Its Official - Sonam Kapoor!!!

Am coming out clean on this one. I have this huge huge huge gianticomundostrous crush on Sonam Kapoor. Sigh. I had this snap taken with her when she was introduced to us as the new brand ambassador for Loreal at a conference in Mumbai, but didn't know who took the snap!!! Smitten. Totally. Sigh.

Did I ever tell you that I was a Anil Kapoor fan??!!

MaDdy

Chennai, Change and Curses.

My second time down to Chennai was a 3 day trip which turned out to be more pleasant than the last.

Occasionally my company sends me off to random parts of the country to check the weather and to talk to people. (Yes, I get paid for talking to people, and No, talking to me doesn't mean your getting a share of it) 

Conversations with Mad, Maddy and Madan

Before we get into details, let me inform you that I have MMD. Mulitple Madan Disorder. Over a Period of time I have decided that MMD will be the cause that I shall blame for any failure to comply with rules, acting stupid, not paying the credit card bills and winking at random women in CCD.

I had decided

On Dec 31st 2009, I had decided not to live the way I used to. It was a tough decision, after all, I was making some brave decisions, changing Jobs, changing places and all that. I wanted to move out of my comfort zone and live a new me. (If your bothered by the lot of "I"s, there's gonna be a lot more, this is your chance if you wanna make a run for it)

Taking action on the new years day, I made a list of things that am gonna do, no matter what. So I went off and bought a Guitar. A few days of You Tube learning later, the brand new Guitar is now staring at me accusingly, probably playing a high F note sounding something like "LOOSER".

Then I went on to buy some fancy French learning App on my I phone, only to wonder what it was 6 months later.

I also decided to get a 6 pack by the end of 2010 (Aim ridiculously high) and joined the Gym. 4 months of gym-ing later, and 5 kilos lighter (which am sure had to do with the light weight shoes) am still cursing my family pack that reaches any place a second earlier than the actual me.

I decided I would never compromise. With my principles. With myself. But the whole year, I seem to have been doing just the opposite and at every single step. Compromising, Compromising, Compromising.

I would not crib (yes, am good at it), just going from one peak to the other. This post is the complete opposite of that.

I would give a honest try at my novel. Its still lying incomplete.

And the most important, I would never hesitate to tell a girl that I like her. No matter what. To my credit, I still might, but I hadn't added all the variables in that decision. Sigh...(That's the toughest one)

And the most interesting part was that I turned 25 this year. That practically puts you on top of the Yes You can - But You may not - But this is important - Who bloody cares - But not that much - roller coaster. So your yes and no, you want to but think you shouldn't and so on. Sigh.

Had to ramble all this... Excuse Moi while I head for the malted barley in ze freezer to Feel bettere.

Cheers!!!
MaDdy :(

Trip to Murudeshwar

Location : Murudeshwar, Karnataka

From : Udupi, Karnataka

Total distance : Around 102 km, and is easily reached by driving (aprox 3 hours ) and Train (approx 2 hours)

Route : Mangalore - Udupi - Kundapur - Bhatkal - Murdeshwar

Click to enlarge

Murudeshwar is an amazing getaway for a weekend, and can be visited either over a day or over two days, staying overnight at any of the affordable accomodation facilites avaiable in the area. The star attraction of the Temple, is the magnificent Statue of Lord Shiva (2nd largest in the world) and The huge gopura (249 feet, largest in the world). The seated Shiva is surrounded by the waters of the Arabian Sea on three sides, and is visible from most of the village.

We left from Udupi to catch the 8.20 Rajdhani which goes to Goa, but the train got delayed by around 2 hours (sigh!!!) which meant we lost the chance to see the beautiful early sun. However once on the train, we had good company [or more like beautiful company :) ] and we reached at 11.30am . After a short walk, we reached the entrance to Murudeshwar, and a 20 rupee ride took us 5 km to the beach shore, and to the RNS resort where we stayed.

The beach is good, but not really great. But the best part of the whole trip is the ride up the elevator (20 stories) on the raj gopura (Rs 20). The view from the top floor is amazing, and you can see all around the village. Apart from that , the hillock on which the Statue is situated is also a fantastic view point, and also good to enjoy the breeze from the sea.

We stayed overnight, and caught some fantastic sights of Lord Shiva under the lights. After roaming around the village and the beach, we were back for some well deserved sleep.

We got back to Udupi, by catching a giovernment bus (very convenient) instead of the railways, and go to have a look at the beautiful Marvanthe Beach as well.

For the easily bored, there are the regular water sports (rating 2.5/ 5) and the wine shops :P , but overall a good getaway for the weekend. Max cost for 2 people Rs 3000 ( with food, accomodation, etc, etc)

I leave you with some pictures to enjoy :)

Cheers!!!
MaDdy :)

Trip to Jog Falls

The Game of Love

Must we play these games, my love?
Where winning is more important than each other,
The cause for us is lost
Right here itself,
What fun will these games deliver?

Yes, its true, we're not the same
And surely you will find many that are
But then they're them, and I am me,
And I am the one that's different by far

Am not stupid, and neither are you
Then why the intent to show it so?
This should be a game, for us and them
And not between me and you

All I hear, is what your not saying
And its not a pleasant tune
Patience is a virtue, and I know
that it too will run out soon

So Don't throw the dice, Don't look at the score,
Life has a lot to offer.
Perhaps Today, Perhaps tomorrow,
But for sure, this game will make us suffer

The time's are a little, to play such games,
I hope its now, not never.
Lets make up, and build our world
Today, Tomorrow and Forever.


If at this, you still want to play this game
Then am no willing player
I'll take mine, and you take yours
And we'll walk on our roads in the sunset, I hope one last time together.

MaDdy :)

Trek to Savandurga and Abhishek

The Day started with a call to Easy Boy at 5.30 am. It went something like this

In Love

In love with your eyes

The way they swim in that smile

In Love with your hair

When they play hide and seek 

In Love with your walk

For no reason at all

In Love with your anger

It makes you look real

In Love when your not around

Cos your on my mind

In Love when your silent

The more to look forward to

In Love when your nonsensical

It reminds me of Life

In Love with everything, 

In Love with you, cos I realized

This nut needed a bolt, and yes, thats you

Cheers :)

MaDdY

Red Alert - W.O.R.K Virus

You know what am talking about. Oh Yeah. I see those heads bobbing up and down.

Well fear not. Yours truly is about to reveal the master code on bracing yourself for those monthly attacks of the deadly, the dangerous, the despicable, the (running out of "d" words) ....

Willing Oppression & Recreation Killer.

The Dog, The Spider and Beauty

From the Past 4 days, this dog has me in a fix. We have no idea where he comes from, where he disappears to, and apparently am the only one apart from my ground floor neighbors who have seen him. His face looks just like Jimmy's. The First day he was outside the gate, and he didn't wake up from his classic "chin on the floor" slump look (classic Labradorean style). He didn't budge an inch when my bike was almost over him. Strange. And no response to the regular whistle, coochie coos and all that.

My Experiments with Chicken

Am a great cook. Especially when the menu is a seven course meal. I prepare a signature seven course meal, and they comprise of the following

1. Home decorated Lays for the appetizer

2. Maggi Soup

3. Cucumber Salad

4. Maggi sorbet (whatever that is)

5. Maggi with Onions

6. Maggi with tomatoes

7. Home Decorated Baskin Robins ice cream

However I recently discovered that this meal did not live up to expectations of others (that's everyone else but me) and what with all this Master chef this, and master chef that, I had to prove that there were other things that I could cook. 

My Mum and Dad are Awesome cooks. I mean really really awesome. Friends who have come home swear by it, and apparently I don't seem to have picked up anything from my genes.

But I was out to prove them wrong. And here, I present, My experiments with Chicken. 

***

Chicken Kum-gas-pe  

This should be also called the Chicken Tandoori, but my narration will tell you why the name was adapted to the story. I'll cut the background story and skip right to the interesting part. After goading over the careful marination of the chicken, I had it all ready to be cooked on the slow fire, exactly how the instructions read on the pack. 

I beautifully placed the well cut pieces of tender spiced chicken in straight lines on the pan, that was gently greased with butter. I ensured that it was perfect fit, and pulled out the phone for some snaps. I savored the moment.

Then I pulled out the match, and struck it with that hint of aggression that resulted in a peppy spark. As I turned the gas knob, ever so gingerly, to ensure that perfect flame for that perfect frying, I heard the click, and waited for the hiss of gas, bursting out of its enslaved cylinder to burn bright blue.

Click. No hiss

Click. No hiss

Clickety Clickety Click. Nothing.Zilch

I was feeling nauseated. I fumbled around the kitchen for the instructions. There was supposed to be a damn flame under the damn pan after the click. In my mind, chickens were ganging up, laughing, taunting.

Where the hell are the instructions to check the cooking gas!!!  I should have picked up the phone and called my lawyer to sue Everest Masalas. But then it was a Sunday and my lawyer would have probably on leave. 

And then, the roof parted, the blue sky opened, it was when Fate spoke to me.

FATE : "Madan!!!, Its time for you to show those delicious scrumptious pieces of chicken, who's the boss. If you have to pull out all those management text books in your shelves to make a bonfire and cook that chicken, you will. If it takes robbing a few bricks to make a barbecue, you will. Hell, if it takes you to stare at that damn pan and heat it with telepathy, YOU WILL DO IT. This is your calling, this is your DESTINY"

And then I had my Transformers moment

Me : And I am Madanus Prime,leader of the Bachelor-o-bots and I send this message to all you chickens. "Your Fried meat!!!"

Me and my trusted roomy made frantic calls to all the gas agency's in the country. It was a Sunday. And no one was answering. We then tried sweet talking a the cooking gas guy near our house in to lending us a mini gas cylinder. But he dint have one. It was then that we decided, that if there ever was someone who would work on a Sunday, and get us what we wanted, it was the country's most enterprising citizen, the Marwari Business man. 

And we knew that in any market street in the country, there would be a marwari sales man, a marwari cosmetic/bangle shop and a marwari utensil dealer. 

And we did find the Marwari Dealer. Selling utensils. And the stuff that we needed. Needless to say, we got we were looking for.

Later in the evening, over a delicious plate of fried Chicken Tandoor, a thought crossed my mind. This was no ordinary chicken, this was a masterpiece, cooked over a stove that had no gas supply.

And thats when Chicken Kum-gas-pe (Hindi Translation - On less Gass) was born. My First non Maggi dish. sniff. sniff.

I shall leave with proof :) --->

Coming Soon, Chicken Binacooka

MaDdY :)

Soul Searching

No, its not a movie title starring saucer shaped spaceships stealing souls in an effort to wipe out the human race. Come to think of it though, it is a possible movie title, and vague enough to get you into a multiplex.

Pondi, Chennai and Coimbatore

Lond due travelogue update. In the month of June, had gone on an official tour of South India. So Apart from loosing most of my hair, and going from wheaty to "This shade does not exsist" on the Garnier Fairness Scale, I had a fun time picking up some interesting observations.

Shocking News : Humpty Dumpty falls. City under alert.

29th September.

Bangalore. Last night in a shocking development, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. While he has been admitted to the Incy Wincy Spider Memorial hospital , doctors are unsure about putting him back together again. Dr. Fevikwik has said that Humpty is now shaky and unstable, and has sent word for his dear Kings men and his horses.

Sharing Common Wealth (Games), Politics and News Channels

Fancy how everyone has an expert opinion on the CW Games to be held in India. Hell, even toddlers seem to be going "ga ga" over it. The last time I saw the country get together on such a scale was when Slumdog Millionaire won the Oscar, and everyone called it an "Indian Movie"..

Apparently, some top athletes and sporting nations are pulling out of the games citing poor "living" conditions. Perhaps I'd do the same if I were on a vacation, but hey! am not an athlete am I?

Ant Tales - Ants don't fall in Love

Little Ant climbing up the wall
I wonder why you're so small
You keep crawling inch by inch
Don't you ever fear a fall?

By Day and night, dusk and dawn
You keep climbing, crawling, walking on
What is it that keeps you going,
Do share with us, oh little one.

Is it really food that you search for all day?
Or is there a mystery behind all the play,
That you always walk in a straight line
Nothing seems to deter you from your way.

Don't you ever take a break?
To rest those tiny arms and legs
Toiling away all through the day
To fetch something, that everyone will take

Don't you ever fall in love,
For that's what everyone does
And then they change, for someone else
And everything goes astray, regardless what they say

Now I know, why you're so small
You have no space for love and all
Only when a heart falls, it hurts
And hence, you care not if you fall

Little Ant climbing up the wall
I know now, why you're so small
Continue crawling inch by inch
Why worry of a fall.


MaDdY

Then, There and Now

Am at cross roads of some sort. I can feel it. Some strange sense of uneasiness and irritation has come over me, unlike the happy go lucky regular food stuffing person that I am.

I get angry very quickly these days (not regular quickly, madan-quickly standard) which is still slow by normal averages, Very restless in the afternoons, sleepy at nights, don't feel like gorging on chicken or non vegetarian food, Opinions have begun to bother me, Have been reading books after a loooong time, not coming home to my beloved game console, meeting people out of sheer boredom (sounds like loneliness to me) blogging more regularly, Jealousy, vying for attention, riding my bike a tad too fast, hmmmm...

The last time I hit a cross road, it took me 2 years to recover. Bet she hardly noticed.

---

Strange are the ways of men and women. When they like someone, they act more weird in person. They try to be someone else in order to impress, and in the process end up being someone else, and then one day "boom" they get together and its like "Hey you weren't like this before we got married"

Duh!!!

Strangely, the one whom I never met, knew me more than the ones I had met. Pity she didn't want to meet that day.

---

So is friendship the key ? Whats the chances on that road? Stand by and watch doesn't really seem easy, But then what is? And when do you know when this ends and that starts? If its meant to be, will it?

There are no coincidences in life, they say.

But there's a lot of hope.

----

Cheers
MaDdy

Marriage, Love and Spirituality

Marriages are made in heaven. South Indian Marriages are made in rooms between families of the bride and groom, except the bride and groom. Konkani marriages are made in other peoples marriages.

If you attend a GSB/Konkani/Amchigele marriage, you'd be surprised to see the bonding of the women there, all gushing and chattering incessantly. But the truth is, under those multi layers of Kanjeevaram silk and heavy gold jewellery, Detailed battle plans are being laid to bind two unsuspecting individuals through the "arranged" marriage strategy.Of course the only thing probably common to the unsuspecting individuals, would be that they apparently are of "marriageable" age.

The Rose Girl

I wrapped up myself in my arms just so that I was comfortable in not making her uncomfortable. While the bus moved on out of Bangalore, she spoke to different people on the phone. Her voice was very soft, at the same time had the tone of a self confident girl, someone who could be quick to retort at the shortest signs of being rebuked or taken for granted. Reminded me of someone who was had just discovered independence, or had some sort of responsibility on her shoulders, a mini rebel, but a sweet one at that.