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English Grammar Follies

English Grammar - Ah! I studied it during my school days. It was not only about how to write framed sentences in English, but also about the proper usage of words, sentences, clauses etc. I crammed many of them at that time. Over a period of time though, those rules became irrelevant, as much of sentence-correctitude sense came from day-to-day usage of those words.

So, when I started studying grammar again now, I was simply startled by the fact every conceivably correct sentence written by us has a high chance of containing at least one grammatical mistake. While some of them are based on almost obsolete rules, some are the gifts of the casual way our conversation and writing have taken shape into over a period of time. Sadly the latter mistakes are more chronic and undetectable, unless told by someone.

I would just illustrate a few examples to drive home my point.

1> Usage of words signifying recurring action

Most commonplace mistake is of the usage of words, like repeat, recall, return etc. with adverb/conjuction- again, before etc. to stress upon the action. Ah.. there is no need to stress as they themselves mean a recurring action.

Incorrect:- Please repeat again

Correct :- Please repeat

2> Usage of 'anyways'

How many times have we seen people using anyways? Seems correct. Unfortunately it is not, and I too came to know this a few days back only. The correct form is anyway, and the hindsight does suggest that if it is 'any', it should be 'way', not 'ways'.

Incorrect:- Anyways you do this

Correct :- Anyway you do this

3> Usage of yours

'Yours' is a possessive case of 'you', and it never comes with an aprostrophe like your's. But have a purusal of the letters or applications written by a person, and you will find this mistake more often that not in the conclusive part of signature.

Incorrect:- Your's sincerely,

Correct:- Yours sincerely,

4> Usage of enjoy

Now this one is really tough, as this rule is known and most importantly, adhered to only by the puritans of the language. "We enjoyed yesterday" seems a very correct sentence, but the directive about usage of enjoy makes it incorrect. Enjoy should always have an object or a reflexive pronoun succeeding it.

Incorrect:- We enjoyed yesterday

Correct:- We enjoyed the party yesterday/ We enjoyed ourselves yesterday

These are only some of the illustrations of varying degree where the grammar rules are broken. There won't be any problem in the conveying of message with the incorrect usage, but the real joy of learning comes in writing correct English. Fortunately or unfortunately, there is no other way to learn these rules than to go through them individually. And that is what I too intend to do for the above piece of writing, as I know this will be littered with many grammatical mistakes, some even silly.

Bikini World !!!

How is bikini pronounced? Bi..kee..nee with stress on the second and third syllables, making the word an elongated one on voice. Why am I asking this? Surprisingly, it has got something to do with cricket. During India-Aus test cricket commentary on Star Cricket channel, Ian Chappell brought out this word, which drew my attention not only for its obvious young-mind appeal, but also for the incongruity of its usage. May be it wasn't out of place, as they need to tell a few things sometimes to spice up the dull cricket.

A few days later, I read an article on Cricinfo where a celebrated journalist mentioned about the attractiveness of the bikini-clad damsels which was an additional, if not prime, factor towards watching the matches in Australia on Channel 9 during mid-eighties. How sweet....? And here I am in the same league, not with above cricket-related perversions, but with an equally sensual fascination towards those wonderful set of clothes, if ever that was not a misnomer.

By fortuity, I had got a chance to come to Cyprus. Before departure from India, my vivid mind had drawn so-many pictures of those variegated fabric scantily hiding the curvy bosom and derriere. I had searched enough to know the abundance of it in the land. Upon arrival, one of the most lasting images will remain of the exclamation erupted in unison by my fellow mates on seeing a bevy of girls in skimpy bikinis, from the bus. They foresaw a titillating experience on this wonderful island.

Heads swerved to the sea-side of the road while travelling on bus to the office. The first destination to visit was Aiya Napa as the folklore of revelling bootylicious misses kept buzzing in our heads beforehand. Beaches were attacked in pursuit of the unknown eye-soothing booty of beauty. It all passed off as a juvenile indiscretion of a soaking-yet-jejune mind.

But as happens with all the things in the cosmos, surfeit invariably brought an unwanted tedium to it. What was enticing became a normal view, and so normal that last year, I didn't visit the beaches more than once or twice to behold the bombinating life out there. Distance was surely a factor, but indifference added more to it.

Life does tend to come a full circle though. Now with ennui setting in my other day-to-day and office lives, the hitherto boring world of beaches beckons me more strongly now. Cometh summer, I have decided to be at my voyeuristic best to relive those moments. There aren't any livening moments than those. Only thing I wish this time is for them to never wither away.

Sledge of behaviour

Owing to my abundant free time, I have been following the recent news of Harbhajan's acquittal from racial charges quite closely. Every time, I read an article or comments putting forward a different view, my take on the case changes. Who is right or wrong, has become more of 'Where do you belong to' case. Australia media are crying foul at the bullyragging tactics adopted by the BCCI, while Indians are gloating over the justice being meted after so-many years of subservience.All are entitled to hold their views, but this just goes to show how farcical things can develop into, if sanity is not adopted at the first place only.

Coming back to the incident, my question remains why should have this gone off-the-filed at all. Having been to a cricket stadium as a spectator, I know what kind of language is spoken around all the time. Even the most modest ones like Sachin and Rahul are not spared. I am not supporting the usage of racial words, but it would only aggrandize if you start reacting to it. What difference it would have made to Symonds, had he ignored it. He had been batting beautifully that series, and Harbhajan had been no match to his skills. Racism or for that matter, anything becomes harmful only when it starts denying you opportunities, hurting you physically or weakening you financially. Where has the old adage of 'Action Speaks Louder than Words' got lost.

On the other side too, sledging was never and never will be the equivalent of banter. Mouthing swearings is fine in groups of unreacting friends, colleagues or teams, but doing so on a field when you don't know the sensibilties of different players is an absolute no-no for me. When a spark can being a conflagration, you don't know. Moreover, the match is being watched by millions of people worldwide, and this is not what should become the centre of attraction for the viewers. However much I respect Steve Waugh, sledging remains his legacy to cricket in diluted words of 'mental disintegration'.

Things ought to move on now; legalities and technalities of it will be discussed on fora endlessly. The root cause, realting to human behaviour, too might get a mention or two. Different facets of it, like tolerance and respect, too would be brought out as by me earlier. But sadly, this is not what gets priority in the practical world. And as the time descends, things learnt, a misnomer in itself, will pass into the abyss to emerge later from other crevice in bigger form, for us to ruminate in even bigger terms.

My Retryst with India

I had waited for this moment to write about my Indian journey for long. Even before the journey had actually commenced. So, my pre-conceived notions are bound to adorn or pollute my writing quite often in between.

Since I left India about 16 months back, my obsession with India has grown manifold, to the extent that I have started viewing every development about and around me to its Indian connection. It has got a lot to do with my long held dispirted idea about India vis-a-vis the rest of world. As a result, I visualise every thing about my country through the ideas held in similar conditions by any foreigner.

Thus, I was a phirangi impersonated beforehand on my first trip to India since coming abroad. I started on 22nd Dec,07 with lots of unknown anticipation. The flight journey was as usual harrowing and exhausting. I now realise train journeys are more enjoyable and less tiring. Anyway, I landed at IGI Airport, Delhi and braced myself up for the famous 'assault on the senses' feelings. Going through the formailities at the airport with the tagline of 'World Class Airport Soon Coming' all over was a no-hassle show really, but my actual encounter with Indian order, say chaos, happened on the roads with zillions of things coming all around with no traffic control either. And it did feel a lot bizarre. Ashamedly for me, as it was my same country where I had spent all my life barring the last one year. But to say honestly, many subsequent things too did look out of sorts, and sometimes scary too, as it happens with many long-time travellers.

My enthusiasn for meeting my family was never diminished though, and it was really great to be back home at Patna. My first week passed in total slack mood, with the home and office works now thrown on the ledge. I was again a coddled child with attention and sumptuous food served to me by my mother and other relatives. My favourite pastime or rather say, indulgence was India-Australia cricket match watched in the wee hours of the chilly morning from the cosy warmth of the quilt. Few moments in my life could match that, and fortunately I was able to relive those, albeit for a few days only. Sadly India lost that match in Melbourne.

I was very happy at the end of the week that I had not fallen sick to any kind, as most of my friends had some really bad times with their health on coming back. Alas, my relaxation was soon to be over, as I caught serious cold due to my allergy to dust coupled with the freezing cold weather. It was really horrible as I had to celebrate the New Year in that sneezing mood only. I visited Vindhyachal on 1st of Jan. for a darshan of the Devi, which as a family we have been doing for years. Though the darshan was good, it was hampered by my irritating indisposed condition.

Returning home, I took a good rest and was ready for my Indian journey the next day with my father. Thankfully my health too had improved. The first leg of the journey was at Kolkata. I had not seen this metro before despite living so close to it. Its first impression was that of an as-told-before bustling city with people jostling for space. I visited the Kali temple first. The idol of goddess Kali was grand enough to have made a lasting impression on me. It felt really great to visit another place of religious mysticism, though made slightly off-putting by the haggling pandas. Victoria Memorial, Planetarium, Indian Museum and the milling streets of Chowrangee, Esplanade etc. were the next stop-overs for the day. It felt amazing to see Kolkata thrown back to the old days of man-pulled rickshaws and swerving trams. I didn't see the newly developed posh parts of Kolkata, so the experience despite its archaic charm wasn't a very pleasant one to my given-to-snugness mind.

Next day we flew to Bangalore to my elder brother's home. I liked Bangalore with the happening aura attached to it. Rightly called the Silicon Valley, if you ignore the dismal roads and traffic, it has IT building, malls, towers etc. sprawling gradually every day. I visited Iskcon and Kemp Fort temples too. It was a pleasantly good experience to watch such clean and modern temples with the surroundings developed as a stress reliever too. Though most of my Bangalore sojourn went in meeting relatives and friends, which in itself was emotive and refreshing, I found Bangalore a very happening city. But not much good happened on the cricket front, with India inexplicably falling in the dying moments of the controversial Sydney test. It did sour things a bit but now with mind extricated out of cricket, I could enjoy my further trip better.

We travelled overnight by train to Pune, the place where I had my first corporate life. I always had an affinity for this city even before visting it, and the enchantment grew bigger arriving here. Staying at my bua's place, I had some personal work, so remained totally engrossed in that. But I was able to meet my friends here with whom I shared an amazing evening and dinnner with talks ranging from heady college days to intoxicating girls to the now mundane office life. Those recreating days I have never or can never experience outside India. There was no sight-seeing here though, but I had already been to the most-visited spots during my earlier stay.

We left for Mumbai then after getting over the work in Pune. I had been to this glamourous city only once before. However much other cities might develop, Mumbai will remain the grand old Empire City of India. How much life it supports is just incredible to think. You don't need to look further than the tirelessly plying local trains carrying hordes of people every day. I too had a share of enjoyment, I can call enjoyment now, riding them. The fact that my glasses fell on the tracks, safely thankfully, while alighting from the coach only tells how life would be like travelling every day. Ah ! by now I had again started loving Indian chaos, nay order; its daily life of struggle and simultaneous hope. I could again breathe plentiful rich dirt and traffic smoke without feeling uncomfortable or falling sick. See the vagaries.......but my journey was going to come to an end soon.

We boarded the train from Mumbai to Patna on 14 th of Jan. to complete an awesome tour of fortnight. I slept the whole next day in total luxury to shed off my weariness of the journey. I really love the trains for the comforting space and time, if you need, they can provide. Having arrived again at Patna doing a ring-road service, I was into my last week of Indian stay and started preparing for the return. Also now I myself wanted to be a gratified child with cuisines and care coming from all sides to me. To cap it all, India played a great test match against Australia in Perth to come back strongly in the series after the fiasco in Sydney. It was undoubtedly one of the most awe-inspiring victories of my entire viewing career.

So, it all ended happily, sadly suddenly, with me again leaving Patna for Delhi to catch the flight abroad. In Gurgaon, I again had, for the last time of vacation, a delightful evening spent with my old chummies in a dhaba sipping on a chai and eating those delectable parathas amidst a youthful aura of chilly winter. Ask any Indian youth what does that mean! Meanwhile Gurgaon seemed like a US-like ultra-modern opulent city with dazzling night life. It was the show of how India is going to shape up in near future. My trip had come a full circle there.

I boarded the flight to Cyprus via Bahrain the next morning on 22nd Jan,08, rewinding the days spent by . How it started from a shock to endearment to infatuation. Having read many travelogues before the trip, I knew this is what happens to most of the persons visiting India. And I seriously wanted to digress from that with goodness right from the start. But it happened in the end only, making me more knowledgeable about India though. I can't seriously claim to understand her yet, but the sheer Indianness will never leave my pores, and it will come out every often I start pretending, thinking, talking or writing (like I did many times here to be honest to how I felt) un-Indian. Alas ! I also belong to those erudite section of people who can delight, ponder or rue over India with beautiful thoughts, but only from a distance. An Indian, feeling and boasting the glory, but hiding away from the real India. I am not strong yet but my ideas are, and hopefully one day I too will be like that, understanding and bettering India in my own way living home or abroad.

The Importance of Being SRK

With a cliche'd topic like this, I am here to shower fulsome praise on SRK, the king of Bollywood. Never imagined, I would do that, because if ever there was a surviving critic, read scold, on this earth, it was yours truly. So, how this sudden change of heart where I have grown an avid fan of his, no matter if it does or does not matter to others.

If CDI and OSO had their part in it, then it is absolutely true. But my catharsis happened due to my changed opinion about him, his movies and Bollywood in general, in the last few months. I always believed Bollywood is a poor example of cinema making, with mushy, cheesy, overdone (add epithets as many you can) thrown in plenty, and the blame largely rested on the shoulders of the big-guns in the vanguard. For many, it is still true and I can't argue with them, as the reasons supporting it are many and undeniable. But what if it is its strength? And luckily, I found out it indeed is. What I found schmaltzy was endearing to others, both in India and abroad. The very vivacity of Indian colour, clothes and culture had got lost on me, mainly due to its suffuse on me all my lifetime. The charm of Indian cinema is back though, and with even bigger concomitant dream.

Where does this leave Shahrukh in the entire chiaroscuro? Undoubtedly he remains the prime colour of it all, and for many, he is synonymous with Bollywood. The charisma, confidence and disarming influence of screen presence has won him over zillions of fans worldwide. It never happened that I didn't enjoy an SRK film, but it didn't fulfill me. It didn't fulfill me, because I wasn't ready to be. The moment I changed my exalted attitude, I could laugh on corny dialogues, romanticize with his heroine and weep with him at the cruelty of the world. It was awesome.

So, for his detractors, let's savour what he has given to us, and not what he could have. For sure, we need the other type of intellectual cinema too, but leave Shahrukh for what he does best. Yarning dreams...........

Reading blogs......

Today it has to be one of my most observant pieces of article, because of what I felt, nay realised after reading a few blogs.

I had a rather quiet start in the office today, so could afford going through some of my bookmarked blogs. I started off with Rajat's blog and buoy, the look had completely changed. He started it off just to kill time, I suppose but over a period of few weeks, he has put in some really nice thoughts. All put in simple, understandable and identifiable tone. Things related to our daily life but all the while, thought-provoking and mind-enriching. Sarang's blog was the next one and as usual in his inimitable style, tried to create a paradox by criticising and writing blog at the same time. Another interesting take on the need of blogging.I went through others' too and it
started growing upon me that all had different insights and more so, revealed their persona for me.

I could easily visualise the writer with the incident described, and it accentuated my sense of understanding. I was reading and then the simulacrum of the writer invariably surfaced. Then I decided to do the opposite by putting the writer first and then looking at the things through his eyes. Oh, really it was more exciting. I could easily understand what he wanted to say. It was quite engrossing, the hitherto uninteresting topics turned occupying. In the process,I learnt,or at least had the primer on the art of reading blogs. Hope this reading continues........