The post on the Tata's....

The earlier post I'd put up on Jamshedpur and the Tatas, was from an article not by L.N.Mittal but by Suhel Seth, and you can access it here. The error is regretted, and thanks to Pritam Jaipuria (whom I haven't been able to find a link for), for directing me to the right place.

Yogaaaaaaaahhhh!

I’ve taken up yoga pretty regularly of late – it’s the latest fad in my life and for the time-being, I’m completely hooked. In fact, I even quit gymming as a consequence, simply because I feel that this is so much more effective for me. I enjoy it more than huffing and puffing in the gym to some dhin-chak music that I would be happier not listening to for the 100th time, and it helps in creating better awareness of one’s body as well. What kind of yoga am I into? It’s called Bharat Thakur’s Artistic Yoga, and combines cardiovascular training with the mental and spiritual level of things. Over the past few weeks, my body has realized it has so many muscles which were dormant, and it’s a good feeling to get those initial aches and pains out of the way as you progress on your way to a healthier body.

What I like about it, is that it is not so much about preaching as it is about working out and realizing exactly what muscles you are pulling or pushing and why. We’ve only had one class so far that was a bit philosophical, but even those, because they are the exception rather than the rule, are quite enjoyable. My instructor, by the way, thinks I have way too many questions ‘on life’, to which he admits he has no better answers than the next person, such as:

- what qualifies as ‘good’ and ‘bad’, because what may be good for me could be bad for someone else and vice-versa?
- this is a classic one: why was I born? (!!!!)

Of course, there are some answers that are pretty obvious, but I take one of them to be a pretty decent answer to most questions: one of my fellow yoga-mates had a query on why she wasn’t able to do a particular stretch ‘like XYZ’, and my instructor replied that everyone has a separate body and no two bodies will respond alike to the same thing. We aren’t meant to. I think that also answers a question that often pops up in my mind like an unwanted weed every now and then: why am I not as successful as ABC? The answer lies in the premise that I shouldn’t be comparing myself to ABC in the first place. His or her parameters for success are in all probability different from mine. My yoga instructor is 35 and all he does is teach yoga. That’s it. No other full-time job or anything. He lives life on his terms and is not worried about success, failure and the rest of it. Whereas, a Harvard MBA grad is probably preoccupied with how much money he or she can make and how fast he or she can climb the corporate ladder. I want an incredibly satisfying, meaningful relationship to last forever – that might not be a priority for others. That does not in any way make me less of a success than them now, does it?

I guess that’s what we call life. Imagine if everyone in the world lived the life of a Wall Street or Liverpool Street banker, or if everyone was an artist or poet. It takes all kinds, and one should live and let live.

People are a problem!

The major problem – one of the major problems, for there are several – one of many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.

To summarize: it is a well-known fact, that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.

- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Four Parts

How true. Especially applies to Indian politics, if you ask me!

A New Year has dawned...

Happy New Year everyone.

2006 has started off on a very satisfactory note for me. I’ve already managed to do a few of the things I suggested in my last piece here. The weekend was rocking. V finally made it to Bangalore and there was no better time for him to come here than New Year’s. You know, many people ask me now and again how we have managed to sustain a long-distance relationship for close to 4 years. Seriously – I don’t know. There is no precise answer to that. It’s a lot of things – love, patience, commitment, compromise and trust being the foremost that come to my mind right now. It hasn’t been easy but it’s always felt right – I guess that’s what has kept us going.

Non-stop partying was the key phrase last weekend. Friday we went to the 13th Floor, which with its view of Bangalore and a nippy breeze blowing, was really refreshing as we went about downing a few drinks. Saturday was the day for a pleasant lunch at 100 Feet. It’s got such good décor and I don’t think most people realise that they have some pretty cool ethnic clothes, accessories and home fittings as well. Must go back there to pick up some stuff (mental note). And New Year’s Eve started out pretty badly with both of us coming down with fever and colds, but at the newly-renovated Noir Bar (previously the well-known ‘F’ bar), with unlimited drinks and snacks for the ticket that we bought, we were soon having a pretty good evening and didn’t even realise how midnight struck and 2006 waltzed in unnoticed – or should I say grooved in. On Sunday, we met some friends at Firangi Paani (‘The English Spirit’, the tagline says) at The Forum which was so packed I felt like I was a sardine in a tin can – I was just relieved when we managed to squeeze into Firangi Paani which had a bit more breathing space. I must be growing old – crowds and smoke no longer excite me. When I think of college and all the crazy times I had, even with all the smoke and crowds, it feels like such a different me now.

And by the way, guess what, I got my top 50 songs CD (V recorded it and gave it to me), and today I've heard the songs thrice over so far..ALL of them! I love those songs!

I wish I didn’t need to come to work today but it’s been pretty quiet so far, so no complaints. Mainly thanks to the fact that my boss is still on leave – haha.

Anyway, I’m not making any resolutions this year, let’s just see what 2006 has in store for me. It’s always the journey that’s so much more interesting than arrival at the destination (I keep reading that on the TV screen when I watch fillers on Discovery Travel and Living, one of my favourite channels) and this year, I hope to live that motto – enjoy the journey.

P.S: SublimePattern, time to start posting again - your last one-line blog piece has not had the desired reaction (heheheheh evil smile) :-)