Arunoday

Ooty: The Queen of Nilgiris

2012-01-26T16:28:00.004+05:30

Udhagmandalam; commonly known as Ooty, in the Nilgiris; or the queen of Nilgiris as they call her is undoubtedly blessed with natural beauty just like many many other places in the rest of India.

Few of our colleagues, friends, and family friends had the opportunity to visit this place on the 20th of January. Thanks to Jay, who organised this. We had been to his home at Coimbatore, having reached there by train. Then we reached Cynthia's cousins house in Oaty town. We had a yummy breakfast, with tasty idly, sambar, chutney and samosa.

On the first day, we had been to a little away from Ooty the 6th mile; stagnant green water lake, with horse ride, 9th mile shooting point, Pykara; waterfalls and the lake here is clean and beautiful people enjoyed the boatride here. After luch at 2.45 we went to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve; but did not find even a single tiger here. On the way we did find some elephants and deers though. Monica was tired. We reached Cynthias cousins house, and others (Jay, his mom, Pravin & famil; Rohit & family) went to their hotel.

Next day morning, we kept gazing at the Noha's arch which was how Cynthia's grandfather's room was. Then with Danish we went via railwaystation to:

Kandal cross shrine.
Oaty lake
Rose garden.
Doddabetta from one side we could see oaty, and from the other Coimbatore.
The tea factory &
The Botanical garden, (But could not see in full)

Kosakai Pasapugal Danish was Vijay; and our great guide.

We did miss:
Kothagiri,
Swiss park,
Love dale,
Konoor,
Kathrin water falls,
Kodanad estate.

Besides some of the breathtaking views, we did also miss the lovely toy train that goes from Ooty to Conoor.

What did impress was the ban on plastic bags which was strictly followed by all shopkeepers, even the vegetable vendors. I was totally disappointed with all who were littering about shamelessly oblivious to the fact that that the very reason that has brought them this lovely place would be destroyed by their carelessness. I felt quite ashamed at the plight of the Queen of Nilgiris. I wish our people understood that the cleanliness about ‘phoren’ that they so admire would no longer be a dream for India if……

Hoysala....

2012-01-15T18:22:00.004+05:30

Once upon a time,
There was a dynasty,
Hoysala its name,
Empire the best of time,
The art they knew,
With heart they did,
Their craft a mystery,
12th century a history.

21st Century a reality,
Where returns the dynasty,
With modern architecture,
Mushrooming all through,
With a grand Hoysala Bash,
Trying to capture hearts,
Giving a memorable evening,
Amidst busy schedule.

Grand welcome, lamps lit,
Addresses and Ranjini's Anchoring,
Music by Benny Dayal & Sayanora,
Pappu can't dance sala,
Winning the lucky draw,
All was fun; and more,
But missed the dear ones,
Waiting for the Cozy apartment.

It goes on......

2012-01-15T18:04:00.003+05:30

Whether in Profession or Personal life, retention of relationship is possible, only when there is mutual respect, and acceptance of responsibility.

The best internal Check/internal control, is reconciliation, which would help identify the variances; but they need to be fixed; else everything will go for a toss.

Adjust....when someone wants to be with you & Compromise.....when you want to be with someone

Pride & Jealousy are the relationship killers.

From one to many; and from many to one; has been, is and will be the law of life...

It is immaterial if you are a part of it or not. Why boost?

Life can it be described in just three word's? It goes on.....

Millennium series...

2012-01-15T17:18:00.004+05:30

The Millennium series is a series of bestselling novels originally written in Swedish by the late Stieg Larsson (1954-2004).

There are three books in the series:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Män som hatar kvinnor, literally Men Who Hate Women) (2005)
The Girl Who Played with Fire (Flickan som lekte med elden, literally The Girl Who Played with the Fire) (2006)
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest (Luftslottet som sprängdes, literally The Cloud Castle that was Blown Up) (2007)

The books lodge in the hearts and minds of readers, and it is difficult to put them down.

-----

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; revolves around The Industrialist-Henrik Vanger, The Journalist-Mikael Blomkvist and the enigmatic, delinquent and dangerous security specialist-The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo-Lisbeth Salander.

There is a flower delivered to Henrik Vanger every year, and he is sad, as his brothers daughter (he himself did not have any) Harriet was missing since 1966. A family tree explaining the relationships of five generations of the Vanger family is given in the beginning.

Mikael Blomkvist, publisher of Millennium magazine, loses a libel case involving allegations he published about billionaire financier Hans-Erik Wennerström. Lisbeth Salander is a surveillance agent contracted to investigate Blomkvist. Salander delivers a comprehensive report on Blomkvist to a lawyer, Dirch Frode , on behalf of his only client, 82-year-old Henrik Vanger. Vanger hires Blomkvist to investigate the disappearance of his great-niece, Harriet, who vanished on Children's Day in 1966. Vanger believes that Harriet was murdered by a family member.

After researches, Mikael and Lisbeth discovers the truth. He flies to Australia and discovers Harriet living under her cousin Anita's name. He returns her to Sweden to be reunited with Henrik. Harriet reveals that she killed her father Gottfried, who, along with her brother Martin, had been sexually abusing her. Fearing for her life when she saw Martin at the Children's Day parade, she fled the estate with Anita's help.

As per the earlier contract, Henrik now did not want the family biography to be printed or truth to be revealed; and he is of not much help with Wennerstrom.

Blomkvist publishes a new story on Wennerström in Millennium, which is a sensation. Wennerström is found dead, and his offshore bank account in the Cayman Islands is raided. The police suspect a young woman caught on CCTV. Blomkvist is convinced that she is Salander in disguise.

-----

Crime against women in Sweden, Mathematics, and Women in war; were the introduction to each sections in the same order, in the three books.

‘The girl who played with fire’, was an insight into the story of Lisbeth Salander, and was just allright, not as interesting as the other two. But ‘The Girl who kicked the Hornets’Nest’, brought back the fire.

Every country will have their own hidden, political polemic; but very few, will have Journalist/writer like Larson with the guts, desire and the ability to bring it out, in an interesting way. Linder, Berger, Sagpo..each interesting in their own way.

Very sad, that Salander and Blomkvist will have no further adventure from Stieg Larson. It is shocking to know about the death of the author Stieg Larsson himself, a great talent of the contemporary crime fiction. Are’nt there are very high probability, that he would have been killed, and Mikael Blomkvist character, do have his shades?

My roommates wanted to kill the author for driving me crazy with the book; but sorry that the author is no more, they are looking for the person who had lend me the book.

Life is like a cup of coffee....

2012-01-08T12:57:00.000+05:30

~Live Simple
~Love Generous
~Care Deeply
~Speak Kindly

This was what the group of alumini professionals, who visited their old professor, at the camput realised.

When they were complaining of life and stress; the professor went to the kitchen and brought a large pot of coffee and an assortments of cups: Plastic, procelein, glass, plastic; some expensive, some excusitive; and asked his ex-students to help themselves with their coffee.

All the nice cups were taken up, leaving behind the cheap and unexpensive ones. When in fact, all they wanted was the coffee and not the cup. Cup dont add to the coffee, but all want the best for themselves. This is because we eye each others cup.

Jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are the tools to hold and contain life. Concentraing on the cup, one forgets to enjoy the conffee..when one needs to savour the coffee and not the cup.

The happiest people dont have the best of everything, they make the best of everythin.

May God of hope fill you with joy and peace.

A lovely card on this New year from my Rose; Thank you for this!

http://www.123greetings.com/events/new_year/inspirational/life_is_like_a_cup_of_coffee_fb.html?29112011213138&fb_ref=fb_sd_cd_1&fb_source=message

Love Story.....

2012-01-08T11:05:00.004+05:30

He is Oliver Barrett IV, a rich jock from a stuffy WASP family on his way to a Harvard degree and a career in law.

She is Jenny Cavilleri, a wisecracking, working-class beauty studying music at Radcliffe.

Oliver Barrett IV and Jennifer Cavilleri share a chemistry they cannot deny - and a love they cannot ignore. Despite their opposite backgrounds, the young couple put their hearts on the line for each other. When they marry, Oliver's wealthy father threatens to disown him. Jenny tries to reconcile the Barrett men, but to no avail. Oliver and Jenny continue to build their life together. Relying only on each other, they believe love can fix anything. But fate has other plans. Soon, what began as a brutally honest friendship becomes the love story of their lives.

Opposite in nearly everyway, Oliver and Jenny immediately attract, sharing a love that defies everything...yet ends too soon.

Love means never having to say you're sorry.

There is also the love between parents and children.

So says Erich Segal in Love Story.

There is s sequel to it, Olivers story.

Time to Rejoice...

2012-01-07T21:06:00.003+05:30

Hearty Congratulations Sir (Kochouseph Chittilappilly), You deserved it, without any competation, happy that you have got through! You are the Manorama News Maker of the Year!

Happy that you have started participating in the social media...Remember; you would not use mobile when others had started using it!

http://www.kochousephchittilappilly.com/

Having started the V Guard industries the year I was born, and having my first corporate experience, in your fantasy project the year it started in 2000; I have been a hardcore fan of Mr.Kochouseph Chittilappilly; The Industralist, Kidney Donor, Humanitarian, Indian Author, Euthanasia Advocate, Inspirational Thoughts Provider, Socially Conscious Business Model.

There are so many feathers in his cap, but dont know why, I am very delighted that he has been chosen as the Manorama Newsmaker of the Year! Another prayer answered! Indeed as described in my GMCS talk; he is Dirubhai of Kerala.

Waiting for so many truths about others nominees (Details of nominees in the post on 26th December 2011), to be brought to light; which I doubt, will happen; but should happen! Fingures crossed! What say?

The Tipping Point

2012-01-02T23:04:00.001+05:30

By Malcolm Gladwell; is all about what & how little things can make a big difference.

The Tipping Point is the biography of an idea, and the idea is very simple. It is that the best way to understand the emergence of fashion trends, the ebb and flow of crime waves or, for that matter, the transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth, or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products are messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do.

All epidemics have the following three characteristics:
1. Contagiousness
2. Little causes can have big effect.
3. Change happens not gradually but at one dramatic moment.

The paradox of epidemic is that in order to create one contagious movement, you often have to create many small movements first.

The three rules of the Tipping Point :

1. The law of the few.
2. The stickiness factor
3. The Power of Context

Offer a way of making sense of epidemics. They provide us with direction for how to go about reaching a Tipping Point.

The law of the few says that there are exceptional people out there who are capable of starting epidemics. All you have to do is find them. Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen. Law of Few looks at the kinds of people who are critical in spreading information.

The lesson of stickiness is the same. There is a simple way to package information that, under the right circumstances, can make it irresistible. (Like Virus) All you have to do is find it. It suggest that in order to be capable of sparking epidemics, ideas have to be memorable and move us to action.

The power of context: The Magic number 150. (Rule of 150: Dividing the team size when the number reaches 150): Epidemics are sensitive to the conditions and circumstances of the times and places in which they occur. The kind of contextual changes that are capable of tipping an epidemic are very different than we might ordinarily suspect.

To conclude; all that is needed is:
1. Focus: Use intelligently; if it does not work change the context of the message, change the messenger and change the message itself. Focus on the effort.
2. Test: The world- much as we want it to – does not accord with our intuition. This is the second lesson of the Tipping Point. Those who are successful at creating social epidemics do not just do what they think is right. They deliberately test their intuitions. To make sense of social epidemics, we much first understand that human communications has its own set of very unusual and counterintuitive rules.
3. Believe: What must underlie successful epidemics, in the end, is a dedrock belief that change is possible, that people can radically transform their behavior and beliefs in the face of the right kind of impetus. This, too, contradicts some of the most ingrained assumptions we hold about ourselves and each other. We like to think of ourselves as autonomous and inner-directed, that who we are and how we act is something permanently set by our genes and our temperament. We are actually powerfully influenced by our surroundings, our immediate context, and the personalities of those around us.

To look closely at complex behaviors like smoking or suicide or crime is to appreciate how suggestible we are in the face of what we see and hear, and how acutely sensitive we are to even the smallest details of everyday life. That’s why social change is so volatile and so often inexplicable, because it is the nature of all of us to be volatile and inexplicable.

But if there is difficulty and volatility in the world of the Tipping Point, there is a large measure of hopefulness as well. Merely by manipulating the size of group, we can dramatically improve its receptivity to new ideas. By tinkering with the presentation of information, we can significantly improve its stickiness. Simply by finding and reaching those few special people who hold so much social power, we can shape the course of social epidemics. In the end, Tipping Points are a reaffirmation of the potential for change and the power of intelligent action. Look at the world around you. It may seem like an immovable, implacable place. It is not. With the slightest push – in the right place – it can be tipped.

Thanks to Paul, the New Year began by reading this book. How far this would be implemented, one need to wait and watch. It is unknown to all except?

Happy 2012! Happiness Always!!

Ah, one more year!

2011-12-26T18:50:00.009+05:30

'Lord, bless our week. May we leave in 2011 all our sorrows, and face 2012 with our heart full of joy, full of determination.':Paulo Coelho

Ah, one more year! Just passed away!

The year started on 1-1-11; had 11-1-11; 1-11-11;11-11-11 hummm 2011=4

Was 2011 a year of too much bad news? Or is there hope to be found amongst the rapid change and possible progress made that makes 'good news'?

Time to review the Good Bits & Bad Bits; as taught by Sharyn, and which I love.

In London; waiting to forget the vicissitudes of 2011, the year that started on a sombre note but ended with more bad news about economic downturn, the riots and the phone-hacking row. Perhaps the only feel-good event during the year was the fairytale Royal wedding of Prince William with commoner Kate Middleton in April. But it was too good to last in these difficult times.

Here the year started with a shower, and my stay at Barkhas house, after having the dinner with Barkha, Gaurav and Sandeep at Oberon Mall. : Good;
But she had to leave soon, good for her, but a loss for us; and Gaurav too leaving soon, by the end of the year; there were lots of realisations; which I could not make them understand or realise: Bad

Sandy had a Baby boy on 01-01-11; so did Binesh and so many; Was Ammas Birthday, and Neil reached home: Good
In the morning it was to hospital to meet Kumari Chechi; and she was critical: Bad.

So many new borns, God's desire that the world should go on; Wedding bells for cousins and friends: Good.
Kumari Chechi passed away on the 14th of January; following deaths and illness: Cruel deaths, especially like that of Sowmya - Train accident; unknown conspiracy; Tsunamis, Cyclones, Earthquakes, droughts: Bad.

Sharyn's, Geeta's, Shalimas visit; 3 time Athirapilly; Beaches: Cherai; Allapuzha; Mararikulam; Kovalam; Shankmukam, Velli; above all Kanyakumari; Sangamam: Excellent: Could touch the water flowing in the Bay of Bengal; Arabian sea, and the Indian ocean.: Good
Wanted to take family everywhere, started with, but could not; even had to end up loved on being in hospital and stop working; Did not get the new house as was promised: Sad

Lovely books, good movie: Good,
Travel: Airlines/Roads/Waste disposal; Poverty: Bad.

Read Dan Brown(who right now, appears to be my favourate too..., Danielle Steel, Bryce Courtenay; and so many more: Good;
As promised could not move into the own nest, and the water problems: Bad

India winning the World Cup after 28 year long wait, Osama Bin Laden caught!; INDIA RULED BY: AMMA IN SOUTH; DIDI IN EAST; BHENJI IN NORTH; AUNTY IN THE CAPITAL;... MADAM IN CENTER; NANI ON TOP: Good
Death of Sathya Sai Baba (with its contraversies); Zavveri Bazar Blast, long list of obituary : Bad

Real estate down, Gold price rocket high, highest ever! There was a lull in the primary stock market -- where companies raise funds through the sale of shares via instruments like IPOs -- and it was mostly ECBs (External Commercial Borrowings) that was sought to meet the funding requirements of businesses during 2011.
After Pawar was slapped inflation came down to 9% sensex jumped 350 points, petrol reduced by Rs 3/- & rupee appreciated by 23p! But why should there be a chance for senior people being slapped!: Very Bad

Youth against corruption; motivated by Anna; an eye opener to the present age: Good
Mullapperiyar-So much of hue and cry, over a dam whose construction started in 1887 and ended in 1895; with a height of 155ft height and 1200 ft. length; impounding periyar river? 15.66 TMC water Bomb at 873 meters above sea level; with a potential energy of 13500T Joules, which is 180 times more than energy released by a nuclear bomb explosion. Overhyped, underactioned? Many more issues not revealed?;

Just can't help thinking that this centinarian's will is the only factor protecting the lives of millions rather than the claims of its strength. Hats off to you, the Great wall of Kerala. We want you to endure till this issue is resolved peacefully.

Hope December 21;2012 or 21-12-12; is not the day of the End; but a new and peaceful beginning!

Happy to have all the immediate family members in one place, With their love, blessings and care; of the eldest and oldest person above 85 years. Nothing more soothing to see a sweety pie; just born open his palm, crawl around, try to sit and then stand. Toothless with teeth comming slowly; trying to speak, act. But that is not the case for all; and always. Hope we are able to lay a safer play ground to the next generation.

With kid, and granny around, and the Secret Scrolls message, lesson learnt is: It is possible to be happy and joyful most of the time. You just have to look at little children and see their natural joy. You may say that little children are free and don't have anything to worry about, but you are free too! You are free to choose worry or to choose joy, and whatever you choose will attract exactly that. Worry attracts more worry. Joy attracts more joy.

Wish 2012; bring people closer; there are few sorrows, and more Joy.

With Prayers,

Happiness Always!

Manorama News Maker of the Year: Vote Please!

2011-12-26T14:48:00.006+05:30

http://www.manoramaonline.com/advt/Specials/Newsmaker11/index.htm

CONTESTANTS
1. Kochousep Chittilappalli, Industrialist
One of Kerala's leading industrialist who donated his kidney and thus became the first in a chain of kidney depositors.

Why look at others, this is the candidate to be voted.

The 'other news' that seems to have prompted KC Sirs nomination is:

The stand adopted pertaining to the unfair practices in loading and unloading and against 'Nokkukooli'. Sir's acts have brought the focus on two gnawing social issues.

Well you need to know the others too though!

2.Salim Kumar, Actor
Talented actor who brought home the national award for best actor through his brilliant performance in the film 'Adamintae Makan Abu'.

Before that:

What is common between CORRUPT POLITICIANS & DON - Dono ko Pakadna mushkil hi nahin namumkin hai...

3. P.K.Kunhalikutti, Minister
The Muslim League leader who reaps success despite the scandals that keep on dogging his footsteps. A key member in the present Kerala government.

Oh yes, even scandals are news! But should that be awarded?

4.Oommen Chandi, Chief Minister
Chief Minister of Kerala who continuously strives to take the state forward despite the controversies and Cabinet pressures that pops us frequently. In addition to that, he had to ward off the uproar over palmolein case and titanium case too.

State is taken forward? Are things open and fair? Who are behind all the corruptions?

Please Vote; Wont you?

Home/Thara

2011-12-25T15:33:00.002+05:30

Though home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit answered to, in strongest conjuration.

There are joyfull moments,
There are painful moments,
We store sweet memories by way of picture,
We wipe out sour memories from our heart,
Pictures are lovely treasures, wonderful gifts...

Sometimes when you look back on a situation, you realize it was'nt all you thought it was.
A beautiful girl walked into your life...You fell in love..or did you?
Maybe it was only a childish infactuation, or maybe just a brief moment of vanity.

While life seems to be a journey through dark tunnel, just take me along,
I dont, promise to lead you light,
But I can reassure you that you are not alone..
Within you, I lose myself, without you, I find myself,
Waiting to be lost again....

I believe in angels, the ones that heaven send,
I believe in angels, but I call them my best friends...

Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end,
But somewhere in the middle, we've become best of friends,

The Lost Symbol : Dan Brown

2011-12-25T12:24:00.007+05:30

Yet another wonderful and bold novel from Dan Brown. http://www.thelostsymbol.com/main.html

Best part is, that atleast for the beginning; I could listen to the audio.

Authentic imagination, bold questitons, thought provoking views, which makes it difficult to put down the book or stop thinking of all that is said in there. Tapestry of veiled histories, arcane icons and enigmatic codes, intelligent lightning-paced thriller, that offers surprises at every turn.

Have turned out to be a great fan of Robert Langdon.

To live in the wold without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books. The secret teaching of all ages.

Blythe! Elohim!

(Wife,God)

The book was released on 09\15\09 09+15+09=33.

The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling--a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths... all under the watchful eye of Brown's most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object--artfully encoded with five symbols--is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation... one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon--a prominent Mason and philanthropist--is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations--all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

As the world discovered in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Dan Brown's novels are brilliant tapestries of veiled histories, arcane symbols, and enigmatic codes. In this new novel, he again challenges readers with an intelligent, lightning-paced story that offers surprises at every turn. The Lost Symbol is exactly what Brown's fans have been waiting for... his most thrilling novel yet.

Excerpts:

The guardian angel who conquered your enemy in battle was perceived by your enemy as a demon destroyer.

(Sad that all that was typed is lost first!)

It is far easier to destroy; than to create.

Religion: ABC:
Assure Salvation
Belive in precise theology
Convert non belivers

Know ye not ye are Gods! Plural!

WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OURSELVES ALONE DIES WITH US, WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OTHERS AND THE WORLD REMAINS AND IS IMMORTAL.

Cornerstones are laid on the northeast corner, because that is where the first ray of light falls.

Dont go by the literal meanings: "Both read the bible day and night, But thou read black, where I read white".

Religious texts are old stores fabricated by man and then exaggerated over time.

You do have the capability, but you'll need enormous amount of practice to manifest it.

Gather what is scattered; bring order from chaos to find at-one-ment.

Science-Faith-Man.
Every Culture-Country-Time has CREATOR; But with Different Names-Faces-Prayers.

Hope!

The Da Vinci Code: Dan Brown

2011-12-25T00:46:00.007+05:30

http://www.danbrown.com/

A stunning; global phenomenon: The Da Vinci Code, where Dan Brown demonstrates why he is the world's most popular thriller writer.

While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. Solving the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of da Vinci…clues visible for all to see…and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and da Vinci, among others. The Louvre curator has sacrificed his life to protect the Priory's most sacred trust: the location of a vastly important religious relic, hidden for centuries.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who appears to work for Opus Dei—a clandestine, Vatican-sanctioned Catholic sect believed to have long plotted to seize the Priory's secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's secret—and a stunning historical truth—will be lost forever.

In an exhilarating blend of relentless adventure, scholarly intrigue, and cutting wit, symbologist Robert Langdon (first introduced in Dan Brown's bestselling Angels & Demons ) is the most original character to appear in years. The Da Vinci Code heralds the arrival of a new breed of lightening-paced, intelligent thriller…surprising at every twist, absorbing at every turn, and in the end, utterly unpredictable…right up to its astonishing conclusion.

The novel begins with the code:

13-3-2-21-1-1-8-5
O, Draconian devil!
Oh, lame saint!
P.S. Find Robert Langdon.

It speaks about 'The Holy Grail', which some believes is a series of documents establishing that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and bore children, in order to ruin the Vatican.

According to the novel, the secrets of the Holy Grail, as kept by the Priory of Sion are as follows:

-The Holy Grail is not a physical chalice, but a woman, namely Mary Magdalene, who carried the bloodline of Christ.
-The Old French expression for the Holy Grail, San gréal, actually is a play on Sang réal, which literally means "royal blood" in Old French.
-The Grail relics consist of the documents that testify to the bloodline, as well as the actual bones of Mary Magdalene.
-The Grail relics of Mary Magdalene were hidden by the Priory of Sion in a secret crypt, perhaps beneath Rosslyn Chapel.
-The Church has suppressed the truth about Mary Magdalene and the Jesus bloodline for 2000 years. This is principally because they fear the power of the sacred feminine in and of itself and because this would challenge the primacy of Saint Peter as an apostle.
-Mary Magdalene was of royal descent (through the Jewish House of Benjamin) and was the wife of Jesus, of the House of David. That she was a prostitute was slander invented by the Church to obscure their true relationship. At the time of the Crucifixion, she was pregnant. After the Crucifixion, she fled to Gaul, where she was sheltered by the Jews of Marseille. She gave birth to a daughter, named Sarah.
-The bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene became the Merovingian dynasty of France.
-The existence of the bloodline was the secret that was contained in the documents discovered by the Crusaders after they conquered Jerusalem in 1099 (see Kingdom of Jerusalem).
-The Priory of Sion and the Knights Templar were organized to keep the secret.

The secrets of the Grail are connected, according to the novel, to Leonardo Da Vinci's work as follows:

- Leonardo was a member of the Priory of Sion and knew the secret of the Grail. The secret is in fact revealed in The Last Supper, in which no actual chalice is present at the table. The figure seated next to Christ is not a man, but a woman, his wife Mary Magdalene. Most reproductions of the work are from a later alteration that obscured her obvious female characteristics.

- The androgyny of the Mona Lisa reflects the sacred union of male and female implied in the holy union of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Such parity between the cosmic forces of masculine and feminine has long been a deep threat to the established power of the Church. The name Mona Lisa is actually an anagram for "Amon L'Isa", referring to the father and mother gods of Ancient Egyptian religion (namely Amun and Isis).

Religious allegory has become part of the fabric of reality. And living in that reality has helped millions of people cope and be better people. Like a mathematical cryptographer who belives in the imaginary number 'i' because it helps her break codes.

THE ABAD TURTLE BEACH RESORT, MARARIKULAM….

2011-12-18T22:45:00.006+05:30

A chance for all to enjoy the pristine beauty of one of the best beach resorts in Kerala - - - - Our Team Outing on 17th Dec has been planned to - - -

THE ABAD TURTLE BEACH RESORT, MARARIKULAM….

A beautiful beach indeed, and a lovely resort. But the team dynamic was not as expected; Nevertheless, I enjoyed in my own world; lying on the swing, staring around wondering....

Reflection, Beauty, Harmony, Co-existance, Temper, Tide, Beckon? What shall I call?

2011 was a year of beaches for me...& I loved that part...

Focus

2011-12-17T22:49:00.003+05:30

A Secret Scrolls message from Rhonda Byrne
Creator of The Secret and The Power

You can make 2012 the best year of your life! And you can do it very easily, right now.
All you have to do is set the most powerful intention you can ever set in your life, which is that you will focus only on what you want, think only about what you want, and talk only about what you want. Decide right now that anytime you find yourself thinking or talking about what you don't want, you will stop and demand of yourself, "What is it that I want?" And with all your might, with all your strength, with all your willpower - you will focus on what you want!
This one intention, repeated daily until the New Year and reinforced through 2012, will ensure that you make 2012 the year that your dreams came true, and the greatest year of your life!

Brida.......By Paulo Coelho

2011-12-10T21:47:00.005+05:30

A moving tale of love, passion, mystery and spirituality from the master story teller and author of The Alchemist Paulo Coelho; Brida is a beautiful young Irish girl. The book is all about her quest for...Knowledge?

On her journey she meets a wise man the Magus, who introduces her to the 'Tradition of the Sun'. Faith.She teaches her about overcomming her fear.

Then she meets a woman Wicca, who introduces her to the 'Tradition of the Moon'. She teaches her how to dance to the hidden music of the world.

They see in her a gift, but must let her make her own voyage of discovery. As Brida seeks her destiny, she struggles to find a balance between her relationships and her desire to transform herself.

Choosing a path meant having to miss out on others. She had a whole life to live, and she was always thinking that, in the future, she might regret the choices she made now.
“I’m afraid of committing myself,” she thought to herself.
She wanted to follow all possible paths and so ended up following none. After her first romantic disappointment, she had never again given herself entirely. She feared pain, loss, and separation.
These things were inevitable on the path to love, and the only way of avoiding them was by deciding not to take that path at all.
In order not to suffer, you had to renounce love. It was like putting out your own eyes not to see the bad things in life.

Ever since time began, people have recognized their true Love by the light in their eyes.

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”

“Don’t bother trying to explain your emotions. Live everything as intensely as you can and keep whatever you felt as a gift from God. The best way to destroy the bridge between the visible and invisible is by trying to explain your emotions.”

“But how will I know who my Soulmate is?” Brida felt that this was one of the most important questions she had ever asked in her life.
“By taking risks” she said to Brida. ‘ By risking failure, disappointment, disillusion, but never ceasing in your search for Love. As long as you keep looking, you will triumph in the end.”

Nothing is completely wrong. Even a broken watch is right twice a day.

To test if the water is cold, dont just touch at the top; get into it full.

Whenever you want to find out about something, plunge straight in.

Magical places are always beautiful and deserve to be contemplated. Waterfalls, mountains and forests are all places where the spirits of Earth tend to play and laugh and speak to us.

With the exception of a few creatures who are descendend from the angels - and who need solitude in order to encounter God- the rest of humanity will only achieve union with God, if, at some point, they manage to commune with their soulmate.

Every women can use the four rings of revelation. The virgin, the saint, the martyr and the witch. These are the four ways, in which a women commune with the universe.

The Virgin has the power of both man and woman. She is condemned to solitude, but solitude reveals its secrets. That is the price paid by the Virgign - to need no one, to wear herself out in her love for others, and, through solitude, to discover the wisdom of the world.

The Martyrs has the power of those who cannot be harmed by pain and suffering. She suffered herself, suffers and through sacrifice, discovers the wisdom of the world.

No human being, who has walked this planet was or is different from the others. Judging oneself, to be inferior to other people, is the worst acts of pride, because it is the most destructive way of being different.

The Candle, is the symbol of the four elements, and contained in itself the earth of the wick, thw water of the paraffin, the fire that burned, and the air that allowed the fire to burn.

Witchcraft is based on collective strength. All the different gifts keep the energy of our work in constant movement. Each gift depends on all the others. St Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians speaks of the 9 gifts, and they are the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the discerning of the spirits, speaking in tongues and the interpretation of the tongues.

These gifts survive over centuries.

'What is outside is harder to change, than what is inside'.

W.B. Yeats:
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams.

We will never ever know the ultimate reason for our existance. We might know the how, where and when of being here, but the why will always be a question that remains unanswered. The main objective of the great Architect of the Universe is known to Him alone, and to no one else.

Some think they know, some try to find, some dont bother; but few understand, that the only possible answer is 'I DON'T KNOW'

Tu Tu Main Main

2011-11-28T01:20:00.012+05:30

The thought of Sachin's Serial, with Reema Lagoo & Supriya Pilgaonkar in the lead inspired me to write this.

Not always but most of the times; (indeed this too is with exceptions)

4 Stages of marriage:
Stage 1: "Mad for each other"
Stage 2: "Made for each other"
Stage 3: "Mad at each other"
Stage 4: "Mad Bcoz of each other"

What is the difference between complete and finished?
Marry the right person and you are complete, marry the wrong one and you are finished.

What then over is! If comlete or finished, your spouse finds you with someone wrong, it is over! or Completely Finished!!

The someone wrong would be your own in laws, sister, and need not be an ex.

90% of your success in personal life depends on marrying the right person.

In between Children are born, some out of NC: Natural Curiosity, some by MC: Mutual Consent or just by ABC Absolute Bloody Carelessness..

Parents, siblings, spouse, children, are all part of the tree, that is we. Parents and siblings are the roots, Spouse and children are the fruits. How many of us remember the roots when we eat the fruits?

These days it is common to see every other marriage breaking apart; which is saddening; it is better that a marriage is dissolved than two incompatible people sufferning each other for life or if there is some kind of abuse involved.

My colleagues were surprised; but I was not to hear, from my friend, that one of the conditions agreed upon when they decided to get married, was that they would not stay with any of their parents.

The urge to stay with the married son stems from a strong possessive feeling on the part of the mother. Slowly, the tentacles of possessiveness spread over every aspect of the son's life, throttling the daughter-in-law. DIL is no longer the young bride of 14, but one who has established her career, knowledgeable about the outside world and is financially quite independent. So what does such a women look for in marriage? Love, companionship, respect and understanding from her spouse.

What about the son who is the common binding factor for both parties involved? The typical reactions are usually one of these:
1. The son is emotionally torn between his wife and mother and incapable of arriving at a decision.
2. He is so completely brain-washed by his parents that he starts believing that his wife is really evil, for wanting to go away and spend her life with him and not with his parents.
3. The son breaks off with his parents and goes out with his wife(Brain-washed or out of (Mis-)understanding!).

Having a breathing space; right from the beginning; certainly would ensure a healthy and happy relationship among all the people involved, for a lifetime.

1. Mothers spend a couple of decade being the leading lady; having a character role later is downsizing, which hurts.

2. It may be said that 'A son is a son till he is married, but a daughter is a daughter all though your life'; but for mother, her son is still a son.

3. There are so many comments around; when your own make them, you understand, but if it is inlaws it is taken as a criticism.

4. When your dear and near ones come home, you are busy making arrangements; but if it is someone from your inlaws; you try to avoid them? Why dont you realise; they come not for inspection; but just to see? And when they understand and stop comming; you start commenting on it!! What are the inlaws to do?

5. Don't Son have responsiblity to take care of his mother and siblings? Is it a big thing going to meet her once a month or year? Who has ever gained respect without responsiblility?

6. MIL's are not in competition with mothers. When required she has baby sat for you.

" Age and Treachery will always over-come youth and skill".

Felt sorry for the Son; did not know what to do...But it did inspire me to write this!

There is no greater gift, that a father can give to his children, than loving their mother; and there is no greater gift that a wife can give her husband; than loving her in-laws.

Steve Jobs ~ Apple

2011-10-09T15:28:00.002+05:30

Brave enough to think, bold enough to belive, and talented enough to do.....

How he pursued his dreams and saw the opportunities in life's setbacks -- including death itself....Leaving a Legacy; The 8th habit...how it is practiced...Worked almost till his end, knew it was time to go, and the way he went......I know there are many people who follow this, wish; pray and try, that even I can......

This is a cross-post from James Altucher‘s blog Altucher Confidential.

I saw the news this morning when I looked at my iPad. Whenever I wake up, the first thing I do, before even going to the bathroom, is turn on the iPad and check the news. My heart sank when I saw the headline: Steve Jobs, dead at 56.

From my first Apple product (an Apple II+), to doing all my homework in college on the first Macintosh, to reading this news on my iPad, to typing this sentence on my Macbook Air, so much of my life has been influenced and changed by this man. Very sad day.

I don’t care about Apple stock. Though I do think it will be the first trillion-dollar company. Or about Jobs’ business successes and failures. That’s boring. The only thing that matters to me is how Steve Jobs became the greatest artist that ever lived. You only get to be an artist like that by turning everything in your life upside down, by making horrible, ugly mistakes, by doing things so differently that people will never be able to figure you out; by failing, cheating, lying, having everyone hate you, and coming out the other side with more wisdom than the rest. That’s how Steve Jobs did it.

So, 10 Unusual Things You May Not Know About Steve Jobs.

1) Nature vs. Nurture. Jobs’ sister is the novelist Mona Simpson, but he didn’t know it until he was an adult. Her first novel, Anywhere but Here, was about her relationship with her parents. Which, ironically, were Steve Jobs’ parents too. But since Jobs was adopted (see below) they didn’t know they were brother-sister until the ’90s when he tracked her down. It’s proof (to an extent) of the nature vs. nurture argument. Two kids, without knowing they were brother and sister, both having a unique sensibility of life to become successful artists in completely different ways. And, to me it was great that I was a fan of both without realizing they were related.

2) His father’s name is Abdulfattah Jandali. If you had to ask me what Steve Job’s father’s name was, I never would’ve guessed that Steve Jobs was biologically half Syrian Muslim. For some reason I thought he was Jewish. Maybe it’s because I wanted to be him, so I projected my own background onto him. His parents were two graduate students who weren’t sure if they were ready for a kid, and so put him up for adoption; and then a few years later had another kid, Mona.
The one requirement his biological parents had was that he be adopted by two college educated people. But the couple that adopted him lied at first and turned out not to be college educated. The adoption almost fell through until they promised to send Steve to college. A promise they couldn’t keep (see below). Despite layers of lies and broken promises, it all worked out in the end. People can save a lot of hassle by not having such high expectations and overly ambitious worries in the first place.

3) He helped make the game Breakout. If there was one thing I loved almost as much as the games on the Apple II+ it was playing Breakout on my first-generation Atari. This obsession lasted through playing the game on every version of my Blackberry since 2000. If Steve Jobs had never done anything else, and I’d met him and he said, “I’m the guy who made Breakout,” I would’ve said, “You are the greatest genius of the past 100 years!” Funny how things turn out. Jobs went on from Atari to form Apple. Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari, went on to form the greatest restaurant chain in the history of mankind: Chuck E. Cheese. That’s right.

4) He denied paternity on his first child, claiming he was sterile. The mother had to initially raise the kid using welfare checks. I have no judgment on this. Raising kids is hard. And when you have a kid you feel like this enormous energy and creativity you have for the world is going to get misdirected into a … little baby (Jobs’ parents must’ve felt that way as well. Like father, like son). But people change, mature, grow up. Eventually Jobs became a good father. And that’s what counts in the end. Much worse if it was the reverse. I didn’t know this either: that the Lisa computer (the “Apple III”) was named after this first child.

5) He was a pescetarian. In other words, Jobs ate fish but no other meat. And he ate anything else a vegetarian ate (including eggs and dairy). Turns out if you compare pescetarians with regular meat-eaters, according to Livingreenonthedot, they have a 34% lower chance of dying of heart disease. And if you compare vegetarians with meat eaters, they only have a 20% lower chance of dying of heart disease. I think from now on I’m going to be a pescetarian, just because Steve Jobs was one.

6) He didn’t give money to charity. And when he became Apple’s CEO, he stopped all of their philanthropic programs. He wanted to wait until they were profitable. Now, they are profitable, and sitting on $76 billion in cash, and still no corporate philanthropy. Nor a dividend. I actually think Jobs was probably one the most charitable guys on the planet. Rather than focus on which mosquitoes to kill in Africa (Bill Gates is already focusing on that), Jobs put his energy into massively improving quality of life with all of his inventions. People think that entrepreneurs have to some day “give back.” I disagree. They already gave at the office. Look at the entire iPod/Mac/iPhone/Pixar ecosystem and ask how many lives have benefited directly (because they’ve been hired) or indirectly (because they use the products to improve their life). As far as I know, Jobs never commented on his thoughts on charity. Good for him. As one CEO of a (currently) Fortune 10 company once told me when I had my hand out for a charitable website, “Screw charity!”

7) He lied to Steve Wozniak. When they made Breakout for Atari, Wozniak and Jobs were going to split the pay 50-50. Atari gave Jobs $5000 to do the job. He told Wozniak he got $700 so Wozniak took home $350. Again, no judgment. Young people do selfish things. Show me someone who says he’s been honest from the day he was born and I’ll show you a liar. It’s by making mistakes, having fights, finding out where your real boundaries in life are, that allow you to truly know where the boundaries are.

8) He was a Zen Buddhist. He even thought about joining a monastery and becoming a monk. His guru, a Zen monk, married him and his wife. When I was going through some of my hardest times, my only relief was sitting with a Zen group. Trying to quiet the mind to deal with the onrush of non-stop pain that was trying to invade there. The interesting thing about Jobs being a a Zen Buddhist is that most people would think that serious Buddhism and being one of the wealthiest people in the world come into conflict with each other. Isn’t Buddhism about non-attachment? Didn’t Buddha himself leave his riches and family behind?
It’s normal to pursue passions and outcomes, but just not to become overly attached to those outcomes. Being happy regardless of the outcome. A great story is the Zen master and his student walking by a river. A prostitute was there and needed to be carried over the river. The Zen master picked her up and carried her across the river and then put her down. Then the master and student kept walking. A few hours later the student was so agitated he finally had to ask, “Master, how could you touch and help that prostitute! That’s against what we believe in!” And the master said, “I left her by the river. Why are you still carrying her?”

9) He didn’t go to college. I actually didn’t know this initially. Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are the famous college dropouts that I knew about. But apparently Steve Jobs went to Reed College for one semester and then dropped out. I guess you don’t need college to be successful. But you probably already know how I feel about that.

10) Psychedelics. Steve Jobs used LSD at least once when he was younger. In fact, he said about the experience, it was “one of the two or three most important things I have done in my life.” Apple’s slogan for many years was “Think Different.” Maybe using a drug which tore him from the normal frame of reference taught him how to look at problems from such a unique perspective. I don’t think LSD is for everyone, but when you combine it with the innate genius the man had, plus the many ups and downs that he experienced, plus the Zen Buddhism and all of the other things above, it’s quite possible that it aided his thinking process, and contributed to the many inventions he was able to produce.

Steve Jobs’ story is filled with nuance and ambiguity. People study him by looking at his straightforward business successes. Yes, he started Apple in a garage. Yes, he started Pixar and almost went broke with it. Yes, he started and sold NeXT and was fired as CEO of Apple. But none of that will ever explain the man behind the genius. None of that will explain all the products he invented that we use today. None of that will tell us about the iPad, Toy Story, the Mac Air, etc. A man’s successes can be truly understood only if we can count his tears.

The cross-post from James Altucher‘s blog Altucher Confidential ends here.

Since inception apple inspired Adam; Newton and Steve;
10 years ago world had Steve Jobs, Johnny Cash and Bob Hope;
An apple a day, keeps the doctor away,
Now we have no Job, no Cash and no Hope.

A time to bow.. to the man who made an apple every day (vs an apple each day) a reality…I take a quick train back to ‘now’ and I can’t help but be awed by the mark that an Apple has made in our world. Almost like a Midas touch - the simple ‘walkman’ was transformed into the iconic ‘ipod’, graham bell’s telephone was renovated into the uber cool ‘iphone’ and finally the all new entertainment avatar called ‘ipad’!! It just gets better, sleeker and more and more to die for.

It was Pappu, who opened my eyes to this world, and I was sure the world is going crazy...all that was said in Future shocks were becoming true, and I was not surprised.

"I have seen a few great personalities pass away in my time. But, Steve Jobs' demise has triggered unprecedented reactions from millions all over. And I can't help but feel the sense of loss shared by all. He has touched our lives in a way few tech innovators have , as we touch his innovations every day now." From Venkitesh Subramanian FB Post...

For now all I can say is it’s surely and definitely a JOB well done!

Hospital...

2011-10-02T14:51:00.004+05:30

I too my death; You too your living Who alone is going through the right way is unknown to all except .................

Health is the first of life,
Wealth is the next of life,
Character's courage is the best of life,
Respect is must in life,
Turning is the test of life,
God's blessing is the crest of life,
Love is crucial for life,
Happiness is the perfume of life,
Truth is the search of life,
Death is the rest of life.

As per the initial report, thankfully, it was supposed to be benign and non malignant. That is the good part. But local surgical removal had to be done.

Lump, Fibroid....tumour, two operations in a week.Kidney, intestine..oh nothing...Thank God all is over...and are back..in action...

Thank you so very much my friends and relatives,
For your smile, support, and strength,
For your help, hello and hand,
All this have made a difference and
Brought us to action again.

Family members for sure....then Suji, Saro, Shamu, Sneha, Anu, Geena, Priya.....office colleagues who suffered in silence....well wishers for their prayers...

An eye opener....

Life would be perfect if:
ANGER had a mute button,
MISTAKE had a Back button,
HARDTIMEShad a Fastfrwd button,
&GUDTIMES had a Pause button

Respect every profession, each has their own dreams, dedications and output. But HAIL to DOCTORS.....and equal noble is the profession of nurses...

Jab we met ~ A Five Star Story?

2011-10-02T10:06:00.000+05:30

Jab we met; it was time for losing and finding one another and hugging each other like the five star ad. Indeed; we have been lost for nearly twenty years, and have met again! A Surprise quite unplanned! When God has a better plan for everything, then why should we plan?

Geet and her Mom reached Cochin on the 7th of Sept. at around 7 pm. I reached little late due to trafic on my way from office to airport due to block (as always) especially near the Aluva bridge. Then kept looking for them at the domestic terminal, but ha, they were looking for me at the international terminal. Her mother was worried, if we would have changed a lot, and it would be difficult to identify one another!

On 8th it was temple darshan, quite an experience for me too. The long queue at Guruvayoor, and not letting in even the purse; to keep it out; I had to move out of the queue, and we got lost; for by the time I returned; they had entered inside. Then went to Chitta's house and Usha Ammai's house in Thrissur, and under the instructions from Chittapan and Guidence of Suji; visited VAdakunnatha (Lord of North) Siva temple. The feeling there was divine, so was the ambiance. From there we went to Bhuvaneswari temple (Neeranjali hall) and then to Parmekavu(Temple on rock). The world, even if you hold on to it, will slip and God, even if you want to leave him, will not abandon you. We are all instruments in the hands of God.

On 9th woke up to Achan's, welcoming Mahabali; and hey it was a Happy Onam with family, friends and relatives. After Onam Sadhya we went to Athripilli and Vazhachal. Thara had a little feaver, but Ammuma was full of joy with two great-grand-children around. We came to Surabhi Nagar Kakkand, to continue with out journey.

On 10th we left to Trivandrum; thanks to Sandeep; a very good Hotel was arranged by KTDC very near to the railway station; Chaitram. Nirmal and Sneha where at Hotel Arya Nivas. Under the guidence of Ram; we visited Padmanabaswami Shetram. Ladies are not allowed to enter inside with churidars; and we had not planned to alternative; but God had arranged. Also after darshan, I could not find my purse; just after thinking if I should buy a book or not as it was very costly. Lodged complaint with police and Thankfully got back the purse though some cash was missing, PAN card; ATM card's etc. where there in it.

On 11th we had been to Neeyar dam, Lion sanctury; Kovalam beach.

On 12th morning, we left to Kanyakumari in JayanthiJanata. Ah! finally a dream come true to visit Kanyakumari, lying on the southernmost point of peninsular India, is the meeting point of three oceans-the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. We got a lovely lodge there called Hotel Samudra, and from our room, the scene was enchanting. One side facing the Swami Vivakananda Rock Memorial/Thiruvalluvar statue. and the other, the pond/Kanyakumari temple. Having heard that the queue to get on to the Vivakananda rock is very tiring, we left for the ferry service operated between the shore jetty to rock memorial. To our great blessings, we got the ticket quickly and the weather was also favourable. It was windy, and while returning there was a very slight shower, as though God was pouring his blessings on us. There we could see Sabha Mandapam, Devi Kanyakumari Sri Padam, Sri Pada Mandapam, Swami Vivekananda statue. Entry was not allowed to the Thiruvalluvar Statue which was 133 feet high(95 feet tall on the pedestal of 38 feet height). The place is also a paradise for shoppers. You get variety of shell and handicraft items. Geet was completely tired and had feaver by then. Her mom and myself in the evening went to Sri Kumari Amman Temple. The Kanyakumari beach with multi-colored sand and rocky shoreline is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches. The waves that hit the shore are quite strong and frequent. It makes stepping into the shallow water and having seabath difficult. The shore is rocky too. so people are asked to stay within the prescribed zone. There is a lighthouse on the beach from where one can get a ravishing view of the sea. Then there was the Gandhi Mantap; Kamaraj Memorial. The Gandhi Memorial has been built on the spot where the urn containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing before immersion. Resembling Central Indian Hindu temples in form, the memorial was designed in such a way that on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, 2 October, the first ays of the sun fall on the exact place where his ashes were kept. On the way there is a staute of Barath Mata too.
On 13th Geet celebrated her B'day; with a spectacular view of the sunrise from our room and we cut her B'day cake. As she was unwell, she stayed in the room, while myself and her mother, went around the peninula once again, to bid good bye; and praying that we get a chance to be there again; craving in our heart's the beauty of Kanyakumari by night and by day. The rest of the 13th was in the train; being our return to Ekm. and I forgot my waterbottle: the loved connecticut one in the train.

On 14th there was no water in our room, and therefore went to Cintias house to answer nature's call; refresh ourselves. My meeting with doctor had to wait. Instead it was the Arabian Sea calling us, after spending enought time with the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. As suggested by Sandeep, we took the KTDC boating, walked through the Marine drive of Kochi, through the rainbow without colour, and fishing net that cannot catch fishes; viewing Lake Vembanad. Landed at Old Kochi, Mattancheri and Fort Kochi. Mattancheri, still have few Jews, most of them being migrated to the Jewish state of Israel, due to religious sentiment, lack of marriage partners and better employment opportunity. They like to follow their sabbath on saturday. We visited a palace and the Synagogue. From there we went to Fort Kochi, famous for the Chinese fishing nets, and the fishes; visited the CSI church where Vasco Da Gama was buried and his grand son came and took the remains after 14 years. Just opposite to the fishing nets of Fort Kochi are the fishing nets of Vipin; and these two land's are like the mouth to the Arabian sea.
We did some shopping at the broadway and returned.

On 15th we went to Thara's house in Vazhakala, and then returned had some rest, and then to Thrikakara temple and Oberon mall.

On 16th it was the beauty of Veegaland now Wonderla, where nature, art and technology merge, with a spectacular view from the sky wheel, the kutusan kotta, musical fountain, cinemax, fishes and the lovely rides.

On 17th it was time for them to say good bye and for me to return to chalakudy. As all good things come to an end, this too did. We went to Thara's house before living and uploaded the pics. for memory, ho ya, memory is the dairy we all carry about with us.

And then again we are lost in our lives, hoping to meet again somewhere sometime....

Fun Week in office...

2011-08-13T20:37:00.002+05:30

Monsoon is moving forward at its strong pace.... Dark mornings, cloudy days, rainy evenings.... Do you think monsoon is trying to make us a bit lazy??

No way.... Right??

However strong monsoon is, we at office were not gonna be touched. Because, here was the most awaited week !

Week of Celebrations... Week of Enjoyment..... Week of Togetherness........

with full of fun and only fun............ " FUN WEEK"

Fun Week : Aug 8th - 12th

Date - Event - Dress Code

8th Aug - Rangoli Day - Ethnic Wear

9th Aug - Quiz Day - Go for White

10th Aug - Poster Day - Team Specific Color

(Team dress code-colors are: FSS - Blue, GE - Sandal, GSS IT - Maroon, HRO - Black, Red Dragon - Grey, Sceptre - Red, Stirling - Brown, Support - Violet)

11th Aug - Game Day - Hawaiian Style
12th Aug - Food Fest Day - Green's Day

It was truly a day filled with creativity, team work and of course enjoyment.

Knowing each other was not just fun, but gave a feeling of oneness.....

It was a day with full of co-operation, team spirit, joy, fun and of course togetherness....

Outbound training On 23rd and 24th July 2011...

2011-07-31T19:35:00.003+05:30

We had a refreshing Outbound training.

(As Given)

Location: The Kalypso OBT Camp which is located at a scenic and beautiful location at Suryanelli, near Munnar. The camp is at an altitude of more than 5000 feet and overlooks the Aanaerangal Dam on one side and the Western Ghats hill ranges on the other side.

Camp Layout: Located on the slopes of a hillock, it is a ‘rough and tough’ adventurous camp based on the concept of outdoor living. The camp has two areas – the Activity area and the Accommodation area. The Activity area has a gazebo which is used for the dual purposes of discussions and dining.

Activity Area

Accommodation Area: It has small dome tents pitched on different levels of the hill. Sets of common toilets (western) and bathrooms, separate for ladies and gents, are provided.

Tents: The dome tents have a capacity to accommodate three persons. The Kalypso Camp usually allocates these tents on a twin sharing basis. Sleeping bags are provided in the tents.

Transportation: The distance from Kochi to Suryanelli is 165 km. The jtheney time ranges between fthe to five hthes depending on the type of vehicle and traffic. It is preferable to utilize smaller vehicles like tempo travelers (rather than buses which take longer driving time due to the ghat roads). Continue on NH 49 (Kochi – Madurai Highway) from Munnar. About 16 km after Munnar, the highway curves to right and leads to Pooppara. At this point, you will find an indicator on the left ‘Suryanelli 6 km’. You need to keep left and cross both ‘Club Mahindra’ and ‘Sterling’ Resorts and continue straight thereafter. The representative will meet you at Suryanelli town and arrange jeep transfer to the Camp.

Electricity: The Camp does not have electric connection. A generator is run most of the night for minimum lighting. Personal torches are essential.

Communication: The camp has no land line connectivity. The area has mobile coverage of BSNL, and limited coverage of ‘Airtel, Tata, Idea, Reliance, and Vodafone’ networks. Mobile charging facility is limited as electric supply is restricted. The under mentioned number can be given as contact number for emergency requirements:

Food: Excellent Indian cuisine.

Water: Mineral water for drinking.

Medical Cover: The Harrisons Malayalam Hospital is about 15 minutes by Jeep from the Camp.

Weather: The weather is likely to be cool and windy with occasional light showers. The day temperature could be around 23 degrees while the night temperature may fall well below 15 degrees. Strong winds are likely both during day and night.

What to bring: A large portion of the programme happens in outdoor environment and mostly in the hills. Considering the location, it is best to come prepared for some cooler temperatures. Please bring all the personal clothing (including towels) and toiletry items. It is advisable to avoid large size luggage pieces such as suitcases as the space in the tents are limited. Participants are advised the following on clothing and other aspects:
Attire is "Resort Casual"
Jacket appropriate for expected temperatures.
Some sort of windbreaker.
Skirts or Saris are inappropriate.
A brimmed hat of some sort (and sun glasses) to keep the sun off ythe head and face.
Comfortable shoes are a must. Tennis shoes or any other sort of close-toed shoes, which have good traction. No dress shoes or high heels.
Bathroom slippers.
A pair of shorts /half pants would be comfortable for water borne activities.
Comfortable, loose fitting pants. You will be climbing and moving about in ways that are best supported by clothing that moves with you.
Rain protection gear
All participants MUST have with them a personal torch.
Ruck sack
Suitable bag to carry back wet clothes
Please inform ‘Kalypso Adventures’ of any Medical History (illness/injury/disability/allergy)

The other recommended items to be carried include:
Sun screen lotion
Camera (Optional)
Any medication you may be taking

Please avoid valuables

Trainer: Commander R Madhusoodanan – 094470 27741

(As Experienced)

Having set out form Kakkanad at 7 am, we had our breakfast, at Kothamangalam, at 9 am courtesy Idly & Sambar; Aneesh & Ratish; and reached the site by 2pm.

Training:

After introduction; we were taken through the experiential learning cycle Viz:

Concrete experience -) Reflective observation -) Abstract Conceptualization -) Active Experimentation.

We were also taken through the objectives that would be covered in the training.

After lunch the real fun began:
1. Ice breaker was all of us standing in a circle and playing:
• Zip-Zap
• Elephant
• Rabbit

2. We tried making a star out of straight rope without entangling.

3. We tried moving a ball with string around, from one point to another without falling.

4. In two groups all of us tried to bring down a straight stick at the same time. (It kept going up)

5. We had camp fire.

6. Stayed in the tent that night.

7. Next day morning after breakfast we had been to a lake, did river rafting, and had been in the lake for some time, with life jackets. It was real fun.

8. There was a group activity of all trying to move...real fun and fuss it was...

The travel in Rani was comfortable. And did buy some things from Munnar too....

Salt & Pepper has a delicious recipe to offer…

2011-07-09T16:36:00.006+05:30

Again the review from Vinay:

S&P is a refreshing movie and a perfect recipe for a weekend matinee! The movie is a rare breed as the central character is no one but "FOOD". Yes, that’s right! And all actors revolve round the 'main character’ very interestingly.

The writer has cleverly used a different dimension of FOOD as not just as a medium of sustaining lives but one that changes lives. How it happens forms the crux of the plot and with some hilarious moments offers a very interesting watch.

On the acting front, Lal fits in perfectly into the character aptly supported by Swetha Menon. Although they do not come together in any shot (barring the climax), they develop an interesting Chemistry thru' their rather unusual conversations. Asif Ali also lives up to the character with his good sense of comic timing. Rest of the star cast is also good but among all it is Baburaj who steals the show with his impeccable comic timing and dialogue delivery. This character has the potential to change his acting career forever.

For a perfect dish it is important that all ingredients are mixed in right quantities at the right time, and that is exactly how other technicians have contributed. Music by Bijulal is good especially the opening song. Cinematography, art direction and BGM are top class.

It is heartening to see, lately Malayalam film has started experimenting successfully with unique themes. Be it daring "Cocktail" or the thrilling "Traffic" or be it an honest attempt like "Adminte Makan Abu", it seems the good times are back and hopefully this trend lives on.

Kudos to the makers, for coming out with a unique subject and giving it a fresh treatment.

What are you waiting for? The feast is ready... Go for it!!

We all friends (room mates) with Surajith, watched it on the Friend ship day and liked it...The Love story of Salt & Pepper and the way it is entangled!

The One Minute Manager

2011-07-09T16:36:00.000+05:30

The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson is indeed a guide to increase productivity, profits and prosperity.

There are three secrets to one minute Management:

I.ONE MINUTE GOAL SETTING: It is simply:
1. Agree on your goals.
2. See what good behaviour looks like.
3. Write out each of your goals on a single sheet of paper using less than 250 words.
4. Read and reread each goal, which requires only a minute or so each time you do it.
5. Take a minute every once in a while out of your day to look at your performance, and
6. See whether or not your behaviour matches your goal.

'Take a Minute:
Look at your Goals
Look at your Performance
See if your Behaviour Matches Your Goals'

II.ONE MINUTE PRAISING: It works when you:
1. Tell people right from the start that you are going to let them know how they are doing.
2. Praise people immediately.
3. Tell people what they did right - be specific.
4. Tell people how good you feel about what they did right, and how it helps the organization and the other poeple who work there.
5. Stop for a moment of silence to let them 'feel' how good you feel.
6. Encourage them to do more of the same.
7. Shake hands or touch people in a way that makes it clear that you support their success in the organization.

It works because:
1. Praising is done as soon as you've done something right, and not wait for your performance review.
2. Since what is done right, is exactly specified, sincerety and familiarity is there.
3. There is consistency, even if things are not going well somewhere else.

The Key for training someone to do a new task is, in the beginning, to catch them doing something approximately right until they can eventually learn to do it exactly right.

III.ONE MINUTE REPRIMANDS: Just as one minute praising; but for the wrong, It works when, again the same 1-5 and 7. i.e 6 points, and then
7. Remind them how much you value them.
8. Reaffirm that you think well of them but not of their performance in this situation.
9. Realize that when the reprimand is over, it's over.

Behaviour and worth are not the same things. What is really worthwhile is the person managing their own behaviour. This is as true of each of us as managers as it is of each of the people we are managing.

We are bit just our Behaviour
We are the person Managing our Behaviour

Thus a one minute manager 'Let the people know right from the start what they are doing and why.'

Goals Begin Behaviours.
Consequences Maintain Behaviours.

Who would play football if there were no goals?

Remember: 'Feedback if the Breakfast of Champions.
Touch is very honest, 'When you touch, don't take, Touch the people you manage only when you are giving them something - reassurance, support, encouragement or whatever.

It is neither the autocratic or democratic managers, but effective managers, who manage themselves and the people they work with so that both the organisation and the people profit from their presence.

People who feel good about themselves Produce results.

Productivity is more than just the quantity of work done. It is also the quality.It is good for everyone to do well, and one need not go by the bell curve.

People are the most important resource.The best minute you spend is the one you invest in people.

Everyone is a Potential Winner
Some People are disguised as losers,
don't let their appearances fool you.

Thus this book give yourself & others 'the gift' of getting greater results in less time. Set goals, praise & reprimand behaviours; encourage people, speak the truth: Laugh, Work & Enjoy.

The Power of One: Bryce Courtenay

2011-04-25T22:40:00.006+05:30

Super. A lovely, gift from Sharyn, one of her favourate books. Waiting to see a picture of 'Grandpa Chook' in her garden, honouring Peekay!!!

If 'The secret' contains instructions - theory, this is with example - practical; a motivating story to remember and learn from:

In each of us there is a flame that must never be allowed to go out. That as long as it burns within us, we cannot be destroyed.

One ting is certain in life, just when things are going well, soon after they are certain to go wrong. It's just the way things are meant to be.

Small can beat big, all it takes is brains and skill and heart and plan.First with your head, then with your heart,, without it even plans are useless!First the facts, then the trust.

The power of one is the courage to remain separate, to think through to the truth and not to be beguiled by convention or the plausible arguments of those who expect to maintain power, whatever the cost. The power to believe in yourself, often well beyond any latent ability previously demonstrated.

Pride is holding your head up when everyone around you has theirs bowed. Courage is what makes you do it.

Life is all beginnings and end. Nothing stays the same. Parting, losing the thing we love the most, that's the whole business of life, that's what it's mostly about.

'No matter what has happened bad, today I'm finished from being sad! Absoloodle!' (Say Today was a good day)

Nothing is unexplained. Nature is a chain reaction. One thing follows the other, everythin is dependent on something else. The smallest is as important as the largest. Dont be afraid of originality, Always listen to yourself, it is better to be wrong than simply to follow convention. If you are wrong, no matter, you have learned something and you will grow stronger. If you are right you have taken another step towards a fulfilling life. You cant always go by expert opinion. Always you should go to the source, to the beginning. The more you know, the more you can control your destiny. Always do the exercise, if you do the exercise, you have the foundation. In this world are very few things made from logic alone. It is illogical for a man to be too logical. Some things we must just let stand. The mystery is more important than any possible explanations. The searcher after truth must search with humanity. The truth can only add to the sum of what you know, while a harmless mystery left unexplored often adds to the meaning of life. Always ask questions, maybe the answers come slow, but always they are coming if you wait with your head and your eyes. No point in leaving things to chance.

Anticipate problems likely to occur in any situation and review the answers to them long before disaster strikes. Survival is a matter of actively making the system work for you rather than attempting merely to survive it. It is not what a man does, it's what a man is that counts! Love independence, take control of life.

Surprise your opponent in the first few seconds and so unsettle him. Anticipate the problems likely to occur in any situation and review the answers to them long before disaster strucks. Have emergency plans. Routine which, when practised a thousand times, becomes an automatic reaction to a crisis.

Knowledge, learning makes you a man, I am nothing without learning.

Nanny, Grandpa Chook, Hoppie Groenewald to Gideon, Rasputin and the Judge; all of them give us a lot, indeed a lot, you want to know more...

Yes, leaving with the legends, taking the best of them, Peekay, had become a companion to Doc, enchantment to Mrs. Boxall, champion to the people, fulfilment to Captain Smit, a foil to Hymie, a product to Singe 'n Burn, an idealised school boy, winner and great guy to Peers, and a role model to me!

And what is your say on this?

Achan API

2011-04-22T20:05:00.004+05:30

API presents Venugopalan K,
with this certificate as a token of appreciation
for rendering 20 years of good, loyal and faithful
serivce to the company.

We look forward for many more years of such close association. (15.4.88)

And then he was with the company for another five years till it was locked out in 1993.
The year, when my sister was to start her 10th and me my 12th.

Where could we go, whom could we trust, what could we do...
With the support of our well wishers, friends and relatives, and by the grace of God,
we could spend another one year there to complete our important thresholds of education,
and then move to Kerala..

Well he was also looking forward for many more years of close association,
But destiny had something else instored for us.

And now when here, he has been in the present organisation for past 13+ years,
while I have moved 5+ organisations...He calls me Naranath Prandhan,
he adds to the chorus of people saying I will reach no where.
I know, it is because he wants to see me reach somewhere...

He keep telling me rolling stone gathers no moss...but am I rolling?

Natundeeamma dingi dingi....

FATHERS
F: Faithful
A: Always There
T: Trustworthy
H: Honoring
E: Ever-loving
R: Righteous
S: Supportive

Thank you father for being there always for me, and indeed the best gift any father can give to their children is to love their mother.

Ramayana: Cricket

2011-04-22T20:03:00.004+05:30

The current Cricket World cup situation between INDIA vs SL as this.

INDIA(Ram) married World cup (Sita) in 1983 and in 1996 Sri Lanka (Raavan) took away Sita (Cup).
Now after 14 years of vanvaaas they meet again and you know the result J :D

The epic Ramayana is coming back….don’t dare to miss it.

INDIA …… BLEED BLUE ....They lifted the cup again, There were tears in many a eyes...but then were they fixes?

Memorable Gettogether: Short & Sweet

2011-04-22T19:49:00.004+05:30

Finally she set her foot on Indian soil,on a lovely and bright saturday, fascinated to see a magnificiant elephant on the highway, on the 26th of March 2011; when we wanted to be in the airport. But we had to wait till the 27th., to have the first glimpse of her when we were going to Athirappilly.Ah! it was a dream come true! Was it real or just a dream? Did patiences really pay? Well, yes says the photographs, for I belive that the technology is yet to develop, such that we can capture pictures of our dreams.

The view from the Rainforest Hotel was lovely, we went both to the starting point till the falls below, and returned in the scrotching sun; which was indeed too hot, it turned her red, but she was the first to return and I was the last to make the uphill climb. The explantion was thought provoking, just get it done, and then you dont have to worry about it, it is over. After lunch, we went to Vazhachal, and there it started drizzling, and then rain. Wow! Both sun & rain on the same day. Father was happy that she visited our house, while returning. She was surprised to see the crowd in the oberon mall, at 8pm. She wanted to buy a ray ban glass, but settled for fasttrack. Well it is the fast track one which I liked. See I am not a brand freak.

Next day, when she came to office, she had brought for us, Milk chocolate delights; mini eggs; from a magical Carury world. It was yummy milk chocolate inside and crisp sugar shells outside; and then we had meetings for days, and lots of work.

Well then it was the cricket time, cricket cricket everywhere, biddings, guessings, practicals and theory. The India, Pakistan match reminded of the old fights, where kings from two different countries would come to watch it, and here was the primeministers of both the countries sitting and watching at Mohali. Our meetings and presentations had the crickinfo ie minimised, to keep us updated. But we could be home to watch the climax, and listen to Sachin say something like: Focus, give your best not worring about the result and the rest will follow.

She said lovely cards to both her mothers, it being Mothers day, on the comming sunday, and birthday cards to Gareth and Claire. Yes it was Claire's birthday, the next day; and she emailed me saying all great people were born in March!

It was great to have her here, with me to share my birthday (I had already celebrated by malayalam birthday/Piranal which I share with my grandmother), when she presented me with a beautiful Kashmiri shawl! Wishing me may Joy & Love be yours Always! Her presence was my best present!

We could begin yet another close with her, in her presence.

As we were getting ready to watch the war(match) between 'Ram Sena'(India) and 'Ravan Sena'(Sri lanka) in the land of 'Siv Sena'(Mumbai), Fss team won the practicals in the morning. She and me, went to Kodanad, and were lucky enough to find 5 elephants of differnt age group, both male and female; having their morning shower, in a river, surrounded by beautiful scenery.We had to return soon, as there was this appointment for this special body massage at Anjaneaya Ayurveda Vaidyasala; but that I believe was something not very positive about the trip, as the massage did not turn out to be as expected living some marks; the ones on hands were clearly visible and heartning. We then did some window shopping at kalyan silks and she helped me but some things for my nephew. We went around Fort Kochi and Marine Drive. As the 2011 calender is a replica of 1983; so where the Cricket results! India won the world cup again, bringing tears of joy, in the eyes of the millions. Sachin could finally kiss the cup; and so also many others!

Next day, was her lovely and memorable treat, at the house boat in Allapuzha; with typical kerala food. Then she invited us for the evening tea, at the Taj Malabar where she stayed. Even there there were two lovely big elephants. From there we could see Mattanchery, Fort Kochi, Marine Drive, marina. It was the whole team with family: AP family; my father; and our marketing solutions team in whole. It was mother's day in UK. She had her mother's and daughter in UK, and missed them.

Then began the long month end, with its ups and downs, whatever had to go wrong, went wrong, which was sad. But all days are not the same. The next day was again better, a good day! We felt blessed to be part of the call, where the results were discussed. It gave us an insight to what actually happened.

We had lovely Paw Baji, Fish Birayani and Kheer, made my Pravin's wife, Prachi. Chicken and Chapathi made my Cynthia. Team dinner at the Park.She even enjoyed the Pooram at the Kakkanad devi temple, where there was five elephants beautifully decorated like a bride. Shopping at kalyan silk, Bhima jewellery, and oberon malls. It was lovely to see her in the Salwar Kameez, Bindhi (Third eye) & Payal (Anklets). Then there was the semi finals and finals of the WL cricket team. Our FSS team won the semi finals, and she was there to watch both the matches and give the trophy to the winning team! (Our team was the runner up). After the finals, they had been to Cherai beach and had dinner today. But I had to be home, waiting anxiously to see my mother, sister and Neil! Next day she was going to Chennai, and had an adventure, when due to bad weather, the flight could not land in Kochi, and as it was running out of fuel, had to go for refilling to Banglore. We could even exchanged few books, in this short span of time.

She learned Anna & Kakka when she was here, and called my bag, Mary Poppins's!

She said, she wanted the team to remain the same, for atleast next one year! But the best of her advice as I take it is: There would be problems and failures, dont learn to just leave with it!

On her last day in office, she presented all of her team members with a lovely gift: Pen hand turned by a gentleman named Ian Darbyshire in East Yorkshire(ian@handturnedpens.co.uk)(www.handturnedpens.co.uk). The wood used to make the pen is Bog Oak, that are 1000 years old having been preserved in a local peat bog.

There was a piece for us to see.

Note said: I hope when you use them you remember our time together with fondness:

Santhi

Sharynx

She was.

Yes we would:

Guess what? As I had just finished typing this, there was a courier from Amazon: Yet another surprise: (Including the courier charges!)

All of us had yet another gift from her:

1. Penguins stopped play: Eleven Village Cricketers Take on the world:For Pravin,

2. The Power of One: By Bryce Courtenay for me:
And this is her favourate book. She has a statue of garndpa chook in her garden to honour Peekay!!! Is that not lovely! would love to see a pic. of it. (Who knows, one day may be in person too!!)

3. Not Dark Yet: A very funny book about a very serious game: For Jay.

Things come to an end: Bad and good; and this too had come to an end; for the time. With prayers; to see again in an years time. A lot can and will happen between now and then; with regard to house, relations and other things. Fingures crossed!

Awesome Foursome

2011-04-22T19:47:00.002+05:30

Yes the family of four, which we were together after long, but with more joy and additions beging grandparents and grandchildren. But this is on some things other than this:

Just four months of 2011; and here I am having read four books each of Danielle Steel and Chetan Bhagat; barring the other ones!

Danielle Steel:

Thanks to Barkha could read Echoes and Mixed Blessings.

Thanks to Sharyn could read The wedding and Mirror Image.

Echoes:

For the Wittgenstein family, the summer of 1915 was a time of both prosperity and unease, as the guns of war sound in the distance. But for eldest daughter Beata, it was a time of awakening. By glimeering Lake Geneva, the quiet Jewish beauty met a young French officer and fell in love. Knowing that her parents would never accept her marriage to a Catholic, Beata followed her heart anyway. As the two built a new life together, Beata's past would stay with her, and when Europe faces war once again, Beata must watch in horror as Hitler's terror threatens her family-even her daughter Amadea, who has taken on the vows of a carmelite nun.

As family and friends are swept away without a trace, Amadea is forced into hiding. Thus begins a harrowing journey of survival, first in the Nazi death camps, and then as she escapes into the heart of the French Resistance and finds a renewed sense of purpose.She meets and extraordinary man, British secret agent Rupert Montgomery, who help her discover her place in an unbreakable chain between generations...and between her lost family and her future. (This took me to the sound of music.)

From the elegant rituals of Europe's prewar aristocracy to the brutal desperation of Germany's death camps, Danielle Steel draws us into a Vanished world, weaving an intricate tapestry of a mother's love, a daughter's courage...and the unwavering faith that sustained them- even in history's darkest hour.

The wedding:

Simon Steinberg and Blaire Scott are among the most respected couples in Hollywood. They have defied the Hollywood cliche and stayed together for decades. Their three children - the entertainment lawyer Allegra, teenage aspiring model Samantha, and medical student scott - are successful and happy. Allegra, as an attorney to the stars, has a career that consumes so much of her energy that she has little time for a private life - until a chance encounter with a New York writer turns her life upside down. Suddenly, she finds herself planning a wedding at her parents Bel Air home. After there earlier breakups, she finally meets her Mr. Perfect. Her wedding, is a bridge between the past and future, and an opportunity for reconciliation, forgiveness, and new hope - as weddings often are for us all.

And yes just like the names, there were similarites and continuity in the books as they were different!

Well, if 'The Wedding' is about The dreams and expectations of a cermony that unites us all...; 'Mixed Blessings' is about the desire, the difficulties, and the joy of having a child.

Mirror Image, is of identical Twin children, very similar in looks but different in dreams, which take one to the war in Europe - World war 1. Echoes, is again, in the back drops , which begin with world war 1 and ends in world war 2.

_________________

Chetan Bhagat:

All the books are a quick read, which even the beginners in reading can go through.

Five Point Someone
One Night @ The call center
Three mistakes in my life
Two states.

Five point someone:

I would say, the similarity between Five point someone(the book) and Three Idiots(Film from book) would be just 50% to 60%. The film is indeed an improvised version of the book.

One Night @ the call center; indeed had some thought provoking points

The most important call in the world is the inner call.
Follow your thoughts.
Four things needed for succes: Intelligence, imagination, self-confidence, and Failure.

Be firm!

Life is uncertain, screwed up at times, but still fun.

Remember:
1. I can do whatever I really want.
2. God is always with me.
3. There is no such thing a loser after all.

Three mistakes in my life: Is about an youth named Govind, who dreamt of owning a business. To accommodate his friends Ish and Omi's passion, they open a cricket shop. However, nothing coes easy in a turbulent city. To realise their golas thtey will have to face it all - religion, politics, calamities, unacceptable love and above all their own mistakes. The book is based on real life incidents. With some insights like team work, passion and discipline, the need of them to be taught in school.

Two states: is about Krish and Ananya who are from two different states of India, deeply in love and want to get married. Of course, theri parents don't agree. To convert their love story into a love marriage, the couple have a tough battle in front of them. For it is easy to fight and rebel, but much harder to convince. Because in India, for marriges to succeed, it is not sufficient that boy and girl love each other, but their parents have to love them,and each others parents too!

Moreover the striking feature of me in this book, was about Krish's father, and the saint and psychatrists advice to 'forgive' and how the rest will follow.

I really wonder if Chetan Bhagat's father really did like that, and how is he and mother now?

______

Waiting to read more of them!

Bloodline

2011-03-26T23:00:00.005+05:30

My first of the Sidney Sheldon, ‘Bloodline’, has it all; passion, suspense, Intrigue; powerful enough, to make me wake up from sleep to know who the killer was?

Sam Roffe had just died, and at his death his daughter Elizabeth Roffe, had to obey his behest and take command of his mighty global empire. She possessed beauty, intelligence, youth, and now riches too. Their help in office who knew the all and all was Rhys Williams.

Her mother had died at the time of her birth, and there was nothing interesting in her growing up days, though she visited places, and lived a luxrious life. She happen to read of her great grandfather Samuel.

Samuel and his broken-down horse, Lottie, had created a dynasty. Roffee and Sons, a little less than half a century after it had been founded, was a multi-national behemoth that circled the globe. It all happened because of Samuels’s passion for Terenia Roffe, and medicine. To him, medicine was for healing and not for profit!

They had five sons-Abraham, Joseph, Anton, Jan and Pitor. Samuel had send each of his five sons, to different places on their 21st birthday to grow his business.

Abraham had gone to America, married an American, had first grandchild, Woodrow, who sired a son named Sam.

Joseph had married a German girl, who bore him a son and a daughter. The son had a daughter Anna who married a German, Walther Gassner. (Twin children killed)

In France, Anton had married a French girl, by whom he had two sons. One son committed suicide. The other married and had a daughter, Helene. She married several times but had no children. (The bold and capable)

Jan, in London had married an English girl. Their only daughter had married a baronet named Nichols and had a son whom they christened Alec. (Vivians: Red ribbion)

In Rome, Pitor had married an Italian girl. They had a son and daughter. When the son, in his turn, married, his wife gave him a daughter Simonetta, who fell in love with and married a young architect, Ivo Palazzi. (Wife, and another lady)

Someone, somewhere was determined that she must die, ....This become evident, after the death of Kate Erling, their secretary, in The special express lift.

Max Hornung, help them solve the puzzle. He had a single-track mind, and it was a very narrow-gauge track at that. All he needed was one loose thread, one tiny piece that did not fit into the rest of the fabric, and once he had that he would begin to unravel it, until somebody's brilliant, foolproof scheme fell apart at the seams. He had a photographic memory, and was very economical too.

There were so many troubles which Roffee and Sons, had to face as the days go by, that they needed to change the presided, and therefore she decided to marry Rhys Williams.

Though Samuel had believed; that one should ‘Never let a friendly fox into your hen-house. One day he’s going to get hungry.’ It happened that, over a period of time, someone from your own house would be hungrier than a fox!!

Assessment!

2011-03-26T11:20:00.009+05:30

At times life is so simple and beautiful, at other it is such a complex process. Life is a good teacher which alwayz teaches us better.

I often wonder whether the time spent in making something is more valuable than the results it produces. I often wonder if people have always enjoyed the process more than the end result and after? Isn’t end result indeed a mixed blessing? After, is the immense fear and anxiety of many things including, judgement. No one likes that. Whether it be in case of our work (job) or anything else. But that is what motivates us to the profession. I often wish if we could spend all our time on work and not have to face the wrath and unpredictability of result, what a wonderful life it would be.

There is such great joy in work, but also there is equally, such a great desire of distancing oneself from it when it is to be assessed. Assessment brings doubt and uncertainty. Would it not be wonderful if we were never to be assessed, and still share the benefit of its import. Ahhh … life asks and tempts one into taking always the easy way out. The brave keep going regardless, the weak succumb and sit by the shade of the tree, tired and prone to giving up! Am I getting tired? It is said that the best is to compete with self and not others, but then why comparisons? Indeed talents differ; all is well and wisely put. OK, first assessment, then why again counter assessments, and criticisms? Once done should be done!

Life goes on...you feel that happiest moment is your graduation, then getting a job, then it is your marriage, then the joy of having your child...when you feel, that tell then you had feeling, now it is that you have started facing reality. Then it is when you play with your grandchildren...Life goes on...until death, with assessments at everystage!!

Why be angry and lose the temper? How much of Self-control, control of the surroundings? Is it posible to be tolerant and fight for justice, both hand in hand? What is Just? Again an assessment!

For Hitler, it was just (right) to kill the Jews. The fall of Russia, Capture of Saddam Hussain and the fight in Iraq, The unrest of Libia and Gaddafi, Corruptions in the Politics, Politicians eating money?, Fight for different house/family/state/country. Rich and the powerful are they right to do anything? Spoil the love one has for sports, which needs to be played by way of sportsmanship, but which too is fixed these days? To add to the misunderstandings, riots, and nuclear disasters, there are natural calamities? Are they God's plan or ways to keep things intact or his wrath?

Why do each feel that they are right and the other is wrong. And then set out to garnish their own traits and tarnish that of others, when there is good and bad in everything?

Wonder if everybody is not entangled in the staccato painted on the broken walls?

Joy and woe are woven fine....as life goes by... You too your living, I too my death. Who alone is going through the right way is unknown to all except God! I pray: God give me the wisdom, to understand and do what is right; Keep my Control and set things right!

Love & Respect All Good! (Again an assessment! What is good?)

Change....

2011-03-15T17:07:00.006+05:30

When things change in our life, often we have resistance to the change. But if you understand the structure of the Universe, life, and creation, then you will understand that life is change, and nothing ever stands still. Everything is energy, and energy is in continual motion and change. If energy stood still you would be gone, and there would be no life.

Change is always happening for the good of you and for everyone. It is the evolution of life.

Those who survive are not the intelligent or educated but those not resistent to change...I wonder if, the Politicians are the only ones who understand it the best and apply it!!

Glad that, I caught hold of two books as these thoughts were crossing my mind:
1. The Future Shock; which I had read before; but have started reading again.
2. Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson:Thanks to the lovely Birthday present from Suji.

Written for all ages, by Dr. Spencer Johnson, Who moved my cheese? Is a simple parable that reveals profound truths. It is the story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy.

Cheese being a metaphor for what you want to have in life - good job, loving relationship, money or a possession, health or spiritual peace of mind.

Maze is where you look for what you want - the organisation you work in, family or community you live in.

We need to deal with change, so that we suffer less stress and enjoy more success in work and life. It can be done by:
~ Anticipating change.
~ Adapting to change quickly.
~ Enjoying change.
~ Being ready to change quickly, again and again.

As 'The Secret' Message always ends: May the joy be with you.

Books to read...

2011-03-14T21:44:00.005+05:30

Books I am looking forward to read; so dears, you know what to gift me.

Dan Brown books are spine chilling. Are you into thrillers? Am NOT at all into it. But would want to read Da Vinci code. Havent read any of other books by Dan Brown.

Twilight Series are good read. Haven’t read it but have seen the movie series. I am not an avid lover of Twilight series as far as the story and its saga is concerned. But the movie takes you to a different world. The movie has a blue colour, whole through it. A different world – I must say. That’s what I like about it. And yea, the lead character – Bella & the actress who played the character – Kristenn Stewart! She’s soooo pretty J

Btw, don't know what made me to finally fall into this genre??!!
__

Dan Brown
Novels
• Digital Fortress,
• Angels & Demons,
• Deception Point,
• The Da Vinci Code,
• The Lost Symbol,

Stephenie Meyer novels: Twilight series.
Bernard Cornwell's books Sharp series.
Danielle Steels books: So many ha....
------

As recommended by Ian:

Millennium Trilogy by the Swedish author Stieg Larsson.

If you enjoy Scandinavian crime novels, you may also the Harry Hole detective series by the Norwegian author Jo Nesbo.

Need to read and enjoy the following books (shown in chronological order):

Redbreast

Nemesis

The Devil’s Star

The Redeemer

The Snowman

The Leopard

----

And yes 1Q84 (Guess name is right) in two or three volumes by Haruki Now? These are very much talked about. But I am yet to read them too. It is difficult to remember the names in The Chinese & Japanese books; but they are quite interesting.

Generation Gap and Raising Children!

2011-03-14T21:43:00.005+05:30

Ever since the East have started adapting to the west, what happened yesterday in west, is happening here today!

My grandparents lived in a closed society, where marriages were within a community, or locality. There was no much competition. It was more of a Joint family concept, and there was love within family, where family was not just father, mother and children but included their siblings and their family too.

My parents’ generation started moving out and the society was becoming open, there was a move towards nuclear family.

Both my parents and grandparents generation, often stayed married to people they shouldn’t have married in the first place, and were miserable for years, sometimes an entire lifetime. They didn’t want to get divorced, and staying married for 50 years to someone they didn’t love became some kind of honorable goal.

And in reaction to that, my generation, I think, have become global. They move international, get divorced too easily and sometimes too often. If they were unhappy, they bailed.

And subsequent generations will look around them, see all the wreckage, remember the bad stories we told about divorce, alimony, custody battles, and they are the generation that would suffere for our mistakes, and many don’t want to get married at all.

I liked the recent ad. of a parent taking their child to doctor, because he would not study.
Doctor, as part of check up: asked if he knew of any war?
Child: My parents, have told me not to discuss what happens at home with outsiders!

Children, are each different distinct people from one other and from their parents. Having had to live with various kind, I think one of the greatest challenges as a parent is adjusting to who they are as people, and not expecting them to be just like you, or do what you want them to.

Again I am reminded of another Joke:
Father: At your age Abraham Lincolon did not have a decent place to study.
Child: At your age, He was the President of America!

Dont underestimate a child, even if he does not study!

Their visions are different, their dreams, their needs. They may never be anything like you, or they may turn out to be more like you one day than you think, or would even believe when they’re young. It is really, really hard to just let them be, and not nag them about what you want. Sometimes you see them heading straight for a wall and want to stop them, but you can’t always. They have to find their own way, and be who they are. One of my biggest lessons has been learning to respect that and back off.

It’s a lesson I’m still learning and working on.

But I will still love them forever, no matter how old they are, committed to helping them, worried for them, and concerned about the dangers, disappointments and risks they may face.

They may not understand that, I know...But that is how I am.

I like to have the growing up, in the phase of transition with me! They teach me many things and keep me going...Some come back to me, some dont! But that does not matter! I remember them, though may not be in touch with them often!

Here & There

2011-03-14T21:41:00.000+05:30

Ah spring! they say in the west,
Oh summer! we say in the east.

Daylight Savings, lesser clothes from this month,
We don’t need day light savings, it’s same all year.

Goodbye to snowdrifts, happy no more spine chilling winter,
Looking out for coolers, sweating, waiting for the monsoon shower,

On the same earth, who say everything is same everywhere?
When we are here, we want to be there & when we are there, we want to be here.

Here or there or wherever, there are something’s that we enjoy without fear,
Guess what? Yes, rising sun, changing moon, air, love, joy, laughter and cheer.

Mixed Blessings....

2011-03-13T21:07:00.005+05:30

Life is filled with Mixed Blessings...There is no gurantee to anything.....

Expecting to have a peaceful weekends...these days all are beginning with sad news..
- Fight for democracy or what? In Egypt and Middle East states?
- Bandra fire periphery!!:-( Intentional or unintentional?
- Japan affected by a huge earthquake followed by tsunami. Oil flowing in water, causing fire....Nuclear reactor explosion....Death....Following other countries?
- Kidnaps, murders in Delhi..and other places...

It is all so strange, you expect one thing and you get another, you pay a price for everything in life.....I guess....the good, the bad, the dreams, the nightmares....it all comes rolled up together...Sometimes it's hard to tell them apart, that's the hard part. Life is full of surprises....

Mixed Blessings by Danielle Steel written in 1985, it was made a television film in 1995 directed by Bethany Rooney. .....

The plot follows three different couples, who have no correlation to each other trying to make ethical decisions about modern day lives and family life.

After the wedding of Diana Goode and Andrew Douglas, Diana comments that they will make a baby on their honeymoon. However, after the honeymoon period is over, she is still not pregnant. After repeated attempts, the couple both have to question their willingness to have a baby. Because Andy always wanted to have a child as well, she thinks she is only preventing him from his dream and files for divorce.

Eventually, Andy convinces Diana that he only wants to be with her and together, they decide to adopt a child. They find Jane, a student who thinks a baby will destroy her promosing future and after giving birth to a girl, Hilary, allows Diana who is filled with joy to finally become a mother. Meanwhile, Diana turns out to be pregnant after all and in the end, she ends up with two children.

The second couple consists of Charlie Winwood, an orphan who, like Diana, always wanted to have children. He is married to Barbie, an aspiring actress who isn't too enthusiastic to become a mother. While she is on a vacation to Las Vegas, Charlie brings a visit to the doctor and finds out he is sterile. However, five weeks later, Barbie announces she is pregnant, which means she cheated on him. Charlie immediately leaves her and later meets Beth, another orphan who is now enjoying her life as a single mother. They fall in love with each other and soon marry. Not only does Charlie become the father figure of her child, but they also decide to adopt another child like him having astama.

The third couple is Pillar Graham, a prominent Santa Barbara attorney, who marries Judge Brad Coleman, who is nineteen years her senior and father of two grown children. They are happy with their comfortable life together, untill Pillar begins to wonder is she will someday regret not having a baby with Brad. Are they crazy to begin now - with Brad about to become a grandfather and Pillar, in her early forties, possibly putting herself at risk? After consulting doctor she first have a miscarriage, then she delivers twins, a boy Christin and a gril Grace. But Grace die soon after she is born. And soon after she is expecting a baby again...

Through the lives of these couples, Danielle Steel shows us the mixed blessings we face as we build our families and live our modern lives. She touches us with the triumphant people who prevail, their victories, their defeats, their tragedies and joys, their compormises, their lives.

With life becoming easier, faster, and much more to do...there are so many invited worries too...

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

2011-02-19T03:12:00.002+05:30

It was morning, and the new sun sparkled Gold across the ripples of a gentle sea...

Claimed to be the most inspirational fable of our time, by Richard Bach and beautiful pics (Most of the pages are on pics) by Russell Munson.

Indeed this is a story for people who follow their dreams and make their own rules.

For most seagulls, life consists simply of eating and surviving. Flying is just a means of finding food. However, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is no ordinary bird. For him, flying is life itself. Against the conventions of seagull society, he seeks to find a higher purpose and become the best at doing what he loves.

This is a fable about the importance of making the most of our lives, even if our goals run contrary to the norms of our flock, tribe or neighborhood. For not being like others he was outcast. But with inner control, he flew to another place, which at first he thought to be heaven, with others of similar taste. But then he wanted to come back and help others home.

As he continued learning we realise...

If we follow our dreams, we too can soar.

Speed was power, speed was joy, and the speed was pure beauty.

Boredom, and fear and anger are the reason, why life is short. With these gone, you can live a long life indeed.

Most of us live, forgetting right away where we had come from, not caring where we were headed, living for the moment.

We choose our next world, through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the limitations and the lead weights to overcome.

It always works, when you know, what you are doing, and keep working on love.

If our friendship depends on space and time, then when we finally overcome space and time, we've destroyed our own brotherhood! But overcome space, and all we have left is Here. Overcome time, and all we have left is Now. And in the middle is Here and Now, don't you think that we might see each other once or twice?

To fly high, you need to be firm, but smooth.

The flight of ideas could be as real as other flights. Each of us in truth is an idea. Everything that limits us, we must put aside. Practice.

Your whole body is nothing but your thought. Break the chains of your thoughts, and your break the chain of your body too.

We're free to go where we wish and to be what we are.

You know nothing till you prove it!!

Understand what you really are and practice it. The only true law is that leads you to freedom. Whatever stands against it must be set aside, may it be ritual, or superstition or limitation in any form.

The hardest thing in the world is to convince a person that he is free, and that he can prove it for himself if he'd spend a little time practising.

You don't love hatred and evil of course. See the good in everyone, and help them see it themselves. It's fun, when you get the knack of it.

You need to keep finding yourself, a little more each day.

No limits! Your race to learn has begun!!

Kyon? Why?

2011-02-06T21:04:00.010+05:30

Nope, I am not talking about the song from Hrithik’s ‘KAHO NAA PYAAR HAI’

Kyon Chalti Hai Pavan
Kyon Jhume Hai Gagan
Kyon Machalta Hai Mann
.
.
.

Kyon Aati Hai Bahaar
Kyon Lutta Hai Karaar
Kyon Hota Hai Pyaar

But there are some Kyon’s lingering in my mind:

1. Why do we garnish our own traits while tarnish that of others?
2. Why do we eat junk food, even when we know it is not good for health?
3. Why do we sneeze frequently at times?
4. Why don’t we use facilities (I regret not using spell check facility) even if available?
5. Why don’t we have the same enthusiasm/energy always?
6. Why do we dream?
7. Why do we try to imitate others?
8. Why can we not keep resolutions, walk the talk?
9. Why do good people suffer?
10.Why people go from our life, die?

1. Is it because, all want to be running, and it’s in everyone’s mind, that only the person who can prove can survive? Even if so, garnish your traits, but why tarnish that of others? Even though we know that Smile and Silence is the best, why do we end up being angry and shout or speak too much? Is it to prove our point? When we know that there is so much of good in the worst of us and so much of bad in the best of us, then why do we try to figure only the good of some, and only the bad of others? Also on the same footing, I wonder why do people want to take credit, for all the good, and blame others and be irresponsible for all the negative things? We all know that Adjustment & Compromise are 2 crucial sides of the same coin called Relationship, havent we hear it many a times? Then why adjust and compromise only with some and not all? Oh! I see, the rest says 'Adjust....when someone wants to be with you & Compromise.....when you want to be with someone: YOU LOVE', is 'You Love' the main factor in there?

2. These days, I had been eating so much of noodles; food kept in fridge, from thattukada, non vegetarian…All the ‘Tamasic’ food. Though always think no…Is it because we like junk foods or lazy to make healthy food? After all how long it will take to make a Ganji?

3. It is not only when there is some irritation or allergy, mostly every day begins with sneezing, and especially and longer, when we have a good hair massage and bath?

4. I'm very bad at grammar, spelling well writing for that matter. I can never find the right proposition or punctuation. Though this does not make me take an effort in spell checking or proof reading, nor does it make me hesitate before writing.

5. I don't have the same enthusiasm for learning new languages any more. Why alone language, anything for that matter. Is it because I am growing old or should I blame information overload? Aren’t youngsters quick at learning?

6. I dream mostly every night. Well everyone does, but I remember them in the morning. I kind of know the insecurities and unexpressed thoughts, feelings and judgments that trigger my dreams and though sometimes it's really weird and depressing to face the facts dreams throw at me, I think it keeps me honest. To myself. It helps me face the insecurity. But why insecurities?

7. Isn’t the first and this thought contrary but true? Looking around don’t we find people trying to tarnish others traits, while trying to imitate them? Being an outsider for just two months helped me at least in one way to take an objective look. For instance, I really appreciate diversity and what it really means in the Indian context and how rare that is in this world and how fast disappearing. Yes, all the diversities, in language, dress, currency, are slowly disappearing.. I believe dresses in each place are based on the geography of the location. Then does it make sense wearing high collared suits and ties in a temperate region like ours? Wouldn’t life be boring if everything was same?

8. I don't like having "principles" - I like doing what is best for the situation, but it doesn’t mean I can tolerate people being late, or not keeping words. Often I wonder, why should we be loosing our time when others are late? Why am I not able to keep my timetables or resolutions at times? And why can we not practice what we preach or fight about? Especailly the oaths taken?

9. We can share others sorrow, but can we share the pain that they suffer because of ill health? Why do good people suffer? Well may be some of them whom we consider good, may be good in their behavior, but not really good, but what about others? All right, some of them are inefficient and some of them are lazy, but then what about others?

10. I have lost many friends/relatives always. Was it because of the distance or due to other preoccupations, priorities and lack of interest/accessibility? Is it true that the only real friends are the ones that stay? People keep coming together and moving away and that there is no pattern in this flow. Do birds of a feather flocking together be able to keep the flock? Why these days, I find people with dislike towards relatives, and more inclination towards friends? And then why death? More torturing when the news is like that of Arushi or Sowmya?

Offf!!! Confusions…Unnecessary thoughts??

Kyon? Why? These thoughts!! Is it because 'Idle mind is devils workshop'?

Finally why do I spend my time here? Shall I bid good bye?

Babumoshai: Will I ever get an answer to these Why’s?

My mind is singing the song from Dulari (One of my father's favourate):
Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki Na Jaane Tum Kab Aaoge
Jahan Ki Rut Badal Chuki Na Jaane Tum Kab Aaoge
Nazaare Apni Mastiyaan Dikha Dikha Ke Kho Gaye
Sitaare Apni Roshni Luta Luta Ke So Gaye

Why can I not follow the powerful women's motto?

Traffic

2011-01-23T02:59:00.004+05:30

When we had been to watch No one Killed Jessica, there was this SMS to watch Traffic from Jomon, and then there was long discussions in office and this review from Vinay:

First things first.

Movie Traffic is a path breaking film that takes the viewer through a thrilling journey of human emotions with a narrative style that has never been attempted before in a Malayalam film. With a cleverly written script laced with right doses of sentiments, drama and thrills it gives the viewer a visual spectacle.

The plot is about a bunch of characters (portrayed by Anup Menon, Kunchako, Lena, Father Son duo Sreenivasan Vineeth etc) and strange coincidences that connects these characters. There are sub plots within the main plot that are cleverly interwoven into the main incident that unfolds in dramatic style. The twists and the turns keep the viewers guessing and the adrenalin pumping all the way till the end.

Technically the film is brilliant especially the cinematography, BGM and the stunt departments. Screenplay is another highlight of the film and easily qualifies to be one of the finest written screenplays ever in Mollywood history.

In the acting department all the actors are given meaningful roles and delivers quality performances. To mention a few, Saikumar as Vineet’s father, Anup Menon as the city police commissioner and Rahman as a helpless Superstar are top class!

When crass movies are ruling the roost these days, Traffic is a welcome relief for viewers who get to see a different storyline and its splendid execution on screen that is nothing short of spectacular. This is one movie for which you can go to the theatres without leaving your brains back home.

All actors, technicians and crew associated with this film can be proud of the fact that they are part of a product that is crafted with so much thought, intellect and care that it will remain carved in the minds of movie goers for a long long time.

Brilliant!

And then, there was another set of people who felt the move was very good, but not an exceptional. What was exceptional was something like Manichitrathazhu.

Was the opinion difference a matter of expectation? The first set of people had been for the move, expecting it to be just like any other malayalam movie. But their reviews created a hype, and others expectated something great! So are'nt the reviews biased, based on expecations?

Expecations are the root cause of most sorrows, you will be happy when you expect nothing but is able to expect as it comes, is'nt it?

The Jessica Lal case - To Each Its Own

2011-01-23T02:50:00.003+05:30

2009 began with Ghajini with Sreeragh & Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi with Saroja(Though release in end of Dec 2008), 2010 with 3 Idiots, with Sujith and Anup, again release in the end of Dec 2009, 2011 was with No One Killed Jessica in Hindi; with Barkha, Gaurav, a week before she was to leave WLI.

A role model to every one around, Barkha, who my my colleague in office, is an enlightened personality and a thorough professional to the core. She is ambitious, independent, with good managerial ability, and communications skills, punctual, ambitious, honest in her opinions, Intelligent, Achiever. She is a wonderful colleague and a good person to be with. Though we will miss her.

While watching the move, we kept relating the roles to most of us in WLI, as it had similar names but different character and vice versa.

The Jessica Lal case - To Each Its Own. Case reopened to a wider public on 7th January 2011

New Delhi, 1999. The guns at Kargil were still blazing when another one goes off, this time in the nation's capital. Jessica, a young attractive model trying her hand at bartending, is shot dead at a celebrity party. Her crime - refusing to serve a drink after closing hours!

Based on the famous Jessica Lal murder case, No One Killed Jessica is a class apart in the sense that never ever a film, based on a true life incident, has turned out to be so thrilling and interesting. A film that surely deserves a watch by each and everyone!

Untill the movie released, I for that matter many, had expected Rani to play the role of Jessica, but Jessica (Myra Karn), is shot dead by Manish Bharadwaj (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub), son of a powerful politician (Shireesh Sharma). Jessica’s sister Sabrina (Vidya Balan) and their parents are shattered with the news of Jessica’s death. The police arrests Manish and his accomplices and it seemed like an open and shut case. After all, there were 300 people in the party with few prime witnesses.

Although the film has few fictional add-ons, it has tried to give as true an account of the incident as possible. This was definitely not an easy task especially for a filmmaker who’s out there to make a feature commercial film and not a documentary or a docudrama like Black Friday. But director Raj Kumar Gupta manages to come up with a film on a true story with thrill, shock, tragedy and all other elements well in place! Kudos to him!

The first half has more of Vidya who plays Sabrina, the elder sister of the deceased Jessica. She has a quiet demeanour that hides a dogged, never-say-die spirit. She has made it her life’s mission to seek justice for her sister.

In the first half Rani is Feisty and fearless, Meera (taking you to Barkha for NDTV) a celebrated TV journalist who does whatever it takes to seek the truth. When the Jessica murder case catches her attention, at the interval, she is determined to teach the culprits a lesson. She drum up every resource at their disposal to outwit Manish at his own game, if the truth is to have any chance of prevailing over money and political clout.

How they go about doing it in order to get justice for Jessica is what the film is all about.

It also portrays relationships: Parent-children, siblings.

The move is with the heavy-metal background song, "Dilli Dilli"

More on the actual case and facts thereafter:
The court had relied on the evidence of four key witnesses namely Bina Ramani, her daughter Malani Ramani, George and Deepak Bhojwani who testified in the courts despite threats to their lives.
November 11, 2009 — In the midst of a gigantic controversy over his parole, the man who killed Jessica Lall, has returned to Tihar Jail, two weeks before his parole expires.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnSUiUJ3HEA Jan 19 2010
Jessicas photo and mothers face in the first instance, and Justice for Jesscia movement, by media gave strength to Sabrina Lal to fight the case..
http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/apr/19/jessica-lal-case-11-year-long-battle-for-justice.htm
• April 29-30 1999: Jessica shot at a party in Qutub Colonnade restaurant in south Delhi [ Images ].
• April 30, 1999: Doctors at Apollo Hospital declare Jessica brought dead.
• May 2, 1999: Delhi Police recovers Tata Safari [ Images ] car belonging to Manu Sharma, son of Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma, from Noida, Uttar Pradesh [ Images ].
• May 6, 1999: Manu surrenders before a court in Chandigarh. Subsequently 10 other co-accused, including Vikas Yadav, son of UP politician D P Yadav, arrested.
• August 3, 1999: Chargesheet filed against accused for killing Jessica under various sections of IPC.
• January 31, 2000: Magistrate court commits the case to a Sessions court for trial.
• November 23, 2000: Sessions court frames charges for murder against nine persons and discharges one accused, Amit Jhingan, while declaring Ravinder Sudan alias Titu as proclaimed offender.
• May 2, 2001: Court starts recording of prosecution evidence. Deepak Bhojwani, an eye witness deposes before the trial court.
• May 3, 2001: Complainant and eye witness Shyan Munshi turns hostile and fails to identify Manu in court.
• May 5, 2001: Another eye witness Shiv Das, an electrician at Qutub Colonnade, turns hostile.
• May 16, 2001: Third key witness Karan Rajput turns hostile.
• July 6, 2001: Malini Ramani, eyewitness, identifies Manu.
• October 12, 2001: Socialite Bina Ramani, owner of the restaurant and bar, identifies Manu.
• October 17, 2001: George Mailhot, Ramani's Canadian husband, deposes and identifies Manu.
• July 20, 2004: Surinder Sharma, controversial investigating officer in the case, deposes after returning from UN assignment in Kosovo.
• February 21, 2006: Trial court acquits all nine accused due to lack of evidence against them.
• March 13, 2006: Delhi Police file appeal in the high court.
• October 3, 2006: High Court begins hearing on appeal on a day-to-day basis.
• November 29, 2006: High Court reserves its verdict.
• December 18, 2006: High Court convicts Manu, Vikas Yadav and Amardeep Singh Gill alias Tony and acquits Aloke Khanna, Vikas Gill, Harvinder Singh Chopra, Raja Chopra, Shyam Sunder Sharma and Yograj Singh.
• December 20, 2006: High Court awards life imprisonment term to main convict Manu Sharma with a fine of Rs 50,000 and also sentences co-convicts Amardeep Singh Gill and Vikas Yadav to four years' prison term with Rs 3,000 fine each.
• February 2, 2007: Manu Sharma appeals in the Supreme Court.
• March 8, 2007: Supreme Court admits Manu Sharma's appeal.
• November 27, 2007: Supreme Court rejects Manu Sharma's bail plea.
• May 12, 2008: Supreme Court again rejects Manu Sharma's bail plea.
• January 19, 2010: Supreme Court commences hearing on Manu Sharma's appeal.
• February 18, 2010: Supreme Court reserves verdict on the appeal of Manu Sharma.
• April 19, 2010: Supreme Court upholds conviction and life term of Manu.

Just a note, Movie Halla Bol : Could be more on Shayan Munshi, but not exactly Jessica.

This film explores how justice can be pursued even when denied at the first go. Also it drives the attention of the massed who did not know much of this case, and what next in similar situation.

Is'nt The Jessica Lal case - To Each Its Own?

Straight Through The Heart: By Lyn Stone

2011-01-23T00:13:00.002+05:30

A Mills & Boon production, Straight Through The Heart: By Lyn Stone is about Special Agent Eric Vinland a Telepath and Clairvoyant who was in one hell of a fix. Because Dawn Moon had seen the killer who'd murdered her boss and stolen a valuable disk, she'd be masquerading as his wife on a Greek island where they hoped to outbid "other" terrorists for that disk.

And he couldn't deny that Dawn did something powerful to him. The attraction sparked between them like a high-voltage wire, and she caused him to lose his special, all-defining ability to read people's minds. Without that gift, he and Dawn might not survive Day One. And if they did? Well, this was going to be a long, long assignment....

Journey this far...

2010-12-29T10:16:00.013+05:30

Yet the end of another year, 2010. It was just yesterday we celebrated the New year for 2010 after the Escape of 2009, and now we are here waiting to welcome 2011. Can I call that period as an era from escape to freedom?

2010, was Thankfully a good year, eventful year, in which there were so many things happening, so many dreams realised, so many new friends made..I wish I could enjoy and keep the new, but not leave the old...

The year had begun with Abhi and Srees wedding, my talking to Sharyn, OPI Farewell, and joining WLI.

Raghee got wedded in Jan, had a kid in Oct. who had an operation on the 5th day, and was hospitalised for more than a month. Manu too got wedded, Santhu got into a bank. There were so many kids born, and so many expecting.

Dance, Mime, Hawaii day, DJ Dandiya: Wow! Had been to places, in Kerala too...Trivandrum, Wayanad, Vagmon, bike trips to Malayatoor/Illithode on the Independence day, and to Athirapilli and Allapuzha on a rainy day and hottest day of the year, since years....From Karpagam to Barkha; Jay to Gaurav; Chennai to Calcutta. With both old an new...But am afraid, I am missing some....Ah! womens brains are entangled...while men have different boxes for everything....and they even do have a nothing box, Remember!!!

Me, Achan & Amma together visited chennai. Though they did not get through the Visa interview then, amma got it later and she flew to Chicago to be with my sis. The journey too, though a bit troublesome in the beginning went on well.

My Sis and BIL had been here for her SIL's wedding, which was yet another memorable and well organised splendour of the year.

And there is a new joy in our life, Neil!! Welcome dear!

Thank you Almighty, for everything, and I do pray....

5 years into blogging, which began on Wednesday, December 28, 2005, and five blogs: Arunoday, Consciousness, Erudition, Thottappilly,Karuveetil...And am still wondering, what next, and how? Kya Pata: Kal ho na ho…….

Prayer

2010-12-29T10:16:00.007+05:30

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.

Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater development and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and at home begin the disruption of peace of the world.

Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in those little things is a great thing.

A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, must empty ourselves. The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.

Make us worthy lord to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Help me, help them come out of it and give them through our hands this day their daily bread and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.

And as I type this, Neil is born...

The Shawshank Redemption

2010-12-19T22:55:00.005+05:30

Here is yet another from the Vinay Series, and with this began the exchange. It was Rohith who wanted to see it, and asked for the Video.

Andy Dufresne is a young and successful banker whose life changes drastically when he is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. Set in the 1940's, the film shows how Andy, with the help of his friend Red, the prison entrepreneur, turns out to be a most unconventional prisoner.

Andy faces many trials in prison (Shawshank), but forms an alliance with the wardens because he is able to use his banking experience to help the corrupt officials amass personal fortunes. The story unfolds....

Director: Frank Darabont
Writers: Stephen King (short story "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption"), Frank Darabont (screenplay)
Stars:Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman and Bob Gunton

Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency. Not overnight, but after a decade (for one) and four decades (other)of patience, hope, hardwork and...?

Hope sees the invisible and achieves the impossible.

Annual day and other celebrations

2010-12-19T22:28:00.013+05:30

Annual day celebration: with passion in red, on 26th November 2010 at PJ Princess Regency.

It was a day of Fun & Frolic...A day to celebrate oneness!!!There was Flaunt, Grove, Chant and....tons of fun...to experience the Passion and Pride of being a Williams Lea-ite.

Danced to the tunes of Vande Matram sung by Lataji, Mime of the police and thief!

Sports

Dandiya DJ Night Celebration!

Celebrating oneness. Augmenting prosperity * Rejoicing Harmony. Energizing the heritage.

Dandiya DJ Night celebration! at Park Residency on 22nd October 2010

Before Sunrise: P.S. I Love You :

2010-12-11T22:36:00.006+05:30

A 1995 romantic drama film about a young man and woman who meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one romantic evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.

Director: Richard Linklater
Writers: Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan
Stars:Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Andrea Eckert

Movie starts with Jesse meeting Céline on a train from Budapest and striking up a conversation with her. Jesse is going to Vienna to catch a flight back to the United States, whereas Céline is returning to university in Paris after visiting her grandmother.

The plot is minimalist, since aside from walking and talking, not much happens. The two characters' ideas and perspectives on life and love are detailed. Jesse is a romantic disguised as a cynic, and Céline is seemingly a romantic, albeit with some doubts.

A 2004 sequel, Before Sunset, picks up the story nine years after the events of the first film, and am yet to watch it.

The film received high critical praise at the time of its release and has received a rare perfect 100% rating of positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and a 77 metascore on Metacritic.

Finally it also took me again to Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, which is one of my all time favourate. Again Thanks to Vinay for this, it was he who introduced me to it.

______________

P.S. I Love You

A 2007 American drama film directed by Richard LaGravenese and screenplay by Steven Rogers is based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Cecelia Ahern. A young widow discovers that her late husband has left her 10 messages intended to help ease her pain and start a new life.

Holly and Gerry are a married couple who live on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They are deeply in love, but they fight occasionally. Gerry dies suddenly of a brain tumor and Holly realizes how much he means to her as well as how insignificant their arguments were.

Holly eventually enrolls in a fashion course and discovers she has a flair for designing women's shoes. While on a walk with her mother, she learns that her mother was the one whom Gerry asked to deliver his letters after his death.

Dont know why, the narration of the story by Mano brought tears to my eyes..The very thought of how the author thought of Gerry, giving letters, understanding Hollys tastes and situation.

Thanks to Vinay, I could watch it, but the movie was not as touching! Finally with the gift voucher from WL, could read the book too...which indeed was more touching...right from the beginning to the end...With few changes in the story...

Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry. They were childhood sweethearts - no one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other...and that is where, the story starts in the novel...just after the death of Gerry when Holly is alone...Gerrys notes, gently guides her into her new life without him, each signed 'PS, I Love You'.

With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing - and being braver than ever before.

Life is for living, she realises - but it always helps if there's an angel watching over you.
________________

Thank You All! ~Teamwork~

2010-12-04T23:13:00.004+05:30

Team work! The fuel that allows common people achieve uncommon result, right?
Doubel joy, when in the team there are cultural exchange, not just gifts like, Lindt Advent Christmas Chocolate Calander, Quality street, roses, celebrations, Lindt Selection but also notes....How can we thank the team...

Lindt Chocolate Advent Calendar by Lindt & Sprungli.

A Christmas Advent Calendar from Lindt, filled with a selection of the delicious Swiss chocolates; Snowdrop Balls, the famous hollow figures and Lindor Mini Truffles, one behind each of the doors counting down to Christmas Day.
Milk Chocolate Gold Reindeer, Milk Chocolate Santa Claus, Milk Napolitains, Milk Chocolate snowdrops, Lindor Mini Truffles, A delightful selection of chocolates behind each advent calendar window.

And behind you have games:
Spot the ten difference in the quickest time possible.
WordSearch. Can you find all the Christmas words listed below?
Reindeer, Santa Claus, Present, Mistletoe, Tree, Stocking, Snowman, Turkey, Decorations, Toys, Holly, Candle, Bell, Sleigh, Carols, Chocolate, Snow, Nuts, Ivy, Star
Cadbury Roses

The brightly wrapped Cadbury Roses, in distinctive blue packs, is one of the leading brands in assortments and boxed chocolates.
First Introduced in 1938, Cadbury Bournville - where the chocolates were conceived and produced - was renowned as "a factory in a garden". Roses were one of the most popular flowers at the time - hence the name for this popular assortment.

And the Note for Pravin, Jay and Meera read:

We hope you enjoy these chocolates with your friends and family.

Sharyn: There is one box for each of you. My favourites are Roses (!) With Love & Best Wishes.

Claire: Enjoy the treats! Just a little Thank you for your hard work & Support. Thanks.

Vanessa: Hope you enjoy the choccies guys. Hopefully they will have made the journey successfully. Please dont think that we spend all of the christmas period eating this much chocolate:.) Lots of Love

Garteh:Hope the Chocolates arrives in one piece and they have not melted or Raghu has not eaten them!!! All the very best!!!

Jahan: Hope you enjoy the chocolates. Thank you for your hard work and support. All the best.

And for the team:

In England we mark off the days of the Calendar from the first of december until Christmas day. This is called advent. In recent years this has become secular and ....a chocolate each day.

For each of you there is an advent calendar with a chocolate per day for you to enjoy!

Thank you for all your hard work all year. I am really pleased with the team and how well we work together and I look forward to starting 2011 with you all.

Foot Prints in My Heart

2010-11-07T18:38:00.004+05:30

Learn to detach...Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent... But detachment doesn't mean you don't let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate fully. That's how you are able to leave it...

Take any emotion--love for a woman, or grief for a loved one, or fear and pain from a deadly illness. If you hold back on the emotions--if you don't allow yourself to go all the way through them--you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid.

You're afraid of the pain, you're afraid of the grief. You're afraid of the vulnerability that love entails. But by throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely.

You know what pain is. You know what love is. You know what grief is. And only then can you say, 'All right. I have experienced that emotion. I recognize that emotion. Now I need to detach from that emotion for a moment. - Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie

This is for the one who introduced me to Fireflies! Keeps me going on those long nights! :~)
Because everything is never as it seems…Owl city fire flies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4&feature=player_embedded

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If nature allowed us to go through life without any obstacles, It would cripple us.

We would not be as strong as we could have been And we could never fly.

Have a great day, great life, and struggle a little. Then fly!

The world is flat : Thomas L. Friedman

2010-10-25T07:21:00.006+05:30

The book is on how, why and what about the Globalized world in the Twenty-First Century.

The global competitive playing field was being leveled, as Thomas L. Friedman realized during his visit to India, and during a chat with Nandan Nilekani.

Now more people can plug, play, compete, connect and collaborate with more power than ever before. We are all becoming publishers and therefore all becoming public figures.

The three greatest era 0f Globalization:
1. 1492 to 1800: When Columbus set sail. Countries globalized and world started shrinking.
2. 1800 to 2000: Great Depression and World Wars I and II, industrial revolution. Companies globalized and world became smaller.
3. 2000 and after: Individuals collaborate and compete globally, in a flat-world platform.

The ten forces that 'FLATTENED' the world:
#1 (11/9/1989) The New age of creativity: When the walls came down and the windows went up.(Berlin-MS)
#2 (08/9/1995) The New age of connectivity: When the web went around and the Netscape went public.
#3 Work Flow Software: 24/7/365 we are working: The Flat-World platform emerges.
#4 Uploading: Harnessing the power of communities. We are the web: Leads to globalisation of the local.
#5 Outsourcing: Y2K: India is 'The second buyer', who mined the brains of its own people.
#6 Off-shoring: (11/12/2001:China formally joined WTO): Running with Gazelles,eating with lions. While outsourcing takes only a limited specific function, off-shoring takes the whole factory activity.
#7 Supply-Chaining: Eating Sushi in Arkansas: Replace inventory with information. Wall-marts Sam Walton's vision was build by David Glass who is to supply-chaining what Bill Gates is to word processing. Selling at EDLP (Every Day Low Prices)
#8 In-sourcing: What the Guys in funny Brown shorts are really doing: FedEx, UPS (slogan: Your world synchronized: They even repair Toshiba laptops), DHL: Not just delivering packages, but doing logistics.
#9 In-Forming: Google, Yahoo!, MSN web search
#10 The Steroids: Digital, Mobile, Personal and Virtual. (iPaq's): Computing, Instant messaging and file sharing, phone calls over internet, Video conferencing, computer graphics, Wireless technologies and devices.

All these reinforce one another like complementary goods.

A new player, in a new playing field, developing new processes and habits for horizontal collaboration - is the most important force shaping global economics and politics in the early twenty-first century.

We have grown up with hippies in the 1960s, became yuppies in the 1980s to Zippies in 2000s. Cool, confident, creative, seeks challenge,loves risk, and shuns fear. Never stop inventing, and continue reinventing.

The great sorting out:

*India Vs Indiana: Who is Exploiting whom?
*Where do companies start and stop: No more in a country or locality.
*From "Verticals" command and control to Collaborate and connect "Horizontalization".
*Multiple Identity disorder.
*Who owns what? (Even what I type?)
*Death of the salesman.

The Untouchables:

@'Special or specialized' and the 'Localized and anchored'. Sufferers are the middle-class: They need to re-skill themselves.
@collaborators and orchestrator.
@Synthesizers
@Explainers
@Leveragers
@Adapters
@Sustainable and renewable green people.

The right stuff:

- Learn how to learn
- Navigate
- CQ+PQ>IQ (C=Curiosity, P=Passion)
- Stressing liberate art: Connect history, art, politics, and science. (India is loosing on it)
- Right brain : Innovate, do what you love.
- The right education
- The right country

The quiet Crisis:

With wealthy parents kids get fat, dumb and lazy. Not looking for education but an MBA and IPO.
We are sleeping in an airmatress from which air is coming out.
Wealth will gravitate to those countries who get three basic things right:
=Infrastructure to connect as efficiently and speedily as possible, with the flat world platform
=Education programs and Knowledge skills to empower people to innovate and do value-added work
=Right governance: Tax policies, investment, trade laws, support,inspirational leadership.
Do your homework, or they will take your job.

GAPS:
o Number gap : Skilled people to replace
o Education gap : Resulting in number gap
o Ambition gap: Love to television, video and online games.
o Education gap at the bottom: Education for mass production jobs which are no more.
o Funding gap
o Infrastructure gap
Bottom line: Creative thinking and entrepreneurship.

Need of the hour:
~ Leadership : Employ-ability
~ Muscle building : Portable benefits and opportunities for lifelong learning : It makes you mobile and adaptable
~ Cushioning : Good fat cushions worth keeping: Social security.
~ Social activism
~ Parenting: Ready to administer tough love: off games, television and i pods and get children down to work.

How to cope:
'Out of clutter, find simplicity.
From discord, find harmony.
In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.'
- Albert Einstein

Rule I : Whatever can be done will be done, 'The only question is whether it will be done by you or to you' : (As the greeting card to Barkha: It is upto you to decide you want to be hammered or nailed)
Rule II : The most important competition today is between you and your own imagination.
Rule III : And the small shall act big...One way small companies flourish in the flat world is by learning to act really big. Imagination is necessary, but not sufficient. You have to be able to implement what you imagine. And the key to being small and acting big is being quick to take advantage of all the new tools for collaboration to reach farther, faster, wider and deeper.
Rule IV : And the big shall act small...One way that big companies learn to flourish in the flat world is by learning how to act really small by enabling their customers to act really big.
Rule V : The best companies are the best collaborators. In the flat world, more and more business will be done through collaborations within and between companies, for a very simple reason: The next layers of value creation-whether in technology, marketing, bio medicine, or manufacturing- are becoming so complex that no single firm or department is going to be able to master them alone.
Rule VI : In a flat world, the best companies stay healthy by getting regular chest X-rays and then selling the results to their clients.
Rule VII : The best companies outsource to win, not to shrink. They outsource to innovate faster and more cheaply in order to grow larger, gain market share, and hire more and different specialists - not to save money by firing more people.
Rule VIII: How you do things as a company matters more today than ever.
Rule IX : When the world goes flat - and you are feeling flattened -reach for a shovel and dig inside yourself. Don't try to build walls.

If it is not happening, it is because you are not doing. Walls simply aren't, what they used to be. Muhammad Yunus a Bangladeshi, Micro credit, Noble Peace Prize, in 2006.
Don't use 19th century economics, 20th century engineering to solve 21st century problems. Doing business well is very hard, and the conceptual frameworks and tools underlying the conduct of today's business are hopelessly outdated.

Now that we all have dogs hearing, we're so accessible, that we're inaccessible. We are everywhere-except where we actually are physically. Thanks to the flat world.

Rules to live in the internet world:
* Develop a thicker skin.
* Avoid internet addiction.
* Keep it all in perspective.
* Let your kids know what world they are living in.

There is a parallel unflat world with:
# The sick people : who are yet to know, yet to come up, the yet to know
# Too dis-empowered
# Too frustrated
# Too many Toyota's (So much of imitating the rich, and lots of junks created)

Free Trade is God's diplomacy. There is no other certain way of uniting people in the bonds of peace. - Richard Cobden, 1857 (British politician)

To prevent conflict, things are done JIT, from various places, by the best people, and and author has described 'The dell theory of conflict prevention'

We bring good things to life. It is used by all Infosys Versus Al- Qaeda. What we put it to matters.

Thus in a way we are too personally insecure.

11/9 versus 9/11, is a matter to ponder. From Ebay, India to the curse of oil.

Imagination is more important than Knowledge. - Albert Einstein

Look at the good examples. "One good example is worth a thousand therories."

The flattening of the world, has provided us with new opportunities, new challenges, new partners, but also with new dangers. We need to find the right balance among all of these. Become global citizen. If you don't visit a bad neighborhood, it might visit you.

Remember: The most important competition is now with yourself - making sure that you are always striving to get the most out of your own imagination, and then acting on it.

The world is now becoming flattened. I didn't start it and you can't stop it, except at a great cost to human development and your own future. But we can tilt it, and shape it, for better or for worse.

The Grand Canyon....

2010-10-24T17:44:00.009+05:30

A Nice View from the top of The Grand Canyon: Absolutly beautiful, everywhere you look, is breath taking.

The Grand Canyon, one of the world’s premier natural attractions, known for its visually overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape, is a steep-sided canyon (or gorge, a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river) carved by the Colorado River in the state of Arizona in United States.

Geologically it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are beautifully preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rock layers record much of the early geologic history of the North American continent. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (1.83 km) (6000 feet)

In 1908, the Grand Canyon became an official national monument and became a national park in 1919. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.

Weather in the Grand Canyon varies according to elevation.The forested rims are high enough to receive winter snowfall, but along the Colorado River in the Inner Gorge, temperatures are similar to those found in Tucson and other low elevation desert locations in Arizona.

Amanda says "Another nice view, walk all the way from the other side accross to where this pic is taken (following the lowest point, where the river is), 27 miles roughly. Mind you not in a day....(which is not entertained)It took us a total of 4 days, we walked down 8 miles the first day and camped out, across 8 miles the second day and camped out, 4 miles up and camped and then the rest of the way out (about another 4-5 miles). My legs hurt SOOOOO bad, I had to take Aleeve to help with the pain (it was the hardest waking up and having to hike again). My family did a couple of smaller hikes as well so they went about 6 extra miles in total (I stayed at the campsite and rested while they did this). Yes, I walked all 27 mile :)"

This just shows an example of how the trail is, it zig-zags back and forth to make it less steep. But walking around is definitely the hardest thing .

Aside from casual sightseeing from the South Rim (averaging 7,000 feet [2,100 m] above sea level), skywalk, rivers all green because of the minerals in the water, rafting, hiking, running and helicopter tours are especially popular here.

Tons of Thanks to Amanda through whom I could see and write this....

All that I can just say is 'WOW', and you?

A hat trick for India - Winning

2010-10-17T01:41:00.004+05:30

And … India won again! A hat trick !

The Ayodhya verdict first a victory for the nation as a people, for the calm and mature manner that the masses and the politicians took the decision of the courts.

A fantastic victory on the cricket pitch when down and out India fought like seasoned gladiators against the might of the Australians.

The CommonWealth Games amidst apprehensions of all the terrible stories that kept coming out, a spectacular show applauded by one and all through the entire world. to let the world know that we can do it when we want to.

I wonder if ever India has won so many medals, but pray that let the spree continue..

Skies over the national capital lit with multi-colour laser beams and fireworks as part of 160-minute closing ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium filled to capacity of 60,000 cheering sports lovers on 14th October 2010.

Reading out the closure statement, the Prince said, "In the name of the Commonwealth Games Federation, I proclaim the XIX Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 closed.

"In accordance with tradition I call upon the sportsmen and sportswomen of the Commonwealth to assemble in four years time in Glasgow, Scotland, there to celebrate the XX Commonwealth Games."

No longer that oft repeated tale of how we ‘went down fighting’, but instead how ‘we fought back to win from the brink of defeat’. BUCK UP INDIA !!!

Hits and Misses : OPI and Tamil Nadu

2010-10-17T01:36:00.003+05:30

When it was Sangamam in OPI: Me was in Trichy enjoying BIL's Sisters marriage.

Lovely, name: well managed event and food.

When it was Annual day in OPI : Me was in Chennai the prayer came true, me with parents had been to Ramakrishna Matt, Sayi Baba temple and Kapaleshwara Kovil

Missed somethings, but enjoyed: Which I would not have if still there....

Need of the hour?

2010-10-02T17:46:00.005+05:30

And here comes the result of the long awaited, verdict on the Ayodhya dispute:
Allahabad High Court ruled that the 2.77 acre disputed land in Ayodhya be divided into three parts among Hindus and Muslims and held that the place where the makeshift temple of Lord Rama currently exists belongs to Hindus. (0.33+0.33+0.33? so where is the balance 0.01?) A temple would be constructed at the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya and "national unity will be strengthened"? Would the verdict be a catalyst for national unity or a road for further chaos?

"The atmosphere at the national level has been positive with religious leaders of both the communities, political leadership as well as the media. It would not be wise if politically motivated statements which could vitiate communal harmony are issued now," said Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangimahli, the Niab Imam of Idgah and member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. This was said when there were some political party trying to create chaos…(Mulayam/Modi:Ram Rajya-Gandhi’s dream)

What ‘Madhushala’ said was meaningful. This was written in 1935 when the Ayodhya issue was not even thought of -

Musalmaan aur Hindu hain do, ek magar unka pyala,

Ek magar unka madiralaya, ek magar unki haala

Dono rehte saath na jab tak, mandir masjid mein jaate,

Bair badhate mandir masjid mail karaati Madhushala !

The Muslim and the Hindu are two but their cup is one. One their drinking place, one their wine.

Both remain one till to Mandir Masjid they go. The mandir and the masjid bring the differences and tear them apart. But the House of Wine brings them together again.

Written in 1935. So many years ago, but so topical even now in these prevailing circumstances. The symbolism strong and meaningful.

Wondering how the people from Kerala would have managed two consequtive dry days?

True as said in My Experiments with truth: Those who say what religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion or politics is.

Here I remember Swami Vivekananda’s words in his Chicago address: ‘ I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as ture. ……….’

Though a small booklet, it is something I cherish, with:
 The Background story: On how Vivekananda reached Chicago.
 Response to Welcome: The forceful, mesmerizing introduction.
 Why we disagree: Frog in the well story.
 Paper on Hinduism.
 Religion, Not the Crying Need of India.
 Buddhism: The fulfillment of Hinduism
 Address at the final session.

‘Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now.’

Yesterday the beginning, Tomorrow the end

2010-09-24T17:40:00.004+05:30

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in New Delhi, between 3 October and 14 October 2010. An international, multi-sport event which is held every four years and features competitions involving thousands of elite athletes from members of the Commonwealth of Nations, previously known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states. All but two of these countries were formerly part of the British Empire.

There are currently 72 nations planning to field teams at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

There were various initial concerns about the games that varied from terror threats, delays, labour violations, and corruption allegations. Security concerns were highlighted by an Australian TV crew from the Seven Network who walked past security with a suitcase containing a dummy bomb and its detonator on 18 September. The concerns over infrastructure came to media attention in late September 2010 after media outlets began reporting on "filthy and unlivable conditions" at the games village and safety concerns after the collapse of a pedestrian bridge near the main stadium. The footbridge collapsed injuring 27 and seriously injuring five on 21 September 2010. On 22 September 2010, a stadium false ceiling partly collapsed into the competitor’s area of the weightlifting venue with no reported injuries.

There is not any need for mixing the two (above and below), but both these are in my mind.

There is Ali in Diwali and Ram in Ramzan…but today, the media reports that the verdict on the Ayodhya dispute, has been deferred by a week. The vociferous claims and counter-claims over the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya, has been from the days of freedom struggle, but the demolition of the mosque was on December 6, 1992. http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jan/24spec.htm

A bench of the Allahabad High Court was likely to pronounce judgement on the Ayodhya dispute on 24th Sept. 2010, There were pretensions of unrest in major cities going on owing to the fact that in the past any verdict or comments in the media in either favour have always lead to unprecedented communal riots developing into curfews, if uncontrolled.

We need to avoid making unwarranted comments/opinions on the subject in public and/or at large gatherings with family or friends to avoid any conflicts of interest or spark of disputes of any order.

At the outset, let's hope that everything goes well and our country and its men maintain the sanity of peace-keeping. Given all the cautionary notes, and corruptions life goes on.

Yesterday marked the beginning, tomorrow may bring the end, amidst it life goes on.

Wheels: Four move the body; Two move the soul.

2010-09-21T13:37:00.009+05:30

The joy we get from a bike ride is immense…

Jump on your bike and experience a daydream. All the world’s a stage and you are on a bike to watch it.

LFC_Duc_Road1_Indian+Chopper_Ducati

Speed Thrills, ….Speed Kills….

suzuki-hayabusa-1300

kawasaki-ninja

Honda_CBR1000RR_Fireblade

bmw-k1200r

800px-Ducati_Desmocedici_GP5_Baylees_2005

800px-YAMAHA_Vmax

Yamaha_YZF-R1

Priority and Spare Cash matters…. This did move my soul with the prices too...

A grateful mind by owing owes not, but still pays, at once indebted and discharged.
John Milton (1608-1674)

The better your bike is, the better the road is, the better the journey…Safe journey for all…is indeed a pleasure…

A miracle happens!

2010-09-11T23:52:00.005+05:30

Miracles still happen and will happen…never loose sight of your signs…

We all need to be aware of our personal calling.

Omens, the language in which God talks to you. Strange but true. Learning a language is not an easy thing for everybody. This silent voice leads us to places.

At times some boost of their skills, abilities, acts. Would all that be possible if it was not destined?

Do not give up hope. There’s always a chance.

Some miracles have nothing to do with angels.

People would say that these are luck but has it got anything to do with luck! Can we say that it is God hearing our prayers! A miracle happens!

We cannot know anything for sure. Everything that we see, everything, that is in front of us, is only the visible part of reality. There are some questions in our life, about which we dont know, and it is a fact that we can't have answers for everything~

What is a Miracle? Is it something for which we have no answer, or something, for which we do not know the answer, or something else?

I love solitude

2010-09-09T19:01:00.005+05:30

Looking for solitude of infinite bounds
With nothing to heed but nature’s sounds
Though I love the light and sound.

I love to be with people, I love having fun,
I love being with friends & relatives,
Yet I don’t know I love solitude.

Behind my smile there is a joyful heart.
Behind my laugh, I'm becoming strong.
Yet I don’t know I love solitude.

I love books, I love music,
I love having people, to share them with,
Yet I don’t know I love solitude.

Was no man every happy? Was anyone every satisfied?
I wish to find an answer for all the Why’s?
That is why, may be I love solitude.

Kerala: Gods own country:Your Moment is Waiting

2010-09-09T18:27:00.034+05:30

People all around India, and even abroad celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali....but there is no much hungama, shor-sharaba(noise-celebrations) here. Though the southern state of India, it is a bit different, but very Indian. Serene, solitary, and soothing.

I love the fascinating things about Kerala. Its flora and fauna, its vast diversity and rich heritage. How about you?

Your Moment is Waiting

According to the legend, Parasurama after waging the war and staying evil kings descended from the heavens and offered penance and he threw his axe into the sea and the land emerged from the sea became Kerala. Spices, Ivory and Sandlewood in keral have attaracted many around the world. It is a tropical paradise of Sandy beaches, sparkling waters, rain forests, blue seas and backwater canals.

Area (sq.Km) : 38,863 sq km
Population : 3,18,41,374
Density : 819
Climate : Temperature 35C-21C; Summer, Monsoon & Winter(no snow falls)
Language : Malayalam
Litracy : 90.90%
Road : 1,50,851 km
Railways : 1,050 km
Airports : Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi
Rivers : Periyar, Pamba, Beypore, Niela
Districts : From south to north:

To begin with her map:

Kerala district 1 Thiruvananthapuram
Population: 32,34,707. Area: 2192 sq km

Kerala district 2 Kollam
Population:25,84,118. Area: 2491sq km

Kerala district 3 Pathanamthitta
Population: 12,31,577. Area:2642 sq km

Kerala district 4 Alappuzha
Population: 21,09,160. Area: 1414 sq km

Kerala district 5 Kottayam
Population: 19,53,646. Area: 2203 sq km

Kerala district 6 Idukki
Population:11,29,221. Area: 4476 sq km

Kerala district 7 Ernakulam
Population:31,05,798. Area: 2407 sq km

Kerala district 8 Trichur
Population:29,74,232. Area: 3032 sq km

Kerala district 9 Palakkad
Population:26,17,472.Area: 4480 sq km

Kerala district 10 Malappuram
Population:36,25,471.Area:3550 sq km

Kerala district 11 Kozhikode
Population: 28,79,131. Area:2344 sq km

Kerala district 12 Wayanad
Population: 7,80,619.Area:2131 sq km

Kerala district 13 Kannur/Quilon
Population:24,08,956. Area: 2996 sq km.

Kerala district 14 Kasargode
Population:12,04,078. Area:1992 sq km

1. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT:

To the south of Kerala is the state capital. Ponmudi near Thiruvananthapuram, is a lovely Nature Trail. Kovalam beach is a fovourite with tourist. Kanyakumari though not part of Kerala, is not far from here, and a place worth visiting, for the sangamam of the Indian ocean, Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea...the Cape Camerio..For more places to visit here:
http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2010/04/trivandrum-visit.html

2. KOLLAM DISTRICT

i. Mata Amrita Nandamayi MathAmritapuri, Kollam

From Vallickavu, a 10-minute walk brings you to the boat jetty where a ferry service is available to take you across the backwaters to Amritapuri. The ashram runs a free ferry service for the visitors.

Amma has devoted her life for social cause and have counseled million of devotees all over the world for the same reason. She is a one personality who has devoted her life for improving the social condition of the poor and in raising spiritualism amongst the mankind. Amma propagates peace, love, tranquility amongst mankind. She is a firm believer in God and proliferate the greatness of god through her preaching. About the AshramsAn enchanting ashram where devotees come from all over the world to explore the serene environment of the ashram. The ashram boost a modest accommodation by offering rooms and dormateries to the devotees.. The food is served three times a day with canteen opening on Sunday and Thursday. The ashram authorities have opened a separate canteen for foreigners. The ashram also endorse a charitable hospital, Amritapuri post office with in the complex of the ashrams. The ashram requires proper maintenance of the premises and for this purpose, the residents and visiting devotees cook and clean the place and also take care of the publishing work. Those staying at the ashram are encouraged to put in at least two hours of seva everyday.

ii. Sasathamkotta Lake, also categorized as a wetland, is the largest fresh water lake in Kerala, a state of India on the south of the West Coast. The lake is named after the ancient Sastha temple (a pilgrimage centre) located on its bank. It meets the drinking water needs of half million people of the Quilon district and also provides fishing resources.

iii Thirumullavaram Beach (6 km north of Kollam town). This secluded beach is a beautiful picnic centre and has frequent bus connections to the town.

iv. Palaruvi Waterfalls :This waterfall falls in the border of Kerala and Tamilnadu. Its access is 35 kilometers east of Punalur on the Quilon - Shenkottah road. It is near Ariankavu mountain pass. 5 kilometers away is the spectacular Palaruvi waterfall at an attitude of 300 ft. with smaller cascades nearby. There you can see ruins of ancient temples. The water is said to be medicated as it flows down from the forest and is said to be a preventive for many diseases.

v. Punalur has an average elevation of 56 metres (183 feet ). The Kallada River passes through Punalur. Various scenic spots on Kallada River attracts many tourists to Punalur but the infrastructure development needs to be addressed. The Punalur suspension bridge crossing the river is the only suspended-deck type in south India. Built in 1877 by Albert Henry across the this huge bridge was suspended by three spans and was used for vehicular movement. Construction took more than six years. It is said that after completion of the bridge people hesitated to walk through the bridge. In order to prove the strength of the bridge the engineer and his family passed under the bridge in a country boat while six elephants were walking through the bridge. Now the bridge is only of archeological interest

vi. Thenmala is a tourist place near town, Kollam district in KeralA. The first eco tourism project in India is located at Thenmala. The Thenmala dam was built across Kallada River. Thenmala is famous for being the shooting location in Malayalam and Tamil movies.
Thenmala attracts foreign and domestic tourists with a host of attractions. Boating on the lake, a rope bridge, trekking, mountaineering, biking and a musical fountain. Thenmala is approachable both from Trivandrum and Punalur by road. The waterfall calledPalaruvi is a prime attraction nearby. Also nearby is a deer rehabilitation center where visitors can see deer in a forest setting and have a peep into a traditional tree house used by forest dwellers to escape harm from wild animals.

vii. Ashtamudi Lake (Ashtamudi Kayal) in the Kollam District of Kerala, India, is the second largest and deepest wetland ecosystem, a palm shaped (also called Octopus shaped) large water body, next only to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state. Ashtamudi means 'eight branches' (Ashta = 'eight'; mudi = 'branch') in the local language of Malayalam. This name is indicative of the lake's topography a lake with multiple branches. The Lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala.Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.

viii. Neendakara is a famous fishing center located towards the northern side of Kollam. There is also a fishing harbour here. The place is near NH-47, 6 km from Kollam. Neendakara Port serves as the intermediary port of Kollam District. It acts as an important hub of fishing activities. Neendakara bridge connects Neendakara with Shakthikulangara. A boat trip around the lake or have a picnic to the huge light house at Thanasseri is one of the favorite activities of the tourists.

ix.Chenthuruni is a wild life sanctury situated 70 km away from Kollam. This sanctury is on Kollam-Shencotta Road. Both shores of the river are thick dense forests where a large variety of fauna and flora exists. Thenmala Forest Division Head Quarters is located here.
The Chenthuruni River flows through the midst of this sanctuary. Both shores of the river is covered with thick forests which is home to a lot of diffrent species of trees and animals like , Elephans, Deer, Tigers, Monkeys etc.

x. Jadayupara is a rock formation in Kollam district.The most interesting plan envisaged is the sculpture of Jadayu on the rock top, which as far as possible will be done so as to merge with the existing rock shape. There also plans to have a food court, ethnic product market place etc near the entrance portal

xi. Thangassery is located 5 km away from Kollam town. The Thangassery Light House which is 44 meters high is very famous and stands as a warning seamen of the treacherous reefs of Thangassery. The present light house tower was built in 1902. It is opened for visitors from 3.30 pm till 5.30 pm. Thankassery is the centre of Anglo-Indians. The place was first under the control of the Portuguese, then the Dutch and then the British. Remains of an old Portugese fort is seen here. The churches in Thankassery were built in the 18th century.

x. Temples: Ammankovil, Kottukkal Temple, Kottarakara.

3. PATHANAMTHITTA DISTRICT:

Sabarimala: Kerala is a land of temples; perhaps the best known pilgrimage destination in Kerala is Sabarimala, high up in the Sahyadri Mountains (Western Ghats). Sabarimala Sri Dharmasastha Temple is the most famous and prominent among all the Sastha Temples. It is believed that "Parasurama Maharshi" who retrieved Kerala from the sea by throwing his axe, installed the idol of Ayyappa at Sabarimala to worship Lord Ayyappa. The pilgrimage begins in the month of November and ends in January. The temple attracts pilgrims not only from the southern states of India, but also from other parts of the country and abroad. The shrine gets thronged with devotees especially during the main pilgrim season from November to January.Mandalapooja(Nov.17th)and Makaravilakku(Jan.14th)are the two main events of the pilgrim season. The temple stays closed during the rest of the year except for the first five days of every Malayalam month and during Vishu (April).
Certain customs are to be strictly observed if one has to undertake a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. A pilgrim attending the Mandalapooja should observe austerities for 41 days. During this period, the pilgrim should abstain himself from non- vegetarian habits and cardinal pleasures.

You have many more holy places enroute like Aranmula, and kaviyoor.

The Holy Place 'Pamba'(near to Sabarimala) is in the banks of Pamba River. It is the combination of a number of rivers originating from the lands of Peeramedu. The tributary of this river are Kakkiyar, Azhuthayar, Kakkatar and Kallar. This is the third largest river in Kerala.It originates about 1650 mtr height from the Sea Level. It flows through Ranni, Thiruvalla, Changanassery and Ambalapuzha Taluk. The famous Rice producing place, Kuttanad Taluk, gets water supply from Pumba River. The Aranmula Boat Race celebrated here is very famous, and the Maraman Convention at Maraman near Kozhenchery is also took place in this river. It has a length of 177 kms. The famous waterfall 'Perunthenaruvi' is in this river. Maniyar Irrigation Project is situated here. The Sabarigiri Hydro Electro Project is situated here. The two Dams, One is Pambayar and another Kakiyar are constructed in the banks of Pamba River. It divides into several tributaries and finally merges into the Vembanattu Lake. Pampa is treated as a 'Saint River'.

The Perunthenaruvi Waterfall on the banks of the Pamba River about 10 km from Erumely, is a natural fall down a rocky path into a ravine about 100 feet deep. Ideal for an outing, this place is a popular picnic spot.

4. ALLAPUZHA DISTRICT: Also known as the Venice of the East is full of greenery and soothing:

i. Backwaters: The term backwaters are used to denote a network of canals and waterways stretching two hundred kilometers from Kollam in the south through Alleppey and Kumarakom in Central Kerala up to Kodungaloor. If you are looking for a place to relax ,to relieve the tension that has builded up from your workload, to just enjoy peace and silence, this is the place to be.

Kuttanad , the 'Rice Bowl of Kerala' is perhaps the only region in the world where farming is done below sea level. The boat trip to Changanacherry passes through this beautiful and fertile region. Kuttanad is an amazing labyrinth of shimmering waterways composed of lakes, canals, rivers and rivulets. Lined with dense tropical greenery, it offers a glimpse into rural Kerala life-styles. The view changes from narrow canals and dense vegetation to open vistas and dazzling green paddy fields.The scenic countryside of Kuttanad with its shimmering waterways also has a rich crop of banana, cassava and yam.This is perhaps the only region in the world where farming is done 1.5 to 2 m below sea level

Located close to Kuttanad,Kumarakam with its mangrove covered lagoons and houseboats made on bamboo, serving you the most delicious Kerala food , this place just amazes any visitor.

How to reach?
By Road From the Cochin International Airport it is an 85 Km delightful ride by road to the Muhamma boat Jetty.
By Rail Nearest Railway station- Kottayam - 16Kms
By Water If you have arrived at Trivandrum International Airport, come to Quilon by road or rail (takes just about one hour). From there, you can take the regular ferry service to Alleppey - a long and delightful ride on Kerala's backwaters. From Alleppey, it's just a short ride to Kumarakom.

ii The Nehru Trophy Boat Race on the Punnamda Lake, near Alappuzha, held on the second Saturday of August every year, is the most competitive and popular of the boat races. On the day of this fiercely fought boat race, the tranquil lake front is transformed into a sea of humanity with an estimated two lakh people, including tourists from abroad, coming to watch the event. For the people of each village in Kuttanad, a victory at this race for their village boat is something to be celebrated for months to come.
The event is named after the late Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, who visited Alappuzha city in the year 1952. Enthralled by the charm and gaiety of the water carnival he instituted the Nehru Trophy. The trophy is a replica of a snake-boat in silver, placed on wooden abacus on which the following words of Panditji are inscribed above his signature. The festival supports the sense of unity and fraternity among the people and is a popular attraction for the tourists from all over the world.

iii Pathiramanal is a small island located on the border of Kottayam - Alapuzha Districts in Kerala, India. The name 'Pathiramanal' means 'Sands of night'. The island is located in the Vembanad Lake. The island is an easily reachable location in the Kumarakom - Muhamma water route. It takes around 40 minutes from Kumarakom to reach Pathiramanal from Kumarakom. The journey through backwaters of Kottayam District is a marvellous experience. The scenic beauty of both sides of the lake as well as that of the island is mind blowing. it is home to many rare varieties of migratory birds from different parts of the world

iv VEMBANAD LAKE : The lake is bordered by Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts. It lies at sea level, and is separated from the Arabian Sea by a narrow barrier island. Canals link the lake to other coastal lakes to the north and south. Several rivers flow into the lake, including the Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Pamba and Periyar. The lake surrounds the islands of Pathiramanal, Perumbalam and Pallippuram. The Vembanad Lake is approximately 14 kilometres wide at its widest point.

A unique characteristic of the lake is the location of the Thanneermukkom salt water barrier. The Thanneermukkom salt water barrier was constructed as a part of the Kuttanad Development Scheme to prevent tidal action and intrusion of salt water into the Kuttanad low-lands

v Allapuzha Beach: The beach has a small park nearby. Alappuzha Lighthouse stands near the beach which is also a curiosity for tourists.
Alappuzha Beach is Referred to as the Venice of the East by travellers from across the world, this Backwater Country is also home to diverse animal and bird life. By virtue of its proximity to the sea, the town has always enjoyed a unique place in the maritime history of Kerala
KAYAMKULAM LAKE

vi. TEMPLES: Ambalapuzha temple, Haripad temple, Chettikulangara Temple, Chakkulathukavu temple, and Mannarasala temple

5. KOTTAYAM DISTRICT: : Being close to Allapuzha, Vembanad lake, Kumarakam, has parts in Kottayam district.

Also you have temples here like Erumali, Vaikom Mahadeva temple, Ettumannor.

Elaveezhapoonchira , a hill station near Melukavu Mattom, 60 kms. from Kottayam is gaining tourist importance. Located among three beautiful hillocks Mankunnu,Kudayathoormala and Thonippara, Poonchira is a place of picturesque charm. During the monsoons when the valley fillup to form a scenic lake, this place unveils yet another beautiful slice of nature. This place is about 3000 m above sea level is a suitable place for mountaineering.

Changanasserry: The place named Changanacherry entered into the history books in A.D. 90. It has been believed by some people that this name is derived from a place named "Changannattusserry".
It is believed that the name Changanasserry originated from its Market roots. This was a famous trading place were traders from the Kuttanad area and high ranges converged. The measurements used for rice in old era were "Changazhi" "Nazhi" and "Uzhi". The name originated from a combination of these three measuring containers.
An interesting story mentions that during the reign of King Udaya Marthanda Varma of Travancore, steps were taken to build a Catholic church by giving out plots for sowing 'Changazhy', 'Nazhy' 'Uri', 'Payattupadu' (various malayalam terms of measuring grains). All these terms put together apparently made up the name of the place to Changanacherry. It was in 980 malayalam era, that the famed Diwan of Travancore Veluthampy Dalava made a market place at Changanacherry, realizing the possibilities of development of this place. That market has grown to today's "Janapath". Towards the memory of the centennial celebrations of the place in 1905, the people installed the " Anchu Vilakku" (Five Lamps) seen near the Boat Jetty. The lamp signifies the 'unity in diversity' of the local ethnic and religious sects - a truly fitting tribute to the ethos of Changanacherry.

6. IDUKKI DISTRICT

With wonderful places to visit like:

i. Munnar - The splender: Is presumed to be the most beautiful place in Kerala. It is located at 1600 m above sea level. The lush green mountains adorned by tea and coffee plantations are a sight to watch.Munnar gives you a heavenly feeling, with the thick mist surrounding you in the middle of the plantations.The nearby mountains present a spectacular view.There are also some waterfalls and trekking paths for the adventurous travellers.
Nearest Airport- Cochin 105Kms
Nearest Railway Station - Aluva

Also near Munnar you can find:

Devikulam :
Situated 16kms south-west of Munnar, is a small hill station Devikulam , is another hill station known for its green meadows,. The Sita Devi Lake is good choice for picnic. The water of the lake has minerals, which contains curative properties. The lake is also ideal for trout fishing., “Devikulam” means 'Pond of the Goddess', as it is believed that goddess Sita once, had a bath in the pond near by and hence this place was named after it. This place has a lot of natural beauty and many tourists come here to enjoy its serenity

Pallivasal:
8 km from Munnar, is the venue of the first Hydro Electric Project in Kerala. The place is also famous for its natural beauty.

Chithirapuram:
10 km far from Munnar, reflects the colonial charm with the presence of the cottages, bungalows, old playgrounds and courts. One can see Home of the pallyvasal hydel power project, this hill town is also famous for its charming tea plantationTravel to Chithirapuram and take in a world of experiences in outdoor activities such as hiking and trekking..Attukal: Located 9 km from Munnar, must be visited for its charming sceneries, waterfalls and rolling hills. Attukal is located between Munnar and Pallivasal and it is very calm and quite place.

Nyayamakad:
Located 10 km from Munnar, is placed between Munnar and Rajamala. The place is famous for several splendid waterfalls. The waters come down a hill from a height of almost 1600 m. The enchanting surroundings make an excellent picnic spot and trekking point.

Mattupetty: Located 13Km from the munnar town and situated at a height of 1700 m from sea level.It is famous for its highly specialized dairy farm of the Indo-Swiss Live stock project.More than 100 varieeties of highly cattle are reared here.THe mattupetty lake and Dam are at a short distance from the frarm is apopular picnic spot.The visitors should visit the kundala Tea Plantations and the Kundala lake while on a visit to Mattupetty.

Anamudi (Anamudi in Malayalam meaning The Elephant Peak and Anai mudi in Tamil, meaning elephant's brow is the highest peak in the Western Ghats in India, having an elevation of 2,695 metres (8,842 ft). It is located in the southern region of Eravikulam National Park at the junction of the Cardamom Hills, the Anaimalai Hills and the Palni Hills. The nearest town is Munnar, 13km away.

Neelakurinji: Kerala is blessed with many natural spectacles and among them is a unique canvas that gets unveiled every twelve years in God's Own Country.The phenomenon of once in twelve years occurring on the fabled hills of Munnar is attributed to the blooming of Neelakurinji or passionately called by botanists as ‘Strobilanthes kunthianum.' The flower with 40 odd varieties bloom mostly in shades of blue, and thus in its name Neela in the local language stands for the colour blue and Kurinji the local name for the flower.This year, the hills of Munnar once again have welcomed Neelakurinji on to its bosom after a period of twelve years.Revered by the local tribal community and admired by visitors to these enchanting hills, the blooming of Neelakurinji usually starts from August and would last up to October.Once in Munnar, you may locate the magical blooms of Neelakurinji at Kovilur, Kadavari, Rajamala, Iravikulam National Park, which is home to the endangered mountain ungulate- the 'Nilgiri Tahr' and at other places in and around Munnar. Nature lovers and travelers have already started heading for Munnar to savour in this once-in-twelve-year phenomenon.It is an ethereal experience to stand amidst the sprawling blooms of Neelakurinji. The Neelakurinji plant shows variation in height according to the elevation of the land from the sea level. Usually shorter plants (about 2 ft) are found at the high elevations, while taller ones (about 5 to 10 ft) are seen at lower elevations.Many tour operators, adventure clubs etc. organise trekking for visitors to reach some of the best locales in and around Munnar for seeing the grand spread of Neelakurinji.

ii. Thekkady - A showcase of the Wildlife of Kerala: Thekkady is probably the best place in Kerala to observe wildlife and hence nature. The tourism department offers trekking right into the heart of the forest either on foot or atop elephants.The resort located in an island in the centre of the lake is the ideal place to observe animals.If you are more adventurous ,you can take the road from Moozhiyar to Thekkadi via Gavi winding through the thickest forests of Kerala.Elephants are a common sight on this path.Boating through the lake is a very pleasant experience and you can observe many waterbirds at close range.This place is ideal for wildlife photography.The best time to visit is between September and March.
Nearest Airport- Cochin -190 Kms
Nearest Railway station -Kottayam-110 Kms

iii. Peerumedu : Peerumedu is a small hill station, snuggled at an altitude of 914 m above sea level, on way to Thekkady. The famous plantation town takes its name from Peer Mohammad, a Sufi saint and close associate of the erstwhile royal family of Travancore

Clouds drop gently on the peaks that flank the verdant slopes of Peerumedu. Rich with mile upon mile of plantations falling away in precise steps. Coffee, tea, pepper, cardamom and rubber flourish in what is the most fertile part of the Western Ghats. Broken only by spectacular waterfalls in the distance and wide open grasslands in places. On a fairly warm day, the mercury reads between five and ten degrees celsius. Little wonder then, that the former Rajas of Travancore sought this tiny hill station out as their summer resort.

iv.Vagamon - Enchanted Meadows: Vagamon is a pilgrimage spot , a picnic spot and at the same time a place for adventure.Situated near the Kerala-Tamilnadu boundary,in the district of Kottayam, the main attraction of this place is the hillocks stretching over a large area,with only grass and a beautiful lake among the hillocks. The nearby pine forests, tea plantations, suicide point are all mindblowing.The Kurishumala church atop a hill is a famous pilgrimage place and the trekking to the church is a very adventurous task.
http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2008/03/vagmon-toura-refreshment.html

Kulamavu lake/Dam, on the way is also worth a visit.

v. Idukki Arch Dam
This is the world's second and Asia's first Arch dam, Constructed across the Kuravan and Kurathi hills. It is 640 feet in breadth and 550 feet in height and this lies close to the Cheruthoni barrage. This dam was constructed along with two other dams at Cheruthony and Kulamavu. Together, the three dams have created an artificial lake that is 60 km² wide. The stored water is used to produce electricity at the Moolamattom Power house, which is located inside nearby rocky caves. The Government of Canada aided in the building of the dam.

vi.Eravikulam National Park
Is situated in the High Ranges (Kannan Devan Hills) of the Southern Western Ghats in the Devikolam Taluk of Idukki district, Kerala State between 10º 05' - 10º 20' N Latitude and 77º 0' - 77º 10' E Longitude. Etymologically, Eravikulam denotes streams and pools.
The Park is 97 sq. km. in extent, consisting mostly of high altitude grasslands that are interspersed with sholas. The main body of the National Park comprising of a high rolling plateau with a base elevation of about 2000 meters from mean sea level. The Park is of undulating terrain and the highest peak is Anamudi (2690 m). Three major types of plant communities are found in the Park-grasslands, shrub land and forests. The high plateau and the hills rising above it, are primarily covered by grasslands. Shrub lands are seen along the bases of the cliffs. Shola forests are located in the valleys and folds. Turner’s valley, which splits the Park roughly in half from northwest to southeast, is the deepest.
The park is accessible from Kochi (Kerala) and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) airports, which are located at about 148 Km and 175 Km respectively. Munnar is the nearest town (13km.), well connected by roads from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The nearest railway station in Kerala is Aluva (120 Km away from Munnar) and in Tamil Nadu is Coimbatore (165 Km)
The only motorable road inside the Park, passes through the southern extremity inside the tourism zone (Rajamala) to the Rajamallay tea estate. Another road head leads to the Lakkom Muduvakudy on the periphery and is not usable at present. All other movements inside the Park are on foot along trails and footpaths

vi. Chinnar Wild Life Sanctuary: Situated on the Tamil Nadu - Kerala border, the wild life Sanctuary is spread across 90.44 sq kms. A thorny shrub jungle present no where else but here, makes this sanctuary unique with a wide range of animals and birds like elephants, porcupine, lion tailed monkeys, jungle fowl, spotted dove, laughing thrush etc.
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is located 18 km north of Marayoor in the Marayoor and Kanthalloor Panchayats of Devikulam Taluk in the Idukki District of Kerala state in South India. It is under the jurisdiction of and contiguous with Eravikulam National Park to the south. Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary is to the northwest and Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary is to the east. It is one of twelve Wildlife Sanctuaries in Kerala.The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site.

viii. Ramakalmedu : (16 km from Nedumkandam, Thekkady-Munnar Road) Rolling green hills and the fresh mountain air make Ramakalmedu and enchanting retreat. The hilltop also offers a panoramic view of the picturesque villages of Bodi and Cumbum on the eastern slope of the Western Ghats. Distance 45 km from Idukki, 40 km from Thekkady and 75 km from Munnar. Bus timings: 09.30 a.m. Munnar, 10.30 a.m. Kottayam, 09.30 a.m. Ernakulam

ix. Thommankuthu: One of the major eco-tourism centres in kerala is a panchayat, belonging to Thodupuzha Thaluk in Idukki District, Kerala, India. The main occupation of the population is agriculture, predominantly of natural rubber. Located 20 km away from Thodupuzha, this site is a prominent local tourist spot.

Thommankuthu waterfall is a seven-step waterfall located in forest. A trek of 12 km through the forests is possible.

Thommankuthu is developing rapidly in the tourism field and its transport system.

Thodupuzha is 18 km from Thommankuthu and there are buses plying from Thodupuzha to Thommankuthu. Thommankuthu is nearly 8 km from Karimannoor. For lodging, there are many hotels, rest houses and restaurants at Thodupuzha. The nearest airport is Nedumbassery Airport, which is 80 km away. The nearest railway stations are at a distance of 60 km away at Kochi and Kottayam. Thommankuthu waterfalls nice to see,lots of visiters visiting each year.In summer time thousands of people visit this place.

7. ERNAKULAM DISTRICT, Kochi or Cochin the commercial capital of Kerala, is the main gateway to South India for foreign visitors and it offers many places of interest to tourists.It gives easy access to almost all tourist places in Kerala.It is connected by air, road and rail to all major places.The merging of the backwaters with the sea gives lot of opportunities for boating and rafting.The ride through the lagoons in Kerala style houseboats is an unforgettable experience. You have the Marine Drive, Fort Kochi, Bolgatty Palace, Jew palace, Hill Palace at Thripunthara. Also The places around here are:

i. Veegaland - Top of hill, full of thrill : http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2010/04/top-of-hill-full-of-thrill.html

ii. Bhoothathankettu: This is a dam and tourist site in Kerala, India. It is situated in the village of Pindimana, about 10 km away from the town of Kothamangalam and 50 km away from the main city of Ernakulam.

It is connected to the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, where visitors can see different varieties of birds and animals. The Idamalayar reservoir is about 12 km distance from the site. There is no railway access to the site; access to the site is through the greenish and thick forest.

Large blocks of unshaped stones are placed on both sides of the Periyar River to form the dam, making it look like a natural dam built by superhumans. The name Bhoothathan Kettu, means "monster dam"; past generations believed it was built by a Bhootham (monster).
How to reach?
Nearest railway station: Ernakulam junction, about 50 km away.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 26 km from Ernakulam town.

iii. Malayatoor, Illithode, Kalady - : Kalady is sacred as the birthplace of the Hindu sage Adi Sankara.
http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2010/08/with-nature-again-on-independence-day.html

8. THRISSUR DISTRICT:: The cultural capital of kerala: Cheruthuruthi is home to the Kalamandalam School of 'Kathakali', a native classical battet form.

http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2007/10/name-meanings.html

Nothing like the Athirapilli Waterfalls, Vazhachal, Malgapara on the way to Annamal for me...In the move Ravan, the waterfall where Aishwarya tries to kill herself is Athirapilli waterfalls.

9. PALAKKAD DISTRICT::

i. Silent Valley National Park is renowned for its unique rainforest. The Silent Valley National Park is the sole cause of rainfall in Kerala, during the summer season. The area of the National Park is 90 sq km, and is located at the North Eastern area of the Palakkad district.

In the Silent Valley you would notice a wide range of peninsular mammals, 100 different species of butterflies, and also multiple varieties of rare birds. Often during the winters, Migratory birds come here. They are the most unique specimens and attract our attention.
Since the River Kunthi descends from the Nilgiri Hills and flows through this region, one can barely ignore its presence. The river rises from a height of about 2,000 meters above the sea level. The animals that are found in the Silent Valley National Park are Great Indian Hornbill, Lion Tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Laughing Trush, Ceylon Frog Moth etc.

ii.Nelliyampathy: From the town of Nenmara in Palakkad district, the cloud-caressed peaks of the majestic Nelliyampathy hill ranges are a sight to behold. The height of the hills ranges from 467 mts to 1572 mts. To reach Nelliyampathy, one has to take the road starting from Nenmara that proceeds to the Pothundy Dam. There are about 10 hairpin bends that have to be negotiated on the way to Nelliyampathy, which itself has plenty of interesting sights to offer.
The Pothundy Dam is a picturesque locale with facilities for boating and a nice option as a picnic place. As the Ghat road winds its way up to Nelliyampathy, at certain places there are viewpoints from where the vast stretches of Palakkad district are visible with its extensive paddy fields forming a verdant carpet. It also offers a splendid view of the Palakkad Gap, which is a geographical phenomenon in the Western Ghats formation in this region, bringing into view, parts of the adjoining State of Tamilnadu.
On the way up, those interested in bio farming can take a close look at the privately managed farms and also vast expanses of tea estates managed by different plantation companies. The hills of Nelliyampathy are also well known for its orange cultivation.

Not far away from Palagapandy is Seethakundu where one can have a fantastic valley view, and a 100m high waterfall providing an added attraction. From Palagapandy, one can trek or go by jeep to reach Mampara; another breathtaking vantage point at Nelliyampathy. The area in and around Palagapandy estate has tea, cardamom and coffee plantations with adjoining hills allowing one to catch a glimpse of the wildlife in the form of Indian gaur, elephants, leopards, giant squirrel etc. and is also a paradise for birdwatchers.
Getting there:
Nearest Railway Station: Palakkad, about 52 kms from Nelliyampathy

iii. The Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is a paradise for wildlife lovers and nature gazers. Ensconced between the Annamalai ranges of Tamil Nadu and the Nelliampathy ranges of Kerela, several rivers flow in the area too.Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, has the largest population of Gaurs (bison). It is also a home to elephants, sloth bears, wild boars, sambhars, chital tigers, panthers, and crocodiles. There are also bonnet macaques, spectacled cobras, kraits, vipers, turtles, darters, little cormorants, and black eagles.

iv. Kalpathi Ratholsavam (Kalpathi Chariot Festival) is an annual Hindu Temple festival in the Kalpathi village of Palakkad district in Kerala state, south India. The festival is at the Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy temple where the deities are Lord Siva(Lord Viswanatha) and his consort Visalakshi, another name for Parvati.
The annual ten day chariot festival conducted here during the month of November is one of the most remarkable festivals of Kerala. Vedic recitals and cultural programmes are held in the temple during the first four days of the festival. This is believed to be over 700 years old. On the last three days, thousands of devotees gather together to draw decorated temple chariots through the streets.

v. Thrithala: Situated along the banks of Bharathapuzha river, Thrithala is famed for its Shiva temple. Kattilmadom temple on the Pattambi-Guruvayoor road has archaeological importance. The small granite structure, a testimony of Buddhist influence, built probably during the 9th or 10th century. The ruins of a large fort with a deep moat hewn from laterite and the Kattil Madom temple, a domed structure of granite slabs on the Pattambi - Guruvayoor Road are the prime attractions.

vi. Pothundi Dam, MANGALAM DAM , MEENVALLAM WATERFALL , DHONI WATERFALL , Siruvani Dam

vii. Palakkad Fort (Tipu's Fort) is an old granite fort situated in the heart of Palakkad town (Palghaut) of Kerala state, southern India. It was built by Haider Ali in 1766 and remains one of the best preserved forts in Kerala.
There is a small Anjaneya (Lord Hanuman) temple inside the fort that attracts a number of devotees.
The Palakkad Sub Jail is also located within the fort.

viii. MALAMPUZHA Malampuzha, a little township on the foothills of the Western Ghats, is located 10 km from Palakkad town. The name Malampuzha originates from the river Malampuzha which flows through here. Major attractions are Dam, amusement park, boating facilities, rock garden and ropeway. Nurtured by this tributary of Kerala's longest river, the Bharathappuzha, Malampuzha is a lush green town and has been a major tourist attraction for its trekking trails and the large irrigation dam.Around the reservoir of the dam are beautiful gardens and amusement parks. Boating facilities are available on the lake. Other attractions in the Malampuzha garden are the beautiful rock garden, the fish-shaped aquarium, the snake park, the ropeway which takes you on an aerial tour of the park, and the gigantic Yakshi (an enchantress) sculptured by Kanai Kunhiraman, the leading sculptor of Kerala.The most interesting feature of the rock garden is that the whole place is made of unwanted and broken pieces of bangles, tiles, used plastic cans, tins and other waste materials. The garden is a master work of sculptor Padmasree Neck Chand Saini. His rock garden in Chandigarh is world famous and attracts thousands of tourists every year.

ix. Fantasy Park, first of its kind in Kerala, is located close to the Malampuzha Gardens. Enjoy various joy rides on your Fantasy Park Tour in Kerala with Kerala Travel Tourism. This amusement park offers something to everyone. This park has beautiful gardens and fountains offering tranquil environmentThe Park has modern thrilling Rides over 8 acres of beautiful landscape with Garden and Fountains. There is a hygienic restaurant and ice cream parlour within the park. The water merry-go-round, striking car, paratrooper, pirate boat, dragon coaster, tora tora, mini tele combat, jumping horse, scooter ride, caterpillar, etc are a few among the entertainment options at this fun world.

Park is Opened to visitors From 10am to 7pm every Day .

10. MALAPPURAM DISTRICT:

i. Thunchan Parambu: Located 32 kms from Malappuram at Tirur is the hallowed Thunchan Parambu, the birthplace of Thunchath Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam language. This stretch of ground has been carefully preserved for posterity with items like the iron stylus used by the scholar and literary giant kept on display. The holy day of Vijayadasami witnesses children being brought here to be initiated into the world of education and knowledge The ancient kanjira tree (Nux vomica) under which he is supposed to have imparted knowledge to his beloved disciples and composed his poems is one of the treasured exhibits here. The memorial also houses a granite Saraswathi Mandapam along with a library of rare manuscripts.

ii. Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala was founded in 1902 by Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier. This is one among the best ayurvedic hospitals in India and people from all over the world come here for authentic Ayurvedic treatment.

The untouched and unexplored town of Kottakkal in Malappuram district of Kerala is home to the renowned Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Shala, one of the pioneer institutions practising Ayurveda, the conventional system of health and medicine of ancient India. The Arya Vaidya Shala is a complete encyclopedia of ayurvedic procedures, including cultivation of medicinal plants, manufacturing of herbal medicines, publishing books and seminar reports on ayurveda and related subjects, and beyond obvious, encouraging a Kathakali Academy. The sprawling greens of the institute not only provides an opportunity for cultivation of rare herbs, but also a serene ambiance for quick recovery. Enjoy few days of your holiday vacations at Kottakkal and spice up your life with the lifetime experience of an ayurvedic message done here.

iii. VALLIKUNNU BEACH : A beach resort set in the middle of a coconut grove is the main attraction here. The Kadalundi bird sanctuary is just a short distance away.

iv. Nedumkayam Forest: is 18 km from Nilambur town, in Malappuram district, Kerala, India. Nedumkayam is noted specially for its rich rain forests. The wooden rest house built here by the British offers a panoramic view of the elephants and deers grazing in the forest near by . One has to get prior permission from the Forest Department to enter the forest zone. Heavy restrictions are imposed as a measure to save the existing forest land. An elephant taming center is also here. The place Nilambur including Nedumkayam is selected for developing as Kerala's second eco - tourism destination.

iv. The well-known Teak Museum is located at Nilambur in the Malappuram district of Kerala. Regarded as the first of its kind in the world and the only one in India; it is a house to the treasures of historical, aesthetic and scientific aspects of Teak. The museum was established on the campus of the sub centre of Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) in 1995.The museum was established here owing to the historical significance of the region. The worlds first teak (Tectona grandis) plantation was raised in Nilambur way back in the 1840s in order to ensure a steady supply of Teak timber to the British.

The ground floor of the double-storied museum exhibits a translite of Kannimara Teak, the oldest naturally growing teak tree located at the Parambikulam wild-life sanctuary and the life-size replica of the trunk of the largest known teak tree growing in the Malayattoor forest division
The portraits of great figures who had carved out milestones in the successful establishment of teak plantations as well as of those who had laid the foundations to the plantation forestry in India like H. V. Conolly, Chathu Menon and T. F. Bourdillion offer a strong perspective of a glorious era spanning a period of 150 years

Located in the Kurumbalangode village of Nilambur taluk, Adyanpara is famous for its waterfalls and the splendour of its lush surrounding jungles. It is located 15km away from nilambur

v. Temples: Among the various temples here, the one worth mentioning is Thirunavaya. This place is both historically and culturally important. Located on the banks of Bharatpuzha river, Thirunavaya is a place which in earlier times served as a venue for the grand assembly of the rulers of Kerala. This assembly was important since it was organized only once in twelve years and was accompanied by an extravagant festival. The last time this festival was organized was in 1755 AD. As of today Thirunavaya plays host to the annual Sarvodaya Mela. The Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple is also a famous pilgrim centre where Hindus gather to perform their religious rituals

11. KOZHIKODE DISTRICT:

i. Urakkuzhi: Located in Kozhikode District of Kerala, Kakkayam is 65 km east of Kozhikode. Urakkuzhi, a scenic waterfalls, forms one of prime attractions. The place is a perfect base for trekking and rock climbing.The best time to visit is between November and April.

ii. Thusharigiri Waterfalls is a waterfall located at Kozhikode.Hardly two hours journey from Calicut via Thamarassery.It is a popular local tourist destination and a good place for a picnic.It is a perfect place for those who are interested in exploring the hidden beauty of Kerala ,yet unexplored so still keeping its natural beauty.The best time to visit Thusharagiri is during September to December when nature is at its full swing. If you have that extra rush in your blood, do carry trekking gears to move up the hill.Park,Hotels,Guides,Resorts... are available here.

iii. Peruvannamuzhi is located about 60 km North East of the Kozhikode. By boarding buses plying between Kozhikode and Peruvannamuzhi, you can directly reach Peruvannamuzhi Dam.
The region offers immense scope for picnicking. The reservoir here provides facilities for speedboat and rowboat cruises during which one can see the 'Smaraka Thottam', a garden built in the memory of the freedom fighters of the region. Uninhabited islands, a bird sanctuary and a crocodile farm add to the charm of the place.

iv. Kozhikode Beach: The beauty and serenity of Kozhikode beach is not yet exploited to develop it into a tourist centre. Still people from all around gather here to enjoy the sunset and it is a popular retreat for local people. Kozhikode Beach is a favourite haunt of sunset viewers. Its natural beauty and old world charm makes it a dreamy place to visit. The beach has an old lighthouse and two crumbling piers running into the sea, each more than a hundred years old. Children can be entertained at the Lions Park and the Marine Water Aquarium. Should you be able to drag yourself away from the beach the city of Calicut or Kozhikode awaits you with its unique culture and other treasures.

v. Kadalundi bird sanctuary, 19 km from Kozhikode is home to more than a hundred varieties of native birds and over 60 species of migratory birds flock here in large numbers. The sanctuary is also known for a wide variety of Fish, Mussels and Crabs. Birds like Terns, Gulls, Herons, Sandpipers, Whimbrels, and other migratory birds flock the place from the month of November and return only by the end of April. The sanctuary, which is spread over a cluster of islands, covers an area of 3 kms in a scenic area surrounded by hillocks. A hillock, which is 200 m above sea level, provides a splendid view of the river mouth and the sea.

vi. Velliyamkallu is a massive rock in the sea abot 14km from payyoli sea shore. We can see the beutiful sun set and sea birds here.
An adventurous spot, this massive rock was used by the great Kunhjali Marakkar, the naval commander of the Zamorins who fought valiantly against the Portuguese. This rock served as a vantage point for the Marikkars and helped to sabotage the Portuguese ships during the encounters. Velliyamkallu has some unique 30 mtrs of natural engravings to explore. Visitors can hire a boat from Payyoli to reach Velliyamkallu.

vii. A new attraction in the heart of the city, Mananchira Maithan, is the sublimation of the concept of a planned modern city. The historic maithan, adjacent to Manachira has been converted into an arcadia with beautiful trees and plants, artificial hill, shrubs, sculpture, an open air theatre and above all, a musical fountain. No doubt, locals and tourists seekings leisure and relief from the mad rush outside, find shelter here. Mananchira Maithan is managed by the Corporation of Kozhikode.

ix. Kallai was known as the world’s best timber trading centre. Even now, it is the place for timber trade in Malabar.

The river has its origin from Cherukulathur village and it is connected to the Chaliyar on the south by a man-made canal. The river passes through Cherukulathur, Kovur, Olavanna, Manava and Kallai before finally joining the Arabian Sea at Kozhikode. The length of the river is 22 kms. And it has a drainage area of 96 sq.kms.
Though small in size, the kallai is one of the most important rivers in the entire State from the commercial point of view, Kallai, a main centre of timber trade, is situated on its banks.

x.Museums:
Pazhassi Raja Museum is located at East Hill, 5 kms. from Kozhikode. Copies of ancient mural paintings, antiques, bronzes, old coins, models of temples, megalithic monuments like dolmonoid cysts, umbrella stones etc. are displayed here.

Situated adjacent to the Pazhassi Raja Museum, the art gallery houses paintings of Raja Ravi Varma among other collections. The museum has a section dedicated to V.K. Krishna Menon. The personal belonging of the late leader are exhibited here.

Regional Science Centre and Planetarium are at the city’s Jaffarkhan Colony offers extensive insight into the mysteries of the universe, the planets and the galaxies. There are daily shows at 12.00, 14.00, 16.00 and 18.00 hrs

xi. Beypore town is about 9.65 kms. from Kozhikode, at the mouth of the Beypore river. The place was formerly known as Vaypura and Vadaparappanad. It is one of the important ports of Kerala and naturally, an important trading centre.
Beypore is famous for its boat building yard where mammoth country crafts known as Urus are being built. It is major fishing harbour of Kerala. There are two man made extensions to the sea to facilitate easy access for fishing boats. This is an ideal place for an outing.

xii. Kappad Beach: On 27th May 1498, Vasco Da Gama landed here with three vessels and 170 men. If you travel 16 kms. north of Kozhikode by Kannur road, a small road near Tiruvangoor Health Centre will guide you to this beach of historical importance. A monument is here to commemorate the historical landing. An ancient temple on a hillock, facing the deep sea, is an added attraction

12. WAYANAD DISTRICT: : Untouched, pure Nature at its best

http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2010/08/ha-woh-lamhey-woh-bathey.html

13. KANNUR DISTRICT::

i. Ezhimala, the capital of the ancient Mooshika kings, is considered to be an ancient historical site. It is a onspicuous,isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, 38 kms. north of Kannur.
A flouriIshing sea port and centre of trade in ancient Kerala, it was one of the major battle fields of the Chola-Chera war of the II th century . The hill is noted for rare medicinal herbs. Bordered by sea on three sides, Ezhimala is set to occupy a prominent place in the naval history of the country, consequent to the proposal for ommissioning the Naval Academy here.

ii. Paithalmala is an enchanting hill station in North Kerala in the Western Ghats near Kerala-Karnataka border. Standing as tall as about 4,500 feet above sea level, the summit is located about 65 kms north-east of Kannur city and 35 kms east of Thaliparamba. North of Paithalmala is the Kudaku forest.
These huge mountains lay spread over 500 acres of land enriched with dense forest. The easiest access to the summit is from a place called Kappimala. One can go by bus up to Kappimala and then a bumpy jeep ride of two kilometers through the "muttatham-vayal" mountain till the forest border at "Manja-pullu". A 2 km trekking through the forest will then take you to the summit.

iii. Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary Kannur - Location : 35 km from Thalasserry and 60 km from Kannur town.
The sanctuary area falls in Aralam, Kelakam and Kottiyoor revenue villages and is located in the Northwest slopes of Western Ghats contiguous with the forests of Coorg (Kodagu) district of Karnataka state.

iv. St.Angelos Fort is in the west of Kannur town. It was built in 1505 by the first Portuguese Viceroy, Don Francisco De Almeida, with the permission of the Kolathiris, on a promontory jutting into the Lakshadweep sea.The Dutch captured the fort in 1663 and sold it to the Ali Raja of Kannur in 1772 and in 1790 it came into the possession of the British.The British rebuilt it and made it their most important station in Malabar.This fort is in a fairly good state of preservation, though parts of it have collapsed. A few obsolete guns are seen at the place. The fort is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

v. Parassinikadavu Muthappan TempleThe famous Muthappan (Siva) Temple (Parassinikadavu Madappura) is on the banks of the Valapatanam river.
According to tradition, the main abode of Muthappan was Puralimala near Mattannur. The story goes that Muthappan appeared in the form of a child before one Padikutti Amma. The child had an insatiable appetite for liquor, fish and meat and became a nuisance to the family was therefore turned out from the house.
Armed with a bow and arrow Muthappan wandered from place to place and eventually reached Puralimala. At Kunnathurpadi, on his way to Puralimala, he climbed on to the top of a palmyra tree near the house of one Chandan and drank toddy.
Chandan who happened to arrive on the scene, is said to have been turned into a rock at the gaze of Muthappan. Here Muthappan completely disappeared from the scene and nothing more was heard of completely disappeared from the scene and nothing more was heard of him. It is believed that he came down to Parassinikadavu.
According to tradition, a member of the Vannan community at Parassinikadavu found a metallic arrow on the trunk of a Kangira tree and having felt something divine about the place, reported the matter to the senior member of an ancient Thiyya family in the neighbourhood. The latter, who felt the divine presence of Muthappan, immediately performed the necessary ceremonies and offered worship to him.
It is an accepted dictum here, that whatever is received by way of gifts or offerings should be spent for the benefits of the pilgrims. The daily offerings made to Muthappan are also different from what they are in other temples. It has been customary to offer toddy, fish and meat as 'nivedyams' to this deity. People of all castes and communities including
People of all castes and communities including members of the Muslim as well as Christian communities are known to donate sums of money as vazhipadu of Muthappam. The annual festival which falls on December 1st, provides a special occasion for pilgrims to throng the Parassinikadavu temple.
The temple is situated 20 kms, north of Kannur town.

There are other temples too, like every other district in Kerala.

vi. Pazhassi Dam(37K.M. east of kannur ) : An ideal retreat for rourists ,the damsite is famous for its scenic beauty. The D.T.P.C provides pleasure boating faciliaties at the reservoir. Accommodation is available at the Project Inspection Bungalow and its dormitories.

vii. Madayipara, a hillock in Kannur .Offering a panoramic view from its top, Madayipara has appreciable vegetation with unique faunal wealth, which includes rare butterflies and as well as migratory birds. The hillock also has historic remnants like that of a fort, temple pond and others, with some of them having stories linked to ancient local rulers of that region.

viii. Thalassery FortThe British arrived in Thalassery in 1683 and errected a goods shed there. They shifted their ommercial capital to Thalassery from Kozhikkode, following obstruction from the Dutch. In 1700, the British built the Thalassery Fort on a small hill called Tiruvellapadkunnu and in 1708, it was strengthened by increasing its height and with bastions. The fort is square structure built of laterite and is distinguished by its massiv ventilated walls and strong flanking bastions. It was here that Raider' captain was imprisoned.The famous St. John's Anglican church is behind this fort

ix. Beaches: The Payyambalam beach is one of the beautiful beaches in this State and is an ideal place to spend evenings, irrespepcti ve of seasons. It is very near Kannur town. ,The mortal remains or' Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pilla, A.K. Gopalan, K.P. Gopalan, Pamban Madhavan and K.G. Marar are laid to rest near this resort.

Muzhappilangad Beach(15.K.M from Kannur and 8 K.M from Thalasseri):
Black rocks protect this long ,clean beach from the currents of the deep, making it shallows waters a swimmer's paradise.Perhaps this is Keralas only drive- in beach. Where you can drive entire length of 4 K.m .

Dharmadam is a beautiful beach island fringed with coconut palms and green bushes. It is located 17 km from Kannur and 4 km from Thalassery.This privately owned island is 100 m away from the mainland Dharmadam. During low tide, one can walk to the island from the beach.
Dharmadam can be easily accessed from Dharmadom Railway Station.

14. KASARGOD DISTRICT:

i. The Bekal Fort: has a long history, which is three centuries old. It was around 1650’s that Sivappa Naik of the Ikkeri dynasty built this fort, though some historians believe that it was Kolathiri Rajas who built the fort that was later captured by Naik. Hyder Ali of Mysore also had the possession of the fort during 1763 A.D from where it passed on to the Huzur of Canara and then to the British Empire.One interesting feature of the fort is the fact that there are no palaces inside the fort walls and it is likely that the Bekal Fort was built only for defence purposes. The features of the Bekal Fort in Kerala are the underground tunnels, the observation towers, the sea bastion, the meandering entrance, the strategic openings on the walls etc. There is also a mosque built by Tipu Sultan just outside the Bekal Fort.

The Bekal Fort is located in Bekal, in the Kasargod District of Kerala. The exact location of the Bekal Fort is about 16 kms south of the Kesargod, on the national highway and at the northernmost tip of the State of Kerala.

ii. Ranipuram Located on the highest peak in Kasargod, at a distance of 85 kms (46 & 54 kms from Kanhangad and Bekal) and sharing the border with Karnataka, Ranipuram is a beautiful mountain terrain covered with evergreen shola woods, monsoon forests and grasslands. Perched at an altitude of 750m above sea level, the natural beauty of this trekker's paradise is comparable to Ooty. This area was formerly known as madathumala and as the name suggests, its sprawling thick wooded forest merge with the forests of Karnataka; i.e Talacauvery wildlife sanctuary. Ranipuram forms an elephant corridor between the two states and wild elephants can be seen roaming on the mountain tops. It is an unexplored territory of nature enthusiasts and bird watchers. Variety of birds and different species of butterflies can be seen in the canopies. From its highest point of ranipuram called 'mani', one can get a panoramic view of the landscape and acres of green valleys which will be a real treat for the eyes.
The proposed 50 sq.km Ranipuram wildlife sanctuary will be a boon to tourism development in Kasaragod district. October to March is the best time to visit.

iii.Valiyaparamba is a picturesque backwater draw out situated in the district of Kasargod of Kerala. Circulated by 4 rivers flecked by quit number of small islands, Valiyaparamba is incredibly growing as an excellent backwater resort which grants captivating boat cruises. Valiyaparamba, a piece of land dissevered from the solid ground is a significant and notable fishing centre. The Valiyaparamba is just some few kilometers away from Bekal, where it just takes little hour's of ride to reach the place. The Valiyaparamba is the most renowned tourism spot that grabs the attention of the visitors by its scenic look. Moreover, Valiyaparamba is an ideal place to plan your picnic.

iv. Ananthapuram Lake Temple is the only lake temple in Kerala, which is regarded as the moolasthanam (original abode) of Anandapadmanabha, the deity of Sri Padmanabha Swami temple, Thiruvananthapuram. It is located at Ananthapuram,, 30km from Bekal in Kasargod District.
The deity Shri Padmanabha is in a sitting posture. This temple is associated with the great mystic Vilvamangalathu Swami who is believed to have offered penance at this spot.
The temple which is built on a remote rock is situated in the center of the Ananthapura lake. There is a lone crocodile living in the lake. It is said that when one crocodile dies, another one appears.
The walls of the temple are adorned by murals depicting themes from the Puranas and there is a cave which opens out to a small pond where the water level remains steady regardless of climatic changes.
The original idols in the temple were made of a special combination of a number of medicinal materials known as 'kadu-sharkara-yogam.' These were recast in panchaloha in the year 1972, but now there is a move to reinstall idols made of the original material.
To reach the temple, one has to travel 11 km from Kasargod to Kumbala. From Kumbala, there is a road that leads to Badiadka, and it is a further 3 km to Naikap. The temple is located 1 km from there.

v. Kappil Beach For those who prefer Thoreau to Harold Robbins, the secluded and relatively unexplored Kappil Beach should prove idyllic. This sun-drenched beach is a perfect getaway after a hectic tour of the nearby Bekal Fort, some six kms away. Adventurous souls can even ascend the nearby Kodi cliff to get a panoramic view of the Arabian Sea.
Nearest Railway Station : Kasaragod, about 12 km

vi. Possadigumpe Hill, Possadigumpe is a tourist destination located in the village of Dharmathadka, about 18kms east of Mangalpady town which is at a distance of 25kms north of Kasargod. Nested in a picturesque hillock , 1060 feet (320 meters) above sea level, it is an ideal place for an enchanting one day trip. The scenic vision of Arabian sea and the vast areca gardens of Kasargod extending up to Mangalore city and Kudremukh, from the top of the hill is awfully breath taking.

vii. Paithalmala is an enchanting hill station in North Kerala in the Western Ghats near Kerala-Karnataka border. Standing as tall as about 4,500 feet above sea level, the summit is located about 65 kms north-east of Kannur city and 35 kms east of Thaliparamba. North of Paithalmala is the Kudaku forest.
These huge mountains lay spread over 500 acres of land enriched with dense forest. The easiest access to the summit is from a place called Kappimala. One can go by bus up to Kappimala and then a bumpy jeep ride of two kilometers through the "muttatham-vayal" mountain till the forest border at "Manja-pullu". A 2 km trekking through the forest will then take you to the summit.

The peak offers a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains beneath it. It is also a haven for a wide variety of rare flora and fauna. There are many seasonal waterfalls and brooks in the nearby areas. Paithalmala is an ideal spot for adventure tourism as well.

Wedged between the Western Ghats on the East and the Arabian Sea on the West, the narrow strip of land known as Kerala is a destination of a lifetime. With Historical sites like kodungallur, having the oldest mosques in India, and the place where the Jews landed in Kerala, and Kozhikode the port where the Portuguese adventurer Vasco de Gama made shore. The timeless beauty of the palm fringed beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, the majesty of the undulating hills of Munnar, Wayanad and Vagamon, the serenity of the pristine backwaters of Kumarakom & Kuttanad and the enchanting woods and forests will have you bowled over. People landing at the airport here during the first visit, have wondered, where would they stay in this forest? But it is not a forest...one of the most densily populated state, as areawise it is comparatively a smaller state in India.

Ash and Simi, you inspired me to do a research on the Kerala geography, and this is the result. Let me know....

Pet Pride

2010-08-27T20:56:00.003+05:30

Lovely pets, remover of stress,
You’re parting, make things a mess.

Grandparents Jackie, faithful born,
Hazel alone, now that you are gone.

My sweet Kunji, Ammini and others you give,
But you come to me, Even after you leave.

The ducks and turtles, doing a lot of communicating,
of one kind or another, with fishes too in the pond,

Guess they were happy about the sunshine, too!
But I could not control myself, when rabbit you were gone,

Size doesn't matter, who said you are wild,
We still love appu and ammu, you are mild.

Colourful lovebirds, repeating parrots,
Your chirruping makes my day, you bring gay,

Pets, you are a pride, but at times gives pain,
I don’t want you, just to be in the zoo, I love you.

_____________________________

"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man." Cannot forget my father feeding dogs...

"I am glad that rats have only one life, but cats have nine."

"Am still trying to Find Nemo"

"Chechi, you dont know how much I loved my rabbit, I cannot control my tears, others wont understand, why you told this matter..."

Belive there are some, whose favourate pet is elephant!

Fly Kingfisher, chempothu makes my mothers day!

"Peace to you and may your path be blessed." ~ Lee Jampolsky

Energy

2010-08-20T08:55:00.009+05:30

Most of the pages in todays Hindu had Rajiv Gandhis photo. As I wondered why, I realised today was his birthday. (20.08.1944-21.05.1991). Indeed, he has left a mark behind. Destined! Will of God?

Ad in todays Hindu, by the Ministry of petoleum and Natural Gas, Govt. of India...

'Energy is the key to the growth and development of any nation'

...upgrading ourselves in everyway and securing energy is the future of the nation....

Conserve energy for a bright future:

• Drive at optimum speed of 45-55 km/hr
• Maintain correct tyre pressure
• Switch off engine at traffic signals
• Light your stove only after you have kept all the ingridents within your reach and is ready to cook.
• Pressure cooking saves fuel and time.
• Use optimum quantity of water while cooking.
• Use higher efficency 'ISI'marked LPG stove.

There can be one criterian for measuring the development, how much high technology is used in the life of common man..Well this is external.

Look out for positive, spread positive, thoughts, energy..

Positive thoughts, positive feelings attract positive energy,and brings joy..
Negative thoughts, negative feelings attract negative energy,and brings sorrow..

That is what the Law of attraction also says...

Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow..Never tell a person he is wrong...

With Nature Again on Independence Day...

2010-08-19T19:10:00.008+05:30

Bidding farewell for this year, to the rain-drenched month of Karkidakam, and celebrating the Independence Day..Had a long bike ride, with few to be precise 9 of my present team mates to spend sometime in the solitude of unspoilt nature, in Ernakulam itself....

First to Kodanad, then had a view of the lake near Malayatoor, trecked and reached top of the hill, where it was misty at 12.30pm.., saw the periyar river, and then a drive to Illithode, played in the river....all this when it was raining....

Is'nt it lovely??

How about the thought, something contrary to my favourate but true about some:
'Servant is always wrong, son is ok, but I am always right'!

Independence a precious Gift of God....May we always remain Independent!!!

Ragas

2010-08-18T14:42:00.003+05:30

Awe-inspiring performances that bring alive all the beautiful moods of the day- from morning to night.

A rare collection reflecting the changing moods of morning, afternoon, evening and night through ragas those are truly inspiring.

The beauty of Indian classical music lies in the fact that its soothing vibrations have the power to transform any moment into something truly special. And when the masters of music come together to capture the different moods of the day, the effect is nothing short of magical.

Ragas 16-CD pack is a beautiful rendering of morning, afternoon, evening and night ragas by famous classical artists. These captivating music CDs celebrate the melodic marvels of Indian classical music and bring together the finest classical performances by the greatest maestros.

Get ready to be swayed by the soothing perofrmances of some of the biggest names in the history of Indian classical music- Pt. Jasraj (Vocal), Rajan and Sajan Mishra (Vocal), Hariprasad Chaurasia (Flute), Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod) Shahid Parvez (Sitar), Padma Talwalkar (Vocal), Shruti Sadolikar (vocal) and Mallikarjun Mansur (Vocal).

Maestros of Indian classical music...together in one great collection!!! This is exclusively from India Today Book club.

Ha! Woh lamhey, Woh bathey…

2010-08-07T18:05:00.010+05:30

On Friday the 30th July 2010, soon after work with a team of enthusiastic, energetic, and eager, ex colleagues, set out to Wayanad, on the southern most part of the Deccan Plateau, to explore the Exotic legends, rich heritage, aborigine tribes, tree houses….in ‘God’s own Land’.

We left Kakkanad by 10 pm, Chakramuttu cut his birthday cake, and all of us sang ‘Happy Birthday to you’, searching for the three alphabets, remembered Maria, on grabbing Mansion House. Then began Martin’s Nadan Pattu, Praseed’s parady pattu, Kavitha by Satheesh, Achamma and Shivaji from other side echoing to the tune, which paved way to Anthakshari, Hindi, English, Malayalam songs..rocking, thrilling, melody..Shyam was there with an apt knowledge of the lines from every song. Then as suggested by Aneesh, the hot seat, helped us know the team members even more. The sleeping manager, Sanal was woken up. The secret behind Fredric’s health, Tressa Elssas Success, Aneesh & Sabithas marriage, love and life, Shyam’s future plans, Sivas gift for his family, and to add to the glory, we had Arun.

At around 2.30 am, we stopped to answer the call of nature, had from Thattukadda light food from Azad who also served us tea. It reminded me of people talking about child labour, and then shouting, ‘Chootu 2 chay lana’. By 4.30, we were through Thamaraserry churam, having nine hairpin curves within a distance of 16 kms.to Ghat Road view point, for a great view of steep, misty mountains and a glimpse of distant horizon in the Arabian Sea.

From then began the exploration of Wayanad:
MUTHANGA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY: Since the entry into the wild life sanctuary begins only at 7.00 am, and we reached by 6.30 am, we had our morning walk in the Mist’n’Sun, the sunny rays of the morning sun percolating through the wooded natural landscape. The team was running through the grasses to capture pictures of dear, elephants and monkeys. And then at 7.00 am we entered the Sanctuary.
We reached our place of stay, with lovely view, after refreshing, we had breakfast from Hotel Sagar, and it was Satheesh Piranal.

EDAKKAL CAVES: An interesting trek up the Ambukuthi Hill near Ambalavayal town takes you to the Rock carvings found on the walls of Edakkal caves speak of the Neolithic Civilization. It is about ten thousand years old.

The cave was formed in the crevice of a broken rock, thatched by another massive rock. Climbing the rocks was indeed an uphill task, but worth the adventure. Coming down was not so very difficult.

SOOCHIPPARA WATERFALLS: For reaching the waterfalls, you have to walk miles, but location is scenic, and there is the music of the water flow all around you, making you wonder, how many waterfalls would be there, and it would be on which side. The water flows in a narrow line through rocks and gorge joins the river Chaliyar which ends in the Arabian Sea.

It was quite enthralling to see a group of 4-5, young families each having children in between age group of 1-4, climbing the rocks with ease and vigor. Kudose to those men, who walked with the children on their shoulders. But for the help from Aneesh, I would not have been able to do it all alone.
On you way to and from, Tea plantations on the hill slopes will definitely fascinate you. There are plantations owned by TATA, Harrison Malayalam, and even by many locals.

You can buy some mementos, and don’t forget to eat gooseberries dipped in honey, its yummy…We picked the dinner and had it in our room. Thank God, Whether on both the days were favorable for our trip.

Day 2 @ Wayanad: Happy Friendship day!!!

How better this could be cherished!! Ormyude talukalil oru kochu mayilpeeli tandu pole sukshichu vekan, kochu kochu paribhavangalum thamashakalum niranjaee nirmalamaya sauhradam ennum nilanilkate!

Having vacated the stay home, after breakfast, we thought we would just have a glimpse of phantom rock and go to the museum.

PHANTOM ROCK: This is a human shaped rock, a magnum opus of Mother Nature. This rare work of art from nature is at Cheengery near Ambalavayal.

Thanks to Martin, we dared to climb it and view exquisite locations around and take the pictures. ‘Bogoolathinte spandhanam anubhavapettu. ‘

We were so engrossed in it, did not realize the time fleeting. Had to drop the plan of visiting the museum.

KARAPUZHA DAM: Enroute to Banasura Sagar, our Annie chettan dropped us at one end of the Karapuzha dam, and we walked over to the other end, enjoying and viewing the flow of water from the dam. It indeed is a great place for picnic.
A green pasture in the lap of nature! Surrounded by the unfathomable beauty of the hills and the ripples of the lakes , a spot enough to make anyone a kid.

BANASURA SAGAR: India’s longest earth dam, is situated at the northern boundary of Wayanad. The Island is in the backdrop of Banasura hills. It offers a spectacular green beauty. You can do boating here touching 25 small Islands spread over the dam. In consequence of the topography, islands are formed in the upstream of the dam after the rainy season. Manikkunnu, Chembra Peak, Thariyode, Suganthagiri and Brahmagiri hills can be seen from here.

Tranquility at its extreme! Enjoyed the ambience of hills, lakes and valleys. No wonder if you loose the sense of time immersing in the serenity of its locale.

POOKKODE LAKE: The lake is a rare gift of nature to Wayanad. Walking around it, a full round, gives you a rare feeling, enjoying the nature, plants, and monkeys. To set free your mind and talk to water lilly, hear the music of water-fowl. Childrens park, an aquarium and a shop for spices, handicrafts and honey also function here.

Did not want to return, but had to..Stopped at the Chain tree, and again on the peak of the Ghat, to capture lasting memories and praying that we all come again soon. Had dinner at night 10 pm, from near Calicut University. Fredric, Martin, Shyam rocked with their dances, during the return trip. Space was not a constraint.

Had a feeling of eternal bliss, Mesmerizing mother nature at her best. I wished I could be absorbed by her. Thanks to the wonderful team to…Indeed success is the ability to organize a productive endeavor, and the tour was indeed a great success! Kudose to the organiser, manager, and wonderful team. Thank God for the opportunity, and for providing apt whether.

Thanks to the photographers, you do not know who get the best shot, and there were so many varity to, for and by Aneesh...Lovely, perfect picnic it was!

Some attractions that we missed, because of lack of time, and wishing to catch up soon:
• A days trekking on the paradise Chembra Peak, in the west of Kalpetta.
• Picturesque view of Pakshipathalam, the caves, home for wide variety of birds, animals and distinctive species of plants.
• The sunrise valley, with an offshoot of challiyar river meandering along.
• Kurva Island, said to be the main attraction, with 950 acres of evergreen forest, on one of the tributes of river Kabani.
• The Panoramic view of Meenmutty waterfalls, the biggest in wayanad about 100 mtrs. From above. The walk catching through the ropes, would be real fun.

Splendid mesmerizing nature, indeed a great boon to the sight.

The Pursuit of Happyness

2010-08-03T17:43:00.004+05:30

Was Desperite to see this movie since a week...

And then had sms from Amit on 07-Aug-10: The movie in AXN started at 8pm...and then followed more calls/sms...

It is a 2006 American biographical drama film directed by Gabriele Muccino and based on the true story of Chris Gardner. The film stars Will Smith as Gardner, an on-and-off-homeless salesman-turned stockbroker.

The screenplay by Steven Conrad is based on the best-selling memoir written by Gardner with Quincy Troupe.

5 lessons from the movie:

1. Never put all of your money in one basket

Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith) spent all of his money buying a bunch of portable bone scanners that he was convinced would make him rich.

2. Never give up and remain fixed on the goal

Chris Gardner never gave up. He decided what he wanted to do and went for it. Even though his motivations for being in the stock market weren’t the correct ones, it did end up working out for him.

Chris’ story proves that if you remain fixed on a goal, and attack it with passion, you can reach that goal.

3. Motivation and Attitude go a long way

Chris had motivation, he had to feed and care for his child. Having to feed your child is probably about the strongest motivation I can think of. Chris’ son (played by Will’s real-life son Jaden) reminded him daily of his need to succeed and get control of his life.

4. Sacrifice in the short term to gain in the long

As Dave Ramsey would say, we must “live like no one else so we can live like no one else”. Live on less than you earn, get out of debt, and begin saving. These are all short term sacrifices for the promise of being wealthy later. Chris knew this.

5. Never think you can’t do something

In one of the most powerful scenes of the movie, Chris tells his son that he can’t do something. After a few moments reflecting, he again looks at his son and says “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something, not even me.”

Well having heard a great hype about the movie, I was just ok with it, I like it, but still The Sound of Music is my favourate.

Eternal Bliss

2010-07-29T15:34:00.005+05:30

The simmering white snow,
The blossom of the tree,
The patter of the rain,
The colours of the fall,
Nature you are so stunning.

The chirping of the birds,
The ringing of the bells,
Musical fountains,
Simple or waffle songs,
Sound you are so soothing.

The morning sunrise,
The evening sunset,
Trip with friends,
Family gathering,
Time we wish you could wait for us.

Pigeons on the temple roof,
The tides of the blue sea,
Rows of lighten lamp,
Lovely flowers, temple offerings,
Gives us Serenity,

Creases of Grandparents,
Hug from parents & Siblings,
Shoulder of relatives & friends,
Cute little baby, Your sweetheart near,
Nothing like smile from people.

Wonderful movie, Yummy food,
Sincere girls, Honest men,
Splendid bikes, Spectacular cars,
Nest to live, surrounding spic and span,
What more would we want?

Writings to your taste,
Record-breaking Sports and Games,
Perfect Pictures and paintings,
A good comment from those around,
Winning stories boost our morale.

Touching clouds from an airplane,
Rowing in a house boat in backwaters,
Going on a long ride, or a safari,
Amidst scenic exotic locations,
Travelling is so enriching.

Unexpected credit in bank,
Gift with heartfelt gratitude,
An exceptional award, promotion,
Dreams becoming true,
Would make our day.

All this and more,
Let there be now and forever,
For you and me,
And for the whole mankind.
To have a lovely life.

Dedicated to you my GW friend….

Water

2010-07-25T17:56:00.004+05:30

' We know the worth of water when the well runs dry ' - Benjamin Franklin.

Had sleepless nights, because of call from my roommates, as our neighbour had left their tap open, and water was overflowing at night. I was in my hometown, and my roommates didnot have our neighours phone # and was confused what to do.

We have to look at the sky for our source and the soil below our feet for storage. Connecting the sky and the soil is the rainwater harvesting system. We remain often oblivious to the enormous forces of nature, that determine so many things in our lives. Our lives are very much dependent on the Monsoon, which in turn depends on the complex interconnected voyage of the winds....

In Rajastan, the biggest festival rated, as one of the most colourful in the world, is celebrated in Pushkar around the most sacred pool of water in full moon. It is belived that the pool was created by Brahma, the cosmic creator himself. The villagers and pilgrims do not come to say prayers to the Gods in the temples. They come to worship the water itself: the life sustaining element created by the harmonies of nature.

Waterlogged roads seem to have turned into a playground for the school children, at some places, while there is drought at the other.

Like the self-sufficiency in food while mass hunger continues in many parts, it is another great contradiction of India that there is too much water in some areas, while droughts prevail in others.

Distribution is the key word in both case.

Being water-wise is to do the little things and do them right. It is also to learn from a tradition of water use and also modern science and marry them in such a way that they bring positive benefits. Starting from the home is a good beginning, covering the city is ideal...We need to harvest water

Take from Bollywood movies...

2010-07-25T17:32:00.002+05:30

Paa - Splendid

Big B infuses life into the movie being small B. If you had not heard that Amitabji is acting in the movie, you will never ever make out that the 13 yr old boy, Auro who impresses you onscreen is a 60+ old man. Divya Balan, acts like a dream and looks like a million bucks. Her views put forth as a doctor, to the married couple is thought provoking. Abhishek held his own even when pitted against mom & sons roles. Another touching talk, was among the kids, when the girl presents Auros picture in the hospital, which was something like, when someone hurts, it is not the one, who is hurt, that is more pained, but the one, who hurts, when they know about it.

The movie throws light, not only on a deficiency/illness, but also, on relationships, ambition and values.

- - - - - - - - - -

Thanks to Jay, and the talks on Maniratnam, could get from him CD’s of Dil Se and Guru. Don’t know why, for me, the underlying message in all his movies appear to be the same: There is so much of good in the worst of us..and so much of bad in the best of us…..Is it for you too?

Jiyo: Dil Se

For terrorists, terrorism is a revolution. Love is intoxicating. Manisha says things like, I love mother’s arms, pigeon on a temple, but out to destroy the world, because there are so many things to be corrected…

I liked: Kuch log reth pur likee naam khee tarah hota hey, hava ka eaak joka ussay uda dethi hey…

The sunrise in the near end scene was beautiful. I wonder, why Priti Zinta was shown a malayali in the movie? But she was mindblogging...

____________

Guru

Dream..Higher and higher…Villager turns into a visionary and a winner. Do not give up, even during the toughest time. If people are jealous of you, it means you are successful. The love, support, and the fight between Mitun/Madhavan and Abhishek..The fight for truth, and success..Many Management lessons, and the underlying message.

________________

Rang De Basanthi

Madhavans words reverberates our ears:

• Koyi bhi desh perfect nahi hotha, usee perfect banana padtha hain-Ye desh bedlega, hum bedlegee….
• Char khi safai main hath ganda ho jata hey
• Every body has something in them, need to find it..
• Son is first for the country and then for you..

A lovely way of presenting the present day reality of corruption, and the freedom struggle. What freedom? What Azadi have we gained? All real life story…A perfect blend of history and contemprory politics.

The will of a foreign lady, to make a documentary on Rajguru, Sukdev, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Sekhar Azad…

There are two type of people:
• Those who silently embrace death
• Those who shout and embrace death
• And then there is a third type

Bad happens to good people, plain can be replaced, but can life be?

The events, change the lives of young youth, who enacts the scenes from the documentary in real life..

Thus shouting:

• Let things be as it is or
• Take up the responsibility of changing it.

Very true, Aab bhi jiska khoon na kavla, whoo Khoon nahi pani hey, Jhoo desh khey kaam na aye, who bekhar javani hey…

Song from Shikshaa was echoing my ears, as I finished seeing this movie: ‘Nyia nahi anyay hai hey, Doshi Jiye, Nirdosh mare…

________

Also had glimpses of Taal and Mann, love the songs in Mann..Eak Se Bhadkar Eak....

You are a Diamond! Now Dazzle!!

2010-07-24T19:55:00.009+05:30

Thanks to Anish, could get a copy of 'Discover The Diamond In You: By Arindam Chaudhuri' to Master the 9 powerful principles Inside. It will not take you more than an hour to complete reading this book..and the author says 59 minutes, the Bata way..

Four qualities that makes Diamond sought after:

CARAT:
• Passion,
• Positive Energy.
CUT:
• Performance,
• Perseverance.
COLOUR:
• Personality,
• People skill
CLARITY:
• Perspective,
• Principles,
• Patriotism.

A] The Forward by SRK:

Life is not just a checklist of acquisitions, achievements and fulfillments. Your qualifications and CV does not matter. Life is difficult and complicated and beyond anyone’s control. The humility to know that and the ability to respect your failure will help you survive life’s unknown qualities and quantities…Courage is doing what you are afraid to do….

B] The 9P Success Trilliant: MG: “Almost anything you do will seem insignificant. But its very important that you do it. You must be the change you wish to see in this world!”

C] 9 P’s:

Question: How many CARATS is the diamond within you?
1. PASSION:

There is nothing more powerful than a human soul on fire!

Bill Bowerman: One person Interested in Running
Facets: Educator, trainer, all time great track & field legendary coach, ultra-innovator, inventor, brand builder, successful businessman, author & change agent. (Co-founder of Nike)

2. POSITIVE ENERGY:

Success occurs twice in life, once in your mind and once in reality!

Rabindranath Tagore: “ Jobi tor dak shume keo na aashe, tobe ekla chalo re”..(If nobody responds to your call, then walk it alone)

Bruce Lee: Had written a letter to himself: “By 1980, I will be the best known Oriental movie star in US……& in return give best acting…..& I will live in peace & harmony….Dt. 9th Jan. 1970; but he died in 1973. Now the letter is in Planet Hollywood, New York.

Question: How well CUT is the Diamond within you?

Sustained Sincerity: The two most important words that make an achiever!

3. PERFORMANCE:

Failure is not when you don’t reach your goals. It is when you don’t have any goal to reach!

‘Continuing the same behaviour and expecting a different result’ is Insanity. Be the change agent! Act now! Dreaming & Believing is fine – it’s the one who outperforms others, who win.

In the book ‘Outliers’: Malcolm Gladwell: Its nothing else but the number of hours of practice that differentiate world class performers from the not so good ones…Start early…

4. PERSEVERANCE:

The result of the journey is not the reward. The journey is the reward! The only people who never fail are those who never try.
Life can quite be a roller-coaster. It can prove to be a hard task master and make you put up with the worst.
J. Paul Getty- ‘A man may fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else’.
Be prepared to fail, but have the perseverance to try again & again. Success will not be far behind.

Question: What is the COLOUR of the Diamond within you?

If you want to multiply your success score, focus on the colour of human diamond.

5. PERSONALITY:
Add a magnetic personality to your hardwork and perseverance and you can reach much further than you can with hardwork alone. Personality hones in you the synergy effect…Its not just great talent but a feeling of Camaraderie & Commitment within a team that leads to its success.
Groom yourself+Great Communicator+Law of Personality Building(LOP)
LOP= Looks+Action+Words
Looks is not good or bad, but how you present yourself.
Action is how you walk, sit etc.

6. PEOPLE:
“If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together” You need to have the ability & the knack of building a great team. It’s easy to get good players but getting them to play together is the hard part.

Jack Welch: ‘Great People, not great strategies, are what made it all work’.

Question: What is the CLARITY of the Diamond within you?

7. PERSPECTIVE:
If you know where you are traveling to & what you want in life, everything else becomes clear, & your journey reaps the maximum reward. Don’t choose paths that give you short term result, but is harmful in the long run..A clear perspective gives you the insight and the guts to believe in your dreams and carry on.
It is power, courage, motivation, direction…

8. PRINCIPLES:
Let there never be any doubt about what you stand for. Try and chanse what you believe in. Subash Chandra Bose/Che Guevana: Never saw success but they were not failures. Success is the courage to take the journey, you believe in.

That is the true meaning of success for a principled man…Contrast TATA, CTS: Satyam, Enron: The latter are behind the bars. (Cognizant was founded in 1994 as an IT development and maintenance services arm of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. The company was spunoff as an independent organization two years later. I believe both Satyam and Cognizant got spunoff as independent organisation from D&B.)
In the long run it pays to be ethical..

Gita: ‘Karm Kiye ja, phal ki chinta mat kar….’

Book worth reading: The journey is the reward: By Steve Job.

9. PATRIOTISM:
Inglorious is that success, which comes without patriotism.. If you want to find the dazzling & clear diamond within you, never forget to love your country and the people of the world on the whole, especially the underprivileged and the exploited.

In trying times, Never stop trying!

After all, the Word ‘diamond’ originates from the Greek word ‘adamas’, meaning Unconquerable!

You are a Diamond!

Now Dazzle!!

‘Diamonds are forever’

2010-07-24T19:35:00.003+05:30

Had a thrilling journey with the 'superclass' into the worlds of fame, fortune, and celebrity..I reiterate that Winners doesn’t stand alone, Love Paulo Coelho....Paulo Coelho in his book 'The winner Stands Alone' says:

“A diamond, or brilliant to give it its other name, is, as everyone knows, just a piece of coal that has been worked on by heat and time. Since it contains no organic matter, it is impossible to know how long it takes for its structure to change, although geologists estimate something between 300 million and a billion years. Diamonds generally form ninety miles below the Earth’s crust and gradually rise to the surface, where they can be mined.

Diamond is the hardest and most resistant of natural materials, and it takes a diamond to cut another diamond. The particles produced by this process are used in machines made for polishing and cutting. The real importance of diamonds lies in their use as jewels.

~A diamond is the supreme manifestation of human vanity.

A few decades ago, in a world that that seemed about to return to more practical things and greater social equality, diamonds began to disappear from the market. Then the largest mining company in the world, with its headquarters in South Africa, decided to commission one of the best advertising agencies in the world. Superclass met with superclass, research was carried out and the result was a three-word phrase:

‘Diamonds are forever’

Problem solved. Jewellers took up the slogan, and the industry began to flourish again.
If diamonds are forever, what better way to express one’s love which, in theory at least, should also be eternal? What better way of distinguishing the superclass from the other billins of inhabitants who make up the bottom half of the pyramid? The demand for the stones increased and prices started to rise. In a matter of a few years, that same South African company, which had, up until then, set the rules for the international market, found itself surrounded by corpses.”

“As far as the woman was concerned, the diamond had magically appeared in some high-class shop, having – as the shop assistants always said – first been cut by Dutch or Belgian jewelers. It would be classified according to cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. The price could wary from a few hundred euros to something most mere mortals would consider truly outrageous.”

A book with around 375 pages, and see what is it that I have noticed: This is not even two pages....I thought this could be the best Introduction to my next post..so here it goes...

Heera hai Sadhakeleay!

Ah! What a wonderful engagement ring: The combination of Diamond & Platinum!

Let the love too be forever…and ever and ever…..

Widow or Divorcee?

2010-07-24T14:54:00.006+05:30

Sympathy and Restless came, to the IT capital of India, to work in a BPO, and there was much more in their life than the Chetan Bhagat stories, of One Night @ the Call Center, The 3 Mistakes of My Life and 2 States: The Story of My Marriage, all put together. All within a span of 4 years.

Having been colleagues and friends, when Ms. Sympathy from a typical Brahmin family of one state, was about to get engaged, Mr. Restless a Christian, from another state, took her to his home, for them to live happily ever after…

But what followed was the will of God ~

They got married against their parents' wishes, and when they started living, they realise that there is a mismatch in their dreams and passion.

They failed to get the respect and success of which they had dreams. With failure came all its negativities: hatred, beatings, quarrels, what more to say, finally they decided to part ways. Having no kids, added fuel to fire. Though now it appears to be a blessing in disguise.

Mr. Restless came across another Ms. Right for him, and had filed the divorce paper which was to take place in August. But he hanged himself to death on 14th July 2010.

That is the speed of life, we are living in today…Divorce comes before marriage, and death comes before divorce…Shocking but true.

Don’t know if I was numb or suscepted when she asked me ‘Am I a widow or a divorcee?’

Death is the life's way of saying: You’re fired!
Suicide is our way of saying: I Quit!

Health is the first of life…….

2010-07-18T18:39:00.004+05:30

We can share others sorrow, but can we share the pain that they suffer because of ill health? Why do good people suffer?

It is adversity that takes you to God….We do not choose to be born, live, suffer, or die…Though there may be some who boost to do so….

Mind has a great effect on body.. Desire what you can. Achieving good health includes not only physical culture, but perhaps even more important, mental culture.

There is a science called psycho immunology. The findings are the early fruits of a combination of psychology and immunology. It discovers the mechanism that links a person’s emotional life with the ups and downs of the immune system, the body’s line of defense against bacteria, virus and cancer….

The more we learn about mind and body as a unity the more difficult it becomes to consider them separately. What’s in your mind is often quite literally or anatomically, what is in your body. Anything that offers hope has the potential to health…

Illness worsened coincident with the diagnosis. When the newly diagnosed patients are together with persons who have come through similar illness…The specific evidence that recovery is possible acts like a tonic and actually enhances the prospects for effective medical treatment…

The desire to get better is very important and is needed in order to build up real faith. How you feel can make a great difference in how you live….

Exercises are fine, take medications when prescribed. But always add the mental well being principle. Always think healthy…Desire only what you can, God may not be able to give you all that you want, and when you ask for more, it would be difficult for him…

As I type these, I am reminded of my Grandfather, who lived a very healthy life until he was 77, of whom there were written appreciations, of being an active person, and having diagnosed stomach cancer immediately died, within 1.5 months, in 2002, who was denied medicines, as it would only create further disorder, and of some one dear to heart, who earnestly wanted to be a mother, but the modern sciences not only could help her, but took a toll on her life, at a very tender age…The chemical reactions…. Then there are those who suffer from mental disorders periodically, and the educated, who take on to drug, and is determined to deteriorate themselves…

Mental illness is something intolerable too…Don’t know why and how people loose the mental balance, and its so sad..Leave alone the big illness, even a common cold is so annoying.

Health is one of the ingredients that make you Happy! We need you! You be Healthy! You Be Happy!!

ABC : S

2010-07-13T12:43:00.014+05:30

ABC Wednesday is hosted by Mrs. Denise Nesbitt and the ABC team of Denise, Roger, Troy, Jay, Barb, Gattina and Sylvia! (Got this idea from her blog for Y & Z) Super!

Yes, it's the S Day! Are You ready to find lots of Ss for the day?

Got your dictionary out? You ready to play with the letters?

Sun, Sunrise and Sunset...
Spread Sweet Smiles,
See Sea Sensation around,
Sea Sheels, and Spooky Spiders
Sing Sweet Songs,
Strength, Sacrifice, Simplicity,
Soliloquy as Shakespearean soliloquies,
Silence & Solitude, helps
Swallow, shallow selfishness,
Sense, Sensitivity, Sensibility
Spring or Storm, Seasons effect us
Share, State and spirit as sisters.
Soothing Symphony, School say stretch, So many Synonymous…
Sympathy good from Strangers and Superiors? Sanity matters.
Sad, Sorrow or stressed dont Sin.
Serenity, Stability, surrender
Silent does not mean submission. It's Listen rearranged
Speech is silver, silence is gold.
Spiritual life is Soothing
Scared of sucide.
Stumble never; remember the Secrets ever,
Self Sabbotage: We are our worst enemy
Self change: Do it now
Shift in paradigma is important...
Slim and short Structure..
Soft skills are to be developed
Spirit-Team: Nothing like that...
Solitude time is a must,for sustinence
Sustained Sincerity, is said to bring success?
Share is best way to show you care..
Self assement from time to time help you grow..
See S is not only for success..
Santhi, Santhi, Santhi...

Space/Station: Saturn, Switzerland,
Say: She sells, sea shells, on the sea shore?

S people: Subdraamma my first shine, Sreedhara Menon, Sukumaran, Santhosh, Sujit, Suresh, Sreerag, Shylash, Sreeram, Siva, Selvam, Saroja, Susan, Shiny, Shalini, Sarath, Sita, Santhi, Sandhya, Saraha, Sheri, Sindu, Sarada, Sija, Srinivas, Sanjeev, Shloka, Sreeram...Stanley..

Shammu why the Silence, Say something, Sorry...Sincerely owing reasons and responsibilities to you...

Shiny, may you shine, this is for you, will miss you..we shared dreams.And so much of S's that I could shares these.

Football is the winner..

2010-07-12T14:06:00.005+05:30

When the World Cup started on South African soil the say was:
Semi Final Line for FIFI 2010:
a. Spain vs Argentina
b. Germany vs Brazil

"Brazil vs Argentina in finals and the yellows will kiss the cup"

Uruguayan and Gana were nevertheless bad… Netherlands and Spain were two sides to really watch out for. Italy played well so did England and others… And look what’s happened. The Dutch knocked Brazil out and Spain did the same to Germany. It’s got all the makings of the best game of the World Cup.

Roja, Oranje provided numbers aplenty. Oranje or La Roja…glad that we had new commers this time….For me it was always…Veel Geluk Oranje…..and still my heart goes to them…Again the same after 1974 and 1978.

Golden Boot award went to Thomas Muller of Germany

Golden Ball award went to Deigo Forlan The inspirational Uruguayan No10

Forlan thus becomes the fourth South American to claim the prize, following in the footsteps of Argentina’s Diego Maradona (1986) and Brazilian duo Romario (1994) and Ronaldo (1998).

One side finished South Africa 2010 without suffering defeat – and it was not the world champions, who lost their opening group match 1-0 to Switzerland. It was actually New Zealand, who enjoys this improbable honour thanks to draws with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay.

No teams had previously won the FIFA World Cup after losing their opening group match. Spain did it by defeating the Netherlands, and the Oranje lost only in the finals.

“With everything the two teams offer in terms of technical ability, they definitely deserve to be there. That’s the conclusion you reach when you look at their recent history too. With two teams like these, football will be the winner.”- Romario on the Netherlands-Spain Final

Spain was technically the better team to watch. They play the ball around more, and their style has been drummed into them by the coaches that came along after the [Johan] Cruyff generation. It’s funny to think that a Dutchman introduced this possession-based style to Spanish football. As for the Netherlands, they’ve got some skilful players too, but they all help each other out and are extremely disciplined in tactical terms. And finally Spain Kissed the cup...and they deserved it too...

It was Shaolin soccer from orange..........This small ball makes the world united despite of all races, now look out for it in 2014 in Brazil…

So lovely put by Arun: ‘More than 26billion from 70 countries!! For one month the entire world came together to celebrate unity in diversity in the name of sport..Ha, the whole human family.

Thanks to the warriors, FIFA,SA football asso'n,waka waka,media..,Vuvuzelas,.......ofcourse Paul, Aliyush..and many more.. to bring back the spirit and the gr8 sleepless nights!!!

Congrats!!!! Deserving Winners!! Football!! Cheerers!! Shouvonik Bhattacharjee (SB)!! Well SB was the winner of our office FIFA b....

All teams are great..it's just sad that we can share dreams but not victory...

Kakkanad: Smart City?

2010-06-30T13:29:00.010+05:30

From the nature’s beauty to concrete jungles, as had happened in New Delhi, Navi Mumbai here is the new down town of kochi….in and around Kakkanad…. You can see Future Shocks becoming true here...

What you will find here is the famous temple, of Vamanan, and the throne of King Mavali at Thrikakkara...This was the popular name of Kakkanad, till sometimes before..as it belonged to Thrikkakara grama panchayat. For amusement you have the finest park, Veegaland, where nature, art and technology merge by Kochuouseph Chittalppilly, Kerala's Deerubhai..

http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2010/04/top-of-hill-full-of-thrill.html

CEPZ

Kakkanad has the Civil Station of Kochi, the first feather in its cap.. NPOL, CEPZ, Kinfra park which paved way to Infopark, and under the leadership of Mr. Girish Babu, negotiations for the Smart city a Dubai Internet City (DIC) based project began, which made Kakkanda a place frequently heard in news. Negotiations with Dubai-based Tecom for developing SmartCity IT park is still on...or off?

http://smartcitykochi.blogspot.com/

Smart city project Chairman, S. Sarma told that the Government was still keen on implementing the Smart city project in Kochi. Minister added that the government has no interest on those who are bent upon violation of the Smart city agreement and it will consider alternative partnership only as the last resort.

His statement, made in the state Assembly, came close on the heels of Tecom officials' announcement during Smart City board meeting at Kochi that the company would not shy away from a legal battle if the government went to court for arbitration.

However, he added that there was no question of yielding to the Dubai company's demands such as "free-hold" right for part of the land since they were outside the original agreement.

Now Kakkanad is not just confined to Thrikakara panchayat, it has become a metaphor, for places around it right from Padamugal, to Pukattupady, Pallikara, and around.
Rajagiri-Chittyathkara
Echamuku-Patturukal
Surabhi Nagar-Collectrate

Mavalipuram-Library/Busstop

Thrikakara-Temple
NGO Quarters-NPOL
Padamugal - HiFi
HMT Colony - Future
Thevakal - and Vidyodaya..
And many more...

Near to the Trans Asian building you have the scenic Chitrapuzha palam, and you can have a lovely view, if you go through the Rajagiri College...Well this Chitrapuzha is different from the one in Thripunthara-Hillpalace or the one in Munnar...

Which do you think is the ideal place to stay around Kakkanad?

Over the years, the infrastructure here has become very strong, especially after the airport, and the seaport airport road enhancing the accessibility..

Have been comming to this place, since childhood...the days, I remember...but never knew, it was the choosen destination for me, had been here working with different organisations for the past 11 years, and am keeping my fingures crossed, not knowing for how long...Can the Octoput tell me that?

Nestle: Whats your favourite?

2010-06-24T17:29:00.004+05:30

Hey, its that time of the year again, when I had been collecting good amount of my favorite milky bar, at the time of appraisal from my earlier office colleagues….

MILKY BAR

Smooth and creamy, MILKYBARS have been enjoyed for over 70 years. Handed out by the blonde, bespectacled Milkybar Kid since 1961, the brand is trusted by Mums and adored by white chocolate lovers everywhere. Including me….

Before this, it was, and now again it is:

QUALITY STREET

Everyone has their favourite QUALITY STREET. Whether it's the hazelnut-in-caramel or the orange cream, the brand that made the green triangle famous is now exported to 50 countries worldwide and remains one of the most popular boxed chocolates.

Visit www.qualitystreet.co.uk

What’s your favourite?
• Toffee Deluxe
• Milk Choc Block
• Toffee finger
• Orange crème
• Orange Chocolate Crunch
• The gree Triangle
• The purple one
• Vanilla fudge
• Coconut éclair
• Toffee Penny
• Caramel swirl
• Strawberry Delight

ROWNTREE'S

Ever popular with the kids, ROWTREES's chewy, fruity, sugar-based confectioneries are available in 4 delicious guises - Fruit Pastilles, Fruit Gums, Jelly Tots and Tooty Frooties. What's more, they all contain fruit juice and no artificial colours, making them that little bit more satisfying.

KITKAT

This red and white wrapper can mean only one thing... have a break, have a KITKAT! The nation's favorite crispy chocolate wafer is available in a variety of finger sizes and widths - and with 418 KITKAT fingers consumed every second worldwide, it's easy to see why KITKAT is the UK's best-selling confectionery brand.

SMARTIES

Initially named ‘Chocolate Beans,' SMARTIES have held a place in people's hearts and pockets since 1937, with different colours and novelty flavours making guest appearances over the years. SMARTIES now contain no artificial colours - just another reason to get your hands on one of those much-celebrated (and now-hexagonal) tubes...

POLO

POLO was launched in 1948 and "The Mint with the Hole" rapidly became an iconic brand. Sixty years on POLO® is still Britain's number one mint brand with approximately 20 million mints produced every day and more than 150 POLOs® eaten every second! With four different variations - Original, Spearmint, Sugar Free and Fruits - POLO has something for everyone.

AERO

There can be few who haven't felt the bubbles melt. With its unique bubbly texture, AERO has appeared in many different variants with AERO Bubbles proving to be a recent overnight success as a result of their melty more-ishness!

AFTER EIGHT

Responsible for creating the ‘after dinner mint,' these indulgent wafer thin mints in dark chocolate are renowned for their exquisite taste and premium quality.

HEAVEN

For a taste of pure heaven, there's nothing quite like the new range of indulgent Swiss chocolates. These little pieces of heaven are brought to you in flavours ranging from rich dark truffle to creamy milk chocolate truffle, made of only the finest ingredients for true delectation.

If you'd like to learn more about the History of Chocolate and the History of Rowntree (since 1745!), or you are curious about How Chocolate is Made, there's lots more information at www.nestle.co.uk

Any one who dont like chocolates??

Happy Professionals Day....

2010-06-23T12:59:00.014+05:30

Like only Holidays, and don’t believe in having a day for Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, Children, Doctors etc…But now it is the day, I would like to put forth a note of Thanks to all of them, who have made a difference….

To all the doctors, especially to those who have not acquired the God Complex..To my FCA....

To begin with is my principle P, who gave me the first opportunity, and took me to this world, when my mom and mama were wondering where to go and whom to contact…and till date, I have not seen a practicing CA, so straightforward, honest, and independent. He is my mentor…And with him was G..The joy of being a CA was first witnessed there in V..and then the S’s ,A , R, L and J http://arunoday.blogspot.com/search?q=For+my+friend+I+rejoice

Dont know where some have diappeared, but am happy some are still in touch...either directly or indirectly,

It is his card I carry with me, which keeps me aggravated.

And during those days, I used to study with B, It is a matter of great pride to see her as the CFO of one of the leading NBFC in Kerala, and how she motivated M and many others to qualify, and how education have changed the lives of the people and their families. We used to have a hearty laugh whenever we come across Victor, thinking of Victor Hugo and the candle story...This was some 13 years before..She celebrates here birthday too on this Professionals day, July 1st...I wonder why havent 'The Secret-LOA & POU worked for me then?' M started own firm and is now going places..R with ambition, and then if I were your brother…and the dreams and advices…..

Was Inspired by SBB team a sweet lady S who later qualified and we had a lovely meeting at Nungambakam, where she wrote a lovely advice for me, and the young, S energetic, lively and spreading laughter, whom I happen to work with again after a span of 8 years, now he was a qualified professional, both CA and CS...There were a whole lot of ambitious young team there..

The group of CA's motivating and molding the lives of millions,of whom a lot was written even before:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._N._Manoharan
http://arunoday.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattabhi+Ram

SP & GS..and so many whom I have not seen or met....

And my GMCS http://arunoday.blogspot.com/2007/07/our-gmcs-programmeenlightenment-from.html

And then there were R & V , and all the colleagues form RVA to A,B whose words lingers 'Never give up',B,S all unique and great in their own ways...

And again I came across S, and there is also multitalented R, who resembles all the hard core professionals from Chennai, and my delicate crystal PC for J

Now I am amidst so many of them in my loving Team India, from all parts, with all three professional qualifications, 3R’s Result matters not your efforts, R how I wonder what is BAR?,P to refresh my Marathi, truly enchanting B, S and my first and fair weathering K…and so many more adding to the list….

Each of them has made a mark on me, and as I wish them a very Happy Professionals day, I also Thank them, for being there….There are chances I miss mentioning some...but nevertheless..all are precious...These are the PP, who were for a reason, season or lifetime...

My prayers, blessings and heart go to all those, struggling, still dreaming, to see themselves too in this club…. including myself…~

Raavan

2010-06-19T16:56:00.007+05:30

Much awaited Ravaan is here.....

http://www.raavan-thefilm.com/

Mani Ratnams obsession with nature and darkness, especially, Aathirapilly water falls and jungle surrounding south India is apparent in the movie. Major portion of the film is besides, inner and nearby locations of waters, and in Monsoon.. The backdrops of locations maybe different, but the continuity have been strictly followed as audiences may not feel the difference anywhere (From Athirapilli to Hogaenakkal, to Ooty). Might be symbolising Ashokavanam...

Scenic locations, loved the nature untouched. Splendid technical work and shots.

Wild Beera (Abhi in Hindi and Vikram in Tamil) kidnaps gorgeous Ragini (Ash) only to find the justice in his own way.

Beauteous and virtuous modern-day Sita who's kidnapped by a Maoist 'Raavan' and taken through 14-day experience echoing Lord Rama's 14-year exile.

The image of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan plunging from the heights into a waterfall and getting trapped in a dry tree remains the one visual that surpasses all other recent celluloid mise en scene suggesting a link between nature and vulnerability.

Ragini a classical dancer and Dev Pratap Sharma IPS officer (Vikram in Hindi and Pritvi Raj in Tamil), are married, and they move together to the deep-rooted region of Lal Maati, a rural town in North India. This place has no regards for the police and court law, but in the hands of Beera. His ways are very untamed.

On a mission to put an end to Beera’s realms, Dev tears the things down. (Normal filmi story, of sister being raped by the police) Broken down in spirits as his happiness is completely lost, it’s turn for Beera to retaliate. How he does it, and Dev's reaction to it, is the Climax…

The climax fight (not the real climax)that takes place between Abhishek and Vikram in Raavan and Vikram and Prithviraj in Raavanan, on a wooden bridge captured from different angles, is also exquisite...

No fun and comedy except for Govinda jumping like a monkey, and bringing in shades of Hanuman. Subject line is related to Ramayan, and script is okay.

"Raavan" is a feast for the senses. Not much more needs to be said about Mani's images. They flow out of Santosh Sivan and Manikandan's cameras with the urgency of a symphony written on the night before apocalypse.

The message as is one of my favourate quotes:

‘There is so much of good in the worst of us, and so much of bad in the best of us…”

Is there a Ram inside Raavan?
And a Raavan inside each of us?

But too intense a movie, to watch again immediately, unlike those who watch consequtive shows of the same.... Loved to have most of the team members together for it....

The Secret…

2010-06-17T14:05:00.005+05:30

http://thesecret.tv/

Fragments of the Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries…..

The power of Love and gratitude can part seas,
It can move mountains, and it can create miracles,
The power of love and gratitude will dissolve all negativity in our lives.

Rhonda Byrne

Looking for the CD/DVD

The Secret
by Rhonda Byrne
2006, Atria Books
available at MPH Bookstore

Introduced to me by David Nair, With full of praise by Barkha...

BVRYS eProfessionalz Corporate Solutions Private Limited

2010-06-09T14:03:00.004+05:30

A journey of thousand miles begin with a single step….

This was an email from Vijay on 8th February 2010, and just three months down the line, they are planning to open offices in Thrissur and Bangalore:

Dear Sirs,

“We know not where our dreams will take us, but we can probably see quite clearly where we will go without them.”

Looking back, I have been fortunate enough with the opportunity to serve you over the past some period and am looking forward to serve you better and carry forward the relationship in future too. As part of the continuous efforts to diversify the range of services, improve the infrastructure and to cater to secretarial, legal, administrative and other related consultancy services to our clients, myself, along with a team of experienced professionals have transformed into "BVRYS eProfessionalz Corporate Solutions Private Limited." [wherein myself, Mr. Balasubramanian N., Mr. Ramachandran T. M., Mr. Yogindunath S. and Mr. Syamkumar R. as Directors]

Pursuant to the above change we have shifted our office to " Swasthika, Room No.A3, Building No.44/1595, First Floor, Devaki Castle, Opposite NUALS, Kaloor, Cochin - 682017".

The Company will be providing wide range of corporate advisory and consulting services. We ensure you that we will cater to your needs promptly and wisely and request you to kindly consider our services and contact us. It will be our pleasure if you drop in at our new office sometime.

“BVR & Associates” our new firm of Practising Company Secretaries, [where myself, Mr. Balasubramanian and Mr. Ramachandran T M, as partners], is also functioning in the same premises.

At BVRYS, it will be our pleasure to serve you.

Expecting your prayers, supports and blessings as always,

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

For BVRYS eProfessionalz Corporate Solutions Private limited Practising Company Secretaries

Sd/-

S. Vijay

Director Partner

Ph : 0484 – 4046695, 4046696, 4063938

Cell : 94475 76134

E Mail: vijay@bvrys.com

cochin@bvrys.com

Bhopal Gas Tragedy

2010-06-08T17:41:00.003+05:30

Bhopal Gas Tragedy, something that I had been hearing from the days I remember….We all know that justice delayed is justice denied…..

Nearing midnight on Sunday, December 2 1984, a cloud of deadly gas erupted from a storage tank in the Carbide plant. It spread some 27 tonnes of poison -- think of it, 27 tonnes wafting through the air -- over a sleeping city.

And now after 25 long years, there is huge debate and consternation at the end result of those convicted for this chemical disaster.

Union Carbide Corporation and Dow Chemicals, which took over UCC in 2001, did not take responsibility for the leak. UCC, however, abided by a 1989 Supreme Court ruling asking it to pay compensation of $470 million after a long legal battle in the US and India.
UCC and its Indian subsidiary paid $465 million, which was deposited with the Reserve Bank of India.
The courts asked the victims for documentary proof that they had indeed been exposed to the methyl isocynate gas. The victims were given about $2,000. Those who escaped with injuries were given $500. Interim relief was paid every month for six years to some people.
The courts have given a punishment to those involved in the Union Carbide management a jail term of 2 years. The public and most concerned voices show discontent. 15, 000 dead and hundreds suffering the after effects of the leak, and now 2 years in jail for the management of the Company!!? ?

A poem by Annie Zaidi, Which I read now at
HTTP://GUNJAAISH.BLOGSPOT.COM/

Annie Zaidi:
Poison breath, poison blood
Poison milk, poison mud
Poison pump, poison tap
Poison in your mama’s lap
Eyes of milk, limbs askew
Dow child mine, is that you?

Baby-making, weird art
Many arrive with half their parts
You don’t know the nuts and bolts
Little girls bleed, women don’t
There’s mercury and chromium too
Dow child mine, is that you?

Applications, admin blues
So many don’ts for one big do
Petition-petition boring game
How to run if you are lame
Dharna-dharna, starve and sue
Dow child mine, is that you?

Leader comes, toxin pet
Says I’m fine, not dead yet
He fought toxin long ago
Now he’s paid for, top to toe
Back bent whole, toothless too
Dow child mine, is that you?

Thoughts, forwards, and oddments

2010-06-08T17:33:00.005+05:30

My cousin Gayathri, had recently put in FB, whY wE nEeD A loVer wheN v H@VE sO mAny @RounD 2 LoVE uS??????????
a wisE m@n sAid.........................................
AiR iS eVerYwhEre But V stIlL nEed @ f@n 2 fEeL iT.................................:)

But then, there is nothing like fresh air, fans get spoiled....

Fans circulate air, and is used for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself.

A hand-held fan is any broad, flat surface waved back-and-forth But generally, purpose-made hand-held fans are shaped like a sector of a circle and made of a thin material (such as paper or feathers) mounted to slats which revolve around a pivot so that it can be closed when not in use.

It was a terrible week, when the celing fan went out of order, and there was neither AC nor Air coller, earlier because of the heat, and then all of a sudden on fine day, angry roar of the nature, and me busy in office, worried, if I had forgotten to close the windows! Everything in my room would have been drenched...but Thankfully, it was closed, when I reached home...
Ceiling fans, appeared in the 1860s and 1870s, in the United States. The ceiling fan has been going around far too many times than normal. And at greater speeds than normal.

Like any other English word, ‘Fan’ to had various refrences in technology, entertainment, computing, geology, biology and place names…

And on love, there could be endless to write, are fans, lovers?

Just yesterday I read here: http://www.suchitra.com/2010/06/love-vs-like/
Like” is easy to explain-its the sum total of the characteristics a person posesses that one reacts positively and instinctively to- its a feel good factor. A reaction we have in our physical being…our 5 senses
But love… what is love then? Is it just a chemical combustible reaction we will never ever understand? Uninformed blindness?
I’m not talking only about amorous love here. But something much wider and all encompassing. Do we really love our parents/spouse/ brother sister blah blah? Would we actually love them if they were not blood or societal impositions forced us to beleive that we love them regardless of how they make us feel or how they really are as people?

And I liked this, http://poornima-mydreamworld.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-do-we-shout.html

Oh my Gaaaddd, where am I going…Better I stop….

But I feel sad, when people dont mind their loved ones around, but is busy always on their mobile...talking to someone....Is it .....????

The HAPPIEST people do not necessarily have the BEST THINGS in life. They simple APPRECIATE the things they have.

The Crown Prince Syndrome

2010-05-31T18:43:00.007+05:30

Apprisals are the time to anticipate what you will be hearing from the person who matters the most and how to counter his/ her arguements...I wonder when it is yours, it should not be one sided...And after that, either there is a shower or a drizzle, whether it be mid term or annual. Irrespective of there being an increase in the weight of the cover...

At places, you find the Crown Prince Syndrome:

This is when an individual is identified as a future key contributor who needs to commit to a strategic personal development plan while the organization’s leaders need to avoid an implied contract or veiled commitment to promote.

The other day, we were discussing about the Mgt. techniques:

Karps asked Aneesh what he felt best, as Aneesh said that he is looking at all, so that he can implement the best 5 years down the line.

You be firm, you be fair...Seshan, Indira Gandhi, Kalam,

Success should not go to you hear, failure to your heart...learn..

Smart...work...But I dont know what it is...I have always worked with my heart...

Leaf's departure was because of winds pursuiant or because the tree didnot ask it to stay?

Free Hugs and Maa…

2010-05-30T16:24:00.008+05:30

The modern Mother's Day is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in May or in March/April, as a day to honour mothers and motherhood. In the UK and Ireland, it follows the old traditions of Mothering Sunday, celebrated in March/April. In US, Second Sunday of May ….So also in many other countires…

My mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is.
Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct Answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, 'My ears, Mommy.'

Then I told her, 'Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes.'

Then one year, my grandfather died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because it was only the second time I saw him cry.

My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to my Grandfather. She asked me, 'Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?' I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me.

She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, 'My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder.'

I asked, 'Is it because it holds up my head?'

She replied, 'No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.'

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one. It is made for others and not for yourself. It is sympathetic to the pain of others.

People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.

I remember having read this discussion between a mother and son.

A mother's joy begins when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone. And our life begins thus!!!

Why just one day, every day is hers...

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there ... and to everyone who's ever stepped in to do what moms do best - love, care and hug!

A mothers hug, help you forget half your sorrow….

No wonder, why Mata Amritanandamayi, has gained so much of popularity. She is famous for her hugs… when people, fell weeping into her lap, she used to hug them. Then the next person too wanted it… And so the habit picked up."
“Love creates smiling faces and compassionate hearts, and is expressed in sweet and pleasing words.” - Amma

Amma's hug is the greatest humanitarian work. I too believe that her embrace gives the inspiration and happiness to many ...

"Jadoo Ki Jhappi" ("magical hug") — a method of comfort taught to Munna by his mother ...was one of the striking features shown in the movie Munna Bhai MBBS a 2003 Bollywood comedy directed by Rajkumar Hirani and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

The Free Hugs campaign in its present form was started by Juan Mann on June 30, 2004, when he began giving out hugs in the Pitt St Mall in central Sydney. In the months prior to this, Mann had been feeling depressed and lonely as a result of numerous personal difficulties. However, a random hug from a stranger made an enormous difference...

It was so cool to see Ash and Payal hug each other on FB when they were down...

So cool right...Thanks for that....A hug indeed makes a difference...