffic police on duty there joined this ruckus as a mere onlooker and dint bat an eyelid to my chagrin. Thereafter the driver got into the bus and gave some money to the AoM and asked him to let the bus move ahead. By this time, there were some 10 of us left in there.
After we reached the Infy Bus Depot, we asked the driver to provide us the Matador Number so that we can lodge a complaint. The sorry figure, already red from the bashing and the tears broke down again and asked us not to complain against him as he was scheduled to get confirmed in 2 months and this could turn things the wrong side for him.
We assured him that we are on his side and not the other way round. A gloomy start for me. My heart really went out to the poor man who was under considerable amount of duress already. We are lodging a complaint against the AoM and his fellowmen today. Hope justice prevails.
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