Its been a while since I wrote on my blog so I'm a bit anxious because I haven't said my bit about the world which is going quite crazy as we speak.
Amidst all the euphoria and criticism of President Obama's visit I was too caught up with an exhausting as well as enlightening Diwali weekend.
Left without a housekeeper or a maid, ditched by both without notice, I was stuck with housework and a demanding dog who has never in his five years been alone for a second in the house.
So if I went to the loo I caught him seated right outside the door when I stepped out, and if I dared to open the main door, even if only to keep my garbage can outside the door for the cleaners to collect it, I could feel the warmth of Charlie's paranoia on my back and would turn around to see him terrified of being left in alone.
So from the super market to the kitchen, I had to take my big black canine, everywhere with me. For some reason he considers my car to be as comfortable as home and my driver to be as comforting as my housekeeper, so while he rested in the boot of my Safari, I ran from store to store and wrapped up my simple and necessary shopping and returned home to housework which included, sweeping, mopping, cooking, serving as well as feeding the dog who also ended up with an injury so therefore nursing too.
I was so tired by the time the weekend started that the day after Diwali, I put my dog in my car and drove off to Khandala with a friend on Saturday night after attending an intimate dinner hosted by Pooja Bhatt where Dr. Ravi Zacharais interestingly took us through some enlightening experiences from his own life and spoke about various things which were personal to him but relevant to the entire audience which was a mix of actors, evangelists, artistes, writers, film makers, fashion designers and other creative folk.
I sort of connected with Dr. Zacharais when he spoke about his childhood and how amongst his siblings, he was a blacksheep, never interested in academics and always in trouble. The only difference was that while his father kept telling his mother that one day their child would bring shame to the family, my father kept telling my mother right through my childhood that one day I would bring fame to the family. While Zacharaiss' unsuccessful attempt to commit suicide at the age of 17, was a turning point in his life, I was in realization of why there had never been a turning point in my life.
It was obviously because I had always lived never to take my life, as I believed, that because of my fathers encouragement to me despite all my failures, there was something within me which was worth living for. Right at that time though I did feel suicidal, because my dog who loves to be driven in a car was being taken around all of Bandra so he would remain calm while I attended this lovely evening, and diesel was burning while I sat listening to a man who was particularly charming and withholding.
Pooja has a way with managing people from different walks of life brought together by her electric personality. Munna and she had invited Dino Morea, Soni Razdan, Deepak Tijori, Salim Asgarally, Helen, Salim of Salim Javed fame, Jhonny Lever, and many others who sat through the hour long talk by the dynamic Dr. Zacharais who perhaps is as good an orator as Obama.
I was in Khandala through the Sunday that the President of America was in our city and before leaving had heard and read plenty of criticism about his visit to India being badly planned so it had complicated life of the common man during Diwali in Mumbai.
When I returned Mr. Obama was in New Delhi and I had a new housekeeper, Savita, in my house.
I heard him address the Parliament in the capital city on Monday evening as I sipped off a hot cup of tea made by Savita, who was most curious to know who this guy on every channel was.
I was completely riveted.
He was brilliant and humble and simple and uncomplicated.
More surprising was the vote of thanks awarded to the proceedings by speaker Meira Kumar. She was outstanding as she spoke in English and Hindi. She was striking and impressive. Truely, in that moment, at that meeting with the Parliament of the Obama which I was watching on TV, it made me feel that India had arrived.
It has!
Nobody in the media noticed it, but I did.
At the dinner hosted by the President Pratibha Patil, Obama pushed in a snide remark in his speech to shut tongues wagging about his poorly timed visit to Mumbai during Diwali when he reminded the entire gathering that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited the US in his first year of office during Thanks Giving last year and that weekend to the Americans is as important as the weekend of Diwali is to Indians.
I think we Indians made too much of it.
Later that night, Shobha De wore her Mumbaiat on a channel on TV when she ranted on about Mumbaikars not making so much of Obama's visit to Mumbai as Delhiites are making of his visit to New Delhi.
I don't think it is true.
Mumbaikars were as excited, but wholly embarrassed that the leader who was receiving and entertaining the President of America was tainted with corruption charges and that everyone knew that he was on his way out.
This evening the media, electronic and print, is still under the Obama effect, analysing and discussing each word said to India by him on every podium.
Chavan is out and so has Kalmadi been asked to go.
I want to know what will happen to the Generals and other officers of the Army, as well as the bureaucrats who enabled scams of the magnitude of CWG and the Adarsh Society to take place.
What will happen about Raja, Yeddurappa and perhaps every other being in our politics who is a scamster or a criminal.
Who will replace Chavan? A scamster who was thrown out many years ago? Someone who the people of India have forgotten, was perhaps as, or more corrupt?
Everyone in India knows that the only thing holding the nation back from taking the greatest steps forward is corruption.
Everyone knows, that it HAS to be weeded out.
As I live in the comfort of having a housekeeper take care of everything around the house, and a dog who sleeps forever sprawled on the floor or on the cushions besides wherever I park myself in my home, I do wonder if we will ever be able to lift the curse.
Amidst all the euphoria and criticism of President Obama's visit I was too caught up with an exhausting as well as enlightening Diwali weekend.
Left without a housekeeper or a maid, ditched by both without notice, I was stuck with housework and a demanding dog who has never in his five years been alone for a second in the house.
So if I went to the loo I caught him seated right outside the door when I stepped out, and if I dared to open the main door, even if only to keep my garbage can outside the door for the cleaners to collect it, I could feel the warmth of Charlie's paranoia on my back and would turn around to see him terrified of being left in alone.
So from the super market to the kitchen, I had to take my big black canine, everywhere with me. For some reason he considers my car to be as comfortable as home and my driver to be as comforting as my housekeeper, so while he rested in the boot of my Safari, I ran from store to store and wrapped up my simple and necessary shopping and returned home to housework which included, sweeping, mopping, cooking, serving as well as feeding the dog who also ended up with an injury so therefore nursing too.
I was so tired by the time the weekend started that the day after Diwali, I put my dog in my car and drove off to Khandala with a friend on Saturday night after attending an intimate dinner hosted by Pooja Bhatt where Dr. Ravi Zacharais interestingly took us through some enlightening experiences from his own life and spoke about various things which were personal to him but relevant to the entire audience which was a mix of actors, evangelists, artistes, writers, film makers, fashion designers and other creative folk.
I sort of connected with Dr. Zacharais when he spoke about his childhood and how amongst his siblings, he was a blacksheep, never interested in academics and always in trouble. The only difference was that while his father kept telling his mother that one day their child would bring shame to the family, my father kept telling my mother right through my childhood that one day I would bring fame to the family. While Zacharaiss' unsuccessful attempt to commit suicide at the age of 17, was a turning point in his life, I was in realization of why there had never been a turning point in my life.
It was obviously because I had always lived never to take my life, as I believed, that because of my fathers encouragement to me despite all my failures, there was something within me which was worth living for. Right at that time though I did feel suicidal, because my dog who loves to be driven in a car was being taken around all of Bandra so he would remain calm while I attended this lovely evening, and diesel was burning while I sat listening to a man who was particularly charming and withholding.
Pooja has a way with managing people from different walks of life brought together by her electric personality. Munna and she had invited Dino Morea, Soni Razdan, Deepak Tijori, Salim Asgarally, Helen, Salim of Salim Javed fame, Jhonny Lever, and many others who sat through the hour long talk by the dynamic Dr. Zacharais who perhaps is as good an orator as Obama.
I was in Khandala through the Sunday that the President of America was in our city and before leaving had heard and read plenty of criticism about his visit to India being badly planned so it had complicated life of the common man during Diwali in Mumbai.
When I returned Mr. Obama was in New Delhi and I had a new housekeeper, Savita, in my house.
I heard him address the Parliament in the capital city on Monday evening as I sipped off a hot cup of tea made by Savita, who was most curious to know who this guy on every channel was.
I was completely riveted.
He was brilliant and humble and simple and uncomplicated.
More surprising was the vote of thanks awarded to the proceedings by speaker Meira Kumar. She was outstanding as she spoke in English and Hindi. She was striking and impressive. Truely, in that moment, at that meeting with the Parliament of the Obama which I was watching on TV, it made me feel that India had arrived.
It has!
Nobody in the media noticed it, but I did.
At the dinner hosted by the President Pratibha Patil, Obama pushed in a snide remark in his speech to shut tongues wagging about his poorly timed visit to Mumbai during Diwali when he reminded the entire gathering that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited the US in his first year of office during Thanks Giving last year and that weekend to the Americans is as important as the weekend of Diwali is to Indians.
I think we Indians made too much of it.
Later that night, Shobha De wore her Mumbaiat on a channel on TV when she ranted on about Mumbaikars not making so much of Obama's visit to Mumbai as Delhiites are making of his visit to New Delhi.
I don't think it is true.
Mumbaikars were as excited, but wholly embarrassed that the leader who was receiving and entertaining the President of America was tainted with corruption charges and that everyone knew that he was on his way out.
This evening the media, electronic and print, is still under the Obama effect, analysing and discussing each word said to India by him on every podium.
Chavan is out and so has Kalmadi been asked to go.
I want to know what will happen to the Generals and other officers of the Army, as well as the bureaucrats who enabled scams of the magnitude of CWG and the Adarsh Society to take place.
What will happen about Raja, Yeddurappa and perhaps every other being in our politics who is a scamster or a criminal.
Who will replace Chavan? A scamster who was thrown out many years ago? Someone who the people of India have forgotten, was perhaps as, or more corrupt?
Everyone in India knows that the only thing holding the nation back from taking the greatest steps forward is corruption.
Everyone knows, that it HAS to be weeded out.
As I live in the comfort of having a housekeeper take care of everything around the house, and a dog who sleeps forever sprawled on the floor or on the cushions besides wherever I park myself in my home, I do wonder if we will ever be able to lift the curse.
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