On time?:-(

It was 9.45 AM and I was standing in front of Indian Coffee House on mg road. I walked a bit towards the Deccan Herald office and read the news for the day. Though I would have read the newspaper at home, that piece of paper that they display in the glass window is a must see for me, when I pass that way. It probably is my habit that I caught hold of when I was studying journalism to catch hold of news wherever it is. The street vendors were all ready with their wares be it clothes or the colourful junk jewellery. Slowly the shops started opening, and the hustle bustle of the place started for the day. Now I started to check the time,it was 9.55 and I started getting jittery as usual. I then started observing the people who were passing by - the office going crowd who were rushing, the college bunking kids going to Plaza to catch the movie, tourists being escorted to silk saree stores to take back something which is bangalore specific ......I again looked at my watch and it was 10.05 and am like 'not again' why do I have to go through this always. I started fishing in my bag to check for anything interesting and thankfully I was carrying a book. So I leaned on the railing on the footpath and started reading the book. People started looking at me while passing by, wondering what's wrong with me to come all the way to mg road and read a book standing there. When these stares started getting very uncomfortable i had to stuff the book back into my bag. The watch showed the time to be 10.25 and i knew there is no point starting abuse also. What's the point and then when I thought this is it and am going back my friend comes with all smiles. Am like its 10.30 and we were supposed to meet at 10, she was like, ok sorry its just half an hour let's go. I knew there was no point in explaining the logic of being half an hour late.
This is the usual case for me whenever I have to meet someone or when I have to go somewhere. Oh that's even funnier I have reached so many marriage receptions and birthdays on the time that's mentioned and realize that the bride and groom have not even thought of starting to dress up ; or the birthday girl/boy has just gone shopping for new clothes. At least in these cases I have realized that the time in invitations card is just a number or rather the time you start from home which is what I do now. Its a different thing that I ensured that my reception card time does not remain a number and reached on time and you can guess what it would have resulted...But thankfully relatives were with me.



So coming back to meeting someone, and the alien concept of 'punctuality' for most people. It has always been the case that whenever I set time to meet someone I reach atleast 10 mins or so in advance and eventually except for rare situations the person who am supposed to meet is late. I keep wondering is it really too much to expect someone to come on time or am I stupid in the first place to land on time but anyways both parties dont learn. On rare occasions when people do come on time am like so overjoyed and in total awe of that person for sometime like as if they did me a huge favour. I think this is the fate for all people who are punctual; believe me there are people like that too who can identify with the jitters and worries of waiting.

The best part is this non- punctuality in people continues at work place too. Here also meetings happen where people keep trickling till the last 5 mins ...Am sure that is one extremely busy person who is atleast managing time for the last 5 mins and we should be thankful for the presence.

Ok there is a silver lining in this atleast this waiting period has been a great time for making stories and window shopping too.

Now even am wondering that after this post what if it gets jinxed and i start getting late for time set for meeting people. O god see this is what the concept of punctuality itself does to me....

P.S The incident mentioned first was during my college time so dont be surprised if you havent seen some of the places i have mentioned:-)

Four Sides

There was a spring in Kishan’s feet and a tune on his lips when he left the Cox and Kings office. It was after a long time that he had walked to a place and because of his happiness he was hardly looking at the road. It was not like it was the first time that he was going to Paris, as being the CEO of one of the leading firms he visits overseas almost every month; but going to an office to book the tickets was the first time and being happy about it was definitely the first. Kishan was the child genius who used to top in school and college after which he slid into the corporate world where also he prove his prowess in a very short time. He was the youngest and successful of CEO of his time at the age of 30. On the other side this only pushed Kishan to his lonely life as people outside used to revere him for his intelligence and money and back home as he had lost his parents at a young age of 12; he was now only surrounded with house help and no friends. This was all till he met Swathi.


An orphan raised in an orphanage Swathi’s only interest had been painting. She had always associated every misfortune that she saw to her. She strongly believed that it was her past life bad karma which made her an orphan and that losing parents being the biggest misfortune everything else happening around her has to be because of her bad karma. Though from an on looker point of you she was the person with the nicest heart and this was what brought Kishan and her together. Inspite of her insistence, that association with her can only bring him misfortune somehow Kishan convinced her about how it was just the opposite because he has been leading a life of misfortune due to his loneliness and now anything that can happen is only bring him out of it. Finally they got married and today as Swathi is waiting for her husband of a month and she could not believe how she was fortunate enough to get such a loving husband. The beep from the kitchen broke her thoughts as she realized that the chocolate cake that she had made to celebrate their first month was ready.

Rudra sat down at the bed side of Anmol his son who was born with cerebral palsy. His wife had died during child birth and left him with his special son. Anmol could however talk and that has been one thing which Rudra thanks god for inspite of everything. Every day before going to work he would have breakfast with his son and listen to the animated chatter of his son on the bed filled with all the toys he had got for each of his past 7 birthdays. He left for work leaving his son in the care of his mother. While driving the bus he could only think of what the doctor had said last week. Doctor had mentioned Anmol is ready to start with physical therapy soon and Rudra can deposit the money at the hospital as soon as possible. Anmol’s medical expenses were increasing and also his old mother had been having difficulty in taking care of the child because of her own ailments. Rudra had applied for a loan so that he could by a car and run it as a taxi so that he could increase his income to afford for the medical expense and probably a home nurse. When his phone started ringing, he was shivering as he was expecting a call from the bank in reference to the loan. His eyes got clouded as he picked the phone to hear a voice telling him that his loan was denied. He did not see himself hitting the young man on the road who was crossing the road though the lights were red for pedestrians.

Ambulance arrived in half an hour to take the two men to the hospital but they knew that it was already late. One man had died because of the accident and another of a stroke.

Let's go to Comm St......

Retail Therapy – the one thing that definitely works for me. When am sad, when am happy or when I’am sick too a little of shopping can do wonders to me.

Inspite of all the malls that have sprouted in Bangalore City the one place that I used to haunt when in college and now is Commercial Street. Among my relatives the common joke that they have is if they don’t find me home then am there. Don’t get it wrong am not always spending. I like window shopping, shopping for others and even don’t mind having chaats from the various available places there so why won’t I be there.

During college times, eateries were not easily located like it is now inspite of my college being in Koramangala. I know most of the new Bangaloreans can’t imagine that. So there have been many times when with friends we would have come to comm. St to eat. The bhagatram which is there now was a very small shop which used to open the shop at 4 or something like that which I don’t remember completely and when it opens it used to be with hot yummy gulab jamuns and samosas which was unmatched in taste. Now they have a huge variety of savouries and snacks and a bigger seating area to accommodate the hungry shoppers especially the men folk for obvious reasons On the parallel st of Comm st at Ibrahim street there used to be a line of cart vendors who used to serve some delicious south Indian fare – dosas and idlis and of course fried rice which you can call south Indian now with the adapted taste. Now the number of carts have dwindled and unfortunately I have reduced eating from there because of the unending road work that happens there, the food am sure is trying its best to retain its hygiene quality. Shiv Sagar restaurant which is found in one of the bylanes of Comm st to Dispensary road was one of my later discoveries. It’s one of the most crowded restaurants there and has got a good fare of south and north Indian dishes along with a surprising menu of Mexican dishes. Of course it does not claim any authentic taste but the tortillas there are definitely worth a try. Anand Sweets near to the Krishnaiah Chetty Jewellers almost at the entrance of Comm st is another place which I like visiting for the chaats that are available. This was the place that I discovered paneer pakoda and even now end up eating that most of the time. One other place which I love eating at for the variety it offers in South Indian tiffin items is Woody’s. Definitely the most overpriced of the lot mentioned above but a must try to have a peek into the taste of the different dosas, idlis etc.

(Photo Courtesy: A Friend's flickr stream http://www.flickr.com/photos/n-a-s/)

Shopping for clothes in Comm st started with my father’s yearly visit to ‘Garden’ where every year he picks a saree for mother religiously on their anniversary. As he never used to venture beyond that it was self venturing in college which introduced me into the clothes paradise. Many people argue with me periodically telling that Chickpet offers better price and that malls are better as its less crowded; believe me I have tried and agree to disagree. I have this habit of imagining how I want a dress and then go searching for the material and I get only when I go there though I might go to 2-3 shops but eventually get it exactly like how I imagined. In college or my first years of working it used to be atleast 1 visit a month for clothes but now as I know most of the shops and what it offers I go with anyone who wants to go shopping so it’s more times than that The dupatta street or the street that has most of the salwar stores and the Ibrahim st with the silver plaza, gold plaza etc are the stores that normally offer the best prices and variety and one of the other regular store for salwars for me has been DCM. Of course with the advent of Max in the city it’s a definite yes for the kurtas and casuals they offer. It’s not like I only buy clothes for women here. Clothes for menfolk are slightly easier, Mega mart or Wearhouse serves most of their needs and then of course Max for the casual fare.

Apart from the clothes shopping for accessories also are a sure shot. I used to shop for jewellery sets from Estelle and once it was gone from a one gram gold jewellery store at commercial plaza and have not been disappointed. As I hate gold jewellery I prefer this for occasions. This was only for exclusive accessories and otherwise with the variety of others offered on the street itself it’s a treat for the eyes and definitely an easy way of choosing for occasion coz they help with finding the right thing for right occasion – Bangles and earrings galore. Ok I was almost about to forget the slippers and shoes that you can get here. The trends for college students are introduced here and then taken for a walk with a storm around the city.

So with the festival holidays this week and for the coming up festivals Comm st jaana tho banta hai.

Ok then catch you there or later.

SMS

2bhk flat for 20lac at hebbal! Ready flats with 100% loan ! Call Now: 99……..


With atleast 20 messages about new readily available flats, 5-6 messages on discounts on products and of course 2-3 millions I win daily for some random reason am all set to roll on a message deleting spree throughout the day. Am sure most of you are wondering so why I don’t put myself into a “DND” (Do not Disturb) list or something like that. The simple reason while in the process deleting these I have read some of the messages and actually mind you have got introduced to some new service or product through this and found it to be useful.

At the advent of sms marketing atleast for me were when people started adding me on to mginger where they started the technique by sending emails to friends to add them on to the bandwagon. Not knowing the consequence we all had innocently invited most of our friends to this future volcano of sms ads. The intensity of these increased when stores at the purchase of even the smallest of things asked us to fill a form which would have a survey and then for sure a request for email id and phone number. The result the local boutique, neighbourhood kirana guy all started sending sms on sale which is eternally happening in their stores and of course to add on to the misery there were the advent of internet sites through which sms can be sent for free.

I don’t completely dislike receiving these messages coz one my biggest purchases till date my apartment was from a message I received through this. We had searched across town for about 2 years looking for that perfect place which should just click inside as ‘this is it’ when a message that I received made me make that call to set the appointment with the marketing guy. My husband and I went to the place with the least of hopes but to our surprise we liked it and was overjoyed when the advocate also confirmed it was legitimate and booked the flat.

In one other occurrence I was trying to buy a baby’s walker for my niece and had gone to many shops and found all downmarket stuff and was losing hope as the baby’s birthday was nearing. At that time I got a message from a store which sold branded kid’s stuff and I booked from then and received a good one in a day’s time with everything intact and perfect packing. So I have had this experience of some messages being a response to my telepathic communication.

SMS marketing though running into controversies because of the time loss it causes people invites a lot of laws and regulation. For e.g when the messages of winning money goes to people not everyone understands that it’s a fake one and ends up contacting the people who are frauds and makes them buy B grade products from them. Like many of the other marketing/advertising tool this when handled with caution by the sender and receiver could be useful to an extent.