I got a special Birthday gift this year – Though it arrived a week late

(I guess it’s not entirely co-incidental that this post of mine comes right after my post for my valentine. I promise I am going to keep this post very simple, I have heard that my days of fame are gone, someone is replacing me with better blogs, more on it in the post)

28 years - too early for a mid-life crisis
28 years is a long time and that is the time I have spent since I was born. This birthday was nothing extraordinary, nothing very special per se. My parents are here, and they were very excited about my birthday, just the way they were when I was 8. My wife was also excited, but I was not feeling good. I had an issue with life getting spent. I want to remain young, I want to go back to my age of carelessness. The whole week I kept on thinking about it. One more 27th April gone, and for the entire week after that I was contemplating philosophically about my life at 28, was almost in the middle of a mid-life crisis.

The Silent Run
And then it turns out that the Monday after my 28th birthday, exactly a week later, would become the happiest day of my life. Morning Abha had complained about some small issues she had with herself and grudgingly I thought of taking half a day leave and going with her to the doctor. As I was driving from my house to the hospital I realized that everyone was very bubbly for the first 2 kilometers and all of them slept of for the rest 15 kms. Not very unexpected though.

What is a good pain?

But what came next was unexpected. Doctor checked Abha and she said, “Aaj Admit hona padega”. Abha was so happy listening to this, that even doctor got a little tensed. Very happily running to the lift to get admitted on the third floor, my wife entered the hospital building that she was not going to leave for next 1 week. It was about 11 when she got admitted, and she would have never thought that those smiles would turn in to painful shouts soon. About 1:30 in the noon, after a few medications, there she was lying there on that bed, not able to take the pain, as the doctors entered, checking her saying “Good Pains”!! If my mom would not have been there, I know what she would have told the doctors but she restricted the prefixes to say “Pain is no good”. As per the hospital norms only my mom was allowed by her side in the room. Me and my dad waited outside in the waiting room. It was about 2, when I started strolling, and It was about 4 when I stopped, and I swear on the collection of audio cassettes, that those were the longest 2 hours of my life. Waiting for the doctor to tell me what happened. I remembered how Abha was joking in between her shouts just 2 hours before that and no doctor in there would have imagined that at 4.

Life Changed at 4:01 PM
It was 4:10 when the guard called us (my mom was also with us by then) to the room, and there came a young little lady doctor, with a small bundle in her hand, a white cloth covered young life.

“It’s a baby boy”

Doesn’t matter, that I had been expecting a baby girl for last 8 long months and had also finalized a name for her, the baby boy was fantastic. He was so cute and pink. His eyes weren’t opening completely, he was powdered, his small face had a pair of eyes, a nose, a mouth, 2 ears, all in the small area smaller than my fingers. Then came the question that scared me,

“You are the father? Hold him?”

How can I with my rough hands, which so careless that I never drank a cup of tea without spoiling my shirt, hold this beautiful young life, new to this world, so delicate, so fragile. But she did not give me time to respond. And he was given right in my hands. My little angel.

The moment I took him in my hands, the lights went off, I could not see him for 3-4 seconds. I remember he moved his legs inside the cloth, I felt it. And then the lights were back, and I saw him closing his eyes, which were open when no one saw. And then he did something with his face to throw a lot of gurgling saliva out on my face which was so near to his. My angel littered my face with his new found love of slosh. Never did I think anything cuter happened to me before.
I thought of my wife, who was so much like a young (won’t use the word little, as pregnancy hardly makes one look little) girl, who went in laughing giggling and smiling -telling me not to worry. We stayed in the hospital for 5 days after that till Saturday and the doctors who came to visit her everyday would joke with her about how she harassed them. Center of attraction in my family was clear, with all four of us now concentrated all the time around a small cradle. We would watch him sleeping, we would wait and feel so happy when he opened his eyes, we loved watching him smile in his sleep, moments that were so simple and yet so very emotional.

[And this little boy of mine blogs. check him out on http://happykehappythoughts.blogspot.com . Yesterday, a friend told me that he blogs better than me, and that makes me a little jealous. But its actually quite difficult to compete with this young infant enthusiasm and curiosity. I am writing this blog to make mine look better than his. I hope mine is a good effort. ]

Everyday there is some first of his which makes us excited about the day. Suddenly we are 5-6 people in my house and no one is having time, whether its day or night.

There are a few things that I would like to write about which might not be as interesting as the blog but which I think I need to acknowledge.

Abha, I love you; and I am so very proud of you. I could closely see in her, what motherhood means to a female. And I have started loving my mom all the more after this. I don’t think any man on this earth can give what a mother gives a child – life. I know he is our son, but I for my life would never claim that he is as much mine as he is yours. He is more of yours for ever and I will win him over to make him mine over the coming years.
My parents are my family’s biggest support system. We would be nothing without you. Though I know that I am no more your rock star, you have got a new one.

I would like to thank the hospital staff and the doctors, who made the dream that we saw for years come true. If you are in Pune, and if you are thinking which hospital should you be going to, if your wife is pregnant, I recommend Jehangir Hospital (Dr. Manjiri Kulkarni). They are very helpful, very patient and very understanding. Thank you Jehangir.

Well now I bet, my blog is better than Happy’s.

Happy who?
You Haven’t Met happy yet?
Though It would be wrong to confess here, I like both happy and his blog more than me and my blog. Meet him now.

This one is for you - my valentine

There are a few things in life that changes you as a person, I was a changed man (well I used to smile at myself not calling boy anmore).

I had saved some 400 rupees by washing and ironing my clothes for the last 2 months. 150 of it I had already planned to spend on flowers. I could get 30 roses 5 zarberas for that money back then. I wished giving one rose to everyone I thought I knew fairly in my class. And the 5 zarberas were special. The day before, for the entire day I had been trying to optimize the other hard saved 250 rs.. Her favourite shop was “My Fair Lady” and it was fairly costly for my meager means. I bought a jewellery set or something that could be called so for 100rs. The ring was beautiful. It was my first valentine and a ring, however cheap in value, I thought was must. Whole day long I had been dreaming of going on my knees with a yellow zarbera and a ring, making her feel the most loved valentine of all time. I can still remember that excitement and elation of the thought of holding her hand in mine and sliding that beautiful diamond ring in her finger, kissing her hands (the diamond part was only for the thoughts).

The day started beautifully with me giving those roses to my classmates. I remember that odd jerk getting surprised at the fact that someone gave him a flower. I could hardly hide my anticipation for the evening with blushing and smiling alternatively. I know not if she noticed me blushing from the bench behind mine. The classes took excruciatingly longer time that day as I waited for the evening. Whole day we talked in whispers as our friends teased us through the day. Well it was a rare day and I got ready in the evening for a date, my first one. I walked down the road from my rented apartment to hers, in my hand-washed and ironed clothes. I met 2 of my friends who gave very encouraging smiles (unlike these days, back then we were the only “couple” in my class). And down she came from those stairs in her white silk dress and sea green dupatta. She had looks of a young lady and she smiled like a child. As we walked that road to the restaurant, we talked of all things that made us feel special.

Valentine’s day was not a big concept back then in that small place, so we were not expecting any waiting time at the restaurant so early. We sat there on the table opposite to each other, trying to fake our just-another-date looks. There were so many differences that existed between us but not on that day, that day we were young Man and Woman almost touching our twenties, trying to be our best for the one we thought we want to be with all our life. I know it’s quite amateurish to talk of life at 20 but it’s in the age of innocence that ignorance enlightens our actions. You learn in youth the things you understand when you are old. I wanted to take out that ring from my pocket and put it on her hands, and wanted to tell her about all those romantic promises that I had thought of. I knew she too was waiting for me to talk things that she never liked listening to in books and movies. It was a state of nervous chaos, as 3 glasses of water disappeared and I was worried that it can create trouble at the right time. A usual bowl of sweet corn soup also disappeared as soft music was being played on the dim lit table of the restaurant.

I was about to utter something that I had practiced all day, when I saw head of our engineering department enter the restaurant, taking the table next to ours. He was notoriously known for not accepting students getting romantic. I swear nervousness for romance and fear of a call to parents is not a good cocktail. She too was afraid of the whole situation. But someone said to get what you never had, you need to do that you never did. In my nervous moments I took her hand, looked into her eyes and said, “I love you” (softly enough not to be heard by the devil on the next table). As I slid that ring in her right hand and hold her hand in mine, I learned things about youth and love that I now understand.

{To put the facts clearly on table, I could not kiss her hand. She now prefers spinach soup to my sweet corn soup after our marriage. She now wears a delicate diamond ring and she still laughs like a child.}

waiting for 5th September as Kashmir meets Mumbai onscreen

Am not sure how great will the next Friday be but I think it is going to be a different Friday. 2 unusual movies are going to get released on next Friday and the story they have to tell us looks simply amazing.

A Wednesday is a thriller centered around happening on a Wednesday in the city of Mumbai. It is about how a police commissioner confronts a difficult situation. It brings the two greats Anupam kher and Naseeruddin Shah together along with Jimmy Shergill. I doubt how good the movie would have been executed, but after a Mumbai meri Jaan I do expect decent stuff from UTV.

Tahaan on the other hand has a different hero. The hero is a young boy and the story is about his love for his donkey. Unusual story telling by all standards but that is not what we would be waiting for in this movie. The movie will give us a view of beautiful Kashmir valley from the best eye of camera in the present day Indian Cinema – Santosh Sivan. Starcast for this movie too is impressive – Rahul Bose, Anupam Kher, Victor Banerjee, Sarika and Rahul Khanna. To know more check this out : http://passionforcinema.com/tahaan-exclusive-look-and-theatrical-promo/

After long long time ....

Last I wrote a post on my blog was 30th April, 4 months have passed after that, 4 long month when I had many things to say and express. Bigflix membership, Cricket matches, My 2nd marriage anniversary and my wife's birthday, A promotion and a little frustration at work, pay hikes, a new season beggining for singing competitions, Ranbaxy is sold, Jane tu ya jane na, A quiz from sakaal times and another from landmark, a few visits from our parents, a broken leg for my brother in law, marriage of 2 of my best friends (with each other).... a lot went into these months which I had to write but could not. Finally, I am back. I really missed writing in my space for all these days. Hope I will be able to catch up with my backlog soon and well.

Rosogullas Never Tasted Sweeter : Brand Equity Quiz 2008 (Pune Region)

Well it was the big Brand Equity Quiz again. Last year Abha and I had gone to attend the BEQ regional finals for Pune region and boy!! what charm did the winning team have. I think they were the best team we had seen on stage and they immediately became our favourites. The team was from Savoir Faire, Goa. Abha has been a fan of the team for the last whole year. But 2nd April was all the more interesting with this years Pune edition of Brand equity quiz.

I had been preparing with Abha (well for those who dont know yet, she is my wife) for some time and had been ducking most of the Business related questions she kept asking for all of the month of March on dinner table, at morning breakfast and during our romantic drives on Pune roads. I also kept trying for the whole period to ask her questions that she might not answer (though most of the times I failed).

Coming back to 2nd April, here we were, half an hour early at the venue, not at a surprise to see, Savoir Faire, the persistent team and the Boat club quizzers, all out there. Me and my partner Siddharth, were hopeful but unprepared :), abha and her partner Ramanathan were also hopeful but a lot more geared up for the day. Initially before Derek O Brien came for the final quizzing, there was an elimination round conducted by Andrew Scolt. It ranged from questions like "Nirma's initial price in rs./kg" to "which is the famous Biryani house in Hyderabad?" , from History to Alcohol, from Cricket to Michael Jackson, From stock exchanges to Grapes named after ministers..... A well conducted elimination round.

Well as expected My team could not survive the elimination round itself, and i went back in the crowd sitting next to my parents and cousin. But Abha's team survived and it was a winning streak from there on for the team I cheered till end (it was absolutely weird to cheer 2 teams, the other being Infosys' Gaurav and Manish who came third). They were leading most of the times outperforming the champions Savoir Faire, it was a stunning performance from TCS (Abha and Ramanathan are from TCS Pune) as the game went in to a last round as both the teams were crawling 5 points with every question not losing to the other.

The whole game went on to the last question, "K.C. Das is credited for invention of what?", both the teams were at 70, and I knew that Abha's team had to go for it, a great quizzing effort made lady luck smile on them with the last question pertaining to kolkata (both Ramanathan and Abha have stayed long in kolkata), to press the buzzer and answer "Rosogulla". Derek in a classic Derek Style, didnot announce the winner till the last moment of prize distribution ceremony, making me and my family as tense as Savoir Faire Team's family. But at the end Rosogullas from TCS survived the Konkani trail blazers.

Well, it was a great feeling of pride when her name was announced, as I could feel her reaching for things that she has always wished for. Definitely brought a little tear in my eyes. Made me remember the time exactly a year back when the event was Lanmark Quiz in Pune and Derek had appreciated her for giving an audience answer. This is what I had written for her then ...

http://jkpcblogs.blogspot.com/2007/01/girl-with-visibly-large-ear-rings.html

An ET report on the same can be found at : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ET_Cetera/TCS_beats_Savoir_Faire_in_Pune_BE_Quiz/articleshow/2924217.cms

Dark horses run faster on a sunday afternoon

Every good thing has to start somewhere.

This weekend was a start of 2 such things for us.

1. we have registered a new flat on our name which is like investing all we have in something.

2. Started taking Quizzing a little more seriously.

Well am writing this blog to talk about the second. It is my wife and wife alone who keeps me pushing for attending all the quizzes and especially business quizzes that happen in the city. I also get to read a few things along with her for her preparation. Atlast it seems it was all for good and am starting i got a good Morale booster this weekend.

This Sunday at Taj Blue Diamond, happened the Pune regional Finals of Tata Crucible. There were about 125 teams which were participating in the quiz and the first round was of prelims where there were 25 questions asked based on which 2 tracks Finalist were to be decided (6 tata track teams and 6 Non Tata track teams). My wife had participated in the TATA track and me in Non-tata track. My Partner, a particularly bright quizzer from my own college and company, Adheer had lost the touch since last 1 year but was far better than what I could have ever been. And he knew many of the prelims answers ( I too knew a few, so there was definitely some contribution from my side too, Thanks to my Abha for all pestering that she has done in last one year).

The prelims were over and started the TATA track immediately after that. Abha and Deepak (Abha's Teammate, very bright and old time quizzer indeed) both started in a wonderful wonderful form and were leading the quiz in the first two rounds, and it was in the last and fourth round that the questions were to be answered on buzzer and they missed it all as the other team from TCS mumbai was very quick on buzzer. But at the end it was a very very good competition where Abha and Deepak were Runners up by a fraction of seconds. A very proud moment for me indeed :). And it was the first cash prize for my wife in her quizzing career. TATA track ended very well.

Abha's answers about the Darjling Tea logo and a Nescafe add were simply outstanding. Deepak worked out Insulin as an answer to a genric brand in cross word in an awesome manner. The other team was very very good but for me they were the winners.

WIth the start of Non TATA track, we were never expecting our names to be called as we had seen some of the best teams of the region around. Infact team 1 and team 2 were called and team 3 (who eventually won the quiz) was savoir faire (who had won the Brand Equity Quiz from the region earlier this year). I was in complete awe of that team and was looking forward to a great quiz when the fourth team called was our. Absolutely unexpected. After our team too we saw a team from Persistent which had been participating in other good quizzes. I definitely thought that we have lost it and we actually did. But getting on to the stage for the first time for a business quiz was an experience in itself for me. And that was a very proud moment for my wife :).

We knew answers to just 3 questions in the entire quiz out of which one was directed towards us ( I could guess the brad advertised and was very happy on that :)). Another thing I knew was TISCROM material was used entirely to make Howrah Bridge. Adheer knew that Date palm from india is Tamar-e-Hind which brings the present day name of Tamarind. Adheer made some wonderful guesses to work out the other questions which I had absolutely no clue about. But in the end we stood 4th with 2 other teams loosing to the 2nd and 3rd team which were ten points ahead of us. Savoir faire did it again this year. They were absolutely amazing.

But the day marked some very good moments for us. and the day shall always be remembered:).

For more details on the contest visit the website of tata crucible :http://www.tatacrucible.com/

Some Photos around Pune

It was some 7-8 months back that i had gone to these places, the weather around just after monsoon is amazing. We had lost our ways while going from Lonawala to Mulshi and we never knew where mulshi was, but the road that we took gave us some of the very beautiful picturesque moments as above.

Water in Monsoon always has a soothing effect to eyes too.

Somethings Don't Need Narration :)

The Girl With Visibly Large Ear-rings

Day Before yesterday, Me and my wife went to a Derek-O-Brien's Lanmark Quiz 2007(Pune), though we were sure that we are never going to clear the prelims, the idea of participating in a Quiz with my wife was exciting enough for me to go there. Though we did not get selected but our performance was way beyond our expectations.

Then there were many many audience prize, and came a question from Derek,

"Which animal has the thickest and the most dense fur ?"

And there was this young boy 2.5 feet tall standing in my front seat, in a white-orange shirt, jumping to give the answer, and Derek called him out to answer by addressing him as the "Old Man in Orange and WHite t-shirt" ... He was thrilled to give the answer and suddenly i could see people around him, his mother and Grand Ma, who were equally thrilled and happy to see him answer. I could not understand the thrill of his mother and grand ma.


Then came another question.....


"Apart from Jawahar Lal Nehru who is the only other person on whom Shyam Benegal has made a documentary film?"

I was the one to give the answer from my team (Though most of the other answers were given by my wife, who is a far better quizzer than what i am) in the written round and at the time of asking this, my wife was ready to give the answer, Derek spotted her right in the midst of a huge crowd,

"Yes, the girl with visibly large Ear-rings, there in the pink top, ..........

Oh .... You have a nice smile........ And nice teeth too.... "

I had already stopped listening to Derek and was lost in watching her on the big screen behind Derek..... She was in a hurry for her audience prize and was feeling good for getting appreciated but atlast the hurry was prominent and she just interrupted him and said

"The Answer Is Satyajit Ray...." Derek Looked at her almost in disbelief, i think he was not expecting a correct answer,

"What do they say in the beauty contest? Beauty with brains....... " , He exclaimed letting her know that she was correct.

But in the mean while while looking her on the screen for 45 seconds, it was an experience where somewhere inside me i felt proud, i liked her on screen.

Suddenly I realized what was the feeling that the Mother and Grand Ma of the "Old Man in Orange and WHite t-shirt" had felt.