Looking for a Meaning

He wakes up in the morning, still tucked under his blanket, he thinks what the day has in store for him. The Sun is just growing out of a nascent orange and has plans to brighten the day for all the world (his world atleast) . He showers, parades around in his towel and smelling of a mixture of lemon flavoured soap and menthol shampoo. Breakfast is decent, he doesn't ever stuff himself.

He walks out and a gust of breeze hits him, displacing his neatly combed locks. He picks up his bag which is lying on the marble floored porch adjacent to the huge swing that reminded one of the swings of in a huge mansion in the villages of South India. " Grandmother's gift ! ", he would beamingly exclaim when his friends asked him about the swing. After adjusting the bag on his back, he turns toward his bike. He doesn't like cars, for reasons which only his closest friends from college knew apart from himelf. He owns a snazzy Royal Enfield Bullet Electra. I remember how he would religiously spend a litre of water and shine it every evening. It was something that was almost like a part of him. Bag on back, aviators on eyes, helmet on head... he chugs away from home on his ride. This was what I would see of him almost everyday.

He was away for most of the day, once or twice I remember him coming home during the afternoon. In the evenings, he was always sporting shorts and a t- shirt. There was something about these t-shirts, they were always those freebies that you got when you attended an event organised by some big organisation/institution. That seemed funny, because he was only dressed in crisp shirts and matching trousers every morning. So much for alter egos. He was liked for his calm, easy going and friendly nature. He would always let those devilish 7 yr olds play cricket on his lawn, he would even join them sometimes bowling underarm and trying to be as slow as he possibly so the kids could actually score off him.

He never spoke much to anyone. An occasional smile from him would be all that we would get. He loved his TV and you could hear the constant groan of the Idiot box throughout the night. He had one of those amazing flat screen televisions with extra dimensions which made one feel like one was in a mini cinema theatre. A few hazards of living by oneself are that inanimate objects like the television, the cellphone and the internet become family. He had friends, a group of 5 if memory serves right, they had dinners at his place often. They were always the silent intimate kind of dinners. No loud music for him.

Never could he be seen reading a book, but you could know that he was a deeply insightful person. No one ever knew what he did. Some said, he worked for one of them Software Giants, a few others said he was a journalist, a few others thought his attire was that of a financial analyst, one person who had seen with a famous actor once even went around telling people that he was a famour director. But no one ever knew what he did or for that matter anything about his past or present.

I will always remember that day, January the 13th. This day was the first time, he wasn't doing the usual routine that I had seen him do day after day, he was dressed in a smart white striped collared T shirt and blue jeans. He was walking towards my gate. I sat up with coffee mug in hand, wondering whether he had noticed me observing him and was getting annoyed, and that he was coming this way to give me a piece of his mind. "Ah ! Well, atleast I would hear him talk", I thought. But he didn't seem like the type who would care for nosey neighbours.

He came up to my gate, looked me straight in the eye and smiled. I signalled him to come on in. He kept the stare going as he strode towards me and fidgeted with his pocket. He shook hands and sat himself down. The first words escaped his mouth, he said, " Hi, I know we haven't spoken much." I smiled. He went on, " I'll be going away for a while, and I'd really like it if you would take care of my Bullet, wash it once in a while, and in return you can drive her around for a bit." I was delighted, that was a like a dream come true. I assured him that I would love to and promised to be careful. He nodded a thanks and started to leave. I interrupted, " Where are you going and when will you be back ?". Decreasing the pace of his step, he turned around and said - " I'm going in search of the meaning of life and I will be a while. " I did not quite understand his cryptic talk then, but I smiled and waved goodbye.

A month later, I heard his gate creaking open. I ran outside. I saw his friends driving into the driveway. I could sense, that things weren't in order. A girl, probably in her late 20's saw me and signalled me to come and join them. I went as quickly as I could. She enquired in a low voice, "You're Aditya right ?". I nodded. She forced a smile onto her pale face and said - "He wanted you to have the bike. ". I did not quite understand and stared back at her perplexed. She ushered me into the porch and we sat on the swing as the other four friends went into the house. She explained to me that my neighbour was one of India's foremost writers. He had travelled to the war stricken areas of the Rajasthan border to write about the life of people who lived there. He had planned to name the book, THE MEANING OF LIFE. One night as he was on one of his walks on the sand dunes, he was fired upon by a few militants. The villagers who he was studying for his book, found his unconscious body 3 hours later. He was on his deathbed when his friends went to see him at the hospital in Jaisalmer. She told me that he looked like someone else and that they were inconsolable, but he still smiled and spoke to them for half an hour before he suddenly rested into his eternal slumber.

She said that what he said during those thirty odd minutes were profound. "He never had family and he always was close to us. But he loved the kids in his neighbourhood and especially the boy who unknowingly waved goodbye to him with his eyes every morning", she quivered, almost in tears. I felt a shiver crawl down my spine, and lump in my throat. I stood up and froze. The girl put her arm around me and said "Thanks". For what, I did not know and did not care to ask. I just looked back at her walked out of the house and headed straight for my room.

He went in search of The Meaning of Life,but went so far away from Life that he could never return. Sometimes bonds are formed without even saying a word.

My first fictional work. Do comment

A Public Service Message :)

Frustration leads to anger leads to creative surges. Hours of waiting in the traffic and daredevil auto drivers have lead to this.

Cheers

The Tortured Artist

PS: Art and Concept by Aditya G Narayanan :P

Infinite Fun ... and some learning too

When I'm happy I'd like to multiply my joys and that is why I'm probably writing this blog. Its a been a long while since something worth mentioning happened in my life, Nirvana being the last.
The last week has been pretty eventful and this is how it unfolded.

Monday: Cognizant came calling and I answered their call. Got placed, with the right kinda preparation and some effort.

Tuesday: Went to Kashish's house for lunch. Feasted on yummy parathas with makhan and mouth watering biryani. This was the first time, I had to suck the pulp out of mangoes and well let me just say, I made a fool of myself :P :P. This was when a friend of mine called saying my results had come. I was little anxious, but not too bothered since my CTS would have neutralised any threats that the results posted. I always think that things in life can only get better, and proving this fact, Puppy called me saying I had cleared all subjects with 72 %. Was damn relieved.

Wednesday: Spent most of my day at Career Launcher since they were organising a residential workshop called Infinity 2007 and I was helping co-ordinate. Dinner with family in the evening was a rare occurence and thoroughly enjoyable.

Thursday: Three of my friends came home and my father dropped us at the Rendezvous Point ie. CL Parklane. Most of my friends boarded Bus # 1 and I was the Captain of the Bus. We reached the destination - Sreenidhi Resorts in about an hour. We were then shown to our rooms. The guys in the first bus, got rooms with cockroaches and spiders for company with rickety old fans and spongeless mattresses. But we weren't the ones to complain since there was lots of fun to be had.
We were divided into 3 teams :- Thunderbolts, Castalia and Intrepid. My friends and I ended up in Thunderbolts so it was gonna be a ball for sure. We had a GD session first and then a few games which tested group dynamics and strategy.
The evening was set aside for planning the cultural events and deciding what was to be done. As Radio Mixing was my area of expertise, I got into that and we made a funny script. The night was totally ours, we hung out with people, got to know them better and made some amazing friends.

Friday: Bah !! The worst way to wake up, have a bunch of girls break down your door. Well it didn't deter us too much because once we shooed them away, we went right back to sleep. We had another game called Liar Liar which was a lot of fun and this game our team won by 20 pts and we were leading the pack. Then we had interview sessions. Here we were divided into groups of 3 and had to interview each other. During our exercise my friend and I tortured the eternal bakra Nitin, who I must mention had mustered quite a fan following after a random rendition of Tanha Dil for the CL faculty. The evening and night were a lot of fun. We had a disco, and for the first time ever, I danced for three and a half hours straight. Boy !! It was a lot of fun and every muscle in body hurt after that. Late into the night, our gang hit the merry go round and we spoke till around 3 in the morning.

Saturday: Gyaan sessions by junta who were headed to the IIMs made me realise that the CAT wasn't that big a deal and with the right frame of mind, anyone can crack it. Then after brunch, off to the Culturals. After 2 hrs of performances, Thunderbolts and Castalia were declared joint winners. We had a photo session around the resort for a while and then headed back home, wishing that we could turn back time.

Thanks to all those guys who i got to befriend, the friends I got to know better and everyone at Infinity 2007. The memories will last forever.
Contact CL soon for the videos and pics

A scapegoat of Dynasty Politics

This is the story a man named Dayanidhi Maran. A Saggitarian, a tech savvy and smartly dressed politician who has been made the scapegoat in the ruckus of dynasty politics of Tamilnadu.

The History :
In November 2004, Mr.Murasoli Maran, Dr.Karunanidhi's nephew passed away leaving the constituency of Central Chennai without a candidate for the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections. The DMK leadership chose the then 28 year old Dayanidhi, shy younger son of Mr.Maran as a replacement. Dayanidhi was new to politics but he had a resounding victory in the constituency that was previously's his father's bastion and a DMK stronghold.
He was sworn in as Minister for IT and Telecom which is one of India's growing sectors. This did not sit well with other DMK contenders for they did not quite appreciate a rookie being given a ministry on his first trip to Delhi.

The Flash point :
Dinakaran, a Tamil Daily published an opinion poll about who would be the successor of the Octogenarian Leader of Tamilnadu. M.K.Stalin was shown as the obvious choice of the Tamil junta. This did not go down too well with M.K.Azhagiri, elder son of the leader and Don of Madurai. His infuriated supporters set the Dinakaran office in Madurai ablaze in the presence of 44 Police Personnel. A typical tamil movie scene, my fellow tamil movie goers would agree. Reel life isn't that far fetched from Real life after all.

The Aftermath : The party blames Dayanidhi Maran for indulging in anti-party activities and asks for his head. The senior leadership gets what it wants and Mr.Dayanidhi Maran leaves his position much to the discontent of many industry experts as he was one of the more industry friendly ministers.
Well !! What can I say. NICE GUYS FINISH LAST .

The Bright Yellow

When I was in Class 6, I religiously played cricket in the hope that I would become a cricketer someday. The coach did not pick me in the school team and chose some kids who were obviously less deserved of their positions than me. The perplexed 11 yr old that I was , I walked away from the world of cricket other than the occasional game with friends.

The Australians stormed home to yet another World Cup victory last week and this prompted me to blog about cricket which I thought I'd never do. Their dominance of World Cricket is very similar to the way the Brazilian team reigns supreme in the world of Football. The way these teams dominate the game and decimate their opponents is a sight to relish.

But does their performance depend solely skill, talent and the way the sports administration works in the country ? Of course these are very evident reasons of their respective teams' success. I observed a sort of pattern in both these teams and plan to write to Mr.Sharad Pawar one of these days suggesting to him to change the kit of the Indian Cricket team to YELLOW.

Yes Yellow !!! When people say they've got the blues, it means they are not doing so well,then how on earth can we expect the Men who've got the Blues to do well in a sport. Of course the Italians are an exception to this fact. Yellow is the colour of the Sunflower(which can be placed on the caps as the logo for the cricket team) .It is also Martin Scorsese's third cousin's favourite colour. Bands like The Beatles sang about the Yellow Submarine and not a Blue Submarine and even Coldplay has made a song on the colour. So whats not to like about yellow.


Its simple logic ->
When we need some service, we look in the Yellow Pages
When we need victory, we look to the Men in Yellow
PS:MY FAVOURITE COLOUR IS BLUE

The Grind

It is that time of the year again which all engineers-to-be love to hate. Its Exam Season.
Borrowing records from friends, hours of waiting in the photocopying place, nightouts with the gang, extensive planning, hardly any execution. This is my way of life during these tough and testing times. Apart from this, to increase my blood pressure in this sweltering heat I have Nirvana Audit work which is like a real pain, since most people don't want to give bills for evading taxes.
My computer crashed yesterday, I had to sit and re-install windows and all the other softwares. So its all going wrong as of now, but still I smile. I read somewhere that life gives us two choices -
The path we should take
The path we eventually do
So which I will take and whether I successfully accomplish all of the above mentioned tasks and go into the month of May peacefully is yet to be soon. Multitasking has always been one of my strengths, so I should be able to manage.
I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise to someone very special. My dear BLOG !! I have been neglecting you for a long time I know. But I have been busy with lots of stuff outside of cyber space, so please forgive. I know you will :-) :-)
I'm putting up here, my fave pic from Nirvana 2007 which has probably been the best thing to happen to me this year, thus far, hopefully other important things will follow suit.

Nirvana 2007 - A job well done

Its over. I cannot believe its over, just like that. What do I do now ? Classes ? College ? Nooooo, Nirvana I want you back, please don't go away.
This is how I'm feeling now. But I have an epic to tell you guys, let me start with October 14. This was the day Nirvana 2007 work was officially kicked off, I gave a small presentation. A few hours after this, I met with an accident. This was probably a sign of things to come, the difficulties that I was to face during the months of January, February and March.
PROLOGUE
We started having our meetings in the month of January and decided initially that it would be Shaan or Colonial Cousins. Now the hurdles started being hurtled at us. We had our first official meeting with our respected Director. He was totally against the idea of us having celebrities from outside come and perform. Around 15 of us kept rallying against this and were finally able to convince that this and only this would be the best entertainment package. He agreed.
We got our permission letter on January 18, ten days after the set deadline, but we still had lots of time. By then, it had been decided that I would be made Student Convenor and there would be a Core Committee to back me up. But due to a few unforeseen situations and for the evident betterment of the fest, I scrapped the Core.
Now things had been set in motion, money was top priority. I had been reading a lot about Laloo Prasad turning an institution like the Railways into a profitable organisation, so I resolved that I would do the same about Nirvana which was always short of money. So I kept telling everyone that Mission SHOW ME THE MONEY was top priority. A team of 10-12 people who were really dedicated started doing the rounds of a few companies, and I was taking care of other things.
Many important activities were not on schedule. I was getting a wee bit worked up and making people work harder. February came, the supplementary holidays began and lethargy set in. Half the team went to sleep and I was powerless to do anything. Our deadline of Feb 20 was fast approaching and I did not have enough finances to show for the team's hardwork.
Then the worst blow of all. I was told that Mr.Hariharan would not be available for the 10th of March. This had a chain reaction. A few big companies who were to give big amounts backed out, we lost almost 3.5 lakhs, and the whole brain racking of finding a new performer began. Due to our financial constraints we were forced to go low budget.
We decided to first sign Hemachandra, finalist from Saregamapa and upcoming singer. Sona, Leslie Lewis and Kartik were other names that were suggested. The money kept trickling in, but my stress levels were reaching break point. My team and I just kept at it, Money money money. Something had to give way. Saturday Feb 27 was easily the toughest day for me. People from all sides were putting too much pressure on me. People who I thought cared about me a lot did not even bother to call. I was on the edge. Something had to be done and fast. So along with my closest confidants, I trudged into Sterling Cinema and watched Blood Diamond. Solid relief it was. Slept well after a long time that night.
Next day it was back to work. Then suddenly something out of the blue. One person was interested in being main sponsor, a ray of hope maybe. We tried but that did not work out too. Just as I was coming to terms with the fact that my fest would be just another mediocre event, a heaven sent miracle. Akshay Rao, a brother to me called me on the March 3rd and told me about this band called Prayag. I loved the name. I googled them, I loved their music and I loved the idea of bringing them to MGIT. We needed another 70k to pull this off. So the sponsorship run never stopped, but big amounts were just not coming. But we kept at it with a dogged determination.
The last 3-4 days before were hectic. It was like I was going downhill without brakes. Once we convinced the management about having Prayag also, things had been set in motion that could not be undone. So it was upto us to pull things together and give it a 100%. I designed the posters overnight and gave them away for printing. They were looking good. It was going to be good. I was very close to being disowned by my family for my crazy work timings. Then Nirvana came -
DAY 1: This was the day of the techies. There was a decent response and the events happened without any speedbreakers. Team Nirvana still had to pool up 30k. We were lying down on the lawns in college and wondering what the hell to do. We had our last meeting for the day where I emphatically said – “Sir, we have come 90% of the way, we will do what it takes to go the remaining 10%”.
DAY 2: Things began smoothly, I was still on the edge since the financial situation had improved by 10k only. So I went and sat down with the faculty incharge to do another round of accounts. This was one of the most defining moments of Nirvana 2007 for me. Magically an extra 20k had been miscalculated before, we needed only a thousand rupees more to break even. This happened in the next few hours and I was just so thrilled. I had accomplished what I had set out to do, without compromising the quality of the fest.
But happiness never lasts long when one is doing something of this magnitude. After the sound and stage had been setup, the backdrop gave way. Due to some ingenuity from one of the workers, we managed that. Next problem that sprung up was that our man had brought a 60 hz generator where the whole of India used only 50hz. But somehow we dealt with that too.
My close friend Nitin’s band REVE from JBIET was to perform first. It was an amazing performance considering that it was their first major gig. Their drummer, Venky who was a visually impaired 14 year old was the toast of the evening. Trust me guys, this kid is has a bright future ahead of him. Then a beautiful fusion ensemble by the 2nd year guys kept the show going. Due to a small delay our main performer Mr.Nagraj was delayed. But luckily Mr.Ravi Varma , a playback singer was in the audience and he graced the show with a few of his numbers. Then Mr.Nagraj arrived and put on a stellar show despite a few members of the audience leaving early.
DAY 3: With all the confidence in the world, I woke up at 6.45 am and left for the airport where I was to pick up the members of Prayag. The flight was on time and the guys were eager to get to the hotel and get some sleep. They were the most down to earth bunch of rockstars I had met. It felt like they were one of us . We were more than pleased that we had chosen Golkonda Resorts and Spa as our hospitality sponsor because it had an amazing ambience to it. After a five star breakfast, they went to sleep and I left to conduct the quiz prelims.
Most events went on decently except the ones that I was incharge of, and I’m still feeling guilty that I could not hold a JAM. But nevertheless, once the quiz was done, I had to prepare my vote of thanks, change into my kurta and get ready to receive the guests of honour.
Things went on well in the auditorium while sound check was going on in the ground. So once things were done inside the auditorium, we were ready to start. Hemachandra was to perform first. I was to be the emcee for the evening. He started off with an A.R.Rahman number and his playlist was well received. He also had a great interaction with the crowd and kept them in awe. Once his performance was done, I announced Prayag onto stage with their tagline THE STORM TROOPERS OF HINDI ROCK. They stood true to the name and took the show by storm. Great numbers like Where the streets have no name, Kashmakash, Duur were making the audience of 1500 Come Alive. Just when I thought things could not get any better, they dedicated the song Roobaroo to me and called me on stage to sing along. It was an awesome experience and I think I got a little stage high also, but once I realized my amateur singing talent I took a bow and got off stage. Prayag ended with their flagship number – RAASTE. It was an amazing show, an amazing turnout and I’m glad everything turned out alright.
LESSONS LEARNT
Being at the helm for Nirvana 2007 was like being the Captain of a fire fighting unit. One fire here would be extinguished and another elsewhere would start. I think the entire team stuck together and pulled off a great show. There were no fights, there were a few wrong decisions, lots of juniors earned my respect and I found myself a band of brothers who would give their all for me, not to mention one great friend who helped me through most scarily stressful nights. I have also realized that I’m a more resilient person than I thought I was and that working under pressure turns me on.
I would like to thank every fireman, I mean ever member of Team Nirvana for making this happen. I would like all those who showed up and enjoyed the fest. I would like to thank Mr. Venkatramana for patiently bearing with us through everything. I would also like to thank my parents for allowing me all liberties. This would be incomplete without a special thanks to all my paduans and my brothers and the new friends who stood by my side through trying times. May the tradition of Nirvana bring joy to all of you like it has done for me.
Cheers

Lost in the sands of Time

Shangri La, Atlantis, El-Dorado. These are the names of 3 cities which have captured the imagination of explorers,archaeologists and adventurers over the last few centuries.
But did these cities really exist ?
This is an answer which will probably never be answered in our lifetime, although I wish it could be.Proof of these cities can be found in ancient texts and this has led people to believe that these formerly flourishing cities are potential treasure chests.
Allow me tell you about my favourite of the three - Shangri La. Several possible places in the Buddhist Himalayan region between northern India and Tibet have claimed to be the basis for this legend.The legendary Kun Lun Mountains in Tibet offer other possible Shangri-La valleys.A popularly believed inspiration for Shangri-la is the Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan, close to the Chinese border,being an isolated green valley surrounded by mountains, enclosed on the western end of the Himalayas, it closely matches the description of the city.
This city is supposed to home to Immortal people, flying Lamas, architectural wonders and is a lush valley untouched by the insufficiencies of modern civilisation. Only those who are pure of heart have the power to see the city. So that rules me out !!
What makes it so damn difficult for modern explorers to find is that Tibet ie. The Roof of the World is home to the world's most inhospitable terrain. After watching most documentaries Tibet, which was once a forest many centuries ago, brings to my mind the picture of vertical cliffs and dry barren plains. Hopefully if my show airs someday, I shall go where no man has gone before,with my team and explore Tibet,which as a friend of mine once told me is truly THE LAST FRONTIER.
Talking about Tibet,it is impossible to ignore the role that China has played in shaping modern Tibet. According to the Govt. in exile, Tibetan culture is diminishing in Mainland Tibet and the Dalai Lama and his disciples are trying their best to keep their traditions alive at Dharamsala. Its a sad state of affairs considering the fact that the Tibetans are being forced to adopt a foreign culture.
Its a pity that something this beautiful is being scarred by politics and foreign exploitation. But still,as some famous Tibetan said - "Wherever you feel at home, you are at home. If your surroundings are pleasant, you are at home.”

An "INTER"mission

People have always applauded my choice of titles especially after HAMARI AZZURRI KAHANI. So it is only fair that I explain what this one means. Well for most people Intermediate ie. +1,+2 life is hell, but for us at Kakatiya it was quite the opposite. It was almost like a pleasant break from the ratrace of life that people used to experience at that point of time, thus the title.
This is a very(*thrice*) brief account of the five of us and our two years together. Alphabetically:
Mr.Abdul Rehman BBA
Mr.Achyuth Reddy B.Tech
Mr.Aditya G Narayanan B.Tech
Mr.Nitin Prahlad B.Tech
Dr.Vishwajit Reddy MBBS
We have known each other for five years and have seen each other going major metamorphoses. It has been an awesome experience getting to know each one of them, each damn special in their own way. Rehman,Achyuth and Me started out as being the only sensible people in an otherwise dumb class. Nitin and Vishwajit joined us the next year,Vizzy being the only non Math guy. It was the best combination of acads and fun that one could ask for, though I still feel I could have done better,had it not been for the complications that I brought upon myself.
We had the most iconic lecturers around like -
Mr.Ramarao used to call Rehman - REHMIN and me - ADICHA
Mr.Subramanyam taught the periodic table like a slokam(thats why I can remember it well probably)
Mr.Raghavulu and his voice which was nicknamed SONIC BOOM due to its loudness
Mrs. Neeraja for her sheer sweetness and mass
Mr.Sudhir and his antics
Mr.Venugoal with his "EM RA !!!"
the SLIMY MR.NAIDU (need I say more). All people that we shall never forget in our lives.
We are still remembered in junior college as the TERRORIST batch because of all the mischief we were upto. But we were all spared since we managed good scores, thanks to me who all the above mentioned buggers copied from. There was also this specimen of a guy in class called Naveen. He was like a 7 yr old kid in a big exhibition for whom all the lecturers were toys, the way he annoyed them is now legend in Kakatiya circles.
We loved college so much so that we would come back to study(read DO RANDOM TIMEPASS) at college in the evenings. We knew everyone and everyone knew us. We hardly ever bunked college since college was so much fun. More frequently than class, we were at Roheed Bakery, Kakatiya's equivalent of Pop Tate's. Then there was this ritual we had, which we called THE WORLD TOUR. Since we always ended up finishing our lunch in the period prior to lunch, we were free for a whole half hour. This is when all of us used to visit every boys' toilet in the building. The boys' loos were on the 1st,3rd and 5th floors and we loved 'em. We used to steal tubelight starters and we(one of us) even lit a laddi in the loo with the help of a mosquito coil acting as a timer.Now thats home grown technology for you!
Whenever I meet these guys its always a riot, we're always laughing our tummies into an ache. Since Rehman is in Melbourne,we usually do our laughing online with those smileys. Thanks to Yahoo for that, We're Smiley people. He had recently come down for a holiday and one day we met at Sarovar and drove the people there mad. It had been sometime since I had laughed that hard. That night I was so bloody high on WACKINESS QUOTIENT that I wrote a few funny stories which a few of my friends totally loved.
I had been in quite a fix over a few things over the last few days. Thankfullu,this day has been a good day - spent quality time with people who genuinely cared about me , got to know a few encouraging things and experienced an excruciatingly exciting(these things are called Alliterations :)) drive courtesy of Achyuth's psychotically in-control driving.
Next on the agenda for my next fun outing(which will be after Nirvana) is Paintball. Recently saw an ad saying it has been launched in Hyderabad at Jalavihar. Anyone Game ??

Discover Yourself

Everyday is an adventure, a celebration and I really needed to experience this after a boring semester at college. I went to Bangalore - Mysore for the sem break.I have kin in both places, so it meant a lazy week in the Western Ghats for me. Watching lots of movies, long chats with my PAATI(granny), feasting on some yummy food courtesy of my aunt and bullying my cousin Anand was all part of my daily routine. But one night, my uncle S.R.Ravichandran decided to do a little self-development programme at home. Having attended lots of workshops and management programs at IIM-A, XLRI etc.,he was probably the best person around to do some soul searching with.
He placed a white board on the bed & armed with a blue marker and a few white papers we embarked on a most marvellous journey. He drew a a few diagrams representing how the human psyche was made of both masculine(Purush) & feminine(Prakruti) shades and that there were a lot of factors which affected the personalities we ended up becoming. It was the first time I ever heard of something like this and it gave me a new way of perceiving things. He said that it was important to grow psychologically and emotionally along with the physical growth. He asked me what I thought about Marriage - " Co-existense" came the reply. He laughed heartily and told me that I should save such opinions for later. He asked me what I thought of success, Power and Financial Freedom I said. It was probably the sort of answer that an average 20 year old would give. We spoke about lots of other things, how much IQ played a role in success and how much his diligence did.
Dinner was served and we concluded. He still left me in a state of ambiguity about "success". A sound sleep in the cold Mysore weather followed. I was to leave the following day for Bangalore. I was woken up by a phone call. It was Ravi,we said our goodbyes. Then he muttered,"Think about this SUCCESS IS CONQUERING EVERY WAVE OF OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES YOUR WAY." Food for thought indeed. I immediately felt like a surfer trying to conquer those high waves which crashed onto the shores of California. This is how I shall remain.
We all face little challenges and big challenges around every corner of the street called Life. Each one of us is unique and is armed with a special arsenal to tackle such issues. There will always be ebbs and tides. Our surfboard and our character will be our only friends in times like these.
I shall conclude with the immortal lines of Robert Frost which I read in my 8th class English text book.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

The most famous LEFT FOOT is dead

Ferenc Puskas
For the uninitiated Ferenc Puskas was part of the Mighty Magyars during the 50s. This Hungarian team that was the first ever foreign team to beat England at Wembley.He was a very unusual striker, stockily built and had the most respected left foot in the world at that time.The goal that Puskas scored is probably one of the most famous goals of all time,his pull back with the left foot that many including me are disciples of, and the shot with a sharp angle that went into the bottom right corner stands out in History. He was fondly called the Galloping Major. He is probably the only footballer the world has seen to have a near 99% strike rate. He scored 83 goals in the 84 matches that he played for Hungary. His partnership with Alfredo di Stefano for Real Madrid will be remembered for aeons to come as probably one of the most deadliest strike pairs ever. He was part of the Real team that mauled Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in the European Cup. Gee !! How I wish I belonged to that era, goals used to flow. Now all the bloody defenses are stingy. A stadium in Budapest has been named after this legend.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE, MAJOR THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER LIKE YOU

Le Premier Anniversaire

Its been a year since I entered the blogging world. Boy ! It has been one helluva ride. From the front page of Hyderabad Chronicle to Blogcamp at Tidel Park,Chennai. It has given me a window to express those creative juices & I have made quite a few friends who I think share the same frequency of thinking.
Thanks to all those who have been regular visitors to the page,your comments and criticism are appreciated.
The Blogging Juggernaut shall continue on its journey in search of truth and salvation
Cheers

Who am I kidding ?!

Another semester ends. Exams are around the corner. Friends say, "Mama lets start studying !!". I concur, if we don't study for the 10 days before the semester exams, whats the point of wasting so much money & travelling 50+ kms to and fro everyday. But unlike a few others who keep saying - OUT OF ORKUT FOR A MONTH, NOT BLOGGING FOR A MONTH, I won't make such bold statements. Though I will surround myself with the almanacs of electronics and mechanical engineering. My thoughts will be about the television series I plan to host in the not so distant future (if I find a friendly producer). Its a travel show,the first instalment will be me running around in Europe. I intend to make it by road from Dushanbe to Reykjavik, making friends along the way, learning the local dialects and I especially look forward to drinking milk of the mountain goats from the Hindukush. They say it is naturally sweet. Naturally sweet like this girl who once told me that some photo of mine reminded her of Colin Farrell in The Recruit. Colin Farrell,Oil Barrel who is she kidding ?!!
These exams seem to be another topic of debate for my seniors and good friends who are doing their post-grad/working. They ask me, "Adi,whaddup !?". I say, "Ejjams ra!!". Pat comes the reply - JNTU exams ke liye you study aa !! Duhh ! These are very same chaps who have 70+ engg percentages. Seniors who have been in my position me always advice me to study and improve my scores while I still can. Now they are certainly not kidding.
So getting back to my travel show, the plan is perfect, the only flaw is that I have to rely on me to execute it. The second instalment as suggested by a dear friend of mine shall include Somalia(Africa). The poorest country in the world and the place where Black Hawk Down was shot. Oh yes !! Lets go blow the horn of Africa. Then probably go Mummy hunting in Egypt or rather go get stung by those Tse-tse flies in Zaire or maybe an amazing safari in Namibia. So if there any buyers for the show, do ping me. Of course, I have lots of other plans in my head. Only Mr.SAMAY will tell if they materialise or not. I hope I'm not kidding.
Now this is certainly worth mentioning, I have finished a book called The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. This is the first novel I have read after 7 years. The ever novel that I read was The Sixth Man by Roland Perry which was about KGB conspiracies. This is a book that no one has heard of. But I'm sure its lying in some corner of the HPS senior school library. Next on the list Leo Tolstoy - War and Peace. Leo Tolstoy eh ?! Mr.Narayanan, who are you kidding ?! :P :P

For all those who are still worried about the foot, thanks for the concern guys !! Its shown a drastic improvement, since I have been doing nothing but sitting on my arse and ordering my mother & sister to bring me everything from the morning newspaper to the pills I take after dinner. Talk about royal treatment. Sometimes methinks I was a prince or a king in my last birth, just love getting things done by other people. But then who doesn't like it.
Foot says - Enough time on the chair,sir. Time to get back to the horizontal comfort of the bed.
Me - Yes sir !! Just don't hurt too much today.
Gotta run...err I mean limp. Until next time - Cheers

Frustrating Temporary Handicaps

Well, I was going uphill and suddenly out of a blind turn, a cyclist came downhill at a high speed. He did not have brakes, so he came and rammed into me. His pedal was missing the rubber padding and that pierced my foot. Nothing serious,thank you for the concern.
This is what the recording on my cellphone tells people,whenever they see my bandaged foot & ask me "dude,what happened ?!". Its been eight days,but still there has been hardly any improvement. The Doc says that the tiny bones on my metatarsals have cracked. So its gonna be a while before I'm up and running. Due to this injury I have come to understand the hardships of the physically challenged. I can't use my left foot nad this makes it really difficult to walk. I'm forced to walk on my left heel and the majority of the weight is on my right leg. Which means every night,my right leg curses me !! I'm asked to take rest, BEDREST !
Think about it, lying down all day doing nothing is the most FRUSTRATING thing ever. I like to keep myself aware of the ongoings in the world, so the TV and Newspaper come to rescue often. I have also started reading my first novel after 7 years. Oscar Wilde is just too damn compelling. The Internet does give me immense relief, since I can catch up with all my friends in Cyberspace.
But one can never keep a person like me tied down. I started going to college 2 days after the accident. Limping around and being carried around by a few heavyweights in college. The pain is unforgiving, any fast movements and it stings. Sleep in the wrong position and it stings. Missing a round a medicines and it stings. This is what they call stinging pain I suppose. I have to lament about October 21st. It was the festival of light for many. But for me,it was the festival of sitting around on my backside doing nothing. Finally I got out of the house at night,unable to take the onslaught of boredom. The purpose of this post is purely to write away the pain, distract my mind from the pain or even the thought of the injury. I have learnt that to deal with things like this, one not only needs Physical Strength,but also Mental Strength.

Love what you do !

It was another boring Thurday afternoon. I got home dog-tired just to find that my Daddy dearest hadn't left the keys behind. So I called him & he said he would get home in a few minutes as he was somewhere nearby.
Since I had a friend for company,I didn't mind too much. I switched on the radio on my new phone and was forced to listen to the numbers that the FM stations were playing. My ears were busy with the horribly plagiarised music that one gets to hear these days. But my eyes were wandering about,gazing at the clear blue sky with a few blemishes of the spongy white cloud here and there. I wonder if something very prosaic like Physics can explain the magnificence of such a beautiful sight. Scattering of light,they say !!
A few minutes hence,I saw a sparrow flying happily towards wherever it was heading. Suddenly out of the blue (literally !!) came an Eagle and snatched it with its talons, ripping the very life out of it.In Greek mythology,this was a sign of imminent war or a period of struggle. Hope it doesn't mean the same in Modern Indian Mythology.I felt sorry for the sparrow at first, but then I realised its nature's law. All a part of the food chain.
I started telling my friend about how lucky these predators of nature are. "Why ??!!" you ask. Well,simple I say these guys work their socks (I know they don't wear any, but its a figure of speech) off, to feed themselves and those who depend on them. They love doing it & for most of them it is the only thing they have to do apart from reproduction exercises.
Compared to them, we humans are a lazy lot. We(most of us) hate to work. We do it just because we are getting paid. Then there are those benevolent few who follow the true Marxist teachings and love what they do,simply because it satisfies them. Allow me to illustrate :-
I hate to study,I know as a student that is the only thing I should really be doing. But there is a small fest in an insignificant college called MGIT which goes by the name NIRVANA. Needless to say,I have been a part of it for two years, and this fest has given me some of the most cherished memories in my life. So no matter what I get back ,I will work tirelessly for it. Now wouldn't it be a wonder if I started thinking about other things in my life with an equivalent amount of passion. Maybe that is what old Karl was trying to tell us when he was putting forth his theories.
I wouldn't go the extent of saying WORK IS WORSHIP,but definitely make sure its fun. Of course what I'm saying now, doesn't apply to Explorers, Ice Cream tasters, Fighter Pilots and Sportsmen.

Of Rainbows and Perfection

Yesterday on my way back from college it rained,but simultaneously the sun was shining. What followed was the most brilliant rainbow that I had seen in a while.We must have heard of the Irish myth of the Rainbow. It is said that the Leprechaun hides his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The closer we go to the rainbow,the farther away it seems to go. This makes the end of the rainbow almost impossible to reach.
Somehow same is the case with Perfection. All of us strive to go to higher places in life (not talking about Heaven,mind you),this most consider is a path to perfection. But has anybody ever attained perfection ?! Perfectionists can be encountered is all walks of life,but all they do is work hard to achieve perfection. The fact that they cannot attain it,is what makes them crochety people.
I have always considered Perfection to be a far-fetched fantasy,but still there is something about doing things perfectly that gives you a kick. The ancient Greeks viewed perfection as a requisite for beauty and high art. Now how many people do we know,who go to the gymnasium or spend truckloads of money to get the perfect look ?! Do they not understand the futility in such things since when a person crosses a certain age limit, he/she will obviously face the wrath of Ageing. No botox can ever reverse this process. The best example would be - Aren't our grandparents with their numerous stories and warmth the most lovable people in the world.
I believe it was John Keats who said that Newton had killed the poetry in a Rainbow by attaching a bunch of scientific theories to it. Lesson I learnt from all this - Do your work to the best of your abilities, somewhere down the line, someone will say "Hey ! Don't You think Aditya has the perfect blog ??".
**Chuckle Chuckle**. Yeah ok ! Thats wishful thinking. Hope you got the point though.

Growing Up ! Sigh

All of us have to face the harsh realities of life atleast sometime. It was in my face a few days ago.
After attending Blogcamp at Chennai, I boarded the train back to Hyderabad. I happened to share the cabin with two other families. There were 3 minors aka half tickets along with their parents. I quickly ran & occupied the window seatso that I would while away my time on the train. But little did I know what was in store for me that evening, a rude awakening to reality if you would. The 3 kids in question were -
1.Niharika - Age 6
2.Aman - Age 4
3.Nitin - Age 2
It was around 9 pm. We had just passed Nellore,it was pitch dark outside. The parents dozed off leaving these little devils awake on the berths. I was on the lower berth & was still sitting and gaping outside the window, with the wind in my face.
I was busy looking for Orion's belt, which happens to be my favourite constellation when I felt someone tugging my shirt. It was Aman, the little tyke had got out of his berth & climbed down. So being the immature brat that I can be, I started of a conversation with him.
We spoke of everything from "Why Tom could never catch Jerry" to "What we should when older kids bully us". It was an interesting chat I must say, I learnt a lot from the kid.
He got bored in a while and requested a story as if I was a jukebox or something. I guess these must have been tales that his mother told him to put him to sleep. I started off with my favourite,The Hare and The Tortoise. Problem was he did not know what a tortoise was.
This was when Niha Didi saved the day, saved the night rather. She explained to him that it was the creature that they had seen at the zoo some days earlier. I was inspired,I went on to add that these creatures are bigger versions of the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. Thus I was now to entertain both the siblings.
An hour and 10 fairy tales later, the smallest of the group, Nitin awoke. He was on the opposite lower berth. He was all excited and waved his hand fervently as if to say,"Guys I want to join too". We were more than happy to oblige. We played a few rounds of Toss the milk bottle around.After he got bored of that game, we went onto the more mature game of "Where's the baby... there he is". Then after a while, Nitin's mom awoke and put him to sleep.
So I started off on another round of story telling, this time it was some story that I was making up as I went on. They seemed pretty perplexed. So I thought better of it & started quizzing the kids on life in Primary school. This is when I realised, I hadn't formally introduced myself. So I asked them if they knew my name. In unison they screamed " ADITYA UNCLE ". They had probably heard my name when I was talking to their father. But aren't we missing the big picture here. I was called UNCLE for the first time in my life. It hit me hard, I was growing older. Crow wrinkles were appearing at the corner of my eyes every time i smiled. I was balding as if someone had been using a lawn mower on my scalp. But I somehow managed to convince the two kids that I was still in college & that I also wrote exams like them thus they should call me Anna. Growing up means different things to different people, more responsibilities, more things to do in life, more wishes to fulfil etc. So Ladies and Gents, smell the beans, the coffee that is adulthood is around the corner. Grab it before it gets cold.

Movie Review - Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu

Considering that this was my first tamil movie in a Chennai theatre,I was very anxious. I had earlier seen The Rock about 8 years back.
Gautham directing Kamal Haasan,Jothika & newcomer Kamalini Mukherjee (who I had seen in Anand & Godavari) was the perfect recipe for a potential blockbuster.
The Plot
Another story in a Police Officer's Life.The story is very intense,it starts in typical Gautham fashion depicting Kamal aka DCP Raghavan showing his policing prowess beating up the goons.
He is summoned by his friend DCP Arokiaraj(Prakash Raj) to investigate the case of his missing daughter Rani, whose finger the DCP had found on his doorstep tied with a lemon & chillis. This leads Kamal to start from scratch and he slowly finds the girl's body in a field badly mutilated.
This begins the hunt for the killer. Arokiaraj & his wife move to the US to try to put this episode behind them & get on with life. A few months later,they also are brutally murdered. Kamal now goes to New York and along with his NYPD liaison Detective Anderson uses his instinct & expertise to uncover shocking clues. He discovers 4 more bodies, most of them in the same condition as Rani's body.
Narrowing down various options, the killers, Yes there are two, this adds a kick to the storyline. They are qualified doctors who are mentally disturbed and assault women who are rude to them. Ilamaaran & Amudhan (played by Panda of Gharshana and Srikanth,the dark guy who shoots himself in the same movie)are not unveiled till jus t before the interval.
They manage to severely damage Kamal & escape to India. Meanwhile Kamal's lovelife is getting back on track with Jothika, a single mom who he rescues while she tries to kill herself. His first wife Kamalini dies when a goon pushes her off the 3rd floor of a warehouse.
The movie's climax is fast-paced & gripping, a must see for all action buffs.
My Comments
Gautham is slowly showing signs of becoming a top notch director after his last two works, Kaakha Kaakha & Vetaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu. He has a very Hollywoodish style which might make him a little geeky at times, but I'm a big fan of his.
Kamal Haasan,a solid performance. It is unbelievable that he manages to do that sort of action & perform stunts that actors half his age are scared to do. That says a lot about his work ethic. This adds to his list of super cop movies like the hard hitting Kurudhi Punal.
Jothika,she is definitely coming into her own & has consolidated her status as the Tamil industry's top actress with this performance & a simultaneous release Jillendru Oru Kaadhal. Manages to portray confusion, despair, happiness & care with ease in the movie.
Kamalini,her first Tam flick & Boy ! she landed with the big fish. She plays the role of Kamal's wife as she was a veteran of many movies & is said to surprised Kamal with her professionalism. A talented girl to watch out for in the future.
The villains Daniel Balaji & Saleem Baig are scary,but we sympathise with them in the sequence at the Police Station in the flashback. The crowd was actually abusing these guys whenever they got on screen. The way the rapes & murders are filmed are very gory & graphic, so I suggest the weak-hearted to watch out for a few scenes.
Ravi Varman, the camera man has given the entire flavor and feels to the movie. In a lesser craftsman’s hand, the film would not have got this polish and finesse. His visual metaphors are apt and the lighting is amazing. The way he & Gautham explore New York would have made Woody Allen proud. Harris Jayaraj's music is varied & as delightful as ever. His cop intro songs happen to always become big hits. Get your hands on this album and you are sure to appreciate it.
The movie has had the biggest opening in recent times and is definitely among one those CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED movies.

Stevey Mate ! We'll miss ya

Steve Irwin you were a Bonzer(aussie for good guy) mate ! The Crocodile Hunter, was an Australian naturalist, wildlife expert and television personality, best known for his television series The Crocodile Hunter.
His father started the Queensland Flora & Fauna park, which he took over in 1992. He renamed it Australia Zoo. It has set an example to many of the western zoological parks about new age Animal Management. His exuberant and enthusiastic presenting style, broad Australian accent, constant wearing of khakis and catch-phrase "Crikey!" became known worldwide. In 2002 the Australia Zoo was voted Queensland's top tourist attraction.His immense popularity in the United States meant he often promoted Australia as a tourist destination there.
In 2001, Irwin appeared in a cameo role in the Eddie Murphy film Dr. Dolittle 2. In 2002, his first and only feature film The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course was released.There's a lot that can be written about this great wildlife revolutionary... if you can call him that.
Irwin died whilst filming underwater documentary footage, when a stingray extended its barb into his chest, puncturing his heart. THE WORLD WILL MISS YOU,MATE !!

Ujjain gets rowdy

Sad scenes were experienced as the nation turned its gaze to the city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. It started off as a tiff between the professors & the student union members. Inspite of the Police presence in the area, the students went on a rampage abusing & even manhandling the professors.
In this ruckus, Prof. Sabharwal,a man who had a history of bypass surgeries was hurled to the ground & fell unconscious. He was declared dead when he reached the hospital. A post mortem report two days later confirmed that he died because of an injury to his ribs which caused his lungs to choke. Two other professors were severely injured. All thanks to a few power thirsty students or hoolingans.
We speak so much in detail about how we should involve ourselves in shaping the future of our nation. Will we let such student politicians be the future of our country. I think we all know the answer to this.
No man has the right to take life.This is a typical example of how power cam hush up anything. The students responsible for this horrid happening are allegedly members of the ABVP which is part of the BJP which is the ruling party in the state. Though cases have been registered, nothing concrete has been done thus far.
Guys,seriously who are you kidding. Sit up take notice,all these evils in society can be eradicated only by us. It will take a helluva long time, but Rome wasn't built in a day !!