Monday, July 26, 2010

Freakish coincidence ... !!

Read on ...

"Pratik Beri?"
"Yes ... that's me"
"Please come ..."
"Yes"

I walk my way down the cubicles and make myself comfortable on the chair assigned to me. A pretty lady sits in front of me.

"Hello. My name is Kiran (this is probably the first time I am not using the actual name. Her actual name is quite unique and not many people have that name) and I am here for your HR interview. Can you tell me about yourself?"

As soon as I hear her name, I start getting goosebumps ... no ... not again ... my history with coincidences is pathetic ... dratch ...

"Oh Yes. As you know, my name is Pratik Beri and I ... (she cuts in ...)

"Pratik Beri ... hhhhmm ... why does that name sound familiar? ... anyway go on ... "


Flashback ... cut to September 2009 ...

One of my dear friends Appu (this is a real name ... and Appu would love this post) had appeared for an interview with the same company and they had informed him that they will be calling him for an HR round later. Some days passed and he did not get a call. He asked me if I knew anyone in this company so that we can know the status. One of my very dear friends was working in the same company.

I wrote him a mail with Appu in CC. The 3 of us exchanged mails discussing the exact scenario. At one point, we all got frustrated and started with some abuses and filthy talk regarding the approach followed by the company regarding the HR interview. We did not realise that my friend had accidentally added the HR's name in the mail thread. The name of the HR was KIRAN ... !!

Not being sure as to whether Kiran is actually a male of female, we had assumed it would be a guy and let our tongues wag ...

Kiran finally turned out be a lady and she wrote my a friend a very stern mail regarding corporate decorum ... that was that ...

Back to real time ...

I had a decent HR interview with Kiran and she asked me her last question. Her question was "Who has referred you?" ... I was so lost reminiscing about September 2009 that I didnt have the common sense to mention a name other than my friend ... and told his name to her stupidly ...

Her reaction left me cursing myself ... it was ...

"Now I know why the name Pratik Beri sounds familiar ... thank you ..."

The result of the interview should not be a secret now ...

Cheers ... !!

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Dil Li ... !!

Sach mein Dil le liya ... Dilli ... a city deserving to be the capital of the great country of India ...

I have been to Delhi thrice now in the last 6 months and every visit has been so enriching .... it was extremely chilly in January ... extremely hot in May ... and sticky/rainy in July ... I have seen all seasons ... :)

I was there for 4 days this time ... we had decided to see the Taj Mahal on Biwi's birthday and with Prakash staying in Noida, it was quite an easy decision to make ...



The monuments were a treat right from the first day ... India Gate, President's House, Parliament House, Laal Killa, Jama Masjid, Bahai Temple (also called the Lotus Temple), Birla Mandir, Humayun's Tomb ... every monument had ROYAL stamped all over it ...







The drive on Rajpath was also divine ...



But the icing on the cake was THE TAJ MAHAL ... we had left Delhi at 10 am and reached the Taj at 4 pm ... I have to say the traffic in Agra is pathetic for a city which hosts the best wonder of the world (Yes ... the Colosseum doesn't even come close to the Taj ... not even a contest) ... plus the highway protocol is shabby in this part of the world ... how else can you justify 6 hours to cover a distance of 200 kms ... the last 6 kms took 2 hours :P



But once we saw the Taj ... it was a jaw dropping moment ... we just couldn't get enough of it ... its such an amazing monument ... it took us almost 3 hours to check it out completely ...

I also had the best food at Agra ... a 2 Chapati and Chhola combo for Rs. 10 ... bliss ... and as has been the case with several of Biwi's birthdays ... it rained heavily as soon as we entered the Taj ... it was Mumbai last year and Agra this year around ... something with 3rd July and the rain that keeps following Biwi ...

Towards the end of the trip, we were extremely privileged to be at the Akshardham Temple ... just visit it for the light, water and sound show ... its quite a spectacle at 9 pm ...





The Metro is also another phenomenal landmark of Delhi ... plush trains with quite an astonishing frequency and it runs completely on an over bridge ... so you can view Delhi from a height ... its quite an experience ...

And last but not the least ... my suggestion to anyone who visits Delhi ... go to Chandni Chowk and head straight to Parothewaali Gali ... its one of the best "eating gullis" that I have been to ... and the menu was something I have not seen so far in my life ...

Bhindi, Nimbu, Khurchan, Parat, Mutter, Kaaju, Gaajar, Paapad, Karela, Kela ... if you are wondering what these are ... they are the flavors of Parathas ... at a reasonable Rs. 30-40 per Paratha ... lip smacking delight ...

Seriously ... Basti hai mastaano ki Dilli ... Gali hai diwaano ki Dilli ...

Cheers ... !!