The nicest old man in Bandra

This is a house right next to Shahrukh Khans on Bandstand. It's owned by Keku Gandhi, a wonderfully kind man. They sure don't make them like they used to.

He gave me a tour of his house that is full of history, that of Parsee culture and art. I was also lucky enough to get a lesson about some of Bandra's history. He himself is an art restorer and owner of the Chemould art gallery in town.

He also took me to the Parsee sanatorium next door which has a facade like the Buckingham Palace! Who knew? I got a sneak peek at the beautiful gardens and library inside as well.

Not ready for public vending machines in Bombay train stations

I was thrilled to see that someone installed two automatic ticket vending machines at Dadar station in Bombay. They had touch screen displays of Bombay's rail lines with different zone areas. People stood around looking at them with curiosity and hope. I could see them thinking maybe someday soon we wouldn't have to wait in long queues to buy commuter tickets twice a day.

So I ask the constable at his desk next to the machines, what was up with them? He says they've been there for weeks but don't work and aren't likely to work since he heard the private company that installed them is out of business!!

Typical...

Screening an anti-domestic violence film is anti-Hindu?

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/VHP-supporters-stop-screening-film-on-social-issues-in-college/216686/

When will the mainstream media, government and political parties stop allowing mafia like bahavior from fundamentalist Hindus?

Does the VHP really think that beating up their wives is part of Hindu philosophy so much so that they don't want anti-domestic violence education in Gujarat?

Ghati brigade

For some reason, Ganpati season brings out some rage in me.

Maybe it's because the festival seems ridiculous in that idols are dumped into the sea causing more damage and pollution to a coastline I care about.

Maybe it's the disturbing levels of noise, bombs and repetitive music that is forced on Bombay residents like myself until late at night! When I asked a policeman how it was that there was a 10 pm ban on outdoor music rule but this was allowed, he answered the high court had given them permission.

Maybe it's the fact that Ganpati now has communal undertones with the Shiv Sena embracing the festival as a beacon of Maharashtrian culture.

I think people need to realize the festival for what it really is. It's not about religion any more. It's a drunken noisy parade of the poor, who use it as their opportunity of annual recreational release. These unfortunate people have no other sanctioned time to take over Bombay streets and let their voices get heard!

Sadly, the fish and the quiet-loving other residents have to take the blow, because of Bombay's rotten infrastructure.

Paid to shop!

Probably the highlight of my year would have to be an impromptu trip to Bangkok to assist a stylist friend shopping for a high profile Bollywood movie.

This store was one of my favorites started by an Indian Thai guy called Jaspal.

Press 1 if you're a disgruntled customer

One disappointing development I noticed when I returned to India is a side effect of corporate globalisation: recorded messages when you call in to customer service. On the one hand you still have MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. the public utility company that provides telephone and internet services) that hasn't caught up with the times. So much so that they don't pick up ANY of four billing query lines and the hotline staff actually empathise with me and ask me to complain to their superiors (who don't pick up the phone either).

On the other hand, you have to listen and decipher 500 menu options before you get to an operator.

Mekdahnelds is how it reads in Hindi

I like the 'no beef' sign right under the restaurant's name. But sad to see this outside a train station where I would prefer a traditional Irani cafe.