Gifts

Not so long ago, the gift one could give to someone on a birthday was nothing more than a clock, watch or a pen. Nowadays a lot of options are available when one has to give a gift. The photo studios play a major part in creating these gifts. After the apperance of mobile phones and digi cams with a high quality camera in it, the number of hard copy photos taken by people has come down, and most dont take at all. They are shows to others on mobile phones or computer screens and shared to others through facebook, whatsapp or pintrest.

Now these studios print these photos on stuff that we have never imagined earlier like ceramic cups, tiles, engraved on wood and these items are presented as gifts. A couple of years back we happily received such a gift of our family photo engraved on a wood, and I was surprised to see such a gift. It was ordered through internet and was directly delivered to us.

Lots of collages were also given as gifts. When I first heard this word "collage", I wasnt sure what it was as it rhymed with both "college" and "collegue". When I saw that, got to know that it was a sequence of printed photos, printed mostly on a A4 size print sheet. But nowadays these phots are also printed on so many stuff like ceramic, tile, wood and glass. Some of them also have a clock embedded on it.

Though my friend had the habit of giving gifts to her friends earlier, I was not much into it. But now I am also receiving many gifts from loved ones in my close circle. I think soon I will also be part of this gifting culture.





- Pavala. 

Another Vinayaka Chathurthi

After coming to Chennai, observed that the Ganesh/Vinayaka chathurthi is celebrated in a grand manner here. Until then, it was just a holiday for me. Also nowadays lot of special programmes, including new movies are telecasted on that day. This time we celebrated in the morning itself, as it was a holiday for me, and I didn't want to spend the whole day in preparing for the celebrations. The rest of the day, we can do something else or we can spend time with family, and with Pillaiar's blessings, it worked out indeed.

I am amazed by the speed at which my friend works these days in preparing for these events, single-handedly. This time my little friend Deepak also helped her. Dhanesh also pitched in then and there. Our celebrations were over before 10 o' clock. Then we saw TV for sometime. Though we watched for around 30 mts, the movie "Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga" was enjoyable, as always. This time we missed the Pattimandram, and I didn't worry for it, as over the years, it became a very boring program on the TV, with the same set of people telling almost the same thing again and again. Then we went around for rounds in bike, and the kind Vinayaka took care of our lunch too ;-).

Took complete rest in the afternoon and the rest of the day just flew away.

This time was happy to know that both Dhanu and Deepu understood that its "Pillayar Sami's Birthday" :-).

- Pavala.