Sapota after watching this movie "almost famous" was very much impressed by Rolling Stone, the magazine. Now again after watching this flick school of rock, Sapota could relate rock and roll to his life more closely. Sapota was listening to rock and roll for a long time now, but the pleasure to discover more was becoming a passion. So Sapota started hunting around for posters, he could just manage one of "Nirvana", Sapota was desperate to get 'Metallica" poster at any cost. So Sapota started looking for magazines which publish poster, but to his dismay, in Pune there was only RSJ. So this hunt for poster ended in Sapota looking for magazines on rock and roll; as you become religious u start referring to fundamentals, so sapota started looking for Rolling Stone, but it was no where in Pune. So I looked around at internet, there were so many of them available but shipping charges from US were deterring. Then someone went to US, so Sapota asked him to get 1000th edition of Rolling stones, but again disappointment. Then again Sapota read 50 great stories in Rolling Stones, where Bono writes about Beatles and Marilyn manson wrote about The 'Holy' Doors, Sapota was bloody hooked, he desperately wanted the Magazine. Sapota once went to Bangalore, so here in Landmark Stores they had a "ROLLING STONE"!!!, Sapota was thrilled, but that edition had Jack Nicholson on cover and price was 500 bucks, Sapota thought not worth it, he wanted to buy, but like typical India consumer was justifying "if this would have been 1000th edition I would have paid 1000 buck, but for Nicholson, no way". Although Sapota likes Nicholson but this is the not the right place.
So when Sapota again went to Bangalore, he saw a street boy having a rolling stone in his hand, he said "what?", then he realized that its Rolling Stone India for just 100 bucks; there were no second thought, within seconds "give me the mag, here is your 100 bucks" Sapota was thrilled, he had his first Rolling stones in his hand. Sapota didn't like the cover a bit since it was some hip hop star. But inside they have Led Zeppelin and the holy God of Guitar Jimi Hendrix. Sapota is happy that they started it here in India and want to thanks them from bottom of his heart. Sapota's target to get 1000th edition and 50 great stories is still on list, but for now contended with his new prized possession.
long live rolling stone (\m/ *respect).
Showing posts with label Pune. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pune. Show all posts
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Saga of an Unfortunate Night
Witnessing one over the other tragedy is no big deal, There is a common Hindi saying, "Upar wala jab deta hai tau chappar faad kar deta hai(Literally if God giveth then he giveth to the extent of tearing your roof{makes no sense in English I know})" and to add "Upar wala jab leta hai tau gand faad kar leta hai(Literally, and if God taketh then he doeth to the extent that it tears your arse apart)" And Sapota certifies that he has not seen any exception to the above two corollaries.
Sapota left the office at about 23:00 hrs in utter fatigue, because he was working since morning 9 and was repeating this since last two days. And when you know that you have to wake up early in morning, you can't take a relaxing sleep. So that was like one hard whip after another. Anyway sapota has never tried this one particular road to return back, so lets try this one. Sapota drove along the dusty shady road thinking that it was a clever shortcut, but then he realized bike is coming to halt, Sapota turned the key in reverse direction, believing that fuel knob is adjusted in wrong direction. But when inevitable is bound to happen, nothing can prevent that. Bike stopped and sapota knew this is the end.... of the fuel(what were you thinking?). Sapota tried hard to start it, but for christ sake, how will a bike start if there is no goddamn fuel in it?
This place is shady, it has a particular faction of people living in here; there is also an extremist political outfit in this place; these days Pune is no more safe; there is an unrest related to hindi-speaking residents and I have 150 Kg bike with me. Sapota cursed all the devils in the hell and started trudging the bike along with him. Sapota was silent and walking as fast as he can, he made one or two unsuccessful attempt to start the bike. He felt suspicious about anyone he met in the way, "yes this could be one, get ready". In the way some civilized old man asked about what happened, I told him about the empty tank, so he re-inquired as to how long will I walk? Sapota started pondering, "home is too far, I just need to cross this messy place and get till cantonment and i will be safe enough". So the walk continued, sapota believed that this will be longest walk of his life, but the bloody phone rang. Sapota picked the phone, since ring tone is loud enough to attract all undue attention, but sapota cut the phone short to avoid speaking much in hindi(my folks don't settle for English). Phew... finally the cantonment, Sapota loves cantonment, it is nostalgic to see them.
Now a historic attempt of trying to extract the last drop of gasoline by tilting the vehicle horizontal, and yes it started, hurrah!!! but this is an unfortunate day, it just drove me out of Cantt, but this place was nearer to civilization and part of busy Highway, So Sapota was relieved as if this is Mt K2. Now what? make a call dude, So did I, "Get me some petrol, I am near Sappers crossing".
This is 00:00 hrs at night and the temperature is less than 15 Celsius and sapota is perspiring heavily. Sapota knew this is going to take them a loads of time to extract petrol out of their bikes and get here, so sapota started to use the greatest invention of last century to his benefits and started making random calls to pass the time. Even after calling all nocturnal animals on the planet entire time couldn't be killed. Every vehicle passing by was glancing at sapota as if he will just throw hand grenades towards the vehicle. Finally the petrol came, Sapota was cursing the bike for its fuel inefficiency and his miscalculation and this time sapota thought he will make clever resolve of not depending on his fuel calculations any more.
Sapota left the office at about 23:00 hrs in utter fatigue, because he was working since morning 9 and was repeating this since last two days. And when you know that you have to wake up early in morning, you can't take a relaxing sleep. So that was like one hard whip after another. Anyway sapota has never tried this one particular road to return back, so lets try this one. Sapota drove along the dusty shady road thinking that it was a clever shortcut, but then he realized bike is coming to halt, Sapota turned the key in reverse direction, believing that fuel knob is adjusted in wrong direction. But when inevitable is bound to happen, nothing can prevent that. Bike stopped and sapota knew this is the end.... of the fuel(what were you thinking?). Sapota tried hard to start it, but for christ sake, how will a bike start if there is no goddamn fuel in it?
This place is shady, it has a particular faction of people living in here; there is also an extremist political outfit in this place; these days Pune is no more safe; there is an unrest related to hindi-speaking residents and I have 150 Kg bike with me. Sapota cursed all the devils in the hell and started trudging the bike along with him. Sapota was silent and walking as fast as he can, he made one or two unsuccessful attempt to start the bike. He felt suspicious about anyone he met in the way, "yes this could be one, get ready". In the way some civilized old man asked about what happened, I told him about the empty tank, so he re-inquired as to how long will I walk? Sapota started pondering, "home is too far, I just need to cross this messy place and get till cantonment and i will be safe enough". So the walk continued, sapota believed that this will be longest walk of his life, but the bloody phone rang. Sapota picked the phone, since ring tone is loud enough to attract all undue attention, but sapota cut the phone short to avoid speaking much in hindi(my folks don't settle for English). Phew... finally the cantonment, Sapota loves cantonment, it is nostalgic to see them.
Now a historic attempt of trying to extract the last drop of gasoline by tilting the vehicle horizontal, and yes it started, hurrah!!! but this is an unfortunate day, it just drove me out of Cantt, but this place was nearer to civilization and part of busy Highway, So Sapota was relieved as if this is Mt K2. Now what? make a call dude, So did I, "Get me some petrol, I am near Sappers crossing".
This is 00:00 hrs at night and the temperature is less than 15 Celsius and sapota is perspiring heavily. Sapota knew this is going to take them a loads of time to extract petrol out of their bikes and get here, so sapota started to use the greatest invention of last century to his benefits and started making random calls to pass the time. Even after calling all nocturnal animals on the planet entire time couldn't be killed. Every vehicle passing by was glancing at sapota as if he will just throw hand grenades towards the vehicle. Finally the petrol came, Sapota was cursing the bike for its fuel inefficiency and his miscalculation and this time sapota thought he will make clever resolve of not depending on his fuel calculations any more.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
To MANAPA....
what is Manapa?
Well That is Muncipal Corporation of Pune, Is sapota gone into all those social hue and cry topics blaming authorities for all bads that had occurred?
Naah not at all, That's lame! This place has better things to talk about.
6 o'clock, 7 o'clock or may be 10:30 whatever time, exiting office is kind of comfort one always enjoys. Train of thought just starts its way, as if this is first station and a long journey is about to begin. Lift or stairs: why would sapota ascend down spending some calories? Sapota prefers salute over other ways of greeting, so he salutes hard to security person. Manapa may be around a Kilometer or may be 700 meters but no less than 500 meters.
Life is so colorful and humans are so full of doubts, it reflects so heavily even when one is walking down a road, which is just another repeatative activity. Showrooms are passing by, some of them are quite a mystery since never been there, sapota wonders what may be inside, but then you know showrooms are typically similar, and all these sale season thing is so much around these days that sometimes its enticing, at others it looks like huge chunk of accumulated trash.
This JM road is full of restaurants, some of them are nice, others shitty, there is one which is like open hall and chairs and table, that's it and hordes of people standing outside, sapota wonders what is so great about this place? It feels like as if eating on road. Who cares? people just want their share.
Now this is a secret Sapota is sharing. Crossing road is quite an exercise, one have to cross 5 roads, all of them runs as if electricity is flowing through wires. Sapota always try to find out most optimum path and fastest way of crossing the road. Till date sapota has found three mostly taken ways to do the same. Sometimes sapota is bored of taking this optimum path, so sapota just takes any path to cross these roads, pretty lame! right, but crossing road is a shitty experience, so trying to spice it up(huh.... seriously why would somebody extract pleasure out of something as useless as crossing road.)
Anyway now sapota is nearer to destination and he is walking fast and people are wondering "Is this guy supercharged or what or Is his ass on fire?", but sapota never even bother to give a damn and walks and walks like a soldier, just marching.
Manapa is utterly chaotic, Buses, autos, bikes, scooters, bicycle, all in same small place. Getting in bus is a hard exercise and trust me, if line is coming out of the bus stand, then better get ready for breath-stopping journey, couple of times if you are lucky you may get a shared auto, but then sitting in that rickshaw is heck of a pain in butt. Sapota is not frustrated or annoyed or for that matter complaining about all these discomforts, but darling this is typical scene, anywhere in this part of world, have to live with it and have to love it.
Well That is Muncipal Corporation of Pune, Is sapota gone into all those social hue and cry topics blaming authorities for all bads that had occurred?
Naah not at all, That's lame! This place has better things to talk about.
6 o'clock, 7 o'clock or may be 10:30 whatever time, exiting office is kind of comfort one always enjoys. Train of thought just starts its way, as if this is first station and a long journey is about to begin. Lift or stairs: why would sapota ascend down spending some calories? Sapota prefers salute over other ways of greeting, so he salutes hard to security person. Manapa may be around a Kilometer or may be 700 meters but no less than 500 meters.
Life is so colorful and humans are so full of doubts, it reflects so heavily even when one is walking down a road, which is just another repeatative activity. Showrooms are passing by, some of them are quite a mystery since never been there, sapota wonders what may be inside, but then you know showrooms are typically similar, and all these sale season thing is so much around these days that sometimes its enticing, at others it looks like huge chunk of accumulated trash.
This JM road is full of restaurants, some of them are nice, others shitty, there is one which is like open hall and chairs and table, that's it and hordes of people standing outside, sapota wonders what is so great about this place? It feels like as if eating on road. Who cares? people just want their share.
Now this is a secret Sapota is sharing. Crossing road is quite an exercise, one have to cross 5 roads, all of them runs as if electricity is flowing through wires. Sapota always try to find out most optimum path and fastest way of crossing the road. Till date sapota has found three mostly taken ways to do the same. Sometimes sapota is bored of taking this optimum path, so sapota just takes any path to cross these roads, pretty lame! right, but crossing road is a shitty experience, so trying to spice it up(huh.... seriously why would somebody extract pleasure out of something as useless as crossing road.)
Anyway now sapota is nearer to destination and he is walking fast and people are wondering "Is this guy supercharged or what or Is his ass on fire?", but sapota never even bother to give a damn and walks and walks like a soldier, just marching.
Manapa is utterly chaotic, Buses, autos, bikes, scooters, bicycle, all in same small place. Getting in bus is a hard exercise and trust me, if line is coming out of the bus stand, then better get ready for breath-stopping journey, couple of times if you are lucky you may get a shared auto, but then sitting in that rickshaw is heck of a pain in butt. Sapota is not frustrated or annoyed or for that matter complaining about all these discomforts, but darling this is typical scene, anywhere in this part of world, have to live with it and have to love it.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Pandharpur yatra
Sapota is not aware of all terms and is not very well aware of technical(or rather religious) terminology about this pilgrimage, so please forgive Sapota for innocence.
Since the year Sapota has arrived in this holy city of Pune(punya nagaree meaning pious city), Sopata has been witnessing a swarm of people moving on the road connecting his college to civilization. Sapota was hardly aware of anything as to what it is, and was just hearing outcries of people complaining about transportation. Anyway as soon as Sapota left college and came to his current place of residence, Sapota realized that this swarm is a constant fixture in the months of monsoon on this particular road called as Alandi Road.
As Sapota observed a huge number of people are coming from a place called as Pandharpur, which is some small town(or may be village), somewhere in Maharastra. These people(called warakaris by locals here) come all the way on feet from a long distance to see this temple in Alandi.
Last year it was raining very heavily and still the amount of pilgrims were same or may be more than the year previous. You can see people coming by all means trucks, jeeps, buses, vans and mostly on feet. They have a kind of enthusiasm and most of them are not sufficient literate, but still they are so devoted, that they hardly care for facilities or any obstacle. They have nothing in mind, no self interest, but they are here to have just a glimpse of the Lord. Even if they have some small wishes from lord, they are so meager in front of faith, they have.
Pune as Sapota witness, has been very hospitable to these pilgrims unlike any other highly urbanized city. You can see stalls every where packed with foods and water and such small articles of requirements and Municipal buses from all parts of city leaving towards Alandi and all the roads and traffic on the Alandi road is diverted . Its a belief that even servicing devotees of god is as good as servicing god himself.
These people seems so much free and relaxed, having no worries, Sopata himself have seen many religious places, but there is something about these people, which makes sapota consider their faith as highest. This pligrimage is unlike all those commercialized pligrimage, just pure devotion. I see everywhere people singing and lost in the name of lord, just flowing with the flow. One just feels wave of joy and happiness surround the entire atmosphere .
Since the year Sapota has arrived in this holy city of Pune(punya nagaree meaning pious city), Sopata has been witnessing a swarm of people moving on the road connecting his college to civilization. Sapota was hardly aware of anything as to what it is, and was just hearing outcries of people complaining about transportation. Anyway as soon as Sapota left college and came to his current place of residence, Sapota realized that this swarm is a constant fixture in the months of monsoon on this particular road called as Alandi Road.
As Sapota observed a huge number of people are coming from a place called as Pandharpur, which is some small town(or may be village), somewhere in Maharastra. These people(called warakaris by locals here) come all the way on feet from a long distance to see this temple in Alandi.
Last year it was raining very heavily and still the amount of pilgrims were same or may be more than the year previous. You can see people coming by all means trucks, jeeps, buses, vans and mostly on feet. They have a kind of enthusiasm and most of them are not sufficient literate, but still they are so devoted, that they hardly care for facilities or any obstacle. They have nothing in mind, no self interest, but they are here to have just a glimpse of the Lord. Even if they have some small wishes from lord, they are so meager in front of faith, they have.
Pune as Sapota witness, has been very hospitable to these pilgrims unlike any other highly urbanized city. You can see stalls every where packed with foods and water and such small articles of requirements and Municipal buses from all parts of city leaving towards Alandi and all the roads and traffic on the Alandi road is diverted . Its a belief that even servicing devotees of god is as good as servicing god himself.
These people seems so much free and relaxed, having no worries, Sopata himself have seen many religious places, but there is something about these people, which makes sapota consider their faith as highest. This pligrimage is unlike all those commercialized pligrimage, just pure devotion. I see everywhere people singing and lost in the name of lord, just flowing with the flow. One just feels wave of joy and happiness surround the entire atmosphere .
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