Triumph Rocket III - Everyone knows about it

We (notice, the use of the new word, ‘we’, instead of ‘I’) reach Madiwala, well ahead of time to board my Multi-Axle Volvo (link below) on a rainy Friday evening. Finally, we are comfortably seated, bags neatly tucked under or placed overhead. The bus is packed with ‘Mallus’ of all sizes and shapes, some brimming already with the excitement of reaching ‘God’s own Country’.

I see a call, I figure out its an international number, I pick the call to realize, oh its ‘Tiwari’ online. Well, I start talking, catching up what all could happen and could not in this new phase of life. Knowing Tiwari being Tiwari, I go on to take one of the biggest risks of my life and ask him ‘would you like to talk to Ajomy’. Well then, two of them had nice, animated conversation and then I get the phone back. We talk about bikes, the engines, the license, the sates where he would like to ride, whether ‘kissing the bride’ is allowed in India, whether it happened, if not why, swooping the bride and carrying her into the car vs. kissing the bride…the topics went on. Finally, we decided to resume the talks once we were back in Bangalore after the weekend trip.

As a direct consequence of this conversation, almost all the people in the bus realized three things:

1. The two persons huddled next to each other have just got married recently in a church, where ‘something’ unfortunately could not happen
2. These two persons have a friend in US, who has got a license to wed/as well as to ride a bike
3. The bike which he intends to buy is 2300 cc monster from the Triumph stable

I am not sure, which of the above, but we did get a lot of attention from the co-travelers till we hopped out of it.



For the weak at heart and the un-initiated : Triumph Rocket III

“America, there's big, and there's really big. A 20-ounce Coke is big; the 72-ounce "Bladder Buster" from the local Stop 'n' Rob is really big. The Ford Excursion is big; the Hummer H1 is really big. In the world of motorcycles, cruiser motorcycles in particular, the new Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 is big--but the Triumph Rocket III is really big. Twenty-two hundred and ninety-four cubic centimeters big, to be exact. And with 147 foot-pounds of torque, it's also likely to be damn near the hardest accelerating production street bike in the world (in a straight line, at least), if Triumph's press babble can be trusted. God save the queen, and don't forget the brave motorcycle road testers, too”

Our first guest for dinner @ 226, Golden Corner

Our first guest to have dinner at 226, Golden Corner, was Tarun, who was on a 3 day official visit Bangalore. Thursday morning I get a call from Tarun, explaining his futile attempts to tell me earlier about his visits. I take refuge under the fact that it’s just the first week into marriage and that you are in a state where you are not sure what all is happening and even lesser time to figure it out…But then Tarun, says he needs a favor, he needs an ironed shirt for his client visit. I am fondly reminded of our earlier days @ Hutch Tower, where this was a common routine, to peep into others wardrobes for ironed shirts esp on bad days when all that you have washed and stacked in your wardrobe is your pajamas and sweatshirt.

I reach Tarun’s nest in the guest house, he gets dressed, we go back to our his old (and my only ) bay, and pleasantly knocked down by feelings of nostalgia. We agree to catch up for dinner@ Kanua. When I reach home, I see ‘kaya upperi’ (raw banana cooked w/o any gravy) and ‘Sāmbhar’ (the so called lentil soup garnished with tamarind and green veggies). I decide to change the venue for the dinner to our apartment, and try to entice Tarun with promises of home cooked pure South Indian dinner. Tarun, unknown to what’s in store yields.

Tarun takes a tour of our apartment, amazed by the colors of the walls, settles down on the only chair, the rocking chair. We catch up, mostly telling the stories and adventures of the Silent Seven Gang. These stories I have noticed always tend to sweep a lot of listeners, Ajomy was no exception.

We settled for dinner, this is the snap which was clicked then. I beautifully camouflage with the wall. Tarun realized what he had been tricked into, and kept his reach to the rice, pickle and scrambled eggs :)

We had a post dinner nostalgia laced, philosophical conversation, with dabs of humor, music, art and architecture conversation. I drop Tarun back at the guest house, return to our apartment, to realize, yes indeed this is a new phase of life; and I am in the thick of it!!

3 Day Hop

Thursday Night – Koshy’s Dinner
Order : One Spanish Omelet, One Minced Mutton on Toast, Two Cups of Coffee. Noisy surrounding, Mallu waiters, two anxious diners, whispers, re-collecting old times, warmth of the coffee and the presence of your partner in front of you…















Friday Evening – Rangashankara
Play – Robinson and Crusoe
Max Mueller Bhawan, Rangashankara, AHA , India Stage and all the enthusiast bought this wonderful play ‘Robinson and Crusoe’ to Bangalore. Directed by Gracias Devaraj, it was definitely a well executed play, with excellent acting, plot development, sound and light and with the required dash of humor. As always it’s more fun to hear to giggles and mouthed laughter of the kids around. This time it was all the more special when I could feel an arm around mine all through the play. Both of us liked the play and also the hurried cup of coffee and tea before the play. Reached the next hop half drenched in Bangalore late evening shower.




















Friday Night: Juke Box
Order: One JB Chicken Sizzler, One Bottle Mineral Water, One Chicken Stroganoff
Half drenched, walk into the almost brimful restaurant, grab a seat for two, see people engrossed in their meals and their pitchers with animated conversations, we share the warmth of each other’s company and the food of course. Moderately yummy meal, reach home, a cup of coffee to ward away any chances of a cold…Power of love, Pretty Woman, I just Died in your arms and others play on in the background…
















Saturday – Ebony, Barton Center
Table for Two, Outdoor Specified, Time 9:30
City Lights in the backdrop, fireworks dazzling the night on account of Eid and Ganesha festival, UB City shines bright, Kakori Kebab, Sprinkling wine, Murgh Kebabi Masala, light drizzle, shining engagement ring, hands in hand, few snaps clicked with the mobile camera, unable to capture the magic, but of course. A promise fulfilled.
















Sunday – Infant Jesus Shrine
Seek blessings for ourselves and our families















Commercial Street
A sneak preview of the things to offer, haggle with an antique store guy to pick an Victorian style railway station clock, later found that we paid almost the double for that…

















St Mark’s Church
A lengthy sermon, soulful singing by the priest, flowers for every woman in the church, and a special wish for the lady ‘to bloom like the flower’.














Java City
On the bench, listening to the oldies on the lead guitar, keyboard, percussion and the bass, ‘pretty woman’, ‘don’t worry be happy’, and a few others which I heard for the first time, Java City Filter Coffee, Java City Iced Tea(2 of them), an evening well spent and that too for just 106/-.

Twilight (2008)

I saw part II, then Part III and then Part I. I see how both Robert and Kristen have improved as actors and also with time how you get to start liking the characters and know their backgrounds. I have not read the series, so there are some questions which I do not have answers for, there are some legends and sub plots which are left unanswered in the movie. Never the less it has everything for feel good, cozy movie on the couch.

Miranda (2002)

Miranda (2002)

Mysterious, romantic, edgy, this one is a good catch for sure. Ricci and Kyle share a good chemistry on screen.

Punch Line for the Day, Septmeber 8

Red - Irwin Allan Sealy : Cold, wet, and windy - lives as well as landsape.

Three Films from 2009, rented together by chance.

A Prophet (Un prophete, 2009)

Nominated in Best Foreign Language Film Category, is the story of the rise of an Arab from a on to a mafia head…Documentary style sometimes, did not meet my expectations.


Fish Tank (2009)

Brit film, won the Jury award at Cannes, missed the Golden Palm. It’s about a troubled family of three women – single mother and two daughters, how they manage their lives, w/o any specific purpose or aim in life, wandering from one day to the other. Mother and daughter bonding explored in a different light. Overall not a great watch. Katie Jarvis was the only discovery.

Adam (2009)

Directed by Max Mayer
Cast : Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne


Based on the life of a young man inflicted with Asperger Syndrome. There are various moments I really liked, out of which stands out was the narration right at the beginning.

“All along I thought I was the princess, and was teaching the astronaut about Earth and mostly about love, till I met Adam:”