Bangalore monsoon and Bollywood..

The first of the May showers has arrived . This time with a big bang. Torrents of rain, all in a day. The whole place is now wet and soaking, much like a Bollywood damsel dancing in the rain. Bangalore is transformed, from warm, very warm and turning hot, into cool and cooler. The grass is sprouting, leaves are erupting. The mercury has dropped, and jumpers are out. Overnight, the city is transformed, it is now back to the blissful Bangalore that we know best.

Frangipani in the rain ( courtesy Flowers of India)

I sit in my terrace and enjoy the cool breeze caressing my cheeks. Feels like a soft, silken touch of delight - overnight this, from hot, dry, arid to cool, calm, placid. Feels so blessed, to live here. And the rains, pouring every now and then, bringing the monsoon early, with hopes of a full-fledged one later. The monsoon- eagerly awaited by all the nation. the harbinger of relief from hot and dusty days. The hope for the parched soil.. for the farmers. Reminds me of long,meandering train journeys, travelling along dry, ploughed fields, which gradually morphed into landscapes of lush paddy crops. Of the paper boats we made as children, setting sail on freshly made puddles.The smell of freshly wet earth, mingled with frangipanis and jasmines which have re- bloomed.  I inhale deeply, the smell infuses my soul and my being.

The monsoon - so eagerly awaited by many , inspires many a Bollywood gig . Remember" O Ghata Savari, from Abhinetri", meaning "O lovely monsoon", a Joyous Hema Malini  number  that i am singing today- and many more, all signifying the "Saavan ka Mahina" - the season of rain, of bloom, of desire, and joy.

Every now and then, I watch Russell Peter's joke on Bollywood and laugh out loud- it goes like this.
Russell Peters : " What does any sane person do when it rains ?"
Peters again :" I duck and dive. And what do Bollywood heroines do when it rains?"
Peters , swirling around slowly this time, and trying to act like one :" Ah.. they scream and screech, and  burst into song, they dance around,getting all wet".

 Ha, Ha, Peter, I thoroughly enjoyed that joke of yours , especially you acting as a Bollywood heroine, with your good looks and figure too. But, don't forget, Bollywood and the rains are  inseparable, like the  butterfly and its wings. A raindance here, a kiss in the rain, a heroine getting wet, this is Bollywood at its sensual best, and remember, it has to be wet and wild, wet being  the key. So you might as well start immerse yourself, dance in the rain too and enjoy yourself thoroughly.. The rain cometh, my cup of joy floweth over..

Here's a couple of numbers for you to enjoy !

Bheegi si.. bhaagi se : ( wet and running, she falls into my arms) - from my favourite movie, Raajneeti, a story of crime and conspiracy, love and loss, with another favourite : Katrina Kaif in the lead...

Bhage re man ( From Chameli), rendered by my idol ( Sunidhi Chauhan) - My mind is lost , I dont know where it goes..

Oh ghata sawari- O lovely monsoon .. Hema Malini



Copyright@ Aina Rao 2014.

What's in a tagline?

Thanks to Rajesh Pandey , a newly found friend, i have been connecting at supersonic speed to many new people. (Rajesh P is not to be confused with other Rajesh's on my friends list, Rajesh Kumar and Rajesh Prasad- who are good ol' IITD classmates and have been friends for a very long time ). Can't match his speed though- Rajesh's facebook and twitter connections work much faster than my brain, and typing for sure. So, even while connecting online, i am still struggling to digest all these new people that have suddenly popped into my life, people who were always there, somewhere in the background, hovering about noiselessly, but not disturbing my calm existence. Until now, that is..

And now that i have connected, it is a struggle not just to digest their names, but everything else they do. Someone is a lawyer, a tech geek, a music afficiniado, a poet, a photographer, and all that in one. And another one is a green energy specialist, and evangelist (whatever that means), a business owner and now, me thinks can add the title- a business exitor too( meaning that he has got a successful exit by way of palming the business off to someone else), and so on and so forth. Whoa! all that in one?  Not that there is a dearth of titles to use , but, somehow , shouldn't one shudder and shy way from having a serpentine tail attached, isnt having a serpentine name awful enough?..  CIA, , CISF, CFEE, PMEE, CISS, hiss, hiss..blah, blah..., or a writer, creator, an auditor, a fund manager, a techie( actually a risk/compliance professional- whatever that means), a singer, blah.. blah... blah.. blah.. Of course, one could ignore the more mundane ones, wife, mother etc,. those are not for public display ever, detracting as they do, from the desirability quotient( DQ)..  

But the one to like best, in the wake of all these long tailed titles, is the simple "Nobody" already taken by another friend Rakesh Godhwani, leader of the IIMB alumni association. Quite innovative and unusual. "Nobody"- says nothing, yet says a lot. Certainly says a lot about humility, about knowing who you are, and your place in this world, really a miniscule spec in the realms and aeons of cosmic creation.  And then, the classic dilemma- should one go by another " Nobody" and risk too many of those floating around, indistinguishable from each other. Or should one take recourse to the other three ' somebody", " anybody" or ' everybody", if there has to be a tagline, that is. 

Well then, as taglines go, i might just stick with mine " Aina - the Amblingindian".  "Aina", a mirror- a reflection of everything I am . And "Amblingindian"- a reflection of everything I see as I amble around.. Yes, Aina- the amblingindian it is. Simple, yet profound. All those reading- go for it .. Do think of one for yourself too.. 

Regards, 

Tagline "Aina - the amblingindian"

Aina -The amblingindian.

P.s special thanks to the trio of Rajesh's (Rajesh Pandey, Rajesh Kumar, Rajesh Prasad) and a fourth- almost, but not quite (Rakesh Godhwani) for inspiring this post. And a fifth friend ,Dr.Rajesh too, for his tips on good health and spirits...

The harmony of Hindi

Of late, perhaps in celebration of womanhood, i 've been humming a lot of Bollywood numbers, all female ..

Firstly, the " Halkat jawaani" a raunchy and ribald potpourri of Hindi,Bhojpuri and English, meaning little, but taken to a different level by the bold rendition of Sunidhi Chauhan, an alltime favourite and also my idol. And another one, also by her, a soulful, silklike " Mera Ishq sufiyana", also meaning" My love is so pure and true", and then moving back in time " Maar Udaari"- a lovely combination of Punjabi and Hindi from the unforgettable movie " Pinjar " in 2003, " Kangna re, Kangna Re" - a Rajasthani- Hindi flavoured ballad from the mystical Paheli in 2005, and suddenly, changing tracks, a deeply melodious " Aaj Jane ki Zid na Karo", an evergreen ghazal by the sonorous  Farida Khanum, from Pakistan.

Each one, so different in its style, its tempo and taste, yet so much the same.. they are each an expression of womanhood, of the joys that come with being a woman, sometimes in love, and sometimes just pining for it. But equally, they are an expression of a beautiful rainbow of languages, culminating in what feels like Hindi, but is really a crossover from Marathi, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Punjabi and Urdu. Like a swathe of colours, a wave of the ocean, the language seamlessly flows, taking with it a multitude of  cultures, experiences, blending them so beautifully into a sea of song and dance. The Hindi that we know today, so flexible and versatile, having merged over eons with any manner of language, sometimes even reinventing itself into a new style, the "Hinglish". But my absolute favourite, and the wellpoint of many an inspiration, at work and in life, is the point where it meets so effortlessly with Urdu, drawing carelessly from the idyllic poetry of Gulzar, and the breathtaking beauty of Kashmir, into a creative cauldron of sorts, as in " chali re , chali re .. junoon , ko liye ", all about an obsession with love. A delightful symphony, not just of song and melody, but also of language.. You have to see it and feel  it to believe it !

Regards,
Aina Rao.
The Amblingindian
1st May, 2014.

From my favourites , a little known, but unforgettable melody below..
"Maar Udari " - " take flight, dear bird, for you are in love.. take flight and fly away with the lovebird of your dreams"

" chali re - chali re " - " away i go, carried on wings of obsession, drinking droplets of time... My heart has flown from its cage, falling in love..."

Kangna Re - " Dear bangles, light up with the sunrays"

_ 

Dear Readers,
If you want the full translations of any of these numbers, do write to me or post a comment and I will try my best to do justice to the beautiful poetry, this time in English.. Thank you, Aina.

My Vote goes to...

The D- day has finally dawned.

The youngest voter ever? Courtesy: Getty

And a flurry of activity is to be seen. Not from all the loudspeakers, blaring music, pandals and processions which have finally taken a rest today, as it is the day, but from everyone else around. A lot of excitement and perhaps, not so much suspense, fills the air. People are getting ready for the "big moment" when their thumb will be inked and their opinion will be heard. Friends and family throng to the marketplace, where small tables have been set up by volunteers and party workers, welcoming people, checking their names, and finally giving the thumbs up signal to " GO". Go , cast your vote now.. Make your voice count,, for what counts better in the election of the biggest democracy in the world? Almost a billion people out there, ready to call the shots today. For today is the day, the day when "we" count..

Ready to vote now

I drive through Indiranagar and Tippasandra, both hubs of election activity, abuzz with excitement. Somewhere in between the veggie and flower carts decked in a riot of colours, displaying pristine white jasmines, juicy apples, oranges and mangoes, stands a small white table, with the ballot list, the list that finally matters. People flock around it, like bees to a beehive. There is certainly method in this madness, or how could India, each time, manage this  stupendous feat , flawlessly running a mammoth election, time and time again, and be the envy of many countries across the world.

Trees smile benevolently, showering the voters and politicians alike with their bountiful blessings of fragrant Jacarandas, lavender blossoms and orange Gulmohars. The whole place is decked with festivity. Coming in the middle of the festive week, with the colourful, flower decked chariots of Ramanavami taking centre stage last week, the rice, flowers and coconut celebrations of the Kerala New year yesterday, and Good Friday coming up tomorrow, it certainly feels like a moment of celebration for the country, for the people -the elections today. And, regardless of who wins this one, it is another day of glory- the day that governance, promises and performance are finally measured with one stroke of the ballot, the day of reckoning for many.

A lady and her little daughter, sit and play together, in their flower shop, relishing their moments of togetherness, impervious to the activity around, to the strong winds that blow today, the winds of change maybe. It is a welcome holiday for them and for many others.. a day of rest. It also feels like a day of hope for them.. and for the aam aadmi*, who simply hopes for good governance this time round.

The world's largest democracy 

I hope too.. of an India, led not just by politicians, leaders or netas, but by visionaries.. of people who love her, care for her... this time, my vote is neither for a leader, nor for a party, or an alliance, but for the cause of all... my vote is for the aam aadmi*, for the real India..

Regards
The amblingindian.
(*
aam aadmi = common man.
Also read 2013- Year of Aam Aadmi in this blog)

P.s Today, I did not just vote-- instead, I wrote.

The vote that counts

Men will be boys...

Another one of those atrocious, absurd and insensitive gaffs, this time by the leader of the largest state in India. Pray what does Mr Soft Singh have to dispell, by way of HIS nuggets of wisdom, towards rape and rapists, and the treatment they deserve? Well, Mr Soft singh seems to think that we need to be really soft towards the perpetrators (note, not the victims) of the crime.
It seems that "Men will be boys " and  " Rapes will be rapes" and therefore, by some absurd association, " Boys will rape", and therefore "their mistakes" should be pardoned.

Mr Soft Singh, if you are not soft in the head, I would love to know what you think about this:
Let's make some more mistakes here - Lets castrate a few of these rapists and maybe even the loud- mouthed leaders, entirely in error, and then pardon the castrators too. Too bad if the rapists have just lost an organ..  after all, mistakes do happen, and, going by your yardstick, since the abject state of the rape victim is of no consequence anyway, this too should be pardoned, or let off with a light slap on the cheek. right?


With people like these at the helm of affairs, now hoping to get a chunk of the vote, and eventually change laws too, just to suit their antiquated thinking ( With the pace at which their thinking moves, Mr soft Singh and his cronies should have been fossilised by now).
I am shuddering and shivering at the prospect of being subject to more of these gaffs..
All peoples, please help to tape up some mouths, and use your ballot wisely this time round...

An indignant amblingindian.

Tips from the Professor !

Professor S.Roy, a good friend and an esteemed professor of marketing at the Indian School of Business, a top- notch B-school, complains about how difficult it is to put a comment on my blog, thanks to Google's super-secure technology, designed to weed out pranksters, jokesters, spam and general time wasters (unfortunately readers too at times).

Thank you from Aina

Dear Professor, sure i have taken your tips on marketing, unique selling propositions, market positionings and the like, and tried them on my blog, even though my knowledge of marketing and its application has become fairly rusty by now. It being twenty years since I last did some case studies on others at B- School, I am now, twenty years later, having real fun, trying to do them on myself.

And so, after all that case study business, maybe I will attempt this simple lesson for my readers :

-A tip to help to post a comment- scroll down to the comment section that says " no comments" or ' N comments", click on it .
-A window will magically open there. Do type your comments, and write your name in the comment box itself ( if you want to - that is).
-In any case, when it asks you to post as someone, choose anonymous and submit. That's the easiest workaround i could find.

Dont forget the other links though, you could very easily:
- Simply like the blog by clicking on vote (very top right)
- Follow on facebook (link to the top right)
- Follow on twitter ( link on the right)
- Follow by email ( again, link on the right)
- Follow the blog  - scroll right down, log in with any of your IDs ( facebook/google/yahoo, etc ).That will also display your profile.

Hope all this helps. Do post your valuable feedback, comments, likes and shares. As always :
" You, the readers, make me what I am - You enrich my journey, make it all so meaningful, so worth the while! "  

11333 views now and growing- whoa!
Thank you all, once again!
Aina Rao
The amblingindian

Happy April Fool's day

And you thought there was a post in here!

Just fooling :-)
Aina Rao
The amblingindian

1st April, 2014

St. Patrick's day out

A celebration of oneness

It is truly St.Patrick's day out, and the town is painted not red, but green.. a deep, parrot green. Green, the colour of life. It is the Amblingindian's day out too.

I wander around, as if at home, even though I am so far away from home in India. Been here for a week now. It feels like eternity, even though it was just two weeks ago- leaving Bangalore on an early morning BA flight, landing into London, enjoying the spring, then crossing the Atlantic, reaching Chicago. The city, when i came in, all dressed in the purest of white snowflakes, slowly melting into what feels like a warm embrace.  They say distance makes the heart grow fonder..  The river and every other place in Chicago, celebrating the Irish festival, all dressed up in green, orange and white today, makes me think of home, of India- of the bright tricolours we share.  It feels like a salute to the resurgence of life, with green emerging everywhere, out of the dark days of winter. Every shade of green- jade, emerald and bottle, reminds me of Bangalore, the green city readying to be painted in a multitude of colours,with Holi coming closer by the day.  Even though I will miss Holi in India this time,  with the green celebrations here, it all seems like one big celebration of oneness.  

For me, it is much more than that. Everything has just come together today. I meet my sister here after many months, both of us crying with joy at seeing each other, in this distant land. We  travelled so far, she from Florida, me from India, and finally came so close. 

We wander around, going down the precious memory lanes of childhood, even as we drink in the sights by the green river -the green shamrocks, white & orange tricolour scarves and the parades strutting around.  The crowd singing " This land is my land-- this land is your land ...".   People jostling, boats kayaking on the green river, the music playing, the crowd cheering,the sun beaming.. a fitting tribute to the Irish clan who made this beautiful place their home not so long ago.


Indian flag

Irish Flag

 And every now and then an outrageous  “ I’m Irish .. kiss me” springs out followed by “I am not Irish- do kiss me”. Jolly good fellows, posing for photographs, hugging me, making me feel so at home, some even labelling me Irish- as one of them, with their easygoing banter and cheer. And always, bringing India back to me, in my thoughts, my dreams even. India, the beautiful and colorful country, you belong here- if only I could transport you to Chicago. Right here, right now..  with a flourish of a magic brush perhaps, blending the greens with the multicolours, St.Patrick's day with Holi, the Irish flag with the Indian and the American..creating a  feast for the eyes and soul alike..

Today, I feel so close to India, and to my sister, in ways that I have never felt before. Sometimes, the further you go, the closer you get..Go  further  to get closer … Watch the video that makes it all come to life..

 http://bit.ly/1epU8Uj   


The post, also on msn : http://news.in.msn.com/blog/amblingindian-quirky-ideas.aspx

Revellers

The amblingindian in Chicago

Kayaking on the green river

Regards,

Aina Rao,

The Amblingindian.

Aina - reflecting the green (Aina = A Mirror)

The BA video that inspired this post

Spring in the air..

Enjoying the first glimpses of spring..Birds chirping, flowers blooming, spirits lifting.. the beauty of nature blossoming.. warming up .. getting ready for the heat of the Indian summer, that comes with a hotly contested Indian election this time .

 Like weeds, the faces of politicians have dotted the landscape too .. filling all available billboards with their ruddied faces, dramatic gestures and fake smiles.. What next? will it be a hung parliament again, a right - wing take, or an aamaadmi win this time?
Watch this space for more...

Regards,

Aina Rao
The amblingindian.

IIT Delhi- many years later

A stunning picture of IIT Delhi, my alma mater. Many, many years later, I still look at the ship like structure of the main building with great pride and joy. IIT Delhi was the ship that started off my most meaningful journey in life. The journey that took me from being a nobody to becoming an IITian. .. All IITians, do share this ..


Regards,
Aina Rao ,
The amblingindian.
P.S : i belong to the female IITD species.

A harvest of hope...

Tis' the season of harvests..
The season to be joyful,
This year, I hope, will be different from the last many years of harvesting greed and scandals;
Bringing the promise of harvesting hope, being hopeful,
Have a  Happy Sankranti, Lohri and Pongal....


Regards ,

Aina Rao
The amblingindian.
*Pongal- Sankranti- Lohri : The Festival of Harvests