What are we doing here?

On a usual lazy Sunday, I was experimenting something with my mobile and laptop.  I get involved in things related to troubleshooting in PCs / Mobiles for hours until I get any resolution.  At that time, there were few kids around who came from neighborhood.  They were in between the age group 10-14, not more than that for sure.

The elderly of them asked me, “Are you an IT professional?”  Her question came bang on.  I had a lot of hesitation in saying yes as I never wanted to be one among the IT crowd and always used to say that I am a Media professional.  How long could I keep telling the contrary thing, for IT industry is the one which gives me the monthly salary!

So, I answered “Yes” to her.  She went silent and no questions more than that.  I got puzzled and wanted to ask why! But asked in a different manner, “How did you know that I am an IT professional” – what she answered shocked me.

She said – “You IT professionals always are engaged with mobile and laptop all the time.  My parents also do the same; they have no time for their family”

I could not continue concentrating with what I was doing.  She was not more than 14 years old.  But, her answer had much depth in it; she was very much concerned and was missing something terribly!  I took her answer as a lesson or maybe it’s a lesson for all of us who don’t know what “priorities in life” or “balancing” is all about!

Now, there would be few to argue with me saying that, I will realize how tough it is while I get into the wagon wheel of career and parenting.  May be yes! But, there are few basics in which we should not fail like, not bringing in work life to home, spending quality hours in home and so on.  Guess that’s where people fail.  It isn’t rocket science like writing codes or approving budgets right!!  And amusingly, it all happens for people working in IT industry alone.  We are so possessed with this IT tag and that’s why we even wear our office id tag around all the time. (Read my rumblings here)

God bless us!

Its not just about the bike

It all started while Johnny and I were waiting for bus, back to home in Tambaram bus stand.  We were in 6^th standard then.  My first memory of seeing a Royal Enfield bullet was then.  With the deafening thump, my first impression of it was that, it’s a heavy duty bike.  Those were the days while Yezdi and Rajdoot were also on roads.  But I happen to spot the bullet alone often and the thump grew in me.  Apart from the thump the Royal Enfield logo engraving was the next which drew my attention.  Slowly I happened to hear more and more about the vehicle.  The most common words were ‘robust’, ‘reliable’, ‘tough’.  It should have got ingested in my mind about the vehicle then!

2-3 years later there was a girl who rode the bike royally in my neighborhood!  She was Jeeva’s cousin.  Its Jeeva’s dad bike, the whopping 350kg vehicle with the gear-shifts at the right side and the kick lever doubling as the gear lever!  She rode it with ease!  I started telling around that I want to ride a bullet.  But then, I never knew to bicycle too.  I was the target for amusement.

4-5 years passed. Meanwhile, I came to know that the machine is made in Chennai.  Nothing else was required for me to admire it more.  My passion grew for the bullet.  To beat the amusement, I wanted to own one.  I decided.  To add to the glory, I though it deserves a royal treatment while owning and my way of doing it was to buy it with full cash and no loan.  There started the journey of waiting along with the desire to ride one. 

I started doing more research on Royal Enfield and it was the brand I chose, while Nisha mam gave us the first assignment on the very first day I joined college.  Then I discovered that Narayanan was riding a bullet.  Thunderbird was it, with the 350cc engine.    A new vehicle, he had flicked it from his brother and brought it to college.  I managed to grab the keys from him saying I can ride it! Touched 80kmph!  It was really like kite flying.  But the moment I halted the bike, I had no strength in my muscles to park it in its centre stand.  It was fun for Narayanan!

Then after few years, it was Abu, driving a bullet.  A really well maintained old one it was.  The vehicle reflected his love towards it.  All these people made an impact with their bullets.  Indirect Inspirations!

Almost no one believed me that I can ride a bullet and they all joked on my physical appearance that I cannot ride a bullet and I should first learn to park it with its centre stand.  With all this going around me, Bhargav owned a bullet too.  I used to bug him asking for a ride.  One fine day, a small injury in his leg after a cricket match prompted him to hand over his bullet to me.  It was a good 25km distance for me to ride.  There were opponents to Bhargav’s decision to hand it over to me.  He began to become indecisive.  To add to it, it was about to rain as well.  While others were opposing me, I went through and said him strongly, that I can handle.  That’s it…! After some time I was thumping in the road.  It was a heavy rain but I never stopped.  The thump kept me going in the Grand Trunk Southern road.  I drove it straight inside home literally dashing the gates.  And that was the day all the jokes stopped.

Now…

I own a 500cc bullet from Royal Enfield.  It storms! Worth the wait all these years!  It continues to draw admiration and respect from all.  Rural, urban, A class, B, C, D and whatever classifications may exist.  It just rocks and mostly, the next generation is also admiring it.  And now, Rahul gets inspired from me.  The legend passes on.  

Re-define Honesty, God, Stupidity

Re-define "Honesty"

This sweeper lady had found cash of around INR 2.3mn in the AC coach of a train and had handed over it to the Railway Protection Force as a good Samaritan. 

Now, my question to her or whoever concerned is why did she return the (entire) money? I would have supported her if she had taken a bundle for herself and returned the remaining.  If I would have seen it, I would have taken a bundle as a token of a self-reward / a fine for leaving the the 2.3mn rupees in train.  

I am sure if the money was from savings over the years, it would have been in bank and not carried in hand.  I sincerely doubt that this money is a part of some illegal transaction.  So, a self-reward does not break the honest trait of the individual.  Moreover, I think the sweeper is a religious / spiritual person which had made her to return the money honestly.

Hence, I request the so called religious / spiritual gurus, leaders to make an amendment in the respective sections of honesty which would enable people like this lady to live a grand life for a day or two.

Re-define "God"

Its a diamond crown worth around 15mn INR (as reported), donated to Madurai Meenakshi temple.  I have not read yet who the donor is.  Somehow, few donors do not do their donations publicly.  Temples also have this policy of not disclosing the donor names.  Why should people donate anonymously or the temple not disclose their names?

Why do they donate to temples in the form of jewels?  It stays there in that form for a long time helping none.  God is always great even without a single penny in hand.  That money can be used for many other purposes for the development of the society.

Rather, if people donate for education it would be better for the society or government should bring the policy that people can donate towards education anonymously.  

Why don't all the temples get converted to schools like how it was once upon a time!?

Re-define "Stupidity"

I don't know if I am the only one who feels that this ad is stupid.  

Stupid for it says Mt Everest as "Just a pile of stones".  I went to their FB page and posted in their wall, to remove the ad from all its appearance - there was a swift response - they removed my wall post.  

If I was the copywriter, I would have shown more stupidity by showing the earth under the shoe and say "Ju Ju bi...the world is just a pebble stone".

Images Source: TOI

December 11, 1882 - September 11, 1921

Today is the birth anniversary of this fearless fiery and the iconoclastic reformer. A great visionary and poet, well versed in 6 Indian and 2 foriegn languages, this soul gives great courage to my soul to look forward and dare the future with hope.

தேடி சோறு நிதம் தின்று – பல

சின்னஞ்சிறு கதைகள் பேசி – மனம்

வாடி துன்பம் மிக உழன்று –பிறர்

வாட பலசெயல்கள் செய்து –நரை

கூடி கிழபருவமெய்தி –கொடுங்

கூற்றுக் கிரையென்ன பின்மாயும் – பல

வேடிக்கை மனிதரைப் போல் -நான்

வீழ்வெ னென்று நினைத்தாயோ….

Midnight’s Children

Just a Minute – to clarify – this is not a review post of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight Children. This is about NCR Gurgaon’s Midnight Children.

23:45 hrs - 2 big shopping malls in the city are full open. People are out as it is only 10 o clock. Even in Mumbai all the shopping malls are closed by 23:00 hrs. I am surprised about the night life in Gurgaon. There is no formal public transport in this city but the night life is in full flow. To my convenience (the universe does conspire to me sometimes) the metro station was just in front of the mall from where I came out after a movie. The metro was open and the business was as usual.

CRPF Jawans were alert on their toes even at that time of the day. During the security checks I was asked where I was heading to, because the last train towards Delhi had left by that time. My business of life, now, is in Gurgaon. So I was let go. The security check in metro station happens like it happens in the Airports, everyday in every DMRC station throughout its business hours. There would be around 8-10 Jawans guarding the area and a squad travels to and fro between stations often. Everyone is armed with either pistols (Google says they are Clock 17.9 mm) or sub-machine guns with 2-3 ‘20 round’ magazines (not books, these are bullets case). Apart from these, in few stations, where crowd turnout would be huge, Jawans are placed for guard duty behind sand bags. They are armed with L1A1 SLRs (Self Loading Rifles). I know SLR as I have handled it during my Senior Division NCC days. As a result, I keep starring the weapons with curiosity and to remember them. At one point I tend to notice the Jawan’s faces. Doing a guard duty behind the sand bag at times is stressful. Civilians look them as some kind of statue in a corner behind a sand bag. It often appears in my thoughts how frustrating it is to stand behind a sand bag for hours and at the same time stay alert noticing each and every movement in the crowd. Particularly, when I see these Jawans during 23:55 hrs, I empathize for them. They definitely need more than what they get now in terms of money or recognition or respect or anything.

I was heading back home after watching the Tamil movie “Ëngeyum Eppothum” meaning “Anywhere Anytime”. Worth the time! It’s produced by Fox Studios and A.R Murugadoss. For those who don’t know Murugadoss, he is the director of “Ghajini”. For those who don’t know about Fox studios, pls Google. “Engeyum Eppothum” is a world class movie, not because it’s from Fox Studios! It’s a world class movie for its narration, cinematography, editing, cast and all the aspects put together. It reminded me of "Babel". Both these movie showcase the fragility of lives. There were few glitches here and there but given the fact that it’s a fresh team and it does make an impact, it’s truly a world class cinema. Real talents have been found and many thanks to Murugadoss for nurturing these talents. A very good movie by Saravanan and team! It is people like Saravanan and the big screen which keeps fueling my desire to become a film maker! This movie director was an assistant to Murugadoss. Murugadoss is an awesome blend of Maniratnam and Shankar. He is the one next in queue who would add more crowns to Indian Cinema in world’s stage. This movie screenplay style seems to be inspired from Manirathnam’s “Ayutha Ezhuthu” / “Yuva”. Or at-least I felt that way! I liked it very much. It had a real clean and innocent humor throughout, except the climax. I wished that it could have been a positive entertainer than the heavy impact it had left. Overall, the audiences liked it. After the movie, I feel like slapping the so called “herosim” oriented movies (Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, AB are exceptions!). That’s why I had removed(for now) the hero ‘look alike’ pic from the blog display as well. I can understand that the term hero 'look alike' could be intolerable! In that case, you can smash e-tomatoes on me “@ramkiram” in Twitter or ramkiram@gmail.com in FB.

Outside the movie hall at 2345 hrs one fellow movie fan made a call to his friend back in the village and said this line “Machaan, do watch the movie tomorrow without fail and if you don’t like the movie, slap me with your slippers!”. This is why I said that audience liked the movie. I was thinking of calling up my friends too but it was so late to call them. The other fellow did not mind the time he was calling his friend who would have been in deep sleep back in the village!

Probably he would have not seen the time while he made the call. When the malls were full on, pretty girls outside the mall and metro station open; it really did not make to realize that it was end of the day! I never thought it would be so lively in Gurgaon! While metro was not a surprise as it’s managed by DMRC, the rates that the auto rickshaws quoted were a surprise; they quoted the same as they would during the day time (their day time rates are exorbitant). Minimum charge is 50rs! I usually bargain with them during day time but not really during night time as the moon vibes us a melancholy mood.

And the subtle mood is not only for me...It’s the same for the auto rickshaw drivers, CRPF Jawans, the fellow movie fan, the pretty girls; people thronging the shopping mall and everyone around the world under the bright moon.

We are the Midnight’s Children.

Singam vs Singham

Movie making is a tough job. It’s a very serious business done to entertain masses.

I’m young to know what all movies have been remade have been made in Hindi or Tamil or Telugu or any other language! But sure, I have watched very good remakes in Hindi “Ghajini” and “Wanted” recently.

Went to the theatres with a huge expectation for Singham!! Uffff….!

Read the movie to be “inspiring to be a cop”, “a tribute to the cops” and so on. I term them as absolute nonsense.

Singham is a remake from the Tamil hit Singam with Surya in the lead. In no way Hindi version is near to the original. I recommend people see the Tamil version first. DVDs with subtitles are available.

The villain in the hindi version is portrayed as a funny villain in the climax which is completely absurd! It is Prakash Raj who steals the show in the climax shadowing Ajay Devgn. The climax doesn’t support strongly the protagonist.

The hindi version really doesn’t pay a tribute to the cops as I read from few reviews. I don’t know how many movies are there in Bollywood celebrating the cops. In Tamil (my movie knowledge of the past is limited to Tamil alone) most of them knows “Alex Pandian”, “Walter Vetrivel”, “Captain Prabakaran”, “Arichchaamy”, “Anbuselvan IPS”, “Raghavan” and recently “Durai Singam”. They are on screen characters way back from 1980’s but they are engraved as brave, fearless and honest cops in the audience minds.

“Bajirao Singham” doesn’t really do that, particularly during the climax. Prakash Raj steals the show completely out of Ajay Devgn and it’s the same irrespective of the character he plays in any movie. In a row, he plays a same character in Hindi; Wanted, BHTP and now Singham. It makes Bajirao Singham look like a “Golmaal” police.

Rohit Shetty has got it wrong big time. In the name of improvisation with the script, he has taken out the key elements of the script which showcases the villain’s menace, the seriousness involved in it and also highlighting cop’s mightiness. Just having few half baked action stunts will not really mean it’s an action movie. It’s also along with the script. Haven’t bollywood audiences watched “Wanted” or “Dabanng” or “Ghajini”!!

I had to watch all the tamil hits “Kaakha Kaakha”, “Saamy”, “Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu” and the original “Singam” in return of watching hindi Singham and to keep the cop spirit burning. Rohit Shetty has done it nowhere near to the original.

Tamil director Hari has never been a celebrity director. He has given flops as well but the cops’ movie he has made has certainly improved in terms of overall entertainment. Watching hindi “Singham” made me note this point. Thanks to Rohit Shetty for this.

On top of all these I read comments that it makes feels proud to be a Marathi seeing Singham. It really doesn’t!! People should watch “Mi Shivaji Raje Bhosale Boltoy” to feel proud as a Marathi.

An experience director like Rohit Shetty should have got it right!! The movie stills itself essays which is better. Ajay Devgn better turn down south if he aspires to be an action hero.

My reaction is that of Surya's on watching"Singham" and on Rohit Shetty.

Being Single

I don’t understand the fuss around here. Almost everyone in my group is married and the very first question when they call me is “When is your turn…!” as if it’s a bungee jumping thing.

In a way from what I hear and see I correlate marriage & bungee jumping and I found two things common in between both

• Both are expensive affairs

• Both start with an adrenaline rush

• Both have good safety precautions, but still it’s a pure probability that they will work ;)

Irrespective of the physical strength you possess, if the cord holds you tight you enjoy the show, or else.... darrr keestha yaha

The same here too...Irrespective of any amazing, marvelous, stupendous marriage material, it’s a probability.

Coming to the micro things, I don’t understand why there are people around me pushing for a marriage!! Yeah, I feel bored and lonely as my friends group are married and going to be married.But, it should not be a reason for a ransom! Science puts it as “be better on the other side”. It’s always a matter between the mind and heart. ‘How can a heart think…’ kept arguing a “once upon a time friend” of mine! Now that friend is married. So stopped thinking about it and does not argue also.

On top of all these is, none of the _______ guys who were around me are now married are not even picking my call to talk. While they return the call, the prominent thing in the conversation would be about me getting married. I seriously doubt that they are pushing me as they are jealous of me being single. (Few admit it too…they want revenge on me)

The group has shrunken a lot and divided as “married” and “still bachelors”. Nowadays I call only the ones in my group. The reason given by the married fellas is that they are very busy with other things in life – booking vacations, booking tickets for in-laws, attending in-laws family functions, feeding child and so on (the list goes on). They all sound alarming for me although I like being around with people. And at times I feel that I have to snap ties with the married fellas. They incept many things in my primitive mind. இதுக்குத்தான் கல்யாணம் ஆன பசங்களோட சேராதன்னு எங்க அம்மா அப்போவே சொன்னாங்க...!

The major push for marriage is of course from parents and the beloved relatives. Indian family attitude is a masterpiece! Sometimes, the conversations from friends and family happen together. And that’s the time I feel to press the eject button and go on a long solo ride with my mean machine. Pity me; the machine is still not realized…! So I am kind of cornered to listen to them as of now and I stop hard to make a thought about future.

The words “think”, “plan”, “responsibility” associated very closely with the opposite of the bachelor life appear to me like greek, latin and a kind of Spartacus fight.

One serious thing is that the “married” tag is a kind of social status and bachelors are like an endangered group by the once upon a time ‘single’ statuses!!! If you reading this, and by any chance have that kind of thought in your mind, rethink for a while.

It’s said, a lion in its forest hunts best when it is single. Being single relates very much to that:meaning - living life to the fullest (not hunting many) and I see that it cannot last long for me :'(

However, singam is single now.

A Question to you

After a stressful day, having a sleepless night, u wake up early in the morning n resolve to yourself that this day is going to be great n start early..And while walking down in an upbeat mood feeling the morning bliss, suddenly a short guy in saffron dressings appears b4 u with a snake in hand...He chants something n the snake wakes up seeing you..With little fear in mind you try to ignore him but he blocks you. He continues chanting, lifts n moves the snake towards your face..u feel to run away but cannot..After a minute somehow u gather courage, confront him n move ahead...

You walk forward with a mixed sense of fear n relief.He shouts something...A few yards away from him, u r stopped by a big guy with a bigger snake...Your phone rings, u pick up and hear this "hey buddy cool...how you are? How’s Delhi treating you?? Rocking...!?"
What will your answer be at that moment..?

Crazy People

Rewind: 15 years back

I studied in a government school. The classes were under thatched roofs (proper buildings now) and it was a common wall which separated two different classes. If three of us would bang the wall once it would fall down completely. Such was its strength. One side of the wall polished and painted in black served as black board. The other two sides of the class would be open. Natural light, natural air…! My class was near the small play ground and all the time all my vision used to be in the ground on other students coming for the PT classes. At any given point of time, the small ground will be occupied from morning to evening with some or the other class students. This school has a different concept of co-education. The school was only co education, not the classes. The class would either be full of girls or full of boys. And the small ground is meant for girls to play coco, rings, badminton etc…That way having the class near the small ground I have almost seen the entire population of girls in our school. Not only me, everyone in my class except the first two rows! These girls are of the kind that when out of school we spot them in public places like railway station, bus stands, tuition centers and say a hello; they don’t respond to us. We were aliens…! For them, the natives were matriculation school boys. They were considered brilliant. Holy cows, there were people from matric schools for whom I have taught mathematics and computers!!

During school days, the uniform would differentiate who is from which school! And holidays were the only respite for us that we could go around in color dresses. Everyone would be in colour dresses. But, our competitors in matriculation schools were so intelligent that they go around with their ID cards in public places. And that’s the height of craziness, show off…seeking priority in everything! In a way the society paved the way for this. The school’s association had an effect on us. Government schools are considered third grade…! So naturally the matriculation guys would want to distinguish themselves to take advantage on everything.

Playback Now:

My office is located in the IT capital of India – Electronics City, Bangalore. All the top named Indian IT companies are around my office campus. There are few crazy employees. I call them crazy as they are always seen around with the ID cards tagged in their neck. In tea shops, road side chat shops, hotels, public bus stands and everywhere. As per my understanding, the ID card is purely for official purposes and a proof of the organization’s association with the employee.

This is a very common scene in the airports, especially Bangalore. When the check in or the security clearance seems like delaying their boarding, the very next step is they tag their ID around so that they would get some priority. Fair enough. Understood the situation…!

Once I was in the city railway station and I saw a guy and a girl with their ID cards displayed. I was amazed on why they had to wear it in a railway station. The time was 11PM then! Fine… Okay…

Once, it was early morning 4AM. The train had just arrived in Tiruchirapalli railway station, south TamilNadu. There was a girl alighting from the train sporting her company ID around her neck. What the heck!!! Why during early morning 4AM!!!?

Once in Tiruvalla and Chengannur railway stations in Kerala, once in Koyambedu bus stand, Chennai in the night. And the recent one is when I was travelling back after the holiday season. It was Sunday night 11:30 PM. This guy was not even wearing the ID around his neck! In one hand he had his luggage and in the other hand he held his ID by showing his organization’s identity. I was thinking if any preference or tie ups is present between the bus and the organization. At that time in the night, returning back from holidays, why is that he had to display it to all the passengers. It’s a good and popular and trendy organization he works for. But why does he want to show off at that time and place. He was walking inside the bus to and fro 2-3 times. I felt it as the height of craziness! The best part was all the passengers did not even bother to notice him. I, to show my hate toward that attitude just pulled on the blankets covering my face while he was near my aisle seat.

All these people were from that one particular set of companies. The glorified ones in India…! Not all…!

When I tell these to my colleagues they tell more and more of the same kind. Absolutely insane stuff! I could only relate these to what I had experienced in school. Getting a feel that people don’t grow really!

Seeing all this, I make sure as soon as I make the last swipe in office I remove and put my card inside the bag. I just want to be myself. When out of organization I am one among the one billion in the nation. The common man! And I would like to remain the same. I don’t want to be associated as a person who holds some position in some company. I don’t see anything to do with the associations around me. I want to know if this is some kind of phobia..! I don’t understand this behavior. Is this the way an individual is valued…!!!

Next time I am going to ask someone why the %$#& is that they wear the ID all the time! I doubt whether they will wear their marriage rings / mangalsutras like this! Crazy people…

Just be yourself guys...

வெகு நாட்களாக இந்த தளத்தில் தமிழ் எழுத்துகளை பார்க்க வேண்டும் என போலவே இருந்தது. அது தான் இந்த தமிழ் பதிப்பு. இது நான் தமிழில் எழுதும் (தட்டும்) இரண்டாவது பதிப்பு. முதலாவது பெரும் சர்ச்சைக்குள்ளாகியது. இப்பொழுது எந்த எண்ணமும் இல்லாமல் தட்ட தொடங்கி விட்டேன்.

திடீரென்ற இந்த தமிழ் பற்று எனக்குள் மீண்டும் வருவதற்கு காரணம் பல விஷயங்கள், சில மனிதர்கள். எப்போதும் எனக்குள் இருக்கும் அந்த தமிழ் பற்றுக்கு காரணம் மூவர். முதல் நபர் இறந்தும் இறக்காமல் இருக்கும் மகாகவி சுப்ரமணிய பாரதி, இரண்டாவது, என்றும் இளமையாக இருக்கும் கவிஞர் வாலி. மூன்றாவது, எப்பொழுதும் புதிதாக முயற்சி எடுக்கும் கலைஞானி கமல்ஹாசன். கமலின் புதிய கவிதை ஒன்றே இந்த பதிப்பிற்கு தூண்டுதல் என்றால், அதில் ஆச்சிரியம் இல்லை.

ராவணனின் பத்து தலைகளும் பத்து விதமாக யோசிப்பது போல என் ஒரு தலை ஒரே நேரத்தில் யோசிக்கிறது. சில நேரங்களில் ராகங்கள் கூட பாடுகின்றன. ஒரு தலை ராகம்...! ராகம் உண்டாகும் பொழுதினிலும் கர்நாடகத்தில் தொடங்கி,ஹிந்துஸ்தானி மற்றும் மேல்நாட்டு மெட்டுகளுக்கு செல்கிறது. மண்டைக்குள் ஒரு ஜுகல் பந்தியே நடக்கிறது!

Nelly Furtado (Furtado என்று தமிழில் தட்டினால் கிட்ட தட்ட பரோட்டா என்று காட்டுகிறது Google Transliteration), Katy Perry போன்ற பெண்மணிகள் பட்டை கிளப்புகின்றனர். ஒரு பெண்ணின் ஆழ் மனதில் இருக்கும் உணர்சிகளை இப்பெண்மணிகள் பாடுகின்றனர். நமது கமல்ஹாசனும் அதையே பாடுகிறார்.

கலவி செய்கையில் காதில் பேசி

கனிவாய் மெலிதாய் கழுதை கவ்வும்

வெள்ளை பளிச்சிடும் பற்கள் வேண்டும்

குழந்தை வாயை முகர்வது போல

கடும் நாற்றமில்லாத வாயும் வேண்டும்

காம கழிவுகள் கழுவும் வேளையில்

கூட நின்றவன் உதவிட வேண்டும்

சமையலின் போதும் உதவிட வேண்டும்

சாய்ந்து நெகிழ்ந்திட திண்தோள் வேண்டும்

மோதி கோபம் தீர்க்க வசதியாய்

பாறை பதத்தில் நெஞ்சும் வேண்டும்

அதற்கு பின்னால் துடிக்கும் இதயமும்

அது இரத்தம் பாய்ச்சி நெகுழ்திய சிந்தையும்

மூளை மடிப்புகள் அதிகம் உள்ள

மேதாவிலாச மண்டையும் வேண்டும்

வங்கியில் இருப்பு வீட்டில் கருப்பென

வழங்கி புழங்கிட பணமும் வேண்டும்

நேர்மை வேண்டும் பக்தியும் வேண்டும்

எனக்கென சுதந்திரம் கேட்கும் வேளையில்

பகுத்தறிகின்ற புத்தியும் வேண்டும்

இந்த தமிழ் எனக்கு பிடித்திருக்கிறது...!ஒரு பெண் எழுதியது போலவே இருக்கின்றது இந்த கவிதை! எப்படி ஒரு பெண்ணாக இருந்து யோசித்திருப்பார் என்று யோசித்ததுண்டு. அந்த நேரத்தில் தான் ஒரு பழைய ஞாபகம் நினைவிற்கு வந்தது....

(ஆங்கிலத்தில் தொடறலாம் என நினைகின்றேன். எனக்கே இது கொஞ்சம் அதிகமாக தெரிகிறது... உங்கள பாத்தா எனக்கு பாவமா இருக்கு...)

While reading Kamal's lyrics I got reminded about Paulo Coelho's book Eleven Minutes. Its a novel on how Maria becomes a sex worker. Almost the entire book narrates the rumblings in Maria's mind. "I’m the one who should feel ashamed for being unable to arouse them, but, no, they always blame themselves" writes the author on behalf of Maria. Do read the book.

Here both the writers have written on the same plane. Feminism. When a female writes the same way either the book is banned or the writer is issued a fatwa! On the other hand, men have been better in expressing the feminism thinking inside them. And it doesnt mean they think like a lady.

There is this "Man" thing attached to men all the time. For ex: when women cry it is considered they are innocent and a man cries its considered he is weak, immature. Crying is a natural feeling of expressing depression without words. What is it to do with a male / female thing...! (The best is how girls perceive it...when you /me cry its that we are those weak poor individuals and they get moved when Shahrukh / Salman cries on screen...they are considered Macho)

This crying thing is just an example. A man is put an artificial pressure for the whole life surrounded the "act like a male" tag. Tony Porter explores this with reference to his own life. He shows how this mentality drummed into so many men and boys can lead to disrespect, mistreat, abuse women and each other. And his solution to this is break free the "man box". Check out what he has explored. Video Courtesy: TED

Just be yourself guys... When you feel to hit, hit it hard.

random thoughts

Krinav, Maya, Pranav, Aishwarya, Shivani are all my new friends. They are the ones who are going to represent the next generation. The GenX…!

It’s raining everyday in Chennai. The whole city is wet. This is the time supposed to be hot. Super Hot…! While I enjoy the rains I also think this is a result of climate change…! Delhi is also in the same condition.

Two very much important things in life: Food and sleep. We should never miss timelines for these both.

Sometimes, research kills. Few say drinking water is good for health and on the other side there is a report which says drinking too much of water has made a girl’s eye blind. So how much is this too much??

Indian cinema industry should try shooting action scenes and song sequences in 3D. they will definitely will attract audiences…!

Somehow I don’t like the IT industry although it gives me the money for the bread and butter every month! It drives everything around. It has taken away our lifestyle in the name of “opening up new avenues”

While I am geared up with my raincoat, the sun shines. When I am not, it pours heavy straight on my head. The _uck thing _ucks…!

Internet has on the other side created too much of problems. One of my friend, who is pregnant 2 months old was actually roughly said by her doctor,” Come to me if you will listen what I say or if you are the one who consults the Internet, then I am not the right person”. This doctor is a well experienced lady. Problem is with internet where there are too many opinions from every tom, dick and harry.

Dreams should become reality and reality should not fade like Dreams

What next?

Imagination

used to follow and Jikku’s blog long back. Imagination has no bounds and I think this is a wonderful way of doing it.

She had a series of posts in the title “I ask, you write”. She asks a question and the answers are written by the readers in their own imagination. A sample from that which I like the most…

Question 1: What happened when young Padmavathi was drawing water from the well to wash her clothes, early one Margazhi morning?

And the imaginations spread its wings as follows…This is the one which I enjoyed the most.

One morning when Padmavathi was drawing water from the well, she found Pettai Rowdy # 1 Govindarajulu inside the bucket! She dropped it at once and Govindarajulu went down and down and hit the bottom of the well with a “Nung” sound. His upper and lower teeth fused together and since then he has been fed intravenously. Pettai Rowdy # 2, Ragothaman Iyengar, who suggested this to Govindarajulu, now rules the roost.

After marrying Padmavathi, he is inviting all of you to a water drawing ceremony at the new well they dug in their house.

Imagination aka Fiction aka Dreams all fall in the same genre. It can be said that I am inspired to write fiction from this also. Even after 4 years I was able to remember and find the site and the post in the first attempt. Such was the post!

FWD:

Few fwd: jokes for the fast forward life...Enjoy...

1. Two men went into a diner and sat down at the counter. They ordered two sodas, took sandwiches out of their packs and started to eat them. The owner saw what was going on and approached the men. "You can't eat your own sandwiches in here," he complained. The two men stopped, looked at each other, and then swapped their sandwiches.
2. The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, "Take only one, God is watching." Moving through the line, to the other end of the table, was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. One of the boys wrote a note, "Take all you want, God is watching the apples."
3. Psychiatric Hotline If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly. If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2. If you have multiple personalities, please press 3, 4, 5, and 6. If you are paranoid-delusional, we know who you are and what you want. Just stay on the line so we can trace the call. If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press. If you are manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press. No one will answer.
4. The manager of a large office noticed a new man one day and told him to come into his office. "What is your name? "" Was the first thing the manager asked the new guy. ""John,"" the new guy replied. The manager scowled, ""Look, I don't know what kind of a mamby-pamby place you worked at before, but I don't call anyone by their first name! It breeds familiarity and that leads to a breakdown in authority. I refer to my employees by their last name only -- Smith, Jones, Baker -- that's all. I am to be referred to only as Mr. Robertson. Now that we got that straight, what is your last name? ""The new guy sighed and said, ""Darling. My name is John Darling. "" ""Okay, John, the next thing I want to tell you is... ""
5. A newsboy was standing on the corner with a stack of papers, yelling, "Read all about it. Fifty people swindled! Fifty people swindled! " Curious, a man walked over, bought a paper, and checked the front page. Finding nothing, the man said, "There's nothing in here about fifty people being swindled. " The newsboy ignored him and went on, calling out, "Read all about it. Fifty-one people swindled! "

HunDreams

Inception is an intelligent movie which never lost the pace throughout.  The story line is easily predictable given the point that thousands of reviews are written about even before it is released.  Usually, I look more on the technical aspects of any movie.  Inception made me concentrate more on the script.

And this movie has incepted an idea in me.  We never remember the dreams we had while in our sleep.  What if we remember!?  Sometimes while a dream is on, I know that I am in a dream.  Intriguing..!

My new blog “Dreams Unlimited” attempts to capture few of those.  The ones we dream while sleeping and also while awake.  It is difficult to remember dreams everyday!  The fact we attempt to remember it, fades it or we never dream too.  And also we cannot re member all the parts of the dream!  Hence, with the hollywood, bollywood, kollywood, tollywood, mollywood and sandalwood masala mixed together here is my new blog “Dreams Unlimited” addressed as http://hundreams.blogspot.com 

HunDreams can be taken as Hundred Dreams or even Hunting Dreams.  Whatever, almost everything will be fictitious written for a good read.  No copyrights and every one of you are welcome to incept their idea in me so that I can write them about.  Actually, our dreams are not ours alone.  We are not ourselves too.  So generosity helps… hee hee…

http://hundreams.blogspot.com


Enjoy your time.

It’s a clueless life

No one said life is easy. But why has it to be tough?

Right from birth to death, an individual has various kinds of needs which never end. Looking back from this day, we can never believe ourselves on how many days have passed by! What have we achieved, how much satisfaction in mind, how many people are around us when we really need them!!??

Change is the only permanent thing in this world. Everything else keeps on changing. If we love something today and it’s going to change tomorrow, then why do we put our heart and soul into it knowing about the change? Relationships are most crucial in our lives which makes the difference and alas…, these relationships are the worst affected. I don’t have all those so called “best” friends with me. A kid recently asked me “Who is your best friend?” I couldn’t answer. Probably I don’t know how to categorize. Or be it love or a relationship with mom, dad or brothers or relatives! Everything changes. The equation in relationships keeps changing and it takes a toll on people’s lives.

There are so many one liners to inspire and motivate. But reality is far different that they don’t last more than a day. Most of them are silly! I myself keep saying “Everything happens for the best” and now I had given up it on myself. All those one liners evolve from a feel of loss or while our lives are on a high. Otherwise this truly has nothing to do with our daily lives more than that minute we read it.

In a way, we live an imaginary life by perceiving and fooling ourselves that everything will pass on. When we get over one loss, the next comes in a different form and the chain is intact till the last day of our lives. It’s full of compromises on our own personality. We really aren’t ourselves. We don’t have an originality of our own. We see, hear, perceive from those and incept ourselves into a world of prejudices and live in the name of “living to the fullest”.

I don’t understand it. Or probably I don’t know to live or I knew or I have become dumb or probably this has become my nature. Every time you put your best to move on, there is something to make sure you are brought down and stamped! And one fine day, you are dead. What have we done in the past years, what are we going to do, what is that we have accomplished till now and for what??

Study, earn, get married, raise kids, retire, die..! During all these phases of life, what is permanent and lasts from day one to last? Parents? Siblings? Kids? Friends? our Love, Interests, Passion? Materials? Nothing of this stays with us. Then what is life, what and where is the reason to live? Or to make my dumb head understand, what is this “living” mean?? I am sure that in future, I shall regret a lot about today and not to be unusual, that day I shall put myself under this clueless cloud of “this is how life is and we got to embrace it” and carry on. And today I just close all my senses and make a living with what I get.

Let some light fall on my dumbness to life and let me write an inspiring post which shall last for a day or two.

കേരളം - கேரளம் - Keralam

When Madras got changed to Chennai, I neither supported nor was opposed to it, but I continued to use the name Madras wherever I could. Even now in some conversations I use the name Madras. It gives a sense of nostalgia of the city. Same with Bombay and Calcutta!

Now, it’s the turn of a state to get it renamed. Kerala to “Keralam”! I am in full support of this name change. Kerala is also good but “Keralam” is too good. I am not a Malayalee but Malayalam is a language which I like most after my mother tongue Tamil. Kerala, the state, its people, and the language connect with nature and there is something the way they speak which represents the rich culture and the evergreen nature of the state. The name “Keralam” sounds closer to it than Kerala.

Read somewhere that a Kerala Travel Association official had spoken against this name change as this will not attract tourists. And another reason he states against the name change is that tourists are finding it difficult to pronounce the new names. He had cited Trivandrum changed to “Thiruvananthapuram”. To me Thiruvananthapuram sounds beautiful.

My question to him would be how easy for him is to pronounce “Braunschweig”, “Kaiserslautern” and other European city names!? It’s not the tourists who build a place and preserve the culture right!?

Altogether, both my thumbs up for Kerala getting its new beautiful name “Keralam”. Wish I could have known to write this post in Malayalam.

I-T

Wonderful! This is the 5th consecutive year I file my tax returns and 4th consecutive year I do it online. It was when I learnt about filing online I came to know about the tax policies and other few stuff related to it. Till that I was a complete zero in it.

Now people ask me how to do it and I too keep telling and teaching people on how to file online. This year I have supported 3 people to do it online :)

The best thing in that is we know our stuff. Most of us are salaried people and that makes it simple to file the returns. The major portion of it is filling up the ITR-1 and the Form 16 is exactly the replica of it. Moreover, if returns are filed online, the refunds get processed quickly. I have got mine! I am not just writing it, have really got it. What else do I need to support this utility by GOI! It’s a wonderful site on the e-governance intitiatives.

Sorry...wrong number...

Sometimes a stupidity turns to be funny and vice versa too.

Being in Mumbai and wanting to get my return ticket booked, I called up a colleague sitting in Bangalore to get the travel desk contact number. Dialing the number, a girl picked up. I started telling my requirements. There was a pause on the other side and I heard “wrong number”. And she hung the call.

I checked the number I had dialed. It was right! Telling my colleague about this he felt strange. He is a frequent traveler and dials the number to the travel desk every time! I thought probably the team would have shifted to a new building and tried a possible new number. No response! I again dialed the first number and it was the same hello. This time I responded “Travel Desk…?”

She: No, sorry. This is not travel desk!
Me: Sorry

And I hung the call. My colleague tried the same number and he got through and asked me to try again. I felt hesitating. I had to return another call to Bangalore office and thought I will make this call and then dial the travel desk again. Dialed and the response was “The number doesn’t exist…” I thought something wrong with making calls to my Bangalore office.

I had to call the travel desk. Had no option to book my tickets! Tried again! Same girl, same hello… This time I started asking for a specific name in the travel desk.

She: No, there is no one by that name here…
Me: That’s travel desk right..!
She: No, this is not.
Me: Which place is this..! This is our office travel desk number
She: No, this is residence and I am Sneha
Me: Sneha, sorry but this is the number of my travel desk and all my colleagues use this only.
She: Oh! I am sorry but this is my residence number for a long time
Me: Okay..! Sorry for the disturbance…Hopefully I won’t call to hear you again…
She: It’s okay. Don’t feel sorry. And even if you are dialing again here, you will hear my granny’s voice and not mine as I am leaving out now
Me: Oh..! then I guess I wont be dialing again for sure
She: [Laughs]
Me: [laughs here too] anyways, I am sorry and… you have a nice voice.
She: thank you…

“Bye”, “Bye”. Call ended. For the next few minutes I did not remember anything like I have to get my return tickets or anything of that sort.

My colleague friend called up and asked me whether I got through or not. It was like waking me up from sleep. “No” was my answer. He then tried to call the travel desk and got the correct line. He then had set up a conference call. I conveyed my requirements and requested the helpdesk people to call me by themselves. Ticket got booked.

Few hours passed by and suddenly something flashed in my mind which was very funny. {My colleague gave me the Bangalore help desk number. I am in Mumbai and it means if I am dialing Bangalore, I had to prefix the STD code} I had dialed the number without the STD code and my calls have landed to Sneha’s residence in Mumbai all the three times and when I asked which place was that, she did not tell me the locality! It was just funny that I dialed a number without a STD code and it landed in a different city.

I thought I should share it with Sneha and called her again with full intention. With a 2 second response came out a voice.

“Helloooooo…”

It was her granny. I hung the call myself saying “Sorry…wrong number...!”