My Thoughts! - by Prakash G.R.

If a you driving in Bangalore and struck in the traffic:

If you are driving a 2 wheeler, you can find some space between the 4 & 6 wheelers. Use every inch and keep going. If you are driving a 4 wheeler, you are helpless. Stop the engine; switch on the FM/Audio player and call your girl friend and talk. Occasionaly honk and irritate others.

If you are driving a 2 wheeler and there is no space between the cars & buses, switch to the platform or even the wrong side of the road. No one will question you. Keep going. If you are driving a 4 wheeler, you are helpless. If you girl friend got bored and kept the phone by now, call your x-girl friend and talk. Now and then honk and irritate others.

If you are driving a 2 wheeler and “traffic” in the platform and opposite side of the road is also stopped, you can do nothing about it. Switch on the FM in your mobile or call your girl friend. If you are driving a 4 wheeler, you are helpless. Try calling your girl friend’s x-boy friend’s current girl friend and talk. Keep honking and irritate everyone.

written by Prakash G.R.

I can eat idly with curd or chappathi with rasam or even the so-called “Butter Paneer Masala” prepared by my wife. But I can’t eat the typical Bangalore Sambar.

Grrrrrrrrrrr

written by Prakash G.R.

http://my-bangalore.blogspot.com/2006/05/oh-well-what-hell_04.html

written by Prakash G.R.

Ah! At last !!!

I’ve been planning to visit Bangi for quite a long time. Its been in planning stage for more than 6 months and it never got executed. Finally last weekend I was there in Bangalore. I’ll dedicate a separate blog entry about the drive, so this is all about the things happened in Bangalore.

Me and Ravi reached there on Friday night by 7.30 PM - (Hell with the traffic. I never thought that it will be that bad) As Saturday night we planned to have a gettogether, we have decided to booze on friday night itself. I’ve been told about the live bands in the city, so I asked about it. But then Guru said, its all small gals (almost kids)dancing around there and we won’t be enjoying it. Ok. Then decided to booze at home. Had to push hard for the second large of the Bacardi. Then slept well. Sat morning, UG mate Raja came. He has not even changed a bit. He looks, weights, talks the same, as he was before 5 yrs!!! Then we all went to ‘Forum’.

Wow, is the only word I would say about that place. It was exactly like a mall in the US. Spacious, costly and all kind of shops were there - including theatres. Don’t even try to compare it with Spencers. In Spencers you have to find a place for parking and then insert your bike in the line somehow and it will be in the sun. Here for the same 5 bucks they give you a covered bike parking where they have marks for parking - something which I’ve seen only for cars. Had Pizza in Pizza Hut and visited Bose, Apple and Landmark. Then guys proceeded for a movie - ‘Thirupaachi’, while I was on my way to meet Kavithai. Went to Coffee day and then to Tata book store in the IISC. The word Garden city suddenly strikes your mind, once you enter the campus. Its full of greenery up there. All the roads are named after some tree. If its Gulmohar marg, then the both side of the roads, you will see Gulmohar trees lined up. Dropped her at her office and then back for the dinner.

12 people came for the gettogether. Srihari has taken his fiancee and Paddy her hubby. After reading his blogs, I had drawn a picture of him in my mind. I imagined a typical GNU guy - funny T-Shirt, all-peter-talks, probably pony hair style, etc. To my surprise, he was a very normal and easy moving person. With all usual teasing and talks, the dinner ended by 10 PM. When we went home, my Super Senior Sakthi and Sub Jun Amar has already opened up the other Bacardi bottle, which we didn’t complete on friday. Joined the party. OK. Good sleep.

Sunday was action packed Decided to drive to Megadhatta which is around 100 kms away from Bangalore. Six of us in three vehicles went there. On the way, we have to pay a fine of 500 bucks as Ravi’s bike is not insured We have to drive across a river to reach the destination. When we finally arrived at the place, it was like a mini Grand Canyon!!! The view was exciting. Spent some time there, took some photos and drove back. When crossing the river, Srihari somehow didn’t properly raise the accelerator. Result? Engine was switched off; water went into silencer; (Thanks da Srihari - I was thinking of cleaning the silencer and now you did that - Sakthi) and we have to lift the bike 90 degrees and hold it till silencer got dry It was simply fun. Then we went to a falls, which was not worth watching. Evening we returned town and then went to Paddy’s home for snacks. Returned home and was very tired. Thought would take two parcel idlyies and sleep, but then guys pulled me to a pub. Four large Vodka added to the tiredness, I was fully out of control. I didn’t have any hope to get up till next noon. Surprisingly, I woke up early!!! Met Eash and Madhesh and the drove back home
Thinking of what has changed and what not in Bangalore:

(*) Sakthi: Sample 1 - Sakthi: “Machi Guru avanga appa mathiriye oru doctor ponna kalyanam pannanumnu nenaikaran”. I know he wanted to marry a Doc, but never know that his mom is a doctor. Sakthi: “illada, avanga amma doctor illa, thatha doctor, so avanga doctor ponnu thana?”. Eeerrrrrrr Sample 2 - Me: “Sakthi, Sasthri Nagar ikku eppadi poganum?” The place sounded familiar so it should be some well known area and I was wondering why he is thinking! Sakthi: “So, nee antha Aditi Technologiesla work pannara namma subjuns- juns ponna parka pora?” Wow! I didnt even knew that she was working in Aditi!! mmmm. ivan thiruntha minimum rendu moonu genmam venum.
(*) Dogs: Looks like the dogs population is reduced !!!
(*) Traffic: Good they have a flyover in the diary circle and also in the Hosur road in Madiwala. Apart from that no big change. Same stupid driving & traffic
(*) Crime rate: Still alarming Guys say, they steal petrol from the bikes parked in houses !!!
(*) The voice at railway station: I really wanted to hear it, but then I went in a bike

written by Prakash G.R.

It was the month of May in 2001. I came to this great city of Chennai for our placement profile distribution. That was a horrible experience. Wandering across the city in the hot sun and dust. It made me to hate this city. I was sweating like anything and took 2 bottles of slice, thrice a day while on the roads. During placements were over, I was very happy that I got job in a company which doesn’t have any branches in Chennai. Hughes had its main development center in Gurgaon and one more in Bangalore. During Jan 2002, we went to the Bangalore branch to personally meet the HR and say that we’ll not be coming for the project, as we have already committed in the college. After meeting them, we went to MG nearby. Sipping over a cup of coffee in the coffee day, I realized that I’ve fallen in love with this city. I was thinking for the reasons:

(*) Sakthi: I’ll give you a sample - “Machan, you know why I’ve a Lord Ganesha sticker in the head light? enna, accident aachunna, avaruku than mothalla adi padum. so accident aagama kaapatiduvar” !
(*) Bacardi: Yes, its something you won’t get it in the TN liquor shops You have to go to a bar/restaurant to have Bacardi, which is normally a costly option
(*) The climate: Its really cold, as it was in the month of Jan. I was told that even during summer, it will not be very sunny
(*) City of Youth: I could harlot see someone in their forties/fifties. Guess that more than 75% of the population will be under 30
(*) The colourfulness: You see lot of “cool” looking people - the one with beard and no mush, the one who wears a half-sleeve t-shirt over a full-hand shirt, etc. Although Chennai is a metro, you would rarely find these kind of fellows
(*) Pubs: Although I didn’t visit any pubs at that time, Bangalore was known well for its pubs
(*) Language: Bangalore is perhaps the only city in India, where you can survive without knowing its native language. Let it be Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, English, the vendors will talk in that language. Its the only city where the localites are just around 20% of the population
(*) Radio City: Even in small shops, you get to hear this FM Channel. It plays mostly Hindi and English songs and its cool
(*) The voice in the railway station: I really, really, really love that sweet voice that greets you in the railway station. The moment I hear “Your kind attention pleeeeasssse”, I will forget myself for a moment and listen to the announcement. Remember the guys teasing me for that. Never mind. I really love it.

During my six month stay, I found few reasons to hate the city too:

(*) Hated Tamilians: The localites will simply hate you, because you are Tamil.
(*) Dog Sanctuary: Every street has at least a dozen dogs. I know that the fittest survives. But donno how all the dogs are fit and every dog survives. None of them are slim or seems to be starving. Where the hell they get food?
(*) Crime rate: Its too high. After loosing my purse, which was kept in the bedroom, to a thief, who ‘visited’ our home during early morning, while we were in the hall, I can definitely say that
(*) Bus: In buses, the places will be written only in Kannada - I’m not expecting them to write in Tamil, but at least Hindi/English!
(*) Traffic: The traffic is horrible and most of the people drive there without road sense. If you have a two wheeler, probably you will be driving on the platform at least once in a week!

Now that today the final patch is delivered, I’ll be going to Bangalore tomorrow. Let me see how things are changed after my 2 yrs life in this Kuvampatti. Yes, I’m going to drive to Bangalore

written by Prakash G.R.