Life is beautiful

Book, Nature, Nostalgia...

2012-02-08T23:29:00.003+05:30

Tagore's Omnibus IV still lies on my table only half-read.

I read it every afternoon when A goes to sleep and after I am done with semi-finished household work. No sooner do I read a few lines than it's time for A to get disturbed and wake up.
I hurriedly close the book, run towards her, offer my arms to her to go back to sleep. After 10 mins. when she is back in her dreamy world I stealthily withdraw my hands and resume my position to read again (though with lot of apprehension as to when she will get up next).

Today's read said:"When are you coming down from your three-storeyed building to meet your love (love of nature) under the shade of trees?"

"When are you coming down to meet me on the green grass under the rustling leaves, where you have the freedom of the sky and of sunlight and the tender touch of life's simplicity."

As I read these lines, I stop and recall the days I was in Mysore's University Fine arts campus attending NCC camp (though it was years ago). I have a hazy picture of the whole campus- the rooms we shared, the greenery, the low-lying branches of various trees just outside our room. But what I recollect the most is the way we all slept under the trees after our heavy work out and during lunch break.
The cool breeze would touch our sweaty body only to make us feel cold and soothing. The nap wouldn't last for more than 30 minutes yet it rejuvenated us all for the next session of rigorous parade.

Those were the naps which I will miss forever.

Keladi and Ikkeri

2012-02-03T23:12:00.005+05:30

It's a beautiful sight to watch as I travel through the roads of Western Ghats each time: hundred of years old trees withered as compared to the present day 'green plants'. They are worn out and keep collecting dust on the leaves due to constant commuting of vehicles. Yet they stand strong and mighty spreading their branches far and above.

Few pictures of two places our family visited which is sheltered midst these ghats: Rameshwars temple at Keladi and Aghoreshwara temple at Ikkeri both belonging to the Vijayanagar empire era...

Sprawling Mirjan fort

2012-01-05T23:23:00.004+05:30

A 15th century fort near Kumta, Karnataka, was a major trading centre of spices especially pepper.It was then ruled by the local chiefs of Vijayanagar kings, but later it was occupied by the Marathas, Hyder Ali and in the end by the British.

Spread across an area of 11.5 acres one can nothing but admire its magnificence with awe and inspiration.

Here are a few pictures:

2011-12-13T23:10:00.001+05:30

I know I am not much of a social person. It doesn’t mean I do not like going out or interacting with people. But the fact remains true that I’m too selective in making friends and I cannot start a conversation easily with new people. The criteria for someone to be my friend are too many and I am aware of the fact that I am being too judgemental in this matter which I cannot resist.

Overcoming these obstacles even if I make friends, it’s always at a time when they are about to move away from- either the location or the city or the country where I am residing. It’s astonishing how it happens all the time.

It pains when I’ve found a person in whom I can confide and that person departs. May be that’s the way this world works all the time. It’s an indication; a sign that there are other people too who meet the same frequencies as mine and I just need to look for them and broaden my outlook while I am judging them.

Girl's Birthday

2011-12-09T16:18:00.003+05:30

A cute drawing titled 'Girl's Birthday' by my student.

The cosy mosquito net

2011-11-30T23:33:00.002+05:30

Mosquito nets can serve two purposes:

One, as a home decor accessory it can add to the beauty of your cot and bed (so, as a want).

Second, the most important, to protect oneself from 'obviously' mosquitoes (so,as a need).
As far as our family is concerned, it's serving the second purpose thanks to the Shilpa Park mosquitoes (breeding park for these killer insects).

Whatever may be the reason i have always liked using mosquito nets.
The process of tying it every night and then reassembling it the next morning is quite cumbersome and boring;that is the reason why my mom would tie it for me then every night murmuring few words for not doing my works.

Now i am forced to do the same job to save my girl from those creatures. Though initially i was happy as S had taken over the job, later i realised that the responsibility was falling on my shoulders gradually.

But at the end of all this painstaking work i do get a cosy place to dwell in the night.
It creates a separate room-like space once you enter it and makes your bed look more bigger than it actually is (it just looks but doesn't make your bed big in reality:()

These protecting nets can even be nightmarish once it gives way to a single mosquito. But right now i am worried about the next season- 'Hyderabad Summer' and 'The Use of a Mosquito Net'!!!

About Self and Individuality...

2011-11-16T22:37:00.003+05:30

...by Rabindranath Tagore

"At one pole of my being I am one with stocks and stones. There I have to acknowledge the rule of universal law. That is where the foundation of my existence lies, deep down below. Its strength lies in its being held firm in the clasp of the comprehensive world., and in the fullness of its community with all things.

But at the other pole of my being I am separate from all. There I have broken through the cordon of equality and stand alone as an individual. I am absolutely unique, I am I, I am incomparable. The whole weight of the universe cannot crush out this individuality of mine. I maintain it in spite of the tremendous gravitation of all things. It is small in appearance but great in reality. For it holds its own against the forces that would rob it of its distinction and make it one with the dust.

This is the superstructure of the self which rises from the indeterminate depth and darkness of its foundation into the open, proud of its isolation, proud of having given shape to a single individual idea of the architect's which has no duplicate in the whole universe. If this individuality be demolished then though no material be lost, not an atom destroyed the creative joy which was crystallised therein gone. We are absolutely bankrupt if we are deprived of this speciality, this individuality, which is the only thing we can call our own; and which, if lost, is also a loss to the whole world...."

P.S: Take time and patience to read this.

ಅನಾವರಣ

2011-11-14T23:04:00.003+05:30

I really like this new serial 'Anavarana' aired at ETV Kannada.
It's dialogues are good, it's story is bounded in reality and it's not about a boy-girl relationship nor about never ending saas- bahu saga.
In today's episode, one of the characters speaks about getting bored so easily with life to her grandmother and her granny reasons and figures out the possible reasons.
She says, your childhood (referring more to the present time) has not had taste of playing outdoor games, but only of computer games; has not lost games with friends and peers but with machines so on and so forth.

I was instantly reminded of the interview that I'd seen weeks back with Daniel Goleman.
He said human brains are wired to have conversations with other individuals face to face and to have a social relationship by physically being present. They are not meant for making connections virtually. Virtual world seems good for some time and later the mind yearn for face to face connections, you are left with nobody around and you become a loner.

Coming back to my serial, one small experience grandmother shares with her is: she learns making upma from her mother. She tries it out in her mother's absence. It turns out to be good, she is happy for herself and the father who will taste it. The next time it turns out be bad, she cries. Her grand-daughter stops her saying why worry about that in this present age when you get ready made mix not just for upma but all the dishes and more over who has the time to spend on preparing a simple dish like upma.

Their conversation gets carried away to all such detailed topics of everyday life, conflicts between the past and present generation and ends for the day. Waiting for the next episode (if my daughter allows me to watch).

Divided attention

2011-11-08T22:56:00.002+05:30

I seem to be very bad at multi-tasking.
If am talking over the phone, I can do just that and not mix it with any other work.
If am listening to music, I just concentrate on the lyrics and the music and not do anything else.
But, there are people who are so good at carrying out multiple tasks at a time.
They drive, same time listen to music plus attend a phone call.
People listen to music while they read etc etc.,
Especially people belonging to this generation are very good at this.
I do not know,though, how much of the information that they gather during this inter-changing activities is really fruitful.

Many researchers quote that this type divided attention tasks though good in some respects, but may hamper the span of attention (the amount of time that is given to focus on a subject)of an individual.
The Internet has a big role to play in bringing down the span of attention of people, with people easily and quickly jumping from one web page to the other to find loads of information.

Of course, there are many people who are good at multi- tasking and have very good span of attention too.
Ultimately what matters is the quality of information that one is gathering.

A B C D

2011-11-04T16:42:00.003+05:30

Majority of parents think of the learning process in terms of the letters of the alphabet that their child has learnt.

Just for example.,the other day i was speaking to a neighbour at my native place whose son is almost of my daughter's age. And i casually asked if he is attending school. She said 'he doesn't in class but cries all the time' and soon she added but 'he can recite ABCD very well and can count up to 10'.
There are parents who search for schools for their children where there is stress on teaching academics rather than anything else.

What these parents not want understand is to see if their child has the readiness to read and write. A child cannot read or write just because he has started schooling. It takes a lot of mental as well as physical preparation on the part of the child to formally start writing or reading.

I was amazed at one of my acquaintance's (whose son too is slow at learning) remark on a child who had learning difficulty.
She remarked "may be her parents doesn't shout at her and don't control her so she has the problem?" Even after telling her what the problem was she was not in a position to understand it.

Initially i thought the educated parents would understand such problems better but now it doesn't hold good. Because, even if some of the parents are educated and hold good jobs their attitude towards education and the problems related to educating the children remain to be age old.

Of course there are people who very sensitive their children's feelings and take very good care but still a majority of them whose mindset needs to be changed towards learning.

Revisiting

2011-10-19T14:27:00.005+05:30

Revisiting the Qutub Shahi tombs and Golkonda fort gave me another chance to take few more beautiful pictures of these relics of the past...Here are a few of them...

Rabindranath Tagore

2011-10-12T22:56:00.003+05:30

First time I have laid hands on Tagore's book- Omnibus IV, a collection of short stories, writings of the Upanishad and a few poems of Kabir.

I completed reading the first story: Two sisters. The plot is simple, protagonists are simple and social milieu is even more simple. But it carries lot of depth. One, after going through half the story, may easily tell what may happen in the end but Tagore gives his own direction to the characters so none is portrayed in a negative manner and everybody is a hero.

Reading something on Upanishads is my first attempt and I do know I am wandering here and there. May be I will improve in the coming chapters:)

Just a few lines of the part from Upanishad:

"Children, when they begin to learn each separate letter of the alphabet, find no pleasure in it, because they miss the real purpose of the lesson; in fact, while letters claim our attention only in themselves and as isolated things, they fatigue us. They become a source of joy to us only when they combine into words and sentences and convey an idea.

Likewise, our soul when detached and imprisoned within the narrow limits of a self loses its significance. For its very essence is unity. It can only find out its truth by unifying itself with others".

2011-10-12T16:51:00.001+05:30

I always felt that there is a similarity between drinking, munching on junk food and shopping: that they are all addictive.
Once started hard to quit, you want more of it each time you have it.

Caged

2011-10-10T19:02:00.000+05:30

It is hard to see the wild animals caged behind the bars. Though we (me n S) liked the vastness of the Hyderabad Zoo, it’s a sad sight to see animals singled out from their counterparts. Taken, that some of them are savage but not compared to the savagery of we humans who would neither let them live in the jungle nor outside.

Just a few days ago, I was teaching my daughter to differentiate between water animals and wild animals of the jungle soon she blurted out wild animals do not stay in jungle but in the zoo! That day too is not very far.

ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯಲೊಂದು ಗುಬ್ಬಿ ಗೂಡ ಕಟ್ಟಿತು ...

2011-09-30T14:44:00.003+05:30

Just a few days back I had started teaching my daughter as to where a bird lives. And this week the birds have started that process next to our window. I had just observed these birds sitting next to the window for the first time. I enjoyed the sight as I had not witnessed it from quite sometime now, especially after shifting from Srinagar colony where it was more usual and accessible. There, being on the first floor, the branches of Guava and Pomegranate protruded generously into the balcony making it easier to watch the birds that found shade on those trees.

Whereas here it is an uncommon view. It was S who told me that the birds (do not know the name, they look like sparrows but they are slightly taller and are in dark brown colour) are looking for a place to build their nest as they were all sneaking into the half opened window which could not be closed fully due to some reasons. We were, at first, apprehensive whether to allow these birds to nestle there as we thought they might be scared if our girl knew they were there and meddle with it. But later on we decided to make a few arrangements for them to hide from our daughter and let them continue with their preparation. I too wanted Anvitha to see this sight (sometime later) to give a hands on experience of what she is learning.

We pulled the widow curtains to their side, tied the half-opened window tightly to the grills (to make sure it doesn't open when the wind blew) and put a barricade between the mosquito mesh and the window (just to make sure it is not visible to our daughter if she opens the curtains). All arrangements made we waited for them to start their job. They made their way patiently selecting each grass carefully. They first laid a layer of dry grass and upon that started with the wet grass. In just two days time they have covered up completely leaving a small gap to move about. Now and then, I sneak at them just to see what the bird is up to but in vain. I know they too need some privacy. It is only through their sounds and flapping of their wings one can make their presence felt.
Yesterday when my girl threw a tantrum they started flapping their wings- a sign of fear or danger. I worried they would find another place. But in the evening when Anvitha started her Music classes (so called) I was consoled and wanted the birds to be there. And in the night, when S was late and I laid my hands on Tagore's book (my first attempt on His book) a perfect backdrop was created with the chirping of these cute birds. The movement of the curtains made me think of the endless efforts they were making in perfecting their nest and its occupant.

How I wish to show their nest to Anvitha but I know I have to wait.

Hotel Diana

2011-09-14T15:50:00.002+05:30

This is one of my husband's favourite hotels in Udupi(of his parents' too).
And that's the reason he didn't want me to miss it this time.
Though the entrance of the hotel looks somewhat old and unappealing, the circular pavement that leads to the first storey of the building catches ones attention immediately.
The pavement also hides in itself a small well which can easily be overlooked because of the greenery that surrounds the place.
The inside of the hotel is impeccably clean and if you visit the place during rainy season you can find a bucket placed next to every table:the reason, to keep your wet umbrellas.
The speciality of the place is their Gudbud ice cream (which i tasted alone:()but i liked their Masala Dosa more.
The dosas are crispy yet so soft that it melts the moment it reaches the mouth. The ghee adds to the taste.
Variety of chutneys that is provided for each dish is commendable.
I will remember their food for a very long time especially the savouring of Gudbud watching the heavy rains through the window next to me, though i missed my daughter and S by my side.

Diary

2011-08-24T22:45:00.000+05:30

I have stopped writing my personal diary these days.
The only time i do feel like writing it is when i am upset or sad.
But then, i do not want to fill my diary with those gloomy notes.
I'd rather leave the pages blank instead of making it a manuscript of my erratic moods.

Silence

2011-08-23T22:41:00.002+05:30

This thought has crossed my mind more than once...
Is talking over cell phone so important? Be it walking on the road or driving or just waiting for someone or something, almost all the time.
Or is it just a way of letting know that this gadget has become one of the most important part of their lives?
If people don't have anybody to talk to over the phone they would rather just listen to the music. Again, it's a sign of trend or necessity i do not know.
Don't these people want to be left alone with themselves atleast for some time in a day? Can't silence and your inner self be your company?

Not these days, i guess!!!

Srinagar colony v/s Kondapur

2011-07-27T16:33:00.000+05:30

Relocating to a place has its own pros and cons. But our relocation from Srinagar colony to Kondapur seems to be full of cons! Srinagar colony was much much cheaper in terms of cost of living, more accessible to almost all the locations, had lots of greenery, people were more sober and down to earth etc etc.,
Whereas in Kondapur everybody seems to be walking with their nose high up in air, the first sentence which they would ask to start a conversation would be "Where does your husband work?" or "Which school does your child attend?" And their expected answer would be "Microsoft, Wipro, Oracle etc., or Oakridge school, Chirec, DPS or Meridian". If they get these answers they may continue their conversation. At first i used to be very irritated but now i am accustomed to it. Here, money doesn't seem to have any value.
I miss Srinagar colony. No wonder my daughter too is missing her old school Daksha.

2011-06-21T16:45:00.002+05:30

I like shopping on the streets of General bazar: the crowded street, inexpensive stuffs and the lively ambience etc etc.,
This weekend's visit there proved to be even more inexpensive as we tried our hands by taking up the local train for commuting rather than wasting time, petrol and money.
The whole day was made more 'delicious' by the pav bhaji of 'Bombay chaat'.
I don't think i've ever had such tasty pav bhaji in my life.
Yummy....

On handwriting...

2011-06-20T15:30:00.002+05:30

I have been reading some material on 'Teaching Handwriting to Children' and i came across this beautiful note by someone called Brown:"What is stressed today is handwriting to be 'functional' i.e., stress is on legibility and speed.

...the primary goal in penmanship is to produce efficiently a free flow of ideas or easily read thoughts onto paper with a minimum of attention to the mechanics of the art."

Glimpses of Qutub Shahi Tombs

2011-06-06T23:25:00.001+05:30

First rain drops

2011-06-02T15:52:00.003+05:30

Both me and my daughter were happy to witness the first rain drops of the season especially in Hyderabad as it is terribly hot during summer.
As it rained, we both stood in the balcony, stretched our palms, caught hold of the drops and played along.
But what amused me at the same time was, not a soul was around to enjoy those refreshing drops of water.
Everyone was either indoors or were out for their work and those who were indoors came out, sneaked, collected their clothes that hung for drying and shut the door again.
Nonetheless, it was a different day for me and my girl and it gave a hope that the summer will be soon over.
But alas! how untrue that was.

ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ 'ಕವಿಮನೆ'

2011-05-24T15:56:00.004+05:30

It came as a very unexpected visit, yet how eagerly i wanted to peek into the abode of Kuvempu- 'Kavimane' as it is called. Situated just 18kms away from Theerthahalli (shimoga dist.) amidst the Western Ghats and the skyscraping arecanut trees, Kavimane speaks of a tradition, of aesthetic sense and of architectural marvel of olden days.

A 2 storey building which nestled about 45 people then takes one to a journey of olden and golden era. The intricate carvings on the pillars and the wooden window grills is one of its kind.

Major part of the house is turned into a memorial containing Kuvempu's books, awards, letters etc., One beautiful yet important letter which I read from there was the letter from the poet ಬಿ.ಎಂ.ಶ್ರೀ where he apologizes for not being able to attend Kuvempu's wedding. I did want to take a photograph of the same but "No photography inside the house".

One regret that remains is having missed our visit to 'Kavishaila'- the place which inspired him to write.

Here's the photo of Kavimane from outside:

Get Together

2011-04-07T16:26:00.002+05:30

When me and my sister were still young, we teased our mother for attending 'all' the functions at any relatives and friends. At our native place too we mocked at our relatives for their compulsion to attend any function both at their farthest and nearest relatives.
Now, I've started to realise why they would be so eager not to miss any of those gatherings.

Almost everyone of them being home makers, they would be trapped in their houses and household responsibilities 24x7. And these get togethers meant- meeting people, time to relax and only way of socialization.
Moreover, our relatives in the native regions stayed in villages which barely consisted of 5-10 houses for kms away. And attending these functions would be their only means of entertainment too. Whereas for a person residing in a city the options for entertainment can be much more. Even there people call their means of relaxation and entertainment as parties/ get together/kitty parties. The only difference being the names assigned in different set ups.

But, my relatives, being in such remote places, handling so much responsibilities and living with limited resources run much happier lives than us who have less responsibilities and more choice on resources compared to them.
We are surrounded by friends, innumerable modes of entertainment and in constant touch with people due to advanced technology yet we are lonely and depressed many a times.

2011-03-31T17:24:00.000+05:30

It's good to see familiar faces in a place where you once lived.
It makes you feel 'you are part of it even now'
Finding familiar faces seems very easy too in small cities rather than in big cities.
Visiting favourite shops and finding familiar faces in Davangere where i spent my weekend recently was one such experience.

2011-03-31T17:09:00.000+05:30

Less than 48 hrs and three Telugu movies is hard to digest that too in a situation when you are in a bus and can't look away.
Movies with hard-to-believe actions (some of the actions does look like a scene from a comedy movie), filled with violence, with born-to-rich-dads heroes (Jr.NTR and Charan Raj) are a nightmare.
It's worse when children watch the same with their wide open eyes.

Memories

2011-03-07T22:33:00.002+05:30

I just finished reading the review about this book 'Moonwalking with Einstein' by Joshua Foer (a science journalist) who trained his memory and won the U.S Memory Championship.
And it seems like a very good one.

In one of the interviews when asked (which i really think is true):

'What is the connection between memory and our sense of time?'

He says, 'As we get older, life seems to fly by faster and faster. That's because we structure our experience of time around memories. We remember events in relation to other events. But as we get older, and our experiences become less unique, our memories can blend together. If yesterday's lunch is indistinguishable from the one you ate the day before, it'll end up being forgotten. That's why it's so hard to remember meals. In the same way, if you're not doing things that are unique and different and memorable, this year can come to resemble the last, and end up being just as forgettable as yesterday's lunch. That's why it's so important to pack your life with interesting experiences that make your life memorable, and provide a texture to the passage of time'.

Changing fate

2011-02-26T17:17:00.000+05:30

Long back i had read a witty poem about 'a person who visits a dentist and dreads that his fate might be completely changed after his dental treatments'.
That's the way he describes the pain he undergoes while the dentist performs his procedures.
The pain is so immense that he had to clench his palm very tight while his nails poke against it.
This, in turn, might erase the fine lines in his palm and would alter his fate forever!!!

Every time i visited a dentist (which i did very often) i would remember this poem and laugh.
For the last three years i was happy that didn't have to meet a dentist but the joy was short lived as i had to meet him again recently.

Of course these days the procedures get over very fast and easily compared to few years ago, so the dentist cannot change one's 'fate' in these days. But the fillings and the subsequent 'crowns' fixed on the tooth can definitely change the way people smile or laugh (as they have to open their mouth and everyone can see the 'steel tooth' instead of natural one.)

And this time when i opened my mouth in front of the dentist he himself aptly defined it as being a 'dentist's paradise'!!!

Fragrance

2011-02-15T22:49:00.001+05:30

2011-02-09T15:30:00.001+05:30

No one can beat this sign board which was infront of a railway crossing:
"When close the gate
Then take the queue".

Ecological Intelligence

2011-01-13T15:49:00.003+05:30

Last week in the TV I happenend to see an interview with Daniel Goleman speaking about the Science of Relationships.
Goleman is considered to be the father of Emotional Intelligence and his book "Emotional Intelligence" topped the New York Times Bestseller list for almost year-and-a-half.
After this success he spoke about Social Intelligence and now very recently he has come with another idea called "Ecological Intelligence".
Ecological Intelligence is nothing but the intelligence that we use to make this planet a more greener place to live in.
Explaining the same in his website, he gives an example: 'Three teen-aged girls are at a shopping mall looking for sunscreen. It’s an impulse purchase, and it has to be an all-natural choice. They think they’ve found what they’re looking for at one store, but on the way to the register one of the girls takes out her phone and swipes it by the barcode of the product they’ve selected. Moments later, as she’s pulling out a credit card at the register, her iPhone announces an incoming email. It’s a short message informing her that the item she is about to purchase contains compounds that are linked to the decimation of coral reefs. Moreover, the plastic container is difficult to recycle. Because her phone has pinpointed her location via GPS, she also learns that another store in the mall carries a “greener” sunscreen that has neither of those two problems. The girls leave the register and make a beeline for the other store.'
His interview on the TV lead me to discover all these details about him and his new terminologies and finally led me to this article by which I think many can contribute to save our planet.

The false 'depths' of Araku valley

2011-01-10T15:26:00.003+05:30

Call it the exaggeration of the locals or the extreme advertisement of the AP tourism or the bad taste for travel of the people of A.P, Araku is indeed not a tourist destination from any angle.
We had heard a loooot about the place and the unavailability of any pacakges from APTDC and the train tickets gave us the impression that it's not the place to be 'missed'.
As per our (me n S's) internet search and the local folks it was the train journey from Vizag to Araku that's supposed to give the best view of the scenic beauty.
May be it was a sign when we didn't get the train reservation that we were headed in the wrong direction which we didn't notice.
Actually we found it was through road that we could enjoy more rather than the crowded and ever screaming people in the train (screaming as the train passes through several tunnels).
The only hotels that are situated in the Araku are managed by APTDC whose service is utterly chaotic.
The sooo called local sight seeing places are nothing but a tribal museum and a botanical garden which give the impression of nothing more than our lifestyle in the village and a park respectively.
The whole tour was so depressive and the only ocassion when I laughed that day was when a lady in the so called botanical garden was showing her husband 'the pineapple TREE':0 in actual a decorative plant with light green leaves which stood tall and haggard.
Nothing could be more dissapointing than this!
Of course, our trip to the next destination the after that was more appealing and it compensated for the previous day.

2011-01-07T15:24:00.002+05:30

I think my unfinished tasks tend to get sorted out more easily when i am angry.
When i am angry, i don't think twice whether to finish the job or not but just start doing it.
May be that's the reason it's get done more faster too.
But getting angry only for the reason of getting my undone jobs finished isn't a good idea either.

Footprints of Vizag trip

2011-01-06T15:17:00.001+05:30

2011-01-06T14:59:00.002+05:30

I and S did enjoy our holiday at Vizag.
But, there too we were destined to experience a disappointment.
Though we had a great time at Vizag, our satiety levels were brought down by our Araku visit (about which i will write separately).
Beautiful and clean beaches, serene light house and hotels and restaurants serving to tingle our taste buds made it a good destination.
Our little one too had a great time getting into the blue water of Bay of Bengal.

Panna

2010-12-04T00:14:00.002+05:30

Panna is a book,a fairy- tale meant for children. But, the moment I saw the book I was taken by the beautiful drawings inside it which I later learnt is Madhubani folk art.
It's written by Kamala Das who is a poet and this book is her first attempt in writing children's book.

"Panna lives on the seaside with her brother Moti, a fisherman. One day, while waiting for Moti to return from the high seas with his catch of fish, Panna falls asleep. When she wakes up, she finds she has magically reached the land under the sea. And what a wonderful land it is, with its pearl-lined streets, coral houses and green moving sky. Here she meets the Fish King and Fish Queen. But becomes of poor Moti when he returns from the sea and finds his beloved sister gone?"

This being the story, children would certainly enjoy reading it as did I.

To kill a mocking bird

2010-11-21T23:27:00.000+05:30

I must admit that I started reading this book because of Mouna's suggestion and I am glad I read it.
I read it twice- the first time I was forced to give away the book to the library when I had almost finished it. So had to borrow it the second time. So as not miss the link I started it from the beginning and it was good as things gave much more meaning to me when I read it the second time.
There were several instances where I would laugh loudly at all the adventures of Jem, Scout and Dill (especially the Boo Radley incident) and would look up to see if someone is watching me laughing like that.

One can relive their childhood days while reading this book.

I think it's not just the humor that bound me with the characters but the intricacies with which they teach the simple lessons of life, of adulthood and growing up.

The little episodes of Boo Radley; fire at Ms. Maudie's; Jem and Scout's encounter with Mrs. Dubose; Atticus shooting at the mad dog; Dill's running away; the case of Tom Robinson and at the end Boo Radley saving the children from Mr. Ewell; all carry such good messages with a touch of humor.

I really enjoyed reading the book.

The Act of Smiling

2010-11-15T23:32:00.002+05:30

A few years ago I happened to read this book called 'Phantoms in the Brain' by Dr. V. S. Ramachandran. He said there are two different circuits for the act of smiling. 'When you see a friend you grin. But, when the same Friend aims a camera at your face and asks you to smile you fail to do so. Instead of a natural expression, you produce a hideous grimace.

The reason these two kinds of smiles differ is that different brain regions handle them and only one of them contains a specialised "smile circuit". A spontaneous smile is produced by the basal ganglia. When you encounter a friendly face, the visual message from that face eventually reaches the brains emotional center or limbic system and is subsequently relayed to the basal ganglia, which orchestrate the sequences of facial muscle activity needed for producing a natural smile. These entire cascade of events happen in a fraction of a second without the thinking parts of your cortex ever being involved.

But when someone asks you to smile, the verbal instruction from the photographer is received and understood by the higher thinking centers in the brain, including the auditory cortex and language centers. From there it is relayed to the motor cortex in the front of the brain, which specialises in producing voluntary skilled movements'.

So when you smile next time at your friend and at the camera remember the work that our brain carries out.

Shadow on the wall

2010-11-15T23:21:00.001+05:30

The shadow of my favourite Tara devi idol.

2010-10-29T22:49:00.003+05:30

It annoys me when I have to introduce myself to someone twice.
I can understand the situation when it's a big crowd and people can hardly remember one's name and basic information.
But I meet someone personally, do the initial introduction and the other person fails to register it.
I meet the same person again in the next few days and the person asks- 'Am sorry I didn't get your name?' and 'What do you do, working?'

2010-10-22T22:43:00.000+05:30

For someone who is fond of travelling and going places the list of "Places to see" never ends. A new destination, a new land awaits to be explored and savoured. Yet, there are so many other places which have already been treaded upon once and have even faded from memory's corner. And those places too need to be revisited. For all these, both time and money fall short.

The Namesake

2010-10-22T00:16:00.000+05:30

Already having watched the movie, there was little room left for my imagination of characters of the book 'The Namesake' by Jhumpa Lahiri. The two characters- Ashima and Ashoke were represented (for me) by Tabu and Irfan Khan. Nevertheless I wanted to read the book. As with the movie, I liked the book too. Lahiri's narration is impressive and it maintains reader's atttention throughout.
The story which revolves around the name of a Russian writer 'Gogol' carried me to the many books by Russian writers- Dostoesky's Crime and Punishment, Tolstoy's Anna Karenina', Chekov's The Cherry Orchard and of course The Overcoat by Gogol himself.
Almost all the protagonists of these Russian authors wear a gloomy appearance, their stories are tragic, they speak of hardships of Russian citizens which is either forced upon them by the governmental policies or by themselves.
Talking of Nikolai Gogol, I studied The overcoat as a literature student but then I seldom ejoyed either the story or the person who taught the story. Or may be beacuse of the way the story was told made it all uninteresting.
Though I disliked reading The Overcoat, there are few scenes which still linger in my memory. The story of Akaky Akakyevich who earns a meager salary as a clerk loses his only overcoat which protects him against all the hard climatic conditions. His struggle to save few pennys to buy a new overcoat is touching. His walking on tip- toes to save his shoes from wearing out, his struggle through the dark hours to save his candle- all speak of his sacrifices in order to save money for the new coat.
Keeping this name- Gogol in the background, the story of The Namesake progresses well to expalin the yearning and nostalgia which both Ashima and Ashoke have for their motherland. But in the end, how Ashima finds it disheartening to leave a foreign nation also a truth. That was the land whre she formed new memories, where she saw her children grow. But most importantly, that's where she lived with her Ashoke for so many years.
Some of the excerpts from the book goes somewhat like these:
"...pack a pillow and a blanket and see as much of the world as you can. You will never regret it. One day it will be too late.
My grandfather always says that's what books are for,... to travel without moving an inch."
"Finally, they stood by the lighthouse, exhausted...He heard his father cry out- they had left the camera with his mother. 'All this way and no picture', he'd said. we will have to remember it then."
"The man who gave you his name, from the man who gave you your name."

2010-10-21T22:49:00.000+05:30

People seldom use camera's with film rolls these days. They get a fairly good digital camera with the same price as a film camera. Likewise, people no laonger take the pains of getting the pictures printed and arranging them in an album. They take refuge in less laborious task of copying them in a CD and watching them on their computer screen.
But there's a different kind of joy involved when the photos are flipped through an album. It gives more personal touch, makes you a part of the memory itself. The connection gets lost somewhere between the keys while watching the same pictures on a computer screen.

2010-10-21T00:06:00.002+05:30

Staying at my parent's means living without any mobile network or an Internet connection. The other modern facilities- as a phone, TV or electricity seldom work due to heavy downpour. The slow paced days end here at late evenings. For the one who's been sheltered here since their childhood wouldn't have much problem with this set up. But for people like us it could be quite depressing, especially gazing at the incessant rainfall day in and day out.

2010-09-01T17:09:00.002+05:30

Relief for my healthy future (still crossing the fingers), monotony of the hospital, gloomy weather of Bengaluru, days of idleness, yearning to start my routine at Hyderabad, craving for the delicious food, urge to go out and loads 'n loads of books to read....that's what my life has been since past three weeks!

Have been reading a lot of useless books to entertain myself: '2 states' by Chetan Bhagat; 'P.S. I love' you by Cecelia Ahern and 'Mansfield Park' by Jane Austen.

The first and the second books felt as though I were watching a Bollywood and a Hollywood movie respectively, while I liked the classic by Austen.

Insomnia

2010-08-21T16:10:00.001+05:30

I was called an insomniac by my roommates when i was in hostel.
I wouldn't get sleep any other time other than nights, even if was dead tired.
They were all, on the contrary, slept all the time.
I would be jealous of them.
Me being insomniac continues even today.
I feel jealous at S who gets sleep in 2 seconds at any time and any place.
As for me, i need a perfect place, perfect ambiance, perfect NO- lights and NO- noise to go off to sleep.
Even then, it takes several minutes for sleep to come near me.

The Kite Runner

2010-08-21T13:10:00.000+05:30

The Kite Runner, the book which I finished reading recently.
I can say it's definitely one of my favourites.
Few excerpts which I liked (especially of Amir's father's dislike towards the American way of life)...

"But the Bay Area's smog stung his eyes, the traffic noise gave him headaches, and the pollen made him cough. The fruit was never sweet enough, the water never clean enough, and where were all the trees and open fields? For two years, I tried to get Baba to enroll in ESL classes to improve his broken English. But he scoffed at the idea. 'May be I'll spell 'cat' and the teacher will give me glittery star so i can run home and show it off to you', he would grumble".

"It turned out that Baba had had no money on him for the oranges. He'd written Mr. Nguyen a check and Mr. Nguyen had asked for an ID. 'He wants to see my license,' Baba bellowed in Farsi. 'Almost two years we've bought his damn fruits and put money in his pocket and the son of a dog wants to see my license!'".

"I wanted to tell him that in Kabul, we snapped a tree branch and used it as a credit card. Hassan and I would take the wooden stick to the bread maker. He'd carve notches on our stick with his knife, one notch for each loaf of naan he'd pull for us from the tandoor's flames. At the end of the month, my father paid him for the number of notches on the stick. No questions. No ID".

2010-08-20T13:36:00.004+05:30

It's funny the way Kannada movie advertisements are posted in news papers...
After the title, they always want a caption in English...
And to describe a hero they need English words such as 'power star', 'crazy star', 'challenging star', 'hatric star' and so on...
In the end they speak of saving Kannada language.

Pondering...while in the hospital

2010-08-17T22:03:00.002+05:30

* Learning to change the saying 'Health is Wealth' to 'Wealth is Health' or 'One that is wealthy (or the insured)can afford to get health care'...
* Getting few good news on my health side:)
* Cursing all the Doctors who diagnosed me incorrectly; for having made me swallow those bitter pills for one whole year; for preventing me from having some delicious food items for so long...
* Looking at my daughter from the fifth floor window...
* Listening to her speak new words (umbella for umbrella and Hydabd for Hyderabad)over the phone...
* Watching cookery shows just to increase my food cravings...
* Fighting with the sisters and canteen boys to get a cup of Horlicks (my condition was never so pathetic)...

2010-08-16T21:54:00.002+05:30

S bought flowers for me today (to say 'get well soon')...
He has of course bought flowers for me many times but this time it was special. Why?
He argued with the hospital management to get those flowers inside the premises as it was not allowed.
He also gave them a valid reason for doing so...that being "Hospital management entertains a flower shop inside its premises at same time puts up a rule inside the hospital that flowers are not allowed into the wards".
With this point being raised, even the management laughed and said he would do something about it.
At first I was angry on him but once he explained the whole story I felt it was very sweet of him.

For Granted

2010-08-03T15:56:00.004+05:30

While I was lying on bed this weekend sick with fever, I went back to the days of my high school and college days or rather call it 'days when I was matured enough to think about others and not just myself'.
Then, whenever my mother was down with fever I never helped her. Even if I did it was after she told me to do so but not by self.
I knew I shouldn't be doing that yet I couldn't get myself up helping her.
She would just tell me once and not insist or complain about not giving her helping hand.
Lying sick in bed this time I realized how mother would have felt- so tired and weak yet carrying out the responsibility as usual.
For me at least, I had S who took over all my job while at the same time looked after my little brat.
But my mother wouldn't tell anyone...
I still take her for granted for so many things and I think even after realising this I will still continue to do so just because she is my Mother.
And I also know that she wouldn't complain in future too.
May be one day my girl too will start doing the same and I wouldn't complain.

Bribery v/s Reinforcement

2010-07-28T14:18:00.003+05:30

I always considered bribery and reinforcement were one and the same...
...Until I entered my master's.
It was then that I exactly learned the differences between the two.
And the basic difference being that: in bribery you give the reward even before the work is done and in reinforcement reward is given after the work is finished so that the individual performs the act again wanting to get the rewards continuously.
These two terms entered my mind while listening to the song of 3 idiots...Give me some sunshine...wherein he says 'rishvat dena to khud papa ne sikhaya, 99 marks laoge to ghadi varna chadi':)

Of course, the subject under which the reinforcements were taught (Behaviour Modification) was one of my favourites and I had mastered it very well which proved to be useful later too.

Charminar

2010-07-23T15:52:00.003+05:30

2010-07-22T16:36:00.003+05:30

I never get bored of watching some of the old comedy movies such as Chupke Chupke, Khoobsurat, Angoor and Golmaal...
They carried humour in such a natural and easy manner.
And they successfully catch our attention even today.

Another weekend adventure

2010-07-19T23:06:00.003+05:30

Last weekend we were lost and this weekend it was our turn to go shopping without our wallets in the pocket.
Good that we had not yet started our shopping before which we realised the situation.
But luckily, we had some food coupons to spend on eating and filling our stomach after all.
We swore never to repeat the mistake but all the while I thought to myself "we have a saved a lot this weekend"!

2010-07-15T20:22:00.003+05:30

I've always hated the very sight of Farah Khan and her brother Sajid Khan.
They criticise and degrade people to the fullest extent possible.
And they consider themselves to be the finest directors of Bollywood which is utter nonsense.
I especially remember last year's award function (don't remember which award) wherein they both anchored the programme and did not miss a single chance to humiliate the best of directors.
They even insulted the debut director of the movie 'A Wednesday' for not having worn a suit for the function to which he remarked after winning the award that he would certainly get a suit stitched for himself as he had won the award!
Ashutosh Gowarikar later blasted them for being so critical for which the sibling duo didn't apologize because they considered it to be humourous.
May be it's wrong on our side to expect such a good behaviour from the Great Directors of the movies such as 'Om Shanti Om', 'Main Hoon Na' and 'Houseful'

Getting Lost

2010-07-13T13:02:00.003+05:30

Getting lost or taking a route that is exactly the opposite may be quite frustrating, we may find lots of reasons to blame each person for not preparing ourselves to go in the correct direction.
Even more frustrating could be the fact that, there is very less fuel and no petrol station nearby.
Even worse, when you are hungry!
But the same situation can become humourous when everything is solved.

2010-07-12T20:26:00.004+05:30

A Rajasthani shopkeeper at Dhola ri Dhani resort, Hyderabad.

Magnanimous Golconda Fort

2010-06-28T15:10:00.010+05:30

One thing I must admit about visiting this place is that, me and S (he carrying my daughter too) had to climb up 365 steps to view the complete fort and we were completely exhausted at the end. And we were worrying about our condition for the next day as our muscles would remind us of our previous day adventure (which usually happens), but both of us were as perfect and painless as we would be everyday!
Call it the miracle of the fort and its structure.
Here is a picture of the beautiful fort...

2010-06-22T23:53:00.004+05:30

Whenever I start reading a new book I will be compelled by the idea of turning it back and looking at the total number of pages of the book.
Not that I am scared of big fat books or the number of pages but it's just an old habit which I find it hard to get rid off.
Not only that, even after finishing each chapter I look to see how many pages the next chapter contains.
Weird it may seem but it is true.

Paulo Coelho

2010-06-19T14:47:00.000+05:30

I had thoroughly enjoyed reading Paulo Coelho's Alchemist long time back.
With the same expectation I read his other books- The Witch of Portobello and Eleven Minutes and it didn't impress me much.
Though the stories start nicely but they fail to hold the attention till the end.
Here and there his philosophy about life and dreams is good. But at the same time, his explanation about some ritualistic practices is hard to understand.

Here are some excerpts from his books which I liked:
From Eleven Minutes- "Dreaming is very pleasant as long as you are not forced to put your dreams into practice. That way, we avoid all the risks, frustrations and difficulties and when we are old, we can always blame other people- preferably our parents, our spouses, or our children- for our failure to realise our dreams".

From The Witch of Portobellowriting about 'Ants' he says "The guards are genetically prepared to to sacrifice themselves for the queen, the workers carry leaves 10 times their own weight, the engineers make tunnels that can resist storms and floods. They enter into mortal combat with their enemies, they suffer for the community and they never ask 'Why are we doing this?'".

Mirrors

2010-05-31T00:27:00.000+05:30

Purse (with mirrors and Lambani style embriodary)which i had bought from Hampi. And the mirror is a gift from my sister.

Remembering the Operation Theatre

2010-05-23T16:48:00.000+05:30

There are four things which I remember when i was in the OT during my C-section delivery...
First, the anesthesia that was given on my back...
Second, even after being anaesthetised, the painless yet weird feeling of my skin being ripped off...
Third, when the doctor brought out the baby and said it's a baby GIRL which I so badly wanted!
Fourth and the most uncomfortable, when the stitches were being done. Then I remembered the English movies of the olden royal ladies whose corsets were tightened by their servant maids. Pulling and tightening of the stitches gave the same feeling.

But one thing which i cannot forget after coming out of the OT was the pain after the anaesthesia warred off..

P.S. Small Cities

2010-05-18T11:35:00.000+05:30

I received a complaint from S that i hadn’t mentioned about all our favourite eat outs at Davangere. So here is the list: masala paddu at gundi circle, potato bun at Kaveri bakery, tomato toast at Aiyengar’s bakery, avalakki at Rasavanti cool drinks, sandwich at Nature fresh. Ah! So many...how could i miss so many !!!

From Anne Frank's Diary

2010-05-17T19:24:00.000+05:30

"What's the use of war? Why can't people live peacefully together? Why all the destruction? Why do some people have to starve, while there are surpluses rotting in other parts of the world? I don't beleive that the big men, the politicians and the capitalists alone, are guilty of the war. The little man is just as guilty, otherwise the people of the world would have risen in revolt long ago! There's in people simply an urge to destroy, to kill, to murder and until all mankind, without exceptioin, undergoes a great change, wars will be waged, everything that has been built up, cultivated, and grown will be destroyed and disfigured, after which mankind will have to start all over again".

Old Hobbies

2010-05-17T19:18:00.000+05:30

One of my favourite hobbies at school days was collecting stamps. Ofcourse, even now i enjoy collecting them but somewhere in between i had lost touch with it. May be it was because i didn't know how to continue it or that nobody else (especially my friends) found it amusing and interesting. And having a hobby like that of your friends was more important at that age. But now it doesn't matter if someone else enjoys it or not, so there are a lot more stamps added to my collection. Moreover, now, i have a hubby and a brother- in- law who are mad about collecting coins so i too get boosted by them. I don't like collecting them through opening an account at the India Post and similar ways but i like the ones that's stuck on the posatge covers. But nowadays that rarely happens.
The other hobby i thoroughly enjoyed as a school girl was to collect the pictures of the famous actress Sridevi whom i adored! Ranging from post cards to tiny/ huge paper cuttings i had some hundreds of her photographs.
There were other hobbies too like drawing and painting, doing craftwork etc etc., but none like Philately (whose name i learnt later) and collecting pictures.

Small cities

2010-04-08T18:13:00.000+05:30

There is always an advantage staying in small cities...
Not much traffic, easy accessibility of things, less cost of living, yummy and cheap foodie outlets, hassle free life and many many more.
I am really gonna miss visiting this small city Davangere henceforth as my parents are moving away.
Getting things was so much easier here.
And the mouth watering eatables- the famous ಬೆಣ್ಣೆ ದೋಸೆ, ಖಾರ ಮಂಡಕ್ಕಿ ,ಜೋಳದ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ will be missed always.
But of course i have made up my mind to visit the place at least once a year (hopefully that's possible).

Disparity

2010-02-16T20:49:00.000+05:30

Whenever i see my daughter's activities, be it playing (especially the symbolic play which she has learnt recently) or babbling or motor coordination while handling objects(finger dexterity) or self eating and many more such behaviours, i will be compelled to go back to those days when i worked with children with disabilities.

That's because, whatever my daughter is learning now as a 14 months old child those children being more than 5 or 6 years of age were learning it then.
I really at the damage that occurs because of the disability or the disability that's being caused because of the damage!

Blunders

2010-02-08T23:06:00.000+05:30

A pamphlet attached to the newspaper read:
"Classical music: Hindustani, Karnatic, Guitar and many more instruments are TEACHED HEAR".

An advertisement for tutorial in a local Kannada newspaper read:
"Fail ಆದಿರೆಂದು feel ಆಗಬೇಡಿ "...I will help you pass, just pay Rs. 2000 per subject. Rs.500 extra for home tuition. If you want 100% result then only come to me!

At a beauty parlour:
"Wings Deepali BEAUUTTY PARRLOUURR".

The Republic Day Parade

2010-01-30T17:44:00.000+05:30

As i watched this year's republic day parade on TV i went back to those school days and the by gone era of only channel on TV- Doordarshan.
Then, we would be waiting to finish the early morning republic day celebrations at school so that we could come and watch the parade on TV.
It gave so much of joy.
I watched it this year after many years of gap.
But this time as i watched it was not with joy but reproach and regret.
It's because of the reason that i too could have been there sometime back (when i was a NCC cadet) marching through the India Gate but had rejected it because of my health problem.
I still do not know whether that was a right decision or wrong because if i had agreed to go and spoiled my health completely i would have hated myself.
But , at times i do think i should have taken the chance to see if i could succeed.
Nonetheless, past is past nobody can ever change it.

And an year later...

2010-01-27T23:40:00.000+05:30

November 22nd 2008, the day i went to a theatre with my hubby and my little one still inside to watch the movie Kung Fu Panda.
I had a least idea then that my girl would come out just after two days (a month premature).
Days went by taking care of her and it turned an year too.
January 22nd 2010, after exactly an year and two months both me and S hit the theatre to watch 3 idiots.
Hoping that our girl would go off to sleep we took the night show.
And she did actually sleep although she managed to watch half of the movie.
I thoroughly enjoyed the film but was a bit guilty for having spoiled my daughter's sleep as well as the loud noise of the speakers which was bad for her.

Chowmahalla Palace

2010-01-19T16:40:00.001+05:30

Though S has taken me to many places in Hyderabad i keep cribbing that he hasn't done so.
That's because my thirst for visiting historic places doesn't seem to end.
Recently we visited the Chowmahalla Palace which really speaks of the grandeur of the Nizams.
The main attraction of the palace in the chandeliers in the durbar hall the beauty of which is magnificent.
We fell short of time to see all the four mahals,each mahal unique in itself.
After a long time it was a great weekend at Hyderabad, as i was thoroughly bored by the usual shopping malls and crowded parks.

Portrait of my daughter...

2009-12-19T12:39:00.000+05:30

An amazing sketch made by one of my friends...

TV

2009-12-19T12:35:00.000+05:30

Read on a carry bag:"I find the TV very educative; every time somebody turns it on i pick up a book and start reading"!

Made in China...

2009-12-19T11:45:00.000+05:30

The moment i step into the market these days all i get to see is a label "Made in China". Right from utensils, chappals, plastic items to baby products.
Even the stickers which i bought last week was made in China.
Is our country's condition so pathetic that we have to import everything from China?

Dream

2009-11-29T15:40:00.001+05:30

There is a statement in Aamir Khan's new TITAN ad. "bachpan me toh bahut kuch karna chahte the, then why not now".
How true that statement is...
As a school girl I never seriously thought of taking up any particular profession...
But as i grew up, one fine day i listned the conversation of my cousin with her friend who was mentioning about studying dentistry and taking it up as her profession...
So i thought i too would become a dentist as i didn't know about any other profession...
After a few years (when my mind was quite matured but not completely), i decided to be an IPS officer as i read about Kiran Bedi and wanted to be like her...
As i entered my graduation i realised that i couldn't be like her as i lacked many of the qualities required for that profession...

By the time i completed my graduation i realized i did have interest in English literature and would continue studying the same, though studying psychology was my second preference...
But later, i chose the latter subject considering the university that i would get into...
But even then my love for literature hadn't diminished, till today at some corner of mind i feel i would have chosen literature instead of psychology...

Ofcourse there were these little desires in me like taking up courses in fine arts, photography, interior decoration and many more....

Well there is soooo much to do and so less time...
But right now only thing that should be my aim is to bring up girl and being a good mother...
Yet, i need to find some time to fullfil my dreams because soon my daughter would give her list of dreams which i have to look into as a mother...

Strangers

2009-09-25T12:58:00.000+05:30

Yesterday i read an article in the paper where the author quoted few teachings by Osho...
It said " No matter how close a relationship can be (between friends, between a mother a child, husband and wife or whatever the relationship is)there are secrets kept always- sometimes for good and sometimes for bad reasons...
When we keep secrets we are no more related to that person, we become strangers...
So be more open in relationships to avoid being strangers"...

I think we not only keep secrets from others but also within ourselves...
Even though we know so many aspects of our own behaviour we do not want to admit it...
In that case we are srtangers to our own selves...

Movies...

2009-08-22T19:04:00.001+05:30

Stills from two of the good movies i have watched lately- The Blue Umbrella and Dasvidaniya...

Time Pass...

2009-08-14T16:03:00.002+05:30

It's funny how certain words and sentences are used by people- as though there is no weightage and meaning to the word....
Take for example the word 'time pass'...
The usual sentences I've heard people using this word is "Oh! you don't work (When i was not working)? Then how do you pass time at home?"
When i started working the statement was something like "It's good you are working, you can easily pass your time at work."
Now, that i have a child the statement goes like "Passing time is not a problem now as you have the baby?"
It's as though passing time is the only aim in life...
Of course i didn't have a baby just to pass time-as i believe parenting is not just about time passing...
Or, just to pass time i didn't have to increase India's population...
Nor did i have a career then because i just wanted to pass time- there are many objectives and principles in life for me to work...
And, moreover if am at home it doesn't mean that i am bored and don't have anything to do...
One can do many things sitting at home than just passing time...
It's also pathetic how people term some of our hobbies and interests (which many people like doing sitting at home)as just time pass...
It's sad how some people are cynical and critical about our interests and values of life, thank god not everybody belongs to this category.

The human brain

2009-07-25T17:51:00.000+05:30

It's been a long time since i read anything serious especially related to my field (psychology)....
And still more, these busy days with my daughter made me think that i even forget whatever i had read while i was a student...
But, not really...
As i can see my psychology teachings being enacted in front of my eyes every day by my child...
While reading Developmental psychology i always found it difficult to match the age of the children with their milestones...
Even after completion of my Master's i didn't know at which age a child would reach a particular milestone....
But now, it's not that hard...
What is more amusing about watching the baby grow is 'wondering how the human brain develops with each day'...
The way our brain learn and unlearn things (how should i cry my mother is present and how should i fall asleep when dad is around), the way it can send those signals by the look of someone (who is my mother), the mapping of locations (which is 'my home' n which is not; i am out now; knowing where the TV is located;looking at the direction where the dad keeps his laptop etc.,), formation of language acquisition (quick reaction to the mother tongue and not to a foreign language that is played in TV)- it truly is amazing...
All this at such an early age of just 7 months!!!
While many people (whom i have encountered with) like to say "what a wonderful creation of GOD"; people like me would like to believe in the "wonders of nature" who created this human body...

That night

2009-05-14T18:31:00.000+05:30

The night had set in.
A fluorescent tube lighted the whole room.
A mix of 'cool air' from the half opened window and 'hot air' from the running ceiling fan filled the place.
Everyone made their way to their respective rooms to fall into a fitful slumber.
It was then, their time to come out.
The first one (let me call it male because of its size)came out creeping through the jam packed shelf.
It paced hither and thither, caught on a prey and satisfied its hunger.
Then it waited.
The came the second one (presumably female).
Moving stealthily through the ventilation glass, it made its way into the room.
And waited right in front of the male.
Both waited for a few minutes.
Then the female signalled the male by slightly swirling its tale and by a chirping sound.
The male responded back with the same action.
After receiving the response the female moved forward.
Male followed the same course of action.
Likewise they reached a secret place for themselves.
In a few seconds they went into such a hiding that i couldn't make out.
But the whole action was so obvious that i don't have to explain what was happening between the two.
I didn't want to be voyeuristic as to watch their action.
Besides, they had moved into such a corner where it was impossible to sneak around.
May be they too knew that it was an act meant only for those two and must have also realized that there are people like me who would get pleasure in watching and writing about their love making.
Well, those two were the LIZARDS and naturally instincted like any one of us.

Latest Venture

2009-03-31T17:49:00.001+05:30

Visit my new blog at
www.mybabyanvita.blogspot.com

Missing link

2009-03-23T18:27:00.000+05:30

It's strange how life changes...
More strange is the fact that our priorities in life too changes as time passes by...
There was a time when the outside world (my outdoor activities and friends)was my world and now my family is my world...
I really seem to have missed the link between myself and the world around me where all the action is taking place...
Then, my world was nothing but my hobbies, books, movies, friends, travel, music, blogs and ofcourse my career...
Now, my world revolves around my family- especially my baby...
It's good in it's own way but at times it looks too small a world...
And am waiting to join my stream of world in a few days...
It feels great when this world looks bigger and bigger where action is taking place at all times...

Good things...

2008-11-15T19:24:00.001+05:30

Few goods things to enjoy while entering motherhood:
First, the most important (for a person like me): PUTTING ON WEIGHT...
Second, Getting pampered and getting all the attention which you will not get later in life...
Third, those kicks inside the womb which can make jump in excitement...
Fourth, amazement at the beauty of nature as to how a tiny life curls up in ones womb which again has so many organs working incessantly and in most cases those functions and connections being formed impeccably...

Well rest all in just pains and aches for nine months...
And i still haven't understood why women yearn to take these pains and aches as something which would make them 'complete'!

Life-not so beautiful

2008-11-15T19:14:00.000+05:30

Life isn't so beautiful for some people especially for S right now...
I always thought there is light after darkness but in her case darkness was an indication of a 'black hole' lying further ahead...
I become speechless whenever i speak to her...
Why life is being so unfair for her throughout?
Her 'life' has shown how powerful 'death' could be and is...
I wish i could be with her now...

Kannada Matrimony!

2008-11-01T17:48:00.000+05:30

A recent mail which i received about 'finding the right girl' for marriage:

ಹುಡುಗಿ
ಬೇಕಾಗಿದ್ದಾಳೆ
ಇರಬೇಕು ತುಂಬಾ
ಸಿಂಪಲ್ !

ನಕ್ಕರೆ
ಗಲ್ಲದ ಮೇಲೆ
ಬೀಳಬೇಕು
ಡಿಂಪಲ್ !

ಅವಳ
ತಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇರಬೇಕು
ಪುಟ್ಟ ಪ್ರೊಸೆಸರ್
ಇಂಟೆಲ್ !

ಅವಳ
ರೂಪ-ಲಾವಣ್ಯ ಕಂಡು
ಬಾಯಿಬಿಡಬೇಕು
ಪಕ್ಕದ್ಮನೆ ಅಂಕಲ್ !

ಅವಳು
ಸ್ನಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಹಚ್ಚಬೇಕು
ದಿನಾ ಸೋಪು
ಸಿಂಥಾಲ್ !

ಅವಳ
ಅಂದ ಹೊಗಳುತ್ತಾ
ಕವಿಯಾಗಬೇಕು
ಮೆಂಟಲ್ !

ಎತ್ತರದಲ್ಲಿ
ಅವಳಾಗಿರಬೇಕು
ರಾಜಸ್ತಾನದ
ಕ್ಯಾಮೆಲ್ !

ಅವಳ
ಗಲ್ಲ ನೋಡಿ ನೆನಪಾಗಬೇಕು
ಕಾಶ್ಮೀರದ ಸಿಹಿ
ಆಪಲ್ !

ಅವಳು
ಬೀದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದರೆ
ಕಾಮೆಂಟ್ರಿ ಹೇಳಬೇಕು
ಇಯಾನ್ ಚಾಪೆಲ್ !

ಮುಖದ ಮೇಲೆ
ಇರಲಿ ಒಂದೇ
ಒಂದು ಹರೆಯದ
ಪಿಂಪಲ್ !

ನಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯೆಂಬ
ಧರ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಅವಳಾಗಬೇಕು
ಗೀತಾ-ಕುರಾನ್
ಬೈಬಲ್ !

ಅವಳು ಪ್ರೀತಿ
ಮೆಚ್ಚಿ ನಾ ಕಟ್ಟಬೇಕು
ಇನ್ನೊಂದು
ತಾಜ್ಮಹಲ್ !

ಎಲ್ಲದಕ್ಕೂ ಮೊದಲ
ಅವಶ್ಯಕತೆ
ಅವಳಾಗಿರಬೇಕು
ಸಿಂಗಲ್ !

ಇವಳೇನಾದರು
ನಿಮಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕರೆ
ನನ್ನ ಅಡ್ರೆಸ್‌ಗೆ ಮಾಡಿ
ಈ-ಮೇಲ್ !!

Self-Identity v/s Compromise

2008-10-04T17:38:00.000+05:30

Thoughts came rushing in after i spoke to A the other day. Her questions, it seemed valid enough: at least in her position they were in place. She said: "I knew i had to make compromises and i did make it but what do i get after those compromises? Ill treatment, fights and some orders to make some compromises? If that is so why do i have to gone on like this? Don't i have my own identity? Before marriage he never uttered a word but now everything has changed"...
Nobody else could understand her situation better than I; but only difference was that she has just got into that relationship and i came out of it long back...
Now, what distinguishes compromise from self- expression?
I think there is a very thin line between the two...
If not drawn properly one or the other person in the relationship suffers...
One should know where self- expression ends and where compromise starts...
One question that always irks me is 'Why always women are expected to make more adjustments than men? Just because they are women? Or to grandiose the idea of women later by saying she suffered so much so she is great?
It's not that men don't make compromises; they do but when they don't nobody asks them any questions whereas if a woman fails to do so hundreds and thousands of questions are asked...
There are of course a category of women who love to compromise to the extent that they lose their own identity and still they are happy about it...There is an advantage with that system: NO FIGHTS between the couple...
But it's not the only category. There are those women who at any cost wouldn't let their self- identity lose and are so not ready make the slightest adjustments...
And there is the third category who can balance between the two...
Education and career, i had thought, would the scene to a greater extent: But how many educated women are able to come out of bad relationships and why can't educated people change their mentality of harassing the woman?
The questions are too many...
I only wish A would find a place and a solution where she could find solace...

ROCK ON!!!

2008-10-02T22:41:00.000+05:30

Farhan Akhtar does rock...
Thoroughly enjoyed the movie...
Just like Dil Chahta Hai, it once again brings back the magic moments of one's old friendship and your passion for same interests....
But one thing is still unclear to me is 'why does Farhan always start his film with the flashback rather than the present'...Be it Dil chahta hai, lakshya or Rock on it starts with its past...
Hmmm interesting but never mind unless and until he's giving us good movies...
And ofcourse, it also makes one enjoy and fall in love with the ROCK music...

Ganesh Chaturti with a Difference

2008-09-20T21:06:00.000+05:30

Festivals always meant for me spending more time on cooking some extra dishes (of course mouth watering)with a bit of pooja to woo the God...
But this year's Ganesh Chaturti was a bit different though even this included cooking and pooja....
Cooking- to a great extent and pooja- to even more greater extent...Though i was least involved in the cooking process but of course was involved in the pooja process to a large extent (as i think i was)which i never thought i would ever do...
Well, life asks for so many adjustments sometimes and you readily do it for your loved ones and so did i...
And so i think it was a festival with a difference.

Just like that...

2008-09-20T20:27:00.000+05:30

I have tried many times to directly type whatever i wanted to convey through my blog but every time i found it difficult to do so...
May be it's old fashioned but i always find it comfortable to first jot down every thought process in a piece of paper before typing it down...
Well ofcourse these three sentences i have typed directly without wrtiting it down.

Whoever said cooking isn't rocket science...

2008-08-13T10:11:00.000+05:30

I used to watch a cookery show which said 'cooking isn't rocket science'...
But for people like me it surely is...
Everyday i think optimistically 'OK today i will prepare something i.e more tastier than yesterday; at least with proper proportion of salt, sugar and spice in it'...
But somehow i never seem to get the chemistry right...

I think preparing breakfast and snacks is more easier than preparing dishes for rice...
And one more surprising fact is that when am trying a new recipe it comes out excellent but i do the same thing again there's something missing...

Am lucky that i have a really good hubby who doesn't really comment on my cooking...
But it's really bad when i do expect some comments from him and he doesn't make any...

Chetan Bhagat's New Book

2008-08-13T01:11:00.001+05:30

After reading two of Chetan Bhagat's books: 5 point someone and One nite @ the call centre, I was eagerly waiting for his next book...
And it did arrive and i couldn't wait to read..
But at the same time i didn't want to spend on the book right now as i had already spent a lot for books lately...
Nevertheless, i did go to the bookstore to get a glimpse of what the book was all about...
And ofcourse at the end i ended up buying the book as it was priced so less...
May be he and his publishers understood his readers very well...
As with Bhagat's book it was an easy reading, funfilled book yet conveying message in its own way...
Although in the end it did look a little too far fetched (which is usual of Bhagat again and i think that's what fictions are meant for)the book is a good one...

The Birthday Cake Story

2008-07-30T17:55:00.000+05:30

The woman had planned for her husband's birthday celebrations: their first birthday together after marriage...
But the husband had to go away on the same day for an emergency...
Naturally all the plans were cancelled...
But eventually they did decide on a date when they could celebrate it...
The celebration began two days earlier by hiding gifts and cards...
Ofcourse the celebration couldn't end without the cutting of cake...
So she was all set to buy the cake from the most delicious cake makers of the city...
She hired an auto to the place and thought: coming back wouldn't be a problem as her friend had promised her to drop...
She finished her shopping and felt happy as she had found her flavour of cake...

She came out holding or rather balancing the big cake box in one hand and another heavy bag in another...
Her friend who was supposed to drop her got an urgent call and couldn't help...
So the woman stood waiting for an auto...
5 minutes passed, none of the autos were empty...
10 minutes passed, autos were empty but none of them were ready to come...
Those who were ready to come were on the other side of the road...
But thewoman couldn't cross the road as it was very busy and courage had left her as she was holding those two bags especially one with the cake...
But the woman couldn't cross the road as she was holding those bags...
20 minutes passed still no sign of an auto...
Her arms started hurting, she felt thirsty as she carried no water thinking she would be back soon...
Her legs ached and her stomach felt sick and hungry...

After these frustrating 20 minutes, came an old watchman from the next building...
Her felt sorry for the woman and asked her where she wanted to go...
He then helped her cross the road by blowing his whistle all along...
Leading her to the other side of the road, he caught hold of an auto and convinced him to come...
The woman thanked the watchman and left..
On her way back she felt thankful and good about the watchman: atleast there were still people who offered help to strangers...
The woman and her husband happily celebrated the birthday next day...

Hotels of Hyderabad

2008-05-13T22:46:00.000+05:30

Me being a foodie, have been wanting to write about the hotels of Hyderabad from a very long time...
Especially, my favourite canton soup at 'The Minerva Coffee Shop' and also the real flavor of some chinese food...
Next is my all time favourite rava dosa at the 'Chellam' restaurant...
The king size buffet at 'Ohri's Jiva'...
Very delicious methi paratha at 'Kamath's'...
Hara bhara paneer kabab at 'Angetti'...
And ofcourse last but not the least, my hubby's 'Tuppada dose' though the receipe comes from his Gaga...

There are other hotels where its hard to find some good food but one has to visit those hotels once atleast to have a glimpse at their interiors....
The train model at 'Saheb Singh Sultan'...
The traditional south Indian temple interiors at 'Athithi Inn'...
The dhaba style ambience at 'Angetti'...and so on to go.
But all these places change your mood for good!

Parva

2008-04-27T15:51:00.001+05:30

Have been reading Bhyrappa's Parva n it's amazing...
I had never known the story of Mahabharatha so well as i do now 'coz of this book.
It's the magic of Bhyrappa again.

Chaos in Birla Temple

2008-04-20T13:19:00.002+05:30

Me and S visited the famous Birla temple yestarday.
Though he had visited it lot many times, for me it was the first time.
I had just read the name of the temple in one of the A.P Tourist guide but didn't know that the whole temple was built in white marble!!!
The temple resembles more or less like the ISKON temple in B'lore but only that its marble built.
It's a marvellous structure with very explicit carvings and spread around a vast area.
But there were certain things which irked us both whlie entering the temple.
Firstly, it was the security- which required us to surrender our mobile phones in the counter.
I had seen temples where they asked people to switch off their mobiles but never had i seen this kind of security anywhere.
And the result of such security was obviously people "loosing" their mobile phones.
As we walked up to the main temple what we got to see was the endless Q of people, and ofcourse it took us more than 45 mins to atlast see the GOD.
Now comes the most interesting part- before we could God's darshan we received 'thirtha' and next stands a 'priest' literally streching his hands and snatching the money from my hands which i was supposed to put in the Hundi.
Me, on the other hand, thinking that there is no hundi royally gave all the money to the pujari.
Only after all this drama were we allowed to have the darshan.
And there was the 'HUNDI' for which i didn't have any money left:)
So the meaning here is simple and needs no explanation.
The preist did not have just one or two notes, there was bundle of it.
S being completely enraged with it, decided to lodge a complaint againt the pujari at the office.
We went to the office and they wanted everything in writing, so we did.
While this was happening, i saw a man enter the office, stand near one of the security personnel, sneake a Rs.50 note, speak to him in Telugu and vanish.
And what was that all about nobody knows.
After we gave the complaint in writing, the priest was called for and enquired for which he tried giving lot many excuses.
Later, even after so many arguments,we felt that it didn't lead us anywhere.
It's just for that time being he would be enquired and left unpunished.
So we decided to leave the matter then and there and were out of the blessed temple.

Sikkim

2008-04-17T16:33:00.001+05:30

It' been one month since me and S are back from our Sikkim trip, still i haven't been to able to start writing anything about the place and now i have lost the interest too though it's great and SACRED place as they say it....

So above is a picture of Mt. Kangchenjunga as seen from Pelling...and next is the beautiful Changu lake near Nathula pass... ...

"DOR"

2008-04-16T10:48:00.000+05:30

Two women from different parts of India...
One from Rajasthan...
Another from Kashmir...
Both married to the man they love...
Both know what they want from life...
Both have integrity and zest for life...
But the way they express these things is the only difference...
One abides by the society's norms and enjoys what she wants...
Another fights with the world to get what she wants...
And still they are happy in their world....
But that's short lived...
Both of their husbands travel abroad to earn more money...
And eventually one of them gets killed in the hands of the other accidentally...
The killer goes behind the bars to get a death sentence...
The news reaches his wife...
Her husband can escape the death sentence only if the widow of the killed signs a letter stating the incident as an accident...
The wife of the accused travels to Rajasthan in search of the widow...
But she finds her so innocent that she decides to wait for the right moment to tell the truth and get the signature...
In the course of time they become very close friends...
The widow (who had lost all her freedom) starts to enjoy her life again because of her friendship...
Truth unfolds at the end and the widow resents her friend thinking that she deceived her...
But she realises at the same time that her friend's entry was like a second life for her...
And finally as usual with all the movies, its a happy ending where the widow abandons her husband's house and goes with her friend...

As always with Nagesh Kukunoor, DOR is a very touching movie....
The widow played by Ayesha Takia looks as innocent as a child...
Gul Panag as the wife of the accused is equally good...
With very strong music, dialogues and acting from all the actors, this movie proves to be one of the best of Kukunoor's films.

The Witch of Portobello

2008-03-15T16:17:00.000+05:30

I bought Paulo Coelho's "The Witch of Portobello" with great xpectations remembering his success with 'The Alchemist'. Ofcourse my xpectations were fed with a great start with the story of Athena or Sherine as the author calls her some times...First hundred n odd pages were very good as so many people try to describe the character of Athena...But as and how i turned rest of the pages everything started going above my head all of a sudden...

Only way i could relate with the character and the story was by drawing similarity with one more book i had read earlier of S.L.Bhyrappa i.e.'Anweshana'.

In both the stories, the life of the protagonist is narrated by someone related to him/ her. Both the protagonists are in constant search of their soul and integrity which is above any normal human understanding.In doing so, they go from one place to another, they try out different things never sticking onto any one thing or any one person. In the course of time they hurt all around them...only difference is that in W.O.B she survives all the difficulties and finds ultimate realisation but whereas in Anweshana he loses his battle...
Like Anweshana, W.O.B also conveys certain hard core truths about the life. So if i look at W.O.B through the eyes of Anweshana i must call it a good book but otherwise not.