here to blog away

A salute to the brave women

2005-08-01T16:07:00.000+05:30

Girls in their twenties- what do people associate with them?
May be ,Dreams of a smooth career, safe working conditions.
May be,Married to Prince charming and being the perfect wife.

And, here are the girls who belong to a class apart-
They are the Lady cadets who are trained to become the lady officers in the Indian Army. They brave and risk inhospitable conditions proving that they are no less than their male counterparts!
My brother ,who is serving in the army told me "In the army training, the maximum limits to which a human body can stretch and strain is put to test". A lady cadet who is an embodiment of enthusiasm,energy and undying spirit works with vigor and zeal to pass out of the rigorous training with flying colors.

The Officers Training Academy at chennai stands proud with the motto "To serve with honour".The Officers Training Academy has a glorious history of churning out the best lady officers.The cadets and the academy bring glory to each other.Here is the saga of one such valiant cadet.

A brave saga:

She was a young girl in her twenties with her own dreams and beautiful plans for the future.She got happily married to a young officer in the army.In the cause of the nation, the young officer laid down his life combating terrorism. She was torn with grief.She had to struggle against the odds of life with her little kid.

She cried and she was an ordinary woman suffering a huge loss.
She regained composure and she was a mature lady ready to tackle the battle of life.
She resolved that her son will join the famed defense services to continue the legacy and she became one of the handful of women who could take such a brave decision.
And, when she decided that she herself will join the Indian Army to proudly take up the services left unfinished by her beloved husband, she became a true patriot.
She has dedicated herself to the welfare of the nation.

She is currently pursuing the officers' training with passion and pride.

--------------She continues the brave saga undeterred-------------------

This is a true incident in the life of a living legend. Though life had bestowed her with the most cruel shock , she has continued to take up the cause of the nation. It is because of souls of this kind a nation like ours survives.
We get the warmth and bonhomie in our homes in exchange for the killing cold and loneliness suffered by the noble women of the defence services in harsh terrains.
It is the undying spirit of these women who struggle for the cause of others that deserves a heartfelt salute.

Note:This blog was inspired by the lady cadet's real life happening.So, I have deliberately highlighted the sacrifice of women in particular.

How true!

2005-07-22T15:28:00.000+05:30

Note:This is a very touching mail I got.It made me stop & give a thought.A shocking reality!How true....

Dear son/daughter

The day that you see me old and I am already not, have patience and try to understand me …

If I get dirty when eating… if I can not dress… have patience. Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you

If, when I speak to you, I repeat the same things thousand and one times… do not interrupt me… listen to me.

When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you get to sleep…

When I do not want to have a shower, neither shame me nor scold me…

Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I invented, in order that you wanted to bath…

When you see my ignorance on new technologies… give me the necessary time and not look at me with your mocking smile

I taught you how to do so many things… to eat good, to dress well… to confront life…

When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread of our conversation… let me have the necessary time to remember… and if I cannot do it, do not become nervous… as the most important thing is not my conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me…

When my tired legs do not allow me walk...

… give me your hand… the same way I did when you gave your first steps.

Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived.

Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted the best thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you..

You must not feel sad, angry or impotent for seeing me near you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you started living.

Help me to walk… help me to end my way with love and patience. I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.
I love you ..

Your father

My Alma mater-a nourishing mother

2005-07-11T12:43:00.000+05:30

Every human being's thought process is composed of good&evil,right&wrong.Invariably, I have my share of goodness too.(It is for others to comment about the percentage:))

A few good thoughts and righteous acts of mine- I owe it to my school & my teachers.
I stayed put up in a small town and dreamt about being to an ideal school.My innocent dreams knew no boundaries and stretched far and beyond the horizon.I envisioned school as a venerable institution that shapes up the wholesome personality.
I was an ardent fan of the Enid Blyton series on "Malory Towers", the ultimate boarding school. I spent no end of time dreaming about midnight birthday parties,lacrosse matches between school teams,french teachers with long nose and big spectacles.
Bidding good-bye to those endless ramblings and dreams of mine,back to reality now!In the little town of mine, my school was a great blessing.We moved to a seperate campus for classes from sixth to twelfth.The entire campus was situated in a lovely atmosphere with perfect ambience for studies.Everything around was lovely, vibrant with all colours.It was a highly infectious and contagious atmosphere that spread enthusiasm!One cannot stay dull or moody in this place.
I saw a tangible representation of my dreams.Class rooms didn't stand arranged in a line with a typical small verandah.Nothing was typical.Every block had just three class rooms encircled by a beautiful garden blooming with flowers.
There were vast playgrounds, huge trees,a little brooke of water and what not?Yes, there were even pea-cocks dancing away happily!I sensed happiness in the squeals of joy from kids interlaced with the chirping of birds.We even attained a kind of oneness with nature.As nature club members, we went bird-watching, collected feathers of all queer kinds,and proudly displayed the feather-collection album.
Morning prayers and weekly bhajans were willingly attended by all.Not a sign of resentment anywhere.The Bhajan hall stood elegant in its quiteness and simplicity.A feeling of spirituality engulfs one the moment one enters the Bhajan hall.Spiritual and moral values were instilled strong in every budding child's mind here.
There was Mrs.Diamond, the ideal English teacher who forced me to remember that I have to bring six different english books on all six days with the huge list like english prose,poetry,drama,composition, grammar ,workbook and so on.She was an epitome of perfection.She was wedded to the institution and was never on leave(Though i didn't relish the fact then when i was in calss six!).I always thought she never liked me until she flashed me a big smile and congratulated me for the perfomance in a play on school day.A compliment I cherish until this day.

Teachers were friends,philosophers and guides in the true sense.Though there were a few exceptions, majority of them were thoroughly dedicated and commited to the profession.They saw each student's success as their own and their eyes shone with pride for every laurel the student won.It was one place where discipline and rules were never painful but just a way of life.

i have a strong bonding to the institution.Right from kindergarten to higher secondary ,I have been to the same school."A home away from home"- it was.I saw, understood and felt compassion,spirituality and perfection.

The day had come. i had to bid farewell to the chirping birds, the breezy wind, the shady trees,the flowing brooke,the music of it all.I knew i am going to miss some really venerable,talented and concerned teachers.I owe a lot to everyone there.On Farewell day,I had to give a farewell speech.On the dias, I spoke sincerely out of gratitude and bonding and not for a prize to be won.Words and emotions flowed, still the heart remained heavy.

Leaving a mark

2005-06-28T07:53:00.000+05:30

The versatile write sujatha left his indelible footprints at Cinema Paradiso,a DVD rental library promising to bring quality cinema to the chennai city.I happened to go through this piece of news in the City express.
I couldn't help admiring the way the entire event was reported in the newspaper.The reporter was certainly not a simpleton.He/She had a way with the words.And, i am presenting the excerpt here:

"Hours after the crowd leaves,the hand and foot prints dry in the sun,etched forever,for all to come and see.Not that these legends have not already left their mark in our lives with their marvelous creations.But the fascination for the tangible still remains"

Coffee time!

2005-06-17T18:00:00.000+05:30

Coffee has never been just a drink in my household.It can very well be termed as elixir!
Oh!The kind of importance it enjoys!Even, i am given a step-motherly treatment when compared to coffee!
The act of drinking coffee by itself is a very revered ritual.A day is not meant to start unless it is inaugrated with a piping hot coffee.Mom can never differ or even allow others to differ from her strongest opinion that filter coffee is the best of drinks and sivaji is the best of actors.
And, Dad- he is found to be in his happiest moods while he drinks cofee early in the morning.Acts & Plots which would be disapproved otherwise always get approved in that auspicious time!Even midnight is not an inappropriate time to go shopping if it is to buy coffee beans or coffee powder.My grandmother is so sentimentally attached to coffee and she devotedly drinks cofee only in the specific tumbler she has chosen for that.Any deviation is strictly prohibited!
The atomosphere is so contagious that my maid also is affected by the syndrome.She denies coffee from any other household and always wants it from mom only.
Many friends of mine are die-hard fans of this venerable liquid prepared in my home.In the pretext of borrowing books or notes,in the guise of "long-time-no-see",friends have made it a point to come with this hidden agenda.
But,I have been an "odd-man-out" in my home filled with ardent cofee-fans. Leave alone obsession,I have never even taken a speical liking for it.Still, cofee is always associated with lovable morning talks,relationships I dont want to forget and incidents i keep recollecting time to time.It is certainly going to become an inseperable part of me and my mushy memories.

A rainy day

2005-06-09T09:13:00.000+05:30

"Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby"

And, rain in chennai means much more!
Rain for a starved soul.
It was one of those lovely days yesterday.Breeze, wind, then drizzle& rain, too many things to be happy about.Poor me was working (or pretending to) in the cubicle oblivious to the happenings outside.To kill boredom,Radio Mirchi through my mobile was a good companion.The RJ screamed "eppadi irundha chennai ippadi aagidichu?, tambaram-lendhu thirvottriyur varaikkum appadi kaathu adikkudhu". I couldn't sit still any more.I exaggerated the happenings as much as possible and convinced a friend of mine to go out for a coffee-break.First time in office, i paused to look at green meadows.The climate was doing that to me and I sensed beauty everywhere.
I started for home at around 9:30.I was extra enthusiastic about the long drive through the East Coast Road.The eeriness of the night,the pouring rain, and the blowing wind created the right ambience.Just gazing through the window,my thoughts raced.The right ambience offered alleviation.The spoilt weekend trip, the code that didn't work,the pile of work pending,the book i couldn't finish reading due to lack of time and an umpteen other complaints had vanished and the path ahead was cool and clear.
Back home!
The rain had subsided by then .Up in the terrace, it was a great pleasure to stroll through in the light drizzle.Every drop that fell was powerful enough to create a magic.

I had a hot and spicy rasam saadham prepared by cutie pie mom.Oh! that was like icing on the cake.An ideal day!

Time Value of Deeds

2005-05-29T02:05:00.001+05:30

Time Value of Deeds.

Time Value of Money and property is a thing we are aware of.It keeps diminishing or compounding.I thought about the time value of my deeds and actions.I am simply too surprised and amazed at certain activities I did as a kid,as a teenager and as a fun-loving student.Issues i had regarded with highest priority then seem nothing more than trash to me now.

I used to be too sentimental about any relationship and go overboard.I wonder whether it was me who did that.I can handle relationships in a much better manner now and I do have good friends..I dont demand or boss around, but respect the other person's private space.

As a teenager, forgetting a birthday was a sin of the highest order.No excuse would suffice and any amount of pleading would
not lead to forgiveness.It was then and now, my mind advises
me "she would have been terribly busy in her project","something
is keeping her schedule hectic","I am sure she would have
prayed for me".

I declare candidly that i am not a hypocrite.Nothing could pep me up more than a call from a friend who had taken a hiatus for too long a time.I still have the habit of proudly displaying every small gift from friends and enthusiastically describing "u see mom, she bought it for me since she exactly knew my taste"," u see dad, even u ppl never knew i am crazy of this color and look, my buddy has presented
me the choicest color dress". But over the age, i have become more understanding and broad minded.Possessiveness puzzles me now and i can not help laughing if nostalgia grips me and takes to the teenage days.

I have effectively performed my role as a rebel too and at certain stages wondered why parents are so strict.Standard set of questions used to loom large in my mind.Why can't they understand what i can?
Why is our viewpoint never the same?There were two roads which could never meet.Discussions with friends often centered around the "them" and "us" contrast.Do my actions and arguments then hold good now?Oh! now it only "us"."US" encompasses me and my parents.It has been a smooth transition, the borders have blurred.

In a nutshell, is it what they call maturity?Was it wrong to have exhibited the dominant characteristics in every stage of life?Unless things go out of hand,mischieves are to be laughed at,crushes are to be blushed at.

At one point in life, will i wonder why I had put up such a lengthy blog on this?Is it much ado about nothing?
Whatever, i am happy posting this and god save the readers(if any!).

Emptiness

2005-05-20T16:45:00.000+05:30

What can be the contemporary definition for "emptiness"?

"Emptiness- A blog with no comments"

When i happened to muse on this silly definition of mine, i thought it holds some truth and inner meaning.May be, emptiness is when there is no soul on earth to pay heed to u.Indifference and coldness cause emptiness in anyone's life.

We might have made a marked difference in some person's life just by lending a patient ear to what they say.By being indifferent, it is certain that we have made somebody's day bad.

Man is in need of constant feedback on his actions.He is always striving for praise and glory. The praise may be anything and of any form. If a little child happily smiles and hugs you for the simple ,yet beautiful dress you had brought for her, it is a worthy praise.If the judge in an elocution compettition nods in agreement with ur speech, that is a winning moment.A look of admiration tends to convey a lot.Flattery and mockery can always be differentiated from honest praise.Sincerely voiced words of appreciation rejuvenate the person unless he is a hypocrite.

Healthy criticisms mean a lot too.An afterthought on a critic's comments make us introspect and set right our ways.

The hectic life has left many with little time to take a note of other's good and commendable deeds.But the small acknowledgement given means a lot and it lingers in his mind.We fail to express what we feel due to many reasons.Sometimes,we take the person for granted. Somtimes, we think it is too obvious and somtimes,we are embarassed to tell.Many a times, people at home are taken for granted and we never utter a word of praise to them.Consider the case of old parents.How many of us have the patience to sit with them, talk and appreciate what they say?Their loneliness can be washed away by a few thoughtful words.

Let us be generous in showering praise.It is an easy to do act with nothing to lose and only so much to gain.

The joy of sacrifice.

2005-05-18T16:28:00.000+05:30

"Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means." Sacrifice- I remember two exponents of sacrifice. Though fictious, the two protoganists Josephine and Della taught me the joy of giving up at an early age.

Josephine March- the smart lass in the novel "Little Women" by Louisa.M.Alcott
Della- the beautiful damsel in the story "The Gift of Magi" by O.Henry

I have often delved deep into these two stories and the two scenes described below left a great impact on me.I felt the comparison of the characters was inevitable.
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Jo:

Jo is the proud possession of the March family.Mr.March serves in the Army,Mrs.March is the embodiment of motherhood with four daughters-Meg, Jo,Beth and Amy. A very hard working and happy family, they are. Mr.March is seriously ill. The immediate requirement of money for expenses needs to be fulfilled.They are a proud bunch, wouldn't go around asking for money.Everyone in the family wants to do something to manage the crisis.Mrs.March is ready for the journey to see Mr.March in the hospital.
And, here comes Jo with her contribution: Jo came walking in with a very queer expression of countenance, for there was a mixture of fun and fear, satisfaction and regret in it.Jo gave Mrs.March the few dollar bills.Where did Jo get the money from? Jo took off her bonnet and a general outcry arose, for all her abundant honey hued hair was cut short. Mrs.March cried:"Your hair! Your beautiful hair!" "Oh, Jo, how could you? Your one beauty." "My dear girl, there was no need of this." "She doesn't look like my Jo any more, but I love her dearly for it!"
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Tears rolled down Jo's cheeks. .Jo had sacrificed her gorgeous beautiful tresses and sold them to raise money for her beloved father's treatment.But, It was a moment of unsaid contentment!The joy of sacrifice.
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Della:

Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas. She desperately wanted to buy a gift for her beloved Jim. There were two possessions the lovely couple took immense pride in.Jim's gold watch and Della's beautiful hair which fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters.They were not to be hers anymore , she decided. Della ransacked the store and found Jim's present.she got the chain for his watch.The chain exhibited quietness and value-much like her Jim.She ran back to her house. Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face. Della wriggled off the table and went for him. "Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow out again--you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's be happy. You don't know what a nice-- what a beautiful, nice gift I've got for you." "You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor. "Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?" Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della.He asked Della to unwrap the gift he had got for her.For there lay The Combs--the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window.And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.Della almost broke into hysterical tears! Recollecting, she fumbled upon and opened the pack containing the elegant watch chain she got for Jim.Jim eyed the gift and muttered "I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs".
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Josephine March and Della derived their life's best pleasure in these acts of sacrifice.Giving up the tresses was no trivial matter, the golden tresses were their identity from which they were almost inseperable.But, the compassionate and benevolent souls derived a supreme sense of satisfaction.The ultimate joy.A magical moment!
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The idealist and the realist

2005-05-17T18:40:00.000+05:30

The idealist in me wanted a break!Wanted to go far from the madding crowd,Sleep in the lap of nature and merge with the scents of flowers.
Breaking away from the schedule, Moving away from metro to a nice little place was a real reason to cherish!My brother, sis-in-law(a close friend of mine right from childhood) and I set off on this happy journey!Joyous right from the moment the trip began!The feeling that we had managed to execute this vacation plan gave us immeasurable happiness."We were victors", I would say, with no doubt!After the numerous vacation plans that had failed at various stages, this was our pilot project starting off fine and smooth!
Many hours in travel from chennai to my native place was spent chatting, giggling and laughing for no big reason!In my place, we stayed in our own beautiful house. The cosy house was Dad's dream. He used to spend sleepless nights supervising the construction of the house.We saw her (to refer the house as 'it' wouldn't be judicious)grow right in front of our eyes, giving shape to dad's ideas.She and I witnessed each other's growth!There stood the big neem tree shading the entire house from scorching sun.Once again, thanx to dad!
The next day,we were out for a trip to Papanasam, one place blessed by nature!The sound of the fierce wind and roaring water tickled my senses!I stood right in front of a huge, shiny white waterfalls.
"Water is the mother of the vine, The nurse and fountain of fecundity, The adorner and refresher of the world."The sight gave me no small pleasure!In no time, we had merged with the sights and sounds of the huge mass of water.I experienced enjoyment, contentment and bliss.Does anything give me more happiness?Does education,job, a round-the-clock schedule mean anything at all?
I am not sure why, but every nice thing must always come to an end!And, our trip too was no exception!Packed the bags to chennai! To travel light was my goal!Oh, but with a heavy heart filled to the brim with sweet memories, could anybody travel light?

The idealist in me kept questioning !The realist in me won!

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.But I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep,And miles to go before I sleep"
And, the realist is back to office, back to chennai!

I wonder......

2005-05-11T02:36:00.000+05:30

I wonder if a conflict of thoughts/ tastes can ever strain a relationship!
Is friendship born only if u r birds of same feather?
My best friend has been and continues to be a diametrically opposite character to me!We have been friends right from class-4. One and a half decade gone , still, we have very few things of common taste!It is a general opinion that ppl may end up at a loss of topics to discuss when likes differ!Oh , if thatz true, then what about the endless hours my fren and I have managed to chat?
On giving thought to this , i feel that that nothing can reduce the strength of a relationship if it is built of real affection and trust.I have always been seeing people who cant bear the slightest of contradictory opinion! It is very much true that similar thoughts and likes of a person convey a good first impression.But, does that hold good in the long run?
A soulmate with different ideas has helped me in more than one way.My mind has opened up to new things about which I would have never given a thought otherwise! It prevented me prejudging things without a discussion.I started understanding healthy criticism.
We may hate each other's likes, but we don't hate each other!

My pleasant paradise

2005-04-16T06:15:00.000+05:30

I am overwhelmed with ecstasy and whatz the secret behind that? The very thought of my two year stay in Triplicane , chennai does that to me!Triplicane is a pure blend of antique and modern society.
While today's youth are envisioned as cool, hip ppl who dont know to say prayers, not very spiritually oriented , fast-food lovers, here is this place proving all these wrong. This is "the" place to see girls and guys in traditional attire,reciting verses and dedicatedly learning
"naalaiyira divya prabandam".These youth and kids are not to be dismissed as "thayir saadham" or "saambar".Every other household has sons and daughters placed in
high profile jobs and obviously, dollar-earning IT-savvy youth.In the so-called mechanical life, so hectic, full of activities and all blah blah, here, i see office-goers rushing to temple.Every other day, there is an utsavam with 101% participation from ppl of all ages.
Parthasarathy perumal temple's functions are part and parcel of the activities of all households.It is such a poetic scene to see triplicane bubbling with colours and sounds on all functions.Just as a silent spectator, its sheer joy to see all maamas, maamis and kutties discussing temple utsavams.The elders travel down the memory lane ,explaining
grandchildren how they as kids took part in these activities with undying enthusiasm.While some perceive that temple and prayers are monotonous things to do,the
kind of atmosphere here creates enthusiasm in youngsters.The ambiance in Triplicane is so ideal for all people defying the factor of age.
And, let me force-fully stop here...I always get carried away when there is a little opportunity to brag about my pleasant paradise.

A beginner's journey

2005-04-13T13:56:00.000+05:30

Here is a novice jotting away the first blog.
A blog- Like pouring ur thoughts into ur personal diary, yet not that personal.
A right place for ppl who have an opinion on everything in the world.
Just the thought of writing this set me wondering as what to begin with, what to share & what not to.
And, here comes this piece.When the activities of life absorb u and try to pull away into an abyss, writing is a great way to vent out & indeed introspection.
Hopinng to write more!