Doomsday prophecy 2012 - A clear indication of "Rule by Fear"

All that I see in Television Sets, and to be specific, our so called news channels, talking about one date - 21/Dec/2012. Now I will remove the curtains from these so called prediction. If I speak of this world, I can divide it into the following civilizations -
1. The Americans - Aztecs, Inca, Maya
2. Europeans - Christianity
3. Asians - Chinese, India (Hindus), Muslims (Followers of Islam)
4. The West Asians - Jews, Christians and Islam
Now getting back to the point. Where has all this prediction come from. The answer is - From the Mayans and the Christian prophecy tales. Surprisingly, nothing comes from the followers of Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism. I would answer this in my own way, and the disclaimer is that, these are my opinion and I do not let any religion or section of society down by saying so. Christianity, in its all sense is a major religion and the followers of Christianity and the old book are zealous for their religion. But I must point out that Christianity in its earlier days faced a severe problem of non-believers. Thus, the Pope's ability to control non-believers was in question. The earlier preachers of Christ himself were able to spread his word effectively, but after they left for their heavenly bode, Christianity suffered for a long time. Even the believers will agree to me. So how to make a religion spread? The answer is simple. To make people believe in you, you should show them some darkness, so that they immediately seek the small candle you hold. Other way of Christianity was the way of "Fear". Raise fear and superstition in people so that they can be brainwashed easily. These prophecies are now rising again. And guess what lot of people are making money again. The writers whose books were not selling. The priests who were languishing with no work, and even our news channels who were not having any viewers are seeing viewership trickling into their channels.

About Mayans, I would say, that they were not different. Like Aztecs, they ruled by fear and anger. They were immensely great scientists. But think of this. If I say - "The Earth will be in line with Sun and the galactic center on 12/21/2012", no one will listen. And if I say - "The world will come to an end on 12/21/2012", everyone will twitch their ears and clean them up to listen. The Mayan calender is a circular mechanically seen calender. It ended on 12/21/2012 because beyond it there was no space. They would have been building a new one for continuum. But unfortunately their civilization fell too early.

Coming to Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. Everyone, knows that the greatest of scientific, mathematical and social discoveries came from these parts. So how come we don't have such a theory ever. We too have seen calamities and in fact for Hindus, this is the 4th Age - Kalyug. Why not any predictions here. In Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism, more stress is on way of life. You make a good human being if you are good and purity comes from the heart. I am not saying that there are no money makers, what I am saying is that the darkness of making money through showing fear is absent here.

My humble request to all who see this hoax and creators of hoax. Please do not buy their books and don't see their shows. They are just trying to get a large pie out of our flesh and will blot your mind with fear forever. And when 12/21/2012 will pass away, you will realize what a fool you were and these people will be happily spending your money in vacationing in exotic locations. Also a word of caution to news channels - Stop this spreading of superstitions.

Why are Bolly and Tamil biggies in such a rush to plagiarize???

I ask this question again and again and again and I end up with no answers. Why is Indian cinema in such a lack of ideas. Ghazini is no different than others. If anyone has seen the Christopher Nolan's classic Memento, he/she will say so. So what is new in Ghazini. I hear the plot is invariably different as it is Indianized. But tell me sir one small point here. First a Tamil director creates havoc by shamelessly lifting the concept from Memento and not giving credit to the actual script. Then Mr. Amir Khan joins in the party. This is shameless acts by Bollywood cinema. They have lost their minds. Let me just write out the script of Memento, probably then people will very well understand the concept of plagiarization and how Hindi and Tamil cinema have been in fore-ront of copying ideas without giving credits.
"Memento" - The story is about a guy named "Lanny" for most part of the movie. He was an insurance agent whose wife is raped and murdered and he is left with an injury which results in short term memory loss. He remembers everything before the accident but now he has short term memory. Chris Nolan has tremendously worked on this movie which is evident because it keeps you hooked to the notes "Lanny" writes to remember even the smallest of things he sees and also the polaroid pics he takes to remember things like where he lives, which is his car etc. It also shows the immense grudge he has for John G. Gammel, who is supposedly his wife's murderer. But as the story unwinds through and through a variety of flashbacks and cut-scenes you will come to know actually what had happened and what Lanny had done and achieved.
Now Ghazini or the Tamil Movie's plot is a little twisted. The question is why?
1. Is it because we Indians do not have the intellectual capability to handle such a complex subject? If this is so, then I feel so sorry for both Hindi and Tamil directors. We have far more complex thinking and analytical ability to make out such subjects. The answer was evident when an American friend of mine called me up to understand the plot and later he said that he made a bunch of others understand the concept. Here in IIT Kharagpur, I found not a single person who couldn't make out the meanig of Memento. (The english was however, a little overboard, it was too americanized)
2. Is it because they themselves cannot handle such a subject? The answer for this is a big "YES". These directors have slowly become copy experts. Why? The answer is simple over the past few decades of incessant copying they have achieved masters degree in doing so. Now they change and tinge the plot a little here and a little there, to make themselves comfortable. Then, they plague it by saying it is "INDIANIZED". Come-on grow up. They are thinking that we are fools.
I shall continue stripping these so called good directors for making Hollywood remakes in Hindi or Tamil cinema. They are a disgrace and are making the world laugh over us, for our lack of creativity. I am so sorry that Amir Khan adds up to the list. He was so good in making movies like Lagaan and TZP. Now I think he needs a stick up his a**.
Comments are welcome, specially from Tamil guys who think highly of that movie, because I feel it is a terrible low...

Thanks to Reliance :)

Well if I speak of my mobile bill... hehehehe :D, it would have crossed 4-5K every month if there was not this savior. Reliance came up with the plan 495, which provides unlimited STD to other RIM numbers. Luckily someone on the other side also has this connection. It has helped both of us to remain connected seamlessly without interference and without worries of bloating bills. Her bills to have fallen down, thanks to Reliance. Ab itna chuna laga chuke hain to Reliance that it is uncountable. We speak on an average 4-6 hours everyday. Thus, with 1 Re. calls this would count to - 5x60 = Rs. 300 everyday. Multiply it with 30. Rs.300x30 = Rs.9000. Hahaha.... now what do we pay - Rs.495/-. Gross savings man. Higher benefits are that you don't have to worry about bills, but yes, you do have to remember the date of payment. If it lapses, you will not be able to make calls ;). This keeps my love to be merrier and happier as I am available at all times for her :).

Rock On - Rocks

Well, I waited for such a movie to come out from many years and Abhishek Kapoor has done it... I was a bit unlucky that I have office on Friday and I wasn't able to take a leave, else I would have seen 1st day 1st show... However, I will see it on Saturday that's tomorrow 30th August 2008. The reviews of the movie are awesome... with 4 star rating probably it will be the best movie of 2008 ... undoubtedly... I liked DCH so much that I have its DVD and see it almost everytime I get time... Farhan is a genius.... He has truly changed the way we watch movies... It was his efforts that now we get movies like Jaane Tu... and very teen and young movies, which you can enjoy and be full of joy...

Thus, ROCK ON...

Refreshing new music - Rock On!

I had always been a great admirer of rock music. Starting from the era of Rock and Roll with "The Doors - Jim Morrison" to the new age singers such as "Poets of the Fall". I have followed rock music with all its variety. Be it "Metallica" or "Guns N Roses". One thing I always wondered was that why such music is absent in India...

Then came - Parikrama and Indian Ocean. Well to be truthful they were more into fusion music than core rock music. Then came an array of Pakistani singers with their six strings. But they were more pop cultured music than rock music. With their Sufi touch they have improved the quality of guitaring in India. But something was missing and there was a gap in the music industry regarding rock.

The A.R. Rehman Era begins...
With his excellent work in Rang de Basanti for the song "Rubaroo" he made a glance towards rock music. But still the exact string match was not there. Rock is all about storytelling by grace of voice and strings combined together. It is not excellent singing but excellent storytelling. What lacked in Hindi cinema music was the concept.

SEL (Shankar Ehsaan Loy) hit the chord...
Now comes "Rock On!" and the era has begun. I seriously believe it as a benchmark for all Rock lovers who were craving to hear the classic+alternate mix in hindi singing. Farhan is a greatly talented man. I admire him for giving movies like DCH and Lakshya. But now I give him a "God" status. All rock fans in India will certainly like his attempt at Rock. Perhaps Abhishek Kapoor never expected such a fan following in these few days of his revelation of Rock On. They depict a culture in youth which was hardly captured. Youth were always shown running after skimpily clad girls which had always made me think - "Hey that was not what, when we were in college with our 3/4s and guitars/flutes/drums etc..."

Songs in a row:
1. Rock On "Title Track" - Simply fantastic with its words to bring out people to sway to the rythm.
2. Pichle saat dinon mein - Farhan at his best and a wonderful video to go with. The storytelling at its best.
3. Socha Hai - Very thought provoking by Farhan again. The video is fantastic...
4. Sindbad the sailor - Should have been put as the song for Indian Olympic contingent. It pushes the youth to achieve dreams that are considered impossible...
5. Tum ho to - Soft rock, fantastically derived and composed
6. Zehreelay - Very hard and amazingly sung
7. Yeh tumhari meri baatein - Very beautiful track, though not rock

The movie trailer has some creatively selected one on one talks between young budding rockstars. Simply awesome!

Arjun Rampal looks awesome in his depiction with those flowing hair like "Kurt Cobain"

Kudos to Rock On team! Looking forward to see the movie... :)

Vijender, Jitender and Akhil at their best

Well frankly speaking, when the Olympics began I was as usual cynical about performance of Indian contingent. But I was proved wrong, and I am happy that was the case. When these three pugilists began their journey to glory I was busy sipping away coffee at the CCD. Then the first news of our boys entering the tantalizing zone of medals, my eyes were lit with hope. The way Akhil smacked his opponent towards no contest showed the courage of Indians at the big stage. I had tears in my eyes because I know how they must have achieved this. Probably without any help from our thankless agencies, they had only one thing in mind - "The Indian Flag". It should always fly high. Abhinav's feat must have started the frenzy to its maximum, but these boys had shown what others couldn't over these many years.

Olympics is a big stage, and success at this stage boosts the morale of our countrymen. Perhaps it is time that we join hands and show our younger generations the path to glory for India.

"Bharat Maata ki Jai!!!!"

Let the tricolor be at the helm...

Sorry state of affairs

I must admit that I was once a great admirer of Delhi and its adjoint areas for all its goodness. But lately things are changing and the change is in a negative slide. I was particularly happy the day I got selected in a premier MNC at Gurgaon as a management trainee. Finally it seems I will be out of Kharagpur :). No offenses, but Kharagpur in particular has a very slow paced life, which is not meant for a guy who is from Delhi. I have seen good and bad days of Delhi from past 25 years of my life here in this great city. But the degradation and massive destruction of local infrastructure has led me to think otherwise. Jolting around in the city I see everything so blurry and "creatively" damaged. Places which were once revered have now vanished in rubbles of mindless construction. Construction, when it all began, was seen as a great step towards development. But as things go haywire, they leave behind nothing but more and more anguish.

So let me begin with the frustrated bashing of Delhi and specially Gurgaon...

The myth of millennium city "Gurgaon"

"These are not potholes on roads, but roads in potholes"
If you see the roads in Gurgaon you will say that this is hell on earth. Electronic City is where I work and this place is the most badly hit. There were roads which have converted into ditches of death. Not a single day goes without an accident because of these roads. I gather some old opinions about these roads and found that when these roads were made a year back they were shining jewels of the city. But I guess all that glitters is not gold. The roads have vanished and all that is left are potholes.
The road in front of Maruti Udyog is particularly the one in discussion. When it rains, the roads get waterlogged till waist height. Think how cars could drive into these and forget about the bikers. The roads are non existent. Only one rainy season has exposed how the Govt. of Haryana has scandalized the construction of these roads. Perhaps it is time that we put forth an RTI regarding this.

"Water water everywhere, and if you don't know swimming, how can you survive here?"
Delhi or Gurgaon are particularly dry places in India, so how come we have floods here. Answer is simple. "Failed civic amenities!". The drains are clogged and civic authorities do not care to clean or open them up. So much construction at all places has made the matter even worse. Take for example the straight road from TCS, ASF Center towards the toll road. Every rain brings out the watery chasm of Gurgaon. Cars, bikes, buses and life comes to a standstill. And every time you will wonder "why in this whole world I came to this place?". Now even I wonder why these corporate houses have chosen Gurgaon. To be truthful, this place is worst for any corporate house. It is extremely bad in its civic amenities. And think about the corporate clients who come in. What would they think, after seeing all this?

"Insensitive people with their vehicles of doom!"
Traffic... Ha... it is something that every Delhiwaala cries foul about. But when it comes to driving on wrong side and blocking of traffic, no one lags behind. Guys, we are responsible for all this mess and we should take responsibility and act in a better way. It seems in this city everyone is in a hurry... But the good old saying "Jaldi ka kaam shaitan ka! Aur shaitan ka hasr hamesha bura!" holds true. These are the same people who end up being late themselves and end up creating havoc on roads. Inexistent traffic policing adds to the woes. The traffic policemen are the most inefficient and ineffective people handling the traffic flow. They are ill-trained and have no idea about controlling traffic.

I shall continue with this bashing...