Wish You Were Here... Always...

She was the joy of our lives who made the house a home - Home now feels like a TV that has been muted.. You have left a big void in our lives, Amma.. We'll always have the need to have you around..



Wish we had the chance to have more pictures with u ...........................................................................

Remembering the Mahatma..

Shocking to see what India is coming to.. No offence to anyone but I think the following two contradicting newspaper articles (courtesy: Deccan Herald) say it all..
Article 1:
Azad's remarks on Gandhi earn him fatwa
Srinagar, IANS:

Jammu and Kashmir’s official Grand Mufti on Saturday issued a fatwa against Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, asking him to seek penance and clarify his reported statement about Mahatma Gandhi.

Mr Azad, at a function here on Gandhi Jayanti, had called the Gandhian way of life the best path and asked everybody to follow it. In his decree, Mufti Azam Moulana Bashir-ud-Din said the best way of life for every Muslim was the one shown by the Prophet of Islam. He added that Azad had committed a crime through his statement .

“Anybody asking Muslims to follow a path other than the one shown by the Holy Prophet is violating the basic tenets of Islam,” the Mufti said.

Article 2:
Canadian project bring Gandhi closer to children
Toronto, PTI:
The Mahatma's ideas are being popularised among school students in Toronto through a pilot project launched by the World Literacy of Canada charity to coincide with the International Day of Non-Violence.

Children at Winchester Public School in Cabbagetown near here have a new hero to look up to.

Surprisingly, it's not a Hollywood legend or a pop star but the apostle of peace Mahatma Gandhi.

The Mahatma's ideas are being popularised among school students in Toronto through a pilot project launched by the World Literacy of Canada charity to coincide with the International Day of Non-Violence.

"All (pop stars) do is to entertain, but someone like Gandhi changed the world. That's really cool. He was a smart person with great ideas that can still work in our modern world, like talk it out instead of dishing people up," said Shashwat Koirala, 12.

Winchester is one of four inner-city schools taking part in the program, in which students have emblazoned T-shirts, performed skits and written essays on Gandhi's life and influential teachings on non-violence, compassion and truth.

Monica Gudivada, 13, used to get into a lot of fights, but Gandhi has "inspired me to be a better person."

"An eye for an eye turns the whole world blind. You must be the change you want to see in the world," she added, quoting Gandhi.

"He taught me it's better to solve conflicts in a peaceful way. If I'm mad, I count to 10. I'm a much calmer person now."

Anesia Baylan, 13, agreed. "No matter how much they pushed Gandhi, he never used violence. That's amazing. In my life, it means stand up for yourself and what's right no matter what."

As part of the project, schools will also screen Bollywood blockbuster "Lage Raho Munna Bhai," in which lead actor Sanjay Dutt plays Munna Bhai, a gangster who preaches Gandhian principles.

The 2006 movie, in Hindi with English subtitles, was the first of its genre to be shown at the United Nations. Praised by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for capturing Gandhi's message about the power of truth and humanism, the film is said to have sparked a resurgence of interest in Gandhi all over the world.

"I took a chance," Winchester principal Annie Lee said of her decision to have students watch the 2 1/2-hour movie at a morning assembly.

"The theme is pretty universal. Whether it's a skirmish in the schoolyard or a dispute in world affairs, diplomacy rather than war is the answer. Plus, it's a way to honour the Indian culture."

The film will also be shown as part of a fundraiser, Eyes On India, for World Literacy of Canada tonight at the Isabel Bader Theatre, with proceeds going to projects in India that encourage reading, particularly for girls, as well as programs in this country.

The Gandhi theme is a natural fit, added World Literacy executive director Mamta Mishra.

World Literacy founder Welthy Fisher was a friend of Gandhi and participated in India's freedom struggle in the 1940s.

"Gandhi said poverty is the worst form of violence. One of the best ways to combat it is through literacy. An education is your ticket out," said Mishra.
"He was a real superhero. We have to find ways to keep him alive so kids don't think he's just some historical icon they read about in a book."

A Rendezvous To Remember

Today was something I was looking forward to since the last 4 Years! I was meeting the inspiration of my life and I couldn't hide my excitement! My Dance teacher Mrs Hema Govindarajan - she has groomed me since I was 6 years old.. I don't remember too much of my first few days in dance class.. but what I remember is the house in Wilson Garden which - though the structure has changed now holds a lot of memories for me and many others who shared those classes.. We would wear White Salwar Kurtas and a Purple coloured belt - a cousin of mine would tease me that I was attending Karate classes and not dance! I had a couple of friends staying around my house and we would all get together and walk up to Miss' house.. The best I remember of that house was the flawless Red Oxide flooring and the beautiful garden (we had some pictures in dance poses taken here) I remember how strict Miss used to be - one look from her and it would send shivers down our spine.. The day when my parents would say they would come to meet Miss would be a day of reckoning - After the chat with Miss I would get a good hearing at home saying I should be listening to my teacher because she knows what is best - after all she is the TEACHER.. And if I didn't want to do that I could quit dancing.. That was not something I could do - one because I would be disappointing my parents and two, because I didn't WANT to quit dancing..
She gave us the opportunity to dance on stage by organising an Annual Day Event and that was the time I realized I wanted to dance for a really long time to come. But the day after those annual events would be yet another day or reckoning - since we would get a 'REVIEW' of the program from our teacher and she would rest assure us that we would not be put on stage again for the pathetic performance we put up! But, now I realize, that was the only way she could motivate us to do better and more than anything else not let ourselves down. This way we had our feet firmly on the ground and would always strive to do better and not be satisfied at all. Because with Satisfaction, in art, comes stagnation.. And in any kind of art form, constant growth is absolutely necessary. This is a lesson I still carry with me and the results I can see in the audiences' reaction when I perform on stage.
When she left India, to go to Nairobi for a long time to come, I felt orphaned.. I had just begun to really enjoy dancing and not see it as a tiresome activity anymore. I had just decided to take it up as a full time profession and I couldn't believe that my teacher's presence would not be with me.. But contrary to what I felt, though she has been away her support and guidance, I realize, will always be with me.. She sent me to another teacher - I didn't want to change teachers but realized if I needed to achieve something I would have to take this step - and I trusted her choice... Much to my delight the other teacher was amazing! As dedicated and as beautiful a dancer as Mrs Hema Govindarajan was Guru Bhanumati (who incidentally happened to be the Guest of Honour at my Arangetram.. She was an amazing person at heart and a extremely inspiring dancer and teacher.. I felt grateful that I was being taken from safe hands to another set of safe hands...
But I still miss Mrs Hema's presence in Bangalore.. She's back here for a holiday and as I mentioned I'm meeting her almost after a four year gap and it was just so thrilling to see her again... Not changed a bit but now I guess I have matured more to be able to talk to her without 'putting my head down' and being able to share with her all that's part of my life and dance..
THANK YOU MISS FOR MOULDING MY LIFE!

The Autorickshaw Menace in Bangalore

It looked like it would rain really hard today.. I was happy that finally the monsoon rains had not overlooked Bangalore today but the only problem was I was on my way to a rehearsal in the afternoon and it just had to start drizzling as I stepped out of our apartment.. Anyway I thought I'll just walk to the corner of the road and I can take an auto from there.. Little did I realize (much to my dismay in an afterthought) that getting an auto would be difficult.. Not that there was not an auto in sight - there were many - waiting in the so called 'Autorickshaw stand' but that's all they were doing - WAITING! For whom, why - nobody knows.. that's just how the Autos in Bangalore are... I am amazed as to what they do just standing there and saying no to everyone.. Ask them if they'd come to Jayanagar, they say no.. ask them would they make a longer trip to Koramangala.. they say no.. Then, what do they do? How do they earn their money???? Oh, yes! By rigging the meter and taking only long distance rides... Some of these Auto Fare Metres are atrocious! I travel from J P Nagar to Koramangala almost everyday and there was one time where I traveled for a month everyday (otherwise I'd prefer to ride my Kinetic) and everyday the Metre Fare would range from anything between 45 - 55 Rs... A Difference of 2-3 rupees - I can understand - but 10 Bucks is no reasonable amount of money for anyone... So, I invariably end up fighting with the Autorickshaw drivers everyday and being irritable for the rest of the day.. I'm not even going to touch on the topic of how these guys drive!!!!
The problem with most of these drivers are that they have come from towns and villages around Bangalore - so they think they can get away with driving anyway they want (like they would be driving in their towns) and also think that Bangalore people are rich and they can get away with 'conning' them.
Once in a way, you do find honest Autodrivers who have those electronic metres or even otherwise maintain their Autos well and make it a pleasure for their customers to go along to their destinations - near or far, not withstanding.
Though in my earlier posts I had mentioned my disappointment with the Metro Rail coming to Bangalore and destroying the old Bangalore look - when I see these Auto drivers I hope that the Metro and the Monorail come soon - so that these most arrogant and lazy people in Bangalore will learn a very good lesson and learn that customers are valuable and they can't take them for a 'RIDE'.

Ads that make you think!

I recently watched an ad on TV.. A technology company.. The employee brags about his company as to how the company's technology is touching lives across different genres of lifestyle.. And how a chopper is waiting to take him overseas for a life sciences project.. Pity the guy had to hitch a ride to reach the chopper in the middle of a deserted area!

The Cliched Bangalore Traffic

Being a Bangalorean and a driver of both a two wheeler and a four wheeler at that, I can't but help comment on the traffic situation in my city - 'pathetic' is quite an understatement.. I don't think there is quite anything that could describe it.. What prompted me to write this was a desire from a long time that if I could express my feelings on the 'state' of traffic then, may be a bit of the frustration would let off steam.. Of course, much as I wouldn't like to admit it, I know it'll just remain a hope!
Anyway, a couple of days ago I was driving on my usual route - Koramangala to Jayanagar to attend a rehearsal.. I took the 'less' congested of the options - through Adugodi, across the Underpass on Dairy Circle and across 'the worst road in India' - the Bannerghatta Road.. and to Jayanagar from there on.. It was heavily populated this particular day - by that I mean, the traffic had stopped right from the underpass itself. I was cursing myself for not driving slower and taking a de-tour earlier on. Just then I heard a huge noise and some guy honking real loud. Was wondering who it could be when I realised it came from an Ambulance. I looked around quite a bit to see where the ambulance was stuck (as I had all the time in the world and wasn't really going anywhere) and from somewhere the ambulance slowly crawled towards my left. There was a patient hooked on to the IV and anxious relatives around. In its direction it was probably headed to the Cardiology Institute I had no where to go and could not do anything. But what started my frustration the motorist in front of the ambulance seemed absolutely unperturbed by the fact that it was an ambulance that was behind them and seem to just go on making their way (read: pushing their vehicles into every nook and corner available) And one surprisingly inhumane moves that people in such situations make is when others make way for the ambulance, instead of letting the ambulance pass they make their way into the available space!
It took almost 20 minutes for the vehicle to make its way through a couple of hundred yards. And all the time people just refused to make way. And the icing on the cake came when I parted ways with the ambulance's route. Here as the ambulance made its way straight ahead, gaining speed because it finally had a clear path ahead of it. A lady on a two wheeler with a friend on the pillion, overtook the ambulance from its left - made her way right in front of the ambulance and non-challantly took a right turn all the way from the left end of the road to the right!
Two things I learnt from this experience: Bangalore again, will never be the same and beware of Ladies on two wheelers - they are no more the sensitive drivers (as much as this may sound macho!)

The Promenade on M G Road!

Well, as it is with newspapers everyday, last Wednesday too it had some shocking news.. And it was again about the changing face of Bangalore.. Though I realize that namma bengalooru that we knew of as kids is never going to be the same, yet every news of the changing times somehow seems to rob me of my memories. The same day I was in Corner House and I saw a picture of the MG Road Promenade as it looked ages ago and I sighed 'Those were the days!' That's what I thought when I saw the flyover come up near National College in Basavanagudi! That's what I felt when a second edition of the Vidhana Soudha was built! That's what I think when I drive down everyday along the dusty roads of Bangalore in the sultry weather.. I wonder what happened to the city we lived in????? I don't know how many people would feel so emotionally attached to their cities but I guess its all got to do with how our childhood memories remain no longer.. We have nothing to fall back on and I think that's what makes me sad.. I remember when I had just started going to school, at that time Koramangala seemed like a city by itself for which we had to travel a long way. But now thinking of my perception then I feel it so funny, considering I was living in Wilson Garden and its just about 20 min drive off from Koramangala. Koramangala now is the hub of Bangalore - unfortunately for all its residents this is nothing to be proud of. The developments here has robbed us of our quiet and peaceful neighbourhood where, 17 years back when we moved in here my mother would claim 'We don't even hear a crow!!'. Now all we hear is noise! A couple of years back we had a re-union at Barista on M G Road.. It was a Sunday evening and since there were many people waiting, we were politely asked to leave the place we were occupying for almost two hours.. The only place to go to next was the Promenade right across the road.. We sat there reminiscing the old times and talking of all the fun in school and catching up on what's been happening with each other's lives.. Now I wish we'd also clicked a photo so I could post it along with this Blog!
Whether I like it or not Bangalore is never going to be the same and in fact, at the rate that it is growing (read: being destroyed) things will always be headed for changes. The sooner I accept this the better it is for me!

A One Day to trip to Roman Baths, near London

The morning of 13^th October, I got up at 4.30 – the earliest I’ve ever gotten up in London, took a hot shower, woke Ashish up, packed food and we were all set to go… to a place called the Bath. We reached the South Kensington Tube Station at 5.35 and missed the 5.34 first train to Paddington. The next one was only 11 minutes later and we were worried as we had to collect the train tickets and then get on to the train – all this without an idea of how the station was. Luckily, we got there at 6.11 and getting the tickets at the Fast tickets counter was very convenient and ‘fast’ indeed and after picking up the tickets, we were in the train with about 10 minutes to spare! It took us about an hour and a half to get to Bath. Sunrise wasn’t till 7.30 and when it did come up we could hardly see anything because there was dense fog. So, the purpose of taking a train was defeated. When we got off the train at 8 it was chilly and cloudy – we could barely even sit in the station and to think about it we still had an hour and a half before the Roman Baths opened. So, we picked up a hot coffee and tried to warm up. We went out of the station to a very deserted looking place and were wondering if anything would open up during the day. There was intermittent rainfall as we made our way to the Roman Baths. It was a small place with directions everywhere, and armed with a map (all thanks to Ashish’s intensive research) we made our way to the Roman Baths. We found a place to sit just next to the Bath Abbey where we sat down and had breakfast and slowly people started trickling in. by the time we were done with breakfast, there was another group of older people waiting to get in to the Baths. As we took a stroll around the place, saw some shops – all shut of course, we then came back and went into the Baths. This was a place built by the Romans originally in 2^nd BC which was later destroyed by the Christians and then re-built again sometime during the 18^th century. Armed with an audio tour guide it took us almost two hours to go around the place. First we had an aerial view of the Bath – this is a natural spring. The Romans would build such Baths around natural Springs and they would have a TempleBath. There are still ruins of the Temple and re-constructions of it to show how it might have looked. After the one and a half hour tour, we went into a gift shop and bought some souvenirs. When we got out of the place it was so amazingly crowded that we were left to wonder where all these people were in the morning!! There were a lot of entertainers on the streets as well. One of them was an opera singer with a great voice, yet another was a Irish band playing really lively music. We walked up to the Jane Austen Centre located at the house that the famous Novelist lived in. it has a tiny gift shop in the living room and the rest of the house has been converted into a museum. We then walked up to the Pulteney Bridge one of the two bridges in the world to have shops built on it. A gift shop immediately caught my eye and we walked into it. They had some miniature dolls which were absolutely cute and very real looking but equally rather highly over priced. They even had doll houses! I bought a couple of curios at a bargain and then we set off from there. Walking around some more, we came back to the Bath Abbey to have lunch where there were some more musicians singing and two girls playing a Cello. The Cello actually had a divine quality to its music. After relaxing for sometime, in which time the sun peaked out for about a couple of minutes, we again went out walking. This time another guy was entertaining a gathering in front of the Baths. We missed him riding the Unicycle but caught him doing a couple of more tricks and stunts that he kept regaling the crowd with. We next walked up to the Circle, which is a roundabout with residential houses all around which make up a circular form around the central roundabout. This leads up to the crescent where the residences are aligned in a crescent shape. Our next stop was the Museum of Costume which had rare old costumes in existence since the Victorian Age and some before that. The lighting is very dim in order to protect the texture and clothes. There is even a small section where one can try on the Corset as they were used in earlier times to get a feel of how they would dress up. The exhibition ends with the modern day costumes as well on display. There’s also a particular display of costumes worn by men in Ballets. When we got out from there it was four and we still had about four hours to go before our train back to London. It was quite cold and windy too but since we had the time we walked around the whole place, came across yet another Miniature shop and this time bought a small tea set. We walked back to the city center where we entered a Sports shop and bought a couple of T-shirts on sale. We then bought coffee at Caffe Nero and walked up to the Baths. By now everybody was going back and the deserted look that we’d seen in the morning was returning and this at only 5.30. We sat there and Ashish clicked away snaps of the Abbey by light and then we started our walk back to the train station with still a little short of two hours to go (considering that the train station was just a 5-minute walk. We came across a book store and went in there to browse, but didn’t find anything to buy. On our way back Ashish spent time clicking away photos in the night and we finally made our way back to the station. We still had to wait a while before the train came and we finally boarded our train back to London at 7.45. We now got seats opposite each other and there were two other ladies sitting next to us. They seemed uncomfortable just sitting next to us for a couple of minutes and decided to change seats. Worked well for us, we could sit next to each other now. Reached Paddington at 9.14, made a small stop for Fries that I wanted to eat the whole day and were home at 9.30! Totally exhausted of course!!

Hello...

A lazy Wednesday afternoon (my day off from regular work) and I'm Orkutting.. As I'm posting a scrap to one of my friends I go through his blogspot and realize why not try this out.. That's how I've started writing.. Hope I'll be motivated enough to keep up with this and give my brains some food for thought..