Just the other day, at around 11 am as usual, I went to the tapri close to ICICI Bank for an adrak wali masaledar refreshing chai. Boss, 4 chai dena, I said, handing him a 20 rupee note. He said, chutta nai hai, ek parle g de doon kya?” I took the Parle – G and as I dipped one into the chai and popped the soft gooey biscuit in my mouth, I smiled. Chai and parle-g. What an unbeatable combination! I went into flashback mode as I remembered our college days when this combo acted as a perfect mid-afternoon snack over discussions and gossip. And then suddenly, I started thinking about other such combinations, pairings which delighted your senses, brought a smile to the lips, thrilled, delighted or inspired you.
- chai biscuit (parle g) – “chai mein dooba biscuit ho gayaaaaaaa, ainwai ainwai ainwai loot gaya”. The number one combination of all time.
- Wasim Akram & Waqar Younis - if ever there was a case of hunting in pairs, then they would epitomise it. Left and right, swing and pace, toe cruchers and nose snorters, they had it all – not to forget the fantastic action. Goosebumps, simply thinking about both of them running in to bowl.
- thepla & chunda -all gujjus swear by this – i swear. Whenever you are hungry, on long trips, in train journeys. In fact in any train journey to Gujarat, come dinner time, the entire train would be filled with the smell of theplas :). One snack to fit them all, one snack to bind them, one snack to rule them all and when hungry, satisfy them!! – sincere apologies to J.R.R.Tolkien
- vada pav – the ubiquitous, the humble, the delicious – the spicy, hot vada and the soft pav. A billionaire or a beggar, boss or peon – all are equal before the mighty vada pav!
- A small winding trek amidst Himalayan forests – Mind cleansing and refreshing, you need this at least once a year to energize your batteries and do a bit of soul searching. And with the majestic Himalayas as the backdrop, you really feel one with nature and the surroundings.
- Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer - technically not exactly a pairing, but when you say one name, you are bound to think of the other. Arguably, the greatest rivalry in Sport, they complete each other. One is the best ever, born to play tennis, the other a supreme athlete with a vicious forehand, he has a style all his own with a never say die attitude. When both play each other, there are fireworks guaranteed.
- Pixar and animated movies – toy story 1,2,3, monster’s inc, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up. I don’t think I need to anything more here.
- Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot - what better way to spend a lazy Sunday than to curl up with an Agatha Christie and imagine the master detective putting his little grey cells to work in the most unbelievable plots with shocking twists and turns. Sheer delight.
- Lance Armstrong and his bike – irrespective of what his critics say, I have nothing but respect for this man. It takes huge mental strength and courage to beat a disease like cancer and then to win 7 Tour de France, arguably the toughest sporting event in the world, requires super human efforts. Phenomenal. Legendary. Inspiring.
- Mani Ratnam and A.R.Rahman – Roja, Bombay, Dil se, Guru, Yuva and even Raavan – if u have heard of better soundtracks than this, please do let me know. I don’t know if it was Mani Ratnam who understood the genius of Rahman or vice-versa. But both of them combined to create some wonderful melodies.
- Manmohan Singh and Montek Singh Ahluwalia – Agreed that he may not be the PM we wished he would, but no one can doubt his capability to run the economy. Along with Montek, they were undoubtedly, the economic dream team! Ushered India’s greatest growth phase. And gave a generation of Indians like us something to be proud of as we stood shoulder to shoulder with the so-called developed economies
- Christopher Nolan and the Batman series – my favourite superhero. As a kid, I grew up watching the campy serial on star TV with all their bisssh, pows and ka-powwws. This was followed by the first batman movie by Tim Burton and I was blown away. The animated series was also super. But the movie versions went from bad to worse. Then came Christopher Nolan. Batman begins. Great. The Dark Knight. Brilliant. The third instalment. Can’t wait. Even if it has Anne Hathway playing the role of catwoman.
- Calvin and Hobbes – Bill Watterson. Thank you! For giving the world Calvin and Hobbes.
- amar prem..amar prem..amar prem.. - If you know what I am talking about, then you would know how to say amar prem in exactly the manner in which Paresh Rawal utters them in this legendary, rip roaring movie!
- Simplicity and Humility – two traits that I admire in any person. And wish that I had them myself.
- Arjun and Lord Krishna – The best ever mentor mentee relationship. The teachings of Krishna to a confused Arjun on the battlefield still acts as a guiding light to millions and remains timeless. Classic!
- Kashmir and Paradise - Found, Lost and Finding again – If there is heaven on earth, then it is here, it is here, it is here in Kashmir. I have been lucky enough to have been in Kashmir and Leh ladakh and I can say for sure that no other place can match the beauty and diversity that Kashmir has to offer. The people of Kashmir certainly deserve better.
- People + Power – when a people unite, they form an unstoppable force. History has been witness. Indians against the British empire, Eastern Europe and now the Middle east and countless other popular uprisings. Inspiring. Reminder to us that we too can get rid of our “chalta hai” indifferent attitude if we want to make a difference.
- The “Balti” + The “party” – This one is a thank you to all the guys in PGP 2008, S.P.Jain! Wild, wacky and uninhibited fun. This is what hostel life is supposed to be about. :)
- Lionel Messi + the football – “how would you feel if you were kicked around all day. Unwanted, unloved, uncared for. Lying at someones feet all the while. God, why did you do this to me? What wrong have I done? And as if to answer my prayers, God sent down Lionel Messi. Ah!! He is a sheer delight. He loves me, he caresses me. It’s a treat to be with him as he dribbles me past a maze of defenders and sends me flying into the back of the net. Then as he gently picks me up and kisses me, I feel on top of the world. I love you Lio!!”
I have missed out many more great pairings. But maybe, I will think of writing a part 2!
