Category: Musings
Ayodhya Verdict
Finally the verdict is out! The land belongs to Hindus. But I would like to ask, who actually owned the land? Since time from the beginning, we human beings have taken it onto ourselves to divide everything – the land, the sea, the forests…in the process ending in disputes when there is a disagreement on the portion of the land or its ownership. And mind you, these disputes can get extremely dirty in situations, eventually leading to the loss of several innocent lives.
And here the land in question has religious connotations attached to it, hence making the situation even more critical. What is religion, I would like to ask?
Religion is something that enables us to gain immeasurable courage and hope to traverse through the rigours of our daily lives. Religion teaches us to rise above the fundamental darkness that exists within us like anger, envy, pride, ego. Religion teaches us to build an indomitable spirit that empowers us to stay undefeated even in the most trying circumstances. But most importantly religion teaches us not to begrudge people as our happiness invariably lies in the happiness of others. Thus religion teaches us to unconditionally embrace one another, along with their good and bad qualities. Because the truth is that we are all human beings, born on this earth with unique purposes, and the potential that resides within one equally resides in other. All human beings are in that sense one and each one deserves immense respect and dignity.
Now I wonder if this piece of land has the power to convey and establish all these values and thoughts in people. Irrespective of who the land belonged to or belongs to, there has been a huge flow of bad blood, which is against the principles of any religion.
So, what could have been or can be the way forward? Put the land to best use. Nothing can be nobler or more religious than serving humanity. Build schools, hospitals, orphanages, old age homes, foster homes, homes or animals and birds; or anything. Let it be a land, where humans can walk in without being asked which religion, caste or creed they belonged to. Let it be a land where discrimination is torn apart and equality is given all the importance. Let it be a land that is empowered to instil humanistic values in each one. This actually will be an act of religion in the true sense.
Bear Hug or A lifetime lesson learnt?
I am no fan of politics, nor do I follow it every day. Having said that, I keep a tab on it off and on. Since many years, ever since Rahul Gandhi got active in politics, I have been watching him – watching him not live up to the expectations of people, yet not giving up his position and persisting on. There was a time when I thought he would gladly make way for Sachin Pilot or Jyotriaditya Scindia, after all, he was never keen in politics, was he? But history was not meant to see such moments.
But what we did see was a growing repository of Rahul jokes. Modi was one of the first ones to openly pick on him, never missing an opportunity to ridicule him. Nicknames like Shahensha or Shehzada became a regular in Modi’s speech.
Soon people began to catch on the jokes. And to a large extent Rahul aided it too, with his infamous faux passes. It was as if a floodgate had opened up and Rahul went on to become everyone’s Papu.
But in all this, Rahul never reacted. (And I have to add here, if these kind of jokes were made on any other politician, it would have unleashed a hell of fury.) Was it because he understood that when people make fun of you or ridicule you, it actually showcases their mentality and not yours?
When you are pulling down a person, you often feel you are exhibiting a show of strength, which is why we often hear people say – “I gave him a piece of my mind. I don’t fear him or anyone for that matter!” But here, the question is not about fear at all. It is about how negative or how low your thinking can get about a person. No wonder I winced when Modi, whom I have deep respect for, chose to openly pull down Rahul.
Today when Rahul hugged Modi, I would like to believe that his heart is in the right place. People may term it as a political gimmick, but you need courage to do something like that. It is easy to shout and rebuke a person, but it needs immense strength to hug a person who has been tearing you down at every given opportunity.
And when Rahul said he has no hatred towards Modi, I would like to believe him because this would then make him a great human being, for he has learnt to rise above anger, hatred, jealousy, and other such negative feelings. This is irrespective of whether he is a good leader or not, or whether he is a dynamic politician or not. Learning not to begrudge is a lesson very few of us manage to adapt during our lifetime. But with this hug, it seems, Rahul Gandhi has managed to master it.
Ooops, did I just see him wink after the hug? I rest my case. Birds of the same feather fly together and Rahul and Modi indeed seem to be of the same feather. If the wink had not happened, this write-up could have rested in the above para with a rosy ending!!!!
How I Became Satpal’s Bhada!
Chalna hai Bhaiya?
Nahi Madam, Bhada hai!
That would be enough for my temper to soar. What would follow then would be an enriching drama, much to the amusement of the onlookers. No amount of cajoling or throwing lines like, ‘I know the DSP of this area’ would yield any results. The autowalas would simply refuse to ferry me as I traveled short distances.
This was me in Delhi some four to five years back, where you could see me fretting on the road until some autowala sympathized and offers a ride at extra charges. There would also be days when I would walk long distances just to locate an auto, who would then refuse to go. This situation continued till I began using my car, vowing never to take autos.
Then imagine my frustration as I shifted to Mumbai and had to commute by auto once again. There seemed to be no choice unless you liked driving and getting stuck in jams. The auto-fear was so huge that I almost thought of not taking up a job.
However, the undying spirit that Mumbai is famous for made me think otherwise. I mulled upon the people here who would get up early, finish their household chores and rush to travel in over-crowded trains to their places of work, braving the people, the heat and the sweat. In front of their ordeal, were my attempts to catch an auto even huge?
No it wasn’t. But there was a difference, I debated with myself.
In a train journey, someone could burp right into your face or shove you hard, making you lose your balance or simply make you feel claustrophobic by coming too close. However amid all these discomforts, you have the assurance of reaching your destination on time, no matter what. An auto could never guarantee you that. Moreover, what frustrates you is the feeling of being cheated and made to look like a fool. The moment they say bhada hai, you know it is an excuse for not travelling short distance. It is this feeling of being subjected to something ‘unjust’ that becomes unbearable in this whole auto drama.
But after much thought, I decided to give Mumbai autos a shot.
First day of work
Gearing up for the usual round of arguments and vehemently promising myself to maintain my cool, I stepped out of my apartment to find an auto. I found couple of them standing. That’s a good omen to begin with.
Chalna Hiranandani?
Haan Madam.
Did he just say Haan Madam! Was I dreaming? I was jubilant to find an auto driver who agreed for a ride in the first instant. Small joys of life. That was day one that ended well.
Next day I waked down wondering if I would be as lucky as yesterday. I heard someone call – Madam, idhar. It turned out to be the same driver. I got in smiling.
In the coming days, it became a ritual to find him waiting for me. I slowly got to know him, driver Satpal. One day I decided to thank him for agreeing to the small distance and saving me the pain of catching an auto.
To which he replied, “Arrey madam, aap acchha bhada ho! Phele din jab mein ne aap ko drop kiya, accha kamai hua tha. Aur har din ho raha hain. Acchha bhada ho aap” (Arrey, madam, you are good rental. The first day I dropped you, I earned very well. And it has been continuing that way ever since)
I did not know whether to laugh or to be shocked – me a bhada, a rental!
The bhada bit did not stop there. There were days when I would step out and auto drivers would shout, “Satpal, bhada ageya hai”(Stapal, your rental has come) or “yeh madam Satpal ka bhada hai.” (This madam is Satpal’s rental.) Once when Satpal was on leave, I could hear an autowala persuading another by saying, “Madam ko le chalo, accha bhada hai.” (Please ferry madam, she is a good rental)
For long, I was confused whether to be angry at being called a bhada or to be amused at the sheer audacity of the situation. But then I chose to be amused, for it is not every day that auto drivers think you are a good omen and agree to short distances. Moreover, from bhada hai to accha bhada hai, I have come a long way!
Kapil not having the last laugh?
Apparently, today we will be watching the last episode of Comedy Nights with Kapil (CNWK). For those who may not be aware of the show, which I don’t think will be many, CNWK is an Indian comedy show that became an instant hit after its launch in 2013, and went on to become a household name.
I personally am no big fan of his. Initially the episodes had evoked laughter in me, but later it became too much bear. There were times when I was kind of wary to watch the show, especially when dadi‘s kissing scenes got onto my nerves or the fights between Pankhudi, Palak’s mother, and dadi were too much to bear.
Having said this, I have to give credit to Kapil Sharma for having made the nation laugh for about two years. The show’s popularity was so much that it was adopted in other languages – Malayalam to be specific – because I have watched the Malayalam adaptation. Kapil and his team enjoyed a huge fan club and there were numerous instances when people from India and abroad reached out to Kapil to appreciate him and thank him for making them laugh despite their stress-filled lives. If audiences looked forward to being on the show, film stars equally enjoyed or seemed to enjoy their interactions with Kapil. Laughter just flowed, and believe you me, it was genuine laughter most of the time. Kapil’s razor sharp wit and his timings always had people in splits.
Then, today as the show goes off air, apparently due to Kapil’s ill health (that is what I know about), why is it raining criticisms? His show has been termed as being racist, derogatory and misogynist.
But aren’t these the factors that attracted the people to like his show in the first place? He passed lewd comments on people’s appearances – for instance a common statement directed towards overweight people was: gardhan ghar pe hi bhool aya kya? He made people perform in front of the stars (and what performances the audience put together – I would often wonder how people could do it, but they did it). And people loved it and rolled in laughter. I remember watching an episode where Kapil spoke to someone in the audience but refrained from pulling his leg. The guy was disappointed and asked Kapil why he was not passing any funny comments at him. Such was the craze. Paad (fart or gas) – the much hidden and tabooed word in India found its freedom on this show and became a frequently used word. With all this, why this storm of criticism now?
Like they say, everything that goes up has to come down. Kapil’s show had ruled the TRP ratings. But any show or serial, after a point of time loses its vitality. That is when the pressure manifolds to perform better, or rather to do anything and everything to keep the TRP rising, but sadly that is when the quality also gets compromised. However, Kapil’s show started off by taking a dig at everyone, by touching simple day-today topics that every Indian could relate to. As far as the quality is concerned, it was what it was from day one – slapstick comedy, but something that people enjoyed.
So, today when the curtains come down on CNWK, I feel it is unfair to criticise and put forth negative comments about the show. Rather, let us pay respect to the fun times it had brought to us on several occasions. After all, we were the ones who accepted Kapil and the show in the first place. Let us give it to him and let us not snatch the last laugh from him.
(These are strictly my views and it is not necessary that people have to agree to me :):) )
Why I chose to write a blog
Why I chose to write a blog? Well, because everyone has a blog now a days 🙂 Everyone is thinking today and the thoughts somehow meander and find a way to a blog. Isn’t this the case most of the time? Well, I am no different.
My thoughts are these unsatiated wild animals, reproducing at such a fast rate that even my humble mind cannot fathom. They are varied, energetic and aggressive in nature. They keep yapping away non-stop, striking numerous conversations and counter arguments, nudging me constantly to let them out, to let them flow unhindered, to let them fly freely, and somewhere before they begin to wither in the land of memory to get them captured in a blog like this.
Hence, this is what I am doing – giving a let out to my thoughts 🙂 Like I said, my thoughts are numerous – practical, emotional, romantic, energetic, melancholic, poetic, philosophic…can accommodate most of the genre 🙂 I am trying to house them in various categories, which you will find on the top of the page. Hope you enjoy them too as I let them out 🙂
Now that Anna ends his fast, the responsibiltiy grows
At least for me, it was the first time that I witnessed the Parliament coming as one – even if it was to concede to Anna’s demands, they were there as one. In the street, the people were uniting as one – though be it a miniscule section of the society, but they were uniting as one – something which you would otherwise witness when there is a cricket match. For me, it was indeed a historic moment.
With this sentiment, I decided to be there at Ramlila when Anna would break his fast. I simply felt I had to be there to be part of this huge oneness.
You could feel the mood even before you entered Ramlila. There was a serpentine queue stretching to 2 km or so and people were calmly abiding by the rules and marching. I did not use plural in queue, because yes, there was just one queue. It was unbelievable. Is this the emergence of a new India where people are becoming more tolerant? How else could I describe this peaceful procession in a city which is well-known for its notorious rage?
Another thought that struck me as I entered Ramlila after a very brief security check was, where have all the terrorists gone? In these 13 days, I had never once thought about them… did they also not think for once that Ramlila could be an apt place to drop a bomb or two, or were they also supporters of anti-corruption 🙂
By the time I reached, Anna had broken his fast and was making a speech. I did not get the whole gist, but I could hear him say that he would continue his fight against corruption. Whatever the outcome of his fight be, I resolved that I will contribute my bit to the society by trying not to be party to corruption to the maximum extent possible. Having made the resolution, I could feel the responsibility grow on my shoulders. Next time I have to renew my licence, I cannot pay a tout but will have to stand in line, brave the heat and get it done. Next time, if I have to produce a medical bill for official purpose, I cannot go to a chemist. Next time, I am asked to pay building fees for my children’s admission to a school, I will have to counter that. The list can keep growing.
Standing there at Ramlila which has witnessed several rallies during India’s freedom struggle, where Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and other top leaders have addressed crowds, I felt the era and the responsibilities returning back. The Gandhian policies were returning back. But at the same time, I wondered where they had disappeared for a while. I remember watching movies and serials where people who were shown as staunch followers of Gandhian principles being shunned or ridiculed by families and communities, because they found them to be a big farce, leading nothing but to poverty. Today, I felt it had come a whole circle as I listened to people echoing their consent on being truthful.
Yes, it is a huge responsibility indeed…but somewhere it has to begin. If I take my case, somewhere, I have to find a way to allow the suppressed voice inside me to shout. Somewhere, I have to find the strength to do the wee little today that may go a long way in bringing a dent in the ‘corruption empire’ that has been built over the years. Somewhere, I have to find the will so that someday if my children ask me about my contribution towards anti-corruption, I need not shy away.
For all those who criticize Anna including me
Do I favour Anna? No, I don’t.
Do I favour the movement against corruption? Yes I do.
Now, aren’t both one and the same? I don’t think so.
When I decided to go to Ramlila on Saturday, this confusion was raging within me.
Having grown up in an Indian state which never considered itself a part of India, I cannot say my patriotic sentiments ran high. I am not the kind to wave an Indian flag or shout Vande Mataram on Independence Day or get into patriotic debates. I do not religiously vote in every election, I sometimes bribe to escape situations, I do not always stand up for anti-corruption. I am very much an average Indian. But yes, I respect India and I am proud to be an Indian any day, though I don’t wear patriotic sentiments on my sleeve. So I was wondering why I wanted to go to Ramlila. I looked a complete misfit. Someone even joked – Come on, you are going because you want to post it on Facebook. For a second, he actually had me believe that it might be the true reason. Phew!
Throughout my journey to Ramlila, I kept debating my reasons. Once I reached there, the confusion got fiercer. My friends were high on sentiments, waving flags, shouting slogans…some even enrolling as volunteers. I could hear Dr Kiran Bedi, in a parched voice, explaining reasons to support Anna. I listened eagerly, hoping to find some for myself. Few that I registered:
“We vote people to power. They become corrupt. Then, when we question, they ask us who we are and tell us to fight elections and become a politicians to bring change. Why should we become politicians,” she shouted. “We do not want to be politicians. We voted you to power so that you could take care of our problems. Now we are here today, because you chose not to take care of us and instead become corrupt politicians.” This made slight sense to me. Okay – this can be my reason number one, I made a mental note.
“India has been free for 65 years,” she said. “If there had been no corruption, India would have been better off than the US today.” Now, that sounded good. My reason number two.
Then she went on to explain little bit of the bill. She said, “This bill will make each one of you richer, it will give you good schools, good roads….support Anna, and you will have this all.” She suddenly sounded like a salesman trying hard to sell me the Anna concept. Then she asked everyone to close eyes and pray for Anna’s health. That did it. I was no longer sure whether I could believe her. Her words were: Sab chup hojaao, Chup, bilkul chup, chup, chup…ab ankhe bandh. Hey Ishwar, (then a pause) followed by Hey Jesus, Hey Allah…
Oops, she should not have done this to me at this juncture when my confusions were creating havoc. My feeling that she paused to add Hey Jesus, Hey Allah just to be ‘religiously’ correct did not help either. Then out of the blue, someone began to play patriotic songs to which the crowd rose, sang and danced. Even Anna was seen clapping hands. Now, this was turning out to be real entertainment.
Dismayed, I looked around me, trying to understand the meaning of it all. Why were we there? Was it to be a part of the entertainment? Was it to be on TV – many could be seen waving hands wherever there were cameras? Was it out of curiosity?
For heaven’s sake, why could I not just believe that we were all there to fight corruption? Why wasn’t I getting convinced? Why was I thinking this hard?
By then, it must have been two to three hours that I was at Ramlila. I felt tired and drained – more to do with the mental strain rather than the physical. I decided it was time to go.
We stopped by to buy a bottle of water. We were charged Rs 17 instead of Rs 15. I would have never asked before but this time I asked him the reason. He said it was to pay the local police. My friend then said – why be a part of corruption especially at this time when the nation is awakening to an anticorruption movement. The vendor smiled and returned the two rupees. I was surprised. Was this the Anna effect?
Next I went to a grocery store, where I have been buying provisions since long. It was a ritual that they never gave the bill. But I surprised myself asking for one. I had never done that before.
Next day, the morning newspaper had a story citing that crime rate in Delhi had gone down by 35 percent since Anna began his fast.
Suddenly I found my answers.
I went to Ramlila – not for Anna or for the Jan Lok Pal bill. I went there for myself. The Anna movement had managed to awaken an anti-corruption consciousness in me. The movement has given me a chance to piggyback on the highly charged anti-corruption sentiments around me, in the process making me strong enough to fight the fragments of corruption that I am party to in my day-today life. Maybe, I always wanted to fight corruption but being an ‘average’ Indian, I was on lookout for someone else to give me a platform. And Anna managed to give me that to a certain extent. Anna was able to bring a small change within me.
Now in this manner, if a small change can be brought in every individual, where he can proudly say – I have begun the anti-corruption movement within me. How about you? Anna can be termed a winner.
I then felt a sense of gratitude towards the whole movement.
If you ask me how long will I be able to sustain the change? Well, that will totally depend on me – no Anna or Jan Lok Pal Bill can help me there.
Check out my Slide Show!
[slideshow id=3530822107895934234&w=426&h=320]
Hey, before I go on to talk about myself….hope you enjoyed the pics in the link above. I had put them up for two reasons –
a) because they are close to my heart and remind me of some serene moments
b) to add a little more colour to the page
I actually wanted my latest posts to be my default page but somehow Word Press does not have the facility of prioritizing posts. Which means if at times I write something that I don’t want as the latest, yet it ends up being there as the top one. Hence, this is the solution I came up with. 🙂 If you have anything better, do let me know.
Now about me –
A simpleton – who loves to dream, who tries to be true to oneself in this mystical world of un-realities, who tries to find humor in every wake of life, one for whom words mean everything. Nothing can be more beautiful than words!
So guys, thanks for being here. Please surf through my posts by clicking on the categories onto your left. Do leave behind your inputs. It helps greatly 🙂
A Perspecitve on Wine Industy
Inception and Growth of Wine Industry
The wine industry has come a long way since 4000 BC, when vines were first cultivated and wines produced for the first time in the Middle East. Today, the wine industry is approximately a USD 300 billion industry. Several factors have contributed to this growth over the centuries.
Wine-olution
Egypt and Crete began to trade wine as early as 2500 BC. Around 1000 BC, the Greeks introduced winemaking to Sicily, southern Italy, and northern Africa. Another 500 years later, France, Spain, and Portugal joined the race. By first century AD, wine was being produced throughout the Roman Empire. The Romans introduced viticulture and wine production to France. Later it spread across the Mediterranean, and northern and much of southern and western Europe. By now, wine was endowed with powerful religious and secular meanings and offering wine to Gods was a common practice. Throughout the Dark Age, the church and monasteries kept the production of wine going. As Europe came out the Dark Age, irregular supply of water made wine a necessity, thus fuelling wine trade. The growth continued in the 17th century, where innovative techniques were introduced for the first time – like careful selection of grapes, new barrels instead of old ones, and wine in glass bottles sealed with cork instead of the usual practice of pouring directly from barrels to jugs. These techniques allowed wines to be preserved and to age better, which in turn led to a surge in the wine trade. In Australia, British settlers planted vines in 1788 and the first wine was produced in 1792. In North America, wine was first made in California by Franciscan priests. Viticulture reached Napa and Sonoma regions by 1820. By 1890, the Hunter, Barossa, and Yarra Valleys were also producing wines.
Factors Fuelling Growth
If Ancient Age saw wine business thrive as a result of knowledge transfer over centuries, and innovative techniques taking precedence over old methods of wine production, the New World saw transformation of traditional winemaking methods into an industrial process. This has been a major influencer in promoting the wine industry. Modern techniques of fermentation and refrigeration led to successful production of quality wines. In addition, institutions like the University of California at Davis and Roseworthy Agriculture College in Australia opened academic departments dedicated to the study of viticulture and winemaking. Technology combined with new-found expertise led the New World to produce quality wines that rivaled those of the Old World.
Another differentiator between the Old and New World was climate. While the Old World had no control over the climate, the New World wine producers operated in more predictable climate that produced consistent grape harvests. Technology and innovation allowed the New World to come up with a wide range of wine styles and ensure consistency, which was not there in the earlier era.
Mantras of Success
For a wine producer, the success lay not only in production of fine wine but also on marketing strategies. Better technology ensures constant enhancement in the quality of wine, while a sound marketing strategy, which includes stable distribution system; and focused advertising, guarantees the brand is well established among the consumers. Quality wine, coupled with excellent brand recall among consumers ensures a successful product. The New World wineries follow this combination religiously and so have been able to capture a sizeable share of the global market.
Talking about the global market, the year 1995 saw Australia’s largest brewery – Foster Brewing – buy its first wine company. Over the next six years, it acquired six more companies, including Beringer of California for USD 1.7 billion, thus marking the advent of a continuing spate of mergers and acquisitions. In 2001, Australia’s BRL Hardy got into a joint venture with U.S’s Constellation Brand. Similarly, large companies were acquiring small wine companies in the U.S. In this manner, various forces are creating a change in the wine industry in the 21st century, even as well-capitalized international winemakers emphasize on global presence and brand recognition.
Market for New Players
While there are many established, big players in the wine industry today, there is still scope for new entrants. For example, Asia is discovering wine and is definitely in the race. It is important to mention here that due to recession – which the world has been witness to – the overall growth of wine business had taken a beating in the past two years. However, recovery is on its way. As per IWSR Forecast Report 2009, France and Spain may still show a small decline in wine consumption but China is expected to show robust growth. China, one of the world’s major importers of wine, is expanding rapidly the vineyard near Beijing, while in Japan, Honshu is becoming the center of infant wine industry. If we take a look closer home, the wine market in India still remains largely untapped. As per Indian Wine Industry Forecast 2012 by RNCOS, India is one of the fastest growing wine markets in the world. However, in 2008, India recorded a per capita wine consumption of approximately nine milliliters, which is quite low compared to its one billion population. Ideally, India has not been a wine consuming nation, but the habits of the people are changing and this is paving way to a potential wine market. For new entrants, the wine market is waiting to be explored – the need of the moment, however, is to identify the viable areas and tap them.
Continuing my romance with Tinkle
I thought I should mark March 16, 2006 as an important date in my diary. It was the day I introduced my daughter to Tinkle. Yes, our old lovable Tinkle comic with whom I must say I had my first romance.
Buying my daughter her first copy made me take a walk down the memory lane. I can still remember vividly the days spent with Tinkle. It must have been the early eighties when my father introduced me to the magical world of Tinkle. We then lived in the Northeast – Kohima, a small town that had only two bookstores selling the comic – one close to my school. The supply was never regular and it came as no surprise if we were reading the April issue in August.
The wait for new issue always generated excitement, wherein every morning, a thought would knock and say – today the issue is bound to be there, it cannot get later than this.
I still remember clearly the bookstore. It used to have a huge window through which I regularly scanned the collection of books and comics. I used to visit the shop everyday to ask if any new issue had arrived. It had become such a habit that as soon as they saw my approaching silhouette, they would either wave a bye conveying – No issue – or wave excitedly – Come over, it is here.
After taking a peek at the new issue, I would rush home to get the money. Then it used to cost Re 3. The rush up and down used to be a marathon. Kohima, being a a hilly region, had many slopes and winding roads…. I had to climb up and down a flight of 200 steps as well as walk through narrow tarred roads, which looked like lines drawn amid trees and bushes. But I used to scale all these in no time.
Once the copy was in my hand, all the effort seemed worth it. I used to start reading it immediately and my way back used to be a very slow one. The cover story was always the first to catch my attention. After I had taken in every word and lived their adventure, I would move to other stories. RajaHooja and Tantri – the Mantri used to be an all time favorite, followed by Supandi, whose stupidity always evoked laughter. Then came Nasseruddin, Raghu, Anwar, etc. I always saved Kalia or Shikari Shambu for the last. All these characters used to instantly come to life and I would be in their world as I walked home. Once I reached home, I would always find my father waiting eagerly waiting for the issue. After he read it, I would go and read it over and over again. I never got tired of it. It was indeed magical.
So, the other day when I bought Tinkle after about two decades, I was envisaging a similar experience and I must tell you I was not disappointed. Though the price had risen to Rs 20 and Raja Hooja and Tantri had given way to their children – Junior Hooja and Junior Tantri, the essence was still there. I have to admit Uncle Pai is still at his best.
Now, when I see my daughter sit with the comic trying to take in every picture (as words are still a mumble-jumble for her), I proudly feel I have introduced her to a world where she can sneak in whenever she wants to and have her own adventures. I bet my father must have felt the same, though I always feel he introduced me to Tinkle to continue his illegal flirtation with the comic. But today, I don’t blame him as I intend to do the same – continue my romance with Tinkle.