She Was A Phantom Of Delight

         Last week, I was travelling to Koramangala on BMTC bus no 171. Except me and a couple of elderly passengers, the bus was quite empty. I was looking out of the window. It was a rainy evening. The cold winds were blowing nonchalantly across my face. I partially closed the window. Usually, these rainy evenings make me reminisce about my old, happy childhood days, when simple pleasures of life were my most valuable treasures.

         At this point of time, a strange thing happened. At the back of the bus, I saw a door which led to a brightly lit place beyond. As if enchanted by it, I got up and started walking towards it. The moment I put my step across the door, I felt myself falling into a bottomless pit. After what seemed to me to be an eternity, I landed in a place which seemed like a paradise. Singing birds, crystal clear brooks, trees laden with luscious fruits... Oh!!! It was blissful. Beside the brook, there was a small rock and I saw a woman seated on it. She was staring far into the horizon, and looked highly contemplative. She was looking quite graceful and was decently dressed in a violet coloured chiffon sari. A string of jasmine flowers adorned her silky hair. I went up to her. I give below a detailed version of the dialogue which transpired between us:

Me: Hi!!! What's your name?

Woman: [Turns towards me, but doesn't show any signs of excitement or surpise] Hi!!! I'm Nilanjana.

Me: I'm Krish. Where do you stay?

Nilanjana: I used to stay in Rajajinagar, near Navrang.

Me: Used to!!!???

N: Yes. I died last year in a car accident.

Me: [Sweat drops started to appear on my face] Dead!!! But how...

N: Tut tut... What is death, Krish? Is Human Soul bounded by death? I'm my Soul, birthless, deathless. This blissful place is my home. What you see is a projection of my body, which I created with the help of my thoughts.

Me: Yes. You're right. Immortality is our real nature. But in our day-to-day life on earth, we don't seem to realize this fact. By the way, a lot of changes have happened in Bangalore since you... Er... [I fumbled, not able to find a cheerful word for death]

N: It's ok, Krish. I understand. I can see through your mind that you are trying to find a nice way to mention my death. Looks like the immortality lecture which I just gave you just now had the desired effect [Smiles to herself]. Don't fret about this, Krish. I've been following the changes in my city very closely. Even the name has been officially changed to Bengaluru, isn't it?

Me: Yes. What do you think of it? I personally found the name Bangalore better.

N: See Krish, it's not about you or me liking the name. This rechristening of our city may have a lot of deep implications on so many vital areas of our day-to-day life, including business and politics.

Me: I didn't understand.

N: Ok. I'll try to see if I can make you understand. The official name Bengaluru implies that it will be used in government correspondence, in the media, in office and residential addresses, in commercial organisations and in transportation. Are you following this clearly?

Me: Yes. I am.

N: Good. Now, let's think from the critics' point of view. As you know, Bangalore is a global metropolis. It is known internationally by this name and its renaming may adversely affect its international image and global branding. Also, some people believe that Bangalore is quite easy to pronounce and it flows easily off the tongue, whereas, Bengaluru is a bit clumsy to pronounce. If we think from a sentimental point of view, we may see unwanted growth of cultural chauvinism, which may lead to non-Kannadigas being made to evacuate Bengaluru.

Me: [Trying to sound authoritative] That would be preposterous. Karnataka, in general, and Bangalore, in particular, has always been open to people belonging to various cultural ethnicities.

N: Don't be afraid, Krish. I'm sure such an eventuality will never come to pass. Ok, let's come back to our topic. I was talking about the implication of this new name, wasn't I? If you observe one thing, the critics are mainly the cosmopolitan residents of the city, who believe that this renaming issue is just a cultural mask which the government has adorned to deflect the attention of the public from the pressing current issues- like scarcity of water and power, poor sanitation, appalling road conditions, et al- which it seems incapable of addressing.

Me: I agree with you, Nilanjana [I was beginning to feel that I had known her for years]. These politicians know the Indian psyche very well. The minds of our people get easily stirred whenever cultural topics are raised. This rechristening definitely has strong roots in linguistic nationalism.

N: Krish, the mythical and mystical line between cultural assertion and cultural chauvinism is a very thin one. The new name, Bengaluru, is consistent with the history and customs of the people of Karnataka. Since, the local people have a lot of sentiments attached to the local culture and language, let them feel the pride of having the name of their beloved capital city in their own way. And, let Bangalore continue to be used in popular discourse. The problems occur when the so called activists begin to place jingoistic demands.

Me: [In a meek voice] Like banning other language movies?

N:  Yes. Then, things may start getting ugly as the democratic principles of national unity and integrity gets jeopardized.

Me: I hope nothing of that sort happens. Patriotism has to be in the heart, not in the name. Do you know, Nilanjana, when I visited Bangalore way back in 1999 for the first time, I was in IX grade. I was very much excited to see the huge, majestic trees lining the roads and the beautiful parks scattered across the city. Now, ironically, I just see big apartment flats with names like 'Tree', 'Woods', 'Garden', 'Green', 'Nest' and so forth. It's so painful, you know. I agree, Bangalore has developed industrially riding an exponential curve, but at the same time, it has lost its charm as the garden city. I visit so many shopping malls, pubs and dance lounges during weekends but I don't find that old world charm I used to find in those days. Couldn't there have been urbanization without the loss of the aesthetic beauty of this city??? Oh! I so wish that things were different.

N: Ok ok. Now, don't get so nostalgic. See, whether it's Bangalore or Bengaluru, the city moves on. You too have to move on with your life. Don't be a prisoner of your past. Become an architect of your future.

Me: Oh!!! You have read 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari', haven't you?

N: Yes. That last line was borrowed from that book. You've quite a sharp memory, I see. You made me look so sheepish.

    I could see that her cheeks had turned pink which made her look doubly beautiful. I had to resist a strong impulse to grab her and plant a kiss on her lips.

    Suddenly, my cell started ringing. It was from my girlfriend.

Girlfriend: Idiot!!! You forgot our date again.

Me: Er... Me... Nilanjana... Er... Bengaluru...

Girlfriend: Oh God!!! Who the bloody hell is Nilanjana? And why can't you pronounce Bangalore properly?

Me: [Trying to sound romantic] Wait dear, listen... You are mistaken...

Girlfriend: Get lost... [She hung up. She must have pressed the disconnect button so hard that her finger must have come out from the back of her cell]
   
    I looked around. I was in the bus. Instinctively, I looked back. There was no door. Only the number of passengers had increased by half a dozen.
    Damn!!! Three girlfriends lost in two weeks. I felt like I was the world's biggest jerk. I glanced outside the partially opened window. It was still raining. I just sat on my seat, contemplating what would have happened if I had thrown caution to the winds and kissed Nilanjana.

CASABLANCA- A Masterpiece

       I think no one needs an introduction to CASABLANCA. In my opinion, this movie should make it to the top 20 movies of all time in atleast 90% of movie connoisseurs' lists. It's a near flawless film with wonderful dialogues and exemplary acting. This movie was made in a time when special effects were virtually unknown and movies were all based on acting and screenplay and this movie is no exception. All of the characters portrayed in the movie are nothing short of incredible. Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine is excellent as the lead. Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund is seductively charming.  CASABLANCA completely enchants you in a sort of trance, offering a journey to the ever distant (yet all too close) world of Casablanca, Morocco during World War II.

       Although this is a B/W movie, you can feel the  colour as the plot of the film unfolds before you. Here is the story of two accidental lovers, a classic story line of any movie. But CASABLANCA is so distinctly different. The chemistry between Bogart and Bergman is simply fantastic. Because they worked so well together, it made the story very much realistic.

        There are so many moments in CASABLANCA that stand out even when compared to greater or bigger films. Every scene is gripping, like when Rick has a flashback to his romantic times with Ilsa in Paris while the piano player Sam (Dooley Wilson) plays "As Time Goes By", or when Rick walks out onto the runway and tells Capt. Renault (Claude Rains), "Louis, I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship". But these invincible moments obviously don't need retelling, for almost everyone knows of them. As for the timeless cast, Humphrey Bogart is simply stunning as the leading man. The class, drama, and brilliance in his performance are impossible to match, although there have been myriad attempts to surpass it. Ingrid Bergman is simply gorgeous, and contributes a performance that's worth cheering for. In fact, all the characters in this movie have given such a clinical performance that it will keep you spellbound:-)

         More often than not, we find that most part of a movie will be very good but the ending will be badly screwed up:-( But, here, it is the ending which really leaves a lasting impression on you. The lines, "Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that", will really make you feel for Rick:-( The way in which Rick convinces Ilsa to board the plane with her husband, Victor Lazlo (played by Paul Henreid) is so touching that it has the potential to strike an emotional chord in the hearts of most people.

            This movie bagged three oscars and in my opinion, it surely deserved some more. If you have not seen this movie, then you are definitely missing something in life. I think that I have watched it seven times and each time, I have appreciated it more than the (n-1)th time. It just gets better and better with each viewing!!!:-) That's what classics are all about:-)

1996 Cricket World Cup

       I believe that, in India, cricket and movies are two of the most seductive obsessions. Every person will be bitten by the cricket or the movie bug at some or the other point in their lifetime. I am not a big fan of movies but I love cricket very much. The cricket bug first bit me in 1996. I was in IV standard at that time. I can still vividly remember most of the matches that were played in that world cup.

       Sachin Tendulkar was at his peak in those days. The Indian batting was quite strong with the likes of Sidhu, Azharuddin, Manjrekar, Kambli, Jadeja and Mongia in the line up. The bowling was dominated by the Kannadigas, Srinath, Venki and Kumble. Manoj Prabhakar's all round skills gave a nice balance to the team. Team India was one of the favorites to win the world cup, but unfortunately, they could only make it to the semi finals:-(

        Of course, who can forget the quarter final match between India and Pakistan at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore!!! Ajay Jadeja hitting the fiery Waqar Younis all over the park is still etched very clearly in my mind. And then, there was the famous encounter between Aamir Sohail and Venkatesh Prasad!!! I was jumping with joy, and I am sure did 800 million Indians, when Aamir Sohail's off stump went back somersaulting to a brilliant delivery by Venki. This match had been the hottest topic of discussion the next day at school. Even the girls had joined in our discussion!!!;-) So, we were even more animated than ever:-)

        South Africa had choked in the quarter finals. A brilliant 111 by Brian Lara had sealed the fate for South Africa. A magnificent century by Mark Waugh had steered Australia past the QF stage. Jayasuriya's heroics led Sri Lanka to their first WC semifinals.

         The first SF between India and Sri Lanka was the one which no Indian would ever like to be reminded of. It was one of the black days in Indian cricketing history. India had won the toss but they had opted to field. I think it was the greatest error of decision because it was predicted that the pitch would take a turn later in the match. India started on a very good note, though. Sri Lanka was reduced to 1 for 2 in the first over itself and Eden Gardens had gone wild with joy. But the Sri Lankan middle order, led by the elegant Aravinda de Silva, staged a strong comeback and posted a challenging 251 on board.

          India was going along nicely with the score at 98/1. Then, Jayasuriya was introduced into the attack and he got the big wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. From then on, it was all downhill for India:-( The pitch had begun to turn ferociously. In no time, India was reduced to 120/8. The passionate Calcutta fans found the Indian collapse too hard to bear. They vented their frustrations by setting fire to some parts of the stadium and by throwing water bottles onto the field. Match referee Clive Lloyd awarded the match to Sri Lanka by default as Vinod Kambli was seen leaving the field in tears:-(

            The other SF between Australia and the West Indies was a humdinger!!! Australia had won the match by 5 runs!!! Once again, it was the magic of Shane Warne which had come to the fore and he was aptly awarded the man of the match award.

           The final was a lopsided affair. Aravinda de Silva took three wickets and also scored an unbeaten century to take Sri Lanka to their first world cup victory!!! I still remember the winning shot hit by Arjuna Ranatunga to third man. It was a golden day in Sri Lankan cricket history!!!

           This tournament had managed to instill a great love in me for this wonderful game. World cup tournaments may come and go, but I will continue to cherish the 1996 Wills world cup for a long time to come!!!:-)

A Transition

         It was a beautiful Saturday morning. I had woken up at 6 AM that day even though I had kept my alarm at 6:30 AM. I looked around my room. Most of my stuff had been shipped the previous day to my apartment in Bangalore. Only a few books and other commonplace things were scattered all around. That day was to be my last day in that room. It had been 4 glorious years!!! That room had seen me metamorphose from a reckless teenager into a responsible engineer.

         Our final semester exams had got over just a couple of weeks ago. I still remember me and my friends playing holi after our last exam, Multimedia Communication, had got over. It had been great fun since then. For the past two weeks, we had enjoyed so much. We ate in posh hotels, watched atleast 3 movies daily, visited almost all possible hang out spots in Mysore, played TT and cricket in the evenings and much much more...:-) In hindsight, it was like giving vent to all the pent up frustrations and disappointments which we had faced during the past four years of our engineering life.
   

          I looked at the time. It was 10 minutes past 8 AM. After finishing breakfast, I decided to go to my college. Since the exams were over, there were very few students scattered here and there. There were a couple of my friends sitting near YAMPA (Yashaswini milk parlour), which had been one of the most sought after place in SJCE, for both students and lecturers alike. We had a hearty chat for some time about our college trip, ethnic day, the fun we had had during our final year project, our future career prospects and a host of various other topics ranging from recession to Aishwarya Rai;-)

  

       
         Then, I went to the temple of Lord Ganesha which is located at the heart of our college. I had a silent conversation with God for a few minutes. I thanked God for His blessings and for giving me the strength to come this far in life. I knew that life after college was not going to be easy and I would have to face stiff challenges at each and every point. I prayed wholeheartedly that day to God to give me the will and courage to tackle these challenges. I sat silently on the cool marble floor of the temple for about 10 minutes. My interaction with God a few minutes earlier had given me a sort of new energy.

         Now was the time to do things. I had a couple of books to be returned to the library. That was done in a jiffy. Then, directly, I went to the market to get some packing materials. Then, I came back to my room and did my packing for 2 full hours. It was a quarter past noon. The room looked so neat and clean which was in sharp contrast to its state a few hours back. So, the main thing was done and a satisfied smile spread across my face. Then I had lunch and slept soundly for a couple of hours.

         When I woke up, it was 4 PM. I just gave some finishing touches to my packing and went out to have a cup of tea. There was some bhajan chanting going on in a temple close by. It was also a temple of  Lord Ganesha. It was here where I had waited for 2 hours to see the CM when I was in my 3rd semester. I had also shaken hands with him ( I considered it to be a great achievement at that time). I also joined the people for some time in chanting the Bhajans.

          Then, I had my usual cup of full tea, had a little stroll and came back to my room at about 5:15 PM. It was almost time for me to leave. I had one last look around the room. I felt as if all the members of my room, viz, fan, light,chair, table, wardrobe, et al were standing together to bid me goodbye. My right hand involuntarily came up to reciprocate their goodbyes but suddenly realizing the fact that it was just a figment of my own imagination, I stopped. The hand which had come to wish goodbye ended up wiping a silent tear off my cheek. It's amazing how our relationship with inanimate objects takes real substance when the parting time is near whereas under normal circumstances, we would take them for granted. But everything, good or bad, has to end, isn't it? I took my bags, which were quite heavy indeed, and then set off on my way to the railway station.

         The railway station was buzzing, as usual. I got my tickets and settled myself comfortably at a window seat. Just five minutes was left for the departure. The train was getting filled up very quickly. At sharp 6 PM, the whistle was blown and the train slowly started chugging out of the station. In another three hours or so, I would be in Bangalore.

         I still could not believe that my engineering college life was over. What a journey it had been!!! There had been so many ebbs and flows, smiles and tears and now, it was all over:-(  Monday would be my first day as a software engineer!!! With new dreams and new aspirations, I was stepping into the professional life. I didn't know what would be in store for me. This uncertainty had a strange touch of mystique to it which I found to be very seductive...:-)

         As I was looking out of the train, my mind suddenly shifted many years back to a conversation which I had had with my father when I was, I think, in III standard:

Me: Today, in our class, our teacher had asked us what we would like to become when we grew up?

Father: What did you say, dear?

Me: Dad, I told that I would like to become an engineer...