By Bikram Vohra
Every now and then people decide to go ‘exotic’ and enjoy something different for dinner. For most of us it is an adventure without any adventure in it. If we go for Thai we invariably order red curry, green curry or Khao Pad, which is just fried rice. Nobody orders Larb Leuat Neua (Raw Beef with Uncooked Blood) Mok Huak (Developing Tadpoles) or Larb Mote Daeng (Red Ants Eggs).
Continue reading I want to know, who really eats the exotic stuff on the menu?
By Bikram Vohra
You never really think you are going to grow old. Like youth is forever and a day till it sneaks past you on a one-way street and you realise, oops, I am not young any more. For me, the awakening came at the airport when everyone was doing that rapid ‘gettouttamyway’ walkathon to the Immigration from the gate after landing. And you are thinking, why are you running and rushing and pushing and shoving? Then someone fell down near the escalator and no one stopped to help except a few of us. The general consensus was that the passenger had fractured her hip. Look at her age, that is the customary risk, and fractured hips are the hallmark, trademark and imprimatur of going into the September of our lives — ask any adult children, they will confirm this.
Continue reading How old age is merciless and it sucks big time. Ask me
By Bikram Vohra
It is an art, a science and a reflection of who you are, for the most part, it is horribly done. Ironic because they tell you once you enter the job market that it is all about your cv, make ten thousand copies.
Continue reading Your CV is headed straight for the trash can. Save it
By Bikram Vohra
You can be the hottest thing on the circuit. You can be lionised, feted, and actually believe you are invincible. That the sun rises to hear you crow. That the thunder in the distance is applause for you. You can travel first class and check-in on Facebook, on the Costa del Sol or skiing in Gstaad. You can have a big bash on your yacht, and open another multi-million dollar factory. You can ask your sycophants to laugh at your jokes and serve you lashings of admiration as you fling your opinions at your underlings. In one fell swoop, it can be up for grabs. Needs a microbe so small your eye cannot see it wreck your illusion of forever and a day.
Continue reading Who says chicken soup helps get rid of the darn flu?
By Bikram Vohra
Why does everyone have to exercise power rather than just being nice to people? We should be flinging clods of love at everyone around us. But far too often, you find people being not nice. It’s true, there are so many folks who ruin your mood by not being civil. And it is so easy to be pleasant, so why make the extra effort of being unpleasant?
Continue reading Why are people on a power trip? Can’t we just be nice?
By Nivriti Butalia
There’s a classic scene in the Hindi film Namak Halal where Arjun Singh, the character played by Amitabh Bachchan, is being interviewed for a job by Ranjeet, playing one Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh asks Arjun Singh in Hindi if he knows how to speak English. Arjun Singh, keen to display his grasp of general knowledge and a command over English, starts off: “I can taak Englis, I can vaak English… because Englis is a very phunny language…” (sic). The yakking candidate progressively gets on Ranjit Singh’s nerves, who soon loses it and hollers at Arjun Singh: “Ohh shut up!”. It doesn’t stop Arjun Singh. He’s indomitable. And he emerges the winner in that instance. Continue reading How it is you speak English so poor, eh?
By Bikram Vohra
Have you noticed how people sometimes say something so out of line that you wonder what exactly they meant? It is not even a backhanded compliment, it is a sort of blunt and harsh remark, often personal, that leaves you unflattered.
Continue reading News flash: don’t take offence if people in office call you loyal
