Friday, April 15, 2005

A Pause in Cal Life & this Blog

Hi Guys,
i've now moved to Cincinnati,US as part of my work. I guess, this is gonna be a long term stay out here. So now i'm continuing to blog @ http://kolkataprince.blogspot.com and http://cincinnati-emind-.blogspot.com/

Ps: I have a good chance to shift to Chennai, which is very much close to my hometown and mostly its where all of my friends are there, thatz my home state and so many reasons...

but somehow, i feel that i want to return back to Cal, rather than Chennai (as my family and friends would expect me to do).

so Until then guys.. this blog site is gonna remain calm :-)

Subha NobaBarush - My Last Day in Cal



Bengali New Year and my Last day in Bengal 15.04.2005,Friday
Kolkata

Today is my last day in Kolkata (hope its not so). It may be pretty strange for anyone hearing the bracketed sentence from me.

Life out here has been pretty interesting, lots of Ups and Downs, friendships made, enemies made, mistakes done, lessons learnt, it has been like an interesting novel.

I still freshly remember the moment I knew I have to go to Cal, not much upsets. It was just a bit shock at the initial second, after that everything seems to go normal for me. When every Tamil guy and girls who were allocated along with me where crying to their last tears, everyone felt very different of me, since I just reacted normally (what to do, that is how I felt that time, nothing different :-). Then the travel to Cal, everyone was very upset, it was really a very dull moment. Took a bit time for everyone to gather himself or herself together. During the second day, everyone almost became normal, ready to accept the reality. The travel afterwards became lively, with each teasing the other, talking stories of TVM memories.

My unshaken attitude was moved a bit during the second day in Cal, still not able to express in words, how I felt. But pretty strange to be away from everyone you know. But after that for the next 8 months it was pure fun packed life in the AL-111 house.

May be because, it’s the first bachelor life, lots of freedom, you get a chance to be yourself, I started liking this life a lot. At times I feel that I’m missing my friends a lot, but still there wasn’t much company here in Cal to overcome it, except myself.

Flashback time is over, now it has been 18 months in Cal, couldn’t believe that time is running so fast, and I haven’t yet seen 2 of my best friends for the past 18 months, never it had been like this.

Yesterday I had packed all my belongings, just few things spread out. The day started with a not so great breakfast (I had to leave without eating, it was so horrible), came to office and started running behind people to get the processes done and get my tickets.

Had planned to eat the last day lunch in our famous “MAACHAL KEY JHAL”, but my luck the time I came for lunch it was closed off. Then I thought I’ll have some good lunch in Canteen with ashwin, but that too flopped, we had some cold food, which would have been great if it had been hot :-( . The previous Bengali New Year I had tried the “Maha Bhoj”, I remember it.

Then said goodbye to the Naarial DADA. He was really touched when we considered him as a person and informed him that I’m leaving. He was ready to give his tender coconuts for free :-). (The guy who usually never reduces even a Rupee).

Then in haste, got all the formalities done and it was 6’o clock and the check-in time for my 7:55 flight to Chennai was 7’o clock. Just 1 hr left, I have to go home, pack the leftovers, visit Palanivel Anna’s (The tamil family over here, who helped a lot) house and then leave. But that too I couldn’t make it properly.


I had to miss the cloths given to washing and couldn’t go to Anna’s house since there was a heavy traffic in Ultadanga road. So I have to come all along to Airport alone. The mobile charge was also down and I couldn’t inform known persons over there (Seku, IDM Shiva, Chottu, Karumuri, Veeru, Soorya, Noba-da).

And at last left Cal. I will not mind if I return back to Cal after some long-term assignments.

Got into the flight, and then only remembered that I haven’t taken any sweets in this day or brought any sweets. Thanks to the flight crew, had a sweet in my flight dinner.

15.04.2005, Friday
Chennai

Reached Chennai airport and there was a pretty BIG (indeed very big) shock for me. As I proceeded towards the entrance, I could see Deepa and Subha standing, but I couldn’t believe myself. I didn’t expect anyone to turnaround to the airport at night 11’o clock that surprise visit was a very good gift they could have given me.

Chatted with them for a pretty long time, I was very very happy to see them and chat them at the very immediate moment I landed. Time ran like minutes, them and me had to leave.

The Tamil I heard in the FM radios, the entire environment around me, everyone around me talking in Tamil, I had to enquire in the taxi counter in Tamil… everything seemed to be pretty strange to me (really believe me, nothing exaggerated but this is what I felt exactly). Felt like, I wont fit in Chennai and was happy to be out of Chennai. The first word that automatically came out when I went to enquire in the counter was “DADA” :-).

Time to leave to catch my bus to Madurai.

“Koyembedu” bus stand. TCS medical test memories started to load. A normal thiruvalluvar bus was leaving; I didn’t want to waste my time by waiting for a good bus. Managed to move all those heavy lug gages into bus (and had a good welcome scold/advise from a villager, felt really happy to hear it rather than being irritated :-)). Somehow managed with those uncomfortable seats and those high volume cine clips to go to sleep, with hope to have a good day in Madurai.



Monday, March 28, 2005

Why to Worry ?



Why to worry about being away from home
Now you are seeing new Places
Why to worry about having dreadful food
Now you know how tasty are your mothers food
Why to worry for staying away from your friends
Now you meet new people
Why to worry for not having a Girl Friend
Now you are not bound to look at a single direction
Why to worry for not having a Bike
Now you can travel any long distance, without a second thought
Why to worry because you are among Strangers
Now you know how it’s nice to miss our Dear Ones
Why to worry when you don’t get what others get
Now you know that you are Special

How to Name it ?

Past two days was a very different kind among the days so far spent in Cal. I had prepared my mind, my thoughts everything towards the thought that I’ll be leaving Cal only by the end of June.

But when suddenly the tables turned, I knew that I’ll be leaving soon may be in the next week too, but still nothing is confirmed to the very core. So, I could not share this news to anyone (not even my parents know this news), nor my housemates.

Some kinda excitement had filled in me; at the same time something else was pressing my heart. Whatever place I could see now, the strange monkey mind is thinking that soon, I’ll not be able to see it for a long time…

I’m going to miss this Hot Sun climate, these dusty roads, the dusty and dirty trips I made, the so called unhygienic food I have, everything… I’m gonna miss my dear India. Both the excitement of leaving to a new country and the missing thoughts started to fill my heart in a perfect balance.

I was able to enjoy the kinda painful excitement. I am unable to describe how exactly I felt, but one thing is for sure. I loved it.

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Vaazha Yem Arasu Paniyalar


Vaazha Yem Naadu, Vaazha Yem Arasu Paniyalar

Indha Vazhai-padhivai aangilathi adikamaiku kaaranam, nam
naatin pugazhai namay kaatril paraka vida koodadhu yenbadhurku.

Arasu paniyaalargal patri naam anaivarum adikadi kaelvi padum nagaichuvai thunuku
ondru undu.
Kaalai neram, Saalai yengum vaaganangal nirambi valiyum
aluvalaga/pallikooda neram. Irandu paer, dhideerena salaiyin naduvil thondri , oruvan
salayin naduvil kuligal thonda, pin vandhavan andha kuligalai moodi kondu vandhaanam.

aarvam mikavargal, avargalarugil poi yena vishayam yendru kaetadharku. Naangal
moondru paer, naaan kuli thondubavan, avan kuli moodubavan, matrum moondravadhu nabar
maram nadubavan, avan indru paniku varavillai. Naangal yengal paniyai paarkindrom yendraanam.

kitathita idharku othana nigalichi ondru indru. sila naatkaluku muun, aluvalagam pogum
vazhiyil velai nadandhu kondirundhadhu. Yenavaendru paaarthal, Vaegathadai. Adutha naazh
kaalayil oru china Malai andha saalaiyil. Periya 4 sarkara vaaganangal kooda thinarum alavuku.

Munu-munupodu yellorum adhai 2 vaaram kadandhu sella. Naetru kaalai, adhai
iddithu thalikondu irundhanar. Indru kaalai paarthal, muludhaga idithu thaliyapin, marubadiyum
oru siru Vaegathadai, katti kondu irundhanar.

Yem-manilamagatum, Yem-mozhiyagatum, Vaazha Yem Arasu Paniyalar

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Ever Young ?!


today went to book my tickets for this time trip to home

almost 22 years i've not been out of home more than 4/5 days

(The Army Attachment Camp held at MIG Bangalore during my 2nd year was an exception during

which i was 15 days away from home and had a really great time + wonderfull learning experience)

now for the past 20 months (1.8 years) starting from the Trivandrum training till date,

number of days i've spent in home will not even cross 15 :-D

its been hell lot of difference in just couple of months out of college.

Actually i wanted to be like this (i just smile when i type this sentence, thinking of my

roommate, who is been away from home since his 12 standard and now wishing to spend his life with

his family peacefully, life is really full of Ironies, that too putting two extremesin a room ;-)

this time, my main purpouse of visit to madurai (my home town), is Subha's marriage, the first

marriage in our close gang (there have been couple of marriage's in ourclass but nothing was

close to me). I didnt want to miss subha's marriage , as she has been one among the ver few

(my closest friends) whom i was able to share all my thoughts.So i had planned this vacation for

may now itself and revised it almost 5 times.

The 15 days vacation trip is now reduced to just 5 days

(all because of some prblms over here in Cal)

since its only a 5 days vacation, i decided to go by flight by this time

(my first air travel was by the company during my Delhi deputation, i feel my collar lifting up ;-)

i was standing in the ticket counter booking the ticket.. and when i was asked

for my name, i told senthilkumar and when they asked surname i said. just put 'B' they were a bit

surprised, is it only B .. only B-nu rendu dhadava kaetadhum.. i said.. there is no surname concept,..

plz put B alone.

there was a female standing behind me, she asked me , "are you a south indian ?" ,

when i said yes she asked dont you have surname concept ?

then i said, in south generally we try to avoid the caste name , so we use father's name as surname

just the first character, then she was appreciating that and she asked me which state i exactly

belonged to ? when i said TN , she was asking, is it followed everywhere in TN, i said ,

no its just in use by a majority number of ppl, its just a start for a change.


It'l take time to turn the culture/practice. then she said, yes.. but gud that you ppl

are trying to remove caste differences.

and before going, she asked , am i a student here , when i told i'm working,

she didnt believe at all.


before leaving she left a compliment of saying,

"You look very young like a Student, keep it up " ;-)


whew !!!! all this hours and hours of sitting before that Dumb Box has not make me look Old :-D


Thursday, February 24, 2005

Price for our Pride


today there was a mail from Sathish (my collegemate)

an oscar seems to be near , but at the cost of pride of our country, and rowdy is kolkota
government doing nothing abt this

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/23/docu.brothels/index.html

i grew curious when the matter drawn to attention was regarding Kolkataand pride of our country..

when i read the content i was a bit shaken..

Kolkata once upon a time was a City of Pride,City of Joy and rich Heritage.. but its true that its been devastated to this extent...

it was once kolkata was projected as the heritage gateway to india but now its the other way.. the poverty is what is being used to project this place..

the entire east india is not of very big growths, people from states like Bihar,Orissa and other Eastern part of our country come to Kolkata to make thier life.. whether there is a flood or there is a drought millions of people have come to this small place.. how could you expect a city to accomodate millions of people..

now its gone really out of control.. the heart of the city is so crumbled,shabby with traffic,pollution.. and lots of poor ppl whoz daily life goes on platform..

it was really difficult to accept the fact that a SINGLE PARTY WAS RULING THIS PLACE FOR 25 Yrs.. and the people of this state are called Intelects..

most of them seems to have, who cares nature.. and for huge number of ppl who had left thier village during drought or flood.. survival is the biggest thing.. and you cant expect them to have a perfect living...

I've been to the place Sonagachi, the very near place before it is so busy market place,and it looks like a very very descent area always bubling with traffic.. and no signs you could notice .. but once you make a small turn you enter this place.. where you find lots of ppl pushed into such a drastic life..

we were able to see policemens roaming just before their houses (security for them ?) ..

you can even see small kids standing and inviting you .. it was so horrible da.. so small small kids..
(we had actually went with an intention of having a different funny experience..by seeing it,.. but after seeing such cases.. it went out the other way.. we came with a heavy heart)..

ppl are accepting this to a level that they start fighting saying.. if such a place is not there, then family girls cant proceed a normal life.. (what shame of them..) ..

and even TV Channels like Discovery once showed a tv program about kolkata where they were showing dresss-less Fakhirs.. (or samiyars).. but the place actually they showed is called Diamond Harbour.. which is very very far from kolkata and such things happen very rarely.. (where during a festive time..they gather..).. but it was projected as if.. entire kolkata is always like this..
so these foreigners are making money out of such stuffs..

there is no use with the govt over here...

if i could do a small effort.. even it can be a very small effort.. in helping to improve this place , before i leave Cal permanentaly ..i would a bit satisfied .. just trying to explore how can/where can i contribute a help (not just monetary.. but something more than that..that could really help to make the change possible..)

letz see what time has to answer my queries

Sunday, February 20, 2005

BACHELORS FOOD ALWAYS THE BEST FOOD



Saturday morning, as we lazily woke up for a retreating breakfast,
All what we faced was empty vessels in the kitchen...

Yesterday night there was a small hot conversation between the cook and the
House owner.. But we didn’t think that at this time the cook would leave the
Job and go.

Went out and found a roadside shop, had our breakfast
Over there for just 10 bucks... that too a heavy and indeed tastier one..
(Hail Calcutta) ... thatz our dear cal, she provides food for all at all affordable
Levels ;-)

Lunch we managed when we found a Punjabi daba.. After roaming
Around college street.(whew !!! how much loads and loads of books..
Of all topics... of different languages.. Nice place...)

the evening part was the most excited and unforgettable one..

Around 5/6 we all in house felt a bit hungry, and as bachelors we didn’t
have money in hand (its towards month end-na) dunno where does the
entire salary drains into...

We went in a raid in our kitchen to checkout what all groceries item
was left out so that we could do something, our luck was favorable that day i
guess, we found a packet of wheat powder.

Decided to make Dosa out of it, we didn’t know the ratio of water and this
powder, didn’t know how much salt to put and the main concern what is the
side dish for this ?

Our hunger didn’t let us allow to give a second thought for it

So, started with a mixture... which we founded to be too watery after the
result which came after we literally poured it in the frying pan...

Without wanting to waste that piece of wheat and oil spent for it, we
even ate that piece which looked like a half cooked goats brain ;-)

Added more powder.. then when powder went more added more
water, then powder.. in that way we got frustrated and emptied the entire
packet. cool it worked out, the resulting dosa's were really tasty after adding
some onions to the paste (or was it our hunger making us feel that tasty)

When no sabji was available for side dish (actually none of us knew to cook
a sabji), our s/w engineer brains worked so creatively. A guy took little bit salt,
little bit mirchi powder mixed them both with oil and to our surprise Side Dish Ready !!!

A thick paste of mere Salt,Mirchi and Oil only... the Red color
gave such a fiery look but god ! the taste... it tasted wonderful (ccan’timagine
rite !! how just this simple mixture would be tasteful... me too wondering
the same thing now)

whatever it is, had our stomach full in a cheap and obviously tastier
way.

one thing we understood, do you know which food in world is the tastiest one..

its
BACHELORS FOOD,
ALWAYS THE BEST FOOD



Monday, February 07, 2005

B.L.A.C.K



In these 1.5 yrs in Cal, I’ve seen only 1 movie in theatre. It’s really surprising for me, cauz when I was in Madurai, the primary entertainment during college days is to go for movies then put a camp in one of the friends house and go for an never ending pattrai.


After Matrix Revolution (the 3rd part of matrix), yesterday we housemates went to the movie BLACK (Starring Big B and Rani Mukherjee). I hadn’t read any preview or comments or story anywhere, so I had gone with an open mind rather than expectations from reviews. Just I had heard that, the outline plot was Helen Keller’s story.

Plot:
The movie starts when Bachan gets a call for a job of a teacher of a physically challenged girl who can’t see, can’t hear and can’t speak. If you’ve not heard of Helen Keller (you’ve not committed any sin, actually you will enjoy the movie more), you are drawn to the tip of the seats. How can one teach a girl who can’t have the 3 basic skills for learning?


Photography:

The first thing that comes to my mind if I think about the movie is the photography. What a photography it was.

Each and every single frame of that movie could be made into a photograph and you can fill not only your drawing room, but also your entire house with those stills. The photography was excellent and so consistent through out the movie.

There is a scene where Rani spreads her arm to feel snow… and I felt as if I am standing just in front of her in the actual scene in snow, the photography was so good.


The Kid:
The girl when she feels Bachan by her touch, she senses that it is a stranger (small kid… she’s done a good job)

Then the first encounter between Bachan and the girl is when he tries to teach her to eat by spoon. That is really a good scene, he feels so bad seeing the way she is treated in the dinning table.

The next and the best part if the film is the scene, where the girl first learns (yeah the girl learns).

The girl has a fear towards water, but it’s the water, which opens her gate to knowledge. I’ve read about this incident in my school day English lessons, so an automatic curiosity, how have they captured the girl’s expression, when she starts identifying things, the teacher’s continuous efforts in teaching her.

Usually, when novels or true stories when captured as a movie, it looses the essence of the main incidents. But this scene has really come nice in the movie. The girls once she identifies water, she runs here and there in the garden and starts asking her teacher what are each of them called, that’s one touching scene.

Rani:

First 3 years after the exams when she calls her mother back to say she has failed that year too, Rani’s expression has come very casual without any overact, especially the shrilled voice saying Fail.

The place where Bachan gives her the stick and says thatz what gonna make you independent and Rani unable to reject, just hugging him back. Senti…

Big B:

Slowly as Bachan grows old he forgets himself, and one day when he forgets Rani on the way and searches her in house, after that he asks sorry to Rani. This may be a simple sentence explaining the scene, but too well.

When sister’s marriage is going on, Bachan gives her explanation for each and every ritual done during the marriage. Atlas is the kissing between the couples, better watch it rather than being read or heard about it.


Amitabh’s eyes have acted more than him, especially in the interview scene, when Rani says my Teacher is Knowledge.


Dialogues:

Slowly the girl grows up and wants to do her degree. She wants admittance in a normal school and she has to face an interview. Its this part of the movie where dialogues are really crisp and nice.

When they ask, why does she wants to learn and what is knowledge to her, her answers are the best.

The time when Rani’s sister announces her marriage and telling what she has felt about her elder sister. Rani’s reply back to it is another place where dialogues touch, and the immediate scene after the dialogue, very prompt.

Typical Bollywood Movie:

Obviously when it’s a movie there are few things that should not have been there also.

First are dialogues, at many places this is the strength. But at few places where silence is required, there are lots of dialogues, which don’t helps us, realize the impact of that scene.

The ending just turns out to be a bollywood ending. May be this kinda movie should have such an ending to have a descent enough collection? Or else sure it would financially break (thatz mera bharat mahan)


Star Value ?!

Same kinda effort Naasar had put few years back in Tamil Cinemas, Movie: Avatharam. Maybe not because of Star Value (like the Big B, Rani and the Director) or not because of technical perfection (like Ravi K Chandran), it didn’t run properly.


There is a too good scene in that movie too, a scene where Naasar talks to Revathy (she has lost her eyesight from childhood) about Colors. He is so excited to her talking about various colors but after everything Revathy simply puts a question, what is a color? (Have we ever thought of it?)

He is unable to answer, then comes the next question, how does a white look, how does a blue look. He says, blue is how sky looks and white is how clouds look. How could this explanation suit a person who has not seen sky or clouds, too good scene.

And Illayaraja’s mesmerizing voice in a song about colors is a plus to it.




B.L.A.C.K - One movie we should not miss, not only for its technical deliverance, but also for its emotional story and act.