Thursday, July 13, 2006

An Orkutized Life of ours….

“Where have you been recently? Haven’t seen you in some time?” a friend asked me the other day.
I replied, ‘’same here, haven’t seen you too in some time?”
Ironically we both hail from the same college sharing the same hostel & the same campus.

We meet each other now more on Orkut than in real life. This virtual life has substantially overtaken our real lives. We find it far more convenient to scrap someone then to ask “how have you been lately?” Perhaps it’s easier not to face people these days coz you can hide your façade behind the distance of words. Scrapping, which used to have a negative connotation till recently, has been attributed to the way we communicate between ourselves. I hope at least we shall find a better & an elevated term to replace this “scrap”.

Why do we all find it more difficult to approach our friends & acquaintances with simple conversations? The virtual global village, ie the Internet, which happens to be my likely source of livelihood, has really taken a central place in our lives. Most of our professions have reduced to “google” down certain piece of information from this myriad cloud of information. I extend kudos to Sergey Brin & Larry Page for revolutionizing our way of work & life. Is talking to a fiend better off on Orkut? Is googling the information the only way to add value? Whither creativity & originality? I don’t have answers to these questions, so I’ll leave with them. Well that’s some thoughts to chew upon.

But why do I feel that this virtual village has virtualized our relationships too. I can feel such a void in relationships these days. Indeed that takes me to the epistemological question of “Why do we need a relationship?”, “What do we seek in a relationship?” I don’t write this blog to find answers. I write merely to key down my thoughts. So if you are seeking these answers too, welcome aboard.

Keep thinking for thoughts are the atomic units of pleasure. Ain’t they?

Mann.
July14-2006.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

My first week in Mumbai --- July 2006

Mumbai, the city of dreams, has ultimately made me a part of its myriad populace of anonymity. The first day to my office I'd to commute for 4 hours. This really sucks as it completely soaks all your energy. Then u reach ur office to face the usual humdrum. That's my definition of perfect treadmill life. Well that's my dream city..... On my way back I'd to commute by hopping atleast 3 different buses and to add to the agony I was already partially drenched due to incessant rain which seems to drown this city.

Next two days I couldn't report to the office as rains had flooded the streets & Mumbai seemed to have stopped breathing at its regular pace. Then after being bugged for 2 days & seeing my favorite team losing out to not so deserving Italians, I ultimately resolved to add to my quiver of adventurous experiences by commuting by train.

Now that's an experience worth writing. I landed at the station & got a first class pass assuming naively, almost childishly, to expect a lavish( try comfortable) ride. So I missed my first train because I was observing how people board this whistling barrage of people somehow clinging to this mechanical anaconda....ya that's the word -- "Anaconda". So I thought next time i shall be able to able to board another such anaconda but I was denied this experience by the pushes of mass courtesy...This town really makes u learn the virtue of selfishness( read indifference) pretty soon. With an even stronger resolve & lesser amount of public in the ensuing train I was honored this opportunity to board the Mumbai Local Train.

I had never got so close to such a large amount of men in my entire life...ya another learning this town preponderates practicality over sexuality & therefore u'll witness explicit manifestations of individual sexuality through their eccentric albeit occasionally soothing( some gals really dress scantily well) dressing style. You can also hav live music by some or the other performing artist throughout your ride. The songs were again expression of amorous love exhibiting its various shade. Luckily love has still not adapted prejudice based on financial well being. Atleast these poor people have had a similar feeling reminiscent of the big screen.

Mumbai not only saps ur energy whicle you are commuting to ur office but also saps ur emotions with utter pragmatism & indifference of the people around you. Everyone seems to be too dubious of his neighbor's character & profession( perhaps he's the popular Mumbai thag I've heard of)...Anger is at their tiptoes. An uncle almost scolded me because my umbrella kept touching his shoulders....I didn't know how to react for a moment...I was both furious & and was feeling pity for him....Ultimately this anaconda dropped me to the nearest station from my office , wherefrom I caught a taxi to reach my daily final destination.

So hello mumbai...Here I am...Being moulded but with a resolve to mould you as per my wish. Hope we'll have a fruitful engagement....keep me enthused.

July 6.2006
Mann.