We all know about lottery tickets. You buy them and hope that you become a lakhpati (millionaire) instantly. In almost all cases, you end up winning nothing. And then, in a fit of rage and disappointment, you either stop buying them or you continue to buy more in hope of better days ahead. The rare winners are then projected as smart people who conquered their financial misery through the roll of dice. The charity aspect is also thrown in with the ads showing how the lottery earnings are used for social welfare. Almost like robbing people of their meagre savings and then distributing a pittance to become a robinhood. The true smart ones realize the futility of this sophisticated loot and stop indulging.
As if lottery was not enough, we have more intelligent and subtle form of techo-savvy loot. There are SMS contests are thrown in, in almost all TV/radio shows. The objective is simple. To keep sending SMS, the very same SMS again and again. So we have a leading radio channel that gives bikes, cars and home theaters to winners. And the participant has to keep sending the same SMS again and again for a simple question till the pre-paid limit is exhausted or the post-paid connection cut because the credit limit has been overshot. The subtle details like the special SMS costing Rs. 4/- instead of the commonly understood Re 1/- are ignored. Such details are too trivial for being advertised.
The example above is not isolated instance. There are other shows where unique bids are to be sent (the lower bid wins and not the higher bid). I dont know the details but I see something fishy. Obviously there will be one winner. The winner who will get a fraction of the cost borne by the gullible participants. And the majority of the profit being cornered by the persons-in-charge.
One fine day I reported the issue to the regulator TRAI but to no avail. And then I realize that is this not just another form of lottery. The only difference is that you do not know the cost of the ticket. Or even worse, you dont even know that this is indeed a lottery. In the garb of a contest, the loot is on - that too in the broad day light .....
chachu
17-Jul-2006.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Of Monkey's Welcome
It was like any other day when I reached home after a reasonably hectic day at work. I had butta (corn) in my hand and I straight went to the kitchen requesting my maid to roast it for me. Instead of following my command, she said "Bandar (monkey)". I did not understand what she said. But she laughed and shrieked, "Bhaiya, Bandar (Brother! There's a monkey!". I turned around and saw a majestic monkey who had entered through the door's entry that was left ajar. The monkey was prowling in my house's lobby. He was a well-built ape, looking around for some food.
Now, my experience with monkeys, our so called forefathers, was not very friendly. The first one was on my trip to Jakhoo temple near Shimla. At 2455m, this temple was located on a hill that was Shimla's highest peak and a vantage point for Shimla's famous views. Walking up, as we neared the temple, I was urged to keep my spectacles in pocket, lest the monkeys attack us. In front of me, a man was helplessly braving a monkey. I took no chances, and quickly kept the specs in my pocket. After worshipping, on my way out, the unthinkable happened. A monkey attacked me. First he kept his paws on my waist. I gestured with my empty hands that I had nothing to offer to him. But he did not oblige me so easily. He kept his hind legs on my body and with a forward thrust he was on my shoulders. With his hands encircling my head and his legs perched on my shoulder, I thought my end was coming close. Soon, I thought, a horde of monkeys would attack me and I would be dragged to a deserted place and feasted by these beasts. I shouted for help. A man standing nearby mockingly replied, "Who is here to help you?" However, soon after, he had a change of heart and he wielded his lathi. The monkey recognizing his bete noire, left me much to my relief.
The second incident was even worse. More so because this time, it attacked my spouse, that too on our honeymoon. We were at Chail Palace, a heritage hotel in Himachal. The lawns had already proclaimed, "Beware of Monkeys", as though Dogs were in short supply there. So the start was not very good. But ignoring such issues, we barged in our assigned room, opened the windows, and started doing what couples do at honeymoon. But our forefathers had other ideas. A very big monkey had entered our room through the open window, and started look for food. One of the suitcases were open. The clothes soon started being thrown around. When one suitcase was rummaged, the monkey then looked for better options. I stood there helplessly watching the ape ruin my honey and my honeymoon. I then went out and the nearest habitation was a kitchen. I then called a cook who came to our rescue. The monkey was then shooed away and the windows closed. It was a close shave.
This time too, the monkey was in my house. And the maid, to avoid any untoward incident, closed the kitchen. So we were shut out of our own house. My mother was on the first floor. I went out to our lawn through the kitchen door shouting her to take protective action, whatever that could be. But all our cries went unheard as the coolers prevented our cries from reaching the first floor.
Then I again called some labour from outside who brought iron rods. When we went inside, the monkey was in the drawing room, looking for things. My mother was safe on the first floor, and oblivious to the presence of danger below. The monkey was shooed away again and my record with them was kept intact. An entity to fear with, along with other dangerous living beings like cockroaches.
enjoy,
chachu
Now, my experience with monkeys, our so called forefathers, was not very friendly. The first one was on my trip to Jakhoo temple near Shimla. At 2455m, this temple was located on a hill that was Shimla's highest peak and a vantage point for Shimla's famous views. Walking up, as we neared the temple, I was urged to keep my spectacles in pocket, lest the monkeys attack us. In front of me, a man was helplessly braving a monkey. I took no chances, and quickly kept the specs in my pocket. After worshipping, on my way out, the unthinkable happened. A monkey attacked me. First he kept his paws on my waist. I gestured with my empty hands that I had nothing to offer to him. But he did not oblige me so easily. He kept his hind legs on my body and with a forward thrust he was on my shoulders. With his hands encircling my head and his legs perched on my shoulder, I thought my end was coming close. Soon, I thought, a horde of monkeys would attack me and I would be dragged to a deserted place and feasted by these beasts. I shouted for help. A man standing nearby mockingly replied, "Who is here to help you?" However, soon after, he had a change of heart and he wielded his lathi. The monkey recognizing his bete noire, left me much to my relief.
The second incident was even worse. More so because this time, it attacked my spouse, that too on our honeymoon. We were at Chail Palace, a heritage hotel in Himachal. The lawns had already proclaimed, "Beware of Monkeys", as though Dogs were in short supply there. So the start was not very good. But ignoring such issues, we barged in our assigned room, opened the windows, and started doing what couples do at honeymoon. But our forefathers had other ideas. A very big monkey had entered our room through the open window, and started look for food. One of the suitcases were open. The clothes soon started being thrown around. When one suitcase was rummaged, the monkey then looked for better options. I stood there helplessly watching the ape ruin my honey and my honeymoon. I then went out and the nearest habitation was a kitchen. I then called a cook who came to our rescue. The monkey was then shooed away and the windows closed. It was a close shave.
This time too, the monkey was in my house. And the maid, to avoid any untoward incident, closed the kitchen. So we were shut out of our own house. My mother was on the first floor. I went out to our lawn through the kitchen door shouting her to take protective action, whatever that could be. But all our cries went unheard as the coolers prevented our cries from reaching the first floor.
Then I again called some labour from outside who brought iron rods. When we went inside, the monkey was in the drawing room, looking for things. My mother was safe on the first floor, and oblivious to the presence of danger below. The monkey was shooed away again and my record with them was kept intact. An entity to fear with, along with other dangerous living beings like cockroaches.
enjoy,
chachu
Friday, June 30, 2006
Of Chachu's Pens and Chachu's Blogs.
Hello All,
It is about four years since I had created the yahoogroup chachus_pen (visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chachus_pen/). The idea was to write articles of general interest, art or anything for which I felt a need to write about. About 36 odd columns were written in a span of four years or so.
However entry into grihastashram (family life) and several known/unknown reasons has taken its toll and creative writing is certainly a minor casuality. Friends and relatives ask for more, but the passion is missing.
Then I read one of my first blogs of an ex-colleague. And I thought blogging was a better alternative - at least for the time being. So here I am born - Chachu's Blog. That does not necessarily mean death of Chachu's Pen. But the latter may definitely take a back seat. But then, it already is at the back.
enjoy,
chachu
It is about four years since I had created the yahoogroup chachus_pen (visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chachus_pen/). The idea was to write articles of general interest, art or anything for which I felt a need to write about. About 36 odd columns were written in a span of four years or so.
However entry into grihastashram (family life) and several known/unknown reasons has taken its toll and creative writing is certainly a minor casuality. Friends and relatives ask for more, but the passion is missing.
Then I read one of my first blogs of an ex-colleague. And I thought blogging was a better alternative - at least for the time being. So here I am born - Chachu's Blog. That does not necessarily mean death of Chachu's Pen. But the latter may definitely take a back seat. But then, it already is at the back.
enjoy,
chachu
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