Author Archive for Rinchen

While we celebrate diwali

Published
by
Rinchen
on October 29, 2008
in Making it better
. 8 Comments

One of my friends wondered - as to why the festival of light is confused with the festival of sound. I agree wholeheartedly with him. Now, dont get me wrong - I love diwali, who doesnt? The lights, the sweets, the merriment and most importantly - some days off from work. I might as well add festival bonuses too while I’m at the subject. The only thing that I dont like about it is - yes, the noise.

Some of my married friends say that their kids love bursting crackers so therefore cannot completely opt for a noise-less diwali. Good point there. We as kids too loved all the magical fireworks so naturally I can understand their, i.e., the kid’s point of view.

What I’m not down with is the totally inconsiderate cracker-bursting spree thats rampant on the streets, localities and almost everywhere one walks past by. Like last night when we went out to buy some sweets, people were bursting crackers right in the middle of the highway as well in the market. 

One fool of a kid burst a particularly loud cracker (that one’s called a chocolate bomb here - I dont what its called in your city) right in front of our moving car - we had to hit the brake all of a sudden and ended up swerving the car a bit. Thankfully, the street was empty or else there’d have been an accident. Stupid, idiotic kids who dont have anything better to do.

Then, when we finally reached the market, I opened the door to get out and BANG! goes a cracker right at my feet. I get a near-heart attack and end up cursing the kid with the small brain who was responsible.

Why I’m talking about this now is because when a friend of mine wrote about this same topic in her blog a few days back, I didnt really think much about it. I was more like - well, if people want to burst crackers, what’s stopping them… I’ll have wool in my ear anyways - But after yesterday, I feel strongly about people at least being responsible for supervising kids bursting crackers. 

Besides the rant, happy diwali to everyone. Hope you dont get assailed by treacherous crackers out of the blue and may you not have to visit an ENT doctor the day after too.

30th All India Governor’s Gold Cup

Published
by
Rinchen
on October 26, 2008
in Sikkim
. 23 Comments

Photograph by: Shital Pradhan

Sikkim’s all about football frenzy. Went to watch the final of the Governor’s Gold Cup yesterday where the match was scheduled between Army XI and Three Star Nepal. I’m not a football buff or anything neither did I watch the earlier games. But I missed last year’s final too so I wanted to watch this time for sure. 

The stadium was packed and the first thing that I thought was - God, I hope no one’s planted a bomb or anything. Yeah, I know I was being paranoid but couldnt help myself. After the cultural programme ended and the match was about to start and I was still alive, I relaxed a bit.

I wasnt paying much attention while the team announcements were made so when the match starts, I dont know which team is which. I nudge my aunt, sitting next to me (who’s The football buff) and she doesnt know either. I dont think she cared much; she was busy cheering most of the time and gossiping with the other lady sitting next to her anyway.

I wanted to ask the other people sitting around me but I think - what the heck, I’ll figure that soon enough once they start playing. And thats how by the time the match reaches near half time, I still dont know which is the Nepal team so I can cheer for them! By this time, its too late for me to ask other people for fear of appearing extremely stupid! I look closely at the blue team and catch the words ARMY on their jersey - then went, aahh… All this when the Nepal team was playing in its national flag colours of red and blue.

In the meantime, a kid sitting behind announces - Mama, I feel like going for toilet number two. I felt sorry for the poor mother who had to miss a most exciting start by obliging to her son’s bowel movements.

Somewhere behind me sat the most negative man in the world. He started cribbing when the Army XI players played very well in the first half of the game. He critisized the Nepal players for lack of ball control, slipping and falling on the grass a number of times, playing out long, drawn out injuries and wasting time and so on.

His best comment was - Surely this player doesnt have to run with the ball so much along the entire breadth of the field!

I was initially partial to the Nepal team, just like any other person there but ended up cheering for Army XI, which I felt was the better team except for one inopportune goal which led Nepal to victory. 

More photos of the match here: http://sikkim-himalayanreview.blogspot.com/2008/10/photo-features-of-30th-all-india.html

 

Bhutan

Published
by
Rinchen
on October 20, 2008
in Wanderlust
. 14 Comments

I want to visit Bhutan. My friend did last week and she said that the people there are very hospitable, friendly and helpful. She talked about huge, red apples being sold for 30 rupees/kilo and the hotels being run by local families. When they asked for the bill at checking out time, the owner said - How many plates of food did you have? Its okay, just pay an approximate amount. Quite unbelievable.

Almost every business in Bhutan is run by women. It is a very safe place to visit. The cops are extremely smart and incapable of bribes. And also , Bhutanese people know hindi and are major Bollywood fans!

I then got a copy of a Bhutanese movie called Travellers and Magicians which deals with a young government official, trapped in a remote outpost - harbouring a dream to escape to America. Loved the movie and fell in love with this wonderful place called Bhutan. Want to go there soon.

Disadvantage in my car

Published
by
Rinchen
on October 16, 2008
in No good
. 14 Comments

My one year old Blaupunkt Maui CD player went kaput. CD Error, it kept displaying. All this while, I kept thinking - perhaps those cheap CDs were the reason. Finally when I told the friendly dealer about it, he said it was a company lens problem and asked me to bring it back for replacement with any other equivalent CD player. Thank god for warranty period.

So I go and choose a Sony X-plod. Dealer says, sorry cant let you switch over from Blaupunkt to Sony. Those are the rules.

I exclaim - but you said ANY OTHER CD player!!!

Dealer apologises profusely but stays adamant. I have no other choice but to select from about 10 models of Blaupunkt, each crappier than the next.

I fret and fume but am sure that this time, I want a CD player with USB because I was sick of writing CDs to death before. Every time I downloaded a new song from the net, I had to go through a whole process of CD writing. It was too much work.

I chose one with USB and by the time I finished pointing, the mechanics are already half way through installing it in the car. The demo goes well till I insert my 2 GB USB and then - gasp - USB ERROR!! 

I cringed inwardly, oh no - back to square one.

The dealer unconvincingly tells me - it just doesnt play 2 GB, thats all - see it works perfectly fine with a 1 GB USB. I feel like wringing his neck.

I dont want a new replacement which has USB size issues after which the dealer tells me (politely though not explicitly) to take it or leave it.

I eat his brains for about 3 hours, trying and testing all other models and eventually ending up with the one that gave me a USB error for 2 GB. 

By this time, the smile on his face’s been wiped out and so’s mine. We’re both feeling slightly hostile towards each other.

As I drove back home, I realized - maybe its okay I at least got a new replacement. The old one had completely stopped playing CDs and was only capable of FM. Have been using the new CD player and it works fine fine fine except for 2 GB USB.

Now I’m confused whether to feel happy about the replacement or to be unhappy about the entire problem to begin with. Or maybe Blaupunkt should change their logo of The Advantage In Your Car to the one in my title.

People can think what they want

Published
by
Rinchen
on October 13, 2008
in Life as it happens and No good
. 12 Comments

I was at the bank sometime back and had nothing to do other than listen in on a most personal conversation between two women, well… due to lack of having anything else to do. They had just finished hugging and greeting each other in such a manner that it was safe to assume they hadn’t seen either in years. In the mean time, a kid kept tugging at one of the woman’s dupatta, wailing about something or the other.

The other, apparently older friend then proceeds to generally fawn over the little dumpling and after getting over with the mandatory cootchiecooing, she turned her attention back to the mother.

“So how many kids do you have? How old is this little tyke?”

“Oh, he’s five. And also an only child”

“Hmm… so you have ONLY one kid?? I guess thats okay too. But I hope you guys are planning to have at least one more kid, you know. After all, you’ve been married for what? Ten years now?”

Embarassed laughter. “I guess we could always try…”

“Yeah, well - you know what people say when you have only one kid…”

What do people say when you have only one kid??? Poor sperm count? That they were apparently lucky that one time and god knows if not for that, they’d be childless and lets not even go to that kind of situation?

This WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK syndrome, which is a common enough topic in India, doesnt just stop at that poor ONE kid. For all we know, its an offense to:

1. Be a spinster/bachelor after 30 perhaps.

2. Have a live in relationship.

3. Be a childless couple.

4. Get separated.

5. Get divorced.

6. Get re-married.

7. What else? Perhaps think for yourself too?

I knew a chronic bachelor who was hounded by matchmakers all over town in the hope that some lucky girl would one day snag him and cut short his freedom. Another friend of mine’s a happy go lucky 38 year old spinster who doesnt mind categorizing marriage at the bottom of her priority list.

P.S. What will people think, eh? Answer in  # 24 of http://ringchen.com/things-about-me

We were on a break

Published
by
Rinchen
on October 9, 2008
in Sikkim and Wanderlust
. 16 Comments

I had eleven days off from work, thanks to puja vacations. I decided not to grow roots at home and travel with friends instead. And that is how we headed off into the sunrise, since we started early morning at 7 am.

The exit road from my house till the main road is a steep uphill. Now many may wonder how it is that we actually navigate the vehicles out without getting killed everyday. Those who live here, like me, do the same - but only once a week if you must know.

As my friend sped the vehicle uphill, I yelled BODY WEIGHT agay (front) and not surprisingly, no one understood what to do. Well, you see a few years back, we were on an adventurous horse back riding trip up the steep, slush-filled hill slopes of Kufri, which was some kilometres after Shimla.

The horse guide walking in front screamed: body weight agay - after which we had to lean ahead. The call downhill was - body weight peechay! (back) and we had to lean backwards accordingly.

It was either lean or die laughing at that point of time. I leaned all right. Then felt sorry for the poor horse afterwards.

The day turned out to be quite pleasant. I like this pic here cause the sun had just risen and the whole image has different shades of blue for all contemplation. The bridge leads all the way to The Avenue. This is my favourite spot throughout the journey. 

The moment we reached there, I turned and before I could speak, my fellow passenger says - I know, The Avenue - a road which is lined with trees. I thought the I know part was stressed a bit sarcastically but I was too caught up to respond.

I think I forgot to add the Feel free to click on the pics for a larger view part in the beginning. I know most of you are smart enough to know that without me having to tell you. If nothing else, I know that I run the risk of those people getting pissed and wondering if they should stop visiting my blog for the insult. 

It may come as a surprise but I’ve recently learnt the arts of Changing The Topic When Needed Most. LOOK AT THE PRETTY PIC BELOW!

P.S. All the pics were taken from a moving car so the blur you see (if any) isnt intentional and most certainly is not bad photography, how dare you. Good trip, with Tiger and especially Stan Marsh from South Park behaving extremely well for a change.

Being bichara

Published
by
Rinchen
on October 3, 2008
in Musings et all
. 14 Comments

In nepali, this word means the same as it means in hindi - poor thing!

The occasion is dussehra holidays. We call it Dasai here in the local language. It’s a major festive event with loads of celebrating - eating, drinking and making merry. I called my maid today afternoon and we had this conversation.

Me: Here, I got you a few things for the dasai celebrations in your house.

She: Bichara, mam!!! There was no need…

Me: Dont be silly. Here’s a kilo of mutton for your family today evening. I know you cook fab so enjoy!

She: Bichara!!! Really, there was no need…

Me: And here’s a bottle of whiskey for your kind husband. Hope he likes it.

She: Bichara!!! Oh no… this is too much…

Me: Uff! I havent finished. Here’s a packet of gulab jamuns. These are for your children (she has four) I thought I’d get them something too.

She: Oh, you didnt have to take so much trouble… bichara…

Me: And last but not the least, here’s your salary for the last month. I’ve added some more cash so that you can go buy something nice you like.

She: Oh… oh… bichara…

Me: WILL YOU STOP SAYING BICHARA???

By the time she left (still saying bichara on her way out), I felt really sorry for myself.