Sunday, November 05, 2006

Bandey mein tha dum

This blog was the reason i ever wrote my last blog. We went to this movie "Lage raho munna bhai", and happened to land in McD's for a total disappointment.
So it was after a long time and with expectations of having fun, me, myself and my wife ventured out to watch this movie. After a long time i could actually say that i have watched a good movie. Its about a bhai who is inspired by Gandhi and his principles, leaves dadagiri and goes around doing gandhigiri. This movie also features Gandhi appearing in the background whenever the bhai thinks of him. A good movie with a great message.
Whenever Gandhi appears in the movie or whenever munna bhai is carrying out his gandhigiri a lyric is played throughout the movie. Which goes on "bandhey mein tha dum, vandemaataram".
Recently we had some discussions over Gandhi, many were along the path of
Does he deserve the kind of attention he was given?
He favoured Nehru which caused the division of India and Pakistan.
He has been selfish all the way...
He stole the concept of Complete Independence from Bhagath Singh...
we would have got independence long back if we did not follow his track...
However i was more interested in his principles.....
Satya(Truth), Ahimsa(Non Violence)
I really appreciate him for all that he had gone through, all the pain and suffering he had to undergo along the path he followed. I really appreciate him for sticking to his principles all the way.
But, i doubted if Ahimsa was the best weapon that could be used to achieve what he and all his followers achieved. Yes it worked well against British and we finally achieved Independence. What if it was not British we are fighting against, if it was somebody else, would ahimsa be still the best weapon.
What if we were ruled by Hitler and his Nazi army instead of the British empire, would ahimsa and non co-operation still work. I am sure Hitler and his army would not be interested in our co-operation or the lack of it. They would have eliminated everyone who stood in their way violent or non-violent.
Now we sit happily enjoying the fruits of Independence without even feeling the pinch of all the struggle and consider ourselves eligible to comment on the motives and principles of those who were actually there.
How many of us would stand against what is wrong, stand for the truth, take a bullet for what we believe in. It is easy for us to talk without being there, it is easy for me to doubt and analyse if Gandhi's principles would really work. I am sure Gandhi didnt have any Hitler to compare and analyse. He wouldnt even have a way of knowing if ahimsa would work against the British unless he practised it. So he practised ahimsa, satyagraha, stood his ground for what he believed in was right and never stumbled.

So i am very sure......

Bandhey
mein tha dum.....

Vande
Maataram.

I am lovin it

This is a bit hard to digest for those who know me well but, yes i have started dieting. Have you ever given a thought about "die" being a part of a "diet". So i stopped eating at nights and survive with a glass of buttermilk and at times a couple of phulkas.In mornings i have a standard South Indian breakfast and pack the same for lunch. So lunch essentially forms my last meal of the day. I have done this before but i gave in to my craving for favourite food. so this time i came up with a plan. I maintain my diet every day but will give an exception once in a while and eat junk food or food i really like. Things are going smoothly with the adjustments i have made. Yesterday was the day i thought of having some junk food, something that is deeply fried in oil.I have already had Chinese so it was time for some American fast food.

There are two options KFC and McDonald's. I personally prefer KFC but, we were going to watch a movie and McDonald,s happens to be in the same building. So i thought fine, lets eat at McD's "The family restaurant".

The advertisement for the restaurant features different characters saying " I am Lovin' it".

So we enter the restaurant and its packed, cant really blame the restaurant, people always crowd into the restaurant for various reasons. So we stand in a lengthy line looking at the options we have on the menu. Not really many options, but still wanted to make the best out of it thus satisfying my craving for junk food. So i thought of a chicken Mc Maharaja and chicken Mexican wrap with regular fries and large pepsi. So i started placing my order.

Me: Can i have one Chicken Mc maharaja and some....
He: Sorry sir we don't have that...
Me: but you put it on your menu...
He: yes sir but its not available sir, we are very sorry about it
Me: ok give me Chicken Mc grill and some...
HE: sorry sir we don't have chicken Mc grill, however we have the regular Mc chicken
Me: What the... ok give me a fillet O fish and chicken Mexican wrap and make it a ....
He: I am terribly sorry sir we don't have that too....
Me: Ok I cant guess anymore so why don't you tell me what all you have...
He: McChicken, fillet O fish in non vegetarian
Me: I am sure Mc veggie is also not available
He: yes sir, sorry sir (smiling 32 teeth out) how did you know...
Me: I was going to order that next....
He: hehehehehe(shyly)
Me: ok i will have a fillet O fish, make it a combo with regular fries and a large pepsi.
He: I am Sorry Sir we don't have large pepsi....
Me: What the bloody hell you just have to pour pepsi in a larger container what do you mean you don't have it....
He: Very sorry sir we are short of containers
Me: How about a kids meal?
He: SO...
Me: Wait, i know what you are going to say, Sorry sir we dont have it... and you dont even have chicken nuggets right
HE: (Smiling broadly)
(If physical assault wasn't illegal, i would have had my share of it)

I take my food and sit at the table cursing him deeply for ruining my junk food evening... The i started looking around wondering why the hell are all these people crazy about this place... Then a couple sitting beside us with ice cream cones caught my attention. I saw that both the cones were dripping. The guy was searching for handkerchief and asking for some tissues simultaneously... before anyone could respond ice cream from both the cones just fell off the cones.. don't ask me how and the cone was crumpled and lost its shape as if it was made out of paper.. the couple were so pissed off they started shouting.. the manager appears within no time smiling broadly and asking how he can help.... he analysed the situation and got the couple another ice cream which was suffering the same fate as earlier... Now the guy drops both the cones on the floor before the ice cream falls out by itself and they leave......

Do i have to say ...... " I am lovin' it"......