Jun

My short tryst with Osho

Posted on June 30th, 2011 by Harsh

Ever since I have taken spirituality seriously, I have listened to a number of discourses, done a few kinds of meditations and practiced a way of living to create eternal inner peace. This has varied from listening to many gurus and institutions, right from India to Australia to America. The purpose has been to attain overall well-being (physical, mental and social) through exercises, activities and merely transforming the way of living.

Whilst I keep my spiritual activities very personal, sometimes I do get to share them with friends around me, ie when I find a friend with patience to hear me. There’s one friend who bears the brunt very often, almost every day. Anyhow, moving to what I want to share. Lately, I have been listening mostly to Osho, also known as Bhagwan Rajneesh. To begin with, I have not ever been remotely religious all my life. I have been rather indifferent. This has helped me first not confuse spirituality with religiousness and secondly, not become a blind follower. Osho’s discourses to me have come as a revelation. No, they haven’t changed me, if that’s what people think discourses do. They have merely made me think. They have just stated the obvious, and somewhere helped me go within me and listen to myself than blindly working the way the world does.

The first discourse I heard from Osho was ‘Escaping into life, not from it’, which started with the statement: “Mind is a great deceiver. It takes you into the future and past all the time whereas authentic living is in the present.” I guess most of us somewhere have known this fact but the revision has been poor. It’s quite amazing that since I have heard this from Osho I have not forgot it, and tend to tell myself the same many times over. Those who have read The Secret would remember the “Remember to Remember” theory which pretty much says the same thing.

Osho also has views on marriage which we may not tend to agree with. On the other hand, he has a story to illustrate every thought, a though for every illustration. It’s not surprising that once you start listening to him, it is addictive and life-changing. Osho has views on everything that makes our life from career to family to communication to sex. A few days back a friend asked me if I agree with everything and anything that Osho has to say, to which I replied that “Discourses are the grocery store of my consciousness. I pick up what my consciousness needs and do not buy that it does not need.” Like a needy shopper, consciousness also buys what it needs. In any case, Osho has not laid down any commandments for living your life. I have to agree with him when he says that his emphasis is to build consciousness and not character, as there cannot be readymade answers to every question or situation in this world!

Also, Osho is not all seriousness. He has this incredibly charming sense of humor that can have you in splits. But behind every joke is a thought, a lesson that can be highly enlightening.

It’s been a good journey with Osho so far, and I am very excited what I have to hear from him as I have more of Osho.

322 days ago Short URL Comments

Experiences/Philosophy/Spirituality/Views & Opinions/World

Jun

What’s so special about Bukhara?

Posted on June 6th, 2011 by Harsh

Bukhara at ITC Maurya Sheraton is one place that I’d been wanting to go for long, but due to lack of right company or some other reason, it’d remained on my must-visit restaurants for a long time. Finally, it happened last Friday that a friend of mine, in a mood to devour Indian food, accompanied me on our virgin visit to “Delhi’s best Indian Restaurant”. Like another hyped restaurant by the media and connoisseurs alike, we had huge expectations from Bukhara. I’d read in The Times of India that when Bill Clinton visited India as US President he ate so much at Bukhara that he found it hard to walk back to his room…err…suite, Presidential if I am not wrong! That really says much about the restaurant.

Adjoining the fine dining Pavilion, Bukhara is cornered right at the end. With somewhat rusty interiors, staff dressed in Kurta Pyajama, desi settings and no-cutlery concept, Bukhara would seduce any foreigner. The quintessential Indian-ness of the place is palpable as soon as you have a dekko at the menu. A hard bound takhti with dishes names inscribed on both the sides, the menu, surprisingly, did not offer much. You had 10-odd very normal starters such as Tandoori Murgh, Reshmi Kebab, Seekh Kebab, Mutton Burra, Raan and mutton & chicken platters that cost a whopping Rs 5000 and 7000 respectively. On the flip side, you had regular vegetarian snacks that I did not even bothered to look at, along with Dal Bukhara which I later learnt is the speciality of the place.

On being puzzled that there was nothing in gravy in non-vegetarian, we enquired with the staff and they mentioned that there was chicken in ‘tomato puree’ off the menu. ‘Chicken in Tomato Puree?’ Well, if that’s the description of a chicken dish in Bukhara, then I’m surely going to stay away. Cautiously and curiously, we ordered Mutton Burra and Tandoori Murgh. The food arrived quite quickly and the helpings were good. Quite non-spicy, Burra was good while Tandoori Murgh was not as masala-heavy as roadside food eaters would be used to. My friend and I had reached a consensus that the food was good but overhyped.

Not being tempted to go for the main course, we summed with these two things, at some amusement of a staff member. The meal for two cost us Rs 3200. With main course, I believe it would have been around Rs 5000. Not bad if a restaurant lives up to its hype. Quite disappointing, if it’s just another good restaurant with excellent PR!

346 days ago Short URL 2 Comments

Delhi/Eating Out/Experiences/Food

May

At the Speaking Tree

Posted on May 9th, 2011 by Harsh

6 SP Marg seemed to be an unusual venue for Speaking Tree event. It did not sound like a conference hall, or a traditional official get-together venue. When I reached there, I realized it is the residence of Bennett Coleman Chairman Indu Jain’s residence. Speaking Tree, for the uninitiated, is a regular Times of India column on spiritual enlightenment, and now a supplementary and also a web portal. I have been hooked onto it primarily through its Facebook community and a couple of masters like Deepak Chopra and Meera Om that I follow. For me, it has been more of spiritual learning than enlightenment.

I learnt about the Speaking Tree offline event on its website. Though the agenda was not very clear I was immediately inspired to be a part of it, so I mailed to request my participation. I was particularly excited about it as I had never been to a spiritual/non-corporate event ever. Talking about the event, it was appropriately and beautifully hosted in the lawns of Indu Jain’s lawns. There would be about 70-odd delegates. The event started with a short talk from a voluntary organization’s founder. The young man is an MBA from Yale, now a part of Times Foundation and helps the old all around the country. He quoted Lage Raho Munnabhai’s Jaado ki Jhappi and asked every one of us to hug any 3 people randomly to break the ice. Nice exercise to begin with, and that set the tone for some more exciting rendezvous narration. It wasn’t spiritual and sounded more like an NGO talk. Good enough and entertaining, albeit.

The next speaker Avantika, an Art of Living trainer, talked about Spirituality in its core form. One of the things that I remember from her interactive session is that all of us seven levels of existence: body, mind, soul, ego, intellect, breath and memory. There was some great revision of spiritual learning that I have gathered over the past few months, like attaining perpetual peace of mind, being able to receive well-being in all forms, mind-body-breath connection, and feeling good all the time. The talk was good, interactive and made complete sense. In parts, it also seemed to be ‘Secret’ inspired but it could sheer co-incidence of preaching the same thought. I was prompted to ask a question at the end “What is balanced life? What are the components that comprise balanced life?” To that there was an unsatisfactory answer. I guess in the next event there could be more soul- searching that seeking.

Next up was the founder herself Indu Jain. Surprisingly agile at her age with a calm and affable demeanour, Ms Indu Jain asked all of us to close our eyes and take a few deep breaths. As we opened our eyes, her first question was: “what did you see?” Answers like flowers, planets, humans, darkness floated around but the answer that caught her attention was “nothing”. And that’s what meditation is. It is attaining a state of nothingness. Giving ourselves a break from the complex tangle of thoughts (futile and meaningful). And then Ms Indu Jain remarked that ‘nothing’ is what India has given to the whole world. It’s one of the remarks that has stayed in my mind since then. How important it is to be in a state of nothingness and attain a few moments where the mind rests.
There was a bit of talk on the Speaking Tree initiative which I believe has not even touched the proverbial tip on the iceberg. There’s a lot that can be done. The event, though not completely spiritually gratifying, was a reasonable one to start with and I hope in the events to come, they have more answers for soul-searchers like me. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the positivity of the event and general vibes were reinvigorating.

Lastly, but not the least, the food served by Ms Indu Jain was absolutely sumptuous. Pasta, fried rice, frankies, veg manchurian may not to be the menu that you expect at a spiritual event but the hosts made it a gastronomical celebration as well.
Thanks Spiritual Tree!

374 days ago Short URL Comments

Experiences/Spirituality

May

The Alchemy of Two Chimneys!

Posted on May 3rd, 2011 by Harsh

Not too many journeys begin with almost a dozen travellers who have hardly bat an eyelid the night before in the excitement of embarking on a weekend trip to the hills. Such was a trip we had, and without any hint of exaggeration, the sleepless sojourn lasted three days and most importantly, two nights. Okay, there is a hint of exaggeration, just. Cumulatively, we all slept for may be 6 hours, barring me.

Gethia is a secluded village lost somewhere in the backyard of Nainatal. It is so isolated and lost in a natural trance that you would not even find a milestone on winding roads that lead to a home-stay-cum-resort named Two Chimneys. It is named so because there are two chimneys that shoot out of the tin roof of the crisp cluster of suites. The ascendance to Two chimneys is a view and experience in itself for Delhiites. It is an antonym to the congested and crowded Nainital, lacks the commercial prowess of Simla, and does not offer you any neighbourhood. Inside, Two Chimneys is a haven that affords a few finely-built suites with vintage interiors, somewhat carrying a colonial fragrance (even if we despise the days of the Raj). Beyond the colourful suites, there is a smallest of outdoor swimming pools, which is well-maintained. The breakfast and lunch is usually served on the deck by the pool. This apart, there is a bar room, a games room and another room tucked into the corner that is apparently booked for its famous owner Mr Tarun Tejpal (Editor, Writer). The sprawling lawns and the panoramic view that 2 Chimneys offers lend it a meditative appeal and a location that is worth visiting more than once.

The journey to Gethia from Delhi is not exactly very comfortably. The better part of Uttar Pradesh lacks proper infrastructure and flyovers that are perennially under construction. Narrow roads going through many villages just make the ride slower, and frustrating for the impatient souls. The railway crossing that we encountered on our way devoured an hour both sides. Traffic laws are most religiously broken. While we wait for the train to cross, each side becomes a one-lane driveway, with every SUV owner taking pride in overtaking the vehicle on the concrete road by zooming past him through the muddy path. The faster you zip off, the more powerful you are. The cars crowned with red lights unassumingly make way for themselves whilst two wheelers sneak their bikes into whatever gaps they can spot. What side of the road you are on doesn’t matter. It seems that the cops have quite conveniently submitted themselves to the lawlessness of the state, and revel in the chaotic traffic festival that the traffic signal offers. It is not merely a game of power to get better. You need skill, agility, an occasional verbal blow, capability to patiently brave a cattle attack, and the patience of a F1 driver who has just lost a wheel and still is in the reckoning.

In spite of the cruel journey, manic driving and countless tolls that you brave, it is worth its dime and time. Not to forget the number of highway Dhabas that you find on the way. Our choice was this heavily-advertised Apni Haveli just off Moradabad on Rampur Road. A curious guard security guard-cum-parking assistant dressed in Govinda-inspired orange pants and yellow shirt greeted us with a straight face and expressions that would remain still through the years. Apni Haveli isn’t really a great place. They have demarcated the so-called haveli into open and ‘fully’ air-conditioned spaces. Food is just as good or bad as you would find on any roadside dhaba. It can either delight you, make your frown, or just turn into a bug as soon it hits the intestine.

However, coming to the place that matters. If you go to Two Chimneys Gethia, you should plan to do nothing but stay there for at least three days. The service is spot-on. We made friends with waiters and caretakers. The staff was full of stories of leopards in the jungle and how they terrorized the villagers when once a female leopard gave birth to six younger ones. The caretaker had some interesting real estate stories and while he narrated the tales of real estate development and RoI, he carefully probed if I was an interesting investor.

Overall, the staff is courteous. Meals are custom-made and fresh. I am not one of the best food connoisseurs, but I relished every bite that I chew. For a resort lost in Gethia, to boast of a menu that offers sumptuous Continental, Indian, Burmese, Italian, etc is remarkable.

Two Chimneys is a soul-searcher’s paradise. Being Tarun Tejpal’s property, it compels you to browse through the vast collection of books. The sun and wind that consumes you during the day makes it an ideal setting to reflect upon you, your life and its purpose. For the young and restless, there is a games room, or you can trek your way to Nainital, like most people from our office did. Nainital will offer you a crowded Mall Road, a lake and a horse ride into the forest. 3-4 hours in the town are sufficient.

The travel time from Delhi to Two Chimneys is about 8-10 hours depending upon the traffic and stoppages. I’d recommend you to leave early in the morning, except for the winters when it could be foggy, to avoid traffic crawls and jams. It is best to have your suite/rooms booked in advance. You could also haggle a bit if you are going off-season. March-June could be the most perfect time, or if you are a winter lover, then a snow-laden Dec-Jan window could work perfectly for you.

To sum it up, I’d recommend Two Chimneys to all and sundry. It’s a perfect mind, body and soul vacation.

380 days ago Short URL 4 Comments

Experiences/Places to Stay/Travel/Views & Opinions

Apr

Conundrums of a Shopoholic!

Posted on April 27th, 2011 by Harsh

I generally don’t do mall reviews. Shopping malls, in my opinion, are those grandeur & seductive hubs that make you lighter by a few grands every time you are lured into them. Still, we have come to love shopping malls, and why not? It’s a great respite for me, who grew up holding his parents hands in the congested and sultry streets of Karol Bagh or Lajpat Nagar, countering every pedestrian seller, haggling with him, making way through hordes of people (some serious shoppers, some of the poor folks were residents, and some window shoppers) and eventually soaking the heat whilst mom and aunties rounded off their shopping tour with the most unhygienic of all Indian foods – golgappas.

Let me jump the gun here. I am a mall person any day, even when I crave to buy cheap stuff, I choose a mall. I am fascinated by the modern architecture, escalators (which in my childhood I thought existed only for the super rich at International airports), American brands, international restaurant chains and food courts. Most of all I am amazed by the automated functionalities of a shopping mall. You go, park your car, choose the store, buy the stuff, eat the stuff, and it’s over. No one sells, there is no hawker yelling outside the store, there is no upselling – and it sells entirely on its own. The best part is that we don’t negotiate, even good old Aunties don’t! We accept the way it is.

Lately, DLF Promenade at Vasant Kunj, has become my pet shopping mall. Ok, every time I go there, I don’t shop. I could be watching a movie. Oh, yes, how could I forget movies? I remember in the 90s someone who had made his maiden visit to the US, told me how big malls in the west afforded car showrooms as well hotels and movie halls in a mall. I used to exclaim and almost envy the international traveller! Those were the days, when the US was the supreme power (it still is) and we were inhabitants of a third world ‘perennially developing’ economy. And I wondered when I will go to the US to witness the ultimate progress of human capabilities. Strangely, it did not even strike me for once that all this could happen in my own backyard. I guess, we were so under-confident about India!

Coming to Promenade, it fascinates me for its chic appearance, outstanding interiors, a very attractive outside area with a big screen, being a shopper’s haven, and eating experiences. Not to forget, DT cinemas, where the experience is no less than a luxury hotel’s. And yes, it has a Harley Davidson showroom which I always happen to see first when I take escalators from basement parking but never dare to even enter or just gaze from the window. Harley is more of a DLF Emporio brand for me. C’mon, those who buy a Rs 50,000 Gucci shirt can only afford to buy Harleys, not those who scamper around buying the less influential Hilfigers and Zaras.

The downside of a shopping mall is that there are no flagship stores. Every brand has a limited collection and often they route you to a CP or South Ex store for entire collection. Is retail space in malls more expensive than South Ex/CP? Don’t know. It’s also amazing that how malls are really made for mindless shoppers. Last week, I wanted to buy a travel bag, a good one, I mean a good-looking one! Quite foolishly, I called up Louis Vuitton to enquire about the price range. Unsurprisingly, it was about Rs 57,000 for a bag that would be adequate for a three-day vacation in summers. And there I dropped the idea of buying LV (Sigh! Sigh!). Alternatives? I went to Promenade in the hope of having one.

Now, I didn’t know where to buy. Lacsote. Don’t have. Woodland. Next week. Da Milano. Will get at South Ex. Espirit. We only have women’s. Nike. We have only two. Puma. Good but not entirely convincing.

Six stores and you are done, but the indefatigable buyer in me persisted and gambled at Zara where the entire range bowled me over, and I did end up buying one with grey, mat finish. God bless Zara! That day I also realized that I can also manage to crib about shopping malls, find loopholes, and still can’t have myself away from these gigantic brand havens. Good gracious! But I still love my days of being knicker-wearing boy whose only motivation to accompany his mother and Aunties to Karol Bagh was to gluttonously lick a softy in a brown cone. It was the only thing I loved.

386 days ago Short URL Comments

Delhi/Experiences/Fashion/Food/Travel/Views & Opinions

Apr

The Kitchen at Khan Market

Posted on April 19th, 2011 by Harsh

There’s nothing too great to write about a barely 20-seater restaurant awkwardly located at the curve of a middle lane in Khan Market. Simply named The Kitchen with 100% transparent glasses and an unassuming entry where you would have to call out for a waiter to ask for a seat, The Kitchen has its own charm. The first thing that you notice is a big TV screen that would usually be playing a cricket match (we Indians are obsessed with it and our cricketers have a packed schedule to ensure that we are not devoid of any action).

I have been to The Kitchen twice into 10 days and primarily because the first visit was inspiring enough to go twice. First time, I was lured by their Chinese combinations and Keema Pav; on the second occasion, it was rice with Chicken and desserts that really sucked me in. The menu seems to be varied and exhaustive but it is really not. Not if you compare it with it’s a-few-blocks-away The Big Chill. However, it does give you a variety in Chinese, Continental, Indian and sea food. For me, The Kitchen is a kind of mini restaurant perfectly suited for an experimental evening where the focus is not on palates but on the fun of having eating out.

In a largely competitive Khan Market where eating out rules the roost, The Kitchen holds its own. Even on weekdays you will have to endure a waiting, unless you tend to have early dinner. The service is average. Peculiarly, they have shortage of paper napkins, and even in 500 sq ft you have to search for a waiter. But they have an enduring presence. The water is served in a remarkably huge jug lifting which would equate to weight lifting for any one under 10. The place may not be largely suited for claustrophobics, but the service is fast so you may not be in for more than 30-45 minutes.

I like The Kitchen but it stays as a once-in-a-while eating out destination for me. I still crave for its next door Al-Bake to reopen.

394 days ago Short URL Comments

Delhi/Eating Out/Experiences/Food

Jan

The Middle Lane Fascination at Khan Market

Posted on January 3rd, 2011 by Harsh

There are many places in the world where you desire or aspire to go for walks in evenings. But there are few which you can never get enough of. For me, it has to be Middle Lane in Khan Market where I have spent umpteen evenings having seekh rolls, Pizzas or just making an entry into one of the restaurants/pubs. There’s something about the street food there’ it just never disappoints, and there’s got to be something about the air – it always refreshes you.

The middle lane, coming to explain of it, is replete with small shops that sell primarily quick snacks. For example, there is Aap Ki Khatir, known for its sumptuous Kakori Rolls. A few strides into the land, you have Al-Bake which only sells rolls with chomped chicken pieces with cheese (The roll best explained is a miniature and less stuffed version of a Shawarma). In between that you have Cocoberry, which women love for some odd inexplicable reason; Route 04 – a cheap destination for liquor lovers; Urban Café with its loud music and hukkahs (the food is pretty passable as well); The Kitchen which comes across as a cosy haven with its continental delights. I have not been to The Kitchen but is always seems fully occupied.

Then you have Chicago Pizza, which is agonizingly slow, and the guy at the counter these days seems to be a direct import from the slowest planet in the world. However, the pizza slice is sinfully yummy and surprisingly filling. If you have been there often, you would note three cats next to the outlet, and they are always fed by people who stand by to have their slice. Mind you , the cats don’t eat the base; they prefer chicken only. Blanco, a block ahead, is another loud-music, continental-food, I-am-so-suave, kind of restaurant/pub. The food is okay, and the pricing totally unflattering. Moving ahead, you have a hot dog store, and I can cannot recall the name (give it a safe skip). After a bit of walk, with CCD on your right, you have the champion eating joint of Khan Market – The Big Chill, followed by Khan Chacha and Sidewok at the fag end (Certainly not amongst the best Chinese restaurant in Delhi/NCR).

I may have missed a few (not too many) such as Market Café but I am not really frequent that place too much. I go there if I have sit for long all alone. It is a good place to do your work with least disturbance accompanied with good cappuccino. The staff is amicable as well. Gingermoon and Mamgoto are totally virgin territories from me.
Enjoy a walk through the middle lane when it is cold in the evening, have a bite here and there from everywhere, be with the people you love being the most, make your mind numb, and you are bound to enjoy it.

500 days ago Short URL Comments

Delhi/Eating Out/Experiences/Food/Travel

Feb

Howzatt at The Galaxy Hotel

Posted on February 17th, 2009 by Harsh

So, here I come with another restaurant review. Sorry, I need to make a correction. It is not a restaurant but a microbrewery. Hotel Galaxy is located behind 32nd milestone in the suburbs. I have been to Galaxy earlier when I went to The Monk, which in my books, is just above average, but there are people who swear by its Chinese food. Anyhow, coming to Howzatt, it is located just adjacent to The Monk.

Howzatt is a microbrewery, which I have heard is a concept borrowed from Germany, or European countries. There are huge, almost gigantic, containers in there where they ferment and brew beer! The best part is that you get to guzzle fresh beer. I am no beer fan, but I went to Howzatt to get a taste of things there. To my surprise, the beer was excellent, and for the first time in my life, I think I enjoyed guzzling beer. It was quite cheap as well. If I am not wrong, the pitcher cost us INR 200/- and we were done with it. We ordered some food also with it, which was just passable. Don’t go to Howzatt for food, please.

The USP of Howzatt is its eye-catching cricket theme. There are replicas of floodlights in the center and the seats are shaped in the shape of cricket gloves. They are so big that they tall above your back. Needless to say there are big TV screens which show cricket matches (there was Aus-SA match going on when we went there). The ambience is excellent and a joy for cricket lovers. The service, when I went, was alright even though the attendance was thin. The manager who came at the end was quite polite.

Howzatt will continue to thrive because of its fresh brewed beer, excellent ambience and low cost. Last week, I also chanced upon Rockman’s Beer Island at Ambience Mall though I did eat or drink there. It seemed to be very huge and very big on ambience. I am tempted to try that place, but some other day. Till then, I am happy with my scotch whisky.

1185 days ago Short URL Comments

Eating Out/Experiences

Feb

Masjid Wali Gali

Posted on February 14th, 2009 by Harsh

Every city has its secrets. I mean places that exist but you have never been there, and you have not visited them because they are not on the usual routes or have malls or markets to attract you. I have always been attracted to such places because of their unusual ambience and they reflect the true essence of the city. A few weeks ago I happened to be one of such places in Delhi called Masjid Wali Gali. If you are wondering where it is, let me clarify upfront it lies in Mayapuri. The approach is quite unusual as well. There is a narrow street going from Nangal Raya towards Masjid Wali Gali. Beyond the narrow street lies one of the biggest markets selling cheap car/auto spare parts. No, these are not spurious products, but fixed/repaired (read jugadu) ones. For example, I bought a car taillight with a mild crack that was not too noticeable at a very reasonable cost.

Now, how did I land up there? Well, the story goes like this. Weeks ago, I banged my card, quite embarrassingly, while reversing against the wall. There was a huge dent and the taillight broke. Now, the deal was that I had to get it fixed and it required a new taillight. Getting the dent out is quite an affordable deal, but a new taillight would have left a dent on my wallet. So, my friend and I went on this adventure to Masjid Wali Gali. Masjid Wali Gali is not exactly a gali – in fact there is a broad muddy road and shops on both sides of the road. All of the shops sell cheap car parts, and you can see many people with their cars there. I could also spot a Mercedes! From the gali you can see a green-colored building, which is a mosque.

My friend and I (well, I can address him as Swaran because he is pretty popular here) went about checking the shops to purchase a taillight. Quite expectedly, there was no fixed price and you have to haggle to get the best deal. There are no rules of haggling. You can instantly ask for the half the price that the shopkeeper quotes, and you will get a good deal. Most shopkeepers are quite nonchalant. One thing is that you have to be smart enuf to know what you are buying. You can be easily fooled, but I got a feeling that they would not fool you there, ie not sell you something that cannot fit.

We only checked a couple of shops, and got an amazing deal. Why I say amazing is because it was almost one-fifth of the price that a new Honda taillight would have cost! It almost looked as good as a new taillight. It took up quite a lot of our time, but the deal was worth it.

So, next time you want a spare part, you can safely head to Masjid Wali Gali, but in the first place, drive safe and avoid a trip there.

1188 days ago Short URL 2 Comments

Delhi/Experiences

Feb

Creative or Alienated?

Posted on February 10th, 2009 by Harsh

All of a sudden a thought has struck my mind. I was reading Sandipan Deb’s article in the Indian Express, and he had remarkably stated that once when attending a workshop, he was asked to pen down his own obituary. Being a creative writer that he is, he wrote a poetic one with very high literary overtones. The workshop conductor gave him an F (that’s the grade, btw) for that. Sandipan was extremely upset, and wrote in his IE article had Dostoyevsky read the obituary text, he would have paid him a fortune to claim the rights of his next book.

I am not surprised by the reaction of the workshop trainer/conductor, Mr Deb. From my experience, I have realized that there is a huge gulf that exists between the way a creative (such as writer, filmmaker, author, poet, columnist, philosopher, painter) and a non-creative person (your regular IT, Finance, BPO guyz) think. No offence to the latter, as they have their own set of capabilities, which the former usually are deprived of.

I don’t have much to claim that I am creative, but at least in my own books, I am. I could directly, emotionally and profoundly relate to Mr Deb’s failure to acquire a decent grade in the workshop. You see, people who write, generally have a different way of looking at things. Once attending a creative writing class at the British Council, I was asked to write a poem on perhaps the darkest topic ever: “death”. What I ended up producing is one of the funniest pieces of poetry I have jotted down till date! Fortunately for me, it was a creative writing class, so I got my share of accolades, and a warm applause from my pretty-looking firang teacher (blushes!). I have discussed it with my friends also who just cannot stop talking about IT and finance when we are together, or worse, real estate prices! We creative people don’t have a taste for such stuff. More often than not, I am yawning to death deep inside me, but manage to have a plastered smile on my face, as if I am understanding everything being said.

Last week, I was sitting in one of my friend’s office late in the evening. It is an IT company, and understandably most people were engineers. As evening progressed, we sat down for drinks around a nice bar table that they have in their office. After a peg or two, another Engineer from Nokia joined us, and thereafter the talks were just about the latest phones, laptops and all that gadgety stuff! A big YAWN! Most jokes that they laughed on, were not good enuf to make my facial muscles move, but I did give a fake grin to acknowledge the pedestrian quality of their jokes. I felt like an ungracious alien in a technically charged environment. Understandably, after three pegs, I gave up, and excused myself from the gathering. I went straightway to another friend, and ended up discussing nonsensical stuff till late night over a few more pegs of English Scotch – you see that’s what people like us enjoy the most.

But I feel that creative (technically and financially-challenged) and the non-creative (technically and financially-enabled) are made for each other. We rely on each other. When I have to buy a laptop, phone or for that matter even a car, I usually rely blindly on their intelligence. When my friends have to get a creative SMS/Email/resignation letter/resume done, I am in the firing line. One of my teenage years friends has been availing of my poem writing services for years now. I also feel glad that it works for him! In return, he gets my car accessories done, my mobile phone fixed, and helps me take all kinds of “technical” decisions. I call him “khurafati” So, it is so so mutual, you see!

All said and done, the right brains and left brains are usually at sea when together, although it depends on many other factors also. Some people may have different opinions on this piece, but that’s how I have felt in whatever few years of existence I have had (wink!).

1192 days ago Short URL 11 Comments

Experiences/Views & Opinions

Filed under Experiences …