Bombaypolis Moments.... Part 4

"Mall ratting" is the in-thing now. The established malls are having amazing footfalls , while the newer ones are struggling to survive. The crowds throng malls, on weekends, not only for shopping, but also for window-shopping, "timepass" and live shows....

I often wonder what proportion of the foot-falls in a mall would be genuine customers? Very few, I guess. That's why stores are not able justify the cost of their existence in malls, are rentals remain high. That's why stores barely survive for about a year and then move out....

In womenswear boutiques, males always have a harrowing time while the women spend hours and hours on their "retail therapy". This photo shows a chubby kid, sitting beneath hangars of women's wear at the Biba store, visibly very bored and irritated, while his mom and sister shopped away to glory..... It was a scene I would never forget....

Little kids have a great time mall-ratting - demanding balloons, ice-creams, toys, Happy-Meals, etc. This little boy was thoroughly enjoying his Happy-Meal and Coke outside one of the malls at Goregaon. All this, while this patiently waited..... Such things are a treat to watch.
But, all this if you are lucky to get parking space for your car....

While we may have graduated to glitzy glass and chrome malls, foreign brands, designer wear, fast food chains, some of our communities remain extremely sexist, with a marked preference for the male kid. One can see such a discrimination by practised by supposedly well educated parents. I came across these interesting stickers during a recent routine medical test at a suburban laboratory recently.

Yes, pink or blue, we still love you.....

With the onset of the Monsoon, Bombay has suddenly become very pleasant and green. More on that in the next edition of Bombaypolis Moments.....

Bombaypolis Moments.... Part 3

Bombaypolis Moments is back, with the third in the series of mobile grabs.
Commuting in Bombay has always been and continues to be a pain, especially when you have to pass over large potholes on roads considered the best in the city. I have heard of people developing bad backs, women having abortions because of bumpy rides. Is the BMC listening?

Traffic jams have always been a part of life in the city. But the rains make it worse. Expects traffic snarls all through the day. Trust me, it could take you as much as 2 hours to cover a stretch of 2 kms. I have been through it.

Two traffic menaces one has to be careful about - the BEST buses, which are the bug red bullies on the road - they don't even think twice before braking hard just a few inches behind you.

And who can ignore the autorickshaws. They come out of nowhere, like swarms of bees (black and yellow), with noisy drones and get right into your path. What the hell is lane driving?

The Bandra Worli sealink is ready and to be opened shortly. But will it do any good when you are sure to expect jams at both the Bandra and Worli ends?

If you are brave enough, have strong bones and need a massage, travel by train. Its the fastest. But the uninitiated can get minced to the bone, like sardines in a can!!!!

Bandra station is never this empty, except after 11 PM. Wish train rides during the day would be as convenient as at this hour.

For those who choose to walk, another menace lurks on the streets - stray dogs. Sometimes they really get aggressive with hapless pedestrians, without any provocation. Animal lovers may not like, but the menace needs to be stopped.

And who says jams are only on the ground? Ever tried landing into Bombay airport at any hour? You are sure to find "jams" in the sky too with endless hovering..... That's what they call going around in circles!

Air Force One, Singh is King, etc. etc.

Air Force One is here. During an interview to CNBC earlier this week, Obama was pursued by a persistent fly. Obama reached out and swatted the fly. Fly swatting is fine, but what about swatting out the Taliban and the al Qaeda from their cave hideouts in Af-Pak? How the hell can he do that when he coolly lets out terror suspects from Guantanamo Bay into exotic locales like Bermuda, as The New York Times reported earlier this week? Perhaps, he thinks these guys deserve a paid vacation, right?



Our Prime Minister is truly a King. Without battling an eyelid, he told Zardari that terror from Pakistan has to stop. Finally someone from India had the guts to do it. Zardari apparently is so pissed off that he has decided to give the NAM summit a miss. That is what has to be done. The Prime Minister has again proved that Singh is indeed King..... But there will challenges ahead and best wishes to him to tackle the challenges that he would face ahead.

I was saddened by the off-colour jokes that our FM channels have been playing about Shiney Ahuja allegedly raping his servant. Whether it's true or not, I am not going to debate that. Rape is indeed an heinous crime, but till the accused has been proven guilty, he remains an accused. Who has thought of the trauma that the families of both the accused and the victim would be facing now? But the media in a grave display of insensitivity goes on and on ad-nauseum.

Why?

A lazy Sunday afternoon. Dark Monsoon clouds have come into the city. As I look, out of my window, at the dark clouds float in the sky, blocking the bright sunshine, I think of the past few years, the good and the not-so-good experiences, the sunny days and the rainy days.... and I come up with quite a few simple, yet unanswered questions....

We begin our lives with an eternal optimism, hope and excitement. Why do we lose it on the way?

We know what we want. But why do we let cynicism take over? Why do we let ourselves get anchored to the past? Why do we merely extrapolate the past?

We look to the future with hope. We hope for a bright future. But then why do we lose the present? Why do we lose the moment we live in? Why can't we approach each day as if it were to be the best day of our lives?

We meet people who pain us all the time. Yet, why do we waste time thinking of these people and forget the people who love us?

We love people. We want to be loved. Yet, why do we make the people who love us bang their heads when they try to "course-correct" us?

We look for big joys in life. But then why do we ignore the small joys that each day brings us, which are the building-blocks of the bigger joys that we look forward to?

We desire great careers, successful jobs and professional success. But do we ever think of remembering those who made us reach where we are today? Do we ever think of giving back to our "support-system" that breathes life into us?

Why?

Movies to die for....

And who can do without movies?

These are some of my favorite movies that I can see over and over again without ever getting sick and tired of them are:
The Ten Commandments: A wonderfully picturized Biblical tale of what today's managers would term as 'Strategic Intent', of how Moses led his people out of slavery to the proverbial land of milk and honey. Jerry Macguire: The story of Jerry (Tom Cruise) who stood up for what he thought was just, took a stand and engineered success through a 'soft-approach'. The most memorable scene in the movie was when Jerry tells Rod Tidwell to play from his heart and not his head. And who can forget the amusing Ray (Jonathan Lipnicki) saying "D'you know that my next door neighbor has three rabbits?"Cast Away: A guide on how to survive when the chips are down! What use is the beauty of the uninhabited South Pacific island to Chuck, without his companion. But he keeps his spirit alive, finds his companion in Wilson and sees his way through to civilization. Forrest Gump: The travelogue of Forrest leads us through the war in Vietnam, anti-war demonstrations at Washington, ping-pong in Beijing and lots more. And Forrest's simplicity and southern drawl makes the flick a must watch. My favorite dialogue here is the way Forrest describes his childhood sweetheart - "Me and Jenny was like peas and carrots!" Ben-Hur: And miracles do happen, and time is great leveller - this is what Judah Ben-Hur's story has to say. To pick a dialog from the flick - "You may conquer the land, you may slaughter the people. That is not the end. We will rise again." is some attitude one should live by.
You've Got Mail: A delightful romantic comedy is a real treat to watch after a hard day's work, especially Kathleen Kelly or Meg Ryan's child-like banter. Ghost: There are some things that transcend the recurring cycles of time, of life and death, for some inexplicable reason, which is better left unexplained. There lies the beauty of it all. The magic of Whoopi's acting was amazing but the clincher is the scene of Sam (Swayze) and Molly (Demi) on the potter's wheel, with the Unchained Melody playing. When I see this movie, I am reminded of my blog, Zindagi Ke Saath Bhi, Zindagi Ke Baad Bhi!

Surely, these are movies to die for....