Eulogy for my Grandmother!

It was not a usual weekend, indeed today was not a regular Sunday as I was receiving continuous call from my mother in the late evening hour. I called back to ask her, why she was making such urgent calls, later I came to know that my Ammachi (Grandmother) was no more. She took her last breath this morning after a long run of 83 years on Earth. But I am pretty sure her soul will keep a count her age being invisible, as only her physical frame had left to an almighty. My mother cannot speak, being an eldest daughter of all her siblings, started from Trichy to Yercaud, I tried to comfort her saying it was long expected and she attained the peace through a blessed death without any pain. She was bedridden for long time, but when I met her last month she was very thoughtful and vocally active. Recollecting her old days and speaking about family tree and all congenital connections. She was talking about her early days of her wedding and how she made her own life possible for our family. All stories and best moments were documented by my father when he met her alive last time, as she was the only parent of my both mother and father's family. It was my aunt who had taken all the pain for last 12 years and been an unimaginable support both physically and mentally. If she was not there, may be this year would have been her 12^th remembrance year rather a funeral one. I should say that this last 12 years was a bonus for my ammachi, as she had suffered multiple cardiac attacks and the physicians had left hope and even said she won’t stand for a day. So in all way she is blessed and who will get this privilege of almost been to a funeral ground and come back even stronger. And so personally for me it was long expected and practically, I should say my last cheerful good bye to her rather grieving. If somebody asks me about my opinion on, be it spiritual or miracle or magic, my response would be an immediate yes on referring to my ammachi’s medical miraculous comeback stories. Even some time when my mother kept saying that ammachi’s limbs have become so soft and started developing child’s hair, seriously all I could have thought off and told my mother was, your mom was phenomenal and ageing in reverse just like Brad Pitt mentioning “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” movie. Yes, I’ve made lot of fun about that, apparently she was getting better after her every traumatic hospitalization. So here I say my final good bye, remembering all the loving memoirs of my ammachi. We will miss you and may your soul Rest in Peace.

Pongal 2013!!!

தைத்  திருநாள் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்! இனிய பொங்கல் தின வாழ்த்துக்கள்! Happy Pongal! It’s a festival of reap & harvest and showing gratefulness for the life given by God (mainly, The SUN). So the preparations for the celebration starts with Bhogi, removal of old used materials at home, cleaning and renovating the house by painting, decorating with mango leaves and start using the new chattels! Though it symbolizes the meaning of exclusion of bad thoughts in mind from the past and to do good deeds in the future, but nowadays people misunderstood that only for their handy possessions and household necessaries. (Ideal Song for Bhogi - Poda yellam vitu thalu pazhasai yellam suttu thalu, puthusa ippo piranthom endru enikolada doi #Courtesy Valli and Illayaraja from Thalapathi movie, Of course Manirathnam and Rajnikanth!) Resulting that burning all the old clothes at street and making Ozone more permeable! Next day is Thai Pongal, first day of Tamizh month Thai. A popular adage comes to my mind if u say Thai, தை பிறந்தால் வழி பிறக்கும் i.e. beginning of Thai, will give you lot of opportunities to succeed in life. Here we celebrate this as a thanksgiving festival by consecrate the first offering to God SUN. By early in the morning, facing towards East, cooking the first grains of rice harvest with milk, ghee and other ingredients on a new earthen pot, saying Pongalo Pongal (பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்). As the Sun rises, they let the rice and milk boils and spills over the pot, which implies, on another new day, house and family will be blessed with good health and wealth forever. This marks the sign of prosperity. Main activities on this particular day would be just relaxing, greeting family and friends with sweets, munching sugarcane etc. The following day to Pongal would be, Mattu Pongal i.e. thanking Cow for being one of the utmost helper of mankind for their livelihood. So in rural areas, Ox horns are sharpened & painted to a village sport called Jallikattu i.e. taming the Ox to win prizes, very popular in down south of Tamil Nadu. Next day would be called as Kaanum Pongal, as name itself indicates Kaanum means to see, so on this day to visit our extended family relations, friends and others to thank them for all their love and support to make this year harvest a best one. But practically in these days it has become an outing day with family in the urban as well as rural areas. So all together it will be a week of holidays and celebration I am missing now, with some specific festive delicacies. Though out of country, I sated with nice Pongal for lunch at my colleagues place now and have been invited to dinner by another family friend of mine. So only the holidays are missing overall. Never mind! Let me welcome the approaching Thai to prosper & flourish everyone’s life with loads of happiness, peace and joy!!! And also wish all my friends an advance Happy Birth Day for tomorrow :) ;) :P

 

2012 - Year of Bliss!!!

As we are pushed to an end of 2012, just a couple of months to finish a dragon year too. Well, it was dramatic and a fun filled year throughout. For me, it’s very special, met many new people, acquaintances became close associates, inspired with many thoughts, aspired for new philosophy from every corner of my world, bringing on many social events and parties one after another. It was totally a learning period, which taught me what is life and how to deal with it! I’ve been changing myself, my quality and attitude towards an every issue and every other who creates an issue. Sometimes it was boring, but other times it was very exciting enough to make me elevated and kept me at cloud nine. Reason for being happy was countless, how do you feel and express those feelings in words, if someone says you are good at your work, appreciate and value it. On top of it, I am attracted and pulled! Many happenings were like a lightning hit, came very fast and went very fast too before being realized. Each of the social gatherings were unforgettable, left a cherishing memoirs behind it. Be it a company’s anniversary meet or any other private meet, I am sure that I’ve a lot of good things to treasure and value for and so for all my friends who were in the party. This year was very significant for being more fruitful in financial as well as emotional front. Huge sum of debt has been cleared, which was used for my higher studies and left with little. It was the year I travelled a lot and been to home thrice. Twice for my best friends (three buddies on different dates!) big day’s and last one for Diwali festival. Affluence of food, fun with friends and family were memorable. I acknowledged a lot of good will, respect and blessings in the festive seasons. Abundant temple trips, on which the last visit to Thirupathi was great, the divinity and sanctification was phenomenal. Every time you visit there, you will manage to see a new beginning into your life. I am not an exception, it did for me too. Life had and even now has so many things to offer, it’s purely my choice to accept it. Not very long ago, I was so sluggish and inactive to make a change of myself, but not anymore, now bringing a new level into my life. It’s really cool and refreshing. This one full year has been a mixture of more ups & little down. But I was so resilient to take myself back from the downs and keep my head on the shoulder. Also wary about the environs and happenings, which I cannot take control of. The final quarter of the year, brought me series of merry-makings and B day bashes on and off the board. One such particular things to mention here were my F1 after race party, Year-end retreat at work and Christmas BBQ party so far, and still five more days left for this year 2012, looking for some more shindigs on cards. Let me hope the year advancing also relatively well for me and so to my friends! To finish with an exultant note, Wishing you all a Happy and flourishing New Year!!!

Diwali 2012!!!

Wow, two weeks away from Singapore was much tiring and yet too good & memorable. Had a significant time spent with family and friends back home. An incentive of this trip was celebrating Deepavali at home after four long years away. My trip started on November 2, 2012 from Changi International Terminal 3, Singapore, halted in Chennai for few days. Okay, sticking on to my readers request, I am pushing myself not to reveal any of my friends real identity, rather calling them by their initial. Met my friend-sister (Dr.T), who got married in the recent past, which I couldn't attend, so cannot make excuse but to stay at their place on the day of my arrival. Next morning, a casual catch up with my friends (Miss. M, Miss. M & Miss. G) at EA, sharing greetings and gifts, had a long talk before parting our ways. Later been to a movie with another friend, which was little scary and a good thriller regional one. I knew there were high number of movie buffs and movie goers in Chennai, but then amazed at the advancement of online ticket booking only when we managed to get tickets on our fourth cinema hall. Again thanks to e-booking, technology developed so much! but only in this regard, not on any other productive use! Left to Trichy later that night, spent a good Sunday at home relaxing and taking medicines for the heavy cold, my body showed a good sign of recovery soon. So decided to take only Ayurveda medicine, not allopathy anymore for cold! As the first week of my vacation starts, and so my recreation, traveling to the hill top Yercaud, to visit my Grand ma, Uncle, Aunts and Cousins. From there to Karur, Dindugal, Ayyalur to my Sisters place (my nephews wont spare me, if I go without chocolates!) spent the whole week traveling in and around the state and came back to Chennai for a Doctor's appointment. This time met another friend from Oxford (Miss. S) for her birth day party, had a blast at her home and came to meet (Miss. S) to whom I have spoken my mind out after a long time. That night was Deepavali week end, so every corner of the capital city was flooded with people heading back to their home. Luckily I managed to book tickets for my trip and my bus official reporting time was Quarter to midnight at Perungalathur. So I was relaxed and left my sisters place by 10.15 pm which was not so far from my boarding place. But to my luck, I crossed Tambaram in ten minutes from Chrompet, and it took literally 55 mins to reach Perungalathur in the heavy traffic. Almost at the end of GST bridge, I jumped out of the local bus and started running towards the bus point, got scared that I might miss my bus for the hometown. All the vehicles were moving inch by inch. I reached the place well before on time and showed my tickets to that person in the travels. I was so pissed off to hear it from him that my bus will only come around half twelve. Later he has to call it for his day and asked me to wait for the bus drivers call. To add an oil to my agony, bus came around Quarter past one. No option except to curse myself got into the AC semi sleeper coach and started my journey towards home. Next few days were enjoyable, except the power cut almost 12 hours per day. On the Diwali eve, almost all my school friends came for my word. Shall thank Senthil, Mithun, Ariff, Shagul, Siva, Sundar, Subramani, Santhosh, Janakiraman, Suresh, Bala, Naveen and Bala Ganesh. It was a whole evening we were chatting, fighting, pulling each others leg, cherishing old memoirs of our school etc... we all were greatly shocked by the recent wedding of another friend Somu and missing Deepak & Jaya. Finally the meet and greet was so memorable and enjoyable with the school buddies. Next day Deepavali, celebrated with family, firing crackers, eating sweets and savories, watching special TV programs and thanks to TN govt to have a courtesy for not making a power cut at least on a festival day. Planned for a movie, but could not make it because of too crowd. As planned before, been to Thirupathi and had divine blessing from Lord Venky. It was worth the wait of 8 hours. Then somehow managed to catch up the Diwali latest release Thuppakki, and accidentally the picture was good for Vijay, no bad critic. With little shopping to do, getting ready and started packing my stuffs to fly back.  Great festive season after a long time, meeting good old friends, spent a vacation celebrating festival at home with family, What else one could ask for? With lots of nice new memoirs, left home and came back to resume my work after two long weeks :) :) :)

Other side of Singapore!!!

I cannot resist myself to say, what a day it was? Just awesome... I've been in Singapore for 371 days, till yesterday! But it took me these long days to see the other side of Singapore and with another friend from Scotland, who is just less than a month spent in Singapore. Yesterday was a very long, tiring yet memorable day, as we started our day with lunch at Thai Express, City hall. Later were wandering into each and every shop in City hall. Just a window shopping (Very female stuff!!!), because she had already made up her mind to shop only in Ion Orchard. So after these aimless roaming, headed towards Ion Orchard. First, we jumped into Zara, clothing section. Though I just took 10 mins to pick a shirt, it was she who spent almost another 45 minutes to get a trendy lacy modern party wear. In the mean time I was going around few other shops in the same level and waited outside Zara only without carrying a board saying "Shoplifters will be Prosecuted". Damn they should have been paid me for the free service! Leave it, then she got into Muji, Mac, Fossil etc.. Sorry cannot type all the shops here, better you can visit yourself. Then I thought of getting a iPhone 5 contract, for which we have crossed Wisma Atria to reach Takashimaya. On the way, saw the Body shop and one another beauty shop, so I dropped her there and gone to Epicentre, an authorized apple seller, where I got few things clarified for my primitive apple hand phone 3. From there I level down to Star hub store for iPhone 5, but the long queue resembled me the one in Trimala Triupathi. So with no patience, I detoured to next door Singtel, where there were not much people around and looked very much free. I never dreamt or foreseen such a great shock before entering the shop. Their mobile plans looked attractive, traffic was also fine as I would get a corporate discount, but the only one thing i.e I had to pay Sing $900 as deposit apart from $200 for 24 month contract. Better I would get a Pay-As-You-Go rather being held up in a contract again. Never get into contract mobile was my first lesson in London. So to avoid doing the same mistake again, I started to devise other plans for getting iPhone 5 instead of whining about it. Meanwhile she finished her body shop purchase, our next stop at Harrods &  lush, getting a glimpse of London with all souvenirs and picture frames. Later we entered into a mid autumn moon cake festival, honestly we din't count how many different flavors of moon-cakes we tried. Not restricting only to moon-cakes, we also tried some Japanese stuff salads & snacks, Baumkuchen, German ring cake with Japanese improvisation, jaw dropped on seeing the making process, to finish with, tasted few Chocoelf dark almond chocolate. By this time, we both were exhausted and desperately needed a drink or plain water to keep ourselves spirited. So had a tender coconut in the basement food hall, there comes a magical idea, decided to head back to Raffles city, just to listen the F1 race. Within a split second planning, we made a move and reached there in 10 mins or less. The place is full of excitement, energy and exuberance for Formula 1. Though we had not purchased a ticket, we enjoyed listening to those race sound and luckily had a glimpse of race through an untied curtain around the track. It was really a lucky coup d'oeil moment for life. Without letting down the F1 fervor, we reached Farrer Park for authentic Indian dinner. So without a choice, gone into Anjappar to sate our stomach and planned for tonight's most sought party of the year 2012 (after F1 party night of Singapore!!!). That was the place I felt my toe's were hurt & sore; and cannot move even after the bill has been paid. Called Dhanvanth, to make a choice for ipod classic or nano! I greeted him over the phone, in turn he said dude you still have few more hours to roam for the day. Almost fainted after hearing that, I passed the phone to my friend, then she settled for ipod classic, we parted our ways to respective home, as we both are staying in two different ends of Singapore. As the day ends with tasting the other bits and started liking Singapore even more now :) :) :)

"Sakuni-let the game begin" Power Play!!!

Hi all, before jump into the real story, let me first start with my day. Today, I had a plan to watch a live performance of a play called Sakuni with apt tag line let the game begin was scripted by my colleague Dr. Elavazhagan. You might wonder, is he a clinical doctor, who has got a rare hobby of script writing. Then you are wrong, he is a PhD scholar, got a dual passion towards Science and Drama. When the science and drama strike at a same point, you could very well expect a good narration with high performance. Coming from very Tamil family background, no surprise that, his script has been lauded by all the theatregoers. Previously he has penned down many plays, this was the first play I've seen in both English and Tamil version. Language and the live performance by the artists have completely gone hand in hand. Gotta see few Singaporean local television stars performing lively. First, the show in English with my other colleagues Rayne and Deepa. When I said Rayne that I am in for the next Tamil show also, she exclaimed that Ela would thank and love you more! Of course yes, he has no other choice, does he?!?! Rayne was the only non-indian viewer in the theatre. Though, she has got the synopsis of the play from Ela a day before, its a highly daunting task to sit and watch a show, which is completely Greek and Latin for her. Kudos and much appreciation for her time and patience. Later the show was over, there was a feedback session in the foyer. Meanwhile, we were waiting for another friend-couple, Champa and Krishna. Warm hug and pleasantries were shared by three female folks whilst, me and Krishna greeted each other. Few more minutes were spent there and as the time for next show ticked in the clock, we gave a short adieu to Rayne and Deepa. Now the Sakuni, the game begins in Tamil. Completely convinced by the story plot and acting, critically analysed the Sakuni's point of view, who was portrayed as a prime baddie in the epic. The victory of the show lies when the light illuminates the other shades of Sakuni, justifying his own act and turning the whole plot and mistakes towards the others, which you might not even dare to think off. He was first accused by Paanjali, Kanthari, Karna for misleading Dhuriyodhana while he was in search for his peace of mind and soul. Later the way he defends himself and rationalise others on their act which were the major cause for losing the Kurushetra battle. Novel perception, no answers from any of the accusers! Other than giving Sakuni what he has wanted at last, the peace of mind. If you think, Sakuni would have accepted the salvation given by Droupathi, then you are again wrong at jumping into the conclusion soon. That's where our script writer has got a twist in the plot. He says, every one has got their own excuses for their deeds done in the past and the peace of mind is within ourselves indeed! I was wondering what if Christopher Nolan would have scripted this play? He must have loved to call Sakuni as a necessary evil, rather than a pure evil as accused by all other characters (I would expect a complimentary tickets from Ela for the next play - #my dream voice lol). After the back to back shows (spent $50 before Friday night, had I become a scatter-good now a days, definitely not, cos, this play worth an every single penny!!!), I felt Tamil version has got more powerful dialogue delivery, which was demanded by the script. English verse is no lesser, still got more impressed with the Tamil, may be the fact its my mother tongue (I would like to mention here that I am neither a racist bum nor a language extremist!!!). Most of all the comments and suggestions were taken by the director and script writer, appreciations for the whole team was on the air, when we congratulate Ela and left the play theatre. I am also afraid that, my compliments and critics may lower your expectations, so better catch the full show at Drama Centre Black box, National Library Building before it ends. You are now down with only 4 more shows, today and tomorrow in total, tickets are selling like a hot baked cakes (true marketing words!!!) rush now to hold yours. Now to stand with the great Tamil sage, Thiruvalluvar (செவுக்குண வில்லாத போழ்து சிறிது வயிற்றுக்கும் ஈயப்படும்.

Translation: When 'tis no longer time the listening ear to feed;  With trifling dole of food supply the body's need. Explanation: When there is no food for the ear, give a little also to the stomach.), I am damn hungry and jumped into KFC Singapore with Champa and Krishna. Long wait and craving for KFC has come to an end tonight after a last visit in Oxford, almost an year and a half back! With a zinger meal I am done with my dinner and so Champa with cheese fries, Krishna with just Ice-Milo. Don't get any wrong ideas, that they are poor eaters. They have already filled their stomach before the show! We have parted our ways to home after filling the tummy with food at KFC and the heart with new message & good memoirs after the play! That's how the day has come to an end :) :) :)

Eat Out Memoirs!!!

What makes a person more happy, especially a gourmand - of course eating! But, today all the eat outs I saw brought those goody days of Oxford with good buddies. Yes, it happened at Great World City mall, Singapore. Yesterday was a bad day for me, because my card was retained in the atm machine. So, I was directed to the nearest bank for claiming a new card by the customer service assistant. That's the purpose of my visit to GWC today after work. Once, I finished my work in the bank, I started to wander aimlessly before something that catches my eyes and mind - that is a shop named Early Learning Center, a kiddo shop. That was the moment I felt very nostalgic, coz, the first place I have seen in Oxford was Early Learning Center at the city center. Coming next, I have seen Marks & Spencer. Followed by Dorothy Perkins, Swarovski, Movies at night (Snehal, Merrila, Sangeetha, Govind, Davin, Mahesh & Ravi) etc...  It doesn't end there. Then comes to the chain of food shops, BK, McD and Ben & Jerry all exclusive outlets. By seeing these all shops, I have skipped a couple of beats in heart. Because, each one of this shop had a different stories to remember at different occasions. At first place, BK and KFC, though KFC was not there, it was countless times we (myself, Hari, Saranya, Prajitha, & another friend ng) had a sumptuous meal at Queens lane outlet. Its been more than an year and a quarter, I had been to BK. Likewise McD, first shop in the city, very big one, out of almost 15 counters, at least 10 customer service assistants were my friends all the time when I was in Oxford. I hardly remember being paid for atleast one single meal at this particular shop. Thanks to Merrila, Sathish, Adithya, Gopi, Harsha, Lavanya, Mahesh for giving us a gratis meal every time. When I was having my food alone today, I was munching those witty chats and beautiful time with my friends. Numerous fights, verbal abuse, fight for fun on the streets, reconciliation again in a minute, all happened in any one of those shops. Most of the time, it would be with two girls (names concealed). And today, I found the Mediterranean foodie called hummus in UK, hommus in S'pore after an extensive search for more than 6 months. So all together cast my mind back to couple of years before and I cannot accept the fact that, time flies. But it does! I wish to be back there anytime in the future. Yet, recreating the same magic is very difficult as most of my friends are scattered and settled in different parts of the world. Sad though, still memories keep those days alive! Thanks for all friends who gave me a good memoirs to relish and relax without regret :) :) :)