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Rithi, I miss you I miss You I miss you

2010-10-24T17:03:00.001-05:00

Your beautiful and innocent smile,
that boundless love on me you pile,
The flowing tears of crocodile
Missing you playing with my mobile

Your Baby talk and the classic walk
my beautiful princess in the red frock
your collection of priceless rocks
missing you dear round the clock

The emotive and affectionate big hug
The love you shower on the lady bug
The lovely moments for which you shrug
Missing you spilling on the new rug

The forever enjoyable naughty enact
The emotional blackmail that you playact
With the baby toy the way you interact
Missing your conversations with Tomcat

The unique Carnatic Songs rendering
the perfect bhajan songs singing
the orange dress you keep wearing
Missing you for all the happiness you bring...

Rithi, I miss you I miss You I miss you

Yes I do…Do you? Maybe….

2010-01-13T23:07:00.004-06:00

Two things that revolutionized the way we live in the 20th century are the invention of PC and the growth of Internet. We are all bombarded with a new technology, product, and tool everyday that it’s getting increasingly difficult to maintain the pace with changing trends. We humans keep raising the bar every time.

Starting from the days when we thought emails would change the world communication, we bettered it by creating Chat Apps and before we could wink our eyes in awe, the chats became voice enabled. Video took over in no time and now we have apps like Skype that are the only means where Grandpas and Grandmas are interacting with their grand kids. Ever seen the no of users online in Skype at any point of time, man I was shocked (not less than 10 million).

Let me take you all in a tangential direction here to talk about Match-making in our Indian communities. Stay with me and it will all make sense finally. The typical process would be to exchange horoscopes, if they match exchange pictures and then if everything works out well the families meet in a formal way to see the would-be-bride /groom (Pen Paarkum Padalam) and then if all logistics matches, the alliance would happen.

In those days, if the groom is an NRI, the paradigm was totally different. Parents of the girl would be thinking whether he is the one for their daughter. Parents of the boy would be thinking whether their son would like the girl or not? It was more a guessing game. Some fortunate ones have had the opportunity to have a quick call with each other before making the big decision. Almost like a telephonic interview, this time is not technical, it’s emotional and romantic.

Over the years with the growth of technology we have matured this process as well. Most of you who are living outside India, there is a high probability that you would have met/ will meet your better half only on the Internet before saying “I do…”. I am one who got married in that generation of match making process.

We start our narration from Chennai…

The process as always started with horoscopes matching and photo exchanges. This time I get those photos in email. It’s a long process till you get to see the girl of your dreams. As one of my friends put it, “you should get a spark dude when you see that picture for the first time” and I tend to agree. When I saw the picture of my would-be wife - Rama, I got that spark. The spark created a fire of activities back at my place and in no time the meeting of the families was arranged. Both parties met at a temple to get to know each other and of-course see the potential in-laws. I had setup my brother-in-law Shankar to provide me a candid feedback on the girl. He said “of all the girls we have seen for you, she is the best”. The families liked each other and also the would-be daughter-in-law (Good work Rama…). The missing portion here is that the family has not met the groom yet.

We shift our cameras to Chicago now…

That is where I lived at that time; coincidentally Rama’s Uncle/Aunt (Shekar/Hema) also lived there. It’s now my turn to impress or what ever you want to call it. We scheduled a Lunch meeting at the famous Indian restaurant in Chicago Downtown. I meet them; attend the interview of sorts and come back. Shekar/Hema go back to Rama’s parents with a positive feedback about me, stating that I am a very nice guy, good habits etc and to top it all I look like hero “Ajith” ( I hope he meant the “Kadhal Kottai” Ajith and not the “RED” Ajith). A pat on my back here… 

Both Rama and I passing our Level 2 assessment were now ready for the final round make or break one-on-one. Date and time was decided and also the mode, the famous “Yahoo video Chat” (December 19th, 2005 at 7.30 PM Central). There was no Skype; no 3.1MP web cams at that time and in India Dial ups was the best you could get. Hazy picture and breaking voices is what we got at that time. We talked for more than 30 mins before saying bye to each other.

For me, the video chat was a formality as I had already fallen in love with Rama (She told the feeling was mutual when I met her in person later). We both told each other on the video chat point blank that we are ready to take the plunge.

You might be thinking, simple story; this is where the twist is. Though we had told each other our decision, not having met each other in person, we both had a nagging question running in our minds (What if the other person does not like me when meeting in person?). Adding to the confusion on Rama’s mind was my color. She thought, I was fair like a Seth boy…will this work out? I always considered myself plump and out of shape (I should say here that at that time, I was little slim and trim than I am right now) and I was thinking, man such a beautiful girl…How did she say yes to me? What if she changes her decision?

A Typical Yes I do, Do you? May be situation…Man trust me a worst place to be in…You are talking to each other assuming that she is the one you will be spending your old age with and a voice in you keeps telling you what if I get a No for an answer?

This voice was nagging me to an extent that I could not sleep the entire 16hrs of flight back to India. BTW I had bought her perfumes, goodies and a 32GB 5th Gen IPod (for Valentine’s Day) as well to make the best first impression.

February 3rd 2006, The D-day of sort in our lives…We met each other for the first time at her place. It was a Eureka moment for both of us, having found the answer for a question that was haunting us for a long time…

Seshadri - This is for you

2010-01-07T00:19:00.002-06:00

Oh Seshadri, My close Acquaintance
his parents are looking out for an alliance
A year gone embarking on this penance
Still no one in sight for a Romance

Day in Day out he browses Tamil Matrimony
Some girls need house and some need money
Goodness in his heart, not so many
Girls, You need a husband or Alimony?

He is a God fearing Brahmin-Iyengar Thenkalai
from the famous clan of Thirumalai Ananthan Pillai
No constraints whatsoever, ok with Vadakalai
Gifted are those who get him as their mappilai.

Very practical and full of laughter...
Great guy with impeccable character.
If you are looking for the best for your daughter
Entrust her to him/his parents, there ends the matter.

Happy New Year 2009

2008-12-26T19:46:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Let it Snow...Let it Snow..Let it Snow

2008-03-31T18:04:00.003-05:00

For the past few weeks, It has been a hide and seek game of the sorts with the weather here in Minnesota. We have seen it all - Summer, Winter, Spring in a span of few days. For instance it was 46F on Sunday and its 25F today and the worst part is that its has been snowing non-stop from 9 AM in the morning and the weatherman predicts that this will not stop till tuesday morning.

I was caught totally off guard today. It was a very normal day no hint of any rain..I wore a spring jacket and walked to the Park and Ride to catch my bus(Generally I take the car and park it before hopping on the bus). The bus reached on time at 8 AM at my workplace. It was around 9.30 AM, when I got up to go for a meeting, I saw the window next to my cubicle was totally white...To my suprise...I thought it was some passing cloud or something...by the time i finished my meeting the whole town has been painted white by snow...

I quickly checked the weather and they had forecasted a snow storm and it will snow the whole monday into tuesday morning. I then decided that I will get off work early anticipating traffic delays...I got onto 4 PM bus and luckily no traffic whatsoever... I reached the Park and Ride on time. Just when I thought the worst was over...It started to snow heavily and it was very windy...

Nobody to pick me up from there, I braved the weather and started walking...I could barely open my eyes to see the way...There is a grass patch that I had to cross, on the route between my apartment and the bus stop. The path that was clear in the morning...was now filled with 6 inches of snow...I did not know where I was landing my foot...started walking...Keeping my balance on the slippery snow route. The cold gusty wind was blowing from right to left...I stopped feeling my right side within few seconds...

By the time I reached home...my hair had turned white...I was unable to speak...I barely managed to ask my wife for a towel...threw my bag and laptop and got into a comforter and was in there for 15 mins...

"Andavan nallavangala sodhippan aana kai vida maataan"...Thats what came to my mind
My wife seeing the weather had already planned to make bhajjis and Ginger tea...wow what a coincidence...

Not seeing the weather forecast - idiotic
Walking in the snow storm without proper cover - totally insane
Tea and Bhajjis that wife proactively made - Simply Priceless

I Love You

2007-04-06T13:28:00.000-05:00

I like –
            The way you look at me,
            The words you talk to me,
            The things you do for me,

I cherish –
            The time we spent together,
            The phone conversations we had with one another,
            The dreams we dream about each other,

I smile –
            Every time I see the twinkle in your eyes,
            When I think about the day we become husband wife,
            Every time I picture your beautiful face,

I think of you –
            When every second ticks by,
            Every time a scorpio passes by,
            Every time sleep catches my eyes,

Darling, I think I am in love with you…
Truly…Madly…Deeply…

Periappa - I bid Adieu with tearful eyes.

2007-03-29T17:36:00.000-05:00

With a heavy heart, I bid adieu to a great man who inspired me a lot. From Swetharanyam to the world of music and to the hearts of innumerous people, This has been a long journey for you. Journey that you started as a young boy in Thirvengadu to becoming Thiruvengadu A. Jayaraman who has an indeliable place in the world of Carnatic music finally comes to an end.

I have no words to express my shock and loss...
I bow to you with great respect.

Indian Embassy or Indians Embarrassed

2006-01-13T13:57:00.000-06:00

After being in US more than 2 years now, I have had the first hand experience of being a customer and the excellent treatment that is given to them. Its a simple formula..The two small C's (Courtesy and Customer Service) decide the success of a big C (Company).

From a corner drug store to a big multinational mobile service providers, the way they treat their customers, is what drives the customers back to them for more business.

This the formula that has been extensively applied and practiced in US today. The IT companies back in India has to an extent been successful in implementing this and as I speak thousands of consultants like me are practicing and preaching the same.

For majority of Indians the term "customer service" is something we never heard of or experienced before. This is something that many of Indian customers have not been privileged enough to experience.

The incident I heard today literally put me in shame. My close acquaintance from Detroit just became a proud father of a baby boy born in India. In order to apply a passport for the kid, he needs an affidavit from Indian Consulate in US(on totally different note - Only Father of the child can apply for a passport for his underage kid, it seems passports office does not even accept mother's signature in the application..).

So, my friend calls up the Customer Service in Indian Embassy office at Chicago for details and documentation he needs to bring for getting the affidavit. One of our beloved citizen answers the phone..my friend puts forward the question and instantaneously comes the answer and also a big thud, The guy in the embassy hung up on my friend, even before he could ask another question.
My friend makes another attempt by requesting his friend to call the embassy for the same details. The same fellow pick ups and after hearing the question he says "Why are you calling me again and again?" and this time too the same thud.

I was taken aback by this incident...I started pitying all the tourists who have to go through this insult to get a glimpse of Taj Mahal in the moonlight, to see wonderful Architecture of Temples in Tamilnadu or to relax their mind at the resorts in the backwaters of Kerala.

It really made me rethink our failure in improving the tourism sector. Maybe its not the Tourism Ministry at fault after all for all these failures...Looks like the Ministry of External Affairs is taking a lead on averting the tourism from flourishing in India.

This is same country where we have mastered and excelled in the Call Center business!!!
This is the same country where we are taught the phrase "Athithi Devo Bhava" (in English - Visitors are equal to God)!!!
This is the same country where hospitality is hardcoded in every citizen's Gene map!!!

It pains to admit that I come from the land of Oxymorons!!!

A Desi Cultural Shock

2006-01-03T09:24:00.000-06:00

First of all Happy New Year to all of you...I hope, This blog would give me a head-start for the 2006 and get me out of the slumber. I am breaking my silence which is more than 60 days old now.

What I did for the new year is all this blog about... VKE invited me to DC to spend the new year. The plan was to go to New Jersey and attend a Desi Mardi Gras party...Got a good deal in ATA. Reached DC on Saturday Morning, was received warmly by Siva, VKE and Arun (colleague of VKE).

We immediately embarked on the Road trip to NJ from Airport. The Ride was smooth..The fun part was each of us trying to reach our dear ones at the stroke of midnight (for us in the afternoon) to wish them New Year... Reliance lines were all jammed up and we could reach people only after 30 mins past midnight.

Reached NJ and stayed at VKE's friend's place. It was decided to start at 9.30 PM for the party, so that we could reach at 10.30 PM. All plans went haywire with many roads blocked in New york city for the Ball drop. After running from pillar to post for more than 10 blocks we reached the place and just made it 15 secs before the Ball drop..

This is the first time, I am getting into a discotheque party and I was very excited. I have never been to a party like this in my entire life. The excitement doubled when we saw in numerous Indian origin women dressed at their best and having a whale of time. We were quick to join the party. Me, VKe and Arun made it to the center of the dance floor and started moving our legs to the tunes. The DJ was excellent with unbelievable mixes and improvisations.

Time passed and the spirits were increasing (..in the blood). This is when I was taken aback. All the while I was thinking that women drink only beer, and those who take other alcohol, drink responsibly...I was proved wrong, Every woman in the house was high and at some point, I bet they would have been in a position where they could not figure out with whom they were dancing.

Drinking is bad, but Drinking and losing sanity is worse. If woman do this, it makes them more vulnerable.

I had the shock of my life, when I heard from my buddies that this is what happens in discotheques in Chennai. For once, The people's protest on Cultural loss due to these western invasions sounded justifiable.

Am I overreacting? Am I Ignorant? Am I experiencing a Generation divide?

I think, I am still in shock... or maybe I am unable exhibit tolerance for this...

God Bless India...

All Work No Play

2005-12-01T15:18:00.000-06:00

Its been hectic for me the whole of November and its still not going away... I am working on a release that has to go in by December 10th..I am hoping that I will become the usual again after that... I have not been able to write any new blogs or catch up on any of the other blogs in sphere...

Please be patient and I promise that I will make it up to all of you out there with my new ramblings...

See you soon...

Starved Rock Fall Colors

2005-10-30T19:46:00.000-06:00

Made a short trip to flora this weekend to see fall colors. Starved Rock state park is in Utica, about 90 miles south of Chicago. Picture is worth a thousand words. Below are some pictures, I clicked using my Canon A95....Enjoy the colors...

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Who names the Hurricanes???

2005-10-21T21:09:00.000-05:00

For sometime now, I had known that the Hurricanes in US are named alphabetically. There was still one question unanswered "Who names the Hurricanes?". I did not bother to research more after my friend who has deep interests in the geological changes et al told me that its just the media that names it.

Today, I was checking on the latest Hurricane Wilma on the weather channel and CNN, when I stumbled upon the website of National Hurricane Center of United States. I found loads of information on hurricanes, the most deadliest, costliest and intense hurricanes in the US.

I also found, now the actual and true info on how they name the hurricanes. They have 6 lists of names, each list has names starting with 21 different alphabets. This lists gets used over and over again, i.e. a list used in 2005 will be used again in 2011.The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity. Recent removals from the list are from 2004 - Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne. Following the trend, Katrina will definitely be axed out after this year.

Now, the one info that did not surprise me...The lists featured only women's names until 1979, when men's and women's names were alternated. Typical US Style...huh.

For more info check out this link on Hurricane Names

Flight Plan well planned

2005-10-17T15:58:00.000-05:00

After a gap of 2 months, I went to the theatre to see a movie. It was a quick decision on Sunday at 2 PM to catch the 4.30 PM show of Flight Plan.

Siva and VKE had gone a week before and gave a positive reviews for the movie.

I went with a open mind, I feel that this is a trick that makes even a worst movie look ok. Less expectations, No disappointments.

The movie was very good, with excellent acting by Jodie Foster. I do not want to play a spoilsport here by divulging the plot but I would like to say that minute details have been taken care of in the screenplay and it has been well crafted.

BTW, The plane they show in the movie is awesome...I assume its a Airbus A380. Cool interiors, The Economy looked like modern day first class.

If you guys get a chance watch it...

CPI - Corrupt Party of India

2005-10-14T23:46:00.000-05:00

I never had any soft corner for the left parties in India. I am one of the firm believers that their only ideology is to block anything that can bring development to the country. My blood used to boil whenever I saw Harkishen Singh Surjeet on the screen.

I feel over the years, people in CPI lost focus on Communism, the founding ideology. They would shout and disrupt parliament for even a one paise price hike on any commodity and if they feel that's not enough, a bharat bandh would be the option.

If you want to fight price hike, don't stop the trailers, by doing it you are making the hike unavoidable.

I was lucky to get hold of the latest book based on Mitrokhin Archive "The world was going our way". I finished reading just 30 pages from the chapter about India. Oh my god, everybody from clerk to the president of the party was a KGB agent. If the things described in the archive is true, the whole CPI would have to be convicted. IMHO Capital punishment will be insufficient for these traitors.

How could people sell country's secrets for money? Don't they have a feeling that they are literally selling their mother.

Weapons of Peace

2005-10-01T01:45:00.000-05:00

Fresh from reading a book by Strobe Talbott, I picked up "Weapons of Peace" by Raj Chengappa from the Library. The book gives a detail account on India's dream of becoming a Nuclear and Missile Power. I finished 200 pages of the 500 page book in 1 day and I could not continue at the same speed. Thereafter I had to take Nap breaks every 10 pages... Oh man the author details into so many irrelevant things. He talks about every bureaucrat and scientist who was involved in the Nuclear and Missile programs.

At times these details get irritating because he takes off his eyes from the core part of the chapter and moves on to describe the Minister, His Secretary, His Life etc..For instance the chapter about our Agni Missile has a big paragraph about K.C Pant.

Come on Mr Raj, I do not want to know what Indira Gandhi's Principal Secretary was like, Tell me more details about the Weapons.

I read rest of the book cursing two people, One Raj Chengappa, second the person who recommended me this book (no prizes for guessing)

The book clearly depicts lack of coordination between various government agencies, bureaucrats, ministers etc. For instance BARC did not know what DRDO is doing and vice versa. Every 50 pages, there is an indication of a Project failure due to lack of funds, coordination and vision. I felt that if somebody like Dr. R.Chidambaram and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam during early days in the quest to become Nuclear Power, We would have mastered the technology even before China.

On the positive side, I really felt proud being born in Tamilnadu. I was thrilled to find that more that 85% of the scientist who took India to the Nuclear Haves Group were from Tamilnadu. Chidambaram, Kalam, Subramanian, Santhanam, Raghavan, Srinivasan and many others. I can tell with no doubt in my mind, If there was no Chidambaram there is no Nuclear India and If there was no Kalam, there is no missiles. I really admire them, as with so many constraints they achieved things which were only dreamt and achieved by economic superpowers. We also need to factor in that many of their achievements would have been gone unnoticed, due to "Top Secret" nature.

On Completion, I felt thrilled and jubilant about our success in Missile and Nuclear Technology. The book is worth a read, if you could tolerate the off context information that Author gives.

Next on Agenda(Kind of a Gamble) - "Kashmir" by Sumantra Bose

Good News - I got Engaged

2005-09-23T19:15:00.000-05:00

Reading a book more than 30 pages was never my cup of coffee. All atempts from my close friends to make me read a book till date had been unsuccessful. During my trip to US Open (Thanks to my friend VKE, I got a chance to read the first chapter of Engaging India by Strobe Talbott and something in the book got me interested.

Is it the Pakistan bashing or Is it the carefully selected titles of the chapter..I really dont know...

First thing I did coming back from the trip was to order the book in Amazon using Expedite shipping. It raised couple of eyebrows in my friends circle, because I was doing something which is not characteristic of me. Before I knew, I was reading a 270 page book on the series of talks Jaswant Singh and Strobe Talbott had after India announced itself as a nuclear power.

It gives a good picture of how US tried to play the sanctions card to make India sign CTBT/NPT and how we resisted from doing it. After reading this book, I got really impressed by the way BJP especially Jaswant handled the whole Pokhran II.

The book starts with USA having upperhand in the negotiations, but when we get to fag end of the book...We get a feel of US begging India to sign CTBT/NPT or atleast give a timetable on when India is planning to do so.

I have always been impressed the way Jaswant handles the media back in India...After this book which depicts his diplomatic strenghts, I have started admiring him.

Now that my book reading jinx is broken, I am planning to read couple more on India's Nuclear Program (Weapons of Peace - Raj Chengappa)and one by Strobe Talbott on September 11 attacks (Age of Terror)

Engaging India had me Engaged

Chicago in Pics

2005-09-12T18:30:00.000-05:00

A photo blog for a change... These are some snaps I captured using my Canon A95 during my sightseeing in Chicago. Comments Suggestions Welcome...

This photo was taken from the Skydeck of Sears Towers..It captures part of Chicago Skyline with Michigan Lake as background

This picture was taken from the Lake Cruise boat... This shows the Navy Pier with the Ballroom Dome.

Another view of the Navy Pier with John Hancock towers in the background (the black building...)

From Swetharanyam to the world of music

2005-09-01T10:44:00.000-05:00

A yound boy with aspiration to acheive big in music, started from a remote village Thiruvengadu(Swetharanyam in Sanskrit) in Thanjavur. Innumerable years of dedication, immense love towards music, will to achieve given the circumstances, has what made Shri. Thiruvengadu A Jayaraman (TAJ) one among privileged few to carry forward the great Legacy of Shri. Madurai Mani Iyer.

Picture of Mani Iyer and TAJ(hidden behind mani iyer) during a concert

TAJ was closely associated with Madurai Mani Iyer from 1949 till the demise of the latter in 1968. He learned his music in a Gurukulam style in Mani Iyer's House.

He was born in a simple but big Brahmin family. His father Shri. Aghora Sastrigal was a Vedic Scholar. He was the eldest among 5 sisters and 8 brothers.

Those days when we did not have the luxury of Buses, TAJ used to walk miles from his village every week to learn music. His mother Mrs. Parvatham Aghoran packed enough food to last couple of days. He would live in his relative's house and do household work at theirs and Mani Iyer's place apart from getting music lessons.

Recently...
The Hon'ble President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at a special ceremony on 26 August 2005, presented the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards) to TAJ in recognition to his contribution to carnatic music.

Getting the award from President of India

Yet another feather in his cap. I always look upon him for inspiration...
As he is my Periappa, I feel an extra sense of pride.

Paati Thanks for giving us this great son.
Periappa I bow to you in great respect.

Idiocy and Opposition comes in a single package

2005-08-30T00:38:00.000-05:00

Recently the parliament has been disrupted for very trivial issue... Opposition is demanding P.Chidambaram's resignation as they allege that the minister has used his position to get his wife Nalini Chidambaram a job in Central Board of Direct Taxes.

During the BJP regime, Congress made it a point to stop the proceedings of the house whenever it got the chance. I assumed that Congress, due to its inexperience in the opposition benches, is acting weirdly.

I am proved wrong…Be it Congress, BJP or any other party…Idiocy, Nonsense and Opposition always come in one complete package…

Dear Politicians – Please do not take the word “opposition” in that much literal sense…

Chicago River - The River that flows backwards

2005-08-26T12:01:00.000-05:00

Engineering marvels are not new to us. From the tall skyscrapers to the magnificent dams… Civil Engineers have given life to various blueprints from the drawing table.

This one is totally out of the world…Engineers from Chicago in 1900s have achieved something totally unbelievable…they made a River flow backwards. The Chicago River that flows through the downtown actually was flowing towards the Michigan Lake before 1900…

In 1900, for health reasons the course of the river was changed, making it world’s only river to flow backwards. In 1854, a cholera epidemic took the lives of 5 1/2 per cent of the population. Deaths from typhoid fever between 1860 and 1900 averaged 65 per 100,000 population a year. The worst year was 1891, when the typhoid death rate was 174 per 100,000 persons. Disease resulting from water polluted by human waste brought about a state of emergency.

In 1887 it was decided to attempt a bold engineering feat and reverse the Chicago River. Rudolph Hering, chief engineer of the drainage and water supply commission, noted that the Great Lakes drainage system was separated from the Mississippi River drainage system by a summit or ridge approximately 8 feet high located some 12 miles west of the lake shore.

A plan was evolved to cut through that ridge with a canal from the southerly tip of the south branch of the Chicago River and carry the wastes away from the lake and down to the Mississippi River through the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers. The Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago was created in 1889 to effect this plan.The project was completed in 1900.

Who said "Man cannot triumph over nature"
I think it should be rewritten as "Man cannot triumph over nature outside Chicago".

www.yagnopaveetham.com

2005-08-22T23:21:00.000-05:00

The day all the brahmacharis look forward to the whole year next to their birthdays. This is the day, when for a change we are at the receiving end…. Relax all in positive sense… Avaniavittam is one the important events of the year in all Brahmin families.

…Year2003…Chennai

Every year appa and I would get up early in the morning; take bath and head to my periappa’s house in Velachery. All my cousins would gather up and go to the barbershop for the customary haircut…the shop owner would do brisk business, with a long queue of clientele waiting for their turn…

After everybody in the family assembles, veetu vadhiyaar (in my case my very own athimber) would kick of the proceedings and before we realize its 1 PM in the afternoon – We call it the collection hour… We kick of our collection with a namaskaram to Paati… Appa, Periappas and Chitappas to follow… Have delicious lip smacking food prepared at home…take off the rest of the day and spend time on vetti arattai with cousins.

…Year 2005…Chicago

Got up at 7.30 in the morning…Took bath and wore the only veshti I got from India. Take the unused stainless steel glass from cupboard. Sit down with required items in front of a laptop… Log on to www.ahobilam.com go to the English version of the Upakarma 2005. With the help of the picture/textual directions and after a 1 hr ordeal of pronouncing the words weirdly spelled in English, it done.

Called Appa/Amma got their asirwadham… Called my Family friend in US and got his asirwadhams too. Went to office---- same old mails, same old issues and same old clients.

Gayathri Japam day is no different…

A Journey that started from Kannathil

2005-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

It’s a dream come true if you could capture all the things you love in a single picture… Something of that sort is what happened when I saw Kannathil Muthamital song. It had almost all the things I could dream of, my favorite director Manirathnam, excellent cinematography by Ravi.K.Chandran, out of the world location, sensual Simran and A.R.Rahman.

This song also gave us the brilliant young talent Chinmayi. The voice brought in a whole new dimension to the song…in Hindi there is a saying “Sone pe Suhaaga”…which aptly fits the above description.

First time I heard that song, I thought that the song was sung by some well experienced Classical Singer…It was a pleasant shock to me, when I heard that the voice belongs a new teenager on the block…how could a singer deliver such magic with significantly no experience…Trust me God has a very uncanny way of doing miracles…

From kannathil in Kannathil Muthamital to Engu Piranthathu in Vishwa Thulasi, It never stops to amaze me. After a long gap, I hear a voice that speaks out the feeling and the mood of the song. This voice proves yet again, that music does not have a language.
“Oru Nanban Irunthal” from E20U18 is a good example.

“Sandhipoma”, “Puthu Kadal Padalamithu”, “Kadhalikum Asai”…20+ songs and more coming our way..

I thank god that I am able to see such miracles. I wish all success to Chinmayi… I am ready to be amazed more.

Where Clear Vision Costs Rs 30,000

2005-08-19T19:00:00.000-05:00

2 weeks ago, I had this vicious headache, forcing me out of work for more than 2 days. Not knowing the exact reason for it...I started identifying some of them... First I thought I was due a haircut...Went to SuperCuts next day and cut my hair so thin that you can see sunlight bouncing of my head (2 steps less than tonsure)...

It did not reduce the suffering...I called up my family friend and he suggested that It might be time to change my glasses.

...Last time I checked up my eye, was back in India a year ago. I went to this high end Optical store called "Vision Care" in Adyar. Did all the checkup...Ordered 2 costliest Gold Frames, Put Scratch resistant, Photo Chromatic (Here they call it Transition Lens)…etc etc... For all this, I paid INR 3000; of course only after getting a good stare from my mother. He gave me a Lens cleaner, a fancy box for glasses all complimentary...

Taking his advice, I promptly called up an Optical Store in the neighborhood and scheduled an appointment. On the appointment day, after some paperwork, I went to the examination room, where I was subjected to various tests, Retinal Pressure, Dialation etc etc...Finally it was over and the doctor told me that I have a slight increase in power, so I have to change my glasses...

Now gets the hardest part...Choosing a frame...The store assistant, showed me all sort of durable frames...Nothing could break the frame, Not even if I stand on it...After much research, I picked a Gold frame, something that was close to my previous one. The worst is not over yet... I still have to select the lenses...

I put forward an very intelligent request, eventually I found that it was the stupidest question to ask here - I said, When I put on glasses, I would want to feel its presence...Can you give a lens made of Glass?

She said - "Glass" with a Corner eye stare, literally meaning which part of earth do you come from? ...Finally answering politely, glass is not safe to wear?
After this faux pas, I blindly said yes to all other options...Transition - yes, Anti Glare - Of Course, Special Plastic...ok ok yes..yes..yes

Finally the time to settle the bill...She said the cost of frame, lens blah..blah..etc...totals upto $700 and after the insurance coverage, it comes to $300 out of my own pocket...At that moment, I thanked the person who found this good concept called Insurance...

I finally took a oath, Never to get sick again...Never in the land of opportunities...

Vedas teach us Math

2005-08-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

I was lucky to stumble upon this link which describes some astonishing facts about what the slokas (poems in Sanskrit) tell us. This article changed the way I look at vedic verses and other slokas. As young Brahmacharis, when we did the veda patanam during the Avaniavittam(Sacred Thread changing ceremony), we use to laugh at the verses which produce wierd sounds...but now I realize that those are the representation of our number system.

Our ancesters would have done lot of research to come up with such things and they did document it very well, but I feel over the period of time, we lost the skill required to comprehend and use them in our lives.

There are lot of questions that are coming to my mind now.

In our Vedas...
Did we have the knowledge of Nuclear Science already?
Did we have the precise steps to launch a rocket in space?
Do we have the exact procedures to predict Earthquakes?

More questions than answers...

Please visit the link Nuggets from Vedic Mantras and get surprised.

Chicago - The Merchandise Mart

2005-08-06T19:01:00.000-05:00

Living in Chicago, the capital of modern architecture, has its own advantages… I have the privilege of seeing the creations of the great minds that dared to dream more than half a century ago.

These buildings though old now house many modern offices in the city. I work in one such building called “The Merchandise Mart”. It has 24 floors; spans 2 city blocks in length and 1 city block in width.

Close to 20000 people visit the Merchandise Mart everyday for work/shopping etc, majority of them come through the Brown/Purple line that stops at the Mart Station located at the second floor of the building.

The Mart was the brainchild of James Simpson, president of Marshall Field and Company from 1923 to 1930 and chairman of the Chicago Plan Commission from 1926 to 1935. The purpose was to consolidate Field's wholesale activities, which were scattered about the city in 13 different warehouses.

It opened on Monday, May 5, 1930; making it the largest building in the world at 4.2 Million Sq Ft at that time. It held the title for 13 long years. Completion of the Pentagon in 1943, at 6.2 million square feet, caused a change in The Mart's title from "the largest building in the world" to "the largest commercial building in the world."

After 75 years, it is the sixth largest building in the world.

In 1945, ownership of The Mart passed from Marshall Field and Company to Joseph P. Kennedy, former ambassador to Great Britain and father of the 35th president.

In 1948, responding to a trend of increasing consumer interest, his staff opened up The Mart to the public by instituting daily tours given by The Merchandise Mart Guide Service.

In 1988, an enclosed pedestrian skywalk that bridges over Orleans Street to connect The Mart and the Chicago Apparel Center was built.

Though not the tallest in Chicago today, The Merchandise Mart is the first step in the long journey of Modern Architecture.

About Me...

2005-08-01T22:00:00.000-05:00

Born in the great city Madras (I still prefer Madras over Chennai).
I have spent my childhood days in many cities across India - Bombay, Bhopal and Hyderabad to name a few.I did my major part of schooling in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Hyderabad. Years passed and before I could realize, I had a Masters from Madras University..Joined a S/W Company in Chennai and after a Hop I ended up in US.

A Typical Cancerian..I hesitantly come out of my shell...but when out, I will definitely leave a mark.

Q & A

Q: Whom do you love more than your life?
A: My Family

Q: Best moment?
A: Saturday 16th July, 1977 at 4.38 AM

Q: Best telephonic moment?
A: The time when my nephew Anirudhh called me Mama for the first time.

Q: Favorite dish?
A: Vengaya Vethal Kuzhambu and Parupu Usili.

Q: Favorite Actors?
A: Kamal Hassan, Aamir Khan and Tom Hanks

Q: Your favorite Heroines?
A: Simran and Catherine Zeta Jones.

Q: Favorite Director?
A: Manirathinam

Q: Favorite movie?
A: Mouna Ragam.

Q: Favorite Hangout place?
A: Elliots Beach

Q: Best executed project?
A: NTel

BRags it is...

2005-08-01T21:07:00.000-05:00

After a four month ordeal...and good help from fellow bloggers, I finally named my blog.
Its Official now...I am calling it BRags

Dont ask me what it stands for...For now its the first letter of my Lastname and my nickname joined together.

All you guys wish me luck...I hope I will overcome my laziness and keep this blog going...

PS: I am still working on the Layout..Plz bear with me...