Archive for » October, 2010 «

Diwali is near..

Author: Oct 30

diwali aa rahi hai…   

aaj subah galli mein jhadoo maarney waali bai

ney mujhey “uncle ji, namastey ” bulaaee  

waisey to woh yada kada hi dikhti hai galli mein

aaj achanak aisaa kya huaa ki woh thodi si muskraee

              …oh,firr mere dill mein yeh khyaal aata hai,ki diwali nazdeek hai aayee !   

arrey, hamara daakiya bhi kall teen lifafey hath mein pakda gaya

aur “lo sahib aapki daak” kehta huaa,muskraa gaya,

waisey tau hamari daak woh padosi key wahan faink jaata hai,

achanak aisaa kya ho gaya ki woh itna achcha ho gaya                ….oh,firr mujh anadi ko dhyaan aaya,ki diwali ka tyohaar,nazdeek hai aaya !  

lagta hai saarey public ki sewa karney waalon ka mood badal gaya hai,

har ek ka swabhaav,maano ek dumm badal saa gaya hai,

kachra uthaaney wala, news paper fainknein wala,

gutter saaf karney wala, colony ka pehredaar,raat mein

 “jaagtey raho” keh karr so jaaney wala,

harr ek saamney miltey hi, namastey,uncle ji,kehtaa aur muskraata hai,

achcha lagtaa hai,dill ko,

parr dimaag sochta reh jaata,

kaash aisaa har roz, harr din hota tau kitna pyaar duniya mein chhaa jaata,            

…parr,firr,mere dill mein yeh khyaal aata hai  ki diwali ka mausam saal mein ek baar aata hai !  

jabb yeh dinn pass aata hai,

yeh harr bandda,ya sewak,

sewa ki baksheesh,yaa inaam chahta hai,

aao kuchch inko dey karr

inki khushi mein kuchch badhotri karr dein,

itni daayan si mehngaii mein,

iss diwali mein thodi si roshni bharr dein !  

duss kaa note do gey tau,

naak-bhavein sikodein gey,

bees kaa do gey tau

thoda letey huey hichkichayen gey

pachaas kaa pakdaao gey tau

salaam maarengey,seesh nivaaen gey,

aur agar khuley dill sey,

sau ka patta dey diya, biwi ko poochchey binaa

tau aap key saarey pariwaar ko diwali ki lakh

 khushiyon ki duaa dey karr

agley gharr ko bhaag jaayen gey !          

aao kuchch aisaa karein uppaey 

ki  inn gareebon ki bhi sach-mooch 

ek yadgaar diwali bann jaaye .

mithaee hum thodi kumm khayein,

pataakey kuchch kumm jalaayein,

parr kuchch inn ko dill sey baant karr

hamari aaney waali diwali ko 

iss saal thodi si mazey-daar banaayein !!   

Literal Translation : 

Diwali is near…  

This morning, the woman who sweeps our colony’s lanes,

Said :” Namastey, Uncle ji ” as I was going somewhere.

Mostly, she is not seen sweeping our ever dirty lanes.

What has happened to her and why that wee smile?

Then, I suddenly remembered, oh, Diwali is near!  

Yesterday our postman personally delivered three letters to me.

“Sir, here is your important daak of today,” said he and smiled away. 

Normally, he just deposits our letters at the neighbour’s and vice versa. 

What has happened to him, how has he changed for the better ?

Then, I suddenly remembered, oh, Diwali is near!  

The mood of all these people who serve us,

Has apparently changed 

Surprisingly, their behaviour too!

The garbage disposal boy, the news paper guy,

The sanitary department worker and even

The night watchman who sleeps while on duty

After keeping us awake with shouts of ‘Jaagtey Raho’*,

Each one of them on meeting me, says:

“Namastey Uncle ji” and then smiles! 

My heart is filled with happiness,

But then my brain keeps thinking,

How much happier would the world be   

If this happened every single day! 

Then, I suddenly remember, oh, Diwali is near

And it comes, just only once in a year! 

As this day comes closer,

Each of these service providers,

Hopes for some reward, mostly cash.

Let’s give them all something

And add a wee bit extra to their happiness.

During these days of high inflation and price-rise

Let’s add some brightness to their lives. 

A ten rupee note will raise their brows!

And twitch their noses!

A twenty rupee note,

They will unwillingly accept.

 A fifty rupee note will get you salutes and bows,

But a hundred (without your wife’s knowledge),

Will bring forth salutations of“Happy Diwali”

to all your family lakhs of times

Before they elatedly move to the next house!    

Come let us do something

For these poor service providers

And make for them this Diwali

A festival worth remembering.

Let’s consume lesser sweets

And let’s burst fewer crackers.

Instead give them some thing voluntarily,

To bring smiles into their lives,

And in turn, make our coming Diwali,

Full of meaning and joy!!  

(* Keep Awake) 

A Happy Diwali to You All !!

  

     
Category: Humour, People, Social Commentry  15 Comments

Boiling Frog Syndrome…

Author: Oct 29
Boiling Frog Syndrome….
 
Decades ago,when I was in the primary school,I recall having read and recited a delightful poem on frogs.It was titled : Twenty Froggies.It went something like this :
 
Twenty Froggies -BY GEORGE COOPER

Twenty froggies went to school
Down beside a rushy pool
Twenty little coats of green,
Twenty vests all white and clean.

“We must be in time,” said they,
“First we study, then we play”
That is how we keep the rule,
When we froggies go to school.”

Master Bull-frog, brave and stern,
Called his classes in their turn,
Taught them how to nobly strive,
Also how to leap and dive.

Taught them how to dodge a blow,
From the sticks that bad boys throw.
Twenty froggies grew up fast
Bull-frogs they became at last.

Polished in a high degree,
As each froggie ought to be.
Now they sit on other logs,
Teaching other little frogs.
 
Later on, while still in the primary school, I had read the story of the Frog Prince.Thereafter, in the secondary school,I had seen the dissection of a frog in our school’s biology lab.Poor creature !!
 
I had thought then that perhaps I would not have any further association with this creature in my future career.However,I was wrong.
 
When I did my PGDBM way back in 1979 I had studied something about change in life which is a constant feature.We were told to learn to adapt ourselves to such changes.Again I had mistakenly thought that it was the end of the Frog chapter of my life,but no,it again re-surfaced in my life after my retirement in 2009 when I took up a few teaching assignments in a few Management institutions.Here then is the story …..
   
While discussing the subject of resistance to change etc in one of my MBA classes, I came across the common story of the boiling frog.It is called the boiling frog syndrome. I did a little research on it and here are a few pointers to this topic :

1. From Wikipedia
The boiling frog story is a widespread anecdote describing a frogslowly being boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.
The story is often used as a metaphorfor the inability of people to react to significant changes that occur gradually. 
According to contemporary biologists the premise of the story is not literally true; an actual frog submerged and gradually heated will jump out. However, a variety of 19th century research experiments suggested that the underlying premise is true, provided the heating is gradual enough.
 
2.The Boiling Frog Syndrome by- Steven Yates
Quote : My father drew my attention to Ric Edelman’s financial planning website,which has a wealth of information and strategies on the subject.While exploring the site I ran across what Edelman called the Boiling Frog Syndrome.
He introduced the idea to explain how the American public has come to accept a certain amount of inflation as normal, despite the ease of producing sound arguments that inflation works against our best efforts to plan and build wealth over the long term.
Here is Edelman’s account of the Boiling Frog Syndrome: “If you throw a frog into a pot of boiling water, he’ll jump out. But if you place a frog into a pot of lukewarm water and slowly turn up the heat, it will boil to death. And so it is with inflation. We’ve grown accustomed to inflation over the past 25 years,but that doesn’t mean we don’t continue to be hurt by its effect.” Unquote.
 
3.Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will–

How Jack Welch Is Turning GE Into The World’s Most Competitive Corporation-by Noel M. Tichy and Stratford Sherman : p.88) :Welch was trying to avoid the boiled frog syndrome. If you put a frog in a pan of cool water and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will just stay put until it dies. But if you drop a frog into boiling water, it will jump right out– and survive.Quote :Some people say I’m afraid to compete. I think one of the jobs of a business person is to get away from slugfests and into niches where you can prevail. The fundamental goal is to get rid of weakness, to find a sheltered womb where no one can hurt you. There’s no virtue in looking for a fight . If you’re in a fight, your job is to win. But if you can’t win,you’ve got to find a way out. Unquote.
 
4.THE BOILING FROG -by Daniel Quinn :
Excerpt from the book, “The Story of B” :Systems thinkers have given us a useful metaphor for a certain kind of human behavior in the phenomenon of the boiled frog. The phenomenon is this. If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will of course frantically try to clamber Out. But if you place it gently in a pot of tepid water and turn the heat on low, it will float there quite placidly.As the water gradually heats up, the frog will sink into a tranquil stupor, exactly like one of us in a hot bath, and before long, with a smile on its face,it will unresistingly allow itself to be boiled to death. We all know stories of frogs being tossed into boiling water — for example, a young couple being plunged into catastrophic debt by an unforeseen medical emergency. A contrary example, an example of the smiling boiled frog, is that of a young couple who gradually use their good credit to buy and borrow themselves into catastrophic debt. 

And with this,I end my tryst with the frogs,till my next birth ,hopefully, not as a FROG in a village well !!  Croak ! Croak !!

Well, before I sign off,here is a favourite frog situation of mine : Two frogs fell into a bowl of cream. One didn’t panic, he relaxed and drowned. The other kicked and struggled so much that the cream turned to butter and he walked out !

And last, but not the least, let us not be like the frog in a well :”We think too small,like the frog at the bottom of the well,who thinks that the sky is only as big as the top of the well.If he surfaced,he would have an entirely different view.” (Mao Tse Tung)

Category: Humour, Ideas, People, Social Commentry  15 Comments

Karva Chauth musings…..

Author: Oct 28
Karva Chauth musings….

26th October 2010 was Karva Chauth day.Late in the evening,from the balcony of my house I could peep into and see the entire proceedings going on in the neighbourhood.

Elsewhere, a panditji, monotonously read out the Karva Chauth story which could be heard blaring from a loudspeaker.
  
Well, since decades,I have been hearing the story (or Katha as they say) behind Karva Chauth festival. I respect the ladies who devotedly keep a fast and follow the rituals and offer prayers for the long lives of their husbands.
However,whether today’s husbands really deserve this attention or not is a question,that keeps hovering in my mind.
 
In a chat with a friend on the Karva Chauth morning,I commented  that I felt that many girls of today just fought with their husbands tooth and nail for 364 days but on this day they prayed that may they live long !
 
I may please be excused and not misunderstood.I am not trying to raise any controversy over this issue but my funny bone again tickles me at odd places and so I felt that this needs to be explored-I mean the ticklishness needs to be explored ! There ! Very clear,no ? So here I go.First the original Katha,as it is….:

A long long time ago, there lived a beautiful princess by the name of Veeravati. When she was of the marriageable age, Veeravati was married to a king.On the occasion of the first Karva Chauth after her marriage, she went to her parents’ house.After sunrise, she observed a strict fast. However, the queen was too delicate and couldn’t stand the rigours of fasting. By evening, Veeravati was too weak, and fainted. Now, the queen had seven brothers who loved her dearly. They couldn’t stand the plight of their sister and decided to end her fast by deceiving her. They made a fire at the nearby hill and asked their sister to see the glow. They assured her that it was the moonlight and since the moon had risen, she could break her fast.However, the moment the gullible queen ate her dinner, she received the news that her husband, the king, was dead. The queen was heartbroken and rushed to her husband’s palace. On the way, she met Lord Shiva and his consort, Goddess Parvati. Parvati informed her that the king had died because the queen had broken her fast by watching a false moon. However,when the queen asked her for forgiveness, the goddess granted her the boon that the king would be revived but would be ill.When the queen reached the palace, she found the king lying unconscious with hundreds of needles inserted in his body. Each day, the queen managed to remove one needle from the king’s body. Next year, on the day of Karva Chauth, only one needle remained embedded in the body of the unconscious king.The queen observed a strict fast that day and when she went to the market to buy the karva for the puja ,her maid removed the remaining needle from the king’s body. The king regained consciousness, and mistook the maid for his queen. When the real queen returned to the palace, she was made to serve as a maid.However, Veeravati was true to her faith and religiously observed the Karva Chauth vrat. Once when the king was going to some other kingdom, he asked the real queen (now turned maid) if she wanted anything. The queen asked for a pair of identical dolls. The king obliged and the queen kept singing a song ” Roli ki Goli ho gayi… Goli ki Roli ho gayi ” (the queen has turned into a maid and the maid has turned into a queen).On being asked by the king as to why did she keep repeating that song, Veeravati narrated the entire story. The king repented and restored the queen to her royal status. It was only the queen’s devotion and her faith that won her husband’s affection and the blessings of Goddess Parvati.
 
A really fantastic and melodramatic tale of love,devotion,sacrifice etc you see.
 
However,this is a tale of ‘a long long time ago’. I tried hard to find out the exact year in which this might have actually taken place,but I am sorry to say that I could not pin-point it.Perhaps centuries or several hundred decades have passed. 
 
We now switch over the focus to the present century-the 21st century to be exact.Can we find characters like Veeravati today ?
 
Devoted,religious-minded,sacrificing,believing in powers of miracles et all ? I am inclined to say that like the proverbial  needle in a hay stack,you may find a few specimen of this now rare species,may be in some remote corners of our country !
 
Generally,it is accepted that today’s woman is much ahead of her ancestors and has changed with the times and has evolved into a totally new species with several new features and qualities,which perhaps,sorry,certainly,Veeravati did not have ! 
 
I am not posting this piece with a view to pull down the female from her pedestal-she really deserves her moments of glory,fredom of thought and action and beliefs etc,but sadly enough,her expectations from her  husband,or husband-to-be have gone up to a new high.He should be handsome,have a good job/income,have a decent standard of living etc.(a car,a bunglow and other perquisites are now essentials of life,not luxuries-its just that earlier so called middle class thoughts have now morphed into the higher/upper middle class requirements !).
 
These are certainly debatable issues,but I am now itching to finish the ticklishness I first felt when I started this piece.
 
Today, a female’s prayer for a husband has become a long list of demands and expectations.However,if a perfect woman desires a perfect man,then a perfect (?) man also would like to dream of a nearly perfect (!) companion,isn’t it ?
Frankly speaking,my wife knows and understands that I am not a perfect husband material and had there been an exchange offer for replacing old hubbies with latest models,perhaps she would have willingly replaced me years ago ! Thanks dear for putting up with me !

 
Jokes apart,here is a modern prayer of a 21st century female :
 
Before I lay me down to sleep,
I pray for a man, who’s not a creep,
One who’s handsome, smart and strong,
One who loves to listen long,
One who thinks before he speaks,
One who’ll call, not wait for weeks,
I pray he’s gainfully employed,
When I spend his cash, won’t be annoyed.
Pulls out my chair and opens my door,
Massages my back and begs to do more.
Oh! Send me a man, who’ll make love to my mind,
Knows what to answer to “How big is my behind?”
I pray that this man will love me no end,
And never attempt to hit on my friend.
And as I pray beside my bed,
I look at the clown you sent me instead.
Amen.

I am sure that this piece will generate a lot of responses of you know what kind,but then I wanted to get rid of my ticklishness or ache,by passing on the same to my readers.After all what are friends for… 

So go ahead and spit your venom like Mallika Sherawat does as the ichchadhaari nagin in her latest much touted ( but a misearble flop at the box office) slick flick titled :” Hisssss…!!” I am sure, as a devoted husband,I will have the divine protection from its ill-effects.So hisss please !! 

See,as is my usual style,I am not saying-Keep Smiling Please !

   

Category: Humour, Social Commentry  8 Comments

Rahul and Sharad…..

Author: Oct 26
Rahul into the Ganga.. 
 I read with great interest the following news-item this morning: 
Quote : Edgy Sharad wants Rahul thrown into the Ganga.
Mail Today,October 26th 2010,By Giridhar Jha in Patna  

CAMPAIGNING for the remaining four phases of the six- phase Bihar assembly polls turned bitter with Janata Dal( United) president Sharad Yadavmaking a no-holdsbarred attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhion Monday.Addressing an election rally at Fatuha near Patnaand a few other places, Yadav said Rahul Gandhi should be thrown away into the river Ganga for being a symbol of dynastic politics.Making a scathing attack on the Nehru- Gandhi family, he said the Congress had perpetuated dynastic politics in India.” This family has had Motilal, Jawaharlal, Indira Gandhiand Rahul Gandhi. And now, a new babua ( kid) has come. He does it like this,” he said while imitating Rahul’s style of rolling up his sleeves while making speeches at his rallies.He said this was the misfortune of the country and the people here were sick.Hitting out at Rahul, he said, ” What do you know. Somebody writes on the paper and gives it to you and you read it out. you should have been picked up and thrown into the Ganga.” He also said the RJD was a party of husband and wife while the LJP was an organisation of brothers.Yadav’s comments drew a sharp reaction from the Congress.Party spokesman Prem Chandra Mishra said it was a violation of the model code of conduct which the Election Commission must take cognizance of.” We strongly condemn Yadav’s statements which reflect his standard in politics,” he said.In New Delhi, the party said as Rahul was drawing huge crowds, Congress’ opponents had lost their political balance, if not mental balance. Congress leaders attributed the attack on Rahul to his growing popularity among the minorities and the youth.Yadav later said he had not named any individual. ” I said the Congress, the RJD and the LJP should be tied together and immersed in the Ganga,” he said. ” I had essentially meant the parties. I do not know if I sounded otherwise,” he said to defend himself.Yadav’s attack came at a time when Rahul was addressing three rallies at Ramnagar in West Champaran, Kuchaikot in Gopalganj and Saran districts of Bihar.Rahul said the Nitish Kumargovernment had failed to implement the Centre’s welfare schemes. He said there was rampant
corruption and the benefits of schemes such as the NREGA and the Indira Awas Yojna were not reaching the poor.Lambasting Nitish’s secular credentials yet again, Rahul said Nitish was not allowing certain leaders of the BJP to come to Bihar but he had an alliance with their party.Rahul’s rally in Saran witnessed crowd disturbances when somebody shouted slogans against him. This resulted in a scuffle between two groups in which chairs were flung.Meanwhile, campaigning reached a feverish pitch on Monday with leaders like L. K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj seeking support for NDA candidates.Addressing two rallies at Bettiah and Hajipur, Advani exhorted the voters to return the Nitish Kumar government to power.He said the Nitish government had done good work and it should get another term.Unquote.

My reaction on this piece was to think of some words in Hindi, rhyming with Ganga and then compose a silly poem on this issue.

The words which came to my mind like a flash were  pangaa,

 changaa,dangaa,rangaa,hathkandaa,firangaa,tirangaa,lafangaa,

mushtandaa,dhandhaa,chanda,fundaa,gandaa, bheekhmangaa etc.

The next task was to use some of these words creatively to come out with a funny rejoinder !

Here is the result of my efforts :
 
Sharad Yadav’s pangaa
1.
Sharad Yadav nein ley liya Rahul sey pangaa,
Congress key khemey mein much gaya dangaa!
“Rahul babuaa ko patak kar fenko beech Ganga” !
Politiks ka hai yeh hi ek hathkandaa!
Beech sabhaa mein karr do sabb ko nangaa,
Yeh galat baat hai,bilkul nahin hai changaa!
                       Sharad Yadav nein ley liya……pangaa!
2.
Politics is a very dirty game,
Players here have just no shame !
They stoop low to make their name,
Just to garner votes and fame !
3.
Most of them are criminals like Billa and Rangaa,
They come from places like Patna,Dharbhanga !
Their aim is to loot and carry on their dhandaa,
And make the state or country bheekhmangaa !
                      Sharad Yadav nein ley liya…….pangaa !
4.
Let them throw each other in a gutter or drain !
While we  watch the reality show with disdain !
No one is here doodh kaa dhulla,
All they want is a fire in their chullah!
5.
Aakhir mein bass yehi  kehta hai bandaa,
Let us understand their basic fundaa,
Khaao daal chaawal,yaa murgi yaa andaa,
Yahan parr harr ek hai bass mushtandda!
                    Sharad Yadav nein ley liya……pangaa !   
 
Literal Translation :
1.
Sharad Yadav has invited a fight with Rahul,by saying in a rally that Rahul should be thrown into the Ganga.As a result, there has been a lot of panic in the tents of the Congress party.In politics there is only this handy weapon.Make everyone feel naked in a meeting.This is a deed most foul,and it is not at all good/acceptable.
2. This needs no translation.
3. Meanings of Hindi words used here : dhandha = profession; bheekhmangaa = beggar.
4. Meaning of Hindi words used here :doodh kaa dhulla = literally washed with milk,but means ” innocent” ; chullah = earthern fire-place in rural areas.
5. In the end,this humble poet only wishes to say that we should try to understand the basic / fundamental ideas of such politicians.We may eat just rice and lentils or chicken and eggs, for us it hardly matters,but in politics,every one is just a bully and is out to invite trouble / fight  from others.Keep smiling…..

                
Category: Comments to print media, Humour, People, Social Commentry  5 Comments

Riding on a song…..

Author: Oct 25

RIDING ON A SONG….!

I have been really awed by a recent song from the Hindi film titled “Dabangg”. It  has topped the charts and is a chart-buster item song almost a must-play in all party circuits.

Interestingly,the lyrics of the song mention the name of a popular brand of balm called “Zandu Balm.”

Therefore,the makers of this brand took the makers of the film to task.However,ultimately the matter was settled amicably. 

This post is on how a brand can ride on a song. Read the article from Business Standard dated 27th Sept 2010:

Quote :Dabangg moment for Zandu Balm 

Devjyot Ghoshal / Kolkata September 27, 2010

It took Emami, owners of Zandu Balm, almost two months to take Dabangg’s producers to court over what it called unauthorised use of the brand name in the film’s chartbuster song – “Munni badnam hui…”The move stumped many who saw actor Malaika Arora Khan’s dance number doing much more to Zandu’s brand equity than all its other ad campaigns put together. Predictably, the “dispute” got resolved within days in an almost filmi style, with Malaika (who has also co-produced the film) even agreeing to come up with a special ad promoting Zandu, which was bought by Emami in late 2008 for about Rs 750 crore. 

What makes the much-publicised Emami versus Dabangg battle even more curious is the company’s reported plan to replicate the in-song initiative with some of its other brands. It is apparently trying the brand strategy in some of the regional language films. Emami, its founders claim, was the first fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) firm to try in-film brand placement in the 1983 Rajesh Khanna- starrer Agar Tum Na Hote. 

No one knows whether the dispute was part of a carefully crafted promotion strategy, but the consensus is Zandu has had a painless growth story so far. The pain relieving balm, once the flagship product of Zandu Pharmaceuticals, has been given a near-complete makeover by its new owners, with the result that Zandu continues to retain over 45 per cent of the segment, which includes rivals such as Amrutajan and Tiger Balm.

‘India’s No.1 selling balm’,as it is now marketed,comes in a new container,in different sizes and with a fresh set of endorsers.It was Emami’s intention to expand in the ayurveda segment that had compelled  it to pick up the almost century old company. Zandu,incidentally,was established in Mumbai in October 1910.    

“Emami has always been in the ayurveda business. Zandu is the same, but has a very strong heritage. We wanted to grow in ayurveda, and Zandu was fitting well with our structure. It was a total fit,” explains Mohan Goenka, Director, Emami Group. 

“Also, the perception was that they (Zandu) were more into ayurveda than us (Emami). Although 80 per cent of our business is ayurveda, we were not recognised as an ayurveda player,” he adds.

Renewal:   Post-acquisition, though, Emami focused not only on changing perceptions, but also on Zandu Balm’s packaging. “For the last 15-20 years, the packaging had not changed. So, the first thing we did was to change that, since consumer behaviour changes every three to four years,” explains Goenka.

The hallmark glass containers of Zandu Balm were replaced by more contemporary plastic ones, a move that competition followed, according to Goenka.

Moreover, in typical Emami style, Zandu Balm’s advertising was reformed and renewed as part of the FMCG major’s Rs 195 crore spend on brand building in 2009-10. The brand entered into a strategic tie-up with the Indian Premier League’s Mumbai Indians.

“The energy that has come into the balm as a result of the advertising”, Goenka claims, has been able to keep competition at bay. 

Result:  “Emami has improved the profitability of the brand by managing low-hanging costs and dealing with the margin structure. Also, after many years, it brought out an advertising campaign that has had a positive rub-off, and got a new bottle for the product. In the last year and a half, the brand has been doing quite well,” explains Arnab Mitra, FMCG analyst at brokerage firm IndiaInfoline.

Subsequent to the consolidation period, when Emami completed the integration of Zandu’s FMCG segment with its own, the brand has grown faster than the market over the last three quarters. “It has grown between 15-20 per cent, while the market growth was about 11-12 per cent. But the test is how they will do next year,” says Mitra. 

But Goenka expects Zandu Balm to grow 17-20 per cent going ahead, with the intention of ending this fiscal as a Rs 175 crore brand. Among other factors, he is banking on the new Rs 2 pack that is poised to directly take on analgesic tablets.Consumers can’t always buy a Rs.20 container to deal with an ache.This new pack will allow us to grow in the sachet segment,which is about 30-40 percent of the total FMCG market in India. 

Analysts such as Mitra, are cautious about this new route, but feel that the resizing could lead to the category “exploding”.This may just be Zandu Balm’s Dabangg moment.Unquote. 

For the readers,here are the full lyrics of this raunchy number executed by Malaika with a lot of elan and oomph !!

Music Director :

Sajid-Wajid and Lalit-Pandit

  Singer(s) :

Mamta Sharma , Aishwary
  Lyricists :

Lalit Pandit, Faiz Anwar & Jalees Sherwani
 
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye – 3 times
Munni ke gaal gulabi, nain sharabi, chaal nawabi re
Le zandu balm hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye
Munni ke gaal gulabi, nain sharabi, chaal nawabi re
Le zandu balm hui, darling tere liye – 2 times
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye – 2 times

Shilpa sa figure Bebo si adaa, Bebo si adaa
Shilpa sa figure Bebo si adaa, Bebo si adaa
Hai mere jhatke mein filmi mazaa re filmi mazaa
Haye tu na jaane mere nakhre ve
Haye tu na jaane mere nakhre ve laakhon rupaiya udaa
Ve main taksaal hui, darling tere liye
Cinema hall hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye – 2 times 

O munni re, o munni re
Tera gali gali mein charcha re
Hai jama ishq da ishq da parcha re
Jama ishq da ishq da parcha re
O munni re 

Kaise anaari se paala pada ji paala pada
Ho kaise anaari se paala pada ji paala pada
Bina rupaiye ke aake khada mere peechay pada
Popat na jaane mere peechay woh Saifu
(haye haye maar hi daalogi kya)
Popat na jaane mere peechay Saifu se leke Lambhu khada
Item yeh aam hui, darling tere liye
Item yeh aam hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye 

Hai tujh mein poori botal ka nasha, botal ka nasha
Hai tujh mein poori botal ka nasha, botal ka nasha
Kar de budaape ko kar de jawan re kar de jawan
Honthon pe gaali teri aankhein dulaali, haye
Honthon pe gaali teri aankhein dulaali re de hai jiya
Tu item bomb hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling mere liye – 2 times
Munni ke gaal gulabi, nain sharabi, chaal nawabi re
Le zandu balm hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye
Baat yeh aam hui, darling tere liye
Be-Hindustan hui, darling tere liye
Amiya se aam hui, darling mere liye
Le zandu balm hui, darling mere liye
Seenay mein hole hui, tere tere tere liye
Aale badnaam hui haanji haan tere liye
Le sareaam hui, darling tere liye
Darling tere liye x3 

 

YOUTUBE video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Eros Worldwide LLc. 
  
 Still from Dabangg song 'Munni Badnaam'      
 
So,here is an important lesson to be learnt by students of MBA specializing in Marketting.Ride on the wave when you have an opportunity.Ride on a song…and enjoy the moment !!
Category: Comments to print media, Ideas, Movies & Entertainmaint  12 Comments

About jokes…..

Author: Oct 23

About Jokes…

I have just read a news-item in a few newspapers of today. It is titled:” The official 50 funniest jokes of all times “. It is based on a recent research.

Since I am currently teaching a subject called Marketing Research here, in one of the MBA colleges, such intelligent (?) and funny (!) subjects of research certainly tickle me. Here is the news item copy pasted from one newspaper:

Quote :A team of researchers believe they have identified the 50 best one-liners. Researchers scoured the web and examined more than 1,000 jokes before whittling them down to a final 50 on which 36,000 people voted. They include digs at wives, husbands, blondes and foreigners and risqué jokes about religion, anorexia – and animal cruelty. A quarter-century after his death comedy hero Tommy Cooper makes a strong showing in the list, which also includes gags by Peter Kay, Lee Evans and Canadian comic Stuart Francis. Here are the ones that made the Top 10:

10. A man walks into a bar with a roll of tarmac under his arm and says: “Pint please, and one for the road.”

9. I’m on a whiskey diet. I’ve lost three days already.

8. Another one was: Doc, I can’t stop singing the ‘Green Green Grass of Home’. He said, “That sounds like Tom Jones syndrome’. ‘Is it common?’ I asked. ‘It’s not unusual,” he replied.

7. Two aerials meet on a roof – fall in love – get married. The ceremony was rubbish – but the reception was brilliant. 

 6. Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was drinking battery acid, the other was eating fireworks. They charged one – and let the other one off. 

5.I said to the Gym instructor “Can you teach me to do the splits?” He said, “How flexible are you?” I said, “I can’t make Tuesdays”

4. A young blonde woman is distraught because she fears her husband is having an affair, so she goes to a gun shop and buys a handgun. The next day she comes home to find her husband in bed with a beautiful redhead. She grabs the gun and holds it to her own head. The husband jumps out of bed, begging and pleading with her not to shoot herself. Hysterically the blonde responds to the husband, “Shut up…you’re next!”

3. Dyslexic man walks into a bra…

2. I went to the zoo the other day, there was only one dog in it,it was a shitzu.

1. A woman gets on a bus with her baby. The bus driver says: “Ugh, that’s the ugliest baby I’ve ever seen!” The woman walks to the rear of the bus and sits down, fuming. She says to a man next to her: “The driver just insulted me!” The man says, “You go up there and tell him off. Go on, I’ll hold your monkey for you.” 

“It’s nice to see jokes from the greats like Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson are still up there and the ugly baby tale is a worthy winner,” The Daily Mail quoted a spokesman for www.OnePoll.comas saying. “Many of the jokes in the list are fairly timeless and will still be making people chuckle in thirty years or more.” 

Unquote.
 
Now, my simple take on this as under: Most esteemed readers and lovers of jokes will find that except for one or two, the top ten jokes listed out in the survey by researchers, are certainly not funny. Such surveys depend not only on the qualifications of the researchers, their experience, their sense of humour, their IQ etc but also on the similar traits of the voters who vote for their so called best-ness! A joke can be funny for me but not so funny for you. There is no uniform standard for the funni-ness of a joke. What constitutes a really funny joke and what makes a so-called joke go flat, are again subjective issues. It is generally believed that for a joke to be really funny, it should not cross a certain line, it should avoid racial references and should have a punch line which is easy for people of all ages to appreciate and react spontaneously ! Sometimes a one-liner may not be a joke really, but it may be treated as a joke by the listeners depending upon who is cracking the joke !

If our PM Dr Manmohan Singh or Obama, or for that matter, the Queen, makes an attempt to tell a joke, then in spite of its being low on its quotient of funni-ness, it will still sort of compel people to laugh over it, simply because the person cracking it is an eminent personality and so out of respect, we should laugh at his/her joke ! Yes, basically jokes are meant to be heard and laughed at, but one question that arises is :Can we sue the makers of the joke, if it fails to make us laugh ? I am reminded of a classic case I read years ago about a private prosecution case made out by a reader against the publishers of Jeffrey Archer’s books!!  On the jacket of one of his books, a blurb had said something to the effect that “the novel has a thrill a minute” and that “the twists and turns would leave the readers gasping”. A reader claimed that this was a misrepresentation of the facts/goods, and that there was hardly a thrill an hour in the said novel. Further he had opined that the twists and turns had left him only confused and yawning and he was not at all entertained as made out in the blurb, and so he wished to be reimbursed. The sum involved in this case was paltry, but had that reader won that case, it would have opened the floodgates for umpteen other claims. The publishers had fought it tooth and nail, till it was ultimately settled out of court. Yes, ultimately the customer of the joke (we readers) is king but if you feel it has not made you laugh, still laugh at it so that you do not become a laughing stock amongst the crowd of other laughers. ! 

And BTW, whether these researchers have no other subjects worth researching (poverty, disease, terrorism, etc) except for researching on such mundane issues, is all together another matter certainly worth laughing out loud ! Ha !! 

Ah, yes, even if you have not felt like  laughing at this piece, do spare a little time to smile at least, since my younger sister, lovingly called Dolly, once said this to me in one of her poems sent to me through an e-mail: 

A Smile Costs Nothing.

A Smile costs nothing,

Yet it can brighten up a cloudy day,

If life is a journey,

Why not smile along the way?

 Smiles are like flowers,

Beautiful, fragrant, rare.

Coming from the heart,

They really show you care. 

But some people,

Just ai’nt blessed with this gift,

And that is what sometimes,

Causes a rift!  

I wish I could stop all passers-by,

Offer them a smile, and ask them to try. 

For with learning to smile,

Its never too late to start.

All that we need is,

Some love in our hearts.

So, laugh and be merry

And smile in glee,

Remember, keep smiling its tax-free!!   

Dear, Readers, it is now your turn to respond with your funny and/or un-funny views.

Category: Comments to print media, Humour, People, Social Commentry  6 Comments

Marry,Marry,Quite contrary !

Author: Oct 19
Marry,Marry,Quite contrary !
Friends,the queer title of this piece is with a twist and borrowed from the lines of a famous nursery rhyme,I recall from my early childhood. The poem went thus :
 
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row !
  
Since last semester,I have been teaching Marketting Reasearch to MBA students.
  
Surveys are one of the major tools of marketting.Various types of surveys are there as discussed in the texts and in cases. 
  
Recently, I came across a typical survey done by someone, somewhere,among some children between the ages of 6 and 10,on the subject :” Who To Marry” ? etc etc.
 
The answers left the surveyors foxed,for the kids came out with several witty,naughty,out-of-the-box answers,which even we elders can’t think of.
 
Here’s a sample for you to think upon,chuckle over and judge for your self about how grown up,how down to earth some of the kids of today can be :
 
Q1. Who to marry?
 
Answers:
 
1.You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.(Alan, aged 10)

2.No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you’re stuck with.(Kristen, aged 10)

Q2. What is the right age to get married?

Answer:
 
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.(Camille,aged 10)

Q3. How can a stranger tell if two people are married ?

 
Answer :
 
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.(Derrick, aged 8)

Q4. What do think your mom and dad have in common?

 
Answer:
 
Both don’t want any more kids.(Lori, aged 8)

Q5. What do most people do on a date ?

Answers :
 
1.Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
(Lynnette, aged 8)

2.On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.(Martin, aged 10)

Q6. When is it okay to kiss someone ?

 

Answers :
 
1.When they’re rich.(Pam, aged 7)

2.The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn’t want to mess with that.(Curt, aged 7)

3.The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It’s the right thing to do.
(Howard, aged 8)

Q7. Is it better  to be single or married ?

Answer :
 
It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.(Anita, aged 9)

Q8. How would the world be different if people didn’t get married ?

 
Answer:

There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn’t there?
(Kelvin, aged 8)

Q9. How would you make a marriage work?

 
Answer :
 
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.(Ricky,aged 10)
 
Exercises for married readers :
 
A) Readers can rate these answers as under :
 
5 marks for Excellent
4 marks for Very Good
3 marks for Good
1 mark   for So-so
 
B) Which is your favourite answer ? Why ?
 
C) Which answer,based on your own perceptions,is not far from the truth ?
 
D) Which according to you is the BEST answer ? Why ?
 
E) I think such lovely responses cannot come from Indian children.Do you agree/disgaree ?
 
Keep smiling….
 
BTW, die hard fans of Sharukh Khan will  know that this October the 25th, SRK will celebrate his nineteenth wedding anniversary to Gauri. The two got married on October 25th 1991 and so next October (2011) they will be completing twenty years of marriage. And what does the superstar feel about this?According to media based sources, Shah Rukh Khan is really looking forward to his twentieth year of marriage but insists that since they have known each other for eight years before marriage so it will be nearly thirty years of knowing each other.Shah Rukh had a very good advice for couples saying that it’s very easy to become a couple but very difficult to be one and that their married life is still as well as new because he and Gauri have been a couple instead of trying to become a couple.

Do you think contrary to what SRK says ? 

Category: Comments to print media, Humour, People, Social Commentry  8 Comments

My letter in FE..

Author: Oct 19

My letter in Financial Express dated 19th Oct 2010

Recently,I read the following article in the FE and wrote a letter to the editor, by way of my response,which has been published as under :

The article :

Govt to infuse Rs 8,700 cr in PSU banks

Oct 13, 2010 FE

New Delhi : The Finance Ministry said it will provide equity support of about Rs 8,700 crore to the public sector banks, a move that will enable lenders to raise funds from the capital market without diluting the government holding to below 51 per cent.
 
“Next tranche of the capital infusion in the banks will be to raise government’s holding in the public sector banks to certain level, which is being worked out,” Department of Financial Services Secretary R Gopalan said on the sidelines of Orient Grameen Swarojgar Card launch by Oriental Bank of Commerce.
 
“So that at time when we are not in a position to fund them through budgetary resources they will be in position to go to the market and raise resources to beef up their Tier I position,” he said.
 
The government is also conscious of Basel III requirement where addition Tier I capital has been prescribed, he added.The government will look at those banks where government’s holding is at minimum at 51 per cent.In the first tranche the government has approved capital infusion of Rs 6,211 crore in the five public sector banks announced in June this year.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in his budget speech this year announced that the government planned a capital support of Rs 15,000 crore to public sector banks during the current fiscal to ensure that these entities could attain a minimum 8 per cent tier-I capital by March 31, 2011. 
 
As much as Rs 8,789 crore would be part of second tranche. There are six public sector banks-Bank of Baroda, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Andhra Bank, Dena Bank, IDBI Bank and Vijaya Bank where the government holding is less than 55 per cent.
 
The Centre’s holding in Bank of Baroda stands at 53.8 per cent, Oriental Bank of Commerce at 51.1 per cent while in case of Andhra Bank, it is 51.6 per cent. In IDBI Bank, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank, the government holding is 52.7 per cent,51.2 per cent and 53.9 per cent respectively.When asked if the government had taken any decision on the State Bank of India’s proposal of Rs 20,000 crore rights issue, Gopalan said, “we are still examining. We have not finalised the assessment.” 
 
On the operations of microfinance institutions in the country, Gopalan said, “It is not possible for any one to control interest rates. It is just not feasible.” He added,”As far as we are concerned Microfinance Institutions Regulation Bill is in the offing, which is under consultation with number of stakeholders. In that Bill we will never have a provision of control of interest rate, as it is not feasible.” 
 
When asked if the Bill was likely to be tabled in the upcoming winter session of Parliament, Gopalan said, “it depends on number of legislative agenda there. We have finished consultation with stakeholders and we will have to look at taking it forward.”
My Letter:

Letters to the editor
The Financial Express  
Tuesday, Oct 19, 2010 

Infusion for PSU banks 

As reported in FE on October 13 (Govt to infuse Rs 8,700 cr in PSU banks), the finance ministry said it would provide equity support of about Rs 8,700 crore to the public sector banks, a move that will enable lenders to raise funds from the capital market without diluting the government holding to below 51%. Six public sector banks—Bank of Baroda, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Andhra Bank, Dena Bank, IDBI Bank and Vijaya Bank, where the government holding is less than 55%—will thus be able to raise funds from the capital market without diluting the government’s stake below 51%. The government must take care to ensure that other regulations, as per draft of new Basel III standard, are not lost sight of. These regulations include tighter definitions of Tier-I capital, according to which banks are supposed to hold 4.5% by January 2015 and then going up to 7% in due course. Further, it is important to have a proper framework for counter-cyclic capital buffers, adequate measures to limit counter-party credit risks, and a global minimum liquidity standard for internationally active banks that includes a 30-day short-term liquidity coverage ratio requirement underpinned by a longer-term structural liquidity ratio. These stipulations will insulate PSU banks from financial disasters and market stress and keep them globally competitive and strong in the times to come. Hopefully, finance ministry will also keep these in mind while effecting the capital infusion.

JS Broca, New Delhi

Category: Comments to print media  Leave a Comment

Samosa-A Rejoinder…

Author: Oct 18

Samosa-A Rejoinder
My dear friend and respected fellow-Muse-ician Dr T S Chandra Mouli ji,an eminent poet, translator and critic,was so taken up with my piece on Samosa, that he responded with a short and sweet poem spontaneously and sent it to me care of my personal e-mail id.
  
I am glad that my post brought out the poet in him and so I take the liberty of posting his poem with a few touches here and there,for the readers to enjoy and respond !
  
A passable English translation follows the original poem
________________________________________________ 
Respected Broca ji,
Namaskar

 
Mere jawab mein naan maska hai naan chutney bhari thaali. (plate)
Sirf hazir hai,le lijiey, hamari dher saari taali.(clapping)
I too love samosas very much
But don’t eat them now as such,
  
Kyon ki cholestrol badh jaaney ka hai darr,
Thirty years ago, “Luqmi” khoob khayee, parr,
Uss ka divine naam bhool gaya thaa
Aap nein firr yaad dilaya-so shukriyaa
  
Yaadein puraani ho jatee hain
Magar samosa tazaa reh jaata  hai
Khiltey phool jaise,hastey dil jaisey
Samosa hamarey khayalon mein,
Hamaari yaadon  mein,bass jaata hai
  
Arrey koyee mujhey yeh tau batao
Jo samosa naan khaa paaye, 
Kya woh zinda kehlata hai ?
Nahin dosto,mera manana hai
Woh zinda hotey bhi murda hai jaano
Woh chaltey firtey bhi ek laash hai maano.

Yaaro, khao samosey pet bhar kar
Firr so jao palang pey chadar odh kar
Naan jaaney firr doctor kab mana karr dey 
Aur samosey ko hum sey judaa karr dey
  
Abb kha lo,phir kahan milega yeh swadisht tukda 

Kaise dikhaogey khuda ko apna yeh mukhda ?
Firr kab nasseb mein hoga samosa merey yaaro
Cholestrol-volestral ko maaro goli merey pyaaro !
 
Main bhi khaaoon,aap bhi shokh sey khaaein
Do-chaar samosey khuda ko bhi parcel karwaaein
Tabhi woh hamaarey gunnah bakshh degaa,
Aur hum sabb ko jannnat mein jagah degaa!!
 
Dey taali !!!


Cheers !
Mouli.
—————————————————————————–
Friends,Dr Mouli can be reached at : tscmouli@hotmail.com
 
E..N…J..O…Y…!!
 
Here’s my translation too :
 

My answer to your post isn’t buttering or chutney in a plate

Here,accept my clapping, though I am a bit too late 

I too love samosas very much
But don’t eat them now as such,
For I fear adding more to that what they call cholestrol,dear 
Around thirty years ago I had tasted a lot of luqmi I fear

But I had forgotten its name some how

Thanks my dear friend,for reminding me about it now.
 

Memories can somtimes be forgotten and also often fade

But the taste of tasty samosa will be ever fresh for decades
Like the flowers that always smile,

And hearts that always sing
Samosa remains for ever etched in my mind 
As a royal snack that’s  fit for kings.
 
Pray someone do tell me please
A man who eats not a samosa
Is  he or can  he said to be alive ?
No my dearest friends,I believe ,
He is not living but you will agree
He is nothing except a mobile dead body.

So friends,gorge on samosas,till you fill your belly

And go to bed unworried,says my friend Kitty Kelly !  

For I know not when my good doctor  
May delete samosas from list of items of my diet
So eat them now,not never, or you’ll miss them 
Before you go to God, when its time to kick the bucket !
I ain’t sure when samosas again,I will ever eat
Cholestrol ?-ah, to heck with it, go for your hearty treat.

Let me eat ’em,you too enjoy ’em, with passion,non-stop
Let’s courier a few of them to our friend up there-God !
Only then will He forgive us our tresspasses or such sins

And grant us an entry into his heavens-our rightful place to be in !!

 

Clap ! Clap ! Clap ! 

Thanks for making my week-end, a pleasure.

From samosa to luqmi– our really national treasure !!

Dr.T S Chandramouliji
Category: Humour, Ideas, Social Commentry  5 Comments

Samosa-I Love You !

Author: Oct 16

 

Samosa-I Love you !!
 
   
 
I just love eating a samosa.Whenever I pass by from a nearby shop frying samosas in the evenings, its delicious aroma and flavour are just too attractive to resist and much against my doctor’s advise to avoid deep fried snacks from health point of view,I sometimes give in to the temptation and eat a piece or two,wipe my mouth,moustaches and beard clean of the traces,to leave no proof of my indulgence of this sinful snack  and walk back home innocently !! 
 
I am sure that I alone am not the only sinner in this case and many of my readers will accompany me to hell for indulging in this unpardonable sin of gorging on a samosa or two sometimes.
 
Let’s confess,we all love eating this famous hot Indian snack called “samosa”. I understand that it is also a common snack in our neighbouring countries like Pakistan,Nepal and Bangla Desh.Research tells me that it originated in Central Asia prior to the 10th century.Well, it seems to have a long history and has survived till now in the 21st century.We all know that it generally consists of a fried triangular- or tetrahedron-shaped shell filled usually with a savory mixture of boiled and mashed potatoes with finely chopped onion and fresh green coriander.A little costlier variety is filled additionally with cottage cheese (paneer) and green peas.However,other stuffings like minced meat and fish are often used.
  
The size and shape of a samosa, as well as the consistency of the shell used, can vary considerably although it is mostly triangular. It can be spicy and is often eaten with various types of chutney- mint and coriander,tomato or tamarind etc. I feel it is best enjoyed with tea or coffee.My friend from Hyderabad tells me that there, a smaller version of the samosa with a thicker shell and mince filled center is called a Luqmi.Muse readers from Hyderabad,may please confirm this.

Samosas are often served in the form of chaat, along with the traditional accompaniments of yoghurt, chutney, chopped onions and green coriander, with a liberal sprinkling of chaat masala.
Further research tells me that samosas are also very popular in United Kingdom,South Africa and East Africa, Persian Gulf countries as well as in the United States.However,sometimes the name of this snack may be slightly different. For example,it is called a  “samboosa” or “sambusac” by the Arabs,while in South Africa it is called “Samoosa”.
 
Of late,even frozen samosas are increasingly available in grocery stores in the United States as I gather.I have not tasted a frozen samosa so far.
 
In Portugal,I am informed, samosas are known as “chamucas” and they are very popular in Lisbon. Samosas are also reportedly popular along the West Coast of Africa and in Mozambique,sources tell me.
In Brazil, samosas are known as “pasteis” (plural of “pastel”). They are almost exclusively a square (not tetrahedron) in shape and fried with a thin pastry.They are considered by many Brazilians as a typical Brazilian snack. Knowlegeable sources inform me their introduction into the Brazilian culinary occurred through Chinese immigrants in the end of the 19th century as modified spring rolls adapted to the available ingredients, but its popularity was boosted in mid-1940s by the fact that huge Japanese communities in Southeastern Brazil , afraid of the prejudices prevailing in Brazil at the time due to the Japan-Nazi alliance in the World War II, began to run small pastel businesses in order to be taken as Chinese people instead.
 
The Brazilian pastel is typically filled with minced beef, mozzarella-type cheese, chicken, or palmheart cream. It can, however, be filled with virtually any sort of edible filling, and a host of innovative fillings like crab meat, shrimp, all types of cheese (mixed or not–cream cheese is a must), spicy Italian-type sausages, and pork ham are very popular.
My vegetarian friends can skip these details.Vegetable-filled pasteis,I understand, are very rare, if not impossible to find.
 
Well let us leave this history and geography aside for a while and go to other interesting facts of this humble samosa !

While samosas are traditionally deep fried,I am told by my dietician friend that many Westerners prefer to bake them, as that is more convenient and perceived to be a healthier alternative. (this could be seen as an example of fusion cuisine).I have yet to try this baked variety.

Other common names and types of samosas are : dumpling,aloo pie,lukhmi,bourekas,empanada,sambusac and the very obvious one-called simply “turnover”.Unity in diversity is there here too !!

 
Having penned or moused this posting, I cannot resist from ending with a funny piece of a story about the dialogue between the samosa shell and the filling that is potato or aloo. Here it goes :
 
Verse-I:
Said the samosa to aloo:
“Jab main fry hota hoon
tumhein cover kar ke
garam tel se bacha leta hoon-
because I love you !”
 
Translation :
Said the samosa to the
potatoes:
“When I get fried,
I cover you
And thus save you
From the scalding hot oil…
Because I Love you !”
 
Vesrse-II :
Said the aloo in reply :
“Jab log tumhein
fry honey ke foran baad
khaatey hain,to main bhi
unki zaban aur munh ko
jala deta hoon….
because I love you too !”
 
Translation:
Said the poatoes in reply:
“When people eat you
immediately after you
are fried,then I too
burn and scald their
tongues and mouths….
because I love you too !”
 
Moral from this story:
 
“In dono ki prem kahani pey matt jayiey,samosa hameshaa thoda thanda karr ke khayiey !”
 
Translation : “Do not be misled by this love story of these two.Always eat the samosa after it has cooled down a bit ! “
 
I hope this posting will surely be useful as a starting point to someone who wishes to  earn a doctorate (PhD) in “Samosa-logy ” !
 
Any takers ?
 
Yes,my dear Samosa-I Love you !!
 
 
 

Category: Humour, Ideas, Social Commentry  24 Comments
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