Getaway

What was your favorite album while growing up? What were the songs you used to like and listen to as you moved into your teen years and school life? The present generation feeds on online music where accessibility is not a major issue at all. In the mid-90s till early 2000s cassettes were very popular and getting your favorite music wasn’t as easy as now. Compact-discs aka CDs came into prominence in early 2000s. I remember asking my dad to purchase me a CD of the OST of Spiderman-2 from the music world store on Hill cart road. I don’t know if the store does good business now but those days it used to be a good place to get one’s preferred music collections. I can still picture the art on the CD cover: the spider in black against the dark-red background. I used to listen to it on the woofer attached to my LG desktop.

Please keep in mind what I am talking about is what I used to listen to between the year 2000 and year 2007. Few of the albums were released in the same period while others might have been released earlier.

Strings the Pakistan pop-rock band became very popular in India with their album Dhaani, which means light-green color, from the color of raw grain of rice. Their song “Na Jaaney Kyun” was part of the spiderman-2 soundtrack and remains popular. Part of the same soundtrack, I listened to American alternative-rock bands Switchfoot and Train for the very first time. The distortion and acoustic driven dynamics of “Meant to Live” by Switchfoot and the piano intro for “Ordinary” by Train were very catchy. Also, another artist that caught my fascination was Yellowcard. The punk-rock track “Gift and Curse” with violin in the background was one of the most thematically fit songs from the soundtrack.

The Hindi/Urdu rock came into limelight with talented bands from Pakistan. Jal, Strings (mentioned earlier), Entity-Paradigm, and Call brought Hindi/Urdu rock to India. Of course Junoon with their classic “Sayonee” were the pioneers. Jal with their album Aadat captured the hearts of the youth with their soothing vocals, lovely guitar riffs on acoustic, and the lyrics painted in feelings of love, loss, memories, and moving on. The album Dhaani by Strings was another masterpiece. “Dhaani”, “Na Jaaney Kyun”, “Kahani Mohabbat ki”, “Mera Bichraa Yaar” were their best songs followed by “Soniye” and “Pal”.

The Indie-pop scene was at an all time high in the early 2000s I believe. Euphoria gave us some lovely and fun-filled tracks like “Maeri”, “Tum”, “Ab na jaa”, “Kabhi aana tu meri gali”, “Dhoom”. There was this beautiful track “Dooba Dooba” from silkroute. Mohit Chahuhan singing underwater in the video for the song was a very impressive sight for the audience. Band of boys rocked with “ Gori”, “Aaja meri jaan”, “Meri neend ud gayi hai”, and the romantic number “ Ishq”. There are always these one-off tracks from not so popular artists. One of them was the track “Sochta hun” by singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo. Sochta hun was one of the songs my crush and I both liked. Shaan gave us his all time best I believe in “Tanha Dil” and it had one of the best videos, perfectly suiting the lyrics of the song believe. Also, there was a soulful romantic number by Pankhaj Udhas' “Aahista aahista ki jiye baatein”—Samira Reddy and a foreigner feature in the really cute video shot in Australia.

KK's "Pal" and "Yaaron" were beautifully written songs on Love and friendship respectively. In fact the album "Pal" had awesome tracks. Another superb artist, perhaps someone who possesses such a niche voice, Lucky Ali gave us some wonderful songs: Anjani rahon mein, Tere mere saath, O sanam, dekha hai aise bhi, nahi rakhta dil mein, kitni hassen zindagi. Following which he sang the melodious “ Kyun chalti hai pawan” from the box-office success Kaho na Pyaar hai.

Who can forget the album Paint My love by the Danish soft-rock band Michael Learns to Rock: The tracks Paint My love, Sleeping Child, Someday, Breaking My Heart, Complicated heart, Love will never lie, The Actor, Crazy Dream, That’s why you go was one hell of a collection. “From my youngest years to this moment here, I have never seen such a lovely queen…”--- beautiful isn’t it?

Enrique’s album Escape was another smash-hit. The tracks having peppy beats with light layering of guitars were lovely to listen to especially while traveling. I liked “Escape”,” Don’t Turn of the Lights” and “ Hero” the most, although the other tracks were very good too. Avril Lavigne made her debut with the album Let go . “Sk8r boy” was proper punk with narrative lyrics. “ Losing Grip” was grungy, followed by the comparatively mellow “ Complicated”, and the romantic “I’m with you”.

Few Sadri songs I still remember were sung in churches, during Christmas carols, during our tribal dances on Christmas nights, and on any account of celebrations, be it picnics, marriages were “aije to janam parab”, “ awa chala jab rey”, “ baitulam gohar majhe”, “ jani man kar faishan”, “ bas gadi chalela to hawa lagela”, “hawa lagai dey saihya”. Three Kurukh(Oraon) songs that come to my mind: Christmas based: “Kundurkay yesu kundurkay” and “Billi barcha merkhanti puna billi barcha” and an Easter based song, “Eka bari ujja cho’chas prabhus”.

The list can go on and on. But the idea was to revisit the lovely songs and tracks I listened to while I grew up. And these songs have the power to bring up all sorts of feelings and remind us of various situations and people in our lives. Keep listening and keep enjoying music.

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What is the tastiest food you have ever eaten? Well, I certainly can’t forget some dishes. They made an unforgettable mark on my taste buds. It’s not that I start salivating when I think about them, but I certainly remember them with a certain fondness. They say best things in life are unexpected and so it happened with me.

LUNCH IN SONADA:

I was travelling to Darjeeling with my parents in the year 2002. We got down at Sonada which is about 20 kilometers from the famous hill station. Dad knew a few people at the novitiate there so we tagged along with him. The novitiate was located on a hill slope. A thin veil of fog covered the basketball court outside. It was afternoon and yet there was no sign of the sun. We were hungry and one of the Salesian fathers led us to their cafeteria.

The beef I ate there was out of this world. Soft and succulent, my taste buds relished every piece of it before swallowing. I don’t know how they prepared it. It wasn’t spicy (which is the way I like) but it had an incredible taste. It wasn’t fried as much as I can remember. I have asked mom to prepare beef in that particular fashion but she never perfected it although once she came fairly close. May be it is something to do with the altitude of Sonada and the air pressure there.

DINNER AT A PUB IN SALUGARA:

It was my friend’s birthday. We went to this small pub in the northern edges of my home town. I was not sure what to expect in that place. The waiter, a young Nepali boy served us plates of “chilly pork”. I am not a big fan of pork. Although, in my childhood days I used to have plenty of it at my aunt’s place. It usually contains lot of fat and I had grown out of it eventually. This preparation seemed different. They had removed the extra fat and the garnishing of onions along with the spices made it yummy. It was better than any chilly chicken I had eaten before. I have not eaten much pork after that except for pepperoni on countable number of occasions. That has been the tastiest pork yet.

HOT GULAB-JAMUNS:

I was with my parents again as we strolled through the crowded Hill-cart road. The Durga Puja celebrations were in full flow. The drums were beating loudly from the various pandals. The strips of decorative lightings hung over the roads and the bamboo structure with lighting patterns marked the edges of the small streets leading to another pandal. The festive atmosphere kept everyone in high spirits.

After a long walk we stopped for dinner. I can’t recollect what we had in the main course, but I certainly remember the dessert. The medium sized gulab-jamun took the tongue by surprise with its amount of warmth. It was delicious and the taste spread as it gradually melted in my mouth. I took another piece and it certainly felt heavenly. Even mom and dad liked it a lot. From then on I have always preferred hot gulab-jamuns.

Enjoy your food and cherish the foodie memories. Like they say, “best things in life are unexpected” and sometimes you will find out that the best food in life is unexpected too.

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Challenging the rough seas can be your last

This happened when we had gone to Gokarna, a pristine beach town in Northern Karnataka. As per the locals it was supposed to be a Full-moon night. It did not carry any significance to our group until we decided to return to Kudle beach from Om beach on a small, motored fishing boat with a carrying capacity of 15-20 people.

It was around 5:30 in the evening. After negotiating the rate 15 of us, all boarded the boat enthusiastically. The anchored boat jerked as we adjusted ourselves on our wooden seats. I was seated near the bow. The rudder boy started the motor attached to the stern at the signal of the coxswain who stood on the opposite end in front of me.After navigating through a narrow passage between rows of rocks we suddenly realized the vast endlessness of the sea. All of us screamed and hooted as the boat motored along and this was all in merry spirits. But soon things were about to change.

A strong wave dashed against the port-side and only a swift reaction from the experienced coxswain prevented the boat from toppling over. With the help of a long staff he steered the boat and saved us from falling into the unknown depths. The boat swayed left and right at the mercy of the sea. We rode a wave and then plunged into the trough and the cycle repeated. I was starting to panic and the life-jacket which I was wearing seemed just like some normal apparel to me now.

My care-free group members who had still not worn the life-jackets suddenly understood its necessity and we passed them a few which were lying in front portion of the boat. The coxswain asked us to move a row back for stability. A simple act of standing on the boat in the middle of a rough sea looked a very dangerous act now. Having shifted back things seemed to improve a bit. But another plunge into the trough drew out loud screams from us and this time the merry spirits had been replaced with the spirits of worry and impending doom. It felt we were riding a raging bull and could be thrown over any time.

The coxswain and the rudder boy seemed unperturbed. It was like a walk in the park from them. I was very scared and am never comfortable in the waters. The rocky shore-line almost 50 feet right of us seemed would be the resting place of a wrecked boat. The coxswain talked in Kannada with one of the senior group member. They discussed if we should return and finally decided to proceed as our destination, Kudle beach wasn’t very far. In-fact the ride from Kudle to Om beach had been a very pleasant one. We felt like we were boating on placid waters of a quaint lake.

But on our way back, the sea was raging probably aggravated by the full-moon and we were in a spot of bother. The office outing had turned into a big adventure of man trying to survive against the wrath of nature. The brave coxswain, our only hope stood tall and calm steering the boat against the powerful waves as our eyes longed for the shore. The swaying subsided as we turned towards Kudle beach and the waters appeared calmer that side.

We were greeted by sheer relief after reaching the shore as the adrenaline-pump receded. The short trip had been one hell of a ride. Having survived the nerve-wracking boat-trip we felt like we had successfully managed a great escape. It was one of the most memorable events of the outing and I am glad that we can laugh about it now.

P.S: Such was the scenario then that none of us were able to take any photos on that short trip from Om to Kudle beach despite carrying smart phones and cameras.

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From left:Covers of "The Kite Runner","Snow","Norwegian Wood".

From my youngest days I have had a strong attachment to nostalgia and romance. So when I got into reading my ingrained likes took me to the books which provide those emotions, like a long-lost traveler who has finally found his destination. Mind you I’m not going to review the books I’m about to mention.

For the book-lovers the image would have given a fair bit of idea about the novels. To be self-critical I am still a beginner in reading who is still finding his way into the amazing world of novels. Coming back to nostalgia and romance, the term “Romance” does not always imply a typical boy-girl love-story but depicts the aesthetic and the rich emotional experience the stories create.

I have a weakness for nostalgia and at times can’t stop myself from indulging in it.

As per Wikipedia, “The term nostalgia describes sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.”

The perfect nostalgia driven novel has to be “Norwegian Wood” by the legendary Haruki Murakami. This man’s writing is simply surreal and transcends you into the Murakami world where the real and fantasy merge seamlessly. Although Norwegian Wood contains almost zero surreal elements, a feature of Murakami, the nostalgia and the love-story it speaks about is something which is disturbing in a unique way and manages to pull you in the dark and deep emotions of the protagonists Toru, Naoko and Midori. When Toru starts recalling his college days he starts understanding the real emotions Naoko had for him and how Midori saves him from losing himself. It’s a must-read for all the book lovers who want to taste the brilliance of Haruki Murakami.

Another beautiful story which makes you look into your childhood days is Khalid Hosseini’s masterpiece, “The Kite Runner”. The friendship of Amir and Hassan is stuff of legends. Even the father-son relationship between Amir and Baba is portrayed very well. The pure emotions which Hosseini can generate are spell-binding and you can feel for war-torn Afghanistan in all of his novels. All his stories showcase that one can find hope even in the most difficult circumstances, and the power of love overpowers all boundaries and divisions. One choice can change the entire course of life.

The Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk has this amazing ability to weave politics, humane emotions and love-story in the gloomy ambience of “Snow”. The snow covered Kars; a desolate far-away place disconnected from modern civilization puts Ka, the main protagonist oscillating between his childhood Turkey and the present day(as per the novel’s timeline) Istanbul which has undergone a massive change. In the degrading state of Kars, Ka has the only chance of finding pieces of his childhood dreams and his hearts’ longings. I am yet to complete this book and it has kept me wanting for more.

What touches or influences you when you read fiction? It’s a very interesting area to explore. The magic of art lies in touching your innermost seat of emotions and is worth thinking about.

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The second last working day of a month is the most awaited day in the office. It’s the day when the emptied personal coffers get a refill. It’s a day when you finally say a “Thank You” for the job. It’s a day you thank your stars for granting you a placement. A day when you give a second thought to all your thoughts of quitting the job, which have accumulated due to the frustrating nature of work and fastidious bosses.

Yes, today is the second last working day of the month and I have received this month’s salary (I am writing this on the salary day.). But then an inevitable question pops up, almost every day, every second—do I love my job? The money seems decent. The office is fabulous. For embellishment (only if you consider it) there are plenty of pretty females. The work environment may vary like the continental climate from bearable to unbearable. Still, there seem quite a few reasons to put up with my current job, right?

What about the mornings, when you just feel absolutely allergic to the thought of going to office. The sneering bosses who hold your fate (especially when it comes to promotions). They make you to work, work, and work till the world ends or may be till the time when the clients who need to be serviced cease to exist. They call you on weekends making promises of comp-off but no pay for overtime. They coax you to cancel your leaves with their made-up soft-spoken demeanor. They can’t beat you so they plead with you just to fulfill an agreement made with a far-away foreign organization. Now does that salary mean anything to you?

Yes, when my parents need money, I can send them easily without much struggle stories. I can pay my bills without any problem, pay back the loans and also make some savings (yes, I’m not kidding). That’s really cool, and I can also live in fancy apartments with swimming pools, and glamorous hang-out places. Sounds fun, right? And then, another twist of thought talks back to you asking,” Is this what you want to do all your life? Does life mean only this to you?”It shouldn't bother you if you are not one of the “Thinking Types”.

We would have seen the people who are less fortunate than us. And I happily call myself fortunate because that unfortunate or less fortunate could have been me just within a keystroke. When I see them I find myself having more than them (at least financially), and also living a more comfortable lifestyle. That stops me from asking too much from life. It’s a strange feeling and there is not much I can do to change it. I mean, survival is important not only for the body, but also for the soul.

I know I don’t like my job, and to get a likable job is going against the wind and fighting against the world. It’s taxing on you and highly hinges on the success you can become. If you fail you are the biggest loser in the eyes of this world. With a slight compromise I feel I have found the means to feed my soul. I’m sure you too will find ways to enrich the soul and not just care about the material gains.

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Chelsea were crowned the champions of Europe for the first time in their history after a dramatic night of football in Munich. The English finally got the better of the Germans in a penalty shootout even that in their own backyard. The Germans looked crestfallen having passed up lots of opportunities in regulation time. When Arjen Robben spot-kick was saved by Cech in extra time it became virtually clear that the name had already been engraved on the famous trophy by the football Gods. It was unbelievable, unfathomable, and unimaginable but it was real and it’s a fact that Chelsea overcame all odds to beat the mighty Bayern in the final.

Didier Drogba epitomized Chelsea’s grit, determination, team-spirit and never say die attitude. He enjoyed every bit of the Everest like challenges and came out on top after exorcising the demons of the Moscow final where Manchester United had beaten them on penalties in 2008. The stalwarts of Chelsea: John Terry, Frank Lampard and Drogba would not have thought that they would get a second bite on the cherry in this fashion. Neither the master tactician Mourinho nor Ancelotti could achieve what the rookie coach Roberto Di Matteo has achieved with the Chelsea team. It was a stuff of dreams, a fairy-tale with the happiest of endings for the blue half of London. Destiny cannot be denied and Bayern and Barca both tried their luck in vain. One may call the Blues were extraordinarily lucky but they deserved every bit of it. As they say “Fortune favours the brave”.

Football is such an unpredictable game and it always gives you more than you expect. It’s beautiful, it’s ugly but it always wins the show. Dramatic, miraculous, magical and beyond; it has everything innate that sports has to offer. Undoubtedly and unanimously it is the best game in the world. The emotions: passion, ecstasy, despair, tragedy all packaged in a single match. You can be a hero and a villain in the same game (Drogba almost became both but Cech redeemed him). The best team not always wins but the most deserving does (opinions may vary). This present Chelsea side are far from the best ever Chelsea eleven but their team-ethic was second to none. They played for each other, with that unceasing desire to win and the best part; they played to their strengths. You play like a team and your chances of winning increases exponentially.

It’s been an incredible season and the sport keeps reminding where there is will there is a way. Each one of us may have a destiny ordained by the almighty but we have to claim it and fight for it to come true. We have to ride the stormy circumstances, unfavourable surroundings and manage with not the best of resources. If the goal is clear in our heads and we are focused enough I don’t think anyone can stop us from fulfilling our destiny. It’s a short life and dreams do come true in the most unlikeliest of ways. It may seem impossible and overwhelming but if you are stuck at it you will get there eventually.

A sport has a unique gift of teaching us that losses make us stronger and the impossible is always possible. Every previous defeat serves as a guideline for attaining future victories. No matter what the world thinks and no matter how strong your opponent is you always have a chance if you believe in yourself and play according to your strengths. The sweetest victories always come after the darkest of hours. Patience and persistence always pays off and if you get opportunities to score you have to or else you will get pegged back.

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