Wah Taj!!!

WAH TAJ!!!
For those of you thinking that am endorsing a famous tea brand..... wait maadi..... that was a summary of my visit to the Taj Mahal (a little sarcastic though, if you happened to catch it).....

My visit to the Taj in Oct '05 wasn't my first..... it was probably my 3rd or 4th.... but the first in almost 20 years.... and I hardly remember anything about my earlier visits..... so, more or less counts like a first.....

Not to mention, I was quite excited about the whole thing..... like anyone is..... but but but..... it just turned out to be an anti-climax..... totally..... an experience worth forgotten..... hmmm, let me try and relive those moments.....

The roads first..... roads, what roads?????? Bannerghatta Road, which was recently rated as one of the worst roads in India, would definitely rate higher..... the roads just don't suit the place which is, definitely, the biggest tourist attraction in the country.....

Ok.. time to move on... when we made up our mind and decided to pardon Agra for the roads, our vehicle met with an accident which was entirely because of the mistake of a local moron with no driving skills (am not defending our driver..... thats the fact)..... and the moron blaming us for the accident and getting into fisticuffs with our driver...... well, that was a sight to behold..... hmmm, lets put it aside as a freak incident.....

Being the biggest tourist spots in India, I did expect to see lot of people, but not soooooooooooooooooo many..... well, it was so damn crowded... so damn crowded (sigh!!!).....

Slowly all the excitement started fading away and we were just half as enthusiastic..... What next???? the frisking that took place at the security gate..... mobile phones are not allowed to be taken inside, which is definitely good, but then there is not one announcement regarding the same..... we got to know that only at the security gate..... and then there was a mad rush to deposit the phones in some tiny counter nearby..... with just one person collecting and returning the phones..... phew..... heights of torture..... we were totally exhausted by then..... and the attitude of the policemen at the gate is something to be seen to be believed..... rude and abusive to the core..... hurling abuses at the tourists and snatching away snacks and filling up their pockets.... aarghh.....

And there it was, finally, the Taj Mahal standing in front of us in all its magnificent splendour and glory, enchanting the visitors with its grandeur (oops, getting too dramatic)..... just wanted to say that it was good..... but could have been better... definitely.....

And finally, I wouldn't be surprised if the Taj doesn't make it to the list of the 7 Wonders of the World when a fresh list is released next year (not that I don't want it to make it, but then.....) and this inspite of the gorgeous Ash posing in front of the Taj and asking all of us to vote for it!!!!!

This happens only in India!!!

Well... Do I need to say more? The title says it all....
(Photo taken at the Taj Mahal.... More on my trip to the Taj coming up.....)

Am back!!!

am back!!!

back from my holiday..... back from my well-deserved break..... back from my wonderful trip..... back from the relaxed 8 days that I had..... back to work..... back to the work pressure..... back to tension..... back to the late sittings..... back to month-ends/weekends/year-ends..... back to..... well..... lots of other things......

check out the snaps of my trip at the below link..... there are 445 in all.....

am in mumbai right now...... attending some training programme...... but most importantly taking calls, logging in and working most of the time...... could have very well stayed in bangalore.....

ciao till am back again.....


DELHI
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/album?.dir=f8f9&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/my_photos

NAINITAL
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/album?.dir=ba02&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/my_photos

HARIDWAR
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/album?.dir=a1b5&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/my_photos

AGRA
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/album?.dir=f758&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/my_photos

JAIPUR
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/album?.dir=d169&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunil_sundru/my_photos

CA Student

This has been one hell of a week, what with quarter-end and so many deals to finish that I hardly found time to write... I realised that thousands of my fans would be waiting for some exciting article (just shut up!!!!!).... When I was about to give up, thinkin' that this isnt my cup of tea, I received an SMS which read something like this -

"In ancient times people used 2 go 2 d himalayas 4 "katthore tapasya" (penance), sacrificed all "mohmaya" & were completely away frm "parivar". Nowadays they take up CA"...

Though it did tickle my funny nerves (is there anything like that??) or rather, my funny bones initially, slowly it transported me back in time..... those years which I wouldnt forget at all..... It brought back memories of those nightmarish days when we would have to slog for 3 months at a stretch once every 6 months for 3 years.....

(hmmm... this sentence could form a good question for CAT, isnt it? Imagine a question going like "if a person studies for 3 months continuously once every 6 months for 3 years, what is the probability that he would remain sane?)... hmmm... that explains my state of mind, doesnt it??? ha ha ha, damn funny!!!

Not too sure if I am exaggerating things a bit too much... but I guess that was the truth..... and am sure my other CA friends would vouch for that.... I used to get sooooo disappointed in school & college if I didnt get the %age that I expected..... until I started doing my CA when I realised that all that matters here is passing!!!!!

The most difficult or rather, the most challenging thing 'bout taking up CA is doing articleship (which is as good as full-fledged working) and studying those fat books given by the Institute.... a balancing act for short..... Man, god knows how I managed that..... Thats when I realised that if I can, then anyone can.....

This is not some CA-glorification stuff but just re-living those days when we actually did "tapasya" and had to leave all "mohmaya" and our "parivar"..... But at the end of it all, it did seem worth it (not too sure if it still does!!!!!)

FAQs

Ever since I started this blog, I have been flooded with messages and mails from people who would like to know more about me and also from some publishers who want me to.... (well, let me stop here).....

Actually let me just do what I set out to...... answer some FAQs from my friends.

1) Why Neil Boy???
Well... a lil secret.... would let that question go by.....

2) Why the "jhatang" colour???
I have seen lots of blogs which have a dark background..... not my type..... I just wanted something bright and colourful.....(now you know, why I like Govinda!!!)....

3) Why start a blog on my birthday???
Public toilets are inaugurated by political leaders on their birthdays.... so, why not my blog on my birthday (what a comparison)......

4) Why is a blog needed in the first place???
Initially wasnt convinced with the whole idea of a blog... but realised that its more like a diary wherein you can put down your thoughts and ideas (whether it makes sense or not...and am sure most of the times it wouldnt).... no one is forced to read it..... its basically to take me away from work for sometime.....

PS - The photo has nothing to do with the article..... uploaded it just like that.....

Neil Boy celebrates his birthday

"Neil boy celebrates his birthday on Sep 14"

I know this sounds like a page 3 headline..... but who cares..... after all it was my birthday..... I might sound a little narcissist as well..... what the heck..... when its your birthday, you are the centre of attraction..... u better be!!!

Check this photo out..... that's "Sunil with a dash of cream"..... sounds like some coffee flavour, doesnt it?
This is a nice intro photo for my blog..... atleast for those who havent seen me..... the cream covers most part of my face..... and makes me look colourful (or does it!!!)