Kali Temple in Vasant Kunj, DELHI

I am not sure as to what constitutes being religious and somehow I seem to find the Hindu Religion quite tolerant or perhaps I have tuned it to suit my requirements. Will God listen to me? Perhaps He/She would because if nothing else its my sincerity in my praying. I do not need to follow what you defined on how to pray to God, unless of course you could prove to me that HE/SHE came down to earth and told you how to!! Of course we have the age old documents like the Vedas etc where perhaps a lot of Code has been written but whether they were dictated by God or not is any body's guess.

So I have taken the middle path and sometimes I am not really sure what that means. Perhaps thats a seperate topic and I have deviated enough. Its just that I wanted to talk about the Kali Temple we have built in Vasant Kunj for the primary need for a place of worship(formal). When I am in Delhi do try to make a point to visit the same every week and somehow the temple premises imparts a sense of enlightenment in me. The deity of Kali really excites me and I am awed by the eyes of The Mother. I stand in front of her and it is as if she is piercing me and entering my brains and rekindling all the sedate energy inside.

Some tell me that this temple is "ALIVE" (Jagrata in Sanksrit) and that would mean that Mother is ever ready to take care of her children here. The children have to just call out her name and thats it. You can ask anything, any wish, any want and all that. She is our Mother and she listens. I know for sure and I don't have to rely on others to tell me.

On New Moon Day we have a special Puja, while most other Hindu religious occasions are celebrated there. If you are in Vasant Kunj next time, why don't you pay a visit and the best part is you need not be a Hindu to do so. Sphere: Related Content

KBC (Khan Bacchan CrossOver)

Khan has taken over Bacchan. The Desi version of "Who wants to be a millionaire?" is once again up on air with Sharukh Khan as the host.

Now I did like Amitabh earlier, but King Khan is worth our money too. I am enjoying the casual atmosphere and I have a feeling that his endeavour has been to make the contestant feel at ease. Big B on the other hand had a larger than life presence and we were in constant awe.

I like both, but the Khan is better for me. We are on equal terms. I am sure the contestants and other viewers would agree. If you do I like you, and if you don't lets meet up any way!!! Sphere: Related Content

NDTV and Prannoy Roy

I remember Mr. Roy appearing on Doordarshan as a psephologist years back. Its been quite some time now and today I was watching him again on a discussion in NDTV along with Barkha Dutt, Kapil Sibal and Ravishankar Prasad. They were discussing UP and Punjab Polls, Quatrocchi extradiction and other stuff and it was absolutely direction less.

To make matters worse, on a seriouys question posed by the hosts on Q's extradition, Mr Roy was extremely frivolous in his reply and had to hear a bit in retort from Kapil Sibal. I have been noticing this trait of Mr Roy lately of trying to be humorous in any and everything.

I am sorry!! You are failing Mr. Roy!! Sphere: Related Content

Oscar

I was watching the Oscar awards and one thing I am in awe with are the comperes and hosts. The elan with which they present the shows is truly fascinating. I can only think of a comparison here with the filmfare awards being hosted by Shahrukh and Saif.

I know for sure that I personanlly favour movies of any language provided they don't break into song and dance sequences unnecessarily. Its not that I hate Indian movies, but I am quite often haunted by thoughts that why cinema all over the world are different. Even back home the films by the renowned better film makers do not follow the schema of songs and dance sequences. Any way, thats the situation and I am not here to change the format. I can after all select the movie I want to watch and thats good enough.

Oscars are always special, since anything American is always special? Relatives settled in America. holidaying in America, movies from America, clothes got from America...you know the way people bully you with information. But lets get back to movies. I can tell you that there are a lot of Chinese and Korean movies worth watching. European movies too. The question is where do I get them. Sometimes I feel that I should be back home in Kolkata and then the Film Clubs would have come to my rescue.

This year Deepa Mehta's Water did not win and lost out to a German Movie. Every Indian worth his salt should watch that movie. I wish there are more movies produced worth the Oscars. Rang De Basanti vs. Water? Please !!! Give me a break (I am sorry Mr. Rakeysh Mehra). Itd not that I did not like the former. Its just that difference between First Class and Economy.

Good Night Folks!! Sphere: Related Content

Exam Time

Its examination time these days. Most kids would be couped up at home, including my daughter, studying hard. But the interesting part is that the tension perhaps is more with the parents, than with the children themselves. I am clueless on what my own parents used to go through when I was young, but I reckon I had given them lesser heartburn. Some may disagree with ne but over all I could be true!!

The school gates earlier were always crowded with parents or grandparents waiting to dote on the children coming out. These days I find its mostly chauffers who come to pick the children up. The mothers are either working or the homemakers(!) are busy with kitty parties. The grandparents perhaps stay in another city and the father will not get leave from the insensitive organisations for carrying out this chore.

I am keen to talk sbout teachers in schools these days but I will do that seperately. Sphere: Related Content

The Headlines Today

Its been a mundane day as far as news in concerned. I switched on the television and found Cold Cream ads going on. Switched to another to find a movie star being interviewed. Yet another journalist was showing his finger to a lesser politician. I gave up. There is no news today. No blasts, no murders and no nothing. The PM has not spoken, Sonia Gandhi(she is the ring mistress) is perhaps under cover and the CBI is trying for a ticket to Argentina. Thats about it. Oh and Sourav Ganguly has won a contract from Puma.

Thats all and Good Night!! Sphere: Related Content

I hate Delhi

Somehow I don’t like Delhi!! I have nothing against anybody hailing from Delhi nor do I like to dislike the broad roads and so many other good things of Delhi. But my reaction overall is still a big NO. Now everything may not have a strong logic. Some “psychology” professionals might also raise their eyebrows because of my expression without any so called theorem. But then, who cares.

I have been in the city since the last 15 years now but still this place has not grown on me. The average driver on the road is extremely rude and keeps pushing you around. The vegetable fellows are liars on the quality and price. A lot of shopkeepers have actually done us a favor by opening their shops or that’s what they think. Even the Times of India is just another selling agent trying to peddle their news. Bad english, self boasting proclamations now and then, etc, etc. I used to dislike the HT too till such time when Vir Sanghvi took over and now I know that somehow I am biased towards people from Kolkata. Suhel Seth though pompous still manages my attention. Now when I take a head count of my friends in Delhi, 95% of them happen to have a Kolkata connection and I find this amazing, amusing and astounding.

Now you might ask why should the world care for my preferences. And I might ask you as to why are you here reading this in the first place!! Sphere: Related Content