When I say I am growing up with June I really mean it. Both of us had our first tryst with the law on Sunday. It was our first visit to the Police Station and thank god it was Frasertown Police Station.
Built on a donation by some Colaco brothers it is what police stations in India are not like. I didnt find any criminal in the lock up. The toilets were so clean. And the adjacent garden equally well maitained by ITC Infotech. The moment we reached there a smiling receptionist was ready to answer our queries.
Our job was comfortably done and it served as a nice field trip for June. For June "police uncles" are those who scold everybody if they do something wrong. One of the few things which still scared here.
She was very sceptical initially about the visit. But by the time she came out of the police station all her fear had gone. And Munmun was left with one tool less to scare her.
Infact that's one "Juju" less for both of us.
Why cannot life be always so simple?
Dec 21, 2006
Dec 20, 2006
Bhaiyaji
Bhaiyaji is Neeraj's elder brother. And Neeraj is Opu's one time colleague. Somehow we have been in touch. Neeraj is from Bihar and he is has a very straight way of looking at things. Thats why I was not surprised when he called me up the other day to tell me that he and his Bhaiya are opening a restaurant in Bangalore.
I went to the opening ceremony and was amazed to meet his Bhaiya. He has apparently never stayte in a big city and has no experience of running a restaurant. He has come here with 5 people from Bihar.
But he looks so positive. For someone like me who finds negativity even in the best news that I receive, that was important.
Its a modest outlet right next to the Innovative Multiplex. It is called Magadh Restaurant and is right opposite Adishwar Electronics shop. Bhaiyaji also wants to do corporate catering and tiffin services.
They are promising an exciting North Indian fare with cooks who cannot speak any south indian language. 30 for veg thali, 35 for an egg thali and 45 for chicken. I think its great.
It felt nice when Neeraj invited me. He thinks because I am a foody I can give good suggestions to Bhaiyaji. God save their resturant.
We had litti and sattu ka paratha. And I was impressed. Not only by the food but also by Bhaiyaji.
There is a lesson in it for me.
I went to the opening ceremony and was amazed to meet his Bhaiya. He has apparently never stayte in a big city and has no experience of running a restaurant. He has come here with 5 people from Bihar.
But he looks so positive. For someone like me who finds negativity even in the best news that I receive, that was important.
Its a modest outlet right next to the Innovative Multiplex. It is called Magadh Restaurant and is right opposite Adishwar Electronics shop. Bhaiyaji also wants to do corporate catering and tiffin services.
They are promising an exciting North Indian fare with cooks who cannot speak any south indian language. 30 for veg thali, 35 for an egg thali and 45 for chicken. I think its great.
It felt nice when Neeraj invited me. He thinks because I am a foody I can give good suggestions to Bhaiyaji. God save their resturant.
We had litti and sattu ka paratha. And I was impressed. Not only by the food but also by Bhaiyaji.
There is a lesson in it for me.
Dec 8, 2006
About roots, land and space
I am back to the place we jokingly refer to as 'Bloody India'. The country that I was born - my 'desh'. But i ask myself is India really my 'desh' or is it West Bengal? My grandpa used to be from Opar Bangla (now bangladesh). So my roots go right till there. Or does it go back further?
So who am I? To whom do I owe my allegiance? Does it get decided by birth? Or does it get decided by the langauge one speaks? Which is MY territory? Certainly not the sambar slurping, curd rice eating south of India. So where do I belong?
Is it important to owe allegiance or to have your own territory? I have never understood it. But in Bangalore I do feel displaced some times. Its the same for me to be in Copenhagen or Bangalore or Chennai.
Whenever I talk of going back to my roots it reminds me of Calcutta. I feel I belong there. But I have no longings for this place as well. Nor do I long to settle down there some day. I am happy that I was born in Calcutta and that I spent most of my formative years there. But I am eqally happy and at peace to be not there now. I have no grudges, infact a lot of fond memories. But all that does make me pine to go back.
Is this phenomenon common to our generation? Something which afflicts even the great Amartya Sen who considers himself a citizen of the world. And it doesnt stop there. And it can go on and on till you reach the end of the Universe. I realize that it is futile. What is good is good. What is bad will improve or perish. So there is no point pondering.
Each feels for someone or something based on his instincts. And so long that instinct is not getting doctored I see so reason why someone should be stopped from feeling the way he feels.
Are we moving to a society where land will stop being vital and all of us will have their own virtual space? Physical land always had its limits and thus the central cause for most of our miseries.
Virtual space has no limits. But we still need to eat, sleep and relax somewhere. But 'How Much Land Does a Man Need'? Tolstoy's Pahóm needed just "Six feet from his head to his heels" and may be a little more if he was alive like you and me. And the rest can all be in virtual space.
So who am I? To whom do I owe my allegiance? Does it get decided by birth? Or does it get decided by the langauge one speaks? Which is MY territory? Certainly not the sambar slurping, curd rice eating south of India. So where do I belong?
Is it important to owe allegiance or to have your own territory? I have never understood it. But in Bangalore I do feel displaced some times. Its the same for me to be in Copenhagen or Bangalore or Chennai.
Whenever I talk of going back to my roots it reminds me of Calcutta. I feel I belong there. But I have no longings for this place as well. Nor do I long to settle down there some day. I am happy that I was born in Calcutta and that I spent most of my formative years there. But I am eqally happy and at peace to be not there now. I have no grudges, infact a lot of fond memories. But all that does make me pine to go back.
Is this phenomenon common to our generation? Something which afflicts even the great Amartya Sen who considers himself a citizen of the world. And it doesnt stop there. And it can go on and on till you reach the end of the Universe. I realize that it is futile. What is good is good. What is bad will improve or perish. So there is no point pondering.
Each feels for someone or something based on his instincts. And so long that instinct is not getting doctored I see so reason why someone should be stopped from feeling the way he feels.
Are we moving to a society where land will stop being vital and all of us will have their own virtual space? Physical land always had its limits and thus the central cause for most of our miseries.
Virtual space has no limits. But we still need to eat, sleep and relax somewhere. But 'How Much Land Does a Man Need'? Tolstoy's Pahóm needed just "Six feet from his head to his heels" and may be a little more if he was alive like you and me. And the rest can all be in virtual space.