Our First Couple Shopping Spree

Checked out the Delhi Book Fair on Sunday and my oh my me and my hubby went crazy shopping for books.

Hindi Literature was our favourite buy and we bought lots of it. We bought books till hands ached from carrying them. If you missed, check it out next year. The ride was fun too.

The Delhi Metro ride to Pragati Maidan reminded me my NYC subway days, though it was better this time not just because of better coaches but also because I was with hubby and it was our first metro ride together. The ride also gave me a lightbulb next to my brain.

I give you Sanghrahalayof the book kind of course.

The Great Circus

I always thought The Russian Circus was the longest running circus. There is one Indian Circus which seems to be competing with that - Comedy Circus. Its been running for so long that I don't even remember when it started. So, I decided to ask Google Bhaiya and wikipedia gave me a list of all its seasons. That's when I realised how many seasons it has been and how Archana Puran Singh re-invented her career with this simple show. It was just another reality show because it started around the sametime as India Laughter Challenge. Later, it became a brand of its own and Laughter Challenge and some others on other channels also faded away. The jokes got crassier by the season, but I couldn't stop watching it because there were some really good performances as well. I loved performances of Kashiv Khan, Shailesh Lodha & Apara Mehta, Shakeel and Kuldeep Dubey. Hopefully we'll see good performances in the new seasons.

Legally Downloadable

Big Thanks to everyone on sending over their suggestions about buying a new cellphone. For the ones who just came to know, I'm looking to buy a new cellphone.....not hi-fi....good features and dependable. So, let me know if you want to give me an idea. So, getting back to the point of the post. I discovered the following on cnn ibn website:
http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/2417-0.html?from=tn

The article outlines about ten websites where you can download music for free. Now, I know all you new music enthusiasts might not find new songs, but its a start. So, check it out, maybe you might find something useful.

Mystery and Me

Growing up, parents always felt there was a derth of good clean family drama on tv and this was true, as I remember Tara, Swabhimaan and Shanti were the pioneers of popular television shows in India in my generation and were aired on prime time on National Channel. They were hardly appropriate for kids. Alas, at that time the only kids shows were "Potli Baba Ki" and "The Jungle Book". Once cable television kicked in, I upgraded slowly to Saanp Seedi (the Mohan Kapoor show) and then to Crystal Maze - I used to love that show. It was because of Crystal Maze that I picked up interest in puzzle solving, which in turn has made me into this crime thriller fanatic that I'm today.

My tryst with mystery started with Byomkesh Bakshi - the Rajat Kapoor starrer tv show.

As a kid, I used to love watching this show. This was considered a clean family drama by my family. So, every wednesday dinner was spent in front of the television watching the adventures of the genuis Bengali Investigator. I would love to own all the seasons on DVD if possible, as I understand there was more than one season. I did find some of the episodes I hadn't seen on youtube, but "Yeh Dil Maange More."

After this came - Commander and Tehkikaat on DD Metro - the satellite channel for DD National. Of this Tehkikaat was more of my favourite.

The show featured Vijay Anand as the detective Sam and Saurbah Shukla as his trusted side kick Gopi. "Hum tehkikaat karne aaye hain" - from the opening credits is still fresh in my mind. This show also had a funny bone. Comedy is Saurabh Shukla's forte, so he played it with a lot of ease. Compared to Byomkesh Bakshi, this show was slightly on the adult side of the TV Show audience spectrum. Since, we didn't grow up on Nicklodean, we don't know the PG, PG-13 and PG-15 concepts. And good we don't.

Then came Raja Aur Rancho and some other shows which I didn't like very much. Like a drop of water in a desert, came CID.

ACP Pradyuman and his team kept me on the edge of my seat for a very long time. I have to admit that I have this really long ever lasting still continuing crush on Inspector Daya. The character of Dr. Salunkhe, the genius forensic doctor, is very interesting. Made me wonder, how you can tell so much about a dead person by carefully inspecting the body and carrying out some chemical tests on the body. I do understand that the real life of a Forensic doctor isn't as glamourous. If this extra glamourisation, helps highlight a potential employment oppourtunity, why not do this extra drama. "Give her an inch and she'll ask for the whole continent" was when I would watch CID. This hunger for more murder mysteries was satiated by CSI (all three) - CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY.

Grissom and his crime lab team-mates, did teach me a thing or two about forensic investigation. I owe my higtened observation skills to them. And this skill wouldn't have been sharpened had I not chanced upon CSI while watching AXN. The show might have been popular in US, but we caught onto to it pretty late. Once I saw one episode, there was no looking back. In many ways, it reminded me of CID and I would often find myself comparing the two shows and like any Asian, I would prefer CSI over CID. Not because of fair skin, blonde hair and accent, but because of better presentation. Soon, I was to discover a little more glam version of CSI - CSI: Miami.

What happens when you up the glam quotient of CSI, you get CSI: Miami. Better looking actors, more suave and slick with oddles of attitude like the Pierce Bronsnan bond (just the way I like it). In fact, Prince Charming also liked CSI:Miami when he saw it the other day :) :). Smaller team, no infighting and politics of promotions and demotions, good, clean, mystery solving. Though, later I did realise that the whole in-office romance can never be ruled out. Nevertheless, less conflicts between characters makes it a better watch for me. Horatio Cane if my fav in the team. The character sketching is interesting for me. Caring, conflicted yet saving the day everyday. So, what happens when you think that maybe you aren't able to get enough viewers on east coast. You give them CSI with a flavour of the east side :) - CSI:NY.

When you get a chance of getting a free guided

tour of New York, shouldn't really say no and I didn't too. With great reluctance, I started watching CSI:NY, hoping that I wasn't heading towards an overdose of CSI. I wasn't. Took me a while to warm up to the show, but I was able to identify with characters, situations, references and places easily, as I had walked those very NY streets when I was studying at Philadelphia. This is when I also understood, the reasoning behind CID and CID: Special Bureau. Though I didn't like Special Bureau, but at least I was able to understand the rationale that might have driven it - potential business oppourtunity. Unlike, in the case of CSI, that franchise of CID didn't last too long. Anyways, lets talk about my new addiction - The Genius "Monk" who solves crimes for San Francisco Police Dept.

Monk, my latest favourite murder mystery. Cleanest, least side-effects but impactful. Reminds me of Byomkesh Bakshi. The difference is that Byomkesh Bakshi didn't have phobias. Monk, as most of you know, is the story about a brilliant ex San Francisco Police Dept (SFPD) detective working as an external consultant for SFPD. I discovered Monk in 2004, the year I landed on US soil to pursue my bachelors and have always tried to catch all episodes of the show. After Byomkesh Bakshi, Monk is my most favourite show ever.

I haven't mentioned some of my other discoveries - Special Squad, Numbers, Bones, JAG, Casa Picola, Law and Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Murder She Wrote.

My list ends with Monk and does have exclusions, which are listed above. The reason for the exclusion is simple - don't like them much. The reasons for the dislike are only few - too much glam, sub plots running helter skelter within the main plot and weak acting by actors. Now, I'm sure some of you disagree with all that I've written. Looking forward to your observations and comments.

Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival - Day 2 - Awsome!!

Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival started here at Hyderabad this Monday Oct 26, 2009. It has an interesting line up of Hindi, English, Marathi, Telugu and even German performances. Just attended the second play of the festival today and was completely bowled over. Qadir Ali Baig, I hear, was a quiet a popular writer. His son, Mohammad Ali Baig runs the Qadir Ali Baig foundation. This foundation organizes the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival annually since 2007. Today was Day 2.

Day 2 of the festival was featuring the second play by Naseeruddin Shah - Ismat Aapa ke Naam Part 2. I had missed this play once in Bangalore, during Dusshera time this year. So, when I realised that I was getting a second chance and that mom would also love to watch it, I bought the tickets. The play was very nice. The style presentation, as Manoj Pahwa reminded us in the introduction, was more of a narration style. The character would narrate as well as enact the story. This was quiet an interesting narration style. The plots were interesting too.

The play "Ismat Aapa ke Naam" as the name suggests was a colourful ensemble of stories written by Ismat Chugtai - India's first liberal women writers. Naseer and team had chosen 3 stories - Amar Bel, Nannhi ki Naani and Do Haath. Of the the three stories - I love "Do Haath" the best. All in all good second day at the theatre festival.

Though I will miss the one tomorrow, but always wishing that we have many more events like these. Looking forward to the second leg of the festival to be organised at Ravindra Bharti from Nov 6th.h

Soul Soothing - Jai Ho

Rehman Bhai kee Jai Ho....is the after thought that is part of the after effect of most soul soothing and exhilarating weekend experience....the AR Rehman Jai Ho concert here at Hyderabad on 24th Oct 2009. It was always a secret dream to attend an AR Rehman concert.

Especially after watching the magnificient AR Rehman concert held in Delhi on TV, always always secretly prayed that I should also be presented with an oppourtunity to attend the concert live and watch 2 of my most favourite musicians - AR Rehman and Sivamani.

The evening started off with a bang. I don't want to recap the whole event. All I want to say is that it was an out of this world experience.....with numbers like Dil Se, Khawaja Mere Khawaja and Ring Ring Ringaa. Once the concert started, I didn't look left or right, I was stuck staring at the stage. Rehmaan sahab gave us a power packed night with fast songs, love songs, classical, sufi, rap. The conclusion was the best. My most favourite part was the sitar jugalbandi. Full respect for all performers, and all the love for Rehmaan and Sivamani. Loved our part of audience section.....people sitting in front of us and in a few rows behind were all very sporting.......we all shouted a lot of songs during the concert and, clapped and waved our hands. It was good they asked me to keep the camera in the car, as I wouldn't have used it. I was busy shouting the songs and dancing on my seat. The conclusion was befitting a Rehman concert.

He ended with - Jai Ho and Vande Mataram. We all stood up for Jai Ho and we were all shouting and jumping for Jai Ho and of course we all did a full throated shout on Vande Mataram.

Rehman is simply the best and I feel lucky to have finally attended his concert live.

I sound like a love struck puppy...don't I. Don't care, I was just part of most one of most previleged group of people who watched AR Rehman live.

My Tryst with Theatre

I come from a fine arts loving family and a family where everyone is encouraged to learn at least one of the forms - dance, music, theatre. My grandparents used to play the sitar. My uncles have learnt instruments and my aunt Kathak. I also tried to keep the tradition going.

1. I trained in Kathak for 3 years.
2. I tried to learn the keyoboard, but wasn't too successful.

Then I found performance.

I started with attending the concert by Mr. Anup Jalota and another one by Mr. Jagjit Singh. Then, I went to US to finish my study and then I came back and discovered theatre.

I attended my first play 2 weekends ago, 2nd October. I never thought I would watch Mr. Naseeruddin Shah perform as my first play to attend. It was a great experience. The play was titled "Katha Collage".

Katha Collage - as it was a collection of 3 plays - Bade Bhai Sahab, Shatranj Ke Khiladi and Samantran. The first two were written by Munshi Premchand.

I've probably just read one or two stories written by Munshi Premchand, as part of course work. But, I would definitely like to read Bade Bhai Sahab.

Naseer's son Imad had played the protagonist in this play. He was very good and a very very close resemblence with Naseer, even in the voice.

All in all it was a very enjoyable experience and very theraputic for curing the stress built up for weeks.

Me and mom agreed, that plays and theatre definiltely improves our quality of life. Fine arts isn't a very expensive hobby if compared with the shopping and movies people do every weekend.