Climbing down the stairs of a building, which houses a popular coaching institute, this 'ad' caught my eye. The message - plain, simple and to the point. Hope Gaurav finds his IIM aspirant roomie.
When it comes to the other human being sharing the room/apartment/barsati and also the rent, we usually look for someone with similar traits. Someone who can share the work, take up responsibilities and more importantly, someone who can cook. Not necessarily implying that we ourselves are bestowed with these qualities. If both (or all) prefer equal cleanliness or unorderliness; soothing silence or resounding rap - peace persists. Everyone is equally happy or unhappy with the present state of things.
Opposites attract, but also clash. Many can be the best of friends, but cannot stay under the same roof together. That requires a different level of affinity. Ever since I left that place with cooked meals and washed laundry - also referred to as home - I've changed my residential address eight times and had as many as nine different roommates. But the common factor there is a fellow blogger, and roomie for the last four and a half years. We hardly talk with each other, just a word or two about what's happening where. But he's been a great person to stay with (am not sure of the other way round).
Here comes the question of why Gaurav is seeking a roommate preparing for CAT 2006? Obviously, he too is preparing for the same and two minds are better than one. But then too much similarity might breed contempt. A friend said that it is never advisable to stay with someone who works in the same office as you. She reasoned that it inevitably leads to the official tensions, competitiveness and the assorted pollutants doing overtime.
If my roomie happens to get married, which will lead him to seek a separate abode, because no self-respecting woman would like to call our bachelor pad home. I'll not move out because shifting is a tiring thing and I'm already fatigued. All that I would need to do is to cellotape an ad on the wall of the liquor vend.
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We were not afraid then:
We are not afraid now:
Terrorists target the holy city of Varanasi. Twin blasts leave 21 dead and over 62 injured.
Details:
NDTV
IBN
DNA
The Hindu
The Times of India
The Indian Express
Outlook
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It's boom time. The most powerful man on planet earth said all those goody goody things about the country. The GDP growth is impressive and the planners are already dreaming of that double digit. The Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index seems to be on the overdrive. The dollars are flowing in and the reserves fattening. The aam aadmi under the shadow of the hand might not be smiling, but there isn't much of a frown either. All this is reflected in the construction frenzy in urban India (to our planners, observers, strategists and experts India is exclusively urban; no one gives a damn about the country side).
Speedways and flyovers are the hallmark of developmental achievements. Good, pretty good. Home to office will soon be a red-light free zone (no one cares about the red-light areas either). But how do I cross those damned roads with vehicles zipping past at speeds greater than 60 kpmh. Does the average Indian who moves about on his feet, rather than EMI funded wheels have a chance? The flyovers are many, but the pedestrian subways are far too few. No one slows down at zebra crossings. There are no policemen manning the zebra crossings, they're either busy protecting VIPs or waiting at the traffic intersections for someone to violate some sub-clause, so that they can pocket that some extra.
The roads are barricaded so that people on foot cannot cross them, and if they have to, they will have to travel atleast half a kilometre to find a subway (if luck permits) or the end of the barricade. To add to the woes, the subways remain closed 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM (though the official timings mention 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM). If someone happens to wander on feet late at night or early in the morning, there's some serious leg work in store.
A footpath, as the name suggests is a path for people travelling on foot. But here in the national capital, it implies space to earn extra dough. No not by the pavement vendors - they are illegal in the eyes of the law - but by the authorised municipal parking contractors. The pavements are packed with parked cars, leaving no space for someone to walk.
In this high speed world of fast lanes, the only place for a pedestrian is in the middle of the road, lying in a pool of gushing red liquid. The speeding vehicles only swerve by. Nobody stops.
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The troublesome twins didn't accompany their parents to India. The last time when Chelsea Clinton accompanied her Democrat father (who was disappointed on knowing that a bidi wasn't as effective as a cigar) to this age old land, a friend had a major crush on her. Fortunately for him, the absence of the Bush sisters had let things remain uncomplicated - it would have been tough to focus his affections.
The Bush visit has kept sting operations off-air for some time. From sniffer dogs at Rajghat to Sania Mirza's Hyderabad, the channels had a lot of questions to ask their exclusive panel of 'experts.' The nuclear (or energy) deal (or agreement) will also provide enough fodder for weeks to come.
Junior Bush was all praise for the world's largest democracy and the Prime Minister cum External Affairs Minister stretched that arm a little extra. After all, it's all about money, honey. One is greedy, the other needy. There were protests, some pretty visible and audible ones. Some protested just because they are in the habit of protesting, else no one takes notice of them. Back in the US of A the Democrats would've had their claws sharpened, but Bush wouldn't worry much, he's got the numbers in the Congress. It will be business as usual, more investments, more Bangalored workers, more H1-Bs, more sales and more Iraqs.
Though the Bush visit was a big event, it wasn't a phenomenon (in appeal) as the Clinton visit. The absence of the twins and the presence of Chelsea wasn't the difference.
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Here comes the question of why Gaurav is seeking a roommate preparing for CAT 2006? Obviously, he too is preparing for the same and two minds are better than one. But then too much similarity might breed contempt. A friend said that it is never advisable to stay with someone who works in the same office as you. She reasoned that it inevitably leads to the official tensions, competitiveness and the assorted pollutants doing overtime.
