Vicks on your Soul

A sure shot way of getting rid of a flu is to apply vicks on your soles. And this is coming from someone who has personally been acquainted with at least 70% of the flu viruses that exist. (for the benefit of those whose brains refuse to kick-start on an unexpected holiday, I'm talking about me.) So the thing is, you apply a layer of vicks on your soles, put on that old, torn but incredibly comfortable pair of woolen socks and go off to sleep. How the vicks works from the soles to de-congest your chest, I have no clue. Defying all laws of science and anatomy, it works. And I swear by the remedy. 

Recently however, I came across a group of those charming people who seem to want publicity more often than ever on television these days. They are more commonly known as terrorists, but to me, they're people who have been infected with the worst possible flu virus. They don't have congestion in the chests, they have it in their brains. And what they need isn't Vicks on their soles. They need Vicks on their souls. 

Their souls have been congested with twisted thoughts of gaining salvation and religious supremacy by standing on the hill of innocent killed civilians. Perhaps they find the view of the world enchanting from up there. I wish they had vertigo. 

I happened to read a comment on a news channel made by a viewer. He/She said- 'Terrorists don't belong to any religion.' No religious, god-fearing person will kill for the sake of attaining brownie points from God. Why do we constantly categorize these people into a specific religion and label innocent others as genetically cruel? In fact, terrorism is a religion in itself, separate from all the other religions that exist. A religion that probably promotes a more gruesome and sadly, highly effective way of family planning and population reduction. The god of this new religion is one heck of a sadist person. 

Innocent people have paid the price of these flu-infected souls. People who didn't give life much thought, knowing that there was always a tomorrow to come and think things through. I have a very good mind to tell these terrorist fellows (actually, knowing their habit of communicating in the best ways of technology, I hope one of them happens to read this), if you really have that itch in your hand to go forth and play super-divine and decide when to take lives, I suggest you pick the right target next time. Rapists, Child Abusers, Poachers, and lots more with equally congested souls are always there for you. In fact, our country is choking with such people. Why not pick them instead and make this country a morally cleaner place instead of targeting the usual crowd of innocent civilians?

 We've had it, really. It's time we saw news on TV that is not coloured red. It's time you picked a more sensible target. And it's time you applied a generous coat of vicks on your souls. 

------------------------

10.10 PM 

I've been watching the news all day and I've changed my mind. These sick men dont need Vicks on their souls anymore. In fact, they've gone far beyond mere de-congestants acting as cures. They dont deserve to be cured at all. 

A deja vu-too good to be true!

I went back to my favorit-est city of this year-Hyderabad. Before going, I wondered if this was really worth all the trouble. I mean, I'd already been there and done that. Still, this journey was mind blowing. If someone were to ask me right now (that's rather unlikely but here goes anyway) if I preferred the May trip to this one, then I'd have to stay undecided. Both were fantastic in their own ways and I'm really feeling lucky (the Google pun intended) to have had the chance to visit the same place twice and have contrasting but equally exciting experiences! :-) 

So where should I begin from really? I'm too lazy right now to sit and type out every single detail of the trip. Go on, heave that sigh of relief! I'll probably sketch out a rather rough picture of my entire trip. Good enough for me to read later and get lost in reverie. (I still believe only a handful people read this blog thingy when they have nothing else to do so I'm writing with only my later intentions in mind.) 

The train ride: How long has it been since I last stepped into a 2nd class compartment of a train anyway? This one was bereft of the paan-pichku which adorned the walls of Karnataka Express, AC coaches et al. It had nice mica-type sparkly flooring and clean, very clean, berths. Clearly my inexperience in a night journey by train shone through when I bumped my head on the overhead berth rod and cut and bruised myself by almost falling off! But the games, the birthday celebration, the supposed midnight feast (which we ravenous pigs finished by 10 only) and the early morning chat were all worth it! 

The City- Hussain Sagar lake has never looked so mystical draped in the blanket of smog. The hotel, although situated in a rather congested area was amazingly delightful inside. Our room especially! Food was lip smacking, and the industry we visited..well...ahem...was interesting too. Now moving on to other things! The Snow world adventure- a deja vous with a twist-or rather, a fall. After landing squat on my posterior twice in that ridiculously cruel snow, I have resolved to stay in warm climates forever. Golconda fort however, was beautiful. It's the one place I want to go back again and again. It's eerie, but the last time I went there, I promised myself I'd be back. Soon. And it worked. Maybe it has the charm of that Roman Fountain. Contrary to many of my friends I was spellbound by the Sound and Light Show. It was so cool I wanted to go back and live during the times of the Kakatiyas and Bahamanis! 

Film City was interesting too. It just erased that line between illusion and reality. It also taught me that camera does the work of a make-up artist. The sets looked quite fake, to be honest, but cameras really do a splendid job of making hospitals and airports look authentic. The Mona Lisa portrait was a laugh riot, as were the various Movie Myaaagik shows we were compelled to watch. But our lunch at Gunsmoke-the Wild West Restaurant was one-of-a-kind. How often do you eat good ol burgers the size of a palm? With lots of crispy french fries thrown in? And coleslaw to top it all off? After McDonalds has arrived, not so often, my friend. The entire day was spent in discovering new things there. It was like a Pandora's box for us. 

10 Downing Street was an interesting experience as well. I must confess, I am not really those clubbing-pubbing-dancing type people. I'm perfectly content with a good book on a sofa. But my first experience was not so bad after all. Not only did I dance like a roller coaster gone haywire, I got to witness a few tunn classmates at their charming best! A rather classy place it was, where the DJ and the other guests kept serenading us 'Bangalore Girls' with lots of praise. We were 67 of us after all! 

Last day- it was spent in that usual frenzy of shopping for biscuits, bangles and biryani - something most tourists do. All three were fun, and Char Minar has now begun to grow on me, I liked it a tad better than last time. Otherwise the last day went off in a jiffy. Before we knew it, we were back to the train with our usual banter and attention seeking habit of high pitched laughter and lame antics! 

Things that MUST be documented, but I'm too lazy to do so in my diary: 

1. Pri's animal farm game! :-) 

2. Blespaul's Naxalite threat! (I kid you not, we all closed window shutters, flattened ourselves on the berths and whispered for over 15 minutes before realising it was a hoax!) 

3. Sigh, that horrendous roomie. She didn't leave us alone even this time. Anyway, this is only being documented to renew a fresh surge of indifference the next time I read it. She has crossed even limits of hatred and vile feelings. But we didn't let her spoil the trip at all! 

4. Pepsiiiiiiiiiii Uuuuuuuuuumaaaaaaaa!!! Dear ol Quashy! What could we DO without you? :-) 

5. Our industry visit. I'm only documenting this because I'm supposed to do a PPT on it soon. :-(

 

6. Snow World! And that cruel cruel snow which seemed to attract me from all sides, especially     below. Something else that attracted me was The Sound and Light Show. Breathtakingly marvellous. Amitabh Bachchan's voice has never sounded this majestic. It is still reverberating in my mind. It's turned me into a History Freak! 

7. Food, in general: From that yummy chocolate cake in the train with rolls and chips to pineapple juice at breakfast in the hotel to that spicy gongura chutney during lunch and spici-ergobi at dinner, to the HUGE burgers and Dabal Ka Meetha and Paradise Biryani and that interestingly tasty Paan to that crappy dinner in the train. All was memorable. 

8. Ramoji Film City- the pretend game that it is, and those tattoos that we all got, that crazy ride we went on, the stunt show, the bus ride to and fro-with our dear teachers compering an impromptu punny fashion show in the bus! 

9. Ten Downing Street- just for the place. And the way we all danced forever. And brought the house down with our enthu-sober version of being High! 

10. And of course, how can I ever forget A, B and C? And our villain D? How often do you find blackberry using, fair-and-lovely guys who are trained pilots studying to be fashion designers? Our topic of interest that sustained throughout the return trip!! :-) :-) 

Only 10 this time, there are a million memories that are floating like an unedited movie in my mind. But dinner beckons, and so do a lot more things in life. So I shall refrain from falling prey to staying back in my past like I did the last time, and move on with these splendid technicoloured memories. Plus, I think my fingers have begun to cramp after all this typing dude. I love you Hydera-baaaaaaaad! All over again! :-) 

 

A poem..dedicated to fate. My fate.

Tonight I'm off to the Cyber City

With a terrible bout of allergity

Triggered off by filter coffee

This ought to be lotsa fun. Wheee! 

Beeyay III – Back in Action!

Beeyay I and Beeyay II were about my interactions with outside people. This one is slightly hatke. This is a conversation I overheard within the fuzzy depths of my mind.

Remember those cartoons where there is an angel and a devil side of you that argues with each other? The sanctimonious Holy white cartoon and the evil and cunning Black cartoon? Turns out, these things don’t always happen only in reel life. They have decided to appear in my mind as well. In a way, it helps me make decisions in a more relative manner, taking both sides into account. (Generally, very blah decisions like must I bunk college today or watch Parent Trap again) However, this conversation was certainly not expected by me. Or the ‘me(s)’

Black-cartoon-of-myself: So you finally sent that mail huh?

White-cartoon-of-myself: Um, yes. It was the only right decision to do, you know. If you don’t want the job, then you must politely reject it early so that the chance may be given to someone else.

B: Whatever. You could’ve retained the offer till you got into some decent post grad college thingy right? I mean, a job is anyway much much more fun! You’ll get to, like, earn and stuff…and party with all those earnings and stuff.

W: *wary but patient look* but I want to study further, not earn and ahem…party… right now.

B: Bah! You crib about studying for a measly internal test and you want to study for like, sooooo many more years?

W: What’s wrong with that? I like what I want to do and if I get in a good place, I’ll not miss rejecting ‘the dream job’. And besides, what’s the point in studying when you don’t crib a tad? *winks*

B: Umm….duh! You interned there…you had the time of your life. You said yourself that given the chance, you’d want to rewind and live it a hundred times over. And now you don’t want to go back there? I mean, it’s going to be like a lifetime of that internship period…you don’t want all that? You’ll probably only meet clinically depressed or suicidal people all your life now onwards, instead of those happy happy guys!

W: Um...at least my life will be more fulfilling. And I will live on my terms…not get carried away by the euphoria of an internship. Besides, it’s the best I can think of in my line of study.

B: You want to know what’s best? This job is best, that’s what is best. Who in this insanely competitive world will hire a mere Beeyay for a job later anyway? Now that you have the world’s best employer wanting to hire you, you turn your back to it and say “No thanks, I’m better off in mental hospitals fulfilling my life?” Face it whitey, you want style, action and fun in your life. And you will certainly not get all that by cramming up books for the next what, 4 years? You’ll just graduate from a Beeyay to maybe a Yemesee (MSc) and Oh! If you’re lucky maybe even a PhD! A doctorate in boringsville, that’s what this is.

W: …………….. *no answer really, it’s one that I’m seeking as well.*

I guess at some level, I want to be the White-cartoon-of-myself. But there is that black cartoon in me that I've recently encountered. Is this a fight between being pragmatic and romantic (in the idealist, rose glasses sort of way)? Or is it a reflection of two opinions with the same goal in mind-success and self-fulfillment?

All this while, I’ve ridiculed the society, parents (of other people) and the world in general. I didn’t realize that I had a Beeyay bug inside me as well.

Ten years down the line, I might want to revisit this post to see who won the argument after all….the white or the black cartoon. And whoever it was that won, I hope not at the cost of my ambitions.