(With Apologies to Robert Frost)

In setting out to one destination after the other

Life’s a perennial journey over uneasy terrain,

Charting uncertain courses, discovering routes

We’re ‘Roadies’ who must never cease to strain,

Sidewalks for walkers and by-lanes are dusty

Most of the road is under repair and dug deep,

Commuter to navigate dexterously & move on,

Fortitude, patience and skill is for them to keep,

Adventures galore as one must escape potholes

Traffic jams are old hat, it’s just urban congestion,

Vigilantly watch out for the ‘One-way’ Signboards

Keep helmets & seat belts on, never lose attention,

Remember great order is restored only after chaos

We are in a transition from good & better to ‘BEST’,

In this process, try and take the ‘Road Less Taken’

And Don’t put the ‘Spine’ to such a torturous Test !

Somnath Sinha

Among the numerous ‘freedoms’ that we enjoy in our ‘Smart Cities’ (and others on way to becoming ‘Smart’) is the complete freedom to park your vehicle here, there or anywhere, depending on the road situation, empty spaces discoveredtherein &as much as city’s horrendous traffic allows navigation.Old, law abiding citizens like us have stopped driving, we aren’t smart enough to find right place to park the ‘gadi’ !

On the roads where myriad types ofvehicles fly pastat breakneckspeed, a‘cat and mouse’ game ensueswith energetic Municipal Authorities showing muscle in making announcements and towing away a few vehicles wrongly parked. Like a drop in the ocean of 2/3/4 wheelers on road,professional driversare equipped with in-depth knowledgeof the areas not at risk or where the strong arm of law never visits to check. In Mumbai for instance, there are innumerable traffic signals (to curb congestion) and elaborate displays of‘no parking’ signs, one-way street rules, bus stops marked with shadesetc.That doesn’t deter the ‘park-ers’, given half a chance to slip in their vehicle.

My researchshowsthe favourite place parking of cars is right in front of yourgate ! Since our house in hometown Lucknow is on the main road, recently wefound a long tempo trailer parked stolidly blocking our gate, leaving little space to enter. The tempo was empty and no driver to protest against. After about four hours the vehicle had mysteriously moved on. Next day the same ‘gadi’ was parked but this time till late in the evening. No one in our area could tell who the owner was, but we saw a Mob No. with name painted on it. A polite phone request was made and it finally went away !

The ’parking’ woes affect everyone and it doesn’t need knowhow of rocket science to assess the reasons which effectivity are parking space scarcity& not enough spaces & teeming number of vehicles that lead to drivers wasting time and getting frustrated.Cars parked haphazardly can take up space on roads and sidewalks, which can lead to traffic congestion. Vehicles idling while searching for parking can contribute to air pollution. Parked vehicles can encroach on walkways, forcing pedestrians onto roads, compromising the safety. Congested streets deter customers from local businesses. In some societies, residents with multiple vehicles may occupy more parking spaces than other residents with one vehicle. Town planners, Authorities must be aware of all this.

Let’s give credit where its due, in many cities extensive underground parking facilities have been created. With incessantly growing vehicles on road, more needs to be done in terms of smart parking solutions that should include quickly implementing parking management systems to optimize parking space usage. As citizens too we must realise we all need space. Faulty parking causes inconvenience to others & leads to acrimony.

For the properly initiated, the festival of ‘Saraswati Pujo’ known as ‘Vasant Panchami’ is celebrated with Puja rituals & festivities to honor Ma Saraswati, Goddess of Knowledge and Learning & in Kolkata, WB and most other places, cultural programs are organized including music, dance performances, poetry recitations. The participation comes more from young students who seek divine intervention for success in exams & good results !

For the uninitiated, it’s also called ‘Bengali Valentine’s Day’ in Kolkata and spring time cheer that permeates the city as young couples are seen elegantly dressed in traditional attire, walking together and enjoying the celebrations, adding a touch of romance to the festivities. This gives credence to popular image of the average Bong who had a song on his lips, wore heart on his sleeve & chain smoked, based on celluloid characters created.

Somehow the prototype stuck though there’s vast cultural difference between ‘Provasi’ Bongs like us (born & brought up outside Kolkata) and real true-blue ones from ‘City of Joy’. One recalls even in the school days, the only Bengali words our classmates knew were ‘Ami Tomai Bhalo Bhashi’(or I Love You). A knowledgeable friend once confided that most Bengalis were thinkers, smokers & lovers. Did he mean them being ‘Moony’ ?

Though it’s not that Bongs have the sole preserve of sensitive matters of heart and soul, that’s been eternally captured in their art, music, literature, there’s substance in imagery of the refined tastes of the literary, romantic, foodie ‘Bhadralok’ in who’s family, at least  someone’s blessed with an enviable singing voice. There’s pride speaking the language well & the rich cultural heritage seen in every expression of it- music, literature, poems, movies, art, sculptures and the traditional Bengali sweets & cuisine, so mouth watering.

Quintessentially, apart from education, in enlightened Bengali households children are encouraged to develop a talent apart from what they chose as their professions. Not all become professional artists but many Bengalis are part-time singers, artists, musicians, poets, dancers, cooks, sculptors or follow other creative pursuits. Possibly, this cultural influence rubs off though millennial are breaking the mould in keeping with modernity.  

Much has been said about the Bengali idiosyncrasies & eccentricities – curated grasp of   different fish varieties, obsession with ‘boroline’ and ‘monkey-caps’ and speaking Hindi with disregard to genders as also their undying loyalty to the evergreen ‘Didi’ & ‘Dada’ of Bengal. There’s emotional connect with Kolkata filially, culturally & gastronomically. 

Some things never change and some don’t remain the same. Every time we return home to Mumbai after a vacation or trip to our hometown for a few weeks, there’s a feeling of returning to chaotic domesticity that has a familiar nostalgic ring to it. In today’s world to find things (and people) in perfect shape as we left them, is a bit of an anachronism !

During the last two trips, our returns have been greeted in the first instance, by one of our ‘older’ Ceiling Fans noiselessly ceasing to rotate. In the second case, our Car battery refused to respond & was declared ‘kaput’ by experts, with no hope of revival. Veterans at adversity, we wondered what new breakdown was in store in keeping with tradition. All appeared normal (other than dust), till our maid broke the sad news – our venerable 15 year old ‘doorbell’ since we owned the flat, had gone silent, possibly due to old age !

The doorbell is an under-rated appliance that all take for granted till it stops working. Suddenly we then cease to exist to the outside world. In olden days, one would gently knock on one’s door or tap on the ‘makaan ka kunda’, today if the bell isn’t responded in 10 seconds, it’s felt you’re not home or gone away or something happened to you ! In our case, the doorbell gave us yeoman service without complaints, standing the test of time unlike today’s smart phones that conk off in three years or are outdated and home appliances – toasters, micro ovens, purifiers etc forever pampered by visits of engineers.

The sounds of the doorbell chimes, musical tunes or hardy ‘ding-dong’ have their own themes. Routinely, the first ones herald arrival of a brand new day by newspaper boy (& ‘doodh–wala’), followed by the service men, dhobi, courier/delivery guys. But they are music to the ears when you’re eagerly waiting for a loved one to arrive. Mothers set the clock for kids to return from school and fret when hubby’s getting late returning from work. A ring in the middle of the night spells trouble (Sir, Car ka light is on ?!) and if you’re in a lonely, desolate place it can become eerie. Security measures dictate one uses the keyhole to check first. In Societies, sleepy watchmen are expected to keep vigil.    

Figuratively speaking, there are lessons to be learnt from the humble doorbell. Stuck in an unobtrusive corner, it emits a clear call that’s addressed to anyone inside the house, without discrimination. There’s no subterfuge (no furtive knocks on the door) and the ring has openness to it unlike people. In high-rise buildings, with the TVs on, constant repairs in floors below, horns blaring outside, noise levels high, it’s tough but the Mrs with sharp ears always hears the doorbell ! I miss it at times, that’s excusable at my age.

Our door now has a notice ‘We have a new doorbell, don’t knock until you’ve tried it ‘!       

The month of December,2024 marks the 50^Th Anniversary month of your marriage ! A long journey with the proverbial ‘ups and downs’ interspersed with beautiful moments and landmarks that can now suitably be titled ‘The Tale of Two Debonair Duttas’ – Devashish & Shibani ! Married young, five decades ago, you’ve remained resolute in togetherness and mutual respect emulating many of the brave earlier generations and could traverse happily with elan through four momentous decades, the 1980s & 1990s and first two of this 21^st Century, before nearly half of the present populace was even born. Like old wine, you’ve grown sweeter with the years.

Had you been celebrities from film & fashion world of glitz and glamour, the local paparazzi would have lined up for your saga of love and devotion that’s stood the test of time, your favourite do’s, places and people and inanities like- did you ever have breakfast in bed on a Sunday ? However, we, your fans and lifetime friends who know your sterling virtues, will never stop cheering for you ! If there’s anything spectacular to report, other than faith and fortitude, it’s you with your ‘world view’ of things ! With stays in fascinating port cities and extensive travels across continents (We’ve all read that Vasco de Gama did it with some degree of difficulty), what rich experiences were gained & lessons learnt with cultural diversity. What’s endearing has been your shared love for literature, reading, music, songs and travel to far off exotic places that got revived more when Sapanda decided to retire. Alongside these escapades was the great progress being made by the beautiful & illustrious ‘Dutta family’ ! In the last two years or so Rinku, Raja & Ankita left their parents & entire Sinha family ecstatic by introducing two cherubic little ones, Taju and Lily like pink icing on cakes !  

The Sinha family folks love to quote when it comes to matters of romance – It’s said ‘In marriage, you fall in love many times but always with the same person’ and you are best examples and role models for the ‘Shaadi-shuda’ ! Many Congrats on achieving milestone ‘Golden’- now for the ‘Diamond’ one !

Lots of love and wishes from Sanju & Tandra

Is turning ‘70’ a reminder that a senior citizen has touched another milestone making him feel more ‘Old’. Well, in cricket reaching 70 (score) portends being in line for a big score (100) as the batter is well-set. In today’s world, our ebullient near-dear ones, well wishing friends will have none of the ‘senior’ stuff. As Mark Twain said ‘Age is an issue of mind over matter, if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter’ – between feeling elderly and retaining youthfulness is a choice and let’s look at it, ‘70’ is just another (round) figure !    

With this in mind I suppose, 70^th Birthday Celebrations for ‘Yours Truly’ were arranged with style and panache at a prestigious Club of this megacity by the terrific duo of my redoubtable banker niece, Runa and my much better half, Tandra. An endearing tribute that touched my heart (that’s yet to recover), it was attended by close relatives (in Mumbai) including two sisters from US, elder sister, her son & his wife from Baroda and school buddies who travelled from Pune, Delhi & Lucknow to join in saying ‘Cheers’ !

Like an ‘Afternoon of Bliss’, there was affectionate re-bonding between us siblings & our relatives and joyous bon-homie and camaraderie as long lost friends reconnected with warm banter, reminisces and flashbacks of old days and ‘Remember when..’ moments. The articulate presenter for the afternoon was Kalyani, my kid sister, but now a veteran in organizing many events in her hometown in Indiana, US. While my Baroda-wali Didi (Bijoya, but we call her ‘Big B’), spoke eloquently about her brother, my son Srimanto was joined by his wife Shweta & I felt so emotional singing with him possibly after long.   

There were some feeble attempts at ‘Roasting’ a young bloke turning 70, lovely recorded messages and virtues (hidden & known) were recounted by my old friends and loyal school chums. A beautiful presentation with vintage pictures and narration depicted my ‘life and times’ ! Conceived by my US based Sister (Prof Chakravarty) she titled it ‘Seven Life Lessons’. She said she’d learnt from me over the years. Coming from a person who’s inspired us through excellent literary achievements, this was humbling & heartwarming.

For me, it’s been a sparkling start to ‘another’ second innings and celebrations such as these, give one the feel of having received a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ not from any official jury but from those who love us ! ‘Who made this happy miracle happen’ – Well, my niece Runa has a habit of pulling off wonders as she did here too. The driving force however, with all heart and soul, was Tandra, who makes my life better than the best !     

People from the era ( that was the 1970’s ) would recall that peppy tune from immensely popular Rock Hudson movie “Come September” which went on to become a must (and mast ) number for all the band-walas to which the inebriated baratis would do their own version of the rock and roll ! Well, September used to be the happy autumn time back in 70s, till global warming hit us and the month lost its sheen.

Since long the mantle of the coolest and most happening month has fallen on December, not only for its festive ‘Yuletide’ spirit but for being the favourite and auspicious season for ‘shaadis’ & their related festivities and the chance to get adorned in three-piece suits, galabands and sherwanis on many celebratory functions that always get scheduled. It’s much easier talking about men’s sartorial preferences than of the elegant lady’s ‘haute couture’ that’s daunting for men to venture into because of their range, styles & designs.

With multifarious invites to parties, meets & get-togethers that start floating in family, social circles, it’s also the time when the foreign based relatives and friends visit India. There’s acute pressure on working folks to be omnipresent & to partake in all the listed festivities. Wedding planners & program organizers therefore often face dilemma of  last minute drop outs sending the set arrangements into disarray, but it’s all acceptable.     

Yet everyone wants to be part of the early part of December for the start of chilly nights and nippy mornings as one waits for the sun to gently smile on them ! Sporting colourful pullovers, jackets, ties, scarves and caps people briskly go about their lives despite the grim global/local events that may unfold. However, in the North, December ends with a somber note – intense cold, heavy fog and trains and flights getting delayed/cancelled !

December has been generally found to be a very productive month in many ways and I can count five birthdays & four anniversaries in my extended family. Also December has had its contradictions being the birth-month of super-greats Shakespeare and Einstein and down to superstar, Salman (facing security problems of late) it’s been sublime to the ridiculous ! Though, I am humbled that I share my birth date with the icons like Brad Pitt & Steven Spielberg and my birth-month with the living legends, Dharmendra Paji and ‘Thalaivar’ Rajnikant ! I’m sure we now have some December born IPL heroes too !

How fast has the year (2024) flown past is what most of us say every year end. That said, 2025  will be better is what we hope for and wish ‘HNY’. Till then let’s enjoy December !    

Stars : Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton,

Watch on : Prime Video

If ever there was an English classic in crime thriller genre then this was it. Made with the class and finesse of the Victorian era nearly seven decades ago it will enthrall even audiences today for the perfectly cunning murder mystery enacted by quaint characters with elements of a bleak black comedy and an incredible surprise ending.

Lovers of Agatha Christie novels would have already read this remarkable play/story in school texts or as I did at leisure as a youth fifty years back. Being a movie buff, I caught up with its wonderful film adaptation later on the big screen. Considered one of the all time great thriller films it was directed by the famed maker, Billy Wilder (who directed  super films like ‘The Apartment’) and had a stunning line-up of great stars like Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester.

It’s worth appreciating that OTT is able to bring home to young audiences worldwide, such old classics which the present generation can also savour not only for its mystery and suspense but also for the purity of English language and subtle expressions used in the film, having possibly only heard about them from their grandparents ! The film was acclaimed by critics & received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. It was selected as the sixth-best courtroom drama ever by the American Film Institute.     

The story revolves around a Senior barrister Sir Wilfrid who is recovering from a heart attack but against the doctor’s orders, is intrigued by the severity of the charges and plain facts of an ‘open and shut case’. He agrees to defend Leonard Vole, who is accused of murdering Emily French, a wealthy, childless widow who had fallen in love with him and named him as the main beneficiary in her will. A most engaging courtroom battle of wits and legal skills ensues in the English court wherein as circumstances develop, the key witness for the prosecution turns out to be the mysterious wife of the accused.   

As the splendidly witty and mentally agile Barrister, fiercely trying to defend his client from the gallows, Sir Charles Laughton steals the show with an outstanding portrayal but Marlene Dietrich as the inscrutable wife of the accused is simple superb in her role. This is the third time I’ve seen this film over the years – each time it’s sheer pleasure ! 

Call it King Khan’s gift to man(woman) kind but the holistic gesture of both arms spread wide in appreciation, ecstatic joy, boy wonder and also the acceptance of God’s grace for success and of beautiful things in life seems to have also become the hallmark of on-field achievers. We now even have young Yashasvi Jaiswal acing that signature SRK style to perfection after a magnificent ton at the Perth Test which India won so handsomely !

But as one famed anchor would say the ‘Good News’ (love-story) comes from India’s hyper expressive and ebullient batting icon, Virat Kohli which the entire media loves to capture in all its glory. Apart from the ‘arms thrown wide’ move on reaching a landmark score (most recently his Test ton after 2 years !) and on such occasions throws a flying kiss in the direction of the stands whenever his wife is there sitting & rooting for him.

Our Cricketing greats over the years have been a bit reticent of their personal lives and their spouses have stayed out of limelight. But ‘God of Cricket’, Sachin echoed beautiful sentiments (on his last playing day) in Nov,13 in Wankhede when he said – ‘My best ever partnership has been with my wife, Anjali’ – both were then surcharged with emotions justifiably. In the movie on his life, he has spoken at length of his wife’s contributions. 

Sri Lankan batting-keeper, the legendary Kumar Sangakkara is an eloquent speaker, but during his retirement speech, forgot to thank his wife (as many often do !) but soon realized his mistake and made up by kissing her on stage to delight of all the fans there.

Cricketers and famous sports persons generally don’t forget to thank coaches, mentors and families for support when they win big games and certainly when they finally retire. However, may be out of inhibitions, only few single out the spouses for special mention.

Virat it seems is more effusive, not only in his classical batting approach but in that he expresses heartfelt feelings of gratitude for his better half. It’s widely reported that after smashing what’s his phenomenal 81st international century on Sunday, Virat mentioned to Adam Gilchrist it was special since wife Anushka Sharma was present and thanked her for unwavering support. Praising her as his pillar of strength, he has spoken how she  understands him and how he has to cope with the highs & lows of his career & status ! 

In a fiercely competitive state (both in-house and outside world), ‘Virushka’ pair & their devotion is akin to a breath of fresh air over New Delhi. Like Virat’s classy batting it’s so tough to emulate but worth trying. Post his retirement (when it happens) he can ably  counsel on ‘Ways to Marital Bliss’, while many ‘Senior Citizens’ are still figuring it out !   

Stars : Sunil Dutt, Raaj Kumar, Sadhana, Shashi  Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore

Watch on : Prime Video 

The way to approach a dated film like ‘Waqt’ made six decades ago, a cult multi-starrer with box-office ingredients – is to sit back and enjoy a kaleidoscope of emotions, drama,  songs, thrills and beautiful locales with a galaxy of shining stars that keep you hooked for nearly 3 hours ! It was ‘paisa vasool’, then only seen on big screens in film theaters ! 

Directed with ingenuity by a young Yash Chopra for the prestigious BR Chopra banner, this movie probably saw beginning of those engrossing tales of three brothers of well to do families getting lost in childhood as calamity befalls them (later films of the likes of ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’  borrowed the theme loosely) and the criss-crossing of their life’s tumultuous paths. Will they reunite in the end and live happily ever after ?

But there’s more beyond the panorama of story-telling on dramatic events that unfold with a host of fascinating characters who play contrasting roles. Raaj Kumar is a cool, charming charlatan, the glamorous Sadhana is the one he’s in love with but without much success and flamboyant Sunil Dutt, who she falls for. There’s handsome Shashi Kapoor as an underdog and Sharmila who loves him and shuns society’s class divide. 

As the unfortunate, estranged family head ‘Lala Kedarnath’ who’s happy life is shattered in one night of despair, is desperately looking for his wife and lost sons, but will not give up hope. In him there’s a telling message that’s relevant even today. ‘Waqt’ (‘Time’) is omnipotent and even the most rich & powerful cannot escape what fate has in store. Vicissitudes of life can change one’s destiny in moments and therefore one must always live with humility and accept whatever comes his way with good grace.

Finally, like many old the films of the golden era of music ‘Waqt’ is a musical treat from Ravi with more than a dozen tuneful songs as that was the staple diet for Hindi films. However, even the millennial who may not have heard or seen this film, would be familiar with the classic, zestful song ‘Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen..’ sung with great elan by Manna Dey and enacted with style by Balraj Sahani ( and to which Achla Sachdev as his wife, blushes with such charm that could put today’s young starlets out of business !).

With profound lyrics by Sahir, the other evergreen number is “Aage bhi jane na tu..’ in Asha Bhonsle’s sensuous voice. It says – live in the present, future is not for us to see..!