BREAKING NEWS:
Underwear Industry Exports to Australia Increased - AYE-SHA brand grabs the biggest export offer - Deal was made in India last October and the final agreement was signed in Melbourne today. Inside information points to the fact that all the underwear's are reinforced with extra padding for the forth coming New Year Extravaganza at Sydney
Tail Piece 1 - My guffaws are similar to that of Lallettan in Kilukkam
Tail Piece 2 - Guru Comments - "Avanmaarodu valla Bangladesh -inodo Zimbabwe yodo matto Kalikkan parayade, chelappo jayikkumaayirikkum"
Tail Piece 3 - Some where far in the Northern India, an ace bowler comments. Stop talking, start playing cricket.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
thats my champion, my idol, my god, my everything in cricket
Congrats Sachin ...
"Lara's failures, and there were a few given his cavalier style, evoked some disappointment, but never the sort of viciousness that accompanied a Tendulkar setback. It makes you wonder how many more runs he might have made had he lived in a country that didn't specialise in headlines like Endulkar, and where every other TV debate chaired by some stiff didn't ask the profound question: Is he past his best? "
How true it is.. Read it here
"A rough calculation shows that he averages over 200 days in a year travelling for cricket, playing it at the highest level, or practising for it. Two-thirds of a year devoted to cricket, and not one bad day at work? Even Mozart was allowed an occasional off day. The future will treat Tendulkar much better than we have, although we were given the privilege of watching the boy grow into a man and live up to potential. Even that is a remarkable feat. Not every promising player accomplishes as much as he promises. Tendulkar has. Let us celebrate that. His record will be broken. But his impact will last. "
Bravo Sachin, Bravo ... Read it here
Pic Courtesy - Cricinfo
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
nostalgic memories of a broken soul...
The night has moved into its last yaama. Cool breeze flowed in through the window diagonally opposite my desk. The apartment complex has slept deep into their sweet dreams. Only thing that was disturbing the tranquility of night was the keyboard strokes of my laptop and Talat’s "Jalte Hain Jiske Liye", the only song in my Winamp Play List. I was on a Night Out, to complete the final report of my Dissertation Work. Rapid strokes on the MS Word Document, arrangement of the figures, copy paste of my own design documents were the order of night.
Then far across the table beyond the windows into the deep darkness of yesteryear's, I see a thin frame looking at me and smiling at me, with a tinge of mischief, in his usual style. He had finished the report long time back and now pulling my legs at me.. “Enthonnade.. Ithokke Nerathe Cheythu Theerkkande (What bugger.. Why don’t you finish it early?)”
The last minute rush on studies was always my trademark. I will think that I have covered a lot of pages, and then suddenly remember that I have missed out a few modules. But the “anonymous” thin frame, sitting across me on that noisy chair with his legs folded and both the hands on the chin, will be gulping the theoretical computer science or data structures, just by turning out the pages as if he is reading a Frederick Forsyth thriller. He always had charm of learning things quickly, something I always envied in him.
Then deep into the night another soul walks in, called PETTI, to finish of his final semester project. He advises me –“Da Dhanu, Ellam Samayathinokke Cheythoodeda..(Why don’t you do it in a timely fashion man)”? Petti was always a big time adviser, and still remains the same and the biker in me listens to that with attention. Petti Abhilash follows him into the room (he is Petti’s project mate and roommate and Trivandrum mate), and I am happy. My kind of man. Always on the edge, no fear for supplies, enjoy life to the fullest. I stop my reporting and start talking with him. Life, placements, cricket at Edgebaston*, love affairs, all unleashes hours before the exam.
Now the thin frame is upset. His concentration is lost. He quips – “Enthaade Ninakkoke Padikkanonnum ille (What? U guys don’t have anything to study?)” – and then he too joins the party. But bugger; only he knows that it is his break time. His marks at the end of semester never showed his displeasure in Petti and Petti Abhilash’s arrival. Then the thin frame walks into our opposite room, where a Padippist Sandeep and Omnipresent Shimmy will be toiling with their Strength of Materials and Drawings. He stands behind Shimmy, without his knowing, and tickles on his shirtless body. Shimmy gets a shock and jumps up.. “Enthu Maiii…..”. Once he disturbs their concentration he comes back and sits back on his chair and starts turning the pages of the Ullman** thriller.
Finally the last soul walks in, asks a lot of doubts about the questions that are coming in next day, asks what all he should cover, confirms if his preparation is enough, complaints about his illustrious absconding roommate and then joins our discussion about life, placements, love affairs, cricket and the end semester sentiments. When he leaves, I too join him for the night rounds. We first go to the first floor room of Maaman, Paappan and Thadiyan. If not playing computer games and analyzing sports, Maaman will be studying on the table on left side of the room. On the right side table I can see the outstretched legs of Thadiyan sitting on a chair nearby- an improperly placed lungi exposing his voluptuous thighs- studying with utmost tension. Pappan will be sitting on the side of the cot, resting his back on the wall, with a book on his left hand and a pen on his right hand whose trailing end is in his mouth. We disturb them; shouts follow, and move to the ground floor to disturb a studious TP – this attribute of him comes only on the eve of exams, otherwise he is a flamboyant character who once put our ever romantic Vikas in a soup – and his dear roommate Jimboli Kamsan. TP is reading through the pages as usual, trying to avoid a supply, while Kamsan is tackling the finite state automata with his usual sense of humour. "Mmmm Finite State Automata.. Avan Kore Ondaaakkumm… Eee Ullmaanonnum Veettil Oru Paniyumillenu karuthi enthumakamennanno… (Hmm Finite State Automata. It will be something. If Ullman doesn’t have any work, does that mean he can do anything..)”. Somewhere from the obscurity Baburaj joined and then our local boy Abhilash too. We talk about life, placements, cricket, love affairs and end semester sentiments and retire to our own rooms to continue the big struggle.
“I” am back at my desk, with my report being full of mistakes, chapters not in order, and no proper summary and conclusion. The mind doesn’t stick and is still wandering on the corridors of C- Hostel, where during exam times our studies where incomplete without hours of volleyball games and corridor or common room cricket. Those late night outs and the frantic last minute preparations only made e complete. And in this MS course also, I couldn’t be myself without those. If the current university allowed an improvement exam at Rs 10 per paper, I would have happily wrote even those too. Thankfully a supply came in the way, but the cost I had to give for that was really huge. A semester down and close to 18,000 rupees extra.
Hail GEC, Hail University of Calicut, Hail C Hostel, and Hail Batch of 1997-2001.
Today we celebrate the completion of 11th year of our togetherness.
* - A local ground in our college which the Electronics Guys named as Edgebaston, remembering the English Ground
** - An author of a book on Theoretical Computer Science
Then far across the table beyond the windows into the deep darkness of yesteryear's, I see a thin frame looking at me and smiling at me, with a tinge of mischief, in his usual style. He had finished the report long time back and now pulling my legs at me.. “Enthonnade.. Ithokke Nerathe Cheythu Theerkkande (What bugger.. Why don’t you finish it early?)”
The last minute rush on studies was always my trademark. I will think that I have covered a lot of pages, and then suddenly remember that I have missed out a few modules. But the “anonymous” thin frame, sitting across me on that noisy chair with his legs folded and both the hands on the chin, will be gulping the theoretical computer science or data structures, just by turning out the pages as if he is reading a Frederick Forsyth thriller. He always had charm of learning things quickly, something I always envied in him.
Then deep into the night another soul walks in, called PETTI, to finish of his final semester project. He advises me –“Da Dhanu, Ellam Samayathinokke Cheythoodeda..(Why don’t you do it in a timely fashion man)”? Petti was always a big time adviser, and still remains the same and the biker in me listens to that with attention. Petti Abhilash follows him into the room (he is Petti’s project mate and roommate and Trivandrum mate), and I am happy. My kind of man. Always on the edge, no fear for supplies, enjoy life to the fullest. I stop my reporting and start talking with him. Life, placements, cricket at Edgebaston*, love affairs, all unleashes hours before the exam.Now the thin frame is upset. His concentration is lost. He quips – “Enthaade Ninakkoke Padikkanonnum ille (What? U guys don’t have anything to study?)” – and then he too joins the party. But bugger; only he knows that it is his break time. His marks at the end of semester never showed his displeasure in Petti and Petti Abhilash’s arrival. Then the thin frame walks into our opposite room, where a Padippist Sandeep and Omnipresent Shimmy will be toiling with their Strength of Materials and Drawings. He stands behind Shimmy, without his knowing, and tickles on his shirtless body. Shimmy gets a shock and jumps up.. “Enthu Maiii…..”. Once he disturbs their concentration he comes back and sits back on his chair and starts turning the pages of the Ullman** thriller.
Finally the last soul walks in, asks a lot of doubts about the questions that are coming in next day, asks what all he should cover, confirms if his preparation is enough, complaints about his illustrious absconding roommate and then joins our discussion about life, placements, love affairs, cricket and the end semester sentiments. When he leaves, I too join him for the night rounds. We first go to the first floor room of Maaman, Paappan and Thadiyan. If not playing computer games and analyzing sports, Maaman will be studying on the table on left side of the room. On the right side table I can see the outstretched legs of Thadiyan sitting on a chair nearby- an improperly placed lungi exposing his voluptuous thighs- studying with utmost tension. Pappan will be sitting on the side of the cot, resting his back on the wall, with a book on his left hand and a pen on his right hand whose trailing end is in his mouth. We disturb them; shouts follow, and move to the ground floor to disturb a studious TP – this attribute of him comes only on the eve of exams, otherwise he is a flamboyant character who once put our ever romantic Vikas in a soup – and his dear roommate Jimboli Kamsan. TP is reading through the pages as usual, trying to avoid a supply, while Kamsan is tackling the finite state automata with his usual sense of humour. "Mmmm Finite State Automata.. Avan Kore Ondaaakkumm… Eee Ullmaanonnum Veettil Oru Paniyumillenu karuthi enthumakamennanno… (Hmm Finite State Automata. It will be something. If Ullman doesn’t have any work, does that mean he can do anything..)”. Somewhere from the obscurity Baburaj joined and then our local boy Abhilash too. We talk about life, placements, cricket, love affairs and end semester sentiments and retire to our own rooms to continue the big struggle.
“I” am back at my desk, with my report being full of mistakes, chapters not in order, and no proper summary and conclusion. The mind doesn’t stick and is still wandering on the corridors of C- Hostel, where during exam times our studies where incomplete without hours of volleyball games and corridor or common room cricket. Those late night outs and the frantic last minute preparations only made e complete. And in this MS course also, I couldn’t be myself without those. If the current university allowed an improvement exam at Rs 10 per paper, I would have happily wrote even those too. Thankfully a supply came in the way, but the cost I had to give for that was really huge. A semester down and close to 18,000 rupees extra.
Hail GEC, Hail University of Calicut, Hail C Hostel, and Hail Batch of 1997-2001.
Today we celebrate the completion of 11th year of our togetherness.
* - A local ground in our college which the Electronics Guys named as Edgebaston, remembering the English Ground
** - An author of a book on Theoretical Computer Science
Saturday, September 27, 2008
happy 10th birthday, google !!!
Without you, my "IT" life would have been empty.
Without you, my "writings" would have been in trash.
Without you, I might not have got in touch with my oldest of the friends.
You Rock!!
Monday, September 22, 2008
to feel or not...
When it comes to the newspapers The Hindu is my favorite. I have started reading it at a very young age while I was in school, so I always associate that childhood aura around it. They say no, Chottayile Sheelam Chutala Vare. Something like that. And I am always eager to read the Sunday Magazine - the suppliment that comes on Sunday along with the main paper. There are columns by people like Ramchandra Guha, Harsh Mander, Sevanti Ninan, Usha Jesudasan, Mark Marquesee and till recently it used to carry column by Shashi Tharoor too. Nevertheless to say I always enjoyed reading the Sunday Magazine.
Usha Jesudasan writes a column - The Ahimsa Way - on every alternate Sunday. This weekend's magazine had an article from her about To feel compassionate or not. This is actually a reaction article to her earlier article, A heart that can feel. While 'A heart that can feel' explains about the need to reach out with compassion to help people who are suffering, 'To feel or not' ponders on the question whether we are just being used when we try to be kind and compassionate with others. She also gives the answer to it. She explains about the role models in her life and also gives out a great message in the story of holy man. When a scorpion, which he saved from drowning in the river, bites him he just says - "I did what I had to, according to my nature: rescue it from drowning and give it life. The scorpion did what it had to do according to its nature: sting me".
Most of the times, it is the heart that responds in such cases. But sometimes even when it responds, the head pokes out and asks "Are you getting cheated?", "Will they do something else with the money I give?", "Will these donations go to the correct hands?". We never know, and so most of us are skeptical and that is why we shoo away the people selling items at the Traffic Signals. I am not here to support the majority, but to mention a few things happened to me over all these years.
The first incident happened while I was working in NIT Calicut during 2002-03. One fine evening I was waiting at Calicut KSRTC Bus Stand for the bus to REC, Chathamangalam, and this old fellow approached me. He was dressed in a gray plain slack shirt and black trousers. He introduced himself as one George, who is a teacher or lecturer in some college in Wayanad. He told he came to Calicut to attend one conference and then went to meet his relative and while coming back he got pick-pocketed and now have no money to go back home. He asked me if I could give some money for his travel expense. He was of my father's age, but I was skeptical. When he insisted, I asked him how much he will need. He said an amount that was less than hundred. I was confused, to give or not. His age,and the manner in which he asked me; all persuaded my mind to give it. And I gave him two 50 rupees notes. He thanked me very much and promised me to return the money in the form of money order. For this he took my address. I wrote him down my office address in the diary he gave me. The moment I gave him back the diary, he thanked me again and walked away. I thought he was eager to catch the bus, but in a split second I couldn't spot him in the crowd. After a while I boarded my bus to NITC. Later that evening, when I explained this to my roommate he told me - "Da, there are more chances that he might have gone to the nearest BAR fro a drink or two, rather than catching a bus to Wayanad, but still I appreciate your act." The money order never came, nor did any letter.
Was I cheated here? I don't know. I hope he utilized those 100 rupees for this travel rather than for his spirits.
The second incident happened last year, when an NGO representative contacted me, through a friend of mine, asking to sponsor education for children, who were taken care by them. I agreed for that and asked him to come over to office. Initially I agreed to sponsor 1 child's education expense for a year which came around 2000 rupees an year, but then he persisted for 2 children's education and he explained me about the things they do, I got impressed and agreed for 2 children's education. Also when I contacted my friend earler he said that they are reliable and had approached him through the counter they had setup in his office. So I went ahead gave my credit card details and he gave me the acknowledgment slip and all those stuff. He also told me I will be getting a certificate and receipt for my contribution. After a few days, money was withdrawn from my credit card, in the name of the NGO. But the certificate and receipt never reached me. My friend on the other hand received the certificate and receipt.
Was I cheated here? I don't know. I hope the NGO has utilized the money for those two children.
What do I infer from these experiences? Usha Jesudasan tells us that Ahimsa people are not just people with hearts, but are those with hearts that ask for nothing in return. Karma Yoga, based on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita also says:
"Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme."
But is this all feasible in today's world? I do not know, rather I am unsure of having a heart that seek no return. I never seeked any returns from my earlier incidents, but the feeling that I might have got cheated still lingers in my mind. Only thing I can do when I act compassionate again, is to hope that it serves the purpose. Rest is not in my hands. And I hope things will be done just the way I think it would be done.
Usha Jesudasan writes a column - The Ahimsa Way - on every alternate Sunday. This weekend's magazine had an article from her about To feel compassionate or not. This is actually a reaction article to her earlier article, A heart that can feel. While 'A heart that can feel' explains about the need to reach out with compassion to help people who are suffering, 'To feel or not' ponders on the question whether we are just being used when we try to be kind and compassionate with others. She also gives the answer to it. She explains about the role models in her life and also gives out a great message in the story of holy man. When a scorpion, which he saved from drowning in the river, bites him he just says - "I did what I had to, according to my nature: rescue it from drowning and give it life. The scorpion did what it had to do according to its nature: sting me".
Most of the times, it is the heart that responds in such cases. But sometimes even when it responds, the head pokes out and asks "Are you getting cheated?", "Will they do something else with the money I give?", "Will these donations go to the correct hands?". We never know, and so most of us are skeptical and that is why we shoo away the people selling items at the Traffic Signals. I am not here to support the majority, but to mention a few things happened to me over all these years.
The first incident happened while I was working in NIT Calicut during 2002-03. One fine evening I was waiting at Calicut KSRTC Bus Stand for the bus to REC, Chathamangalam, and this old fellow approached me. He was dressed in a gray plain slack shirt and black trousers. He introduced himself as one George, who is a teacher or lecturer in some college in Wayanad. He told he came to Calicut to attend one conference and then went to meet his relative and while coming back he got pick-pocketed and now have no money to go back home. He asked me if I could give some money for his travel expense. He was of my father's age, but I was skeptical. When he insisted, I asked him how much he will need. He said an amount that was less than hundred. I was confused, to give or not. His age,and the manner in which he asked me; all persuaded my mind to give it. And I gave him two 50 rupees notes. He thanked me very much and promised me to return the money in the form of money order. For this he took my address. I wrote him down my office address in the diary he gave me. The moment I gave him back the diary, he thanked me again and walked away. I thought he was eager to catch the bus, but in a split second I couldn't spot him in the crowd. After a while I boarded my bus to NITC. Later that evening, when I explained this to my roommate he told me - "Da, there are more chances that he might have gone to the nearest BAR fro a drink or two, rather than catching a bus to Wayanad, but still I appreciate your act." The money order never came, nor did any letter.
Was I cheated here? I don't know. I hope he utilized those 100 rupees for this travel rather than for his spirits.
The second incident happened last year, when an NGO representative contacted me, through a friend of mine, asking to sponsor education for children, who were taken care by them. I agreed for that and asked him to come over to office. Initially I agreed to sponsor 1 child's education expense for a year which came around 2000 rupees an year, but then he persisted for 2 children's education and he explained me about the things they do, I got impressed and agreed for 2 children's education. Also when I contacted my friend earler he said that they are reliable and had approached him through the counter they had setup in his office. So I went ahead gave my credit card details and he gave me the acknowledgment slip and all those stuff. He also told me I will be getting a certificate and receipt for my contribution. After a few days, money was withdrawn from my credit card, in the name of the NGO. But the certificate and receipt never reached me. My friend on the other hand received the certificate and receipt.
Was I cheated here? I don't know. I hope the NGO has utilized the money for those two children.
What do I infer from these experiences? Usha Jesudasan tells us that Ahimsa people are not just people with hearts, but are those with hearts that ask for nothing in return. Karma Yoga, based on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita also says:
"Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme."
But is this all feasible in today's world? I do not know, rather I am unsure of having a heart that seek no return. I never seeked any returns from my earlier incidents, but the feeling that I might have got cheated still lingers in my mind. Only thing I can do when I act compassionate again, is to hope that it serves the purpose. Rest is not in my hands. And I hope things will be done just the way I think it would be done.
Courtesy:
Friday, September 05, 2008
happy teacher's day
To all the Teachers, including my father, who made me what I am today, I am remembering you all. Not just this day, probably most of the days.
Happy Teacher's Day to you all.
Monday, August 18, 2008
NOT (finding kerala and facing the monsoon through a redemption ride) = Sitting Idle at Home
My much hyped ride through Kerala just lasted two days. I rode from Bangalore to Mangalore and then from there to my home the next day. But I could never proceed after that.
I was late to sleep on Day 2 as we had some guests at home,and so I overslept a bit on Day 3. It was also raining like hell. So I decided to continue the next day, but I had that sense of dejection in me for inducing that break. Next day I was all set, and dressed up when Mom came with the tea. After a moment's silence she asked -"Are you sure you want to do this big adventure in this torrential rains? have you made up your mind to not give us some peace of mind? You went to Himalayas last year and do you know how much we were worried. And now you are doing this."
And that was it. I could have still gone ahead, but its never good to start anything with a negative mindset. Those words have put enough questions on my mind. Even though I wanted to go, I just could not. May be at that point of time, I realized there is no big dreams to achieve, if it puts your parents under tension. So that's the story. I stopped my journey at home. I informed Abhi and he was really happy for my decision.
Relaxed and chilled at home, with lots of fish in the diet, went to Calicut and grabbed myself a lot of books (16 in fact as I counted it now) from Mathrubhumi and DC book stalls, read Cormac McCarthy's No Country For Old Men (Dear Anon, it didn't impress me or Am I too old for Dishum Dishum. Will watch the movie soon.), Karan Bajaj's Keep Off The Grass (Too Good. A must read for IIM aspirants. My review on this will be coming soon-I Hope) and Basheer's Anuraagathinte Dinangal (What can I say about the Master) went to Mom's home town and yesterday came back here.
No. Don't come to the conclusion that I have stopped riding. That is never going to happen. It is just that at that point of time, my mind slowed down and decided to go with my parents wishes.
I know what you guys are thinking. There is this joke from the Malayalam Movie - "Nadodikattu" where Thilakan(Ananthan Nambiar) says about Captain Raju (Pavanai) .. "Angane Pavanai Shavamaayi.. Ho.. Enthokke Bahalamarunnu, Malappuram Kathi, Machine Gunn, Boombbb..Olakkede Moodu..."
Well.. I may not yet be a Pavanai. May be I will we do this, some time later with a revised plan. The good thing I learned from this is that I should not make a ride through home. I should either end the ride at home or make my home visit during the last leg of the ride. Hope I can do that.
Thanks for all you guys who wished the best for me.
I was late to sleep on Day 2 as we had some guests at home,and so I overslept a bit on Day 3. It was also raining like hell. So I decided to continue the next day, but I had that sense of dejection in me for inducing that break. Next day I was all set, and dressed up when Mom came with the tea. After a moment's silence she asked -"Are you sure you want to do this big adventure in this torrential rains? have you made up your mind to not give us some peace of mind? You went to Himalayas last year and do you know how much we were worried. And now you are doing this."
And that was it. I could have still gone ahead, but its never good to start anything with a negative mindset. Those words have put enough questions on my mind. Even though I wanted to go, I just could not. May be at that point of time, I realized there is no big dreams to achieve, if it puts your parents under tension. So that's the story. I stopped my journey at home. I informed Abhi and he was really happy for my decision.
Relaxed and chilled at home, with lots of fish in the diet, went to Calicut and grabbed myself a lot of books (16 in fact as I counted it now) from Mathrubhumi and DC book stalls, read Cormac McCarthy's No Country For Old Men (Dear Anon, it didn't impress me or Am I too old for Dishum Dishum. Will watch the movie soon.), Karan Bajaj's Keep Off The Grass (Too Good. A must read for IIM aspirants. My review on this will be coming soon-I Hope) and Basheer's Anuraagathinte Dinangal (What can I say about the Master) went to Mom's home town and yesterday came back here.
No. Don't come to the conclusion that I have stopped riding. That is never going to happen. It is just that at that point of time, my mind slowed down and decided to go with my parents wishes.
I know what you guys are thinking. There is this joke from the Malayalam Movie - "Nadodikattu" where Thilakan(Ananthan Nambiar) says about Captain Raju (Pavanai) .. "Angane Pavanai Shavamaayi.. Ho.. Enthokke Bahalamarunnu, Malappuram Kathi, Machine Gunn, Boombbb..Olakkede Moodu..."
Well.. I may not yet be a Pavanai. May be I will we do this, some time later with a revised plan. The good thing I learned from this is that I should not make a ride through home. I should either end the ride at home or make my home visit during the last leg of the ride. Hope I can do that.
Thanks for all you guys who wished the best for me.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
finding kerala and facing the monsoon through a redemption ride
I always wanted to chase the Kerala Monsoon, ever since I read Alexander Frater's "Chasing The Monsoon". I read the book last year and made an impulse decision; that this year as soon as the monsoon sets in June, I will be there in Kanyakumari with my arms spread on the tip receiving it.Atleast I started dreaming about that Shawshank Redemptionesque picture, where Andy Dufresne enjoys his redemption on a rainy day. But dreams, are never to come true, exactly the way we want. June passed, schools re-opened, but I never went to Kanyakumari, neither did the South West Monsoon arrive with all its might. Even then I never lost hope, and just like Andy told Red, I kept telling myself and RED - "Remember, Red. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things,and no good thing ever dies."
Sometime back, I had made this idea of traveling the entire stretch of Kerala from Kanyakumari to Mangalore with Abhi. That never happened after our Himalayan Odyssey 2007. We were too busy in our own worlds. Nevertheless I went on and made a rough plan sometime at the start of this year. When I was sure that I won't be going to Kanyakumari directly from here, I thought about traveling the other way round. Facing the monsoon instead of chasing it; by going to Mangalore and then start from there, touch Kanyakumari and then back to Bangalore. And for all this my travel companion is to be Red. Red never had a long ride after her revamp and was yearning like me too.
By the start of June this year, as I read the anthologies -"Mazhakkalam" and "Mazhapusthakkam"- about rains, I had gone mad about it and decided that I have to do this trip as soon as possible. I decided for the August 15th weekend as I need to take only 4 days of leave and club the two weekends to make it a 9 day affair with the roads and rains. I did some changes in the plan to strike the right balance between an exhaustive ride and a leisured one. Thus I decided to touch Mangalore from Bangalore on day one, then to my home in Vadakara, then to Ernakulam, and then finally Kanyakumari at the end of fourth day. I was a bit confused about the return part, as I was not sure whether to come back through Kerala to Bangalore or go touch Rameshwaram, then back to Bangalore through Madurai. The second option would be too exhaustive and long and would need more leaves.Riding back through Kerala was the only option. But again I was confused. Should I take the dangerous and risky Kambam-Theni-Madurai route or the boring, but untried Walayar-Salem route or the tried and tested Wayanad-Mysore route? Kambam-Theni would really risky and being alone I didn't want to try that. Walayar Pass would be really boring with straight highways, mad TN private buses and dry atmosphere. Wayanad-Mysore was aready done twice or thrice by me. Then a friend of mine told me about the Nilambur Naadukani Choram Pass which will take me to Gudalur and then to Gundlupet and Bangalore. In one split second I decided that is the route I will be taking. I enquired about the road conditions with him, and heard its just okay.
So here is the plan:
I wanted Abhi to be part of the trip since we really know each other well the way we ride. I informed a few of my other riding friends about the plan, but they all had pre-planned trips on their long weekend. Abhi was not really sure about the complete trip, but promised me to join atleast from Vadakara or Eranakulam. So I went ahead planning the entire journey.
If I need to have a hassle free ride, I have to start with RED. So I first made her ready by changing the oil, changing the clutch cable, acquiring the spares and tools and the last part of cleaning her up and getting a Pooja done is to be completed. I went and patched up my Cramster saddle bags, bought a tarpoline kind of material to protect my camera bag, collected a lot of polythene covers to put my dresses, got a new torch instead of the old one which was rusted along with the batteries, renewed my bike insurance which was about to expire on the day I was suppose to leave and collected my first-aid and essential medicines. By this last Sunday I was ready with almost all the stuff. All I have to do was wait for 9th of August; the coming Saturday, finish off my pending office work, complete my MS Mid Sem report, and probably write this post.
I really wanted this trip to be done. I do not really know for what, may be for my own satisfaction, may be to explore more places, or may be to capture Kerala and Rains in my Camera or may be just to escape. Just to escape from the temporary phase of life, which is professionaly good and personally pathetic. Whatever it is I just wanted to ride.
I know the road ahead will not be easy. Atleast I have made it some what easy by travelling maximum through the National Highways and State Highways. But it is not that simple as riding it out at 80Kmph. I will have to face Ghats like Shiradi and Nadukani, the infamous private buses of Kerala from Kasargod to Trivandrum, bad roads, and then my eternal love - The Monsoon Rain - will be dancing all around me I all her mighty. Family approval was another thing, but after my odyssey they have kind of lost the hope in me. I had a bad ankle pain a few days back, which kept recurring after my freaky accident on the bike last year, and when I told my Dad about the trip he quipped; "I guess now you would not be having any pain, right?" I said No, with a sad smile on my face.
But when I look at the positive side, I will be visiting a lot of places for the first time. I can capture Bekal Fort on a Monsoon morning, I may ride through Muzhappilangad Drive In Beach, I can be at my beloved alma-mater on my Bike, I can enjoy Kuttanad as well as the curves of Kottayam section of MC Road, I can watch sunset and sunrise at Kanyakumari with RED, I can visit Thunjan Parambu and Thirunavaya on my way back, I can drop into the Woods of Nilambur if time permits and finally I can ride in a Kerala Monsoon. Rains!! I love them.
So come this Saturday, I am gonna ride. I am gonna explore. I gonna leave Bangalore with RED to ride through Kerala; my beloved God's Own Country. I may be alone out there; but I am sure I will enjoy it to the core.
I hope Abhi is down there waiting for me.
I hope I can complete it without any issues.
I hope the Monsoon is as mighty as it has been in my reads and dreams.
I hope.
Sometime back, I had made this idea of traveling the entire stretch of Kerala from Kanyakumari to Mangalore with Abhi. That never happened after our Himalayan Odyssey 2007. We were too busy in our own worlds. Nevertheless I went on and made a rough plan sometime at the start of this year. When I was sure that I won't be going to Kanyakumari directly from here, I thought about traveling the other way round. Facing the monsoon instead of chasing it; by going to Mangalore and then start from there, touch Kanyakumari and then back to Bangalore. And for all this my travel companion is to be Red. Red never had a long ride after her revamp and was yearning like me too.
By the start of June this year, as I read the anthologies -"Mazhakkalam" and "Mazhapusthakkam"- about rains, I had gone mad about it and decided that I have to do this trip as soon as possible. I decided for the August 15th weekend as I need to take only 4 days of leave and club the two weekends to make it a 9 day affair with the roads and rains. I did some changes in the plan to strike the right balance between an exhaustive ride and a leisured one. Thus I decided to touch Mangalore from Bangalore on day one, then to my home in Vadakara, then to Ernakulam, and then finally Kanyakumari at the end of fourth day. I was a bit confused about the return part, as I was not sure whether to come back through Kerala to Bangalore or go touch Rameshwaram, then back to Bangalore through Madurai. The second option would be too exhaustive and long and would need more leaves.Riding back through Kerala was the only option. But again I was confused. Should I take the dangerous and risky Kambam-Theni-Madurai route or the boring, but untried Walayar-Salem route or the tried and tested Wayanad-Mysore route? Kambam-Theni would really risky and being alone I didn't want to try that. Walayar Pass would be really boring with straight highways, mad TN private buses and dry atmosphere. Wayanad-Mysore was aready done twice or thrice by me. Then a friend of mine told me about the Nilambur Naadukani Choram Pass which will take me to Gudalur and then to Gundlupet and Bangalore. In one split second I decided that is the route I will be taking. I enquired about the road conditions with him, and heard its just okay.
So here is the plan:
I wanted Abhi to be part of the trip since we really know each other well the way we ride. I informed a few of my other riding friends about the plan, but they all had pre-planned trips on their long weekend. Abhi was not really sure about the complete trip, but promised me to join atleast from Vadakara or Eranakulam. So I went ahead planning the entire journey.
If I need to have a hassle free ride, I have to start with RED. So I first made her ready by changing the oil, changing the clutch cable, acquiring the spares and tools and the last part of cleaning her up and getting a Pooja done is to be completed. I went and patched up my Cramster saddle bags, bought a tarpoline kind of material to protect my camera bag, collected a lot of polythene covers to put my dresses, got a new torch instead of the old one which was rusted along with the batteries, renewed my bike insurance which was about to expire on the day I was suppose to leave and collected my first-aid and essential medicines. By this last Sunday I was ready with almost all the stuff. All I have to do was wait for 9th of August; the coming Saturday, finish off my pending office work, complete my MS Mid Sem report, and probably write this post.
I really wanted this trip to be done. I do not really know for what, may be for my own satisfaction, may be to explore more places, or may be to capture Kerala and Rains in my Camera or may be just to escape. Just to escape from the temporary phase of life, which is professionaly good and personally pathetic. Whatever it is I just wanted to ride.
I know the road ahead will not be easy. Atleast I have made it some what easy by travelling maximum through the National Highways and State Highways. But it is not that simple as riding it out at 80Kmph. I will have to face Ghats like Shiradi and Nadukani, the infamous private buses of Kerala from Kasargod to Trivandrum, bad roads, and then my eternal love - The Monsoon Rain - will be dancing all around me I all her mighty. Family approval was another thing, but after my odyssey they have kind of lost the hope in me. I had a bad ankle pain a few days back, which kept recurring after my freaky accident on the bike last year, and when I told my Dad about the trip he quipped; "I guess now you would not be having any pain, right?" I said No, with a sad smile on my face.
But when I look at the positive side, I will be visiting a lot of places for the first time. I can capture Bekal Fort on a Monsoon morning, I may ride through Muzhappilangad Drive In Beach, I can be at my beloved alma-mater on my Bike, I can enjoy Kuttanad as well as the curves of Kottayam section of MC Road, I can watch sunset and sunrise at Kanyakumari with RED, I can visit Thunjan Parambu and Thirunavaya on my way back, I can drop into the Woods of Nilambur if time permits and finally I can ride in a Kerala Monsoon. Rains!! I love them.
So come this Saturday, I am gonna ride. I am gonna explore. I gonna leave Bangalore with RED to ride through Kerala; my beloved God's Own Country. I may be alone out there; but I am sure I will enjoy it to the core.
I hope Abhi is down there waiting for me.
I hope I can complete it without any issues.
I hope the Monsoon is as mighty as it has been in my reads and dreams.
I hope.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
himalayan odyssey 2008
I am late, I know. But I am not that late, since the people who have left home to listen their heart will start the most courageous and dangerous ascend of their life tomorrow.
From Tomorrow morning 'the trip is over'. As Sachin Chavan would say, it is very true too. I, with Abhi , had promised a lot of goodies for the aspiring Himalayan Odyssey venturers. But nothing materialised. The year after HO 2007 had been a tough one on me. Professionally I was busy with work and new learnings, while personal losses have kept me thinking -what kind of person I am. I rode only once to home and backthe whole last year and with Abhi too busy I never had any chance. Plus RED has undegone slight modifications with new K & N air fliter, wider tyres, better pickup and well tuned engine and headlamps. She is rocking now.
But I didn't want to miss my best wishes here to all those who are going to ride Himalyan Odyssey this time. All the best guys, keep your eyes and ears open and enjoy every second of your stay over there. Ride past Barlacha La with verve and be gentle on Gata Loops. With high adrenaline conquer the Khardung La but respect the nature. And riding after Whiskey is Risky to your Life.
From Tomorrow morning 'the trip is over'. As Sachin Chavan would say, it is very true too. I, with Abhi , had promised a lot of goodies for the aspiring Himalayan Odyssey venturers. But nothing materialised. The year after HO 2007 had been a tough one on me. Professionally I was busy with work and new learnings, while personal losses have kept me thinking -what kind of person I am. I rode only once to home and backthe whole last year and with Abhi too busy I never had any chance. Plus RED has undegone slight modifications with new K & N air fliter, wider tyres, better pickup and well tuned engine and headlamps. She is rocking now.
But I didn't want to miss my best wishes here to all those who are going to ride Himalyan Odyssey this time. All the best guys, keep your eyes and ears open and enjoy every second of your stay over there. Ride past Barlacha La with verve and be gentle on Gata Loops. With high adrenaline conquer the Khardung La but respect the nature. And riding after Whiskey is Risky to your Life.
May the force be with you.
Monday, June 16, 2008
let me be free !!!
A Shot from a slum settlement next to my apartments.
Dedicating this to all the children in this beautiful, but harsh world.
June 12th was World Anti Child Labour Day.
Couldn't post this on that day, but still its better to be late than never.
Say NO to Child Labour.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
എന്റെ ഹൃദയത്തിന്റെ ഉടമ..
പറയാത്ത മൊഴികള്തന്നാഴത്തില് മുങ്ങിപ്പോയി,
പറയുവാനാശിച്ചെതെല്ലാം..
നിന്നോട് പറയുവാനാശിച്ചെതെല്ലാം......
Monday, April 21, 2008
a kaalakoodam news report...
College days are the best cherished days of our life, which unfortunately doesn’t come back. We always talk about it; from the day you stepped into the college to the day you bid adieu, every detail, we talk about it. Everyone holds their alma mater close to their heart, be it of any type- arts, science or professional. And to top it all we do have incidents that are adventurous, funny, tragic, and emotional. We do have experience of the fights, of the festivals, of the sports meets, of the elections; of Onam and Holi, of Hostels and College Bus; and what not. It is there we evolved as a human being!!
Whenever I go back and think of my college days I too have many instances and incidents to remember. Of all them I think the birth of Kaalakoodam Dinapatram would be one of the best. It all started on a harmless and boring Digital Electronics class during the Fourth Semester in the amphitheater, where the hall was big and the teacher could hardly notice what students are doing and it was my dear friend Baburaj who came up with the idea. The idea was of starting a handwritten news paper, which will effectively be used to pull the legs of our classmates. We came up with made up stories and wrote it neat and legibly on a piece of paper in the format that newspapers follow. We had a proper heading, a symbol and the column wise organisation of the news. The stories we put up were targeting the class, the teachers and the college and was written in Malayalam. We followed the language format used most commonly by the Malayalam newspapers otherwise known as "Pathra Bhasha". After the first two editions Praseed got interested in it and he too joined the "editiorial board" to make it a 3 member team.
While Baburaj was instrumental in making up the story ideas, Praseed and I chipped in with the formatting and also the language. I did most of the writing on the paper, since other editors thought I had a better handwriting than them ;). Once completed, it was released to the class at the end of the hour or during lunch interval. Kaalakoodam became an instant hit. We never said who brought in the stories and it was always a Kaalakoodam Lekhakhan who wrote the news report.
After a few editions we started inviting entries for cartoons and jokes from other guys in the class. TP used to contribute with the drawings and cartoons. Bijoy, Rahmath, Jimson, Rajesh used to chip in with the jokes (otherwise called “cheelukal” in Engineering college terms). We soon realized that our bodies will not be in shape if we do not stop pulling other guys/gals leg. But Kaalakoodam was a paper which was bold enough to pull anyone’s legs and it never stopped making out stories or twisting out the stories and we never used to budge to the external threat we received from our own classmates. Instead what we did was to criticize ourselves and pull our own legs along with the others. Now everyone was happy.
Kaalakoodam used to appear whenever we had some stories and didn’t have any frequency. It can come the every other day or after a few weeks. Girls awaited for the issue with much of anxiety while guys wanted to kick us after the edition was released. Nobody could read where the next story came from since we could twist any story into anything. Soon the one pager became a two pager and once released the pages will be split and at different corners of the class.
Finally it was time to leave the college and so died Kaalakoodam Dinapatram only to be reborn as Kaalakoodam Online Edition. I started writing out this as a Word document using the Varamozhi Software during my free time in NITC and uploaded it to the Yahoo Groups Site of our class. There were a few issues with the Malayalam font and Anil helped me in creating a PDF for it, after I received numerous complaints about the problems in the font.
By that time people have been started working in different corners of the world and the news was mostly based on their transfers, on-sites and marriages. There weren’t any spice in it. It was left in the four walls of GEC. I never enjoyed creating the online edition as I used to do it in college. First of all there was no tension of doing it in the college hours while the lecturer would be trying to teach us something. And then most importantly I really missed Babu and Praseed's contribution in churning out the stories and presenting them in a better way. We were at different places having our own problems.
After a couple of issues of the online edition I had to move out of NITC and life became busier and so Kaalakoodam Online was laid to rest. This Vishu when I went home, I opened up my old file and became nostalgic when I saw the old Kaalakoodam Dinapatram (I sill have most of them with me). Then I realized it is time to start it up once again in a bigger and better way. With blogs being the order of the day and with so many classmates blogging I don’t think it will be difficult to start it again. Probably I need to organize the stuff a bit. Hope to open up a Kaalakoodam Blog Soon :)
P.S: The uploaded image is of the PDF Edition I released in November 2004.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
happy vishu
കാലമിനിയും വരും,
വിഷു വരും വര്ഷം വരും
പിന്നെ ഓരോ ഇതളിനും പൂ വരും കായ് വരും
അപ്പോള് ആരെന്നും എന്തെന്നും ആര്ക്കറിയാം
ഹാ! സഫലമീയാത്ര
വിഷു വരും വര്ഷം വരും
പിന്നെ ഓരോ ഇതളിനും പൂ വരും കായ് വരും
അപ്പോള് ആരെന്നും എന്തെന്നും ആര്ക്കറിയാം
ഹാ! സഫലമീയാത്ര
സഫലമീയാത്ര - എന് എന് കക്കാട്
How true are these words? Days will come, and so will Vishu and Monsoon. Each petal will blossom into flowers and fruits. Then who knows who and what will we be. Haa!! The Fruitful Journey.Verses from the Poem Saphalameeyaathra by N.N Kakkad
Wishing you all a Happy And Prosperous Vishu.
P.S: Photo captured from my to Tanjavur from Arimalam; my colleague Thanneer's place in Trichy District of Tamilnadu
P.P.S: Interested Malayalam movie buffs have a look at what Jiby has seen and analysed.
P.P.P.S: Poetry Courtesy - Dew Drops. As I searched for lines for Vishu, I found out about Saphalameeyathra and her world of books.
Friday, April 04, 2008
musings from an elevator journey...
I am on a semi WBL these days and I leave late round at 10 PM. Considering the fact that I never used to stay after 8 PM in office this is very late for me :).
Today considering the long weekend ahead, I left a bit early at 9PM and walked towards the lobby. The director of another group in my company joined me in a bit and then a person who is doing carpentery at our office joined us. I had already pressed the Down Arrow Button for the lift and we all were waiting for either of the two lifts to come from the 7th and 9th floors, as they were shown on their downward journey. Our office is in 5th floor and none of the lifts resting at the ground floor were bothered to serve us. So tired you know!!
These lifts use some strange logic to move around across all the 9 floors. We are depended on the two lifts coming from floors above us to take us down rather than any of the four lifts staying idly at ground floors. Suddenly the carpenter presses the Up Arrow Button for the lifts and then the two idle lifts at ground floor rush to the 5th and open right in front of us in a space of few seconds. As the person who pressed the button and the director entered the lift, I stayed there cribbing - "Its going Up, Its going Up". But that person called me with his hands to come in fast and I reluctantly joined them thinking that the lift will go up. And then it took us down.
Never in my life I have pressed a lift button in the wrong direction. I have seen people getting in the wrong directions only to make the lift more crowded. And I hate it, when some one in 1st floor who wants to go to 5th floor, takes the downward lift, go to the basement and then come back up only to frustrate people who have pressed the correct button and waiting to go up from the basement.
I do not know whether that person's move was good or bad, but it took us down rather than waiting there for the lifts. And that was smart. It was just pure common sense to think that the lifts coming from upper floors are to take more time than the ones coming from the ground floor. And I just didn't think about that. Rather I waited in the methodical way by pressing the Downward Arrow Button.
Oh God! Life is such a great Teacher.
Tail-Piece: My Mom always tells me: "Nee Oru Enjineeear Aayittentha Kaaryam Common Sense Ennu Paranja Saadhanam Ninakkundo" , when I messes up any trivial job, she asks me to do. Very True!!
Today considering the long weekend ahead, I left a bit early at 9PM and walked towards the lobby. The director of another group in my company joined me in a bit and then a person who is doing carpentery at our office joined us. I had already pressed the Down Arrow Button for the lift and we all were waiting for either of the two lifts to come from the 7th and 9th floors, as they were shown on their downward journey. Our office is in 5th floor and none of the lifts resting at the ground floor were bothered to serve us. So tired you know!!
These lifts use some strange logic to move around across all the 9 floors. We are depended on the two lifts coming from floors above us to take us down rather than any of the four lifts staying idly at ground floors. Suddenly the carpenter presses the Up Arrow Button for the lifts and then the two idle lifts at ground floor rush to the 5th and open right in front of us in a space of few seconds. As the person who pressed the button and the director entered the lift, I stayed there cribbing - "Its going Up, Its going Up". But that person called me with his hands to come in fast and I reluctantly joined them thinking that the lift will go up. And then it took us down.
Never in my life I have pressed a lift button in the wrong direction. I have seen people getting in the wrong directions only to make the lift more crowded. And I hate it, when some one in 1st floor who wants to go to 5th floor, takes the downward lift, go to the basement and then come back up only to frustrate people who have pressed the correct button and waiting to go up from the basement.
I do not know whether that person's move was good or bad, but it took us down rather than waiting there for the lifts. And that was smart. It was just pure common sense to think that the lifts coming from upper floors are to take more time than the ones coming from the ground floor. And I just didn't think about that. Rather I waited in the methodical way by pressing the Downward Arrow Button.
Oh God! Life is such a great Teacher.
Tail-Piece: My Mom always tells me: "Nee Oru Enjineeear Aayittentha Kaaryam Common Sense Ennu Paranja Saadhanam Ninakkundo" , when I messes up any trivial job, she asks me to do. Very True!!
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
my own self..
I picked up this tag from Mathew. Writing this was exciting as I dug deep into myself and came up with these facts :). So here I go.
1. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER:
1. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER:
Everyone’s favourite – Taare Zameen Par
2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
“One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Simply Awesome. Grab a copy today if you love reading magical realism.
3. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Loved playing Ludo. Now nothing much. Cards of flavors Rummy, Paral (Theen Paththi) are the present favorites, if they count to be a board game.
4. FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Sportstar, Mathrubhumi (Even though now a days the standard of Mathrubhumi is coming down), All the Onapathippu's of main Malayalam magazines, Bhashaposhini.
5. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Smell of earth after a rainy day
Smell of Fish Fry especially if the fish is Ayala or Maththi
Smell of good Malabar Chicken Biriyani.
6. FAVORITE SOUND? Of MUSIC?
Sound – Of my Bird after she is revamped by Gopettan. Tuff, tuff, tuff… , of torrential rains..
Sound of Music – mmm let me think. A. R. Rahman’s usage of flute in Tanha Tanha in rangeela, and also in lot of other songs.
7. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
When I am alone, I think about the various incidents my life which I could have averted if I could have behaved in a much better way, and at that point.
8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE
Where is My Specs?
10. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?
I do not know about future child’s name, but I do like the name Appu a lot. I guess that’s the most used name for kids in Kerala. M.T's protagonist in Naalukettu is called Appunni. May be I am influenced by that
11. FINISH THIS STATEMENT. "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I'D...?
12. DO YOU DRIVE FAST?
Yes I do. But that doesn’t mean I drive rash. I do drive fast when I have the mileage to drive fast. Like on way back home to Vadakara, I touch 90-95-100kmph on
13. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
14. STORMS-COOL OR SCARY?
Love Storms. Perfect would be watching them approaching you from a paddy field
15. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
First Car is yet to come. First Bike I owned is Bajaj Pulsar. And First Car I drove would be Hindustan Motors’ Ambassador Mark IV.
16. FAVORITE DRINK?
Tea Any Time. Soda Sherbeth, Sharjah Shake and Panchasaara Vellam.(This you will find only in Vadakara where you call it Panchara Vellam. You add sugar onto water then add a few small onion pieces and take it. Awesome it is)
King Fisher Strong is Welcome anytime.
17. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, "IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD .....
.. have finished reading all the books present in my bookshelf before I buy anything more.
18. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Sorry – Hard Core Non Vegetarian. I am allergic to Ghass Poos.
19. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
How about Pista Green?.
20. NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS YOU HAVE LIVED IN.
21. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Cricket any time. Football on World Cup and Tennis on Grandslams.
22. ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU.
I took it up from Mathew. I know he is quite a jovial guy, but when I look at his profile pic and see that big mush I get scared :).
23. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
I am a Tharra fellow :). My bed is on the floor, on it sides I keep the book I am reading currently, my mobile and my spectacles. Under the bed, there would be the tons and tons of dust if our maid servant hasn’t cleaned that day. (That means I was still sleeping while she was cleaning the floor around my bed).
24. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN?
No. I don’t. There are a lot of bad things in me which many of the people around me don’t like.
25. MORNING PERSON, OR NIGHT OWL?
Both. I can sit late and watch any movie and read any book, and I can wake up early to go anywhere in the morning.
26. OVER EASY, OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
What does this mean? From a few blogs I came to know its about Eggs. Bulls-eye !! I like it Over Easy then.
Home Sweet Home.
Ride On Bike, if that can be considered as a place.
28. FAVORITE PIE?
I don’t like Pie.
29. FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Vanilla with Hot Chocolate.
30. OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU TAGGED THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
I don’t know. (Well Seema has just done it)
And this tag goes to..
This tag is already quite popular, but however I feel these people will try to do it.
Abhi - Whenever he is free from his WBL.
Seema - Whenever she takes a break from her awesome poetry.
Joju - Whenever he is done with his Malayalam Dictionary.
TP - Whenever he breaks his Infinite Loop.
Tanuja - Whenever she gets time.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
frustrations galore
I was frustrated over the weekend for a lot of things, a lot of serious things. And then I had this piece of thread in my mind churning up, giving me the nauseating feel. I vomitted it in bits to a small piece of paper and then finally on to the blogger while watching Kimi winning the Malaysian GrandPrix. Then I reworked on it a bit, and thought for a title for 2 days and finally is it. Deepasthambham MahaSchyaryam. This time it is in Malayalam. Still I am not completely satisfied with the Title. But thats the Best I could think.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
happy weekend folks..
Wishing You all a Colourful Holi, Easter and Id.
Be safe and take care whereever you are. Have a blasting long weekend.
Picture shot from the Kanadukatha Big House, in Chettinad, near to Arimalam in Trichy district of Tamilnadu
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Eee Yem..
Today is March 19th.
10 years ago on a sultry evening I saw a very depressed Surkhi leaning against the railings in the corridor of Alpha Hostel. He was my senior,a really nice guy, a true comrade who believed in the essence of communism rather than in beating his own classmates.
I asked him -"Surkhi, Enthu patti.."
He said - "Nammude Sakhavu Poyada..."
Thinking about some of his local comrades I asked - "Aaru?"
"EMS."
While he said that his voice almost broke. That was the first time I realized EMS was something an integral part of Keralites. Till then to me he was the first Chief Minister of Kerala.
Later that evening I saw masses belonging to all classes, from all parts of Kerala arriving at the hall where he was laid down for the public to pay the last respects. Some of them were crying. There were ladies who broke into a loud cry, as if some one dear in the family has died. At that time I never knew his importance to the people in Kerala.
That night Surkhi's sad face gave me a sleepless night. I was thinking about EMS and blaming myself for not knowing him much well as Surkhi knew.
As I grew up, I started reading about him and about his works. I never left any single article, both for and against him. And today is his 10th death anniversary. Its 10 years of Kerala without EMS and today as the Communist Party in Kerala is fighting their own demons, I wonder how EMS would have fit into it.
Neither of the Malayalam Dailies online editions, which boasts about big circulations, have a home page article for him. I haven't seen the newspapers though. Deshabhimani has given an editorial where Pinarayi Vijayan says that EMS' memories will give them strength to fight. I hope it is not for another violent killing in Kannur or anywhere in India.
Slowly EMS is getting forgotten, and I hope we do not come to a situation; where a day will come when he would be just another comrade for the left parties
Long live Comrade EMS.
Photo Courtesy : Malayala Manorama
10 years ago on a sultry evening I saw a very depressed Surkhi leaning against the railings in the corridor of Alpha Hostel. He was my senior,a really nice guy, a true comrade who believed in the essence of communism rather than in beating his own classmates.
I asked him -"Surkhi, Enthu patti.."
He said - "Nammude Sakhavu Poyada..."
Thinking about some of his local comrades I asked - "Aaru?"
"EMS."
Later that evening I saw masses belonging to all classes, from all parts of Kerala arriving at the hall where he was laid down for the public to pay the last respects. Some of them were crying. There were ladies who broke into a loud cry, as if some one dear in the family has died. At that time I never knew his importance to the people in Kerala.
That night Surkhi's sad face gave me a sleepless night. I was thinking about EMS and blaming myself for not knowing him much well as Surkhi knew.
As I grew up, I started reading about him and about his works. I never left any single article, both for and against him. And today is his 10th death anniversary. Its 10 years of Kerala without EMS and today as the Communist Party in Kerala is fighting their own demons, I wonder how EMS would have fit into it.
Neither of the Malayalam Dailies online editions, which boasts about big circulations, have a home page article for him. I haven't seen the newspapers though. Deshabhimani has given an editorial where Pinarayi Vijayan says that EMS' memories will give them strength to fight. I hope it is not for another violent killing in Kannur or anywhere in India.
Slowly EMS is getting forgotten, and I hope we do not come to a situation; where a day will come when he would be just another comrade for the left parties
Long live Comrade EMS.
Photo Courtesy : Malayala Manorama
Sunday, March 16, 2008
ഇന്നലെ പെയ്ത മഴയില്
വീണ്ടുമൊരു പുതുമഴ കൂടി നനഞ്ഞു ഞാന് ഇന്നലെ. തിമിര്ത്തു പെയ്ത മീനമാസ രാത്രിമഴയില് ഞാന് മതിവരുവോളം ബൈക്കോടിച്ചു. 
ഇന്നിപ്പോള് മൊബൈലിന്റെ ഡിസ്പ്ലെ വെളിച്ചം തെളിയുന്നില്ല... തൊണ്ടയ്ക്കു ചെറിയ കിച്ച് കിച്ച്.
Visit Mashithantu to write in Malayalam.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
haa.. there comes another sslc..
13 years ago on a Wednesday in March, I too started the long walk to the exam hall. Yes, it was the first exam of the much renowned SSLC.
An exam which makes parents and students tense alike. An exam that makes a student start up his tuitions as early as 9th standard Mid Summer Vacations. Portions, revisions, Model Exams and what not. There is a much of euphoria associated with a student once his/her 9th results are up and he/she has passed successfully to the 10th standard.
"Start Tuitions" .. The parents roar
"Early classes to finish portions" .. Teachers would organize
"Aren't you not going for tuitions? Isn't SSLC this year?".. Relatives would ask
The first day of the exams is the toughest, then all come and go as fast as it can. The day when you revised the Vritham and Alankaram of Abhinjaana Shankunthalam will easily pave way to the day you revise trigonometry and algebra. Fast and furious, 12 subjects in 6 days*, from one Wednesday to the next.
At the end of it is relief and anxiety. Relief that the exams are over and anxiety for the marks that are to be announced at the fag end of May.Then you get into a college, do another big struggle against entrance exams and join another institution. Finally at the end of the day you realize that hype surrounding the SSLC just fetches you an admission to the Plus One or the erstwhile Pre-Degree Course aka PDC.
The best thing that the government did was the abolishment of ranking system and the introduction of grading system. Instead of the pressure for ranks, now it would the pressure for all A+'s.
Today around 4.5 lakh students are just about to start their first small step into the big world. I hope they have memorized their poems, I hope they can decipher the correct Vrithams for the poems given and explain about it in detail, I hope they can elaborate on the topic given for essay, I hope they can explain "Chantrakkaran's"** physical structure, I hope they can explain the French and Russian revolutions and Boston Tea Party with much ease, and I hope they come out successful.
I wish them the very best.
* If I remember correctly we were the last batch to attend SSLC exams in such a way. Two papers in a day, to complete 12 subjects in 6 days. It started on a Wednesday and ended the next Wednesday Today they write only one exam a day, I think.
** Chantrakkaran - A character from the novel Dharmaraja, by C.V Raman Pillai, which was taught us in Malayalam II paper. The most prominent question those days was - "Chantrakkarante Roopam Varnikkuka". I do not know what they study these days for Malayalam II.
An exam which makes parents and students tense alike. An exam that makes a student start up his tuitions as early as 9th standard Mid Summer Vacations. Portions, revisions, Model Exams and what not. There is a much of euphoria associated with a student once his/her 9th results are up and he/she has passed successfully to the 10th standard.
"Start Tuitions" .. The parents roar
"Early classes to finish portions" .. Teachers would organize
"Aren't you not going for tuitions? Isn't SSLC this year?".. Relatives would ask
The first day of the exams is the toughest, then all come and go as fast as it can. The day when you revised the Vritham and Alankaram of Abhinjaana Shankunthalam will easily pave way to the day you revise trigonometry and algebra. Fast and furious, 12 subjects in 6 days*, from one Wednesday to the next.
At the end of it is relief and anxiety. Relief that the exams are over and anxiety for the marks that are to be announced at the fag end of May.Then you get into a college, do another big struggle against entrance exams and join another institution. Finally at the end of the day you realize that hype surrounding the SSLC just fetches you an admission to the Plus One or the erstwhile Pre-Degree Course aka PDC.
The best thing that the government did was the abolishment of ranking system and the introduction of grading system. Instead of the pressure for ranks, now it would the pressure for all A+'s.
Today around 4.5 lakh students are just about to start their first small step into the big world. I hope they have memorized their poems, I hope they can decipher the correct Vrithams for the poems given and explain about it in detail, I hope they can elaborate on the topic given for essay, I hope they can explain "Chantrakkaran's"** physical structure, I hope they can explain the French and Russian revolutions and Boston Tea Party with much ease, and I hope they come out successful.
I wish them the very best.
* If I remember correctly we were the last batch to attend SSLC exams in such a way. Two papers in a day, to complete 12 subjects in 6 days. It started on a Wednesday and ended the next Wednesday Today they write only one exam a day, I think.
** Chantrakkaran - A character from the novel Dharmaraja, by C.V Raman Pillai, which was taught us in Malayalam II paper. The most prominent question those days was - "Chantrakkarante Roopam Varnikkuka". I do not know what they study these days for Malayalam II.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
some strange vacation requests
One Friday an young "intellectual" who is working as a project intern in an organization, walks into his team leader's (TL) cubicle. The team leader is busy with his implementation and customization stuff of the world renowned product.
"Saar..", the intern calls..
"Mmmm..", TL is busy fixing his code base, with his brain and mind deep inside the matrix of code. He is "The One"; some believe and constantly asks himself - "What is the Matrix?".
"Saaaaaar..", the intern lets out a deep moan.
"Yessss.. Tell me", TL still deep down in lappie.
"I need leave Sir this coming Monday.. mmm.. I have a function at...", the intern requests with moist eyes
"Ok. No problem.", TL granted leave without looking at the intern. (See the TL is intelligent enough to identify the person from the voice)
The Intern doesn't leave the arena.. still standing behind our TL..
"Saaaaaar...", then intern calls his TL again.
"Mmmm.. Bolll...", TL almost yells, but his concentration deep in garbage collecting (the unreferenced objects in his code).
"Saaaaar I need one more leave on next Friday... I have another function at...", the intern requests with more moist eyes
"Ok. No problem.", TL granted leave without looking at the intern. (See the TL is too intelligent to grant a second leave in the same week to his team member. He knows his work status and work load by-heart with out even checking the MS Project Plan)
The Intern doesn't leave the arena.. still standing behind our TL..
"Saar.."
"Mmmm.. Ab Kya Hai??" TL still in the same state. This time his brain is fighting with "Agents" in the code.
"Saar.. I want to go home on next Friday..", the intern repeats the request with eyes almost opening the floodgates to erupt.
"I granted you naa.. you come back from function on Tuesday and go home on Thursday.." said the TL with his brain still inside the lappie
After a dignified silence the intern cries out;
"Saaar.. It won't be easy for me to come back on Tuesday and go back again on Thursday.. the function is happening at my home only Saar.. it will be very tiring to travel saar.. so faaarrr from here saaaar... so I will come back only the next to next Monday after leaving for home today..!!!."
A sudden loud noise went out - "cling.. clang.. clong.. tishkyu.. tishkyu.. dishum.. dishum.."
Tail piece: BBC radio later in the day reported that the TL's *JVM crashed and all the objects are now wandering in the virtual world of classes, objects and threads as zombies. The sound due to the crash was so unbearable that it was measured to be more than that of a 'un-crashed' MIG sortie. The employees of the entire organization where this JVM crash happened were admitted to the Manipal Hospital for further checkup on their Cochlear nerve, Eustachian Tube and Ear Drum.
*JVM - Java Virtual Machine
"Saar..", the intern calls..
"Mmmm..", TL is busy fixing his code base, with his brain and mind deep inside the matrix of code. He is "The One"; some believe and constantly asks himself - "What is the Matrix?".
"Saaaaaar..", the intern lets out a deep moan.
"Yessss.. Tell me", TL still deep down in lappie.
"I need leave Sir this coming Monday.. mmm.. I have a function at...", the intern requests with moist eyes
"Ok. No problem.", TL granted leave without looking at the intern. (See the TL is intelligent enough to identify the person from the voice)
The Intern doesn't leave the arena.. still standing behind our TL..
"Saaaaaar...", then intern calls his TL again.
"Mmmm.. Bolll...", TL almost yells, but his concentration deep in garbage collecting (the unreferenced objects in his code).
"Saaaaar I need one more leave on next Friday... I have another function at...", the intern requests with more moist eyes
"Ok. No problem.", TL granted leave without looking at the intern. (See the TL is too intelligent to grant a second leave in the same week to his team member. He knows his work status and work load by-heart with out even checking the MS Project Plan)
The Intern doesn't leave the arena.. still standing behind our TL..
"Saar.."
"Mmmm.. Ab Kya Hai??" TL still in the same state. This time his brain is fighting with "Agents" in the code.
"Saar.. I want to go home on next Friday..", the intern repeats the request with eyes almost opening the floodgates to erupt.
"I granted you naa.. you come back from function on Tuesday and go home on Thursday.." said the TL with his brain still inside the lappie
After a dignified silence the intern cries out;
"Saaar.. It won't be easy for me to come back on Tuesday and go back again on Thursday.. the function is happening at my home only Saar.. it will be very tiring to travel saar.. so faaarrr from here saaaar... so I will come back only the next to next Monday after leaving for home today..!!!."
A sudden loud noise went out - "cling.. clang.. clong.. tishkyu.. tishkyu.. dishum.. dishum.."
Tail piece: BBC radio later in the day reported that the TL's *JVM crashed and all the objects are now wandering in the virtual world of classes, objects and threads as zombies. The sound due to the crash was so unbearable that it was measured to be more than that of a 'un-crashed' MIG sortie. The employees of the entire organization where this JVM crash happened were admitted to the Manipal Hospital for further checkup on their Cochlear nerve, Eustachian Tube and Ear Drum.
*JVM - Java Virtual Machine
Monday, February 11, 2008
a story... after a loooooooong time...
Yea. Its really a long time since I wrote something seriously on the story front. 18 months to be exact. Writer's Block some say :).
This piece of thread grown with me ever since the reality shows started on our TV channels. At that time I thought it as a huge platform for youngsters to showcase their talent. Then the juniors started showing up. I was skeptical, having doubts in my mind after seeing kids crying and asking for votes. I asked myself, isn't this too much?. Then one fine day I saw an ad by a leading diapers manufacturer inviting children of the age 0-2 for a competition. This made me so much angry. And the out come was this story.
Even though that happened an year ago, I could put words onto my thoughts only yesterday. I churned on the idea, told the first draft of the version to my dear friend. Only thing she wanted was to change the ending. Later I forgot about it some times; remembering it occasionally in my busy days. And then finally at the start of last week I decided to give a life to it. I started penning it down, and it was not easy to get a head start. Finally I took the bulk of yesterday to finish it, edit it and convert it to a full fledged story. Rajan in the story, is mostly me (of course I am not married :) ) and Deepa too exist. But they are not living as mentioned in the story.
Hope you guys enjoy it and do comment out your voices. Criticisms are much appreciated; both positive and negative.
"Reality" Bites
This piece of thread grown with me ever since the reality shows started on our TV channels. At that time I thought it as a huge platform for youngsters to showcase their talent. Then the juniors started showing up. I was skeptical, having doubts in my mind after seeing kids crying and asking for votes. I asked myself, isn't this too much?. Then one fine day I saw an ad by a leading diapers manufacturer inviting children of the age 0-2 for a competition. This made me so much angry. And the out come was this story.
Even though that happened an year ago, I could put words onto my thoughts only yesterday. I churned on the idea, told the first draft of the version to my dear friend. Only thing she wanted was to change the ending. Later I forgot about it some times; remembering it occasionally in my busy days. And then finally at the start of last week I decided to give a life to it. I started penning it down, and it was not easy to get a head start. Finally I took the bulk of yesterday to finish it, edit it and convert it to a full fledged story. Rajan in the story, is mostly me (of course I am not married :) ) and Deepa too exist. But they are not living as mentioned in the story.
Hope you guys enjoy it and do comment out your voices. Criticisms are much appreciated; both positive and negative.
"Reality" Bites
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Tuesday, January 29, 2008
"enthoru sspppeeeed"
Bharat Gopi passed away.One of the best actors in Malayalam Film Industry is now no more. My first memory of him is his role in "Ente Mamattikutti Ammaykku" and he was always one of my favourite actors, most probably because he always reminded me of my father, with his baldness and name. As Panchayath President Jeemootha Vahanan Pillai in Panchavadi Paalam he excelled. That was his best comic role perhaps. Then one day he burst again on to matinee minds with his character in "Patheyam". I haven't seen many of his movies, but he was always a special one for me and whenever I got a chance, I tuned onto the movies of him that came in the TV Channels. Malayalam Cinema will miss him.
Many Tributes Sir, You will be definitely missed.
Picture Courtesy: Manorama
P.S: The Title of this post is from one of his dialogues in "Kodiyettam"
Monday, January 21, 2008
perth win-what it means to me
I start writing this at the start of last session of the fourth's day's play at Perth Perth Sydney Perth Perth
(Continuing the article on 21st) What happened after those 4 days of excellent cricket is now known to everyone? There are articles written about it on all the magazines and newspapers and on blogs too. To me, as a person who gets up early in the morning to watch the matches happening in
except Sachin Tendulkar playing on
On the fourth day as
There were inspirational bowling changes from Anil Kumble. He was a true leader there, even though the emotion he showed when he got Symonds might not suggest that. He erupted in joy like a child who got his toy back. But to ask Ishant, “Ek Aur Karega” and give the ball to him, and to give bring Sehwag on, noticing that there was turn for finger spinners, just before tea was truly inspirational. The run that Sehwag made into Kumble after castling Gilly just showed that it was Kumble’s idea to bring Viru on. It was just destiny that his 600th wicket has to fall in this epic match. Bravo Anil, Bravo!!
Australians are hurt, and they are sure to come back. But I guess they might have just realized the fact that, the replacements they thought will fit into Langer’s, McGrath’s, Warne’s shoes are not quite yet there. For many in the team, this is the first defeat. Hussey’s and Phil Jacques’s averages are coming down. And even though Ponting may not admit it, it was really the old art of swing bowling that did them in. Brett Lee bowled with heart, so did Stuart Clark. While Johnson disappointed, Shaun Tait, the pace bowling sensation who was to rip apart the Indian side, was a pity site to watch. The fact that he bowled lesser number of overs than the part time spinners underlined the fact that he was not at its best or is he just another hype from the Aussie media?
There was much written about
Still
And to quote Bill Pullman, The President, from the movie Independence Day; Jan 19th 2008 will be the day, when we unanimously declared in one voice-
Wewill not go quietly into the night!
Wewill not vanish without a fight!
We're going to live on!
We're going to survive!
Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!
And some where at a distance from Perth, in a stadium called Melbourne Park under the flashy lights of Rod Laver Arena, another world champion from a different sport was competing to survive against a la David. Roger Federer is his name. The Australians can definitely look at him to understand, what being a World Champion means. Tennis may be an altogether different game from cricket. Sure it is of individual brilliance. But a being a World Champion is almost the same in all sport. That’s what differentiates a Tiger Woods and Roger Federer, from a Vijay Singh and Andy Roddick. That’s what Australians have to learn that being a world champion in cricket is not about playing the cricket in a hard-nosed way. Its about the way you play the game confidently, about the ability to comeback at critical stages(which they have) and more importantly humility. Humbleness enough to appreciate the opposition’s capability to dethrone them. And quoting Anil Kumble, aggressiveness is not about abusing a batsmen’s family when he is on song, but it is about trying to take wickets every ball he bowls.
Australians will come back at us. But Go India, Go and achieve what others say is unachievable. I, Guru, Abhi and Kich will be there to get up early in the mornings and support you.
P.S: I started writing this at teatime on fourth day and as I was writing 8th wicket was down. But when Clark and Johnson started hitting I got worried and I thought I am getting over confident and stopped writing. I enjoyed the game and watched
P.P.S: Picture Courtesy, www.cricinfo.com
Monday, January 14, 2008
telling my dreams...
Between yesterday night 11.30 pm and today morning 5.35 am it was a roller coaster sleep ride for me. Thanks to the spirits and the light dinner, I could hit the bed as soon as I came in. Thank God I was in my senses to remove my shoes and mobile and purse from my pocket, but I didn't change my clothes. And I never bothered even to look at the Vadakkan Aithihyamala that I had started reading yesterday. It was just plain and simple doze off.
Then they came one after another. The dreams. The first one was mild and here it goes.
Rahul, my ex-roommate in Pune calls up Vasanthi on Radio City Breakfast Show and tells that he is calling from Gloucestershire and need to dedicate a song urgently. She then asks him to whom all he wants the song to be dedicated. He says to his parents, wife, sister and Pillu and Dhanno. Then she asks who is this Pillu and Dhanno. He says they are his room mates from Pune.
Thanks Ramlal, that was so sweet of you even though it was in dreams :)
The next one was a slightly violent one and the protagonist in that was Gopettan, my fellow Himalayan Odyssey rider and the one who is shaping my RED up to match Abhi's Kuttappan.
In the dreams, I follow the treads of a motorcycle tyre. I see a vague skeleton of my RED and then some parts of it including the old tyre and the shelled out stuff from the silencer. Tears tickle down from my eyes as I follow the tread and far away I can see her in a completely new getup with Gopettan lying comfortably on her. I climb up the hill and ask him,
"Why are you not giving the bike back to me?"
Then Gopettan replies -"Why didn't reply back to my e-mails? "
Well what e-mail can a person, who is completely away from the Web World, send all of a sudden?
"What e-mail Gopetta?" I ask.
"Those e-mails which I send to you about the Design and Development of the Free flow engine and Development? Why didn't you take time to understand it and get back to me with your doubts? Until you give me a clear answer I won't give the bike back to you."
I walk back perplexed, eager to check my mails and reply to Gopettan, but as I logged in there wasn't any mail from him. My Inbox was empty. There was no mails from no one. Far away from the hill, RED had started speeding down. But this time Gopettan was not riding her. She was rolling herself.
In my next dream she came. That violent beauty who scared us all with psychosis in 1993 and who still have it across languages and states. "Naan Thaan Nagavalli". This time she was standing with Sreedevi near the temple pond steps. That time she was Ganga and was with Alli. Probably she was angry with Nakulan, for not letting her go along with others to take Alli's ornaments, the Nagavalli in her decided to set Sreedevi's Sari in fire. I was there watching these beautiful women from the other side of the pond. And as soon as the fire set ablaze, I screamed. "Ayyoo Thee Thee Thee, Fire Fire Fire". Hearing my screams Ganga then caught hold of Sreedevi's Pallu and removed just the fire from the sari Pallu. I could see fire on her hands which she put down into the pond, and the Sari was intact on Sreedevi's body. It was as if Ngavalli plucked away the fire from Sreedevi's Sari. Seeing this I screamed more loudly and violently. Ganga,Nagavalli, Sreedevi and Alli guffawed at me. The one loud wild laugh that sends spine chilling fear even into the Meppadans, Brahmadattans and Kathanaars. "Ha Ha Ha Ha ha .. hee ha ha ha ha ha ha haa ha ha ha haaaaaaa"
Then I woke up. Drank water, changed my clothes and came back and lied down. I recited "Rama Rama" and "Narayana Narayana". I even tried "Arjunan, Phalgunan, Parthan..", but sleep never came. Around 7 am I prepared Tea, took bath and came to office.
What do I do with these dreams? Guess, 2008 will be a sleepless year for me. All those 3 dreams just had a common thing. I talked about Rahul, I called Gopettan to know status of the work and I saw a movie (Finger Print-waste of a film) which had a story about a murder happening in Royal family and all these happened yesterday. I wish I could interpret these dreams to get a more clarity on my life. This is not the first time dreams scared me to the core. On an another occasion, in my dreams I saw my colleague, Thanneer, getting a new Nokia N90 phone. It was a weekend night and next Monday, he threw away his old Nokia 3310 and got a brand new Nokia Phone, only thing different was it was not N90, but some other model. I wondered that day if I will be the Nostradamus. Could I predict stuff? But then I saw another dream and prayed I don't want to be Nostradamus.That was even more scary.
Where do these dreams lead me to? Can I foresee something for the future? Can I direct my life to move in the right way? I don't know. Nor I do have the answers now.
May be I should start reading Freud !!
P.S Image Courtesy http://www.dreammoods.com/
Then they came one after another. The dreams. The first one was mild and here it goes.
Thanks Ramlal, that was so sweet of you even though it was in dreams :)
The next one was a slightly violent one and the protagonist in that was Gopettan, my fellow Himalayan Odyssey rider and the one who is shaping my RED up to match Abhi's Kuttappan.
In the dreams, I follow the treads of a motorcycle tyre. I see a vague skeleton of my RED and then some parts of it including the old tyre and the shelled out stuff from the silencer. Tears tickle down from my eyes as I follow the tread and far away I can see her in a completely new getup with Gopettan lying comfortably on her. I climb up the hill and ask him,
"Why are you not giving the bike back to me?"
Then Gopettan replies -"Why didn't reply back to my e-mails? "
Well what e-mail can a person, who is completely away from the Web World, send all of a sudden?
"What e-mail Gopetta?" I ask.
"Those e-mails which I send to you about the Design and Development of the Free flow engine and Development? Why didn't you take time to understand it and get back to me with your doubts? Until you give me a clear answer I won't give the bike back to you."
I walk back perplexed, eager to check my mails and reply to Gopettan, but as I logged in there wasn't any mail from him. My Inbox was empty. There was no mails from no one. Far away from the hill, RED had started speeding down. But this time Gopettan was not riding her. She was rolling herself.
In my next dream she came. That violent beauty who scared us all with psychosis in 1993 and who still have it across languages and states. "Naan Thaan Nagavalli". This time she was standing with Sreedevi near the temple pond steps. That time she was Ganga and was with Alli. Probably she was angry with Nakulan, for not letting her go along with others to take Alli's ornaments, the Nagavalli in her decided to set Sreedevi's Sari in fire. I was there watching these beautiful women from the other side of the pond. And as soon as the fire set ablaze, I screamed. "Ayyoo Thee Thee Thee, Fire Fire Fire". Hearing my screams Ganga then caught hold of Sreedevi's Pallu and removed just the fire from the sari Pallu. I could see fire on her hands which she put down into the pond, and the Sari was intact on Sreedevi's body. It was as if Ngavalli plucked away the fire from Sreedevi's Sari. Seeing this I screamed more loudly and violently. Ganga,Nagavalli, Sreedevi and Alli guffawed at me. The one loud wild laugh that sends spine chilling fear even into the Meppadans, Brahmadattans and Kathanaars. "Ha Ha Ha Ha ha .. hee ha ha ha ha ha ha haa ha ha ha haaaaaaa"
Then I woke up. Drank water, changed my clothes and came back and lied down. I recited "Rama Rama" and "Narayana Narayana". I even tried "Arjunan, Phalgunan, Parthan..", but sleep never came. Around 7 am I prepared Tea, took bath and came to office.
What do I do with these dreams? Guess, 2008 will be a sleepless year for me. All those 3 dreams just had a common thing. I talked about Rahul, I called Gopettan to know status of the work and I saw a movie (Finger Print-waste of a film) which had a story about a murder happening in Royal family and all these happened yesterday. I wish I could interpret these dreams to get a more clarity on my life. This is not the first time dreams scared me to the core. On an another occasion, in my dreams I saw my colleague, Thanneer, getting a new Nokia N90 phone. It was a weekend night and next Monday, he threw away his old Nokia 3310 and got a brand new Nokia Phone, only thing different was it was not N90, but some other model. I wondered that day if I will be the Nostradamus. Could I predict stuff? But then I saw another dream and prayed I don't want to be Nostradamus.That was even more scary.
Where do these dreams lead me to? Can I foresee something for the future? Can I direct my life to move in the right way? I don't know. Nor I do have the answers now.
May be I should start reading Freud !!
P.S Image Courtesy http://www.dreammoods.com/
Monday, January 07, 2008
chak de india..
"Only one team was playing with the spirit of the game, that's all I can say"
Anil Kumble,the entire nation will be behind you Sir. And we all know who was playing the game in the right spirit, for we are the ones who get up early in the mornings and follow the ball from day one. And do not worry, we will be up early in the morning for Perth. Fight it out. For the first time, this country of 1 billion will not ask questions of your loss, will not burn up any effigies, since we all saw what had happened there.
Ricky Ponting, Yes Sir your integrity to the game is questionable. One honest admission doesn't cover up for 2 other dishonest acts. You may be the best number three batsmen in the world, you may have 33 centuries to your repertoire, but that one appeal for that catch you took at silly mid off take out all the shine around you and it says all over that you are not to be trusted any more on the field. Yes Sir, we do question your integrity.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Welcome 2008
Sorry Sorry Sorry....
I know I am late. But to all you guys and gals out there, here is me wishing you all a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year ahead.
Have a rocking 2008.
I know I am late. But to all you guys and gals out there, here is me wishing you all a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year ahead.
Have a rocking 2008.
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