Hyderabadi Biriyani@Greams Road Chennai

The biriyani shop located exactly at the junction of Greams Road & College Road in Chennai was a place that we used to frequent very often. The shop was too small to handle huge crowd at lunch time. The main speciality in this joint is that you get biriyani combos – biriyani with fish fry or chicken kabab/tangri along with soft drink (Pepsi or Coke or 7up or Mirinda or Fanta). The biriyani used to be neither too spicy nor less spicy and loads of onion raitha (although very minimal curd) would be in each and every table. Most importantly, the price was reasonable.

Now a few months ago, they had renovated the shop. The shop is now a bit spacey with comfortable chairs. The rates have been increased by almost 50% but the quality has come down drastically. After a very long time, I visited the place today. The quality of rice has come down, rationed raitha, chicken kababs looked like left-overs with some flesh sticking here and there, the soft drink which we used to get previously has now been replaced by some local juices made from squashes. It was a very disappointing and horrible experience altogether. Yes, we agree that the prices of all the ingredients and especially meat have gone up but my question is why do you want to compromise on quality even after almost doubling the rates? I have made my mind not to visit the place hereafter.

Sony Ericsson W700i – withdrawn from the market?

A week ago, I accompanied my friend to The Mobile Store in Chennai, a mobile chain store. The main reason for going to that store was their attractive advertisement that if you purchase any mobile you will get an assured gift worth Rs. 5000. We preferred to go to the Nelson Manickam Road store as it was nearby. My friend already had Sony Ericsson in mind, W700i, as it had all the options that he was looking for. We inquired about it and they said it was not available. We went to the T. Nagar branch, the same result there too. Those guys told that Sony has stopped producing that model and it will not be available anywhere. The salespersons also told another interesting information that Sony will not continue to sell any particular model for more than one year. We went in search of this particular model to Subhiksha Mobile Store and they also said the same thing and finally we found out the model and purchased it in Vasanth & Co, T. Nagar.   

What was more interesting was that when I checked the Sony website, http://www.sony.co.in/productcategory/mob%2Bphone?site=hp_en_IN_i the W700i model was there in their product list. The question is whether Sony has stopped producing this model and if they had done so why that model is available in the product list.  

What I would like to emphasize here is that for the benefit of the customers, companies need to update their product information regularly in their websites, pamphlets, brochures or whatever marketing material they are using in order to keep the public well informed.  

Note: The Mobile Store is promoting only a few select models of a few brands (models above Rs. 10,000). No idea of whether the gift of Rs. 5000 will be given for a mobile purchased below 2k.

Tragic New Year Party at Chennai

 

While everyone was welcoming the New Year 2008 with lots of expectations, joy, and peaceful celebrations, tension and fear of death gripped a few people at a New Year party in a reputed star hotel in Chennai, the Cultural Capital of India, as we call.

A New Year party was arranged at the hotel and a wooden dance floor was made over a 12-feet deep swimming pool. When all the people on the floor were enjoying their dance, the dance floor suddenly caved in. Many people plunged into the pool. One software engineer from UP died and another teenager is in a critical state and many injured. 

The people are blaming the hotel management, the organizers of the event, the police, ….etc,. Who is to be blamed now? Can blaming each other bring back the dead software engineer alive?    All the people who attended the party as well as the organisers are responsible for this because everybody has contributed their part towards the caving in of the floor. 

We boast of our culture. Is boozing and dancing wildly a culture of India? Is it not hardcore hypocrisy? Is this the only way to celebrate New Year? 

The worst part of it was that people were fighting for refunds or continuation of the party when somebody who was with them a few hours ago are dead and injured.  

How kind-hearted we are?? Shame on us! Where is this society heading?