Sunday, 26 January 2014

Stray thoughts of a dying soldier (loved and lost)


Hate can be something that finishes the meagre meaning of our evolving existence. Every day, we see rapes, murders, destruction and we feel anguished by these ‘negative’ consequences, but have we ever understood the relevance of this feeling to be a part of us. Maybe within the dualities of our everyday experiences, hate tends to play an equal part as much as love does but do we ever understand the significance of falling in love, that immaculate radiance, the sunshine that engulfs all of its brightness within, leaving one with a feeling of serenity. Can that feeling be felt forever, the ecstasy of a reverberation of a higher realm? Can the memory of that feeling be sustained even when we are dissolved within the threat of destroying ourselves or our external image?

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they find love, a love so strong that seeks to overpower fear and diminish the illusion of death. The mind seems to strive to activate anything and everything that it seeks to accomplish with a heart which is full and happiness looking down through the canopy of our existence. At the same time, paralleling the same exists another realm that quite literally divides what has been said before. Through the bosom of the dark, daring clouds comes a feeling of eternal loss, a loss whose magnitude can only be measured by a clench in the heart that refuses to see the light of day. Why can we not see the sunshine then when all seems numb, when nature in itself stops and replicates vacuum? 

When you see deep within the eyes of your paramour, you wish to hold onto that moment as if that was the true meaning of one’s existence. When your hands fit in your counterparts’ as if the completion takes place of what you seek to get up for from bed every day, seems to be fulfilled. When you smell the raw scent of the hair that tantalizes the core of your existence, as you feel it surge through like the flow of a river that just runs its course. When a glowing smile sends you flying across witnessing the twilight of an everlasting sky that meets the ocean. When a laugh radiates a sound that can cure pain, pain that seems to surge through the core of a fracture. An image of love, a sign of truth, a reassurance of home, a sense of strength…. Reality.

When all logic seems to fall apart and all there finally emerges is the truth of nothingness, which is contentment of having everything held sacred that has been preached about through the music of the waves, chirps of a bird, raindrops, the roar of the thunder and an undying enigma that quietly creeps in the form of a belief for the supernatural. A call…


Thursday, 22 August 2013

A two and a half year revelation..

The eyes glisten, shimmer really
like stars across a naked sky.
Her face blossoms, like a lily
death itself, seems alive.

"Charismatic", say all for her,
Enigmatic.. I confer.
Po trays  herself, the devils sin,
A warm part.. an angel within!

Stress emphatic, tip of her nose
feels compassion, never remorse
The Phallic symbol, she defies
 A real woman, a real surprise!

Her white-skinned personality seeks
wisdom and virtue, her tongue reeks
Vanity, she does despise
One slap, another mosquito dies.:)

Her laughter, fills the void
Elegance, she can never avoid
The resonating smile,
love lost puppies pile.

A fire glows, Ambition burns
Instinct applies, a will to learn.
Voluptuous anger and ferocity,
sparks ones curiosity..

All Good, she magnetizes
All Evil, she criticizes
Love, you are, evermore
awe-struck, i fall, your paramore.

Pune mosques observe Ramadan, celebrate Iftar

Iftar being celebrated at Haji Mekkeshah Masjid at Deccan Gymkhana corner, Pune 
Nearly 200 people gathered at the historic Haji Mekkeshah Masjid at Deccan Gymkhana corner to break their fast right after sunset following the religious observances of Ramadan on Saturday.

Iftar is often celebrated by a community, with people gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is taken right after Maghrib time, which is around sunset.

The All-Pune Masjid Action Committee (APMAC) held the free Iftar party where Dalcha, Chola (cooked chickpeas), mughlai paratha (stuffed with minced meat and spices), pitha, Halim, dates, samosas, Dal Puri (a type of lentil based savoury pastry) and  different types of fruits, such as watermelons and bananas, were served following the Iftar sirens and adhan.

“Through this month we give our humble prayers to Allah and observe this fast through the day with complete sincerity. To keep this fast and then break it following adhan, makes this religious experience all the more special for us as we all sit together and enjoy our meal. A sense of community and belonging is felt,” said Liyakat Khan, present during the Iftar party at Deccan corner.

Preparations for Iftar commenced hours before the Iftar sirens at Deccan. Roadside stalls were also set up where observers could buy their food of choice outside the mosque. “The fast can be broken by eating dates or drinking water, if the former is not available,” added Khan.

This year in Pune, Iftar is being celebrated with huge jolt and is being enjoyed tremendously through the city. It is the perfect time for succulent kebabs, sweet something’s and meaty treats for the fasting and the foodies.
Shariff Caterers near Poona College is one of the many places serving delicious Chicken Kababs — shredded chicken with mayonnaise and bits of capsicum and grated carrots. The other specials here are the mutton chops and Kadi Gosht — a mutton strip hammered absolutely thin and fried in egg batter. 

Other places to visit for Iftar delicacies are Imdadi at Baba Jaan chowk, Alifiya Caterers at Kausar Baugh, NIBM Rd, Kondhwa, New India at Ravivar Peth and Food Art Caterers at Salunke Road.
Iftar is being celebrated around the world; US President Barack Obama has praised Muslim-Americans for their contributions in helping build the country when he hosted an Iftar party at the White House. “Ramadan is a time of reflection, a chance to demonstrate ones devotion to God through prayer and through fasting, but it's also a time for family and friends to come together,” said Obama addressing the gathering.


A special time in the Muslim calendar through the month as the ongoing festival continues. ‘Oh Allah! It is for thee that I observe fast and it is with Thine blessing that I break it,’ – prayer at the time of Iftar.

Shiv Chhattrapati Stadium, Balewadi, best venue to host games: AFI President

The 20th Asian Athletics Championship kicked off on July 3 at the Shiv Chhattrapati stadium, Balewadi and will continue till July 7. The event was inaugurated by Maharatra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan along with other officials present during the opening ceremony  in Pune. Artists performed Koli dance and children performed Mallakhamb during the opening ceremony.

 President of the AFI, Adille J Sumariwalla 
In an interview with SIMC Wire, the President of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), Adille J Sumariwalla has claimed that the allotted venue at Pune is the best choice for the games, even though Chennai, Jharkhand and New Delhi were potential place to host the games.

“We did not choose Shiv Chhattrapati Stadium, Balewadi for the games. We had actually planned Jhark
hand, which is a new stadium with better infrastructure for the games. However, due to Naxalism prevailing in Jharkhand and nearby areas, the Government decided to push the venue to Delhi but the capital’s answer was no. So, we finally resorted to Pune as the venue, when we requested the honourable chief minister of Maharshtra, PrithviRaj Chauhan, who gave the nod for the games to commence,” said Sumariwalla.

With over 577 athletes from 43 countries excepting Bhutan and Myanmar in the fight, the championship is already on the record books as the biggest Asian meet ever and the winners of the various events will be directly entering into the World championships to be held in Moscow next month.

The AFI President said, “It was a tough job because something like this takes nearly two years in terms of preparation and we were given something like three weeks. However, due to the unprecedented support of the government of Maharashtra and the aide from the chief minister and the sports minister, we were able to pull this off.”

“Particularly, the additional chief secretary was posted here in Pune, the divisional-commissioner along with Municipal commissioner of Pune, Pimpri and Chinchwad, Water department were also present in full support for any requirement for the Athletics Federation of India. Be it up-gradation of the stadium or the accommodation of the players, the authorities supported us in full swing and as you can see the games have begun,” added Sumariwalla.

Due to only being provided with a little more than 21 days for the athletic meet to commence, an array of problems was posed before the federation. Sumariwalla expressed the difficulties as the tournament begun, “We faced tremendous amount of challenges for the games, and there was transport, accommodation, security, food, technical, accreditation, visas and various other challenges. I can safely say after all the effort put in the last three weeks; we are practically the best venue in the world to host these games. This system can run the Olympic games.”

Shiv Chhatrapati Balewadi Stadium, Pune
SIMC Wire discovered during the proceedings of the event that there was no specific security check at the entry gates of the stadium. Neither were there any metal detectors in place to check the bags of fans, media persons and people within the sports complex.

When Wire enquired about the same from the Federations President, he said, “There are absolutely no problems with regard to security, the Mahrashtra police is on constant standby throughout the five day period of the tournament. The Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, is also in the loop. There is special security for the players while they are travelling, outside their hotels. So security is not a concern.”

India began their campaign at the 20th Asian Athletics Championships on a mixed note on a rain-marred opening day in Pune on Wednesday. “The rains will not pose any threat to the games. The tracks are all weather synthetic, so, rain or no rain, the games will go on,” said Sumariwalla.

He also added, “I hope the athletes have the fairest and fiercest competition through the tournament.”

Shot putter Om Prakash Karhana and long jumper Mayookha Johny won a bronze each at the opening day for India. Om Prakash hurled the iron ball to a distance of 19.45 in his second attempt, his season's best though it was way less than his national record of 20.09m, to give India the first medal of the Championships. Mayookha bagged a bronze in long jump after the event was stopped mid-way due to rain only to resume later. 

Canvas 4 fails to impress its worth

Rating – 3.5/5

Micromax Canvas 4 Image Source:
friendlyengine.com
As the newest smartphone, Micromax Canvas 4 hit commercial markets across the country on July 8; the flagship product was estimated to set the market on fire. However, the response received since the launch seems to be weak as compared to the previous phones launched by the company.

Essentially, the phone was endorsed during the Indian Premier League (IPL) setting high expectations as it barged into the markets, competing with some of the biggest names in this smartphone era. In light of its massive advertising, the phone seems to have received the tag from tech experts as ‘only above average.’ At the same time, buyers across the country ‘expected more’ from the brand value of the phone, which has made a name by setting a low price for the phone in comparison to its features.

Without the software and camera upgrades, the device is essentially the Canvas HD. It just doesn't justify the Rs. 18,000 price point. The good thing about the smartphone is that there is no reduction in performance when compared to its predecessor. 

The phone succeeds in two specific areas, the added software features work well and the phone has a spellbinding camera features (13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front facing). An interesting feature is that the phone carries an in-built camera app which includes Normal, HDR, Face Beauty, Smile detection, Exposure compensation, Panorama, Photosphere (multi angle view) modes. It also offers a burst mode, letting users click up to 99 shots at once. The photo mode allows users to modify settings like Exposure, colour effect, ISO and white balance, among others. There's a self timer of up to 10 seconds as well.

Hopes were high after the release of Canvas HD that the successor would have a full HD (1080p) display. However, Micromax decided to skip the upgrade and included a 720p display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. The red tinge display error carried by the predecessors of Canvas 4 was rectified by the manufacturer, this phone has higher resolution, text, icons and images look much sharper as compared to similar phones in its range.

The device available in Dual SIM mode and dual standby and is powered by 1.2 GHz Quad core MT6589T processor and 1 GB of RAM. Initially, the device was enormously in demand in the market but within a week of its launch, it failed to grab its target market.

The Canvas 4 A210 has been given a stiff competition by the latest iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1. This new iBerry gadget has the competitive features as compared to the Micromax’s flagship phone and due to being a new unique product; it has managed set a name in the markets as of now.

Canvas 4 runs on the Jelly Bean 4.2.1 and is further upgradable. Four distinct themes have been assigned to the phone; mint, mocha, raspberry and the default theme that bring minor changes in the phone's colour scheme.


Apart from being slightly bigger in size from its predecessors and having specifically awe-striking camera features, Micromax’s newest toy does not bring much to the table when compared to a Samsung S4 or even the Blackberry Z10. In the new age of techno-buzz, Micromax has to aim higher to match the existing standards; however, the perk that remains is the price! 

Advent of Goal-line technology: New era in football history

Amidst several controversial calls made in the past in terms of declaring a goal by referees, FIFA has introduced a latest method to determine when the ball has completely crossed the goal line with the assistance of electronic devices.

The English Premier League has voted to introduce goal-line technology from the 2013-14 season. Hawk-Eye, a British based company has been awarded the contract to provide the state of the art system.

“When incidents regarding the ball passing the goal-line come along, they are so controversial, so seismic, that it is all about getting it right. If there is some technology available to help the officials get it right then it is right, we should be doing it,” said Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League.

The Football Association (FA) has agreed to install a system at Wembley Stadium in time for August's Community Shield. The decision was further strengthened when top clubs of the Premier league voted to adopt it. The ideation of the technology was sanctioned by 20 Premier League chairmen in April, this year.

Hawk-Eye uses seven cameras per goal to detect the ball and claims its system is "millimetre accurate, ensuring no broadcast replays could disprove the decision". Also used in various other sports like Cricket, Tennis and Snooker, where visual images within a specific time frame are displayed through high-speed video cameras placed at different parts in and around the goal. These high-speed cameras further depict a graphic image of the balls movement to the fourth official, who finally renders it fit to declare a goal.

Inventor of the Hawk-eye, Paul Hawkins said, “It will not slow the game down. In under a second we will provide the information to the watch, then afterwards we will show a TV replay that will definitively prove what we showed the referee was correct. Our technology is there to ensure decisions are correct.”

In 2012, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) deemed it fit to introduce this new technology, being utilized for the first time, in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. The Goal-line Technology (GLT) was tested in the competition in two particular ways; one being the Hawk-Eye and the other being the GoalRef, produced by a German company Carios Technologies AG, alongside Adidas.


The momentum to increase the utilization of the Goal-line technology took place when IFAB voted for this equipment after Frank Lampard’s goal was disallowed in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where England lost 4-1 to Germany. However, the instant replay clearly depicted that the ball had crossed the line after ricocheting of the bar. “Frank Lampard's "ghost" goal at the 2010 World Cup played a decisive role in the decision,” said Sepp Blatter, FIFA President.

Wimbledon 2013: Surprise, Shock and Awe

The preeminent tennis tournament in the world has always been known for its biggest surprises. A 77-year drought was ended and a new women's Grand Slam champion was crowned, not something you see every year in London. At the same time, enormous upsets marred the grass courts, where big names in the world of tennis literally ‘slipped’ their way out of the tournament. Altogether entertaining, awe-striking and bizarre were the proceedings this year and will continue to be remembered through Wimbledon’s history.  

Andy Murray: Champion 2013
The title by Andy Murray was the first Wimbledon won by a Brit since Fred Perry in 1936. After coming two sets short in 2012 against Roger Federer, this time the Scot was able to hoist the trophy after knocking off No. 1seed Novak Djokovic, beating him at straight sets, 6-4 7-5 6-4.

Astonishingly French veteran, Marion Bartoli, who missed out in 2007, when she lost to Venus Williams, however, her emphatic win at a mistake-filled final at the championships this year against Sabine Lisicki, allowed her to set her record straight (6-1 6-4). "I dreamed about this moment for so long," Bartoli said during her on-court interview.
The clash lived up to its ticket value as the two top seeds exchanged some excellent baseline rallies as the mercury hit 30 degrees. However, the home crowd support elevated temperatures to another level.

Marion Bartoli: Women's Champion
"That was one of the toughest moments. The final encounter was an unbelievably tough match," Murray said in a courtside interview after lifting the trophy. “I understand how much everyone wanted to see a British winner at Wimbledon and I hope everyone enjoyed it,” were Murray’s comments for the thunderous support he had at the finals.
Surprisingly, the title being won by a man at tennis’s highest spectacle seemed to have given respite to Great Britain as media reports poured in after Murray’s Grand Slam victory. 

The question arises that have Britain forgotten that three women of British nationality had won the tournament after the infamous Fred Perry, with Virginia Wade winning the title last in 1977?

Six-time grand slam champion Djokovic, who will retain his world number one ranking despite the loss, was gracious in defeat when he said, “I know what it means to you guys in the whole country so well done. I gave it my all and it was an honour to be in this match, in this final. Congratulations to Andy you absolutely deserved it, you played incredibly.”
Some of the lows this year, however, blew fans out of proportion. 

Roger Federer, after his lost to the Ukranian
As many as seven former World No.1’s were bundled out of the event this year. Apart from the shock losses of defending champion Roger Federer (ranked 116th in the world, Ukrainian, Sergiy Stakhovsky pulled up the biggest upset in Wimbledon’s history by knocking the champion in a classic four setter), Rafael Nadal (first ever opening round loss to Steve Darcis in straight sets) and Lleyton Hewitt. The women’s side lost Russian diva Maria Sharapova, Serbian star Ana Ivanovic, the Dane Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic and double major victor Victoria Azarenka.

First ever opening round exit: Rafael Nadal
The shock of all shocks hit London when 16 times Grand Slam champ, Serena Williams was ousted by German newbie Sabine Lisicki, who displayed some stunning aggressive fore-hand tennis and a bazooka serve to silence the crowd and place her name in Wimbledon’s history by reaching the semi-finals and emerging runner-up at the competition.


At the close of the tournament, it is but clear that that is how the fortune cookie crumbles; to be a champion you need to play well every time or at least play well on important points.