Behind the broken key...

You may be single and happy, but have you through of your worst nightmare when you returned home from work? Seeing your house door broken and rooms ransacked or seeing your home up in flames caused by an electrical fault or failure to shut down the kitchen burner? There were days when I would go for a movie after work and came home closer to bed time, but I thanked myself for coming home early. I had no idea what was waiting for me when I left work last evening.

Always in anticipation, but sometimes surprised

Balancing “une baquette tradition”, a bag of groceries and a lunch bag in my right hand, I let my left to search for the house keys in my trouser pocket. It wasn’t that bad as balancing the weight on my right. My left hand quickly grabbed the keys in my trouser pocket and gravitated towards the key hole. What happened then?

I put the key in the hole and turned it anti-clockwise, but the door didn't open and my hand turned free quickly and key bunch came back to me without much struggle. Was someone already inside? And when I examined the key bunch and I noticed that the head of the key was missing. Unlike the French, I didn’t utter the famous curse “merde, merde” or roll my eyes, sigh and curse, but I reacted rationally.

Did the key and the hole have a fight this morning when I locked the door? How did that happen? I never noticed the key getting weak.

I had always anticipated the loss of keys and had kept the second key outside the house in case of emergency, but today the key was on the other side of the door. I had left the spare house keys with a friend who was visiting me for the weekend and he had left the spare key in the house and locked behind him before he boarded the flight this afternoon. This was just a coincidence and there was no reason for self flagellation!

Welcome to metros like ParisTo be honest, conversation with my neighbor to my left has never gone beyond bonjour and bonne soiree and the neighbor to my right never even bothered to respond back whenever I greeted him. And this is also not a country or society where I can knock on the neighbor’s door for help or go to a friend's place to crash for the night. And we hadn’t built trust to leave my spare keys with my neighbors or take their mobile number in case of emergency.

Since the spare key was inside there was no point in calling the rental agency. The opportunity cost associated with calling the emergency services to enter the house and replacing the broken lock and door was more than making a copy of the key or taking a room outside for the night.

We live in a world where we speak to unknown people on Social media, while we act complete strangers to our own neighbors.

With drizzle growing bigger, I opened the umbrella and ran towards the "La Cles Place" near my home. I may not know my neighbors, but I know my neighborhood well enough.

Will I get help?

To my surprise and disappointment, the store was closed. Feeling helpless, I went into another store to enquire about any key copying store in the neighborhood. And when I noticed one of the men in the store of Indian origin, I felt luck was smiling my way. Are Indians outside of India helpful too? I decided to test this hypothesis.  

To be honest, I didn't expect much help since I was going to speak to them in English and I was surprised when the shopkeeper responded in English that could lead me nowhere. When I asked him if he knew of any other store in the neighborhood, he shook his head that clearly meant No (not the Indian way) and pointed me at the clock that was racing past 7pm. I leave you to decide the answer to the question I put forward in the last paragraph.

The search begins

The rational mind was searching for a solution and thinking of plan B, while the superstitious mind prayed to almighty for help and was busy connecting the unwanted dots - bad omen and my mistakes from the day. I snapped at my mind like the angry key hole did to the key, and with the minute and hour hand pointing beyond 7.30pm, my eyes and legs rushed back in the street ahead of my body.

I came across restaurants and hotel in my area, but not a key store. My eyes continued to wander from left to right looking for a key store, while my mind was trying to put together a sentence in French to explain to situation to the key maker. Even if I find a store, will they be able to make a copy of a broken key was the only question that lingered in my mind?

Spotting no store in the vicinity, I almost decided to take a room in a nearby hotel for the night and I convinced myself to go back to work in the same clothes the next day. 

A comme ci comme ça reaction

Though I could have called a few friends for help or asked for suggestions, I still felt I need to walk down the road and exhaust all options.

And finally to my surprise in one of the side streets that I’ve never visited before, I spotted a store with a glowing red key signage on the facade. I went in and placed key bunch on the table and waited for the storekeeper's reaction. While I felt relieved, his reaction didn't let mine last long.

 

Lowering his spectacles he examined the broken pieces, but his confidence instantly dropped when he saw the two pieces – almost a comme ci comme ça reaction. He took the pieces to the machining table and I spent the next few minutes surveying the store. I thanked my stars when I saw the opening and closing hours for the store. I was 20 mins away from closing. Phew!

A few minutes later he asked me to come to the machining equipment where showed me his craftsmanship in putting together the two pieces, but promised no guarantee on the copy. 

 

Merci beaucoup
While machining the toothless key, he asked me if I am living in Paris or visiting and also asked me if I were from Pakistan. Since the Indian man in the earlier store hadn’t helped me I didn’t know if I should pretend and try the Pakistani luck. In the hindsight I thought this may be the reason why my neighbors never said much to me. But this man seemed very friendly.

 

With no reason to lie, I confidently I replied in French - J'habite á Oberkampf et je suis Indien. Charging 5 euros for the keys he handed back the key bunch along with the copy.

 

Did it work?

The drizzle had subsided and I rushed back home with a bag of grocery and half remaining “une baguette tradition”. If I had to come back for alterations, there was 15 minutes more to store closing.

When I got back home I found that the copy worked smoother than the original and without any doubt I attributed it to the smartness of the copier. That night what kept lingering in my mind was the key makers question if I am a Pakistani. I realized that there was nothing wrong with a look alike as long as it served the purpose and worked better than the original.

Paris Metro Chronicles

The last time I was showered with a racial slur was post 9/11 in the US and I was walking back from the business school in downtown Providence in the evening. And after 13 years I went through racial slur in Paris today. At 25 I was threatened to fight back, but today, 13 years later I was proud to have fought back.

I was on line 3 on the Paris metro this morning traveling from Parmentier to Republique. As soon as I got in the carriage, a white man sitting by the door started to mumble in French and kept starring at me. I dismissed his mumble and stare and tried to look away. I gave him the benefit of doubt: mentally unwell. But soon the intimidation turned vulgar when he placed his middle finger on his cheek. Annoyed by his behavior (stare, mumble and finger pointing) I decided to question him than move away.

Intimidated by my standing up, he continued to mumble in French with a hope that I would leave. I threatened to call the police, but the threat didn't seem to work and he continued to mumble and utter racial slurs. 

While I raised my voice questioning his behavior the half-a-dozen co-passengers turned silent and attentive. None came up to my support and watched as if it was a free entertainment. I call this behavior the urban indifference, where people rarely stand up against crimes and social evils. We may think the Western Civilization is more responsible, concerned and participative, but in reality they are selfish and self-centered and will let any crime go unquestioned in the interest of their safety and security. And finally, I flexed my muscles and threatened to break his facial bones and threw him out of the metro, if he didn't stop his bullying. The crowd in the compartment watched me standup for myself. 

As the train reached Republique I kept an eye on the man and I was even prepared to face knives and guns and even clobber him and pin him down to the floor, if needed. I wanted to teach a lesson to the man and unconcerned co-passengers. Before the door opened, I raised my voice and thanked the co-passengers for their help and asked them to atleast stand up for themselves, if not for others. Defending your safety and self-respect is not violence! 

Such crimes may happen in your city, but never turn blind eye to such incidences and let bullies get away. Stand-up against crimes that you witness in your community and remember, what goes around comes around.

Elles sont difficiles

When I got the Navigo pass and started to take the metro to work my colleagues told me I have become a true Parisian. Seldom did I know what it means being a true Parisian  until I spent my precious mornings and tired evenings on Ligne 1 and Ligne 5 escaping women who turn into bulldozers and their handbags that fly around like shrapnel.

If one were to dismantle and translate La Chapelle from French to English it would read "the chap and her". One evening on Line 2 towards La Chapelle, a woman boarded the last compartment at Place de Clichy and the train wasn’t that crowded. In the subsequent stops more people boarded and she and her Louis Vuitton bag gravitated towards me like an asteroid from outer space. I moved around from being touched by the vulgar brand hanging from her shoulder, but I couldn't escape. My yelping “Pardon…pardon” went deaf. Not sure if it was a real Louis Vuitton or a knock-off sold at Sacre Coeur, but I decided to leave my chewing gum on her bag that touched me without my permission. She must have discovered later that evening the punishment for crushing me with her handbag.

My morning ritual of hopping from Ligne 5 onto Ligne 1 at Bastille always brought in some surprises. I am not usually lucky every morning to find a seat for the 12 stop ride to Charles de Gaulle Etoile, but some days I do. The daily horoscope on Le Parisian, a leading French daily didn't say anything ominous. Just as I thanked small mercies for the on-time train and a seat by the door, a super sized woman squeezed herself in the seat next to me and strangled my soul. I realized this could be the modern day upgrade to electric chair and decided to find another seat across from her. I felt like a poor taxing paying citizen squeezed by the gluttonous government. Not sure if you should term my self-defense as being rude, but all through the journey she kept staring at me. As I got ready to disembark the women flipped her handbag that carried a message “Shopping for Love”. Not sure if her stare and the message on the handbag was intended for me, but as a parting gift I winked at her when I disembarked.

By surviving dog shitmines (like landmines) on the sidewalk, rudeness on the metro, super-sized handbags and women one becomes a true Parisian. So next time when someone showers this compliment on you, beware of what is behind it.

These days when I board the metro I stay around men so that I don't have to deal with the handbags and women crushes (pun intended)!

Come back soon for more Paris chronicles.

Sensex: A cocaine addict?

When the Sensex surpassed 22,000 points without any warning or effort, newspapers termed it as a “new high” which sounded like our stock market was an irresponsible cocaine addict. Even the Mama and Mami’s of Mylapore (gold addicts) who proposed black-money in-flow theory and linked it to Rupee devaluation in September 2013 like shrewd economists and couldn’t put forward a theory now.

Is our stock market keeping up with the rising temperature? Or is it NaMo wave extending to our markets? I joined the same wagon with the Mylapore gang looking for answers. Are our economic fundamentals strong enough for such a rally? Who are the FIIs investing in our markets? Are they benamis of our corrupt politicians?

1. GDP growth hasn't improved or has been revised upward (5.5 projected for 2014-15 vs 4.5% recorded in 2013-14, lowest GDP growth in a decade)
2. Manufacturing index doesn’t seem to support the rally either. The HSBC manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which gauges business activity in Indian factories but not its utilities, fell to 51.3 in March.
3. Car sales continue to be tepid. Maruti reported a 5.5% decline in March Sales compared to same time last year and Ford has recalled it Figo and Fiesta models in India. Union issues plaguing both Toyota and Maruti have slowed down our exports, thereby growing our fiscal deficit.
4. India’s debt hasn't diminished nor our credit rating has improved
5. There is no change in our foreign policy towards even our most friendly neighbors (China, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Srilanka).
6. There has been no change in our FDI policy or in our stand in bringing back black money
7. RBI has left the interest rate untouched, despite fluctuation in international gold rate
8. Nothing has changed in the last year for FDIs to suddenly feel favorable towards India. We are not in a political turmoil, but still we aren't sure if the next Government will have absolute majority in the upcoming elections.

Given the above reasons, how can one explain the surging stock market indices?

Amba and Sunanda Tharoor!

Women never stay quiet when it comes to resurrecting their reputation and/or bringing injustice rendered by their menfolk to light . On that count Sunanda Tharoor resembles Amba, a character in Mahabaratha. Though the world may  perceive this as washing their linen in public, but what choices do such women have?

Amba ran from pillar to post to seeking justice. She shared her story with the King of Hastinapur, represented her case in his assembly, and lastly, took the matter to Parasurama, guru of Beeshma. Surprisingly, the wise and righteous didn’t act and let her down. Similarly, Sunanda started her justice seeking mission on Twitter and then contacted journalist to expose the face behind the mask, but before truth could be exposed, her voice was muffled and her life was extinguished.

A few days ago, Sunanda tweets clearly exposed her pain, disappointment and desperation, something doctors at KIMS/AIIMS would have never detected or diagnosed. She blew the cover when she exposed the affair between her husband and the Pakistani journalist with a link to ISI on Twitter.

Call it damage control or control the dame, Mr. Tharoor desperately twiddled his thumbs to spin the web of stolen identity to cover up his exposed low morals. He coerced Sunanda to retract her confessions to a few journalists, and announced a happy marriage. But a few hours later came an unhappy ending!

Was Dawood’s money involved in Sashi’s IPL stake? Was the Pakistani journalist a messenger of ISI and Dawood? Was Sunanda an innocent benami who got punished for speaking up and making efforts to save her man and marriage? Did Sunanda misread the conversation between the female journalist and her husband as an affair?

Autopsy reports may turn inconclusive, CCTV footage may fail to identify the culprit, government controlled investigation agencies (CBI) may cover up the truth, and the bench of judges may never be able to deliver justice, and a few journalists may never reveal her confessions, but it is not hard for us to connect the sequence of events and corroborate the true story.

Let’s us hope that Sunanda will reincarnate like Amba to avenge the guilty. H(e)ar h(e)ar Mahadev!

PS: Sunanda may compare to Amba, but it doesn’t mean Mr. Shashi Tharoor compares to Beeshma. Never! No way!

2013 December Season Vambu

I am continuing the second part on the 2013 December season on vintage musicians and other popular artists.

R Vedavalli: Was too good and I felt that I should not hear anything after her concert. She was supported by her disciple Sumithra Vasudev. Started off with Sukhi Evvaro in Kannada of Thiagaraja and ended up with Poorvikalyani javali.

Parasa Ponnamal – sadly no concerts this year in chennai.
Suguna Varadachari - not been to the concert at raga sudha hall. there was a lec dem as well.

Suguan Purushothaman - She dint sing this year.

Aruna Mami - No concerts this year. Understand that her daughter is not keeping well and she in US. She dint sing at Chettinad vidyashram as well.


Neela Ramgopal concert at Music Academy was good. The Hindu Friday review carried an article as well.

TNS: Rasikas were nodding their heads, the hall was full, but I need to reserve my comments.

Sudha R was given the Sangita Kalanidhi yesterday at the sadas at 5pm by ELV Narasimham AP Governor. Many are unable to digest this. There are senior artists like TV Gopalakrishnan,, Kanyakumari, etc. I also understand there was competition between Chitra Veena Ravi Kiran and Sudha and the later was chosen for the title.I was going through the Shruthi magazine about Sudha and gosh she is close to 58 years. I was taken aback and all that make up, mallipoo and silk saree does cover up ones age.

2013 December Music Academy – Young Artists

 

While my Paris sojourn has given me an opportunity to attend western classical concerts and Operas, but that hasn't taken my ears away from Carnatic Music and specially the December Music Season and the gossip that comes along with it.

I reached out to people asking for season updates from the ground apart from reading blogs, newspaper reviews and watching clips on YouTube. Here is an interesting update shared by a friend in Chennai who attended performances of young artists at the Music Academy, the Salle Pleyel of Chennai.

The December festival was ok... Mostly I was at Music Academy listening to the upcoming artists which I prefer to.

Dec 16, opening day was Vishnu Dev Namboodari (2013 Carnatic Music Idol Contestant) - Good singing.. started with Devamanohari (Kanna thandri na pai), a brisk alapana on Vasantha (Brihadambikayi - dik comp), followed by Todi of Thyagaraja comp.

Amrutha Venkatesh: Was ok, it was more of a nasal singing. Kalyani was good, (Bhaja re chitta balambika).

Vignesh Eshwar: Good singing... Started with Sriranjani (Marubalka), and main was Shankarabharanam - manasu swadheenamu.

DB Ashwin concert was good. He is a disciple of Seshachary (one of the Hyd bros).

Bharat Sundar : nothing great..... Sri ragam - varnam, Vachaspathi – Parathpara – Papanasam Sivam.

Prasanna Venkatraman: Sanjay Subramanyam’s disciple. He struggled to reach higher scales.

Akkarai Sisters: Was a mind blowing concert.... started with ragamalika varnam (Intha kopa melara - Veena kuppaiyer), Srinathadi (Mayamalgowla), brisk alapana on Lathangi (Mare vera dikkevvaru), and Sahana (Emaya - Thiyagaraja)..

RTP in Todi was too good.......

Sriranjani Santhanagopalan: I moved out of the hall since she was shouting.

Trichur brothers: Somehow I felt they should slow down their pace with every song on the run way mode.... nothing new ones repeating the old ones like Natya narayani (maha ganapathe). Valaji RTP, and others. Todi (Thaye yasodha) tamil pronunciation should improve and it became more evident when they sang Enneramum undhan in Devagandhari.

Btw, Amritha Murali was given the prime slot (6.30 pm).

Swarna Rethas (disciple of sanjay) was very avg. diction problem.

Sandeep Narayanan: was ok.

Ramakrishna Murthy - jam packed and was more devotional singing.

Rithvik Raja: Matured singing. His Poorvikalyani was good rendering the composition of Shyama Sastry.

K.Gayathri, Ranganatha Sharma, Kunnakudi Balamurali, Surya prakash were given prime slot sat 4.15 pm at the Music Academy.

(NOT BEEN TO ANY CONCERTS OF R&G, SANJAY, TMK, GAYATRI.VENK, MALLADI, SUDHA)

Come back for more season vambu next week!