A "mazed" mind speaks

THE KOLAVERI MUSINGS

2011-12-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

Ok!! I have had enough of this Kolaveri mania. The new mantra that has taken the nation by frenzy. Twitter, Facebook, discussion forums, practically it’s all over the social media. People might not even now how much a kg of rice costs in the nearby ration shops but they sure do know the minute detail of this much talked about song. So much so that they consider it cool to reproduce their own versions of kolaveri.

The first tamil song to be played by MTV(As if it’s some status symbol and pride!), the song that has won the you tube gold award, which honours viral videos from across the world, 15 million hits on you tube, blah blah blah the list of accolades is just too long to even list. The attention is intense. And if this is not enough the actor himself was invited to a red carpet screening of the Tom Cruise Movie Premiere.

At the heart of it, the song has worked for various reasons. Its quirky lyrics, the strong tamil accent and the way it has been sung, far from the conventional has added to its merit. For music purists it is well music to the ears and has redefined pop culture. The song has been a shot to national fame for the 28 year old Dhanush who is riding high post his national award and the sleeper hit of his latest venture Mayakam Enna.

Even a fortnight after its release, my facebook page continues to have at least three news item related to this song and some ten thousand people liking it and going ohh so cute aaragh get a life! Yes the music is awesome, lyrics are good, the singer is fab but does this one song require such a wider coverage?

It was quite disheartening to find even the leading papers carry a front page article especially when the newspaper space is sacred. Following suit, we have our own television channels churning out different specials of a humble and poised Dhanush mouthing similar responses across the interviews despite the different questions. And it doesn’t stop there we even have the international media, the Times and BBC carrying news article on what they call it as a “gibberish song” that India can’t stop listening to. The poor lad wouldn’t even have thought in his wildest dream that he would become a household name as far as the last city on the globe. Talk about the power of the social media.

One take away from this kolaveri frenzy is a viral marketing plan that has played out very well for its makers ensuing a good publicity of their film. Well, to an extent even the Kollywood industry has benefitted from this because for once the people north of Vindhyas are coming of age to realise there is more to our industry than just Rajini, Kamal and A.R Rahman. Do not be surprised if you find IIM or Harvard students undertaking this as an academic case study. In this era, just about repeat just about anything is possible.

On hindsight, I often wonder why is it every time we have songs that condemn girl friends behaviour become runaway hit? Is there any song that talks about boy friends behaviour? Male Chauvinism at its heights. Surprised that Justice Katju has not come out with a rejoinder condemning the wider coverage of this song over other important “socio economic issues” that concern the nation. Why this kolaveri di?!

THE POPULISM WAR

2011-03-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

It’s a war of populism quite literally. With the election manifesto of the two major Dravidian parties out in the open, the people of Tamilnadu have their task cut out. The onus is now on the common man to carefully sift through the bag of goodies from both these camps and make an informed decision. With what free electricity to the BPL families to free laptops to college students, people are literally spoilt for choice.

The Queen Bee of Tamilnadu Politics took everyone by surprise when she announced her party's manifesto for the 14th assembly elections in Tamilnadu. If the grand old man of Tamilnadu politics promised free wet grinders or mixies, Amma has gone a step further to not only provide those two but also a fan to every women in the state. And if you think that’s going to increase your electricity bill,well Amma has taken care of that too. She promises to provide three-phase power connection across the state in four years. Jayalalitha has a slew of measures up her sleeve to counter every single freebie from the ruling camp.

Fancy this, if Kalaignar promised free laptops to college students Amma has gone the extra mile to extend that facility to students of class eleven& twelve. Under Jayalalitha’s rule all the school students will get four set of uniforms as against the present three and not just uniforms they will be given a pair of shoes as well. The elderly too have been wooed by both the camps. With bus pass being common, the opposition is planning to set up free homes for the destitute and elderly.

And if its increase in subsidized diesel for fisherman by Kalaignar, Amma is proposing to set up a special protection force and offer an assistance of 4000 rupees during the lean periods. And as an alternative to the Kalaignar housing scheme, Amma is giving away free houses of 300 sq feet.

The electorate of Tamilandu has never had such a bonanza like this. With the political temperature soaring high, both the camps are expected to extend and modify their freebies and manifesto to capture people’s heart. Will the magic of wet grinder combined with mixie and fan win against the 30 kg rice will be known on the 13th of May.

CONFESSIONS OF AN AMATUER BLOGGER

2010-11-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Blog,

My sincere apologies, I haven’t been good to you. Sorry I did not keep in touch. Its been so long that i even visited you. I really do not even have a concrete reason to explain myself! There were so many issues that i strongly felt about and wanted to tell you but it stopped just there. And then there were days when I was ashamed of myself for not knowing what to write. From the last time I visited you, till now so many things have happened. The age old ayodhya verdict has been delivered. Yes you heard it right! Ayodhya verdict it is, After months of dilly dallying, Thalaivar’s magnum opus enthiran released and whatte day that was!, The Presidential couple danced to a marathi folk number, M.S Dhoni is no longer single, And I have got a job and an interesting one at that. Thinking of it, change seems to be the only constant in our lives of variables. I am sure your counterparts would boast of how people write to them almost on a daily basis or should I say an hourly basis?! But i am sure you wouldn’t want trivial details of how and why I zeroed in on those red polka dots socks or of why the girls go week in their knees over Robert Pattinson (that dude sheesh!!) or of whats happening in my life 24/7. I am sure you respect my space as much as I do of yours. And here I am not taking you for granted I am just reiterating that I do not want to defeat the very purpose of writing to you. Sometimes I wonder why the fervour that I had during the initial stages when I started writing to you is now slowly fading. Maybe the answer is, I am being lazy!. Hmm anyways, I am not going to promise that I will visit you or that I will write to you on a regular basis. But I am just happy that I actually wrote to you at present. Or should I rephrase it as guilt free:P .

Auf Wiedersehen

HUMANITY ON WHEELS

2010-03-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Flocks of people globe trot every minute. The travelling industry is booming like never before. While most travel to seal business deals, attend conferences there are also people who travel to explore. There is an element of mystique in the journeys we undertake. Nothing is worse than travelling in sleeper class from Chennai to Delhi or vice-versa! And inevitably, I end up in sleeper class however early I book my tickets sigh! Every time I embark on this never ending journey I diligently pray for good co-passengers. There is nothing to do in this tedious journey that traverses from North to South through barrens of vast land. This post is an account of the interesting characters I have met in my journey.

Cinema has spoilt us. Believe me when I say this. There is neither Shahid Kapoor who can distract us nor Surya who croons and can sweep us off our feet. It’s all good only in the celluloid. In reality we just travel with normal people. (Or that’s what been happening in my case! Lucky if you have met your loved ones on trains.)

CASE 1:
THE LOWE BIRDS:
They are common a lot. And I have never met anyone who are so into each other. So much so that they even shared the same berth (am not exaggerating!) when you are single and you witness such public display of affection it kinda gets to you but surprisingly all I wanted to say was “get a room”. But I must confess, it was great entertainment watching the birdies. Respite from the monotony of the journey.

CASE 2:
THE ANGEL:
Kids are adorable. Time flies when you are with them. One can just keep observing their cute little gestures and talks. I was lucky to meet one such angel. Jessica was confined to her mother’s territory. Despite repeated attempts I failed to evoke her interest. A pack of playing cards did the trick. We later bonded on the stone, paper scissors game. Her smile and happiness in winning the game gave me immense joy. I also learnt lessons on colouring and drawing from Jessica. She was my best co passenger so far.

CASE 3:
THE SNORERS
Nothing can be worse than getting stuck with grouchy elders who scrutinise and probe into your entire life history. It’s hard to escape their rhetoric. Sleep was my instant escape. I wake up only to be disturbed by the snoring of the entire lot in my bogey which was otherwise silent. I was fuming, their snores were deafening. I sat up the entire night counting exactly how many berths, rods, switches, fans and lights were in my bogey not to forget my battle with the mosquitoes.

CASE 4:
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Again a lowe bird but in a distant relationship! Figured out his entire life history through his loud talks on the phone. The most trivial of details were shared with utmost sincerity on a roaming call. How vain can people get! I must thank him for the amazing Ilayaraja songs he played throughout the journey. A pack of cards kept us busy from afternoon till night. We played nonstop. People from the other bogey's joined in too. That was the day I learnt tricks of the trade and became proficient in playing cards. I would be doing great injustice to this list if I do not include the platter of cuisine that is laid out. From the greasy paranthas to the vegetable that seems to be cooked in rancid oil, the smell of food hangs in the compartment. The vendors with their never ending cries of snacks, sugary beverages, samosas and cuppa’s of chai helps to fend of boredom. There are also the aloof kinds who hums to the music jarring from their I pod, oblivious to whatever is happening around. What really irks me is the intrusive passenger who barges in your compartment to plug in his cell phone charger. To top it all the persistent ringing of the cell phone wants to make me smash that piece of technological menace. And then you also have the introspective variety who are lost in thought gaping outside the flat glass panes.

At the end of it all, it’s the eccentricities of my fellow passengers and their idiosyncratic ways that keeps me entertained.

Dearest Chennai,

2010-01-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

I yearn to look forward when I am away from you
There is something quaint that pulls me to you wherever I go.

Is it the warmth of people, sumptuous food, serene beaches or feeling of coming home?
It’s difficult to choose.

You provoked, stimulated and inspired me,
I am what I am because of you.

For you have instilled in me to believe in myself and be hospitable
You may not win awards for being clean and green but you sure find your way to people’s heart.

What is the essence of you?
Does it lie in the beautiful temples?, the bustling Ranganathan Street?, the expanding identity of its citizens, or is it the famous filter kaapi that is uniquely you!

Not to forget the Marghazi festive season and the beautiful kolam that adorns every house.

Where ever I go my heart will always be here, in the city’s length and breadth that I grew up in.

POST SCRIPT: My first attempt at poetry(??:D) I am scared, am slowly turning a regionalist:D

365 days and counting.....

2009-12-31T11:20:00.000-08:00

As Dawn breaks we set foot into another year with dreams, hope and aspirations. For many 2009 was the year of recession recovery, a year that saw first Afro American being sworn in as President of the most powerful (??) nation in the word. A year in which Indian citizens claimed tall awards from Oscars to the Nobel Prize. Many will remember it for the death of King of Pop, Michael Jackson, the swine flu scare and the failure to secure a legally binding deal at Copenhagen Climate summit. For me 2009 is just another year nothing significant except for the fact that I graduated and turned 21.

Midnight revelry and parties extending up to the wee hours have become common in the past few years. Every single ad in the newspapers/ tv/ radio scream of the new year bashes. Police forces gear up in style to welcome the New Year too. Innovative ideas, themed parties, sumptuous food, unlimited alcohol is a must on every New Year bash across the city. Television channels and FM radio’s get ready with their top 10 of the year lists. They do this exercise with utmost sincerity. And you have the astrological predictions. We can see people glued to television sets, switching off their brains and fervently listening to the astrologer’s prediction for the year 2010. The recent rumour of the world ending in 2012 has further added to this frenzy.

I never quite understand this concept of New Year; it’s just another year a change in the calendar. Why so much of hype? It’s funny that every aspect of this is commercially exploited and how we have fallen prey to it. Advertising Zindabad!!. Lets see what 2010 has in store for us. Only 2 more years are left so please make the maximum use of it. The clock is ticking; book your tickets for the world tour and get ready for the bungee jump, for there is no time left.
Oh ya Happy New Year!!

ITS JUST THE BEGINNING

2009-12-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

In a country that is facing so many problems, strangely enough what is hogging the media limelight is the battle of separate identity to the Telugu speaking people of Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. The game being played out with human emotions as the key player has been on the burner for some time. The decision to carve out a separate State of Telangana has come about after a struggle of 40 years. Home Minister P. Chidambaram statement that the "process of separation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh will be initiated soon" is very ambiguous as it does not divulge into matters regarding the timing and the content of passing a resolution at the Andhra Pradesh state assembly. Contradicting views of the members of the ruling party adds to the chaos. Had there been “consensus” amidst the parties, 100 M.L.A’S from Andhra and Rayalseema wouldn’t have put their papers en masse.

It’s sad to note that the first Indian state to be bifurcated on the basis of The States Reorganisation Act of 1956, is facing such an end. An in depth study into the pages of the Indian politics provides an interesting insight to this issue. The States Reorganization Committee formed to prepare for the creation of states on linguistic lines in December 1954 was in principal opposed to inclusion of the Telangana region with the then Andhra state. The report observed that the people of Telangana region where not in favor of the unification as they feared that their resources may be diverted to Andhra thus depriving their opportunities. Headed by Justice Fazal Ali the commission recommended to the government that it “will be in the interests of Andhra as well as Telangana area to constitute into a separate State, which may be known as the Hyderabad State with provision for its unification with Andhra after the general elections likely to be held in or about 1961 if by a two thirds majority the legislature of the residency Hyderabad State expresses itself in favor of such unification."

The central government decided to ignore the SRC recommendations and established unified Andhra Pradesh on November 1, 1956. However, a Gentlemen’s agreement provided reassurances to the Telangana people as well to Andhra people in terms of power sharing as well as administrative domicile rules and distribution of expenses of various regions. The agreement known as Gentlemen's agreement of Andhra Pradesh (1956) proved futile and sowed the seeds of Telangana movement way back in 1969. Had the recommendations of the Fazal Ali committee been heeded Andhra Pradesh could have saved itself the political turmoil that it has gone through.

It’s a mind boggling affair to study how the people of India vote their leaders. How many ever Rath Yatra’s or promises made by the politician, one can never judge the pulse of the voters. While the TRS received flak during the recent Loksabha elections, it has garnered more than enough support for its latest fete. By adopting a well planned strategy Chandrashekhar Rao not only got his span of political mileage at the cost of his health, but also raked the government at the centre with his indefinite fast.

The state that has sent the maximum number of M.P’s to the parliament is having a rough patch. First with the untimely loss of a towering leader in Dr. Rajashekhra Reddy, followed by the sudden outburst for the Telangana statehood. Lack of strong and an efficient chief minister can also be attributed to this problem. Had Y.S.R been alive this menace would have never surfaced. Dr. Reddy always kept a check on the extremists and kept them at bay.

The Congress should convene an all party meeting and take an appropriate decision on this contentious issue after taking into account the interest of all the stakeholders concerned. Till such time the B.J.P is only too happy as it’s freed from the constant media coverage received in wake of the Liberhan commission report.

With granting of statehood in the Telangana region, alarm bells have started ringing in the north east , west, east and northern parts of India. Claims of a separate BodoLand, Vidharba, Gorkha land, and Harit Pradesh are gaining momentum. Had the centre handled the matters more decisively and astute it could have averted its precarious position that it finds itself at present.

At the heart of any struggle is the deprival of basic opportunities and economic oppression. Telangana is no different. Despite being the largest area geographically, (1,14,800 km2 ) of the three regions of the state , yet much of the land is arid and not nearly as fertile as the agriculturally rich coastal region. Telangana has been a victim of official apathy since the formation of Andhra Pradesh and has lagged behind other regions in development and no government in the State or at the Centre made any honest attempt to bring it on a par with the other regions.

By granting greater autonomy and creating smaller states be useful in effective administration? Do smaller states translate to better governance?? The Telangana statehood issue has indeed opened the Pandora ’s Box. The answers will have far reaching consequences and can alter the geo political scenario of this developing nation.

Sir Winston Churchill quoted,

It has been said that Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time

21- WINDS OF CHANGE!!!

2009-11-24T12:16:00.000-08:00

Its sooooooooo long that I last updated my blog. And it took my 21^st birthday to pen my thoughts. I always wondered, what makes birthdays special. It’s like any other normal day with extra pleasantries and gifts. As the rule be, people wished at the strike of 12, some messaged nevertheless I was glad, people remembered. When you are away from home in a city which is totally alien, a friends call from school, a sms from college buddies make you smile and feel reassured that people have not forgotten your existence.

Surprisingly, it was my sister who wished me first followed by my mother. Usually its not a norm in my house to wish at 12. I was happy that she sat up the whole night to wish me. It was at that point it stuck me, how much I missed her. Only when people are away you really know their value. This birthday was more on that adage, which helped me realise the value of my close friends and family.

Back here at hostel my small gang of friends made sure I had an amazing day. Meticulously planned my surprise despite yours truly’s, repeated sneaking in during their “bday planning meeting sessions”. LolJ It indeed was a surprise. Life here at IIMC is happier only because of them.

Somehow birthdays for me have been a day to celebrate the existence of your living with close friends and family. After all only this day can you be rightfully proud and happy about oneself. The bad bad world just does not give you an opportunity otherwise. This is also the first birthday I celebrated away from home and my close friends. I was also in for another surprise, when my close friends from school back home sent me a courier which had a small cake, bouquet and chocolates. I was almost in a state of happy tears. The fact that they took so much pain in coordinating a gift delivery shop in Delhi and planned for the whole thing was very thoughtful. At the end of the day it’s ones efforts and willingness that matters.

Last year I spent my birthday interning in a news organization, this year in Delhi. Dunno where i will be next year. Life is full of uncertainties and nothing is fixed. ( I don’t know why I wrote this line, still don’t feel like deleting it too!! Lol) Another year has passed by, only emphasising that I am getting older and responsibilities are piling up. In threshold of beginning my career in Journalism, i still remain confused of where my life is headed. However I hope to solve the unanswered questions in passing time. I am just 21, shouldn’t I be more worried about the frivolousness and trivialities that are associated with this age?.

On introspection, I am glad I have earned good friends, trust of many. This entry is a thank you note to all those who made my day special. THANKS A LOT guys. I am happy to have you all in my life. No special occasion in my life is complete without you all. And thanks for tolerating and putting up with all my nonsense and respect me for the person I am. Love you all muuahJ

THROUGH THE EYES OF A MADRASI

2009-09-10T10:31:00.001-07:00

It has been over a month that I have set my foot on the country’s most happening place (literally and figuratively), the nerve centre of almost everything DELHI!!!. I am at Indian Institute of Mass Communication for post graduate diploma in Radio and Television journalism. An array of experiences in a short span of time. This entry is a glimpse into my experiences in an unknown city over the past one month. Memories that linger along!!!

· My college is in the new Jawaharlal Nehru University campus. The campus is awesome. It is a haven for nature lovers and photographers.
The city is huge and we have to rely heavily on autos. It’s by these auto journeys that I discover Delhi.
The public transport and the autos here run on CNG the effort needs to be lauded.
· A drive down the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the India Gate is an experience by itself. Clean roads with plush gardens on either side with the majestic India gate at cross roads is a sight to reckon
· There is a huge misconception about the South Indians. They refer the entire South Indians as Madrasi’s.
· Men in Delhi are in lowe with playing cards. You can spot group of men playing cards in every nook and corner.
· The street food culture here is remarkable. From the mouth watering Pani puri to North Eastern Delicacy Momo the options are plenty.
· The oldest form of transportation, Rickshaws are still in use here. They are the lifeline in the North campus of Delhi University and the Chandi Chowk area.
· The best thing about Delhi is its Markets. Sarojini Nagar and Janpath are the places to be for girls. One will go berserk at the variety and prices and end up spending more than budgeted!!!.
· Language is a big problem if you do not know Hindi. People just refuse to speak in any other language.
· One disturbing factor is that you can find small kids begging at the signal which is distressing.
· People live life KING SIZE!!!. They celebrate life in every other possible way.
· The list is just incomplete without mentioning about Delhi Metro. It’s just too good. It gives you an experience of travelling on a world class Metro.

FIRST HAND EXPERIENCES:

For a girl from South India the shift to North is a 360 degree turn in lifestyle, thoughts, perceptions and the very way of living. Initially it was difficult to come to terms with certain issues or rather accept what’s happening around me. I was frustrated, my ego deeply hurt, I kept drawing examples from back home but as days passed I understood that there is no use cribbing and chose not to complain about it as long it did not affect me in a personal level. One need not go to Australia for cases of Racism; it exists in our own country. Culture, tradition, values are forgotten entities.

INTROSPECTIONS:

The worth of anything is well understood in its absence. Being apart from my home town I realise its greatness. The respect for my city its people have increased multi-fold. I miss Chennai a looooooot, the people, frens, family,city, food, beach, spencers, nungambakam, anna nagar,fruit shop, shanty colony, ranganathan street, speaking tamil, movies. How can i forget the FOOD.:( idli, dosas are rarity here.

Enna koduma Sir ithu!!! (What a tragedy).

ONE DAY @ MONEY MINTING OFFICE

2009-06-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

Note: The post is long really long but its worth your timeJ

It is been long really long that I updated my blog. There were so many things that I wanted to write about Elections, IPL,my admission drama and so forth, but something or the other kept me from not writing it. Finally the incident or should I say the experience of visiting a place today made me pen down my thoughts. So here it goes…

It all started with this little conversation that I had with my father never knew I end up cursing myself for initiating it in the first place. Aaargh!!!

Me: Appa I am super jobless at home can I do any work for you?

Father: Sure, go to the Ambatur Taluka office and get an OBC community certificate, it will be necessary for your admissions.

Me: Done deal will go first thing in the morning tomorrow. {Little did I knew then that I had to spend the entire day on this}

The following day I took all the necessary documents and headed to the Ambatur Taluka office, like any other government office it was dirty, unpleasant and there was an air of smugness. Not to forget the beeline of brokers at the entrance.

I, as a lay person did not know the procedures for obtaining a community certificate, hence wanted to clarify my doubts. There was not even a sign of help desk in that office however there was a help kiosk but to my dismay I found a board that read “Under Maintenance”. After waiting for half an hour I approached a clerk to find out about the procedure and he screamed ,“find out for yourself!!!” . I was furious!!! First of all the office does not have a help /information desk and to top it all they do not answer a simple query from the people are these things not their duty??

I was aghast looking at my expression an old man came to my rescue. He told me what has to be done. The procedure goes like this first one needs to get the necessary form attach necessary documents, get it sealed from the clerk, go to the Revenue Officer and Village officer of their respective area, get it signed and submit it finally in the Taluka office for the Tashildar’s signature.

I went from Ambatur to Padi braving the scorching heat. Getting signature from these officers isn’t an easy task either. Brokers help you get one easily for a few hundreds. If you do not go through the broker the officers simply refuse to sign and give lame reasons citing fault in the documents. With no other choice I fell prey to it. I hated myself for doing it but I didn’t have choice. And once I paid the money I got the signature swiftly. It was disheartening to see old people wait endlessly behind the brokers. He charges anywhere around 100 to 500 depending upon the requirements. The broker made 3000 bucks in an hour’s time!!!100 bucks is not a big money these days but in some houses that are the monthly income and to part that hard earned money with the broker and take the abuses is indeed very sad.

I again rode back to the Tashildar’s office and waited to see him. There are agents here too for getting signature from the Tashildar but the price here is higher. While I was waiting for the Tashildar, I was observing the events that were happening around, scores of people some young mostly old were running from pillar to post without proper guidance. One weird thing caught my sight, weird?? No shocking reality I would put it across. An old man had a name written on slip of paper and approached the pune asking him to guide to that particular person. The Pune after guiding to the respective person demanded 100 bucks!!!! I was shocked, loss of words. In the interim I made friends with the other waiters lolJ and each of us sharing our woes and bitching about the system and the government. After an hours wait all of us learnt that the Tashildar is going out and we can not get the signature. Everyone was agitated and made our way to the entrance and blocked the way to his car. Catching him off guard we got our signatures much to the surprise of the brokers whom we refused in the first place.

After his signature was done I went searching again in the office to find a soul who could tell me what to do next. People guided me wrongly and I ended up waiting for a person for more than an hour only to be directed towards the next. Finally everything was completed and only the final signature had to be inked by the Tashildar. I was waiting and waiting, the clock struck 5:30 and slowly people started to leave. At 6:30 when I went and enquired about the status the concerned person said Tashildar left come tomorrow at 10:30!!! I was perturbed, irritated, hurt, frustrated all of them gushing at once with no choice left I made my way back home.

And this is my experience in visiting a GOVERNMENT OFFICE. Lot of things goes without notice. Corruption no longer is under the table activity it has elevated to across the table!!.The common man is not guided properly, each and every officer is involved in corruption in his own little way, and they exploit the people’s illiteracy in these matters. There are no chairs to be seated, which ends up killing your feet!! Imagine standing for straight 3 to 4 hours .The board outside the office clearly points out in bold letters that brokers should not be encouraged but you find them literally everywhere in the office. At least answering simple queries will help the common man but even that is not being done. The callousness of the authorities disappoints the public and makes them lose all their hopes.

Is anybody hearing?? Can anything be done at all?? India can never be developed if things continue at this rate. Only in the glossy paper it indicates growth. What’s the use of boasting about the achievements by the party in power when in ground zero things are berserk.

Next time around if anyone plans to visit a government office sorry “MONEY MINTING OFFICE” please be prepared to wait for long, take the abuses, be ready to bribe and most importantly PATIENCE

2008-12-18T08:37:00.000-08:00

Blunders of the Almighty

I have never been so content as much as I was today in my life. The reason for my content is a 2 letter word THANK YOU said by Murugeshwari. I am a NCC cadet and as part of our NCC activities we conduct lot of social service activities. We conduct events in a manner that truly benefits the society and the downtrodden. Today we conducted one such event which struck a chord in my heart. Writing examination for the visually impaired. I wanted to do this for a very long time but did not get the right opportunity. And today I got the opportunity. I was the writer for the girl named Murugeshwari. She had her maths paper today.

The girl for whom I was writing the exam Murugeshwari was partially impaired. The question paper was given and I started to read out the questions for her. As she began to tell me the steps I started to write the exam for her.

I was completely in awe with the way these people went about the exam very very systematic. It was Math exam so she was busy calculating so I had time to give a glance around the room. There were about 30 students who were taking up the exam. There were women from all age group who were there to write exam for the students. There was even a 60 year old lady who was intently listening to what the girl opposite to her was saying. When I saw these gals who were visually impaired there was a sudden feeling of emptiness in my heart. The almighty appeared as a total villain to me at that time. My thoughts were interrupted by Murugeshwari’s voice, “akka sum panalama?” So I proceeded doing the sum for her.

The duration of the exam was three hours and it ended at 1. And when it was over she insisted that I read out her answers so that she could verify it before giving the paper to the invigilator. And when I securely tied the paper with the thread she said “Thank you akka naan yarume varamatanga nanachen ana neenga vanthutinga thanks.”(I thought nobody will come to write exam for me but you came thanks a lot). I was choked words did not come out of my mouth and all I did was to give her my best smile to say I was honored to write her paper. It felt like eternity when she thanked me. For once, I was proud about myself for making a little difference in some one’s life.

There is so much to life that escapes our eyes. All we care for is our welfare, at the maximum welfare of near and dear ones. We are so busy in our life that we do not find a second to pause and think how life is for others who are not so blessed like that of a beggar, or a handicapped person. These person despite of their shortcomings are in so many ways better than us. They are the real HEROES. We crib about so many things in life. Those things when compared to the sufferings these people undergo seem very very trivial. Why has god been so unkind to them? Can some one give me the answer?

The Gandhiji’s Talissman is very apt to be remembered at this juncture. We all are so blessed in life and should thank almighty for giving us a good life. And start to make little difference in others life. The next time when you are worried for something think about the faces of these beautiful children your worries will melt away.

The Nisha Effect

2008-11-27T09:54:00.000-08:00

“The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain.” Said Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Ironically if we let it rain then in the next few days or probably even hours the whole city of Chennai will be under water. I have been living in this city that’s home to 4 million people and never even once in 20 years of my life have I witnessed a downpour of this magnitude. Its water water everywhere. I braved all the weather and in true Journo spirit started to Jaya tv for my work, where couple of my friends and I are training at news production.

There was traffic jam all over the city and my area was no different. There were hardly people on the roads. (Sigh!! how I wished I could have bunked and sat at home eating hot molaka bhajji nd enjoy the rains.) Commuting to the office was not a problem. The bus SWAM yes SWAM through the water and safely landed us at our destination. The real problem came only when we were returning back home.

After a 15 minute wait we got a bus and luckily got a seat too. The journey to what I call as the thrilling roller coaster ride began. The bus slowly started to move amidst the traffic oops sorry evading the water. The stretch I was travelling in was from Ekkaduthangal to Thirumangalam. I guess cyclone Nisha has started to like Chennai that it’s refusing to make a move. As I was listening to music to fight boredom I shifted my glance towards the window to see the water levels on the roads. It was a sight to watch. Seriously I wish people could come out of their houses just to see the levels of water and I am not exaggerating; there was a deluxe bus that was drowned in the water, scores of cars that were abandoned and ya there was a bike in the water or under the water should I say, which I later identified it to be a pulsar with the help of its peculiar pointed edge at the rear. Whilst everybody in the bus was worried of how to reach home safely my friend and I were enjoying this new experience, we were super thrilled. In fact the water entered the bus (I know none of u all gonna buy this but this is the truth!!) It was like going in a river the only difference was the mode of transport. I was giving live updates to my other friend via phone. It was super exciting never have I seen Chennai like this.

Water had entered all the shops and the shopkeepers were doing their best to keep it at bay, while the traffic policemen were signaling the buses and controlling the chaos. Panic prevailed all over the city. When my friend and I were discussing in which angle to take video of the floods we heard a strange voice *creek* *shessh*the bus came to a halt. The driver relentlessly pursued to start the bus but his efforts went in vain. I just realized that we were right in the middle of the river and if we had to get down then it would take us a lot of time and energy to reach the shore. As this thought was passing through my mind the bus started, everybody in the bus heaved a sigh of relief.

My stop arrived and I had to switch buses to reach my house. I was standing in the middle of the road cuz that was the place where the water level was considerably less, till my knee level. I couldn’t differentiate the pavements and the roads as everything were at unison. I was lucky the second time to get a share auto. And that’s how I reached home after what seemed to be a roller coaster ride that lasted nearly for two and half hours.

P.S: On a more serious note, I wonder whether there is no Provision of what is called as Drainage system in the city. This is the worst that the city has ever seen and I hope this will be the last one too. The Chennai city doesn’t need Nisha it has so many sha’s to deal with.

Of beliefs and Customs

2008-11-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

It was a long day at work, had so much of work to do that I actually skipped my lunch too!!. After work my friends and I went to our regular chat shop to have the delicious chat. We are their loyal customers and the fact that we prefer that shop is cuz it’s kind of very light on our wallets. All of us were hungry and called the waiter to place our orders and to our disappointment fond that the chat section of the hotel was closed. Dejected we came out and thought we will try out the next shop and to our surprise found even that one was closed. Cursing the shops nearby I bid goodbye to my friends and started to ride back home.

My stomach started to grumble so I started to drive as fast I could to reach home soon. But to my luck I got caught in a traffic that was caused due to a death procession. I was caught in Aminjikarai and the road there was narrow and due to the death procession the vehicles were standing in a queue for the traffic to clear. As I was waiting for the traffic to clear something caught my attention.

Yes the death procession. I was very bewildered by that whole custom. Death is something that is horrid and unpleasant. It’s a scar that stays in our life for a very long time. I somehow fail to understand this whole custom of death procession. There is a family grief struck due to the death and the way this whole procession is carried out seems to be very illogical to me. Firstly you take the corpse seated in a chair and have a whole bunch of dancers dancing the traditional “Dapankuthu” leading the procession. Is this an event that has to be celebrated dancing? And to top it all you have flowers and mostly the fresh red roses strewn all around the road. Flowers are something that are used for a happy occasion. I feel sad to see these flowers being crushed under the wheels. The icing to this whole is the bursting of crackers scaring the passer byes too.

I was lost in these thoughts and for a moment I could hear the auto man behind me horning to move ahead as the traffic cleared cuz thankfully the death procession took a right turn. Finally I reached home and the first thing I did was to eat no no hogged. Then I asked my mum the reason for the Dapankuthu and the throwing of flowers and likes of that. The answer my mum gave was so quirky that it left me toying with the question how on earth they find such social beliefs and customs!!!

Apparently when someone dies the send off needs to be grand to that person in a way that it brings happiness to him. And that’s the reason for the Dapankuthu and the others. It seemed totally illogical to me. Many of the Hindu families still follow this tradition and may be will continue to do so. I personally feel that people need to change with the times.

This is a plea to all the people who indulge in this custom

5 concrete reasons as in why this system should be scrapped off

1. Chennai is becoming traffic prone and this one is jus adding to the list.

2. The amount of money that is being spent in all this if available to the family will be a lot helpfull.

3. Cleanliness of the environment is something that all of us are least bothered about. Strewing flowers and making the roads dirty and not driver friendly is not appreciated.

4. It just annoys someone to see a death procession when a person is on the way to work

5. For god sake we are in a civilized society and acts like these seems really funny and stupid.

Sons of the Soil??? or so they claim!!!

2008-10-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer : This might not be a great post, you might even want to curse yourself for devoting time to it, its no Political analysis, i just wrote it cuz i felt frustrated about the whole issue

In the 1960s, their target was Dakshin Bharatiyas (South Indians). Now, resentment is sought to be whipped up against Uttar Bharatiyas (North Indians). Anti Valentine day protests, Criticizing the policies implemented by the Vilasarao Deshmuk’s Government, Demanding an apology from Jaya Bachan for her Anti Marathi remarks, threatening to shut down the Jet airways operations in Maharashtra if they did not rehire probationary employees are some of the examples of Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirmaan Sena’s efforts in championing the cause they believe in - "Maharashtra for the Marathis"

Their fight however took an extreme step on Sunday when MNS workers attacked railway board examination centers to protest against the "inadequate representation" of locals, triggering attack on North Indians.

I am no expert in commenting on their ideology, they are even right in voicing the demands of the locals i am not touching that aspect at all, all that i wish to express is that the way they go about it is unconstitutional.

The notion that any city or part of India belongs only to its ‘natives’ is unconstitutional, repugnant and injurious to the ideal of national unity and integration. From time immemorial, our people have freely moved from one part of the country to another, believing all of India to be their own. As far as Mumbai is concerned, although it is the capital of Maharashtra, people from every corner of the country have migrated to this city of dreams and opportunities since its inception.

So much for these lunatics’ Pro Maharashtra stand that they have only caused enough damage to men and material in the name of protecting Marathias not even once have they come up with concrete steps in implementing what they preach!!. Rather they have only left a sour taste about Maharashtra and Marathis in people’s mind.

One need to critically look at the brand image of Mumbai, the financial Capital of India has severely taken a beating due to these activities. Mumbai is what it is today because of the contribution of diverse communities inhabiting it. In particular, the two sources of its national and international profile — Business and Bollywood — would be unthinkable without a grateful recognition of the role of non-Marathi speaking communities. It would be a great misfortune if Mumbai degenerated into a provincial capital.

When the Prime Minister can come up and give assurance to the people about the safety of India’s banking system I am surprised how he has not yet come out with a statement condemning the act of MNS.

We are concerned about the security of our nation and blame the home ministry for not being tough on terrorists but who needs terrorists and anti terrorist laws when we have people in our vicinity who can create a ruckus and get away with it easily in the name of protecting the locals??Why can we not have a shoot at sight order when public and private properties are damaged by these hooligans?

If they are so passionate about their cause then why do they not demand say Mukesh Ambani or all rich Gujaraties/ Punjabis/ South Indians etc. to go back? Or stage protest asking all non Marathi banks, BPO’S, M.N.C’s to shift out of Mumbai??. All their attacks are on the poor and deprived lot of the society.

Where is the famous spirit of Mumbai gone???? A city that once stood strong post the Mumbai train blasts is now staying off the streets. Its just sad to note that this great city has been brought to its knees by one person who thinks he is championing the cause of locals, but is only helping himself to free publicity.

I jus wonder how the Country scene will be if everyone started to take cues from the MNS nd the Shiv Sena and start to rebel. The very thought of it sends shivers down my spine. If that time arrives then the citizens of India will be Captives in their own Motherland albeit in their State.

P.S :I am not an ANTI MARATHI jus a normal citizen of this nation.

Musings of a First time Blogger

2008-10-18T07:49:00.001-07:00

Forever i have been intrigued by the ideas of blogs. I love reading other's blog and wondered whether if i could ever write one. Somehow or the other i was jus not able to come up with sometin concrete or readable. An ironical quality thats directly related to my gonna be proffesion "JOURNALISM".

One day when i was speaking to my friend Nandhini about this she insisted that i start a blog immediately. Thanks to her, that day i did start. And how by naming the blog and that's how A "mazed" mind speaks was born six months ago!!!. It would be better if i said dat my blog was jinxed.Due credits to Nandhini for helping me out again with the name of the blog. My motivation levels were in the peak and i thought its time for me to rant my mind off. The motivation was short lived it died the very day.

Then i was very busy with College doing stupid assignments for my HOD and the dept and not to forget my NCC activities. Occasionally when i read others blog the writer in me would surface and i would remember the promise that i made to myself to start blogging. The promise nd the urge would be forgottenthe minute i go offline.

Its quite interesting to note that i would sit hours together thinking about what to write. My topics would range from experiences of my life to the recent UPA Power Crisis. Well it was all only in the mind nothing was in black and white. I am still wondering what the exact reason is for me not wanting to do something that I wanted to do. Is it the fear of criticism? Naah definetely not cuz i am not new to it or is it the fear that ppl will not read it? or is it whether i would be consistent if i started one? I am still in search of the answers.

Something triggered deep down my mind and i finally thought i would make an attempt today nd here i am in the fag end of my first post. What did i jus write FIRST POST??? YAAY YAAY i finally did it. Just to scroll up and c what i have written gives me so much of happiness.