Trade Fair and my 'State' of concern !

I have this one favorite one-liner that - DIN MAIN EK BAAR JABAAN PE SARASWATI VIRAJTI HAI AUR USA SAMAY JO BHI BOLO WO SACH HO JATA HA !!! I kept on pulling legs of scores of people for all these years but as some wise men have said, whatever you do in this world comes back as fate in this life only,I had the flavor of this the other day.

Here I was at IITF (India International Trade Fair) at Pragati Maidan, Delhi. Its a wonderful place to visit for a day long outing. There I was checking out all the pavilions when this close friend of mine suggested that we all should go and check UP's (Uttar Pradesh) hall, it being my state .I, a person who is totally in love with the idea of becoming a repartee expert, responded in the same breath by saying - "We only have political stunts and politicians to display. That is all we trade and expertise in."

Saying that, I entered the hall with a Nehruvian smile as if having delivered Tryst With Destiny. I was admiring my sense of timing when the gate through the corridor opened inside the halls. And lo! Here just before the first stall was a big hoarding saying - " CM Mayawati sitting with President Pratibha Patil". Then 10 feet enroute the Galleria was another even bigger poster saying - "CM Mayawati feeding polio drops to an infant". Just in front of the last stall was another poster saying "Behan Mayawati, UP ka bhavishya". After that I was too embarrassed to keep count. But there was no return from there because another specialty of UP is the crowd which is omnipresent. I just had to keep my feet moving. Directions and all were put in by the mass only. In all there were no less than 50 posters of Mayawati specifically and the ruling party in general. Now I simply could not make any sense out of it. Why do we allow events such as a TRADE FAIR to be used as a political podium? Why was there a need for the same? Why cant I tell with pride about my state to other people and why am I speechless when somebody asks me about specialties of my state. Why is it that when others specifically endorse their own states, I just say I am from North India and all that.

Am I amiss somewhere or is it a loss of character within my roots. Have I not inherited the pride that comes with one's place of birth? Or am I ashamed to discuss it ? I am not sure if I would be able to find the answers but one thing is for sure, its important to find them. It is important for me and for those who are not able to connect to their states.Ayodhya,Babri Masjid, Rampur Tiraha, Kanpur Riots, Meerut Riots, Gandhi Park, Make shift governments,Taj Corridor,Hawala Scams.Well.I wonder when did we last contributed to the society other than supplying it with hoardes of news bites and politicians.

Anyways, see, again I was about to say that it is none of my concern. It bloody damn is. That is the whole problem. It very much is my concern.It is my State after all.

Swift Saga & Uncertainties !!!

Finally, on the 23rd day of November,I got hold of the most beautiful machine ever engineered.With this I am done with the 8 year old vow of mine to learn driving for/from my car only.Just completed 800 odd kms on it and already feeling like another Schumacher in making...Zippiesss !!!!Life is indeed on a "SWIFT" mode.

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These days my G-talk status line says – “Of all the things in this world, I hate uncertainties the most!!!". I think that goes pretty well with me.Indeed, the kind of person I am, unpredictability is something which perturbs me like anything. Anyways, bringing focus onto the context, I have this strange tendency of getting connected to people at random. So here was this guy from Maruti with whom I was dealing regarding purchase of a new car. My first car. After all kind of deliberations and contemplations we zeroed down on SWIFT Petrol - VXI. The car is under a running booking of 8-10 weeks which is too long a period to acquire a car. But then this guy said he would arrange a car for me within 15 days. Intuitively I trusted this guy and booked the same with his agency. Now today its been precisely a month since I had made that naive gesture and am still not sure when I am gonna’ get hold of the damn Car. Adding to the woe is the fact that it would have had been auspicious to get the delivery during Diwali and now am way past it. This uncertainty of getting the whole thing postponed and not getting a definite reply from the dealer’s end has disturbed my planning entirely. Here I am traveling all the way to Delhi from Gurgaon, daily, using the wonderfully efficient and safe Delhi public transport (World-class huh!).Then I have to shift base to a new acco in Rohini by the end of this week.Everything is totally disoriented and disarrayed.

But anyways,here I am waiting for my “SWIFT’ (Ironical nah !) like a kid waits for his first cycle।

Intehaan ho gai, Intezaar ki !!!