The English language has nine different ways to pronounce 'ough':
through - oo
though - o
thought - awt
tough - uff
plough - ow
thorough - uh
cough - off
hiccough - up
lough - ock
Saturday, December 22, 2007
The origin of goody two shoes :-)
From Ms Goody-two-shoes herself :-)
As always, my obsession with getting the basics right - here's the origin of the term "goody-two-shoes":
Goody Two-Shoes is a variation of the Cinderella story. The fable tells of Goody Two-Shoes, the nickname of a poor orphan girl named Margery Meanwell, who goes through life with only one shoe. When she is given a complete pair by a rich gentleman, she is so happy, that she tells everyone that she has "two shoes." Later, Margery becomes a teacher, and marries a rich widower. This earning of wealth serves as proof that her virtuousness has been rewarded, a popular theme in children's literature of the era.
In more recent years, the phrase has developed a more negative connotation, implying that the virtuousness of a "goody two-shoes" is insincere :-) :-)
As always, my obsession with getting the basics right - here's the origin of the term "goody-two-shoes":
Goody Two-Shoes is a variation of the Cinderella story. The fable tells of Goody Two-Shoes, the nickname of a poor orphan girl named Margery Meanwell, who goes through life with only one shoe. When she is given a complete pair by a rich gentleman, she is so happy, that she tells everyone that she has "two shoes." Later, Margery becomes a teacher, and marries a rich widower. This earning of wealth serves as proof that her virtuousness has been rewarded, a popular theme in children's literature of the era.
In more recent years, the phrase has developed a more negative connotation, implying that the virtuousness of a "goody two-shoes" is insincere :-) :-)
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Blue Lagoon Drink Recipe
Blue Lagoon Drink Recipe
Ingredients
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Blue Curacao
Cherry
1 part Lemonade
Directions:
Pour vodka and curacao over ice in a highball glass. Fill with lemonade, top with the cherry, and serve.
Serve in a Highball Glass
Ingredients
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Blue Curacao
Cherry
1 part Lemonade
Directions:
Pour vodka and curacao over ice in a highball glass. Fill with lemonade, top with the cherry, and serve.
Serve in a Highball Glass
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Bombay = "Bom Baia" = Portuguese for "Good Bay".
It was a guilty conscience which prompted me to read up on the history of Mumbai...I just blogged about Boston and then thought it strange that I have never tried to find the history of my city, the city where I have lived all my life - my Mumbai!! I guess thats what taking something of granted is all about...you just assume somethings are yours without ever worrying about their past or sitting back and reflecting on how much they impact ur life...and when the moment comes for you to leave behind all that you have always considered urs, one gets into this reflective mode...I guess I will be doing a lot more reflecting for the next 11 months.....
Anyways, back to Mumbai's history:
The city of Bombay originally consisted of seven islands, namely Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel, and Matunga-Sion. This group of islands, which have since been joined together by a series of reclamations, formed part of the kingdom of Ashoka, the famous Emperor of India.
Between the 9th and 13th centuries, the Indian ocean, and especially the Arabian Sea, was the world's center of commerce. Deep sea crafts made of wood tied together with ropes transported merchandise between Aden, Calicut, Cambay and cities on the West coast of Africa. Marco Polo, Ibn Batuta and other travelers passed by without ever making a landfall in these islands.
The Ashoka empire ebbed, leaving behind some Buddhist monks and the deep-sea fishermen called Kolis. The Kolis used to call the islands "Mumba" after Mumbadevi, the Hindu deity to whom a temple is dedicated at Babulnath near Chowpatty's sandy beaches.. The islands belonged to the Silhara dynasty till the middle of the 13th century. The oldest structures in the archipelago--- the caves at Elephanta, and part of the Walkeshwar temple complex probably date from this time. Modern sources identify a 13th century Raja Bhimdev who had his capital in Mahikawati-- present-day Mahim, and Prabhadevi. Presumably the first merchants and agriculturists settled in Mumbai at this time. In 1343 the island of Salsette, and eventually the whole archipelago, passed to the Sultan of Gujarat. The mosque in Mahim dates from this period.
In 1508 Francis Almeida, a Portugese, sailed into the deep natural harbour of the island his countrymen came to call Bom Bahia (the Good Bay). In 1534 the Portuguese, who already possessed many important trading centers on the western coast, such as Panjim, Daman, and Diu, took Bombay by force of arms from the Mohammedans. Bahadur Shah of Gujarat was forced to cede the main islands to the Portuguese This led to the establishment of numerous churches which were constructed in areas where the majority of people were Roman Catholics. There used to be two areas in Bombay called "Portuguese Church". However, only one church with Portuguese-style facade still remains; it is the St. Andrew's church at Bandra. The Portuguese also fortified their possession by building forts at Sion, Mahim, Bandra, and Bassien which, although in disrepair, can still be seen. They named their new possession as "Bom Baia" which in Portuguese means "Good Bay".
For years, the Dutch and the British tried to get information on the sea route to India--- often by spying. Even the reports of such spies never bother to mention Bombay.
The first Parsi to arrive in Bombay was Dorabji Nanabhoy Patel in 1640. The Parsis, originally from Iran, migrated to India about 900 years ago. This they did to save their religion, Zoroastrianism, from invading Arabs who proselytized Islam. The Zoroastrian Towers of Silence on Malabar hill were built by Seth Modi Hirji Vachha in 1672. The Zoroastrians believe in venerating the earth, fire, and water and hence they prefer to expose their dead to the elements and flesh-eating birds within the confines of the Towers of Silence. The first fire-temple was also built in the same year by Seth Vachha opposite his residence at Modikhana within the British fort. Both of the these structures can still be seen today although they have been expanded and strengthened.
Eventually, in 1661, Catherine of Braganza brought these islands to Charles II of England as part of her marriage dowry. The British East India Company received it from the crown in 1668, founded the modern city, and shortly thereafter moved their main holdings from Surat to Bombay.
However, in 1689-90, when a severe plague had struck down most of the Europeans, the Siddi Chief of Janjira made several attempts to re-possess the islands by force, but the son of the former, a trader named Rustomji Dorabji Patel (1667-1763), successfully warded off the attacks on behalf of the British with the help of the 'Kolis', the original fisher-folk inhabitants of these islands. The remnants of the Koli settlements can still be seen at Backbay reclamation, Mahim, Bandra, Khar, Bassien and Madh island.
George Oxenden was the first governor of a Bombay whose place in history was finally secure. The second governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier, saw the opportunity to develop the islands into a centre of commerce to rival other ports still in the hands of local kingdoms. He offered various inducement to skilled workers and traders to move to this British holding. The opportunities for business attracted many Gujarati communities--- the Parsis, the Bohras, Jews and banias from Surat and Diu. The population of Bombay was estimated to have risen from 10,000 in 1661 to 60,000 in 1675.
Through the 18th century British power and influence grew slowly but at the expense of the local kingdoms. The migration of skilled workers and traders to the safe-haven of Bombay continued. Artisans from Gujarat, such as goldsmiths, ironsmiths and weavers moved to the islands and coexisted with the slave trade from Madagascar. During this period the first land-use laws were set up in Bombay, segregating the British part of the islands from the black town.
With increasing prosperity and growing political power following the 1817 victory over the Marathas, the British embarked upon reclamations and large scale engineering works in Bombay.
The sixty years between the completion of the vellard at Breach Candy (1784) and the construction of the Mahim Causeway (1845) are the heroic period in which the seven islands were merged into one landmass. These immense works, in turn, attracted construction workers, like the Kamathis from Andhra, who began to come to Bombay from 1757 on. A regular civil administration was put in place during this period.
Sir Robert Grant (1779-1838) governed Bombay from 1835 to 1838 and was responsible for the construction of a number of roads between Bombay and the hinterland. The Thana and Colaba Causeways were built during his tenure as well as the Grant Medical College attached to the Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy (J.J.) Group of hospitals.
Between 1822 and 1838, cattle from the congested fort area used to graze freely at the Camp Maidan (now called Azad Maidan), an open ground opposite the Victoria Terminus. In 1838, the British rulers introduced a 'grazing fee' which several cattle-owners could not afford. Therefore, Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy spent Rs. 20,000 from his own purse for purchasing some grasslands near the seafront at Thakurdwar and saw that the starving cattle grazed without a fee in that area. In time the area became to be known as "Charni" meaning grazing. When a railway station on the BB&CI railway was constructed there it was called Charni Road.
The island of Colaba was joined to Bombay in 1838 by a causeway now called Colaba Causeway and the Causeway connecting Mahim and Bandra was completed in 1845 at the total cost of Rs.1,57,000 donated entirely by Lady Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, wife of the first baronet Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy with a stipulation that no toll would be charged to citizens for its use by the government.
On Saturday 16th of April, 1853 a 21-mile long railway line, the first in India, between Bombay's Victoria Terminus and Thana was opened. The Great Indian Peninsular (GIP) and the Bombay Baroda and Central India (BB&CI) Railway were started in 1860 and a regular service of steamers on the west coast was commenced in 1869.
In 1857, the first cotton mill was founded in Bombay. With the cotton mills came large scale migrations of Marathi workers, and the chawls which accommodated them. The city had found its shape.
In 1862 Sir Baartle Frere was appointed Governor, an office which he held until 1867. By 1862 the town had spread over the lands reclaimed through constructions of causeways and it is from this date we have the rise of the modern city of Bombay. In 1864 a fountain was to be erected in his honour at the Victoria Gardens by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Western India. Somehow, the plans were changed at the last moment and the fountain, named after the Greek goddess Flora, was placed in the centre of the city on what used be known as Hornby Road. Unfortunately, no plaque was placed on the fountain to commemorate the name of Governor in whose memory it was supposed to have been erected.
The docks at Bombay are a monument of the industry, enterprise and integrity of the Wadia family which moved in from Surat at the instigation of the British. In 1870 the Bombay Port Trust was formed. In 1872, Jamshedji Wadia, a master ship-builder constructed the "Cornwalis", a frigate of 50 guns, for the East India Company, a success which led to several orders from the British Navy. In all the Wadias, between 1735-1863 built 170 war vessels for the Company, 34 man-of-war for the British Navy, 87 merchant vessels for private firms, and three vessels for the Queen of Muscat at Bombay docks. The Princess Dock was built in the year 1885 and the Victoria Dock and the Mereweather Dry Docks in 1891. Alexandra Dock was completed in 1914.
The Fort (downtown) area in Bombay derives its name from the fact that the area fell within the former walled city, of which only a small fragment survives as part of the eastern boundary wall of the St. George's Hospital. In 1813 there were 10,801 persons living in the fort, 5,464, or nearly 50%, of them Parsis. With the growth of the city more people came from the Fort to such suburbs as Byculla, Parel, Malabar Hill, and Mazagaon. European sports clubs for cricket and other games came in to existence early in the 19th Century. The Bombay Gymkhana was formed in 1875 exclusively for Europeans. Other communities followed this example, and various Parsi, Muslim, and Hindu gymkhanas were started nearby with fierce sports competitions among them being organized on a communal basis.
The historic session of the All India Congress Committee began on the 7th of August 1942. Its venue was the Gowalia Tank Maidan, where the congress was born in 1885. It was at this session that the "Quit India" call was given by Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian National Congress leaders. The Indian leaders were arrested by the British soon afterwards but the momentum of the Quit India movement could not be stopped and led to the final withdrawal of the British on 15 August 1947. The last British troops on Indian soil left for England through the archway of the Gateway of India on that day. They bade farewell from where they had entered 282 years before. The people of Bombay, in a gesture of generosity wished them bon voyage, forgetting the bitter memories of the fight for independence. Today the maidan from where the call to "Quit India" was given is called the "August Kranti Maidan".
The Stock Exchange at Bombay was established in 1875 as "The Native Share and Stockbrokers Association" which has evolved over the decades in to its present status as the premier Stock Exchange in India. It is one of the oldest in Asia having preceded even the Tokyo Stock Exchange which was founded in 1878. In the early days the business was conducted under the shade of a banyan tree in front of the town hall. The tree can still be seen in the Horniman Circle Park. In 1850 the Companies Act was passed and that heralded the commencement of the joint stock companies in India. The American Civil War of 1860 helped Indians to establish brokerage houses in Bombay. The leading broker at the time, Premchand Roychand, assisted in framing conventions, ground rules and procedures for trading which are respected even now. He was the first Indian broker who could speak and write in fluent English. The exchange was established with 318 members with a fee of Re. 1/-. This fee has gradually increased over the years and today it is a over a crore.
In January 1899, the Brokers' Hall was inaugurated by James M. MaClean, M.P. After the First World War the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) was housed in an old building near the Town Hall. In 1928, the present plot of land was acquired surrounded by Dalal Street, Bombay Samachar Marg, and Hammam Street. A building was constructed in 1930 and occupied in December of that year.
In 1995 the operations and dealings of the BSE were fully computerized and thus the famous out-cry system of share trading was replaced by screen based trading as in other modern stock exchanges around the world. Today Bombay is the financial and business capital of India. The BSE is housed in the 28-storied Phiroze Jeejeebhoy Towers in the same place where the old building once stood. Sir Phiroze Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy was the Chairman of the Exchange from 1966 till his death in 1980. The building has been named after him since its construction commenced during his Chairmanship and was completed just as he passed away.
With the success of the back-bay reclamation scheme in the late 1960s and early 1970s Nariman Point became the hub of the business activity. Several offices shifted from the Ballard Estate to Nariman Point which ultimately became one of the most expensive real estate in the world as high demand pushed prices to astronomical limits. Nariman Point is named after K.F. Nariman, president of the Bombay Provincial Congress Committee and former mayor of Bombay. Churchgate Street was also renamed as Veer Nariman Road after independence.
Anyways, back to Mumbai's history:
The city of Bombay originally consisted of seven islands, namely Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel, and Matunga-Sion. This group of islands, which have since been joined together by a series of reclamations, formed part of the kingdom of Ashoka, the famous Emperor of India.
Between the 9th and 13th centuries, the Indian ocean, and especially the Arabian Sea, was the world's center of commerce. Deep sea crafts made of wood tied together with ropes transported merchandise between Aden, Calicut, Cambay and cities on the West coast of Africa. Marco Polo, Ibn Batuta and other travelers passed by without ever making a landfall in these islands.
The Ashoka empire ebbed, leaving behind some Buddhist monks and the deep-sea fishermen called Kolis. The Kolis used to call the islands "Mumba" after Mumbadevi, the Hindu deity to whom a temple is dedicated at Babulnath near Chowpatty's sandy beaches.. The islands belonged to the Silhara dynasty till the middle of the 13th century. The oldest structures in the archipelago--- the caves at Elephanta, and part of the Walkeshwar temple complex probably date from this time. Modern sources identify a 13th century Raja Bhimdev who had his capital in Mahikawati-- present-day Mahim, and Prabhadevi. Presumably the first merchants and agriculturists settled in Mumbai at this time. In 1343 the island of Salsette, and eventually the whole archipelago, passed to the Sultan of Gujarat. The mosque in Mahim dates from this period.
In 1508 Francis Almeida, a Portugese, sailed into the deep natural harbour of the island his countrymen came to call Bom Bahia (the Good Bay). In 1534 the Portuguese, who already possessed many important trading centers on the western coast, such as Panjim, Daman, and Diu, took Bombay by force of arms from the Mohammedans. Bahadur Shah of Gujarat was forced to cede the main islands to the Portuguese This led to the establishment of numerous churches which were constructed in areas where the majority of people were Roman Catholics. There used to be two areas in Bombay called "Portuguese Church". However, only one church with Portuguese-style facade still remains; it is the St. Andrew's church at Bandra. The Portuguese also fortified their possession by building forts at Sion, Mahim, Bandra, and Bassien which, although in disrepair, can still be seen. They named their new possession as "Bom Baia" which in Portuguese means "Good Bay".
For years, the Dutch and the British tried to get information on the sea route to India--- often by spying. Even the reports of such spies never bother to mention Bombay.
The first Parsi to arrive in Bombay was Dorabji Nanabhoy Patel in 1640. The Parsis, originally from Iran, migrated to India about 900 years ago. This they did to save their religion, Zoroastrianism, from invading Arabs who proselytized Islam. The Zoroastrian Towers of Silence on Malabar hill were built by Seth Modi Hirji Vachha in 1672. The Zoroastrians believe in venerating the earth, fire, and water and hence they prefer to expose their dead to the elements and flesh-eating birds within the confines of the Towers of Silence. The first fire-temple was also built in the same year by Seth Vachha opposite his residence at Modikhana within the British fort. Both of the these structures can still be seen today although they have been expanded and strengthened.
Eventually, in 1661, Catherine of Braganza brought these islands to Charles II of England as part of her marriage dowry. The British East India Company received it from the crown in 1668, founded the modern city, and shortly thereafter moved their main holdings from Surat to Bombay.
However, in 1689-90, when a severe plague had struck down most of the Europeans, the Siddi Chief of Janjira made several attempts to re-possess the islands by force, but the son of the former, a trader named Rustomji Dorabji Patel (1667-1763), successfully warded off the attacks on behalf of the British with the help of the 'Kolis', the original fisher-folk inhabitants of these islands. The remnants of the Koli settlements can still be seen at Backbay reclamation, Mahim, Bandra, Khar, Bassien and Madh island.
George Oxenden was the first governor of a Bombay whose place in history was finally secure. The second governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier, saw the opportunity to develop the islands into a centre of commerce to rival other ports still in the hands of local kingdoms. He offered various inducement to skilled workers and traders to move to this British holding. The opportunities for business attracted many Gujarati communities--- the Parsis, the Bohras, Jews and banias from Surat and Diu. The population of Bombay was estimated to have risen from 10,000 in 1661 to 60,000 in 1675.
Through the 18th century British power and influence grew slowly but at the expense of the local kingdoms. The migration of skilled workers and traders to the safe-haven of Bombay continued. Artisans from Gujarat, such as goldsmiths, ironsmiths and weavers moved to the islands and coexisted with the slave trade from Madagascar. During this period the first land-use laws were set up in Bombay, segregating the British part of the islands from the black town.
With increasing prosperity and growing political power following the 1817 victory over the Marathas, the British embarked upon reclamations and large scale engineering works in Bombay.
The sixty years between the completion of the vellard at Breach Candy (1784) and the construction of the Mahim Causeway (1845) are the heroic period in which the seven islands were merged into one landmass. These immense works, in turn, attracted construction workers, like the Kamathis from Andhra, who began to come to Bombay from 1757 on. A regular civil administration was put in place during this period.
Sir Robert Grant (1779-1838) governed Bombay from 1835 to 1838 and was responsible for the construction of a number of roads between Bombay and the hinterland. The Thana and Colaba Causeways were built during his tenure as well as the Grant Medical College attached to the Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy (J.J.) Group of hospitals.
Between 1822 and 1838, cattle from the congested fort area used to graze freely at the Camp Maidan (now called Azad Maidan), an open ground opposite the Victoria Terminus. In 1838, the British rulers introduced a 'grazing fee' which several cattle-owners could not afford. Therefore, Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy spent Rs. 20,000 from his own purse for purchasing some grasslands near the seafront at Thakurdwar and saw that the starving cattle grazed without a fee in that area. In time the area became to be known as "Charni" meaning grazing. When a railway station on the BB&CI railway was constructed there it was called Charni Road.
The island of Colaba was joined to Bombay in 1838 by a causeway now called Colaba Causeway and the Causeway connecting Mahim and Bandra was completed in 1845 at the total cost of Rs.1,57,000 donated entirely by Lady Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, wife of the first baronet Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy with a stipulation that no toll would be charged to citizens for its use by the government.
On Saturday 16th of April, 1853 a 21-mile long railway line, the first in India, between Bombay's Victoria Terminus and Thana was opened. The Great Indian Peninsular (GIP) and the Bombay Baroda and Central India (BB&CI) Railway were started in 1860 and a regular service of steamers on the west coast was commenced in 1869.
In 1857, the first cotton mill was founded in Bombay. With the cotton mills came large scale migrations of Marathi workers, and the chawls which accommodated them. The city had found its shape.
In 1862 Sir Baartle Frere was appointed Governor, an office which he held until 1867. By 1862 the town had spread over the lands reclaimed through constructions of causeways and it is from this date we have the rise of the modern city of Bombay. In 1864 a fountain was to be erected in his honour at the Victoria Gardens by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Western India. Somehow, the plans were changed at the last moment and the fountain, named after the Greek goddess Flora, was placed in the centre of the city on what used be known as Hornby Road. Unfortunately, no plaque was placed on the fountain to commemorate the name of Governor in whose memory it was supposed to have been erected.
The docks at Bombay are a monument of the industry, enterprise and integrity of the Wadia family which moved in from Surat at the instigation of the British. In 1870 the Bombay Port Trust was formed. In 1872, Jamshedji Wadia, a master ship-builder constructed the "Cornwalis", a frigate of 50 guns, for the East India Company, a success which led to several orders from the British Navy. In all the Wadias, between 1735-1863 built 170 war vessels for the Company, 34 man-of-war for the British Navy, 87 merchant vessels for private firms, and three vessels for the Queen of Muscat at Bombay docks. The Princess Dock was built in the year 1885 and the Victoria Dock and the Mereweather Dry Docks in 1891. Alexandra Dock was completed in 1914.
The Fort (downtown) area in Bombay derives its name from the fact that the area fell within the former walled city, of which only a small fragment survives as part of the eastern boundary wall of the St. George's Hospital. In 1813 there were 10,801 persons living in the fort, 5,464, or nearly 50%, of them Parsis. With the growth of the city more people came from the Fort to such suburbs as Byculla, Parel, Malabar Hill, and Mazagaon. European sports clubs for cricket and other games came in to existence early in the 19th Century. The Bombay Gymkhana was formed in 1875 exclusively for Europeans. Other communities followed this example, and various Parsi, Muslim, and Hindu gymkhanas were started nearby with fierce sports competitions among them being organized on a communal basis.
The historic session of the All India Congress Committee began on the 7th of August 1942. Its venue was the Gowalia Tank Maidan, where the congress was born in 1885. It was at this session that the "Quit India" call was given by Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian National Congress leaders. The Indian leaders were arrested by the British soon afterwards but the momentum of the Quit India movement could not be stopped and led to the final withdrawal of the British on 15 August 1947. The last British troops on Indian soil left for England through the archway of the Gateway of India on that day. They bade farewell from where they had entered 282 years before. The people of Bombay, in a gesture of generosity wished them bon voyage, forgetting the bitter memories of the fight for independence. Today the maidan from where the call to "Quit India" was given is called the "August Kranti Maidan".
The Stock Exchange at Bombay was established in 1875 as "The Native Share and Stockbrokers Association" which has evolved over the decades in to its present status as the premier Stock Exchange in India. It is one of the oldest in Asia having preceded even the Tokyo Stock Exchange which was founded in 1878. In the early days the business was conducted under the shade of a banyan tree in front of the town hall. The tree can still be seen in the Horniman Circle Park. In 1850 the Companies Act was passed and that heralded the commencement of the joint stock companies in India. The American Civil War of 1860 helped Indians to establish brokerage houses in Bombay. The leading broker at the time, Premchand Roychand, assisted in framing conventions, ground rules and procedures for trading which are respected even now. He was the first Indian broker who could speak and write in fluent English. The exchange was established with 318 members with a fee of Re. 1/-. This fee has gradually increased over the years and today it is a over a crore.
In January 1899, the Brokers' Hall was inaugurated by James M. MaClean, M.P. After the First World War the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) was housed in an old building near the Town Hall. In 1928, the present plot of land was acquired surrounded by Dalal Street, Bombay Samachar Marg, and Hammam Street. A building was constructed in 1930 and occupied in December of that year.
In 1995 the operations and dealings of the BSE were fully computerized and thus the famous out-cry system of share trading was replaced by screen based trading as in other modern stock exchanges around the world. Today Bombay is the financial and business capital of India. The BSE is housed in the 28-storied Phiroze Jeejeebhoy Towers in the same place where the old building once stood. Sir Phiroze Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy was the Chairman of the Exchange from 1966 till his death in 1980. The building has been named after him since its construction commenced during his Chairmanship and was completed just as he passed away.
With the success of the back-bay reclamation scheme in the late 1960s and early 1970s Nariman Point became the hub of the business activity. Several offices shifted from the Ballard Estate to Nariman Point which ultimately became one of the most expensive real estate in the world as high demand pushed prices to astronomical limits. Nariman Point is named after K.F. Nariman, president of the Bombay Provincial Congress Committee and former mayor of Bombay. Churchgate Street was also renamed as Veer Nariman Road after independence.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Bollywood Trivia
Being the diehard Bollywood fan that I am, and considering that I am the most happening party animal in Mumbai (read awake on a Saturday night and forget clubbing - not even talking on the phone to anyone, or even chatting online with anyone - my life rocks!! :-):-)) I have been surfing the net for some Bollywood trivia and here are some of the ones I found interesting:
After JAANAM and ARTH, Mahesh Bhatt acquired a reputation of making films inspired from his personal life. But not many know that the story of AASHIQUI (Rahul Roy, Anu Aggarwal) was inspired from Mahesh Bhatt’s real life too (Mahesh Bhatt and his first wife Kiran).
Danny Denzongpa was the original choice for playing Gabbar’s role in SHOLAY but due to date hassles, he opted out.
The original title of K.C Bokadia’s AAJ KA ARJUN [Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Pradha] was KAUN SUNE FARIYAAD.
The original title of director Ramesh Talwar’s Rishi Kapoor-Sanjay Dutt Madhuri Dixit starrer was KAMBAKHT. It was later changed to SAHIBAAN.
Not many are aware, the first choice of Rajkumar Hirani for the role of ‘Circuit’ in MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S was theatre actor Makrand Deshpande. Since, Deshpande was busy with his own film, Hirani opted for Arshad Warsi.
Before entering films, Dilip Kumar used to sell fruits on Bombay’s Mohammed Ali Road
The film PAKEEZAH took 17 long years to complete and since Meena Kumari could not match her steps to one of the dance numbers because of age, Director Kamal Amrohi had to bring in Padma Khanna, and made her to dance to the number with her face covered with Ghunghat.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Caipirojka :-)
The recipe of my favourite drink:
INGREDIENTS :
120 ml of Smirnoff vodka
8 Wedges of Lime
20 ml Sugar syrup
2 Spoons brown sugar8-10 Mint leaves
Crushed Ice
Glass Typeold_fashioned
PREPARATION :Place the Lime wedges at the bottom of the glass, add sugar syrup and brown sugar on them, then the mint leaves. Crush with wooden muddler. Then fill glass with crushed ice and pour Vodka till the top. Crush again with a muddler. Garnish with a slit lemon and serve. You may keep the pre-mix of Lime, sugar syrup and brown sugar ready if the party is big to save on time and mess.
GARNISH :A Slit lemon
COMMENTS :The skin of lime releases some oils and bitters which adds to the taste and is medicinal too.
INGREDIENTS :
120 ml of Smirnoff vodka
8 Wedges of Lime
20 ml Sugar syrup
2 Spoons brown sugar8-10 Mint leaves
Crushed Ice
Glass Typeold_fashioned
PREPARATION :Place the Lime wedges at the bottom of the glass, add sugar syrup and brown sugar on them, then the mint leaves. Crush with wooden muddler. Then fill glass with crushed ice and pour Vodka till the top. Crush again with a muddler. Garnish with a slit lemon and serve. You may keep the pre-mix of Lime, sugar syrup and brown sugar ready if the party is big to save on time and mess.
GARNISH :A Slit lemon
COMMENTS :The skin of lime releases some oils and bitters which adds to the taste and is medicinal too.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Mourning Asok :(
Asok has been laid to rest! Alas!!!
Asok made his first appearance in March 1996 - seven years after Dilbert was launched, and even if Dilbert's creator Scott Adams has never ever mentioned his nationality, Asok's education at the Indian Institute of Technology and his love for Hindi songs make his origins self-evident.
Adams gave Asok extraordinary powers. He had an IQ of 240; he could reheat a cup of tea by holding it to his forehead while thinking of fire; and once, in 2005, he vapourised an obnoxious Texan (sometimes, if he is hungry during meetings, he also steals doughnuts using only his mind). He also had the ability to solve complex problems with a few keystrokes. And yes, he also slept only during national holidays.
On Friday, Dilbert's Pointy-Haired Boss made his most sombre announcement so far — Asok the Intern is dead. The IIT-educated supergeek with telekinetic powers, who charmed millions of readers across 2,000 newspapers in 65 countries for over 11 years with his innocence and geekiness, is no more.
"I am sad to report that Asok the Intern died during a test of our moon shuttle prototype," cartoon world's most evil boss announced on Friday. Even in his death, Asok did not ignore the cause of science — "Before he left, he put a sample of his DNA in a jar," the Pointy-Haired Boss said. "His plan is to reincarnate into his own clone." That may seem doubtful, though. Carol, the misanthropic secretary, now uses the jar as her second candy storage device.
Here are some of my favourite Asok moments in Dilbert:
"My relatives want me to have an arranged marriage."
"If they found someone who is totally hot and has low standards, ask if she has a sister."
"What about love?"
"How can you not love that?"
Asok and Wally
"I did a statistical analysis and found no correlation between my efforts and my rewards." Asok
"You're in H.R. now, it's ok to be evil."
Catbert educates Asok the Intern in the ways of Evil
"As you gain experience, you'll realise that all logical questions are considered insubordination." Dilbert advises Asok the Intern
"Most problems go away if you just wait long enough, Asok. It might look like I'm standing motionless but I'm actively waiting for our problems to go away. I dont know why this works but it does."
Bob the Dinosaur cum Cobol Programmer
"Winners don't return dishes to the cafeteria."
"Then how do the dishes get back?"
"You must use your power of low standards. Just place the dishes on the floor and wait for a loser with high standards."
Wally and Asok
"Gaaa! Dishes on the floor. Once again I have to clean up after slobs."
Alice, coming across Asok's dishes
"Asok, I need you to create a Powerpoint presentation that will save our department from being eliminated. You must quantify the unquantifiable and that can only done by a process that I call lying."
"Lying is a process?"
"It can be, if you use enough slides."
The Boss and Asok
"There will be no vacations until the project is finished."
"It feels as if I am being punished for your inability to to properly plan and staff."
The Pointy Haired Boss and Asok
Asok made his first appearance in March 1996 - seven years after Dilbert was launched, and even if Dilbert's creator Scott Adams has never ever mentioned his nationality, Asok's education at the Indian Institute of Technology and his love for Hindi songs make his origins self-evident.
Adams gave Asok extraordinary powers. He had an IQ of 240; he could reheat a cup of tea by holding it to his forehead while thinking of fire; and once, in 2005, he vapourised an obnoxious Texan (sometimes, if he is hungry during meetings, he also steals doughnuts using only his mind). He also had the ability to solve complex problems with a few keystrokes. And yes, he also slept only during national holidays.
On Friday, Dilbert's Pointy-Haired Boss made his most sombre announcement so far — Asok the Intern is dead. The IIT-educated supergeek with telekinetic powers, who charmed millions of readers across 2,000 newspapers in 65 countries for over 11 years with his innocence and geekiness, is no more.
"I am sad to report that Asok the Intern died during a test of our moon shuttle prototype," cartoon world's most evil boss announced on Friday. Even in his death, Asok did not ignore the cause of science — "Before he left, he put a sample of his DNA in a jar," the Pointy-Haired Boss said. "His plan is to reincarnate into his own clone." That may seem doubtful, though. Carol, the misanthropic secretary, now uses the jar as her second candy storage device.
Here are some of my favourite Asok moments in Dilbert:
"My relatives want me to have an arranged marriage."
"If they found someone who is totally hot and has low standards, ask if she has a sister."
"What about love?"
"How can you not love that?"
Asok and Wally
"I did a statistical analysis and found no correlation between my efforts and my rewards." Asok
"You're in H.R. now, it's ok to be evil."
Catbert educates Asok the Intern in the ways of Evil
"As you gain experience, you'll realise that all logical questions are considered insubordination." Dilbert advises Asok the Intern
"Most problems go away if you just wait long enough, Asok. It might look like I'm standing motionless but I'm actively waiting for our problems to go away. I dont know why this works but it does."
Bob the Dinosaur cum Cobol Programmer
"Winners don't return dishes to the cafeteria."
"Then how do the dishes get back?"
"You must use your power of low standards. Just place the dishes on the floor and wait for a loser with high standards."
Wally and Asok
"Gaaa! Dishes on the floor. Once again I have to clean up after slobs."
Alice, coming across Asok's dishes
"Asok, I need you to create a Powerpoint presentation that will save our department from being eliminated. You must quantify the unquantifiable and that can only done by a process that I call lying."
"Lying is a process?"
"It can be, if you use enough slides."
The Boss and Asok
"There will be no vacations until the project is finished."
"It feels as if I am being punished for your inability to to properly plan and staff."
The Pointy Haired Boss and Asok
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