Top 10 places I want to visit

The other day, I was watching this video on youtube, about a person called Matt who quit his job to go see the world. You can find him at

www.wherethehellismatt.com

Its 10 places that I want to go. I have not mentioned some outstanding places like Aanamalai and Rhotang Pass as I have already been there...

1. Kailash Manasarovar and Kashmir
I am eagerly awaiting bliss. The journey towards the abode of Lord Shiva will be the most unique experience I will undertake. Kashmir not only for its sheer beauty but also to learn about its strategic locations and settings that so many people die for....

2. Austria: I fall for renaissance architecture and old history. What better place than Vienna and Austria...a place where all the artistic and musical greats went, to become what they are known now.

3.Angkor wat and Borobudur: The most underrated engineering feats in human history along with the Brihadeeshwara temple and Dilwara Temple. After the Taj was built, the hands of all those people involved in making it were cut so that they will not be able to reproduce the same work anywhere else. When the dilwara temple was being built, after the day's work was over the entire dust (which had fallen down during the carving jobs in marble, wood and rocks) were weighed and equal wt of gold was gifted to the mason/carpenter. So whenever I see the Taj though I am amazed by its magnificence, i am also reminded of the cruel treatment meted to the ones who built it. What a sea of difference between two different kings!!

4.Spain: especially Granada and Seville for exquisite Moorish architecture and the Greek god temples in Athenian Lands...and also Babylon...one of the greatest cities to have existed. Listen to Authentic Flamenco music by Romani people, my people if I rewind 800 something years.

5.A few exotic islands in Micronesia like Kiribati or Nauru or even non-tourist islands like Azores or Tristan da Cunha
The lesser the population on the island and the more far away from mainland, the better the journey is.

6. Dakshin Gangotri, NZ and Aus: Indian territory in Antarctica,the great barrier reef in Australia or the lost New Zealand wilderness (and their all famous Maori hakka (war) dance)

7. East India and Lakshdweep: See the untouched flora and fauna of Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, Meghaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

8. Africa:
Wildlife Safari in Kenya!! Pitch a tent on the banks of the great Lake Victoria! Abu Simbel and the Nile!! The hypnotic streets of Casablanca in Morroco!! The great Sahara desert!! The Lighthouse at Alexandria!

9. The Caribbean (and/or Fiji)
Bob Marley-Indian Ex pats- Laid Back attitude- Chutney Music - Cricket- Old Colonial Sugar Plantations. Enough said.

10. Machu Picu, Easter Islands and the Inner Amazon:
Mayan, Aztec civilizations, step pyramids in Guatemala, the sands of Belize, the soccer of Brasil and the land of that soccer god - Maradonna!! .. Do a motorcycle diaries like Che'!!

I defined a limit of 10. I therefore have to stop with this. I can go another 30-40 easily.

If reading this makes me feel good, I just cant imagine how it would be if I set foot in each of these places...... I shall definitely levitate in Bliss!!!!

A conversation between two friends

There were two good souls. The best of friends. Lets name them A and B.They perceived to have the same passion. To be successful in life, wealthy with a happy family and life. They did their schooling together and pursued engineering in college despite realizing that was not their passion. B realized that he is not doing what he feels he should do. A felt the same but was not courageous enough to step outside his self defined boundaries. His passion was pregnant with fear of failure. B left a lucrative career to follow his passion. Their paths separated and they met after 50 years.

They start talking about the past and about their good old days together as the thickest of friends. A keeps talking about his successful business, his newly amassed wealth and his happy and loving family and friends, B was able to see a slight repent in his face. The "he did not do what he would have loved but ultimately loved what he did" expression on his face. B goes on to tell A that he did not become wealthy or renowned, had very many "cosmetic" failures, had a small and content family with no shortage of love and understanding. At this junction, A asks B, 'My friend, did we do what we should have in life?". For that B replies," My dear old friend, You have become what others envy, you have become what others yearn, but have you become what you wanted to be? You are happy but are you content? I am content. You will die happy because of what you have achieved, but you will have a void. I will have the same feelings but without the void that I did not do something I wanted to. That I would say is the fine line between peace of mind and harmony of mind!! Then they wish each other the best of luck, give a big hug and walk away from each other for one last time. A walks away with all the happiness of meeting his dear friend. His mind constantly thinking about "what if?" B walks away singing his favorite song not thinking about anything else.

Are you A or B??


-A

Cinema Paradiso - A truly treasured film..

If you love movies like I do, it's impossible not to appreciate Cinema Paradiso. The theme is so universal.

After a long time (3-4 years), I decided to watch Cinema Paradiso once again. I therefore went and rented it out of my school library. Even though I had watched the movie once previously, I watched it this time without any disturbance and after a long time (unlike the last time when I watched it for the sake of watching it), this time, and the movie made me immersed in its brilliancy.

I would rate Nuovo Cinema Paradiso to be one of my top three movies along with Shawshank Redemption and Das Boot. I bet this movie would not have been as simple and brilliant had it been made in Hollywood. Giuseppe Tornatore has so beautifully portrayed the relation between the wise father figure, Alfredo and Salvatore. He so marvelously intertwines sentimentality with comedy, and nostalgia with pragmaticism. I was able to see glimpse of his brilliance in Malena but this movie as daylights ahead of the previously mentioned classic. Alfredo spills is fatherly love with such unabashed rawness in order to see Salvatore succeed, even if it means breaking his heart in the process. This has made me wonder whether I am doing something that I really like in life. Even in this story, Toto (as Salvotore was dearly called) did not realize his dreams but it took a perceived simpleton in Alfredo to do the needful. Whether you liked the ending that the director chose is left to the individual who watches it. I could not think of a more practically perfect ending. The famous 'kissing scenes' montage near the end of the film that brings tears to Toto is an undying classic. That summed up all the emotions that the person went through his life. Watching an ordinary scene is what others would think, but add the history behind it, its significance is fathomless.

This is the scene: don’t watch it if you intend to watch the movie, it spoils the fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEFugVbzsSo

Ennio Morricone’s music was timeless. It was as good as his other musical magic performances in Godfather, Once upon a time in America and the Untouchables.

Advice: Watch the movie alone, without any disturbance.

I strongly urge each one of you to watch the 155 minute director’s uncut movie rather than the 123 minute commercial version. You will miss 22 minutes of brilliant dialogue and changes in the storyline.

It is a movie that can brighten up a dull day and bring a smile to the lips of the most reserved individual. For someone who has left home (even for a short duration like me), Cinema Paradiso will stir bittersweet memories. You get nostalgic about all the things you have done so far. It is the film by which I judge all others.

If I had to select one last movie to see before I go to meet my maker - well .... unsurprisingly ....

BANDHA KA EK NUMBER MASALA MOVIE

With time to kill, I sit staring at the sun thinking what I will become in the days/years to come. Then two guys walk across discussing some movie. Then having got a topic to stick with, I started wondering how a movie would be if I am the brainchild behind it and I want it to be a stereotypical B grade action flick which takes a low shot of the yesteryear classics.

The story goes like this……There was a honest police officer in the 70’s whose wife gave birth to twin males. They keep singing their family song every so often. Then as this police office tried to fight crime, he gets killed and his wife raped (I intend to prolong this scene to eternity by using slow motion movements and pansy background music). After this, the villain (the rich politician who also happens to be the murderer and the rapist—and yeah he is also that area’s rowdy goes on to tattoo on both the kids arms.) The tattoo reads – “ Mera Baap Chor Hai”.

From this scene onwards, till the end of the movie, the twin’s mother wears only a white saree and keeps looking at her husbands photograph and cries now and then. Over a sad song, they perform the last rites for their father (even though they are only 2 years old) and are driven to abject poverty. This is when they go to an exhibition and one kid gets lost trying to chase a balloon that he so desperately wants. Let us name this kid who got lost as Ram and the other kid as shyam. Once this kid gets lost, their mother desperately starts to search for him, and then over there will be another song. During this song, both these kids keep running in different frames and suddenly they become big and with great difficulty, Handsome. Ram becomes a mechanic, who is portrayed to be hardworking and straightforward. Here there will be a song comparing him to Yudishtira. The younger son is shown to be a party animal and girls start to drool whenever he passes by.

Now, the stereotypical director mind in me must link the two parallel characters into a tricky situation, take the audience on an emotive rollercoaster ride and then finish it of with a high. What better thought then the fact that I decide to give the Villain two beautiful daughters, the eldest crashing her scooty somewhere and taking it to none other than our very own mechanic RAM and the younger daughter happens to study in the same college as our chocolate boy Shyam. Ram avoids the elder daughter (let us assume her name to be Sheela) even though he can realize that it was love at first sight for Sheela.. Mala (second girl’s name) on the other hand is intensely ragged by Shyam in college and she hates him. But suddenly, the college gunda tries to molest Mala and Shyam comes to the rescue (Here I plan to import experts in Kung Fu and Karate from Japan and China and create a multi-million dollar chase and fight scene). Once the gunda and his gang are driven away, our man Shyam turns to give a romantic smirk. This is when Mala realizes that there is a drop of blood near Shyam’s mouth and she runs and cleans his blood with her kerchief. This is where the frame is cut, paused, and then I will show a few angels running, few young men playing the violin and flowers falling on the pair. The camera rotates 360 degrees and one horribly cheap and plastic song will be shown with maximum allowable vulgarity (heroine dancing in the rain wearing a white saree) to satisfy certain sections of the audience.

Once the seven deadly sins are thrown in plenty at the audience, we shall after deliberate and decadent digression return to the story (not that the story is intuitive and informative). The villain comes to know about the love affairs of both his daughters and both the brothers are being tortured. It is during once such fight sequence does Ram sing the family song aloud. Shyam runs towards Ram with tears rolling down and lifts his arm to see the same fateful tattoo on his arm too. The both hug for eternity (I shall liberally introduce overreactions and pathetic background music over here so that it clouds the utterly ugly facial expressions and facial hair that the heroines have (low budget movie u see).

They then successfully grab their heroines and walk all they way (say around 100 kms) to see their mom. Here they all sing their family song once again and their mom puts tilak on both their heads and orders them to go take avenge their fathers death.

One utterly unnecessary but ritualistic climax flight is kept here at an old ruined kali temple. The villain is knocked unconscious when both Ram and Shyam start to utter punch dialogues. (Their back facing the villain). The villain regains consciousness, this is shown by showing a thunder and some loud music. The villain picks up the trishul there and comes running towards the brothers and suddenly their old hag of a mom who matches here white saree with pale white make up jumps 25 feet to come in-between her sons and the villains. She dies protecting her sons and they in turn immediately kill he villain. Wait a minute…how can she die without a last gasping dialogue…she utters “Beta Ram and Beta Shyam, I am proud of both of you” and then she joins both their hands with the heroine’s hands and kicks the bucket.

They cry and immediately the next day get married and live happily ever after.

I shall end this movie with Ram, his wife and their kids, Shyam, his wife and their kids all together dancing and singing their family song.

The name of the movie is: “ Lo ek aur bakwaaas kahani”. I believe a movie of such immense quality will be a blockbuster and I shall definitely not be surprised if it gets nominated for all possible awards, gets remade in various languages and also has a case study done by a group of MIT students.

Then suddenly. someone comes and disturbs my deep thought but I am unable to remove the smirk of my face.

MY AMERICA by R.K.Narayan

I really liked this article. It seems so true. Just wanted to share it!!

MY AMERICA

Author: R.K. Narayan
Excerpts from October 1985 issue of Frontline

At the American Consulates the visa issuing section is kept busy nowadays as more and more young men seek the Green Card or profess to go on a student visa and many try to extend their stay once they get in. The official handles a difficult task while filtering out the "permanents" and letting in only the "transients". The average American himself is liberal-minded and doesn't bother that more Indian engineers and doctors are swamping the opportunities available in the country possibly to the disadvantage of the American candidate himself.

I discussed the subject with Prof.Ainslee Embree of Columbia University who has had a long association with Indian affairs and culture. His reply was noteworthy. "Why not Indians as well? In course of time they will be Americans. The American citizen of today was once an expatriate, a foreigner who had come out of a European or African country. Why not from India too? We certainly love to have Indians in our country."

There are however, two views on this subject. The elderly parents of Indians settled in America pay a visit to them, from time to time (on excursion round ticket), and feel pleased at the prosperity of their sons or daughters in America. After a Greyhound tour of the country and a visit to Niagara, they are ready to return home when the suburban existence begins to bore them whether at New Jersey, or The Queens or the Silicon Valley neighborhood of California. But they always say on their return, "After all our boys are happy there. Why should they come back to this country, where they get no encouragement?"

Exasperation

Our young man who goes out to the States for higher studies or training, declares when leaving home, "I will come back as soon as I complete my course, may be two years or a little more, but I will definitely come back and work for our country, and also help our family..."

Damn...i told the same few words to my folks....but i really meant it

Excellent intentions, but it will not work that way. Later when he returns home full of dreams, projects, and plans, he only finds hurdles at every turn when he tries for a job or to start an enterprise of his own. Form filling, bureaucracy, caste and other restrictions, and a generally feudal style of functioning, exasperate the young man and waste his time. He frets and fumes as days pass with nothing achieved, while he has been running around presenting or collecting papers at various places.

He is not used to this sort of treatment in America, where, he claims, he could walk into the office of the top man anywhere, address him by his first name and explain his purpose; when he attempts to visit a man of similar rank in India to discuss his ideas, he realizes that he has no access to him, but can only talk to subordinate officials in a hierarchy. Some years ago a biochemist returning home and bursting with proposals was curtly told off by the big man when he innocently pushed the door and stepped in. "You should not come to me directly, send your papers through proper channels." Thereafter the young biochemist left India once for all. Having kept his retreat open with the help of a sympathetic professor at the American end. In this respect American democratic habits have rather spoilt our young men. They have no patience with our official style or tempo, whereas an Indian at home would accept the hurdles as inevitable Karma.

Lack of openings

One other reason for a young man's final retreat from India could also be attributed to the lack of openings for his particular qualification. A young engineer trained in robotics had to spend all his hours explaining what it means, to his prospective sponsors, until he realized that there could be no place for robots in an over-crowded country. The Indian in America is a rather lonely being, having lost his roots in one place and not grown them in the other. Few Indians in America make any attempt to integrate in American cultural or social life.

I have personally noticed this in many people, no matter how long they have been here..the Indianess in them never seems to fade...i believe its something to do with our "salty" food.

After he has equipped his new home with the latest dishwasher, video, etc., with two cars in the garage and acquired all that the others have, he sits back with his family counting his blessings. Outwardly happy, but secretly gnawed by some vague discontent and aware of some inner turbulence or vacuum, he cannot define which. All the comfort is physically satisfying, he has immense "job satisfaction" and that is about all.

Beautifully put by R.K.N.

Ennui

On a week-end he drives his family fifty miles or more towards another Indian family to eat an Indian dinner, discuss Indian politics, or tax problems (for doctors particularly this is a constant topic of conversation, being in the highest income bracket). There is monotony in this pattern of life. So mechanical and standardized. In this individual, India has lost an intellectual or an expert; but it must not be forgotten that the expert has lost India too, which is a more serious loss in the final reckoning. So subtly told yet so strongly told

The quality of life in India is different. In spite of all its deficiencies, irritations, lack of material comforts and amenities, and general confusion, Indian life builds up an inner strength. It is through subtle inexplicable influences (through religion, family ties, and human relationships in general). Let us call them psychological "inputs" to use a modern terminology, which cumulatively sustain and lend variety and richness to existence. Building imposing Indian temples in America, installing our gods therein and importing Indian priests to perform the puja and festivals, are only imitative of Indian existence and could have only a limited value. Social and religious assemblies at the temples (in America) might mitigate boredom but only temporarily. I have lived as a guest for extended periods in many Indian homes in America and have noticed the ennui that descends on a family when they are stuck at home.

Indifference to Eternity

The American has a robust indifference to eternity. "Visit the church on a Sunday and listen to the sermon if you like but don't bother about the future,". He seems to say. Also, "dead yesterday and unborn tomorrow, why fret about them if today be sweet?" - he seems to echo Omar Khayyam's philosophy. He works hard and earnestly, and acquires wealth, and enjoys life. He has no time to worry about the after-life; he only takes the precaution to draw up a proper will and trusts the Funeral Home around the corner to take care of the rest. The Indian who is not able to live on this basis wholeheartedly, finds himself in a half-way house; he is unable to overcome the inherited complexes while physically flourishing on the American soil. One may hope that the next generation of Indians (American-grown) will do better by accepting the American climate spontaneously or in the alternative return to India to live a different life.

- R. K. NARAYAN

The most utterly butterly enjoyable and juvenile day of my life

Last week, I guess it was on a Wednesday (mid-week- note that point) I started my day like a typical lazy grad student. Getting up slightly late (contentious issue) and checked my email immediately (that's what a typical grad does as soon as he/she gets up). Having received the not so wanted "do-this-work for today" email from my boss, i got up morose and went through my daily ablutions. Once that was done, the starving me raided the fridge and ate some leftovers (the sanyasi) and bottomed some shady tropical punch (it actually works so well that your hunger is gone asap). I then went onto finish the work that I needed to do for that day and was rambling about at my apartment till sunset came (and thus my day began). The typical desi system in me is still reeling with that old faithful jet lag after nearly a year …I say this coz I am most active or should I say least lazy when from sunset to sunrise instead of the other way around). I went out with a couple of my friends to play some quality tennis in order to burn some calories and along with that burn my early 20’s life crisis of reducing that ever so challenging tummy of mine. Sweaty and slightly tired, I return home to experience the most outlandish talks and garish behavior that you would not even expect from an agmark“ pattikaadu”.

I went on to meet my friends at Macgregor’s Tea Kadai- Apt no:144 (formely located at Apt no: 142). There we had the pleasure of putting some quality dum’s as I watched my friends down a peg or two while playing (read abusing) with the inviting tennis balls that we threw at each other (like dodgeball) but played not like an English gentleman but with the more popular local touch. While people were playing “goli”(marbles) with these tennis balls (Pradeep seemed a master in goli especially with the stereotypical squat while playing) came the thought to play “seven stones”.

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/kidsweb/caroline/ten.htm

We immediately were on the hunt for flat stones and compromised with 7 not so flat stones. Although the game seems childish, it is a very difficult game to play and win, especially if you are part of the team that hits and re stacks the stones.

My team comprised of Kaushik, SK, Don and me. Our opponents were Bharat, Kokki, Vinod, Venkat and Ila. Both teams struggled to outperform the other but the event turned out to be a grand enjoyment making everyone sweaty and panting. Then a few dum rounds brought back our vigor which would make us see the night through.

Then a few of us walked towards my apartment and we started talking talking topics of infinite variety. Then came up this topic of childhood games like crocodile crocodile, paandi, statue and stone paper siccors. Then we went on to play I Spy (pronounced ICE BOY with a thick local accent….a far more interesting version of hide and seek). We had to put shaa buuu threee to decide who the catcher is going to be and I sadly became the first catcher. The others who were playing If I remember correctly were Don, Bharat, SK, Kaushik and Venkat. This became a really enjoyable 2 something hours bringing out the happy child in us. We were trying to hide in the most hideous places overcoming the insects and dirt that were rampant in our hiding places. I was easily spotted whenever I tried to hide because of my bright white sweat shirt. Don tried to hide behind a dustbin that was 1/3^rd of his size, Don tried to hide in some space so shady that he is still not able to get all the dirt off his body.

We then tried to play dark room at don's place but in vain due to the lack of size and darnkess in the room. But we still gave it a shot.

It was a really memorable night ending at around 4am. All of us went back home sweaty, itching and tired but extremely happy having relived something that we did 15-16 years back. This is something an eternally raped grad student studying in an alien country and staying in a ghetto neighborhood would never have thought of happening but experienced something as pleasurable as privately scratching his butt or digging his nose.

A day to remember, cheers to you guys!!!

p.s: neither did SK count till 100 before catching nor did he close his eyes while doing so.

Hmmmm...

I prefer being the rocket scientist who sent the astronaut to moon rather than the astronaut.

I prefer being the director rather than the protagonist.

I prefer being the person driving the car rather than the person sitting behind.

I like to be the cook, not the one who eats it.

I like to be inspiration, not the result.

I like to be the lighter, not the cigar.

I prefer being the intoxication to being the hangover.

I want to fly, so I would like to spread my wings.Until you spread your wings, you never know how far you can fly!

I like to be the eyes, not the sunglasses.

I like to be the doctor, not the medicine.

I like to be the person who understands jargons, not the one who ridicules it. :)
[No puns intended]

Doubt...believe...inspire....

People doubt everything....in most cases doubt is good...people had doubts that man cant fly...people doubted India's rise from the ashes....hell people doubt my potential in simple things...well the Wright brothers fought doubt....India is fighting the worlds doubt....I see world sideways...hence I see doubt as a cause to trigger wonderful things.....and as far as peoples doubt in me...I have just one reply...I don’t see your doubt to be a cause to be fought but I see your doubt as a thought to be pondered about.

Belief is dope. It’s adrenalin. Let me take the iconic example of India. People say that my country is 50 years old! I pity your ignorance. My beloved Mother India is at least 10000 years old. Well...sorry for the digression. I had to put that point across...anyways...I wish not to talk about outsiders not believing in my country...I wish to talk about the worst lot, some of my fellow "Indians" who believe that my country is going nowhere. The media has a big role to play in this....recently...the sudden birth of so many news channels I feel is adding salt to a fictitious injury. Be it news channels or newspapers....bad news sells...sorrow, pity and disgrace are selling like hot cakes...morality means nothing...all these are either good or surrogate offspring’s of doubt and belief. The Image of India in the outside world is a heterogeneous mix of bad and good images...we have just started getting up...we have not even started to run...and I see the output to be adulterated...still I see things positively...I have noticed that the best of things and the purest of intentions have the maximum critics...for instance, In media, You are still seeing the generation of i60's and 70's running the scheme of things...These are Socialist mindsets (I don’t see anything wrong with that parse, apart from the fact that they are Soviet loving people who still doubt their (our) own ability. They are insecure (very), no doubt about it. Our politicians are worse; they are a generation or two older.... Apparently for them US invading Iraq is a threat for India while Chinese ASAT's or their cordial relation with Pakistan aren't worth even discussing....for them merit is shit...caste and vote bank is gold!! Sooner or later the torch will be passed on to a new generation. Plus hype sells. You put "India" and "Superpower" in a headline, it will undoubtedly sell, and especially in a country which most of you guys (Westerners) thought wouldn't make it past the Soviet Disintegration. And about rich wealthy arrogant travelers, that holds true for all nations. And I'd bet that the United States has more 'arrogant' people per thousand that India.. we still have some self doubters here after all.

For all those people who doubt without credit or doubt due to jaundiced opinion or preconceived notions...all I have to say is…Doubt...doubt all you cant...this gives belief a cause to rebel against...after all...what people doubted yesterday is today...what you doubt today will be tomorrow.... get Inspired….Inspire……

A 200 year old dispute is finally heading towards solution...i hope!!

"If the verdict that has been released by the tribunal will be followed,the starving farmers of tamil nadu will get enough water for irrigation.
Final decision - Tamilnadu - 419 tmc and Karnataka 270 tmc
According to a study conducted by the central government in 1972, the utilisation of water from Kaveri in Tamil Nadu was 489 tmc against Karnataka's 177 tmc. Now Karnataka wants to utilise 465 tmc, against its present usage of 312.32 tmc. It is against this background that Tamil Nadu went to the Supreme Court.
The Kaveri Tribunal, in its interim award of June 1991, ordered that Karnataka should release 205 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu during one "water year" - from May to June. It also stipulated a weekly quota for flow. Karnataka has scrupulously followed the interim order and has released much more than 205 tmc of water every year except during the year 1995-1996 when the shortfall was merely about 10%.Even though Tamil Nadu had demanded about 560 thousand million cubic feet or TMC of water, the 419 TMC it has been awarded is substantial, against Karnataka’s 270 TMCFT.This actually translates into Karnataka releasing 192 TMCFT of water every year. To get a sense of the scale, a single TMC of water can irrigate 460 acres of land. There are eight minor and major dams across Cauvery and its tributaries in the river basin. Much of the water has to be released from the KRS dam and Kabini dam in Mysore districts. Over 40 per cent of the Cauvery basin is in Karnataka, while 50 per cent is in Tamil Nadu. At least 6 to 7 per cent of the area is in Kerala while the rest falls in Puducherry."

Perhaps the two most emotive states in this country. Karnataka rivals tamil nadu in senseless emotive outbursts and lack of rationality. Both the sides must work towards something constructive and less emotive. They are Indian farmers!! That should have precedence over their state flags. Its not the size of the state or population that should be the base for water distribution.

Karnataka is crying fowl because it has been granted only have of what it wanted. But paraphrasing what my friend had stated:"try to be practical. Assuming you apply for a job and the average salary for the job u r applying for is 5 lakhs per annum. If you ask for 25 lakhs and get only 6 you shouldn't crib." Tamilnadu has always been rational enough and practical enough not to demand twice its required amount.Karnataka is supposed to release 13tmcft lesser than the interim award. understand that the tribunal and supreme court are not dumbos.I wonder why the cauvery water supplied to Bangalore is not diverted to Mandya farmers. Guess the Bangaloreans are more important than the farmers.What they will drink?As if there is no ground water. What about Chennai? Have Chennai ppl died because of water scarcity?Support the side with whom justice resides

Tamil Nadu has more population and the whole state requires the water as opposed to southern karnataka. Also, the size of irrigational lands is far greater in tamil nadu. Its therefore an unbiased decision. Karnataka projects water scarcity, if that is true, that sould be addressed...afterall..they are our brothers...also...why 30 TMC to Kerala? when there's never been dearth of water there??

I feel confused, as i do not wish to take sided and see this issue from a 3rd person perspective. I feel I have equal stake on both sides, as my mother and her family hails from mysore having been brought up there for generations, still having close ties and my dads family and myself being brought up in Chennai....

This whole political gameplay looks more like a Kindergarten. In a democratic country like our India, should everybody accept the decision of the court? Yes! The Rice Bowl of India requires Cauvery water desperately. Cauvery is the lifeline for many people in both the states. I believe it is the State governments responsibility to follow the supreme court ruling and tribunal verdicts.Imagine there is a state in South India called Cauvery Pradesh, comprising only of the Cauvery plains, spread across Karnataka, TN, Kerala and Puducherry. All of Cauvery water would belong to the whole of this Cauvery Pradesh, not just the upstream region. That is exactly what the Tribunal has said. When it comes to water resources, borders, including international ones, cannot be an impediment to sharing and natural justice.Talk about National Integration. Nationalize rivers. Pray for good moonsoons. Also pray for level headed unbiased rational people in delhi, chennai and bangalore. We have a problem, instead of working towards a solution, we are aggravating it.

Talk English, Walk English, Laugh English

English ,despite the fact that it has so many phonetic and grammatical disabilities, despite being a relatively new language and despite being a language that is alien or secondary tongue to most people, English still rules the world! Most regional languages are slowly declining and dying a slow and gruesome death. Along with it, its culture, history and heritage fades.

Especially in India, and especially down south, people have this notion that english is the mother of all languages and its hep to converse in english and rustic to converse in their beloved mother tongue.

I paraphrase what the Editor of Indian Express, Mr.Gurumurthy once said,
Its sad that people believe that if you have to abuse somebody, that has to be done in English! If you abuse the Anglicized Indian, he will not find fault with the blame but with the grammar in your language! This is the extent to which a foreign language has possessed us. But, we must master English, that is needed, but why do we have to become slaves of the English language? We must use that language as a tool, but why do we consider it as a status symbol? This is the influence of Macaulay.


I feel ashamed that I am not able to fluently write or read my tongue, Tamil or the tongue of my forefathers, Sanskrit. Everything needs a start. Better late than never. So I am slowly reading about my roots and language. The irony is its English that is helping me learn Tamil and Sanskrit!

We read about the British rule and about their viceroys, but barely read regional history, we are given a fleeting glance about popular Indian kings, but are just Kings our history? what about local cultures, temples, ancient Indian inventions, our medicines....sorry for the digression...but i guess its aa good digression...am hinting the topic of my next blog...:-)

Empty your minds and start thinking afresh!!!

Mera own hamara bajaj---Pulsar-Definitely Male

TN 07 AV 5824

After lots of thought and political persuation.. i decided to buy a bike( or rather my dad allowed me to go in for a bike). Being more of a car crazy boy, initially i was thinkin against buying a bike but i felt that i will miss somethin in life without " my first bike" memoirs... ( oh i also need a vehicle for goin to college or for project or for going "out".

My options were Unicorn or Pulsar 150. Pulsar 180, the drop in mileage is not worth the extra power.. never been much of a Fiero fan.. and thought for nearly a microsecond and rejected the newly released tvs apache.

Performance wise both Uni and Pulsar perform almost equally; pricing was more or less same. Monoshocks of Uni do give a very different ride feel but I guess the NitroX in pulsar makes the ride more comfortable over potholes.
Also the new exhaust tec in the pulsar gives its engine a superb sound..not too smooth...not too noisy...jus perfect feel.

I finally chose pulsar 'cause I thought it looked better, had a smoother ride feel, more value for money (mag wheels etc with the same price as Uni) and I did not want to ride a symbol of gay pride :-)

NUMBER ONNU...

I guess my blog is a semi-personal diary. A frequent pulpit to vent out my thoughts. A collaborative space where I am my own boss. A geo-political soapbox for my sometimes jaundiced views. A breaking-news outlet (however small and inconsequential the news is). A collection of “interesting” links. Most of my private thoughts that can be shared. Memos to the world (past, present and future as I see it)

My blog is whatever I want it to be, however controversial, radical, repulsive or nauseating it might be to a few. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules, and this one happens to be mine.
Feel free to comment on it .Or not. Theri marzi.
And so my tryst here begins….