A blog of my feelings…ranging from commenting about other's blogs to commenting about stuff which happens in life and from posting mails which I like, to ranting on stuff.

A young woman several months pregnant boarded a bus.

She noticed a young man smiling at her. She began feeling humiliated on account of her condition.

She changed her seat and he seemed more amused. She moved again and then on her third move he burst out laughing………………She had him arrested.

When the case came before the court, the young man was asked why he acted in such a manner. His reply was: When the lady boarded the bus I couldn’t help noticing she was pregnant. She first sat under an advertisement, which read:

‘Coming Soon: The Gold Dust Twins’.

I was even more amused when she changed her seat and went to sit under a shaving advertisement, which read: ‘William’s Stick Did The Trick’.

Then I could not control myself any longer when on the third move she sat under an advertisement, which read: ‘Dunlop Rubber would have prevented this accident.’

The case was dismissed………!!!

I have been recollecting this joke everyday, after the following incident.

Last thursday, it was raining incessantly in Namma Bengaluru, and with rain, all Bangaloreans know that there are the following to follow:

1. Traffic Jams
2. Good roads will spring up pot holes
3. Low lying areas getting submerged
4. Streets / Underpasses would have water stagnation
5. Cars/Two wheelers getting stuck in the slush
6. Adventurists – caring a damn for lives of their own / their family / passers by

What made me write this blogpost was an incident that occurred last thursday, when I was hurrying back home to beat the “long weekend” traffic chaos at Majestic. As usual, it was raining at that time.

Why is the rain an usual thing? Coz in Bengaluru, it always rains to indicate that we better lift our parked asses and start home bound – i.e., exactly between 530 PM and 7PM. Do you blame Mr. Murphy or do you thank him, it is your choice!

Coming back, the rain was as usually doing its chores and in order to help it with its duties, our BBMP too had dug out a lot of roads, and had left them half-closed. Our BBMP gives contracts only to those people who are so efficient to keep asphalting the roads once every 6 months, not coz the contract is a renewing thing, but coz the quality of the asphalted roads are such that even with a minor downpour of the rains, potholes – thousands of them, spring up. The BWSSB just wants to add to the woes of the poor commuter and has laid out the drainage pipes / manholes in such a condition that the poor commuter, not only gets drenched from up above (coz of the rains) but also from the sides (courtesy – passing vehicles) and from below too (courtesy – overflowing drains, springing fountains at times!!!)

I was in my office cab, thankfully, and near Majestic, I get to see this. I would try to explain this sight to my level best. Please try and imagine the same.

All those people who might have travelled towards Rajajinagar and the Old Railway Station (Okalipuram) know the existance of a bridge next to the Railway station building, before the entrance to the old railway station. It was here that I came across this.

• It was evening 645 PM
• Heavily Raining
• Huge traffic Jam from the Majestic Entrance of the Railway Station to Rajajinagar Underpass (probably a distance of 1Km, but we took 45 minutes to cross this distance)
• 2 Railway Over bridges
• Many KSRTC and BMTC Buses vying for space
• Buses are being joined in the fight for territory by cabs, cars and autos
• 1 Honda Activa, traversing in the middle of the road – of the protagonist (What interested me was that though normally two wheelers stay away from getting drenched in the rain, this guy, actually uncle, was competing with the BMTC Buses and Autos and other vehicles on the street, honking incessantly)
• Our protagonist – Activa Uncle, is a marwari.
• He is accompanied on his activa by his not so slim wife
• Between the Activa Uncle and his not so slim wife, is a girl – probably of 11 – 12 years, presumably their daughter, squashed and barely able to breathe
• In front of the Activa Uncle, is a boy – presumably the brother of the squashed girl, about 5-6 years old, standing in the titanic pose coz he is enjoying the rain.
• In the arms of the not so slim aunty, is an infant, not more than 3 years old, who is being protected by his mom in her saree pallu.
• 2 Foot Deep slush on the right corner of the road
• Continuous honking by the Activa guy, understandable coz he wants to take his family back home without much delay.

The questions that plagued my mind and are still going on are:

1. Is the marwari so stingy/poor that he could not afford an auto rickshaw?
2. Is he coming from an area that is not accessible using public transport?
3. Is he travelling to an area that does not have public transport?
4. Was his work imminent so that he gets himself and his family drenched in the rain?
5. Though clearly knowing that he is putting the lives of his and his family members in danger, what was he thinking trying to compete with the buses and cabs and in the middle of the road?
6. Was he so stupid that he could not stop under a building / tree for the rains to subside?
7. Was he so stupid that he could not send his family by public transport , Stupid coz he just crossed Majestic, to some place near his house and he could probably have risked his own life and not the life of his family too.

I too enjoy getting home drenched in the rain and I actually prefer it coz I travel alone and coz I am going home, where I can switch into warm clothes and get pampered by my mom. Do you enjoy getting drenched in the rain? If So, why??

This post was inspired by “Bengalooru Baale“‘s blog “Kannada haaDu Saahitya”

dharaNi manDala madhyadoLage
mereyutiha karNATa dEshadOLiruva
kALinganemba gollana
pariyanentu pELvenu

In the midst of the Deccan Plateau
In the proudly shining country of Karnata
Of the cowherd “Kalinga”
I am telling you a tale today

eLeya mAvina marada kELage
koLalnUduta golla gauDanu
baLasi ninda turugaLannu
baLige karedanu harushadi

Beneath a freshly flowered mango tree
Blowing his flute, the cowherd fella
Of all the cows those were standing spread
He called them with joy

gange bAre gauri bAre
tungabhadre tAyi bAre
PuNyakOTi nInu bArE
endu gollanu karedanu

Ganga Come, Gauri come
Tungabhadra, oh mother, come
PuNyakoTi, you too come
Saying thence, the cowherd called

golla kareda daniya kELi
ella hasugaLu bandu nindu
chelli sUsi hAlu kareyalu
alli tumbitu bindige

On hearing the cowherd’s voice
All the cows came and stood
allowing the cowherd to milk them
the milkpot got filled

satyavE bhagavantanemba PuNyakOTiya kateyidu

This is the story of PuNyakoTi which believed “Truth is God”

habbidA male madhyadoLage
arbhutAnendemba vyAghranu
abbarisi hasihasidu
beTTada kibbiyoLu tAniddanu

In the midst of the mountain mass
A tiger named ArbhutA
roaring and hungry
was present in the thickets of the hill

moredu rOshadi guDugutA
huli bhOriDuta
chhangane jigidu negeyalu
chedari hOdavu hasugaLu

Thundering in anger and pride
the tiger roared
and on jumping instantly
all the cows scattered

PuNyakOTi emba hasuvu
tanna kandana nenedukonDu
munna hAlanu koDuvenenuta
chendadi tA barutire

the cow named PuNyakoTi
thinking of its calf
i will feed my calf first, thinking thence
is coming with a spring in the step

indenage AhAra sikkitu
endu bEgane dushTa vyAghranu
bandu baLasi aDDagaTTi
nindanA hulirAyanu

today i got a meal
thinking so, the cruel tiger
approaching and obstructing
stood the tiger

mEle biddu ninnanIgale
bILahoyvenu ninna hoTTeya
sILibiDuvenu enuta kOpadi
khULa vyAghranu kUgalu

I will fall on you now
and will attack your abdomen
and tear apart, saying so with anger
the tiger roars

ondu binnaha huliye kELu
kandaniruvanu doDDiyoLage
ondu nimishadi moleya koTTu
bandu sEruve nillige

Oh special tiger, please listen
calf is present at the ranch
in a minute, will give breast
will reach u here

hasida vELege sikkidoDaveya
vashava mADade biDalu nInu
nusuLi hOguve matte baruveya
husiya nuDiyuvenenditu

time when hungry, the ornament
without using, to leave it, you
would escape, would you come again
you are lying, it said.

satyavE namma tAyi tande
satyavE namma bandhu baLaga
satya vAkyake tappi naDedare
mechchanA paramAtmanu

truth is our mother and father
truth is our relatives and friends
truthful statement, walking against
God will detest it

satyavE bhagavantanemba PuNyakOTiya kateyidu

This is the story of PuNyakoTi which believed “Truth is God”

kondu tinnuvenemba hulige
chendadinda bhAshe koTTu
kanda ninnanu nODi pOguve
nendu bandenu doDDige

the tiger who told me that he would kill and eat me
I have nicely given my word
my child, to look and you and go
I have come to the ranch

Ara moleyanu kuDiyalamma
Ara baLiyali malagalamma
Ara sEri badukalamma
Aru nanage hitavaru

Whose breast shall I drink from
Whose next shall I lie down
With whom shall I live with
Who is good to me

ammagaLirA akkagaLirA
enna tAyoDa huTTugaLirA
kanda nimmavanendu kANiri
tabbaliyanI karuvanu

Oh Mothers and Sisters,
Oh my mother’s siblings
Treat this child as your own
this orphan calf

munde bandare hAyabEDi
hinde bandare odeyabEDi
kanda nimmavanendu kANiri
tabbaliyanI karuvanu

Dont knock/gore if comes in front
Dont kick if he comes behind
Treat this child as your own
this orphan calf

tabbaliyu nInAde magane
hebbuliya bAyannu hoguvenu
ibbarA RuNa tIritendu
tabbikonDitu kandana

You became an orphan, oh son
I am going to the tigers mouth
Thinking the bond between the two has ended
It embraced the child

satyavE bhagavantanemba PuNyakOTiya kateyidu

This is the story of PuNyakoTi which believed “Truth is God”

gOvu karuvanu biTTu bandu
sAvakAshava mADadante
gaviya bAgila sErinintu
tavakadali huligenditu

the cow leaving its calf back came
without making any unwanted delays
reached the door of the den and
told the tiger in eagerness

khanDavideko mAmsavideko
gunDigeya bisiraktavideko
chanDavyAghrane nInidellava
nunDu santasadindiru

take my muscle, take my meat
take the warm blood running in my chest
o cruel tiger, all this you
eat and be contented

PuNyakOTiya mAta kELi
kaNNanIranu surisi nondu
kanneyivaLanu kondu tindare
mechchanA paramAtmanu

on hearing the words of PunyakoTi
pouring tears from the eyes and disturbed
this pure girl, if i kill and eat
the God would not like it

enna oDahuTTakka nInu
ninna kondu Ena paDevenu
ennutA huli hAri negedu
tanna prANava biTTitu

you are my sister who was born together
what would i gain by killing you
telling so, the tiger flew and jumped
and left its life

satyavE bhagavantanemba PuNyakOTiya kateyidu

This is the story of PuNyakoTi which believed “Truth is God”

PuNyakOTiyu nalidu karuvige
uNNisItu moleya bEgadi
chennagollana karedu tAnu
munna tAdintenditu

PuNyakoTi with joy, to the calf
fed its breast quickly
called the cowherd and it
initially mentioned thus

enna vamshada gOvgaLoLage
ninna vamshada gollaroLage
munna prati sankrAntiyoLage
chenna kRishhNana bhajisiri
Evanu saubhAgya sampada
bhAva jAtipa kRishhNanu

of all the cows which are of my lineage
of all the cowherds who are of your lineage
before every “sankraNthi”
pray to the Lord Krishna
He is the most benevolent
sense emanating KrishNa

For all those people who know me, I am not one who would go in for any diet or weight reduction or exercises. I am fitness conscious, but not at the sake of my happiness or time or desires!

Having heard a lot about this diet, I just wanted to try this out once and incidentally, a cousin of mine from chennai sent the mail to me about the diet and how it works. Since the both of us are vegetarians, the mail contained the diet in the eyes of a vegetarian and I am reproducing the same here:

GENERAL MOTORS WEIGHT LOSS DIET

The program was developed in conjunction with the grant from the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. It was first tried at the Johns Hopkins Research Centre and was approved for distribution by the Board of Directors of General Motors Corporation at a general meeting on August 15, 1995. This program is designed for a target weight loss of 5-6 Kgs. per week. It will also improve your attitude and emotions because of its systematic cleansing effects. The effectiveness of this seven day plan is that the foods eaten burn more calories than they give to the body in caloric value. This plan can be used as often as you like to without any fear of complications. It is designed to flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well being. After seven days you will begin to feel lighter by atleast 10 pounds. You will have an abundance of energy and an improved disposition.

During the first seven days you must drink 10 glasses of water each day.

DAY ONE

All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consists of all fruits you want. It is suggested you consume lost of watermelon and cantaloupe.

This is how it works:

You are preparing your system for the upcoming program. Your only source of nutrition is fresh fruits. Fruits are nature’s perfect food. They provide everything you can possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.

DAY TWO

All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the new and cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the account or type. Avoid oil and coconut while cooking vegetables. Have large boiled potato for breakfast.

This is how it works:

Start with a fix complex carbohydrates in the form of a boiled potato. This is taken in the form of a boiled potato and taken in the morning to provide energy and balance. The rest of the day too consists of vegetables which are virtually calories free and provide essential nutrients and fiber.

DAY THREE

Any mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet and no potatoes today.

This is how it works:

Eliminate the potato because you get your carbohydrates from fruits. Your system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds. You will have cravings, which should start to diminish by day four.

DAY FOUR

Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. You can also have I bowl of vegetables soup.

This is how it works:

Bananas and milk. You are in for a surprise. You probably will not be able to eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the last three days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets and you will be surprised at how easy this day will go.

DAY FIVE

Today is a feast day. You will eat 1 cup of rice. You also have to eat six whole tomatoes and drink 12 glasses of water today to cleanse your system of the excess uric acid you will be producing.

This is how it works:

The rice is for the carbohydrates and the tomatoes are for
the digestion and the fiber. Lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colorless urine today. Do not feel you have to eat one cup rice, you may eat less. But you may eat six tomatoes.

DAY SIX

Today is another all vegetables day. You must eat 1 cup of rice today and eat all the vegetables you want cooked and uncooked to your hearts content.

This is how it works:

It is similar to five. Vitamins and fiber would be from the vegetables and carbohydrates from the rice. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today compared to day one.

DAY SEVEN

Today your food intake will consist of 1 cup rice, fruit juice and all the vegetables you care to consume.

This is how it works:

You may celebrate with champagne. You may also have white wine instead of champagne, but in al practical programs, and in all surveys done to measure the success of the program, General Motors employees have always preferred champagne to white wine.

Tomorrow morning you will be five to eight kgs. lighter than 1 week ago. If you desire further weight loss, repeat the program again. Repeat the program as often as you like, however, it is suggested that you rest for three days before every repetition.
You have your system under control now and it will thank you for all the purging and cleansing you just gave it. Even more than a diet program it is good to follow this diet once in a while to clean your digestive system and remove toxic substances that have accumulated in the system.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The most important element of the program is the 10 tall glasses of water a day. You can also flavor the water will some lemon to make the drink easier. While on the program,
take only black coffee and never more than one teaspoon of oil. Preferably do not use oil because the high calorific content. No fruit juices before day seven.

More than one cup of coffee with milk is especially forbidden. Milk and oil add empty calories to your diet. Avid coffee lovers can console themselves with black coffee. However, after the first week, it will help your digestion and set your stomach. The key think to remember is that if you are hungry at any time, then you are not following the diet correctly. Almost all people give up the diet when they are hungry because of dieting.
The secret of this program is that you should never hungry. If it is a vegetable day, eat so much vegetables so that you are never hungry. If it is a fruits day, eat so much fruits that you are never hungry. You may be bored of eating vegetables all day, but you should not be hungry. You can take any amount of General Motors wonder soup on any day.

GENERAL MOTORS WONDER SOUP

The following soup is intended as a supplement to your diet. It can be eaten any time of the day in virtually unlimited quantities. You are encouraged to drink large quantities of
this soup.

23 oz water
06 large onions
02 green peppers
03 whole tomatoes
1 cabbage
1 bunch celery – add herbs and seasoning as desired.

Remember folks, never be hungry. Just keep hogging, without any idea of the quantity or the quality. Just ensure that you drink loads and loads of water, clear your bladders regularly and are never hungry.

Did this work for me? If that is a question that you might have in mind now, lemme tell you that it did! I lost 6 frikkin kgs within a week.

Now, I would have remained so if it was not for my bloody ten tonned tongue.  On the 7th day, I binged on ghee, sweets, rice, oil, pakodas, bajjis etc and screwed up all the week’s efforts. Needless to say, the weight loss was compensated within a couple of days!

Most of you would be interested in knowing how would you probably survive in office or if u r alone at home following the diet. Though it is difficult, it is do-able. All that you need to do is to keep your emotions under control, get lunch (the day’s diet) in a lunch box to your office or prepare the same at home and keep hogging.

However, lemme also tell you this that due to our inflation / economy, this diet would turn out to be a damn expensive one, esp. if you follow this diet just a week before a festival, assuming, like me, that you diet for a week and enjoy during the festival!

I would be undertaking this diet again sometime soon. Will keep you guys posted. Till then, happy binging!!!