Happy Birthday to me!

As I was replying to all the birthday wishes a few weeks ago, I couldn't help but reflect on how birthday greetings have changed over the years. As a child, my mom and dad used to wake me up with lots of kisses and blessings. They ensured my siblings behaved themselves and overall I was treated like royalty. That was enough to make my day and lasted me a whole year.

By the time I entered teenage, an Archies card was a must-give on birthdays. The closer one's friend, the longer the verses and curvier the handwriting. On spent hours poring over scores of cards every other month to find the one that most eloquently described one's feelings. Of course, the number of cards one received was the barometer of one's popularity.

And Heavens help if it was the birthday of that 'special one'. Each word was intricately deciphered and examined to ensure that they conveyed just the right feelings. A special mention of the friends as they stood stoically nodding in agreement or shaking heads solemnly, taking cue from one'e own expressions. As if the printed verses were not enough, every single empty space was filled with one's own wishes written in multi-hued pens. Each card was a story in itself.

As one grew older and started working, easy access to landline phones (mobiles were still a few years away) spurred one to actually call friends and chat on company expense.

As with everything else, mobile phones and the Internet brought a revolution in the way we greet each other on birthdays. Ironically, the technology that is touted to bring people closer, has enslaved people to an extent where they have increasingly less time for each other. Today, cryptic messages such as "many happy returns of the day' or 'happy bidday' or 'happy birthday to you' suffice. A smiley is considered enough to convey one's happiness and love for the person.

And if that's too much trouble simply log onto a free greeting cards site, select a card, write a message and leave it to a distant server to send the message on the appropriate date. Better still, with the advent of social networking one can simply post a greeting on facebook or orkut or hi-5. The onus is then on the birthday boy/girl to log on, check and resond to these greetings. Some of the closest friends/families may call on the day and one better be grateful for these small mercies.

The way technology is taking over our lives, the day is not far when mankind would be able to send greetings across the globe simply through telepathy or through electromagnetic waves being captured by orbitting satellites and transmitted via Tata Sky or Dish TV. I wonder if they would be able to develop a telepathic editor or a 'thought filter' to ensure only the positive thoughts get transmitted.

Till then, let's count our blessings by the number of SMSs, facebook posts or e-greetings we receive.

After the Break

Long time, no write. First flu (not swine, thank God!!), then a dear friend leaving town and then my blog got blocked (wonder why?). Result - got some half written posts seeking my attention. Although most of them are a bit dated I am averse to let precious thoughst go to waste. So I'll just publish them one by one.

Stay tuned...

The Bridal Campaign

28, running her own HR consultancy, socially active, healthy, fun-loving, tall, attractive and....waidaminude, unmarried?? WHY IN THE WORLD??? That's not me by the way...it's the world out there that wants to know.

The aunty-next-door, the one from the door next to the door next door and the one beyond that...even the loud mouthed lady staying in the next block. Friends...and one would certainly expect THEM to understand. Family...close as well as the extended one, in fact so extended I am not sure they even know how we are related.

And no...we middle class blokes are way too nice to tell people it's none of their damn business.

Well, social pressure is such a b***h. We are now convinced of a familial apocalypse unless we are able to accomplish her kanyadaan by the end of this year.

To cut a long story short, the Parihar family is on a mission - find a husband for this leggy lass, my sister-in-law (hubby's li'l sis).

Ha! Easier said than done.

Finding a 'good' husband is no less than rolling out an integrated marketing campaign. And the crack team includes my husband, his three brothers, their wives, my dad-in-law (DIL), SIL and of course, yours truly.

First, the strategising to zero down on the TG (read groom). After numerous brainstorm sessions the demographic is finalised - how old, how tall, what weight, what wages, same caste/inter-caste, region, language, teettotaler, smoker, nuclear family or joint family.

Then comes the media plan - which daillies, number of editions, mutiple language, online portals. Below the Line activities includes mobilisation of family networks, official networks, personal networks. Promotional initiatives to enhance visibility include attending marriages, birthday parties, mundan ceremonies, baby shower, engagement parties, family gatherings of every Harish, Satish and Shyam (by the way, the budget for gifts for all these occassions is substantial).

Oh! and how can we forget product photography. Several protraits and full lengths in various shades and types of clothing. Western, Indian, formal, casual, business, all suitably touched up. Actually, we have a very impressive photo library.

The campaign has rolled out, currently only in Delhi with a few insertions in Mumbai and Chandigarh. The initial TG response is encouraging. And we do hope we would be able to pay off the "societal debt" very soon by finding my SIL a really nice husband. And I do hope she willl have a very very happy married life. Until then, long live Philip Kotler!

The State Within

No prizes for guessing what's keeping Advaniji awake these nights. After Vasundhara Raje's mutiny, perhaps the BJP leadership thought they would make an example of Jaswant Singh. Instead, they now have so much egg on their face that one could possible feed a small army. What should have been and could have been an intellectual debate on Jinnah's 'secularism' and the key actors in India's horrific partition, has sadly turned into a mud slinging match and much public washing of linen by the BJP.

Charges and counter charges by partymen who all seem fed up with the BJP high command's meaningless posturing over non-issues. I don't think anyone expected Jaswant's defiant outburst, followed by several of his colleagues'. It almost seems as if they were waiting for an excuse to go public with their frustrations and lack of concurrence with the current leadership. More than the party, it is LK Advani who has lost face with everyone now openly admitting his role in the Kandahar hijack incident. Of course, Advaniji's claim that he was unaware of the decision to send Jaswant to Kandahar with the terrorists was always absurd if not fraudulent. One only hopes he did not take Indian citizens for complete fools and expect them to believe him.

I was working with Time Warner and was closely following the hijacking as a matter of personal interest and also as part of the media community. Even to me, a lay person, at no point did it seem that the NDA Government had the situation under control. The lack of a plan of action for such emergency scenarios led to release of some of the most dreaded extremists. To be fair, UPA's handling of the 26/11 attack was as misguided and ineffectual. Just goes to show politicians don't care and won't learn.

I am no fan of BJP ideology but I do believe that we need a strong alternate national party to keep the ruling party on its toes. The need of the hour for BJP is a total redefinition of party's vision for itself, clear articulation of its mission for the country and the electorate and effective grass roots communication of this vision and mission. In addition, infusion of new blood is an absolute must. Finally, neither Mr. Gujarat CM Modi nor Shri LK Advani as the PM seem to cut it with the nation's populace. Perhaps, BJP needs to identify a more palatable prime ministerial candidate.

Slumdog Bollywood

I finally watched Slumdog Millionnaire last week. Yes yes...I was one of those really unfortunate ones who missed watching it on theatre!! I have a habit of doing this...missing out on super duper hit movies when they are running in cinemas. I missed QSQT (Qayamat se Qayamat Tak for the uninitiated), missed Maine Pyar Kiya - movies that overnight catapulted Aamir and Salman to fame. For that matter, I also missed DDLJ, KKKG...the list is long so I'll leave it at this.

Maybe I'll get lynched for saying this but frankly I really could not understand why there was so much hysteria about this movie. Don't get me wrong. It is a very good movie. However, it did nothing to evoke any emotions - pathos, sympathy, empathy, wonderment, pain or even relief. As a viewer the movie simply failed to connect. And we have certainly had better music from Rahman. In short, highly overrated.

Die hard Slumdog fans may argue that watching the movie on big screen would have made all the difference. But I am an avid movie watcher and like to believe have sensitbilities required to appreciate a good film.

I can think of several recent Bollywood movies that explored very relevant and poignant issues, boasted impeccable direction and some stellar performances. Swades, Chak De, Taare Zameen Par, Lagaan, Yuva...to name a few. All certainly deserving a nomination if not the award. I am compelled to wonder whether the Academy would have given Slumdog the same response if it was a Bollywood production and directed by an Indian. Sure it was a collaborative effort, but still a Hollywood banner.

Perhaps Bollywood needs to rethink its strategy if it wants to win Oscars. Then again...who cares so long as they keep the good ones coming.

Do we take SRK's BADSHAH status a bit too seriously?

One cannot argue it wasn't news material and warranted media coverage. But front page and prime time...a bit of a stretch I must admit. And after the initial few hours, it simply became tiresome, almost bordering on the ridiculous. It seems SRK takes his self-appointed status as Bollywood badshah a tad too seriously. And from all the frenzied reporting, it would seem, so does the media.

Why must SRK assume that he is immune from international immigration/emigration procedures just because he supposedly reigns the tinsel town in India? Does that equate him to a head of state, or a diplomat, or even a PIP (politically important person). What's really surprising is the media's behaviour - akin to a hysterical wife. Come on guys, get a hold on yourselves. It's not as if he was thrown behind bars or tortured or assaulted or deported. What happened was routine inspection. Why devote reams of newsprint and hours of airtime to his 'ordeal' when there are scores of matters that are much more important for our nation.

Aside from the fact that we Indians take ourselves much too seriously and every little gesture of the western world is seemingly seeped in some conspiracy to undermine our national honour, there is another perspective to this incident. The fact that the Americans have tightened up their security to the point of obsession is perhaps one of the main reasons that they have been spared subsequent attacks post 9/11.

Examine, on the other hand, the way we Indians handle matters of national security and the reasons for 26/7, 26/11, Jaipur, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore blasts become very evident. People have reacted saying we should also meet them the same treatment. And I say, why not? It is time we stopped being naive and roll over on our backs for the 'connected', the 'VIPs', the 'white skin', the 'haloed' and brush security procedures under the carpet. As a nation, we need to start according national security the importance it derserves. And that includes not wasting our time and breath for the super-pampered Bollywood lot.

Let's do ourselves a favour and question the real issues.

Now that I am no longer employed, I have plenty of time to ponder over the important and the not-so-important issues of life. And I have given in to the modern temptation of sharing these thoughts with the residents of the cyber world. Like a lot of people I know, I harbour a secret desire to author a book one day. Perhaps, this is a suitable beginning. Baby steps...as they say.


Me, I am one of those oddballs who still love the feel of paper in their hands and would rather call friends and speak to them than 'chat' with them. But I am also pragmatic enough to accept that I may well be a minority.



So, here goes my very first blog...into the cyberspace for you all to read. Since its the first one, I am keeping it short and simple.


Stay tuned for more....