A day in the life of LIFE

Even as I write this post, I am parallely logged into Orkut ( for the uninitiated,Orkut is an online group of friends since 574 B.C. Yes, even Freddie Flintstone was in touch with Barney through Orkut).

If I can think of three events that have changed my life during the past year,Orkut tops the list.

From Puraneycolony mein Bagal wala Bunty to my first crush in Kindergarten (not sure if I knew what crush meant way back then),I've found them all on Orkut.

The beauty of this experiment that it has a pleasant interface that tilts the balance in its favor vis-a-vis competing sites like hi5.

The communities segment is an instant hit with the creativity buffs as each one tries to out do the other with a whacky nomenclature. From the most academic to the most mundane, you have everything under one (virtual) roof.

My heart cried with emotion (No No, it's not the Amitabh style, slightly older - Raj kapoor style: Kya Karey 1982 ke model hain hum), when I found a school classmate putting up a picture of the march past of the of class 7 B. Oh I looked like an Angel then, though Ma would categorically deny the same.

And then yes, probably the Kumbh Mela Board should make Orkut their Official partner for tracing and finding "lost" brethern in the event that happens once in every 12 years on a mega scale in the sub continent.The low side to this is that many bollywood flicks on the same concept would get redundant.

Better even, if it is scalable to be implemented in the Melas that happen in every village for any reason.

Overheard in a remote village in Rajasthan (dont ask me why. My logical brain started a scan of India from the western region and the first state happens to be Rajasthan).

Mummy ji: Aji Pappu key paapa, suntey ho? Pappu Meley mein ghoom ho gaya hai. Police mein khabar kardey?
Daddy ji: Arey Lajo, chinta kyon karti ho? Orkut mey search karna. Pappu ka pata mil jayega. Jab hum ghoom hua kartey they toh Pappu key Daadaji bhi Orkut istamal kartey they.

I think Orkut has come of age and will go a long way in making the dumb terminal called the computer more humane by networking the species of homo sapiens.

What's more? Orkut is a multi purpose utility also providing people features to proclaim to the web world that they are single. Now dont worry, if tabloids like the Times of India and Deccan Chronicle turn your request down for matrimony ads, just logon to Orkut....

Warning: Orkut is an addiction that has no side effects except reduced productivity and dipping grades. User discretion advised.

A big hit in Orkut though has been the creation of fake profiles of eminent people like University Vice Chancellors and "love to hate" professors. Though I empathise with them, it's real fun reading the mesages. You will invariably find a guy/gal who is so "innocent" to notice that it's a fake profile and eventually writing,

"So nice to find you here sir... we miss your classes too much.....do you miss us too??" [cho. chweet...] Now be a good guy/gal and drink your glass of milk before going to bed...

All said and done, the expectation of receiving scraps from friends is like waiting for the mail man to deliver conventional letters.

One addition to my hobbies' list is increasing the count in my scrap book.

So the next time you take the telephone directory in your hand to find the address of your Grandma's sister's neighbor's beautiful daughter, get on to Orkut. Who knows, they may all be there....