The idea of India...

Past two months were laid back..which reflects little deviation and keeps in line with the past twenty years of my life. However, some instances from the months past coupled with some literary adventures provided a quaint unsettling feeling.

In the background were few books- "Inspite of the Gods" & India After Gandhi by Edward Luce and Ramchandra Guha respectively, being the prominent ones. These two men seemingly apart yet brought together by the common thread of journalism in and about India.

Edward Luce's account of the strange rise of India, which aptly forms the subtitle of the book- traces and tracks the footprints of India's sudden emergence on the global conscience. Over the pages Luce takes you on a hithchiking trip through India over the ages- with disappointment and the anguish of the Emergency era to the hope and optimism of the India shining times. This book also, (yet again) brings you face to face with the disparity which so unashamedly marks todays India- something Aravind Adiga, made everyone to stand up and take note of (We need some good Gini, people). Luce is a correspondent with the Financial Times and this is reflected in his work. He has the journalistic eye and throughout the book, he makes one lament how we could have done so much better, financially and economically, over the years. The idea of India, what it could have been and what it ought to be,- the idea envisaged by BR Ambedkar & Nehru has been raped time and again in favour of power hungry politicians willing to cash in on the cheapest flavour of the season- from religion to region or skewed policies, success or failure of which, to be fair was anyones guess.

It was a nasty co-incidence that while I read about the idea of an India, an idea the writer felt disintegrated and degenerated with every passing day, at the hands of different people, the disintegration that manifest itself in the politically instigated sectoral violence in Maharashtra.

Ramchandra Guha-

I am not a prolific reader and I read at a pace dat may put a snail to shame. Hence it would have taken me eons to finish India after Gandhi- a work epical in proportions. Nevertheless I couldn’t resist the temptation to pick up the book- knowing completely well that I will not have the patience to sit through the sedulously written account on India- by the only anthropologist I would care to read. The theme was recurring. Hindu rate of growth, policies gone wrong, Nehru's tryst with destiny and a li'l more, the fabian socialism et all. And yet again, I couldnt help feeling the common pulse ~ there existed an idea somewhere in the hearts and minds of people an idea which is definitely not reflected in the times we live in.

As I traversed through these pages ~ and imagined the zeitgeist of a new born India, a newly independent India young and donned in the chic secularist, sovereign democratic constitution - the types world hadn’t seen earlier- I wondered how little sense it all makes now. This time around, it was a debate doing rounds in the journalistic circles and editorials, that made me wonder about the idea of “sovereignty.” The right to self-governance. How is it that a value enshrined in Constitution is so blatantly violated in one part of the country? Just how far should we go in the name of national integration? Is India not doing to Kashmir what the Brits did to India as a whole before independence? I am all for unity of Kashmir with India but I also feel for the plight of people of Kashmir. Somewhere we have to draw a line, because dying people are never a reflection of good governance. The capitalist in me cries aloud too- when everything else fails to resolve your socio-political-economic dilemmas, resort to the Gods of cost benefit analysis.

The idea of an integrated India needs some rethinking, it needs some social engineering that Mayawati or the like are utterly incapable of…

Rock On ... and then some more :)

I can think of plenty of reasons why I liked Rock On and then a few more for why you should go see it too.., Not least of them being the soothing relief that it can be from all the anxious madness that the last year in law school has come to be...
I belong to the generation for whom DCH was definitive in many a sense- Farhan Akhtar's credentials have only gone from strength to strength thereon, I say that without actually having seen Lakshya or Don for that matter.. :P , Rock On was once again in a familiar league..
Its impressive how farhaan has managed to create a signature style with just four movies.

The slick narration and the quintessential urban uber protagonists.. from DCH's Aamir to Rock On's Frhaan himself - theres a little bit of the viewer in him.
Music- another stronghold of the Farhaan-Ritesh Sidhwaani duo is yet again fortified by the tried and tested Shankar - Ehsaan -Loy's trio. Impressive. Herein also lies one of the biggest attraction of the movie, that mistakingly Lucky Ali-ish raw yet dulcet voice crooning some straight from the gut lyrics.

Shots from Flora fountain, Just not jazz by the bay and other parts of Colaba and Bombay were enough to take me a few months back in time and provide that extra dash of nostalgia.
Coming to the cast, lets start with Arjun Rampal who rather effortlessly slips into JOe, the emotionally charged, sensitive, rock star and surprising manages a mix of boyish charm with a some what Jesus like persona at times. Kudos.
And then ofcourse therez Purab Kohli (aka KD)- who does what he always does the best..be cheerful. Remember Hip Hip Hurray..? Saakshi plays the role of a decked up rick mans wife with the perfect indian up bringing to the core. She wouldnt stomp out of house and would go that extra mile to bring that smile back to hubby dearest! Not bad we say. (Do they not make more of tose in real life?) She floors me with ajeeb dastaan.
Perhaps Koel Poorie didnt get the screen space she deserved (or thats what my heart says .. sigh.. :(
In all- there wasnt something surprising about the story- and perhaps thats what made me like it. There was little left to imagination right from the beginning. The story of College bands finally coing back together for their jig- and one member terminaly ill has perhaos been told time and again. Yet, "magic" of cinema they say- is not in the story, its in "story telling" and thats what the movie proves.
Perhaps not all of us had a band we quit and friends we deserted, but perhaps most of us did leave some things in the past.., not necessarily the really big and glamorous rock band things, but prhaos small yet significantly fulfilling things which defined who we are- and which were lost when we joined the race - the race to be one amongst the crowd. Go watch the movie- watch it for sheer magic :) Watch it for its sincere and honest attempt to live the dream..!

Cold Steel (Book)

Perhaps.., just perhaps, the publishers of this book would have managed to sell a couple of thousand more copies of this.., if only they'd given its title a dash of pepper wid something like "How to bluff your way through that coveted M & A job interview".

Quite honestly, the book is a good read - and not in the least as drowsy as most of the books about business quite inadvertently manage to become. Set in the jet setting quarters of the global steel industry and unraveling for the most part in exotic locales of Europe- the pace of the book is fast enough to keep you well engrossed- page after page and day after day :) (In case you are a snail at reading, which yours truly quite effectively is).

Always over a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate accompanied by rains outside, the Oxford at Churchgate presents the perfect setting to set on a journey witnessing the father and son duo of Lakshmi and Aditya Mittal courting for the European jewel Arcellor with a passion and fervor intense enough to rival the knights of yonder years.

The authors in their approach to M&A tactics and other business strategies and concepts have quite remarkably managed to keep it all plain and simple. As said earlier, the book comes well bundled with "white knights", "steel industry business cycles", the who’s who of global Investment banking, takeover specialists, M&A lawyers armed with poison pills and other similar tools and tales from the awe-inspiring world of corporate finance.

Lakshmi Mittals journey from rustic Rajasthan to the most coveted addresses in London is downrightly mesmerizing and the writer manages to cover it rather quickly within the first few pages, managing to keep the book - more about THE DEAL rather then The Men.

The bitter takeover battle that covered all corners of the world - and which pole-vaulted an Indian, (no not India yet, it took Tata Steel's takeover of Corus to do that, a few months later!) to the very pinnacle of an industry which in many ways is the backbone of everything that is modern day living. Clandestine lobbying, golden handshakes, and a intercontinental PR exercise the book has all the ingredients of a slick flick and inspite of being factual - the book manages to capture a Jeffry Archerish fictional pace at times- a commendable feat indeed. 

In all it’s a good read- whether to bluff your way through that interview or just for some informative fun- the choice is all yours.

All that Jazz...

It ceartainly was a particularly chilly night, surprising considering its Bombay I am talking about, and well its certainly not known for any temperature extremities.
But any waz- its certainly not weather I am here to discuss about- so well- and in anycase it wasnt the temeperature that inspired me to travel (yes travel :P) for the much talked about Sizzling Brownie at the Cafe NewYorkers in Bombay.
Well, those of you who've been following the blog would quite notice the shift from Street Food to the more swanky places- well its keeping in touch with the other side of life :)
As I travelled towards Chowpati on the grand Marine Drive Road, there were two things I couldnt miss noticing - the simply serene sea outside the cab- and quiet altough beautiful silence sitting inside the cab.
You cant miss Chowpati when in Bombay, they say- I did. However - what I didnt miss is the Sizzling Brownie - at Cafe Newyorkers - which sits imposingly facing the sea and right across Chowpati- you simply cant miss it - untill ofcourse you want to. What you see above is well a devoured one.
There aint much to write about it though- for in all its a rather simple preparation- vanilla ice cream scoop sitting atop a brownie, in a hot plate and the final touch is added by the waiter who brings along hot molten chocolate and purs the same rather generously - for you. It was a rather riot of colours and temeperatures as the ice scream struggles to maintain form and substance and by the end of it - its all one uniform crust of chocolate and milk that rmains sticking to the pan.. Its the bubbles of hot chocolate perhaps that give it the distinctness or perhaps I was too engrossed to realise..
To give you an idea,- herez a sneak peek at what it looks like before you give in to the temptation and indulge in the sinfully delicious molten chocolate-brownie n ice-cream mix !!



Anywaz now that you are at NewYorkers - you may also want to try the gourmet pizza- whiich was a rather eclectic mix of all mexican toppings they have in the kitchen. Worth a try in any case.
All in all- the place is good by all standards.. and definitely worth a try..!

Bade Miyaan- The final bite ..

After having loitered around on the roads and in the lanes and bylanes of Colaba- having tried all thats on offer and wats not - keep the best for the last.
Tucked indiscreetly in the lane next to the much talked about Mondy- is the fantabulous Bade Miyaan .. its perhaps the final word in Kebabs and Rolls (veg and non veg alike , though my friends call me an impure non vegetarian- so well, dont take my word and try it for yourself .. )
In all probability- it doesnt get better thn this.
BM is Bombays answer to Khan Chacha and Colonels (though i always found the former more authentic..)
(Photo courtesy: http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Mumbai/blog-51872.html)

Street Food Junkiee (contd..)

And so we continue our sumptuous journey of the best munch on the go ..
Pao Bhaji, well to each is own, but never did it appeal to me in any restaurant. A quintessential street food once again..
Try variants available across VT terminal (behind the subway), the same needs a mention here esp. for their Cheese Pao Bhaji variant.. definitely a must have. (They say Shiv Sagar across CST serves really good ones too.. I shall though reserve my comments for the time being.. , more on the same in another section )

MUST HAVEs-
And those of you who get the chance to live in Byculla/Bombay central area- should definitely visit this treasure trove, for a sheer indulgence in simplicity of taste.
Around a kms walk from the Byculla statition- towards JJ Hospital, right across the Fire Brigade station and outside the Bata Showroom, you shall notice, a gathering of at least 10-15 people every night (after 10-11 pm always). Stop here, for if you thought Gelato/Naturals/BR was the best word in ice-creams..Wait till you dig in the first bite of this sinfully fresh hand made ice cream. As you feel the first spoon melt in your mouth- you can experience first hand- the uniqueness, of what I call gourmet ice cream. the man who serves the same, brings his offerings, carefullr preserved in a small container and has a vareity of 4-5 flavours everyday. all distinctivley made from fresh fruits and devoid of any artificial adulterants.
Delightfully simple and sinfully fresh.. (Indeed a long story behind the adjectives here.. shall keep the same for another post)
Alternate route.. if you are walking from JJ Hospital... walk straight, beside the flyover around a km after the end of JJ Flyover, towards your left.

Raju Sandwiches/Juice
Its the stuff offices half the lawyers working in lawfirms in and around Fort survive on..(perhaps an exaggeration.. but thats allowed)
Most of those who've been to the town area, must definitely be aware of Fountain restaurant known for its sizzlers (beyound the means of a junkiee like myself), and right across the huge and relatively modern HSBC building.
Anywaz, juxtaposed with the rear enterance of this restaurant (which gets the name from the area or the other way round .. I donno and dont care ;) though we love to argue about the same), sits the eponymous Raju Sandwich and Raju Juice center.. So be it Strawberry-Anjeer or their very own Ganga Jamna (Orange-Sweet Lime concoction).., they all are worth a try.
the quality of sandwiches (grilled/cheese/vegetable/ etc etc you name it and they have it, well over 30 different types), were indeed a treat for the stomach and equally interesting (a visual feast) is the swiish n swoosh with which the same is made. And true to the Street food tradition, its all available at rock bottom prices.
Second important thing, you cant fail to notice is the enterprising knack from this vendor. Once again, true to the road side radition, the stall operates from within a few square feet (how they do it an art in itself), however, what interested us is the extensive service network the same has. A delivery service catering to the needs of swankiest of corporate offices in the area. And mind you, we're referring to Fort- the hub of corporate houses in Bombay. Courtesy a lil black telephone on the wall.. :) .. (contd..)

Street Food Junkiee..

Food. Now if you've seen Ratottuie and loved the finnesse associated with good food ..perhaps you wont like what I am just about to cook.

A month in Mumbai (i like bombay to mumbai and VT to CST.. not that it matters.. but I sure am entitled to an opinion), the financial capital of our nation, gives you umpteen chances to indulge your taste buds with the most exquisite cuisines and also the most mundane of them all... However, what follows is a compilation of what i found to be the best amongst equals.

Starting with basics- Mumbai and wada paos .. sure go hand in hand.

However, not all are alike. Walk that extra pace for indeed they might look all alike, but differ they do :P

If you are amidst the Fort/kolaba/foutain area - following are the places to dig for the best ..

a) Across the AmEx Bank, Near Siddhartha College, Fountain; and

b) Across HDFC Bank/Globus on the periphery of Vishwavidhyala building.

Now, with the arrival of Jumbo Kings, and the associated notion of hygiene etc, I doubt if many would wanna try the above mentioned places, but well .. its not for you if you aint a SF Junkiee in any case ..

The next essential in Bombay would be the omnipresent "sugar cane juice"..

What can go wrong with a thing so simple.., or rather - what can differ?

Well, as I said..you gotto be a junkiee !! Surely sugarcane doesnt share the same space as grapes to boast of eclectic tastes and certainly their aint no glamour as with wine tasting.. However, every endeavour has rewards all of its own.

The place is across fountain again.. On your right while you go towards CST from Flora fountain.. the little stall is notting different from the millions dotting all over the city and sells the concoction termed plainly as sugarcane juice - however, the same comes with just the right tinge of ginger/lime and perhaps some secret potion which certainly makes it ramarkably different from what you could have ever imagined.... (to be contd..)