Decadence & Independence

Saturday -

0800 hours - Wake up to the immense possibilities of a beautiful long weekend

0815 hours - Jolted out of reverie of immense possibilities of a beautiful long weekend with the realisation that there is tons of work to do - budgeting, casting, crewing of 2 films running on the same track - 2 star meetings lined up - private screening of a film on Independence Day. Looks like the weekend will definitely start late and end way too early.

1300 hours - Discover that meetings are getting lopped off left, right and centre! Looks like it's not just me who wants freedom from work!

1600 hours - Outta the office!

1900 hours - Limo service arrives in the form of a silver esteem - with Mona and her parents' chauffeur - Tapas. And we're off to Kalyan.

Kalyan's like an extension of Bombay. I've lived in Bombay for the last 13 years (minus 4 years in between) but I've never been there. So I'm quite excited!

1930 hours - Work doesn't leave me - refuses to leave me. While driving down to Kalyan Tapas the chauffeur tells me he has a story for a film! He asks me if I'd prefer it in English or Hindi? Actually I wouldn't prefer it in any language - I have way too much work - but curiosity gets the better of me. I really wanna know what kind of a story a chauffeur from Kalyan would come up with. So I get suckered into asking him to send me the story.

2100 hours - As we're entering Kalyan Mona points out 2 dance bars - Devdas and Paro - on either side of the road. Interesting - Devdas and Paro still separated - even as bars!

Sunday -

0000 hours - Mrs and Mr Singh Ahluwalia's nook is in the most peaceful part of Kalyan. Trees everywhere. Have just stuffed myself with wonderful ghar ka khaana followed by my favourite hot gulab jamuns. While chatting to Suki and listening to the quiet of the night - I fall asleep.

0800 hours - Sleeping

0900 hours - Still sleeping

1000 hours - Ummmm - sleeping

1030 to 1130 hours - Ok - I just slept through the morning! But it's the long weekend - and it's the Freedom weekend - so I'm allowed to exercise my free will!

1130 to 0000 hours - ate - slept - walked around Kalyan - ate - watched a film (Identity - with my fave actor John Cusack - but the movie was crappy!) - ate - lounged around - listened to stories - ate - read.

Pros of Kalyan -

- It's quiet!
- You can actually listen to a huge variety of birds - warblers (they were warbling so they must be warblers), tweety birds, koyals - all kinds of birds that sound so much better than the Bombay crow!
- Beautiful green trees everywhere - it's a pleasure to stand in the balcony of Suki's house right next to big mango trees
- There's no network in Suki's parents' place except in one corner of the house - this is great - I won't get harrassed by useless calls
- Walking around on the quiet roads near Ulhas River close to the Club is a treat
- There's a waterfall (ok it's only about 2 feet tall but what the heck - it goes into pros)

Cons of Kalyan -

- It's totally cut off from other parts of the world. I figure out there's no way to go to Pune - unless I go back to Dadar in Bombay and take a bus from there or if I get up at 5am and take a train - needless to add - it's too much work!
- There's no network in Suki's parents' place except in one corner of the house - this is painful - my friends can't get thru' to me!

Monday - August 15, 2005

It's Independence Day! I've slept through most of the day. Suki and Mona's parents have been to 2 flag hoistings by the time I wake up! But inspite of waking up late I still manage to squeeze in breakfast, a head massage, lunch, gift-wrapping for Suki's wedding - I know what I'm getting and I know what everyone else is getting too!! I also manage to squeeze a trip back to Bombay and a special screening of My Wife's Murder (starring Anil Kapoor of Tezaab, Saheb, Mashaal fame). Movie's ok - well just about.

Not a bad long weekend - managed to get a lot done - especially sleeping and eating! What more can one ask for!