Tuesday, April 22, 2014
The Harikatha
The Harikatha
Sunday, March 29, 2009
The Tatkal generation!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Dada ..you will always be ...
Any girl-cricket-watcher who studied their 7 th or 8 th clasess at around the same time as me.. must have surely had a kutti lil crush..or at least a small little soft corner for Sourav Ganguly... The boyish looks.. the ishtyle quotient - both in looks and in play .. the left hander's elegance.. the the ocassional agressive streak... just about the right mix :) ..for what I wont say...
Ever since , I have been an avid follower of his game.. or rather the games which he played.And I realised that within, lies a character that truly inspires,astonishes and jus makes u stick on. The attitude, the agression, the intelligence - oh he really swept me off my feet then!
I have read many blogs on the Prince of Kolkata.. his astonishing off side play.. his captaincy ... the tactics he used, blogs rattling out statistics.. his win-loss record.. his averages by year.. etc.
Neither do i have that deep a knowledge about the game to understand nuances.. nor am i sharp enough to rattle out how many runs India won the nth match of the xth world cup by...
This blog is not about that.. This blog is to say "Thankyou Sourav" for making cricket that "extra special". I dont know if it would have been the same for me without you. Yesterday, as I was watching the India - Eng ODIs i felt something strange... Its something i have been doin over the last 8 odd years, looking at you on the field.. changing field placements, smiling, frowning, exalting, shirt waving,jumping, puching, yelling,scolding and what not.. and every moment.. was pure joy. I did read somewhere.. "Sourav Ganguly pulled at the heartstrings of the masses like no other cricketer had done before"and I definitely agree.Being responsible for the collective mood of a nation,over such a long duration - fabulous job done.
You have given us enough moments of happiness for us to keep reminiscing until the next Sourav arrives :) But whoever may come and go.. "Dada" u will always be.. :)
"Thank you"!!!!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Anbuchelvans and chelvis.. we need u !
**this is a true life incident.Characters and places in this blog are very much real.
A recent experience my friends and I had while traveling in a popular weekend train made me realize… the sorry state of affairs that our country operates in. It just somehow runs .
My friend lost her purse containing a bit of cash and a lot of cards – atm cards, corporate travel cards, credit cards during our train journey – it accidentally fell out of the train- and my two friends and I decided to place a complaint in the Police Station just so that we have a complaint number to block any of the cards, we weren’t anyway expecting them to find her purse – that would be too much of an ask.
Three girls enter the police station at the wee hours of the morning: there’s a lady cop sitting in one of the rooms and two constables – it’s a dungeon like damp smelling dimly lit place. This is what transpired there.
“enna ma enna venum”What do u want??
“ sir, purse a misplace pannitom train la – it has some money and a few cards - we need to place a complaint”.
“oh!!! where did u lose it” I was skeptical about the excitement! Enna da ivlo aarvama ?
“in transit sir..it fell out of the train accidentally”
“ Ange tholachitu inge vandhu keetenna naanga inna pannamudiyum?” pat came the reply.Just as I thought! The eagerness is to pass the buck! Not my business!u dint lose it here y ask me!
“What do we do sir? Train just came here.. so we got down to complain… “ A stress on the “sir” a little bit at least ensured we dint hear bad vocabulary.
He goes on” You should have stopped the train then and there.. got down and searched for the purse !” Is he crazy!?? I think.. Does he really expect anybody to get out of a train at 2 in the night in a godforsaken place in utter darkness and search for a purse?
What followed was like the lecture the station master gives to Kareena in Jab we met. Advice… on how IT people don’t realize the value of hard earned money As if my company pours dollars on me for sitting and writing stories in offical time! …on how we will easily get the new cards back and never realize the pain of losing something.. I half-listen half think whether I should also ask him like Kareena did –“ do u give this advice in free or do u charge something for this also.. “…
And then he said something which I just couldn digest… in this era of teracomputing! – He says “ ok.. for your satisfaction place your complaint… But how will it reach jolarpet!!!! U should have got down complained to the station master there! If you complain here what can I do??God .. this guy was totally in the wrong era.. anachronic is the word.. “mail .. call ..fax..courier.... its ur business to take the complaint to jolarpet .. not mine” I was thinking.. And I was appalled at our police force not even being aware of basic technologies… I looked around… not a single computer in sight.. just some wooden tables, chairs, tattered files –all belonging to the pre –independence era I’m sure and this guy in front of me.. who also probably is from there.These people are so technologically backward – anyone can give them the slip!
The complaint was written in a piece of recycled – pale yellow paper- no number , no file - with a ball point pen that kept stopping – bah! That’ll go straight into the trash I thought as my friend wrote a letter.. this guy giving hundred instructions on the format of the letter.. whom it should be addressed to etc , rather than bothering about whether it had details of what got lost and whats the contact number of the person who placed the complaint! .. Finally we were done and this fellow says- “ Don’t expect us to find your purse. In case some guy with a good heart finds it, he ll take the money and send you the cards don’t worry.” Pakka..
Attitude,,unne maadiri naalu peru irundha naadu uruppadum I thought..
As this was happening the lady cop was asking us unnecessary details irrelevant to that situation – IT course better a computer science better a.. endha college.. endha course.. “friends llarum ore edathula place aana jolly a irkum la.. “ Romba mukhiyam ippo.. kaarthala 5 manikku police station ku ungala paathutu naalu vaartha kadha pesitu polamnu daan vandhen..… How can she master the art of talking the irrelevant! ,.. I was fuming… .
As this was happening.. a lady was bought to the station by her relative.. she was wailing.. and why wont she !She had lost her daughter there!! And the first thing that a wailing .. perturbed mother gets when she rushes to the police station to complain that her daughter is missing… “Arivu ille unakku??? .. Ipdi daan ishatathuku poga viduviya” that lady cop asks!! Ariville unakku… neenum oru lady thane.. yaaravadhu venumne ponna tholaipangala?? To rub salt to the wounds.. when the cop learns of the girl’s age being 14 .. she starts off.. “vayasu pullaya poi tholachitiye.. enna vena aagalam….” I was standing there..shocked at the treatement being meted out to a lady who is already in the trauma of losing her child… is this the way you talk to her?? “Summa edhayaadhu tholachitu complaint vandhu kudukkavendiyadhu.. engalukullam vera vela ille??” Shock! Vera enna vela irku unakku… this is ur primary job!!! That too in a railway station where hundreds of people come and go everyday.. things are bound to get lost.. and that’s the only reason you are here!
Then a few more questions on where they lost her, when, etc. all just for formality- neither did that female note down the details nor did it register even in the remotest corner of her head. Inspite of all the arrogance and callousness I had witnessed since morning the little bit of optimism that still remained in me decided to wait and see…what happens… I expected at least a couple of constables to go with the mother.. aid her in her search… a few announcements on the microphone… lets see.. I waited..
To my utter shock and disbelief.. not one soul budged from that police station.. a person is lost.. a young girl at that..no search team formed.. not even an announcement on the mike. No one willing to listen to the details of what she was wearing..did she carry money… they dint even ask her name!!!! and the only reaction the police gives is.. “complaint kuduthutu po.. paaklam… “ A similar piece of pale yellow paper comes out.. and in all her anxiety and turmoil.. the mother wastes her time filling up a sheet of paper..which is going to go to the trash.. From their “initial investigation” the police made an “important breakthrough” ..the girl can read and write … “ Seri seri She can read and write ah.. she ll find her way herself..”.. Wow.. this is what the police is there for… to tell me that she will find her way back herself..!Idhu enakku theriyadha
I was left wondering.. the treatment meted out to my friend s purse and the lady’s daughter… was the same! Give your complaint and go.. if they find their way back.. u are lucky! Sheer arrogance, lack of involvement in the work they do, zero use of technology, zero accountability, untrained on how to handle people, laziness.. endless list of “areas to improve”. Idhu ipdi than irkuma? Is there no way to improve this? Can I do something? Atleast let me begin by writing this to express my anger and anguish.
What we need is a complete revamp of our police stations.. Computers! For heaven’s sake!! And a bunch of young ones.. willing to do the job.. throw out the manual work.. replace them wih computers.. throw out 10 old unwilling arrogant monsters and replace them with 5 youngs turks who like the job they do.. and you can pay them well enough to lure more youngsters to the police force.
Anbuchelvans & chelvis! We need u…
Friday, March 28, 2008
A new dimension to what god could be like !
Sunday, December 2, 2007
FWR - Freedom with Responsibility
FWR (Freedom with Responsibility)… the need of the hour …
MMmonths since blog 1.. from a different place ..new work and a new broad band connection later.. here I am.. Last time it was the happiness, love and the haunting memories of a great place that brought me to blogspot.. now it is anger and bewilderment .. at the state of a very powerful institution.. the Fourth Estate.. that has brought me here…While both the print and electronic media were going gaga over the heroes and villains of 2007.... and arranging mega bollywood ishtyle parties to give away the honours..I was wondering.. Who will arrange a party to give the them the award for the Worst Performers / Villains of 2007 ?? So here goes... Swe's award for the Villains of 2007 - the Media!!! <>
Snapshots :
Morning of Sanjay Dutt’s trial: One “respected”, “award winning” channel beams “Wish Sanjay dutt luck!!!! .. Another has a poll.. Should Sanjay get a sentence? Another has an endless list of Sanjay’s friends vouching that he’s the best human being on the earth!! What are they trying ?? Help a well educated person who has knowingly committed a crime get away? Who are they to interfere in matters sub judice? And the poll! Could it get worse? The whole country might vote that Sanjay should be set free but is that right morally??? Will it not influence the judge? One more hits the baap beti sentiment.. C’mon get a life!! Don’t other accused men have daughters or a family?! Jus what is the press trying??
Another well known short haired anchor of a 24X7 channel has in fact taken law into her own hands!! The opposition and prosecution lawyers are in the studio arguing and she is more than ready to pass the judgement on the case!!! What is the judiciary there for when the media can do all be all!!
The media has ended up glorifying people who deserve nothing of it… By endlessly beaming images of people calling them “wonderful human beings” the media has succeeded in projecting an image of “innocent souls being punished”. To an ordinary citizen who is unaware of the nature of crime or who the individual is… it will only seem like the judiciary is unduly awarding a harsh decision to an adorable innocent person.
Sometimes I feel the media deserves someone like Anbumani Ramdoss
Press Reporter in search of some masala confession to create news out of:
Sir, can u tell me the names of the ministers who opposed the tobacco/smoking ban?
Zeroes to Heroes and vice versa in a day! Everyone is vying for their 15 mins of fame and ppl are also ready to go to any extent for that! Take for example Rakhi Sawant ..the darling of the media.. the boyfriend drama enacted in full media view on valentine’s day.. or even a commoner guy downsouth slapping his wife on a tv show! Yucky cat fights created to increase TRPs.. At one time of the day flip any channel and u ‘ll get only dance shows.. at another hour only music shows.. at another only comedy shows all with Navjot Singh laughing his heads off while we are left to wonder what the joke was! Hardly any value addition.. we should begin to use television for meaningful things.. Other channels I can forgive,,, cause they are here for entertainment… but news channels are news channels…and they shouldn try to entertain us…
Cmon guys, Time u grew up…u are not 'big' children - be more responsible!!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Reminiscences!!!
I was on my cycle.. my “nyabagam varudhe “ journey… through customs colony.. to blue cross road… theosophical society.. beach and back… Besant Nagar.. one of the most enchanting places in chennai..most sought after… one of the few spots of green in the city’s map… it has everything.. from the bus depot to railway booking to .. the biggest aalamaram to.. a beautiful residential locality… to schools..and of course the Beach…
St.Johns school..My second home.. quite literally.. School life truly rocked… UKG to X.. and my staying right opposite to it lead to many funny incidents.. Whenever relatives used to visit us when we were kids.. obvious second question..afer “paer enna ma??” “Endha class la padikkare???” … I used take them outside..point to my classroom…”adho andha class” appave nakkal jaasthi :)
Most of my childhood was spent on the besant nagar streets.. playin..round the clock.. roaming around on the cycle… We were a huge gang then .... We had our own Chennai –90 gang wars then.. me on one side and my twin obviously the other and one such war which had escalated to beating, pinching,biting etc..led to us calling one of the passers- by to moderate.. “Uncle neengale sollunga.. avanga cheating daane!!!” We were in class I then.. 9 yrs later.. My hindi teacher in school told the entire class this incident and that that “uncle” was he.. Class was in splits…
And of course my “paatu class” .. something I’ve been “visiting” since my childhood.. A place where its music, fun and frolic go together.. Music maam stays close by as well.. Catch me loitering around lazily on the road.. and a voice from the top will say…” Dandam ma.. Vandhu rendu paatu paaditu po… indha St.Johns gang irke… Alchaatyam, ma… Manda ganam ma…” that’s my paatu miss for sure….
And of course the only people I flirt with… my “boy friends” .. the thatha s of the neighbourhood.. A “ good morning thatha “ is enough to bring a sweet smile… and they are no ordinary people.. even at this age play badminton with them.. and they give u a good run.. or they tell u that even they studied from the same ‘Milman Halkias’!!!! One thatha even remembers the topics and the yellow cover!!!
The Elliots beach.. or Bessie beach as it is widely known… it has seen me grow.. from the time I was a kid crying to put her foot in the water for the very first time….to now when I tearfully wish bangalore had a beach half as nice as this.. And I in turn have seen the beach evolve.. from a private, comparatively empty ,much cleaner place to a commercial ,crowded beach dirtied by the many shops that have come up on the sea front.. My beach…it was then.. It was a place where I saw the rich and the poor.. all religions.. a place for everyone to be just themselves.. Happy ocassion or sad.. spend it at the beach.. Stand in front of the waves.. relentlessly coming at you… enough to inspire you when the chips are down… It also made me realize how small ‘I’ am..
The Vinayaka temple ..I don’t visit it too often.. but when I do.. the pundit there will surely ask.. “enna ma exam a birthday a???” .. Spending the first moment of every new year..00:00 at the temple…a sentiment for Bessie people.. it jus gives me the positive vibration enough to take me through the rest of the year… besides that the many times I have listened to kutcherys or performed at the temple… unforgettable moments…
Every street ..every corner.. walking in the beach… cycling down blue cross road… running away from browny pup… getting scolings from school watchman…. Keeping “account” in grocery shop.. going to miss it all…
Just realized that I could walk up to the person and say.. “miss u ma” or “ miss u friend” but I needed a blog to say “Miss u Besant Nagar!!” where else do I say it!!! Swe the blogger is here to stay!!:)