I'd been to Kerala last weekend for Sajith's wedding. It was quite an experience! It was my first time into Kerala for non-trek purposes. So in a way this was the first time ( excluding that trip as a kid!) I saw for myself what this enchanting land had in it for me !
Nature
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The scenic beauty of the backwaters is simply awesome. Waterways are like how highways are in the rest of the country. We went on a boat from Kottayam to R-Block. And in this distance we saw the beauty of what we'd heard of all the time. There were these bridges which were folded up whenever a boat passed by. There were lovely people on the banks washing clothes/ bathing. There were kids trying to swim in the shallow waters. There were acres and hectares of paddy fields. The lush greenary of the paddy fields is always a treat to the eyes !
The next part will contain other aspects of my observations of what I saw in Kerala!
Monday, November 29, 2004
Friday, November 26, 2004
Captain Planet ??
This is the most hilarious stories I've heard in the recent times. Very good spoof :-). Very good fwd. Not to be missed for later reading.
This is Indian cinema ;-)
Indian movies will alwayz be an eye opener.Here is a story of
Vijaykant's next (Telugu) movie Its named as "Captain Planet"(WOW !!!
where do they get these names?? )
Vijaykant is a scientist in NASA.......( yes folks..........u read
that right.NASA...the American space lab-A very big set designed for
this by kalaipuli S.Dhaanu).
When our hero was busy launching a satellite to Pluto, his wife simran
is about to deliver a baby and she wanted to meet him. But the launch
process badly need a person like our hero, and there is no other
option.
Senior scientist Radha asks him to stay back till it gets launched.
Our well commited hero successfully launches the satellite, and comes back home in a horse ( where are all the planes gone.??....:)), but his wife is dead. Mean time, other scientists in NASA claim that they were responsible for the launch and they didnt recognise Vijaykanth.
He resigns from there and comes back to india with his family leading a peaceful life.... days go by till......
Oneday, the scientists, to their surprise found that SUN is reaching EARTH slowly and after sometime it may BURN the earth to ashes.. All the scientists are worried how to save the EARTH..
Then they realize that only "THE HERO" (Vijaykanth) can do it...
They visit India,telling him the facts, and Vijaykant joins back there to complete the mission of saving the EARTH...After a very big research, Vijaykant is inventing an instrument.
The instrument will deflect the SUN from its path to EARTH..
All the scientist are very happy and appreciating vijaykanth's invention.
So finally Vijaykant is all set to go into the SPACE and save the earth.
He and one other person (Chandra sekhar, Who is a prisoner in Vellore, Has been choosen by our hero because none other in US army can do that job) are travelling in an spacecraft towards the SUN.
They moved out of earth and in space & Vijaykant is coming out of the spacecraft and standing on the Wings of the spacecraft.
He is taking out the instrument and showing it to the SUN.....
oh!!!!!!!! The instrument is not working... The terrorists deactivated it !!!(ha ha ha .....u got to be kiddin me)
All the scientists are worried at the earth station.....tension mounts up..........
SUN is reaching the EARTH slowly.............
Climax - With the SUN floats towards the EARTH, VIJAYKANTH puts one leg on earth, turns back, kicks off the SUN with ultimate force.. and jumps back to the spacecraft....
now the SUN is deflecting away from its path to EARTH!!!!!!!!!!! EARTH SAVED...
He shows Indian flag in his hand and the spacecraft moves back to earth!
*******************************The End**************************
This is Indian cinema ;-)
Indian movies will alwayz be an eye opener.Here is a story of
Vijaykant's next (Telugu) movie Its named as "Captain Planet"(WOW !!!
where do they get these names?? )
Vijaykant is a scientist in NASA.......( yes folks..........u read
that right.NASA...the American space lab-A very big set designed for
this by kalaipuli S.Dhaanu).
When our hero was busy launching a satellite to Pluto, his wife simran
is about to deliver a baby and she wanted to meet him. But the launch
process badly need a person like our hero, and there is no other
option.
Senior scientist Radha asks him to stay back till it gets launched.
Our well commited hero successfully launches the satellite, and comes back home in a horse ( where are all the planes gone.??....:)), but his wife is dead. Mean time, other scientists in NASA claim that they were responsible for the launch and they didnt recognise Vijaykanth.
He resigns from there and comes back to india with his family leading a peaceful life.... days go by till......
Oneday, the scientists, to their surprise found that SUN is reaching EARTH slowly and after sometime it may BURN the earth to ashes.. All the scientists are worried how to save the EARTH..
Then they realize that only "THE HERO" (Vijaykanth) can do it...
They visit India,telling him the facts, and Vijaykant joins back there to complete the mission of saving the EARTH...After a very big research, Vijaykant is inventing an instrument.
The instrument will deflect the SUN from its path to EARTH..
All the scientist are very happy and appreciating vijaykanth's invention.
So finally Vijaykant is all set to go into the SPACE and save the earth.
He and one other person (Chandra sekhar, Who is a prisoner in Vellore, Has been choosen by our hero because none other in US army can do that job) are travelling in an spacecraft towards the SUN.
They moved out of earth and in space & Vijaykant is coming out of the spacecraft and standing on the Wings of the spacecraft.
He is taking out the instrument and showing it to the SUN.....
oh!!!!!!!! The instrument is not working... The terrorists deactivated it !!!(ha ha ha .....u got to be kiddin me)
All the scientists are worried at the earth station.....tension mounts up..........
SUN is reaching the EARTH slowly.............
Climax - With the SUN floats towards the EARTH, VIJAYKANTH puts one leg on earth, turns back, kicks off the SUN with ultimate force.. and jumps back to the spacecraft....
now the SUN is deflecting away from its path to EARTH!!!!!!!!!!! EARTH SAVED...
He shows Indian flag in his hand and the spacecraft moves back to earth!
*******************************The End**************************
The underpass is inaugurated!
After my 'n' unsuccessful attempts at going through the dairy circle underpass, I finally did it yesterday ! Our beloved CM found time to inaugurate the underpass finally.
It really helps in traffic congestion.But then this is after putting public through so much hassle so it would obviously look much better than the mess it was in for so many years. ( 2 years, I think). Anyway, camt that way today also - not bad in terms of time taken - almost the same as the double road route. The quality of the road is not upto the mark. It's not smoothly ironed out - quite bumpy already.
The road before and after needs some repair immediately. But then we are in India - nothing comes without a struggle. That's why morally and societally we are so high :-). Because our basic needs are struggle everyday. Okay, I shall not get into the usual debate. That's all for now!
It really helps in traffic congestion.But then this is after putting public through so much hassle so it would obviously look much better than the mess it was in for so many years. ( 2 years, I think). Anyway, camt that way today also - not bad in terms of time taken - almost the same as the double road route. The quality of the road is not upto the mark. It's not smoothly ironed out - quite bumpy already.
The road before and after needs some repair immediately. But then we are in India - nothing comes without a struggle. That's why morally and societally we are so high :-). Because our basic needs are struggle everyday. Okay, I shall not get into the usual debate. That's all for now!
Monday, November 22, 2004
Cycling
"I want to ride my bicycle .." - an old song from Queen ! This song really inspires me every once in a while to cycle around. I've had a cycle for the last 4 years ( the latest one!). It's a good BSA Mach I with really really thin tyres.
I've always cherished this dream of cycling to Mysore from Bangalore some day. But before that day comes I need to prepare myself mentally and physically with the concept of cycling. The latest to inspire me to take up serious cycling were :
(1) My latest knee injury that occurred during my last cricket venture
(2) That fundu mail from BUS on his cycling mission for the cause of cancer pateients
I have been cycling some local distances within JP Nagar and Jayanagar. But I really wanted to try out at least a distance of 20 Kms in a session.
So I set out cycling yesterday morning from home. I went through the ring road in Jayanagar and reached the Nanda road early in the morning. It was cold abd beautiful with sun pillars breaking through the canopy on the Nanda road. And it is a good long stretch of good straight road. Then took a right turn at Ashoka Pillar and went onto double road and then residency and MG Road and onto Ulsoor lake. The lake was again looking awesome without too much traffic around it. And then finally rode to the gym to have a small workout and a well deserved steam and shower bath !
Temporarily, atleast my knee pain seems to have vanished ! What a good thing cycling is. I'm getting to realise it now. Thanks to this knee injury. Otherwise I was obsessed with running - be it in the park or the gym - just anywhere - I would attempt running anywhere - a la Forrest Gump. But I'm rediscovering the joys of cycling.
However, a few things that must be taken care of when cycling in Bangalore :
(1) Crazy truck and bus drivers with scant regard for any vehicle/person smaller than their size.
(2) Horrible pollution on the main roads in later hours ( Yesterday was Sunday and so it wasn't bad at all - I don't think on a weekday attempting this beyond 7 AM is worth it !)
Overall, feels good for the body and knee :-). I would love to join others and may be we could organise some good cyclothons around Bangalore.
I've always cherished this dream of cycling to Mysore from Bangalore some day. But before that day comes I need to prepare myself mentally and physically with the concept of cycling. The latest to inspire me to take up serious cycling were :
(1) My latest knee injury that occurred during my last cricket venture
(2) That fundu mail from BUS on his cycling mission for the cause of cancer pateients
I have been cycling some local distances within JP Nagar and Jayanagar. But I really wanted to try out at least a distance of 20 Kms in a session.
So I set out cycling yesterday morning from home. I went through the ring road in Jayanagar and reached the Nanda road early in the morning. It was cold abd beautiful with sun pillars breaking through the canopy on the Nanda road. And it is a good long stretch of good straight road. Then took a right turn at Ashoka Pillar and went onto double road and then residency and MG Road and onto Ulsoor lake. The lake was again looking awesome without too much traffic around it. And then finally rode to the gym to have a small workout and a well deserved steam and shower bath !
Temporarily, atleast my knee pain seems to have vanished ! What a good thing cycling is. I'm getting to realise it now. Thanks to this knee injury. Otherwise I was obsessed with running - be it in the park or the gym - just anywhere - I would attempt running anywhere - a la Forrest Gump. But I'm rediscovering the joys of cycling.
However, a few things that must be taken care of when cycling in Bangalore :
(1) Crazy truck and bus drivers with scant regard for any vehicle/person smaller than their size.
(2) Horrible pollution on the main roads in later hours ( Yesterday was Sunday and so it wasn't bad at all - I don't think on a weekday attempting this beyond 7 AM is worth it !)
Overall, feels good for the body and knee :-). I would love to join others and may be we could organise some good cyclothons around Bangalore.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Baran
I watched this movie the other day. I'd been trying to watch the movie for a very long time and finally made some time for it. Majid Majidi's Baran shows love as an unconditional and divine sense!
The movie begins by showing the main male character, Lateef, buying provisions at a grocery store. It gives an insight into general look and feel of Iran - atleast of a small town on the eastern side of Iran bordering Afghanistan. The contarctor, Memar has a very interesting personality. He's the kind who's basically good at heart but can bend the rules to achieve his end. He's not supposed to employ Afghans without a permit from the Govt., but then he does for profit purposes. The Afghans are shown as a very hard working people prepared to work for much less. The desparation for life and to aviod death back home is also depicted in a very suttle and implicit manner.
The greatest achievement of watching a movie such as this is that we realise that there are people in Iran - they are as normal as any others, the feelings of love is common across the planet ! The manner in which the movie is paced, the landscape shown and the seasons, the rain and the snow portrayed is also very innovative.
The love that Lateef develops for Baran is unconditional and total. The way he shields her is textbook. The entire love story is about how he is ready to do anything for her; without even having spoken to her.
The romance is very suttle and at times not comprehendable. But in the context of the conservative society of Iran, the crossing over of a woman into man's world is quite extreme. And so such unconditional and infinite love for the woman !
Overall, it's a good watch. It's more about information, depiction and sinking in the concept of such love ! It's not about entertainment at all. Not for people who need to be told everything very explicitly.
The movie begins by showing the main male character, Lateef, buying provisions at a grocery store. It gives an insight into general look and feel of Iran - atleast of a small town on the eastern side of Iran bordering Afghanistan. The contarctor, Memar has a very interesting personality. He's the kind who's basically good at heart but can bend the rules to achieve his end. He's not supposed to employ Afghans without a permit from the Govt., but then he does for profit purposes. The Afghans are shown as a very hard working people prepared to work for much less. The desparation for life and to aviod death back home is also depicted in a very suttle and implicit manner.
The greatest achievement of watching a movie such as this is that we realise that there are people in Iran - they are as normal as any others, the feelings of love is common across the planet ! The manner in which the movie is paced, the landscape shown and the seasons, the rain and the snow portrayed is also very innovative.
The love that Lateef develops for Baran is unconditional and total. The way he shields her is textbook. The entire love story is about how he is ready to do anything for her; without even having spoken to her.
The romance is very suttle and at times not comprehendable. But in the context of the conservative society of Iran, the crossing over of a woman into man's world is quite extreme. And so such unconditional and infinite love for the woman !
Overall, it's a good watch. It's more about information, depiction and sinking in the concept of such love ! It's not about entertainment at all. Not for people who need to be told everything very explicitly.
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