The Dinkum Show

Season Finale

2007-07-06T20:15:00.000+08:00

The season has come to an end. It was an amazing journey, one which has re-awaken my senses. I have fallen in love with India. Her spirituality, her heritage, her colours and chaos. The amazing people Ive met, the emotions Ive experienced, the sights Ive seen, all cherished and held dear. As I told my superiors at work, I feel I have taken away so much and yet contributed so little in return.

As I walked towards the bus stand at 6am today, I wondered if I had left my mark on India. Would She miss me? I thought about all the people Ive met over the short 8 weeks and if our relationships would dissolve in time or if we would ever meet again in this lifetime.
Suddenly, an old man stopped short infront of me and stared at me. He looked like he was up and about for a morning jog. "Where have you been for the past 2 days, I havent seen you?"
With a grin told him about my trip to Ooty and my internship in Ashok Leyland. And then he smiled strangely and walked off. I never knew that man existed up till that moment, but it seems people have felt and noticed our presence. I turned to Stanley, "Looks like even random strangers will miss us when we leave India".

Thank you for all those who have travelled on this journey with me hand in hand, as we left our footsteps in the sand. I would like to close this blog with a favourite quote: "If you manage only one prayer in your life, and that prayer is simply 'THANK YOU,' it will be sufficient." - Thomas Merton, catholic mystic.

2007-07-05T22:10:00.000+08:00

Dedicated to my dear family and friends

Episode 8

2007-07-03T17:23:00.001+08:00

On the Dinkum Show this week, we travel to Ooty - Queen of the southern hills. Catch the episode live on a screen near you: http://www.flickr.com/photos/episodedinkum
Special mention goes out to the script writer who blessed us with lovely weather and respite from the monsoon.

This week at work

2007-06-30T16:57:00.001+08:00

"RIZWAN, WHO YOU LOOKING FOR?" Asked Mr.S, as he walked pass me while I was walking around aimlessly searching for another intern.
I grinned and told him, "Well.., you Sir!"
"THEN LOOK!"
I stared at him and traced his outline from head to toe and back to his eyes again.
"Ok, Thanks." And I walked away.

2007-06-30T16:41:00.000+08:00

"Im so pissed off with Mr.K right now..."
"Yeah Riz, go bite his head off"
"Mmmm... But then again, my dad always says I should respect a man, if not for anything, respect him for his age or his wisdom"
"And Mr.K sure is older!"

The Wedding

2007-06-26T20:46:00.000+08:00

I managed to grab a bouquet for Rs300 at the neighbourhood florist. Shwet, Stanley and I decided to share the cost of the wedding gift. We planned to meet at 8pm at the mandapam (wedding hall).

We arrived just as the showers began and were greeted by a huge building shining brightly against the night sky. Surely no one has even been unable to locate a mandapam. You simply cant miss it! The decorations were elaborate, but the people were even more colourful. Women donned in every imaginable colour were walking in accompanied by their rather simple and drab looking men. I opted for a retro looking, Persian inspired shirt while Stanley put on his very first kurta. Shwet, being the rebel he is, had to come in a solid black shirt.

Mr GG was delighted to see us, he extended his arm across the crowd towards me, while signalling for us to come forward. We climbed the steps up the dais and were introduced to the lovely couple. Mr GG's son is your typical software engineer working in USA while the bride is an MBBS graduate. I must say that these form of graduate pairings have become all the rage in India. From the daily matrimonial ads I read, it hardly deviates much from this reality. Its always an MBA or an Engineer from Dubai or America searching for an MBBS or such. Alot of emphasis is placed on career and education. Anyway, the couple were very well spoken and you could tell they represented the booming future of India. Smart young people getting married, moving abroad and working hard but still holding on to their distinctively Indian heritage. An Indian can never forget India they always say. Its Bharat. The motherland.

The wedding reception was amazing. Vegetarian yes, but it was really tasty. And these men in white sarongs/dhotis keep traversing up and down the aisles making sure your plate is never empty. Then a family member of the couple will make his rounds, asking each guest individually if you're satisfied and if you need anything. Simple Indian efficiency at its best!

The wedding was an experience in itself. It was great to see Ashok Leyland colleagues out of uniform and as usual, i regretted overeating. After some handshakes and photographs, we took our leave. Catch it live at www.flickr.com/photos/dinkumadventures

Life Lesson VII

2007-06-25T01:04:00.000+08:00

One guru tells another, "Always say things that cannot be checked." "Why?" asks the second guru. "Because," replies the first guru, "if you say 'Mars is peopled by millions of undiscernible beings, and I have met them,' people will not dispute it. But if you say, 'It is a nice day today,' some fool will always reply, 'But not as nice as it was yesterday'. And if you put up a sign saying WET PAINT, who will take you at your word? You can tell how few by the number of finger marks the doubters leave on it."

2007-06-24T22:20:00.001+08:00

Today I saw a boy peeing into the wind.
:)

For Karma's sake

2007-06-20T20:07:00.000+08:00

I stepped onto the road feeling dazed. Unsure of what just happened. My face felt numb and all I wanted to do was lie down. The experience was surreal, bordering on weird. The moment he told me to remove my shirt I knew I was not prepared for this. All I wanted was some pampering after a hard week.
I had made an appointment for a Varnyam assuming that it was simply an ayurvedic (indian holistic & herbal) facial. What I didnt know was that traditional ayurveda treatments have nothing in common with their western counterparts. This was more of an hour long face massage than any facial.
A multitude of oils were used, each slowly massaged into the pores. I know understood why I had to remove my shirt, but lying down on a hard traditional wooden plank while he kneaded my face made me more tensed than relaxed. The oils really reminded me more of my grandmothers kitchen than a beauty salon. I was half wanting to stick out my toungue. But instead I just squeezed my eyes tight as he tuned my chakra (life force) and reestablished balance to my karma.
Whatever it is, there were actual results! After the redness faded away, my skin felt really smooth and i had regained my colour! I looked just like the very day I landed in Chennai. So I think, for the sake of my karma, I will have to go again for a follow up facial treatment. ;)

Face it

2007-06-19T20:40:00.000+08:00

Tell me now, when something unfortunate happens, how would you react?

"F**k, Why did it have to happen to me nooooooooowwwwww!"
or
"S**t.... Woaw, thank god it happened only now!"

Allow me to let you in on a little secret. The reality is that
Life, is fair.

The Rhythm of India

2007-06-15T20:58:00.002+08:00

As I sit in the company bus, on the ride home I stare out into the vastness of the Indian sea. As the bus travels along the coastal route and the wind embraces me, I plug into my headphones and withraw from reality. I drown out the aggressive horning of the trucks and busses with melodious hindi songs, for english songs simply dont do India justice. As I stare out the window and see the fishermen hauling their boats onto the beach, I close my eyes and immerse myself in the rhythm of India.

I hear the music pulsating as the bus comes alive. One man gets up from his seat at the front of the bus and starts dancing along the aisle. He moves towards the rear, encouraging the rest to join in. The rhythm is catchy and a few more men get up and start dancing behind him, thrusting their arms in the air. They move in synchronous harmony, all dance steps well choreographed. I get caught up in the moment and find myself grooving with them on the aisle floor as the rest of the bus passengers wave their hands and whistle. Its just like a scene out of a bollywood movie.

As the bus goes over another hump, I feel myself thrown slightly off my seat. I open my eyes to a bus of sleepy men. Men facing downwards in uniformity. Men whose heads sway gently from left to right. Left to right. Unconsciously they sway. The rhythm remains...

Images of Bangalore

2007-06-13T01:14:00.001+08:00

Catch live pictures of the amazing adventures of Dinkum at www.flickr.com/photos/dinkumadventures

The Ugly

2007-06-10T22:02:00.002+08:00

I stood outside the auto with the driver. He said his auto couldnt cross over the state border and travel the 40km from Bangalore to Hosur, where Im staying in the company resort. As we stood in the night, facing a mosque, he told me that he wouldnt cheat me for he was an imandari man. Im not one to trust any man, but I had little choice. So I paid him to act as my hitch-hiking agent. He would stop a private tour bus which was going east and bribe the driver to stop us at Mookandapali, Hosur. As I sat in the auto with Stanley, I said a prayer for all we wanted was to reach the comfort of the resort in safety.

The driver came running and told us to hurry, there was a bus with empty seats! In a rush, I stuffed the money in his hand and we boarded the bus. In borken hindi, I ensured thrice that the bus was going to drop us at our desired location. We got great semi-sleeper seats and enjoyed the journey in comfort. I continued with another silent prayer. Soon enough, the bus boy ushered us and told us our stop was approaching. Again I mentioned our intended stop, only hoping that the driver would understand and not con us. As we alighted, we were surrounded by darkness. We were on the middle of a highway, lit only by the oncoming headlights. We didnt know if this was indeed Mookandapli or even Hosur.

With a deep breath, i pointed to the left and told Stanley, we'd walk this way... into the nothingness of the night. As we walked a few metres forward, I heard the wind carry a slight whisper "Dude" in the night. I stopped and looked back, hoping it was not a trick of the mountain spirits. A portly figure appeared shrouded in darkness and as it approached us, I couldnt hold back my joy. It was a fellow Ashok Leyland trainee Sudeep. I put my hand over his shoulder and told expressed how glad I was to see him.

The Bad

2007-06-10T22:02:00.001+08:00

As we walked out of Tipu Sultan palace, we stopped at the junction to flag down an Auto. Suddenly I saw this public bus zoom by, and a teenage boy fell from the door way and landed on the road, the momentum causing his body to slide quite a distance! Without a though, I ran in the middle of the road to his side and he was in shock, his eyes glazed over. I thought of moving him but was afraid he might have broken some bones. Another man came over and stood over him. I tried to talk to the boy but he was still reeling from the shock and was dumbfounded. Me and the man then slowly turned him over and shouted for others to help carry him. Four of us lifted the youth off the road and onto the pavement. As I lifted him, he grabbed my arm tight and I guess he regained conciousness. A policeman came over to him and we left the boy in his care. Thank god the traffic had stopped when the boy was sprawled flat on the road.

The Good

2007-06-10T21:32:00.000+08:00

Bangalore seals the deal. The weather is simply terrific and the people are gorgeous! It is the total opposite of Chennai. Here, every step I take, Im greeted by a lovely modern indian girl. Fair and in shades. Wow! Girls from all over India are here in Bangalore and what variety... kia maast! They throng the upscale streets and the only way you can escape their eyes is by staring at the ground! Im in love with india all over again.

Cool Bangalore

2007-06-08T20:41:00.000+08:00

I stepped down from the bus groggy. It was 4am and I was shivering. I felt confused for a second, my mind not registering that I was in India. The same India that only 5 hours ago was a swelteringly hot 40 degrees. We walked in darkness towards nothingness. I was still only half conscious and my teeth were chattering from the cold wind on my face. We got into an auto rickshaw and zipped off towards Ashok Leyland Management Development Centre in Hosur, neighbouring Bangalore.

I must say, the journey to Bangalore was blessed. Every step along the way, there was someone looking after my affairs, just like I mentioned earlier, someone holding my hand, guiding me, never leaving me alone.

The Management Development Centre (MDC) feels like a holiday resort. Large private rooms, well manicured gardens, gym facilities as well as a library and Internet access. I met with Brigadier Bhoon and Major Swamy, retired Indian army personnel who run this campus for Leyland. Amazingly friendly people who made me feel like a VIP. Yet again, Im surrounded in the MDC by a group of guys I befriended in RK Mansion. Coincidentally, they re here on a seperate marketing course for MBA trainees and they've volunteered to show me around Bangalore over the weekend.

The weather here is terrific! The suns seems to have been rendered impotent. Its shining so brightly, but you don't perspire. Its weird really, like a force field of cool wind engulfs you and doesn't allow the suns heat to bother you. Im just going to cherish my weekend in Bangalore and start on some real shopping! Souvenirs anyone?

Somewhere between Tirumalai and Mandaveli

2007-06-05T21:25:00.000+08:00

The train stopped one stop before Mandaveli, where we were supposed to alight. So we decided to walk the remaining distance back to RK Mansion. We conceived that the shortest path would be to walk along the overhead railway line and follow it to the next station.

As we adventured deeper along the path, the landscape began to change as buildings become shorter and concrete become wood which became straw. I had a feeling we were walking into a dead end and told Stanley to brace himself. We encountered emaciated cows and humans straddling the roadside. It was a true indian slum. Naked little boys running around and girls carrying water pots on their head. It was a scene totally different from the city, and yet we were right smack in the city.

I quickened my pace for a sense of uneasiness overcame me. Suddenly a funeral procession turned onto the road and trailed us from behind. I was trying my best to walk fast and draw as little attention to myself as possible but the funeral procession was like a parade and here I was at its helm. The priests blew horns and jingled bells, drawing the people out of their huts. It felt like it was my funeral. Eerie. All the villagers eyes focused on me as if I was a ghost. i quickened my pace even more, not even turning back to look if Stanley was following my lead. I saw a lean man lying across the road, flies all over him. I dare not even ponder if he was breathing. Dogs came close but thankfully the people didnt approach me. I kept my eye on the railway tracks above and breathed a sigh of relief when I caught a glimpse of the Mandaveli station. I saw Stanleys figure from the corner of my eye and continued onward.

Almost suddenly, the sound of horning and traffic shattered the silence and I felt like I had woken up from a dream.

Sathyam Cineplex

2007-06-04T22:53:00.000+08:00

I thought of wearing my new cowboy hat to the cinema today but i realised it didnt have anything to do with pirates.

We got Elite tickets to an afternoon showing of Pirates 3. The cinema hall was huge. Imagine two storeys huge! So, we had excellent seats on the balcony which cost us just $4. The seats were large and of plush synthetic leather. I guess with the movies being India's national pass time, its not hard to imagine lavish cineplexs that put even GV Vivo to shame.

And the loo.. my gosh. There were like 30 urinals and each one had its own little LCD screen. I always believe you can get a feel of the place just by looking at the restroom. So with a loo like that, you bet the interior decor was impressive all over this stand alone multiplex.

The Indian movie experience is by its own a cultural immersion. These people know how to have fun! When Capt Jack Sparrow came on screen, the cinema went wild with wolf whistles and screams. It was more like watching a live performance. Whenever the suave Captain won a battle or landed upright on a mast, after swinging all over the place, the crowd would go wild with cheers and shouts! I just had to join in! (not the whistling though) I must say Singapore theatres are too quiet.

Then during the intermission there was a trailer for an upcoming Rajnikanth movie. Oh my god! The people went beserk. The whole cinema was in ecstasy. Rajnikanth is south indias largest superstar and Indias best paid actor. People here worship him, and i mean literally. There are actually temples dedicated to this 'idol'. Brings a whole new meaning to Indian Idol doesnt it? They refer to him as the Superstar and he is like a god to these people. Anything he says is like a 'fatwa' and thank god he hasnt entered politics. You dont want to be caught dead uttering even the slightest degradatory term about the Superstar or be ready to be pelted down my rocks.

Simply put, Movies are to Indians what Food is to Singaporeans.

Photo Story

2007-06-03T21:15:00.001+08:00

We had an amazing company sponsored excursion to Mahabalipuram, on the outskirts of Chennai. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

www.flickr.com/photos/dinkumadventures

Cheque please

2007-06-02T23:03:00.000+08:00

It´s all about the money
I´s all about the dum dum.......
And I don´t think It´s funny
to see us fade away
It´s all about the money
It´s all about the
I think we got it all wrong, anyway

I got my first paycheck and couldnt stop humming this tune all day.

Yesterday set in Quotes

2007-06-01T23:13:00.000+08:00

"Sir, train is coming 1259 only"
at Parktown station. Time: 1150am!

"WHAT IS THE METER FOR! WHAT IS THIS METER FOR"
at Nundanam junction, heated argument with another auto rickshaw driver.

"Hi Sir! Remember me? We met at the airpot. I worked at customs... My wife is in the hospital for... Im short of Rp400 Sir... My paycheck will come at the end of the month"
stranger on the road who was awfully friendly, but with an ulterior motive.

"Is it normal for the guys to ignore the girl in India?"
at the HR briefing for all summer interns. Suchi Sen was the lone girl among 20 odd guys.

"If I take one sip of alcohol, I will loose my magical powers. I wont be able to tell the future or fly"
as the guys continue to tease me on my abstinence.

"Ar're f***ker, youre not even drinking and youre the first one to get drunk"
Shwet laughing as I carelessly dropped chips into my coke.

"Look man, Im high as it is on coke. One beer and I'll be dancing on the rooftop"
after six cokes and a major sugar rush.

"I love this guy yaar, I really love this guy. Im really gonna miss him man"
Shwet and Uttam embrace in their drunken stupor. A barrel of laughs!

"Dinner is on me, just shut-tup and eat"
at Zara, our final stop for the night.

School of thought

2007-05-30T14:47:00.000+08:00

You say Cant. I say Maybe.
You imply No, I contend possibility.
For those who wish to see me trip,
We shall let fate decide whois weak.

The Indian Railway

2007-05-29T01:22:00.000+08:00

3 tickets and 15 rupees later we were standing at the platform waiting for the 215 train. We looked at the other people on the platform and Shwet pointed out that probably no one else had a ticket. So I suggested rather smart-ass-ly that we should pose as Ticket Inspectors and extort a Rp100 fine from each of them. Shwet laughed as he retorted in a disturbingly matter-of-fact manner that they would very much not pay and if we threatened them with a jail sentence they would jump at the chance of free food and lodging!

I must admit, I adore the Indian railway! I stood at the door's end and let half my torso hang outside. The wind howled pass with such gusto it was hard for me to even smile. It was an experience unlike any other. You feel liberated as air rushes into your clothes and washes over your skin. Indeed, it was a welcome respite from the heat on the ground.

As the train came to a stop at an intermediate station, Stanley poked me and pointed to a threesome on the platform across us waving at us? I looked around and realised indeed, they were wacing at us! Maybe theyve never seen a weirdo in Raybans and a chinese hanging out of an indian train carriage before. So I looked at Stanley and I looked at them, and what the heck, I waved at them too as the train departed from the station. They smiled ecstaticly but too bad they didnt start running after the train like in some bollywood flick.

When we 'jumped' off the train at our stop, Shwet warned us to never enter the carriages with stripes for they were meant for ladies only. I asked what if I 'accidentally' jumped into one?
"Oh the women would all crowd around you and start slapping you. Then they will hand you over to the police".

I swear, Im more afraid of Indian women in sarees than burly rickshaw drivers.

Manja

2007-05-28T12:23:00.000+08:00

It was a day of pampering. A soothing massage eased away the tension which has compounded after three weeks of bus rides in India. I reiterate, the bus drivers here have no use for brakes, not even on humps! Anyway Pavin, my masseur hails from Sikhim, a town bordering China. Initially I had reservations of this small looking man but boy did he work his magic. Following which a lovely steam bath did wonders. All this sun and pollution cant be good for the skin, so I reckon some steam ought to remedy the situation. The day ended off with a light italian dinner in a bistro playing my favourite bollywood songs on MTV India. This has certainly given me a taste for being pampered and I think I might just be hooked. Thats why I love developing asian countries. You get the best high end service for a fraction of the cost!

Photo Upload IV

2007-05-27T17:21:00.000+08:00

Catch live pictures of the amazing adventures of Dinkum at www.flickr.com/photos/dinkumadventures

Sneak preview

2007-05-26T18:05:00.000+08:00

"So Mr Mittal, whats our plan of action today", I asked with a cheery disposition. "Err, you continue doing your thing, please yaar". Mr Mittal always gives the impression that he is uber-busy so Im used to it, but I made sure I flashed a wide smile and reassured him "No problem Sir, catch you later".

I was quite disgruntled today as my planned visit to the Ambattur Plant was cancelled by the finance department and i could not continue with my investigations, as such my project came to a standstill. Thus, I approached Mr Mittal enquiring if there was any further data to analyse. Little did he know, he had just handed me a golden ticket.

When I was told my visit was cancelled, immediately my mind entertained the idea of leaving the office early... after all its a Saturday! So, Mr Mittal confirmed that I had nothing new to handle today and when I went to see Mr Veeramani, (the divisional manager who is also my mentor) I found out he was away at Bangalore on business! I jokingly complained to his secretary that he should have taken me, but in reality, my mind started ticking furiously. I had to plan my escape.

I walked into the conference room (our makeshift office) and announced my decision to leave early. I was going to take the train and no one was going to know. Immediately I saw that I got the attention of some sleepy interns and soon we were abuzz with chatter. The plan was down and Shwet and I would simply walk out of the plant at 1pm. We had to ensure we didnt bump into any of the other managers. Stanley was content sleeping on the office couch so he wasnt too thrilled about the idea of riding in the hot sun home.

The clock struck 1250pm and we began our descent from the office floor. Hiding behind pillars and trees, we stealthfully made our way to the gate and held our breadth. The security officer didnt look our way and we confidently walked out of there like we owned the plant, noses in the air and eyes staring straight forward. As I saw the railway tracks, I felt a sense of excitement, I walked on the tracks just to see how it felt like as in the movies!

Deception? You decide.

2007-05-25T20:18:00.000+08:00

Its difficult for most to believe that someone can be so optimistic all the time. Its like im standing on a balcony and people are shouting from below that I should take off my rosy specs and throw them away! Well, I had an interesting conversation with Sufian who tickled me funny with what he thought was actually going on.
What actually happened:
"Today i woke up with a cockroach crawling into my mouth, I ate my stale breakfast which I cooked last night, because the landlord doesnt allow electricity in the morning. The bus I traveled on was full of people, packed to the brim, stinking of BO. At work today i got fired and my supervisor spat in my face... 3 times.... "
What I blog:
"Today I woke up with the Sun shining in the My spacious room and my roomate cooking a hot breakfast for me in bed!!. A limosine picked me up with an entourage of beautiful indian actresses, My Boss gave me a promotion as i walked into the door, and gave me the rest of the day Off! I decided to prance around in the park and watch the stunning sunset "

>>Inspired by Sufian Chaudhry.

Madras Landing

2007-05-24T21:15:00.000+08:00

My father landed in Madras yesterday for a sojourn. He brought with him an amazing change in weather (and a huge bag of chocolates). For upon his arrival the sun hid behind the clouds like a timid mouse and the wind carried forth a strong breeze from the sea. I remarked in awe and envy at how my dad would not be able to taste the heat of chennai. Nonetheless we basked in each others company and it invariably left me filled with a sense of joy which was apparent to all around me, for a silly smile was plastered on my face all evening.

The Confrontation

2007-05-23T21:20:00.000+08:00

I caught an auto in the mid day sun and after haggling, we agreed on Rp40 to my destination. Problem was we both werent sure of my destination.. Courtyard Marriot Hotel. All I knew was that it was around the junction of Anna Salai and Eldams Road.

Once we reached the junction, I went with my gut instinct and told the driver to turn right. I usually have a very accurate 'sense' of direction. And as I like to say, I never get lost... I sometimes just take a detour.

Well, after turning right, I knew we were on the correct path and the hotel was just down the road. However the driver stopped the Auto and demanded for Rp40. His rationale? We had reached the junction of Anna Salai and Eldams and he wasnt going any further. I reiterated "Courtyard Hotel, straight". He insisted Rp50. Weirdly, I had already seen this in my minds eye and pre-empted it. I had heard of such hooligan drivers who hassle their passengers and we were all set for a stand-off. Newspapers here even reported about how the traffic police sided these drivers when passengers complain. So here we were, a burly driver staring at me angrily demanding more money.

My dad always says, "When in a confrontation Rizwan, stare at the man and stare deep into his eyes. For eventually he will have to look away for he realises what you stand for". So there I was, I could sense the tension and hostility. He stared at me, his mouth twisted and his eyes fixed on mine. He was leaning out of his seat as he tried to intimidate me. I looked at this 'small' man who was trying to ruffle me. I looked staright into his eyes. I saw the white of his eyes. I looked deeper, I saw the brown of his eyes, And I stared even more intently till I reached the blackness within his eyes. I didnt show any sign of aggresion nor anger. But I looked straight into his eyes, into his soul and told him simply "Courtyard Hotel, Straight, 40 rupees". He stared back with anger once more. I held my gaze and reiterated once more and then again once more.

He must have then realised it was not a battle he was going to win and he simply turned back, faced forward and continued driving. I slumped back in my seat and breathed heavily.

As we approached the final destination, I tapped him to stop and gave him Rp50, expecting my change. He nonchalantly stared infront. I tapped him again asking for my change. Then I told him to return me my Rp50 and I will give him Rp40. I was surprised that he actually returned it. Unfortunately I only had Rp30 in small change and told him so. Then I told him to wait as I would go find change. His facial expression changed and he cursed in tamil under his breath. He took out Rp10 and I stuffed the Rp50 into his hand.

I walked into the immaculate lobby of the Courtyard Hotel and let the aircon cool me down, both literally and figuratively speaking.

Singapore Vs India

2007-05-22T01:09:00.001+08:00

In Singapore you can kiss in public but not piss in public. No reward for guessing what happens in India.

Photo Upload III

2007-05-22T00:44:00.001+08:00

Catch live pictures of the amazing adventures of Dinkum at www.flickr.com/photos/dinkumadventures

Around RK Mansion

2007-05-20T22:55:00.000+08:00

As time unravels the mysteries of the RK Mansion, Ive discovered that we live in quite a posh district. With celebrities for neighbours. Just down the road is the house of a famous actor Kamala Hassan, and Mr Gopi also informed me that another tamil celebrity shops at the minimart in our building. Well, I can only hope to get the chance to chat with her, altough Mr Gopi laughed that idea off since she's always with an entourage.

As we walked back to RK Mansion after another colourful day at work, we stopped by some two spas. Oryza looked real posh and the as we stepped into the Rejuvination Spa, a sense of serenity filled us... with calm music and tantilizing scents... it was lovely. They have interesting packages catered for both men and women. From hair grooming to facials and massages. Im so tempted to pamper myself, coz god knows how hard ive been working ;)

The Mansion is becoming friendlier by the week. Ive got to know more neighbours as well as the names of more staff... Eventually it all culminated last night in an interesting conundrum. I have a bad habit of cheerfully ending off a meeting with a new neighbour in the Mansion with four simple words "lets do dinner sometime". Well unknown to me, I had unwittingly made dinner plans with 3 different people all on the same night. And thats a story for another time.

T.I.I

2007-05-19T23:08:00.000+08:00

Its been a trying three days culminating in me having to raise my voice more than once over the phone. Ive been trying to secure a direct internet connection to my room and a series of unfortunate events has been hampering its progress. Unfortunately today I had to be very aggresive over the phone to Mr Suresh, the engineer assigned to set up my connection. Im all for being charming and polite to everyone but sometimes there is a need to be persuasive and aggresive. I think I might have shown Stanley and Sameer (my new neighbour) a new side of me.

After hanging up on Mr Suresh, Stanley reminded me "T.I.I". I smiled and agreed "This is India". We've learnt to accept the circumstances we cant change and we've garned some wisdom to differentiate between those which we can. Anyway after personally going down to Hathway office (which is a 5min ride away) and emphasizing my sorry state of affairs to a senior officer, it was arranged for Mr Suresh to head down to my room again to resolve the matter.

Mr Suresh arrived not looking to pleased, but I put on a 'smile' and allowed him to get to work. Naturally I wanted to mend any rift as I believe people are always more helpful when they like you ;) So I initiated some small talk and soon we were chatting about Singapore and Chennai and the horrible weather. While we waited for settings to load and such, I complimented Suresh on his good command of english and we joked about my horrendous Tamil, all over some cold drinks I had bought earlier. Well to cut a long story short, by the time the connection was up and running, Suresh told me to call him anytime I needed assistance and was glad to be of service.

All in all, Im just thankful we finally have our own personal internet connection. I guess there needs to be a good mix of agressiveness and charm to persuade people to do what you want.

A wish

2007-05-17T23:23:00.000+08:00

For those who do not know this story it is about footsteps in the sand. A man has a dream in which he is walking across the seashore with his god next to him. He sees his and his lords footprints in the sand and the scene flashing across the sky from his life. During his most hardship times in his life, he only sees one set of footprints, which makes him question the Lord. He says, Lord I thought that once I have faith and believe you, you would never leave me but I see during the most hardship times I only see one set of foot prints. The lord said my child I love you and will never leave you the prints you see in the sand are mine it is I who carried you.

Well I know God's probably reading this blog too, so Thank you God! Thank you for walking through Chennai with me and giving me the strength to remain optimistic. Thank you for the pair of rosy shades which only allow me to see the good in every situation. I shant go into detail but events surrounding me have made me reflect and filled me with immense gratitude.

Think Big

2007-05-15T21:46:00.001+08:00

After the presentation on CSR (corporate social responsibility)...

Rizwan: Sir, I would love to volunteer my time if you have any CSR activities lined up in the near future.
Mr Justin: No!
(Im not used to hearing that word, No)
Rizwan: But why?!
Justin: Youre too small.
Rizwan: Sir, it is not the stature of a man, but the size of his heart that matters.
Justin: You and your big words...

Tongue rolling

2007-05-15T21:14:00.000+08:00

We were seated in the tantilisingly cold lecture hall waiting for a presentation today. So all us 6 interns sat at the back as the programme was actually meant for new management trainees and we were simple gate crashing.

So, candidly chatting away, I told the guys a secret. I cant whistle. Ok wait, rewind...

We were talking about the weekend at the mall and if we had seen any pretty faces. Uttam was explaining how he stared at this girl for half an hour while she tried on different shades of lipstick. I didnt understand how he could so blatantly stare at someone for so long and get away with it. Wasnt it rude? Then the guys told me I was in dire need of a cultural lesson. And they promised to impart their skills over a 2hour crash course this week, so that I may practise staring next weekend. But I made it very clear, If I get slapped over the weekend, there will be hell to pay!

Photo Upload II

2007-05-14T21:04:00.000+08:00

Catch live pictures of the amazing adventures of Dinkum at www.flickr.com/photos/dinkumadventures

Its my life and I'll blog if I want to

2007-05-13T20:21:00.000+08:00

After 1 week with Ashok Leyland, I think Ive settled down into a comfortable routine. Some naysayers believe that life should never be routine but I think Im most effecient when im rolling on a healthy routine. Well, heres a glimpse into a normal work day:

530am: Wake up, wash up and prep up.
610am: Leave RK Mansion for the bus stop, its as bright as 9am in Singapore.
625am: Reach the bus stand and smile at strangers
630am: Board company bus and sit by the window, take out The Hindu and read it
730am: Reach Ashok Leyland and proceed for breakfast
745am: Reach office and greet all my fellow interns
8am: Read an e-book. Right now Im reading about the art of speaking.
9am: Find my mentor and bug him, He says he will be with me later and never appears
9am: Have nice hot tea and settle down to work or play around
1130am: Proceed for lunch with the guys
12noon: Cross the road into the lunch hour bazaar that comes to life everyday. Buy a packet of yummy hot peanuts wrapped in newspaper.
1pm: Bug my mentor again and try to get some work done
2pm: Tea time again, this time with a snack, followed by more chatter and hopefully work
4pm: Pack up and head off for the company bus-stand
530pm: Reach RK Mansion after a 15min humid walk in the evening sun.
6pm: Have a chat with Mr Gopi and head off to the Internet Cafe
7pm: Walk back to RK Mansion and sit around the living hall, either reading the papers, watch cable TV or chat up someone for the day. Yesterday I had a lively political talk with a lecturer also staying in the Mansion.
8pm: Dinner time. Stanley and I have decided that we'd eat in 3 times and eat out 3 times a week. Mondays are considered off days.
83opm: Shower and talk on the phone.
830pm: Watch Mr Bean, Just for Laughs and Takeshis Castle on TV every weeknight
10pm: Fall asleep :)

Mercury Rising

2007-05-11T21:51:00.000+08:00

We actually did some work today. Stanley and I began the day by collecting relevant data and attempting to map out all the vendors in greater Chennai. I also had a lively debate with Mr Wesley, a manager at Strategic Sourcing. We were arguing about the perception of Quality and he gave me some interesting insights to how brand image is intertwined with quality perceptions.

Meanwhile, talking to the other MBA interns brought back memories from NS. They were talking about skiving from work and boy, I was such a professional at the dissapearing act during the army days! Well, I reckon with abit of sweet talking and smart thinking, we're planning to travel west to Banglore at the end of this month and spend around 2 days there. And perhaps later on, Stanley and I are planning to visit Uti, a nice lil hill station with cooler weather. At Ashok Leyland, Sunday and Monday are supposed holidays but everyone comes back to work on Sunday. So Sunday has kinda become a normal work day again all thanks to the rat race. However, I reckon, we can weasel out of a few Sundays here and there and do abit of travelling out of Chennai. At 42.7degrees and with the mercury set only to rise, I desperately want to escape from Chennai!

Towel Thambi

2007-05-11T21:48:00.000+08:00

Imran would love Chennai. Everyone here carries a lil towel around. Its a must have! Its the only relief to the profuse pespiration. Im gonna get myself 6 baby towels to help me through the week. However dear Imran, no one slings the towel over their neck and goes to work. Its always neatly tucked away in a pocket.

Lights out

2007-05-10T20:41:00.000+08:00

Lets be honest. I was waiting for it. I was waiting for my first Indian black out. And last night it visited me in a cloack of darkness. Just as I was about to fall asleep, it came. Initially I was surprised, and took a deep breath. But I was prepared for its arrival. Calmly with a torchlight in hand, Stanley and I made our way to the main lobby, only to find no one else bothered. Life was going on as per normal. A huge contrast to when the mains would trip in Singapore and Aisha would scream so loud, Nadia would tell me about it the next day. Here, no one seemed to bother. So we left the building and realised that the whole district was plunged in darkness. We just sat down and calmly waited for its departure and true enough 15 minutes later, the 'ordeal' had ended. Not terribly exciting, just another day in India.

Chennai Express

2007-05-09T21:01:00.000+08:00

6am in the morning, falling asleep on the company bus:

" Where are you from?"
"Singapore, National University. Im here for a 2 month internship. Have you been to Singapore?"
" No, Ive not but Ive heard alot about Singapore!"
" Really? Like...?"
" Its a very clean city and the punishment is very harsh. Very harsh!"
" Yes thats true, you cannot run from the police"
" Ya, I hear If they catch you throwing rubbish, they stone you to death!"

Photo upload

2007-05-08T21:21:00.000+08:00

Catch live pictures of the amazing adventures of Dinkum at www.flickr.com/photos/dinkumadventures

Ten things Im grateful for Today

2007-05-08T21:09:00.000+08:00

1. Hot water for a soothing morning shower at 5am

2. Lovely new work wear in brown with brown seude shoes.

3. Friendly HR Manager at Ennore; Mr. Justin whom we had fun talking to for 2 hours.

4. My army experience which seems to again leave me with invaluable wisdom in handling logistics systems. The knowledge is so applicable to supply chain management.

5. My double degree in NUS and how it complements what I love doing: Management Consulting. When the Manager of Strategic sourcing interviewed me and asked me what Ive learnt thus far, he found my experience in NUS highly relevant and had no issues allowing me to blend management with engineering know how.

6. An interesting internship project dealing with the supply of Steel from nationwide plants to Ashok's vendors. It means I'll be travelling around and observing how different steel mills operate and come up with recommendations.

7. Everyone works in a huge hall in tiny cubicles under numerous fans. You cant escape the humidity. But by the blessings of above, we got a large office with windows and aircon! I would not trade that aircon for anything. All thanks to the "coincidence" that a manager is out of town.

8. We get our own computer terminal equipped with internet but it also comes with a host of rules of dos and donts.

9. Shwet Sindha. An MBA student also working on a seperate project. Shwet was seated in the same empty office we'll be sharing. He has travelled India extensively and has offered to help us plan our 10 day tour of India! He is also provides a wealth of knowledge on anything India. Its a joy conversing with him.

10. Im just grateful that at the end of the day Ive been given something to be grateful for. I shall always remain optimistic for complaining is of no use in the land of the burning sun. And before I sleep every night, I will remind myself, Im being well looked after.

Walk the walk, Talk the talk

2007-05-07T21:01:00.002+08:00

Its stated that chaos is the most natural state a system would reside in. Its in equilibrium when its in chaos. Just like your room, you clean it up but eventually it slips into a mess again. You cant avoid it. Indians know this best so they just dont seem to bother. Chaos works well here, everything seems chaotically organised. And in a system where there is no organisation, where there is no system, most Singaporeans would just fall flat on their face. I mean look at it this way, there is no one you can complain too! You dont like what you get? Tough! Call the police? What police?

To live in a society whose foundation is built on chaos, there is only one resolve. Talk, Charm and Feel. The people are the blood in the veins of this pumping city. You want something done? You need people to do it for you. You want something done even better? You need the person to like you.

Today Mr Suresh from corporate HR arranged for accomodation at RK Mansion for us for the remaining 2 months. We are supposed to pay 400Rp each per night and Stanley and myself thought this was way over our budget. So once we reached RK, I went on the charm offensive.

Mr Gopi spoke good english and looked like a friendly man. So we talked to him about our predicament. I explained how we were only earning Rp10000 a month and couldnt afford the rates. The only reason we accpeted to come here was because we needed to familiarize ourself with the company bus routes. So after a few rounds of chatting, talking about Singapore, about our first weekend in Chennai, asking about his wife and kids, and just engaging in small talk, Mr Gopi said he would call his boss and try to arrange something for us.

However in the meantime, a hostile Mr Suresh called my mobile and asked why I demanded Rp250. I was taken aback and calmly explained to Mr Suresh that it was more of a suggestion than a demand and that Mr Gopi had graciously accepted to help us source for accomodation. I assured Mr Suresh I woulld keep him in the loop and that was that.

Eventually our efforts paid off and Mr Gopi was pleased to inform us that his boss has agreed to a discounted rate of Rp250 per night in the same room. It was a relief and I took Mr Gopi's hand expressing my heartfelt gratitude and praise for his arguing our case.

However the search is far from over. Stanley and I have decided we dont really like this area of Chennai, and so we're sourcing for more lively accomodation. In the meantime, we'll spend 3 or 4 days here with Mr Gopi and get to know him better ;)

Muhammad from Malabar

2007-05-06T23:58:00.000+08:00

As I stepped out of the hotel, the security guard promptly stood up. We exchanged smiles and I continued on to Malabar Muslim Association. I stopped infront of the gate to read a plaque which made me feel right at home. So I went in wandering if there was perhaps a mosque in the compound. And I came across a lanky young indian guy who welcomed me and we began to chat. He brought me into the mosque to look at the prayer times and theres something about a place of worship which always brings serenity.

At 625pm, I heard the welcoming call to prayer from my hotel room and left Stanley to sleep as I crept out. As I walked out of the hotel again, the guard stood up and I saluted him. He merrily acknowledged me. Its warming to see people from all over making their way to the mosque to heed the call. On the way out after prayer, the young man was waiting for me at the gate. He introduced himself as Muhammad and we continued our exchange. Muhammad introduced Hafidz to me who was interested in coming to work in Singapore. I told Muhammad about my plight as I needed to locate cheaper accomodation and he agreed that the hotel was robbing me in broad daylight. We wanted to exchange phone numbers so I ran up to my room to grab my handphone.

Now, this time as the security guard stood up again to greet me as I left the hotel, I went up to him, put my hand on his arm and asked him why he stood up everytime he saw me. He said it was his job. I implored him not to stand, he could continue sitting and he just laughed it off. So I continued on to Muhammad and Hafidz and we exchanged contact details. Then Muhammad took me for a stroll along Kenneth Lane to look at other hostels and restaurants. As we walked I realised Muhammad had a limp but that didnt seem to affect him and we continued chatting. Its invigorating to talk with a total stranger and connect with him. Muhammad told me that unfortunately he would be returning to Kerala tomorrow and was sorry we might not meet again. I thanked him for showing me the sights and introducing me to the area and we parted with a hand shake.

Later that night as Stanley and I walked back from the Malabari Restaurant which Muhammad showed me, and I told him all about the people I had met and how it would be sad to leave Kenneth Lane when we check out come Monday.

Dont try to change India, Let India change you

2007-05-06T17:32:00.000+08:00

I was expecting quite a noisy wake up today morning as its India, and isnt India all about the hustle and bustle? However we slept in till 10am easily. We had to get our prepaid cards so off we went to the nearest shopping complex.

Indian experience no1: Bargaining with the auto rickshaw driver. Our conceirge told us to expect to pay 20Rps for a ride and so off we went. First guys Rp50. We walked away. Second guy Rp40, I reiterated Rp20, he said come on its a sunday, Rp30. Ok fine.. Rp30. I sense that when you talk to people and you hold them, you get the message across better. A pat on the back or such, works well.

The rickshaw ride was great. Its a great way to travel. Fast and cheap with the wind in your hair, plus you get a good look around town. Anyway, my first meal in India was... "Cantonese noodles" Great huh? LoL. Im gonna be eating Indian veegtarian everyday in the company for the next 8 weeks so I reckon, might as well go Chinese in India. We took ou first stroll along Chennai in the blazing Indian sun and it was madness. It really saps away your energy and your spirit but finally we found Satyam Complex.. a mega cineplex. I thought why not catch Spiderman3 (in english), but alas.. looked like the 6 other million chennai residents thought the same. So we just made an about turn and headed back.

This time knowing that the auto ride was gonna cost Rp30, we started our hunt for another bargain ride. This Indian gentlemen, offered Rp50...
"My friend, I came here for Rp30, Im not paying Rp50."
"Boss, go back must make big turn, longer"
"I said ok, bye"
So he agreed to Rp30 and we sat in the rickshaw then he started some hanky panky. He hadnt started the auto yet but turned back and spoke to us. He said I take you for Rp30 but we make 2 stops at shops, you just go inside and see for awhile. I was growing impatient and looked at Stanley. Ok fine, we said we will only look. (I knew this bum was gunning for a commission) But I told him straight on.. "Im not buying anything, only going to look see for 5mins" He was insinuating we should be more interested. Unfortunately, I dont have much patience under the India Sun.

So I just got out and we walked a few steps down to find another driver who agreed to Rp30. When we returned to Hotel Pandian, I realised, gosh, we're staying right opposite Malabar Muslim Assoiation. (Some people will understand). Anyway we decided to spend the rest of our evening online at the internet cafe.

Our first day in India wasnt bad really. Besides the scorching sun (I must remember my sunblock), it was quite an experience. We'll soon retire for dinner and some DVDs to kill the night. Tomorrow we visit Ashok Leyland HQ.

Touchdown

2007-05-06T17:19:00.000+08:00

Sitting in the airplane with an apple juice in hand, staring down at the indian subcontinent, i felt a sense of spiritual centering. Like Ive come back to the heartland. Ive all these images of gorgeous India in my mind nurtured by years of bollywood and I couldnt wait to touch down.

However the moment I stepped out of the airport, india impaled me, right through the heart. It was a mad rush. People shouting, vehicles horning, the smells, it all simply cant be described. But with optimism within, we took our first steps forward. We sat in a yellow top ambassador taxi, an experience in itself. No where else in the world can you find an ambassador.

I recall reading that Chennai had an amusement park, but trust me, the roads are a thrill ride in itself. They dont use brakes at all, instead they horn. Horn for no rhyme or reason, Horn to add to the rhythm of the nation. After a while, you just gotta sit back, put your faith in the 16 yr old driver and enjoy the wind on your face.

Hotel Pandian was as expected, basic. Simple accomodation in a good location. We just had to get an aircon room and it was totally worth it. Since we had a filling meal onboard, we went straight to bed once we settled in, which was around 1am. Tomorrow is a day of exploration, lets see what India can throw my way.

To India with an open mind and open arms

2007-05-05T19:20:00.000+08:00

Looks like we're off to a magnificent start! There is just something about standing around in the departure gallery of an airport. You really feel like a citizen of the world, surrounded with people of all nationalities. I strolled around for abit before coming across the free internet terminal. Ok, back to why its a great start...

I had a great check-in officer who ever so nicely asked me" Sir, would that be an isle or window seat in First Class?" That made me smile.

Then at the immigration counter, I merrily chatted with the officer for like 4 minutes and I bet my parents were getting worried staring through the glass barrier. I mean immigration is one thing you wanna clear as fast as you can... haha, but we chatted about my passport photo and how i needed a new one since im more handsome now.

So to end off, before I leave Singapore, I have to send a shout out to all my friends who so graciously offered to see me off. Im touched. The next time I blog, its gonna be from hot, humid, crowded, mad chennai!

Genesis

2007-05-05T13:14:00.000+08:00

A wise young woman once told me.
"You need three things in life: Education, Experience and Exposure"

And that very much sums up the beginning of this adventure...