Bang Bang Bangkok

I'm a two time visitor to bangkok. My last trip was in April '07. I went there on a 3 day company sponsored holiday for being recognized as the 'Best employee of the Quarter' which IMHO is a big joke. However this was organized during the Songkran festival and I could not get around very much those three days when I was put up at the Oriental Bangkok Resort situated on the Chao Phraya river. However I found my favourite watering hole on Soi Cowboy where a live band belted out some good music but struggled with the pronounciation of the lyrics.

I was at the bar counter crooning along when the lead singer/guitarist, Jack asked if I could sing on stage. I had never done such a thing before although I have all along fantasised singing on stage with a live band. Thanks to the copious quantities of Johnny Walker Black, my stage fright took a back seat for a while and I jumped on stage. I did falter a couple of times but the band was very encouraging and kept throwing up more lyrics in my face. My signature was the Roadhouse Blues by the Doors. From that night on whenever I walked into the bar Jack would scream out my name - 'Asok' and the guitarist would tease me with the opening tune of this song. By the third night I ws addicted to my own voice on the microphone. So I decided to extend my stay by another 7 days and did about 5 songs every night.

When I returned I invested in a Tama professional drum set. This was another of my fantasies - drumming. I lso purchased an Ebanez electric guitar which still lies unpacked in my spare bedroom. Thje drums however earned me a notorious reputation amongst the residents of my apartment and hence it now sits still, gathering dust. But my heart won't stop crooning and I crave to be back in Country Road, this time hoping to jam with the band during the day and practice some new stuff like Peter Tosh and other Jim Morrison numbers.

I have many friends in that bar but I'm not into hiring their sexual services. I did come to Soi Cowboy to experience just that but soon I realized that it just doesn't appeal to me. I love going there in the daytime and playing pool with either the girls or other guests while sipping a bloody cold bloody mary while the girls get me to sample local food that they share with me. I have been a good listener to some of these friends who share their sorrows with me sometimes breaking down during such frank conversations. I believe that they truly see me as a good friend eventhough 'enlightened' people tell me that it is a ploy to get me emotionally entangled. I have been a good listener to many of my friends here in India where I grew up and I think I know real tears from those of a crocodile. And over the years I have also learnt how not to get emotinally entangled when I lend my ear/shoulder to a sad story teller.

SoI'm hoping to meet up with some of thse good women who are unfortunate to be in this trade but have helped me find the right bargains whie shopping and helped me laugh like I never had in many years.

āvāsa

āvāsa (ancient Pali language): home

The concept for āvāsa as an enterprise precipitated during a 10 day Vipassana meditation camp while I was contemplating on my plans for the future among other things far more important. I have traveled to many countries and many places within India when I worked as a Consultant for a multimational company peddling software. During this time I had the opportunity to experience the hospitality of various leading hotels and resorts as well as many non-descript motels in one-horse towns where my clients were situated.

My penchant for hospitality though was a result of the realization of the hospitable nature of the community I hailed from - the Badugas of the Nilgiri Hills. In my early years, when I grew up in the village, excessive hospitality (the extent where the guests beg to be left alon) was part of the communal fabric. But it was only when I left my hometown in search of 'greener pastures' that I realized that the world outside was not as green or not even mildly hospitable. And when I brought friends home during weekends I saw them being flabbergasted by this unabashed display of hospitality and communal harmony. Having lived in various apartments in the city for 10 years of my life, I realized that there is immense value in harmonious communal living spaces. Thus āvāsa was conceived as an enterprise that will promote such communities with people who value harmony in their residential locales.