Hours, days..time lost its meaning

To her, it hardly seemed to matter,

Head bent, eyes riveted, glasses low

In another zone, like a Mad Hatter !

It reminded of the uncanny characters

Of classics I had read as awe-struck boy,

Madame Defarge first comes to my mind

Knitting, plotting endlessly, was her ploy,

Then were the old village dragon aunts

From earthy stories of great Sarat Babu,

Matriarchal outliers always in command

Stitching away, keeping all in their ‘kabu’,  

Then one day it dawned on my simple soul

Here was a determined lady with a needle,

It was a favoured weapon of mass creation

Tool that helped pacify many a life’s riddle,

Here was a true perfectionist in the house

In everything she sought beauty and order,

If  thing is worth doing, its worth doing well

As our dear Father had taught, I remember,  

Realise I only know Cricket and no ‘Crochet’

Here too in weaving an innings is devotion,

Determination, skill, flair & dogged patience   

All coming into play for a beautiful creation !  

Somnath Sinha

The Father of  the Nation had famously said “Be the change you want to see .. “ but our local Autowalas might have altered it to “Have the change if you want me”. Management gurus have written “The only thing permanent is change’ but it now seems that the only thing permanent is the lack of change or ‘chillar’. Small change is a much sought aspect of life across canvas of lifelines like taxis, autos, buses, shops, stores and even banks !

In Mumbai (and so also in all cities) your travelling and shopping depends not just on your purchasing power but your change management skills ! Offering a 100 note when your fare auto fare is only 26 is not wise & a big no-no because most of the autos have a standard line “Abhi abhi toh gadi nikali hai, chutta do” ! The friendly general store-wala looks apologetic if you fish out a big one but skillfully solves the problem by returning some cough lozenges or candies in exchange. The fact is they want to avoid the trouble of counting small change but ask them and they blame the banks for not providing the requisite coins and change. For soiled notes, they  point out ‘Bank aisa hi note deta hai’ !

So what are the factors contributing to the shortage of small change in India? The public’s need for coins has been growing because of new toll roads, metro stations and malls, which require small non-round figure payments. According to reports while the RBI is meeting this new demand by linking these centers with local banks and has called on local banks to strengthen their distribution systems and procedures to cater better to the needs of citizens but overall supply also doesn’t seem to be keeping pace with the demand. Moreover, despite the huge rise of digital payments, the demand for notes and coins also continues to rise. To top it all, most of the ATMs dispense only 500 Rs. Notes. However, recently to her utter shock, my wife got 2000 all in 100 notes – a real bonanza!    

The concerned authorities have been working (hard not hardly) on digitalizing payment systems and where there’s a will to pay, there’s ‘G Pay’ and other modes ! For me and for most of us, G Pay has become a life-change saver, for there’s hardly anyone who doesn’t boast of this versatile system be it autowalas or bhajiwalas. The catch is to be ready with pin/code and of course some balance in the linked bank account. Yet, ‘yeh dil maange mor’. So whenever you step out some small change in the wallet will makes life easier !

It’s said that you’re not a bonafide Mumbaikar, if you haven’t hopped or clung on to a local train or didn’t relish the ‘Vada-Pav’ of the wayside stalls thronging outside offices and suburban stations. In a similar fashion, almost every metro, city or place has it’s own culinary flavors (notably Kolkata, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur & many others). Call it nostalgia or loyalty to traditions, Lucknow apart for its architecture and culture, must rank high on that count. It’s street food is not for masses, it’s for all classes here !

Top of the list of major attractions has to be the mouth-watering ‘Chat Stalls’ (most big eateries have special counters outside) but addiction to garam ‘Samosa-Chai’ combo for ‘aam’ office-goers, students, lawyers, tourists and shoppers, is the ‘sine qua non’ of true Lucknowites and is most sought after in all the cities of Eastern UP. Till date my love for ‘samosas’ remains strong, yet with age ‘the spirit might be willing but the Mrs isn’t’. Also let’s admit, like all good things that were vintage, the ‘samosas’ are no longer the same.  One must discover the few places in and around Lucknow, that roll out real ‘samosas’ !    

Also there’s the common tea-stall’s sweet offering called ‘Gulab jamun’ that sells like hot cakes and is served in ‘donas’. Like it’s quintessential namkeen counterpart (samosa)    ‘Gulab Jamun’ has a colouful history that’s most fascinating. While it’s exact origins are debated, it is widely believed to have been introduced to India during the Mughal era. It’s been most popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent, encompassing countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh & also found in other places like Myanmar and the Maldives. The name “Gulab Jamun” is derived from Persian and Hindi words, referencing the rosewater-scented syrup and the black plum-like shape of the dessert. 

Why the flashback to ‘Samosas’ and ‘Gulab Jamuns’ after all these years, one may ask of us who’ve been out of Lucknow for decades. For one, no one makes them any more, like they used to (in the 70s). Second, Zindagi has become complicated, fast and uncertain. Therefore, in bustling, big cities, we must try to rediscover the ‘choti choti’ khushiyan ! 

It sounds plebeian to talk of rising costs of doing mundane jobs and associated toiletries like shaving every morning that basically entails a functional razor (available in various designer styles), the shaving foam or creams of  various brands and the brush to apply it. This is a ritual office going people must follow along with the dress code unless sporting a macho beard, that’s needs trimming & shaping or parlour styled by the more trendy !

In an interview, famed singer Arijit Singh replete with beard, had confessed that he had initially found shaving in Mumbai very costly. For the uninitiated, men’s parlours that have mushroomed across cities, charge anything around 150 to 600, depending on type of shave (regular or beard styling) & on how high-end the location of the outlet is. Some salons may offer add-ons like hot towel treatment, pre-shave oil or post shave balm. So one may shell out extra bucks but will emerge glowing, as the rich stars & models do.

Which quintessentially reminds us of the young days when even the best shaving creams (remember Kapil’s line ‘Palmolive Da Jawab Nahi’) would cost around 25 bucks but the branded ones (Old Spice, Gilette, Denim etc) now come in the range of 75 to 80. With most of the present trend-setting leaders, celebrities, stars, cricketers, who are role models for our youth, sporting the bearded look, the market for shaving creams has  been dented & prices can’t come down. For us, altering the old clean shaven appearance to one covered with grey-black facial hair might not suit and even create KYC problems.

Apart from the mirror showing us daily signs of aging, even an act like shaving can teach us some life lessons. Recently, my friendly neighborhood kirana merchant said – ‘Dada, why not try this brand – it has more by weight and is much cheaper’. Though my basics of economics told me ‘higher quality dictates higher cost’, I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, the cheaper shaving cream felt almost as good as the expensive ones. It’s all due to marketing jazz & fascination with brands, that makes us avoid less costly goods.

When I shared this thought with my wife she nodded with appreciation. That’s why we negotiate with all vendors, they overcharge but we know what’s right, she said ! Yes, we may or mayn’t sport a luxurious beard but let’s remember ‘All that glitters is not gold’ !    

Let’s assume that as veteran students of the game, we also have the right to propound theories as much as the experts as to how and why the young Indian team lead by Gill allowed England to sail to victory without a sweat when defeat was imminent. That India batted like champions to begin with is well documented as also that it was the tail that didn’t wag, the slip fielders who didn’t grab chances and two pace bowlers who didn’t bowl according to plan & the sole spinner who didn’t use the ‘rough’ outside off.

Let’s look at the past history of losing matches on the big stage even with two stalwarts, Virat and Rohit shepherding the team and offie Ashwin & versatile Jadeja in the ranks. In the World Cup Final (2023) that India lost, left handed Travis Head almost single handedly turned the chase into a cakewalk for the Aussies, while in the WC Final (2024) south paw, David Miller almost carried the Kiwis home, till SKY took a real blinder ! In Jun2025, the 371 chase on the 5^th Day of the First Test at Leeds, had lefty Ben Duckett on a roll. We had no answers – his belligerent innings of 148 sealed the fate of Indians.      

Doesn’t India have the right ammunition to defend when attacked by left handed batters as the experience shows ? There’s natural aggression with left handers (we have our own Jaiswal and Pant) but their style of stroke-making also entails risk-taking and affords lot of chances to the slip cordon. The reverse sweeps can fail at times too. The idea should be to get them out early and not settle into a rhythm, that can become mayhem later ! With Ashwin’s prowess against left handers not available, let’s focus on them with the right fields. As someone said, if it’s left than you have to be right (with your strategies) !  

Though I consider myself educated, the lexicon in today’s newfound vocabulary often outwits me. Some time back I sheepishly learnt that ‘POTUS’ was simply Prez of the US but people smile in being ignorant enough not to know what ‘MAGA’ means till someone sniggered- it’s the Prez’s new brainchild ‘Make America Great Again’! We already have our own ‘RAGA’ (not as in Classical Music) but much to do with the Grand Old Party !

It’s not that when we were in school ( in the 1960-70s) abbreviations were not in vogue. Much of General Studies (or GK) meant learning hundreds of them by heart, but at that time they were mostly related to countries (e,g USSR, GBR), American Presidents (e,g. FDR, JFK), International Organisations (e.g.IBRD,UNESCO,UNICEF), Agreements & Acts (e.g.WTO, GATT). There was also the ominous one with a long name ‘COFEPOSA’ !   However, English teachers loathed it if we used short forms in essays and answers. No way one could start an English composition with IMO (In My Opinion) and humbly end with my POV (Point of View). Time was not of that much essence in our good old days.   

If we think the modern day linguists invented the shorter format then that’s pure fallacy. Research reveals that abbreviations have been used for centuries, but they became more common in the 20th century, especially with the rise of new technologies and the need for faster communication. The so-called “information explosion” of the 20th century, along with increased literacy rates, fueled the widespread adoption of abbreviations in various forms, including initialisms and acronyms. 

For the sake of ‘FOMO’ (Fear of Missing Out), seniors should know that the way to the younger generation’s heart & mind today is by confidently throwing at them the lingo that consists not only popular ‘OMG’, ‘BTW’, ‘BFF’ & ‘ASAP’ but iffy ones like TTYL, FWIW, IYKYK, ICYMI or GRWM – it could give an erudite ‘Tharoor’ aura to any of us. Bankers, Analysts & Insurance Advisors now talk in a language only they understand !   With all this, could Hindi films be far behind. SRK’s ‘DDLJ” is the cult film of all times.

TBH (To be honest), advent & extensive use of mobile phones by all classes of society means simple terms are needed to exchange information. SMS and WhatsApp texting has further fueled the use of abbreviations and shortened forms of words, reflecting the need for a concise mode & style. Today, abbreviations are ubiquitous in both formal and informal communication, reflecting the ongoing need for efficient & smart language in a fast-paced world. Join the party,  ‘ICYMI’ (In Case You Missed It) so far !

‘Taare Zameen Par’ (2007) that was a poignant portrayal of the struggle of an autistic child and the parents trying to cope, till a teacher shows the right path, left us deeply moved, tugging at the heartstrings. After two decades, Aamir Khan has again dealt with the similar subject of intellectually challenged young people but this time the experience is joyful, funny and heartwarming and replete with social messaging like the ‘normal’ of persons with such disabilities is different from our ‘normal’ – that we must understand !    

Remarkable is the delightful way the theme and principal characters have been handled with sensitivity yet at no point forcefully evoking the sympathy factor for such disabled persons. It focuses on their spirit of team bonding and uncanny wisdom they show in finding joy in life’s most basic activities. No spoilers on how the plot unfolds and you  join laughing with mirth. Suffice to mention it’s an official remake of the 2018 Spanish film ‘Champions’, and follows a suspended basketball coach who must serve community service by helping a team of players with disabilities prepare for a tournament.

On the performances, one must credit Director RS Prasanna for bringing out sparkingly natural portrayals from the group of young boys and one girl (who’s quite brilliant) who demonstrate startling intelligence along with amusing acts on many occasions that zaps the overconfident Coach, played by Aamir with customary panache. There’s a gradual transformation from a sullen, uncaring  person with a callous attitude to people, into a realization that there’s so much to learn as human beings from one’s who’re challenged.

Special mention must be made of Genelia who as Aamir’s dependable wife is refreshing & charming and brings the right balance to role, if one isn’t too picky about her accent. There are interesting characters like Paaji played by Gurpal Singh who actually lets the Coach into the amazing world of intellectually disabled, all with different backgrounds. Dolly Ahluwalia as Coach’s Mom is fun – irreverently teasing her son about his height.

On a personal note, the film was reminiscent of my all time favourite childhood film – ‘To Sir With Love’ where a black school teacher (Sidney Poitier) fights racial bias as he sets out to reform a bunch of unruly, delinquent white kids into decent human beings. ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ isn’t such a classic – but it’s must see on the big screen for the feel good family values & social awareness. For others, it’s an exciting ‘Sports’ film too !

With some experience as a Trainer (of Banking & Soft Skills) one has had highs and lows in the classrooms but as a famous line from ‘The Karate Kid’ goes ‘There are no bad students only bad teachers’ ! Every trainer worth his salt can gauge the impact he or she has on the audience as reflected in non-verbal cues like body language, avoidance of eye contact and type of verbal queries raised. At times there are unexpected disruptions too.

Recently I happened to be a part of the audience in an on-line training session from the Service Industry that was being conducted for members of the company from the units/ branches across the country in what could be termed as a linguistically divergent group. Typically how the social media platforms could be effectively used in marketing the products and services was being expertly dealt with by two young trainers who thought it fit (convenient) to conduct the session in English, considering terminology involved.

After about fifteen minutes, there were voices raised that a section of the class was not able to follow English and the coordinator advised the trainers to use a mix of Hindi & English for better understanding. Though the trainer tried but somehow the English and Hindi ‘Combo’ seemed to disturb the flow of the session. Added to the confusion was a group saying that the session had to be in English only as they couldn’t understand any Hindi (quite unbelievable to cosmopolitans like us !). The session was halted and it was decided that every point would first be explained entirely in English, then followed by the same by the second trainer, entirely in Hindi. Communicating became a challenge.   

Somehow the two trainers, like brave soldiers unprepared for fighting an unexpected battle, completed the session knowing that full justice had not been done. But trainers are resilient and never give upon their trainees. The coordinators in all their wisdom promised that henceforth separate sessions would be held in English as well as in Hindi. I recall my ‘Trainer’ days of the 90’s – people envied us for our ‘Cushy speaking job role’. But true leaders know it’s real value. As Zag Ziglar had said ‘The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is not training them and keeping them’ !           

After teenage sensation, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s mind blowing, record breaking century in the RR vs GT’s IPL T-20 match just a few days back, there was a poser ‘Where were you at the age of 14 ?’ just to remind us how some of our prodigiously talented young can operate in another stratosphere, thanks to new opportunities, manifold support systems and growing commerce in sports, specially enhancing cricket to a blue-blooded status.

Seniors will have a pretty staid answer to the question posed- like normal kids we were in school studying (hard or hardly, it matters little) but mostly playing with classmates sans smart phones & app games. However, a certain ‘cricket obsession’ existed then too and most of us played cricket in our college field wielding  wooden chair backs broken as bats & with tennis balls during lunch intervals & gully cricket on holidays. In the 1960-70s, no system existed for purchasing a prodigy’s cricketing skills in an auction bidding for a thousand bucks, forget tens of millions that today’s IPL owners lavish on ‘winnable’ prospects. Sports and even ‘divine game’ cricket, wasn’t a viable job option that parents could urge their kids to pursue, barring the ‘sports quota’ available to few select players.

Flashbacking, in Class X at age 14, I recall doing reasonably well in both studies and in hitting square cuts but having some brilliant geeks as friends focused on pure academics & one couldn’t get left far behind in class. One genius actually came up with a scientific invention based on ‘physics’ leaving teachers in awe and earning applause. Yet, many (including me) dreamed of becoming batsman of class watching the phenomenal rise of ‘little masters’ Sunny & Vishy in 1969-70. Our parents were sports lovers & indulgent to our passions as long as we labored enough to become engineers/doctors/civil servants that ensured respectability in terms of family tradition, pride and marital prospects !

As it happens, in school there always existed a ‘different kettle of fish’ who were wild and ‘bohemian’ in outlook indulging in irritating teachers, bunking classes and smoking pot. One of the most interesting incidents of our time was when three of our classmates were reported missing from school & were certainly not at home. When they didn’t return till night, a search was launched by the influential parents and the local police tracked them  to discover that they had boarded a train to Mumbai to become actors ! At that time it was all quite sensational, we now hear similar ‘struggler’ stories from successful stars !

It’s universally emotive bringing back happy memories when reminiscing school days of playful exuberance & precociousness with an innocence that hadn’t got vitiated in a pre-digital era. Few decades ago, pressure of unrealistic expectations, ‘being the best’ and of  making it big, wasn’t so intense ! As a 60’s song cries ‘Koi lauta de mere beete hue din..’ !

The recent chilling and traumatic stories of the dastardly attack and macabre killings of unarmed tourists by terrorists in Pahalgam, Kashmir sent shock waves across the entire  country, yet side by side, like soothing balm to the survivors and terror-stricken tourists were acts of courage, sacrifice and humanitarianism, far above and beyond call of duty shown by local Kashmiri service providers, horse-walas, taxi drivers & shop-keepers. In glowing terms they’ve spoken of  many ‘Good Samaritans’ all extending a helping hand.   

This reminds us of our travel story that’s ten years old and fortunately didn’t have any mishaps or setbacks but remains memorable for the yeoman services of one man. We’d  undertaken a ‘Rajasthan’ trip in 2015 (to Udaipur & Kumbalgarh), & the travel agent arranged for a vehicle and driver to be with us from Kota throughout, to show us around the important sites and history and heritage of the place ! The driver, a frail looking man met us early morning at the Kota Station. Little did we know, in next few days he’d show exemplary commitment and spirit like a ‘star player’, beyond our expectations.

As he expertly took us around, the grand history of the picturesque Lake City of Udaipur resoundingly came alive with the relics, artifacts, pictures, paintings in the Rana Pratap Memorial and amazing City Palace museum in the Old City. Our driver was keen that we must cover the most famous ancient temples of Eklinga and of Srinathji (Lord Krishna) in Nathdwara & made arrangements for a wonderful darshan there, all in a span of four hours to and from Udaipur ! Evening stroll around the Fateh Sagar Lake trying out the chat stalls was awesome ! It was followed next day by a drive up the hills to see the exquisite Jain temple in Ranakpur about 100 kms from Udaipur & inside deep forests.

Next on our travel plan was the impregnable and massive Kumbalgarh Fort built by the great Rajput King, Rana Kumbha, ruler of the Mewar dynasty. The arduous climb to the top of the fort needed great determination but our driver kept egging us on ! The final lap of our journey was the drive to Chittorgarh Fort, the capital and centre of the Mewar ascendency from the 7th to the mid 16th century. Our driver then wanted us to also see the 7 wonders (their replicas) on the beautiful lake in Kota, buy city’s famous Kachauris, shop for exclusive Kota saris and have Rajasthani cuisine at Umaid Palace Hotel ! This done, he safely drove us to the station to board the train back and was reluctant to accept any reward. On reaching back, I got his call inquiring about our safe journey !

I haven’t mentioned his name – ‘Farooq Khan’ from Kota city. Not as charming as the late actor Farooq (Shaikh) or as flamboyant as King (Shahrukh) Khan, but to us he has remained a real star alright ! His kind of selfless service and devotion exhibited in doing his professional duties is rarely seen today. The Kashmiri locals have proved they do exist !