http://www.manfrommatunga.com/ Of Angst, Peeves and Pleasures en-us 2010-03-06T11:37:09+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000155.html The last few weeks have seen a spate of suicides among school-going children in our city, the usual reasons touted being the stress of exams and studies coupled with unrealistic expectations from peers and parents and eventually the inability to... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-03-06T11:37:09+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000154.html Amy Harmon is a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist with the New York Times, who writes articles about the "effect of science and technology on American life”. From Monday to Wednesday earlier this week, the New York Times carried a three-part article... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-02-26T17:32:06+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000153.html When you can make a difference to someone's life, when you can influence peoples' behavior for the better and have the ability to do this repeatedly, it changes you as well. Not too many people in this world can claim... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-02-19T20:15:54+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000152.html Mr. Anil Kapoor, in Season 8 of the show “24”, plays the role of Mr. Omar Hassan, the President of the Islamic Repubic of Karmistan. In the first five hours (episodes) of the show, while in New York, he has... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-02-05T19:02:50+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000151.html "Bhavinbhai, you are spoilt, man". The "bhai", when sarcastically affixed to a Gujju name, especially by a non-Gujju, reflects a certain state of Gujju being; well-fed and flashy and showy. Chaitanya from Boston used this line to comment on my... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-02-05T18:49:42+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000150.html 1. Mumbai’s class divide: This was never more apparent than when you looked at the people who came out of their houses to cheer us during last week’s marathon. When running through the middle class area around Lilavati Hospital leading... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-01-22T20:25:37+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000149.html This is for all those, who like me, registered very enthusiastically for the half-marathon/marathon in July and were already training or had started doing so in earnest, but have since, for a variety of reasons, not been able to get... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-01-15T20:09:19+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000148.html Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-01-08T17:37:55+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000147.html Ring-a Ring-a roses Pocket full of poses Husha, busha All fall down This ditty and the game are an integral part of growing up. As part of an urban legend, many also believe that this refers to the Great Plague... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2010-01-01T19:05:56+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000146.html I am not used to weekly deadlines. And so, the 8.00PM Friday one, which is the time by which I have to turn in my piece for this column, has become an interesting milestone that I have to abide by,... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2009-12-26T04:19:03+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000145.html The last two weeks have seen all of the above, singly or in combination hitting the headlines. Someone burning with road rage, overtook a car near the airport dragged the driver to the car, drove off with him, then dropped... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2009-12-18T18:36:35+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000144.html Last week's piece on "entitlement" evoked quite a response. Since Facebook allows more interactive communication, a very interesting thread developed around this. Sharada, from the US, immediately wrote "be generous with your time with them; demonstrate empathy and charity; keep... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2009-12-11T17:52:54+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000143.html Two weeks ago, I wrote about the DYKWIA syndrome; people who keep going around shouting "Do you know who I am?", especially when they seem to be ignored or poorly served, trying to throw their weight around in an attempt... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2009-12-05T09:45:57+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000142.html Today, as I write this, is the 26/11 "day". There has been a gradual media build-up over the last week, culminating in today's intense newspaper focus. I presume this is true of the television networks as well, but I no... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2009-11-28T07:23:39+05:30 http://www.manfrommatunga.com/archives/000141.html Last Saturday, flying my favorite blue and yellow airline to Delhi, I was lucky to get an upgrade. I stretched my legs in the first row, in an attempt to sleep through the take-off and hopefully for a little while... Mumbai Mirror Column bhavinj 2009-11-20T20:10:39+05:30