Yet another tale of friendship.

2011, Sat Oct 29 9:30pm

The rain had relaxed a bit, giving some time for people to reach their home before it can unleash the biggest downpour yet. He locked the door, turned off all the lights except the one at the front door. Turned his head towards the sky, took a quick gaze. He shook his head dis-approvingly. He thoughtfully sat on his pulsar. slightly pressed the red button and pulled the accelerator, vrrom sounded the engine.

2009, Wed Jan 28 10:30pm

They shared a  table that can accommodate just two in the posh, veggi hotel. Both of contrasting size, weight, color, temper and likes sat across the table. They had known each other for the past 6yrs, and yet only the last couple of yrs had brought them closer than they had ever been. While each shared there story for the week, which had become a habit and a ritual they practiced religiously over the past few months, the sense of humor prevailed through out the narration, making even the lean patches sound wonderful.

They talked about anything and everything that either concerned them or otherwise . A plan was laid out to rent a house somewhere near their office and do self cooking and enjoy life like their hostel days.

2011, Sat Oct 29, 10:00 pm

He parked the vehicle and looked around. A hand waved towards him. “I would have never come here, and am here only coz u insisted”, said the excited voice as he neared the waving hand.

“Nah, neither am interested to take u here…but since u told u have a liking for ghee dosa, I thought I should make u come here. Otherwise, its been long since I have been to this place”, he gave a assuring reply with a genuine smile adoring his lips.

“Should we eat at the ground level or u want to go upstairs?”, his companion asked with a blank on his face. Starring at the stairs for a few mins, “lets go upstairs” came the reply from him towards his new companion. They both climbed the stairs. The waiter immediately recognized him.

“How are u sir? Table for two?Long time since we met.”.

“Me good, have been out of town all the while. Yes table for two. U have not changed a bit. Hope things are fine at your end!!” came the reply from him towards the waiter.

2009, Sat Feb 21 9:30pm

They both sat exactly at the same table and ordered the same dish as their previous visit.

“So finally we have the house as planned”, grinned the fatty lad.

They have finalized on the new home and the deposit had been paid.

“Ya so how have u been?”, replied his friend, a friend of 6yrs now.

For the past two weeks, there had been just occasional, important phone calls and both worked on different shifts, which made, meeting really impossible. They made sure, they would meet on this night, since both had something to share with the other.

“Good. So u wanted to tell me something…", the fatty lad gave a pause.

“well, its just that I am likely to shift base to Bangalore from Chennai. Have got a good opportunity, so I might move in two to three weeks…”,his friend paused and looked at the fatty lad’s eyes with no expression on his face.

“Wow!!! Happy for u buddy. I guess I too will have to leave for US in a couple of weeks…”, came a spontaneous reply and he gave the same look as his friend.

Both grinned and laughed, made all sort of comments. They both knew they had to vacate the new home and will have to part ways for good, which might make them meet never again probably.

2011, Sat Oct 29, 10:50 pm

“So what took u so long to eat just one meal? I have never seen u eat so slowly?” asked his friend. As though pulled out of a dizzy, he looked up at the staring friend, gesture him that everything his normal. He quickly ate everything that he could lay his eyes on. His friend had never seen him so calm in any of their previous meetings, atleast not on the dining table. Today he rarely spoke, and if at all he spoke it was about ordering food.

They paid and as they came out to the parking lot, he opened his mouth after a long gaze at the top floor.

“This was our frequent tea shop. A place where we met every other day, when we earned really less. We ate here more so for the sake of spending time in other’s company than for the taste. We talked and joked, life then seemed simple. Today we both are in great position, yet the phone calls have become a rarity. Neither of us know what is happening in other’s life. Not that we do not care, somehow we have got ourselves engrossed in our day to day life, we did not notice that gap. It was in this same place couple of yrs ago, we stood for a long time talking about our future plans before we wished all the luck to us and departed on our journey. After that life has never been the same and our friendship too. We both went outside the borders of India. Though we do care a lot for each other, I have never tried to make  it up for the gap……”, with remorse taking a center stage in his eyes he continued, “all the while since I decided to come over here, the thoughts and the sense of missing someone has been hovering at the back of my mind intensely. No offence meant to u…but sorry…today was not the day meant to be here….I was happy for finding a true friend in him, but strangely…..”

They wished good night and parted, he was still lost somewhere and the other unable to comprehend whom his friend was talking about.

 

Disclaimer: All characters, incidents and place are purely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to living or dead is not my botheration that it has come across my creativity!!!

Let glory be with Kalyan.

I bought him a pad……

1992

A dining table which roughly measured 7x5 ft, which sat in the corner of our house, suddenly was occupied by a set of mammoth boxes. The center one was tall and bulky, I guessed he was the all in all alaguraja. For some reason I decided it should be he and not she!!!!!!!!!!well not a chauvinist….but well…whatever…..To his left sat a small television and I decided it to be his’ she!!!, my dad told me it was B&W and not color and to the right sat another bulky flat but weird fella with a long black teeth, I figured he was the sidekick.

That is where it all began. A child’s play started with a 1.5lac toy at that time. A play which eventually became an obsession, then carving a dream out of the obsession, then making the dream come true. As a child I was never shooed away when I tried to play all sort of my pranks with the toy. No he had a big  heart to let me learn what I wanted, let me break what I wanted…..be it the printer/cpu or even the monitor.

2012

It was a small sheet of rectangular plastic. All it required was a place in the palm or lap, and one in any of the ten fingers to command it. He was over joyed to check his mail, read his regional newspaper and he gave a childish smile when he learnt he can make video calls across globe and how easily he can increase or decrease font size.

A small token of gratitude for a man who bought me 1.5lac rupee worth toys and allowed me to play with it freely. An investment with which I have made my education and career with ease than anyone can think of, even though people say anyone can work in IT today….but there is always the degree of perceiving and learning things with ease….

 

Thanks to Steve Jobs for the iPad and thanks to Kalyan for all his blessings.

Let glory be with Kalyan.

Edison amongst us…

Have I felt really low anytime before? Probably the news of Steve Job’s demise shook me more than anything in recent times. To be honest I do not buy any apple stuff to date. I just own an iPod touch 2nd gen gifted by my dear cousin, when it came out but that is all my relation to apple and probably Jobs. And yet today, I felt a lump when I sat at the dinner table, a heavy sedated heart, unwilling to rejoice on small things that I normally do.

His life is a fairytale to an ordinary man, but for someone to realize what he has been through and to realize the level of dedication, he was a warrior by birth. Sometimes it seems, God loves to keep those people who do great stuff down at earth. It makes me wonder why should people do great things and be good? To die early?

Steve Jobs' mortal remains will RIP, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come...he was the man who made geeks like me to dream big, a dream to posses hifi gadgets that were available only on James Bond movies and Richi Rich cartoons. His physical absence is a great loss...but the inspiration and the battle he waged to bring out small yet life defining stuff....truly will inspire great men to arise......

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

iRIP

Saw the following pic

from a fellow photographer and wrote the below after seeing it.


நிறமறிவேன், உடுத்தும்   உடையின்  நிறமறியேன்
உணவறிவேன் , உணவின்  ருசி  அறியேன்
நிழலறிவேன், ஒதுங்க மரம் அறியேன்
படிப்பறிவேன் , செல்ல  பள்ளி  அறியேன்

ஆட்டங்கள்  பல  அறிவேன் ,
கூடி  ஆட  தோழமை   அறியேன்

தாய்மையின்  சுகம்  அறிவேன் ,
அழைக்க  உறவறியேன்

The owner of this pic can be contacted at https://www.facebook.com/vignash.dheenadayalan
Thanks to raj for reviewing this and the previous post.

பயணிக்க தொடங்கி விட்டேன்

களவையும் கற்று
மறக்க  சொன்னார்கள்,
ஆனால் உன்னை  மறப்பது  எப்படி?
மறுத்துவிட்டார்கள்  சொல்வதற்கு.

உன்  மேல்  நேசம்  கொள்கையில்,
உன்  நினைவுகள்   மட்டும், 
என்  கனவுகளை  வண்ணத்தில்  ஆழ்த்தின.

கனவுகளுக்குத்தான் எப்படித்  தெரியும்
என்  அருகில்  எப்பொழுதும் நீ  சுவாசிக்க  மறுத்தாய்   என்று?
நள்ளிரவில் வண்ணங்களை  அணிய  மறுத்துவிட்டன .

சுமக்க  ஒரு  மனம்  இன்றி,
உன்  மீது  கொண்ட  நேசமோ  கனக்கிறது.
செய்வது  அறியாது,
பாதை  அறியாது,
பயணிக்க  தொடங்கி  விட்டேன்  -
என்  வாழ்கையோடு
இப்படிக்கு எஸ்ராம்வேன்

It is not who I am underneath

 

Probably everyone has crossed that phase in life. Phase where the inner conscious questions the day to day life, and makes u feel empowered to imagine large than life characters. Suddenly you realize life is after all easy when kept simple, simple with no strings attached.

But is that all one looks forward from life? A life where u are content with bare minimum food, shelter, clothes? Is that all why a soul comes into existence? The ancient Tamil scriptures talk about 64 kinds of art? So how many does one posses? Can everyone learn everything? It is said, of the 64 almost 40-50 were common among people. And the rest were mastered by people who proved to be important personalities in human history.

Today mostly life is considered to be enjoyable when one cares for self, period.  Caring for the fellow beings - is it not one of the prime qualities that our ancestors were hailed for? Where has it gone? Why has the WE constantly been replaced with an I everywhere? Right from dawn out of bed to back in bed, WE has become I and US as become ME…we do not even sympathize with fellow beings in our dreams. Is it what one’s enjoyment all about?

The clock is ticking. Where is the time for me to learn everything? If at all I put my heart and blood and learn, what is it I gonna reap out of it? Two questions that many fumbles to answer and the very two that has kept millions at bay from learning even a single art in this modern world, where man is considered to be smarter than ever before!! Funny. Where is the enjoyment when I waste my time thinking about others? What is it “in for me”? It is always difficult to cure someone who does not want to be cured, who does not want to realize, what enjoyment is…..

An art is learnt not for reaping benefits, but for the enlightenment that you are privileged to have by mastering the art. The art of empathizing and being compassionate provides one’s life with endless joy and substantiates one’s existence…. I have set some goals for myself, which are larger than life, which are beyond my reach by light miles….but then, I need to aim for the stars to reach the skies….

If I can borrow a line from batman begins (2005)

“it is not who i am underneath….but what i do defines me”

 

Let glory be with Kalyan.

Mankatha!!!

• I wish Ajith had lost some weight before he donned the police dress
• No one in the movie can be said as unwarranted. Though all women are despised too soon. 
• Without the background score, the movie will fail miserably, CLAP CLAP for Yuvan
• Casting Lakshmi Rai alongside Mahath/Prem is a total blunder!!!!
• Trisha/Ajith chemistry lacks in all possible screens, so does Anjali/Vaibhav
• All songs except the first one are a total misfit. Talking about the songs, they are not the regular Venkat Prabhu/Yuvan stuff...seems to be done in  a hurry by a first timer...so removing that CLAP CLAP!!!!
• Over use or rather abuse of F word in English and equivalent Tamil words.....Could be avoided. Not sure who gave venkat prabhu, the notion that a Mass hero can talk all bull shit and be admired. 
• Not sure why Venkat prabhu's movies talks a lot about booze, skimpy clad women and silly jokes...it seems the percentage of the so called stuff increases with each movie.
• It takes a master craftsman to wield a screenplay involving action and comedy/humor, and Venkat prabhu is still a long way from it.
• Except for Saroja, we are yet to see a good story and a tight screenplay from his stable.
• Editing needs a special mention, especially where Ajith's planning is portrayed in his house. 
• Arjun just goes about his job as usual. Premji getting on your nerves at times in the name of wit!!!!
• Climax is the big plus for the movie, if you can endure the two hours of boring stuff....Glimpses of how good Ajith the actor is, can be seen in few frames....Title is really apt, if u can sit till the climax :)
• The end credits is awesome. That is the only best thing people liked in the cinema hall....

If you are in anyway admirer of Ajith go to Cinemas...else skip now and wait for it to be aired in the idiot box. Will i see the next movie from Venkat prabhu in theaters???!!!! NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Copy!!! Piracy!!! he is fake!!!!

Well well well..tantrums...how many of us have yelled, grumbled? While making a copy of ones work is really a criminal offense, lets take a minute before we start accusing on a mass scale.

I am a layman, MANGO MAN(aam adhmi) in India, sitting in some village. Now tell me, how am i supposed to be hearing Madonna, MJ, Beatles, Britney or the upcoming selena Gomez!!! Or far that matter sitting in the suburbs of Chicago, how am i supposed to know who or what YUVAN or harris jayaraj means? What is an art all about? Is it just to please one's self? Nope an art is something that apart from keeping one's self happy, makes others at ease. An art is a messenger which can deliver powerful messages to the people, An art is a reform which can bring in powerful reforms to the society.

Having said that, many of us have atleast done a basic schooling, atleast once sat in an exam hall, atleast once helped someone to have a peek at what we are writing or tried to get a glimpse of other's answer sheet. Now how many of us were able to produce the exact same thing that was there in the neighbor's answer sheet. How many of us were able to produce the exact same thing as in the textbook!!! Not many, the rest few who did achieve the feat, knew the amount of mental, physical strain it involved!!!

Now if some music director copies or reproduces a tune, what's wrong in it? If the music is good, it is definitely for all the ears around the world. Bringing something from the west to hear and vice versa does not mean, the so called director is fake. Even to reproduce what one has already done and to evoke a more beautiful response requires a lot of courage, talent. Now how many of us who call it a fake can atleast compose 7 consecutive  notes? Be it a music track, lyrics, movie, screenplay, fight sequence anything, any art which is a feast for human senses definitely must be brought across boundaries by various means. How the director decides to take the credit for it and do it legally, it is his soul searching, and no one else has a right to talk about it, if u dont like it, keep your senses away.

Now let me ask you few question. Why no one blames Mr Kamban of Tamil literature, who copied Ramayana? Even though he added his own creativity, the story was still stolen!!! (people will recall he had a vision!!!…hmm no one wants to confess he copied and defame themselves..so arguing there. ) Why no one blames the great carnatic singers who sings the same song as Saint Tyagara, Deekshitar and sama sastri in the same raga? WHY? Even the carantic singers dont pay any copyright royalty!!! Funny...but still deep within you, you know how much they respect their heritage. Why everyone took a bow when thirukural was exported to china in Chinese? Does that mean Chinese literature does not have any good thought provoking things? NOPE, they wanted to take the good things from anywhere, which will help people reform themselves.

So before you question some one reproducing a work, if u can enjoy...spread the word.....Hatred, pointing fingers, they will help none....finally its the art that has won, not the individuals.

Repeat youtube

There were days when i badly wanted the YOUTUBE.COM stream to repeat itself after it has reached the last possible playable point. After some googling today i found a way to achieve it. 

Go to youtube.com and play the video. Once the video has started, go to the address bar and between "youtube" and ".com" add "repeat" so that it will look like youtuberepeat.com

Also make sure, there is nothing between "youtube" and "http://" i.e. it appears like http://youtuberepeat.com/XXXXXX

now happy repeating :)

Vaagai Sooda vaa- sara sara

Movie: Vaagai Sooda Vaa
Music director: Gibran
Vocal: Chinmayi
Lyricist: Vairamuthu

சர சர
சாரக் காத்து வீசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாத்து பேசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாம்பு போல நெஞ்சு
சத்தம் போடுதே

சர சர
சாரக் காத்து வீசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாத்து பேசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாம்பு போல நெஞ்சு
சத்தம் போடுதே

இத்து இத்து
இத்துப் போன நெஞ்சத் தைக்க
ஒத்த பார்வை பாத்து செல்லு
மொத்த சொத்த எழுதி தாரேன்
மூச்சு உட்பட

இத்து இத்து
இத்துப் போன நெஞ்சத் தைக்க
ஒத்த பார்வை பாத்து செல்லு
மொத்த சொத்த எழுதி தாரேன்
மூச்சு உட்பட

டி போல நீ
என்ன ஏன் ஆத்துற

சர சர
சாரக் காத்து வீசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாத்து பேசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாம்பு போல நெஞ்சு
சத்தம் போடுதே

எங்க ஊரு பிடிக்குதா ?
எங்க தண்ணி இனிகுதா ?
சுத்தி வரும் காத்துல ?
சுட்ட ஈரல் மணக்குதா ?

முட்ட கோழி புடிக்கவா ?
மொரப்படி சமைக்கவா ?
எலும்புங்க கடிக்கையில்
என்ன கொஞ்சம் நெனைக்கவா ?
கம்பஞ் சோறு ருசிகவா - சமைச்ச
கைய கொஞ்சம் ரசிக்கவா
மொடக்கத்தான் ரசம் வச்சி
மடக்கத்தான் பாக்குறேன்
ரெட்ட தோஸ சுட்டு வச்சி
காவ காக்குறேன்

முக்கண்ணு நொங்கு நான் விக்கறேன்
மண்டு நீ காங்க ஏன் கேக்குற

சர சர
சாரக் காத்து வீசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாத்து பேசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாம்பு போல நெஞ்சு
சத்தம் போடுதே

புல்லுக்கட்டு வாசமா
புத்திக்குள்ள வீசுற
மாட்டுமணி சத்தமா
மனசுக்குள் கேக்குற
கட்ட வண்டி ஓட்டுற
கையளவு மனசுல
கையெழுத்து போடுற
கன்னி பொண்ணு மார்புல

மூனு நாளாப் பார்க்கல ஊரில்
எந்தப் பூவும் பூக்கல

ஆட்டுக்கல்லு குழியில
உறங்கி போவும் பூனையா
உன்ன வந்து பாத்துட்டா
கெறங்கி போரென்யா

மீனுக்கு ஏங்குற கொக்கு நீ
கொத்தவே தெரியல மக்கு நீ

சர சர
சாரக் காத்து வீசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாத்து பேசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாம்பு போல நெஞ்சு
சத்தம் போடுதே

சர சர
சாரக் காத்து வீசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாத்து பேசும் போதும்
சாரப் பாம்பு போல நெஞ்சு
சத்தம் போடுதே


இத்து இத்து
இத்துப் போன நெஞ்சத் தைக்க
ஒத்த பார்வை பாத்து செல்லு
மொத்த சொத்த எழுதி தாரேன்
மூச்சு உட்பட

இத்து இத்து
இத்துப் போன நெஞ்சத் தைக்க
ஒத்த பார்வை பாத்து செல்லு
மொத்த சொத்த எழுதி தாரேன்
மூச்சு உட்பட

டி போல நீ
என்ன ஏன் ஆத்துற

காட்டு மல்லிகை பூத்திருக்குது காதலா காதலா
வண்டு வந்து ஓடி போகும்
வண்டுக்கென்ன காய்ச்சலா

The master craftsman

It was just another ordinary meet up and probably a trip that I was organizing with friends along the God’s own land. After weeks of meticulous planning, I was satisfied and we were all, in general excited about the tour. Well there came a blow in an unexpected form and well we had to change everything in the last minute. 

While such be the case, I have come to admire and adore the plans and stage set by the greatest craftsman of all. How could he so easily get all the artists at the right place, with the right attitude, at the right direction, with the right people, aided by right equipment, sporting the right attire and at the right time- not a second more nor a second less.

Two weeks before he left for the greatest abodes, I was not sure of  visiting Chicago, where my sister lives. I had lost all hopes of travelling abroad. Suddenly he told, it will come seeking me. Soon, he took his leave, and two weeks later, I was on my way to Chicago. The thing I wonder about this so called assignment is the way it is beautifully engineered.

The concern I work for has a lot of work abroad, not just at Chicago, and I am one among 75K+ employees in that concern. Of the 30% people who travel abroad I am one, and I have been put in a project which requires me travelling to Chicago. The beauty of which further amazes me is that, my sister who was living elsewhere moved to Chicago just few years back.

To put in a nutshell, of all the positions available abroad, why should I travel to US? If at all I am travelling to US, why should I travel to Chicago? If at all I am travelling to Chicago why should my sis be there? And in the first place why was I never presented with an opportunity, when he was in his last mile? Funny, when these questions are just thought to be rhetorical. Beyond that lays a finely crafted plan that just astonishes me. A plan which can never just be called a mere coincidence, for there a lot too many things going right…..

I have always believed everything happens for a reason, with a reason…..this just made my inclination rise by a thousand degrees.

 

Let glory be with Kalyan.

Time to start again….

After a long time, though many things crossed my mind, that my so called brain if one available instructed or rather urged to blog about, my hands did not feel like kissing the keyboard for blogging. Well today of the many things that happened, something made me remember the label I started in my blog, which I wanted to complete a long time back, but shelved for reasons unknown to me. But today, I decided I gonna blog in that label….after all it is my space where I vent out and capture some interesting things happening/happened in my life…with ever increasing affinity towards amnesia, it is best that I capture something to chew later on.

Neenga, Naan, Raja sir……One of my favorite show on Radio mirchi Chennai between 9pm and 11pm is sort of walking through Raja sir’s diary pages. So beautifully hosted by the comparer, today it featured SPB’s thoughts on Raja sir. Even though I grew up listening to ARR, on any given day I will vote for Raja sir….if ARR proved to be my rejoicing time, Raja sir gave me the much needed solace and calmness whenever I required.

As I drove my dear pachakalyani from office back home, one of SPB-Raja’s delight Sangeetha Megam was on air. More than just a song, this means a lot to me personally. One of my all time favorites….one of the many and an important song, which brought me and a pal of mine today, Raj,  close and more than just best friends. A wave of Munster memories whizzed through my head, as SPB’s voice took on the higher notes. <sigh>

As of now, I am signing off deciding to write more on the label, The first quarter….which helped me shun some of the flaws, that I picked with each sip, as I gulped down.

 

Let Glory be with Kalyan.

Did I mourn?

Did I feel bad and felt a small kurukshetra at the bottom of my heart? The answers are No and Yes. For the past few days, I kept browsing  indianexpress.com and timesofindia.com every hour or two to check for any news update on his health.

Today for some reason, from the min I woke up, I felt the urge to check the websites…but something stopped me all along….Well I have no access to TV!!! About noon, I entered a restaurant at nungambakkam to fill my tummy. I was paralyzed for a second when I saw what was making the headlines. People condoling Baba’s death with the letters in red flashing that his soul departed at 740 in the morning. Just like million others around the globe, with each byte of the food, I felt a tremendous pressure at the bottom of my heart.

My first acquaintance with Baba was through a bala vihar school that happened only on sundays. There was this Sathya Sai Baba temple in our locality, where class was held in the morning from 10 to 12 and I never missed a class. For some reason, I took the decision to voluntarily attend it when I was just doing my 3rd grade. I attended it till 5th I guess. I was drawn to the teachings there….the concept of patience, forgiveness, courage, attitude….Though it took me next 15 odd years to completely understand them and yet to practice them completely, the seeds were rightly sown. In this age of high competitive aspirations for being an IITian and Doctor, my parents never really pressurized me on what I wanted to become…for that matter I never really knew…and neither do I now!!!!

While people debate whether he was a god or just another normal man with some magical tricks, I really find these people wasting time. To me he is god for the very reason, he thought about the million people who did not have water supply on a regular basis….while there are 100’s of top class hospitals in India, where even an entry requires a few ten thousands, he inspired people to build a free hospital and more than that had the top class doctors work for free. It is not an exaggeration if I say thousands of people whose earnings are literally below the poverty line have benefitted from these hospitals. The list is countless…..

Let me ask you. How many of you can make the people in your house follow your ideas at their own will? NONE OF US can. That is the truth. When such is the human nature, this guy has millions of followers around the world from the slums to the elite. Not only they followed him, but blindly believed him, his words made their life, his actions made them breathe, above all many poured in his trust their hard earned money……We are talking about millions spread across continents, class, religion, language, color, creed and age…….

If you don’t believe him that is fine….atleast you can stop hating someone whom you don’t know…someone who has been the driving force for millions…..I did not mourn, for he is the lord and there is no death for the almighty…..

Sai baba…may his earthly abode rest in peace…let his soul continue to enlighten the billion souls across the globe, whether they have faith in him or otherwise….

அக்கறை

காக்கைக்கும் நாய்க்கும் இருக்கும் அக்கறை கூட

உன் இரைப்பையை நிரப்பும் என்மீது இல்லையே - அன்னம்

அறிமுகம்

அழகாய் அறிமுகப்படுத்தினாய்,
என் உறவினருக்கு முதல்வனாய் தெரிந்த போது!!
என் உற்றார்க்கு தலைவனாய் தெரிந்த போது!!
என் சகாக்களுக்கு உதாரணமாய் தெரிந்த போது!!
என் பெற்றோர்க்கு செல்லமாய் தெரிந்த போது!!

அழகே என்னை என்னிடம்.
என் தலை கனத்தால் என்னை எடுபடியாய்,
என் அளவற்ற திமிரால் என்னை வேலைக்காரனாய்,
என் அகம்பாவத்தால் என்னை மாதிரித்துணுக்காய், - இறுதியில்
என் சுயநலமான எண்ணங்களால் என்னை உன் காதலனாய்,


இருக்க, துளியும் தகுதி இல்லை என்று.
நன்றிகள் பல நெஞ்சில் சுமந்துகொண்டு
தொடங்குகிறேன் - என் வாழ்வில்
புதிதாய் ஒரு அத்தியாயத்தை,
இப்படிக்கு எஸ்ராம்வெண்


Thanks to Sugan and Sugan for reviews and suggestions.

180 Music review

After a long time, we have got some refreshing tracks from Sharreth via the movie 180 (rules kidayathu or something). The soundtrack features a total of 7 tracks, each having a mood to it. Of the seven i liked the track "AJ", "nyaayam" and loved "santhikkada kangalil", "Nee koorinal". 

The santhikada kangal just has the right mix in Chitra, Sowmya and Unni menon, awesome, while karthik and sweta menon keeps u happy with Nee koorinal. While the later has shades of "some" darbar (forgot the actual name...maybe wrong too) it is the catchy one  that reminded me of vintage Raja. A mention of karky is a must here for the lyrics from the start till end.

Nyaayam, song beautifully orchestrated makes you feel you are hearing some middle east number with a perfect blend of carnatic. Awesome. Overall a neatly packaged rythm and beautifully recorded/engineered sound...

Dont ever miss it.

யாரோ!!! எவனோ!!!

வருடங்கள் பல கடந்து ,வார்த்தைகள் அதிகம் கடந்து

எண்ணில் அடங்கா எண்ணவேறுபாடுகள்  கடந்து

தலைகனம், தற்பெருமை, திமிர், அகங்காரம்

என அனைத்தையும் நமக்கிடையில் நிர்மூலமாக்கி

உன் நட்பின் ராஜ்ஜியத்தின் உச்சத்தில் என்னை வைத்தாய்.

கேட்காமல் உதவிகள் பல செய்தாய்

தோழன் என்று தலைகனம் கொண்டாய்!!!

என்னை விட அக்கறை கோடி

என் மீது உண்டென்று தற்பெருமை கொண்டாய்!!!

தெளிந்த தரையில் என் பாதம் படும் முன்

நிலத்தை சரி செய்தாய்

என் நலம் காப்பதில் தனி திமிர் கொண்டாய்!!!

தோழர்கள் அனைவரிலும் என் மேல்

அதிகம் உரிமை உண்டென்று அகங்காரம் கொண்டாய்!!!

அவ்வாறு இருக்க, துன்பம் என்று

உன்னிடம் வருந்துகயில், கொக்கரித்தாய்!!!

சலனம் சற்றும் இன்றி,  என் விழி நோக்கி

என்னை "யாரோ!!! எவனோ!!!" என நகைத்தாய்!!!

அத்தருணத்தில் இருந்து எனக்கு

நீயும் அவ்வாறே தெரிகிறாய்!!!

இப்படிக்கு எஸ்ராம்வெண்.

நீயே மையமாய் இருக்கிறாய்

Something made me to write the below lines

 

ஒற்றை  கண்ணின் ஓரத்தில்

உன் கரு வண்டினை நிருத்தினாயே ஏன்?

என் கையில் இருக்கும் ஐஸ் கிரீமை பறிக்கவோ?

பட்டும் படாமல் என் தோளில்

உன் பூக் கரத்தால் அடித்தாயே ஏன்?

என் கையில் இருக்கும் ஐஸ் கிரீமை தட்டிவிடவோ?

 

Hmmm….funny eh? so came up with the below  later.

ஒற்றை  கண்ணின் ஓரத்தில்

உன் கரு வண்டினை நிருத்தினாயே ஏன்?

என் கண்கள் நோட்டமிடும், இடம் அறியவோ?

பட்டும் படாமல் என் தோளில்

உன் பூக் கரத்தால் அடித்தாயே ஏன்?

என் முகம் உன் திசை நோக்கவில்லை என்றா?

காக்கை இறகைப் போன்ற உன் கூந்தலை

என் முகம் மீது படரச் செய்தாயே ஏன்?

தூங்காமல் உன்னை ரசிக்க வேண்டும் என்றா?

 

செல்லமே, எத்திசையில் என் முகம் நோக்கினாலும்

எவ்விடத்தில் என் கண்கள் நோட்டமிட்டாலும்

எப்பொழுதில் நித்திரையில் ஆழ்ந்தாலும்- நான்

காணும் இடத்திலும், நோக்கும் திசையிலும்

சிந்திக்கும் எண்ணங்கள் அனைத்திலும்

நீயே மையமாய் இருக்கிறாய்

இப்படிக்கு எஸ்ராம்வெண்

A wave

of emotion swept over me when madhan told me "நீயும் பாடகன் தானே"!!! Ya. We were discussing about a singer and then came this remark. I knew well he was kidding, alas, had i done my homework, had i treaded the path shown to me by my mom and dad long time ago, had i stuck to my heart, had i lived my dreams, had i put in my bit of efforts, i would have definitely been one now. Instantly all the best times,  the classes that were proposed, the times that i had planned and repented, the first song that i sang in front of a small audience  back in SAV, the first time when my spine shook when my mouth uttered Bho shambo, all the emotions that swept over me time and again when i watched someone sing beautifully and in harmony, just breezed through my mind. 

I wish i took few well wisher's words more seriously, i wish i had a time machine, i wish.....i wish...i wish....they are endless......Come what may life keeps moving.

நடுல வந்தவன் தானே நானு

Often times when i talk to bandu or sathan i would irritate them with just one line!!!! "நடுல வந்தவன் தானே நானு...."

the 100

When i first started writing the blog, all i wanted was to jot down my memories. But then, if i had to jot down everything, probably that will create an havoc in mine and others life whose are interlinked with mine. So i decided to type down those that i wanted to cherish, but ya there were times when i just hurt few people without my knowledge, which just made my content more refined probably more restricted. Something that has to be lived with in the no-privacy world.

When i first wrote down my experience of something, i was looking for an apt tag. Then came along 'pages from my diary'. Whether a diary really exists is a different question, but if u find it someday, you will definitely find the postings with more elaborate narration. Today i just noticed, i had recorded the 100th post under that tag. Well 100 is not a big milestone, but definitely a milestone for an amateur like me. I hope this does grow, grow big enough to capture the best of my memories, which will give me chances time and again to relive it.

Let glory be with Kalyan.

Testing times ahead

"Lets see how far this goes". Those were the last lines i said to him, before we bid a final melancholic farewell to MIG. Considered to be one of the best teams during our time, we were actually the people of best differences. Between a pair of two, among us there was that virtual barrier. A barrier, that was formed over the years, with no particular intention and no particular reason, which rose to beat the everest with each day after the life at MIG. A barrier that now stands firm behind the smile that adorns each's face when we all gather togethar. Still the relationship is young, waiting to step into its teens, to watch the battle of life.  

An Introspection

Probably once in a life time we do come across feelings, feelings that engulf us totally when acquainted the first time, which over a period of time leaves a small yet a remarkable and vividly etched mark that stays distinct just like the black mole in a fair forehead till the body finds its resting grounds. Such feelings are rare to find and when found they are rare to forget.

As I departed back to Chennai, I had some of the best moments of my life. The more the minutes I drained out, the more intense was the introspection. Finally I had some of the best answers to questions that haunted my mind for sometime and those that denied entry to my mind for a long time. I realized what time can do to you, and what u can lose because of it. Time – the thing that has mattered a lot to man silently, yet spectacularly in all his endeavors.

I now poses some of the best memories and best feelings that I have gained at the expense of time. Somewhere somehow, every man has a passion for something be it crime, money, family, business, economy, politics…..in each one of this time is of highest significance. Crime committed at the wrong time, family beginning at the not so (called) auspicious time, exploring and enhancing business at the bad time, playing with the economy at the worst time, political moves with an awful timing have and has always proved to be a definite historic event.

While a successful family story, wonderful crime, flourishing business, bullish economy and well run politics have been mostly forgotten, never known to the world or accepted to be a regular chore in the life except for few milestones.  Even though the same time has been accounted with the highest degree of precision, no one talks about it. So to be prominent something should have a bad timing somewhere? hmmmm….so what have I gained with the introspection, thought of time and a life time experience/feeling????While I know what I have, do you know if u have had one such time in your life, where u accounted time for the same and held it close to heart all your life? And was it your timing of that time that u accounted for or accounted that time as fate??? Keep thinking…

 

Let glory be with Kalyan.

A year has zoomed by since we both met. Probably I will never meet him again with my mortal eyes. But all the while i have felt his presence in all my endeavors however small it may be. Certain things are best left unexplained and rather experienced. So have been some of the best decisions and signs in the last 10 months. The beauty of which i will continue to enjoy forever......he had his own reasons for many of his deeds, some of which are beyond human creativity and the human intellectual. I need no one to acknowledge the same, for he is beyond the level of reasoning. A man who lived life king size since his emergence on the earth, who knew well all the right and wrong, who deliberated mistakes for the sake of his kinsman, who sought no appreciation for his deeds, who found happiness to see his fellow men rise.

Someone whom i was privileged to be associated so closely. If the age old Hindu scriptures are to be believed , then it is really bad of me to have done just enough deeds to associate me with him for 25years....i wish i had done more. 

25th Jan will always be etched in my tiny little brain (if at all one existed) till my conscious is aware of its existence. 

Let glory be with Kalyan.

Iyayyo enna....

Music: G V Prakash

Vocal SPB, SPB Charan, Prashanthini

Movie: Aadukalam

Penned by Snehan

அய்யய்யோ நெஞ்சு  அலையுதடி
ஆகாயம்  இப்போ  வளயுதடி
என்  வீட்டில்  மின்னல்  ஒளியுதடி
எம்  மேல  நெலா  போழியுதடி
உன்ன  பார்த்த  அந்த  நிமிஷம்
அணைஞ்சு  போச்சே  நகரவே  இல்லே
தின்ன  சோறும்  செரிக்கவே  இல்லே
பொலம்புவேன்  நானே

உன்  வாசம்  அடிக்கிறே  காத்து
என்  கூட  நடக்கிறதே
என்  சேவல்  கூவுற  சத்தம் 
உன்  பேரா    கேக்கிறதே

ஓ அய்யய்யோ  நெஞ்சு  அலையுதடி
ஆகாயம்  இப்போ  வளயுதடி
என்  வீட்டில்  மின்னல்  ஒளியுதடி
எம்  மேல  நெலா  போழியுதடி

------------------------------------------------------

ஆ : ஒன்ன  தொடும்  அனல்  காத்து
கடக்கயிலே  பூங்காத்து
கொழம்பி  தவிக்குதடி  என்  மனஸு

பெ: ஹோ  திரு  விழா  கடைகள  போல
தேனுருறேன்  நான்  தானே
எதிரில்  நீ  வரும்  பொது
மேரளுறேன்  ஏன்  தானோ

ஆ: கண்  சிமிட்டும்  தீயே
என்னை  எரிச்சுபுட்டே நீயே

பெ: தா ர ர......ஓ   அய்யய்யோ  நெஞ்சு
ஆ: அலையுதடி

பெ: ஆகாயம்  இப்போ
ஆ: வளயுதடி

பெ: என்  வெட்டில்  மின்னல்
ஆ: ஒளியுதடி

பெ: ஓ  எம்  மேல  நிலா
ஆ: போழியுதடி

-------------------------------------------------
ஆ: மழை  சாரல்  விழும்  வேலை
மண்  வாசம்  அனல்  வீச
உன்  மூச்சு  தொடவே  நான்  மேதந்தேன்

பெ: ஓ  கோடையிலே  அடிக்கிறே  மழையா
நீ  என்ன  நனைசாயே 
ஈரத்திலே  அணைக்கிறே  சொகத்த
பார்வையிலே  கொடுத்தாயே

ஆ: பாதகத்தி  என்ன  ஒரு  பார்வையாள  கொன்ன
ஊர் ஓட  வாடுற  போதும்  யாரோடும்  செரலல 

------------------------------x-------------------------
ஓ அய்யய்யோ நெஞ்சு  அலையுதடி
ஆகாயம்  இப்போ  வளயுதடி
என்  வீட்டில்  மின்னல்  ஒளியுதடி
எம்  மேல  நெலா  போழியுதடி
உன்ன  பார்த்த  அந்த  நிமிஷம்
உறைஞ்சு  போச்சே  நகரவே  இல்லே
தின்ன  சோறும்  செரிக்கவே  இல்லே
பொலம்புவேன்  நானே

உன்  வாசம்  அடிக்கிறே  காத்து
என்  கூட  நடக்கிறதே
என்  சேவல்  கூவுற  சத்தம் 
உன்  பேரா    கேக்கிறதே

ஓ அய்யய்யோ  நெஞ்சு  அலையுதடி
ஆகாயம்  இப்போ  வளயுதடி
என்  வீட்டில்  மின்னல்  ஒளியுதடி
எம்  மேல  நெலா  போழியுதடி
================================

Funny the

way the desis behave in US. When you meet someone you will be immediately greeted. Thats how things work here. Traditionally back home, I have been trained to avert seeing another person on the road. Greetings!!! u should be kidding me, i am forbidden from even staring at the person.

pathinaru - named rightly - Yuvan

Expected to be a romantic movie from the director of VIP, punnagai poove, 16-Pathinaaru has Shiva and Madhu shalini in lead roles. For his friend Shiva, Yuvan has composed the music at no cost for the movie if all the reports in the tabloids are to be believed. This has the regular signature of Yuvan. 

Of the 1000

tracks that came out during the year 2010, the following were the ones that my ears were comfortable with for the most part.

1 Aromale VTV
2 Naan Varuvene Raavanan
3 Maalai Neram Ayirathil Oruvan
4 Idu varai Goa
5 Mannippaya VTV
5 En Kadhal Solla Payya
6 Kangale Kamalayam Bale Pandiya
7 Thooral thedum megam nee Uthama Puthiran
8 Thirudugirai Sanikizhamai Saingalam 5 mani
9 Hosanna VTV
10 Neela Vaanam Manmadhan Ambu

This is just my favorites……there are others too…but given the options to pick the first 10, here is my list Looking forward for another great musical year

1-1-11

Is it not fascinating to write down that date? I am not sure about you, but each time when I think about it, it gives me a goose bump Let the new year bring you more peace to keep you relaxed, more harmony to keep you composed, more fun to keep u happy, more luck to make your dreams come true, more energy to make all your endeavors fruitful, more wealth to make you prosperous, more good company to make u think right…..

Wishing you a very happy new year 2011. God bless.

Reflecting the year gone by….

Finally the day has arrived to officially say the year 2010 ‘WAS’. The last year has a great significance in my life and will be etched in my memory till I find a 6 foot long space to sleep. The year started with me sitting in the office till the 11th hour of the 2009 31st December, and when the clock showed 12, Manickam cut the cake signaling the start of the year.

After a long time, probably after our college days, a hell lot of us, college mates got together at Besent Nagar beach followed by a hefty dinner at Dosa Calling and it was a rejuvenating experience for all of us. Soon it was followed by my Visit to US, which was initially scheduled for just 2months. I never dreamt I would celebrate or rather be in the company of my sis family for my birthday ever in my life, so does diwali, her bday, the kids bdays, my BIL’s bday, travel with them to places, stay with them every weekend, and ofcourse this New year’s day!!!! Neither me nor my sis really even think about it at the start of 2010. A year of great surprises. While this has a great significance to me, the other worthy and fantastic thing to have happened was spending time, though little, with Venki and Manni. I still remember the day when I made Venki to travel from BHEL to Chandrashekarapuram in the middle of the night, just because I wanted to see my dad Spending time with his family a thing that I never dreamt about……

While those are from the good fronts, I was struck with a major blow at the start of the year. Kalyan decided it was time for him to depart the worldly abode. Probably he felt he had equipped me enough and his literal presence was no longer required, he took off in style. Even though I was well aware of his departure that was about to happen soon, when it happened it shook me heavily for once and probably the first time in my life. And to make things worse this has been the year that has kept me at bay from seeing my parents for nearly 10months now. A long time indeed…….

Apart from these, the experience gained in searching for a house and shifting things were wonderful, while me and mokkai planned to get a house with in a month, we were done with it on day one of our hunt. We then had to finalize many other things related to managing a house, which was and will be a rewarding experience at all stages of my life. The sad part is, me and mokkai never got to stay there together for a week!!!! The thing taught by Bandu to me over the last 10 months did open my eyes to the wide cunning nature of LIFE!!! He  showcased a perfect example of why I should not take life and things in life for granted!!!!

Life has been so good, beautiful with a great rewarding experience and I have nothing to complaint. With the grace of Kalyan and the almighty, I have been placed well at the right spot with the right set of people to guide me and lend a helping hand at all needed times. The year 2010 will always give me a warm feeling whenever I chew each day that passed by….So glad that year happened in my life….Good bye 2010.

 

Let glory be with Kalyan.