What hurts more than pain ? That sinking feeling in your heart, when you know you are going down, without slightest trace of a fight. The feeling that you are about to lose everything dear to you and yet, you just stand still, with that look of utter helplessness..
You never like to be brought down to your knees but when words knock you over like a sledgehammer, its like your mind almost willed yourself to crumble down and seek solace in pits of despair. You are ashamed to face yourself and even look in the mirror, lest you see the face of a loser.
Life loses it's meaning, nature loses it's splendour..seasons come and go, the sights and sounds change. Your mind, numb by the pain, just refuses to come out of the trance.
No, that's just not me..I got balls and would have poured myself a Jameson and would have moved on with my life...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Another mercenary bites the dust
At the outset, let me make this clear. I am not a Tamilian/LTTE sympathiser nor am I someone who feels that violence is the right way to find a solution. Just an ordinary techie, who prefers his scotch with a couple of ice cubes.
Finally, after 30 years of what has been Asia's biggest war, the Sri Lankan army managed to wipe out one of the most organised terrorist groups in the world.The Media has celebrated the defeat of the LTTE with all the exuberance of a 5 year old kid, flashing his latest toy in front of other toddlers. The crude pics of the bodies of the rebel leaders, were flashed across all major news channels and for a while, the biggest event in the Indian democracy was overshadowed.
Independence should be celebrated but showing disrespect to the dead leaves a bitter taste in you. We have moved on from the transylvanian era where impaling the heads of prisoners on stakes, was a part of the post victory celebrations. Post modern era and it seems that we do retain the same cold blooded streak within us. By publicly humiliating the dead and with media hellbent on satisfying the appetite of the common viewer, aren't we sowing the seeds for another Prabhakaran to rise again ?
Petty politics has played a major role throughout the years leading to the formation of this dreaded organisation. The roots of the differences between the tamils and the sinhalese could be traced back to the Donoughmore commissions divide and rule policy for elections into the Legislative council, back in 1930's. Strikes a bell, doesn't it..Lord Curzon's partition of Bengal, anyone ??
The roots had already been sown, in the British era. Post independence of the island nation and the Sinhalese leaders, inorder to satisfy their vote banks, brought about a number of policies that discriminated against the minority tamils. Years of injustice meted out to the tamils, humiliation, poverty and lack of education served as a perfect catalyst for the rise of an embittered leader amongst them. A ruthless mercenary surrounded by his ever faithful renegades, sought to put an end to years of oppression by taking the fight to the enemy. He brought about a defacto government within Jaffna, complete with a Judicial system, a police force and a highly trained army. After years of discrimination, it is natural that the tamils would have seen a saviour in Prabhakaran who stood up for their causes. Unlike leaders worldwide who changed ideologies like changing one's undergarments, here was a man who requested his fellow soldiers to shoot him dead, if he ever faltered from the cause for which the LTTE stood for - A separate tamil state.
What more could you ask ? Trust me, if I ever was a tamilian in Lanka who had suffered in silence for years, I would have been tempted to join the organisation.However, no amount of political ideology could glorify the misdeeds that LTTE would commit , over the years to come. Recruiting child soldiers, creating the Black tigers wing(suicide bombers) and the assassination of various political leaders.
It would be safe to say that India has been instrumental in the growth of LTTE. Pro LTTE sympathisers are abundant in India for decades. Vocal supporters of LTTE include Tamil leaders like Vaiko, (who was seen in a snap wearing LTTE uniform and target practising with Prabhakaran), Nedumaran, Karunanidhi have all played crucial roles over years in the growth of LTTE. Until just a few weeks ago, the same leaders were highlighting the cause of the tamils, as part of their election campaigns. After Vaiko's defeat, it is evident that the common tamilian has more issues in his daily life than caring for what happens to his brothers in a different country. Now that LTTE has been wiped out, I don't see any of these so called "sympathisers" opening their mouth in support. I just despise such two faced hypocrites, who steer their courses according to the direction of the wind.
Isn't it the greatest irony that the leaders who stood unwavering to their causes, have always been on the wrong side of the law ?
Now what ? I sincerely hope Rajapakse and his successors don't repeat the mistakes of their forefathers and sought to end the discriminatory policies and bring about peace in the island nation. Politics and politicians in India will not change and it is up to us to ...what the hell..You and I are still gonna stick to our "I don't care a crap" attitude, after minutes of reading this. forget it...
However, spare a thought for the homeless, the displaced, the hungry, the poor and the injured, who have fled from their homelands. If you don't make a monetary contribution, at least pray for a minute for their well being. I sincerely hope, that no child has to ever hold a gun in his/her hands..
Taking the liberty to pen a few lines from the lyrics of a beautiful song from a Rehman composition..
vidai kodu engal naade
kadal vaasal thelikkum veede
panai mara kaadae, paravaigal koode
marumurai oru murai paarpoma?
udhattil punnagai pudhaithom
uyirai udambukkuL pudhaithom
verum koodugaL mattum oorvalam pogindrom
vidai kodu...
Finally, after 30 years of what has been Asia's biggest war, the Sri Lankan army managed to wipe out one of the most organised terrorist groups in the world.The Media has celebrated the defeat of the LTTE with all the exuberance of a 5 year old kid, flashing his latest toy in front of other toddlers. The crude pics of the bodies of the rebel leaders, were flashed across all major news channels and for a while, the biggest event in the Indian democracy was overshadowed.
Independence should be celebrated but showing disrespect to the dead leaves a bitter taste in you. We have moved on from the transylvanian era where impaling the heads of prisoners on stakes, was a part of the post victory celebrations. Post modern era and it seems that we do retain the same cold blooded streak within us. By publicly humiliating the dead and with media hellbent on satisfying the appetite of the common viewer, aren't we sowing the seeds for another Prabhakaran to rise again ?
Petty politics has played a major role throughout the years leading to the formation of this dreaded organisation. The roots of the differences between the tamils and the sinhalese could be traced back to the Donoughmore commissions divide and rule policy for elections into the Legislative council, back in 1930's. Strikes a bell, doesn't it..Lord Curzon's partition of Bengal, anyone ??
The roots had already been sown, in the British era. Post independence of the island nation and the Sinhalese leaders, inorder to satisfy their vote banks, brought about a number of policies that discriminated against the minority tamils. Years of injustice meted out to the tamils, humiliation, poverty and lack of education served as a perfect catalyst for the rise of an embittered leader amongst them. A ruthless mercenary surrounded by his ever faithful renegades, sought to put an end to years of oppression by taking the fight to the enemy. He brought about a defacto government within Jaffna, complete with a Judicial system, a police force and a highly trained army. After years of discrimination, it is natural that the tamils would have seen a saviour in Prabhakaran who stood up for their causes. Unlike leaders worldwide who changed ideologies like changing one's undergarments, here was a man who requested his fellow soldiers to shoot him dead, if he ever faltered from the cause for which the LTTE stood for - A separate tamil state.
What more could you ask ? Trust me, if I ever was a tamilian in Lanka who had suffered in silence for years, I would have been tempted to join the organisation.However, no amount of political ideology could glorify the misdeeds that LTTE would commit , over the years to come. Recruiting child soldiers, creating the Black tigers wing(suicide bombers) and the assassination of various political leaders.
It would be safe to say that India has been instrumental in the growth of LTTE. Pro LTTE sympathisers are abundant in India for decades. Vocal supporters of LTTE include Tamil leaders like Vaiko, (who was seen in a snap wearing LTTE uniform and target practising with Prabhakaran), Nedumaran, Karunanidhi have all played crucial roles over years in the growth of LTTE. Until just a few weeks ago, the same leaders were highlighting the cause of the tamils, as part of their election campaigns. After Vaiko's defeat, it is evident that the common tamilian has more issues in his daily life than caring for what happens to his brothers in a different country. Now that LTTE has been wiped out, I don't see any of these so called "sympathisers" opening their mouth in support. I just despise such two faced hypocrites, who steer their courses according to the direction of the wind.
Isn't it the greatest irony that the leaders who stood unwavering to their causes, have always been on the wrong side of the law ?
Now what ? I sincerely hope Rajapakse and his successors don't repeat the mistakes of their forefathers and sought to end the discriminatory policies and bring about peace in the island nation. Politics and politicians in India will not change and it is up to us to ...what the hell..You and I are still gonna stick to our "I don't care a crap" attitude, after minutes of reading this. forget it...
However, spare a thought for the homeless, the displaced, the hungry, the poor and the injured, who have fled from their homelands. If you don't make a monetary contribution, at least pray for a minute for their well being. I sincerely hope, that no child has to ever hold a gun in his/her hands..
Taking the liberty to pen a few lines from the lyrics of a beautiful song from a Rehman composition..
vidai kodu engal naade
kadal vaasal thelikkum veede
panai mara kaadae, paravaigal koode
marumurai oru murai paarpoma?
udhattil punnagai pudhaithom
uyirai udambukkuL pudhaithom
verum koodugaL mattum oorvalam pogindrom
vidai kodu...
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A Lal Fan's movie review !!!
Disclaimer:
1. If malayalam is not your cup of tea, you probably might have a lot of better options to spend time, than reading this article.
2. This was not penned by me(Shucks !! This is miles better than what I could churn out). Seems to be written by some aggrieved Lal fan who probably was software engg, in production support.
Go on...
Kazhinja aaychayile etho oru paathirathriyil urangaan aayi kannadachappol aanu "Sathyam theatre il sathyamayittum SAGAR ALIAS JACKY" ennu roomie Tom paranjathu. Chennai yil release cheyyunna malayalam padangal prolthsahikkanam ennu aagraham ollathinaal, innini ticket book cheythittu mathi urakkam ennu vicharichu book cheythu, pani okke ini monday cheyyam chetta ennu officil paranja, maryadhakku bhakshanam polum kazhikkathe theatreil chennu ninna enikku ithu thanne venam.
Nanni Laletta, Nanni..
Amal Neerad BIG B kku shesham Lalettane muscle pidipichu close shottsilum slow motionilum mathramayi chithrikaricha aadhya malayalam padam - SAGAR ALIAS JACKY.
SN Swami aanu thirakkadha. Athum mattoru albhudham aanu. Kadha illathe thirakkadha ezhuthuka , nissaramaya oru karyam alla. Laalettan thekkum vadakkum pokunnathum, vazhiyil kandumuttunna sundarimarudeyum, sundaranmaaraya villain marudeyum vila koodiya vandikaludeyum kadha aanu SAGAR ALIAS JACKY.
Enikku thonunnathu chithrikaranathinte chilavu kurakkan aayi, Laalettane Keralathil ninnum dubai yilekku nadathi aanu kondupoyathu ennanu(chila aanakale nadathi kondu pokunnathu pole). Oppam nadappu pala anglil oppiyeduthu vetti murichu, puttinu peera idunnathu pole avide ivide angottu vidhari.
Manoharamayi ottere anglukalil ninnu Amal Neerad oru karyam prove cheythu. ethu angle inu nokkiyalum Mohanlal inte kudavayar thanne munnil.Ithonnum poranjittu malayala cinema ithu vare kaanatha oru nrithya roopam avatharipikkanayi kalyaanam kazhinjittu abhinayam nirthi poyi thirichu vanna Jyothirmayee ye thanne thiranju pidichathu oru onnonnara casting aayi poyi(Kalyanam kazhinjittu aa kutty kku enthu patti, valla badhayum keyariyo ??)
Laalettante pazhaye naayika Shobhana madangi ethiyathu, oru kutty yude ammayayittanu. But Laalettan ippozhum bachelor thanne. Padayappa enna chithrathil shirt oori Somalian kuttikale pole nilkkunna Rajnikanth ine nokki Abbas kaachunathu "Wow !! What a man" ennanu. Ithu paranju kore thamizhanmaare kali aakiyathinte paapam aanu ennu thoninnu, "Six packukalude" kaalathu "School Bagum" thookki nilkkunna vayasan Laalettanodu ishtam aanu ennu parayunna bhavanaye kandappol kannuneerayi purathu vannathu. Ithonnum porathathinu, oru pattum. Laalettan munnil, Bhavana pinnil, ennittu Laalettan aakunna malaye chutti Bhavana yude oru premam.
Small letter kandaal pacha vara idunna Microsoft word ine pole paavam villain eppol Laalettane kandaalum IVANE NJAAN POKACHU KALAYUM ennu paranju thokkum pidichondu vannu, athu erinju kalanju idi medichu koottum. Ee thokkum thookikondu vannu, pinne athu erinju kalanju idi medichu koottunathinte logic enthanu ??? Socialism aano ??
Njangalodu kshemikkane SN Swami, Amal Neerad, Laaletta, Anthony Perumbavoor saarummare..Ingane aayal malayala cinemayude vyaaja CD illaandavan adhikam samayam edukilla. Malayala cinema kaanan aalondavathe aakumpol, CD medikkan aaru varum ? Pakshe enthokke paranjalum, ee titlum, chela scenukalum okke manoharam aayirinnu.. Pakshe, ee slow motion inokke oru paruthi ille ??
Chithrathe kurichu otta vachakathil - STYLISH AND BORING chithram.
Ithonnum kondu njaan padikkan pokunnilla. CASANOVAyum, HARIHAR NAGAR um okke kaanan aadhyam thanne kaanum. Athenkilum nannavumayirikkum.
Theatril kettathu - Laalettan fans inte sangha gaanam - MAMMOOTTY CAN'T DANCE, SAALA !!!
1. If malayalam is not your cup of tea, you probably might have a lot of better options to spend time, than reading this article.
2. This was not penned by me(Shucks !! This is miles better than what I could churn out). Seems to be written by some aggrieved Lal fan who probably was software engg, in production support.
Go on...
Kazhinja aaychayile etho oru paathirathriyil urangaan aayi kannadachappol aanu "Sathyam theatre il sathyamayittum SAGAR ALIAS JACKY" ennu roomie Tom paranjathu. Chennai yil release cheyyunna malayalam padangal prolthsahikkanam ennu aagraham ollathinaal, innini ticket book cheythittu mathi urakkam ennu vicharichu book cheythu, pani okke ini monday cheyyam chetta ennu officil paranja, maryadhakku bhakshanam polum kazhikkathe theatreil chennu ninna enikku ithu thanne venam.
Nanni Laletta, Nanni..
Amal Neerad BIG B kku shesham Lalettane muscle pidipichu close shottsilum slow motionilum mathramayi chithrikaricha aadhya malayalam padam - SAGAR ALIAS JACKY.
SN Swami aanu thirakkadha. Athum mattoru albhudham aanu. Kadha illathe thirakkadha ezhuthuka , nissaramaya oru karyam alla. Laalettan thekkum vadakkum pokunnathum, vazhiyil kandumuttunna sundarimarudeyum, sundaranmaaraya villain marudeyum vila koodiya vandikaludeyum kadha aanu SAGAR ALIAS JACKY.
Enikku thonunnathu chithrikaranathinte chilavu kurakkan aayi, Laalettane Keralathil ninnum dubai yilekku nadathi aanu kondupoyathu ennanu(chila aanakale nadathi kondu pokunnathu pole). Oppam nadappu pala anglil oppiyeduthu vetti murichu, puttinu peera idunnathu pole avide ivide angottu vidhari.
Manoharamayi ottere anglukalil ninnu Amal Neerad oru karyam prove cheythu. ethu angle inu nokkiyalum Mohanlal inte kudavayar thanne munnil.Ithonnum poranjittu malayala cinema ithu vare kaanatha oru nrithya roopam avatharipikkanayi kalyaanam kazhinjittu abhinayam nirthi poyi thirichu vanna Jyothirmayee ye thanne thiranju pidichathu oru onnonnara casting aayi poyi(Kalyanam kazhinjittu aa kutty kku enthu patti, valla badhayum keyariyo ??)
Laalettante pazhaye naayika Shobhana madangi ethiyathu, oru kutty yude ammayayittanu. But Laalettan ippozhum bachelor thanne. Padayappa enna chithrathil shirt oori Somalian kuttikale pole nilkkunna Rajnikanth ine nokki Abbas kaachunathu "Wow !! What a man" ennanu. Ithu paranju kore thamizhanmaare kali aakiyathinte paapam aanu ennu thoninnu, "Six packukalude" kaalathu "School Bagum" thookki nilkkunna vayasan Laalettanodu ishtam aanu ennu parayunna bhavanaye kandappol kannuneerayi purathu vannathu. Ithonnum porathathinu, oru pattum. Laalettan munnil, Bhavana pinnil, ennittu Laalettan aakunna malaye chutti Bhavana yude oru premam.
Small letter kandaal pacha vara idunna Microsoft word ine pole paavam villain eppol Laalettane kandaalum IVANE NJAAN POKACHU KALAYUM ennu paranju thokkum pidichondu vannu, athu erinju kalanju idi medichu koottum. Ee thokkum thookikondu vannu, pinne athu erinju kalanju idi medichu koottunathinte logic enthanu ??? Socialism aano ??
Njangalodu kshemikkane SN Swami, Amal Neerad, Laaletta, Anthony Perumbavoor saarummare..Ingane aayal malayala cinemayude vyaaja CD illaandavan adhikam samayam edukilla. Malayala cinema kaanan aalondavathe aakumpol, CD medikkan aaru varum ? Pakshe enthokke paranjalum, ee titlum, chela scenukalum okke manoharam aayirinnu.. Pakshe, ee slow motion inokke oru paruthi ille ??
Chithrathe kurichu otta vachakathil - STYLISH AND BORING chithram.
Ithonnum kondu njaan padikkan pokunnilla. CASANOVAyum, HARIHAR NAGAR um okke kaanan aadhyam thanne kaanum. Athenkilum nannavumayirikkum.
Theatril kettathu - Laalettan fans inte sangha gaanam - MAMMOOTTY CAN'T DANCE, SAALA !!!
Monday, March 30, 2009
The tale of Jekyll and Hyde
Those frequent get-togethers I have with my "koothara" friends, ensure that there is no dearth of those crazy stories, from sojourn at Chennai. Taking time out to pen a few..
2004 - Chennai was the place where I met all these guys, during the course of our ELT training for Cognizant. This one was about two "loving" roomies - Basheer and Akku(names changed). Fate, along with circumstances, ensured that these extreme characters, had to share a common roof, during the course of the training at cognizant. Basheer was a staunch Muslim, who tried to incorporate almost each and every line of the holy Quran, into his life. As per the narrator, he had a long beard, prayed 5 times a day and kept away from all mundane pleasures in life.That included the basic necessities of bachelor life - Films, Liquor and girls(Ogling, mind it !!!!).
That he got such a dynamically opposite roomie in Akku, was the biggest irony. Akku had the reputation of having drunk from at least one bar, in each of the 14 districts in Kerala. A chain smoker, he was a compulsive flirt who changed girlfriends every season. The difference in character, was evident in their respective rooms, as well. Basheerkka's room was the epitome of cleanliness, with each and every corner tidy and not an object out of it's place. If there was speck of dirt, one assumed that it would have blown over from Akku's room. Akku's room looked similar to those pics of devastation that one saw on the net, after Louisiana was hit by Katrina. Amidst the chaos, one could see a path that lead from the bed to the bathroom, that was flanked on both sides by undergarments. Akku shared the room, along with a host of other creatures like bed bugs, roaches, lizards, spiders and what not. A perfect example of "cultural Integration" of the third kind.
Amongst Akku's fave activities, was pulling Basheerkka's long beard(pretending to unearth an imaginary spider from those locks) and taunting his religious belief's. Akku was lucky that Quran contained a line that encouraged it's followers to love all fellow beings, including their enemies. I am assuming so, accounting to the fact that Akku is still alive. Basheerkka put up with every action of Akku, with a tired smile, the signs of a man with infinite patience.
Now to the story. Chennai 2005 was famous for it's huge downpour during monsoon and the resulting flood like situation. For 2-3 days, most of the shops were closed and people were confined to their homes. IT folks were the worst hit, as most of them were put up in low lying areas near the IT corridor, which were worst hit. One had to wade thru almost 4 feet of drain to reach the bus stop.
On that particular Friday, offices were all closed, due to the flood like situation. Most of the shops were closed, and it was almost impossible to get food from outside. Akku was amongst the lucky few, who managed to get a few slices of bread, from a friend of his. The good Samaritan in him, usually makes very infrequent appearances. And(as luck would have it), it chose to make an entry, as he was wading thru those waters, to reach home. He envisioned a tired and starved Basheerkka, who surely would not have had a morsel of food since last night.
Thus, at 12.30 in the afternoon, Akku started his journey, trudging thru waist deep water filled with garbage, in search of some food for his dear roomie. The thought that this deed would act as some sort of penance for all the trouble he had caused to his roomie, would have egged him on. The quest that started from PTC quarters, ended eventually, at the Adayar bus stand, a rough distance of around 5 kms.Akku managed to locate a roadside biriyani eatery, whose owner was just about to close the shop, as he had managed to sell off his stock to the needy. After much pleading & cajoling, Akku managed to get a packet of biriyani from the owner, for double the price. Seems that the owner had reserved the food for a special customer of his. Akku again started his journey back and this time, got a lift back home from Thiruvanmiyur.
At around 4 in the evening, a weary Akku burst into Basheerkka's house, sporting the sort of victorious smile that Odysseus would have flashed, after the victory over Troy. Clutching the food packet in his hand, he limped over to Basheerkka's bed, sat down beside him and with moist eyes, opened the packet. His eyes then frantically searched for any emotions on Basheerkka's face, hoping to find some form of acknowledgement/gratitude.
Basheerkka stroked his beard in deep thought, peered at Akku from behind his glasses and shot the question - " Any idea if they used Halal meat in the biriyani" ???
They say that Akku threw both - the Biriyani and Basheerkka , out of the house.
2004 - Chennai was the place where I met all these guys, during the course of our ELT training for Cognizant. This one was about two "loving" roomies - Basheer and Akku(names changed). Fate, along with circumstances, ensured that these extreme characters, had to share a common roof, during the course of the training at cognizant. Basheer was a staunch Muslim, who tried to incorporate almost each and every line of the holy Quran, into his life. As per the narrator, he had a long beard, prayed 5 times a day and kept away from all mundane pleasures in life.That included the basic necessities of bachelor life - Films, Liquor and girls(Ogling, mind it !!!!).
That he got such a dynamically opposite roomie in Akku, was the biggest irony. Akku had the reputation of having drunk from at least one bar, in each of the 14 districts in Kerala. A chain smoker, he was a compulsive flirt who changed girlfriends every season. The difference in character, was evident in their respective rooms, as well. Basheerkka's room was the epitome of cleanliness, with each and every corner tidy and not an object out of it's place. If there was speck of dirt, one assumed that it would have blown over from Akku's room. Akku's room looked similar to those pics of devastation that one saw on the net, after Louisiana was hit by Katrina. Amidst the chaos, one could see a path that lead from the bed to the bathroom, that was flanked on both sides by undergarments. Akku shared the room, along with a host of other creatures like bed bugs, roaches, lizards, spiders and what not. A perfect example of "cultural Integration" of the third kind.
Amongst Akku's fave activities, was pulling Basheerkka's long beard(pretending to unearth an imaginary spider from those locks) and taunting his religious belief's. Akku was lucky that Quran contained a line that encouraged it's followers to love all fellow beings, including their enemies. I am assuming so, accounting to the fact that Akku is still alive. Basheerkka put up with every action of Akku, with a tired smile, the signs of a man with infinite patience.
Now to the story. Chennai 2005 was famous for it's huge downpour during monsoon and the resulting flood like situation. For 2-3 days, most of the shops were closed and people were confined to their homes. IT folks were the worst hit, as most of them were put up in low lying areas near the IT corridor, which were worst hit. One had to wade thru almost 4 feet of drain to reach the bus stop.
On that particular Friday, offices were all closed, due to the flood like situation. Most of the shops were closed, and it was almost impossible to get food from outside. Akku was amongst the lucky few, who managed to get a few slices of bread, from a friend of his. The good Samaritan in him, usually makes very infrequent appearances. And(as luck would have it), it chose to make an entry, as he was wading thru those waters, to reach home. He envisioned a tired and starved Basheerkka, who surely would not have had a morsel of food since last night.
Thus, at 12.30 in the afternoon, Akku started his journey, trudging thru waist deep water filled with garbage, in search of some food for his dear roomie. The thought that this deed would act as some sort of penance for all the trouble he had caused to his roomie, would have egged him on. The quest that started from PTC quarters, ended eventually, at the Adayar bus stand, a rough distance of around 5 kms.Akku managed to locate a roadside biriyani eatery, whose owner was just about to close the shop, as he had managed to sell off his stock to the needy. After much pleading & cajoling, Akku managed to get a packet of biriyani from the owner, for double the price. Seems that the owner had reserved the food for a special customer of his. Akku again started his journey back and this time, got a lift back home from Thiruvanmiyur.
At around 4 in the evening, a weary Akku burst into Basheerkka's house, sporting the sort of victorious smile that Odysseus would have flashed, after the victory over Troy. Clutching the food packet in his hand, he limped over to Basheerkka's bed, sat down beside him and with moist eyes, opened the packet. His eyes then frantically searched for any emotions on Basheerkka's face, hoping to find some form of acknowledgement/gratitude.
Basheerkka stroked his beard in deep thought, peered at Akku from behind his glasses and shot the question - " Any idea if they used Halal meat in the biriyani" ???
They say that Akku threw both - the Biriyani and Basheerkka , out of the house.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Hibernation and my first Tag
Unlike those cold blooded creatures, I was hibernating(atleast in terms of blogging) during summer. Come winter and with the freezing cold outside, I daresay I would be doodling more. Fee fo fum..Before I start eating those lovely dishes, let me pen down the details..Here goes
Last movie seen in a theatre?
Twilight. Missed to put RNBDJ by 24 hours..Twilight was pretty good though..ie, if you can buy the idea of a vampire romancing. The girl was too cute..Hmm, 7/10 would be my score for Twilight.
What book are you reading ?
Silence of the Lambs. Got it cheap at a Tag sale and started on it. The movie was pretty kewl and loved the "punch" dialogue, when a particularly mean looking Hopkins delivers a spine chilling remark " I do wish we could chat longer but I am having an old friend for dinner".
Favourite board game:
Chess. I can sleep for hours if I catch sight of those black and white squares.
Favourite magazine:
Week, Outlook, India Today. Tinkle(When I was a Kid), Chandaamama(Just loved it).
Favourite Smells:
smell of Petrol,smell of earth after the first rain, smell of ginger and garlic crackling on hot oil, smell that babies have -fresh after a bath.
Favourite Sound:
Sound of ball hitting the middle of the bat(Only if you are the batsman)
Sound of the stumps flying off(Only if you are the bowler)
Sound of the temple bell ringing, at my hometown
Worst Feeling in the world:
When India loses a crunch game
When you are hurt by someone whom you like a lot
When you are embarassed at a huge gathering of people
what is the first thing that you think of when you wake up ?
Damn, where is my office laptop ??
Favourite Fast Food place:
Ambis thattukada, Prince/Priya hotel(Chengannur)
Grand Hotel(Cochin)
Ramakrishna Mess(Chennai, Thiruvanmiyur)
Chillis(Middletown)
Future child's name:
Not decided, Leaving it to my wife. Would love to have 2 girls though :-)
Finish this statement, “If I had a lot of money I’d…”
Get a fab bike, hold a big party for my friends, take my parents on a shopping spree, take my wife(if I have one at that point)on an exotic trip to a place of her choice and if there is anything left, invest the rest in real estate. Phew !!!
Do you drive fast?
Yes. When I am late for work/movie/a place that closes at 9.
Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
Hell No.
Favourite drink
Hot tea
Chilled Beer
Spicy Sambharam
Whiskey, with 2 ice cubes and a dash of coke
Do you eat the stem of broccoli?
No
Storms - Cool or Scary?
Cool, love to travel on a stormy night.
If you could dye your hair any color, what would be your choice?
Green..Go green !!!
Name all the different cities/towns you have lived in:(Where lived in > 30 days)
Cochin/Adoor/Chengannur/Kozhikkode - Kerala
Mumbai - Maharashtra
CBE/Chennai/Tiruput/Tuticorin - TN
Middletown - US
Favorite sports to watch:
Cricket, Soccer
One nice thing about the person who sent this to you:
Cool, shares the same frequency, speaks his mind, keeps his word.
What’s under your bed?
I sleep on the floor ..buhaa haa
Would you like to be born as yourself again?
Yes, if to the same parents and if I have the same group of friends. Am I asking for a lot ?
Morning person or night owl?
Was a morning person during college days, now a night owl with those offshore calls.
Over easy or sunny side up?
Over easy, please
Favorite place to relax:
At my ancestral home, pulling my grandmother's legs
Favourite Pie:
Anandakrishna Pai..Hold on ! You didn't mean...
Favorite ice cream flavor:
I am one of a few who will go to Baskin Robbins and order a milkshake. I hate icecreams. My granny who adores icecreams, finds that hard to digest
You pass this tag to:
Rijo
Of all the people you tagged this to, who’s most likely to respond first?
Rijo - coz he is in the next room.
Last movie seen in a theatre?
Twilight. Missed to put RNBDJ by 24 hours..Twilight was pretty good though..ie, if you can buy the idea of a vampire romancing. The girl was too cute..Hmm, 7/10 would be my score for Twilight.
What book are you reading ?
Silence of the Lambs. Got it cheap at a Tag sale and started on it. The movie was pretty kewl and loved the "punch" dialogue, when a particularly mean looking Hopkins delivers a spine chilling remark " I do wish we could chat longer but I am having an old friend for dinner".
Favourite board game:
Chess. I can sleep for hours if I catch sight of those black and white squares.
Favourite magazine:
Week, Outlook, India Today. Tinkle(When I was a Kid), Chandaamama(Just loved it).
Favourite Smells:
smell of Petrol,smell of earth after the first rain, smell of ginger and garlic crackling on hot oil, smell that babies have -fresh after a bath.
Favourite Sound:
Sound of ball hitting the middle of the bat(Only if you are the batsman)
Sound of the stumps flying off(Only if you are the bowler)
Sound of the temple bell ringing, at my hometown
Worst Feeling in the world:
When India loses a crunch game
When you are hurt by someone whom you like a lot
When you are embarassed at a huge gathering of people
what is the first thing that you think of when you wake up ?
Damn, where is my office laptop ??
Favourite Fast Food place:
Ambis thattukada, Prince/Priya hotel(Chengannur)
Grand Hotel(Cochin)
Ramakrishna Mess(Chennai, Thiruvanmiyur)
Chillis(Middletown)
Future child's name:
Not decided, Leaving it to my wife. Would love to have 2 girls though :-)
Finish this statement, “If I had a lot of money I’d…”
Get a fab bike, hold a big party for my friends, take my parents on a shopping spree, take my wife(if I have one at that point)on an exotic trip to a place of her choice and if there is anything left, invest the rest in real estate. Phew !!!
Do you drive fast?
Yes. When I am late for work/movie/a place that closes at 9.
Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
Hell No.
Favourite drink
Hot tea
Chilled Beer
Spicy Sambharam
Whiskey, with 2 ice cubes and a dash of coke
Do you eat the stem of broccoli?
No
Storms - Cool or Scary?
Cool, love to travel on a stormy night.
If you could dye your hair any color, what would be your choice?
Green..Go green !!!
Name all the different cities/towns you have lived in:(Where lived in > 30 days)
Cochin/Adoor/Chengannur/Kozhikkode - Kerala
Mumbai - Maharashtra
CBE/Chennai/Tiruput/Tuticorin - TN
Middletown - US
Favorite sports to watch:
Cricket, Soccer
One nice thing about the person who sent this to you:
Cool, shares the same frequency, speaks his mind, keeps his word.
What’s under your bed?
I sleep on the floor ..buhaa haa
Would you like to be born as yourself again?
Yes, if to the same parents and if I have the same group of friends. Am I asking for a lot ?
Morning person or night owl?
Was a morning person during college days, now a night owl with those offshore calls.
Over easy or sunny side up?
Over easy, please
Favorite place to relax:
At my ancestral home, pulling my grandmother's legs
Favourite Pie:
Anandakrishna Pai..Hold on ! You didn't mean...
Favorite ice cream flavor:
I am one of a few who will go to Baskin Robbins and order a milkshake. I hate icecreams. My granny who adores icecreams, finds that hard to digest
You pass this tag to:
Rijo
Of all the people you tagged this to, who’s most likely to respond first?
Rijo - coz he is in the next room.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
I love you..And you..And you !!!
A series of memories that were initiated on a particularly cold evening, triggered by a hot tea, prompted me to blog again. I was doing a little jig on the patio, cup in hand, trying to keep myself warm, when my mind decided to distract me from the cold by tuning onto some old memories.
Turning the clock 9 years back, brought me to BVM Elamakkara(The school of cricket in Kerala, where players like Tinu Yohanan and Sreesanth have done their schooling). BVM had a tradition of maintaining a high standard interms of quality education and the teachers were hell bent on ensuring this, by putting our noses to the grinding stone. However the 5'5" kid who answered to the calls for Roll: 3, did have certain distractions, that made sure that his schooling days weren't that dreary. The first of my series of crushes was a classmate of mine. By the way, all of them in the cupid's series, went the same way as the sign board at the Press Club Road in Cochin -> ONE WAY !!
The 16 year old in me was instantly attracted to this goodlooking girl in the fourth row of the class. Naming her G1. A relief to my wandering mind, which could now focus on this welcome distraction, rather than paying attention to the complex equations on the blackboard. My trances were frequently interrupted by those missiles(usually chalks, on certain occassions dusters too came forward to kiss my forehead) projected on an elliptical path by the teachers. More often than not, the teacher would ask me to point out to the section on the board, where she had last written. By the time, I reached North-west after starting from the south of the board, the whole class would be off in peals. I felt really happy to seeing her pretty smile and decided to do this more often. I started paying more attention to the details on the blackboard, after I learnt that a 6 footer who frequented the gym, had already set his eyes on G1.
The cupid sent another of his arrows and this time around, it pointed me to another member of the opposite sex(Codenamed -> G2), in the next division. This probably explains why my grades showed a steep incline and reduced the number of missiles projected in my direction. A friend of mine, to whom I confided the name, told me that the best way to become friends with G2 was to strike up a conversation with G2's best friend. The best friend would then sing my praises in front of G2 and lo and behold, Game on !!!. Trusting the so called Mr. Know it all's words(He considered himself to be bit of an authority, on all topics, that started and ended with girls), I found myself striking a conversation with Miss. Best Friend. Regular chit chatting at the doorways, canteens and the labs set the tongues wagging. However, I did manage to achieve the objective of this initiative. The long haired G2 started giving me appreciative glances and smiles and it lead me to treat Mr. Know it All at one of the cities best Bakeries. This tryst would not last too long. G2 started referring to me as Miss. Best Friend's admirer in front of her friends. It broke my heart. Mr. Know it All wasn't able to participate in that year's school culturals because of his black eye.
The third and the final one of Cupid's arrows stuck me a year later. It was the day the juniors were supposed to land. I had cycled all the way to the temple nearby, on the occasion of India's pool match at the world cup. I was mumbling my prayers when I saw a girl with the "centershock" hairstyle, doing the same. She just knocked me out cold on that day. Simple, elegant and with the sweetest of all smiles, she was just too wonderful. Realisation, that my mouth was wide open came, when a piece of coconut that was broken by a devotee on the nearby stone, flew into my mouth. She gave me one of her 1000 watt smile and went to the next shrine. I tailgated her for the next 5 mins, until a particularly fierce looking Uncle(Must be her dad) appeared on the horizon. As my Mom wanted me to come back home in one shape, I took flight, after reassuring myself that "Withdrawal needn't always mean defeat".
My joy knew no bounds when I caught a glimpse of her at school. Suddenly, I was volunteering for running errands, that involved going to the the classes of juniors. Spent quite some money at the hair dressers, trying to discipline the unruly clump of hair at the back of my head. Finally, the clump which looked as if it was at attention to the national anthem being played, decided to take a break. Went to a local gym nearby, trying to get all the abs and the muscles that were portrayed on the pics at the gym. Two days of torture awakened me to the fact that girls fall for sensitive guys, rather than well built ones(Does this still hold good ??)
Good looking girls were rare(at least in our school) and ones that were single, were rarer still. My first competitor came in the form of a player from our basketball team.Cometh Breaks & this moron would run all the way to the opposite building, to talk to her. Mr. Know it All came up with a feeble suggestion(from behind a desk) that girls dig Basketball players and football/cricket were things from the past. A very determined me, watched a couple of matches of NBA playoffs and hopped on to the basketball court during the next PT period. 15 minutes and a couple of bruises later, I went back to the football field to see if my old position had been filled. To corner her, was just about impossible. She seemed to be attached by some invisible umbilical cord to her best friend(Her friend is now a successful playback singer in Kerala) for the entire stretch of the day. If by any chance it was broken, Mr. Moron would hookup the "connection".
By some strange coincidence, I did manage to talk to her. Kendriya Vidyalaya had their culturals on a Friday and all of us at Parvathy Miss's Tuition class, decided to do a Mass bunk. We reached KV just on time, before our school's Fashion Show was about to start. Taking positions upfront, the 10 of us started the biggest chants that the event had seen. Slowly, the folks from our school, who were sitting separately, joined us at the front. Amongst them, was a very familiar face. Thanking the same God that I had cursed after India slid to a humiliating defect against Zimbabwe, I decided to do some stress testing on my voice. For the next 10 minutes, I was chanting the school slogans as though my life depended on it. I did some damage to my vocal chords, but it did serve it's purpose. She did talk to me for 5 mins and exuberantly joined the gang with the chants. Wow, I just felt so happy that day...
Trying to fathom the thoughts of a teenager is a tough deal. It is downright complex. It is a time when none of us knew what the truth was to most of the questions around us - from how to woo girls to How does it feel like to have 3 pegs of whisky. Being ignorant to any of these questions, would make you "Uncool" and it would result in you being treated as an outcast. The truth is that none of us knew the answers to anything, at that point. When I look back at those days, I feel like laughing at some of the stuff I did back then, to either impress the girls or to showoff in front of my friends. But then, those were some of the best days in my life. Those memories, keep me going forward.
Last words:
1. G2 & G3 are happily married and G1 is still on the Single/committed stage.
2. Mr. Know it All seems to have missed quite a few more culturals, with black eyes, missing teeth, bruised ribs etc. One of his theories , did however work and he has moved to the "Happily Married" state. He is still available for any advices, as per the last conversation I had with him a couple of years before. Do so, at your own risk.
3. No idea about Mr. Moron.
4. Four paragraphs from the end, I had asked a question. Could someone(I want to get it from the girls this time around..Hell yeah, I don't trust guys) answer that for me ?
4. My quest continues.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
"IT" happend in Chennai...
After what seemed like an eternity, the train came to a screeching halt at the station...I got up from my seat and walked towards the door, jostling past the crowd that were barging in through the door...Craning my neck out, I could see the ever familiar face of Kinu trudging along towards S9, flanked by his dad. I waved to him and he responded back with the ever pleasant "Kinu-ish" smile(something that I would have to endure on a daily basis, over the next couple of years). The day was Nov 4Th, 2004 and we were on our way to Chennai, to "Celebrate Work", I mean, that's what Cognizant blares out to the world...For freshers like us, the idea of transfiguring into breadwinners from bread eaters(excuse the PJ, but what else do you call folks who love nothing better than to rest on their arses and enjoy the pleasures of life, from the confines of the couch)..
After Kinu had settled down, we decided to scout the compartments to check if any fellow cognians had boarded the train..As none of us had seen each other, the plan was to walk around mumbling "CTS", "CTS"..This of course, was inspired from the flick "Akkare Akkare Akkare", where the hero and his sidekick run all over an airport in US, mouthing..Eh, hmm, now that is nother story...And to the surprise of all the passengers on the train, here were two perfectly healthy youngsters, walking around mouthing gibberish..ready made candidates for any mental asylum..Since it was masterminded by Yours truly, the plan worked to perfection...Soon, nine of us were walking around the train, chanting gibberish phrases, which always seemed to have the word "COGNIZANT" in it..I met Rejin, Sherry, Naveen, Roopesh, Anoop, Bipin and Binu for the first time that day..
The next day, all of us, cramped together into a call taxi and made our way to Kelampakkam, where we were put up for the first 2 months of our training period...In case the reader is not familiar with the name of the place, kelampakkam is a front runner for the "most inhabitable place in Chennai"..There was a big lump in my throat, as we passed through never ending stretches of barren land...My IT dream was crumbling before my eyes...
Reached the hostel where our stay was arranged...actually, it was an Ashram of a Baba Chinamaya, or was it Dayananda ??? no idea, lets call him Swami Thanukkumpol Kidukidanandha !!! The best part of the whole deal was that we were put up at the same place with all the girls...In adjacent rooms...Needless to say, the guys were quite excited..We were shown the way to our dorm(the girls were just a glass door away) and amidst wild celebrations, I began unpacking my stuff...
After Kinu had settled down, we decided to scout the compartments to check if any fellow cognians had boarded the train..As none of us had seen each other, the plan was to walk around mumbling "CTS", "CTS"..This of course, was inspired from the flick "Akkare Akkare Akkare", where the hero and his sidekick run all over an airport in US, mouthing..Eh, hmm, now that is nother story...And to the surprise of all the passengers on the train, here were two perfectly healthy youngsters, walking around mouthing gibberish..ready made candidates for any mental asylum..Since it was masterminded by Yours truly, the plan worked to perfection...Soon, nine of us were walking around the train, chanting gibberish phrases, which always seemed to have the word "COGNIZANT" in it..I met Rejin, Sherry, Naveen, Roopesh, Anoop, Bipin and Binu for the first time that day..
The next day, all of us, cramped together into a call taxi and made our way to Kelampakkam, where we were put up for the first 2 months of our training period...In case the reader is not familiar with the name of the place, kelampakkam is a front runner for the "most inhabitable place in Chennai"..There was a big lump in my throat, as we passed through never ending stretches of barren land...My IT dream was crumbling before my eyes...
Reached the hostel where our stay was arranged...actually, it was an Ashram of a Baba Chinamaya, or was it Dayananda ??? no idea, lets call him Swami Thanukkumpol Kidukidanandha !!! The best part of the whole deal was that we were put up at the same place with all the girls...In adjacent rooms...Needless to say, the guys were quite excited..We were shown the way to our dorm(the girls were just a glass door away) and amidst wild celebrations, I began unpacking my stuff...
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