Van Chitgough- The Art of Life

I wait with bated breath for the next installment of the Chitgopekar Saga! I am sure that whatever you decide to do will be right for you! but take some time in deciding...life altering decisions need the company of good friends, the presence of copious amounts of alcohol and some supremely unoccupied time in order to be made properly! Enjoy the deciding :)

i can't reveal who it was that sent me the above mentioned quote; but all I want to say to this person is thanks. It's wierd how sometimes you hear the most sensible statement from another and wonder where the wisdom you claim to have begotten - lost its way...

i shouldnt worry, i shouldnt rush...good things happen to those who pursue a higher goal, a greater challenge. i knew this 2 months ago. god give me the strength not to forget it now. In fact, forget god, I hope I have the strength not to forget.

Posted by chitgo at 4/30/2006 05:58:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

song of the week undoubtedly goes to 'orange sky' by alexi murdoch. this brilliant singer/song writer has made his way to van chitgough's all time greatest solo artists list :)

check out live at cactus cafe if you can. soothing, soul searching stuff.

excerpts from 'orange sky' (one of the outstanding tracks from the live performance where he actually gets a guy from the audience to read out a poem and propose to his girlfriend..:))

Well I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
Yes I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my brother standing by
With my brother standing by
I said Brother, you know you know
It’s a long road we’ve been walking on
Brother you know it is you know it is
Such a long road we’ve been walking on

And I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my sister standing by
With my sister standing by
I said Sister, here is what I know now
Here is what I know now
Goes like this..
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, in your love, in your love

But sister you know I’m so weary
And you know sister
My hearts been broken
Sometimes, sometimes
My mind is too strong to carry on
Too strong to carry on

When I am alone
When I’ve thrown off the weight of this crazy stone
When I've lost all care for the things I own
That's when I miss you, that's when I miss you, that's when I miss you
You who are my home
You who are my home
And here is what I know now
Here is what I know now

Posted by chitgo at 4/30/2006 05:48:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

how sad can one windows user get? i mean this is my desktop.
hahahahaha....apple users - dont shake your head in disbelief. i was just trying the look out. im switching back to windows px or xp or whatever the hell inferior software it is that I use...:)

Posted by chitgo at 4/28/2006 08:54:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

the day 'officially' is coming to a close. but god only knows its just beginning for many of us.

good night victory's children.
good night you sons of destiny.
sleep tight those who were defeated
in the valiant glory of battles unspoken.

good night you lovers
hug your pillow tight
you sinners.

good night you dreamers
for it is in deep sleep
that you awaken.

good night o' forsaken ones
embrace your mistress..
her name is fate.

good night dhruv
enough with the psychotic poetry:)

Posted by chitgo at 4/28/2006 03:26:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

i got the latest edition of scribbler delivered to my inbox yesterday. what, you might ask is scribbler.
Scribbler is the bi monthly newsletter published by the AIESEC in India Alumni Association . Having read each of the articles word for word and marvelled at just how many fantastic Indian alumni its been able to get under one roof, I was supremely pleased to see the turnout and results of some of the alumni meet-ups that happened in places like San Francisco and New York...these are names we grew up hearing of in AIESEC :)...

for my indian buddies that haven't registered , go ahead and do so. im planning to get on the more responsible bandwagon myself upon the return to india (be it short) and figure out opportunities to help out. besides, i got my frugal butt to pay the registration fee :)....
being an alumni is going to rock.

Posted by chitgo at 4/27/2006 12:28:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

how time just flies by...cliched as it may sound.

how you ache for 'closure'? it could be an event, a relationship, even a moment.

how closure is really just a figment of our imagination. you can never really say goodbye to something. its there, hidden in the crevices of your heart, of your mind, wandering your soul looking for that one golden opportunity to release in a stream of tears or smiles. Interchangeable yet predictable somehow.

how you get so lost in succeeding fully at what you do that you forget the very purpose of doing it in the first place?

how the memories of your childhood can induce such overwhelming emotions that you withdraw in fear of the possibility of 'holding on too tight'

how the words 'i love you' can be so meaningless, because what you actually feel is infinitely more and yet inexplicably difficult to express?

why and how everything can just seem so futile and yet so worth it all over again in the blink of an eye?

why you've fought some of the greatest battles which would never be known to the world....and that its ok this way?

how much you would really sacrifice for the one you love?

how you only think of stuff like this on the stroke of midnight after an insanely tiring day in your last 3 weeks in a country which has had such a profound impact on your very being?

Posted by chitgo at 4/27/2006 03:12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

Now, stumbling upon random websites is not a past time i partake in constantly...
but this has got to take the cake.
and eat it too.

i stumbled upon googlism today.

Googlism finds the sentences where your name appears accross the Web. Within the Google results are thousands of thoughts and opinions about thousands of different topics, people, names, things and places, it simply searches Google and lets you know what website owners think about the name or topic you suggested.....


so here is what i found when i typed in my name:) and yes you can leave your random comments on which you think are true and which not. am i a sucker for punishment or what?


dhruv is 2
dhruv is phonetically an aspirated dental d sound
dhruv is my guru
dhruv is shattered when rewa miscarries the child in her womb
dhruv is set to be a market leader in metallised dielectric films
dhruv is obsessed with food
dhruv is the deputy director of a 160 member school nature club
dhruv is woven keeping in mind a students career
dhruv is not smitten by the idea immediately
dhruv is a scientist
dhruv is in mumbai and is one of the top music directors in the country
dhruv is using his gapyear to get some work experience with pricewaterhousecoopers
dhruv is very famous
dhruv is actually the "monkeyman"
dhruv is clubbed in group `a' alongwith other indians geet sethi and devendra joshi
dhruv is a fast paced racy number bound to get your pulse racing
dhruv is agile
dhruv is an eduction staff member of the arizona
dhruv is based in london building the company's presence in europe
dhruv is a professional dancer working in new york city who has been trained in classical indian dance as well as ballet
dhruv is an interesting person
dhruv is looking for id polaroid m403 camera
dhruv is a strong believer in the individual's ability to invoke social change and has already managed to motivate an entire community of schools to commit to
dhruv is 24 years old
dhruv is very happy with the fact that he met his roommate through the saint joseph’s international students website
dhruv is maharloka where sages like bhrigu etc
dhruv is often mistaken to be called doshi
dhruv is so stupid
dhruv is appointed director of food technology at the stearns catalytic div


hahahahaha :) www.googlism.com is where you need to go btw.

Posted by chitgo at 4/25/2006 08:35:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Africa is increasingly on everyone's agenda -- from the U.S. to China to Osama bin Laden. Increased competition for mineral and oil resources, which has been sending prices rocketing, makes African resources even more sought after, and protecting them even more critical, especially with radical Islamist groups stepping up efforts to extend their foothold.

Beijing is working hard to avoid further arousing U.S. suspicions by seeming to make a grab for oil, Chinese President Hu Jintao's just-ended trip to the U.S. was where he went afterward: first Saudi Arabia, then three African states --Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya.

China has made Africa a front line in its pursuit of more global influence, tripling trade with the continent to some $37 billion over the past five years and locking up energy assets, closing trade deals with odious regimes like Sudan's, and educating Africa's future elites at Chinese universities and military schools.

The chief of the U.S. military's European Command, U.S. Gen. James Jones, says the command now spends 70% of its time and energy on Africa, up from nearly nothing when he took over more than three years ago. "Africa plays an increased strategic role militarily, economically and politically," he says. "We have to become more agile in terms of being able to compete in this environment."
source - wall street journal - full report here

Posted by chitgo at 4/25/2006 02:29:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

hmm something wierd is up (or as summer from the O.C. would say : 'it's wierd-acting') with my blogger script. ..
so for those of you who breathe life into your lungs with the witty musings of this blog (yeah right , who am i kidding?- for the 2 people that read it :)); please highlight (using your mouse not a permanent marker) the area around a new posting, its quite amazing how the words appear magically. i was going to act cool and say its a new posting method ive discovered, but then that would just be stupid.

and yes i have been watching the O.C. Neha got the entire first series from one of her friends and I have to say- trashy american soap operas are gods gift to pro-active, meta-cognition driven leaders of tomorrow.
aka me.
and isnt this picture cool?
greek mythology 2006. goliath awaits david. and he's going to whip the little stone thrower's ass.

Posted by chitgo at 4/24/2006 03:00:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

got the sky
got the sky in my eyes
i'm coming to you
flyin up
flyin high...

the ladder of stars
i ascend with might.
i continue to climb
i've got the sky in sight.

Posted by chitgo at 4/23/2006 08:39:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

this one is a classic:)

more south park episodes and brilliant clips here

Posted by chitgo at 4/20/2006 07:20:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

to remove the safety net from under my legs. to step into the rapids of the unknown. to dive into the river of uncertainity.
this is my challenge, this is my calling, this is my time.

There remain 30 days of swissness:) for today is the 19th of april. 4 weeks left before a major chapter in my life comes to a close, only to be witness to the faint beginnings of the 'contents' page of another.

where? what? how ? who? when? so many questions- seemingly such little time.
time....

the sun is out though. must be a sign.

Posted by chitgo at 4/20/2006 03:17:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

my dad turned 50 on the 14th of april 2006. happy birthday pa. i cant wait to c u when i get back to delhi.
as each day goes by and i seem to get more and more immersed into the realities and 'street' rules of this game called life, i realize just what a challenge, and just what glory there is to be the kind of man you are.
for if i am half the man you are at 50- it would have been a full life i have led, it would have been ample happiness and joy that i would have been the harbringer of. for that is the father that you are.

chess, long hours of watching cricket, talks about life, blasting the music from our respective rooms, chinese dinners and more await...:)

Posted by chitgo at 4/19/2006 01:03:00 AM | Permalink | Comments   

thanks KS and SS. it was truly the best vacation i could have asked for. at the cost of sounding like a 60 year old about to retire and discussion pension policies; I now fully understand the true meaning of 'just need to get away from it all' for some fresh air, old and familiar company along with the jokes and madhouse chilling that only the likes of us can muster.

pics in the flickr on the left hand bar.
stories stored in my memory
for posterity:)

Posted by chitgo at 4/18/2006 02:18:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

7 months ago I had possibly ironed one piece of clothing in my entire life. for a guy who had a 'dhobi' (the holy name bestowed on those holding the profession of ironing clothes in india) in front of his house 12 hours a day- it wasn't really my fault right?

flash forward to today, the grandmaster at ironing, cooking, cleaning (im talking vaccuuming, dusting, rubbish collection and waste management, advanced kitchen utilities utilization and one hell of a lot more)....

from chaos creater at home, to the ultimate homemaker,
from destructive god to domestic goddess..
hey but i'm still bad ass, if only a bit more homely. :)
the conversion is complete. the proof is undeniable. don't you just want to marry me and take me home now? :)

Posted by chitgo at 4/12/2006 01:30:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

where you wake up feeling its all good with the world.
headed off to basel for a meeting, wrong location.
headed off to another country for a stamp, wrong timing.
came back to play the guitar- string broken.
sat down to do some work- turned out that today is 'be distracted day' :)

but u know what? it's ok...cos i rescheduled the meeting. turns out the guy's secy f#$%ed up.
i can still travel to any schengen country I want and I was hyperventilating for no reason. Bee you continue to be my angel - get some sleep and don't be stressed..

Sabi graciously took me to a cool music store where I sat and restrung my newly gifted guitar:)

i actually got some work done, selected some facis for the upcoming conference and am excitedly announcing the re-opening of my position (the split role between the Swiss MC and the UNFPA) as of the 11th of April 2006.

A long night of work awaits- session creation with robbie and ofcourse marvelling at the awesome easter in leuven agenda that KS has sent out to me and NP.
it's one of those randomly lovely days u know: see-sawing weather and see-sawing moods.

and on a different note, Best of luck AD....i really hope it happens for you bro. you deserve it.

songs of the week are:

1. morning glory - oasis
2. noble art - IAM Feat. Method Man And Redman
3. i can't wait (for the weekend to begin)
4. halo - soil
5. 999 - keith richards
6. carnival, jealousy - natalie merchant
7. breathe , time, orange sky and pretty much anything by alexi murdoch
8. hustler's ambition - 50 cent
9. last goodbye- jeff buckley
10. musica musica - sud sound system
11. fingerbang- south park gang (cartman, wendy, kenny, kyle, stan and stan's dad)

Posted by chitgo at 4/11/2006 11:01:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

it had to be one of the sweetest and most touching gestures by anyone during my time in switzerland, and that is saying a lot because the friends I've made have extended themselves in some amazing ways these past 8 months.
we spent the weekend in her home, it was beautiful. full of serious work, fun, laughter, deep discussions and more.
friday night, to my surprise she played a nice piece on the piano, followed by the tuning of her violin. musical love knows musical love:). she then got out her guitar. a nice accoustic with a deep sound, i knew it would have been around for some time. joao restrung it as I awaited with baited breath. for the second time in as many months id get a chance to let my fingers do the talking and expressing- a love i was denied of since my arrival in the alpine region:).
flash forward to sunday - as i left her house after a kickass weekend (thank you GENEVA EB- you guys rock!:), she smiled at me and said "i just spoke to my dad and he said that he would love to have someone make use of this guitar that is just lying around in the house unplayed".

For those of you who know me- the word 'speechless' is a rarity. I was. All i could do was give her a hug, sling the guitar on my shoulder and leave with a smile as wide as the view of the jungfrau from her house.

Thank you joan. You truly made my day, my week and my last month in switzerland.

Posted by chitgo at 4/10/2006 10:56:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

when spending a year in a place as exciting as equador:) - you just gotta get yourself a blog!
gio's on. he can be found here

Posted by chitgo at 4/08/2006 02:00:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

sometimes (and these are rare times i might add) i'm extremely happy to have an indian passport. it makes the journey into any part of the world outside the boundaries of your homeland an exciting and cliffhangerish-adventure.

And no, im not talking about the trip and the visit itself, im talking about getting the authorization to even grab a plan/train to go there:) ...for my indian buddies you know what i mean. for my african buddies, hell you've got it even worse. but then, life is like that only.
and who the hell wants a british passport anyway? where you can walk into any country, anytime , anyhow, with no semblance of a requirement for any documentation or stamp.... why ? hmmmmmm beats me. ex colonialist rulers complex? atleast i can proudly say that rob needed a passport to get into india (ugly as hell as the stamp was:))...

so...cutting to the chase, thanks to the help of one fine jason bourneish friend of mine (my guardian angel as i called her from the first weeks i arrived) ; ive got my schengen visa. the belgium trip is now officially on and KS is thankfully alive and kicking. proven further with a barrage of mails between us yesterday which included plans to wake up at 5am to watch one of the india-england cricket matches live (you can buy them online) to figuring out what we're going to be cooking in between the south park and rang de basanti marathon, to the state of insobriety we need to attain on saturday night when we go clubbing and pubbing.
and am i looking forward to it. the last 2 weeks have been quite hectic, as does the time post easter. includes further preparation for a large conference happening in may, i'll be managing a huge chunk of the proceedings there whilst heavily in the midst of my final days in gorgeous switzerland. although, fate might choose another path:)- more info on that soon....nothing finalized yet.

chatting with my mom on MSN on the moments I can grab online with her are increasingly enticing me with the thrill of being back home. the reconnection with some of my old friends from college (in and outside of aiesec) has started and the noticeable excitement amongst all of them is a true sign - that with some level of effort and integrity to relationships that one wants to maintain- there comes a due reward of life long companionship....blessed are those who learn this at a younger age. i daresay that damned are those that neglect...

my time here is pretty short, but pretty exciting to put it mildly:)...goodbye party dates are being finalized with my bro CK - more news on that shortly.

im on the train as i write this posting....wierdly enough its started raining and snowing again for some non-apparent reason. seems the weather cant quite make up its mind. moody aren't you?

allow yourself a smile,
let the sun shine through.
tears are but raindrops,
watch them vanish,
watch them diminish
out of your view.

allow yourself some laughter
let the smile shine through.
sadness is but a state of mind,
although immense,
let it dispense,
true passion- is all i must find.

allow yourself some anger,
let the words fly free..
hurt is but momentary..
sting it will,
pain it will fill,
for expression is the truest sanctity.

allow yourself some dreams,
let the images form wild.
practicality is but easy..
mockery it shall invite
naysayers it will ignite,
but hope makes life worth living
right?

-Dhruv Chitgopekar (5th May 2006)

Posted by chitgo at 4/05/2006 03:13:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

UNICEF, joining the campaign to draw attention to the world's neediest children recently with the top-ranked Swiss star receiving a standing ovation on Monday at the headquarters of the U.N. children's agency.

"We are given a chance to visit so many different countries and cultures and interact with people from all walks of life," Federer said. "It is our responsibility to connect with the real world beyond our sport, to use our fortune to make a difference in the lives of those who most need it."

Federer won the Nasdaq-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Fla., on Sunday. He was asked why he felt it important to appear in New York so soon after a demanding tournament.

"The schedule is hectic, but why? It's because I won the tournament," Federer said. "If I would have lost earlier, I would have had an easy schedule. So it's a great problem to have that I have this busy schedule."

In 2003, Federer launched the Roger Federer Foundation, which promotes tennis worldwide and provides schooling and meals for poor children in South Africa, where his mother was raised. He said a recent trip where he visited children with AIDS convinced him of the role he could play with UNICEF.

"Seeing the happiness and the sadness so close together served as a stern reminder of our responsibility to these children," Federer said

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good stuff, not only is he the godamn bloodiest best player in recent years; he's a good guy....but does anyone know what it really means to be a 'goodwill ambassador'?

Posted by chitgo at 4/05/2006 02:32:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

the former the album name and the latter a portion of the lyrics for a brilliant artist (under the genre of raggaton/jah) called gentleman...
lyrics from my fav track at the moment "dem gone"

Dem gone. so far away
Dem gone. the hole a dem ago regret it one day
Every day you get up and wish to have a meal
now you get a cut and wish to have it heal
and still you can not accept that Jah Jah is real
Tell me Mr.Man what´s the deal
You say you have everything sign and seel
Thought you won the case but nox you a appeal
You are the one who couldn´t hear now you the one to feel
evidently clear we choppin´down your shield
Dem ain´t going nowhere no time soon
Dem corrupt the east and now dem turn it to the moon
Plantain your garden and wish that it will bloom but still you´re singing satan tunes
(Chorus)
Dem gone. so far away
Dem gone. the hole a dem ago regret it one day
(Repeat)
Mother earth was meant for man and woman to stay
me find out nuff a dem drifting away
Children can´t even find a place fi play birds can´t find no seeds horses no hay
I see the weavers weaving but dem income delay
still me see dem searching for a brighter day
and now me come fi give it to you right away
Do you hear what I say
Chorus:
Dem gone. so far away
Dem gone. the hole a dem ago regret it one day
(Repeat)
whapen`them?
Give me the mic deh for a moment make me talk to dem
and watch the eden dem a scatter when we walk to dem
and if you know you are not guilty stand up and don´t you run
to all my foes and friends
You may live to see today but you nuh know the end
Just read the writings on the wall it´s a message we send
And Babylon will never live to stop the rising of Jah son
Chorus:
Dem gone. so far away
Dem gone. the hole a dem ago regret it one day

-------------------------------------------------

and yes aalekh and amit, i know while reading this ur going :"dont be a silly maaaaan, maaaaaaan" :)

Posted by chitgo at 4/03/2006 05:36:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

on a difficult batting wicket, the don prince- aka yuvraj singh fired another beauty to help take india to 294...
as is now becoming quite routine, irfan bowled a killer spell and the indians have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead over her majesty's boys..

hell yeah! ...i say wrap up the series with a 4-0 and then bring in all the bench strength to play england in the remaining one-dayers!

thank god for cricket:)

Posted by chitgo at 4/03/2006 05:19:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

another nice weekend spent with some of the most interesting people switzerland has to offer:) INPUT finished and it played a role in reinforcing, reminiscing, searching despondent feelings within and yet providing the excitement for the future.

no pictures cos i left my camera at home, but will be uploaded soon.
am back in bern now, with a gazillion emails in my inbox- some very thrilling ones involving the potentiality of next steps...lalala...
michelle (hong kong) just sent the CC this very cute video she made which had a compilation of pictures from agra- brought back such memories....feels like such a long time ago!

gotta meet CK for a beer in the evening and generally get prepared for another interesting week. loads of meetings, transition weekend and more...
pray that i get my german visa tomorrow btw- if not , the belgium trip is off:(

Posted by chitgo at 4/02/2006 11:29:00 PM | Permalink | Comments