Building a generation of musicians

Yesterday there was a recital by the Guitar department at the William Joseph Music Academy where Aanish and Ayaana take guitar and piano lessons respectively. The 2-hour program reminded me how much music education has changed in India in the last 20 years. I remember taking guitar lessons over 25 years ago in a small room in the house of an instructor two times a week. The William Joseph academy is also in a house but it occupies the entire house. But this represents a fundamental change in music education. More and more children seem to be interested in learning music. Parents are making a greater effort to support the interests of their children. The education infrastructure appears to have removed a lot.

There were nearly 25 children who performed in the recital. Children ranging in ages from 6-7 to about 20 performed in the program. There was also an older student in his 40s. The program was well attended. Despite the small space and limited seating, the audience enjoyed the program which also included a multi-media presentation by one of the instructors on the history of guitar and some music theory. The students were amazing - talented and self-confident. Dressed in formal white shirts and black pants (boys) or black skirts (girls), each played their piece with confidence. The recital ended with an ensemble piece by the instructors. And for good measure, it ended with a group of instructors and a couple of visitors playing a Blues number.

Aanish played his piece with poise and elegance and clearly (this is without any parental bias) was the best performer of the evening!

Blog Hall of Fame!!!

Recognition, at last!!! I have now been blogging for close to two years (since October 2006) about our experiences living in Bangalore after spending twenty years in Los Angeles. I am fully aware of my limited audience and actually personally know each and every one of my five loyal readers (not counting myself). After a long 18 month period, fame is actually at my doorstep.

Timeout is a global lifestyle and entertainment magazine with editions in major cities around the world. Last month, the magazine was launched in Bangalore. And the launch edition had a review of my blog and a clip from it. I am sure this will drive millions of visitors to this site (Blogger beware!). I might have to switch to the ad-supported version of my blog. High traffic, high volume of ads, $$$$!!! Retirement - here I come.

GoldFest!

India bagged it's first individual gold medal in the 10-meters air rifle event at the Beijing Olympics. Winner, Abhinav Bindra, has become a national hero courtesy of this medal. India has been on the world stage for the last several years with a booming economy, successful entrepreneurship and popularity of its food and music. Sports is one area where India has lacked. Barring cricket and perhaps chess, Indian sports men and women have not demonstrated excellence in global sporting events.

So it is no surprise that Abhinav Bindra's gold medal has generated a lot of national pride and hope for budding Indian athletes. Abhinav Bindra already met the president of India who felicitated him on his win. Ads are starting to use his name and there are sales in major retail stores to celebrate his success.

Days later, boxer Akhil Kumar advanced to the quarter finals after defeating world champion Sergey Vodopyanov in the bantamweight category. He is now in chasing the second individual gold medal for India.

Sports are also undergoing transformation in a country where sports were never center stage. A couple of high profile wins in the 2008 Olympics are bound to change this. We are already seeing corporate initiatives to fund development programs. Laxmi Mittal has funded several million dollars into a program to train and develop athletes for the 2012 Olympics. Watch out for India in the coming years. Sports will definitely be the next big frontier!

Turkey 2008

Our visit to Turkey was one of our more exciting, interesting and fascinating vacations. Turkey is a land of historical significance and one can experience much of this history first hand while visiting the various sights and monuments. At the same time, a visit to Istanbul gives you a sense of the modernism and development happening in this part of the world as Turkey continues to push for membership in the European Union. It was great to have Aanish and Ayaana with us on this trip and share these experiences together as a family.

Mona did a fantastic job as usual of planning the trip. The itinerary was perfect for the 8 days that we were in the country. The hotels she selected were outstanding and conveniently located.

The day we landed in Istanbul, there was a bomb blast in the city that killed nearly 15 people. We found the Turkish to be as resilient as Indians in dealing with this situation.

Sightseeing
Turkey has the best of history, culture and nature to offer. Sights range from ancient ruins like Aphrodisias and Epheusus to grand architectural marvels like Aya Sofya and Topkapi palace. In contrast, you have the interesting natural landscape in the region of Cappadocia where volcanic activity has resulted in fascinating rock formations that have been used to create dwellings, tombs and places of worship by people who lived here around the 1st century. We had an opportunity to visit unique sights such as an eight level deep underground city, ruins at the city of Troy and various ruins that were reflective of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. I am ready to go buy a book on the history and culture of Turkey, rent and watch Troy and read Ayaana's Greek history text book

Activities
The major highlight of our trip was a ride in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia. This was a first for me, Aanish and Ayaana. We had to wake up early at 4:15am to get to the site before sunrise. Unfortunately, the winds caused some delay and we did not take off until 7:30am. The experience of watching giant balloons being filled with air and taking off with 20 or more people in a basket was quite fascinating. We were extremely fortunate to get a smaller balloon assigned exclusively for the four of us. We sailed over the various lava rock formations and watched other balloons in the air soaring over the mountains. The wind decided to get turbulent causing the pilot to cut the ride short. We crash landed in a field and fell in a heap but luckily nobody was hurt including the pilot who was at the bottom of the pile. Another activity that the kids enjoyed was the ferry ride from Bandirma to Instanbul.

Lodging
Each one of the hotels that we stayed in during our visit were selected by Mona after careful research and all of them were unique in themselves. I think our best stay was in Cappadocia at the Elkep Evi Cave Hotel. This hotel had suites built into caves in the mountainside. And these were real caves, with bits of sand and rocks occasionally dropping from the ceiling and walls. The suite was luxurious and the service was excellent. Hotel Empress Zoe in the historic district of Istanbul ranked a close second with its charming decor and central location.

People
We found the people in Turkey to be warm and friendly but extremely aggressive and pushy when it came to selling their products and services. Even the restaurants had a representative out on the street to lure potential customers into their establishments. The Turkish clearly are fond of Indians and we were always greeted with smiles and stories of similarities between the Turkish and Indian cultures.

Shopping
Turkey is a haven for shoppers and has everything for everyone. If you are a history buff, there are plenty of antiques and historical art items available for purchase. Turkish rugs are famous and you get everything from cotton to wool to silk. Of course, the most fun is to shop at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. If you do not have the stomach to bargain, then this is not the place for you. Mona impressed all of us with her art of bargaining and driving deals at a 50% discount. We certainly did our share of shopping until the time we boarded the plane.

Driving
Driving in Turkey was actually quite fun and enjoyable. The roads and highways are very nice and the signs are good. We had a rental car that we used to drive over 2000km during our stay and we never got lost. Even is a small town like Bergama with narrow streets, we were able to find our way quite easily. The rental car came with a starter that I had never seen before. You stick an electronic credit card sized card into a socket and press a Start button in order to start the car. The kids loved it. Driving long distance in Turkey was no different than in any other part of the world. Mona yelling out directions, kids playing or arguing or both in the back seat, all of us trying out various snacks purchased at local markets etc. Barring one incident (minor issue when I took a wrong turn and drove straight into incoming traffic!), driving in Turkey was fun.

Food
One of the important criteria for enjoying a vacation for us has always been the food on the trip and Turkey did not disappoint. Istanbul has some of the best restaurants that serve delicious Turkish fare. We sampled a lot of the Turkish cuisine including a dessert that is made with chicken and burnt. Traditional favorites like the Doner Kebab, Shish Kebab etc. were delicious whether you have them at a roadside stand or in an elegant restaurant. Variety in food is definitely limited and there is not much of a choice of international cuisine. We had Turkish breakfast every single day which never varied from one hotel to the other - tomatoes, cucumber, variety of bread, cheese, green & black olives and a boiled egg. Roadside fare was also delicious like roasted chestnuts, corn etc. We did manage to stumble across a Mexican restaurant on our last day of the trip. Mona and the kids have not had Mexican food since we left Los Angeles and needless to stay we had to stop here. Not the best but hey, when you have been craving for the stuff for 18 months, it tasted good!

Terror in Bangalore

Bangalore faced terror on Friday when seven bombs exploded in different parts of the city creating chaos and confusion. Fortunately, the explosives were low intensity bombs and the casualties were limited to one death and about a dozen injured. This followed earlier attacks on Jaipur and Hyderabad within the last year. Yesterday, one day after the blasts, another set of bombs exploded in the Gujarat city of Ahmedabad.

We were in Bombay when the Bangalore blasts happened. All friends, family and employees of our company were safe. Bangaloreans (and Indians) have demonstrated strong resilience and an ability to bounce back quickly from such events. It is unfortunate that the proponents of terror are attempting to disrupt the growth and progress being made through such cowardly acts. But I see strong resolve and an intensity of focus among Indians that will enable them to overcome such hurdles and continue undaunted down the path of progress.

Crouching Tiger?

I happened to visit the Bangalore campus of India's second largest IT services provider, Infosys last week and .... WOW! The India IT story really sunk in and I felt that I must recount the experience of my visit.

There is the usual check-in formality at the security at the gate with one exception. They actually take your picture, type in basic details into a computer and out pops a professional looking badge that you can wear during your visit. I was impressed!

We were told that the person we had come to see was located in building 48 (Building 48! As in buildings 1, 2, 3, ..... , 48, 49 ...????). A golf cart picked us up at the security gate and drove us to our destination. The place looks like a university campus - paved walkways, large buildings, well-manicured lawns, greenery, bicycle stands etc. Buildings range from old brick and cement buildings to new glass and steel structures. We passed by the food court that looked like it could seat a thousand people. Turns out, that this was one of several. Our escort pointed out that over 10,000 people worked at this campus.

There was a full-size Coffee Cafe Day (Indian version of a Starbucks), a huge basketball and volleyball court and a massive indoor gym.

Apparently, there is an identical size campus in Chennai and another one that is three times the size of this one in Mysore!

Next day, I was reading the financial results of Infosys for the second quarter - 21% YOY growth for the second quarter, $4B in annual revenue for year ending March 2008 etc. etc.

I get it. No, really, I get it now!

What's for dinner?

Mona has finally succumbed to the luxuries afforded by India and has hired a cook! Our cook, Rani, was recommended by our housekeeper, Pushpa. She has past experience working for a catering outfit and claims to be an expert in a range of different cuisines. She can cook both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food and can cook food from all over India. Apparently, she can also cook Chinese and Italian!

This is her first week and while she is still in her probationary period, the verdict is already out. After polishing off a brunch of finger-licking good steaming hot idlis, the decision is unanimous. She is good! Tomorrow night is Chinese. If she aces that, she is confirmed!

Rani comes daily, spend a couple of hours and cooks dinner for us. On weekends, she will come in the mornings and cook a brunch. She is quick, efficient and clearly skilled at her craft.

Mona is already relishing her new found freedom from the kitchen.

0 to 60 in 3 months!

Not a very impressive measure of speed and power, you say? In Bengaluru, this is not a measure of speed and power. Rather it is the number of dents, bumps, scratches etc. you can expect on your shiny brand new car.

My loyal readers are probably aware that Mona and I bought a car a couple of months ago. Since the time we bought the car, each one of us (the driver included) have had over a dozen minor driving incidents (doesn't make sense to call them accidents because they don't happen as frequently). These include bumping into a scooter, being hit by a truck, driving into a pillar, backing onto a pole, grazing numerous pedestrians and having lightning strike the car. OK, all the but the last one are absolutely true!!

How do you deal with this? You begin to embrace the adjust and move on mentality of India. These incidents rarely turn into a big production. Worst case there is a minor argument between the two injured parties and then everybody moves on with their lives. No police reports, no insurance claims, no exchanging of phone/license numbers .... just a dented and scratched car which can probably be repaired for less than $100!

WiiMania hits Bangalore

Aanish has been pining for a Wii ever since the day that Nintendo announced it. Couple of years later, his wish has finally come true. Last week, I was in Los Angeles and was finally able to pick one up for him. Actually, thanks are due to Uncle Mitul who tracked down what seemed like the last remaining console in town. This was the day after I spent running all over town and paying a visit to Toys R Us, Best Buy, Target etc. to try and locate this elusive game.

Was the wait and the effort in acquiring this worth it?

The answer is a resounding YES! This new invention from Nintendo is really pretty cool. This thing is not just a game but you can get real time news, weather etc by connecting the Wii to the internet via your Wi-Fi network. Games are a lot of fun and all of us have been quite intrigued by this little white device. Summer vacation has started for the kids and the Wii will no doubt be this summer's blockbuster in our house!

T20

No, no, no ... we are not talking about the twentieth installment of the Governator's Terminator franchise. T20 is the new format for the game of Cricket! Fans of the sport know that this Gentleman's game is a 5-day match between two teams played in two innings. While the classic version of the game remains wildly popular in India, the game was a bit too long for folks used to baseball, basketball, football etc. A One-Day version of cricket has been popular for years and now it is getting even shorter. The T20 format calls for a 20-over match and lasts about 3-4 hours.

Couple of Indian entrepreneurs formed the Indian Premier League. Teams are formed by assembling top players from around the world and auctioning them to individual teams. The game has all the ingredients of global entertainment - rich owners, temperamental players, controversy, bad boy behavior, cheer leaders and bollywood entertainment!

Over the last four months, teams (with interesting names such as Daredevils, Super Kings, Chargers, Challengers etc.) battled it out with the Rajasthan Royals emerging as the winners. Mona and Aanish because huge fans and cricket was blaring on TV almost every night in the house (unheard of in our house!!).

The tournament has ended but cricket has not. It has become a year-along phenomena with tri-series, one-day internationals, test matches etc. etc. The India/Pakistan/Bangladesh series is about to start soon and I am sure we will all stay tuned in!

Shopping for Wheels?

Loyal readers are probably aware that we bought a car a couple of months ago. Somebody requested that I post our car buying experience in India. How did I miss that? The experience was definitely blog-worthy .... so here it is!

Buying a car in India is very different than buying a car in the US. The fact that every major manufacturer (ranging from Hyundai to Rolls Royce) has a dealership out here and cars have turned from luxury items to necessity, there is a huge market out here. Couple this with the service orientation of Indian businesses and you have a car buying experience that you would cherish.

Once we had selected the make/model, we called the two major dealerships in town. A sales representative was at the doorstep of our house within 24 hours with a car for a test drive. I test drove the car around the house after which we were given a complete run-down of features, costs etc. ... at the house! Auto dealers making house calls! Visit to the dealership may actually be optional. We went just to check out the different colors etc.

After we had decided the exact car we wanted, the negotiations were done on the phone. All paperwork was brought to my office to be signed off and the car was delivered at home with a red ribbon tied around it!

Healing - the Indian way

I have had a mild case of psoriasis on my elbows for some years. Nothing serious but I none of the traditional treatments have worked. I have even had a couple of dermatologists look at it and prescribe treatment.

Since I am in India, I decided to give the ancient Indian school of medicine - Ayurveda a shot. I signed up more for the experience than an actual cure. If this treats the problem, then that will be an added bonus.

The visit with the Ayurvedic physician was interesting. He attributes the condition to impurities in the blood and prescribes treatment to remove the toxins from the blood. The treatment includes two herbal syrups - 5 tablespoons each to be had three times a day after meals. Along with that is a paste that is supposed to be eaten at along with the medicine. The thick greenish black paste tastes awful!

The treatment also includes seven days of a procedure which includes a head massage and 30 minutes of an oil drip. Basically, you lie down on a large wooden table. A head band is tied on your head and your eyes are covered with medicated cotton. A brass pot is hanging above your head from which medicated oil drips on your forehead for thirty minutes. I am not sure of the effectiveness yet, but the procedure is definitely relaxing.

Stay tuned to see if this procedure and treatment actually works. I will update the status in a couple of weeks!

The Show Must Go On ...

Yesterday, the William Joseph Academy of Fine Arts had it's fifth annual music program at the St. John's auditorium in Bangalore. Both Aanish and Ayaana are students at the academy. Aanish is learning guitar while Ayaana is continuing with her piano lessons. Both of them performed yesterday in front of about 300 or so parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and fellow students and of course their own proud parents!

The show was in an outdoor amphitheater which has a beautiful setting. Around 50-60 students performed with their music teachers. This was Aanish's first performance ever and he aced it! Ayaana was her usual confident self and did her piece flawlessly. It was a formal program and all the boys were dressed in white shirts, black pants, black shoes and red ties while the girls were in white tops and black skirts or black pants. Everyone was looking very smart and professional.

There was even a special treat for mothers (for the upcoming mother's day). Dr. Ashley, who heads the center, sang a tribute to motherhood while roses were distributed to mothers in the audience.

Spot the NRI

The new India has brought many Indians living abroad for years back to their homeland. Most of them have returned here for improved and enhanced career prospects while reconnecting with the country of their birth. Other reasons abound such as being closer to immediate family, strong social networks, giving children born outside India a unique perspective on the country, participate in and contribute to the growth etc.

Bangalore continues to be the magnet that attracts Indians from all around the world. I see it as the NRI (non-resident Indian) capital of India. Interestingly, these are all folks who were born in India and completed their education here before leaving the country for improved and enhanced career prospects elsewhere.

The experience outside of India has changed many of these folks (including ourselves). Mona and I frequently play the game of "Spot the NRI" in a crowd! NRI men are usually clean shaven, speak in measured tones and are frequently seen in an informal setting wearing a clean t-shirt and long shorts. You can also spot them taking walks with their children or pushing the kids stroller or carrying a mountain of shopping/grocery bags and walking behind their wives! Many of these folks are caught in two worlds. They miss the order, cleanliness, structure, discipline and work ethic of their adopted country while enjoying the social connections, great food, hospitality and warmth of their home country.

Interesting "dual-identity" dilemma for these folks!

Outta my way!

We now own a car and I have been driving around Bangalore for over a week. First couple of days were terrifying! I have learnt that you have to have excellent time, space and depth perception to figure out whether you can make it through that narrow space between the bus on your left and the truck on your right before either decides to make an unexpected turn in front of you. You also learn very quickly that you need to stay intensely focused on the road ahead of you. No distractions such as music in the car or a conversation with your family while you are driving. Your video gaming instincts must be finely honed so that you can avoid all those nasty "aliens" such as pedestrians, bicyclists, auto rickshaws etc. who might decide to appear in front of you without any warning.

There are also many positives to car ownership in India. There is a car wash service in our building that will wash the car every day for about $5/month! Self-service option for purchasing gas does not exist. It is all Full Service!

Even Mona has started driving and is ecstatic about her new found freedom and mobility!

Watch out Bangalore! Here we come.

Goa Calling

After several months of intense focus at work, I finally managed to get a few days off last week. Aanish and Ayaana had their spring break and this was an ideal time for a short vacation. The kids have never been to Goa and it's been over a decade for Mona and me since the last time we were there. So Goa it was!

Goa was everything that we remembered and much more. The place has become a real world class tourist destination. And judging by the number of foreign tourists, it is clearly extremely popular among Europeans and Asians.

We were staying at the Taj Holiday Village and had a relaxing and fun time. We went on a boat ride to see dolphins off the coast, watched a cooking demonstration by one of the chefs, went jet skiing, swam, ate and lazed around in our villa. Weather was exceptionally good - not too hot but just right. Who could ask for anything more? Ayaana declared that this was one of her best vacations ... so the next one is going to be tough to beat.

Supermarket Wars!

The experience of buying groceries in India has transformed over two decades. The days of a vegetable vendor with a push cart arriving door-to-door are a thing of the past. The small local general store that sold everything from food grains to calculators have become extinct.

A few weeks ago we walked into the newly opened hypermarket SPAR. SPAR is an international food market and is a leading chain in the UK. Started in 1934 in Netherlands, this company has started opening big-box supermarkets in India. The latest one to open in Bangalore is simply HUGE! There is not very much in terms of food supplies that a typical NRI or an expat would miss after stores like this open. The local business titans are not to be left behind. Both Tata and Reliance have made entries into this segment. Reliance has a model of hundreds of small stores (RelianceFresh) nationwide while Tata is following the big-box model with their Star markets, where you can get wheat freshly ground to flour for those hot rotis and parathas!

The smaller boutique markets (Nilgiris and Namdharis) still exist and cater to a small target group of customers.

These markets are complete with delis, fresh hot food, bakeries and other services that an Indian housewife (oops ... home maker) would have killed for 10 years ago! A stroll through these markets is a truly international experience as well as you now have access to food products from all over the world - cheese, chocolates, cereals to oils and spices. All of this is coupled with the exceptional high standards that have now become a hallmark in the Indian retail industry.

It is simply not going to be as much fun shopping at Ralphs any more!

Open Roads!

Am back in the US after a gap of nearly four months. I was driving on one of the highways in South East Florida from the Treasure Coast to Fort Lauderdale and I realized how much I miss driving in the US. I had almost forgotten what it was like to be on wide open highways driving at 70-80mph. With Ms. Hertz Neverlost as my companion, I did not have to worry about getting lost and waste my time paying attention to road signs etc. While driving here, you can be in your world - calm and relaxed.

In contrast, driving in Bangalore is a completely different experience. The concept of space does not really exist here but when you are driving here, you feel connected to everyone around you (and if you don't pay attention, you will indeed connect with the nearest vehicle or pedestrian).
Driving here will keep you alert and put your senses in overdrive!

Love is in the air

I had never imagined Indians as hopeless romantics. Wooing never used to be a skill found in a many Indian men. Women were too shy and reserved when it came to matters of the heart.

With the advent of Valentines day in India, all of this has changed. This year, I was struck by the fact that Valentines Day, which was virtually unknown 20 years ago has now become one of the major Indian “festivals”. There is absolute media frenzy around the day of the cupid. Almost every major restaurant in town offered a special Valentines Day package for couples and was booked solid weeks in advance. For the retailer, this has created another opportunity to create shopping hysteria in a country where there is a high percentage of under-25 men and women with high disposable income. This festival has also brought a boom for florists!

Catch me if you can ...

If your idea of a thrill ride is Viper or X2 at the Magic Mountain, you need to experience a ride to the Chennai airport during rush hour when you have a plane to catch. I found myself in this enviable position several days ago. I left the office at around 7:15pm for a 9:30pm flight. I was feeling pretty good because I had given myself an extra 15 minutes. Unfortunately, this was the day when a group of college students decided to protest something (bad government policy, unfair examinations, too many classes, ban on ipods, traffic congestion in Chennai etc.). They blocked the main Mount Road in Chennai causing a severe traffic jam.

But luckily, my colleague Muthu knew his way around the city. He managed to get me out of the jam but in the process we ended up in the back roads of Chennai. With luck and instinct he navigated us through the obscure unnamed streets of the city. With occasional help from a pedestrian or a bicyclist, he managed to keep us moving in the general direction of the airport. Huge speedbreakers, excessively long traffic lights, road construction, lane closures etc. made this ride feel like an obstacle course.

After what seemed like hours, we were back on the main road and Muthu finally pulled in to the airport at 9:25pm.

Did I make it? You bet I did. After all, this is India. My flight was delayed by about 20 minutes and I made it with enough time to spare!