Diwali day in Bangalore

Yesterday was Diwali day. After the customary greetings exchanged with friends and relatives, I thought it would be a good idea to use the opportunity to check out some high end villas in Bangalore...Of course, purchasing them is out of question with my current state of finances. But at least, I know what my future goals should be oriented to...Charles Dickens had once written a novel called Great Expectations after meeting a character like me. He was kind of nutty that way...

Anyways, my bro-in-law, who is equally daft, felt that it would be a good idea to spend the Diwali checking out the villas. Hence, off we went to check out a set of villas which also has a golf course as an amenity. When we rode a good 60 kms to reach the place, we found the place closed on account of Diwali. Since the place if pretty close to Nandi hills, we decided to check out the hills made famous by the great Tipu Sultan.

Nandi hills is a pleasant drive through some of the wine yards of Bangalore. You have friendly villagers who are always willing to give you directions to the hillock with a smile. I guess they are used to lost tourists. Anyways, after a steep ride in course of which we saw a pretty actress shooting for a movie/serial, we reached a ticket counter where they charge Rs 80 for taking the car upto the top of the hill. There is a garden at the top of the hill and some government guest houses. There is also a KSTDC guest house that is constructed at the edge of a sheer drop offering a wonderful view of the country side below. Sitting at the edge of Tipu's drop (thats what they have given the name to the granite monolith) is an awe inspiring experience that needs to be experienced rather than described. We had lunch at the KSTDC guest house where the food is decently priced. However, the softdrinks are expensive priced at double the MRP. We left back for Bangalore city immediately after lunch.

Later, I visited my cousin's place which is located in a predominantly Marwari locality. Now, I always have felt that Diwali in Bangalore is a dull affair. However, the visit to my cousin's place changed my perception. The amount of crackers being burst was phenomenal and the fireworks were amazing. Driving through the streets was like driving through a war zone. In fact, I couldn't park my car on the road outside my cousins place because burning bits of crackers kept falling on the car. Though I abhor the waste of money through fireworks, I have to admit that it was a wonderful experience. For some time, I felt my mind racing back in time to the gullys of Kalyan where as a young child, I too had shown the same fervor bursting crackers. Its ironic that the spirit of Diwali , especially in terms of bursting crackers, seems to be more prevalent among the poor of India rather than the rich...Could it be because the poor use this festival as a temporary hiatus from their dreary life...

Hello Blogging!!! A day ill spent.

Thought I would start blogging...Partly because I think it is high time I inflict my thoughts upon the world (or atleast on who ever cares to read this blog), partly because I been out of school for some time now and have forgotten how to string a few words together but primarily because of lack of anything better to do.

Ok..so here goes nothing. hmmm...Hmm...Hmmm...well, I seem to have struck writers block already. Or is it the utter lack of original or even plagiarized ideas?

Talking of having nothing better to do...it is funny how we waste our lives doing inconsequential stuff. Anyone worth his salt will tell you that how wasting time is sinful, how it is the most precious commodity available to us (a good partner(s) in bed would be an exception..), how we need to pack our time doing meaningful stuff, blah blah blah. This is a universal truth that all of us know...However, how many of us really do use our time effectively????Atleast not me...unless you call lolling on the sofa flipping channels on the remote life as one of life's wonderful experiences (perhaps it is, but not when it is indulged in day after day, hour after hour, night after night)...

Today being a holiday here in India, I woke up late with a terrible hangover, courtesy a few drinks last night. Made the customary calls to the parents and the wife early in the day...After this, I checked the position of my investments, found that the stock market is upbeat, helped myself to two glasses of wine and again went to bed. Lay all afternoon and a bulk of the evening thinking about the past, thoughts alternately flitting between the euphoria of successes enjoyed and the pain of failures endured. With the reminiscences came its sister - plans for the future. I spent time planning for the my future, for the future of my wife, daughter, parents....and while I was at it, even on how to improve society, the nation, mankind. By the time I was done, I looked out of the window and saw that the shadows of the evening were lengthening and covering what little was left of a beautiful day. What a waste of a way to spend a day...A day that was unique, a day that held so much promise, a day that Time has finished placing in her cupboard, never to be shared with anyone again... To be fair to Time, she had gracefully shared the day with me...however, I was too preoccupied with my musings to really appreciate her gift. And now, when she had forever taken it away, I am left with a feeling of loss, a feeling of ineptitude, a feeling of being cheated by none other than my own self. What could have been a chance to have a new chance to experience life was frittered away...