Old wine for Karan Thapar fans

Just saw perhaps “the” most interesting edition of Devil’s Advocate where Mani Shankar Iyer and Karan Thapar swapped places and for a change Karan was at the receiving end and  and getting flogged. The suave & poised Mani was total rock star in this role and this truly is one of the only moments when one can see Karan giving the sheepish smile for a change. Worth watching. Wait for the detailed post and video on this. And by the time we wait for that video on You Tube I happened to revisit an old write up on another cult episode of Devils Advocate where a vindictive rottweiler styled Karan Thapar ripped apart Ram Jethmalani who was/is perhaps one of the most shrewd and successful advocates in the country.  The context was Jethmalani deciding to defend Manu Sharma in court in Jessica Lal murder case. This was more than  a couple of years back and since then the case has reached its conclusion and Jethmalani’s Client has been sentenced. The interview however still has an contagious energy that grips you. Hear the classic statement of Jethmalani to Karan - "Repeated bullshit does not become wisdom !"

Read on for the full video and the story.

Celebrations have changed but the magic phrase still is - Happy New Year !!!

A very warm welcome to the start of yet another year. Am always amazed as to how excited we all are at the start of a year that we feel will bring in new joy, success and happiness in all our lives. The ways to welcome the coming years have evolved, the rules of partying have changed but yet the childlike enthusiasm of everyone greeting almost everyone they meet on the morning of the January 1st of every year if nothing else still bring a smile on our faces. How the new year celebrations have changed ?? Read on ...

Mumbai – Alibagh - Murud Janjira

Distance : 185 Km | Time : 4-5 hours (one way) | Route : Sion – Vashi – CBD Belapur - NH 48 – Pen – Alibagh – Kashid - Murud - Janjira

All you need is a car, 2 days and you can leave on a fun drive that will take you to the few spots in MH that still retain their natural beauty and are to some extent unaffected by the commercialization that you otherwise would see at places offering such scenic beauty. Avoid long weekends and the main spots frequented by most of the Alibagh going crowd and the belt has the potential of being a perfect weekend getaway.

And “The Heart Car” finally arrives …

Well finally after a painful wait of “14” long weeks, agonizing & almost endless lack of response from the dealer, pathetic & shameless lack of concern of the dealers sales team, frustrating & horrific supply chain management control revelation on Maruti’s part and my own decision oscillation due to the long wait we have finally got the car that i generally like to say that we decided to buy after a detailed scientific comparative analysis. Not that we’ve got it and driven it I can relax and say that the last part may not exactly be true.

The only option is to change sides …

Disclaimer: This is not yet another piece on the 26/11. The main catalyst in pushing me to pen down my thoughts are news channels displaying the vicarious pleasure of reliving the dead and the unending documentaries on Mumbai terror attacks. 


I tuned on to Times Now on 25th nov 2009 evening and it along with all other news channels were flooded with there own versions of a years experience of Mumbai terror attacks. Since then I have come across various news pieces, written comments and documentaries using striking images & videos of the 26/11 attack skillfully woven in a story thread with a background voice trying to drive home the point of how vulnerable we were on that doomed day and contesting if anything has changed between then and now. “ The story of Nariman House” they call it. Followed by more short documentaries about the CST, Taj and the Oberoi Trident attacks. The context, story and narration amongst all is more often than not gripping and you can't help watching the whole story.

If you're not touching you are not travelling !!!

You’d have heard of it, you’d have seen it but if u have not experienced it in person you can't even come close to what it is. Mumbai my friends is a city of hope, a city of surprises. Its a city that rocks, that shocks, the city that never sleeps,  the city that is lovingly refered to as "Mumbai Meri Jaan." . Well sometimes I wonder that if the "Mumbai", being referred to in feminine undertone was actually a living breathing female and still by reference was your Jaan, as much your neighbors jaan and so on s& o forth, then what would it make her ??? You may judge me for this remark as being a “sexiest bhaiya” but as long as Mumbai is not a lady it work’s just fine, and what do you know !! - in this city even if Mumbai of “Mumbai Meri Jaan” fame was a lady, it would still be fine. That’s how this city is. But rest your instincts, am not wasting my time and your’s on moral policing. Well actually in here, what I am referring to has none of it – “Morals” that is.

But we will save that discussion on moral high ground for some other time. "So what the hell is he talking about??" - If this is the question in your mind then read on.

And my (car) buying dilemma continues …

This is not a review but more of an open forum for discussion on Tata Manza for individuals owning the car or are somewhere in the buy decision. Coments based on test drive of the Aura+ (petrol). Useful for anyone contemplating buying a Tata Manza. Well I ended up buying Dzire BTW. Ayways for Manza drive experiance read on.

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