What a Weekend !!!

 

Last weekend was eventful. After a long time, I went out on both consecutive days of weekend for recreation. Saturday, we had a company outing - sponsored by company cultural association known as ICE. The venue was Parkfield resotel, near hoskote -on the outskirts of city. And Sunday, I visited Bengaluru Habba  - a festival on music and art.

First things first. After getting up late on Saturday and doing mundane affairs, we got ready for a short drive to event venue. A colleague and dear friend with spouse joined us for the drive. We reached around 1.30pm. Road was not so bumpy to complain about. Massive infrastructure is taking place all around bangalore. Expressways getting asphalated. Roads getting widened with multi-lane drive ways. Flyovers mushrooming all across to make major roads signal free. Elevated road ways, metro constructions further concretize the ways all over. Its good to see these developments that bring name to city, providing employments and creating wealth opportunities for common men and corporates alike.

Coming back to parkfield resotel - We flashed our entry tickets to sentries at gate. They were rather kind to let us in. I am saying kind, as it has become impossible now to get into anywhere without being frisked including cars. It was green all around. All of us were hungry and anticipation of a good buffet further ignited our craving for food. Nevertheless, it was lunch time and being weekend-lazy we had skipped our regular breakfast. After parking the car, our eyes were looking for known faces. The lobby was a great structure with sophas every where to sit and relax. It has Cool breeze coming from all  directions. We straight away went to buffet counter wondering how the food and queue will be? Thankfully, there is no repeat of Innovative Filmcity. Either the resotel is organized or our committe has learnt the lessons. Counters were many. Food was limited for me being a vegetarian. It was simply and must say, the dal and aloo-gobi curry was tasty. Desserts are always look-forward-to items in buffets. It was variety flavors of ice-cream with gulab jamoons. One needs to have the art to make way by jostling in crowd to get what you need in crowd. I am poor in that. But my better half equally good in that. She is short, little heavy post thyroid, but can easily make her way in crowd and fight out with élan.

Back to parkfield - I tried little bit of vanilla, mango and thanks to wife; she got a gulab jamun for me. I think love is all about sharing joys and sweetness of life (pains optional). Post lunch, we walked around to explore the venue with greater details. Alas, it is neither innovative nor wonderla. Met friends and colleagues, exchanges pleasantries, introduction to family happened. Also, queries about "what to see here". We discovered a cricket pitch, tennis court, volley court, TT and a large swimming pool. I had taken swim trunks, but was scared to jump in seeing large crowd out there. No, i don't have aqua-phobia. Its just crowd and my dear wife. The later I must refrain from explain. After taking 2 rounds of pool and finding out whos-who, we went to check out large gathering in cricket field. They were four team, recognized by colored bands in their hands. The game as i understood was to save their kings from suicide bomber attack. Take it easy, it’s not Pakistan or Afghanistan. The attack is mere water balloon attack. Teams throwing aqua bombs and running wild. I wanted to mingle and have fun. But my wife timely pointed out to the white trouser I was wearing and its possible condition post the game.

That useful observation saved me from being called colored. How does it matter......I am dark anyway, and people of developing nations or white nations consider rest of the people colored. Sometime back, I had a mail forward where a African kid has written a beautiful poem comparing white and black.  Same replicated below.

This poem was nominated by UN as the best poem of 2008, written by an African k id




When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in Sun, I black
When I scared, I black
When I sick, I black
And when I die, I still black

And you white fellow
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you gray

And you calling me colored ?

 

 

Back to parkfield - I bumped into our dearest EVP. We all liked and appreciated his presence. He is always cheerful and something to stump you. He seems to be thoroughly enjoying the happenings. Post aqua bomb game, we had tea and snacks including biscuits and little samosas. They were good. While I was spot on to avail the first serve, got a scream from wife. She stepped onto feces and was showing all tendencies of sickness. It took 30 minutes for her to recover, but not without throwing away lovely pair of shoes, she has adored always. its said 'all in this world is temporary and everything shall pass away'.

It has other events including live DJ and laser angels. Both were not so impressive, at least for me. I don't enjoy English music much. On top of that, they instruments they were playing were loud and not in sync. Few front benchers rather I say lovers of ENGI ROCK were swinging as if they were fully indulged and intoxicated with that rotten music. God save them. It was followed by laser angels. I was eagerly expecting this show. Why not - it was claimed to be 1st time in south india by Russian beauties- like icing on the cake. Not to forget, Russian girls are considered to be the prettiest in earth. I saw 2 white nationals roaming around in the group of colored. Eye catchy. Expectations were high. Countdowns started to give it a hilarious start. While countdown from 30 was on, we saw two damsels on stage. While one was inside a large transparent balloon, the other was freely strolling on stage. For a moment, I thought balloon will fly and the pretty gal will perform in air while other images will be created through laser rays. Expectations are expectations. However they are good thing in life. At least they get you there to give you a sense of pleasure which otherwise may not happen in real life. They are stimulants in our life. We look forward to tomorrow with a hope.

Well, finally the show started. Laser rays were piercing through everyone sitting there. The girl in balloon started swaying around, while the other on stage did amazing aerobics. Rays fall on them too. Their dresses radiated glow. It went on for 5 minutes and stopped. I guess almost everyone disappointed. What is new there........whts so new to be called first time in South india. An announcement follows - the show will resume again in few minutes.

Great!!! I told myself. I was just giving up. The best is yet to come. Hopes ran high. Show started. This time, they were wearing a dress with small blubs. It were those dancing blubs that we see in all ceremonies. I don't know if lights were controlled by beats/equalizers. But there were glowing on and off. This is something we have seen BIG B doing in Yaarana with Neetu singh in a song sequence in a huge stadium. We were simply fooled with even more misleading name called - laser angels. What crap!!!

Anyways, we sat thru the dance in anticipation of better things. Nothing such happened and we stepped out for a round to get ready for dinner course. Discovered the TT room. We needed to buy a ball for this. I told my friend; why not get it from the group who just left to get a better deal than buying from the counter. It stuck him and he asked those guys. Poor friend, he paid same price as he wud hv bought from counter. Those guys were shrewd. No win-win situation here. Never mind. It was only 40 bucks.  After sweating out for 40 minutes, winning 2 loosing 4, we broke for dinner. It has many varieties, but the quality was average. No, guys, Im not a sadist or pessimist. It was in most of the lips...that the food is just okie. Being a vegeterian, my choices came down by default. Paneer and mix veg curry was sour, getting towards stale. Other things were just okie. Deserts were equally poor. Kheer has deficiency of sugar and milk while custard had smashed fruits in poor taste. ice cream was a saving grace. But no choices. only strawberry.

We wound up at 9:30 and reached home in 45 minutes. But for road diversion and mergers, it was a safe drive in dark roads,

Overall, with family and friends around, mind away from work and calls.........it was great time spent. Look forward to similar events with great food and entertainment.

 

I will post on bengaluru habba on next post. Stay Tuned.

 

 

Cheers,

Ranjit Bisoyi