We went to the highest point on the terrace entering via a small window.

But weather played a spoil sport… Though we did felt complete darkness of the Eclipse, we missed the sun which was not visible in the cloudy climate. While many of you would term it a #Fail, we are satisfied that we gave this once in a life time opportunity a fair try (with super adventurous driving to Surat over rocky roads and rains). To give you an idea of how dark it became during the eclipse, here is a before and after pic!

Click the image to enlarge

To get such stunning shots (and this aswell), we do need to be a little crazy… I am proud that we (I +@ankeshk @thakkar and @netra) went ahead with this trip!!!

More pics from the pic coming up on my Picasa album

Pics taken around 4.10PM. Rain is still strong enough …

(Yeah thats my bicycle in the pic)

…but then I cant bear daily sms messages from the store in Oberoi Mall bugging me with offers like BUY 3 GET 1 FREE on Women’s wear ..!

1. I never opted for this SMS spam
2. There is no easy way to opt out of these irritating messages
3. I only inquired for a blazer that was not in stock, and the store was supposed to call me when that is in stock. Instead I start receiving these buggy messages. That too daily, at times more than 1 message a day!

These irritating SMSes are one reason I prefer Cleartrip over Yatra aswell. Yatra.com bugs me (though not so often) with these promotional SMSes which I really don’t want.

And you already know why I will move out of Loop Mobile as soon as number portability comes in. I really feel its time we consumers should unite and boycott such irritating marketers  - TEACH THEM A LESSON!

Update June 14th: Sunday morning and I receive 3 messages from Allen Solly before 9AM. Too much for me to tolerate – Visited their Oberoi Mall outlet and conveyed my frustration to the staff there. They took my number and promised I won’t receive any more messages. No Sms, No longer a Allen Solly customer – CASE CLOSED!

Orkut has been nominated against ‘Abhishek Bacchan, Multimedia Cell Phone, Rang De Basanti and You’ in the MTV and Pepsi Youth Icon 2007. Orkut has 6.6 Million (66 lakh) Indian subscribers. This consists huge amount of youngsters.

There are more than a million communities on Orkut on absolutely everything from pizza to pasta from Film star to superstar, from your pet to your teacher. People freely express their opinions and views here. Internet has always been a medium carrying free information and thats exactly where the trouble starts for Orkut.

This time the king of Social networking has ran into trouble with the student wing of the Shiv Sena party. The group opposes to what they see as increasing mimicry of the West. It protests against Valentine’s Day celebrations, attacks clubs and pubs, and prevents screening of sexually bold films.

The student wing of the Shiv Sena party said many Indians use Orkut to bad-mouth religious groups and disturb communal harmony, and also to spread misinformation about India. Back in March it was announced that Orkut has agreed to provide Mumbai Police details of the IP address from which an objectionable message or blog has been posted on the site and the Internet service provider involved.

Internet no doubt is a great tool and a innovation like we have never seen before. But with great power comes great responsibility, its upto us to use the internet wisely and make productive use of it. Yes we are free to express our opinions but at the same time we need to see and understand the bigger picture.

Young minds are known to be rebels. And the more you suppress them the more they will come up. With caution and care we need to explain to them whats right and whats wrong. We just cant tell them not to surf Orkut because a few handful communities have a anti-India stand. We should stand strong and show faith in our youngsters such that we are unaffected and undivided against all attempts to disrupt our harmony.

UPDATE: Orkut is the “MTV Youth Icon 2007″

Back in June I had written about how BPL has got my blood boiling with thier buggy Missed Call alert service, and off late its thier excessive advertising that is irritating me. For example see the message above…

There is a slim chance that you would have read my cry for improving the Do Not Call Registry service back in July last year. Even after registering myself in the DND service several months back – I still recieve these automated advertisement calls from BPL. And what adds to my pain is the fact that a couple of my BPL sims (yes I have 4) are switched off at times and the calls are redirected to my cell. These adverisement calls come routed to my cell from these sims – So that means I PAY TO LISTEN TO THEIR ADVERTISEMENT.

Comeon BPL aka LOOP MOBILE – Get honest! I have been a customer for years now. Just as I say this, I pray to god that NUMBER PORTABILITY COMES TO INDIA ASAP

Our great dada is retiring and the void which has created will never be filled.. I want to congratulate dada for his fantastic career, he was a great player and was a very inspirational leader. The world cricket will remember him for his sheer determination and never say die attitude.. To be very honest with u i m going through very ambiguous feeling.. I m both happy and sad.. I m happy for dada who has had a memorable last test series.. Not many cricketers get such a chance to have their farewell … I want to thank dada for whatever he has done for me…

FRIENDS, on this occasion I want to tell u the story of a 10 year old boy.. A boy who was considered to be dumb, very quiet, reserved. People never missed a chance to make fun of that guy.. Whenever he tried to do something there were always many guys around to pull his legs.. No one understood him.. A boy who seriously had no self-confidence.. Teachers had already told his parents that ur son wont be able to do anything in life..

He used to sit quietly without saying a word and used to wonder that he is a big loser in life.. Nobody had any sympathy for him.. Perhaps he was too young to do anything abt it. In year 1996, it was time when had just completed his 5th standard examination and had summer vacations, he was watching a cricket match by chance..although he had no interest in cricket wat so ever then. The 1st test was over and 1 of the middle order batsman had to go back home for some personal reasons.. Indian think-tank had to play someone else in the playing 11 and that some1 was none other that Sourav Ganguly.

That boy observed that there was lots and lots of speculation abt his place.. Few of the team members said that he made it to the side becoz of regional quota.. Few of them said bengalis r soft enough to play cricket.. Some of them said that he just cant score runs in the leg side.. and some said he doesnt have an attitude to play for India as he refused to carry drinks on the field in 1992…

The boy deeply moved from inside, he felt sympathy for young sourav and he prayed for him to play well. He was very curious abt it and asked every1 about basics of cricket. It was the 1st time he was watching a cricket match as dada walked in.. Very soon dada was on song.. he played some fantastic shots and scored a brilliant 100 on debut.. Young sourav played so well in the off side that there was hardly any need for him to play in the leg side.. Just when i thought he scores on just 1 side he pulled Alan Mulally for 4.. The boy was happy.. He was happy that some1 whose condition is similar to him is doing well.. He was more curious to know about dada’s life and soon discovered how he was dropped in 1992.. He read sourav’s post-match interview and decided that he too will try to do something for himself.. His childhood when was very repressed before just got life.. The child inside him was just born and suddenly there was whole lot of energy in him. He tried to understand wat his real problem was and decided that he will work very very hard to do well in class..

Very soon, sourav scored another 100 in his 2nd match and that really was a confidence booster for that little kid.. He had started to believe in himself.. He used to wake up 5′o clock in the morning and studied day in day out..

Soon the result was there to be seen… The boy who always struggled to get passing marks got above 80% and was in top 5.. there was suddenly increase of 35%.. everybody was surprised by the change.. Parents and teachers all were happy and were praising him.. Eventually everybody was ready to help him more and more..

It was 2002 when he had board exams and he scored 84% in board. He was in top 5 in school.. The same teachers who had ridiculed him by saying that he had no future were praising him..

The boy was so very much thankful to dada that he never missed his single innings and even used to keep fast for him when he didn’t play well.. Dada was his religion now.. He used to kiss sourav’s poster in his room after waking up daily and always used to thank him for the self belief he gave him..

Soon Sourav became india’s captain and started of very well.. I remember the boy wearing a black band on his arm for about a week when sourav was not able to convert his start into a big one..

Soon the Australians were in India with 15 wins in a row… The time seemed to be not helping dada at all.. there were charges on him having an affair with Bollywood actress Nagma and his marital life seemed to be in a spot of bother… this had huge impact on dada.. India lost 1st test match in Mumbai and dada didnt do too well.. There was hell lot of pressure on him.. But he came back.. Although he didnt score too many runs against australia but he didnt let that affect his captaincy 1 bit.. and india won in Calcutta despite having to face follow-on.. The boy had seen dada as a player but dada as captain was just improving day by day..

But dada has this habit of surprising every1 just when no one expects it.. just after australian tour india had to go to zimbabwe for 2 test series.. Dada failed miserably.. the boy was sad but he had lots and lots of faith in him.. Soon India went to South Africa for a triangular series.. The boy was really horrified.. Dada had to face bowlers like pollock, kallis, Klusener and Ntini.. He didnt want dada to open against a new ball.. The boy was even more concerned when he saw dada coming with sachin to open the batting.. There was lot written about dada being treated with chin-music and short pitch stuff… Match started and dada faced 1st ball and with a little foot movement just caressed it through the covers for 4.. Suddenly the grin on the boy’s face was gone and smile came on his face..

Dada had never batted like this before as he just moved his leg on the leg side and slogged all the bowlers all over the park and got his 100 in less than 35 overs.. And he played such innings in each and every match.. He had suprised every1 once again…

Just when everything was going on smoothly.. boy had his 12th science board exams but got very less marks.. less than 65% … and he had to struggle to get into a gud Engineering college.. just when he had lost all hopes, he got admission in a decent engineering college in year 2004.. just when the boy did reasonably well in his 1st 2 semesters.. he did horribly bad in his 4th semester.. same time dada was thrown out of the indian team in 2005 after the Chappel-Ganguly dispute… boy’s only support was gone.. and with kind of politics going on, it looked very tough for dada to make it to the indian side.. he made a comeback against pakistan then was again thrown out. But he worked hard again, played Ranji trophy and came back against South Africa…

This time he did few adjustments in his technic.. The bat follow through was a bit higher compared to his previous stance.. and as always he made a tremendous come back.. That was the only relief he got and it was much needed 1.. The boy somehow did alright in his last year and completed his Engineering in 2008.. He gave all the credit to dada for his success who is nothing less than the God for him..

Dada failed in Sri-Lanka and was not getting any younger.. The new captain MS Dhoni whom dada brought in international cricket had back stabbed him.. He soon discovered that he is unwanted in the team.. The friends were no more friends.. The boy knew that even this time dada will b dropped against Australia and unfortunately dada was dropped from even the probables for Australian series to play a match in Irani trophy.. dada was shattered this time… not even making to the probables hurt him deeply.. but he was out of blue selected against australia..

But dada was hurt badly.. He decided to call it a day against Australia in Nagpur.. No doubt selectors were happy after hearing this.. However I must say that he wont have been playing if he didnt had believe in himself. Its not that easy to motivate urself when u play for such a long time.

The boy had tears in his eyes when he heard the new of dada’s retirement but he was too shocked to be able to accept it. It was only at the start of the 4th test match that he realized that dada will no longer be playing for India.. and knowing the kind of personality he is, i m sure he wont reconsider his decision of coming back.. In a way its good that he is retiring himself otherwise he wud have been humilated again by being dropped.. Dada scored scores of 85 and a duck in his final match.. That was the end of a great great career..

The boy is all alone and had tears in his eyes when dada played his last innings.. With dada’s dismissal the childhood inside the boy died.. The big brother wont be there in reality to motivate him.. The boy is all alone now.. His childhood died today. He lost his childness with this…

And by now, u must have realized that that boy is none other than me..

Watever little I have done in life, i owe it to dada.. Watever i achieved wont have been possible without dada.. He taught me to belief in my ability.. The most memorable moment of my life was when dada himself called me to his dressing room, he hugged me and gifted me his t-shirt too on which he has written ” WITH LOTS OF LOVE – SOURAV GANGULY”, that was the same time when i got the best compliment of my life when he said “MANISH I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FAN LIKE U” and i started crying.. He told me at that time just to belief in myself and wished me gud luck in life.. Now we just have his memories.. Watever i will achieve in this life will b because of dada..

U r my God Dada.. U might be retiring from International cricketer.. but u will never retire from my heart… In this life, i promise u that i will stand by u till my last breath.. I wish u all the very best in life and i hope that u will do things with same passion just the way u played cricket… Salute to u great man.. a standing ovation.. Take a bow.. I salute u with Indian flag flying high in ur hand.. JAI HIND!!

P.S. :- It is my personal experience which i m sharing wid u.. Sorry guys if it is too lengthy… but do tell me if u like it.. Wud b waiting for ur comments… DADAGIRI WILL ALWAYS ROCK..

Source

For as long as I remember watching cricket, I have seen you play, and its a proud, happy and in a way a sad moment today as I hear that you will no longer be seen doing the heroics that we have witnessed for almost two decades now…

Till today morning I was thinking about dada’s last tour and fast approaching climax; in the back of my mind I had a feeling that we would heard The Anil Kumble retire soon aswell … But never imagined it would come so soon.

Past 18 years have been glorious for Indian Cricket. The sport has took off like a rocket and is highly commercial today. This makes me respect our seniors who came and took up this challenge when there wasn’t so much money in the sport! They made the strong foundation on which our MSD’s and Ghambir’s are walking on.

The celebrations are on, news channels get some more fizz and we sit back and prepare for Dada’s turn. Clearly in years to come, Cricket would not be what I was used to watching as a kid… Though I am not a big fan catching every series over by over!

You are a Techie, Love photography and we have a lot in common I feel … With your retirement, Our chances of meeting are a little more now, Cya …

More pics below

POST EDITED – SOME CONTENT DELETED – Sorry

The bike is fine, The leg guards are tough .. And Avenger is sure a strong bike! See above what i did to the Car, with no damage to itself…

But as you kno : THE FEAR OF FALLING CAN NEVER STOP YOU FROM RIDING AGAIN!

OK so two scans above, start of the article and the end.

Thx Eddy for the Scans!