Naam Gum Jaayegaa

Chehra Yeh Badal Jaayegaaa

Meri Aawaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai

aGhar Yaad Rahe

---

How beautiful these lines are ...

Name Will Be Forgotten ,

The Face will change

My Voice is the only Identification ..

If it is remembered

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt - A Book Review.

I didn't have that great desire to read a memoir in my small whole life, but this one was different from "My Experiments with Truth" and "Long walk to Freedom". I had glimpse of the book at my friend's hostel in IIT and thought there should be some thing in a book that was being read by a management brain.

Angela's Ashes is not just another childhood memoir that everyone has. It's a book where you can find the childhood heroisms, desire to make it big and poverty all written with a touch of humor. The pain that Frankie McCourt goes through from his birth till his journey to the America is etched in a simple and witty way just like he gives in the start of the book

"When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was of course a miserable childhood. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is miserable Irish Catholic childhood."

The memoir is set in the slums of Limerick, Ireland where the McCourts move to from New York after the death of their daughter. Frank's mother's family is in Limerick and Frank's father is from North of Ireland where he fought with the IRA against the English. The situation gets worse when Frankie's younger twin brother dies and the family goes through a period of trauma where his father is not working and has a drinking problem. They live upon the Labour Exchange money, the Dispensary helps, and occasional begging. At the same time Frankie goes to school and tries to build an identity of himself where he begins to work in his free hours with the target of relieving his mothers worries and cries, bringing up his younger brothers and a distant dream of going back to America to make it big. After school he finds a job as the Telegram boy and makes money to end up in the Americas.

Frank McCourt's beautiful words give us an understanding of the pain through which they have gone through and it is that pain that keeps you close to this book. There are emotional scenes etched in the book where he sees his mother begging at the church, when he hits his Mam on the eve of his sixteenth birthday after having his first pint, where the brothers are searching for coal along the abandoned streets of Limerick in the cold nights and also very much the humorous scenes which show the innocence of a child throughout, be it Frank or his brothers Malachy, Michael, or Alphie.

Angela's Ashes is an unimaginable memoir of a boy searching for a childhood in a world where he is forced to take on adult responsibilities. Narrated from a child's point of view (of age 4 to 20) it is a story that is wonderfully written and deeply moving and story about a childhood that you and me cannot even imagine.

I will not say this is a must read, but it is book that is worth a read, it is a book that touches your heart, it is a book that takes you to a world where people existed in absolute misery and it is a book that may change your perspective.

'Tis.

---

Dhanush Gopinath

When Sijin shot me a question last monday : "Let's go to Mumbai next weekend", I was a bit excited bcoz it has been a long time since I took my bike out of Pune. The roadies here in MBT was going through a dull period after the trip to Mahabaleshwar during XMas, so didnt have any long rides.

So When the dates came closer we made sure that Mel and Shana was there in Mumbai, atleast we wanted a place to stay for a day and I know that Shanas House is so BIG for both of us. Even though he was been saying that he wont be there and threatened us with his famous IDIS myself and Sijin decided to go ahead. Its fun after all driving abt 170 kms (Even though Its peanuts according to Arun Petti U R).

So there we were on the chilly saturday morning @sharp 6 AM touching the NH 4 - the Mumbai Pune Highway, of course the OLD one since 2 Wheelers are not allowed on the Express Way. The Highway is scenic, awesome and beautiful and it offers no less the scenary what Express Way offers. Our First major stop was at Khandala to have our morning Snakes- the typical Vada Pav and the Cutting Chai -.After that it was breath taking with a little bit of tension. Breathtaking bcoz of the curves, and scenary. Tense bcoz we stepped on to the Express Way where vehicles move at avg 100km/hr and 2 wheelers are not supposed to ride. Confused ,if we took some wrong direction, we stood there on a side ( U r not allowed to stop also on the Express Way unless its a break down!!) and was looking for some help from others , luckily a Lorry Driver helped as and asked to come with him and told to take the Khopoli Exit. As we approached the Khandala Tunnel we knew why we reached the Expressway. The MSRDC couldn't afford to build another tunnell !!

In the mean time we took some photographs of the ourselves and nature and we sped to the max , till we reached Panvel. Here we followed the good road and after a while reached a road where there was no vehicles. We alone and an occasional two wheeler. Now we knew that we have lost our way. But from where its still a mystery!!.

Some how we managed to reach Mumbra and then Thane and then Shana's Kaperbawdi junction. There he was to greet us with his famous Idis.

Then It was Coooking Time mates !! Mutton Rib Chops, Salad, Rice and Pappadams. Mel I say you missed it!!Isn't that true Shan. 'Tis

Off we were to VT - me, Sijin and Shana. Met Mel at the VT - Times Of India building, went to McDonald's to fill our tanks in. Called up Rajesh Aambakkadan, who is very busy these days with the trainees. He joined us at the Bombay Gymkhana. We walked to Marine Drive. Sat there chatted, gave missed calls to the famous personalities-they called back :) , had some good vayinottams and as the Sun Set, and Nariman Point Darkened we walked again, this time to Church Gate to have some books and then to Hotel Fountain Plaza to have Biriyani and Fish Fy - Kerala Sshtyle.

And when we boarded the train back to Thane, we were totally exhausted. Mel somehow got out at Kanjur Marg to his managerial abode. We reached and slept until the Dolby Joju called at midnight to check if we have slept *&#*#&#%#**

Sunday, the Day II was a day of sleep,kathi and few idis.

Shana and Sijin made a great Egg Curry and we had a sumptous lunch - a quick mood swing from Noodles to Rice ;)
Started back at 3.15 PM and this time we took the new Thane - Panvel Route and Shana, you wont believe it. Its really gorgeous Four lane route, sexy flyovers and what not you wont feel you are over speed even if you are going at 80+ kmph.

We took a break some where on the NH 4. Sijin took over from me to ride into the Ghats and that helped me taking some photos of the Expressway and other scenaries ( God knows will that come good !!! ). Ate some wadas at Lonavla. Back on ride targetting pune before it gets dark didnt work even though managed to reach at around 7.45 PM.

And there we were finally with a lot of satisfaction , sore backs and pains of idis, after a nice warm and pleasant get-to back in Pune. There is nothing great than going for a weekend ride and if that is on a bike its absolutely stunning !!

All you biko guys start moving out of your places- as Sijin aptly said "We found more places in and out of Pune, once we got bikes"