Ponto de Vista

Long gone are the days when posters and billboards were painted by a human being, lovingly and sometimes with hilarious results. But some of us can’t help deface the photographic posters that adhere to every single surface, I guess. I found this ‘improved’ Titan ad featuring an even more ruffianesque Aamir Khan utterly brilliant. I wanted to juxtapose the original but, alas, was unsuccessful in finding the image online. If you spot the original, in Delhi or anywhere, do email me a photo!

Incidentally, I’m far from being the only person documenting this. Check out the poster-art by the very funny, very talented Annu Palakunnathu Matthew (whom I interviewed for the now-defunct Masala magazine eons ago).

As pretty much anyone who will listen long enough to hear me complain knows by now, I fell down the stairs last week and got pretty severe whiplash. I finally succumbed and got myself a stupid neck brace (also called a ‘collar’) (Please. I’ve already heard all the jokes) and, to my chagrin, it does help support my neck and prevent extra strain.
The brand of my brace is “MGRM.” In cursive, the acronym is spelled out below the trademarked logo: “May God Rehabilitate Mankind“. I was rather hoping the manufacturers of the brace would step in there, honestly…

This was taken in Goa — right near the NON-path through god knows who’s backyards to Curly’s at South Anjuna. So much for beating around the bush, this is precisely where our cab driver chucked us out, threw his car into reverse and left us standing in the dark.
The sign I wish I had been able to take a picture of, however, was better. It said, in big red letters on white, “PLEASE. YOU THINK POSITIVE” (yes, really!)
I was on my way to the airport, pretty sure I’d miss my flight, so we didn’t stop. 🙁

This gem from a hosiery/underwear store in Lajpat Nagar Central Market 🙂 Don’t miss the fact that “Romance” is juxtaposed with the rather prosaic “Groversons, etc.”…

When I lived in Poland, I would frequently be frustrated at the attempts at English signage by local businesses. Maybe I’ve just gotten old, or jaded, or lazy — but I have started finding such bizarro spellings and bastardizations of English charming these days 😉 Andar ki baat hai.

Uhh, this board is at the ISKCON temple (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) inviting people to the ‘Vedic Expo’ at the Glory of India Vedic Cultural Centre.
It’s the “World’s number 1 Spritual Adventure”, and a “hi-tech
production” featuring “1. Bharat Dharma, 2 Bhagwad Gita and 3. Robotics”. Uh, when I worked for Science & Theology News, we’d have jumped all over this. However, at this point, I confess to be slightly alarmed at the juxtapositioning of Krishna’s ‘universal appeal’ with 9 robots. I’d rather go to Essel World and get my thrills there!

This was taken in Sarojini Nagar market — the capital for surplus and export-rejects shopping. Here you can keep up with the Joneses (literally) by shopping for U.S. department store brands in the open — and you can bargain down, too!

If you’re lucky, you could find three samples of the very same grey wool sweater with each one bearing a different label: Gap, Express, or Abercrombie & Fitch. As I did — I got the A&F one 😉 For the equivalent of $3.80.

But if you’re really, truly lucky, you’d definitely want to thank your maker for such a fantastic price as on these ‘stolls’ and ‘skarps’, non?

Last month, Ma and I traveled by train to Amritsar — my first train ride since last January, when V and I went to Agra (and I left a trail of vomit all over the city and station.) I did get a headache on the way back, but was still charmed by the fact that while the colors have changed, we still get served tea in thermoses on the Shatabdi. And a ‘tea kit’ with sugar, dairy creamer, a tiny stirrer and lots of sugar.

Next to each other, in Masjid Moth, two dry cleaners with names that compete for attention and your sense of humor. I go with the more prosaically named “the Cleaners” — not for their name, but because they have not only free home delivery, but also free pick-up. Yeah, baby, I’m living la vida local 😉 Go desi! It’s the best way!

Save your breath. You don’t have to say the whole word anymore — just go with pomengrade 😉 It tastes so good with ‘save” puri :wink;

…when you can have five little samples?