Page 6 of 64

India Lockdown – Day 1

March 25, 2020 / / 1 Comment

As we all know the world is going through a really difficult time and there are a number of countries placed under lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19. India is also one of them. Imagine 130 crores of population shut indoors. Most of the private companies have given work from home to their employees. Govt offices are also running with limited staff. Out generation hasn’t seen anything like that earlier.

Most of the people with some fixed income are going to sail through this with some hardships but for the daily wagers it is one of the most difficult times. Without there being no daily incomes, it is very difficult to even arrange for two meals a day. Hope the work being done by the govt and some charitable organizations helps in easing their difficulties.

Since working from home gives some free time, so thought about jotting down some thoughts about how it is going for us and around us. Also it works as an excuse to get started with blogging again.

As the PM announced JantaCurfew for Sunday, so most of the day was very silent one. People stayed indoors. By the time it ended, the UP govt announced restrictions for Monday and Tuesday. For our society guys, Monday was a tough day. Man…people just don’t listen. People were roaming around, talking walks just as usual. Some of them were enjoying in the park with their kids. Finally they had to put a loudspeaker at the main gate of the society and there was a guy sitting with a mic who made like hundreds of announcements throughout the day asking people to stay indoors. Whenever there was someone spotted roaming around aimlessly, the speaker was on. This continued on Tuesday as well. Then PM announced the lockdown for 21 days.

Today was relatively a better day. There were very few announcements. People were going out but mostly for their needs like buying grociries ands stuff. I also went out in the morning to get some milk and curd and it was all fine. Got back in 10-15 mins. Spotted these dogs maintaining social distance. So it is important folks.



Most of the home delivery services are badly affected. MilkBasket already announced that they were suspending the deliveries. CountryDelight guys promised to deliver but no-one turned up. Also their app was kind of hung whole of Tuesday evening, till late night. In fact today also it was in bad shape. Only in the late evening it started working properly. Had enough stuff at home so didn’t order anything.

There was some free time, so managed to read this short book once again (maybe after many years).


That’s all for Day 1 folks.

Read day 2

Bombay rains

June 8, 2018 / / 0 Comments

This is from Facebook memories of this day in 2013 when i was stuck in Bombay rains!

Oh boy…Bombay’s first rain and i am part of it ! Rather stuck in it !

Keeping in mind that my flight is at 2 am, i booked a cab for 10 pm. 4 hours are good enough. Right ?

Then it started raining at 7 in the evening and still raining till 10. The taxi guy didnt turn up. Called all taxi walas and as expected nothing is avlvl.

Luckily got a local guy who also had to come towards airport side. Finally rain stopped after 10 and we came out to look for some auto or taxi. Long queues of ppl everywhere looking for some taxi or autos.

Finally the mode that we mostly ignore : local bus. Changed two buses and it took about two hours…but here i am at the airport in time.

All thanks to the local guy who knews the bus routes and everything otherwise i would have been sleeping in ofc probably !

Best of online Ghazal radio stations

December 12, 2017 / / 0 Comments

With the invention of Television in the past and the internet recently the traditional radio has died a silent death. The shape that it still exists in is FM radio. But unfortunately, the quality of stuff that these FM channels broadcast is mostly trash. If you are a poetry/ghazals lover, these 2 online channels broadcast some brilliant stuff. Check them out.

Mirchi Mehfil – https://gaana.com/radio/radio-mehfil

Radiocity Ghazal – http://www.radiocity.in/radiocity-ghazal

Apart from these two, FM Gold channel of All India Radio broadcasts (in NCR, not sure about other cities) a ghazals programme called “Andaaz-e-bayaan”  in the evening from 5:30 to 6. You can listen to it on FM radio (106.4 in NCR. So now they swapped the frequencies. This program is broadcast at 101.1 same time), online at http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Default.aspx or through mobile apps http://allindiaradio.gov.in/mobileapp/Pages/Default.aspx

us ka apna hi karishma hai

December 9, 2017 / / 0 Comments

us ka apna hi karishma hai fusun hai yun hai
yun to kehne ko sabhi kehte hain yun hain yun hain
(fusun – magic)

jaise koi dar-e-dil par ho sitaada kab se
ek saya na darun hai na barun hai yun hai
(dar-e-dil – door of heart, sitaada – standing, darun – inner, barun – outer)

tum ne dekhi hi nahi dasht-e-wafa ki tasveer
nok-e-har-khar pe ik qatra-e-khoon hai yun hai
(dasht – desert, khar – thorn, qatra – drop)

tum muhabbat mein kahan sood-o-ziyan le aaye
ishq ka naam khird hai na junoon hai yun hai
(sood-o-ziyan – profit & loss, khird – intellect)

ab tum aaye ho meri jaan tamasha karne
ab to dariya mein talatum na sukoon hai yun hai
(talatum – dashing of waves)

naseha tujh ko khabar kya ki muhabbat kya hai
roz aa jata hai samjhaata hai yun hai yun hai
(naseha – preacher)

shayri taaza zamanon ki hai may’maar Faraz
ye bhi ik silsila-e-kun-fayakun hai yun hai
(may’maar – builder,architect, kun-fayakun – “be” & “it is”. Google for the detailed meaning )

Today is 16th August

August 16, 2017 / / 0 Comments

I planned to write this post on Independence day but then laziness took over and I dropped the idea. Then in the evening, I went out to get some groceries and this idiot jumping the red light in his big car again inspired me to do it.

Anyways let’s get back to the point.

Like every year, this independence day also social media was flooded with patriotic messages. It looks like such a good scene but the unfortunate reality is that this whole drama lasts only for a day. Today is 16th Aug and everything is back to normal again. Actually, we are a hypocrite nation. Probably have always been one. Loving the country for a day can solve any problems? No. Remembering the national anthem by heart can solve any problems? or can make someone a better citizen? No. To be honest I don’t remember the national anthem of India but I know for sure that I am a better citizen than many of the people around me. And I also know how many of them pretend to be such patriots but what all they have been up to in their lives. Was just wondering that instead of displaying these one-day emotions how about:

  • Just being good citizens and honest all the time. With everyone, not just 10 people around you who you think can be of some use for you some day.
  • Not indulging in all the unfair means to gather more money.
  • Not jumping red lights even if there are no traffic cops deployed.
  • Being nice to guys who work at your homes; maids, servants.
  • Being nice to your neighbors irrespective of whether they can be of some use to you some day or not.
  • Not being drunk beyond limits and then driving on the roads.
  • if you are a person holding a position of power; not making use of it to any unfair personal advantage.
  • If your father is holding a position of power; not treating everyone else like shit and not telling every govt official you come across “You don’t know who my Dad is?”
  • Keeping in mind the inconvenience small acts like not parking your car properly may cause for others.
  • Not throwing the empty water & beer bottles and food packets bags on the roads by rolling down the windows of your Merc and BMWs.

Looks difficult. Right ? No worries. We always have the other option to cram the national anthem and post patriotic messages on Facebook on 15th Aug and 26th Jan.

Cheers !