पुणेरी आय पी एल पाट्या!

सामने रात्री असतात म्हणून की काय, आय पी एल मध्ये पुण्याचा संघ येतोय (एकदिवसीय आणि कसोटी सामन्यात पुणेकर पुढे नाहीत याचं कारण पुणेकरांची दुपारी १-४ ची झोप हे माझं वैयक्तीक मत आहे!).

आता ऎतिहासिक पुणेरी बाण्याचा समावेश क्रिकेटमध्ये कसा होणार याकडे लक्ष लागून राहील. पुणेकरांचे पाट्याप्रेम जगप्रसिद्ध आहेच. पाट्या क्रिकेटला काही नवीन नाहीत. तर आता हा खेळ पुण्यात आल्यावर मैदानात कोणत्या नवीन पाट्या लागतील?

- खेळ चालू असल्याशिवाय बसू नये
- उगाच दुस~या टीम ला प्रोत्साहन देऊ नये
- हे क्रिकेटचे मैदान आहे, टिव्ही नाही. चीअर लिडर्स कडे डोळे फाडून बघू नये
- (खेळाडूंनी) पंचांबरोबर हुज्जत घालू नये.
- स्कोअर काय झाला याची चौकशी इकडे तिकडे करु नये. मोठ्या स्कोअरबोर्डचा वापर करावा
- तिकीट घेऊन सामना बघावा. घेण्याचे पैसे नसल्यास घरी बसून टिव्ही पहावा. उगाच झाडावर गर्दी करु नये.
- पाण्याच्या बाटल्या मैदानावर फ़ेकू नये, खेळाडूंना आम्ही पैसे देउन पेप्सी पुरवतो.
- पाउस पडल्यास पैसे परत मिळणार नाहीत.

टिप: नियमांचे उल्लंघन करु नये. तुमच्यावर लक्ष आहे याची नोंद घ्यावी. सापडल्यास किमान शब्दात कमाल अपमान होईल वा मार खाण्याची पाळी येईल.

- हुकुमावरून

(तुमच्या जवळील मैदानात अजून पाट्या सापडल्यास कळवणे, इथे नोंद करण्यात येईल!) :)

Mayawati - true representative of Indian Democracy

Why should we object maya's maya?

She represents number of people who voted her. It would be a joke to assume they did not know her.If there are more number of people against her, they have their right of voting which they did not use properly. If they did not have single good choice, its their failure to create one. Apart from them, she also represents the money thirsty politicians and their attitude of "sab chalata hai as long as you have money!"

She truly represents Indian democracy!

Choice by Elimination v/s Choice by Selection!

As it happens with every generation, every year, I am tired of waiting for a big machine to come. Something that would look just the perfect buy, value and power for money.

Choice by Selection
My current steed is Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTS-i, Fear the Black edition. Pulsar series had caught my eyes instantly when its full page ad appeared in print media, followed by tv commercials. It had everything to challenge the market of that time - masculine design, power, speed, style! It seemed like "the one" that can match with my riding needs and blend with my inner character!
This brand has been complimented by excellent marketing, will never forget the aggression pitched by its commercial where they use their own model to pave way for new one. A competition with self and no word about competitors, just a subtle hint and pure arrogance of stunts (never seen before on Indian horizon, correct me if wrong!)


However, I had to wait for a few years before I could set my hands on a real one. In the meantime, it evolved well.
Now I was working, single and had money. Next pulsar upgrade came out, unfortunately with the stupidest pulsar tv commercial. But it rung the riding bell inside and my Pulsar arrived in March 2006!
There was no choice to be made, I knew I wanted it and it was one of the best around.
Its soon to complete four years and the four years had been worthy. Every drag won at the traffic signal, every uneventful ride was worth every penny spent.

Choice by Elimination
When the odo turned over 40,000 I had started thinking of buying something better by the time it reaches 50,000. As usual there were lots of rumours floating around about "the killer bike to be launched by XYZ manufacturer". After 4 years, I managed to munch on 50,000KMs alone, max out its RPM and speedometer. But "the one" did not arrive yet.
Indian biking scene has changed, but not phenomenally. Manufacturer's are still playing under 150cc, even small upgrades (and downgrades) of 10-20cc qualifies for a new model! Government keeps no room for competition with 100% import duty. Choices are many if you want to be a frog in the well. I really feel sad for the Indian bikers. Bullet and Karizma are still the cruzer cult-gods and Indians can wage war if anyone says anything against it. Here are my picks at each

• Karizma - established tourer but I was never fascinated by it. Lack of real upgrades and the way it provided cosmetic upgrade with extravaganza never tuned into me. It may be the best tourer, but its not for me.
• Bullet - Bullet thump is nice but considering my daily commute of 60-70km, it fails to attract me. Its not my character anyway.
• R15 - Its not suited for a 6 footer. Period.
• Avenger 200 - Had tried it during my Goa trip, It was good but still makes you feel that you need something more, maybe on the power front or maybe cause its not a street bike.

I had set my eyes on Ninjette (250R), it turned out to be expensive. R1 or MT-01 was way out of budget. And even if I could buy one, the fact that we are charged 100% duty, turns me off completely. With my current parking areas, such buy would turn out to be a blood pressure pill anyway!

I went on eliminating each available option one by one and only one remained....

Pulsar 220? correct!!!

After lots of thinking, budgeting, dreaming and consideration, realized that at the moment, its just the P220 that can keep me happy. So went out and booked one finally!!!

खेळ मांडला!

नटरंग पाहून थोडे दिवस झालेत पण गाणी अजून मनातून जात नाहियेत. कथेला अनुरूप असणार्‍या चपखल ओळी पात्रांच्या भावना अगदी अचूक समोर ठेवतात. "खेळ मांडला" गुणाच्या मनातील विखार असाच समोर आणतं. अशी एकाकीपणाची आणि हतबलपणाची परिस्थिती जेव्हा खरंच कुणावर येते तेव्हा काय होत असेल हा विचार ऐकताना अनेक वेळा मनात येऊन गेला!

तुझ्या पायरीशी कुनी सान-थोर न्हायी
साद सुन्या काळजाची तुज्या कानी जाई
तरी देवा सरंना ह्यो भोग कशापाई
हरवली वाट, दिशा अंधारल्या धाई

ववाळूनी उधळतो जीव मायबापा
वणवा ह्यो ऊरी पेटला...

खेळ मांडला-२
खेळ मांडला देवा, खेळ मांडला

सांडली का रीतभात घेतला वसा तुझा
तूच वाट दाखीव गा खेळ मांडला
दावी देवा पैलपार पाठीशी तु र्‍हा उभा
ह्यो तुझ्याच उंबर्‍यात खेळ मांडला

उसवलं गनंगोत सारं
आधार कुनाचा न्हाई
भेगाळल्या भुईपरी जिनं
अंगार जिवाला जाळी

बळ दे झिजाया, किरपेची ढाल दे
इनवती पंचप्राण, जिव्हारात ताल दे

करपलं रान देवा, जळलं शिवार
तरी न्हाई धीर सांडला

खेळ मांडला-२
खेळ मांडला देवा, खेळ मांडला

नटरंग - सुरेख!!

नटरंग येऊन बरेच दिवस झाले. रिलीज व्हायच्या आधी Zee वर त्याचं मेकिंग पाहिलं होतं. पहावं असं तेव्हाच वाटलं होतं. पण राहून गेलं. आज मोकळा शनिवार मिळाला तेव्हा पाहिला. खूप आवडला.

नटरंगमध्ये तमाशा आहे हे तर माहीत होतं. टिपिकल तमाशाप्रधान मसाला पाहण्यात मला काही, किंबहुना काहीच इंटरेस्ट नव्हता. मात्र मेकिंग पाहताना थोडी उत्सुकता निर्माण झाली होती. अजय-अतुलचं संगीत हे त्याचं कारण होतं असं म्हटलं तर वावगं ठरणार नाही. या दोघांचं संगीत synthesizer मागे टाकून आलंय. त्यांच्या गाण्यात वाद्यांची आणि शैलीची मस्त विविधता आहे आणि सुंदर आवाज देखील. त्यांचा एकूणच दर्जा हिंदीतही वरचढ ठरू शकेल यात मला शंका नाही. नटरंग मध्ये त्याची गाणी हळुवार सुरुवात करतात आणि अचानक दणका देऊन वेग पकडतात. हे सगळं होताना आपण तमाशा पाहतोय हे जाणवतच नाही. Long term मध्ये त्यांची गाणी सणासुदीला आणि वरातीत नक्कीच "वाजत" राहतील.

नटरंग मध्ये संगिताशिवाय आवडतील असं बरंच काही आहे. चित्रपटातल्या गुणाचं वेड मला भावलं. करण्यासाठी करणारे खुप असतात आणि मन लावून करणारे खुप कमी. यातला फरक कळणारे तर याहूनही कमी. ध्येयाच्या ध्यासाने जाण्याची धडपड, हतबल करणार्‍या अडचणीत आलेलं नैराश्य आणि शेवटी मिळवलेलं यश - एकदम कनेक्ट झालं आणि चित्रपट अजूनच आवडत गेला.अतुलची मेहनत प्रशंसनीय आहेच. नैना देखील आवडली.

मराठी भाषा आणि चित्रपट घुसमटत आहेत ही आता चोथा झालेली बोंब. पण याला कारणीभूत मराठीच आहे. श्वास, वळू, टिंग्या, मी शिवाजीराजे भोसले बोलतोय, हरिश्चंद्राची फॅक्टरी असे Mainstream हिंदीबरोबर स्पर्धा न करणारे, मेहनत घेऊन बनवलेले चित्रपट वरचेवर आल्यास नक्कीच बरे वाटेल. नुसता चित्रपट नाही, तर इतरही commercials आणि तांत्रिक बाबींकडे लक्ष द्यायला हवंय. साधं उदाहरण द्यायचं तर नटरंगची वेबसाइट पाहा. एक तर स्वतःची वेबसाइट नाही, त्यात अर्ध्या links चालत नाहीयेत. नटरंगची DVD पण अपेक्षित आहे. त्यात नुसता चित्रपट नकोय तर त्याचं making आणि अजून बरंच काही हवंय.

एक वेळ अशी आली होती की मराठी सिनेमा आणि तमाशा हे यशाचं समीकरण बनलं होतं. तमाशाचा आग्रह (अतिरेक) मराठी सिनेमा साठी घातक ठरला होता. तमाशाची monotony slapstick कॉमेडीने मोडली होती. आज त्याचाही अतिरेक होऊ लागलाय (सौजन्य - भरत जाधव/संजय नार्वेकर आणि कंपनी).  नटरंग मुळे पुन्हा तमाशा परत नाही आला तर बरं.

A good experience with BlueDart

I was entering my building after returning from work. The watchman told me that there was a courier for me in the noon. We were not at home and the shipment was taken back. I was expecting a "missed you" slip but there wasn't any. The courier boy logged an entry in the logbook but it was sparse. He apparently talked to the watchman but watchman couldn't remember anything.

I was expecting parcel from eBay but that would have come through ordinary post. So this made me wonder what was it. A search on few mails revealed that it was BlueDart. Tracking ascertained it. Tracking showed that the shipment was returned since I wasn't at home.

When I was browsing their site, there was a link for complaints. I quickly drafted a small note about the incident and went to sleep. Meera saw me doing it and made fun of me.

I got up somewhere early in morning and as usual checked the mail before sleeping again. To my surprise, there was a mail from Peter from Blue Dart. He is Asst.Manager–Customer services for Blue Dart.

Dear Mr Ghag,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention for an appropriate action.
Kindly await our further communication on this while we have the same
investigated and get back to you at the earliest possible.
We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused in this regard.
Please feel free to write back or call our customer services on
022-xxxxxxxx for further assistance or clarification.

Cool! I like human support responses and this was exactly that.

Next day morning the delivery boy called me. From his tone, I could feel that he has got some thrashing. Peter later called up and discussed the issue. The delivery boy had told him that the slip was left But I confirmed that it wasn't. Peter was going to follow up. However, I advised him to let it go since I had received the delivery by now.

This was unusual experience and much appreciated. I have pretty bad experiences with different vendors and such good exceptions always bring a smile.

Good work Blue Dart team. Keep it up!

Tricked by Zoomin.com - Part II

Earlier I had written about how a badly laid form tricked me into loosing precious points on zoomin.com.
I mentioned in the post, zoomin.com customer support expressed inability of reversing the transaction. It irked me pretty much, more since I felt helpless.

Realizing that nothing much I could do, I vented out on my blog. After the post was made, I dug out their site and blog again for other contacts. The blog was closed for comments. But found their PR email contact on the website. As a last resort, I sent another mail to their PR contact and marked a copy to their support mailbox. This time I provided nothing but the blog post link.

It was then almost a closed chapter, till I got this response.

Hello Kiran,

Thank you for writing back to us.

We have read your blog and took the necessary steps to ensure that this is not repeated. We have sent you an email regarding the same on 4th January, 2010. Kindly write us back with your I-mint card number so that we can forward it to our I-mint team and inform them to credit the points back to your I-mint account.

We will send your details to the I-mint team and inform you once the points are added back to your account. Feel free to write in if you have any questions or comments.

Thank you for being a ZoomIn customer. We appreciate it.
Regards,
Anil
ZoomIn Customer Service

I was surprised! This was unexpected. I sent my details and received another mail.

 

Hello Kiran,

Thank you for writing back to us.

I have sent your details to the I-mint team and informed them to deposit 98 points back to your I-mint account. Please allow some time to check this with our I-mint team and I shall inform you as soon as I get any information from them.

Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience.

Regards,
Anil
ZoomIn Customer Service

The points were indeed reversed to my card after few days!! I felt proud of the blog posting. Not sure why they couldn't do it earlier, but the blog really did something!!!

PS: After this incident, I did another transaction on zoomin.com. The purchase flow has not changed, the i-mint number is still taken after the payment is made. Hopefully they will iron it out in time.