Hand-Writing of My Friend

 Fourteen years back, in the initial days of our marriage, my friend was surprised to see my hand-writing. My normal way of writing is Cursive Writing. 

[Pic: My Cursive Writing (from my exercise workbook)]

She was happy to see my hand-writing wanted to write like that and challenged that she write like that in 21 days. I told her that I have been writing like that almost for 25 years. But still I have to agree that it took me just a week to learn that when I was in 3rd standard. So, it may be possible for her. I wished her all good luck. She wrote in a long size note for a week or so and stopped. We forgot the whole chapter after that. 

[Pic: My friend's Old Hand-writing]

In the lock-down, my friend and my little-friends were improving many of their skills and acquiring new skills. When my friend saw our little-friends Cursive hand-writing, her interest in Cursive writing got rekindled. She took an old four line note and started practicing, including both small and capital letters. She came to me whenever she had doubt. So, 14-years after her initial attempt, she started re-attempted it seriously. 

She kept on practicing, day-in and day-out. In the mean time, I taught her the basics of Cursive writing, like the letters can either lean to the right, or it can remain straight. But it should not lean to the left. Leaning to the left is not cursive writing. Cursive writing originated in the days of dip pens, and this kind of writing, helped to write without lifting the pen from the paper, between each dip. It normally leans to the right, in a similar way a person leans to his write while running. I re-iterated the fact that Cursive letters should never lean to the left, as leaning to the left will actually slow down the speed of writing. 

[Pic: Her practiced Cursive writing]

Her hard-work finally won. She was able to write in Cursive with speed and accuracy. Congrats to her, that she won in her challenge after 14-years. 

Below, I proudly present her Cursive Hand-Writing. 

[Pic: Her Cursive writing]

- Pavala.

9.6.2020

2.0 - Movie watching experience

Last Monday, suddenly the idea of going to a movie flashed in my mind while we were on our way back from Mercy Electronics. I suggested to my friend we all go for a movie. I also suggested that we go to 2.0 as kids will enjoy as its made in 3D and its more of a movie for the kids. Here all includes kids and parents-in-law. We told our idea to parents-in-law and they too agreed. Before lunch we both started to the Skywalk to book in the PVR cinemas. As we have already chosen the seats by looking into the availability in PVR's website. S row, 2 consecutive seats, close to the pathway.

The guy at the counter immediately gave tickets for the same. This time he also took our phone number, and I got a message on my phone, which included a code, with which I can get a big salted pop-corn. Actually I dont like eating while watching the movie. Also chewing for more than 1.5 hours which watching the movie is not good for the jaws.

We went back home, had lunch, and then I started out to pick Dhanesh & Deepak from their school. Immeidately as I got on the bike, I told that we are going for movie, they became excited. I told them that they should finish off their homework before we start. Deepak asked what is the movie name. When I told "2.0", Deepak said "I thought it will be Sircar".

It was six o clock evening show and we all started by walk to Skywalk. Mama  Athai and kids started a bit ahead of us, but we caught them at the life in the mall. My fried was wearing a special outfit which was drawing everybody's attention on the way and some school going girls were commeting about it too. A sample comment was "cute-a irukku illa..." (isn't it cute).

We went it, got the free big salted pop-corn, took a couple of photos and went inside the movie hall. It was a big one and half of it was empty. While going in we got the 3D glass - this time its a polaroid black coloured glass, as Dhanesh rightly identified. Movie started and we all had a nice family movietainment. Mama got burger for all of us in the interval. Because of the black glass, the movie appeared a bit dim, colours were also a bit dim, which didn't give the theatre effect that I normally used to get while watching movie in theatres. But the movie was in full 3D, shot in 3D camera. Kids and parents enjoyed a lot. I was surprised to find even parents-in-law liked the movie and commented that the movie was nice. The much awaited song came at the end, towards the end credits, which we all liked. Deepak beautifully named the antagonist Akshay Kumar as "Phone Paiyyan" ("Phone Paiyyan vanthuruvaan").

This is our first movie after the GST implementation. Our last movie was "Bahubali-2". All these days we were proudly saying that we didnt watch any movie in theatre after GST. But we cant say that anymore :).

- Raja.

Book Exhibition 2017 - Visit

Coming back to writing after a really long time. Though I had many things to tell, I never thought of writing them down, as I became busy with other things in life. Now, back to writing. Not sure how long this will go on.

Yesterday I went to the Book Exhibition in Chennai. The Exhibition is back to its old venue of St. George Anglo-Indian school grounds. This time the path from the main gate to the Exhibtion hall is not just a simple straight path, with banners of writers and stalls on both sides but it was a curvy one, with no space on either side for the banners. But still some writers (or stall owners???) managed to keep some flex banners. Since I came by walk, I by-passed the long route to the Exhibition hall, by entering through the bike stand. In the front, there was a dias, where some meeting was going on. Some eminent persons from the literary world were giving speeches. The meeting was in full peak with all the chairs occupied. Saw a big food court next to it.

Took the entrance ticket by paying Rs. 10 at one of the counters. This time I paid with a ten rupee coin. After the rumor that the ten rupee coins will be banned, they are in decent circulation. I went inside the Exhibition hall. As I am used to this exhibition, this time I didn't wonder about the size of the hall (or tent???), number of the stalls, or the number of books on display. I just went to Stall No. 1 and started strolling from there. My friend Ramani had asked me to buy some books for kids, if possible. She also told the stall number (Stall No. 45). Though later I found that stall number didn't exactly match. Or may be that I missed the actual stall that sold imported books for children. Whatever be the case, I didn't buy book for kids. I went inside a stall where there was heap of books for children. I opened a few books and tried to read them, but unfortunately I couldn't understand anything and hence dropped the idea of buying those books, as I thought that even kids will find it difficult to read and understand them.

I just kept strolling though the pathway between the stalls, exactly in the middle, with stalls on both sides. Through any pathway, I traversed only once. This is different from my early visits, in which I will traverse twice, once on the left and once on the right, so that I don't miss the shops on either side. Also, I used to get into almost all the shops and browse through the books. This time I just kept walking. Books didn't attract me anymore (Or may be at the moment???). In Uyirmai stall, I saw Manushya Puthiran, writer Charu Nivedhitha, and three more people seated in chairs and chatting. As usual there was a lady (Manush's wife???) was sitting in the counter. Earlier Manush used to sit in his foldable wheel chair, but now he is seated in a comfortable small cushion sofa. He seemed to be more happy compared to my earlier encounters with him. When I was about to leave the Uyirmai stall, saw the blogger Cable Sankar talking to writer Charu Nivedhitha. More than talking he was laughing most of the time. He was a short, stout man, in his middle ages. Earlier when I used to see writers, I used to go and talk to them, and try to take a photo with them. Now I am least bothered about them. I just kept walking.

In one shop (Stall No. 293), I saw some old tape-recorders, telephones, hanging from the roof. I just stopped to watch them. Then I understood that its a trick to make people notice, enter, and eventually buy a book. Also most of the book readers belong to that period, when they listened to songs on a tape-recorder and made phone calls on those black rolling number dial telephones. Upon seeing Jayamohan's (somewhat big) photo I entered that stall, thinking that if I find a copy of the "Rubber" novel, I will buy. But I couldnt find "Rubber", but found many bundles of "Aram", book by the same author. I thought of buying a copy of Aram. The price was Rs. 300, after a 10% discount, it will come to Rs. 270. Somewhat a big money. So, I called up my friend and she asked me to buy if I want. This "Aram" is a collection of long stories. I have read 2 stories from it on net, one among them was "100 Naarkaligal" (100 chairs). A story I liked a lot, and was very inspiring. I told my friend that I will continue with the walk and after completing all the stalls, if I still feel like buying, I will buy the book.

I went ahead with my walk. I understood that I have crossed this stage of life, and no longer will required to go for a book exhibition (for some time???). Mostly because I lost interest in reading books, and also got used to reading books in electronic format in laptop and in mobile phones.  The latter can be done without spending a rupee, most of the time. Also I have discovered other hobbies that keeps me busy and healthy. After giving one last thought, I came out of the exhibition hall, without buying the "Aram" book. I already have a print out of the "100 Naarkaligal" and thought if I wanted to read the other stories, I can do so on the net, in writer jayamohan's blog. Upon reaching home, I gave a beautiful (according to me at least) punch about this to my friend. But someday I may buy this "Aram" and "Rubber".

On the way back, saw the platform shops. Not the second hand book shops that used to be there earlier. A few years back I bought "Fountain Head" from one of the platform shops for just Rs. 10. It was the first version of that book. I saw one person selling plastic device, which looked more like a big injection, with a 2 litre water bottle attached to its neck. I was spraying a jet of water at a high speed (velocity???). The shop keeper said (to some other person) that it can be used to water the plants and also for water-washing the bike. The latter interested me, but I thought it will be costly here, and hoped that soon it will be available everywhere, and I can buy one. Dreaming of that day when I will fill soap or a shampoo solution into that 2 liter bottle, and will happily water wash my bike with it. From the net found that it is a "universal jet spray gun bottle water sprayer"(Images below). We need to attach a bottle with water, pump, and then it sprays for sometime, due to the pressure built inside the bottle. An ingenious invention indeed.

After reaching home, I was happy that I didn't take Dhanesh with me, as it would have been very boring for him. Also I felt exhausted due to long walk, to and from and within the Book Exhibition Hall and also I felt that I have wasted the ten rupee (entrance fee).

- Pavala
Jan 18, 17. 

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.

Surprise Birthday Card from my little friends...

Morning I got this surprise Birthday Card from my Sweet Little Friends...
Thank you my Dears... :-) :-) :-)....

12th Valantine's Day Celebrations

Last week, on 14-Feb, we celebrated our 12th Valentine's Day in a simple way by visiting the nearby mall with our little friends. Looking backwards, its actually my 17th (???) Valentine's Day. If I go further backwards, I realize that its actually my 35th (???) Valentine's Day.

An interesting activity of me is to watch the couples on the Valentine's day morning. I have come across many interesting stories and situations over the years on the Valentine's day mornings. This year as we walked towards the shopping mall, the first couple I identified appeared more like an uncle & aunty. But who prevents uncles and aunties from celebrating the Valentine's day. As I entered the mall, I couldn't locate many couples. May be because it was early in the morning and it was Saturday which was a holiday for many and the social day would not have started for many. So I could spot only a few.

The couples who celebrate the Valentine's day can be broadly classified into two categories - "the lovers" and "the engaged". By lovers, I refer to those couples who came to know of someone in their known category, fell in love, had the courage to propose and the proposal got accepted, and are strongly believing that one day they will get into wed-lock. "The lovers" couple have certain common traits through which they can be identified. The girl in this group - most of the time - has a mask around her face with only the eyes being visible. "The engaged" are those couple whose partners are identified by their parents and their marriages are arranged by their parents. They got engaged to each other, and are in a period that is in-between their engagement and marriage. The word "engaged" has a special meaning in India, and many mistake this word that they are "engaged" in their phones (which is also partially true). These couples have the full approval of their parents, relatives and the society and unlike "the lovers" they are not scared of anyone and do not worry of anything. They do not have to worry about being "pre-maturely" caught and issues related to that. On the other hand, if "the lovers" are pre-maturely" caught (caught before they themselves disclose about their love to their parents & family), it brings in a lot of associated issues and in the current situation in my country, their life as a lover may come to an end. For the purpose of clarity, in this discussion, let us consider only "the lovers"- the real lovers, since Velantine's day is celebrated on the birth day of St. Valentine, who helped lovers to unite in life. The approved couples do not need any such help.

In the shopping mall, I could see only a few couples. But I saw groups of girls and groups of guys. The group of guys, who had no girl friends were constantly looking at these group of girls, in an attempt to make one. I could understand that Valentine's day is taking a diversion these days wherein, the Guys are trying to get a girl-friend. Contrary to this, I could also locate Guys with two or three girls. They may call themselves friends, but some of their activities do not say so. I remember the statement in a recent movie "Ippaellam friendu friendu sollittu kiss adikarathu than trendu...". Hope I was born after ten years. I never had this culture while I was in college :-(.

Not breaking the universal law, the Guys were spending (or forced to spend) heavily by their girl friends. And the girls appeared to be happy at the receiving end.

I particularly noticed the variety of dresses that girls were wearing. I couldnt spot any girl in saree. Even aunties and paatis were in Chudidhaar. Chudi, Midi, and I dont know the name of other kind of dresses that many were wearing. Guys had no option but to wear the age old shirts & pants.

But in my opinion, India is still not mature enough to this kind of Valentine Day celebration. In US, lovers do not worry about going out with their partners or being caught by someone in their known circle. But here it is not the case. The girls have to wear a mask. And unfortunately if caught in their known circle, their love will come to a pre-mature end (or) they have to face problems that they have not anticipated.

I could see the girls (alone) in "the lovers" group running here and there in the mall when the media's cameras were turned towards them. India will become a super-power (In my opinion) only on that day when the lovers can go out freely without any masks and they can publicly give pose to those media cameras, that are constantly chasing them on the Valentine's Day.

Finally, in school I have written so many essays on "If I became the Prime Minister of India". But if I really became the Prime Minister of India, I will declare February 14 a public holiday. (Belated) Happy Valentine's day wishes to all "the lovers".

- spgr.

Complex plots and stories

I am amazed to see the speed at which my little friend Dhanu is able to watch and understand the movies. I never understood the plot or the story of any of the movies until I was in 10th standard. When I think about the reason, now I could realize that the movies in those days had complex plots and stories. Almost all the movies had rape scenes and the main characters or the villians(bad-boys) involved in adultry. By contrast most of the movies today do not have a story and if at all they have, its a simple one.

When my little friend Dhanu started watching movies, one the earliest movies he saw was "Naan Ee". The movie had a narration style as if its told by someone. Also it has the concept of a good boy versus a bad boy, where the good boy wins and the bad boy looses. So, nowadays whenever Dhanu watches a movie, he initially asks us who the good boy is and who the bad boy is. Most of time he is able to identify this himself. Also he is aware that the good boy will have a girl friend. Unlike the movies of the yesteryears its not mandatory that the good boy should marry that girl before the movie ends.

At the rate at which my little friends are watching the movies on TV, I fear that soon they will become movie buffs.

But on the contrary I identified that the complex plots and stories, with rape scenes and adultry have moved to the TV serials. Some of the plots of these serials are so complex that even I am not able to understand at this age. For eg. in a serial, the second wife of a man conspires to separate the third wife from her first husband. It took me months to understand this plot and still I have to agree that my understanding may be wrong.

One day I decided to spend sometime watching serials. I saw one serial where one guy was a bad boy and doing all sorts of mischives. After a couple of ad-breaks found that he has changed completely. He became a good boy and was helping everyone. But I was not able to follow the serial, since almost all the people around him were different, including his wife. It took me sometime to realize that it was two different serials. In the first serial he was a bad boy, and in the next one he was a good boy. I couldn't figure our when the first one ended and the next one started.

All the women in the serials can be classified into two categories - bad ones and the suffering ones. Yes you read it correct. There are no good ones. The bad ones will be conspiring to spoil the families of others. The suffering ones will be suffering all through the serial, and they will be crying, crying and crying all the time. I moved along the channels and got to know that in all the serials there were only the above two groups of women. In Mallu serials, it was even more worse. Almost everyone was crying. I was sad to the condition of these poor women. Endless cries.

Neither the men in the serials appeared happy. Almost everyone in all the serials looked like as if they have lost something and worrying over it all the time.

Once when I felt that I was surrounded by worries and troubles both in my personal and professional life, I decided to see a serial - one serial - continuously. I took that decision because almost all in that serial were having problems and no one was having a peaceful life. While watching, I felt happy that my troubles in life were nothing compared to theirs. At least the problems in my life will come to end  sometime. But for them, there was no visibility for a peaceful life. Their problems and worries kept increasing. But after a couple of days, I couldn't tolerate, as I started worrying for their problems on top of my problems and I stopped watching it.

- SPGR.

The story of my watches (6)

HMT Automatic:

Once I was browsing and reading about fountain pens. I am one of those rare persons who still uses fountain pen for most of my writing tasks. But nowdays my serious writing got reduced to writing one page in the diary, of course with an ink pen. During that time, I came across a couple of posts by a person called Hari. whose hobby was collecting pens. He also had mentioned about his another hobby, which is about collecting watches. From some of this posts, I got to know that HMT watches are still in production and they are still sold in their own retail outlets. I browsed more on that and somehow managed to locate a HMT retail outlet near my place. I visited that showroom and bought an Mechanical Automatic watch.

I have written more about it here - My New Automatic Watch.

HMT Mechanical Automatic - Model NASS 11

Sonata:

The Sonata quartz was presented by Amma in 2011, and it is the only Sonata I have till date. The face somewhat resembles the TIMES watch that I had earlier. Till now it required one battery replacement. Its more of a formal watch and I wear it only for special occasions.

Sonata

Chennai silks watch:

This is a digital watch that I brought from Chennai silks in Trichy. It received the attention of some watch enthusiats in my office. This was the watch I was wearing when I met with a minor bike accident. After that incident I almost stopped using it.

[pic: Chennai silks watch]

Chennai silks watch - Not in service now.

- SPGR.

The story of my watches (5)

HMT Amitabh:

For one of my birthday, my first younger sister wanted to get me a wrist watch. I took her to the HMT retail showroom. After a long selection process, I finally zeroed in on the HMT Amitabh. The dial was good and shiny. At that time HMT was selling all of its watches at 50% off, and we got this watch for just Rs. 575. When I wore it to office it gained the attention of many who enquired about it. Many were surprised that winding watches were still available.

HMT Amitabh

Haneefa Watch:

This digital watch was got by my friend from a nearby super-market named "Haneefa". It was of very good quality and lasted for more than 2 years of continues use. The original watch is not there now. but the digital movement was no nice that I moved it another case and it is functional now.

[pic: Haneefa movement in a new case]

Haneefa movement in a new case.

- SPGR.

The power of memorizing

Today morning while waking up, before getting up from the bed, all of a sudden I tried to recall the concepts, definitions and formulas that I studied in school, for no special reason. I was happy that I still remember and was able to recall some of what I have studied in school. While in school, I was notorious for my memorizing skills. Some used to make fun of me saying that I just memorize without understanding, and that they study by understanding. But in my experience, the converse is true. When we start memorizing a concept, even if we do not understand anything, slowly we will start understanding and once we memorize and understand, it will never go out of our mind. Me still remembering and recalling some of what I studied in school two decades back is an example.

Some of the definitions that I was able to recall are:
(Note: I am giving here as I recalled, and it may be wrong. Readers are advised to refer to the net for verification.)

Pascal's law: "An increase in pressure at any point in a liquid at rest is transmitted equally to every other point within the same liquid."

When I studied this definition, I was amazed by this simple discovery by Pascal. This law is the basis for the hydralic brakes (oil brakes) used in the cars and other vehicles and also in the hydralic jacks, that is used to lift the cars in the car service centers.

Archemedes principle: "When a solid is immersed in a liquid either totally or partially, it suffers an apparent loss of weight. This loss of weight is due to the upthrust it experiences and it is equivalent to the amount of liquid it displaces."

This is the guiding principle on which ship floats in water. I vaguely remember that Archemedes discovered this principle when he was given the task of identifying the quality of originality of Gold.

Allotrophy: "Allotrophy is the property by virtue of which an element exhibits the same chemical property, but different physical properties."
This law talks about an element changing its shape (physical shape), while retaining its chemical property, when subject to certain external stimuli.

I also remember the Newton's first, second and third laws, laws of thermodynamics, Faraday's law and a few more.

I was also able to recall some of the mathematical formula, but due to formatting issues, I am unable to write them here.

This power of memorizing also helped me when I selected software development as my profession. This moved me away from being a Google (copy-paste) programmer. I know almost all the syntax of Java and other programming languages that I use in my day-to-day work, by-heart. I memorized them, which eliminated the need to refer to the net for their syntax or examples. I also know the design-patterns and enterprise-integration patterns by-heart. I memorized them too, which totally altered my approach in solving the issues in the software that I develop or maintain.

- PAVALA G SUBRAMANIAN.

The story of my watches (2)

While I was in 10th standard, Appa bought a digital watch from a Burma Bazaar shop, which was near the Armoury gate ration shop. This was a Burma Bazaar shop selling electronic items that existed in those days, prior to the roadside Burma Bazaar shops. It was a black colored resin-strapped number watch. It had an analog face around the digital screen, purely for aesthetic reasons. I wore this watch for the whole of 10th standard and this was the watch I wore for my 10th standard public exams. Prior to this Appa got me another rectangular number watch, a model famous in those days. But unfortunately this watch was short lived.

The watches I wore in my childhood will not be complete without writing about the "shoba watch". In 7th standard my parents told me that they will get me a watch if I take good rank in the half-yearly examination. That was the time when I started showing good interest in my studies and I think I got 2nd rank in that exam. One evening when parents returned from town(in TVS 50), they bought a new "shoba watch". It was a HMT ladies model winding watch. They gave the watch to me. It didn't fit my wrist, but still I wore to school for a couple of days, and also wore it for the exams. After that my mother started using it. The watch still works and in my last visit to my native, I keyed it and it immediately started ticking.

[Pic: HMT Shoba]

HMT Shoba

- PAVALA G SUBRAMANIAN

Exercise

In my childhood, while in high-school, I hated the drills and the march-pasts conducted by our PT master. Mainly because most of these activities were carried out after the school timings, that is around 4 o' clock in the evening, and will end by five thirty or so. But, I wanted to be in home by four-ten or so, and watch TV immediately upon reaching home, for sometime, and then start with my studies. I rarely played outside, and just confined to myself in our home. Also, during most of the PT classes, I used to tell some reason to my PT master that I am not keeping well, and used to take rest under a tree with some of my classmates, instead of playing in the ground with my other classmates. In short, I kept myself away from sports, drills, march-pasts and exercises, since I felt that it will divert myself away from my studies, which I never wanted to happen. Also, in those days, I didn't know that it's the exercises that keeps us healthy and strong. Sadly, I also prevented my sisters too to skip the after school march pasts, while we were studying together. I don't know what they did after I left that school, after my final exams.

While in UG, I saw many people going to a nearby home - in fact a bungalow - where meditation was taught, for free. One day, I also decided to give it a try. It was a group of devotees of some Swamiji, where everyone wore white colored dress, women clad in white colored saree and men in white kurtas. The classes were on Tuesday evening, from 7:00 to 8:00. There it was one-to-one teaching. I was assigned a teacher, who worked in a nearby factory. They had a book and a syllabus, and he took me though the lessons. The lessons were more about a Swamiji, from North India who established this movement and the classes made a severe attempt to convert me to his devotee. I had to complete a seven week course, and only after completing the course, the meditation classes with start. Though I didn't like those classes, I did completed them, so that to learn meditation. After the classes, initial mediation classes were started, where I was asked to close my eyes, and visualize a bright light in-between my eye-brows and observe my breathing. This went on for a couple of days, until I was able to do this meditation in a correct way. Now I am about to graduate in the art of meditation. For this I had to do 2 sessions of meditation in a meditation room. Each session is about half an hour. I was also informed that a Mathaji will be my guide to take me to those meditation graduation session. After the graduation, I myself will become a teacher and I can teach others - both those lessons and meditation.

The next week I went for my graduation meditation classes. I was lead into the meditation room. It was a small room, partially dark, with only a light-blue colored lamp. Also there was a fragrance of rose and jasmine. A soft velvet cloth was spread on the floor and I was asked to sit down there. I was sitting alone there. After a few minutes the Mathaji came. I got scared to see her. She was very young, fair and good looking. She should be in her late twenties or early thirties at that time. She sat close to me and asked me to close my eyes and started giving instructions. She also played a different music in a tape-recorder, which is supposed to be a divine music. She spoke in low soft voice, as typically spoken by yoga and pranayama teachers. As she started doing the meditation with regulated breathing, I could feel her breaths. I became a bit nervous, never opened my eyes, and waitdd for the class to end. I neither did the meditation nor followed her instructions. It ended after 30 mts and the Mathaji said that we will be having the next class in the next week, after which I also become a teacher, and I can teach others. I never went there after that. Later I learnt that many Guys have stopped coming to college and have joined that group as full time devotees to that Swamiji. I escaped.

While in college, I came across a professor, lets call him Prof. G. He was around 62 years in those days, serving an extended period in college after his retirement. This professor was a different person, who tried to teach not only the syllabus, but also beyond them. On Dec 31st of that year, he said that he is not going to teach the subject, but going to teach something else. He is a person known for taking classes using OHP sheets on a Over Head Projector, and no chalk-and-talk. On that day too he had a couple of OHP sheets,

He started placing them one by one on the Over Head Projector and started speaking about the benefits of doing exercises regularly. I have to admit that he was the first person in my life to speak about the benefits of doing exercises. The slides spoke about the various exercises, the order in which they have to be followed and a simple technique of following them regularly. He said "Sincerity, Punctuality, Regularity, Killer Instinct". We understood the first 3 words, and he explained the last one - "Killer Instinct"- if a person has decided to kill someone, then all the time his mind be around that thought and he will not stop until the job is done. The last slide spoke about the benefits of doing exercises. There were about 20 points in that slide, of which the 19th point was "Better sex life" and that is the only point I remember from the slide after these many years. He said that with increased and regulated blood flow, one will have a better sex life. He also added the disci "This is only for married people." Wondering if he will use that disci now.

When he read that line, we all saw each other, as the word "sex" in those days was normally not uttered, at least in a public place like the classroom. When developing designing and building professional software systems became my profession, I was hesitant to use the word "sex" in my computer programs. I always used the word "Gender" internally in my code and mapped it to the word "sex" in the user-interface layer, for displaying to the user. Eventually I changed, and now it looks funny when I think of those days. I was motivated enough, and on the next day morning I went to the ground. That was probably the first time in my life I was going to a ground for exercising. I was in a T-shirt, bermudas and sports shoes. I spotted Prof. G, already in the ground, jogging. He smiled upon seeing me. We exchanged pleasantries and I started jogging. Suddenly I could hear someone shouting my name. From a distance I found one of my hostel mate, smiling or rather laughing on seeing me in the ground.

I neither could follow the simple words "Sincerity, Punctuality, Regularity" nor I had the "Killer instinct" and eventually my decision to do exercises stopped. But I did feel fresh and active on the whole day when I did those exercises.

When I went to do PG, I was distracted away from my studies and I wanted to bring my mind back into studies. In a casual talk, I mentioned this to one of my professor. Lets call him Prof. M. He is a perfectionist and one who did all his tasks in a beautiful and systematic way. He suggested to attend some exercise classes conducted by some devotees of some Swamiji in a nearby school. Also he forewarned not to get driven into the spiritual preaching of the devotees, but to focus on learning the exercises alone. I attended. The classes were on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 7:30 PM. So I went there. The initial days were good, where they spoke and taught the exercises. They were devotees of Maharishi of Aliyaar, popularly known as the "Vaalzha Valamudan" group, as they greet everyone with that phrase. But after a couple of classes, they started preaching heavily about the Swamiji and also they were coercing to buy a couple of books about the Swamiji and his experiments and asked Me to study them. I did buy those books initially, but after sometime I stopped going there.

Around the same time, I also attended some "Pranayama" free classes in an Iyyappan temple. Here
It was here that I properly learnt the simple breathing exercises, which is helping me even now. I made an attempt to teach these breathing exercises to many in my known circle. But it took many many years to understand that it is really difficult to make someone do exercises regularly. It has to come from within. But I have observed that most people wanted the benefits of the exercises, without doing any of them.

I also happened to go to the Gym for about 3 months. I went regularly for one and half months, and my weight reduced and I looked slim and young. But within a few days of stopping going to the Gym, my weight increased rapidly and came back to its original value. So I understood that while it is very easy to gain weight, it is very very difficult to loose it.

After these many years, now I realize the importance of doing regular exercises and its health  benefits. I wished to do them regularly and I started with walking, then some simple exercises, then some strength exercises, then I also learnt and added simple yogasanas and the pranayama that I had learnt long back. I quickly started seeing the benefits of doing these exercises regularly.  In an article in Aanandha Vikatan, Dr. Ku. Sivaraman also suggests a combination of the above exercises to be fit and healthy, though he never looks like one who practices them.

After a bit of trial and error, I identified the perfect combination of the above exercises that keeps me fit and active for the whole day. As a side effect, I also started loosing the extra kgs. But I never attempted to preach or teach anyone about this good habit. Because doing exercises regularly requires tremendous effort and discipline and many are not always ready to put those in. But after sometime, my friend too started doing simple Yogasanas and started seeing the merits of it. And the best thing is that my little friends too come and start doing the exercises, whenever I do them. This is exactly what I wanted to achieve through my comprehensive exercise program. Though my habit of doing exercises regularly, I wish to be a source of inspiration for many to do exercises regularly and be physically and mentally fit and healthy.

- spgr.

Video Games

I first got introduced to Video Games while I was in 7th standard. Whenever we go to Trichy town, while walking around in the town, there used to one shop in the corner in Super Bazaar. Always crowded, mostly with school kids, and unusual noises used to come from the machines from that shop. Got to know that it was a video game kiosk. Father used to take us there,  once in a while. There were machines, almost of my height, with a TV monitor and some controls in front of it. My favorite was to the car race game, which had a steering wheel

Car Race Game

If we give one rupee to the man in the game kiosk, he used to give 2 tokens, which we have to drop in the slot in the car race machine, and we can play game. Our car will move from bottom to top on the screen, and lots of cars used to come from the  opposite direction. We have to steer left and right and drive safely without hitting the opposite cars. The cars in the opposite direction will come in random directions. The road also will be narrower as the game proceeds. I never completed that game, but I liked played it. More than playing, I like to watch others playing the game.

I first saw the hand held game console when I was in 10th standard. One of my classmate had brought it to the class. Her uncle had brought it from Dubai. I still vividly remember that game console. It was yellow in colour, about the size of our palm. It had some 5 to 6 small buttons, and a screen above it. The screen was similar to the one that used to be in the numeric digital watches, but this was a bit big in size. It had only one game. When we switch it on, it used to give a lenghy music and one guy used to appear on the screen. When we press a button, he will start walking to the right, and there will be snakes on the way. When we press another button, he will jump and thus we have to safely take him through the game.

Hand-Held Game Consoles

Hand-Held Game Console

In the next level, some eagles will come above his head, and we have to make sure that he doesn't jump when there is an eagle above him, else the eagle will catch him. The game console went around the whole class and everyone tried their hands at it. The moment it came to me, I got addicted to it. I kept playing, playing and playing. I completed all the rounds in the game. And that is the only one video game I ever completed in my life. I got so involved that I continued to play even after our Maths master entered the class. I didnt know how to make it silent or how to switch off all of a sudden. I quickly hid it inside my desk, and it continued to give the beeping sounds for 3 more minutes. There was pin drop silence in the class, with only the beeps and different sounds from the video game console.

Our master looked confused and understood that something was wrong in the class, and walked up and down, to find out what was happening. Though the sound was coming from my desk, everyone in the class looked at the girl, who was the owner of the game console. The master went to her desk and asked her to stand and asked what that sound was. I was in a terrible fear, since I may be caught anytime, and if caught, the master will impart a couple of blows on my back. She spontaneously said that its an alarm in her watch and showed her wrist watch. At the same time, the beeps from the game console stopped. The master said "ok" and started the class. She maintained her cool throughout the class. I was still in fear and didnt follow the class. After the class got over and master went out, I went to her, handed over the game console and thanked her sincerely. I never touched that game console again, but remembered every step of that guy, the snakes, the eagles for years, as it took me to an entirely different world. During my boring train journeys to my native, I wished that I had that video game console, so that I can pass time easily.

When I went to college, there used a section in the library called the CDROM library. I didn't knew the actual purpose of that CDROM library, but I have seen students inserting a CD into that computer and playing games. All the time, students will be playing a particular game, where men with guns will come from the opposite direction, and we have to shoot them. Later I learnt that it was the DOOM game. I tried playing that game once, when after sometime, I felt a severe headache and vomiting sensation, could be because of the quickly changing colors and sounds from the game. I confirmed this, when I got the same symptoms, when i tried to play the same game after a couple of days. I never played that game again in college. So, by God's grace, I developed a natural aversion for video games, which prevented me from getting addicted to video games.

DOOM

When we bought a color TV, I found that there was one option "Game" in its menu. When I tried that option, a game appeared on the screen. Droplets of water will fall from above and there will be a bucket, when we have to move left and right to catch those droplets. With the help of remote, I played this game, whenever I got a chance. In those days, almost all the colour TVs used to have one inbuilt game in it.

I also got a small hand held gaming device which had a couple of games in it. I tried my hands playing a few games in it, among which my favorite was the car game. Once I possessed a computer, I got access to numerous games. The Rash, the Kar, and I played many many games on it. I have killed many boring afternoons with those games. Rash is still my personal favorite, which still runs in my old Desktop computer and I still play it whenever I got a chance. I made numerous attempts to complete the Dave and Mario games in the computers, but I normally gave up after a few levels.

Dave

Mario

As I started possessing mobile phones, I started playing the various games installed in it. Especially I liked the one which came in the base model nokia mobiles.

Vintage Nokia Game

Once I installed a game "Call of Duty", in my new laptop. All the characters and the scenes in the game looked so real that I couldn't consider that as a video game. I disliked that game, and uninstalled it in a few days. I got bored with the video games over time. Thank God, I needn't shell out money on the Xboxes and playstations.

Call Of Duty

As part of my job, I even developed software for the gaming consoles - similar to the consoles in which I played games in the gaming kiosk, some 20 years back.

This wish of mine to pass time in the boring train journeys materialized 20 years later, after I got an Android mobile phone. During my last journey for native to Diwali, I played a game that was somewhat similar to the one I played in that yellow colored game console, some 20 years back.

Note: I invite Dhanesh Amma to write her experiences with the Video Games.
Edit: The post by Dhanesh Amma on Video Games is here.

-SPGR.

11 year completed.

Completed 11 years in Software Industry. My  real career in Software is going to "Start Now".

Trivandrum Memories (1)

In 2003, from September to November I was in Trivandrum for attending my job training. There are certain periods in our life, that stays fresh in our memory forever. My days in Trivandrum is one such period.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Training Center:
--------------------
I was staying in Aruvi hotel in Pattom, Trivandrum. On the first day I woke up early in the morning, got ready and came down to the reception. Many were waiting there, since almost everyone staying there were the ones who have come for the training. I was dressed in a light blue coloured format shirt, a dark blue pant, shoes, and tie. All of them were new and I was indeed looking funny. Until the van came I was watching the TV in the reception. A particular song grabbed my attention "karuppin alagu", for which two ladies were dancing - one was Meera Jasmine & the other one I didnt know. She looked pleasant and was younger than Meera Jasmine. Later I got to know that she was Bhavana, who later became famous in Tamil movies.

Around 8 o' clock the van, indeed vans came - they were the old light-green coloured Mahendra vans. We got into them in batches, and started our journey to the training center, which was in Technopark, Attinkuli. It was a ride for about 40 minutes, at the end of which, the van entered into a location, which looked exactly like a Jurassic Park, and we looked like goats taken there to feed some Dinosars there.

[Entry to technopark training center]

The training center was a beautiful white coloured building. As we entered into the building, it had a great grand interior, which I have never seen till that time. There was a big fountain and a waterfall inside the building. We were directed to go to the first floor and were made to sit a big hall there. Shortly afterwards the joining formalities started. We were split into batches, and I belonged to the batch T33.

[Training center in Technopark, Trivandrum]

A couple of people came one after the other, boasted about the company and their experience and position in the company, among whom I now only remember "Alby". She was an young enthusiastic HR there. One of her statement that I still remember now is "You all are away from you home, away from your comfort zones. And some of you might be sad about it. But the growth starts only when you are away from your comfort zones, and slowly things will fade in significance with time."

Instructors came one after the other, repeated almost what others said, and soon we all got bored with them. We were given tokens, which we were supposed to use for the month for tea, coffee & lunch. After the lunch hour, they conducted some games. In some of the games, we have to touch or hold the hands of our neighbours. Whenever there was a female colleague near me, I was embarrassed to hold their hand, but still we have go by the rules of the game and so I obliged.

During my training days, I had a hidden agenda, and as part of the hidden agenda, I tried to come out to make a phone call from a phone booth. In those days mobile phones were a novelty and only very few had them.

The day came to an end at 6, and we all came out, and found the same vans outside, got into them and our return journey started. Morning we were strangers, but now we know each others name. Thanks to those games.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evenings:
---------

Once we reached our hotel, we refreshed and roamed in front of the Aruvi hotel. Just in front of the road is the Pattom main road that leads to the Secretariat on the right and towards Sreekaryam, a shopping area, to its left. I had the habit of taking a long walk in the left till Sreekaryam, which was roughly about 2 kilometers from there. The intent of this long walk is to make a phone call from the phone booth of a grocery shop and to have a tea.

Around 7:30 or 8:00 will start with some of my new friends to the nearby woodlands hotel for dinner. Normally I used to have meals for dinner. Sometimes I went alone. Finding a browsing centre was a Herculean task for me. Finally I found a browsing centre where I used to go at times, for browsing, chatting and emailing.

Once back in room after dinner, will have a chat with other trainees, study for sometime and then sleep. In those days, I didn't have much to study, as during the training we were taught our grand-father's days technologies like C, C++, etc.

Soon it became a routine and I started getting bored with it. I started talking up random long walks to explore the city. Trivandrum was indeed a calm and nice city. I wished that I could come and settle down in this city in the later part of my life, ie. after retirement. But after 3 years, I was about to see another city about 68 kilometers from Trivandrum, which I liked the moment I saw it, mainly because it was very much like Trivandrum in many aspects.

Our training started in the first week of September and went on till the end of November. Diwali came in-between. It was almost military rule there and initially it was declared that there was no leave for Diwali. And we could plan for a visit to native only if were given leave for one more day. Also we should be allowed to leave a bit early on the previous day. Just a couple of days before, we were informed that we will be given leave. Immediately I managed to go the Majestic bus stand and book ticket for me in bus to Trichy for Diwali. And I think I asked Appa to book the return ticket for me in bus. So, all set to go for Diwali.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shoppings:
-----------

One evening I was just roaming in front of the hotel, when I was 2 of my lady colleagues in the reception. They were dressed in jeans & tops and appeared to be waiting for someone. I said "hi" to them, while crossing the reception. They smiled and replied. Immediately one of them asked if I could join them for a shopping. I was shocked and taken aback. I never got such an invitation till that point of time in my life. Going for shopping with ladies!!! Never... But it was a boring evening and at that time I was also worried about a couple of personal issues, and so I began to get into a dilemma. But they persuaded me saying that another Guy is also joining us. Then, I decided to join them. It was already around 7 in the evening. I quickly went to my room, got ready, and came back to the reception and we are set to go for the "Diwali shopping".
We came to the main road and went to the MG road. We got down in some place in the MG road. We were new to the city and we didnt know where to go. We just kept walking on the road. It was crowded and both sides of the road was beautifully lit. We saw a shop near the road where almost everyone going in that direction were getting into. Having no agenda in place, we also decided to go into that shop. It was "Parthaas", a textile shop. I had no plans of buying when I entered the shop.

 It was big shop, and not much crowded. They did some shopping and me along with the other Guy followed them wherever they went, without any intent of buying anything. But after sometime I decided to buy dress for parents. So I first went to the saree section and bought a brown coloured saree for Amma. Then I went to the vesti(dhothi) section and bought one vesti for Appa. When I was about to complete the purchase, our lady colleagues saw the saree and they liked it and they too went ahead to that section to buy one for them. They both bought one each. Then we came out the shop. It was around 9:30 PM. We took an auto and went straight to one restaurant in Sreekaryam. On the way they called 2 more colleagues over phone to join us for the dinner. By the time we reached the hotel, those Guys(who were also from our batch) were waiting for us. We had a good dinner there and after that I back to my hotel by walk and they went in auto to their hotel. On the way had tea in a roadside tea shop and I enjoyed that late night walk.

On one evening I went to a shopping complex in Sreekaryam, where I like doing window shopping. There I bought some books for my sisters. Other than that, I enjoyed doing window shopping in almost all the shops in that complex. Hoping to go for such a shopping again in that complex.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Money:

--------

One day during the training hours, we all were called to meet the HR. I went with my roommate to meet the HR. The HR’s bay was crowded and many were waiting to meet him. Later got to know that the HR is collecting our details, for opening the bank account where salary will be deposited. I go thrilled. In those days I have heard about the ATM cards, but never had one. He took my details like name, address, and collected 2 photographs, one of which will be used to print my photo in the ATM card.

We received the ATM card, check book and other related documents after 2 days. I was thrilled to see the ATM card. We were instructed to use the card after 24 hours, since it will be activated after 24 hours. But we actually had to wait for 3 days, since our salary will be deposited after 3 days. Till that time, we had nothing to do with the ATM card.

One evening when I was returning after dinner from the woodlands hotel, I found many of my batch-mates going out in groups. Almost everyone was going out at that time. It was around 9:30 and normally at that time the roads will be almost deserted. Got to know that salary was deposited and everyone was going to the UTI bank (now Axis bank) ATM machine to withdraw money. I had just Rs. 300 in hand, which was sufficient for 3 more days. And I was planning to ask Appa to send in money if salary is not credited in 3 days.

I also started walking in the direction where others went, as I didn't know where the UTI ATM was. After walking for about 15 minutes, we reached the building where the ATM machine was. There was a small crowd in front of it. My batchmates went in one by one and we didn’t know how to operate it. The security was inside the ATM and he was helping them in using the card in the ATM. I think almost all first times learns using the ATM from the ATM security.

When my turn came, I went inside. My ATM card is still stuck on the paper, in the same position in which it was given to me. I took out the card and gave it to him. He was so friendly and helped me in changing the PIN, and then I think I withdrew Rs. 300, it gave money and the slip. I retained that slip with me for many many years, until I eventually lost it. The account is not active now, but I still have that first ATM card with me, with my photo on it.

My expenses were very less compared to my other new friends there. But I was spending considerable amounts on phone, since STD calls were costly those days.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Food:

------

Food items in hotels weren’t much costly in those days. Once I got used to the place, I starting trying out in different hotels, ate different varieties of food. I couldn’t recall the names of those dishes now, but would like to eat them again. Later I got an opportunity to taste those items again in Nagerkoil, after my marriage, no wonder that I liked those dishes like anything.

A new veg hotel by name “Saradha” was opened near the hotel that we stayed. As inaugural offer, they gave items at half the price. We all shifted immediately from Woodlands to that hotel. We had good meals at tiffin items at very low price. The quality and taste were very good. I tried many different items. September was the month of Purattasi. So, I was a strick vegetarian during that month. Once the day Purattasi got over, I started roaming even more for food. I walked to very long distances and had many varieties of non-veg dishes. This partly would be the reason for many intestinal dis-orders I got later in my life. I like parotta with chicken curry a lot.

Excatly 50% of my stay was at Aruvi hotel, ie. Till Diwali. After returning from Diwali, we all were moved to a much bigger three star hotel near the Training center in Attinkuli. This place is outside the main city and near the Technopark. The hotel was a three star hotel, but outside of it, there were no facilities. Even for making a phone call I have to go for a long distance and at times I took an auto for reaching a phone booth. Getting good food was

Will continue in Trivandrum Memories (2)...

- SPGR.

The Educationist

For some strange reasons, I was not getting sleep during those days. All night I used to just lie on the bed, closing the eyes, but not sleeping. Sometimes I used to get up from the bed and walk here and there inside the home. As this continued day by day, I started looking very tired and dull during the day time, and people around me started commenting that I look dull and also started inquiring whether I am not well. I tried many things to get sleep. First I started watching TV. That was the time of IPLs. After 20 years I started watching cricket again in my life, just to kill time. On the first day when I switched on TV to watch cricket, it was a person called "Shikar Dawan" who was batting in a wonderful way. Then I moved on to watching movies, cartoons and what not. But the end was not reached. Even after watching TV till 4 am or 5 am in the morning I was not getting sleep, but only short naps for an hour or so.

 Then I moved on to do some physical work - like cleaning home, washing clothes, cooking. All these tasks made me more tired, but I was nowhere near my goal. I even tried going for a walk and jog. Nothing helped.
During that time, I happened to travel in Pallavan Express from Trichy to Chennai in 3rd AC coach. I think that was my first trip in the AC coach of Pallavan Express. The train was at 6:30 in the morning. As usual, after a sleepless night, I reached the station on time and had just enough time to get into the train. I was just gazing through the window when a person called me from behind  "Sir, is that your seat...".

I turned back and saw a calm and quiet person, should be in the late forties or early fifties, very neatly dressed, with a beautiful smile. His face had a divine charm.
"No, sorry, this is not my seat...", I said as window seat was not mine.
He replied "Sir, it is my seat, but if you want, you can continue to be there and I will take your seat"
Normally, like many, I prefer to have the window seat, but upon seeing his face, I said "No, thank you..." and moved to my seat.
He occupied his seat and was continuously getting phone calls, in which he was talking about some churches and brothers in those churches. I thought he himself could be one such brother.


As the train started, he asked whether I am into business. This is the second time I am encountering this question. First time I encountered this question was again when I was traveling in the AC coach of Rockfort express, which made me to assume that, it is mostly the businessmen, who travel in the AC coaches.
I replied "No, I am not into business..."
"Then... you are..." he asked.
"I am into software... I develop software..."
"Oh Ok..."
"To Chennai...", he enquired
"Yes...", I replied.

Then I got into some deep thoughts. But, I thought that I should ask him what he is doing, though normally I never ask anyone any such questions.
"And you..."
"I am an educationist...", he replied.
I didn't know exactly what he was meaning by that. I thought he should be a lecturer or a professor in some college.
"In which college Sir...", I asked. I started addressing him as "Sir" in somewhat a respectful way now.
"Not college... school... I am headmaster of (he said some school's name, which I forgot now) in Royapettah."
It sounded to be a famous school in that area. Having faced a lot of difficulty in putting my dear little friend Dhanu into school, some 2 years ago, I thought I should get to know more about him and interact well with him, so that in future, I can put my cute little friend Deepu into some good school, with his recommendation. But at the same time, I was so doubtful whether I can do that in the short train journey of 5 hours.
"Nowadays almost all are into software..." he remarked.
"Yes Sir... most of the service companies has established processes, and now software can be developed, even without any knowledge of data structures or algorithms..."
He seemed to have got more interested into it and started asking me more and more questions and I tried to answer as much as I could.
Finally he remarked... "Whatever it is... it is indeed a good field, that provides jobs to many and almost eradicated the unemployment, which was in its peak in the 90s..."
"What you do in your school sir... I mean what are your day to day activities in school..." I asked him.
He seemed to have got interested in this question and started answering in an elaborate way.

"Morning I go to school about 8:30, attend the prayer and then around 10:00 will go for rounds all around the school..." and then he went on to explain his day to day activities.
"One of my main activity is to constantly watch the mood and enthusiasm of the teachers and whenever I find that they are not enthusiastic or happy, its my duty to help them in getting their worries resolved and bring them back to normal... Because if they are not happy, they cannot do their job well... and it will directly affect the students..."

He continued "One day while on the rounds, I found the one teacher had a very sad face... It was like as if it is written in his face that he is having a miserable life..."
He went on... "I asked him what his problem is... He immediately started crying, unmindful of the students in front of him... I took him aside and asked him again what his problem is..."
"From what he said, I understood that his personal life is miserable. He is married for about 10 years... has 2 kids... and now have almost come to the stage that he cannot live with his wife anymore, who was a teacher in another school... and the only way to spend the rest of his is to get separated from her... I found that day by day, he was having a miserable and painful life in home... In that situation, definitely he cannot do a good job in school..."
He added... "By this time, we both started walking and came to the main gate of the school... The gate was locked... There was a road in front of the school's gate and at the other end of the road, there was a ditch in which dirty water was running... We both saw a man, wearing dirty clothes-that looked as if it was never washed, his hair-looked as if it was never combed... He was holding a small stick in his hand and was standing on the shore of the ditch and was playing by hitting the stick on that running water..."
He went on... "I asked the teacher, do you know why he is so happy now... The teacher looked at my face, confused... He is happy because he had a good meal in the morning... and he is celebrating it by playing in that dirty water... though he knows very well that his next meal is not guaranteed..."
"But see... In your case, you both are working as respectful teachers, and the meal for you and your family is guaranteed for the next thirty years... But still you don't know how to celebrate it... And instead you are worrying about it..."
"She is your wife... Who else will fight with you.... She bore your 2 kids... Go home right now, ask her also to come home... talk to her... tell her that you want to celebrate your life day-by-day, with her..."
"He left the school immediately and came to school after 2 days and this time he was happy... I never asked him what happened in home, but I was sure that he will be a good teacher after that, celebrating his life in school too..."

The educationist went on and on. After a long time, I was hearing a monotonous speech, more or less a lecture... I started dozing... as I used to do on hearing the lectures in college and I was finding it tough to keep myself awake ...

But I tried my best to keep myself awake, just to listen to what he said.

 He went on... "See the Russia... most of the time it is cold there... covered everywhere with snow... But see India... where we have sun almost all the days..."

I was wondering why he is comparing India with Russia, when generally India is compared with the US these days. I assumed that he should belong to the previous generation. As far as I know during the British rule, India was compared with Britan, even Gandhi went there for his higher studies... But I am not sure whether Gandhi attempted and cleared GRE or TOFFEL to reach there. And for a couple of years after independance, India was compared with Russia... and in the recent days India is compared with America.I guess the "Sir" should have been an child or young boy during the days of comparison with Russia, as one tends to remember their childhood days for the rest of their life.

He continued "There people cannot work on the field(probably he is referring to agriculture). But see our gifted climate, where we can work round the year... But how we waste our time and energy on useless things, fighting with each other..."

After that I didn't know when I slept. I had a sound sleep, after a long time. I dint know for how long he kept talking. But when I woke up, I found that he was also asleep. I also observed that in every station, he got down from the coach, and met his old students in the platform. Upon knowing that he was traveling in this train, many of his old students had come to the station in that odd hour to meet their teacher. He should be a famous teacher, and should be a role model for many, I thought.


As the train entered Egmore station, we got ready to get down.
I thanked him, for which he returned a beautiful smile, and came out of the station. He was received by a couple of people at the platform. I started walking towards the bus stop to take a bus to home.

After that I never had a sleepless night, probably because I have decided to celebrate my life, day-by-day... Thank You Sir...

- Pavala.

Chennai Express in Vijay Mall.

When I entered the movie hall I observed that the screen was just a bit bigger than our TV screen. I was disappointed, as I am person who likes to watch movies on bigger screens. Also our seats were in the second row, and thus I almost felt that I was watching the movie in our home. This was our first movie in the new Trichy’s Vijay Mall, the first ever shopping mall of Trichy. By the way, the mall has a nice name J. The shopping mall in Nagerkoil had an even nicer name J.

After a long time, went for the movie “Chennai Express” to theater, with family. It was a Hindi movie taken in  Tamil(pun intended). Almost all the characters spoke Tamil including Sharukh, who spoke a statement in Tamil at the end, which majority of the Tamil speaking population couldn’t  understand. Will come to that later. I am sure the Hindi speaking people would have had some difficulty in understanding the story.  

In the initial scenes, the background sceneries were more beautiful than Deepika Padukone. Or may be, with time, I have learnt to see the beauty beyond women J.  But, nowhere in Tamil Nadu one could see such a place. Later got to know that it is some place near Goa. People watching the movie from North India would assume that everyone one in Tamil Nadu will be having a sickle in hand, as when Sharukh gets down from the train, he was welcomed by a huge crowd, where everyone had a sickle in one or both the hands.

“Thangabali”, a name which I am sure, no one will be having in Tamil Nadu. Also Mr. Thangabali, is a fair, tall, well-built person, who definitely should have born somewhere in the temperate zone.

Most of the Tamil Guys will remain un-married if we were asked to lift the girl through those many steps to the top of the mountain, because…(I don’t want to complete this statement here, but I can share the complete statement over email, on request J).

The Perumal kovil Poojari in having Pattai all through his body. Mohan Ram, the actor whole played the Poojari role, would have hit his head against a pillar upon watching this scene in the movie.

Priyamani’s dance for “1234 song” was awesome. One of my short term goal is to learn her steps. All through the movie I tried to translate the hindi statements to my friend, who objected to it saying “I can understand, no need to translate”. With the flow and with many characters speaking Tamil, she was able to understand except when Sharukh Khan said “Ippdi oru appan iru-paaa-naa…” towards the end of the movie. He repeated it again, even then many couldn’t understand. I understood it at the second time. At this time my friend asked “What did he tell???”. I translated Sharukh’s Tamil to our Tamil.

The way Deepika calls “Aaapaa” was sweet and wonderful. We have a person in our family who pronounces “Appa” in almost the same way, almost having a similar name to hers. J.   

They call it a tribute to Rajini, but sing and dance about lungi. Dear Sharukh, Rajni’s dancing style is unique and not the regular lungi dapankuthu. And by the way, we Tamils cannot claim ownership over lungi. Lungi belongs to one of our neighboring state, the "Land of Lungi", but they call it as "God's own country". The Chetans will murichu our chundu, if we claim ownership over lungi.

But at the end I have to agree that it was good watch and had a good time with family.