UDATE – You can get a the list of Holidays and Dry Days in Maharashtra for 2011 in my newer entry, here.

Happy Republic Day to All Indians across India and the World!

I’ve been hunting for a complete list of Dry Days in Mumbai, but invariably come up with naught. So, after much searching, I’ve decided to put up a list of my own! It’s easy enough to tie this up with the list of Public Holidays in Mumbai, as well, as almost half of the dry days are holidays!

Below is the list of Dry Days (as listed on the Official Site for the Govt. of Maharashtra):

The 18 Public Holidays mentioned on the same site are:

1. Republic Day – 26-Jan
2. Mahashivratri – 12-Feb
3. Id-e-Milad – 27-Feb
4. Holi (2nd Day) – 1-Mar
5. Gudi Padwa – 16-Mar
6. Ram Navmi – 24-Mar
7. Good Friday – 2-Apr
8. Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti – 14-Apr
9. Maharashtra Day (May Day) – 1-May
10. Buddha Pournima – 27-May
11. Independnce Day – 15-Aug
12. Parsi New Year – 19-Aug
13. Ramazan Id – 10-Sep
14. Ganesh Chaturdashi – 11-Sep
15. Mahatmi Gandhi Jayanthi – 2-Oct
16. Diwali – 5-Nov
17. Moharum – 17-Dec
18. Christmas – 25-Dec
19. New Year 2011 – 1-Jan,2011

Here’s the complete list, put together (I’ve also uploaded it on Google docs, here):

Note that Election days and ballot counting days are also dry days-  I haven’t mentioned any here. If anyone sees anything wrong with the lists, let me know.

• http://www.hindu-blog.com/2009/06/ashadi-ekadasi-2009-devsayani-ashadi.html
• http://bombayhighcourt.nic.in/site/latest/calendar_2010.pdf

It’s 0230 in a Wednesday morn… I’m awake ‘coz of 1 of the 3 reasons I would be at this hour – A Man U game is on…

(Before you ask, the other reason would be a beer or such..)

I am  scribbling down this randomness instead of watching the game because my genius of a cable guy seems to think a ‘Villa-Portsmouth game more thrilling than a Man U game (Oh, who cares if they’re just playing West Brom – bottom of the league! – Man U’s fun to watch when they’re kicking ass!!)

<Manchester United is 1 up at this, the 43rd minute – courtesy, Berbeov>

India celebrated her 60th Year of Being a Republic Nation 2 days ago. I should say a few words about the obvious pride & patriotism that should come along with this day.

I won’t - I’m not feeling too proud right about now. 

Don’t get me wrong – I love this country and I am happy in knowing that I’m one of the billion lucky people that can call India home…

…but’s a bit ironic, don’t you think, that on Monday, the 26th of January, the top story on all leading news channels was a dead heat between India’s 60th Republic Day Parade and women being beaten up by a 40-man strong mob in broad daylight ?

Have we, as a society, retarded a few 4 – 5 centuries or are we just new-found-fans of the taliban regime??

With all this talk of fighting terrorism.. ‘we’re gonna fight terrorism’ .. ‘terrorism sucks’ .. ‘we’re gonna shoot terrorism in the face!’.. 

..what is terrorism? - A hijacked plane flown into a multi-storeyed business building?  OR Under a dozen youths holding a city at gun-point for over 60 hours? OR Christians being attacked by mobs or over 100s of men – raping nuns, pulverising priests and razing churches to be left burning in their wake? OR a dozen girls being attacked by mobs for sitting at a lounge bar? OR A School being attacked because it plays music of a different state (albeit from the same country!)?

Fits a pattern, doesn’t it?

Your move, My Government; how shall we treat the terrorists?

<on a lighter note, Man U up 5 – 0, with 10 minutes to go.. >