Chokher Bali : Tagore's message through a story!

Yesterday, I happened to watch a much acclaimed movie by Rituporna Ghosh - Choker Baali (Sand in the Eye). It is a movie based on an adaptation of the novel by Rabindranath Tagore - Binodini. The movie relates the tale of 2 women - Binodini and Ashalatha and their intense struggle over a man Mahendranath. The main protagonist is nevertheless Binodini. Mahendra's mother was initially interested in making Binodini her daughter-in-law, given her prowess in English and her beauty. But Mahendranath does not interest accept. Binodini is married to another person, who dies within a year. Mahendranath eventually marries Ashalatha (played by Riya Sen). Mahendranath's mother brings the widow Binodini home, and she grows close to Ashalatha. Binodini is given a name "Chokher Bali", by Ashalatha. Binodini who was till then restrained in her desires, begins to covet the marital pleasures that Ashalatha is enjoying. She now acts a seductress, and succeeds in enticing Mahendranath. This creates a rift between Mahendra and Ashalatha. The latter leaves to Kashi to spend some time in contemplation. Binodini is made to leave the house, and she arrives at the doorsteps of Behari (an adopted son for Mahendra's mother) and pleads with him to marry her. Having been rejected by him too, she comes back to her village, to be followed by Mahendra, who would have left his house for her sake.

Binodini, now has her heart set on Behari, and rejects Mahendra's advances, and pleads with him to take her to Kashi, so she can meet Behari again. He promises not to take advantage of her, and eventually at Kashi, Mahendra reunites with Ashalatha. Behari proposes to Binodini, but on the day of the marriage, Binodini leaves for good, and is never found.

The movie has a lot of highlights worth mentioning. The first and foremost is the depiction of the plight of widows in Calcutta, during the 1902 period. There are some very stirring moments such as when Binodini shows Ashalatha how to wear an English blouse her husband would have brought her. And while in Kashi, Ashalatha, being pregnant, is served fish curry by the widows. The widows then were barred from eating fish, and one can see the hunger in the eyes of the other widows, even as Ashalatha is eating the fish curry. Presumably, as shown in the movie, the widows were also barred from drinking tea. The script is taut, and interspersed with intelligent and witty dialogues - most of them flowing from the prime character, Binodini. The rebuke of Mahendranath by Binodini in several occassions has been very deftly treated. Right from the first advance that he makes towards her, Binodini has his manliness at her mercy! Sometimes, the viewer may be led to believe that Rituporna got carried away with the charisma of Aishwarya, and may have over cooked her character.

Sadly enough, Aishwarya Rai remains more of a sleaze factor in the movie than a character. Except in certain situations, her expression, in most part of the movie, is wooden! She fails to impress as a seductress. The necessary potion of intense romance, sexual tension, and allure is something that her body can just not brew! But its her eyes that are worth a thousand words and one has just gotto give it to 'em. The character of Ashalatha, played by Riya Sen (who for once doesn't seem so vampish) is a lack lustre, infront of Binodini. I am now interested to read the novel and to learn the treatment of the characters from the master himself! Though, I am sure that Rituporna would have done justice to all of 'em.

The most touching part of the movie is obviously the climax, wherein through a letter to her friend Ashalatha, Binodini draws a comparison of their condition with their land, Bengal. She laments over how, their lack of exposure to the wider world, and confinement to the four walls of household, resulted, in both of them fighting over a single man, and thus devastating the whole household. She hopes that even though, they have both parted ways (much like Bengal was divided into East and West Bengal), they would continue to remember their erstwhile friendship, and that it would still ensure that any future meetings between them (if it were to occur) would be cordial and as friendly as it were before.

I would want to do a more thorough review of the movie and its intended message to be passed across to the common man. Nevertheless, I would love to read the novel, before dwelling into more intricacies. That being, peace for now! Catch up with this one, whenever u are in mood for some serious stuff!

yoon kabhie apne aap se juda ho jaata hoon
aaine ke saamne anjaan sa rehta hoon
apnon se toh dUr rahtaa tha
ab mujhse bhi dUr rehtaa hoon!

jeene ki tamanna liye jiye jA rahe the
jeena kise kehte hain maalUm na tha!
Ek din maut saamne aake khaDi huyi
main zindagi ko alvida kehne chala tha!
zindagi ne kahaa tUne mEra karz chukaaya nahin!
tU toh mujhe jiya hI nahin!
main zindagi ko apnAna chahta tha!
Maut saamne aake khaDi huyi thi!

Have you ever had to break a bad news to the family over phone? Striking a conversation then becomes the most painful task! No matter how jovial or exuberant you may try to sound, the phonyness of the entire thing becomes evident sooner than one can say "hello"! It is even more so, with parents than anybody else!

What makes this task even more agonizing is the realization that you are the one stifling their dreams, aspirations, and happiness that you have yourself sowed in their life! For their part they may seem encouraging and supportive of your venture, but then the long drawn pauses between the sentences, the heavy breathing, and the choking voice are daggers that dig deep into one's soul, and makes life the most dreary thing to ever happen to you!

I hate myself when I am like this! Even more, when I am clueless! Like falling from pan to fire! But then again, what is wrong in feeling down at times? Staying upbeat and bubbly all the while is also being type cast. Isn't it? Or am I just rationalizing! I am missing my parents a lot. I wish I had my mother here with me, to reassure me that I can pull through this, and that everything is OK. I wish she would run her hands through my hair, mess them up and then set them straight again, joking on how many more hairs she made me lose. I wish my father was right next to me, assuring me that I am capable of handling anything that life throws at me, and that I can never disappoint him, as I never have, till now. The point being, they tried, they tried a lot. But, over a $ 5 call that will last 45 mins, I missed out on a lot of things! I dunno what to do... I just don't know.....

Don't you sometimes wish for life to be a lot simpler than it is ?! Or is it that we tend to complicate matters than they could have been! I do wish I had a better understanding of all this! Even more so, a better understanding of myself! It really helps a lot to either be absolutely knowledgeable or a complete ignorant! Somehow this business of somewhere in between isn't what I am carved out for!

Consider the situation when you have to make choices! And these choices are what carve out a niche in your life! No, it is not as simple as choosing what movie of SRK to watch - Ashoka or K3G ?! Both are equally exasperating on the nerves. And you know for sure, that before long you will be running away from it as if you caught Shakti Kapoor with his pants down!!

No, this isn't about it at all! These are choices that are related to the precious things in life! The one's that are essential for your happiness and also the family that relies on you! The Duality literally splits one apart and the pain is excruciating! Indecision, consequences, risks - all take a toll on the mind, and before long, I will find me slouching on the couch, like a sloth, drooling all over, my hair all pointy like a porcupine, with bowls of icecream in front of me, watching reruns of Kattegalu saar Kattegalu, and suddenly developing a sense of liking to Ekta Kapoor's soaps!!

These are the times, I miss so many people! People with whom I probably could have confided my confusions and fears, with whom I might have spoken my concerns freely! I so much wish I would be a child again!

Even as I am lying on the bed typing this, my heart wishes that, I go to sleep now, and when I get up in the morning, everything would have been resolved! Yet! I know its only a wish! Have I stifled myself so much that I can't even plunge to take a risk, or is it that I value ethics, quite enough to restrain me from getting lured into matters, I later may regret? Yet again, today, my mind is full of questions. Just questions. And there is the wish.. of becoming a child again.. or maybe this is what growing up is all about! My eyes are getting drowzy.....

I guess the Lord Must be in NYC!!

And yes, he was!! On the 29th and 30th of December! So that should answer the queries of all those who wondered if I was murdered by the fans of Himanshu Malik! Well not quite! I was out celebrating my life, in the East Coast of U S of "A"!! (remember Om puri doing this quoteable style in "Bollywood Calling"?)

I visited New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Atlanta!! Thanks to friends who get jobs in these celebrated places and give us an excuse for haunting them! My visit to Manhattan was nothing short of SUPERB! The ride on the ferry over the Atlantic Ocean (from Staten Island to Manhattan), with the gusts of the wind crashing into me, filled me with the energy and vigor of the mighty waters! I could smell the enthusiasm of the city that never sleeps! It is a feeling of experiencing the joy of life that enraptures one's heart when they set foot into such places, be it in any part of the world!! Walking through Times Square, watching the faces of the people, made me want to stand still and savor it forever! The people who brushed against me, who shoved me, or pushed me, were not celebrities! I do not remember their faces, I do not know them! They had a life parallel to mine, one that I am unaware of! Their lives are complete with their joys and sorrows, worries and fears, and yet in that moment of touch, a transverse was drawn that connected us! The festive celebration to invite a new year, full of hopes and assurances! The smiles we exchanged, the happiness we shared during that momentary eye contact, made a celebrity of one another!

I was happy and satisfied at my commonness! I cherished the earthly bonding of the people around me! I was happy to be there and thankful to my friends who were with me! I know you will read this, and will feel happy. That is what makes this worthwhile to write! Thanks!

Time Wrap - 2005!!

Cartoon courtesy:- http://cagle.msnbc.com/politicalcartoons/

Ok! Let's see, I am 4 days and 18 hours late in wishing you all A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! And I know a lot of you guys(and gals) have been visiting this page hoping for an update! (Even if you ain't, in the spirit of the good ol' year.. keep nodding your heads). Well, as considerate as I am, of all your feelings, I have taken time to do so, finally!! So now, pipe down, and rest your hearts!.....

*lol* *lol* *lol* woah dudes! Who we kidding heeeeeere!! Its a NEW YEAR!! So raise those champagnes once again, and lets get to partyyyyyyyyy and laugh ourselves out silly thinking of all the stupid things we did last year and how we are gonna repeat them again this year!! Lets hit the floor and dance our hearts out not having a care in the world for the grouchy types who spend their new year, worrying that they now are a year older than they were!! Heck! Am in retrograde motion of my aging!!

Now a lot of my dudes and dudeees(not to let the female species out.. you know) have chronicled their past year, listing their achievements, their happiness, and moments of sorrow, and listed their resolutions for the year coming up! Now that got me to think, what the heck I am doing watching Kareena Kapoor tear my ear drums out with her shrill shreiks in K3G!! And in that moment of supreme revelation, I decided to assume the posture of horizontal alignment on a soft and bonky surface and ponder on my life! But before long, I got up shrieking in horror of having seen Kishan Kumar singing, albeit in a dream! Well that done, I packed my bags and went off wandering in search of a calm place to ponder on my year gone by!

While in the journey I ran into several specimens of the sapien species all in varied moods of celebration! Now lemme warn you all that there are some of these who would rather write a 1000 page books or dreary poems crying over the pathetic existence of human life, glorifying its miseries, of brutal deaths, and depressing life styles, walking their way into the next year, that would make watching Sanjay Kapoor dance in Raja a blissful experience! But thatz about all that they are, and they shall remain so! Now I wudn't let a divine mistake like Sanjay Kapoor (well in all due regards to him, guyz, lets be fair, hez a manufacturing defect!) or his followers thwart my peace! Having said that, and gotten it out of my system, I did find a blissful place to ponder on the self that I have glorified by calling "I"!!

There I knew, it does not quite matter. Years come and go, time flows by and all that jazz! But the beauty of life, and the celebration of it never ceases one bit! Every moment and every second is new and in each of them offer us the chance to celebrate our existence! Sure we have problems, and concerns, and have the massive swords of time and death hanging over our heads by the strand of these very seconds and moments! But in the spite of all these, is the beauty of the early morning sun, the beauty of a new beginning given to us with it, the smile on the lips that has the power of spreading the happiness throughout the world! And frankly nothing in our lives can be more dreary than watching Sanjay Kapoor, Kishan Kumar and Ajay Devgan dance for an Altaf Raja Song, with a music composed by Bappi Lahiri, wearing designer Govinda dress, ofcourse coupled by a series of female leads - Meghana Naidu, Payal Rohatgi, Mallika Sherwat! Thank God for that!

So, yes, I have lived through 2005, with my smile, spirit and energy intact!

My resolution for 2006? To continue to do so! So herez to life!!!!

The Great leveller!

Last night I had a dream, in which I died a peaceful death. There are few things as intriguing and mysterious as death. The thing that I really romanticize in death is the fact that it is the only thing that unifies all animate entities. I would (if it is possible), be really interested to know what people would remember of me, after I died, and more so, what their reactions would be at my death.

Let us not infuse this with emotions but instead look through an objective stand point. If anything, I would like to be remembered as an enigma! I say this, because, I know how so many people have claimed to have known and understood me, and yet, they quite haven't. Infact, I feel this is the same of every person we meet in our life time. Isn't that the reason, why death of a person itself is so intriguing? I remember, the first time, I was confronted with death. It was when my mother's youngest brother died of a fire accident. I was 6. I remember my mother breaking down inconsolably, at the news. It was the shock of the gruesome way he died that augmented her grief, as also the fact that he shall no more be a part of our lives. It did not have any effect on me, and I was infact left at home to play, while they went to the funeral.

When I was 15, my paternal grandmother, who had literally brought me up since my infancy died, all of a sudden. That was the first time, since I got my senses, that I saw my father break down. We left immediately, and when I saw the body of my grandmother laid down, strangely enough, I did not miss her. It was the moment they lifted it to be buried, that the sudden realization of her physical absence plagued my mind, and I cried. I cried so much that, death, that day, lost its tragedy to me. I have lost all of my grandparents, and I haven't cried. I find myself in the same position as I was when at the age of 6. Only thing being that, I now can feel the implications of death - the physical death.

Then there is a death that happens much more frequently; one that isn't physical. It is the murder of a personality that others do - of you. A personality that you are typecast in as, and then one day, they say, 'I never thought you could be so' - 'you are no more what you were'! That is when I realize that I am not a human! That somewhere in the course of life, I have become a typecast and lost my right to be human. And when a person dies such a death, even then people remember, not him, but his cast, his role, and his mask, that they had put on him, and had somewhere down the lane become his identity. It is revolting to me. Yes, I want to be remembered as the most mysterious person. I want people to wonder... "Hmm.. and I thought I knew him!" And probably, I would be standing right there, next to them, smiling, saying to myself, "That's what you thought.. "

An instrument of thy peace!

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.
Prayer of St. Francis (13th Century)

Top 10 Reasons to Cast Meghana Naidu in a movie!

Now for all those of you who are fed up of me talkin' about Meghana Naidu... well.. just go and watch a movie of hers!! You will start liking my blog better!! Now lets be fair to her.. and to make up for the grave injustice I have meted out to Ms. Me"ghana" Naidu by so vociferously voicing my pleasure of watching her do, what she believes is to be "acting", I list for you all the top 10 reasons for casting her in a movie! So all of you people who downplay her role in a movie, shall realize her true worthiness!

10. Her movies offer a change from the other dreary movies churned out by the Johar and Barjatya Co. Inc. with oh-so-purrrfect hero, heroines and mummies and daddies and designer sleazy clothes, and ofcourse a dog, or a cat, or a kabootar; whose only big problem in life is to choose a variety of people to fall in love with, and what locales to sing their mushy songs, and what designer clothes to wear to show how dreary our life styles are!!

9. The director for one doesn't have to bother about a story! All that needs to be present is a couple of love making scenes thrown along with, the often beaten, washed, dry cleaned, and torn story plot of a rich boy and poor girl, or a way ward wife/husband, or a misled girl (Oh! Woebegone).

8. She is not as bad as Payal Rohatgi in terms of looks, and not as costly as Mallika Sherawat (who by the way I hear, has decided to keep her clothes on for the time being!)

7. Her movies have been proven effective in treating people with mental disorders and has effectively replaced the painful shock treatments!

6. Her movies are used to educate people on 101 ways of undressing in less than 10 secs.

We now take a break for an important announcement.. zandu balm zandu balm.. peedaa haari balm.. zandu balm.. zandu balm!!

T-Series presents the startling actor cast and re-cast once again! *bada boom.. music playing in the background* sitaaron ka sitaara.. aa rahe hain.. Kishan kumar!!! Ek nayee movie mein.. "Main Amitabh Bacchan banna chahta hoon" - music playing in the background.. "toink toink..( a pig goes oink oink).. toink toink.. aaaa... aaaa... aaaa... bada booom*

We now resume our program once again!!!

5. While her movies can be used under limited circumstances to treat depressions, it has been established that an overdoze of the same can amount to a 3rd degree torture that has been proven worthwhile in extracting the truth from hardcore criminals and terrorists.

4. The production cost of the movie is obviously going to be extremely low! The hero can be supremely forgotten as obviously it is a one-woman show. That the story writer hasn't been paid is evident by the story line, and so is the case with the dialogue writer, and editor! The only person who seems to have enjoyed would be the cameraman (for obvious reasons!) and the male lead!

3. In case of an alien attack, which reliable resources have confirmed to me would be imminent, it can be used as a self-defence mechanism, to fool them into believing that the earthlings are supremely retarded and infectiously mediocre species, and before long they shall be running for their brains!!

2. There is no need to spend thousands on the clothes, as she quickly manages to get out of them! For the same reason it doesn't even matter what she wears! (That should offer Salman and Govinda a challenge).

1. I would have lost a wonderful topic to write about in my blog!!!

PS:- And they said this blog was pensive and philosophical!!!!

Surprise of Surprises!!!

Woah!!!! Know what I was in my last birth!! A GIRAFFE!!! Hmm... seems like I have lost quite a lot of things.. the tail for instance ;) and not to mention the loooooooooong neck!! Well.. ok.. my friends tend to disagree! They say I was more of a primate!! Oh well!!

You Were a Giraffe

You are a high achiever - able to reach things others can't. A great communicator, you are good at getting past superficialities.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

Me and My Birthday!!!

Ok.. the reason I am posting this.. hehehehe.. is not to know what my birthday would mean to me.. but to let u all know when my birthday is.. so start buying the PRESENTS!!!!! :D :D :D

Your Birthdate: March 19

You are resilient, and no doubt your resilience has already been tested. You've had some difficult experiences in your life, but you are wise from them. Having had to grow up quickly, you tend to discount the advice of others. You tend to be a loner, having learned that the only person you can depend on is yourself. Your strength: Well developed stability and confidence Your weakness: Suspicion of others Your power color: Eggplant Your power symbol: Spade Your power month: October

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Me and my blog!!

Ok.. herez what one of the websites had to say about my blogging, ie. after I answered a few of their questions.. ehehhe.. what do u guyz think?

Your Blogging Type is Pensive and Philosophical

You blog like no one else is reading... You tend to use your blog to explore ideas - often in long winded prose. Easy going and flexible, you tend to befriend other bloggers easily. But if they disagree with once too much, you'll pull them from your blogroll!

What's Your Blogging Personality?

Rivers of Blood

Ok.. I seem to have written this poem when the carnage at Godhra and Ahmedabad happened. This poem was dedicated to all the victims of these massacres.

The Rivers of Blood

Deep in the interiors of the battered lands
Carving the courses with shapeless hands,
Unhindered flow, a thousand scarlet streams
Fed by sadness, endless tears and shattered dreams.

The monotonous, moaning, deathly song
Piercing the stillness all night long,
Filling it with stories-of mistrust, betrayal, and hatred.
Thence they flow- the rivers of blood.

Parched throats, barren eyes, seeking love all their lives,
Thousands wander on the land, shadowed by bloodened knives.
Deep they suck, with never ending thirst,
Lest they dry, fall down and rust.

Down beneath the trickled blood seeps
Sorrows and sighs – it hoards and reaps.
To nourish the stream, down it goes,
Joins the troop and along it flows.

Woe! Begone! To the hand with the glistening knife
Alas! Its my friend of yesters who holds strife.
Yet its he, who brought this gloom-
The drought of hell, the message of doom.

One wonders why, in the stead of love,
We always choose to hate our brethren?
We choose to kill, we choose to burn
Them whom we would love and be loved in return.

Its an attempt futile – we fail to see,
The game of death fills us with glee.
Blinded by rage – the glisten of scarlet and burning red,
Like fools we swim, in the rivers of blood.

-Praveen

What a discovery!!!

When I was ravaging through some of my old documents, surprises of surprises... I discovered the collection of my English poems and short stories "Hope and Despair". It was a mushy moment.. as if I were watching Hrithik Roshan and Shahrukh Khan meeting eachother in K3G (yeah true!! Duh!!). Well, without much ado about nothing, lemme go on a spree of posting some of them here. Isn't it gonna be a welcome change! I mean.. for a few days, I can get to bug you with prose, that not just runs across, but instead runs down, and what more! It rhymes too!!! For those of you wondering when these were written, hehehe.. well when I was in my high school.. boy was I romantic since then!!! (My first kiss was when I was in 1st standard..hehehehe).

WHEN THE HEART CALLS!

Deep in my heart, a voice echoes
A melodious, sweet song of distance-beckons,
Me to a far off land, of dreams, of paradise;
And lose myself in the enchantment of beauty.

It takes me to the land of starts,
Twinkling far away, all the hours.
It carries me through moonlit ways,
Off to a land, where love tune plays.

A voice unknown, a face unseen.
Just a feeling of love inbetween.
Yet somewhere deep in my heart,
She dwells to make my life smart!

The elixir of heaven fails at her lips,
My heart leaps at the touch of her tips.
The beauty of the flora queen,
In front of hers, seems too mean!

She binds me with her locks,
With her looks, she sends through shocks!
And paralyzes me with her smile,
Making me wonder all the while.

The nights are spent with no sleep,
Thinking of her in my heart’s deep.
Every beat of my heart calls for you-
Just tell me – I LOVE YOU!

On Chronicles and Potter!!

So I did say that "Chronicles of Narnia" deserves a special mentioning of its own, in a separate blog altogether! The movie, it must be specially mentioned is all about one of the books - "The Lion, the witch and the Wardrobe". The Chronicles, itself has different sets of books, probably 7 in number, totally. The movie in consideration deftly presents with ample special effects, the story line. It is well told, taut in presentation and remarkably enchanting. The Lion is probably the highlight of the entire movie! It is so majestic, one has to see it to believe it. Ofcourse, its animated! But yet, it made me wish so much that it were not! Imagine having Lions as huge and magnanimous as Aslan!! I could find traces of Lord Of the Rings, here and there, afterall C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien were very good friends. Well, don't miss it for any reasons.

Today, I had been to watch "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". Frankly the movie is a bit of a disappointment. It made me realize once again, the difference between a book and a movie. The books weaves magic in every page! It is so extensive in its description, that it sets our imagination free to explore the magic world of Hogwarts. The movie seemed to be done with a lot of hastiness, skipping the nuances that would make the movie memorable! A lot of precedence has been given to express the adolescent wishes of the characters, and trust me, its over done!! Whatz with moaning myrtle hitting on Harry Potter!! One really notable point of the movie is the return of Voldemort. Joseph Fieness has been chosen for the role of Voldemort, and he certainly suits the character! His return has been effectively picturized. Personally, I also find the character of Albus Dumbledore in the movie a bit funny! While the character in the book is refined, stately humorous and very patient, the one in the movie is restless, and unsuitably mannered. I miss the Dumbledore of the very first movie, its a pity he had to pass away so soon. One can definitely see the charm slowly withering away from the movie! I do hope the next one succeeds in making up for the loss. Else, the good ol' books and the brain shall raise to occassion, and its the journey to the magical land of dreams, that is going to be in vogue! Ready for the call?

Of movies and more..

Ok.. today I went on a rampage in terms of viewing movies. I watched "The Chronicles of Narnia", "House of Wax", and a disgustingly horrible telugu movie "Idiot" (well.. thankfully its aptly titled). While the Chronicles would warrant a very special mention of its own, and a separate blog altogether, I would also not like to group it with the rest of the mentioned insipid and senseless movies.

Ah! the pleasure of criticisms!! I mean, coming to think of it.. there isn't much of a difference between Indian movies and Hollywood movies when it comes to being senseless! Know why? Well, while the movies in India choose to gross out the viewers by having actors like Ravi Teja, Meghana Naidu (wow.. both of them together in a movie.. would probably be the most horrifying movie ever made!! Eeeks!! am already getting nightmares!!), Himanshooo, and the likes; Hollywood has its own refined way of grossing us out with their idea of "horror".

Gone are the days when they used to make classic horrors that sent the creeps down one's spine! Exorcist, Poltergeist, Omen, The Ring, and such other movies had given me sleepless nights! (The most embarassing thing was to go to the rest room during nights by waking up others or making loud noises.. or switching every damn light in the way! Well for one, the demon would have known for sure where I was heading for, and what exactly would have been the purpose. Now that I have matured enough, I know that all I need to do to scare the shit out of it is to put on Ravi teja's movie.. and bingo, the devil is runnin' for its life! Or better still, prance around like Mithun in "Classic").

Coming back to tackling Hollywood, it has degenerated horror into psychopathic killings, gross murders, and a lot of shrieking by the females!! There are quite a lot of things that actually baffle me when I watch Hollywood movies! For instance..

• Why does the killer strike in moments of intimacy? (My understanding would be that the depravation of physical proximity has made him highly caustic towards such behavior, and he is hell bent on denying anybody the pleasure of it, including the viewers for that matter!! Oh! you guyz, don't squirm.. after all there isn't anything else that is worth watching in such movies!!)
• For heaven's sakes, won't someone knock some sense into the feminine species!! In majority of the movies, it is always the female leads who put the life of the entire platoon in jeopardy with their stupid tantrums, and emotions!! Well.. one can't really expect much from blondes.. can they?
• And for the last time.. DO NOT GO AROUND ALONE IN A LONELY HOUSE FAR AWAY FROM CIVILIZATION CROONING LIKE A CONSTIPATED CAT!! "Helllooooo... anybody there? Here I am.. dressed in as less clothes as possible.. and walking around waiting to be hunted down.. hey you killeeeeeerrrr... where are u... come and get meeee... aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh" *rolling the eyes* Well duh!!
• And whenever they are walking backwards, you can always expect a shock! Most of the times, its their overly active partners, trying to joke around scaring the hell out of their girlfriends whose shrieks only end up giving us a headache!

Well, but seriously no horror can get better of the movies churned out by the good ol' "Tollywood" (hehehehe.. funny name.. ain't it?) It is hard for me to decide which is worse! Watch Raviteja in "Idiot" or walk around with a toilet paper stuck in the place-that-must-not-be-named. Well, the latter atleast can be gotten rid of instantly! But the former is like that stinking piece of sock that spreads its stench all over the house and lingers on for days to come! Am I exaggerating? I don't feel so!

Personally, when I watch a movie, I look for a wholesome entertainment! Humor is my panache! But one would certainly want to feel like an intelligent viewer and certainly would love to be treated as one! Nowww.. wait a minute.. did I just see someone pass by me.. or was it an illusion.... I see the remote is moving all by itself..... it has turned on the TV... whoz that... its Meghana Naidu.. in a Kannada movie!!!!! AAAAAAAAAahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

PS:- Surprisingly enough, Meghana Naidu has acted in a Godforsaken Kannada movie "Kattegalu saar Kattegalu" .. need I say more about the movie?!! :P

Shabari: Poem by Divine Grace

The expression of one's self and its various facets takes a lot of creative outlets! Just when, poetry became one of such outlet for me, I don't know. The first poetic work of mine, (by poetic I mean, atleast in structuring, grammar and content) was when I was in my 9th Standard. It was titled "Oh! My life please come to an End". I have indeed travelled a long distance since then, and thankfully am spared with my life intact!! The inspiration to write in Kannada was also imbibed in me during my highschool days. I was very adept in writing essays in both English and Kannada, and for me poetry formed a well organized prose, albeit with lyrical/rhyming structure. Though I wrote more in English than in Kannada, I did give equal priority to both the languages. Now before this turns out to be a boring hackneyed monologue about my poetic abilities, and you all start yawning your brains out (just as I myself am doing), let me tell you about the poem that has brought me much acclaim, accolades and appreciations from all over the world!

"Shabari" is a poem written in Kannada, that describes the devotion of Shabari for her Lord Rama. The inspiration for the same came about when I had been to a dance program organized by Smt. Padma Iyengar (daughter of noted Kannada poet Pu.ti.na), thanks to Usha Aunty for making it possible for me to go. There the danseuse Smt. Bhramari Shivaprakash presented a dance ballet "Shabari-punya lahari" on the composition of Sri Sediyapu Krishnabhat. It was this performance that moved me, and inspired me to create this, which has enriched me by its sheer beauty and humbled me with its divinity. "Shabari" for me is a testimony that all talents that are vested in a human being are but gifts from the divinity that is omnipresent, to utilize the same for the enrichment of the self, and the surrounding.

When I began writing "Shabari", I had to do a lot of thinking about the presentation of the character. It had to be different than the other presentations that were done so far, be it by Valmiki, or our very own Kuvempu and Sediyapu. Each of these presented Shabari in a different context. I can analyse the same and contrast with my presentation of the character.

Valmiki Ramayana lists Shabari as an old lady in the ashram of Sage Matanga, who yearns for Lord Rama. She belonged to the family of hunters. She had been directed by the sage to wait for Rama who would be her gateway for salvation. Upon the arrival of Lord Rama, she feeds him, and eventually dies at his feet. Lord Rama performs her last rites.

Kuvempu, while remaining true to this version, nevertheless differs from it, by not letting Shabari recognize Rama in the first meeting. Shabari represents a Jivatma that is shrouded by the Maya (Illusion) had has to be lifted off by the grace of the Paramatma. And hence, she is unable to recognize Rama, till Rama introduces himself.

Sediyapu, pictures Shabari as a huntress who disgusted by the killings of her favorite animals on the eve of her wedding, abandons her family, and eventually takes shelter in the ashram of Sage Matanga. Sage Matanga before his demise instructs her to wait for Shri Rama, as he is the one she is supposed to serve, and attain salvation from. Shabari waits for years, and eventually receives Rama, feeds him, and dies at his feet.

The "Shabari" that I envisioned was all of this, and yet different from the ones pictured till now. The poem has 3 sections. The first section describes the way she yearns and waits for her Lord. Her belief in the words of Sage Matanga is so intense that she has already wasted years in preparing for the arrival of Lord Rama. Each day, she looks forward for his arrival. This yearning has taken the form of a penance, and her aatma has seasoned and time has arrived for her salvation! Lord Rama, on the pretext of searching his estranged Sita, comes to Shabari. He is completely disheveled, tired, and void of all his charm.

The second section describes in detail the meeting of Shabari and Lord Rama. Shabari is filled with motherly affection at the sight of the 2 young men at her door step, and asks them their names. Lord Rama being very humble shies to introduce himself, and hence Lakshmana with equal humility introduces his brother and himself. Shabari is filled with awe and stays rooted, till beckoned by Lord Rama. She happily embraces him, and joy fills the entire universe! Lord Rama asks her of any wish that she wants fulfilled by him. At this time, Shabari is in filled with emotional turmoil. She is unable to ward off the motherly affection that arose at the first sight of them and with the knowledge of Lord Rama's divinity her heart is filled with devotion. Lord Rama, being omniscient, realizes her state, and at first decides to appease her motherly affection. He complains of hunger, and requests her to feed him. Shabari is filled with joy, and immediately brings in a lot of fruits, and tastes each one of find out if they are sweet and fit for him to taste. Having fulfilled her maternal desires, Lord Rama asks her if she has any more wishes materialistic or divine! He is ready to bring down the riches of all worlds at her feet and give her the kingdom of heaven. Shabari declines them all, and asks him for her salvation!

The 3rd section describes the salvation of Shabari. I felt that Shabari's years of penance cannot go unrewarded, and hence made Rama show his divine form of Lord Vishnu to Shabari. She is filled with awe and bows down at his feet. Shabari dies and instantly her body is aflame! Thus ends the story of supreme devotion and its eventual liberalization from the mundane bonds.

P.S:- I'd like to express my gratitude to Prasad Naik, and S. K. Shyam, editors of www.thatskannada.com portal, who published this poem for the first time, and specially to Mr. Prasad Naik, for reporting the change in the web link.

allide nam mane... illi bande summane!

The bubbles have all fizzled out, and the bottle's gone dry!

There were moments of celebrations and moments to cry!

Now its all hindsight, as the time continues to flow;

The memories nevertheless are still aglow!

Much as I wud've wanted to express my visit on the lighter vein, I have preferred to do it someother time. Let me get you all a little bit mushy, as I myself am so at this very moment! Well the trip back home was all that I expected it to be, and a lot more! The journey to, and fro was just perfect to the "T". The marriage went on well, enjoyed a lot! My sister-in-law's just good! And no marks for guessing who the center of attraction was at the wedding ;). I did lose a few pounds running around, which obviously made my mom happy! The highlights also being that I met several of my online friends! Kishan and I went out for breakfast! I feasted well on all the delicacies as much as I could. Met Pramod and Amaresh finally! gotto talk over the phone to a lot of other online friends! With that brief summary of the trip, the most important thing to write about would ofcourse be of my place!

Contrary to what a lot of them would claim, I still find it the good ol' bangalore! Yeah sure, the traffic has soared, there is an influx of people from all over the country into it, and the culture has diversified a lot, and has also begun degrading! But then, that was never Bangalore! Amidst all this onslaught, the spirit still lives on! I cannot comment on how long it will continue to do so, but I do not give up hope!

My little kid friends, still run to me the same way they used to, and still fight on who gets to sit on my lap, or ride on my stomach, while I tell them stories of 4 headed monsters and huge lions! Its still the same ol' neighbor who still continues to spoil me with her delicacies, the morning vendor of flowers, who doesn't forget to enquire about me! My troupe of friends who still fight over what restaurant to go to and ransack! The good ol' restaurants that still panic looking at us mischief makers! The taste of vidyarthi bhavan Masala dosa, of the upahaara mandir ildies and vada sambhar! The delicious chats on the footpath! Over and above all, the real people of bangalore! Their sorrows, their concerns, their joys and happiness... it is all still the same! Maybe this picture of mine is a short lived one, like my trip! Maybe I am still trying to see what good is left out of all this sudden globalization and ultra-modernization! But for sure, I know that Bangalore will survive all this, and still flourish with its inherent feel good factor! It has to!

I had wanted the trip to Bangalore to answer some questions for me, but the irony of the whole thing was that I never got any time to think! Nevertheless, I knew one thing right from the moment of leaving Bangalore the very first time to US, that was my home, my homeland, my motherland! I belong there and there shall I rest! This trip was a short one, I know there shall be one that will take me back for good to where I belong, the time is all that has to arrive.

Good Afternoon.. this is the afternoon news reporting from Minnesota Airport. The time now is 11:44 AM. I am your spokesperson for the day Mr. Jhootmootwala. And now.. for the yeadlines....

1. Mr. Praveen Shivashankar has already left the Wichita Airport and is now at the Minnesota Airport awaiting to board the Flight to Mumbai.
2. Mr. Praveen Shivashankar's arrival to Bangalore has already offset a series of events and we will shortly provide a detailed report of the same.
3. The Arrival of Mr. Praveen Shivashankar: This forms the crux of the discussion today, between the eminent panelists, Mr. Karnekokuchkaamnahin and Mr. kelsakbaardadabbananmaga. Both of them have been acclaimed as eminent researchers of the life and works of Mr. Praveen Shivashankar!

And now.. for the news in detaiiiiilllll....

1. Mr. Praveen is reported to have left the Wichita Airport in the early morning at 7:45 AM. There was a huge party to commemorate his departure! There had been a huge rush of people at the airport. Reporters have confirmed this and also added that they were there to ensure that Mr Praveen did leave Wichita! Immediately as the plane left, there was a boisterous celebration and people were all rolling on the floor, and celebrating and laughing as if they had just now watched Himanshu Malik trying to do a Dilip Kumar in the movie "Devdas". Mr. Praveen, obviously was not available for comment as he was flying.
2. Meanwhile on the other part of the world, the arrival of Praveen has offset a series of events in Bangalore! There have been increasing reports of girls suffering from insomnia and their boyfriends suffering from high BP. The doctors have been working round the clock to develop what they call the anti-Praveenism vaccine but have been failing phenomenally! While the Meghana Naidu Fan Club have threatened to hold a protest meeting at the airport, the Himanshu Malik Fan Club has threatened to go on fasting, and have placed huge cutouts of the actor all over the airport, which incidentally has also led to a lot of panickin' among the tree dwelling beings! But oblivious to all this, Mr. Praveen was found eating(gobbling) a foot long sub at the SubWay in the airport! We refrain from showing the video as it may lead to a violent behavior on the part of the girls putting their boyfriends' lives in jeopardy.
3. And now.. we have Mr. Karnekokuchkaamnahin(4KN) and Mr. kelsakbaardadabbananmaga(KBDNM). Welcome to you two. *kirshkshskshsskkhasljskjaldjfalkfjakjflajflajlajfajfla;d;* Dear readers.. we apologize that due to some contradictory ideas among the two panelists.. a light skirmish had ensued and so we won't be able to show u the entire discussion. Nevertheless, we are happy to inform you the jist of the discussion. They both unanimously agreed that the well prevalent praveenism was very hard to resist and that there is no known cure for this! However, the effect of the same may be lightened if the ppl. subjected to this, are going to watch continuous reruns of the movies of Payal Rohatgi, and Meghana Naidu. This, the panel opinioned would lead to severe depression and suicidal symptoms and that in turn can be easily cured.

And now for the FLASH NEWS.. Mr. Praveen has headed towards the customs clearance and will soon start for the flight! *more girls shrieking... and hooting* With this we come to the end of today's updates. Thanks a lot of bearing with me.. and hope u have ur quota of Zandu Balm to get over the aftermath of this news, which I'd like to say is due to Praveenism itself!

Miles to go.. before I sleep!!

Oh yeah! Am sleepless in Wichita!! The longing grows day by day as now the days near for my trip back home! As fate would want to have it, the dates have gotten preponed! and Am arriving a day earlier than scheduled! The counting has now boiled down to hours!! All of a sudden the mind is so nostalgic with the memories of all the wonderous, magical past! The moments to relive them again, and then probably add some newer memories into the bag is nearing.. the call of the home grows louder in the heart, as the path towards it glimmers infront of the eyes! It's a journey back home, a journey to where I belong!! Till I come back, keep your health, and stay off Meghana Naidu's movies!! So long!!

Background music playing:- .... Ghar aaja pardesi tera des bulaaye re!!

Much achoooo abt. nothing!!!!

Have you ever tried to sneeze and talk at the same time?! Coming to think of it.. there isn't many things a man can really do! You know what I mean? For example, gorrillas are the only beings that can swallow while breathing! => that man cannot! Well so much for the simian ancestry! Well, you people may say, look at Bobby Deol!! Can there be a more bludgeoning evidence for the ancestry theory? I wanted second opinions.. and when I asked the simians that usually come to my house for the round branch meeting, they begged to defer!!! With a flabbergasted look on their face, as if they had just watched an entire rerun of the most famous 101 ways of defying science by Rajnikanth, they shrieked and howled and thumped vehemently denying any part in the current existence of Bobby Deol or his acting skills. Well that matter having rested, shall we now come back to the matter at stake.. Achhooooo!!!! *sniff sniff*

Well, winter bringeth with it more than its share of miseries especially for wretched souls like us! Now being fair and square I did have an option of either coming down with cold or to watch Meghana Naidu gyrate in "Rain". As sane as I was, I chose for the former! Achewwellllllsssss!!! (it kinda gets boring after a while to sneeze in the same old hackneyed style.. and so I also have been experimenting on innovative and unique ways of grossing myself out).

While people have been running away from me, as if I was Mithun da pr(d)ancing around in a red shirt and khakis from "Classic" [I mean coming to think of it.. I really wonder how people dared to go to a theatre and sit through 3 classic hours of 3rd degree torture of not only watching Mithun mouth out against sex, "hum sex ke khilaaf hain.. yada yada yada yada" on one side, while Ms Naidu and the utterly forgettable caricature of the hero make love like 2 zombies who have come down with a heavy constipation problem!], I was able to muster some time for myself to pen down something to infect all my readers! (assuming that there are some)

Now just how effectively the cold can be passed on through an online blog.. is still under research, as is also the number of ways in which one can sneeze and utter utterly unfathomable words for others to figure out! It gives me great honor to acknowledge that I am the primary researcher and also the main specimen on which these tests are being conducted!

Now.. I know I know.. that you all are considerin' yourself blessed for being able to be a witness for this phenomenal occurrance! But then, am so sorry, I gotto goshkchkllaskjkslkjkskcchooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! *sniff* *sniff*

Romance In the Air!!

Well my internet at home has gone busted.. thanks to SBC Yahoo! I have a vague doubt that it has something to do with my negligence towards my books! I am tended to believe that its a conspiracy by them to make me hit the bed with my long forgotten books! And am glad, they did so! Well I won't really say that I did hit the books again! The devolution (which I want all my readers to believe is the opposite of evolution) doesn't quite happen that way. Though I did happen to read a beautiful book "Love Story" by Eric Seagel. This actually prompted me to infact list a few of my favorite romantic movies! (Well, actually! Sushma made me watch a rather romantic movie "Bridges of Madison County, and that also had a role to play in this post).

• You've Got Mail :- Probably the one factor that really made me love this movie was Meg Ryan! (I'd also say Tom Hanks.. but I dont' wanna send out a wrong signal, if u know what I mean.. so let's take this granted). The witty and taut script, beautiful picturization, and a wonderful story would make any person fall in love with this movie! And the original sound track is just too good! Some of the best numbers of the yesters were relived in this movie!
• Sweet November :- Apart from the story, it was the expressions and the plethora of emotions that the main protagonists - Charlize Theron, and Keanu Reeves gave out, that had me rooted down till the end of this movie! "only time" - the score by Enya has ever since remained among my favorites!
• The Bridges of Madison County :- When Sushma strongly suggested this movie, I knew I was in for a roller coaster of emotions! Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep had me spell bound with their intense talks and emotions! If one wants to realize how much love can hurt, they have to watch this movie!
• Amelie :- I am not a big connoiseur of foreign movies to be true! But this one movie, I'd say is a must watch! The simplicity of the characters, their idiosyncracies, makes it so believeable that it grows out to be a part of us, by the time the movie ends.
• An Affair To Remember :- One of the things about classic movies, is that they in no way can be surpassed by the remakes of the later days! This is one such movie that really impressed me for its originality and story!
• West Side Story:- The same goes with this one too! A musical from the start to the end, this movie is memorable for lot of reasons. The songs, the dance, the picturization, the wonderful acting, .. the list goes on! If you don't mind a musical, I surely want this to be on top of the list!
• Notting Hill:- Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts created such a magic with this movie, that I have been made to watch this countless times by a lot of my friends (you know who) whenever we would go to rent movies. Being fair to the movie, it is very catchy and has some really good numbers! The songs are worth having in your collection!
• Forrest Gump:- What actually qualifies a movie to be a romance for me, is kinda hard to explain. But this movie had made me think a lot about what it was to really love! The movie by itself is more of a single person's story! What touched me and made me add to the list was the one love he treasured all his life! It was hard for me to believe and yet somehow.. somewhere.. very true!

Boom-busty Bollywood!!

Once upon a time, there was a land called Bollywood! It was famed all around the world as one of the busiest filmland, where everyday someone or the other was doing something or the other, which did not make sense, to either them or the rest of the world! Nevertheless, sense was never a criteria and all that mattered was that someone must be doing something! Now in this melee, there were a few mutants that actually started making sense in what they were doing but they did not last long! Before long they were all forgotten and the film land again went back to being senseless and everyone lived stupidly and worthlessly ever after!!!!

It again had been a long time since I wrote anything.. and some of my friends had started sending me hate mails! They were very gory and scared me and eventually made me write out a column for all those who regularly read it (now.. I tend to do a lot of imaginations.. so don't get hung up on the numbers). Infact some of them even threatened to send me entire collections of Me-"ghana" naidu and Mallika sherawat's videos! Now before things could turn that violent and nasty, I decided to jump in and end the crisis. Now exactly what it is that scares me about the recent "bombs" that the bollywood is dropping (and the ones my readers threatened me with), is very hard to point out! (Now this, I realize is a paradox. For there is absolutely nothin' in 'em thatz hard to point out!) One thing is for sure that, what they lack in acting they more than make up in their oomphs! (am sure the maker wud have exclaimed "oops" the day he made 'em!). It takes a knack unsurpassable by anyone other than Ms. Sherawat to turn a beautiful romantic story as Eric Seagel's "Love Story" into a disaster like "Khwaish" that almost had me puking everywhere! Oh! now I hear Himan"shoo" crying.. there.. there.. don't u cry! You really had my jaws drop and eyes wide open till they dehydrated! Now, that acting which u did was really "to die for". Your acting in "Rain", especially when you dance around in the bath tub, has saved my life! I mean that thing what you did, infact sent a rabid, wildly mad and completely senseless buffoon running for cover! I owe it to you dude!!

You know, I really am all for passing a law, that should make the worst actors in the industry to be tied up to a pin cushion, with all the pins turned upwards, and play back to back all of their movies. And I am pretty sure, that they'd prefer sittin' on the pins than have their brains busted by their so called acting skills. What has me really worried is that the all pervading sense of competition among the Indians, seems to be showing out even in the movies that Bollywood is churning out! Before long, it was Ms. Sherawat who used to gimme nightmares, but then came along Ms. Meghana Naidu (I knew there was something in the name!!) and before I could swoon down into a coma, the nail in the coffin was Payal Rohatgi! I mean.. can anyone actually blame even the stone faced Jatin for showing such constipated expressions?!! There were moments, when Ms. Rohatgi was trying to seduce him with her expressive eyes! Believe me, I haven't cringed as much even while watching a horror movie! "door dus cities tak jahan bhi baccha rota hai, to baap bolta hai.. beta so jaa nahin to payal aajayegi!"

Now, what has my overly active imagination running wild as a mad dog, is the thought of casting all these madames with all those Mess(y)ieurs into one single movie! And then, we could use that to torture the most nastiest criminals into confession and even use it as a WMD (as I always say.. mass beats mass)! Or else, it would just turn out to be yet another senseless thing that everyone else in the industry is doing! Oh Well!

A ha(e)irless throne!

I have come to a foregone conclusion that there is no point in worrying about something that is for-gone! Its an eventuality that one knows will happen! So why bother about it! Not to mention that bothering only brings it closer to becoming true! Wonderin' what I am yappin' about at this time? Well.. its about follicle regression in the upper cranium area of an otherwise lucrative region of my body!!! Well if am balding.. then hell.. I am gonna be sophisticated about that!!
For one thing.. I did have my moments of glory with my hair! Well you can believe or faint but if you were to look at my pic as a 6 yr old wearing a safari suit and a golden chain, you would see the prominent crown of tufts atop my head! Then the time passed... and so did the hairs!! And yeah..there were days when I used to harp on and sing about the lost treasure... E mere pyaare badan.. E mere ujde chaman.. tujhpe tel kurbaan!
My mom tried every known methods and options only to tear her hair in despair! The contrast being that her hair stuck to the roots..and mine were more than glad to take their place!! My friends did their share in contributing to this excessive recession that I was going into.. what with their piling their problems on the vacant sites that were now open! You know.. now that I think of it.. it is just that! There is something about this baldness that actually sends a signal out to people... "hey all u cry babies.. herez a sucker for ur stories! So come and weep ur hearts out on his shoulders.. (or probably his head! as if it wasn't enough that water washed it everyday!). Some said it was the genes, (darn these damn genes... they never get 'em right! Am sure they mixed things up and started sheddin' my hair.. instead of something 'else'-which I leave it to the overactive imagination of my readers to figure out.. or if u can't, u are gladly welcome to tear my hairs over it!!!)
Now balding isn't really such a big problem, if it wasn't accompanied with its loving friend called "bulging". Especially in my case, my body seems to make up with what its losing on the top, by gaining all around my girth! This logic, doesn't seem to quite work out in my favor!
Well all said and done.. the person whoever said that "Baldness establishes the masculinity of a man, but only diminishes his chances of proving it" was so darn right.. I'd shed a hair or two for those words! Oops.. here they go!

My brother's weddin'!!!

Sooo... whatz keepin' me busy these days! Well.. for one its the work.. and for another its my laziness... but the most important thing is.. MY TRIP TO INDIA!!!! (*cheers, applauses.. and fans shriekin' and tearin' their hairs out!!!*) Oh! yeah.. good ol' nation.. and good ol' people.. good ol' brother now gettin' married.. in the same good ol' way! aaah! I can almost smell the whiff of the matrimonial air around me. Boy! am I excited?!! Ofcourse I am!! Now that hez gettin' married.. guess whoz the best man ;) !!! (* More cheers.. applauses.. and fans shriekin' and faintin'*) Now.. now.. pipe down y'all. I ain't gonna be free around to sign on all ur autographs.. or pose for pics with you!! But tell ya what! I'll let ya all have a glimpse of me when y'all come to the weddin' !!

Well.. am already excitedly planning my stay in bangalore.. the things am gonna do and the ppl. am gonna see! But then with hardly a fortnight's stay out there.. am already beginning to wonder if they will work out! You know.. thatz the hardest part! There is just never enough time! And especially when you are with your people, the time is one thing that just doesn't wanna root down its goddamn butt and stay put! Well.. while it wasn't still sure whether I would come for the wedding or not, I was eager to lap up atleast a week's time if available. And now that I got 2 weeks, somehow, everything seems still less! The only thing that seems to grow is the longing... for my mother's delicious dishes, her laughter.. at my *come kick-me* silly jokes, my buddies, and our hangouts.. the same good ol's...the same good ol's!

All (s)well that end (s)well !!!

Wow.. what a roller coaster ride the week has been!! The Ups and Downs, the Highs and Lows, the thunders and calm... yeah.. all that jazz!! What started off with a wonderful news of me being invited as the guest speaker for the Saahitya Ranga's Saahitya Goshti at California, (not to mention that I have also been asked to read a couple of poems, and the book that has my short story in it is also being released at the same time!!), immediately fizzled out due to some skirmishes, but the near ones remained near and grew even more dearer at the end of all of it. There is something that has to be said about all these small squabbles. They do seem gigantic at the onset, but then, once they are seen in proper perspective, they seem so minute, but yet they make people come close. Once we understand what led to it, and how we can get over it, and realize how much we value the person and the relationship, I guess everything turns swell again!

In fact, isn't that the very reason, why we quarrel at the first place! It's because we treasure the person too much, and it is people who matter to us, who can hurt us! We become vulnerable to them. Don't we?

Well, as the week is drawing to an end, I am happy that trust and faith have won, and the bonds have only grown stronger. There are more of my friends who are going to turn up at the Sahitya Goshti in LA, California, and that only means more fun!!! The way I see it... Life goes on....

Just a good ol' boy!!!

What would one call a person who

• Is just there for someone!
• Who gives the shoulder for ppl. who cry, ears for ppl. who wanna talk, care for ppl. who he cares about!
• Tries to make her smile and laugh when she is troubled!
• Makes her see the bright stars when all she is interested in is the towering dark midnite!
• Trusts someone beyond a point of question and yet is questioned of his integrity every time!
• Patiently bears with all idiosyncracies of a person, and then at the end of the day is just branded and accused?!!
• A person who is shamingly honest about every aspect of his feelings, and yet is misread!
• A person who craves to understand, and yet is misunderstood!
• A person who only wishes to cherish the beautiful things in the world, but is treated like a criminal?!!

Would there be a name for him? Or is he just some inconsequential human meant only to be used and thrown?! He is just a good ol' boy! Someone who just stays silent... saying nothing... not getting a chance to say anything.... not a single chance!

Am just confused!!

Things are all just fuzzy... I dunno what to do.. or whatever am doing whether it is right or not!! I wish somehow everything wud clear off.. I just wish... I just wish...

Clouds!!!

How I Envy these Clouds!

They seem to play with such glee.

Wanton abandon bereft in their souls

Not a care in the world...

Their laughter fills the skies

Mocking at our slavery! Our binding!

The bright dazzling streaks of light...

Calling me unto their fold!

Moth like my soul rises to meet them.

Oh! What bliss to join their lovely dance!

Dried up soul, thirsty for love,

reminiscences filling every moment!

It was raining that day too! The day

When love had rained so in the fields of my heart!

The hairy black clouds, the tinkling laughter

The dazzling bright eyes, the innocent abandon,

How enchanting she looked! How playful!!

The earth so thirsty is lapping up the drops,

Oh! How blessed it is, How Lucky!

Every rainy day burns me more

The thirst lingers on... for that lovely day!

When love rained... for the same sight... the same night!!!

- Praveen !

Thatz me for y'all ladies!!!

A feel good quiz by cerulean_dreams
your name is...
your eyes	are deep and mysterious
your hair	is elegant
your smile	draws others towards you
your body	is envied by many
your hugs	make others feel loved
your kiss	is enticing
your love	is never wasted
Quiz created with MemeGen!

Heck!! Who cares!! I Luv 'em!!!

Am I crazy on this?!!

More on Calvin n Hobbes!!

Quotable Calvin n Hobbes!!

I can't really conceive of any brained structure that would not love "Calvin n Hobbes" - So if any of ya so called "brained creatures" out there don't like him.. STAY OUT!! :D . One thing is for sure, I am so hooked on C & H that I could practically spend days reading him and not care a damn for the world! I sometimes feel, he makes more sense than the thousands of us put together! Anyways.. herez a compilation of some of his quotes and conversations... boy.. do I love him.. or do I love him!!

1. (To Moe after saying a highly complicated word) His train of thoughts is still boarding at the station. (LMAO)
2. Everytime I've built character, I have regretted it!
3. Your heart falls into your stomach & splashes your innards. This condensation shorts the circuits to your brains and you get all woozy. Your mouth disengages and you babble like cretin until she leaves. (Symptoms of Love!!!!)
4. Get your rear in gear, will ya?
5. If you can just get most people to ignore you and leave you alone, you're doing good.
6. I'm the end result of history. Think of it! Thousands of generations lived and died to produce my exact, scientific parents, whose reason for being, obviously, was to produce ME. All history upto this point has been has been spent preparing the world for my presence. Now I am here and history is vindicated. (Absolutely true!!!)
7. Ho Ho! They tried to make me learn, but I was too tough for 'em! (he speaks so much for me!!!)

Well.. thank you Bill Watterson!

For the Weekends!!!

The weekdays are getting just so packed.. I gotto do a lot of my activities for the weekend.. which means..that my weekend's packed too!!! *kaN araLisi..miki miki nODing*
Anyways..herez a blue print..
1. Been a long time since I painted anything..so I guess I'll do that.
2. Gotto work on summarizing the verses of "kumaaravyaasa bhaaratha" - into hosagannaDa. Atleast till the point that the Pandavas are born.
3. Long time since I wrote a poem in hindi. So that comes up next!
4. Gotto watch "The exorcism of Emily Rose".
5. Must get updated with the forum - http://www.kannadaaudio.com/forum
6. Gotto catch up on all my friends and reply to those many emails!
All these apart that cartload of books that I need to study!! Boy! am I excited... you bet I am!!

Back to Basics!!

A rather long absence from bloggin' eh? Well am back! (pipe down on all that cheers and ovations... and please take ur seats. Now, prepare for yet another monologue!) The Days are just getting busier... and off late the one thing that has often had my mind preoccupied during the times of siesta is my School Days!! Somehow, everywhere I seem to go, the memories of the school days just keep popping up in various forms... be it a movie I am watching, a song I am listening to (Dreams are nothing but the wish.. been playing for quite sometime now..and Abba too!!!).

Its a cliched term that "School days were fun" and a cliched wish that "I want my school days back". But what the heck! They are true!! The long walk to school I used to take with my friends discussing (more like chattering) various things, the long stays in front of the gate of our houses, though we knew that our parents were out there calling on to us! Our little squabbles, crushes, my first kiss (when I was in my first standard), my first crush (in 7th Standard), my first love letter (also in 7th standard), *deeeep sighs* *more deep sighs* *a broad 24,000 Watt smile*, the practical jokes I played and in turn became the butt for!! Are there things I'd wanna do over? Ofcourse I do! As they say.. falling in love all over again! The best thing is that I still do have all those friends since my childhood and pre-nursery days! Some are getting married in the coming few days! What is it like to grow up together for years?!!! Sharing our fears, our doubts, our joys and sorrows! I haven't yet realized it as yet.. but I guess its something like the same feelings I have right now. A sense of tranquility and peace, of confidence and trust, of love - for all those people who stood by me all these days.. and the ones I had stood for!

So thanks for being there.. my buddies! Love ya all!

Man-Internet Complex!

I think I was in 1st PUC when my brain conceived this weird idea of Man-Internet Complex. I do not claim it to be my own! I am sure there are many who would probably have developed this very idea or even thought of it. It seemed weird to me because, I felt the occurrance and probability of the idea being true a bit far-fetched. I must admit that to a certain extent, I felt I was going nuts! Anyways, so what is this whole Man-Internet Complex, all about?!

Now before, we go to the main issue, let us briefly try to sketch some basics necessary to understand this concept. We are all aware of life forms! The way we identify a life form is by certain traits - cells, energy, homeostasis, organization, growth, and reproduction. These, we have come to agree signify the inalienable characters of a being.

Now, try to visualize a cosmic creature, the one I would like to call "Man-Internet Complex". This creature is now slowly coming to form and existence. In the eventuality of this incident, I see that the sole survivor would be this creature, and nothing else..no other forms of life! We humans sitting in front of the computer would be the cells that constitute the body! .We are going to be those minute particles that at the microscopic level strive to keep it functioning and in existence. We are connected to other such "cellular" human beings through various means of connections (very similar to the nervous system of our body) such as internet and wireless.

And what is our function?

Information exchange! there are going to be terrabytes of information being processed and exchanged every second! This information exchange ensures the survival of the complex. In other words, this signifies the most essential means of metabolism. The moment the information transfer breaks down entirely the creature is dead! And thus, homeostasis in this sense would be to ensure the transfer of information relentlessly. Thus, one can imagine what would be the cause of disease for this creature! If for some reason this information exchange stops, then the cells (ie. us) strive to rectify this! why? because our existence depends on the survival of the creature. If the creature dies, then we die along with it!

Each day new cells are being added and the creature just keeps on growing! After a certain maximum growth (when probably everyone in the world is connected..), the creature will just have to ensure its survival. The question that remains is that of reproduction. The way I see it, the creature will probably give rise of different forms of itself, which would eventually merge into its whole being! In other words, it is reviving itself, and that represents its self-reproduction.

One thing that did leave my astounded was that, even as this idea was taking its form in my mind, and I was scribbling thoughts related to it, in my journals and books, here and there, the movie MATRIX was made, almost as if in answer to my questions!

Now, my mind is more dwelling on the evident repercussions of this. What if this indeed happens! what will be its results?!!! Any thoughts?!

To Do or Not To Do!

Girlssss!!! Even as I am writing this blog, my mind is in a h(m)aze! Why are they so enigmatic and mysterious?! I mean, I have spoken to so many of 'em, I still speak to so many of 'em... and yet am not able to decipher them!

Jokes apart, can one really know when to talk and when not to talk?! It becomes all the more confusing when one is chatting(on the internet ie.)! A girl wants to go, and if I say.. "ok bye", there is a quick retort accusing that I was only waiting for her to leave! Then again, I say "plz stay back for some more time".. and there again, I did wrong! Uff!! This is but just the tip of the ice berg!

The mountain beneath is even more scarier *bitin' my nails off*. And this comes to the point of actually proposing.. you know! Even confessing ones love seems such an arduous task! When do you know that it is the right time to do it? We men, seem to give out a lot of vibes and hints that we want to take the relationship to the next level! But do they? If they do.. how do we know!? And what if we misread their hints, and do propose! Gosh! the hell breaks lose! And if we don't, then we lost our opportunity! My head is all fuzzy!! Probably it is this uncertainity of online relationships that is the reason behind all this. Many of my friends call me a Joey (albeit not as dumb as him), regarding girls..! And yet, I am caught in this rigmarole!

There ought to be some easy way into the mind of a woman(girl)! The way I see it.. you know, its much easy.. if girls themselves propose! End all this quest, and they come out into the open! But then.. they are girlssss.. will they do it.. won't they do it.. will they do it.. wont' they do it....

Analysis of Mahabharatha - part 2

It was really heartening to know the interest that Mahabharatha and its inherent meanings generated in many of my friends. So here comes the much awaited 2nd part of the same. In the last write-up, I had very briefly mentioned some points about various characters and some psychological insights into them.

Today being Janmaashtami, I began reading the Bhagavad Gita, and one character that really intrigued me was that of Duryodhana. Duryodhana represents the product of the animosity and vice that was vested in many Kauravas. And so great was their viciousness that even the great stalwarts like Bheeshma and Drona failed to convert him. And yet, we cannot write-off Duryodhana as being an entire novice. Let us first look at his birth!

Gandhari wanted to be the first one to give birth to a child. Though she and kunti both became pregnant at the same time, it was Kunti who bore Yudhisthira first! Overcome by jealousy, she destroyed her womb! The zygote was broken into a 101 pieces, which Shri Veda Vyasa is said to have nurtured in pots and eventually gave rise to the 100 kaurava princes and 1 princess. Thus, the factor of jealousy was instilled in him right at his birth, through his mother!

His father, Dhritaraashtra (as the name itself signifies) was very attached to the throne, and was insecure about it. Insecurity only fuels the jealousy, and to air this fire of hatred, there was the ever present Shakuni! He formed the much needed covering that was necessary to protect this fire from the counter efforts of Bheeshma/Drona/kRupa and Lord Krishna himself.

As we know, the evil succeeded in executing this plan of "self-destruction", eventually resulting in the biggest war ever fought - the Mahabharatha.

It is in this war though, that the real psychology of Duryodhana is beautifully put forth by the master writer, Maharshi Veda Vyasa. In the first canto of Bhagavad Gita, Duryodhana is seen approaching Drona and debriefing him about the armies on both sides. The surprising fact being that, it was Bheeshma who was the commander of the army! Then pray why should the prince approach another warrior and brief him about the army instead of the Commander!!!!

This belies the inherent disbelief he had in the faithfulness of the grand old man of Hastinapura! Duryodhana never believed anyone amongst his circle! He knew that even Drona for that matter was inherently with the Pandavas. Though his trust in Karna was great, Karna had vowed that he would not fight the battle as long as Bheeshma was on field! So Karna was just an appendix! Thus when Duryodhana stood arrayed in the battle, he knew that for all practical purposes, he was there all alone!

It is this realization that prompts him to say "aparyaaptam idam balam bheeshmaabhirakShitam" - this power of ours being protected by Bheeshma is inadequate! And yet he realized that the power being protected by Bheema (though Drushtadyumna was their commander in chief) was adequate to vanquish the vast army of the Kauravas - "paryaaptamtwidamEtEShaam balam bheemaabhirakShitam".

Thus one can but see that Duryodhana was well aware of the futility of this war, and yet he went ahead with it! The question being, why?! Was a person so well aware of his powers, yet so foolish enough to go to an absolutely vain war! He was sure of his defeat even before the war started! Here we see the big picture of ego! Solely it was Ego which drove Duryodhana to war. Ego rises only when a person is insecure! And Duryodhan was an epitome of insecurity, and thus he had an even huge ego! An ego that was bruised time and again! To Duryodhana, probably this war was the means to end all the inherent suffering he was undergoing! If he won, he could revel in the riches. If he lost, well it would put to end, once for all the bickerings of his mind for power!

It is such complexities that makes Duryodhana's character really worthy of studying.

Megha sandesha - A poem of a dream!

Ok... here is the poem that I finally managed to put together! I dunno how it has turned out to be! Will let you guyz decide for now.. coz there isn't quite someone who I could dedicate this to now, except the dream of someone... (Man! am I romantic..or am I romantic :P).

Through a poet's eye!

From a long time, there was this urge in me to write a poem, in Kannada, titled "megha sandesha" - a letter through the clouds! I tried many times to write this, which resulted in the premature end of many pages lives! They are all now cursing me in the trash can! Well.. tragic as it may seem.. an interesting thing is also happening!

The day I decided to write this poem, the clouds arrived to Wichita! And since then, they are lingering here, showering what seems to be their discontent at my lethargy and impaled imagination! I would like to believe, inspite of what meteorologists have to claim, that these clouds are indeed here for me! Albeit, probably the reason that I haven't yet written the poem, may be that I still do not have a loving heart to address it to!!! Should I allow my imagination itself to conjure up one of 'em?! I dunno!

Anyways, here is what I have in mind about what the poem would sound like..

"Ashaada" is the month of rain, and usually no marriages are done during that season. Soon after Ashadha comes "Shraavana". There is the young man, whose marriage has been arranged with his sweet heart. The month of Shraavana is fast approaching the the last clouds of the Ashaadha are about to depart. The young man, sends these rain clouds to the place of his sweet heart as his messengers, and beseeches them to dress up the girl, and have her prepared for the wedding, as he is to arrive there soon, and thus end the days of separation!

He specifies how he wants his bride dressed up! He also cautions them to cover the full moon, lest he cast an eye on her beauty and scorch her beautiful skin!

*deep sighs*... well, so runs my imagination.. I better write the poem soon.. it has again started to rain outside!!!

Mahabharata: A mirror to the human psyche!

When I was probably in high school, I had dared to analyse Mahabharatha! I call it daring because, I believe that at that age, I was absolutely incompetent to understand the depth of knowledge embedded in this work. Without getting into the discussion whether the story was a fact or fiction, an analysis can still be made of the importance of this work not just for Indian philosophy, but also in various other aspects.
One thing that always has me avid is the psychological interpretations embedded in every Mahabharatha character. The story though overtly appears to be one of Pandavas and Kauravas, the roots run very deep! They are as embedded in the blind devotion of Bheeshma as is in the mercurial nature of Shantanu. Dhritaraashtra represents the infatuation we have for our possessions! Duryodhana was a mistake of Dhritaraashtra! He was a mistake, because he represents the ignorance of Dhritaraashtra, the attachment and selfishness embedded within the heart of the blind King. And indeed he turned a blind-eye towards him, which as I see it represents the attitude we have towards our shortcomings. In order that we continue to enjoy the pleasures that we have (be it wealth, sensual or power), we always choose to ignore the shortcomings that we have. In our eyes, these short comings infact represent the means to enjoy the pleasures and thus become dear to us!
Karna, I feel, was never a friend of Duryodhana. He saw himself as an obligated servant. I wouldn't also classify him as a good servant, as he never foresaw the danger awaiting his master. Nevertheless, since he was under the obligation of Duryodhana, he tread the path walked by him! Apart from this, the whole story revolves around one basic psychology - Revenge! Dhritarashtra's ignorance of Pandavas, is just a manifestation of his revenge for not being chosen king in the first place! As he was born blind, Dhritarashtra was not made King, Pandu was chosen! Draupadi insulted Karna in her swayamvara, which led to Karna instigating Duryodhana to strip her! Duryodhana's this act, resulted in Draupadi and Pandavas' vow for revenge! Shakuni who played the pivotal role in the destruction of Kauravas, did so for avenging the "injustice" meted to his sister Gandhari! Shikhandi, Arjuna, Shalya, Drona, Drupada, Drushtadymna! All the pivotal characters let the revenge to take control of their actions! The death of Upapandavas, the attempt to kill Parikshith, everything is a product of this one human emotion - revenge!
What is the essense of this?
Isn't it indeed a wonder how effectively so much information has been embedded in a single work! Indeed it is the greatest work ever composed in the history of mankind. We must try to study this in depth and imbibe its vast resources and make our lives more meaningful! The Question being...Will we?

Guess who!

Guess who says
Hi Praveen, Just happened to come across your blog…couldnt stop myself from reading. Tht blog was so typical of u..glad to know u havnt changed too much.


Ok, so this was the comment left to one of my blogs jeevan ke safar mein in my home page. Now, the whole idea behind someone leaving a comment on your blog would be to share their views on the particular subject! Wudn't it be so? Otherwise, it would be to acknowledge you, say a friend or a relative! Now, apart from these two categories there seem to be this really strange category of people who leave some comments, making you think about who they are! After all what is the whole idea of being anonymous! Is there a certain sadistic pleasure some may obtain, by hiding their identities and making a person wonder about them! Or is it one of their methodologies to earn a write up for themselves ;) from the likes of me :D.
Anyways, whoever this "Guess who" is I'd like to say that it was heartening to know that you do find me quite unchanged. So my dear stranger, wish you a very happy day!

Writing Letters!

Modern technology! The more we seem to use the modern technology the more we seem to be making several arts archiac! One of it is the art of writing letters. When I first came to United States, one of the several directions given to me was to write letters to them regularly. I devotedly used to follow that, and write to them regularly, atleast once in a fortnight. My father has preserved them all to this day! Anyways, coming to the point! In the modern days, no wonder, we have the e-mail, which has infact gotten rid of the snail-mail, or letter as we know of it!!
It has infact brought people from all around the world so close! The thing that has me tongue-tied, is that, now even writing mails seems to be an arduous task! I sit for hours together, and writing even a couple of lines seems highly impossible! What is so tough in conjuring up some words of enquiry and goodwill?! I wonder!
There are moments when words just fail to turn up in your mind, how much ever you fret and frown! Then there are moments, when a verbal avalanche seems to be set lose in your mind. Whatever be the issue, writing seems to be in need of a revival ! There are ofcourse different methods to do this. Technology has brought to us different techniques, including blogging!
But somewhere amidst all this, the mind still longs for the days when the arrival of the postman would fill my heart with excitement at the thought of a letter, carrying personally handwritten feelings by a heart somewhere that was thinking about me!