Familiar scene

Ammji and jaadoo, at the breakfast table

Chef Sanjeev kapoor beware

A 10 rupee note from those days.got it at a sweet shop in hyderabad. They don't make these anymore

Animated conversations

indian images

Good morning hyderabad

This came free, with todays morning newspaper.
101 percent guarantee to get benefits within 31 hours

Incredible India has space for everyone

Good morning hyderabad

This came free, with todays morning newspaper.
101 percent guarantee to get benefits within 31 hours

Incredible India has space for everyone

Regards
Deepak

is it a train, is it a duck ?

At eat street, hyderabad

Counting a la jaadoo

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 21. 22. 26. 27. 28. 20-ten.

The man. Spider man

Regards
Deepak

Mehr becoming a woman from a girl

In a typical calcutta saree

At home, this guy

Twenty going on 21

Move over, sound of music as jaadoo completes his essay upto 20

'tis is all over Hyderabad; view from office

This is the view from my office- here in Hyderabad, it is YSR all over......

in brazil, its hardly a dog's life

Scene at Rio, Copacabana as a little doggy enjoys a shoulder view of the beach

Dogs are being increasingly considered a viable, less expensive, more managable alternative to children for many in Brazil: Sao Paulo has the world's largest pet population and an important segment of the economy which revolves around dogs and cats. From saloons to supermarkets and shoes to pyjaymas, its all there for our four legged friends

La petit provincial

Papa. French textbook in school at Simla and Chandigarh. The story is called 'La petit provincial' (not sure of the spellings).

its a simple story- Child doesn't drink milk. child's mother gets her a cup, with a glassy reflector at the bottom of the cup. The incentive for the child is that she will get to see herself if she consumes the milk. Inspired, the child goes on and gulps milk down.

And now. Circa 2009. The circle of life. Times repeat. Just the actors change.
The cup is one with a small cow toy inside. Is from Switzerland- gifted by Claudia in 2001. At Chandigarh, Papa tells Jaadoo the same story. Modifies it by saying it is a cow inside. And voila ! Jaadoo takes a concrete step towards abandoning the feeding bottle for the cup. Long live Pedia Sure !
:-)

Seventeen years on....

24-aug-2009, on board DXB to GRU
From an enclosed coupe, up in the sky
Its seventeen years to the day today, almost to this very hour, that a journey began. On platform No. 8, Howrah station, Rajdhani Express, 1630 hours IST. And yes, it has been an exciting ride. Like most other exciting rides, this has been full of thrils and spills, of joys and sorrows, of exuberance and despair. Also, like most other exciting rides, its been full of trains and planes, of catamarans and vans, of buses and boats, of bicycles and rickshaws, of walks and a lot of talk.
When i look at it all as a 40000 feet view, literally in this case, and of course, metaphorically, there is an overwhelming sense of feel-good, of positivism. Most importantly the realisation that i continue to be loved and cared for, and in whichever way it was, i have made a positive difference to lives that i have touched along on the way. Maybe a fleeting difference, but for that moment, fulfiling.
These 17 years have been half a lifetime and have seen several transitions:- from someone who lives with his parents to someone who lives as a parent- from someone blissfully ignorant of the world beyond home to someone who is almost always out of home- from someone who is unmarried- from someone who is not from a pedigree institution- from someone who is a student- from someone who has never been on a plane- from someone who thinks India is 'superior' to all other countries- from someone who is unsocial- from someone who is quiet, shy and reserved- from someone who plays good cricket and pitches it up straight- from someone who can pass a Class XII examination- from someone who can't travel alone, can't even cross the road on his own
several others, since that fateful day....
While with the transitions, there are a few things that have remained the same- the sheer fulfilement and purpose in being loved and enjoying the affection of so many. Cliched it sounds, but there's nothing bigger than being loved.
And since i have the advantage of a 40000 feet view, with nothing but the blue waters of the Atlantic down below and a view peppere with tiny clouds somewhere in between, is there anything i want today. No, no..let me rephrase it. What all do i want today....let me put down my wish list, in the order in which it comes to mind-
- to be with the ones i love and the ones who love me- to be a good father, a good son, a good spouse, a good friend, a good sibling- to be famous- to see myself on the TV and in the papers- to hear the applause- to wirte a book (if its a bestseller, the better ;-) )- to do some genuinely meaningful work that impacts the less privileged- to travel a lot more: Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, Antarctica, Everest base camp, Trans- siberian railway, Amazonia, and also see the Taj Mahal- to be into public life in India- to bat at the Eden gardens (if a few people can watch, the better. if i can hit a six, still better)- to be a student again, in the company of interesting and capable people- to bring together all my friends- from school, college, work, otherwise, on to a common platform and to have a mega get together (not on the net, though)- to ask meaningful questions and to enrich the debate on fundamental, existential questions
Hey, hello....stop stop.. dont repeat the camel and the Arab story...
-

Ronaldo is back, with corinthians

Modern day ganesh ji

With his laptop, Ganesh ji does an alt control del to All worries and evils

Ganesh ji on the road.

Hyderabad. Amerpet. Eve of Ganesh chaturthi. Revealed just a portion of the
famous and lovable Indian God.

Is he also the cutest ? I think that is a very tough one, with my top two
being hanuman ji and Ganesh ji. Baby Krishna comes a creditable third. But
if I were to indeed take a call, Ganesh ji would get silver, the gold medal
going to the irrepressible hanuman !

Grand parents on a grand board. Little jaadoo learns to write

School ad in Sunday newspaper

And I am yet to find a school which says we want to make good human beings

There is another hardik in town

There is a new hardik in town

Comparing jaadoo and meher

Life on the road: chandigarh

In india's highest density of women on wheels city, helmets are a strict
no-no, and style rules

On top of the car

Our identities !

A camel ride through the bylanes of hyderabad, and suddenly remember:
jaadoo needs to be at a birthday party. His classmate, yochana's.
I avcompanied jaadoo as his driver, and ipsita as
His caregiver.

After quite a bit of dilemma on whether to go in, finally do. And meet
several others in the same boat. Parents. Each one of them defined by their
child.
Parth's father, khushi's mother, kira maye's mother, harshita's father
and so on.
I had heard an old anecdote about the bachchan's : amitabh and
Harivanshrai, son and father, both stalwarts in their own right . Earlier,
when people saw amitabh, they would say, look there is harivanshrai's son.
Some years later, people would refer to harivanshrai as amitabh's father...
Got the first time feeling of something similar this afternoon.
Felt good to know that jaadoo, known as hardik to his schoolmates ,
mattered a fair bit to several of the children out there and occupied a
good portion of their mindspace. It also signalled to me, probably,
something which would have been on for quite sometime now: children
beginning to form their own world, their own networks. And, a break from
their parents shadow.
Some of my best friends are from school, and they and their families
connect at so many levels to ours now. In some cases, it was just
serendipity, like being made to sit next to a certain Harish khare at
kendriya vidyalaya baliganj, calcutta. And later in life, getting married
to one ipsita Basu, who, though in the same class at school, was one I had
rarely interacted with.

Life brings with it its unique set of surprises, and therefore, it is fun
to ponder the possibilities of where our interactions take us. So, keep
going, and a little bit of magic could just be round the corner

What else does one need

Lower Back pain remedies

One more journey begins

Chinese people liberation army in hyderabad

Commander jaadoo on an inspection visit to esperanza school

Back to trains, and an unenduring love

8th may. Jaadoo starts off in a taxi to hyderabad airport. Then a plane to
coimbatore. Then taxi again to Arunkadu. Then walk. Then bus to ooty. Then
auto. Then boat. Then toy train. Then horse. Auto again. And now, writing
this from the UNesco world heritage nilgiri railway from ooty to coonoor.
For more on journeys, watch this space

Gone are the days of Howrah Rajdhani Express, or Bombay Rajdhani Express....there's a new Rajdhani in town- its called Airtel Rajdhani Express,and no matter from where to where it goes, it continues to be calledAirtel Rajdhani Express.

Have a look at some pictures of the train interiors and exterior;http://picasaweb.google.com/deepak.sapra/AirtelRajdhaniExpress#

I feel saddened by the fact that our flagship train has become thesubject of such crass commercialization. No doubt it is important toget in revenues from as many legitimate means as possible, but thereneeds to be an element of sanity.... In doing so, it seems we havelost the sense of judgement: what next ? A Vodafone Parliament House, a DLF Rajghat, or a Coca Cola Indian flag....

Caution, men at work

Da hIMG00052.jpg

Regards
Deepak

italian haircut for a flavour of India

Tree ammji radio old bollywood songs bystander dogs love and affection
It doesn't get more colorful than this

Toshi Masi

"maine zaroor bare punya kiye honge jo Dimple jaisa beta mila"...."maine aankhein kholi, aur dekha dimple mere paas khara hai; usko dekhte hi meri to saari tabiyat theek ho gayi"...... is what she has been saying regularly to whomsoever she meets in the last few months.
Its humbling, its heart breaking, and just makes me want to cry.....
"O Toshi Masssiiii.." to which the response would always be... " O paaare beteeee".....in a positive tone, no matter how many demons were lurking within her body.
It seems incredible, how many of these demons there actually were.... in the form of rheumatoid arthritis, in the form of a cardiac problem, in the lungs, in the spinal cord, in the legs, in the hands, in the form of fluctuating blood pressure, in the form of side effects of steroids..... sometimes, i think... is there a disease that she didn't have ? and of course, did i forget, there were the eyes .....
The incredible part is not because of these demons. It is not even because of the fact that she had been having them as companions for over three decades....
The incredible part is not even in her being, in spite of them.
The incredible part is in her steely will power and determination that made her the epitome of courage. The courage that made so many of these demons run for cover when she would confront them. The courage and will that made her do the most she could, every single moment. Listening to BBC, and being so much more well informed than any one of us; on the happenings in Mars, the benefits of tomatoes, the Amazon rain-forest in Brazil..... she was BBC herself. The Philips radio, gray coloured and slightly worn out, opened the world to her, even as she stayed, in the same 50 square meters, for all but a couple of weeks, in the last fifteen years.
Three days ago, in a voice which very clearly could not belie a physical pain, she sounded incredibly upbeat at the fact the Indians were making mincemeat of the New Zealanders in a one day cricket match. "Chhakke pe chakke"...."kya baat hai", she told me when i called her.... making me logon to the internet to read about the spectacle.
Toshi masi has had her share of favourites- from Pankaj Roy to Dilip Kumar to Gundappa Vishwanath to Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar to Atal Behari Vajpayee and she would fight tooth and nail in arguments to defend her heroes. Always the one who liked to be in command, it is amazing how she would manage a household with all the physical conditions that she had. House maids, run for cover...for with Toshi masi, you can do no wrong. With ears so sharp that the slightest whisper would register, and a highly analytical mind always actively at work, toshi masi was indeed a tough nut.... in the last ten odd years, she was almost always in a nighty, with the keys to the trunk pinned alongwith a safety pin on her left shoulder....
I think she loved Kuku mamaji the most in her life, and all the time, she would do everything with his well being in mind. Kukuji likes this, kukuji likes that, kukuji would think this, kukuji would think that..... the care and concern she demonstrated went way beyond the ordinary. The raison d etre for her fights and arguments, most of the time with elder sisters, would be rooted in an undying, highly possessive love for Kuku mamaji.
And it was in that possessiveness, that she would take pride, that she would take up his cause in a manner few could even dare imagine....
I have had an amazing relationship with her...it started off when i was a kid, always perceiving her to be very stern and finicky... if a cloth hung on the string for drying fell down, it had to be washed again. When i asked for apple juice, which she had kept in an almirah, she said it is for guests.... when she was partial to Monty and i ran after MOnty with a knife in my hand....
from all that to now.... i could genuinely feel her love, warmth and affection last twenty years.... a far cry from those little things..... she would be thrilled whenever i went to her, whenever i called her..O mera laal aa gaya, mera madan gopal aa gaya..... O God, it was so humbling.
As the grim reality of today hits back, i can still feel her hand with twisted fingers, feel her roundish cheeks, feel her love and blessings from wherever she is.....and should i be getting in the least sentimental, she would say, O Nahi Nahi....O Paare bachche....
Please, Toshi Masi, wherever you are.. be well.... and be with me...

SAO PAULO DIARY, March 9th, 2009

Coffee with milk

Brazil’s and South America's largest city is often daunting to its inhabitants itself, leave alone visitors. Stereotypes like traffic, over-crowding, heartless, extortion, drugs, robberies are some of the oft used phrases describing life in Sao Paulo. Beyond the daunting and the stereotype, there is a megapolis which is one of the greatest melting pots of our planet. The melting pot gets its culture from waves of immigrants over the last two centuries, amongst them, Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, Germans, Japanese, Africans, Lebanese, and Syrians. The city’s booming economy also attracts thousands from other parts of Brazil, mainly the North East. Koreans, Bolivians, Greeks , Chinese and Jews make up the rest of the concoction.
In spite of such diversity, Sao Paulo is witness to a very high level of integration between these various categories of people, and all are just about equally proud to be Paulistanos, which means, from Sao Paulo. Curiously, Sao Paulo has one of the largest Japanese population outside of Japan, and while all of them speak Portuguese as their first language, only a few would be able to manage even a decent conversation in Japanese. The mix n match of these ethnicities has also led to a wide range of skin colours; white, black, brown, so much so that the average Brazilian colour is described as ‘Café com leche’ (coffee with milk)


I love India

India is all over Brazil these days. Brazilians just can’t get over their fascination for India, and this drive for all things Indian, in addition to the massive success of Slumdog, is fuelled by one of the most popular soap operas currently running on prime time television, ‘Caminho das Índias’. Meaning 'way to the Indies', the soap journeys through India, and is made with the idea of bringing forth the contrasts between the orient and the occident on cultures, beliefs and values. The storyline is about a Dalit girl, Maya, played by the stunning Juliana Paes , who is in love with a Brahmin boy, Bhuvan. All the actors are Brazilian, speak in Portuguese, but the setting is India, in exotic, touristic locations of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The soap is a kind of a tele-novel and has most of my Brazilian friends hooked on, 9PM onwards, Monday to Saturday. As a result, several Hindi words like Chalo, Om, Theek-Hai, Kajra Re, Ganesh, Bhai are becoming popular. The young say it's hip to use them. Everybody asks me about my opinion on ‘Caminho...’ and the issue on everyone's mind is whether India really is the way it is shown on the soap.


The world’s biggest party

Brazil is just through with this year's carnival, and although Rio de Janerio's carnival is what the entire world carries an image of, the one in Sao Paulo is no less intense. Samba schools vie for the top spot, there are organized parades, followed by performances on Sambadromes. It is that time of the year when everything comes to a halt for four days and the entire city revolves around it. The closest I can compare is Durga Puja in Calcutta, which has pretty much the same effect. Many locals hate the carnival because it disrupts daily life, and because Sao Paulo, unlike Rio and the rest of the north east, is more focused on business and work. Few, however, ignore it. Almost everyone participates in some way, either being a part of the parade, mixing up with people, and if nothing else, watching it on TV.


The Fenomeno

One person who has split Brazil right down the middle is Ronaldo. Yes, he is the same guy, the world cup winning football superstar. Called 'O Fenômeno' ("The Phenomenon"), Ronaldo created a stir when he signed up for Brazilian club Corinthians in December 2008. Battling from a knee surgery, obesity, divorce, sex-scandal, his rejoining a Brazilian team fifteen years after he left for Europe was a national event. Heavy, unfit, unabel to play a 90 minute game and gasping for breath, critics renamed him Bola-ndo (meaning like a ball). His debut against Itumbiara was disappointing. However, in his second match against arch-rival club Palmeiras, Ronaldo came in as a substitute around the 60th minute, whipped up two moments of magic, and at the death, headed one into the Palmeiras net to save the day for his team. The game was all about him, and the rest of the 21 players were incidental to the proceedings. The Fenomeno is back....


The city that never sleeps

Being a 24 X 7 city means it is possible to find a dentist at 3 in the night, or go to a disco at 8 in the morning. However, Sao Paulo is a transformed city on a weekend nights. Places like Villa Olimpia and Augusta change their orientation of time and space. Walking down these places is a mind boggling array of sounds, images and experiences. Bars. restaurants. Theaters. Clubs. Night clubs. Samba performances. samba Rock. Gays. Lesbians. Straight’s. Emo's. Bicyclists. Skate-boarders. Beggars. Heavy traffic. Pizzerias. Fashion. Art. Calligraphy. Jewellery. Agarbatti. Books. Posters. Che Guevaras. Murals. Tatoos. Antiques. Saloons. Prostitutes. Bouncers.Din. Smoke. Music. ...there is something for everyone as the city lets its hair down in a passionate, intense, non-judgemental celebration of the night. To me, being non-judgemental is this one attribute of Sao Paulo in particluar, and Brazil in general, which is so striking, and so fascinating, and which makes Brazilians to be one of the most free-spirited , open and friendly people on in the world !

Several Singhs, one King

Jaadoo goes beserk at a marriage party, Mohali

Ammji and Jaadoo

Life comes calling, at the doorstep

Our friendly neighbourhood pigeon delivered these two eggs yesterday
The cycle of life starts all over again

Artist at work

Its jaadoo, again..

Jaadoo draws his first real artwork.
A picture of his friend, sairam and his family comprising santu, his
younger brother, nandini, the little sister , and swami n eswara, the
parents

Regards
Deepak

Every sunset is a sunrise on the other side of the world

Sunrise from our home. 24th February 2009
Thank you god for this beautiful spectacle

Regards
Deepak

if they don't have bread why don't they eat cake

Harish gave a lesson or two in smart parenting.
And jaadoo finally met his match ... On the dining table

Jaadoo and friends

At the park next door . Hyderabad.

Regards
Deepak

It worked

Now .
Can it take attachments ?
Let's try
This is a pic of 3 month young Nandini and one year young zoya
communicating perfectly in telegu and ukranian

Zoya can speak, she says Ma-Ma in a dozen ways, each communicating various emotions like happiness, anger, anxiety, displeasure, excitement and what have you

Little Nandini is getting there.....

The two ladies met at the ground floor of our house- Zoya, daughter of a visitor to our home from the hospitality club (http://www.hospitalityclub.org/) (living in Ukraine) and Nandini, living in our building. In the pic above, both are in the arms of their mother

Trying to post a blog through the phone

Trying to see if it works