Today we are talking about the strange currency garland gifted to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati during BSP's 25th founding day celebrations. Initially declaring it to be made of rare exotic flowers, the people involved seemed to have forgotten that the fragrance of money is literally, the richest of all. In latest developments Income Tax sleuths have estimated the cost of the garland at RS. 5 crores, weighing 65kg approximately, constituting all Rs 1,000 notes. Investigations are on to track the 'sponsors' who perpetrated the latest act of obscenity in politics.

An entire nation is taken to be a fool when something like this happens in front of the national media. Just think it over.

It is indeed good to have The Indian Premier League (IPL) back in the Country. However much we may have enjoyed the matches last year, and whatever sense it made, it was indeed dampening to have the league shifted to a venue outside India. This year the Twenty20 extravaganza takes off on Friday with defending champions Deccan Chargers taking on Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening game. However, there are a few controversies shrouding over the tournament this time, along with issues where concrete decisions are still pending. Lets just hope that the spirit of Cricket prevails over everything else and makes IPL a true success.

Cheers to the game!

Now that the budget is beyond speculations, it is time to take stock of where we actually stand. It is always a two-edged sword. Close on the heels of tax revisions came the fuel rise, and just yesterday Banks announced that home loan rates are going up again. It seems savings would be too frugal for the common man to even feel its benefits. While the oppossition has found a new issue in the fuel price-rise and protesting it vehemently, to prove they are on the side of the 'people', we know that it is just another meaningless episode in the general drama of politics.

Another year, another budget. Accept and move on folks. There never was any choice so to speak.

This is Holi week. There is colour everywhere. Colour power in the Parliament as it is budget day, and a lot of colour-changing after that. But just remember, green is 'the' colour of money, and so is it of jealousy. Red is definitely the colour of love, and pink of new love, blue of sadness but also of tranquility. Yellow is for friends. But after the heights to which Sachin Tendulkar is taking Indian cricket, the colour for the mind is certainly Indian.

Here's wishing all of you a bright and funfilled holi. We don't get many opportunities that officially allow us to be crazy. So make the most of it guys.

This week I had intended to tease you a bit about Valentine's Day. But instead, here we are stunned by what happened at Pune on the evening preceding the day people were waiting to celebrate love. As five young friends gathered around a table in a cafe for a reunion, the explosive went off, sealing their fates in their prime. Many others were killed in the same incident and many more still left impaired for life. Shocked yes, but are we really surprised? Innocent lives have always been easy targets in our country for such a long time now that we have really begun to loose track of statistics. We just mourn in silence and wait for the next assault to take place.

Shame. Shame on the cowardice that violence represents.