After landing at the Frankfurt airport we started to move towards our transit. We had the next flight to Chicago. My husband was of the assumption that we had a long waiting time of 5 hrs in the transit. Thanks to me I never had a look at the itinerary even after enquiry about my travel from many persons. So no worries about the stay and other stuffs. Being first time traveler, you may enjoy everything but I bet this waiting [when you are alone] is really a boring stuff.
He was a bit relaxed till we came across the departure chart. It was a surprise for him that we just had 2 hours of waiting time. [Can I call it surprise or tensed?!?!?! I was not really able to make it] We wandered to find where our gate was. Imagine we just circled around the same place twice to find the gate. I just wanted to ask him if I ,of the two, were the only person to travel abroad for the first time!
Finally after a 15 minutes of search he got to know where exactly we must move. The airport was huge and I was enjoying the view of the same. Different outlets for variety of food! After reaching the terminal my hubby drained off the happy feelings pounding inside me by warning about the questions I may be asked when I have to cross the security check. It was worse than a visa interview and I was back to my normal self just expecting the queue before me to get longer instead of shorter! As the queue moved further, me and my hubby got separated in different lines.
It was most humiliating security check I ever had! We were asked to remove our shoes, socks, jackets, empty our pockets including the ornaments we had. I was not very much sure to remove my mangal sutra and was determined to fight if I am asked to! [Don't ask me now, the current situation is I don't really bother to wear it all time! This event took place just within a month of marriage when you are with fresh memories!] Unknowingly I did not get off my belt and hence rang the alarm when I had passed through. I was asked to stand aside and was half expecting to be checked in a closed space. To my surprise I was checked in open air and I felt highly humiliated when the security personal had raised my tops off exposing my waist a bit. I offered to help by holding my dress and also trying to explain that it should have been the belt. All I got in response was a tone of authority to keep my hands up and do nothing.
It was true that there weren't anyone around bothered or looking at us but still it indeed affected me. Its was a sudden blow to realize the different culture and perceptions. Only happy part of all this was it was a lady security guard and not a male who was examining me. Atleast this basic manners is maintained here. "Ladies to be checked by a lady security personnel"
Now having had this encounter, I collected my baggage and was waiting for my hubby to join me as I had no intention to go near the two security officials, whose questioner I had to face and succeed to pass through the gate which would lead me to my terminal, sitting across from me. The officials seeing me standing at a distance gestured me towards them. Having had no better option I strolled towards them as slow as possible hoping every second for my hubby to catch up with me. Upon reaching them I handed over my boarding pass and my passport. On seeing my visa details one of them exclaimed "Are you from India" and another asked me from where in India. I just told from chennai. Both of them were excited and just asked me why am I going to US. I told I got married and traveling with my hubby when my hubby just joined me. One of the official told "Vannakam" [a greeting in Tamil language though it indeed sounded strangely] when other told "I love inida, I love chennai" and just asked me to have a great stay in US
It was all over within just seconds. Even my hubby dint believe that it went on so well. We greeted both of them and carried on. In the airport my hubby insisted me to purchase water and gave a $10 bill. That was the first time I am seeing a dollar bill. I knew nothing about the money value system in US. I went and asked for a bottle in shop and the lady told me or that was what I was able to make it out from what ever she told "I dont have proper change can I give you in euros". I just shook my head. For me neither dollar nor euro dint make a difference as I had no idea of both the value system. Only concern was what my husband would comment when I go back with change and what if it was not correct and with euros which I wasnt very sure would of help to him in US. To my relief when I returned with change and told I dont know anything about this calculation he simply replied saying even he is not so sure of euros so not an issue.
Thus we had come to wait in the terminal for our next flight to Chicago, MY ENTRY INTO US SOIL!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Attitude and view changes one's perspective
So now I know how I can keep posting new ones in my blog.. The secret is "Watch movies" ha ha ha ha ha .. I eventually feel my blog site is going to become movie reviews..
I cant really resist myself from writing this today. Thanks to one of my friend who read 2 earlier posts of mine and sent a link where I can watch movies online. Now that is what I say friends are for. I tend to get drifted away from what I wish to write. Let me focus.
My caption for this posts says it all. After the movie "Everybody's doing it" I dint really fell my comfort level in watching English movies have improved. But today I have found which type of movie do attract me. Thanks to the way movies has been classified here. My attitude towards English pictures have taken a new shape!
I believe the one and only constant thing in this world is "CHANGE". [I tend to repeat this again and again! Please bear with me!] One should be with open mind to accept and admit the same. Its more easier said than done. As the time moves on we tend to understand this more. My experience with this simple concept of watching English movies was the same. I never liked Western movies. The moment I see the scenes with such backdrops in star movies [sometimes I do browse through that channel for cartoon movies back in India] , I switch over. I felt those movies with cowboys and rifles involve more of violence.
Many times less knowledge is a bliss. Unknowingly I hit upon this movie "Love Takes Wings" released in April 2009. It turned out to be a wonderful movie. Hats off to the director. Every one had done justice to their character. The little girl at the orphanage had performed well. She has expressed the roughness towards the society which had abandon many kids like her and also tenderness when it comes to serving the kids down with illness.
Story short and sweet! It revolves around a young doctor [Sarah Jones] who arrives at a small town Sikeston as a physician. The town is affected by a unknown epidemic and she is put under the pressure to solve[?!?!] rather find the cause and treat for the same.
The movie's time period is when Liberty of women was under question. The villagers were not able to accept Sarah even as a nurse. Those were times when only male can become a doctor. The way she is humiliated and how she makes them believe her as a doctor is well depicted.
Being a lover of medicine and always wanting to peruse a career in it I personally felt this movie close to my heart. Though it was a simple dysentery, I was not able to believe how it would have been to treat the same before the discovery of a proper medicine. This movie gave me a visual treat to all those data my school books referred to. Thanks to all those who had contributed their time and life for all those modern day medicine which has helped us anticipate and a cure to keep us live longer!
I loved to watch the way Sarah prepared the saline bottles, tubes, saline mixture, intravenous injections with all those available stuffs like wood, rubber etc.! Gosh I am not sure if I was born then, before this birth, but it was really exciting to see medication done on those days!
Reason behind the spread of water-born disease [as called now] in the movie was a unused well which was being used for dumping! On discovering the same the water connection from the well was closed and hence the spread of disease was controlled.
Seeing this it just struck me that even on those days when there was no knowledge of disease people were open for implementing the remedy measures and play safe when enlightened about the cause. Now with the advent of good and high cost medication we are not ready for any control measures. Is medicine a boon or curse? With more knowledge and ways to control we never bother about the sanitation in our surroundings. All we care for is our home or office or place of our regular visit. From world sanitation its just personal sanitation we have now.
Whenever I see koovam [A river that flows around chennai] I feel bad that we had really worked hard to change a river to a proper gutter! Having had a river in hand, and spoiling it properly with all means, we now expect neighboring states to lend us with water!
I know I am getting too much sentimental..I have to stop! Just writing and shouting wont help to improve situation. Every individual should think twice before dropping a garbage in public places! This could be pretty good start to keep the world clean!
I cant really resist myself from writing this today. Thanks to one of my friend who read 2 earlier posts of mine and sent a link where I can watch movies online. Now that is what I say friends are for. I tend to get drifted away from what I wish to write. Let me focus.
My caption for this posts says it all. After the movie "Everybody's doing it" I dint really fell my comfort level in watching English movies have improved. But today I have found which type of movie do attract me. Thanks to the way movies has been classified here. My attitude towards English pictures have taken a new shape!
I believe the one and only constant thing in this world is "CHANGE". [I tend to repeat this again and again! Please bear with me!] One should be with open mind to accept and admit the same. Its more easier said than done. As the time moves on we tend to understand this more. My experience with this simple concept of watching English movies was the same. I never liked Western movies. The moment I see the scenes with such backdrops in star movies [sometimes I do browse through that channel for cartoon movies back in India] , I switch over. I felt those movies with cowboys and rifles involve more of violence.
Many times less knowledge is a bliss. Unknowingly I hit upon this movie "Love Takes Wings" released in April 2009. It turned out to be a wonderful movie. Hats off to the director. Every one had done justice to their character. The little girl at the orphanage had performed well. She has expressed the roughness towards the society which had abandon many kids like her and also tenderness when it comes to serving the kids down with illness.
Story short and sweet! It revolves around a young doctor [Sarah Jones] who arrives at a small town Sikeston as a physician. The town is affected by a unknown epidemic and she is put under the pressure to solve[?!?!] rather find the cause and treat for the same.
The movie's time period is when Liberty of women was under question. The villagers were not able to accept Sarah even as a nurse. Those were times when only male can become a doctor. The way she is humiliated and how she makes them believe her as a doctor is well depicted.
Being a lover of medicine and always wanting to peruse a career in it I personally felt this movie close to my heart. Though it was a simple dysentery, I was not able to believe how it would have been to treat the same before the discovery of a proper medicine. This movie gave me a visual treat to all those data my school books referred to. Thanks to all those who had contributed their time and life for all those modern day medicine which has helped us anticipate and a cure to keep us live longer!
I loved to watch the way Sarah prepared the saline bottles, tubes, saline mixture, intravenous injections with all those available stuffs like wood, rubber etc.! Gosh I am not sure if I was born then, before this birth, but it was really exciting to see medication done on those days!
Reason behind the spread of water-born disease [as called now] in the movie was a unused well which was being used for dumping! On discovering the same the water connection from the well was closed and hence the spread of disease was controlled.
Seeing this it just struck me that even on those days when there was no knowledge of disease people were open for implementing the remedy measures and play safe when enlightened about the cause. Now with the advent of good and high cost medication we are not ready for any control measures. Is medicine a boon or curse? With more knowledge and ways to control we never bother about the sanitation in our surroundings. All we care for is our home or office or place of our regular visit. From world sanitation its just personal sanitation we have now.
Whenever I see koovam [A river that flows around chennai] I feel bad that we had really worked hard to change a river to a proper gutter! Having had a river in hand, and spoiling it properly with all means, we now expect neighboring states to lend us with water!
I know I am getting too much sentimental..I have to stop! Just writing and shouting wont help to improve situation. Every individual should think twice before dropping a garbage in public places! This could be pretty good start to keep the world clean!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Sequel to post of my friend named "Possibilities"
A new concept is it? Frankly I don't know if this is new. I read a post in my friends deepti's blog and deeply felt I have to reply her and add points to her's. I first felt to leave it as comment but it turned out to be very long..Hence decided to post it in my blog.
So here is the link for her post and you have two options either to go ahead read that and come back or read further ahead.
http://deescovering.blogspot.com/2009/06/possibilities.html
For readers who were not able to go through the link...here is the gist. Its about the fading dreams and dreams that one is forced to bury due to various constraints. Its about an once independent women who suddenly realize that she is completely dependent on someone.
Now read on my share of the same....
Now coming to her post even I had to face the same situation. I am crazy about bikes not only as a pillion rider but even as a rider. I had always told to myself that with my dream boy I would love to go around different places in bikes. Even before my marriage I found that my hubby does know how to ride a bike but never wants to do one. After marriage at an instance I had to ride him to my brothers place in my bike with him in the pillion, and he was not even ready to hold on to my waist. But is this an vital thing to be given importance? I don't think so. One can think that the dream is now put into gutters but how can your dreams involve others? When I dream of going around in bikes I had imposed that in my future husband. And when now I find that is not possible who is really to be blamed?
I happen to see a video of Mrs.Dolly Parton giving commencement address in University of Tennessee. For those who are new to this name [like me :) ] , she is a famous singer. She has contributed a lot for education of kids through her Dollywood foundation with a simple motto 'Dream more, Learn more, Care more and Be more". But fact is she is more famous for her boobs and her dressing. When my husband showed me the link my first thought was what could she possibly speak about for such an audience. But it was really good. She walked through her life and explained in simple terms what she faced. She gave the differentiation between wishes and dreams. There could be many wishes one may have. They wither away as the time progresses on. They are hopes that we believe would come true. But dreams are something which we chase for. No matter what ever is the current state or position of us they don't wither away and lie back in our minds and kindles us deep within. Its like a fire in oneself. This is indeed true. Her speech was inspiring. I liked it more as it was in plain English with no buzz words.
Here goes the link. A must to watch...[Courtesy You tube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuOm2lLIOoU
As my friend has correctly mentioned I felt dependency is frustrating for me even. But I really wished to analyze the same. What we exactly think and feel as dependency? Is it merely because we are in H4? [H4 is a visa status for spouse of those working in US with H1 visa]
When my sister refused to be in H4 I kinda thought what is wrong with her. I felt it was an attitude problem of some kind which makes her refuse the same. Now I know what is the real funda behind it. I was sick of being dependent on someone for everything. I feel I am thinking 10 times before even ask for my husband to spend a dollar for something which I want. I felt relieved when I had ample amount of sanitary napkins which I got from India so that I need not ask the same to my husband.
When I had seen the kitchen I felt there wasn't good and proper vessels for me to proceed and asked the same to my hubby. He simply told it was with what he and his sister had been cooking from last 4 years. That was it. After that I dint feel like asking him for any utensils or cookware. There were many such instances. I don't use room-heaters unless it is unbearable for me to stand the cold. Thanks to the advent of summer I no longer have this problem. I went without breakfast for many days. This would just keep going on...
But when I stop and look back and give a re-think is it really my husband's fault in this? I feel this is my attitude problem. I don't deny there is indeed my husbands hands in this but what is the proportionality? Truth is his marital status has changed but not the financial status. What he was doing till now as a single person had to be same for two persons now. So I wont blame him in any way. So what is my problem?
Dependency is something everyone had had in their life and even have in their life. In short an Independent dependency is all we got. Every individual needs another soul and no one can live alone. So what is In dependency?
When we were kid we were dependent on our parents. We got everything from them and asked what was required to them. This had been there till we found ourselves in a job. That was till 23 years for me. I had no hesitation to ask or say what was in my mind till then. Even my parents have rejected to many proposals or wishes I had expressed to them. When my father restricted me in going to theaters I dint get hurt. I fought with him for the same and even though I lost, I was happy that I fought.
After joining job I still had to ask permission or at least get suggestion from my parents before taking any great leap. I was happy to do that. I felt I had to share it or inform the same to them before doing anything. So was I really independent or dependent then??
Now its just the person has been changed. Its now my husband and not father. But I fell depressed and rejected and dependent. Its that true? The truth is I am not ready to accept the fact. Even a single 'No' from my husband I feel I am deprived of my rights. I feel the insecurity in me which makes me feel I am being neglected. There could be a good explanation from his side for refusing the same. But I am not ready to listen to it with open mind. My entire thoughts are covered with a mask that "He is treating me so as he feels I am dependent on him and try to dominate me".
In fact he got me a web camera just to chat with my parents [He hardly uses it as he does not like to do web chat]. Its cost was 80$. Even knowing this still I feel bad to ask him to even go out. I am alone most of the time at home. When my husband is back from office I want him to just talk with me and spend time with me. My husband is a voracious reader. After I have come in here to live with him I hardly see him to read those books. I felt bad but if he starts to read I feel I am left alone and he is not spending time with me. Does that not look stupid? If I am able to really put this off from my mind I would be able to accept graciously even a bigger "NO" from my husband.
Another fact in US is you don't have the freedom to go out. You want your husband even to get to the nearest store. This kind of make me imprisoned inside the home. For first few weeks I felt I am under 'house arrest' like all top leaders are done back in India. Even to throw the garbage out I go only when my husband is there. I dint know how to lock my home properly till last month. Indeed there was no need for that either.
Thanks to my accident. This has really helped to go out without anyone's help. I walk to the physiotherapy center alternative days. My gym is in the same location but still I never used to go there alone without my hubby. So its the need which made me go. And I no longer feel I am in house arrest. So its my change in the attitude which had made me feel I am free when I had really been always free..
In a recent book I had read the author explains about "Freedom". It is not merely do things which you like to do but to understand the concept of dependence. I strongly feel if we are able to define and explain ourselves what is "Dependence" we can get out of that sack which binds us and blinds us from proper vision.
Change is the only constant thing in this world. This is something which I believe and have seen through in my life. I am trying to inbuilt the same in me to understand the life and lead it in most successful way.
Think it has become a lengthier post... No problem as because of this I was able to do a self analysis even. My husband always says I am an extrovert and hence a loud thinker. I cant think if I don't speak. This is true with every post of mine. I never think before I write and as I write my flow goes on. So people like me cant avoid the post getting lengthier and can analysis oneself as they speak/write...
:)
Thanks for the patience in reading this in full!!!
So here is the link for her post and you have two options either to go ahead read that and come back or read further ahead.
http://deescovering.blogspot.com/2009/06/possibilities.html
For readers who were not able to go through the link...here is the gist. Its about the fading dreams and dreams that one is forced to bury due to various constraints. Its about an once independent women who suddenly realize that she is completely dependent on someone.
Now read on my share of the same....
Now coming to her post even I had to face the same situation. I am crazy about bikes not only as a pillion rider but even as a rider. I had always told to myself that with my dream boy I would love to go around different places in bikes. Even before my marriage I found that my hubby does know how to ride a bike but never wants to do one. After marriage at an instance I had to ride him to my brothers place in my bike with him in the pillion, and he was not even ready to hold on to my waist. But is this an vital thing to be given importance? I don't think so. One can think that the dream is now put into gutters but how can your dreams involve others? When I dream of going around in bikes I had imposed that in my future husband. And when now I find that is not possible who is really to be blamed?
I happen to see a video of Mrs.Dolly Parton giving commencement address in University of Tennessee. For those who are new to this name [like me :) ] , she is a famous singer. She has contributed a lot for education of kids through her Dollywood foundation with a simple motto 'Dream more, Learn more, Care more and Be more". But fact is she is more famous for her boobs and her dressing. When my husband showed me the link my first thought was what could she possibly speak about for such an audience. But it was really good. She walked through her life and explained in simple terms what she faced. She gave the differentiation between wishes and dreams. There could be many wishes one may have. They wither away as the time progresses on. They are hopes that we believe would come true. But dreams are something which we chase for. No matter what ever is the current state or position of us they don't wither away and lie back in our minds and kindles us deep within. Its like a fire in oneself. This is indeed true. Her speech was inspiring. I liked it more as it was in plain English with no buzz words.
Here goes the link. A must to watch...[Courtesy You tube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuOm2lLIOoU
As my friend has correctly mentioned I felt dependency is frustrating for me even. But I really wished to analyze the same. What we exactly think and feel as dependency? Is it merely because we are in H4? [H4 is a visa status for spouse of those working in US with H1 visa]
When my sister refused to be in H4 I kinda thought what is wrong with her. I felt it was an attitude problem of some kind which makes her refuse the same. Now I know what is the real funda behind it. I was sick of being dependent on someone for everything. I feel I am thinking 10 times before even ask for my husband to spend a dollar for something which I want. I felt relieved when I had ample amount of sanitary napkins which I got from India so that I need not ask the same to my husband.
When I had seen the kitchen I felt there wasn't good and proper vessels for me to proceed and asked the same to my hubby. He simply told it was with what he and his sister had been cooking from last 4 years. That was it. After that I dint feel like asking him for any utensils or cookware. There were many such instances. I don't use room-heaters unless it is unbearable for me to stand the cold. Thanks to the advent of summer I no longer have this problem. I went without breakfast for many days. This would just keep going on...
But when I stop and look back and give a re-think is it really my husband's fault in this? I feel this is my attitude problem. I don't deny there is indeed my husbands hands in this but what is the proportionality? Truth is his marital status has changed but not the financial status. What he was doing till now as a single person had to be same for two persons now. So I wont blame him in any way. So what is my problem?
Dependency is something everyone had had in their life and even have in their life. In short an Independent dependency is all we got. Every individual needs another soul and no one can live alone. So what is In dependency?
When we were kid we were dependent on our parents. We got everything from them and asked what was required to them. This had been there till we found ourselves in a job. That was till 23 years for me. I had no hesitation to ask or say what was in my mind till then. Even my parents have rejected to many proposals or wishes I had expressed to them. When my father restricted me in going to theaters I dint get hurt. I fought with him for the same and even though I lost, I was happy that I fought.
After joining job I still had to ask permission or at least get suggestion from my parents before taking any great leap. I was happy to do that. I felt I had to share it or inform the same to them before doing anything. So was I really independent or dependent then??
Now its just the person has been changed. Its now my husband and not father. But I fell depressed and rejected and dependent. Its that true? The truth is I am not ready to accept the fact. Even a single 'No' from my husband I feel I am deprived of my rights. I feel the insecurity in me which makes me feel I am being neglected. There could be a good explanation from his side for refusing the same. But I am not ready to listen to it with open mind. My entire thoughts are covered with a mask that "He is treating me so as he feels I am dependent on him and try to dominate me".
In fact he got me a web camera just to chat with my parents [He hardly uses it as he does not like to do web chat]. Its cost was 80$. Even knowing this still I feel bad to ask him to even go out. I am alone most of the time at home. When my husband is back from office I want him to just talk with me and spend time with me. My husband is a voracious reader. After I have come in here to live with him I hardly see him to read those books. I felt bad but if he starts to read I feel I am left alone and he is not spending time with me. Does that not look stupid? If I am able to really put this off from my mind I would be able to accept graciously even a bigger "NO" from my husband.
Another fact in US is you don't have the freedom to go out. You want your husband even to get to the nearest store. This kind of make me imprisoned inside the home. For first few weeks I felt I am under 'house arrest' like all top leaders are done back in India. Even to throw the garbage out I go only when my husband is there. I dint know how to lock my home properly till last month. Indeed there was no need for that either.
Thanks to my accident. This has really helped to go out without anyone's help. I walk to the physiotherapy center alternative days. My gym is in the same location but still I never used to go there alone without my hubby. So its the need which made me go. And I no longer feel I am in house arrest. So its my change in the attitude which had made me feel I am free when I had really been always free..
In a recent book I had read the author explains about "Freedom". It is not merely do things which you like to do but to understand the concept of dependence. I strongly feel if we are able to define and explain ourselves what is "Dependence" we can get out of that sack which binds us and blinds us from proper vision.
Change is the only constant thing in this world. This is something which I believe and have seen through in my life. I am trying to inbuilt the same in me to understand the life and lead it in most successful way.
Think it has become a lengthier post... No problem as because of this I was able to do a self analysis even. My husband always says I am an extrovert and hence a loud thinker. I cant think if I don't speak. This is true with every post of mine. I never think before I write and as I write my flow goes on. So people like me cant avoid the post getting lengthier and can analysis oneself as they speak/write...
:)
Thanks for the patience in reading this in full!!!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Picture Tag
I was browsing across my google reader and got to read the posts of Mrs.Inbavali in her site Inba's corner.
I thought I would also take up this tag.
The rule is - I'm supposed to paste an image for every answer of mine which get from the first page of google image search, with minimal explanation.So, here are mine....
1. The age you will be in your next birthday: 28
2. A place you’d like to travel to: Kulu Manali
3. Your Favourite place: Terrace at my home along with my cat
4. Your favourite food/drink: Idili upma
5. Your favourite pet: cat [This just looks like my Ammu, my cat]
6. Your favourite colour combination: blue and white strips [I simply love it that way!]
7. Your favourite piece of clothing: saree blue color
8. Your all time favourite song: kalyana thennila [yesudas-chitra.Iit is my ever-loving song]
9. Your favourite TV show: Neeya nana and Super singer [Courtesy: Vijay TV]
10. Full name of your significant other: Radhakrishnan [Least expected I would get this picture]
11. The town in which you live in: Birmingham, Alabama
12. Your screen name/nickname: Thithi [I never expected to get any results for this but was
surprised to see a SUB on my name..Hurrah!]
13. Your first job: Programmer
14. Your Dream Job: Teacher [I knew well I am fit for this job and wont become one as I dont wish being commented by my students]
15: Bad Habit you have: Short tempered
16. Your worst fear: Death of my loved ones
17. The one thing you’ll like to do before you die: Adopt a girl child
18. The first thing you’ll buy if you get $1,000,000: Start a home for orphans
You can also take up this tag and see what comes in for you. I really liked this as few of the search did surprised me and few made me feel I got what I wanted for..
Nice one.
I thought I would also take up this tag.
The rule is - I'm supposed to paste an image for every answer of mine which get from the first page of google image search, with minimal explanation.So, here are mine....
1. The age you will be in your next birthday: 28
2. A place you’d like to travel to: Kulu Manali
3. Your Favourite place: Terrace at my home along with my cat
4. Your favourite food/drink: Idili upma
5. Your favourite pet: cat [This just looks like my Ammu, my cat]
6. Your favourite colour combination: blue and white strips [I simply love it that way!]
7. Your favourite piece of clothing: saree blue color
8. Your all time favourite song: kalyana thennila [yesudas-chitra.Iit is my ever-loving song]
9. Your favourite TV show: Neeya nana and Super singer [Courtesy: Vijay TV]
10. Full name of your significant other: Radhakrishnan [Least expected I would get this picture]
11. The town in which you live in: Birmingham, Alabama
12. Your screen name/nickname: Thithi [I never expected to get any results for this but was
surprised to see a SUB on my name..Hurrah!]
13. Your first job: Programmer
14. Your Dream Job: Teacher [I knew well I am fit for this job and wont become one as I dont wish being commented by my students]
15: Bad Habit you have: Short tempered
16. Your worst fear: Death of my loved ones
17. The one thing you’ll like to do before you die: Adopt a girl child
18. The first thing you’ll buy if you get $1,000,000: Start a home for orphans
You can also take up this tag and see what comes in for you. I really liked this as few of the search did surprised me and few made me feel I got what I wanted for..
Nice one.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
ஓல்ட் இஸ் கோல்ட்!
அப்பாடா! தமிழ்-ல ஒரு பதிவு போடுறேன் ரொம்ப நாளைக்கு பிறகு!!!!
சில-பல பேருக்கு சந்தோஷமா இருந்தாலும் தப்பு நிறைய இருக்க வாய்ப்பு இருக்கு. பொது மன்னிப்பு மொதல்லையே கேட்கறேன்!
எனக்கு பாட்டு கேட்கறது, பாடறது இரண்டுமே ரொம்ப பிடிக்கும். [பாவம் கேட்கறவங்க தான்....!!! அரசியலில் இதெல்லாம் சாதாரணமப்பா! ]. அபூர்வ ராகங்கள் படத்தில ஒரு பாட்டு கேட்டன்! சூப்பர்! நல்ல அர்த்தமுள்ள பாட்டு. ஹுஉம் இப்போவெல்லாம் பாட்டுல வரி இருக்கான்னு கண்டுபிடிக்க வேண்டி இருக்கு! என்ன பண்றது!
பாட்டோட வரிகள் தேடினேன். கூகிள் கைகொடுக்கல! அதனால என்ன நாமே பதிச்சிடலம்னு தோணிச்சு! [அவ்வளவு வெட்டியா இருக்கேன்!] அதான் உடனே [ஹி ஹி யூடுப்-ல பாட்ட கேட்டு/பார்த்து வரிகள் எழுதிட்டேன் ஆனா பதிவு போடத்தான் லேட் ஆகிடுச்சு!!!] போட்டுட்டேன்! இதோ அதன் வரிகள். வரிகளின் அர்த்தத்தை உணர்க!
மூணாவது சரணம் எனக்கு ரொம்ப பிடிச்சு போச்சு
ஏதோ என்னால் முடிந்தது!
பி.கு :
மெய் தந்தவர் [இசை] : விஸ்வநாதன்
உயிர் தந்தவர் [பாடலாசிரியர்] : கண்ணதாசன் []
உயிர்மெய்யாய் உலகுக்கு தந்தவர் [பாடியவர்] : வாணி ஜெயராம். அவங்களுக்கு அவார்டு வாங்கி தந்த பாட்டு.
சில-பல பேருக்கு சந்தோஷமா இருந்தாலும் தப்பு நிறைய இருக்க வாய்ப்பு இருக்கு. பொது மன்னிப்பு மொதல்லையே கேட்கறேன்!
எனக்கு பாட்டு கேட்கறது, பாடறது இரண்டுமே ரொம்ப பிடிக்கும். [பாவம் கேட்கறவங்க தான்....!!! அரசியலில் இதெல்லாம் சாதாரணமப்பா! ]. அபூர்வ ராகங்கள் படத்தில ஒரு பாட்டு கேட்டன்! சூப்பர்! நல்ல அர்த்தமுள்ள பாட்டு. ஹுஉம் இப்போவெல்லாம் பாட்டுல வரி இருக்கான்னு கண்டுபிடிக்க வேண்டி இருக்கு! என்ன பண்றது!
பாட்டோட வரிகள் தேடினேன். கூகிள் கைகொடுக்கல! அதனால என்ன நாமே பதிச்சிடலம்னு தோணிச்சு! [அவ்வளவு வெட்டியா இருக்கேன்!] அதான் உடனே [ஹி ஹி யூடுப்-ல பாட்ட கேட்டு/பார்த்து வரிகள் எழுதிட்டேன் ஆனா பதிவு போடத்தான் லேட் ஆகிடுச்சு!!!] போட்டுட்டேன்! இதோ அதன் வரிகள். வரிகளின் அர்த்தத்தை உணர்க!
மூணாவது சரணம் எனக்கு ரொம்ப பிடிச்சு போச்சு
பல்லவி
ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்
இதய சுரங்கத்துள் எத்தனை கேள்வி
காணும் மனிதருக்குள் எத்தனை சலனம்
வெறும் கற்பனை சந்தோஷத்தில் அவனது கவனம்
சரணம்
காலை எழுந்தவுடன் நாளைய கேள்வி - அது
கையில் கிடைத்த பின்னும் துடிக்குது ஆவி
ஏன் என்ற கேள்வி ஒன்று என்றைக்கும் தங்கும் - மனிதன்
இன்ப துன்பம் எதிலும் கேள்வி தான் மிஞ்சும்
(ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்.....)
சரணம்
எனக்காக நீ அழுதல் இயற்கையில் நடக்கும் - நீ
எனக்காக உணவு உன்ன எப்படி நடக்கும்
நமக்கென்று பூமியிலே கடமைகள் உண்டு - அதை
நமக்காக நம் கையால் செய்வது நன்று
(ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்....)
சரணம்
ஆரம்பத்தில் பிறப்பும் உன் கையில் இல்லை - என்றும்
அடுத்தடுத்து நடக்கும் உன் கையில் இல்லை
பாதை வகுத்த பின்பு பயந்து என்ன லாபம் - அதில்
பயணம் நடத்தி விடு மறைந்திடும் பாவம்
(ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்....)
சரணம்
நாளை பொழுது என்றும் நமக்கென வாழ்க - அதை
நடத்த ஒருவன் உண்டு கோவிலில் காண்க
வேளை பிறக்கும் என்று நம்பிக்கை கொள்க - எந்த
வேதனையும் மாறும் மேகத்தை போல
(ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்...)
ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்
இதய சுரங்கத்துள் எத்தனை கேள்வி
காணும் மனிதருக்குள் எத்தனை சலனம்
வெறும் கற்பனை சந்தோஷத்தில் அவனது கவனம்
சரணம்
காலை எழுந்தவுடன் நாளைய கேள்வி - அது
கையில் கிடைத்த பின்னும் துடிக்குது ஆவி
ஏன் என்ற கேள்வி ஒன்று என்றைக்கும் தங்கும் - மனிதன்
இன்ப துன்பம் எதிலும் கேள்வி தான் மிஞ்சும்
(ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்.....)
சரணம்
எனக்காக நீ அழுதல் இயற்கையில் நடக்கும் - நீ
எனக்காக உணவு உன்ன எப்படி நடக்கும்
நமக்கென்று பூமியிலே கடமைகள் உண்டு - அதை
நமக்காக நம் கையால் செய்வது நன்று
(ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்....)
சரணம்
ஆரம்பத்தில் பிறப்பும் உன் கையில் இல்லை - என்றும்
அடுத்தடுத்து நடக்கும் உன் கையில் இல்லை
பாதை வகுத்த பின்பு பயந்து என்ன லாபம் - அதில்
பயணம் நடத்தி விடு மறைந்திடும் பாவம்
(ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்....)
சரணம்
நாளை பொழுது என்றும் நமக்கென வாழ்க - அதை
நடத்த ஒருவன் உண்டு கோவிலில் காண்க
வேளை பிறக்கும் என்று நம்பிக்கை கொள்க - எந்த
வேதனையும் மாறும் மேகத்தை போல
(ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல்...)
ஏதோ என்னால் முடிந்தது!
பி.கு :
மெய் தந்தவர் [இசை] : விஸ்வநாதன்
உயிர் தந்தவர் [பாடலாசிரியர்] : கண்ணதாசன் []
உயிர்மெய்யாய் உலகுக்கு தந்தவர் [பாடியவர்] : வாணி ஜெயராம். அவங்களுக்கு அவார்டு வாங்கி தந்த பாட்டு.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Everybody's Doing It
Nice caption isn't it? I dint frame it hence its good! ha ha ha ha
To start with this is not a movie review.....
The title refers to a movie released in 2002 written by James LaRosa and directed by Jeff Beesley which I accidentally happen to see today. Thanks to You tube movies..
I don't watch much of English movies for the simple fact that I won't be able to follow it well dialogue through dialogue and frankly I was afraid it may have scenes which I am not comfortable to look at. And that made me watch just animated cartoon movies as I have a fascination for comic characters.
My life here in USA paved way to watch English movies. In the theaters we don't have much of choice and I have seen 2 movies [10.30pm shows] with my hubby. The first ever one turned to be worst and the second was a kind of okay.
Today I accidentally stepped upon the movies feature of the you tube [Till date I was just watching those movies posted as parts]. Randomly I picked this picture as the title indeed attracted me. Happy that it did turn out to be a good one. The plot was simple and clean and what we come across in day to day life.
Its about peer pressure in a high school to pledge against premarital sex. Pretty challenging plot isn't it. The director has indeed handled it well. The story revolves around the announcement from Government to take steps to avoid or reduce premarital sex among kids in every school. The school with 100% success rate in eradicating is awarded with funds.
This puts the pressure on the school to enforce the same on the kids. But the approach taken for this is where the school goes wrong. Instead of teaching the kids about the necessity of safe sex and the needs for healthier relationships, they try to enforce/ scare the kids with the consequences of premarital sex. They introduce a pledge system where the kids have to swore to be virgins and by doing this they get lot of benefits inclusive of scholarships! Under the leadership of a student [Caroline enacted by Brooke D'Orsay] they spy other students.
Though kids accept to the sign up the pledge for the attractive offers they are unable to keep up the promise. More the rules are enforced, more the kids tend to rebel. Angela, One among the kids doesn't wish to take the pledge just for the sake of it. She is exposed to the pressure from her peers as her sign would make it 100% and the school would get the funding. This disturbs her a lot as she is not able to accept the fact that sex is totally unhealthy and the real facts are being not put to the students. In spite of the fact she had a boyfriend and she being virgin, she strongly believed that one should realize inside them not to have intercourse and just not because of fear.
Finally the story ends with other students, parents and teachers understanding the fact that pressurizing doesn't lead to solutions and school management decides to introduce kids with the use of contraception and other safety methods along with the health science subject and aid for proper sex education.
Hey wait.. I already told to myself it isn't a review.. Okay I better stop here and go to what I wished to convey [I can hear people say "Oh God the post hasn't begin yet?" ]
I saw this in a more general perspective. This peer pressure is there every where. We name it society and tend to live in a way to please others rather than living for oneself. There was an instance in my home. My sister after her return from US, was commented on her dressing sense . I did accept that "when in Rome do as Romans do".. but what about your wishes. I heard most say "Just listen to the heart and proceed".. How could we really do when we constantly think to please others than trying to live for ourselves..
This is just a simple instance which I quoted. There are lot many. In most of the conferences you can see the dress code is suits for men. In western countries the costume helps in fighting against their climatic conditions. But why to do it back in India, in Chennai at peak summer. Doesn't it sound crazy?
About love or inter-caste marriages. Most of the opposition comes from the parents because of the fear that they can't face their social contacts or family members. The are forced not to realize their kids dreams even though they knew about it. I am not supporting inter-caste marriages/love marriages. Neither do I have belief in them. But this movie did indeed made me feel that its that society or peer makes the parents not to see the prospects with an open mind. I have been a witness for few of love marriages and also failures due to parents opposition. Very few cases had I got a chance to hear from a dad/mom proper reason for their non-cooperative moment. Most of them where "How do I face this world" as if the entire world is just looking at them. One even went to the extent of saying.. "If their daughter don't comply they have to leave to another town or place where no one would knew them".
Why were are unable to avoid this peer pressure. Rather how to fore go it? Good question but I haven't got a great answer to this yet. What is society? Ultimately its we, our self.. Then what could be stopping us? As the girl "Angela" in the movie its we who has to overcome this. Rome wasn't built in a day.. so I knew its not a simple and quick change to get its effect.. But I do hope in coming generation it could change..
Hoping for the best. Anyone with a good suggestion are welcome!!!
To start with this is not a movie review.....
The title refers to a movie released in 2002 written by James LaRosa and directed by Jeff Beesley which I accidentally happen to see today. Thanks to You tube movies..
I don't watch much of English movies for the simple fact that I won't be able to follow it well dialogue through dialogue and frankly I was afraid it may have scenes which I am not comfortable to look at. And that made me watch just animated cartoon movies as I have a fascination for comic characters.
My life here in USA paved way to watch English movies. In the theaters we don't have much of choice and I have seen 2 movies [10.30pm shows] with my hubby. The first ever one turned to be worst and the second was a kind of okay.
Today I accidentally stepped upon the movies feature of the you tube [Till date I was just watching those movies posted as parts]. Randomly I picked this picture as the title indeed attracted me. Happy that it did turn out to be a good one. The plot was simple and clean and what we come across in day to day life.
Its about peer pressure in a high school to pledge against premarital sex. Pretty challenging plot isn't it. The director has indeed handled it well. The story revolves around the announcement from Government to take steps to avoid or reduce premarital sex among kids in every school. The school with 100% success rate in eradicating is awarded with funds.
This puts the pressure on the school to enforce the same on the kids. But the approach taken for this is where the school goes wrong. Instead of teaching the kids about the necessity of safe sex and the needs for healthier relationships, they try to enforce/ scare the kids with the consequences of premarital sex. They introduce a pledge system where the kids have to swore to be virgins and by doing this they get lot of benefits inclusive of scholarships! Under the leadership of a student [Caroline enacted by Brooke D'Orsay] they spy other students.
Though kids accept to the sign up the pledge for the attractive offers they are unable to keep up the promise. More the rules are enforced, more the kids tend to rebel. Angela, One among the kids doesn't wish to take the pledge just for the sake of it. She is exposed to the pressure from her peers as her sign would make it 100% and the school would get the funding. This disturbs her a lot as she is not able to accept the fact that sex is totally unhealthy and the real facts are being not put to the students. In spite of the fact she had a boyfriend and she being virgin, she strongly believed that one should realize inside them not to have intercourse and just not because of fear.
Finally the story ends with other students, parents and teachers understanding the fact that pressurizing doesn't lead to solutions and school management decides to introduce kids with the use of contraception and other safety methods along with the health science subject and aid for proper sex education.
Hey wait.. I already told to myself it isn't a review.. Okay I better stop here and go to what I wished to convey [I can hear people say "Oh God the post hasn't begin yet?" ]
I saw this in a more general perspective. This peer pressure is there every where. We name it society and tend to live in a way to please others rather than living for oneself. There was an instance in my home. My sister after her return from US, was commented on her dressing sense . I did accept that "when in Rome do as Romans do".. but what about your wishes. I heard most say "Just listen to the heart and proceed".. How could we really do when we constantly think to please others than trying to live for ourselves..
This is just a simple instance which I quoted. There are lot many. In most of the conferences you can see the dress code is suits for men. In western countries the costume helps in fighting against their climatic conditions. But why to do it back in India, in Chennai at peak summer. Doesn't it sound crazy?
About love or inter-caste marriages. Most of the opposition comes from the parents because of the fear that they can't face their social contacts or family members. The are forced not to realize their kids dreams even though they knew about it. I am not supporting inter-caste marriages/love marriages. Neither do I have belief in them. But this movie did indeed made me feel that its that society or peer makes the parents not to see the prospects with an open mind. I have been a witness for few of love marriages and also failures due to parents opposition. Very few cases had I got a chance to hear from a dad/mom proper reason for their non-cooperative moment. Most of them where "How do I face this world" as if the entire world is just looking at them. One even went to the extent of saying.. "If their daughter don't comply they have to leave to another town or place where no one would knew them".
Why were are unable to avoid this peer pressure. Rather how to fore go it? Good question but I haven't got a great answer to this yet. What is society? Ultimately its we, our self.. Then what could be stopping us? As the girl "Angela" in the movie its we who has to overcome this. Rome wasn't built in a day.. so I knew its not a simple and quick change to get its effect.. But I do hope in coming generation it could change..
Hoping for the best. Anyone with a good suggestion are welcome!!!
Review!?!?!?!?!
Here I am back again with another post. I have been thinking to write a post for past two days but somehow I dint. But this is not the topic on which I wished to write. Sounds funny isn't. People write posts when they want to write about something. I write posts because I wished to write something rather than writing about something.. sounds crazy to me too...
Having become a house wife/home maker [what ever it may be called .. for me it seems like a vacation after many years he he he he] suddenly I really dint know what to do to kill time. I had been busy all through out the time in my life and this seems a new world. Now "how do you keep yourself occupied" is the most common question I am posted with. Thought I better review myself and get an answer to this..
What I do:
1. Of course do house hold chores...[cooking, laundry, cleaning....]
2. Mostly I do chatting with someone whom I find
3. watch movies [in you tube.. thanks to them else I would have been mad by now!]
4. TV shows online. [ I am constantly following airtel super singer by vijay Tv]
5. Orkut 24/7
6. Read articles..[both online and books from the small library maintained by my hubby]
7. Most important Video chat with my parents and in-laws....
Now what we have got here.. It seems most of them circle around a simple box. Its none other than the "PC/ Laptop". I cant imagine a day when this small box fails to open....
Computer and Internet had been the least priority of my life..[PS: for those who do not know me.. I was an software engineer all through out my career .. not a long one just 3 years] I hate to sit before PC/internet when I am off from my work environment. Even as a blogger I never spent much time with computers..
But now it is my life.
Thanks to Internet. Never in my life have I felt too close to Web World. My dad makes fun of me for being in Internet all through out the day. Even I fell bad some times for being idle before this box. But I really don't know how to keep me occupied.
I like reading.. That could be the next option I have.. Even I have tried them..
But my motive behind writing this blog was not to say I feel bad for what I am doing now. I am happy for having been introduced to this web world. I learnt many new things which I haven't even given a thought about. Last year if someone would have told me to just browse something I would have told them to go to hell.
Even for technical needs I was not using much of internet. When it becomes mandatory to surf I just call my friend [who is crazy about surfing] about the topic I require information. He just turns to me with necessary list of links from which I narrow down to what I want. Sounds like outsourcing isn't it?? Cool I did them all through out. I never have seen any video in you tube nor used twitter. The only thing worth to mention was I used to hear online songs..
It is turn of events now!
Everything new would fascinate oneself. But I wont rate this as a fascination. I feel this web world is also good. It just our utilization and handling methods would reflect the effect of it on us. This is true for everything. The world has nothing good or bad. Its just our exposure and our attitude and perception about them makes it bad or good.
The video chat with my family has really helped me a lot. Never had I felt I am very far away from my home land at different time zones. Without this I would have gone crazy.
So now that doesn't mean web world is purely full of advantageous. There are also few pranks in the form of mails or offline messages I get. All what I wanted to say was anything should be used to improve oneself towards success and not to affect others feelings!..
Now stop.. where I am leading to.. I dint intend to write anything to teach or to preach.. This was supposed to be a post to review myself...
All what I was able to infer was... hate and love are fictitious. The thing in which I had the most feeling of hatred has become my only companion and eyes to the outside world. I better start seeing things with impartial and open mind to get the best of it.
Most of my posts are for light reading.. I don't think I can count this to that herd!!! New aspirations.. I hope its a good start!
Having become a house wife/home maker [what ever it may be called .. for me it seems like a vacation after many years he he he he] suddenly I really dint know what to do to kill time. I had been busy all through out the time in my life and this seems a new world. Now "how do you keep yourself occupied" is the most common question I am posted with. Thought I better review myself and get an answer to this..
What I do:
1. Of course do house hold chores...[cooking, laundry, cleaning....]
2. Mostly I do chatting with someone whom I find
3. watch movies [in you tube.. thanks to them else I would have been mad by now!]
4. TV shows online. [ I am constantly following airtel super singer by vijay Tv]
5. Orkut 24/7
6. Read articles..[both online and books from the small library maintained by my hubby]
7. Most important Video chat with my parents and in-laws....
Now what we have got here.. It seems most of them circle around a simple box. Its none other than the "PC/ Laptop". I cant imagine a day when this small box fails to open....
Computer and Internet had been the least priority of my life..[PS: for those who do not know me.. I was an software engineer all through out my career .. not a long one just 3 years] I hate to sit before PC/internet when I am off from my work environment. Even as a blogger I never spent much time with computers..
But now it is my life.
Thanks to Internet. Never in my life have I felt too close to Web World. My dad makes fun of me for being in Internet all through out the day. Even I fell bad some times for being idle before this box. But I really don't know how to keep me occupied.
I like reading.. That could be the next option I have.. Even I have tried them..
But my motive behind writing this blog was not to say I feel bad for what I am doing now. I am happy for having been introduced to this web world. I learnt many new things which I haven't even given a thought about. Last year if someone would have told me to just browse something I would have told them to go to hell.
Even for technical needs I was not using much of internet. When it becomes mandatory to surf I just call my friend [who is crazy about surfing] about the topic I require information. He just turns to me with necessary list of links from which I narrow down to what I want. Sounds like outsourcing isn't it?? Cool I did them all through out. I never have seen any video in you tube nor used twitter. The only thing worth to mention was I used to hear online songs..
It is turn of events now!
Everything new would fascinate oneself. But I wont rate this as a fascination. I feel this web world is also good. It just our utilization and handling methods would reflect the effect of it on us. This is true for everything. The world has nothing good or bad. Its just our exposure and our attitude and perception about them makes it bad or good.
The video chat with my family has really helped me a lot. Never had I felt I am very far away from my home land at different time zones. Without this I would have gone crazy.
So now that doesn't mean web world is purely full of advantageous. There are also few pranks in the form of mails or offline messages I get. All what I wanted to say was anything should be used to improve oneself towards success and not to affect others feelings!..
Now stop.. where I am leading to.. I dint intend to write anything to teach or to preach.. This was supposed to be a post to review myself...
All what I was able to infer was... hate and love are fictitious. The thing in which I had the most feeling of hatred has become my only companion and eyes to the outside world. I better start seeing things with impartial and open mind to get the best of it.
Most of my posts are for light reading.. I don't think I can count this to that herd!!! New aspirations.. I hope its a good start!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Trek experiences III - Skandagiri
Here I go again with another trek experience. This was my second moon light trek. First one, ofcource was more thrilling, as I wasn't aware what was in store for me. Now do not ask me where is the first one.. I would definitely share that with you all in my upcoming posts.
This time, I was a sort of leading the group [don't raise eyebrows..it was just a group of 6 people] and I was the one who had moon light trek experience. [he he he time to raise my collar huh!]
PS: Don't try to ask feedback from other members about my leadership. Negative[Real] comments are never accepted.
Jokes apart. This trek was a memorable one for many reasons:
1. It happened when I was in Bangalore.
2. I had initiated and taken full arrangements of the trek.
3. I was accompanied by my best friends. [Usually I join some other group and try to get accustomed to people and gain friends..Here I went with almost everyone I knew well]
4. Mode of transportation was BIKE. [I am little crazy about bikes: just little??? screams from my friends]
5. No one including me, who was trying to guide the group, knows anything about the route or the place we where trying to trek!
6.............
Think this would go on and on and on and I wont write any thing interesting....[So till now was it interesting??? Nice question but I cant comment on myself!]
About Skandagiri: Courtesy: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandagiri
"Skandagiri is a hill, located approximately 70km from Bangalore city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is off Bellary Road (NH-7 Hyderabad-Bangalore Highway), and is very close to Nandi Hills and Chikkaballapura. The peak is at an altitude of about 1350 meters, it is every adventurer’s paradise with beautiful night trek, altitude camping, stunning sunrise, and serene and swimming clouds that sometimes limits visibility to just a few meters".
Thanks to Google and and its links. Its from here I managed to get good reviews about the place and also approach to the place. It was just 70kms from the place of our stay and hence we decided to go in bike [Rather I imposed on going in bike when everyone else was suggesting of taking a vehicle]
Note: Of total 7 people, I was the only girl and it was I who wanted a bike drive in the late night.
With all set for the lovely night, I had one of my friend pick me from my office and we dropped in at his home for dinner [Just two of us. We cooked :) ] and bought some last minute requirements like torch, medicines and other stuffs. Medical kit was my responsibility....
From his home we manged to reach the meeting point near Hebbal at around 9.30pm. We were 7 people with 4 bikes. I had insisted on having helmets for each and everyone. I managed to get one for myself from my colleague too [It was too big for me ;) so I never used it and stole muffler and scarf from my friends helping them freeze in cold!] Being a single girl among the group is lot more advantageous. I was really taken care by everyone! ;)
At Hebbal we had our dinner [This is for others....Believe me I dint have dinner again...Next day we don't know when we can have food!] We started our trek around 10.30pm from there. None of us knew the route. We [Rather I ] decided to take one of the 2 routes I managed to get from the site. I took a print out of the same.
The journey was not as simple as I had believed. Till Chikkabalapur it was NH. The highway was good and calm with few heavy vehicles crossing us at some intervals. We had a pleasant and peaceful journey. It was too cold and dark but still we enjoyed. I was with my brother and we sang all our favourite musical numbers. Both of us are great fans of Ilayaraja. Whoever crossed us would have to definitely turn back to have a look at us once more as we were literally shouting at the top of our voice. Never in my life had I dreamt of singing on road in middle of the night.
After reaching certain point where the map had directed us to take a left near to a statue, we felt we were lost. As it was 12.30 when we reached Chikkabalapur we dint have anyone to actually direct us the right path. We literally had to stop and do lot of retracing before getting to some place.
When we changed routes from the main road to off lanes it was too scary [I knew it was for me not sure about others]. Imagine there is silence and darkness around you and you have just your headlights and you travel to an unknown place in unknown path. Even the street lights weren't functional. I had to hold my brother tight in order to relax myself.
We somehow managed to get to place where we found 3 guys standing and talking on the road. I was too enthusiastic and offered to go and enquire them. When I got good stare from everyone was then I realized I was a girl and it was past midnight! Mostly I never felt I am a girl and hate to be constrained because of my gender. They suggested us to retrace the path and take a right. Gosh I never thought that road in the right could be so small. It was more like going inside a small street in at a village. With dogs barking around we went to a spot from where we cant drive anymore. Thus we concluded that either we took a wrong route or those guys were unaware of what we asked.
We decided to go back to the same guys to clarify the route [at least to fight with them for directing us in wrong path... he he Humans always are happy to point out other people's mistake...And even at that middle of night we wished to execute this typical behavior]. This time we thought not to waste petrol [its too much and often increases] and just 2 of us went ahead for enquiry leaving the rest in the middle of the road. We parked the bikes and all sat on the road. My brother even lied flat on the road to take a nap. It was a wonderful night but I wasn't even able to enjoy my favorite moon! What a trip with so much confusions..But to my surprise all others seemed to enjoy. They were even happy to return back home if they don't get clear further directions. They were shouting, making fun and dancing... somehow I dint get to their spree and let myself...[May be I am perfectionist and as the organizer I want the mission to be successful!?!?!?!?]
The two guys came back with a car and asked us to follow the car who would direct us in right path. Now this time we got the correct right which we missed last time and managed to take from there alone as the car went on in another direction. This was smooth until we realized that we are just traveling without any glimpse of target. We parked our vehicles again in a spot where we saw some houses at a distance with lights. One from our group, Srikanth walked past a narrow path which was not even proper for bike and managed to go to one of the houses. He got a guy [Sreedhar] who accepted to be our guide for reaching the mountain base and also to top of the mountain.. Hence by 1.30 we managed to get to the base of the hill. We parked our bikes and started our great journey ahead. From there on it was a wonderful journey. With all my tensions gone I was back to my normal playful girl.
The moon did her job and made our torches [we had around 7 of them] useless. The view of the city through out the path was too good. With few stops [to take rest and catch up breathe.. it was damn too cold man and cold winds just shaking our balance] we managed to reach the top by around 3 am and sighed with relief on the mission accomplished. They had rated the trek as moderate but the entire path was very steep and slippery with nothing near the path to hold and walk. It was like they had made small steps [could be man made but it seemed more to be like naturally created due to the human access to the place] in huge steep rocks.
Sreedhar commented every time we sat for some rest that most of people don't complete the trek as they feel tired in the way, especially if the group had girls. I felt bad and wanted to prove him that his bias on gender basis was not fair. I din't reply to his comment as reality struck me. I just wanted to make sure that there are exceptions too.
At the top there were many such groups. Thanks to God we were not the only crazy people on earth. Sreedhar left us from there saying he had to go back and try for another batch of peaple. Gosh he should really have a great practice to climb up and down the hill just like that. He was just 20 yrs and was still a student doing this part-time to bear his educational expenses. There are many like this around us who earn to live. My silent prayers to his successful life.
It turned out to be a very bad weather and we all were literally freezing in the cold breeze. Me with a sweater, one jerkins and a leather jacket [took from my brother], 2 scarfs [took from my friend] and a monkey cap [he he he I was still shivering and thinking what more can I steal from my co-trekkers.....]. Surprise to find even a shop at such a odd place and at odd timings. The shop was supplying tea and omelet [both of which I wont have :( I neither drink tea nor have egg]. Leaving me on one of the rocks the others went forward to have something hot.
Note:The shop keeper lives down the hill and this shop is functional only on weekends. He says in weekends he is really able make a good profit. [Why not with so many people coming over there and with monopoly he can definitely earn more].
He also sold raw materials for setting up born fire. It costs around Rs 70. I still wonder on what basis this amount was fixed. But for that moment it was a mandatory for us.The fire was really helpful. So the rest of the night passed on keeping the fire alive rather keeping ourselves alive. [we had to buy it twice for keeping it live through the night]
Around 6.30am we could see the sun showings its traces of trying to rise up. We also noticed that the number of persons to view the same had also increased. We should be around 150 people say... One group even manged to burst crackers and rockets as the sun started to rise. This was the moment we had expected for and taken such a great mission. It was too good. This place is supposed to be above cloud 9 [That is what it is referred as]. To our dismay there weren't much clouds due to heavy breeze. But was a blessing in disguise as it was really awesome to have moon in one horizon and sun on the other in a pretty clear sky.
We were there till 7.30 and decided to start walk back. The way back was not that way difficult and we managed to do it in an hour. This is when we saw the way in which we had waded through in the night without knowing what is there awaiting us. It was indeed a nice trek. Once down the hill we headed back to banglore with a heavy heart which was no more ready to carry our body...
This time, I was a sort of leading the group [don't raise eyebrows..it was just a group of 6 people] and I was the one who had moon light trek experience. [he he he time to raise my collar huh!]
PS: Don't try to ask feedback from other members about my leadership. Negative[Real] comments are never accepted.
Jokes apart. This trek was a memorable one for many reasons:
1. It happened when I was in Bangalore.
2. I had initiated and taken full arrangements of the trek.
3. I was accompanied by my best friends. [Usually I join some other group and try to get accustomed to people and gain friends..Here I went with almost everyone I knew well]
4. Mode of transportation was BIKE. [I am little crazy about bikes: just little??? screams from my friends]
5. No one including me, who was trying to guide the group, knows anything about the route or the place we where trying to trek!
6.............
Think this would go on and on and on and I wont write any thing interesting....[So till now was it interesting??? Nice question but I cant comment on myself!]
About Skandagiri: Courtesy: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandagiri
"Skandagiri is a hill, located approximately 70km from Bangalore city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is off Bellary Road (NH-7 Hyderabad-Bangalore Highway), and is very close to Nandi Hills and Chikkaballapura. The peak is at an altitude of about 1350 meters, it is every adventurer’s paradise with beautiful night trek, altitude camping, stunning sunrise, and serene and swimming clouds that sometimes limits visibility to just a few meters".
Thanks to Google and and its links. Its from here I managed to get good reviews about the place and also approach to the place. It was just 70kms from the place of our stay and hence we decided to go in bike [Rather I imposed on going in bike when everyone else was suggesting of taking a vehicle]
Note: Of total 7 people, I was the only girl and it was I who wanted a bike drive in the late night.
With all set for the lovely night, I had one of my friend pick me from my office and we dropped in at his home for dinner [Just two of us. We cooked :) ] and bought some last minute requirements like torch, medicines and other stuffs. Medical kit was my responsibility....
From his home we manged to reach the meeting point near Hebbal at around 9.30pm. We were 7 people with 4 bikes. I had insisted on having helmets for each and everyone. I managed to get one for myself from my colleague too [It was too big for me ;) so I never used it and stole muffler and scarf from my friends helping them freeze in cold!] Being a single girl among the group is lot more advantageous. I was really taken care by everyone! ;)
At Hebbal we had our dinner [This is for others....Believe me I dint have dinner again...Next day we don't know when we can have food!] We started our trek around 10.30pm from there. None of us knew the route. We [Rather I ] decided to take one of the 2 routes I managed to get from the site. I took a print out of the same.
The journey was not as simple as I had believed. Till Chikkabalapur it was NH. The highway was good and calm with few heavy vehicles crossing us at some intervals. We had a pleasant and peaceful journey. It was too cold and dark but still we enjoyed. I was with my brother and we sang all our favourite musical numbers. Both of us are great fans of Ilayaraja. Whoever crossed us would have to definitely turn back to have a look at us once more as we were literally shouting at the top of our voice. Never in my life had I dreamt of singing on road in middle of the night.
After reaching certain point where the map had directed us to take a left near to a statue, we felt we were lost. As it was 12.30 when we reached Chikkabalapur we dint have anyone to actually direct us the right path. We literally had to stop and do lot of retracing before getting to some place.
When we changed routes from the main road to off lanes it was too scary [I knew it was for me not sure about others]. Imagine there is silence and darkness around you and you have just your headlights and you travel to an unknown place in unknown path. Even the street lights weren't functional. I had to hold my brother tight in order to relax myself.
We somehow managed to get to place where we found 3 guys standing and talking on the road. I was too enthusiastic and offered to go and enquire them. When I got good stare from everyone was then I realized I was a girl and it was past midnight! Mostly I never felt I am a girl and hate to be constrained because of my gender. They suggested us to retrace the path and take a right. Gosh I never thought that road in the right could be so small. It was more like going inside a small street in at a village. With dogs barking around we went to a spot from where we cant drive anymore. Thus we concluded that either we took a wrong route or those guys were unaware of what we asked.
We decided to go back to the same guys to clarify the route [at least to fight with them for directing us in wrong path... he he Humans always are happy to point out other people's mistake...And even at that middle of night we wished to execute this typical behavior]. This time we thought not to waste petrol [its too much and often increases] and just 2 of us went ahead for enquiry leaving the rest in the middle of the road. We parked the bikes and all sat on the road. My brother even lied flat on the road to take a nap. It was a wonderful night but I wasn't even able to enjoy my favorite moon! What a trip with so much confusions..But to my surprise all others seemed to enjoy. They were even happy to return back home if they don't get clear further directions. They were shouting, making fun and dancing... somehow I dint get to their spree and let myself...[May be I am perfectionist and as the organizer I want the mission to be successful!?!?!?!?]
The two guys came back with a car and asked us to follow the car who would direct us in right path. Now this time we got the correct right which we missed last time and managed to take from there alone as the car went on in another direction. This was smooth until we realized that we are just traveling without any glimpse of target. We parked our vehicles again in a spot where we saw some houses at a distance with lights. One from our group, Srikanth walked past a narrow path which was not even proper for bike and managed to go to one of the houses. He got a guy [Sreedhar] who accepted to be our guide for reaching the mountain base and also to top of the mountain.. Hence by 1.30 we managed to get to the base of the hill. We parked our bikes and started our great journey ahead. From there on it was a wonderful journey. With all my tensions gone I was back to my normal playful girl.
The moon did her job and made our torches [we had around 7 of them] useless. The view of the city through out the path was too good. With few stops [to take rest and catch up breathe.. it was damn too cold man and cold winds just shaking our balance] we managed to reach the top by around 3 am and sighed with relief on the mission accomplished. They had rated the trek as moderate but the entire path was very steep and slippery with nothing near the path to hold and walk. It was like they had made small steps [could be man made but it seemed more to be like naturally created due to the human access to the place] in huge steep rocks.
Sreedhar commented every time we sat for some rest that most of people don't complete the trek as they feel tired in the way, especially if the group had girls. I felt bad and wanted to prove him that his bias on gender basis was not fair. I din't reply to his comment as reality struck me. I just wanted to make sure that there are exceptions too.
At the top there were many such groups. Thanks to God we were not the only crazy people on earth. Sreedhar left us from there saying he had to go back and try for another batch of peaple. Gosh he should really have a great practice to climb up and down the hill just like that. He was just 20 yrs and was still a student doing this part-time to bear his educational expenses. There are many like this around us who earn to live. My silent prayers to his successful life.
It turned out to be a very bad weather and we all were literally freezing in the cold breeze. Me with a sweater, one jerkins and a leather jacket [took from my brother], 2 scarfs [took from my friend] and a monkey cap [he he he I was still shivering and thinking what more can I steal from my co-trekkers.....]. Surprise to find even a shop at such a odd place and at odd timings. The shop was supplying tea and omelet [both of which I wont have :( I neither drink tea nor have egg]. Leaving me on one of the rocks the others went forward to have something hot.
Note:The shop keeper lives down the hill and this shop is functional only on weekends. He says in weekends he is really able make a good profit. [Why not with so many people coming over there and with monopoly he can definitely earn more].
He also sold raw materials for setting up born fire. It costs around Rs 70. I still wonder on what basis this amount was fixed. But for that moment it was a mandatory for us.The fire was really helpful. So the rest of the night passed on keeping the fire alive rather keeping ourselves alive. [we had to buy it twice for keeping it live through the night]
Around 6.30am we could see the sun showings its traces of trying to rise up. We also noticed that the number of persons to view the same had also increased. We should be around 150 people say... One group even manged to burst crackers and rockets as the sun started to rise. This was the moment we had expected for and taken such a great mission. It was too good. This place is supposed to be above cloud 9 [That is what it is referred as]. To our dismay there weren't much clouds due to heavy breeze. But was a blessing in disguise as it was really awesome to have moon in one horizon and sun on the other in a pretty clear sky.
We were there till 7.30 and decided to start walk back. The way back was not that way difficult and we managed to do it in an hour. This is when we saw the way in which we had waded through in the night without knowing what is there awaiting us. It was indeed a nice trek. Once down the hill we headed back to banglore with a heavy heart which was no more ready to carry our body...
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