BOMBAY TODAY

Death of Sridevi and Death of decency on Indian TV channels!!

2018-02-28T11:47:00.000+05:30

Alas, The diva is no more, #RIPsridevi you ruled hearts and will continue to do so after your death too.

What i have witnessed in last couple of days is thread bare, sometimes obnoxious analysis done till last moment of your life by people who represent the conscience of populace( as they project).

I am pained at the complete lack of respect for your privacy and mindless speculations done on your last moment to your lifestyle and habits.
What you were and what you did in your personal life is none of my concern, we loved your charm and charisma on screen is all the connection we had with you. Its not right to discuss your private life and consequences their on.

I wonder in the name of freedom of speech how this media monster is turning this country in a paparazzi society which peeps on personal loses and criminalizes legit situations. The cruel media owes nothing not even an apology the next day for all the grief caused by mindless conspiracy theories carved just a day before. They simply move on to the next tragedy.

Its not love for the art or love of your body of work which is causing 24*7 coverage but its just a hot selling news feed. Sadly if a bigger one came their way they will simply walk of.

Its time we commoners learned that and focused on the positive news rather than the frenzy. You were a great artist and will continue to shine.. REST IN PEACE!
#deathofmedia #deathofnews #sridevi #sridevifuneral

Consumer attention span on decline!!

2011-11-02T10:28:00.000+05:30

We are seeing a worldwide phenomenon which is the Friday syndrome!!Mumbai releases its movies on Fridays also called the Box office day...and in Mumbai parlance each Friday brings a new star...what happens to the earlier ones??Well they are easily forgotten...sounds familiar and rings a bell if you are in marketing function.
Catching the attention and retaining the mind share is the two basic premises of sales.

Recently i started to attend many Industry shows which showcase the existing and future range of product line. Today very rarely one finds a niche where one is the single player..so it brings in to equation the Catching attention and retaining mind share concept. So if you are a Brand manager or in marketing i suggest you think of tradeshow giveaways as a gentle but constant reminder for your clients.

Whats important is to be subtle and not go over the top. Something which the customer is to carry daily or touch and feel daily is a good way to start...Key rings which are customized to water bottles which add hip to gyming...the ideas could be many and innovation can be brought in.

Today's smart marketers are subtly targeting the kids as they influence the purchase decision a lot but how ethical is it for your product and industry is a call one needs to take thinking of own kids....Happy retaining and innovating...

Thanks Mumbai Police!!

2011-10-16T16:52:00.001+05:30

The section of society we remember only when things go wrong are definitely the Police....
Now that the Mumbai police has undertaken and delivered a trouble free Ganeshotsav and is looking forward to a peaceful Diwali,its time we recognised and congratulated them on a good job done.
Not undermining the one of cases of a policeman getting caught taking bribe almost daily.....

I do appreciate the good work done by Delhi police in the recovery of RDX from Ambala, which would have caused disaster at Delhi during Diwali crowds.These stories needs to be told and highlighted...
Like society our machinery is also diverse, some are honest, some are grey and some are black and happy about it with impunity.
So how do these dishonest individuals build around a shameless sense of impunity around them?? Once i confronted a shameless creature at Tata Hospital who was an attendant to a patient, he was denying seat to a cancer patient against the normal courtesy or the rule.
The best part is he was blatantly shameless about it and unwilling to budge....he was a Railways employee...
So is it the upbringing or the value system one inherits....what goes on in developing Character??
What impact the hurly burly and super competitive Mumbai life has on the values and ethos of an individual???

Auto strike Mumbai!!

2011-10-04T11:06:00.001+05:30

The auto strike is shameful and brazen!!

Dev Anand-Legend lost!!

2011-09-27T10:47:00.001+05:30

There are some greats who were great because they good things in heydays and there are greats who doa very shabby job at 87 yers age and get applauded.
The legend of Dev Anand lives on..Born in 1923 and an iconic youth model who gave Indian Cinema gems like, Guide Hum dono and many more...
Sadly his contribution to Indian Cinema in last 2 decades that i have seen has been crap!!The legendary actor lives in his own imaginary world and makes and acts in films which are beyond c class. Why this deterioration..who are the people who advise him...Why these once sensible actor starts believing in filthy trash of celluloid and calls it Cinema???
I fail to understand....
Remember similar incidence of Rajesh Khanna coming out of the oblivion and acting in a sleazy movie doing sex scenes which looked disgusting to say the least...
On the other hand one got Rishi Kapoor and Big B who still seems to know who they are and what they represent in life...sorted and grounded,,,,
Take a look at Charge sheet first look...

Strikes and Murders!!

2011-09-21T16:10:00.001+05:30

Mumbai is a city of chaos..and more you travel the more chaotic it becomes. Some days back the Andheri RTO walke up and decided to check the rampant tempering of the Autoricksaws meters by drivers.
Afraid of being caught of the wrong doing the rick walas decided to call it a strike and stopped to ferry passengers!!
Now was it anger on authority or public??But the common public pays as one can notice the crowd outside stations..One of my friend came up with the logic that this strike is to vent anger towards the traffic and RTO authority cause it was they who took bribes and allowed the tampering to happen. Now they are going back on their promise of saving the interest of the tamperer autowalas??
The strike by the civic body staff added to the cheos as garbage started piling on the streets...the Mumbai moisture and humidity is so conducive to the rafting stench..anyone crossing a fish market or the Khari can vouch for the stench carrying capacity of Mumbai air.
One of my most dreaded experiance of coming out of the sterile Airtel office at Interface Malad and hit by the hot and humid air of the sea..which smells like dead fish!!Don't know how the Vegan populace deals with the ever strong stench of Mumbai!!
Mean while the city of Mumbai continue to witness killing of elderly women by the people one trusted.The latest murder was by the Grandson and his juvenile friends??Why -they just wanted the bike dad said no to!!
As in most cases the murder was solved thanks to the mobile phone tracking!!
Many still lie about their whereabouts forgetting the most common corroborating device the Cell!!Just one print out and all your privacy of where have you been is in front of the cops!!
So those who get inspired by the dirty crime shows and plan a shabby murder..learn to dump your mobile first...
And as for my darling Mumbai..a couple of strikes and stench its all taken in its sultry stride!!

Ganpati Bappa and Security!

2011-09-10T17:14:00.000+05:30

The resident god of Mumbai "The Ganesha" is on his yearly visit. This means a slew of Pandals and Puja canopies across the city..the locals organize and operate the festival, whose budgets cross millions of ruppees.

Mumbai loves its Ganesha and thus huge lines can be seen outside the intricately and royally decorated tents.
However the challenge it brings to the establishment is enormous..the role of Mumbai Police and the local administration is commendable.

Upkeep of Security during festive season takes prime focus as the huge congregation of people makes them easy targets of terrorism.
According to me their lies a common understanding even in the terror camps to not disturb the festive season.
The logic is simple, an attack on any prominent Hindu festival could trigger an counter attack on the minorities hence threatening the support base of terror organisation.

I have no doubt that though an average Muslim is fed up of terror and wants to see kids growing in a safe and secure environment, many are hard core sympathizers and financiers of the act of propagation of terror.

As i write this post the Ganesha ceremony is inching towards a closer with peace..We in Mumbai chant Ganpati Bappa Morya Pudhcha varshi Luvkarya!!

Laughing on Bomb Blasts!!!??

2011-09-08T17:30:00.000+05:30

Last noon at the office, during lunch we happened to see the news of bomb blast at Delhi…11 killed 75 injured outside Delhi High court!!

Three of us sharing food and thoughts started having a weird talk around who could have done it!!One of the colleague suggested going by the big high it gives media post a blast..he wouldn’t be surprised that it was done by a media guy..

Then the discussion veered to who else benefits from a blast…

Pat came the answer- Telecom companies….we all start calling each other to find if all is well??

Who else: Doctors and Hospitals??

Who else: Security companies??

Who else: Security device manufactures??

Who else: Dis gruntlled political party trying to ward of attention from systemic corruption and failure??

Who else: God mens, cause in times like these our quantum of prayers increase many folds??

Sadly we laughed at our weird and sick logic and discussion…

Cause as citizens of this Great country we have learned to take Blasts and terror attacks in our stride..till the time its our own turn!!

Indian media and politicians double standards!!

2011-09-06T14:17:00.001+05:30

Aha as always it takes some brilliant but disruptive agency like Wikileaks to tell us what we have suspected already....
Wiki-leaks founder Assagne should be sent to mental asylum: Mayawati
Its horrible and so undemocratic,what kind of mentality allows one to send a privet jet to Mumbai from Lucknow to fetch sandals when one rules the poorest of poor??
Asking the cabinet minister to do sit-ups for meeting a constitutional head is so tinpot!!
The irony of the situation is Ms Mayawati proclaims to represent the poorest of poor and Dalits!!What a farce..the dalits should come out and protest against there exploitation by their own representative. I am sure the Dalits want some one who could improve their worsening situation rather than living a life of gross opulence!!The people of UP must draw a comparison with Ms Mamta Baneerjee and see how a leader should use public money!!
These leaks show the worst side of democracy when the elected reps rape the people!!
Now one burning question which comes to my mind is that what our so called hawk media guys where doing all these years!! Didn't they knew what was going on at Lucknow...do we always need a foreign agency to pin point our fault lines!

Dear NDTV,CNNIBN,AAJTAK,INDIA TV,TOI,ET,HINDU would you all the so called 4th state care to describe why you guys are repeating wikileaks and claiming this is news to you...Introspect and and you will find that you bogged down or got bought over...Please clarify!!

Is Bombay the city of Sexual perverts??

2011-09-03T21:31:00.001+05:30

Just a look at the TOI Mumbai edition of today reveals some horrible read:
1. Couple arrested for abuse of minor girls
2.Cops on rapists' trail bust flesh trade racket
3. Citizen bodies help trace the sodomiser
4. 60 yr old held for molestation
5. Youth arrested for rape
These are just the glimpses of a common days news from the metro-police..One thing i have noticed common in most cases is the perpetrator of the crime is a migrant laborer and the suffers are from the illegal shanties!!
life is not fair and equal but the plight of kids from lower income class is bad..they are predisposed to sexual violence and torture. Frightening fact is the custodians of there well being are the violators mostly!!
What kind of social support we are offering to these kids.
Who monitors the many orphanages run by the society..??To be continued!!

Mood of Mumbai!

2011-08-22T15:58:00.000+05:30

The mood is somber..Mumbai saw a huge turnout yesterday from Juhu to Bandra. 100 thousand +people on the streets chanting...Long Live Anna..End corruption!!

Even in the small satellite towns and streets selfless group of individuals can be seen chanting slogans of corruption free movement..What India and Mumbai is witnessing is the History in making. The age group of fellow protesters is diverse from school kids to Sr citizens. The famous and fabled Dabbahwalas of Mumbai who pride themselves of 6 sigma honour, for the first time in their 120 yrs history went on a strike to support Anna!!

They say the writing on the wall is more clearly read by the people on the street rather than people ensconced in the AC rooms of the high-rise!!

The time is ripe the need is to be relentless in the demand for the Jan Lokpal bill...its now or Never!!Wake up the sleeping cynics!!!

Unprecedented!!

2011-08-18T19:08:00.002+05:30

What has been happening in India since last couple of months is nothing short of the Jasmine revolution.Never has the Government of the day felt threatened by a man of short height and timid stature..but what he lacks in physical appearance gets fully compensated by the strong resolve of his core!!

World has got a new youth role model meet Anna Hazare....

In a diverse country like India its surprising to see the overwhelming response garnered by Anna in just an year.

He and his group of supporters have made the Central Government look like a bunch of fools. But despite his increasing clout and acceptance the true Gandhian remains humble and delightful.

Anna is ably supported by people of high morale caliber and with the wishes and sincere support form the masses is writing a new history for a new India.Kudos,Salute..Jai Hind!!

Life moves on!!

2010-12-11T19:24:00.002+05:30

I was wise the other day wiser today and probably shall be more wiser tomorrow.Now a days grappling with the very subtle nuances the mid life throws out to you...like going full on in search of money or be loyal and trusted lieutenant!!!

I admire my senior for his clarity to run behind the money...

Being probably from the old school of followers didn't dared to be too risk taking thus played safe!!

Today it seems that playing safe is cowardice!!

My advise to most youngsters is to keep moving on to the next company which offers a 100% growth every 2-3 yrs...

Wish i had done the same...probably was too frightened to move out of the comfort zone!!

Hiatus..

2010-07-25T21:40:00.002+05:30

So sorry for being out of sight and out of mind hit a road block...a mental one...

But if a Big B can be regular despite his grueling schedule and age..guess its all about discipline!!

I did some thing good today held a silence vow for 9hrs.Not a single word spoken..the basic communication was through signs or scribbled words??

Best part was that the kids started responding to me in sign??I asked her by writing If you could speak why hush hush??

Guess thats what is conditioning all about..

So you had a silent husband and a pleading wife..who thought its because of her ranting that the silent marathon has begun??

But it was so good..felt as if a lot of energy is wasted in shouting yelling and telling???

So the learning is to do the silent period again and again as its one of the ways to master self restraint...the Gandhian way??

As for the post...shall post some thing daily from now on...Love and peace to all...

Mumbai celebrates death sentence to terrorist!

2010-05-07T19:17:00.000+05:30

Muslims were Friday at the forefront of the celebrations in the city since the death sentence pronounced on Ajmal Amir Kasab a day ago and one has even offered to be the hangman for the Pakistani terrorist.

The celebrations which went on till late Thursday night and continued in some areas even before the Friday namaaz, took many other citizens by surprise.

"We are not celebrating like Muslims - we are Indians and this is India's victory over a Pakistani 'shaitaan' - and he deserved nothing less than the death penalty," said Shabbir S., the trustee of a hospital in south Mumbai who lit firecrackers worth nearly Rs.10,000 soon after the sentence was pronounced Thursday.

Many Muslims in the city also happily distributed sweets, especially pedas - the symbolic sweetmeat distributed for all auspicious occasions or glad tidings - to friends, neighbours and even people on the streets.

Sayed Zafar, a businessman, said there were news reports suggesting a shortage of hangmen in India.

"No problems at all. I am ready to become a hangman and I shall hang Kasab - it will give me great satisfaction - if the government permits," Zafar told IANS.

A Muslim social worker and businessman, Afzal Sheikh, said the judgment should come as an eye-opener to the whole world about the majesty of the Indian democracy.

"Now that India has done what it promised, will the US break relations with Pakistan and stop supporting that country?" Sheikh demanded.

The Raza Academy in south Mumbai, a forum of prominent Muslim intellecturals, was also at the forefront of celebrations. Its office-bearers burst fire crackers and distributed sweets.

Some families - like the Kachwalas in Kandivli - offered a 'namaaz' of thanksgiving after the judgment was pronounced.

"This one human being is responsible for taking so many innocent lives that he cannot be a Muslim, and no terrorist has any religion - they are only terrorists and must go to hell," said Abdullah Kachwala.

Mohammed Taufiq Shaikh, a humble tea-vendor at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) where Kasab and his associate Abu Ismail killed many people, perhaps celebrated the most. He distributed tea free of cost to all commuters who cared to take it Thursday.

He had the maximum reason to be happy - he was after all a victim of one of the bullets fired by Kasab and survived. Reason enough to distribute free tea...!!

Mumbai local motorman on strike!!

2010-05-03T20:22:00.001+05:30

The state government has requested the offices to close early to prevent any incovenience to commuters during the rush hour in the wake of hunger strike called by motormen of both Central and Western railway.

The private companies have been asked to shut down by 3 pm, while banks and public sector offices have been asked to close down by 4 pm. The government offices are to close by 5 pm.The motormen have called for a hunger strike earlier in the day to press for their demands for better pay.

Railway officials said that trains in both the routes were running as per schedule.
Buses have been put on standby at all major stations by the government to help commuters reach home.
Hundreds of policemen have been positioned at train stations to avoid chaos and to guide commuters.

Maximum City maximum anger!!

2010-03-21T14:52:00.002+05:30

Whats your fault when you are killed by a so called high profile retired Government servant at a tender age of 14!!

Moraliya is one such example of high handed human being who thinks he has the right to abuse all including the system which created him!!d

I shudder in disbelief at what Moraliya would have done to his subordinates and innocent victims of him during his service with the Customs dept??

We all witness so called high profile individuals throwing their weight and stature at poor unsuspecting souls who out of awe and embarrassment do not complaint!

Recently during my annual trip to my in laws place i meet one such frustrated high school teacher!!

This old man was set to prove all wrong,like he wud ask questions to kids on difficult concepts never listen to their replies but declare them failures in life??

Next he will humiliate the parents of the kid with same question!!I had enough of this in an hour i asked him to come with me to a corner,once there i asked him about How Geosynchronous satellites function and whats the diff between an weather satellite and GSLV??

This was just to stump him as expected he blurted how am i supposed to be knowing this!!

I told him he is careless and a failure in life not knowing all this and i am sure his long dead parents will be ashamed of him!!

The wisdom dawned on the so called intellectual who took delight in declaring others a fool.

leaving him speechless i walked away!!

Last heard his tantrums are less but not cured...he still rejoices in declaring others a failure...guess what he would have done to the students under him in his long tenure as a teacher??

WHAT HAS ARMY GIVEN YOU ?????

2010-01-25T15:25:00.001+05:30

A beautiful article by Col Abhay Gupta

I was all of 48 yrs when I was superseded in my present rank. At a
social-do, I was asked by this pretty girl, ‘Just 48, and the end of the
road for you! What has Army really given you? You’ve never been paid well
in the Army. And see what they have done to you now!’ I appraised her from
top to bottom. I must confess she was a pretty sight. What I told her was
this. Army, my dear, is a way of life. It is not about making a living. As
far as supercession is concerned, lady, that is way of army life. You can’t
complain just because your personal interest, as you perceive it, has not
been looked after.

Army has wonderful, time-tested evolved systems. You don’t fight personal
battles for the heck of it. And it is about selfishness, dear – Service
Before Self is our motto. Remember it is a Service (seva). There are no
expectations of rewards in Seva, for Seva is considered its own
reward. ‘What has Army given me?’, you asked. It has given me a glimpse and
understanding of dimensions you, in the civil sector, can only wonder and
feel over-awed about. Have you any idea of camaraderie? When you see a
soldier brave the shower of artillery shrapnel to rush to rescue his
bleeding colleague just wounded in the shelling you KNOW the meaning of the
word ‘camaraderie’. When you are lying in a hospital on a DI List, and
there are 20 blood donors of your blood-group spending the cold night in
the verandah of the hospital, just so that any emergency call for blood to
save your life may be attended to, that is camaraderie. Camaraderie implies
selfless help and support to someone who is not necessarily a friend. You
have to cross Banihal, my dear, to understand all this.

Do you know the holy significance of the word ‘command’? It is a sacred
word. And who can know the meaning of it other than a person in uniform?
Even the CEO of a Fortune 500 company can’t comprehend the significance of
this sacred word. When you are in ‘command’ you are God. Can you comprehend
what being God can be like? It is not about the authority, it is about
responsibility. The authority comes into play after you have rendered your
part of the deal of unflinching loyalty displayed towards your
subordinates. Now when you signal him - not ask him or tell him or order
him - to dash-down-crawl- observe- fire, and in the process subject himself
to imminent death, he does so without a second thought.. This is when you
REALIZE what is so sacred about command. Even before you can move your hand
to the door of the car/ gypsy, the driver jumps from his seat and beats you
to the door, your door, is what command gets you. Such are the rewards of
command.

Do you know the meaning of ‘being a gentleman’? In the last thirty years in
uniform one has witnessed a proliferation of designations in the civil
environment. There have been Executive Officers, and there have been
Managers - General Managers, Assistant Managers, and a whole spectrum of
them. There are CEOs and Vice Presidents. In the Army we have only
‘Officers’. Some are General Officers and some just Company Officers. Even
at the induction level we have Young Officers. What it means to be an
‘Officer’ is something you can’t comprehend. Hollywood tried to bring about
a differentiation, calling the phenomenon, ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’,
little knowing that being a gentleman is inherent when you are an OFFICER.
Being a gentleman is his primary nature, not second-nature. His behaviour
is bhadra – i.e. kalyan-kaarak swabhav, guna, aur karma.

Army imbibes this peculiar quality in us when we are as young as 17 to 20
years only. I’ll explain with an example. An officer once held the door
open for a particular lady. She, trying to be smartly polite said, ‘You
don’t have to hold the door open for me just because I’m a lady.’ He
replied, ‘Ma’am, I’m not holding it for you because you are a lady, but
because I’m a gentleman.’

We may appear to be ruthless egoists, but we are Enlightened Egoists. In
the corporate world have you ever come across the word ‘honour’? In uniform
we serve only for honour, not the ‘package’. Naam, Namak, Nishan – are
alien words in the corporate world. You know what it means to serve for
honour? When a subordinate, who already has a bad ankle, is told of a
mission which entails 12 hours of walk in the most rugged terrain; and when
he expresses reservation on account of his current physical condition, is
told that if we can’t do it, it will be a smudge on the regiment; AND THERE
IS NO ONE TO REPLACE HIM. He says he’ll do his bit. He climbs 10 ropes
ahead of everyone else only to find that there is no one behind him and the
mission is thus called off. He reports from the top, only 5840 m (nearly
20000 ft!), that he with two others of his team are on top and no one is in
sight, either behind him or ahead (enemy). He comes back to the base two
days later – and what an ankle he has! A swollen ankle with 10-inch
girth!!! That is working for the honour.

Army has commanders at every level – langar commander, section commander/
detachment commander, platoon commander/troop commander, and up the chain
to Brigade Commanders, and General Officers Commanding in Chief. The
General Officers in command of field forces are the best in their
league. What is implied by the term ‘commander’? Maybe something you in the
corporate world will never get to know. To be a commander implies
responsibility, complete responsibility. As a commander you are responsible
for every dimension of your command – right from his morning cup of tea,
his toilet facilities, his professional training, his mental makeup, his
family’ well being and his spiritual requirements. In the Army we first
train young boys, and now even young girls like you, to be an Officer and
then to be a Commander, in that order.

Can you get an idea, even an iota of it, Lady? Can you get a feel of why we
feel distinctly proud, and display it, when we say, ‘We in the Army
….’. Post Script ‘I am already 25 year old. I suppose I can’t get enrolled
to be an officer. What can I do now?, she asked me at a later
get-together. ‘The best option for you now is to become an Army Wife!’, I
suggested. Two years later this girl married a young Major. Now I only hope
and pray that the Army Officers of the future do not belittle this young
Army Wife’ perception of our Army as I experienced during ‘my
times’. ****** *******

Mumbai loves 3 idiots!!

2010-01-05T20:47:00.002+05:30

An average Mumbaikar's life is full of trouble and pain...crowded trains...long commute to work...water cut and scarcity of place even to take your girlfriend to.

So when the Hassled Mumbaikar's get to the weekend they hit the bar and malls with vengeance.

Most often the trains get packed by noon by relatives paying visit to each other or commuting for fun.

Such is the adventures spirit of Mumbaikar that when there was a threat of record braking and devastating storm and high tide,people actually came from suburbs to the marine drive to witness??

How would have they responded to a huge wave or cyclone??

Mumbai has its peculiar mannerism and lingo...here gesture and nod is more than the spoken word and yes people do smile to each other.

So when Rajkumar hirani and Aamir asked us to get admitted to 3 idiots on 26th Dec,we actually did!

And OMG what a film it was,so true and so real.

Its going to break all the previous Bollywood records and shall be a NEW CLASSIC!!

I know its an oxymoron but let it be...

Feel sorry for Chetan Bhagat.....

The guy got a rough deal from the Bollywood camp...

Though saving grace is that the writer and producer both were Punjabi!!

What if the producer was a south Indian-CB would have written 2 states II...

Bigg Boss and Big B.

2009-10-04T12:33:00.003+05:30

Do you remember the mass hysteria around the KBC season 1.How the roads wore the deserted look as the Big B quizzed the nation and contestants inched closer to a sum of 1 Crore!!

The season 2 was popular too but not as much as the first one.

Big B had played a big bet and won handsomely as he came out of the jinxed phase of his career and cleared all the debts accrued due to the failing ABCL..

That was the start of the reality TV genre in India.Post KBC we have been dished some good and some horrible shows in the name of reality TV.

I virtually lost track of reality TV after NDTV Imagine did an un imaginable show called Rakhi ka swayamvar?This eroded the respectability for NDTV India news channel by showing updates from the soap as the public refused to watch the garish cheap romance on imagine.I silently switched over to Times Now.

But now its the Big B who is coaxing me to give the reality genre some consideration again.Amit ji is playing the Pop psychologist who will elaborate and analyze the un predictable behavior of the contestants.

The set has been put up at Lonawala Mumbais own hill station.Endemol has taken all the precaution to ensure that all the possible activities are captured by the 40 cameras.

Who is going to be inside this season is a big debate and a lots of speculation..the list changes every few hours...

Shamita shetty,Sherlyn Chopra,Ismail Darbar,Kamal Khan,Rakhi the Sawants mother,Tanazz and Bakhtyar,Punit Issar,Poonam Dhillon..

The channel is said to have approached Baba Ramdev to be an inmate..

Awaiting for tonight to see who is inside and how Big B looks in this new role...

Tune in to Colors Chanel at 9 pm IST...

Mumbai Local Trains.

2009-09-04T13:22:00.003+05:30

Where else in world its OK to accept a casualty rate of 10 human being per day due to fall from trains??

Where else the trains get delayed because in a span of an hour 7 dead due to train related accidents?

Yes its common and a Way of life for a typical Mumbaikar,as and sex no bar?

Cause its out of fashion and un machismo to use the foot over bridge to cross track.They say in Mumbai every one i in a hurry?So when a fellow commuter falls due to push and shove from local train its normal.Some words of kindness about the victim being out of luck or fool or not strong enough to hold on!

Some one from the crowd will call the helpline or the next train driver will alert the station master who will get the victim picked up by next train or Hamal's(Body picker's employed by Railways) using metal sheet stretcher.

If the victim is alive an ambulance is called and the victim sent to the Gov hospital near by.

In most cases its head injury and the rate of survival is abysmal.

Even if the victim survives its with severe impairment like feet or hand amputated.

So Hundreds of thousands witness the bloody trail or are aware of the impending danger so why no precaution??

Personally according to me its the shere disregard to the value of Human life?A gift of God wasted in crossing the rail track to reach on time?

If all individuals practice no tress passing tracks policy it will half the rate of deaths per day.

In a recent drive by WR to check tress passing people caught and fined were from all layers of society.

From Young to old from rich to poor from educated to non educated?

I was surprised to note a school principal caught trespassing?

The lame duck excuse of the commuters caught are that the bridge is on either side and too far?

The reason people fall off from local trains is over crowding on which the janta has no control except fro some hooligan's who trap and occupy the door.

The herd behavior of reserving seat and place for group by inconveniencing others is common.If a new commuter takes on the hooligan group he is thrashed and some time shoved from running train.

How ever these cases are limited and not common.

The overcrowding of train is a demand and supply problem where the Railways has not matched the requirement of timely increase in capacity.

While thousands of crore are invested in the road infrastructure local trains are seldom considered.The way of transport of majority white collar taxpayer is local train but his money is spent on fly over and sea links.

Its for this reason that any tourist in Mumbai is advised not ot take local trains,compare this with Delhi and Kolkata where people take their guest with pride to show Metro?

The chalta hai attitude of normal Mumbaikar is one big problem,similarly its the disconnect of the political class from the real problems of the common man or else the government would have spent the 400 crore on rail infra rather than a statue in the sea??

Ganeshotsav 09 Vasant Nagri,Vasai,Mumbai

2009-08-30T13:57:00.001+05:30

Old world charm of Mumbai.

2009-08-22T15:54:00.005+05:30

My work recently took me in to the business hub of Mumbai,Nariman Point,Cuffe parade and Colaba.It was a trip after 2 years or more.

There was a time when i use to commute daily to the southern most part of the city daily for work.

The hiatus was a welcome change.

The area reminded me of my earlier visits and the work.I noticed the new more aware part of me mainly due to travel to different destination in last two years on work.I was more appreciative and less sceptical.The old world buildings of Opera house looked enticing and psychedelic.

I went to the HQ of SBI,Union bank of India and IDBI bank.

Most impressive security was at the State bank of India HQ where vehicles were screened and visitors image captured by web cam to release a visitor pass with photograph on it.

Before the entry to the building the bag was screened under Xray view similar to airport.

The entree inside was through a digital gate,since i was a visitor i could not enter inside without the guards help.

My ride to the 18th floor was unobstructed.I guess going to meet CMD of SBI gives a short of reverence to the visitor but the security should not be intimated cause of the visitors profile.

The grandness of the office of CMD's was a treat to the eye.

The IDBI tower at the WTC cuffe parade has the CMD office on the 24th floor.The view from the room was awesome the hight makes it a vantage point on top of the queen's necklace.

I couldn't help but compliment the CMD's assistant about the fabulous view,for him it was OK as he See's it daily!!

Posting some pics from the visit with tag's.

Mumbai shutdown!!

2009-08-14T10:56:00.003+05:30

The maximum city is facing a maximum slowdown?

The H1 N1 has taken its toll on the speed of the fast paced Mumbai.Result all schools and colleges closed for next seven days in Mumbai,Navi Mumbai and Thane district.

The average Mumbaikar is braving the threat daily by commuting in the packed local trains.

The response of the administration has been better in Mumbai as compared to Pune.

I recall how one of the officials had proclaimed a month back that there will be no swine flu in Mumbai as the climate is not favourable to the Virus??

In our office we had people who had travelled from Pune and came to office the next day without any screening done?

The closed and recirculated air of the centrally conditioned office is conducive to the growth of any infectious organism if cleaning is not timely and proper.

My personal bravado against the swine flu was foolish as i discovered a sore throat and running nose just going to office by local first class.

So i am at home trying to recover from the flu which hopefully is not swine?

The masks are in short supply and are selling fro Rs 25 /piece.The Nilgiri ka tel sms is circulating in the air and the stocks of the fragrant oil is down.

The severity of the grim situation dwells on you when you find your next door chemist and his all staff wearing a mask?

Its a good publicity for the product and a chilling reminder to you,follow the silent dictate or get the flu??

My own personal googling and wiking has reveled that its the basic personal hygiene and being well hydrated that's the key to be healthy in the virulent times.

A vit c chew tab can improve your chances of fighting the cold.

The city of Mumbai will forgo its chances of watching the release of Kaminey the maverick director Vishal Bhardwaj's flick due to closure of all theaters for next three days.

This shutdown is historic and unprecedented as we shall miss the famous Dahi handi festival.

I pray and hope that this shut down helps contain the spread of virus and Mumbai emerges victorious..

Raksha Bandhan(The thread of security)India. | Demotix.com

2009-08-05T19:48:00.001+05:30

Raksha Bandhan(The thread of security)India. | Demotix.com

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