ÚNINVITED

dark side of the moon

2008-08-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

never ever do you ask a simple question:

What are you doing here?

I did a couple of minutes because I was woken up by Roger Water's in one of the documentaries I was watching a few mins back...he says

"I suddenly realized then that year...that life was already happening.

I think it was because my mother was so obsessed with education...and the idea that childhood and adolescence...was about preparing for a life that was going to start later.

I realized that life wasn't going to start later...that it starts at dot and it happens all the time...and that at any point you can grasp the reins...and start guiding

your own destiny...and that was a big revelation to me."

It is true.What the fuck are you doing here....if you want to bask in the false sense of self enlightenmnet and claim that you know....you better very well be dead.

I feel stupid and befooled at times upon myself...why cant I see what i should see.....what cant i do what i should have done eons back....why cant i listen to my songs late at night without wondering when to get up....and why cant i think?

You wish you wish you wish.....thats it.

Just once....once....you wish...you leave it all behind and walk free...because then you would not be lying to yourself....you would genuinely and honestly be LOST in life....so why not be truly lost in all its senses.Drown your mobile,burn your cash,scrap your plastic(so tru....plastic!) and ya.....say your boss...fuck you....and ya I did see "Into the wild" and ya it is indeed plagiarism!!

I am in my 27th year of existence...breathing and living on set lines...treaded by many people....and I am sure,I could not help my life...forget about helping others.

make music...make someone cry or laugh....make some one get lost.....isn't that great.Leave behind something more than a bank balance,home and a car.

Or even better.....don't leave behind anything.

"That's not to say that the potential for the sun to shine doesn't exist.

Walk down the path towards the light rather than walking to the darkness.

There is no dark sidein the moon really.

Matter of fact it's all dark."

Bhatt Vs Bhatt

2008-05-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

Q.What all has changed since you last logged in here?

A.Well quite a lot. (I almost feel uninvited here...aptly so...that's the blogs name after all).

I have become institutionalised to the extent i could not believe.I ma talking all kinds of institutions here-work,college,personal commitments and of course the system of democracy.

I am on my own-a lot more now.

Have exchanged Delhi with London, royal challenge with Jack Daniels and yaar with mate.

Have bid adieu to my singledom (which i did which long back but now i confess it)

Have become more organised and finicky.

Exchanged rock music with dance music.....some people almost got annoyed by it ,but yeah they also enjoyed it at times.Chinku GEEBEE any comments?

Thats about it.

Q.Do you think you have been a stupid fuck to effect the changes above?

A.No.I learnt more about myself and others.there is nothing better than reinventing yourself.Till now,i dint know that i could be lonesome in London,broke even with a million sitting in INR,sad after 5 pegs and to top it, love more people more easily.

Its is much better to make mistakes than to witness them.

Q....regrets?

Yes, I should have written this blog earlier. Should have learnt how to cook from my mom before boarding the Jet airways flight on 6^th Feb 2008.Should have learnt a bit more of statistics. Should have punched a few people on their fckin’ face and kissed a few more people more often.

Q. What the fuck are you trying to convey with this fckin’ stupid shit piece blog?

A. That I am bored to death right now on 10.51 pm,26^th May,London.

Inspired by Rahul Banerjee AGAIN to write some shit .So go and fucking blame him.

FIXED!

2006-10-19T01:42:00.000-07:00

No points for guessing who wrote this BEA-utifull piece of art....call the song FIX YOU.

When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

and the tears come streaming down your face
when you lose something you can't replace
when you love some one but it goes to waste
could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

High up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face
And I

Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face
And I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.

All fixed.Thanks to Chris Martin

The Balls of Heaven

2006-07-12T00:15:00.000-07:00

Things do happen by accident ..like Mr.Goodyear discovering the Vulcanisation!Something same happened to me but on different lines.
Indeed it was an accident but a good one.I learnt to COOK!...ya thats cooking :O
and this is how it unfolded before me...

This June in a shady lil' town called Durgapur-all my folks came down....xcept my bhaiya n bhabhi. We were at our "Pariwarik" best!! And there is this holy snack called "The Cheese Balls" (mind the THE in it...it adds value to it and makes it seem like a killer broth!) which only a particular chef in our club can make and i don't know why it has been not replicated any where else!

All were very keen to have it as its no less than a ritual-if you are there in Durgapur Club...u must have it!
As we had a "Baraat Size' family had only 1 car (ALTO:i wonder why people call it the family car...no where even cose!...he he he ) to ferry the 'baraat'...
i had to hire the chef to come down to my place and cook it for our huge Family....!!
i offered him a chauffeur...(read self) driven pick up and drop too..!

All was set...i bought eggs,cheese,flour and cooking soda at the Masters order-like an obedient assistant to him!but then it had to happen just like the hindi movies...he dint show up.
All were indeed pissed on HIM but i was the one they took it out upon.
"You don't have reliable contacts..."(since he happens to be my friend and hence obliged to come to my place for the sake our friendship!!..guess he went back home and made a Keema of the Friendship)
"You cant trust tailors and cooks to be on time ever" came from an experienced mom...and made me feel happy since i am an engineer.!( khi khi khi)
anyway...i had to listen to the call of the hour!
I hit the kitchen....:O assisted by my 2 sisters.They were all too keen as my eldest sis...Asha tried to make them a day before and had "Fried-Salted-Flour balls" as cheese balls!.But she managed convince all thats this is the Cheese ball they love to save her Reputation!LOL.
She did a solemn confession after poeple tasted mine....(what a show off i am !)

Equipped with an Enggineering mind...i simply applied Reverse enginnering to the recipe since i remembered how it tastes.....

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The recipe is protected by Intellectual Property Commission*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

....and then came out of the hot 'kadhai'...golden coloured-very fluffy-simply melt-in-mouth cheese balls! PHEW!
They were not in a good shape as the FIFA balls...but were a bit disfigured!..but i had DUE my liberties!
So finally The Da Vinci Code of the reciepe stood de coded...and i am the Robert Langdon!
My cooking skills were recognised and my parents gave a second thought to my perennial plea of staying a bachelor!
We had a really good time having it...and i savored the smiles more than the balls.....(sounds so disgusting if put this way....LOL)
Now get a head people...i am not gonna write about the entire path of the cheese balls from the salivating gluttonous mouth to the EXIT gate....chi chi.go get hold of some good food....and if u cant...read the blog again!

Learning to Fly

2006-07-02T23:12:00.000-07:00

It’s the new age ad for a family airliner-deccan airline.
It said --Rs.500 seats for sale from 0630 Hrs (as if someone was chucking out his morning chores and start for the airport!--but I was wrong.)

So at the breakfast table I decided to have a slice of the pie too.
Have always heard and read about budget/low cost airlines...never could board one of those.

I made a passive resolution to go to the airport...which was enroute to my college.
I was to go to my college anyway to see "some one"...so it was just an added incentive.

Had no hurry, dressed up properly for the rendezvous and headed straight to palm airport.
As soon as I was parking my bike (...okay okay...my Brothers bike!)...I was able to hear
Noises similar to Azadpur mandi in New Delhi said to myself-must be some political rally.

As the view of palam departure terminal became more obvious, I was puzzled to see swarm of
people at the deccan airline counter. all my fears and skepticism was laid to rest.

I held my sling bag tight, took one last breath and joined the crowd.

"arrey bhai ek ko ek hi ticket mile gi"...said one elderly man in the queue.
This is the rule generally at the movie halls-that too when a block buster movie is being
screened to avoid ticket hoarding.
But to see it here made the deccan airlines smile and people a bit awry.

Behind the counter, the polite well dressed lady ,all sexed up to promise you a "fulfilling"
flight said to one eager chap--"sorry, the ticket to Bangalore is for 2120".

At this price-10 yrs back u could not even kiss the airbuses ass...
And now these value tickets r being considered as not the right option even at this price!
Cause everyone of us came for the 500 rupee ticket. hence the announcement was prefixed
suitably by a sorry!

Then tat came the guys reply--"mam, u have any tickets for 500!destination not a concern!"

It definately made everyone in the queue smile cause in India, flying is still a luxury.
That shouts the intention of the people loud and clear-We want to Fly! To any where as long as its so Cheap!

This is a great thing indeed.
The Deccan people have made the common man able to dream to fly...
To take wings in a way! Its a beautifull sight to see common people..without branded clothes
(as the silly delhites' do) and "Swooshed" shoes and typical VIP suitcases rather than Columbia BackPacks
..walk the airconditioned vestibule.One of the most delightfull sites for an Indian!

So there he was-a ticket for 500+221(the Govt. share...why are they so blunt to ask for it...damn beggars they are!)=721 in all.
he shall fly from Delhi to Gangtok-a remote city in a terrorised state in North East of India. A damn 2 and a half days travel by even the fastest trains!

I was happier to see his face glow up when he was handed the tickets and a polite canary voice said "Thank You Sir".
Had it been the more frequented railway booking centres-the gesture would have been simple..
"pehle 21 rupya khulla lao,fir ticket le jao".

Here it is -India Shrinked and Redefined.
Guess things are changing.
Changing for good and pretty fast.

P.S.:I too got my tickets-from Delhi to Chennai and back at a throw away price of 4K !

Melt.

2006-01-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

i know somewhere,
there's a home for me
to i go sans all ego
there's a home for me
not very far...but i cant see.
though have started walking
late if i be, wait there my lil' dream.

i know someone,
will rest his faith in me
believe--will all he do
then i shall stand,
and take him along.
he'll be my soul.
let him come to me God.

i know someday,
the sun shall rise on my pillow
burn my vice, and my shallow
then it shall shine in the noon
it'll take a few moments though.
release me please.
let me go.

i know somehow,
someday,
i will fly away
above the needs and the guilt
above the human and the err
she will lay me calm,
calm as an unborn.
i will smile.
feel your soul in me.

i am coming...

Auroville

2005-09-30T00:53:00.000-07:00

Most of us only know of the place Pondicherry....but my last weekends trip to the place,revealed many new things which i wasn't expecting at all.
Its about a small international(i mean it!) city called Auroville.Its a great place to retire to ....damn calm n cool.
U need to speak Tamil( #%%^&*^&*) or french or English here and u shall have no problem.one of us actually brushed up his french tuitions here...:)
What amazes u here is not the city n its people...but the vision of the lady who saw all of this.
Its impossible to even think of something so huge n magnanimous! Just look at the original map above....yeah its a city!Hats off to the lady!

The best part is....its near Pondy...hence CHEEEEEEEEEEP BOOZE.So hic hic hurray!
Had a good time with all...but missed my huddle gang in delhi.
Papas' n Mummys' of thou shall go n fall in love with place .
Enuff of ravin bout it....for any thing more follow the link.

NSIT : Students Manual

2005-04-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

There are all kinds of people in this world….especially quite a variety in our college itself.

We have numerous experiences….almost all rewarding in there very special way.

We have some great faculty in here…..who teach you many things besides books…..(okay okay almost all of them and always BEYOND books !).

We have no short of a Mughal garden which are perfect refuge to our over-enthused love birds.

We hav it all….welcome to NSIT.

….(on welcoming ppl to NSIT only one name crops in my head….Proff. Bhatia. He is a Great Host. Let the placement season come n you will hav a taste of it too!).

The Holy Journey starts the very day you were smart enuff to prove ur smartness in a test which has it roots buried in ancient Mughal history (that’s where our gardens hail from). Three flat hours is what decided ur entire life!. Look what you hav done ,and you are beyond the point of no return now.

Just out from school you are fresh n gullible. It acts as the perfect feeding grounds for the predators….read seniors…..but all are veggies. They maintain that unofficial LOC.

U join, have yourself administered sumptuous doses of “Informal Introduction” and try soaking in things pretty fast. The fact that you did a mistake willingly and now you are being made to pay for the same has already made you half of an engineer. The orientation session lasts for varying time spans-depending upon the kind of a person you are…..you see it’s a critical process down here. The seniors have a job and they take it seriously. They feel like the docs in an Operation Theater with “Hey fuchha,Intro?” as scalpels and “What’s ur PCM?” as cotton and freshers as patients!

They generally make quite well an operation but when it fails, it’s even better-the patients are discharged soon if they don’t interest the docs…without medication. But the one’s who are treated for there ailments, they are always thankful. But only when it shows its good effects after you pass out.

Sulking or sulking you make it through some how……cauz you have the perks of Fuccha parties- Hostel parties- Resonanz and Moksha which off late have become quite rocking….and CHEAP too!. You also learn the subtle difference between TEPA,TEPO and TOPO.(for those who have not got it figured as yet ask any hosteller).you thank god that it’s getting over and your prayers get heard as you can’t stop time.

Then comes the Second yr .Everything starts to look second hand already (don’t take it literally….I just wrote it too rhyme!) .You start seeing your seniors in a new light of self acquired admiration or condemnation as the case may be …..but yes the days of Intros are over .If you are lucky to have given your intro to a bunch of people you have succeeded. If you have not, you cant help…its too late now. you are out of the School-Skirt and Tie Syndrome and entered a school of sorts. Its more learning beyond books now…Canteen is ur class room, the Admin building is ur Lecture theater, the Fountain is ur Lab and the GH road is ur last mile to Singledom. God bless who tread them.

U start enjoying the things n feel happy to be here….(dnt worry that feeling is here to stay till the time you get a suppli!).you dnt wrk hard on studies,u get a bit cool with things,start flowing with the flow.U learn the fine art of proxies and Mass bunks….oh they help you a lot. For hostellers it’s a reincarnation of types-u are allowed to step into seniors rooms without notice and surprisingly get welcomed.All night Thass become more of a rule than an exception….it’s frequency increases exponentially during xamz.

Thass is the biggest most Fatal effect of hostel life but definitely the hugest charm too.

Then there are DP’s which I am gladly sidelining at this point….(I am not supposed to let the secrets out of BH1 ….like an honest resident).its a nice feeling to let the college settle inside u. all of us make any rumor of “holiday” as a fact .we all jump at the slightest hint of a holiday the next day and make it happen even if there wasn’t one.i am still not clear about a few “Official” holidays….Phoolwalon ki sair…..(why aren’t there Mess waalon ki sair,Horticulture waalon ki sair……or even NSIT’ians ki sair?).the other is Prabhu Ramdas ki janamtithi….then Ambedkar jayanti n then navratra/raam navami.one good point about being confused regarding them is that it depicts the secular nature of our college.they need to think every year again n again…n decide for or against.as soon as u fiure them out…plz temme.

There was this one thong that happened in the Yr 2004.Mr.Sunil Bharti Mittal….(for the uninitiated …call him the “AirTel man”) wanted to play cupid for a change.he got NSIT a CUG offer…that was well thought indeed n we all were too happy to thank him for this.the Affairs Vs Students graph started rising as if it aint stopping any more.some ppl used it for “Thass” while others for playing Computer games online…..n a few also ingenuously thought of keeping the call on hold n go to sleep!

All thru the second year….you wish it got stuck in an Infinite DO Loop.but you c ,we are engineers n Bugs are NOT allowed .hence,as soon as its debugged ,third Yr dawns.

This is called the Transition year.You are no more a new comer from any possible angle n are more responsible now….(or at least try to be).you have two years of juniors to take care off. as the honeymoon period is over,u take serious view of the falling percentile more seriously than falling necklines.as this year is a bit tough too ,u become bit serious.

Initially in 5^th sem, you are all ears in class-all eyes in Lab n all brains in exams. For a change these things appeal. Feels good to rediscover that you can study hard too whenever you want.

That’s wht engg is all about-putting “critical”effort at the critical time n place.rest all is sham.

In the subsequent sem,the entire batch falls in love with the deadly combo of Proff.Bhatia and Rawat Sir.u know you are mean…..thats wht brings you there in the T&P Deptt every week end. They also get to some serious work then and you start seeing a new u. Many things crop up at the same time-CAT…(I havnt still figured it out wht the hysteria is all about!), JOB-PLACEMENTS and for the “dedicated few”…..-“Com on ,we have time left…its till not 8.30!”.Kudos to them.

But yes we all take these concerns seriously cauz you don’t kid at this age. You start slogging again.u refrain from Moksha and Resonanz ….(I mean organinsing it….and for some even comin to it!).and above all you become more sagacious n smart.finally the engg course is settling in. good……u are on Placebos!

The summer vacs that follow are pretty weird. Not hols actually. most of them hunt for training…go a few days and com back to square one.Then the rest study Tannenbaum and K&R for more adventurous reasons than learning…cauz they are big names.holding them makes you feel look professional and slick. And the rest of the herd…..all of them yield to the herd factor n start belling the CAT.

Now you are serious, matured and a thinker.

(for a few they become a husband or a wife as the case may be…….look thats what that road does to u!. How on earth can the administration be so neglective of road safety. Put up a road sign reading ---“Couples Ahead-Drive Fast” ).

First week of next August, you are in Final yr. The name itself makes you think before speaking, laughing or even looking at anyone-unlike all the previous yr.The mad rat race for jobs starts and you end up being one of the mice.u know who the pauper is….he does a good job. Students formulate a million rules to ensure fair Job distribution….but they fall slack as soon as a company comes.You are haggling for the latest schedule of arrivals of companies,the course to be studied to befool the interviewers. but one fine day,you get a call for an Intru and you cruise thru it .Easily .Your entire education stands summarized in a few questions but not necessarily a few answers. Not to mention, the feeling of getting a job in the first company is truly great.its like a century in your debut, like an acceptance for you very first proposal, like a shot in the sky which hits the shooting star. But yes let me quote D.A.K. mam here “Getting the students placed is not college’s liability. It has made you able enough that you don’t go scurrying for Jobs. Its a favor and please don’t take it for granted.”. She is right. She is always.

Good! Now we have a job at our dispense. we have an elated-self-opinion depending on the Company which hunted u. any way, these lines fade away soon and soon you step in to final semester.The last semester,the last mid sem,the last endsem,and the last viva…..(not talking about aspiring ME’s and MBA’s).it all becomes gripping. Students look at you n soliloquize “array yaar!let them enjoy…just a few days left.”u fell like an Terminally ill Alzheimer’s patient who has not yet given up.u just breathe in and out.

You start looking at everything with a fine sense of appreciation.u like the classrooms,the benches,the teachers,the labs et all.suddenly you fall in love with NSIT again.but this time its more natural n true.u try holding back moments n look back time n again.u have indeed com a long way.its relaxing.the last sem is truly a special time.

But then you become a bit sentimental.u find yourself haggling for space on the GH road n trying stop time……some of them do…...the rest leave the times.

You have the farewell parties waiting for u,to finish it all in one single night party.

The party begins on the terrace,u are adequately blessed by the Lord Bacchus himself and its flash back time.u recall it all.say it aloud in front of the ppl you love n infront of the juniors who look up to u.u call it a lifetime in four yrs.

But then just before leaving……u sit n wish nothing moved.n to top it all…..u start penning crap as the one you are reading right now. Finally,in retrospect,this college teaches you which no one else would….its not always books-

u were yourself all the way.It made you stand tall, feel all n and forgive the small.

It taught you to sustain.

In the words of John Lennon

“You say yes, I say no.
You say stop and I say go go go, oh no.
You say goodbye and I say hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello.”

Thanks Netaji.

Feel free to post ur comments if u hav something to say.....it adds.

Give me a break!

2005-03-16T11:13:00.000-08:00

Broad dark mane like moustache
Manhood must be shy
Hails from Maharashtra
Can’t even pronounce Thy.

90 days here from
We would be in cubicles
Staring at blue screens
We know we will strive
We know we will survive.

But sitting here in Room NO 117 ICE Block
Writing down whatever his traps utter
I feel like a moron
To be even present here
Like an ass to be surrounded
By these few people………..(Attn:Mukul Joshi)
Taking pleasure n pride in doing so.

But as he teaches “Inverse Kinematics”
Gravid with all Std-2 mathematics
Feels like breaking his jaw
Cutting his tongue, cropping his hair
Slitting his throat, burning his moustache.

I write these lines
In memory of the times when u just don’t “Fit In”
I have wasted two hours…. (n still counting) sitting here
But invested 15 mins in jotting this piece

Am glad that I survived the severe hannibalistic urges.

I was myself. Sustained.

Fuck You. Fuck this. FUCK ALL!!

POEM'S MANUAL:

Written at 1130 hrs I room 117 block VI(ice block for NSITians’) . I mean com on people, this is not what I am supposed to be doing 70 days from today when I start working in MNC’s.gimme a break .I need one n I guess everyone else needs one.

This fatso chipmunk (I should not name him now after all this adulations!) tries hard to pronounce “eleven”-says L .A.1!!

Shakespeare must be suffocating yaar! He flashes this 2 page write up from his pocket and starts dictating something that even he doesn’t understand,

Oh puhleeeezzzz! we are not bonded labors .Are we supposed to do without our senses n come to class senile? Whatever - Its not that we are against studying-its just that I don’t take this way of teaching. why cant teachers be Like Dr.Dinesh (the only TEACHER in NSIT…even he has retired now!).

Why is there a lack of human touch to it?

Why is it so dictating, why so shameless, why so mechanical?

Neways-as my first love puts it

We don’t need no education.

Today I understand what he meant by Education. Thanks NSIT.

Sorry Mr.Bakul Dholakia

2005-01-15T06:17:00.000-08:00

7 :30 p.m.Saturday and almost 20 hrs to the last MBA exam(FMS) I am taking this year. More appropriately ,the last exam I am “writing “ this year! cauz u c there is a basic difference.

Taking an exam means voluntary disclosure of the skill set u have in competition with the lakhs who have prepared along with u ,n writing simply means a bull n cart arrangement where u simply get dragged n sit like a moron staring at your watch. the latter happens to be the choice for the year.

I am sorry. To say the least .But couldn’t have done it any better. we all had been preparing (let me drag my friends in it too….dilutes the sin on my part.) for the Cat n all that shit that comes bundled with the hysteria- for almost an year now.and results were not upto the mark…(just a modest way of putting it …actually we all deserve a certificate of “innocent dorks who are confused what to do with there lives”.)

No one took it seriously, mean as seriously as it should have been taken. I own up. and have convinced my self that’s chill out this year, we shall see in the coming winters again. so be it n am laying my CAT senses to rest as of now.

Best of luck Kamra n Dabbas. Hope to be your juniors soon.

I gotta go now, join the counter strike LAN match. Stick together team….
the only command that holds true no matter when or where we end up as.

(For the uninitiated-the person addressed to in the subject :Mr.Dholakia is the CEO of IIM-A.yes CEO as i would call him...cauz IIM's r nothing more than factories turning ambitions to green currency.Give and Take.)

EIGHT

2005-01-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

Well its 4 in the evening of first of Jan 2005 and I am still in my party fatigues of last night. I can still smell the smoke of last night’s bon fire in my Sarojini’s PEPE sweat shirt.

Me in my room and on my PC and all else are sleeping…except the obvious exceptions Harjai and Suneja. Mean they are chatting to Apurva yaar………..but the catch is --at the same time. Was pulled into penning some words as I enjoyed commenting on the pics taken last night….as you have already or will see it.

Actually it all started by the astronomical weightage we seem to attach to New Year celebrations and almost a religion now: Go to a happening party that night or you are doubted of your manhood and womanizing prowess!! .And since the hard fact about parties was that it was only for couples….we read it as “Single Dogs Not Allowed” that certainly should not make you conclude that all of us are single. It’s about us not being at the right time right place. We always comfort ourselves by the self elevating egoist remark…”We are like this only”. Hence we were left on our own, the 8 of us.

We the residents of B block were feeling like shit pots when we have contrasts as Padam and Mudit who are dancing there balls away with there girl friends (not sure about Mudit though….mean which one it is ),we started by searching for “Single Dogs Allowed” parties in the city and need we mention we met a wall. Then we took to news papers which tell you to go to all the places near your city which the reporters themselves have never been to. But in this case they were right for a change….thanks Vir Sanghvi.

So after a lot of brain storming sessions and a few local calls being made by our POOL phone (that pissed Gb a hell lot, cauz he was “working” online) we decided the place….DAMDAMA lake will be it. It shall be the host to probably the last few eligible bachelors in Delhi looking for a break from Dj parties of Delhi circuit.

We wanted a bit of adventure and I egged all of them towards it…Kamra was also in this trekking idea and I was pleased to have his consent and support. So it was zeroed on 30^th itself……and we all slept that night with a lot off ideas in out heads. We were supposed to sleep early as we were supposed to leave at 9 in the morning which is, by our standards, equivalent to making a clock chime 12 times at 1’o clock. but all plans to sleep early, around 1-2 am were grounded by a kind surprise visit by Apoorv at around 1.30 and a loud and discordenned rendition of “ bheegey hont tere” by Bhau at 5 in the morning right out side my door.

Up the earliest I felt like I was the only bloke up at 9.15.anyways I pulled my ass out of the bed, knocked KADDU”S DEN and stroked it violently a couple of times .the door opened as if a monster will step out and eat me alive for my cumulative sins till date. But nothing happened.Kaduu hit the sack back! Least bothered it seemed to me .Then woke up Gb n Harjai .They were up …..it took some time though…(had to switch on Harjai’s fan at full speed to get his lazy bum up and had to bleed my temple beating the forbidden doors of B-106…the online laboratory of Prof.Gaurav Batra.)

The B block up and kicking we all started to prepare for the unplanned trip. we had no idea where was DAMDAMA (sounds like a adivasi goddess of extreme sexual capabilities to me)lake or what facilities it had (we had a laugh on that front…..had to buy 300 ml COKE @Rs.18/-…….we knew carbonated drinks are bad for health, but pocket too was a new discovery!!!)Apoorv and kamra were in time (just an hour late).We all packed our zest and singledom in our bags and started the trip.

It is a known fact that Kaddu and his car are the 2 most ill maintained machines in the Milky Way. And we got a glimpse of it as soon as we drove a few paces down the highway. Smoke was coming out of RJ 14(let me show that Jaipur connection)…and we choked to a halt at a pump on NH8.Kaddu seemed as cold as a fish as he is never surprised by what his car and I put him into every time. We all shelved our plans for a while. Smoking was a ritual with Bhau and Kaddu, it became a life threatening stint to smoke right out side the pump. They went ahead and obviously heard a volley of profanities from the now transformed Apoorv (finally its his day).

The car was up in quarter hour and we all rolled again just to realize that the same problem has cropped up beneath the yellow hood of Apoorv’s car. He was dead in his face as you it was Anoop uncles car (uncle is just for the record sake….else its Anoop only).

We stopped both the vehicled again, at a auto shop and fixed both of them.it was 2.30 already, the time we had planned to reach the shores of the lake and bask in the winter sun…..the sun seemed a distant dream now).we drove easily still (hats off to Apoorv’s coolness) and got blessed by the lord Bacchus midway .we stocked enough as not see the morning sun.

It was a smooth and cooling drive. We pulled of for a photo shoot midway, appreciated the rural beauty which is so rare in Delhi….and of all soaked in the serenity that surrounded us. It was relaxing. Reached the resort….a government owned …though they were better than private resorts. For once India seemed to be disinfected from babudom.I and Suneja started the taking care of the logistics……we kind of enjoy doing it…otherwise we would have been a party to Kaddu’s barrage of self effacing remarks which all love to hate.

Got a tent-6 by 10 ft-imported –and cool looking for a grand. Pitched it a bit far from the party location of the resort as we people when drunk can be a threat to the flora and fauna around us. We didn’t want someone else being forced to listen to the loud and stirringly personal remarks-a la Asharam Bapuji session from apoorv.bhau kudu n Gb never seemed to run out off the smoke…it was burning al the time as a agarbatti for damdami mata.

Then we went on the more pariwar like fun time-Boating it was for half an hour but it seemed like a year cauz all were busy soaking in the coolness around. It was great to pedal with friends….sorry….friends who matter...(miss Padam n Mudit).we had a photsession there too as we had a narcissus among us …GB.he loves being clicked…and yes he looks damn cool and a hunk in pics as you cant hear him..(Being honest he has the cuts n looks….that’s enough. if he reads it he will be on a ego trip…as he puts it “Stud Mode” would be on). Kaddu and Apoorv didn’t move a stone, Kamra n GB were sweating there asses wet in the chilly evening. in all it was damn ”cool” and we all had rather learning experience….that its better to be with the ones with whom you can be yourself whenever n wherever.

Back from the marine experience, we raided the BAR. It was an in-tent arrangement….looked over by Apoorv, GB and Kaddu. The tent was warm and cozy and not a stream of breeze could get it. Hence we feared for our lives just thinking about the biohazards Kaddu might put up………rather blow up. Thank god he took a shower after a week …….obviously after consulting his mom and brother. and also in our ammo were Kamra and Apoorv. Kamra and Apoorv are no short of nukes of stench in themselves. let the laces undone and you have a disorienting nauseating familiar(obviously familiar….they have proved themselves many a times ) aroma that makes you feel like a dinosaur who had just finished his lunch of cockroaches. Surprisingly all three of them, reliving enough, refrained from creating a warlike situation. They came clean!

So it was all set…a 60 grand imported tent,3 full bottles of the divine fluid which kind off makes you eccentric(only if consumed our way. moderation has no place!),cozy interiors thanx to a helper with the name of Ashok Kumar and obviously the best and the appropriate company. We first had our tit bits just to fill our stomachs with anything that’s edible. But dare I call it tit bits. it cost us some 600 odd bucks n we paid from our nose. They charged a SINGLE (catch the word…) slice of bread at a heavenly Rs. 4!.Never in our life had we had such a princely evening tea. By the way it was costly but fun. Mean we never spend like this….every time it’s Raju Pankaj and there poor pj’s as masala, with there mom breathing down your shoulder if u even dare to take a matchbox from the neighboring shop. With our stomachs full of Darjeeling tea ,Swiss bread and Mozella cheese….(see the perspective matters….it’s all so reasonably priced. See, I try so hard to justify extravagance.)…we headed straight to tent to finally get sloshed. And we got in a mater of hour.

We were all enjoying the candle lit booze party with Harjai being the only sober creature inside. he must have said to himself,” boy what a bunch of rascals they are….they dint even get me a juice bottle!”. Seriously, sorry for that. He deserved a kick instead. Expectations…..that’s a no-no in our group and if u haven’t learned it the easy way…try asking GB a single strand of his prematurely broken hair! You’ll be awarded nothing short of a slap on your face…but only we can savor the slap. Its not like that actually. Thanks for listening to the exaggeration.

Then a bright idea struck Apoorv(what a rare moment…Kodak moment!)….he proposed to play this silly game. we played ..i still cant remember the name…errrrrrrr right 1 2 ladoo. its a common game with the kids who have just learnt the table of 4 and for us I guess it was apt due to our performance in CAT. any way, for a mammoth change, all agreed and played with indulgence. i loved how Kaddu didn’t interrupt even a sec and calmly played as a white polar bear who just has had the best sardines of his life. it was fun n soon the game was changed by me even though I won the ladoo thing.(forget it I had 93 % in CAT…any thing else).

The new order was of Truth n Dare. Since all of us were down I mean high, n Mother Nature forbade us from stepping out, it was only truths. Bare truth. The bottle danced on the huge metal plate which we used it as candle stand and one by one all of us had a chance to bring out darkest kept secrets of ours (I am saying as if we had any ...ha ha ha ).But the obvious Harjai did it again n threw the most suited question of the entire game to the prefect man …the question was :”what do u like and dislike in each one of us?”. Kamra was happy to answer as he knew he would be heard, and we all dint let him down. We had a few precious minutes of alacrity and flashes of insights into Kamra’s “spectacle-ular” view –point. it was good to say the least. But soon the mood changed….and again Bhau was at his best. Having gulped down right amounts, read sober, we headed out of the confines.

The obvious followed. Around at 10 we got in the all American (guess u get the pun….dollars in there dude) restaurant that the Haryana tourism had painstakingly renovated for us. Thanx to Devi. OK DEVI LAL I mean…have got in a habit cant help it.

The restaurant was empty as Siberia in winter and we were the only polar bears. A few black ones too, including me. We waited for the eskimo waiters and in desperation took to dancing instead. i blared the music system which was any day better than my 4.1 and we all started the divine dance of youth(read deprived of sex, girls and seriousness)..lustful energetic naughty and yeah very WILD.

Sweat still not off our chins, dinner was served (thanks to Kaddu who ordered the food while we were busy shaking our koolha….guess he knows it best!)we munched like soldiers who make love to their wives, just back from a 20 yr jail term…(given they were jailed at a young age..).We had it all chicken, tandoori roti and paneer for the lesser mortal Suneja only. Need I say we had faint memory of it due to the Alcohol which was present in generous amount in our veins. The savoring lasted as long as the gravy was on our tongues.

Done in an hour, we took to our tents….first it was planned to get the bon fire lit. So we reminded the watchman of his promise and asked him to light the fire. To our holed pockets we realized, he wanted a generous 500 for that silly job which any lady of India shall do it with pride and dexterity .I mean; get a grip old man, but thanks any way. We planned to do it ourselves and we were all pepped up bout it. Apoorv not very happy …(that’s the case when he is high),Kaddu had no clue as to how did a wild fire looked like and GB waited to get it the process only if there are no volunteers. But we did have Bhau. Me and him and the almost gay couple Harjai and Suneja, took to the job and with help from Nigger , got it lit n shining bright in mins. Man it was hot, hotter than a normal fire cauz it had out labor and expectations. it was supposed to make us a happy lot and be the reason. See the pics .The pic “the reason”

its all about setting the ball in motion and in this case we had no shortage of balls. Of a total 16, 14 were rolling and sloshed, and 2 for the mighty COW. Harjai will kill me! No sooner than did the fire burned, all the engineers we up on their assess and dancing again .we all had a blast (literally with a timely explosion of a sssssutli bomb (that’s the way we say it……sandwich your tongue between the front pair of teeth and blow out air with all the S’s), it was like the missing link for a perfect celebration).the music was loud from the Anoop’s new car stereo and for once Apoorv didn’t bother how loud it got. it was great and thankfully the FM stations did a good job that night. Rightly we all closed the jiving session by a last and heavy dose of Pink Floyd. Even David Gilmour would have put on his dancing shoes seeing us an hour ago! Actually dancing is not exactly what we do best, but we do it with the flair that can’t be traced in any pub of Delhi. Shaking our undisciplined assess around was more fun than showing claustrophobic movements in some shady bar of NCR amidst the dumbest minds possible!

So we danced, danced and danced. And it soon struck 12.we counted down…and on 0 we were all screaming and hugged each other. Those were the moments for which I wished, just froze in time but you see I don’t have a good rapport with GOD, hence it dint freeze .any way, it was a great feeling. I know I soak in things a bit fast and more than my peers, but I knew that all were trying to follow suite and were close. That’s what makes you comfy in even dark places. All of us just settled down, like the lull after the storm.

The Floyd songs were the perfect ending and we pulled down the curtain of our Swiss tent. We all cozened in the 6 by 10 tent like cubs fighting for the bitches parallel port type udders. And the great gamblers were waiting to deal the cards and it was all to be inside our palatial tent.

All of us stepped in with cash and for a change GB did it without much of hanky panky (guess a New Year resolution which might be close to a revolution for all of us!).

The cards were dealt with a quick revision of the rules for the less initiated…and it was raining coins. What a moment it was, we all playing cards in candle lit tent on a chilly winter night. When I sit back and take a panoramic view, I am awed by the beauty of the moment…rather moments. We all played with everything we had. Harjai was the first to doze off. Guess so cauz he didn’t have the alcohol in his blood. See the side effects of not drinking……..egregiously infamous is booze. Then Apoorv followed, he better he needed to drive us back home. Rest all stayed up until the wee hours of 1^st morning. The winner was none other than Dhanna Seth…(bet u find a better name).and I lost I don’t know how much cauz I dint keep a tab-money was not the purpose. Same was true with all. We started getting out one by one and hit the double beds that were for each of us with Korean blankets. it was great. the postures were intricate, bums next to cheeks, elbows on balls and socks as close to noses as Shoaib Akhtar’s delivery to Sachin. it dint matter, we were not in a mood and capacity to tell the difference between me and Harjai anyway …….read black or white.

I was up the earliest and let me show it off. Goes of to prove that I can be up even after drinking 3 pints of coke n rum. So soon Suneja was up as if he got to catch a train. See the pic named” yaar hostel chalo!”)it gives the right mood n feel. In a flash all were up n kicking. it was 1-30 noon and we all closed the show .finally Ashok Kumar was back to wrap up the tent and take away all the shit we had left behind. But let me tell, we indeed were good guests. Go ask them. Apoorv n Kaddu took to the steering n this time apoorv drove fast. We took a pit stop on NH8 and pampered us with some good tea. Bhau’s idea need .He craves for it .the only good reason for his black eye bags n Kaddu’s nocturnal shift in lifestyle. Any way for once he craved for caffeine at the right time at the right place. We headed back to the highway towards Delhi, our home.

To sum it up, we all missed Padam and Mudit……..(actually jealous in polite terms! But we love taking the upper hand)….and we had a time together that was much overwhelming than the dog-fights in BH1.I will run short of superlatives if I get into it. so we all are looking forward to the Manali which starts on the 3^rd of Jan just 2 days from now.

God bless.