Truth is stranger than fiction

"Action speaks more than words." This philosophy has worked wonders for Sourav Ganguly who has made a tremendous comeback into the ODI team. From a roaring start in his first test series, this Bengal tiger has conquered the hearts of millions. His spectacular innings of 98 in the Pepsi cup, has knocked his critic's comments about his degrading form.His dismissal from first class cricket had evoked mixed responses. The left handed batsmen chose to remain silent, taking in his stride the harsh words hurled at him by the media. Relying on his "never say die attitude" has indulged this Prince of kolkatta in assuring his fans of a definite comeback. Seeds of self confidence, determination and hope have certainly borne a fruit of regaining his magnificent form. His return has brought in a new ray of hope for our team, who now possess a radiant glow and undaunted usage of the bat and ball. It has lead to the strengthening of the top batting order. His rock solid inni...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=d4f2493f-d6a4-4578-9ce4-a2f6e43c038b Karle karle ek sawaal......karle karle ek dhamaal? Back on screen is the renowned, popular yet brainstorming starry show "Kaun Banega Crorepathi."Replacing the phenomenal Big B(ee) is the crass and cheeky baadshah of mosquitos,Shahrukh Khan.A new look to the show starts of with a wannabe hip hop song.A little jig by the specimen khan along with mini skirt clad girls, almost equals his look in the metrosexual lux ad. What is supposed to be an intellectual quiz show, sadly turns out as a disasterous Bollywood inserted dialogues saga. The sophisticated and polished "sure,confident,lock kar diya jaaye" is substituted with a cocky "freeze kar di jiye"accompanied by unwarranted,irrelevalant comments, by the desperately attempting comedy khan.It seems that this new host has nothing to boast of.Pressures of bringing in a new feel to the show and being cons...

Kaho naa pyar hai..... in this case kaho na "happy birthday to Hrithik Roshan".(b'day on jan 10th which is today). This Krrish has made everyone realise Dhoom machane ke liye koi mil gaya .Inspite of only one or two releases every year,we still retain this Greek God in our yaadein .His innocent eyes,yearning for his fans appreciation seem to ask :" mujhse dosti karoge ".His mindblowing performances make the audiences kabhi kushi kabhi gham . His perserverance proves that hes yet to attain his l akshya (aim).Time will tell or will he let his acting skills do the talking?We will wait and watch as na tum jaano na hum . Heres to the new superhero of Bollywood.Happy b'day Hrithik and fans are waiting for you to Dhoom again!!!

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=6074e665-5032-4e1b-85e4-a4fe6e443435 Children’s day....which falls on the 14th of November every year, happens to be the birthday of India’s first Prime Minister...Pandit Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. This revered person was known to love children immensely and was fondly called “Chacha Nehru” by them. It was desired that his birthday be celebrated all over as children’s day. Childhood is a stage in our lives that makes us walk down the memory lane and look back at those nostalgic days with misty eyes. It is a phase with a carefree attitude, devoid of worries, shouldering responsibilities and stress. It’s also the most treasured stage that would make us return to innocence at any given point in their lives. The beginning stage from birth till we attain puberty indeed consists of fun- filled days. We can recollect instances where we were given attention by everyone, from family, relatives to all elders as we were consider...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=083dd52f-703a-4b4e-aeb0-5cb8f9db69ed Alcohol, a simple yet a dangerous word. What starts of as a coax for a small sip or a peg as a social obligation ends up as a regular and addictive group activity at parties and get-togethers.The current economic incentives has made these hard drinks more affordable. The gradual change from the traditional to a more cosmopolitan culture across several metros and small towns has made social drinking the “in thing”. This intoxicating drink has gained its popularity over giggly wild teenagers and has retained its brand equity among the adult segment as well. It is a shocking plight to see the ill effects of the so called liberalization among the school and college crowd that attracts these youngsters to alcohol like bees swarming towards honey. Seeing their parents and other elders consuming beer or wine socially, precipitates these young minds to see such drinks as a harmless sub...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Lifestyle/UCStory146.htm Relationship is like a rose garden, be it a parent-child, husband-wife, grandparents-grandchildren, teacher-student, boss-employee or between friends. Thorns in the form of misunderstandings, anger, irritation, jealousy and EGO are present in plenty. Just like we hold a rose with determination and pluck away the thorns which prick us, can we throw away the thorns that disrupt our rosy relationships? Communication which comes as a package with human relations, should be emphasized as a crucial factor in maintenance of harmony. An idea, thought or a viewpoint can be put across effectively if one concentrates on the way it is presented to the other person. Being assertive, yet polite, can work wonders for a message to be conveyed to a single individual or a mass of audience. Soothing words, keeping the sensitivities in our minds along with a pinch of thoughtfulness is a very good recipe to liven up millions of ...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Others/UCStory145.htm There are people in this world, who can sing, dance, do a little jig, speak, hear, touch, feel and smell good objects. Such lucky individuals indeed are given the luxury of normal functioning of our human body. Can we imagine a plight or a day when even one of these little activities are not being accomplished by us? It could be due to reasons like a small twist in the ankle disrupting our regular exercise routine, or a fracture in our arm which is put to rest for a couple of weeks. Such minor accidents cause us to depend on others for even the most trivial things that we are used to doing by ourselves. Can we imagine a stage where the pleasure or independence of doing such trivial tasks is taken away on a permanent basis? It would result in feelings of frustration, anger, diminishing self esteem, depression, helplessness, and not to mention the fear of being ridiculed or not accepted by others. There are such...

-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Lifestyle/UCStory147.htm A trip to Matheran, a hill station two hours from Mumbai, also gave me life’s finest learning through a ‘gentle’-man of the animal kingdom. Being one of the unique hill stations where a motor vehicle isn’t allowed, you had the choice of going on horseback or trek. Choosing the former option, I stumbled upon a beautiful brown horse named Goldnut, which would take me through the unexplored woods during the rest of my journey. My initial inhibition of the safety and stability with which this sturdy animal would make this trip memorable, vanished into the thin air as soon as I mounted on him. I found my fears unfounded as a feeling of trust engulfed me that minute and this marked a beginning of a strange friendship. As the journey progressed, the curiosity about my newfound friend increased, to find out more about Goldnut’s life. I asked his young 12 year old owner more about this magnificent creature and from t...

After large doses of rocking,rolling and a load of bashing,New Years has finally dawned.2007 seems to look promising already,smiling upon millions and beckoning us to bask in its positivity. High expectations have already set in amongst many,with the hope that '07 is more of a smooth sailing expedition than a bumpy roller coaster ride.Prayers to the supreme power above us is said with a pure intention of protecting us from evils like kidnapping,brutal slaying,terrorism and most importantly the wrath of nature.And also to seek well being in more than one aspect. Whether it is the functioning of the day to day chores,the profit soaring of the corporates,the bull race of the stock market to make sensex reach great heights.Or whether it is marital harmony,career growth,passing examinations and lastly good health which is ultimately the biggest wealth,indeed forms the wishlist of many which is posted to the Almighty. It was one of the best new years for me.The first one after marriage ...

So long farewell...its time to say goodbye.It just feels like it was the beginning of 2006. And now the yearly journey has come to an end.Like other years,'06 too provided a roller coaster ride,just like the pathway of life's travel.Encounters with good and bad experiences have proved to be lessons done as a diploma course. This enables us to possess a greater degree of strength,courage and confidence which are needed to face the tougher examinations that are just around the corner. Looking back from the cold winter days of January through the sunny days of March to the scorching heat of May-June,the monsoons in July- August and back to the chilly month of December,seems like glancing through our childhood photo albums to our present day pictures.A year which seems like just 365 days.Yet, the numerous events and changes equalizes this period,close to a unique era of its own. Walking down the memory lane brings back certain instances, that can be viewed with a happy note and oth...

Candles with their colourful glow Prayers said with heads in bow Santa coming with a hoard of gifts Child like enthusiasm soars and lifts' A fairy on top of the christmas tree Or a patridge on a pear tree. A toast to the beloved with wine where the kith n kit sit and dine Feasting on delicious pies and cake Made with a hard effort bake. Its christmas time A moment to rise and chime With Reindeers on a continuous play And the mistletoe n bells in a gentle sway It is time to jingle all the way.

Warren Buffet was the first man to introduce the concept of "value investing".Known as one of the richest men in the world .....one can get a glimpse of his life in the below write up which I received via email. Very interesting and overwhelming.Brings to light the down to earth attitude of this starry personality.Couldn't help admiring his point about investing in ourselves to get the best rate of return. Here's to the Investment Mentor. There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffet, the second richest man who has donated $31 billion to charity. Here are some very interesting aspects of his life: 1 He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late! 2 He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers. 3 He still lives in the same small 3 bedroom house in mid-town Omaha, that he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a w...

Ravines,deserts,barrenlands,rifles,tankers and soldiers. Welcome to the journey of Kabul express.A fast paced travel which takes one through the experiences and underlying emotions of two Indian journalists along with three other co-passengers, leaves one gripping till the end. This film starts with an introduction of the the country which was closed to the world for 6 years until an occurrence of a certain mishap.Several reporters were known to visit this mysterious land,thirsty for a story that would quench the curious minds of the world. Suhel Khan(John Abraham) and Jai Kapoor(Arshad Warsi )play the lead as journalists from India who risk their lives to cover a story that would leave the nation spellbound.Little did they know that life would never be the same again after this road less travelled.As they seat themselves on a tanker,eyes and ears are wide open in eagerness to get a glimpse of the much hyped "Talib".Managing to attract a lot of attention,they stumble upon Jes...

Received this via email. Got me thinking about those sad, ignorant people who are under the false impression of housewife or a mom being jobless. The irony here is that no job can be that of a busier one esp. when one is blessed being a mom of one or many. Next time we are asked to fill up such an occupational column, we should probably think of defining the word “mom” or homemaker in an appropriate manner. The write-up below, gives an excellent example of such an instance. A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job or are you just a......?" "Of course I have a job," snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom." "We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her s...

I came across this tale which is capable of leaving a trail. A scorpion was trying to cross the river after completing the task of collecting food for her children. As she was debating on how to get to the other side, she incidentally met this jackal who happened to wander by the river side. Seeing her difficulty, the jackal stopped by and offered a ride on his back while he swam across the river. But it was on one condition that the scorpion wouldn’t sting the jackal while cruising. However, halfway through the journey, the promise was broken as the poisonous sting of the scorpion pierced the jackal to the jaws of death. On questioning this venomous act, the scorpion replied saying” It is my nature to sting. I can’t help it. But why did you help me in spite of knowing my nature?” For which the Jackal replied” It is my nature to help. By stinging me you have destroyed not only me, but also yourself and in the process deprived your children from a healthy living." An interesting le...

It seems like one mosquito has taken over the B(ee). Yes,flashing all over the entertainment quarters of the leading news channel is not only the restart of the quizzical programme of Kaun banega crorepathi,but also the replacement by the so called Bollywood Badshah called Shahrukh Khan. The style and sophistication with with Amitabh Bachchan conducted this brain storming show,has definitely left a trademark of the words,"Sure" ,"confident","lock kar diya jaaye." A friendly,warm smile of the Big B was just enough to put the nervous participants at ease. Will SRK do the same?Time will tell.But at present,it seems like a bad replacement.Though a lot of talk is taking place about him being the youth icon which will generate waves and attract a lot more contemporary viewers. All I can say is Srk will go K....k...k...kaun banega crorepathi.

Nov 5.Mumbai: After a foursful (forceful) start by the openers, West Indies were geared to blow another Gayle. The numerous sixes and fours left the Australian bowlers spellbound, which drove them to change their strategy. And the success of their new formula worked as wickets kept falling.It turned out to be a case of calm after the storm,for the world champions.The turning point was Chris Gayle being bowled, which left the cheering crowd with dashed hopes. Nathan Brackens bowling went beyond expectations as he took the top order wickets. The stadium with the initial yelling at top of their voices crowd was filled with stunned silence as the twist in turn of the game happened from 80-2 to 138 all out. As the second innings started, prayers to the almighty were done with clasped hands hoping for miracle that would bring the cup to the Windies Skipper. The audience bounced back to the game as the wicket of Adam Gilchrist was taken by Bradshaw, bringing back some hope and life into the a...

It was indeed one of the most crucial matches, a do or die situation for both the teams as they entered the great game. It was a positive beginning for the South African skipper who elected to bat after winning the toss. Top order batsmen failed to give a roaring start which could have rattled the West indies.However, they managed to put up a decent score of 258 which did give the Caribbeans a slight squeeze on the run rate. The South Africans were hit by a tornado in the form of Chris Gayle who opened the second innings to spectacular start with a ravishing finish that made the Carribeans reach the pinnacle of victory. A man of few words as he was known as, ironically, let his bat do the vigorous talking till the end. A solid, aggressive and backbone of the team played his role as an amazing opening batsman to a Foursful (forceful) finish! This man of the match stood rock steady and was unaffected by any kind of fast paced attack by the African bowlers. This player remained as a wall ...

What began as a not so good start of this tension filled match, ended up as a victory for the kangaroos. A total of 241 seemed not such a great score for the Aussies, showing a ray of hope for the kiwi clan to come out as a victorious team. As New Zealand began to bat in the second innings, it seemed like no hope as wickets kept falling like pelting stones from an old building in ruins. A 47-6 seemed like they were heading for a disastrous lose in this crucial tournament. A twist in tale, in this case, a twist in the game in the form of Daniel Vettori turned tables which made the kiwis raise their shameful heads to pride. Hammering away the round object by the fast paced bowlers to the boundaries and sixes brought the score to a decent level converting the impossible into the possible. An aggressive game which ended up with the kiwis losing, was a clear case of not giving up without a fight. An admirable killer instinct and fighting spirit against the world champions is indeed worth a ...

Far from the maddening crowd of Mumbai is a hill station situated at an altitude of about 800mt called Matheran. A two-hour train journey from Mumbai till Nerul and another adventurous exploration via a two-hour toy train ascent takes you through the shady, evergreen forests of this magnificent hilltop. Possibilities of a tough 11 km walk or an exciting ride on horseback are alternatives to reach this hilltop. Choosing the latter option, I rode along the steep cliffs that provided stunning views of the lush green valleys. An adventure from there began as I looked forward to encountering with the unknown wild, enchanted woods. A common sight of monkeys jumping around, vendors pulling up their carts along the roadside and the mysterious jungles with trees so close to each other made me wonder if they were sharing secrets with one another. Curious to find out more about the place, I engaged in a conversation with the locals there. It was a destination ruled by the British making horse rid...