Thursday, August 13, 2009

The week in review (unfunny post)

Ok folks. Lost my muse somewhere. Can't think of anything funny to write, and yet feel like writing. Who better to inflict all this upon than my poor, unsuspecting readers? Here goes!


Things are pretty bad in Mumbai. I went to Alfa, the famous smuggled goods shop in Irla, to buy a cellphone battery and it was totally deserted. Now this place usually resembles a well packed tin of sardines. Today, it looked like a meeting of "Intellectuals of the Samajwadi Party". Population zero, I mean.

The reason of course is the swine flu panic. And this is the city which shrugs off bomb blasts and terrorist attacks. It's sad!

Schools and colleges are closed. The missus and I are at our wits end trying to find new ways of keeping the progeny amused and out-of-trouble. They keep fighting and hitting each other. If this happens when I am at home, I do what any responsible father would do. I slink off into another room. But if it happens when I'm not, I get a full report from Sheela who expects me to march into the kids' room and be treated like the Fuhrer. Ha! They take as much notice of me as a bunch of life-guards would of a ninety pound weakling.

Yesterday I went, with a couple of friends, to a Bhajan concert by Pandit Jasraj. This was at Shanmukhananda hall. I do get suckered into this kind of stuff every now and then, but seriously, I like Indian classical music. The way with which my fellow citizens receive Indian music saddens me. They go "yuck"! And then go on to listen to Eminem or Timberlake. I ask you! But it is no use. My own sons, my flesh and blood treat my choice of music with derision. For the record, the maestro was just OK - having an off day perhaps - but the chap who was accompanying him on the flute, a young lad named Shashank Subhramanyam was simply fantastic.

What else? Lets see.. Oh yes, here's a picture of me pretending to be Boddy Darling, handbag and all. The scene is outside the changing room at a garment shop in one of the many malls around our house which survive on the largesse of the missus.



And here's something which has been seriously bothering me. It's Vande Maataram sung in a different way. I heard it many years ago -don't even remember when - but everyone at home insists that they've never heard anything like this. Can anyone out there recall if they've heard this, and if they have, who sang it? (don't listen to this video if you have a weak heart. It is me, singing the tune from memory)

21 comments:

Idling in Top Gear said...

That hand bag doesn't go with the rest of your outfit! I am sending a link to d-listed. :)

le embrouille blogueur said...

Like the man purse ... you know you can say NO right ??

Lavanya said...

Love the handbag, Mr.S! As the clumsy French waiter put it, Tray Cheek!

:D

Unknown said...

Hey I liked the Vande Mataram rendition of yours :-)

maxdavinci said...

---Intellectuals of the Samajwadi Party---

just for that one line, behenji will give you a haanarary post in a govt school as heyud masterji.

think of all the statues you can have of yourself!

S said...

Bhimsen Joshi?

or maybe not.

I mean one has to guess from your voice (not that you do not sing well!)

:P

Bea Walker said...

What do you mean not funny post - surely the nice pose with the handbag contradicts that :P

Maddy said...

man!! who was the guy singing, that was one tone deaf chap or thoroughly bored..you did look like a sorry statue with mem inside trying out clothes & you standing outside...

Maddy said...

boss - later realized it was you...so now i am trying to figure out if you were in awe of pandit jasraj's style (or if u liked durga jasraj) or bhimsen joshi or if you had a grouse against bankim chandra chatto...

Bhel Puri & Seekh Kabab said...

Why are you 30% off? Is it because you are way past your sell-by date and are starting to look a bit green? Or maybe smell a bit ripe? Surely it's not the pleatless trousers meant to be worn by one a few decades younger? :-)

Gradwolf said...

The high heel confidential girls are not gonna like the clothes and handbag pairing. They'll have some suggestions am sure...

crumbs said...

at least the bag wasn't bright red, with cute flowers on it :D

What's In A Name!? said...

I have an opinion on the song you've sung. But I shall keep it from myself.

I'm reminded of the famous hindi film dialogue "dusro pe keechad uchhalne se pehle apne girebaan mein jhaankh kar dekhna chahiye" or something to that effect! :D

Btw, did u ask a mannequin to take a picture of you? :D

What's In A Name!? said...

btw, the dialogue was for my refraining from commenting on the singing.. i just realised it looks a bit out of context when i re-read the comment! :D

Ranju said...

Mrs. S, you are lucky !! what a role 'model' Mr.S is to all the husbands out there !!

mentalie said...

tsk tsk. if only looking like bobby darling was as easy as you make it look. i hear even bobby struggles with it ;p

Punvati said...

Oh you look very pretty... the poise.. the nonchalance.. ah to have all that :P

Juggler said...

Aha! What a prize catch you must have been Naren...

Or should I say Kudos to Sheela for the commendable domestication? :P

Pitu said...

The bag and the shirt were a decent pairing but the model needed a bath.

Ouch ;-D

Anonymous said...

did you rule out mbk(mangalampalli) sir?

Anonymous said...

pls ignore my previous response.
just saw this: Vande Maataram by Mogubai Kurdikar!