” I dont know why I love her like I do
All the changes you put me through
Take my money, my cigarettes
I havent seen the worst of it yet
I wanna know that youll tell me
I love to stay” *

Kickstart lungs is the name of the condition you develop when a single hunk of two stroke machinery wont start. Life comes telescoping down the funnel spigot of fate’s drain and you are more than overwhelmed by the end. Buried, snowed under the absence of further possibilities. If it happens to you in a delhi summer, you get wet with sweat and your breath imitates a pair of leaky cloth bellows. Malviya nagar girls, mostly fair - the ones with heels on their chappals are distinctly uncool while the ones in flat chappals are mod. Things you can’t notice then but remember later.

Beer cans in my bag, the girl at the end of the road waiting. Market boys offer to push while making suggestions that i slug a beer there itself to replenish loss of body fluids - dosent get too far. Call the Coyote who tells me to tilt and kick. This after an hours attempts have run me argound like a beached whale. Thinking things like, ‘ah, milady will take care of the shambles the bike has made me, I get on and ride the thing (Stranger, they call it!)finally; hoping the breeze will dry my shirt out.

“I dont know why you treat me so bad
Think of all the things we could have had
Love is an ocean that I cant forget
My sweet sixteen I would never regret” *

Get from station to station like, to find milady engrossed in a movie. For some (obvious to yez-riders!!!) reason i don’t bother to ask which one it was. Hang around and face the cold wave moving from her face glued to the monitor towards me. I take it into the kitchen and get the beers and act like the leftover vegetables from yesterday’s weekly market.

“I dont know why I love you like I do
All the troubles you put me through
Sixteen candles there on my wall
And here am I the biggest fool of them all” *

After setting the poor girl up, can any man affect a cool and suave attitude when on the way the yezdi took an hour to start? I give up and offer this lil bit of advise:

Avoid dates when yr bike wouldn’t start along the way.
Maybe it’s the hand of fate, maybe it’s your clutch plates, in any case its a loosing fight that all of us who know what it feels like smile at the memories of the pain and understand that to own a y-bike is to take on a personal cross that you bear much to the cynosure of all around but the vital connection with the bike. I swear, its a rare yezdi owner who will leave the bike behind and continue.

“I wanna know that youll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river and drop me in the water
Dip me in the river, drop me in the water
Washing me down, washing me down.” *

After the long fight trying to start the bike, you get like Hemmingway’s Old Man and the Sea and you no longer want to leave behind what nearly killed you because even this has become part of you and your lifestory and regardless of the ugly bits of the experience, what ever it is- it is yours. It’s like a connection or a bond with something - anything, which takes you to the limits of yourself or depths and stays with you through it all. Can’t explain it too much, it all sounds ‘fishy.’ In case of Yezdis, I just call it the Union Mechanica. A mystical union between man and machine.

Peace and twin-pipe rule,
- arunesh
* Take me to the River (song lyrics) - Talking Heads (which i am fixiated by because adrian bellew plays this excrutiating solo in the studio version which reminds me of the sound made by a running seizure the yezdi happens)

This article first printed at http://yezdidiaries.blogspot.com/2008/06/kickstart-lungs-is-name-of-condition.html

The pearly rays of the sun played on my eye lids and woke me up to a fine morning. It took only few steps towards the window pane to see and feel the difference. The air smelled earthy and the dry and drooping plants were now boasting of their new found youth. It was coming of the age; but yes in the reverse order.

Adjoining the plants were their new neighbors, slick, curly, twirling bougainvillea and spring weeds. They almost looked up to the tall trees, wishing to grow as tall someday. They gyrated with the smooth wind, letting their leafs dance to its tune;  like Cinderella with her prince charming.

The beetles with their polka dresses had come out too. The preying mantis had stopped praying as God had answered their adjuration. There was plenty around to have and see.

I could see from a far the Bee-Queen summoning her army of lecherous male bees, who were willing to die to have their chance. She was making the plans for their new hive. I could almost hear her say, ‘Sparta! Today we dine in our hive’. The eave dropping dropped only when I heard their spy swarming over me, keeping a watch on my gleaning eyes. I smiled anxiously and got the point. There was no need to fight with my stingy ‘la surveillante’. And while, the wind took the bee away, my eyes were booked by the over all verdure. It was green and beautiful all around.

Hammad

The sunshine doesn’t bother you on spring mornings. It pampers you. As flowers begin to blossom, so does your mood. As you walk on the lively grass, the surroundings become kaleidoscopic. Undoubtedly, mornings of this season breathe vibrancy.

Ankit

Can you hear the little sapling nudging its tiny head out of the ground to get the first glimpse of the season changing? The enchantment of spring inundates my senses with new life, with the new hope of new beginnings. The freshly minted sunshine thaws out the edges of despair and I am once again ensnared in the gossamer web of life.

Romila

Welcome Spring to my window sill,
To brighten my greens with colorful preens,
Don’t you know you are awaited?
For my greens long to smile, bloom and dance in the wind!
Early morning, I open my windows to beautiful vistas of open green meadows: fresh, dewy, gentle and soothing. Interspersed by colorful beds of tulips and roses, red, white, pink, yellow…, it is truly a sight to cherish! I venture out into this captivating beauty to touch the blooms, feel the breeze, watch the fluttering butterflies, listen to the humming birds, and treasure and capture this moment forever in my mind’s eye!

Raji

I step out of my house and take a deep breath. It is a fine spring morning, with flowers abloom, the sun bright and the fresh smell of jasmine. Rays of sunlight shimmer through the dew drops that slide down the blades of the lush green grass.

Priya

The colour is green and the English say it’s Autumn..
They say the king of seasons; I say it’s close to my heart.
They say harvest, I say, transition, change and freshness.
The birds are flitting and the flowers show off
The morning dew over the fresh new leaves has to give me a new found high.
Is it freezing there? No baby, it’s the Spring outside.

Palash

Spring Morning: Arise and Awaken Your Emotions
The advent of spring brings with it profuse colors and arouses a myriad of emotion.
Spring mornings, joyful and pleasant, are filled with hustle-bustle and commotion.
From the able-bodied young to the young-at-heart elderly, everyone wants to immerse themselves in the splendor of spring.
Be it meditating in the balcony or strolling in the park, spring is no wonder called the season of blooming.

Vidya

Spring Morning
A warm, yellow radiance gushes into the room and embraces every object within its reach as soon as the curtains are drawn. Twittering vibrance fills the ears and multi-colored blossoms greet the eyes. The earth has cast away its morose wintry blanket and welcomed the season of revival and happiness with open arms. The sense of luxury and plenitude in the air fills every heart….

Debolena

Spring Morning Greenery

Find me

Who I am?

Hint: I am Someone

Ans: Ofcourse, I am a living being and am someone but who?

Hint: I love beaches and a widely travelled person.

Ans: Okay, what else?

Hint: Mmm, I was conferred with a BIG award recently..

Ans: Okay, so? Every get’s that these days, the world is populated by awards now? What else go ahead..

Last Hint: I am not what I am..

Ans: Hmm, that’s interesting, does that mean you look old now?? or you do not do what you do?

Readers? Guess and Shoot…

President of the Federal Republic of Germany

Visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany to India

The President of the Federal Republic of Germany Horst Köhler arrives in India on 1st February for a six-day state visit and he covers three cities. The President will meet with top political leaders, hold discussions on the global financial crisis with the RBI Governor and meet also key industry representatives as well as Indian intellectuals.

The key objective of President Köhler’s visit is to open up new avenues for Germany and India to work together in developing a 21st-century world policy based on mutual cooperation. It is his first official visit to India that underlines the increasing importance of the strategic partnership between Germany and India. It is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties, including the forthcoming ‘Year of Germany in India 2011 – 2012’, which will showcase areas of mutual interest.

President Kohler will be in Delhi from 1st – 4th February.  President Köhler will then travel to India’s automobile hub Pune to tour the new Volkswagen plant in Chakan and the Indian environment and energy company Thermax. President Köhler concludes his India tour with a site visit to a watershed management project implemented under Indo-German development cooperation at Darewadi, Maharashtra.

‘India Visit

A brief about Mr. Horst Köhler who was elected as the ninth President of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2004. In 2008, he was re-elected for another four-year term. Earlier, from 2000 – 2004, he was Managing Director and Chairman of the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund.

I will carry out his visit and other info from this platform.

Glücklicher Aufenthalt – It means we wish you a happy stay.

Content source: German News, special thanks to Mr. Jens Urban

Cheers, we are entering in the last year of the 21st century, after today. I wish you a happy new century. A phone call from my residence made me think a little about this celebration. For your information (people who do not know) there is a lunar eclipse on the 31st December 2009. The earth will cast its shadow on the moon tonight prime–time (9:30 to 1 AM). Most of the Delhi clubs, restaurants and discotheques will be full and hic, spirits will be high.

But a word of caution comes from my mother, “son, during a lunar eclipse people should not eat anything.” I said, “What do I do now?” She says, “try and have your dinner before 9:30 and celebrate (if you want tomorrow).” There is no sound on the other side of the phone, Ma hung up. Our astronomers today can predict when such an event will occur, I read it’s 2018. This magnificent clockwork of the heavenly bodies have displayed signs of grandiose time to time, at the same time encouraged conservatism and superstitions throughout the globe.

Let me tell you some popular beliefs associated with lunar eclipses. Apart from the most common belief which is terrible that protracts that an eclipse of the sun or moon is associated with destruction and the end of the world. The world would have destroyed a million times by now, if that belief was true. There are some more….

• Pregnant woman should be careful and not touch her belly.
• Ancient Chinese call the eclipse as lunar yueshi (lunæ devoratio) and ascribe that to the plotting of a dragon. The Chinese believed that the dragon was eating the Moon. To scare away the dragon they will shoot cannons.
• The people of India still hide inside during the eclipses, because they believe the moon allows bad rays to hit earth.
• People in India break and bang pots and lot of other noises to keep evil forces at bay. The evil forces are taking away the moon, they believe.
• Some noises are still being made by various instruments in Persia and some parts of China.
• Some Americans believe that the sun and the moon are tired.
• The Indian credence is that a snake eats the sun and moon when they’re eclipsed.
• Eskimos will turn their utensils over to avoid them being contaminated.
• Some Hindus believes that a demon devours these heavenly bodies.
• Babylonians somehow believed that the Moon being hidden was a bad omen and some place in the world is doomed for sure.
• One of the extracts of bible says that when a moon turns red Apocalypse or catastrophe will come. (Genesis 1:14-19 DAY 4)

Cant say about mama, but I look forward to see this once-in-a-blue-moon event tonight. Join me if you want to be a part this awe-inspiring and wonderful heavenly enigma which we are about to witness. Happy new year, friends, see you next year.

Reuse the past,

Recycle the present,

save the future!

We at

Veda Informatics

Celebrating

The

Go Green….

Week

(Monday, 23rd Nov - Friday, 27th)

Green revolution the best solution to arrest pollution

(We would really appreciate if everyone comes forward for the initiative and contributes towards the environment’s safety and cleanliness, both at work place as well as home. Even the smallest effort from your side can result to great achievements. The Greatest achievement will be rewarded.)

Will it not be too late???

So let’s get going, here are the 20 environment slogans we think we’ll get you thinking.

20. You Must Be the Change You Wish to See in the World.

19. Every Time History Repeats Itself the Price Goes Up. - Oil anyone?

18. Where Do You Think the Environment Is? - That will sure get smart people think. What is it? Does it need help? How can we help it?

17. Do we really use eco friendly products - we still stick to the polythene bags.

16. I Object to NOT saving our Planet - I do, too.

15. Can You Hear the Eco? - Many don’t. Maybe we can teach them.

14. Hear the Trees Falling? - Not really, but we see forests disappearing.

13. Ignore it and it will Go Away - Extinct is the word.

12. What Will your Children Breathe? - Well don’t be smart. It’s going to be air (O2) but unless we do something it’s going to be filled with all sorts of poisons.

11. What Will Your Children Drink? - Sure hope it doesn’t need any more explanations.

10. See Green, See Life - Most of the time if it’s green it has life in it. And no don’t give me the Green Hummer example. We’re talking about plants, nature.

9. Melting Ice - A Hot Topic! -Ever thought what will happen if ice melts? What about the polar bears and their habitat?

8. Delivering Environmental Innovation through Sustainable Practices

7.  Green. That’s how we’d like the world to be.

6. Good Golly, Go Green Girl - More like eco club stuff, targeting young students, right?

4. It’s Cool to Be an Eco-school - It sure is. If you really believe in what you do, and your students understand that being eco is not just to be fashionable, we’re good.

3. Green for Bikes - cycling is a solution to a city’s high traffic. The results have been incredible.

2. Reduce, Reuse & Recycle - Doesn’t need any explanation, I bet.
1. Is conservation our Habit - So why we teach our children to be like us

So let’s Start:

Let’s see who comes up with the innovative ideas and works for keeping the surroundings Clean and Green You can take help of your friends, family and others. One who is found to be more lucrative, passionate about it will be the winner in the End.

Some tips:

• Wear Green, Feel Green
• Incorporate such values in your lifestyle
• Make your families also a part of this.
• Try to come to the office with a rickshaw in spite of coming through cars and bikes.

(Your Suggestions and feedbacks are always welcome)

Thanks,
HR Department

Want to share this person’s thoughts, which I agree mostly.

I wish I could be with you today, in the flesh as they say. Unfortunately, I’m in India. Ever been in India? It’s very hot. If you don’t mind, I’m going to take off my coat.

You know, in the advertising community today, there are two worlds — your world of direct response advertising, and that other world, the world of general advertising.

These two worlds are on a collision course. You direct response people know what kind of advertising works and what doesn’t work. You know it to a dollar. The general advertising people don’t know.

You know that too many commercials on television are more effective — more cost effective — than 10 second commercials or 30 second commercials. You know that fringe time on television sells more than prime time. In print advertising, you know that long copy sells more than short copy. You know, that headlines and copy about the product and its benefits sell more than cute headlines and poetic copy. You know it to a dollar.

The general advertisers and their agencies know almost nothing for sure because they cannot measure the results of their advertising. They worship at the alter of creativity, which really means originality, the most dangerous word in the lexicon of advertising. They opine that 30-second commercials are more cost effective than two-minute commercials. You know they’re wrong.  In print advertising, they opine that short commercials (whoever prepared the teleprompter presentation goofed, obviously he meant ads) sell more than long copy. You know they’re wrong. They indulge in entertainment. You know they’re wrong. You know to a dollar. They don’t.

Why don’t you tell them?

Why don’t you save them from their follies?

For two reasons:

First, because you are impressed by the fact they are so big and so well paid and so well publicized. You are even, perhaps, impressed by their reputation for creativity, whatever that may mean. Second, you never meet them. You inhabit a different world. The chasm between direct response advertising and general advertising is wide.

On your side of the chasm, I see knowledge and reality. On the other side of the chasm, I see ignorance. You are the professionals. This must not go on. I predict that the practitioners of general advertising are going to start learning from your experience. They’re going to start picking your brains. I see no reason why the direct response divisions of agencies should be separate from the main agencies. Some of you may remember when television agencies were kept separate. Wasn’t that idiotic? I expect to see the direct response people become an integral part of all agencies. You have more to teach them than they have to teach you. You have it in your power to rescue the advertising business from its manifold lunacies.

When I was 25, I took a correspondence course in direct mail. I bought it out my own pocket from the Dardanelle Corporation in Chicago. Direct response is my first love, and later it became my secret weapon. When I started a Ogilvy & Mather in New York, nobody had heard of us, but we were airborne within six months and grew at record speed. How did we achieve that? By using my secret weapon, direct mail.

Every four weeks, I sent personalized mailings to our new business prospects, and I was always amazed to discover how many of our clients had been attracted to Ogilvy & Mather by those mailings. That was how we grew.

Whenever I look at an advertisement in a magazine or newspaper, I can tell at a glance whether the writer has had any direct response experience. If he writes short copy or literary copy, it is obvious that he has never had the discipline to write direct response. If he has had that discipline, he wouldn’t make those mistakes. Nobody should be allowed to create general advertising until he has severed his apprenticeship in direct response. That experience will keep his feet on the ground for the rest of his life.

You know the trouble with many copywriters and general agencies is that they don’t really think in terms of selling. They’ve never written direct response, they’ve never tasted blood. Until recently, direct response was the “Cinderella” of the advertising world. Then came the computer and the credit card, and direct marketing exploded. You guys are coming into your own. Your opportunities are colossal. In the audience today, there are heads of some general agencies. I offer you this advice; insist that all your people, creative, media, account executives, that they’re all trained in your direct response division. If you don’t have such a division, make arrangements with a firm of directing marketing specialist to train your people. And make it a rule in your agency that no copy is ever presented to clients before it has been vetted by a direct response expert.

Ladies and gentlemen, I envy you. Your timing is perfect. You’ve come in the direct response business at the right moment in history. You’re on to a good thing.

For 40 years, I’ve been a voice crying in the wilderness, trying to get my fellow advertising practitioners to take direct response seriously. Today, my first love is coming into its own. You face a golden future.

David Ogilvy’s interview

Old is gold. The 66^th Venice Film Festival starts today and touted as “the world’s best film festival”. There is both good and bad news for us. The bad news first, Bollywood has limited movement in this festival this year (when did it do?). The good news, although not a part of the “Competition category” Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra’s ‘Delhi 6′ and Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Dev D’ and Gulaal are among the four Indian movies that will be screened at 30126 Lido di Venezia. Amit Dutta an FTII passout will tell Aadmi ki aurat aur anya kahaniya - ‘The Man’s Woman and Other Stories’ through the 70 mm. What’s more, Anuraag Kashyap, an acclaimed Indian film maker also happens to be part of the prestigious six member jury of the festival.

DevD – inspired by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee’s Devdas, and Delhi-6 has tried to capture superstition, communal passions, dreams of the middle class, and urban malaise from the people living in the old part of Delhi, India’s capital. Gulaal is a classic cut on contemporary student politics.

More than eighty films will be screened cutting across 32 countries. Italy and America have record number of entries, 17 and 22 respectively. With Steven Speilberg tying up with ADAG, can we expect more Indian faces next year?

Previous post

After the Rakhi Sawant Tamasha, Rahul Mahajan- another noisy chap is going to spit cheap thrills this time. What is happening? The TV guys just do not know where to stop. Personal matter is big business these days. I did not see a single episode of the ‘Rakhi ka Swayamvar’ - am I outdated, since I have not being following what happened on which dates, who got chosen by the my-fair-lady and who was the poor chap. I do not find the need to watch useless crap with full respect to my friends who happen to see that show quite diligently and finally being a part of water cooler discussion. I see my colleagues watching Rakhi episodes in office - courtesy YouTube (revealing a secret, please excuse me) but I could not stop myself saying “why the hell do you want to see that?”

I have a feverish repugnance against certain youth oriented TV shows MTV Splitsvilla, Channel V Roadies, Big Boss. These fiction-meets reality type of shows are getting popular now. Another theory that rounds the gossip market is ‘you can hate it but cannot ignore these reality shows’. What is the impact on the young audience, children particularly ? I am not getting into morality issues, but the effect will come in different shades, the psyche , behavior, attitude and conduct towards elders and peers.

Even the web is dripping under the Rakhi effect, After some historic Swayamvars listing Ram-Sita and Draupadi-  Rakhi comes in the list .

Dear Friends,

We are presenting this year’s first newsletter. The content team has grown, we have successfully executed a number of big, small projects. We are also planning to penetrate Indian markets. We are under a continuous process of defining growth; much credit goes to the leadership and of course our super energetic team. We conceive, nurture and eventually explore creativity. VEranDA was a result of that seed. Personally has been a wonderful experience to be a part of this team. The feedbacks we have received from clients attest how we have helped people building their businesses in with the help of new media. We have had our share of setbacks but never have we compromised on quality or commitment to our clients. As a result, we are among the top 15 service providers of the business platform we use. The newsletter is just an effort to improve our internal communication process and stay abreast of the developments in the team and the organization.

Palash -Vedainformatics Team

Piyush:
“Let me share some recent thoughts that have been going around in my head. Good Work is a great route to success in life, but for the ones who want big time success in life the only route is excellence. Excellence is primarily about the quality of what we create…and quality is a little about aptitude and a lot about attitude! Let us think about it and move in the direction of big time success in the times to come.”

Priya:
“We call it Veda
What is it though?
A place to dream
And strive to achieve more

Enthusiasm and ideas
Pats on the back
Swaying, drifting, then running
To find the right track

Lunchtime and tea cups
And conversations that last
Long after we’ve stopped talking
Of subjects too vast

Team meetings and agendas
And targets to meet
Contests and winnings
None accepting defeat

Humming, then singing
A song with no tune
Harsh to the ears?
No, we’re now immune.

Discussions and debates
Daily fights over a chair
Birthdays and ragging
Coding and software

An article badly written
Redo threats exchanged
Glances and feedback
But never estranged

The team lives in my heart
And I’m never alone
I come in every morning
Saying, “I’m home.”

Romila:
“I have put down a couple of thoughts. Working from home keeps me away from the goings on in the office. It’s been a year since the last edition of this newsletter was published. In this time, Veda Informatics has grown in leaps and bounds, not only adding new people and projects but also in new dimensions. Take the VEranDA for instance. This site allows Veda-ites a platform for creativity and free expression, and has become an instance success. Not only this, there now are meetings that not only facilitate planning regarding project delivery, but also is a place where people exchange knowledge. I believe that in the past year, Veda has grown in terms of the number of people, diversity of projects, skill base, knowledge and team spirit. For the next one year, I can only imagine that in terms of progress, even the sky isn’t the limit for Veda Informatics.”

Swapna:
“Top Five Things I learnt at Veda

Originality is God, Create it.

God is in the Details, Follow it.

Team Meetings Can Be Fun, Enjoy it.

Talent is the Best Resource, Tap it.

Food is the Best Fevicol @ Work, Share it.”

Ankit:
“Joining Veda has been a reincarnation. Content is just a small part of what I’ve learned here. People here have helped me discover myself. The freedom this place offers is amazing. I just hope that we, as an organization, keep touching lives.”

Vidya

Hello everyone!

Its been almost 5 months for me in Veda. And i can honestly say that i loved every minute of it (well ALMOST every minute).
I remember, i was a scared little soul on the first day i joined Veda, considering this is my first ACTUAL job. However, i feel that the time that i have spent here has molded me into a stronger person. I am also glad for having joined Veda because i got a chance to meet a lot of interesting characters (you know who you are).

Hoping to spend a lot more interesting and productive months with this crazy bunch.

P.S. The newsletter is very encouraging!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swapna

Hey Vidya,
Good to read your mail.
I totally love my interactions with every one at Veda and I think you are so lucky to have started your first job here. Being here has grown you and each one of us in meaningful ways, similar to the transformation that a caterpillar experiences in its next avatar as a beautiful butterfly, ready to dazzle, explore and find new purpose in the world even as it flits seeking nectarine knowledge and thirsting for more. That’s the vision, power and confidence that Veda endows each of us with.

This newsletter is a great endeavor to bring us closer to one another, respect what we are doing in different roles and stay together as one family. So, lets all vow to support and grow this endeavor on a regular basis. God bless.

Shalini

Veda has grown immensely from being a five member team to a full fledged
company. Veda is a dream come true…… With its amazing talent and a bunch
of people crazy for success and more success, Veda is zooming ahead to
become the leading company (Competitors BEWARE!!). In terms of planning and
achievements, we have crossed numerous hurdles, learnt amazing lessons and
come a long way from serving one client to countless ones (and making them
feel happy to associate with us!)
All I can say now is, Hail Veda!!