Spacejunk

In-deep-dents

2010-08-15T10:38:00.004+05:30

Cheers and regards to all the leaders and visionaries who got us freedom from foreign slavery. The truth is my country is "in-deep-dent" of corruption, political scams, poverty and hunger etc. We are slaves to our helplessness. People are 'dependent' on National Holidays like Independence day for a variety of reasons - some might feel that 15th August is on a Sunday - would have been better if it was Friday/Saturday or Monday. (Saturday, for those who working 6 days a week).

Debonair at Thane west

2010-05-17T10:52:00.002+05:30

Debonair at Thane west
Originally uploaded by spacejunk

What is the difference

2010-04-12T23:07:00.004+05:30

between BHEL and BHEL PURI ?
Also, the rates increase like DHAI (2.5) bhel times

Relationships end with text messages

2010-03-03T20:25:00.058+05:30

Yes! That is the trend these days, and the easiest way to break up without giving explanations. I've seen many do it and some suffer through it too. Watch Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya by Gautam Menon - its the usual boy-girl plot and he has filmed this trend in the movie. Many friends had told the second half was dragging, but they could have missed Simbu's impressive body language and tone variations while he talks with Trisha at some park in NY, especially when he begins to describe his lover.

Its the inevitable nature of relationships these days. Lets be friends, talk a lot, share special moments, feel its love and chemistry, have apprehensions and misunderstanding, being crazy, worry about family-reactions. Break-up and cope-up again, only you-n-me talks, find it difficult to give time while at work or touring mode, feel left-out, say one wouldn't want the other to suffer because of their lifestyle, break up saying its all over and ask to 'move on', leaving the other person clueless.

Life drags and floats clueless in relationships. Religion-divide is present for the lead characters, but this happens to any two people. The music and lyrics go well together, dialogues are well-scripted. Simbu does justice to the role of Karthik, and Trisha does her part well as Jessie to send the 'its over' SMS and marry someone else. Trisha tells to Simbu in the end that his (incomplete) love-story completed in his first film was feel-good types, and that she was not actually good to him when it happened. Its true, love cannot make one feel good always - the pains are much more, they teach to live, if not to love again!

Marathi Abhimaan Geet

2010-03-01T23:48:00.061+05:30

Written by legendary poet Suresh Bhat, conceived and composed by Kaushal Inamdar!
Marathi Abhimaan Geet released on 'Marathi Bhasha Divas' - 27th Feb at Dadoji Konddeo Stadium , Thane.
27th Feb is the birth date of Marathi poet Kusumagraj (remember the class 8 and 9 poems of Maharashtra Board???)
Watch the video - the making, the variety of singers and instrumentalists, representing the spirit of the language Marathi.
I could not attend the release of the song, but my cousins in Thane did, and one of them is part of the song too.
Video credits below are in Devnagiri script. I have translated it to English, should be easy for those who can't read to know it.

The video has used the photos which have been part of regular updates on Kaushal's FB page for more than a year now.
Like birth of a child and seeing it grow - I have seen this song from its initial stages (thought process) in late 2008, heard the raw track in May 2009 at his residence in Goregaon, 68 main singers were recorded by then. The beauty and simplicity is seen.
Kaushal, your passion paid bro - you are an inspiration to many now! Having the identity of a Non-Resident Tamilian brought up in Maharashtra, I always had mixed feelings about my mother-tongue. The respect I have for Tamil today, had enhanced after I met you in 2006, and saw your passion for Marathi. And yes, I look forward to work with you someday 'professionally'.

Edit:
Tit-bits from a friend : Kusumagraj's real name was ~~V V~~ Shirwadkar. Kusum was the name of his younger sister, hence Kusum-agraj (one who came before Kusum)
Comment from Kedar : Kusamagraj's name Gajanan Ranganath Shirwadkar (गजानन रंगनाथ शिरवाडकर)
Friend says : Mr V V Shirwadkar’s original name was Gajanan Ranganath Shirwadkar. After he was adopted, his name changed to Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar

Harsh Narayan - sarangi player

2010-02-08T04:02:00.012+05:30

Harsh Narayan live at Baaja Gaaja 2010, in the Aangan venue of Ishanya Mall, Pune.
He is one of the most promising and upcoming talents and got some award on these lines in 2009.

originally uploaded by spacejunk

In the first pic, with audio monitor in between, with his posing towards the lens... difficult to decide to listen or watch :P

Baraka - essence of life

2010-02-03T18:36:00.032+05:30

I was searching for some song of Dr. L. Subramaniam and came across the soundtrack of Baraka which features him on one of the tracks, others are by Michael Stearn. I got hold of the movie after that.

Baraka - the movie has the most spectacular images ever. Moving music. No dialogues. This movie made me think for long even after it was over. Even the most bitter of cynics (like me) cannot deny it's beauty. It made me rethink about the human life. The contrast between the worlds and the cultures punches one very hard. For example, there is a 'match cut transition' of human tribal hands raised to sky-scrapers in urban NY in the trailer. Find the trailer at YouTube.

Adjectives I think of describing human life these days -

Jealousy. Envy. Greed. Anger. Darkness. Lack of wisdom. Imperial madness. Make money by warring. Wars are good money for pharmaceutical companies, since if you're not in physical need, you may still be in psychological need of them. Of course there are other industries that benefit from fear and killing and tearing things up. In the midst of all this, anger is generated. The darkening has reached a critical mass. No light of wisdom seems to shine. And yet it is there. Beyond the darkness. And as urbanized humans, we've faced the wrath of nature and people too in the recent years, and there is more to come. We have to learn to respect nature, and ecology. Creation is divine, but destruction is inevitable. Good and evil exist together.

Baraka: is an ancient Sufi word, translated as a blessing or as the essence of life from which the evolutionary process unfolds.

Over the years

2010-01-26T11:56:00.006+05:30

Out of blue I ended up visiting the temple in the last evening. Outside the temple I met an old man, a very good family friend (LIC Ganesan mama) after some 6-8 months. His temple visit was complete and he was on way back. I went and greeted him, and the usual blah-blah for few minutes happened as he asked my and my elder brother's whereabouts in the past year. Then we went our ways, and he called me back. To my notice, he opened his bag - and broke a complete new pack of Eclairs chocolate toffees with his ball point pen. I knew it was coming. It has always been a gesture of this uncle to carry 'toffees' with him (have seen it since my childhood). He gave 3 of them, for me and my parents, bro is not in India - so out of question! As a kid maybe (flashback 15 years back), I or anyone would be happy with whatever given to us.

Sita Paati (my late grandmother's elder sis) still has that habit - if you visit her, you will get some candy or choc without fail. Anyone who visits her takes candies or chocs along with, and she will not have it and instead give to other kids who visit her.

Soni Thatha (my late grandfather's late younger bro) had a similar habit, he used to keep the 'golis or mittai goli' and give me and my cousins one or two everyday. However, my eldest cousin bro's son broke that trend a decade ago - cos he questioned Thatha, "unga kitta pastry illa ta cake illaya" (Don't you have pastry or a cake?) To this question of his, Thatha went out to the market and found out what is a pastry (he was unaware of it) and bought it. Of course in the end, both grandpa and grandchild were happy.

Phone and missed calls

2010-01-19T09:22:00.005+05:30

In the last two months, my phone is not on silent mode - but in the Normal profile of it, I keep volume Zero and check the phone once in 2-3 hours to see the call log, and if I missed any call will usually call back only if required or call and ask! My cousins and some friends have already started abusing me for this habit. I got up early this morning at 6.30 as I had to go to the railway station to receive my Dad's cousin coming from Delhi. Coincidentally one of my classmate from FTII was also in the same train with loads of luggage for relocation! He informed me through text that the train is before time, so I rushed soon and entered the station without a platform ticket (as there was a huge line for other reservation tickets, hence skipped it)!!
Much later, back home at around 9.00am, I checked the phone to see a missed call from unknown number, after calling and trying to find out who it is trying to understand the gaavTee Marathi accent... that manoos replies "Missed call aala hota ka, chukun aala asel"!! I felt like giving him 'kaana khaali' for such an answer...

Kurbaan... waste of time!

2009-11-22T11:41:00.030+05:30

Kurbaan was like watching New York again. What a waste of my vetti time last night at Inox!
Wondering what will that SRK fellow do in 'My Name is Khan' to make it different.
Got to catch up with two more movies this week... Sukhaanth (Marathi) and the hyped 2012 for VFX only!

Watched 'Whats your Rashee' - liked it for the marriage/astrology related jokes/aspects (true to some extent)!!
I have to watch 'Kaminey' as well this week (managed to get DivX of both these movies from cousin K).
Apart from this am tired of burning DVDs, I have already burned about 200 gig of English movies in the past 6 months... and have 100 something more to be burnt... and my Dad is behaving like a kid, today morning his dialogue was - "Why are the movies lying just like that in your hard-disk? Give them to me in DVDs." I told him that the DVD-Writer is not functioning (some reason), and he was ready to fund to buy a new writer the next moment. He never gave such an instant-reaction (How I wish he had !!) when I asked him to buy me that Camlin 0.5 lead pencil instead of the regular Apsara-black some 15 yrs back.

Ya Allah - The Laya Project

2009-11-17T20:28:00.013+05:30

This was the first song I ever heard in Tamil-language about 'Allah' - I have this track as part of The Laya Project album for over a year now. This song is also included in the album 'Nagore Sessions' released few months back, both albums are by Earthsync Productions. Location of recording is the Nagore Dargah in Nagapattinam (TN), India. Nagore was one of the places affected by Tsunami in Dec 2004. Another song available is The Saint, from the album Nagore Sessions.

Know more about THE LAYA PROJECT :-)

I was to visit Andaman Islands in Dec 2004 (from 20th - 28th) with my family. We were late in making plans, and could not do bookings for accommodation, even Mom could not find help with SBI guest houses. So we dropped the idea of going there, and had visited Rajasthan (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Ajmer, Mount Abu) and later landed in Ahmadabad at my Dad's cousin's place for few days (this was from 12th to 22nd Dec). My bro flew back to his base Hyderabad (then) and on way back to Pune from Ahmedabad with my parents, I made a decision midway to get down at Kalyan and went off to Thane on 22nd Dec... and on 23rd December,visited Titwala (after 10 years) along with my cousin bro and his family! The Ghoda-gaadi rides enjoyed after long, and more-so nephews enjoyed it a lot. On 24th morning, headed to Powai to attend Mood Indigo at IIT, where my college friends had already arrived... It was fun for two days at Powai... and on 26th morning... tired and almost dead I traveled in a Lal Dibba (ST Bus) towards Pune... had no clue that Tsunami happened down South and in other countries throughout the journey... only after reaching home at noon 12, I got to know about it!! Rest .. whole world knows!!

Abbey - Aye Sanam Mere

2009-11-17T18:18:00.006+05:30

Abbey - This singer gave this hit song in 1999 and later sang Khallas with Asha Bhosle (in Company) and then disappeared !!
He also performed the song Todenge Phodenge with Vedic Chant in Channel [V] Jammin' series.

Those days of music on MAGNASOUND (a record label) and BMG Crescendo: What songs they were!!!

2012 - hype!

2009-11-15T17:01:00.019+05:30

This weekend the movie 2012 released in India. The world will end in that year - many researchers claim, so does the movie.
My chacha's son K has come to visit home back in Pune on vacation. He is working in Kochi, and its his first year of work experience. He came to my home two days back, and my dear retired banker mother was helping him planning his finances and stuff. Discussions were about IT-Returns, PF Deductions, Investments, etc. Here is what followed :
Mom : What is your thought about extending your LIC Policy?
K : Periamma, lets think about it after 2012..!!

of Exams and Answers

2009-11-13T18:19:00.006+05:30

One of my friends recently started teaching 'Physics' at Fergusson after doing his MS from UK till he gets into research elsewhere. Here is what he has to say...

It bought back memories of how I used to write some answers. During my Final semester (University) exams of BSc, in the Electronics-I (Analog) paper, there were ten questions for one mark each. One of the questions was "Make a note about Johnson's counter." I had not studied much for the subject, rather not even heard of such a counter term before. I ended up writing - "It was a counter invented by Johnson, hence its called Johnson Counter" and the actual definition here at Wiki.

College fun - reliving it !!

2009-11-12T16:25:00.021+05:30

This is how my batch / current batch and generations to come will bitch about Math lectures at various Department's. I had also attended few Math lectures in First year with the Wrangler Department. Bitching is what we all do in the end - see below!

Regardless of the bitching, am thankful to this place where I made good friends and had a couple of good teachers too (very rare). We also patronize the the non-teaching staff (check the pic and comments in the URL). Thus the 50th post of my blog is dedicated to FERGUSSON COLLEGE and this is the college's 125th academic year since establishment in 1885.

Maa - Sagarika - Video

2009-11-11T20:01:00.004+05:30

I had blogged sometime last year about the song Maa by Sagarika- streaming its audio!
Found its video on YouTube now

So many years have been spent searching for it ... finally!!

Marathi manoos

2009-11-09T19:53:00.025+05:30

Mee aazz Marathi bhaasha'pratee maajhe vichaar blog karat aahe!!

Every Indian state has this craziness or a set of white-clad men wanting to impose the local language. I think - one would learn or speak a language only if they are comfortable with it or along with a set of people who understand it. As a third-generation (3G) Punekar, I speak Marathi as good as my mother-tongue Tamizh. In fact, I started to respect my mother-tongue more after I met Kaushal through my cousin 3 years back, knowing his respect and love for his mother tongue - Marathi. He was the first person I called up after watching 'Mi Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy', as it reminded me of his passion for Marathi. I like the language Marathi as much as I hate being called a Madrasi by any non-Tamilian friend (Want to avoid usage of 'North Indian' term). I always explain to them (patiently) that Madras is not my native. I am not saying this because of the 'Marathi manoos' wave around, me or my ancestors were not forced to speak, we ourselves spoke it.

My paternal grandmother came to Pune after getting married from a remote village in TN. Till her last day, she did not know to speak Hindi - but only Tamil and Marathi.
My mother also belonged to TN, and learned Marathi after landing in Pune, with help of her colleagues.
As a child, I was not exposed to Hindi much - I knew more Tamil and Marathi (Fusion of both rather) until we moved to Devlali for few years and that was an Army area, where most families hailed from North India and spoke Hindi. To gel around, I had to take interest in speaking Hindi. When I visited Bangalore in 2007, the Cauvery water issue was on and there were bandhs - I was warned by my relatives to not speak in Tamizh (even to an auto-rickshaw driver) but instead say you are a Maharashtrian and speak Marathi if any trouble arises.

Ultimately, its about survival. I will always survive this wave of 'Marathi manoos' cos I know Marathi, I feel bad for the others who are being forced into it against their will. I have always told people who get into North-South debates, that 'South Indians are ignorant and North Indians are arrogant' - and more so, its the intolerance towards other culture or language. In school, we were taught that India is an example of 'Unity in Diversity'. The reality being - all states doing nothing unitedly. The politicians of this country are not a result of the people. The (cynic) state of the people today is the result of our politicians.

of Birthdays and Anniversaries

2009-11-06T09:19:00.033+05:30

Just awake at 8.40AM, was checking GMail on phone - and also got a call from cousin's wife.
SIL : Got up yet or not ?
Me : Just up, whats up with you?
SIL : When is Mummy's birthday?
Me : Whose Mummy? (considering my mom, her mom, her MIL)
SIL : My mother-in-law rey! I know something is in November, birthday or anniversary
Me : Anniversary to my knowledge is in the month of May
SIL : Then birthday only - wondering if its today... do not know!
Me : Am not very sure, let me ask my Dad
(Dad not in scene, I go and ask my mother who replies its not today, but someday in month end)
Me : Its on 'so n so' November, as per my mom!
SIL : Sure?

Me : I think yes, as Athimber (my uncle, her FIL) was saying something like 'during her birthday' when I mentioned about the lift getting ready for new flat in Nov end last weekend in Thane. (Land line phone starts ringing at SIL end and call dropped).
Most of our generation folks have Facebook to keep reminded of others birthdays.
Wonder how those without access to these social networking sites keep it in memory.

Baul Music and more

2009-11-04T00:18:00.019+05:30

Okay, my post on Iktara song by Kavita Seth led to posting many links/songs that use the instrument. It is one of the best instruments I've seen someone play at a concert in Jul 2007 at Chennai! I got introduced to Baul Music through Joy Da sometime in early 2006 - I liked the music. Most songs were in Bengali language and I could get the lyrics as I had many friends from Calcutta while studying at Fergusson! Here is a complete information on Baul Music

http://sacred-songs.blogspot.com/2007/06/baul.html
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071118/asp/calcutta/story_8559828.asp

Years passed have passed by, and my interest in sounds and music has gone deep. I love sounds of instruments like morsing, konakkol, ek-tara, du-tara, sarangi and more! An instrument I want to learn someday by self is called as 'Kottanguchi' in Tamil (do not know the Hindi/English equaivalent). It is the instrument which usually people of Rajasthan play and sell too - here is picture of the same. I was a college student when my parents, brother and I visited Jodhpur in Dec 2004 and they thought like many other interests - music was a 'temporary' interest to me and did not buy me that instrument. They never expected me to reach the stage I am in today. Some friends don't even bother to talk about mainstream film music knowing my taste in music. I have the CDs of The Laya Project - want to own the video/making DVD sometime! Kaushal's Rain Raga concert was another experience last year - right from sound-check to meeting the artistes in person, especially George Brooks and discuss little about Jan Garbarek!! Rudresh Mahanthappa is another artiste whose albums am looking for (not available for sale in India).

The song 'Kashmakash' by Alms For Shanti is one of my all time favorite - more so for the lyrics and the way its been sung.
The English version of the song 'Varanasi Trail' is also available on YouTube.

The Mumbai weekend !

2009-11-03T10:40:00.024+05:30

It was a weekend in Mumbai - My parents were in Vashi for a wedding and I was in Thane on Saturday for my nephew's birthday. In the afternoon we went shopping to Big Bazaar (one of the stores I hate like anything for the crowd at billing) for picking up a jeans to go with a T-shirt I bought for him from Pune. After shopping, I was destined to watch the movie Aladin with 4 kids (2 nephews, and 2 of their friends) and SIL J. I almost slept after interval and woke up to a dreadful voice of one of the female singers in the climax song. My elder nephew (13) said what crap movie it is - how can Amitabh (an old man) perform such stunts. The other three-kids enjoyed the movie it seems. I am still wondering what the movie was about - I have no words to express. This October - I've watched 5 Bollywood movies (a rare feat which my close friends will be surprised at). Later in the evening was the typical cake-cutting followed by dinner at a nearby restaurant. Was almost dead at night.

Next morning, I opted to go to Vashi. I took a bus from CIDCO Bus Stop in Thane. In all - the 6 "Ladies seats" were occupied by youngsters. One lady come and stood beside me, she must have been 65+ years old. None of the youngsters got up to let the old woman sit and even seats meant for senior citizens were occupied by other men. Initially I thought - why should I give my seat - I am dead tired etc. - but don't know, I offered my seat to her. She was hesitant - but I insisted. The stop for the old lady came after some half hour at Airoli Naka. She got up and told me something which I did not hear as I was standing thinking about some other stuff. I asked her "Kya?" ("What") - and she said "Thank you very much beta" with a wide smile and appreciation. It was something I did not expect - I offered my seat to her by choice, not that she requested me for it. I replied to her "You're welcome Ma'am" and her smile made my day. After about 40 minutes more, I reached the Vashi Depot and walked towards the wedding hall (Jhulelal Temple, very close to Depot).

The wedding was of Mr. R - brother of my SIL M. My mother was representation of her MIL at the wedding, as my aunt - her original MIL deceased about four-decades ago. I reached there around 10AM, post-muhurtam time and many folks out there were surprised to see me (most of them assumed I won't attend it). After all family gossips, lunch etc. around 12PM, at the time we were leaving - my SIL said to Mom "I'm waiting to come to Pune, am all-trained on how for conducting/ arranging wedding-work stuff". To me it sounded like - "I have finished the internship at my bro's wedding and want to start practicing soon - maybe at a wedding in Pune??". I knew things were pointing out to me, I raised a question in my mischievous tone 'Whose wedding' and there was a laughter in the room. I told her am not going to give an opportunity so soon (LOL). Then started the usual 'get married / click' dialogues which was in a friendly manner than what usual aunts do (thankfully).

My parents and I took a crowded bus from Vashi to Panvel (long route via MIDC areas) with two luggage's - it was a tough one indeed and then luckily got into an Asiad bus of Thane-Pune from there. I realized later it would have been easier to have gone to Chembur and taken a bus from there instead of Panvel. Anyway, we all came back home in one-piece (pun intended).

Waving finally!!

2009-10-30T20:45:00.003+05:30

Yeah! Finally got in to Google Wave...

Fruit & Nut

2009-10-24T23:08:00.051+05:30

Hilarious movie - no story, but script has satire and slapstick humor - worth the money I spent for a Sat night show!

Cyrus plays the innocent Parsi boy who turns hero overnight, Diya is the aamchi-Mumbai girl who falls for him later. Mahesh Manjrekar as the boss and chairman of Mumbai Heritage Society, he is fun throughout the movie, and best is when he speaks something weird in English and then translates to Hindi. He reminded me of a relative who'd usually talk something weird in English, and later translate it to Tamil on what he meant. Some examples - Got Saved Brother-in-Law (Bach Gaya Saala), Hit Giving You or Relief Giving You (Maar Diya Jaaye Ya Chhod Diya Jaaye)!! Rajat Kapoor comes as professor to make a bomb, and when the remote button does not work - he claims he has done PhD in Chemistry and not Electronics. His role is of a gay (by looks in the movie), one of his lines to Mahesh (wearing shorts) is "Thodi waxing karwa lena, baal ug gaye hai..."!! Boman plays role of a Maharaja wanting his ancestral palace possession from BMC, with a punch line - Nashta kiya? Breakfast.

On-time Pizza delivery, Mumbai beggars, RAW agent, killer duo Salim-Sulaiman - who are actually two men aged 70+ from Dubai doing hit-man job. There is a joke for all and pun throughout the script. Brilliantly funny - in the league of Bharat Dabholkar's movie God Only Knows for satire humor. The movie is a laughter riot from the start, and Mahesh's lines are wacky!

Good cinematography of Bombay town-side in one of the songs - recalled how I was clicking snaps of the same places in Jan 2008 when I got the Fuji S700 camera. Noticed during the starting credits that Tapas has done the background score for the movie! Also noticed other familiar names - Sangeet Haldipur, Amar Haldipur, Gino Banks and few more in end credits!

The film's length is 94 minutes. In all - we were about 10-12 people in the backseats at Inox. During the first song of the movie, after some 20 minutes - a huge Gujarati family came in with a total of about 35-40 members - old men, women, young men, women, children and toddlers. They took about 10 minutes to settle down and 3-4 of them started commenting 'arey picture rewind karo bhai', then some commented '190 ka ticket liya hai, film poora dekhne do' and after 20 more minutes came the interval. Am sure they were not allowed to bring their 'farsaan' and sweets to the theater to eat, and don't know how much they would have spent in the interval for food, for tickets itself - 190x 40 people. . . Recession - think about it?!

Shehnai

2009-10-21T17:37:00.005+05:30

For most Indians - 'Shehnai' instrument reminds one of the great musician, Late Ustad Bismillah Khan. I thank my friend Deb for mailing me the link to the BBC Documentary of Khan saab!! I remember seeing this documentary last when Khan saab deceased, on Doordarshan.

As an avid lover of classical-folk-world music for the past 5 years, I feel bad that many documentaries are shot by foreigners or foreign news channels - who understand the worth of our music. The link Deb sent me has other documentaries of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan saab also - they play the Sarod instrument. At the same time, I know Doordarshan is having access to scores of music archives and treasures - I hope my aspirations to get into FTII works-out well and later entry to such places will give me the chance to explore more of the treasure, yes - music is treasure for me!

The most recent time I heard Shehnai music being played, was at a temple in the early morning at 6AM on 21st Sept. As a teenager - even I was against this music-types when anyone decided to play this at the reception of the weddings of my cousins in early 1990's and would demand for film songs along with other cousins in vain. I hardly recall any wedding in the recent years -even Marathi weddings - where they play 'Shehnai' music! Its all DJ Music and what not! Sad state.

Iktara - song from Wake Up Sid

2009-10-21T06:33:00.032+05:30

The first time I heard this song was on Radio while driving to city area to checkout some furniture. The song was enjoyable with the traffic in Laxmi Road. The song in the movie is sung by Kavita Seth is featured in the movie a favorite for many - am sure about it. Kavita is not a very popular 'Bollywood' singer - but she is well-known in the Sufi circuit, and is part of a sufi-group called Karwaan. More details found here.

Thanks to a friend, I chanced on the male version of the song Iktara - its sung by Tochi Raina. I did not know who this singer is, looks like a new-comer from one of the reality shows. Its at YouTube. Looks like there are 5 more songs by Amit Trivedi unreleased for the movie - http://www.planetradiocity.com/musicreporter/news.php?newscatid=1&newsid=1465

One of the singers I know told that she had called up Amit Trivedi (composer-arranger) of this song and congratulated him for choosing an off-beat singer like Kavita, than a predictable Shreya. This led to discussion of how the 'choice of singer' is important for any song: Alisha Chinai had almost lost her 'famous' tag and it was read somewhere that she was paid INR 15K for the song 'Kajra Re' from Bunty aur Bubli movie. A Shreya or Sunidhi would have charged easily 50-60K+ for the same - but the charm of the song would have been lost. Alisha made more money later by doing stage-shows singing Kajra Re.

Talking of Alisha, reminds me not many would have heard Alisha sing 'Babul Mora Naihar' with Dr. L Subramaniam accompanying her on the violin (the song is well-known to be a KL Saigal classic). Try to get hold of it, I do not know from which album it is - but its a rare and worth a listen. I got the track few years back from either Hari/Deb (either one of them).

Festive dialogue

2009-10-17T07:14:00.008+05:30

Typical diwali morning - Get up early, take bath and then wear new clothes and the phone starts ringing and STD calls are dialed - Its the same tape recorder dialogue from and to relatives every Diwali : Ganga snaanam aacha?

Till about a decade ago when we stayed in some other area of the city, where scores of relatives and family friends also stay - I remember parents used to take us to many relatives place and this dialogue used to be uttered.

Happy Diwali to all readers, and add that dialogue mentioned above if applicable.

This is the third and last time

2009-10-15T12:08:00.010+05:30

I have watched 2 Bollywood films in the last week (hard to believe myself) - one was Do Knot Disturb at Fame (VijayMamta-Nasik) and the other one is Wake Up Sid at Fame (Inorbit-Malad). The former had usual double-meaning jokes - after all its a David Dhawan movie - some scenes did appear to be flicked from Panchatantiram (a tamil Movie). The latter is a time pass movie, watchable - Konkana steals the show as always.

I was made to listen to songs of Whats Your Rashee so much at home and in the car while driving with that I got those songs downloaded to my computer as well in Pune. I haven't watched that movie yet and do not know if am going to end up watching it - but my little nephews and niece in Devlali know to tell exactly which Rashee comes in which stanza of the title song - brilliant.

In Thane now, did take lessons on how to operate the Remotes for DTH and LCD together, when I asked him how it worked again ;-) , the younger nephew got back to me in one sentence - 'See, I have told this two times now - this is the third and last time I will teach you - don't come and ask me again'.

I have another post which will be up during Diwali on songs during my driving experience from Nasik to Pune.

My first time

2009-10-13T13:44:00.004+05:30

Am in Pune today (rather came to Pune) to cast my vote and I did it !

I spent most of last week at Devlali in Nasik! Leaving to Mumbai in the evening today.
Lots of travel update to be done sometime on blog.

Time Flies

2009-10-06T09:22:00.018+05:30

Went to the office last evening to meet the HR to do some settlements and talks. Waited for 90 minutes (she told she'd get to me in 20 minutes though) and then she asked me to come tomorrow noon. Any HR species out here reading this - why are you folks like this ??? None the less, I enjoyed the ride back home - getting drenched in the rains along with inhaling the smell of petrol at traffic jams, see rainbow color structures in the water puddles caused due to vehicle emissions - nothing beats that!

Successfully completed a quarter-century according to Tamizh calendar today. Thirteen years ago, a day before (yesterday yaar) - I lost my status of being the youngest in my maternal family when my niece was born. Now - my niece is a teenager, time really flies!! Gen next is growing up smarter - I face generation gap and am on the receiving end.

The 32 inch monster arrived home last night - tried figuring out how it works in vain, and spent an hour now again in vain. Tried to watch Mammo on it somehow at night - The DVD audio plays, video shows no signal. My nephews (aged 12 and 9) earlier this year tried their best to make me understand how the LCD TV and Dish TV box work together - only to know that I got confused between the remote control operations. And now I haven't understood how the LCD TV bought at home works still. I also recall one incident at Citi Center mall of Chennai in Feb 2007, when XBox 360 was just launched in India - my cousin (aged 37 then) was trying to play the games, and I was also standing beside and trying to do same from my end. Two kids came from behind (of age 6-7) and told my cousin - "Uncle, I will teach you how to play".

Now I know how it feels (generation gap) - when I tell or point out to Dad not knowing up-to date stuff.
Travel is on charts, going to Nasik tomorrow and will be back on Monday, and next week, might mostly travel to Bombay (western suburbs) - will try to make a visit to Thane as well and take some lessons from my nephews.

EDIT : Updated at 12:07PM - I finally managed to get video output from my Hard-disk \:D/ and the DVD Player too (the latter was not possible so far due to a silly loose-contact in cables provided by the manufacturer (and that made me feel so much about generation gap and all - though that is also true to some extent when it comes to Dish Tv and all :P )

(Only some selected files are playing, need to verify file formats etc.). Check the picture of MSS Kurai Ondrum Illai playing on screen. Hard-Disk marked in Red at LEFT-bottom.

Vasacha Payala - Rain Raga concert

2009-10-03T18:46:00.012+05:30

Last week, I uploaded a video to YouTube - which I had recorded in July last year. The song is in Marathi - Vasacha Payala, composed and sung by Kaushal. One of the best concerts I attended - sitting right in front of the stage to get the captures for photos and videos (what an experience), in spite of having the ticket of highest rate for the concert (LOL). Thanks to the performers, especially Kaushal and Hamsi (my cousin), I had privilege of attending a wonderful multilingual fusion concert.

Theme concert 'Rain Raga' was held at Ishanya Mall's Amphi Theater in Pune on 26th Jul 2008. Performers at the concert were:

Louiz Banks (Keyboards), George Brooks (Saxophone), Rupak Kulkarni (Flute), Gino Banks (Percussions), Sheldon D'Silva (Bass Guitar), Ravindra Chari (Sitar), Vinayak Netke (Tabla), Rafiq Bhai (Sarangi) , Sanjeev Chimmalgi and Hamsika Iyer (Vocals), Kaushal Inamdar (Vocals, Music Composer)

Additional Links :

Kaushal's performance of Vasacha Payala, at Sa Re Ga Ma Pa (Marathi) show
Kaushal's performance of Mann Tu Paar, at Sa Re Ga Ma Pa (Marathi) show
The performance of the song 'bolaTo marathi' seems to be removed - its a gem!

This post was due to be published yesterday (2nd Oct) for Kaushal's birthday.
Wish you the best mitra - your music has been and is always special with the personal touch you add to it.

Raining resignations

2009-10-03T06:40:00.015+05:30

Writing this post sitting at work breaking the Symantec Firewall (yeah, I know to do that).
Got to know that 75 people have resigned yesterday. WOW.
I have 1 more day to go to complete my notice period !

Packing Phase-1

2009-10-01T12:12:00.004+05:30

Golu stuff taken back to the boxes, including the guests who come every year and the ones stacked up in the show case of living room for 8 years now. The showcase is almost empty now, except for one shelf - where all the various God paper posters have been stacked/piled - they'll remain there. I consider this as packing-phase 1 for the move to be done.

The picture here is of a fruit and vegetable set which has been a part of the showcase for last 9 years at the current residence, and earlier only for Golu at Rastapeth residence. According to Dad, this was purchased (quantity: 2) by Meena Paati at a cost of Rs. 20/- per set from Sawantwadi near Goa in 1951 (same time around when he was born).
Some more clicks taken (selective) : Flickr set : Golu 2009

Another antique piece (not from Golu) : Eagle shape liquor bottle.

There are currently two of these species remaining, one at our home in Pune and the other one is with Vasi Athai in Trichy. Appa told that there was a set of such rare bottles - which Shriram (my eldest cousin) broke them in the late 1970's (I guess, gotta confirm with Dad) and got thrashed badly by Somu Thatha !!! The Eagle bottle did not break in that whole set . . . it survived.

The name Meena Periamma/Paati has evoked a nostalgic response at Facebook, with Pallankudi and Daaya'kattai coming into reference as well. Great memories, the last time I recall playing Daaya'kattai was in Sep 2006 at K Athai's place in Bombay, before that I don't recall at all. I think I should arrange for a Daaya'kattai tournament for my elder cousins during house-warming function of new home (whenever that happens).

Happened to shoot a pigeon from the balcony sometime last week (hope Menaka Gandhi does not put me behind bars for this). Pictures at Flickr set : Kabootar

Last weekend while making rounds for checking out TV/Furniture and all blah blah - I managed to get the V.Shantaram movies collection in 98 bucks at Crossword - 2 DVDS having the movies : Do Aankhen Barah Haath, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli, Navrang, Sehra and Pinjra. Looking forward to watching all of them soon!

An unusual Saturday noon

2009-09-26T16:02:00.018+05:30

I entered home at 11AM from office this morning, not even removed my footwear and was drinking water, Dad says - we have to buy a LCD TV this Diwali - 32 or 40 inch! I remember him saying the same last year and I had denied that we did not need one, knowing that he had just got done with cataract treatment then.
(Strange ways of life: When I was a teenager, few years we had no Cable TV, I remember me and bro always pleading for one, and I ended up in knowing tricks on how to steal the connection then. For about two years now, whenever my Dad plans to buy anything new - he consults me, and I denied to the idea of LCD TV knowing that it will be a headache for Amma when he keeps watching the old English movies I download/ the DVDs I or my bro buy.)

This year end, might move to the new home and need a new TV there, so I have agreed. Hopefully today or tomorrow, will make a trip to Vijay Sales at Sadhu Vaswani Chowk with Dad. The last time we purchased a TV was 2002 Diwali and Paati (my late granny) was so happy then to get a free vacuum cleaner with that (which occupies a corner at home now, and comes in use once a while or so - and whoever takes it out is the scapegoat to clean more than expected.)

This afternoon was bliss with my head on 'Amma madi' after long and Dad going through the newspapers beside. Dad read out aloud 'Tower speakers' and I said 'that is the only thing remaining' now, speakers is needed and I know that Altec Lansing 2.1 or 5.1 is enough and I can set it up by myself !! Then Mom starts 'I read somewhere that LCD TV operates on high power, electricity bill ka kya hoga'. Dad says - 'Who is gonna watch it that much?' and I answer - 'YOU, Who else?' I asked Amma if she wants speakers to be fitted in the kitchen, to which she replied she'd settle in the balcony as her personal peaceful place then.

Am awaiting results of FTII entrance for sound and TV engineering still, and mom knows if I get through - Dad will only ask for more movies! I hope I reach destination - FTII !

I got my election ID card today, 4-5 years after applying for it. Mera bharat mahaan.

Time for Navaratri

2009-09-19T20:22:00.016+05:30

This was a picture shot at a procession in BT Kawade Road around 7.30PM
More pictures at Navaratri 2009

Golu and Sundal is what comes to mind when its Navaratri.
There is lots of nostalgia associated - it was fun to make park-themes, grocery store of Chettair bommais etc. and arrange the clay-toys stuff along with brother and Paati (Granny, miss her lots) ranting and instructing don't do this or that. The Marapaachi bommais and the other clay-toys are up in their once-a-year domain shelf since last night. Will post pictures of those at Flickr in coming days.

Had kesari-vadai in the noon today after return from work - thanks to Amma. There will be in-flow of Maami's coming-going for next 9 days! Abuse the stomach the sundal varieties by visiting different homes.
Was supposed to be in Bangalore since yesterday evening and go to another religious destination from there for Navaratri festivities with relatives, but due to constraint of no-leave at work, I had to cancel it.

What is more special today? I put my papers down at work.
Read somewhere: Every destination is the starting point for the next goal and goals need to change with reference to time.

Rita (Marathi movie)

2009-09-17T21:01:00.015+05:30

RITA - Saw this film today finally, two weeks after its release!
Highlights of the movie - its directed by Renuka Shahane, screenplay is also by her. Its Jackie Shroff's debut in the Marathi film world, and a powerful (award-winning caliber types) performance of the lead character by Pallavi Joshi (of Zee Antakshri fame, she is the host). The film also has Mohan Agashe, Suhasini Mulay, Makarand Deshpande, Tushar Dalvi and Renuka Shahane herself in significant roles.

The reviews of this movie have been so tremendous, so I decided to watch it. The movie is based on a novel 'Rita Welinkar' by Smt. Shanta Gokhale (Renuka's mother), and the movie is about the same persona as the novel title. The story or plot is very common - about ups and downs in the life of a girl right from childhood, about relationships, love, possessiveness, care for others etc. It is something we see almost every now and then. The movie goes on until she ends up in realization of living a life for herself than others, after a mild nervous breakdown in her relationship with a married man!

Background score is by Taufiq Qureshi. I noticed that in the credentials during the start, and also noticed that there are vocals by Pandit Uday Bhawalkar, Geetika Varde ( Taufiq's wife), and Taufiq himself. Great score, and the songs were brilliant. Uday Bhawalkar's haunting voice has always been in mind after the soundtrack of Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. Geetika Varde's vocals is magical as usual (like her 'Nand' raag rendition from Rhydhun album) - giving the movie the Hindustani music ala Sawai touch to Aaamchi Pune. The last song which comes in the movie - is what life is about - sung by Uday Bhawalkar - the lyrics go as "Yaa Jeevanacha Asaach Kaahi Aahe - Kadhi Asa Aahe - Kadhi Tasa Aahe" meaning "Life is uncertain like this only - sometimes like this and sometimes like that". (Hope I get the soundtrack of this movie from somewhere, or at least this song)

Best part was I watched this movie at Mangala, a screen in the heart of the city - near to the Pune Municipal Corporation bus-stand. I visited this screen after four-years. It was a delight to see the senior citizens and true-blue Marathi charm around - exactly what Pune is about - reminded me of early 1990's before moving to Nasik for few years! Absolutely loved that - I think to experience more of the old Pune charm, I should start watching Marathi movies at Prabhat talkies in Appa Balwant Chowk :D

RELATED LINKS : A review from from Sulekha.com

Retrogressive progression

2009-09-13T01:48:00.002+05:30

The most wonderful thing in the world would be to wipe out language, with all its traces. To break up sentences into phrases, phrases into words, words into alphabets, and alphabets into sounds. There will then be no explaining (unwittingly distorting) the spoken or written word, no getting into the minutest details of its ever varying connotations, no means to fabricate, exaggerate, pontificate and obliterate, no tool to complicate truisms that, if left alone, would be clearly seen and understood by even a child. Life wouldn’t be a careful assortment of lies then; it would be life.

Gulaal : The Color and Spirit

2009-09-03T19:19:00.002+05:30

Dedicated to Chennai

2009-02-25T01:46:00.013+05:30

Recently, I bought an album called 'Mazhaithuli' by Prana - The Band which has a song called 'Chennai Geetham'. The song only reminds me of the year 2007 spent in that city... This song being repeatedly played for about the 25th time, while I post this!

To start with : I was a Chennai-hater right from childhood, but my work-life had its second gear in that city, and it taught me to live by myself with whatever I earned (that experience taught me to value money ). Each city has its plus and minus... In the name of work, I enjoyed the culture and music concerts apart from being questioned at times about my Brahmin accent (annoying enough) or stared many times for the North Indian attitude I had - can't help that as am totally bred outside TN.

I made many acquaintances, and I still maintain contacts with friends who were with me through thick and thin, and few of them are friends for lifetime. What I miss ...

Kalakshetra colony - where I lived, and obviously Besant Nagar beach
The sounds of 'ghungroo' in early morning around 4AM from the Koothambalam Auditorium of Kalakshetra Foundation where students used to practice their dance!
Aarupadai Veedu Murugan kovil - Though am not a religous person, I spent an hour in this temple every evening listening to the waves of the sea nearby
At home feeling and quality time with few friends who became family!
Concerts at Music Academy or any Sabha - be it the recitals, or the gossips oldies usually have there about the 'tiffin', 'coffee' or saree-jewelry of the female vocalists!
Riding my MH-12 registered vehicle from Bessie upto Anna Nagar and returning back
Orphanage visits and some random OI meets whenever I attended them!

Much more than this, but some things in life exist for limited time only!

Old jingles

2009-01-03T22:50:00.005+05:30

Some late 1990's hindi songs I was listening to, I found this jingle of one of the songs at end.
Voltas Max Clean Washing Machine

Another good jingle, found this in a Girija Devi's Hindustani recital CD.
Allwyn refrigerator

Hawa-Paani aur Sandaas

2008-08-05T16:09:00.006+05:30

Seen at a petrol bunk in Nasik Road

The arrows do give a wrong impression...

I'd give you better shave than a Gillette

2008-06-29T16:02:00.008+05:30

Taken at Rasta Peth, where thousands of Warkari halt for a day on their way to Pandharpur.

The 'warkari' tagged photo stream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/spacejunk/tags/warkari/

Maa - Sagarika

2008-06-01T23:14:00.008+05:30

I managed to find out the cassette of this album 'Maa' at some random store luckily some one and half years back, and converted it to MP3.

Last year, there was a television serial which came out by the name of 'Meri Awaz Ko Mil Gayi Roshni' on Star Plus, it had seven songs written by veteran Nida Fazli, and one of them was 'Maa' by Hamsika Iyer (of Chanda Re fame).

Incidentally, even the song 'Maa' by Sagarika has lyrics by veteran Nida Fazli. Happened to hear it today after a long time, and thought of posting it on the blog. This song will remain always close to any child's heart :-)

Streaming audio of the song here -

Alternative link - since Odeo Multimedia player is down.

Tried typing out the lyrics... (hope its right)

Dhoop mein chhaya jaisi
Pyaas mein nadiya jaisi
Tan mein jeevan jaise
Mann mein darpan jaise
Haath dua waale
Roshan kare ujaale
Phool ke jaise shabnam
Saans mein jaise sargam
Prem ki murat daya ki surat
Aisi aur kahaan hai - Jaise meri maa hai ??

Jahaan mein andhera chaaye
Woh deepak ban jaaye
Jab bhi kabhi raat jagaaye
Woh sapnaa ban jaaye
Andar neer bahaaye
Baahar se muskaaye
Kaaya bharta paavan se
Nakhra mera man jaise
Jiski darshan mein ho bhagwan
Aisi aur kahaan hai - Jaise meri maa hai?

For the credits of this song, I can recall Ganesh and Kumaresh for violin, and Naveen for flute.

Gods are cartoons?

2008-05-27T16:16:00.009+05:30

Recently happened to watch a trailer of yet another Indian animated toon movie about Gautam Buddha, after the ones on Hanuman, Ganesha, Krishna, Ramayana and Mahabharata series and don't know how many more are there.

There might not be many parents in India with who are very religious these days, so their kids are bound to be religious to a less extent that what they are today. Religious over here generally means - going to temples often, or be god-fearing and all the usual 'rituals' one does.

I remember one of my cousin's 5-year old kid asking if there were temples for BatMAN, and the reason for his curiosity was so because there were many temples for HanuMAN. Considering this question asked sometime in 2005 and the current rate at which Hindu mythology gods are going animated, the smart kids of today would be left with no choice but to think that 'gods are cartoons' (pun intended).

Personally, I won't comment on my religious quotient - which must be something very less than even 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000001. Well... we seem to be digressing.

EDIT:
A friend of mine says that in our childhood days - we had Amar Chitra Katha. And now its toons on the televesion. I totally agree that is transition of technology - but still reading a comic and watching a cartoon has different impressions on kids, psychologically.

Mera 'Media' Mahaan

2008-04-28T17:40:00.002+05:30

Was just watching the news at 5.30pm on CNN-IBN.

The first headline begins with Harbhajan Singh 'slap' controversy and the last one being ISRO's perfect 10 launch of PSLV-C9, so is the sequence of news details.

Wonder - how a two-day old 'slap' story becomes more important than the hard-work of the scientists who strive to bring India into the R&D scene of space and technology on world-map?

C-R-A-S-H-E-D or C-R-U-S-H-E-D

2008-04-26T12:19:00.014+05:30

These are pictures I took few minutes back, location is somewhere opposite the Shamsheer Sports Ground (belonging to Army) in Ghorpuri. When I crossed this area in the morning around 4.30AM towards work, the police were verifying it. After an hour or two of returning home from work, around 12PM - I went to the spot to take snaps, there was one guy in the public who told that he crossed the same area at around 4AM, and nothing of this sort had happened. Seems it has happened between the half an hour time.

This area primarily belongs to the Army, they have been letting out this road to civilians since last few years due to lots of requests from municipal corporation and other companies nearby. They would have never expected that an accident of such intensity would take place!!

There are no details as such so far, the vehicle front view in the snap above, seeing the intensity of the accident - I don't think there are any survivors. It does not seem to be a call center cab, but a tourist vehicle of MH 03 Registration (Mumbai ??). If et all it had been a call center cab, it would have been in the headlines for the next few weeks without fail.

Find more photos at FlickR - http://www.flickr.com/photos/spacejunk/tags/accident/

Market trend - Coaching classes for HSC

2008-04-21T02:17:00.007+05:30

The next academic year 2008-09, my cousin K is taking a plunge into the so-called dreaded HSC board exams (popularly known as PUC in South India). The usual drama of attending coaching classes for the same is a trend which began in late 90's in my family started by my elder brother. And as and when opinions were asked by family members which and what and whose class, I suggested him to be enrolled in a class conducted in Pune Camp area by his college's Physics professor. I studied in the same college as K, so got a chance to meet Sir for the second or third time in the past one year's time after Oct 2007.

This discussion happened in the month of Feb 2008, where Sir told me on how the 'current market' of 12th standard coaching is, and why very few professors are into serious teaching than making money.

One of the most renowned private schools in Pune (Hint: A school in Pune which boasts of 100% results for past 25+ years), happened to start a junior college for science and commerce some four years back. For more business - there is some private coaching institute also for science stream by them since last year. Sir was approached by this institute to teach Physics. I am also told, that one of my relatives, a renowned Maths coacher in Pune was approached for teaching Maths at this institute. Both of them denied though. The reason was explained to me by the former.

The person who is running 'coaching business' - is, Baaravi Baadshah - transliterated as 12th King... I forgot his name - hence this nomenclature. His fund-a - take few thousands from each student for enrollment and hire teachers to teach subjects at various locations each week or fortnight as per availability and requirement - call it outsourcing. So the outsourced teacher, will be paid an amount - of about Rs. 300/- per lecture and the actual fees if calculated per lecture from the amount fully paid by student is about Rs. 500/- to Rs. 700/- on an estimate.

What the students will learn from different teachers changing every week or fortnight is definitely an issue to be looked upon, I wonder how the teacher himself or herself would be confused what is the topic they are teaching or supposed to teach the students.

School and economics

2008-04-20T23:04:00.015+05:30

During my recent trip to Nasik earlier this month, one late evening while driving back to M’s place in K’s car along with his son - we came across a school off Jail-Road (I would not want to name it). It is not a very well to do ‘amenity-wise’ school according to current standards, I've heard from many that this school has produced lots of toppers in Nasik city for SSC board exams - when I studied in Devlali and later too.

When we crossed this school, K told his son that if he doesn't study well, he will send him to this school next year – where he doesn’t need a uniform, he can go in shorts and vests, and that he will not be treated well by others there – in short giving it a feel and look of corporation or municipal schools.

I was not amused, but shocked to hear this. I think it’s not only the school which plays a role in shaping an individual, but the interests and characteristics of the individual himself or herself. And that most of our parents and grandparents studied in those type of schools, and we are today what we are due to them.

All this was in comparison to the school the little boy was admitted to for the upcoming academic year 2008 at kindergarten level – and the fees is Rs. 30000 annually, apart from other expenses later maybe - and of course the ‘blah blah’ the school will have to offer (like real estate builders these days).

It’s not the comparison of schools or fees which mattered more here. As a father, my cousin might be doing the best to give his son every 'affordable' thing he can, but why give a wrong impression about other schools – and for what reason?? Is it societal strata or ego? Or is it the anger on the ‘reserved class’, here it is the reserved class person or even open category maybe - who really can’t afford to send their little ones to a school where fees is 30k ?

Coming to school economics now -

My paternal grandfather ran away from his home in Tanjore because his father did not allow him to study 10th standard as the fees was Re. 1/-.
My mother and her siblings studied in Karur and Trichy (TN), and fees was Rs. 5/- (if run by a NGO) and Rs. 15/- for other schools.
My father and his siblings studied in Pune, fees was Rs. 15/- to Rs. 20/- annually.
My elder cousins who studied in 70's and 80's - fees would have been about Rs. 700/- to Rs. 900/- annually.
For me and my brother, parents say it was about Rs. 2000/- annually.
My younger cousins (very few) studied with fees around Rs. 4000/- to Rs. 5000/- annually in early 2000's.
Current generation of my nieces and nephews – are studying at Rs. 30000/- and more annually, plus other costs of 'tuitions' and 'coaching classes' - for those who crossed KG level and are in 2nd to 7th grades range now.
Some 8-10 years down the lane, when mine or my brother's kids will go to school - what could fees range be?

My dear retired banker mother says that in this generation - one has to be sure of being done with repaying of loans like housing, or car, or whatever... before they have kids or send kids to school. Hmmm!

I also wonder, what is the purpose of all this education in any school - if we simply want to end up recognizing and loving or hating others - either by caste, religion, sect or some or the other reason.

Six year old kid's point of view - school and college

2008-04-10T15:59:00.010+05:30

An incident narrated by my sister in law ( SIL ) in Chennai who used to teach at MOP Vaishnav College. One of the other professors used to get her six year old kid (daughter)to the college on few Saturdays especially during culturals and stuff, it seems. Once my SIL had a chocolate in her hand, and the conversation goes as:

SIL : "Unnakku school pidikuma illa college pidikuma ?"
(Translation: Do you like school or college? )

Kid : "College".

SIL : "Yen, school yen pidikaadhu?"
(Translation: Why don't you like school?)

Kid : "Ippo enna, school pidichurku nu sonna dhaan andha chocolate aa tharuvela ?? "
(Translation: Now what?? Only if I say I liked school more - are you gonna give me that chocolate ?? )

Dumbfounded with the answer, SIL handed over the chocolate to her

SIL : "Now tell me why do you like college more?"

Kid : There is always some music or dance program going on in college, unlike school where I have to study.

iPod shuffle washed away !

2008-03-29T23:16:00.008+05:30

My first exposure to the iPod was during the new year's eve of 2008 at Bangalore in my cousin S's apartment complex. The iPod belonged to my cousin, I handled it for barely 5 minutes - and was totally confused on how to operate it, change tracks etc.

This evening - my Dad bought home a 1Gb iPod shuffle belonging to one of his colleague at work. I am told that the wife of this colleague washed his trouser along with the shuffle gizmo and now it isn't functioning (due to that). The only other electronic stuff that has suffered this way in my life experience is a Nokia 3310 handset which got washed along with my cargo pants in early 2007 - but it still works, and I only had to get its power IC changed at that time. Inspite of being iPod-illiterate, I connected it to my PC and found it wasn't getting powered on. I don't have a clue if its still under warranty period (have asked my Dad to inquire about it though), so that it can be replaced.

Any help, advise on this issue will be appreciated - I have no idea what to do, and my father thinks that I can 'fix' anything related to computers and electronic gadgets - bane of being in the IT Infrastructure field... occupational hazard !

Tech-savvy Dad - a dream ?

2008-03-27T12:17:00.009+05:30

Monday evening - Dad returns from work saying there has been some pay hike for central government employees and started asking me to check the CGDA website (thats the only website he knows of to my knowledge)... I was too tired after return from Nasik and showed disinterest. Later at night after I slept (around 8PM), it seems Amma asked some other relative to mail it and she downloaded for him.

Tuesday morning - Must be 6AM, Dad who never comes near the computer, asked me to show one of the PDFs downloaded last night page by page (and it had 658 pages). He doesn't know to use the mouse, rather doesn't want to learn to use it and wanted someone to stay beside and drop down page by page. That someone had to be me, since my mother was busy in kitchen. I got bugged and left the place soon asking him to use arrow keys in the keyboard.

After an hour...
Dad: (Calling up 3-4 office friends on the phone) - I've almost read the pay hikes of accounts section from a file ' I ' downloaded last night from the internet and shall get that to the office in CD.

After few minutes...
Dad: (To me) - Will the the PDF files (which was about 3.5 MB) fit into a CD?

Me: There are no blank CDs at our home, only DVDs - that too only one is left

Dad: DVD hai naa., give that... My expression was like !@#$%^%&* - DVD for two PDF files???

Me: No - I can't .. Later I managed to find an old multisession CD of my project files of final year of graduation and gave it to him with the PDF files written in that.

Dad: (Again on the phone to someone) Hey MS (initials of the name of his friend) - I've got the files on CD, will first ask someone to copy to our branch office, then I will get it to main office, and you can copy it there or take home, and return back the CD.

Me: (Talking to mom) - What if both offices do not have Acrobat reader at all? Then she got the same multisession CD again and I burnt it again with Adobe reader installer - because if there is no reader in those desktops in the government offices - all the 'show off' my father did on phone in morning would go waste.

Dad: No No, all the computers in our offices are new ones, updated regularly. They have everything in it.

Me: (Explaining to him) Doesn't matter, just take it as backup..

Wednesday morning - Dad wants to see that file again, reading few pages on pension related hikes. I tried teaching him to use the mouse this time, but no use - it was arrow keys again.

Wednesday evening - Dad seeing that file yet again, reading few pages of don't know what section. He even had his evening tiffin which was Rava Upma for that day in front of the computer - which is exclusively a habit I follow in my family. Like any parent will be proud of their child when he/she does something commendable in life (Ok... I know I don't fall into that category) - I felt pride that he did something which I do on regular basis. Daddy - you learn to use the mouse or not - you are the best !

Thursday morning - Dad says he will get back the CD today he gave to MS. Lets see.

At the physics exam...

2008-03-16T00:16:00.006+05:30

'Describe the universe in 200 words and give three examples.'

A student recognizes Einstein in a train and asks :
Excuse me, professor, but does New York stop by this train?

While solving a numerical :
The answer to a problem was 'log (1+x)'. A student copied the answer from the student next to him, but didn't want to make it obvious that he was cheating, so he changed the answer slightly to 'timber (1+x)'

Charge less :
A neutron walks into a bar; he asks the bartender, 'How much for a beer?' The bartender looks at him, and says 'For you, no charge.'

Positive and Negative :
Two atoms bump into each other. One says 'I think I lost an electron!' The other asks, 'Are you sure?', to which the first replies, 'I'm positive.'

How many earthworms are there in this picture?

2005-09-04T15:18:00.002+05:30

Shot somewhere near the fences along the footpath around Fergusson College Botanical Gardens...

Balaji Temple and Mahabaleshwar

2005-09-01T15:42:00.002+05:30

On Sunday (28 August), I'd been to this temple site... which was inaugrated sometime last year, built by the owner of Venkateshwara Hatcheries, Pune (Venky's chicken fame). Its said that this temple is a replica of the temple at Tirumala (Tirupati). I have no idea as I have never been there. But my friend Venkat has confirmed it exactly looks the same (just mailed him the photos). One good thing about this temple is that, there is no ticket system, where one can get a paid darshan... everyone has to stand in the line and take the darshan. The link to view all the photos -

Shri Venkateshwara Temple - Uttara Kshetra - Pune.

I did not go inside the temple. I'd been to this place to show it to my mother's sister and her husband who had come from Chennai, I took them to Mahabaleshwar... where due to clouds they could not see anything, leave apart that they can't walk/trek along the rocks to see each and every point...

I have always hated Mahabaleshwar... as I think there is nothing much for what people go... From each and every point you see the same mountain/river/scenery... just that in a different angle...

At one of the points (before Panchagani), I made the driver stop and took photographs of a waterfall (name was something like Bhilar Falls), where in came a local man saying that he was a astrologer who charges 20-30 bucks for doing face-reading and palmistry. Inspite of refusing, he continued saying that you have bright chances of going to foreign countries, and I replied to him "Mera Bhaarat Mahaan". He thought I'd come from North India and started coversing with his friend what to do now (in Marathi), he was unaware that I was from Pune itself, and I knew Marathi. I continued to take photos, he came up with a new funda... that the year 2006 will be very good for me. I said I am having a good time even now, then again he started off that I have bright chances to go to foreign countries, I replied to him in Marathi this time, "Mala Bhaartaat Raahaycha Aaahe". Now he got aware that I knew Marathi. He was thinking next what to say and then he reached limits of his predictions saying that I will be having love marriage, I replied to him that I neither had interest in love nor the time to think about marriage, but one of the both has to happen sometime or other in one's life and its inevitable. That was the time he realised that he was wasting his time with me and went back on his way!

In Mahabaleshwar, the Panchaganga temple and Swaya Shambu temple (something like that) were the only places we were able to see. Inside the Panchaganga Temple, photography is prohibited. There is a nandi from whose mouth, fresh water which tastes like pure mineral water comes from 5 rivers (hence the name Panchaganga). Wonder if they have some mineral water generating plant behind the temple?? But what is worth observing there is that, the people who work there make the visitors stand, and take the photographs (especially of couples). After all digital technology must reach to every one.

Could get a good view from somewhere near Parsi Point in Mahabaleshwar. The snap is published above.

Surf Excel Ad

2005-08-25T23:21:00.001+05:30

I haven't checked out this ad on TV yet, but recieved it in my mailbox. thanks to Gormandizer who emailed this clip...

Since the brother's uniform is more messy at the end of the ad, his sister is happy and convinced, that at home... He will be given more weightage to get shoutings from parents. Hehe. That is what the message of the ad, I guessed.

>>> The lines in the ad... Ae Kya Re??? Tune Maara isko.... <<< (said by the boy) It reminded me of my days at Rosary School, I used to bully the students who used to tease my cousin brother... opposite case as compared to this ad... Check it out... it may bring some memories to you too... even else... its worth watching... >>> DOWNLOAD IT HERE <<<

Is this what life is all about ??

2005-05-19T14:57:00.001+05:30

Why is there never any time in todays life? Isn't it so that we run and keep runing for the never ending desires to be fulfilled in life. Maintain Maintain Maintain is the motto of our life.

Have we ever thought about the quality of our existence in this vast universe. Isn't it the story of a majority of people that we follow a mundane existence limited to our circle of family and friends . We strive to please our near and dear ones and compete between ourselves in a effort to have the upper hand over every one else. We dont realize that all this will change. Time flies by but what have we realized . What is the purpose of our existence? Are we happy? Is this what life is all about.

Our Parents led a similar life not complicated to such a extent but quite similar. They grew up in trying circumstances and had a early start into family life and struggled all the while to provide a good upbringing for their kids which in the real world they did. Maintain Maintain Maintain... Now what ? WHat happens next ?????

We will grow old too. Our grand kids will be sucessful as well but what next... When does this end? And how will it end ??

The 'Active' Me!

2005-02-21T12:18:00.001+05:30

I usually blog when I dont have any work to do. Now that I am used to not having any work and sitting idle, I dont even feel like blogging.

An hour back....

Im sitting in front of my computer and looking at the monitor with great concentration... my head tilted slightly towards my right. Its silence all over and I can hear the ticking sound of my wrist watch. My fingers are hovering lazily on the keyboard. I stretch out for my pen which is behind the CPU box and hold it between my thumb and index finger... roll it slowly... I take a deep breath, nodding my head. Ha! The perfect 'Thinker Pose' - the head tilted slightly, the eyes looking at the monitor, the left hand rollin the pen, the right hand on the chin...

What the heck !! I cant think of anything to write?!

a tamil song... reframed!

2005-02-01T02:49:00.001+05:30

was juz listenin to this song from the movie rakshagan (ar rahman)... and suddenly these lyrics came in to my mind... sounds irritating (err...)

soniya soniya pichai eduku poniya
pichai-le endha vagai kooru
pichai-le rendu vagai
raapich pagal pichai
ethula entha vagai kooru
pathraim thorathi kandu
pichai podavadhu nadru nadru
poniyaaaaaaa.... soniya.....

Sea Shells

2004-12-19T22:53:00.000+05:30

What I wrote after visit to Kovalam Beach in December 2002

I went to the beach one day. Clear skies coupled with a warm weather. I strolled to the water, wanting to feel the lapping of the waves on my feet and pulling of the sand under me as it goes back to where it came from. My heart still gives me a jump, every time that happens. It feels like the ground is giving away and I am going to be buried in pit of sand and water. I ran my eyes around the beach, looking at people laughing and splashing about in the water, or just content in having a nap beneath a parasol. Varied people, same place... looking for the same thing... to reprieve from the daily humdrum of life. Not having the inclination or the company to exercise the first option, I settled for the second.

I selected a quiet place for myself beneath one of the palms and stretched myself to full length in the sand. My skin felt the sand beneath me, grainy and warm, as my thoughts started to drift. Life was being pretty tough and a lot of events in the recent past had left me with sour feelings. I had to deal with a lot of hurt, anger, sadness and self-pity in varying proportions. While I was dwelling such in my thoughts, I caught sight of a couple walking along the length of the shore. The man seemed quite grumpy, and kept mumbling to himself all the time. He would take one hard look at the sky, as if he were blaming someone in his mind’s eye, and then look back down and mumble again. He hardly looked in any other direction. The woman was far from being in a gray mood. She was looking around in the sand, shuffling it with her feet. Sometimes, she would stoop to pick up something, a shell I guess, and pocket it. She would take a look at the man to see if he was tagging along, and then go back to looking around for more to add to her collection. I smiled to myself. Quite a company they were to each other! Something about the woman made me feel happy.

It felt like things happening to us weren’t that bad after all. At least not bad enough to make us stop looking around to derive simple pleasures in life, like collecting seashells. For a moment it looked like our entire lives spent, was just like a day spent on the beach. Waves of events and happenings keep hitting our shores all the time. While some bring in filth, some bring in seashells. Its left to us as to what we choose to pick from the shores after the waves have departed. We can either grumble and mumble about the matter left behind, or we can go about collecting seashells, and then wait for the next wave to bring in some more. For there is not a shore where there is no waste being brought in, nor is there a shore without seashells. I just got up and started walking along the beach, looking for seashells.

Life begins at NIIT, but your career ends there!

2004-05-01T02:24:00.002+05:30

My batch timing was 7-9am... The lady who interviewed me left the job when I joined...Then one lady taught me Linux (only Telnet) and C++ .... she also left the job...Then the third was the JAVA teacher.... She used to come at 7:30am for 7:00am class.... I complained about that regularly... but everytime the suggestion paper was returned back to me by the management! she also tried to change the batch timings but we batchmates never allowed to... she may have problems in traveling as she stays in a far-away place... but the fact being that i stay some 1km around her house only....

Then in the Month of May 2003, when I went to pay my feesI’d asked the cashier the amount in Apr-mid and he told 2800rs.... acc. to my payment plan it was 3200rs... so i took 3.2kwhen i went to pay the fees, the cashier said ask amount from teacher... teacher told ask from cashier... and i did this 2-3 timesFinally the teacher told me the amount was 4200rs. On further enquires, I was told I paid only 1000rs in March... so some 1500rs was being adjustedbut then i showed my receipts of february... where i paid 4500 instead of 2500Then the teacher realised and told me to pay the 3200 at the counterand the other 1000rs balance (For 4200) later next week.

I agreed and she said that the FEB amount will be adjusted laterI saw the cashier feeding data of fees paid in APRIL 2003 by all students on the 4th day of MAY 2003... such instance... i could not bear it.... i called the CENTRE MANAGER of that branch and blasted off... few of the folks who’d come to take admission also left without taking admissionI told him that is this the co-operation you have between your staff... and this is what the cashiers do... so late data-entryThen I gave them a letter that I wanted to quit my course... But still that letter hasn’t reached the main ppl... the teacher who taught me JAVA also left the institute in July 2003........ I’d given that letter to herstill the NIIT ppl call me to pay fees... but not to ask whether i want to continue with the course.... They’ve called me twice last month... and I refused to pay the fees saing that I’ve given the letter to quit the course

They are telling me to give the JAVA exam, take the CIT certificate and quitI said if thats the case... then my registration is vaild till Sept. 2007... I will give the exam whenever I want... You have no right to bother me about it

Even two weeks back they’d called up (sometime in Oct 2003)... a NEW cashier had come... who saw my entry in the database and called up whether I’d taken a break from the course.... I’d to literally shout on the phone that I want to quit the course even after speaking politely thrice

I known one thing about the NIIT center I went... More than the faculty, the accounts ppl are worried about students presence

I am gonna go and give them the letter for quitting again after exams in october 2003 to the CENTER MANAGER so that I don’t get phone calls from the ACCTS SECTION

I’ve stopped two of my friends from joining NIIT since August 2003

One of my friends wanted to join another branch, seeing my situation... he took me to that center and I talked with the faculty to know whether that branch faculty was reliable enough .... And I did that... that branch was good... The faculty I mean... don’t know about the my bro Harish once told me to change the branch... but then there will be too much of petrol expenses
That one I went was near my college...I’d also written in the letter I’d given that I paid the fees of May and did not attend a single class (so money-back for May)

I don’t mind the fees I’d paid earlier and don’t regret that I do not have a certificate for it, I regret on the time wasted in NIIT and not on learning the courses which was just booky and CD-y to be frank.They never taught us anything practical... all was there in a book and thats what they taught... nothing extra....

my friends (batchmates) are still there..... one said she left after completing DNIIT as she did not have patience to continue with the management there!!! some are there still tolerating all nonsense!!!

A line IF YOU ARE AT niit - YOU ARE MISSING EVERYTHING is inspired by

NIIT itself : IF YOU AREN’T AT niit - YOU ARE MISSING SOMETHING
(their title for marketing some years ago)-

finally in may 2004, i recd a letter that my name was removed from the institute students list as i had not paid the fees for a year!!!!! rather than not attending the COURSE for a year...