Que sera sera (Whatever will be, will be)

Love Is In The Air.....

2010-02-17T20:25:00.000-08:00

Yep its the love season all over again. Its really cute to see guys and girls struggling to get the perfect gift for their loved ones. The gift shops and particularly the card sections are really crowded. I would like to share the memorable valentines day gift that i gave and received so far. Initially i used to enjoy the whole process of shopping for the special gift. But recently it has become more of a struggle. I mean what is the perfect gift for a guy. Their list is almost tooo small.(Shirt, Watch, Coolers, Perfume, Jacket, Shoes, electronic items(if they are intrested). We must have given them on and on. The choice is really limited. Apart from that i've become very competitive with senthil. Its like whose gift is the best. I always want to win nd that gives me the stress.

I was really wondering how to make him feel special. So during the last valentine's day, i just got him the shirt. We usually exchange gifts in the morning. He gave me jwellery (Swarovski crystals) nd i gave him the shirt. He thought that it was his gift and he took me out. He planned the entire day so well. We went to look at the ice sculptures nd then to a very nice restraunt in downtown(Fountain) and we had very nice time. He wasnt aware of the nice surprise that i've planned for him. Anyway we enjoyed the day a lot and returned home. Just when he thought that he has outdone me this time i set the table with all his favourite dishes. I cooked it for him and arranged for candle light dinner at home. He was really surprised and he enjoyed it. I also slelected the list of music thats special to us. It was running in the background. I guess thats the best valentine's gift i have given him. Its really priceless to see your loved ones enjoying the gift u gave them. It definetly would be a great memory to treasure.

If i have to pick my best gift it would be the first Valentine's day with Senthil. We werent married at that time and were still in India. I went to Bangalore and he took me to Forum. We were roaming in Landmark for a while and i was casually telling him that i liked few items there. After that i returned to Chennai. The next thing you know, he sent me all those items to chennai. I felt really special. Isnt it really sweet?. I mean it may not be a big deal for many people. I've had very serious arguements with some of my friends regarding the gift exchanges on Valentine's day. Seriously its not necesary to gift just to express your love. Its just a simple way of saying that you love and care for them. it may be a simple bunch of red roses or a heart shaped chocolate box still its special for someone who knows and deserves your love. There are some people who read too much into the gift. I think thats totally unnecessary. Please share ur best gifting ideas too. I'm sure it will be helpful to many people.

Bibi Ka Maqbara - The forgotten treasures

2010-02-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

I really wonder how many of us recognize the above the picture....

I really wonder how many of us have heard about it or seen the photographs....

I really wonder how many of us have been there....

I really wonder how many of us knew that a place like this even exist....

Well i'm talking about the "Bibi Ka maqbara", which was built by Prince Azam Shah as a tribute to his mother Rabia Durrani.(It seems that its often reffered to as 'poor man's Taj'). I dint know about this amazing place until recently when senthil (my husband) told me about it. I was shocked and surprised when i looked into the pictures. I couldnt help but be amazed by the resemblence it had with Taj mahal. What a shame that few of us dint even know about the existence of such an wonderful monument. We keep talking about the spectacular view of Niagara, the gorgeous lady in the statue of liberty, but i guess we are forgeting the numerous treasures that our country has been housing for centuries.
Its really sad to look at the current condition of the Bibi ka maqbara or few other historic places for that matter. Forget about building new landmarks, if we really cant protect or preserve the ones that we have now, i dont know where we are heading?. Just imagine in next 50 years what would be left of it. We take pride in saying that we are one of the oldest civilisations but what are we doing to protect the trails of our civilisation. When people all over the world are proud of their historic buildings and take utmost care to protect them we are just talking. We simply blame the population for the poor maintenance of such valuable monuments. Only when we invest in a business we would be able to earn profit. Similarly the government should invest in such historic places to attract tourists and this in turn will help to improve the country's revenue. Lets not be just proud about our country's treaures but also lets take this opportunity to show the world. If any of you know of such great places which is not been exhibited properly please share in this blog. Lets bring out all the hidden treasures.

"Small Talk" - is a Big deal...

2010-02-06T22:56:00.000-08:00

I bet that few people would be wondering whats the big deal about small talks.

Just try answering these questions you'll know its importance.

What helps you when there's a long queue before you in the clinic?

What helps you to make a great impression when you are going to meet ur BF/GF's friends?

What helps you to approach a person you like?.

What helps when you go to your husband's collegues party?

Trust me guys small talk is definetly not a silly matter to discuss.I've seen some really embarassing moments. I know a girl during my college days who cannot make small talks. When someone introduces a new friend she doesnt know what to talk. Its usually like "Hi, how r u?" and then she runs out of words. She hates that awkward silence. The first impression that she always makes is that she's some sort of serious personality(which she's actually not). Later she worked on her weakness and before u know it she became the so called people person. In fact you wouldnt believe, she grew up to a level where she became the HR head of the company - nd that was me....Yep. I used to be the one who had hard time meeting new people(like friends's friends or cousins). But i'm happy and relieved that i'm not that same girl anymore.

Few people have a misconception that small talks are really unnecesary. Its actually not so. It is like a secret weapon . It will come handy when u need the most. You just need to use it appropriately. Especially in work environment you'll have to make small talks with the clients. C'omon guys whom would you prefer for a job where two people are equally qualified. Would you choose a friendly person or the serious one?. Isnt the chioce obvious?.In my experience i've seen serious people loose some great opportunity to friendly people. ofcourse one's talent and capablities comes first. These are all just the added advantages. But it plays a vital role too.

I consider "small talk" to be a form of art. It not only helps us build a better personality but also builds our confident level. You know, initially i used to make conscious effort to talk with people in different teams. In fact i used to do some preparation too. But now i'm spontaneous. I really started to enjoy having pleasant conversation. You know what we should not forget the other party in the converstion. Just try and keep the conversation intresting for both the parties. Sometimes being thoughtfull helps. Just talk from your heart. make sure that it doesnt sound fake.

Talk the Talk....

Size Zero Divas

2010-01-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

What do we admire the most about the runway models?

What are the young gilrs these days craving for?

What is the thought running in the mind of ladies while working out in the gym?

Who becomes popular in schools and colleges?

What is the latest fashion trend?

Well, its all about girls with perfect figure. I'm certainly not against it. But who is to say which is the perfect figure?. I mean, is size zero the answer for everything?. How many of us workout to be healthy? very few i doubt. All that we think about is how to burn the extra carbs and fat or how to reduce the baby weight gained... Its not bad to look good but are we ready to sacrifice being healthy for it. Have we forgotten that beauty is within. You can have a perfect figure and still look plain. Similarly you can be fat and still look good.

I'm not against having a size zero figure. But the way to achieve such figure should be proper work out and sensible diet. I still wonder why people choose surgeries like tummy tucking even after knowing its complications. Why arent we taking the help of a physical trainer or a dietician instead of a surgeon?. I'm not sure how many of us knew about the model, Luisel Ramos who starved to death during the Uruguay's fashion week. (Google to get more details). Its just news to us now. How would it be for her parents to lose their 22 years old daughter. Before committing yourself to some crazy diet just ask yourself "is it worth it?" This does not only happen in fashion industry. It has an unhealthy, negative pressure among young girls too. They are highly influenced and they blindly follow such crazy diets(i wouldnt call it as diet. Its starving).

There are some less fortunate people who die because they dont have sufficient food. There are some people who would rather die than to eat. Look at the irony. We should all understand that when we start to appreciate our body, others will too. Most of us would have gone through a roller coaster ride in terms of weight loss. We would have gone up and down in the weight loss journey. Just dont give up. Eat right (healthy) and workout accordingly. There's nothing called perfect figure. Eat healthy and stay healthy....

Child Labour - A different world

2010-01-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

We get irritated when we are asked to work on weekends.....

We do not want to help our colleagues after office hours......

We do not even wish to think about our work during vacation.....

We get upset when our work is not recognized......

Now in the same world somewhere there are some less fortunate people who are expected to work in weekends.....

People who has to work all day long jusy for the sake of one meal.....

People who cannot even dream about vacation....

Forget the recognition they are not being paid a decent wage....

They are mistreated, being taken advantage of, molested and what not?

I'm talking about the child labours in India.

There are laws in India too. Yet we see that the number of child labours keep increasing every year. You know why?. Its because of us. Its like we are encouraging people who are encouraging child labour. So indirectly we are encouraging child labours. Let me be clear. What do we do when we see small kids being used in road side entertainments? Most of the hostelers(including me) must have seen small boys nd girls being used as maids in hostels. What have we done about it?. I'm writing this article coz i feel guilty. I used to live in Bangalore and my neighbour used to have a small girl working for her. Though i dint like it i never said anything to her. It seems that the girl was tortured and the couples were arrested recently. It was shown in NDTV. I felt really bad for that girl. But hows that gonna help her. Thats what we all do. We just feel sad for them. Instead we could do something that might help them. I could have talked to my neighbour and expressed my opinion about having a child labour. But i dint. Thats y people are not afraid.

Whenever you see someone employing child labour just talk to them. Its not like picking a fight. Just explain them and make them understand that what they r doing is not right and also against law. Some people are still not aware of it. Some time you can make them understand. And also while buying any products just make sure that it doesnt involve child labours at any stage. For eg when you buy any knid of clothing in Tirupur just confirm from the shopkeeper if child labours are involved in manufacturing the piece. If so then do not buy the product. Do not support people encouraging child labours. These are the things that would make difference in the world........Lets all contribute not just money but some sensible work to take the load from the child......

Lost in winter wonderland

2010-01-07T22:41:00.000-08:00

As i mentioned in my previous blog, i would like to share some of the beautiful moments in my trip to montreal. Before i start i would like to dedicate this post to Senthil, Satish, Sneha and thiru for the awesome company during the trip. Where should i begin?. I guess it all started when me and senthil planned to spend our new year in vancouver. But it dint work out as his leaves were not confirmed. Honestly i dont have any regrets. This trip was nothing that i expected. It couldnt be better in any way. You know whats the best part of this trip. Its the amazing company. Actually this is the first time that we all went together but it felt like i've known them forever. [we means me, senthil, satish, sneha, thiru].

I guess the excitement started right from the day we started to plan this trip. It was boxing day. Me and sneha were really tired after tons of shopping. (That day reminded me of college days where we buy identical dresses nd accessories. We both got same kind of laptop, bags etc). It was then we thought we should really do something crazy for this new year. Normally desi guys would plan to go south to escape winter but we thought we should go to some place really cold to try out skiing nd skating. Hats off to that thought. And we successfully tried to skii, skate and to eat pork.(he he he)

For new years eve we went to CIRCA -an happening club in downtown. Vow wat a blast...This is my first clubbing experience. I really dont know what to expect. Me and sneha dint leave the dance floor even for a bit. I'm sure that few might have even thought that we both are together. We just dint care. We got few compliments from strangers too. initially senthil and satish dint come to the dance floor but later we pulled them too. We all started dancing desi style like bale bale...

We started the next day at temple. On our way to collingwood where we planned to skii we stopped for breakfast. We had amazing country style breakfast(toast, potatoes, egg of choice).

None of us know skiing but we dint hesitate a bit to go there. The way to this place was like wonderland. The views were incredible. The IBMers are really loyal to their company u know. They were continously talking about their R 21 release. After reaching blue mountain resort there i simply couldnt believe my eyes. I just couldnt wait to skii. We rented all the skiing stuffs. I couldnt help but laugh when i think of how funny it was when we walked with the heavy skiing boots and helmet. It was like moon walk.There's no limit tothe fun we had during the skiing training. And u know wat the trainer made me the lead for the next phase(seriously guys not kidding). I cannot control laughing about how we tried to snowplough, hop and land during skiing. I must tell u that this is the best workout. Every muscle is being worked out. We were really tired when we finished. so we went to Anjappar - the only place which would give us the energy to njoy the next day.

The next day we left to Montreal. On the way Sneha suggested a game where we tell each other what was the first impression when we met and how has it changed. It was a great idea as we came to know what we thought about each other. After reaching Montreal we checked in at the hotel and left to downtown. Here we tried ice skating. We felt really embarassed to see the kids skate better than us. We somehow managed by holding the support. Then we were roaming in the streets in the snow. The night life of Montreal was not that great compared to Toronto. We searched for mexican or italian or indian restraunt but ended in subway as the others were closed. The next day we visited Biodome. I would say, out of all of us Sneha had the best time there. She was clicking pics of all species and reading about the facts about them. I loved the penguins there. The collections in the green house of Botanical garden was wonderful. I mean who wouldnt enjoy the colorful orchids and tulips collection. It was a treat for the eyes.

Everything about this trip was good and fun. We were discussing about love, commitments, what does a guy expect from his partner. There were some heated arguements too. Everything was enjoyable. I would like to mention special thanks to 2. Satish - who drove continously for four days and to GPS without which we would have been lost. he he he ....It really doesnt matter where u go if the company is right u can enjoy. Isnt it true?...

Go Green

2010-01-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody, hope everyone had a blasty new year. Mine was blasty for sure. We tried skiing, skating and had a wonderful trip to montreal with amazing set of friends. i'll share the trip experience in the next blog. Now i would like to start this year by writing about something thats close to my heart. Its about going green. Do you realise that there are plenty of things that we can do in our day to day life which helps the earth in going green. Ok now, lets all take a minute and be honest to ourselves for a whilseand try answering the following questions with a simple "yes" or "no".

1.Do you switch off all the lights before leaving the house?

2.Do you place the items that are recyclable in the appropriate bin?

3.Do you carry reusable bags for the grocery shopping?

4.Do you remember to carry the reusable coffe mugs and water mugs to office or while travelling instead of using disposables?

5.What do you do when you see a pizza box in the garbage area of your appartment?

6.Do you carpool to reach office?

7.Do you buy organic products whenever possible?

8.Do you buy groceries in bulk?

9.Do you take shorter shower?

10.Do you sign up for papperless billing?

I doubt if anyone has got "yes" for all the questions. Is it a lot to ask?. Following these simple steps will not only help the planet to go green but also it will help us to save money and be healthy. There's no better reason for us than us to follow these simple steps. If not for others atleast for one's own self one should go green. i guess this is one selfish act which is gud for us and the environment. Its a win win situation. We would be fools for not following it.

We need to have discipline within ourselves. I mean just think how many of us have seen people double bagging in the grocery stores. Whats with that. We need to understand that this is the place that we live in. We have to be responsible for making this place a better or a worse place to live. Enough with the developed countries blaming the developing countries and vice versa. This game could go on forever. Lets face it. As people we are responsible for certain things. There are certain things that is expected from us. Just some simple above mentioned things like switching off the lights when not required or using reusable items instead of disposables, show our support to local farmers by buying organic products (its very healthy too)etc.

Now i'm not asking everyone to take a new year resolution because most of us will not even remember the resoluton in the midway through the year. Lets try constantly to keep our environment clean conciously. Its a big favour that we are doing for ourselves. Do we need a better reason than this. We should not stop there. We should also teach the kids about the importance of going green. May be while planning kid's b'day parties we can use the theme of going green instead of the usual princess or barbie theme. It would be refreshing for the kids and you can be proud as a parent for educating them. Its our responsiblity to make the next generation responsible and to make this place a better place for them to live.

Whats the point when few people are constantly preaching and practicing about the importance of going green and few others are doing the complete oppsite of it. The effects or nullified or rather it becomes worse. Each and everyone should realise the importance. I really wish that the day should soon come where we no longer worry about ozone hole or global warming. I wish that day is not too far....

Telangana - Cross & Knot game....

2009-12-15T19:53:00.000-08:00

The reason for the recent chaos in India is to have a seperate state for Telangana people. I really feel sorry bcoz i'm also one among the millions who just standby and view the situation helplessly. I'm not that much into politics. Indian politics, according to me is very confusing bcoz of zillion parties and their shocking alliance during election times. But anyone, how much ever little knowledge they have on Indian politics, would clearly agree that this issue is yet another political game - the cross and knot game. After making a move the wait for the reaction from public and the move accordingly. This is definetly another example of how far one would go to achieve power, howmuch ever unreasonable the demands might be. I have quite a few friends in Andhra. As far as i know none were intrested in the seperation. Seriously, i couldnt think of a single benefit this seperation can bring to people. But they have clearly accomplished shutting down various stores, stoning buses, resulting some violent incidents.......

Is it really too much to expect selflessness from our politicians? Actually, i feel that we shouldnt have divided our country in the basis of language. Dont you think that we would have survived if multi lingual people existed in the same state?. Probably it might have created a nice opprtunity for us to learn other languages too. Or probably it might be the best way to divide based on language. I completely understand its been done purely for administration purpose. Then why dont we see these divisions as they are meant to be - just for easy administration for our government and nothing else. I guess we all are forgetting that we all are still Indians. Whats going to happen if we keep fighting amongst ourselves?. Who's going to benefit from this fight?. Just consider that all the states are like sons of Mother India. They are like brothers. So whichever state wins or loses, its a loss for India. When will we realise that we all should together fight other important issues?. How long are we going to be a developing country?.

The sooner we realise the better for our country. bcoz thats the first step. Once we realise that we'll be in the right track. Lets not wait for some leader to save us from the situation. We should let out our differences. Lets be honest to ourselves, how many of us have witnessed situations, where people treat other state people differently. We've seen it in our work place, colleges, even sometime even at houses. We do not need another Punjab - Chandigar situation. When we change, we do not have to care about the political games. Then it does not really matter even if they really seperate the states bcoz we know nothing can divide us. No matter what we will always be Indians.

All Or Nothing

2009-12-14T20:38:00.000-08:00

We all have heard of the saying "All best things comes in a small package". I'm not sure if its small or a huge package. But i'm certain of one thing. That is everything comes as a package. We have to either have all of it or nothing. Still wondering what i'm talking about. Its about the differences that we have between each other. Let me make myself clear. I've been married for three years and i should say it is a very memorable three years of my life. Me and Senthil(my husband) are in great terms.he's incredible. We understand each other very well. He can find if something is wrong with me just by a look at my eyes(the otherway round too). But does that mean we are perfect. Sometimes i couldnt help but wonder if there's something called perfect couple. Dont get me wrong. I'm genuinely happy with him. Yet we have our differences. For instance, he hates when i keep asking him what he's thinking right now? and i dont like when he doesnt stand to click pictures. Does this mean we are not perfect for each other. I dont think so. Compromise doesnt have to be a bad word.

There's definitely something nice about compromising for our loved ones. Just like any rose has its own thorns, couples have their own differences. They all come as a package. We have to learn to live in the midst of all these differences. Its either all or nothing. If you wish to live with the person who makes you happy, who makes you smile, who makes you enjoy everything around you then dont forget that same person can make you go mad and crazy too. Afterall whats life without these. Its either all or nothing. For that matter even we come with the same deal. All we have to do is to know the ways to handle the differences without hurting each other. Everything does not have to be perfect. After all nothing in the world is perfect(even the Scottish parade is supposed be few milli seconds imperfect).

When i was young i used to look at magazines like "Inside and Outside", and wanted to be that couple where everything is perfect. The table will be set up in an perfectly elegant way. Everyone seems to be happy at all times. I always pictured myself as that perfect lady who manages everything and keeps everyone happy. Now i've learnt that its just not practical. Quit trying to be perfect and just enjoy life as it is. Just bcoz of the fear of thorns dont fail to enjoy the beauty of the rose.

Pink Or Blue.....

2009-11-24T07:01:00.000-08:00

What does the above topic suggest?. Well, if you think that its gonna b another article where we discuss who's best, boys or girls, then i'm sorry u r wrong. We are definetly not gonna argue about the greatness of men vs women and conclude who is better. How long are we gonna argue and fight about this. I can still remember the heated arguements that we would have in the classrooms in schools and colleges. The boys would always come up with a stupid arguement that they can roam without their shirts and girls cant. Similarly girls would always say that they give birth and boys cant. Those were the silly funny days. I always choose the same topic for most of my extempores. I guess its time for all of us to accept that both are equal. I mean how long are we gonna debate that girls cannot roam topless and boys cannot give birth. Fine guys the point is noted. We are all on the same page. Gone are those days where the girl child is no longer wanted in the family. Now everyone seems to agree that girls are just as gud as guys.

But you know what bothers me. Even some great people tend to discriminate unknowingly. Just to clarify, in an interview, Suhasini(Tamil actress), mentioned about one of the actress in the movie "Peranmai", that being a girl she did a great job. I cant see this as a compliment. Dont you think that saying 'being a girl' sends a wrong message stating that its a negative thing to be a girl. I'm sure that she wouldnt have meant anything or atleast knowingly. coz she herself has directed a movie portraying that a girl can achieve anything. Not only that she has done quite a few movies where she has played amazing roles(manadhil urudhi vendum) which might have been inspiration to many women. Its hard to believe that this thought is so deep rooted within our hearts.

Will anyone believe that there was no such discrimination (gender wise) in our country during the early period(Sanga kalam). You'll be amazed to find the results when you google.During that period(Sanga kalam), women were treated the same way as men. Dont be surprised guys. Those days women were involved in various fields. There were great women poets, warriors, spies and what not. (Instance:Owaiyar, Rani Laxmi Bai, Velu Nachiyar). Only during the medival times things changed. Women of India were mistreated. They were looked down but god knows why.

Now again the time has changed. People no longer think that boys are superior. Atleast not openly. I somehow feel that few have that feeling inside. Otherwise why should people love to watch mega serials and movies where women are made to solve the issues they face in life. Why is it a big deal when a women successfully solves the issues in her life.? Do we have the same reaction for guy. Certainly not. Then why do we make a big scence for girls. Do we expect a girl to wait for her hero to rescue from any kind of problem?. Dont u think that she can handle her own issues in life.

It is not enough if we simply talk that boys and girls are equal. We have to feel it in our heart too. Both girls and guys have to feel that they both are the same. Its not about changing the world and showing our power its a change thats required inside with which we can achieve anything. When someone tells that, "vow, being a girl u have done it", just let them know that it doesnt mean anything. We, women face the same challenge that men face. Just make them realise that we no longer need a hero to save us.

I'm not trying to prove that we do not need boy's help. We definetly do just as they need our help too. Its mutual. Its ok to be dependent on each other for certain matters. All i'm trying to say is no one is superior. Its not a race to win its just a community that we live in.

Have we found the "Lost Symbol" ?....

2009-11-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

He is the one who unveiled the mystery behind the smile of "The Mona Lisa" ....

He is the one who revealed what remained as mystery behind the vatican churches....

He is the one who explained that science and religion are not diferent entities but one.....

He is the one who threw light on the secretive socities (Illuminati)....

He gives us the answers to those questions which we never dare asked....

and he is Dan Brown....

Thrilling, Treasure Hunting, Puzzle solving, Cracking the code, ......

If someone has to write about Dan's work they'll have use these phrases often. But i really dont want to dig into the writing skills of Dan or to review his book. I dont have anything to say that NY Times hasnt said. Lets leave that job to the best hands. I'm here to just express my views about the book from my perspective. Its just that i'm amazed by the control he has over his readers. I couldnt close the book until i finished it. No doubt tha all of his books are page turner(except Digital Fortress although its too gud to be his first book). I couldnt imagine the extensive research that he must have done to complete his book. I really pity the non readers. They dont know what they are missing.

After reading "Da vinci Code" my dream destination was Paris. Then it changed to Vatican after reading Angels and Demons. Guess what, now its Washington. Its really amzing to know that there are secrets hidden all over the world. This man not only talks about myths and ancient mysteries but also about noetic science. He continously amazes me. Just when i thought what can be more secrative than knowing about jesus's partner(Mary Magdalene), he comes with this great concept saying our mind can perform miracles and God is within us. Coming to think of it now, this statement feels completely true. We have heard on and on in our epics about gods living in the world in human forms. Dont you think that they are trying to convey the same message. At one particular place he tells us through one of his character that all parables have two layers of meaning ===> like milk for infants and meat for men. This has nothing to do with the age but mind. Some men still have infant mind. Those are the people who cannot see the god within them. lets go for the meat guys enough of drinking milk. Lets start to understand the real messages that our holy books(Baghvad gita, Bible, Koran) are implying.

He gives perfect explanation for everything in the book. He mentions that there's a reason for a certain part in our head is called temple. Its because thats is the place where any thought emerge. Any holybook would ask to keep the temple clean, which means that we have to keep our mind clean. Isnt it awesome?...i'm simply amazed about his idea that angels and demons are interchangeable. For demons , the angels are demons and vice versa. We have the power within us. The way we use it is upto us. That would determine if we are angels or demons.

If it was'nt for Dan Brown i wouldnt have known about the secretive society or invisible college let alone great people like Da vinci, George washington, Newton....in it and the secret they are guarding. How many of us knew that Baghvad gita has great amzing scientific facts?...or how many of us know the secret behind kubera kolam. Atleast i dint know it until i read this book. Vow this person must've done his research pretty extensively. I really felt very excited when he has mentioned about Lord Ganesh, Arjun(from mahabharath), Lord Krishna in the book. How would it be if he writes about the secrets hidden in India. I seriously wish and hope for it.

Well, another intresting aspect about his works are the codes that he leaves for his readers to crack in the covers of the book. I cannot wait until i finish the book to solve those puzzles. The codes in the cover of his last book, Da vinci code pointed to Washington. I wonder what his next work would be. There are some awful review about Lost symbol. I agree that opinions differ but comon guys is it necessary to scrutinize every word. I'm not saying that it is bible or gita its just a novel but a novel with some bizare facts. I dont want to end this article without any puzzle. So here we go:

Clue --> The answers are hidden colorfully bold in the respective paragraphs.

1.Not just Architects but also secretive brotherhood?(1st paragraph)

2.What is the lost word?(2nd paragraph)

3.The smiling beauty who knows it all?(3rd paragraph)

4.Where is the Holy Grail?(4th paragraph)

5.Where is the magic square?(5th paragraph)

njoy solving the puzzle............

Nothing Real about Realities.......

2009-11-18T11:12:00.001-08:00

Strawberry Blueberry Raspberry Brinjal ------> ?

Hiphop Jazz Waltz Bhangra-----> ?

Pasta Pizza Ravioli Dosa ------> ?

What comes to your mind?....Does it remind u of the game that we used to play in childhood to pick the odd one out. "Out of place". Yes there's something that doesnt belong there in each list. Have u ever felt like that anytime?...All of us have a certain comfort level. When our frequency doesnt match with others in the group then we feel out of place. You might wonder whats the fuss is all about. I'm talking about the reality shows in India which is totally copied from the abroad reality shows. I personally feel that these shows really doesnt seem to fit in. There are enormous number of reality shows now. I admit that there are few good ones too. For instance, Indian idol, Super singer, KBC, Boys vs girls,....These shows serves as a great platform for individuals with talents and its good to encourage people with potential.

Still i can only view these shows as desi version of abroad shows. We can convince ourselves saying that its not bad to get inspired or its not bad to extract good things from anywhere but who are we kidding....All i feel is that it should not be a copy cat attempt. There should be some input from our end as well. Atleast it should be modified for our people to enjoy. I totally agree that these shows are definitely better and relaxing than the mega serials where women are made to cry everyday.

Recently i heard about few shows like Swayamvar, Pati patni ayur woh which is the indian version of Bachelor and baby borrowers respectively. I could say, i was more upset than shocked. Its not just because that our country is a land of culture or values or tradition but i really dont know if people's lifestyle has been changed so dramatically that they are ready to choose their life patner through a reality show. I'm sure lot of people would have thought that it is against our cultural values, tradition and ethics. I acknowledge that too but from my point i'm still unable to understand the lifestyle of people like Rakhi sawant(Swayamvar). Are they really ready to choose their partner from a reality show. Have we started to see our weddings as just an episode of life?... Is it no more a part of our tradition?....Do not get me wrong. I'm not against the people who dont beleive in marraige. I completely understand and appreciate Kamal hassan's view about marraige. He says that we need not get married to show our love. I accept it. But in these shows there is neither love nor tradition. I feel these kind of shows are mocking at our values. There's nothing true about these shows. When people like Rakhi Sawant(Swayamvar), who talks so much about tradition and culture how can she get married for the sake of a reality show?....Either she should be a firm believer of a fairy tale or she doesnt know what she's talking about. I guess she is mixing up her professional life with personal. Whatever it is but it is clearly a wrong move.

On a serious note can someone fall head over heels in love for real in a tv show?.....However it is, if it is an happy ending like fairy tales then its fine...

Fun nd Festive

2009-11-17T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hey guys its been a while since i updated my blog. What can i say, its just that i was not inspired to write about anything. Just few hours, back i was just glancing at my diwali pictures. I couldnt help but start to think about those days of colorful celebration back there in my country - INDIA. vow floods of memories rushed into my mind. Could there be anything inspiring than to write about the fun that we had during the festivals. I would like to share about how i look at these festivals at different phases of my life.

I grew up in a joint family. It was a huge house which will always be crowded. Needless to say during festivals. All my cousins(father's side) would gather. My mom nd dad would have bought dresses for us long back. I couldnt wait for the day to wear it. Shopping for diwali nd pongal itself is fun. Not once have i bought dress at karur(my native). We would either go to chennai or trichy or cbe for dress shopping. My grandpa would ask us to make a list of crackers that we need. We always would argue and fight with vignesh(my bro)while making the list. We would end up buying all the items. Never did once we finish all the crackers that we bought that year. We would always store for next diwali. My mom would wake us up early in the morning on diwali nd give us oil bath. Me nd Priya(my sis) would always ask for shampoo but my mom wouldnt let us use. she wud only give shikaka. She will tell us the story of Lord Krishna killing Narakasura while bathing us. Every year we would ask for the same story. Then its pooja time. All of us would gather nd watch our grandpa doing the pooja. Just after pooja we would run to play with crackers but our moms would not let us go until v finish our breakfast. There'll be plenty of yummy nd delicious sweets nd dishes. But we would just swallow and rush to play the crackers. Actually i have a small confession. Never did once i have a burnt a loud cracker(atom bombs, 1000 walas or hydrogen bombs). Flowerpot is the max in my list. But priya is very daring. She used to burn any kind of crackers. All of them (my bros nd sis) would take turns to burn crackers. Whenever priya gets her turn i tell a silent prayer. When i think of it now i coudnt control the smile. In the night time my dad and his brothers(my chithappa) would burn rockets. All of us will watch the fireworks from our terrace. I could never forget a diwali when priya burnt a whole bunch of crackers by mistake. We all came running horrified. We could see only smoke. My mom crying nd there she comes from the middle of the smoke. My mom went wild and dint allow her to play with crackers for sometime. However she worked her way out. If this is diwali, the celebration of pongal would start the previous night itself. My mom is the best in rangoli. She always wins the competition for rangoli in our street. We used to help her in coloring. vow those were really the best times.

The next phase is during my college and working days when i was away from home. During these festivals i spend time with my family. Priya was still at home and eagerly waiting for me to come home coz i always would get something for her whenever i come. But as uasual we start our fight the very next day(mostly bcoz of TV remote). After all what are sisters without fight. But now my mom would support me as i've come from hostel. She would cook all my favourite dishes(fish curry, chilli chicken, ...). We were no longer intrested in crackers or the narakasura story. We would start our day with pooja. Now my dad did the pooja as v dont have our grandpa any loger. Then we would all settle down in the livinng room in front of tv with all yummy sweets nd snacks my mom made for diwali. We have to constantly pull our mom from kitchen as she always finds some work. I would really feel bad when i have to go back to work or college. My mom would pack diwali sweets for me nd my friends. I couldnt forget a diwali when my dad came to pick me up from college. He was waiting in the visitor's hall. I was coming from my hostel with my laundry bag. He was actually noticing me while i was walking towards him i was wishing my friends. The entire trip he was completely teasing me for the way i was wishing my friends. He said that i got a funny accent and was immitating me. He still makes fun of me using that.

The next phase is after my wedding. That sure is one great diwali. We celebrated our first diwali(thala diwali) in karur as we were supposed to. I was really astounded by the way senthil was treated by my parents. My mom made made all of his favourite dishes. She wouldnt even let him get up from the couch. Everything comes to his place. Senthil was pulling my leg by saying that he's like a king and i'm his maid. Actually i was thinking, every *** has its own day. Its clearly his day. (just kidding). My dad would never allow us to go for a movie on Diwali coz of the crowd. But this time since senthil asked he booked tickets for us. So my long time wish was granted. Thats how i watched ATM(first day first show). However the movie was horrible(thats a different story altogether).

Hmmmmm now to present. I celebrated the past 2 diwalis in Canada. Last year in Otawa nd dis year in Toronto. Last year it was just a gettogether with friends. This year i had total fun. In the morning we prayed nd there was a small celebration in senthil's office. We watched everyone dancing nd singing. i participated in Rangoli and won too(did i mention that all the 3 teams who participated won). Then we had nice Indian lunch and watched Adhavan(movie). In the night we enjoyed the fireworks. What more could i ask for?... ofcourse my family....s i missed them a lot. All we did is share the diwali pictures....

Country Or City....

2009-10-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

What would you choose between a trendy modern house in the city or a gorgeous, farm house in the country?....whom would you choose between a smart, wealthy guy or a simple, loving guy?, what movie would you choose for a saturday night a classic romance or a comedy?, what would you gift a friend for the birthday, something useful or highly decorative?, what would you do in a holiday a traditional get together with the family or an adventurous trekking with friends?......whoa whoa whoa....why do people always have to make choices?.I've always wondered if we have to give up something we like to get something we want. Can't i have my cake and eat it too.
We all have our dreams and we try to reach there. But the path that lead us there need not necessarily be hard and sacrificing. I'm not saying that we can easily reach there but we would have fun facing the challenges on our way to reach our dream. It always doesnt mean that we have to struggle to get to our dreams. As it is, there are tooo many choices for us these days. Starting from what to wear in the morning to what to cook for dinner. But i'm not talking about those stuffs. I feel it little complicated to explain. So i thought i better give an example from my life. My dream was to run my own business. But i was too scared to leave my job. I would really consider my self as fool for not knowing that i need not give up my job to start my business. We always try to think in that angle. Atleast i falied to think that there are ways by which i can have my business without leaving my work.
We are so used to make the easiest choice. Please remember that's not the only choice. It may sound funny but intrestingly it's true. We should not forget that we are responsible for the choices we make. All i'm trying to say is that in some cases we do not have to make choices. We can have both. We just have to sort out ways to have both. We miss to look at it this way. We just want to make the easy choice to make everything easy instead of making the wise choice.
Yes, our dreams come true. So we have to be wise enough in dreaming the correct ones. There's no point in feeling bad for it later. Thats why they say "Prevention is better than cure". When we really have a passion for something we woulnever stop until we get there. The passion itself would drive us. So all we have to do is dream our passionate dreams. Hmmmm how hard would that be?. I've started practising that. We do not want to hear people saying that they worked so hard to reach their goal. Instead they would say that it's been a wonderful and memorable journey that lead them to reach their goal. Get the difference huh?...This will only happen when we do what our heart desires. All we have to do is just dig up and find out what we really want. When we know it then it wouldnt be a struggle to get there. Instead it will be memorable. How would we like it if our journey to our dream was fun and memorable instead of struggle and pain. hmmm, this is definetly an easy choice. No more "No pain no gain". We wouldnt have to miss out all the fun just to acheive our goals and dreams. We can have both. Well, i can have my cake and eat it too.
It always doesnt have to be country or city. I would like to have a trendy house in city and go to the farm house in country for holidays. That surely sounds like fun. Well who can stop me, i'm a full time dreamer.

Linguistic barrier...

2009-09-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, a strange incident occured to me today which made me write this article.I just finished my errands and was waiting in the Don Mills subway station. It was then i met an Indian lady annd her canadian friend. They have recently moved from Windsor. They were not sure about their routes and seeked my help. The lady recognized me as an Indian and started talking to me in Hindi. I'm from Tamilnadu(southern part of India) and i'm not very fluent in Hindi. I can understand but couldnt speak. When i told her that, her friend(Canadian) was really surprised. Then both of us explained him that there are so many languages. I also told him that people of different states converese in English. He then said in a funny way that inspite of having so many languages in your country you guys still need English.On a serious note, i felt really embarassed. I couldnt help but think about this on my way back home. There are so many discussions going around in Tamilnadu about making Hindi as a compulsory language at schools. In most of the states in India, people learn Hindi at school. Tamilnadu is an exception. It is very unfortunate that we are not able to learn our national language.
Actually speaking, this is not the first time i fellt bad for not knowing HIndi. I would like to quote one more incident on this behalf. Earlier i was working in Bangalore(India). There were so many people from different states. All the comments, gossips and jokes will be made in Hindi. Though i was able to understand it i will not be able to enjoy it. i always loose the essence. I'm sure that this might have happened to many other Tamilians as well. I really dont understand what justification, the tamilnadu government has for not making Hindi as a compulsory language at schools like other states.
I'm really proud to be an Tamilian, but first I'm an Indian. What has happened to our unity in diversity. I love my language(Tamil) and i'm proud of its history too. But that should'nt in any way be a hurddle to learn a new language. After all that's also an Indian language - our National language.
Our language(Tamil), has an amzing history. There are numerous ways to protect it. Clearly this is not the right way. It is high time to make changes in this regard now. Because it does not only affect people like me but also some of the members of Parliament(MP)from tamilnadu. They are having hard time during the discussions in the parliament. Just imagine the condition of an MP in a parliament without knowing Hindi. Atleast now the government should take some stteps to incorporate Hindi at schools.
On the otherhand , we also shouldn't just wait for them to take steps. There are so many ways to learn a language. The parents should see to it that their kids know the language. You have no idea where they might end up. Moreover they know an additional language. The next genration should not face this issue. Believe me guys. It is essential. Initially i was also very much annoyed with the system in tamilnadu. But there's no point in just being annoyed. Instead of trying to pass the blame on the system or government lets see what we can do. Ther are numerous ways to learn the language, through books or internet or private tuitions. Lets find a suitable way to learn Hindi.
Feel free to comment about your views on this. If you have any incident to share in this regards, please do so. It can be serios or funny or enbarassing....

Life's a vacation....(Life abroad)

2009-09-28T05:10:00.001-07:00

Born in India.

Moved to Canada(temporarily)...Just like everyone, i was also fascinated by the way people treat their life.Lotz have been discussed about how independent they are even in their 80s or how much importance they give for pet animals(cats nd dogs) or their weekend parties or the way they enjoy their summer. Just like most of the indians here, for me also friends became everything. Most of the weekends will be spent with friends. The weekends will be scheduled like movie nights, barbeques, game nights, taking trips during the long weekends, etc...We also try and find some reason for a gathering. Here, i would like to share some of my experience while traveling to some amazing places.

Niagara::
I have always dreamt about going to Niagara with my "Someone Special". Well, what to say my dream came true. I've heard people always say "Love is in the air". I could literally feel it there.It was an breath taking view. It took few moments for me to come to reality. There i was, standing in front of the lake, holding his hands and enjoying the view. The ride in the cruise(Maid of the mist) was awesome. The weather was perfect. The boat was so close to the falls, it felt like we were in the middle of the Tornado. The journey behind the falls was also amzing. In the night we had a pleasent walk and enjoyed the spectacular fireworks. It couldnt be any better.

Thousand Island:
My next trip was to Thousand island. Vow is the word that comes to my mind when i think about this trip. You could say this is where Canada and US meet. It is undoubtedly one of the most amazing place in this planet. It has a very unique combination of a the gorgeous green woods and cool water. For people who know Scuba diving or any other water sports , it is a perfect place. I enjoyed the ride in the cruise and the gorgeous scenery. I even learnt fishing here (but couldnt catch any). It is defenitely a romantic place. I was having a real nice time with my sweetheart , enjoying the spectacular view.

Ottawa:

This place is special to me just because of the fact that it is thr first international place that i've ever visited. There are so many amazing places to visit in Ottawa but i would just like to highlight my favourites. Its the Tulip festival and the Rideau lake.I love the view of the lake especially in winter. It will be completely frozen and people skate there. In summer we can see people canoeing, boating and fishing. The tulip festival is definetly worth the wait till spring. It is the highlight of the spring season in Ottawa. The romantic view of the bright tulips is such a pleasant treat for the eyes. This is captured and utilised well by various Indian directors for their films.

Quebec:

Quebec is a lovely city. I felt as if i was in a completely different country there. Most of the people speak French. We spent our valentines day in Quebec city. What shall i say, my nubby picked the right place . Even the streets in quebec city is worth watching. There's a French touch in everything. We spent the day in the museum and whale watching and we spent the evening having romantic, candle light french dinner. Initially i was reluctant to go to the museum but believe me guys it should not be missed. It is definetly not boring as it sounds. The whale watching was great too.

Toronto:

There are plenty of great places to visit in Toronto. I just want to share my favorite places. First one is Durga temple. The temple gives a feeling as if we are in India. Whenevr i feel sad, i'll visit the temple and my heart lightens. I love the beach here. Whenever the weather is good we go to the beach. Its the best place to relax. We pack the picnic baskets with Chicken drumsticks, corns etc...we find the beach as a place to reduce stress.Then ofcourse the CN tower. The birds eye view from the CN tower is a spectacular view. How many ever times i go to CN tower, i still feel little scared to look in the glass floor there.Above i like the view from my balcony in the evening.

So, these are just a few places which i've enjoyed. There are plenty of amzing places still to be visited. Vancouver is one among them. Hopefully that would be the next destination. The intresting part is that these places have to be visited in right season. However any place is an intresting place when we are with our love ones. Isn't it?....

The way i c my life

2009-09-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

When i look at my life, it sure feels like a roller coaster ride. Hmmmm where shal i start, well may be i'll start quoting Desmond Tutu "You dont choose your family. They are god's gift to you as you are to them". Yes my parents definetly considered me as a precious gift, as i was their first born. For most of us, childhood will be the best days of our life. It surely is for me too. Growing up in a joint family i have tons of memories, like the gatherings on my B'day, playing with the puppy in the evenings, waiting for the last exam, praying to jesus for postponing the class tests, welcoming my sweet little sister to this beautiful world, fighting with my cousins, my dad being upset with me for doing my maths test bad inspite of teaching me throughout the night, helping my sis to hide when my mom was searching for her to punish, learning to ride bicycle. I coudnt help but smile and feel happy when i think about this.
My dad has been and still is a superhero for me. He knows the secret to make us light hearted whenever we are depressed. The best part is he has taught us how to deal with our bad days without leting us know what bad days are. Whenever i have any issues, be it work or family he has solution for everything. There's nothing that i cannot discuss with my dad.My mom is the essence of my family. We mean the world to her. Her thoughts revolve around the four of us. Oops no its five now(including my sweetheart). I doubt if i can be a great mom like her. It wouldnt be fair if i dint mention about her cooking talent. She's an amzing cook. Right from chettinad to chinese she's an expert. Now comes my sis. Apart from sharing so many things we share our birthdays too(great coincidence). We are more like friends. We are partners in crime too. At times she plays good cop and turns me in. I know that she'll be genuinely happy for me in my good times and will do anything to let me out in my bad times. I still remember her eyes filled with tears the day after my wedding.I've always told her that she'll be my first kid. Thats true she will always be.
Ta da....here comes Prince Charming. Yes every girl would definetly live in a fantasy world during a certain period. Everyone of us would have dreamt about our Prince Charming. I'm not an exception. During college days i was a small town girl. My college taught me so many things apart from the subjects. I learnt to be very careful but after making so many mistakes. Afterall its my life, i've to commit my own mistakes. There are millions of amazing experiences. I still can remember the first time going to the movie bunking class, asking permission from mom to stay in friend's place, passing chits during class, possessive fights between friends, forming gangs(sweet six), teasing frenemies, long night chats with roomies,uncountable trips and outings, combine studies before exams, etc... i wandered in the college not knowing that my prince charming was right there. I might have met him in the library or in the culturals but i didnt. Of all the three years i was there i was only dreaming about him without even knowing that he's there for me. He came into my life slowly and softly. There's so many coulda, woulda and shoulda in everyone's life. We often hear people saying "i would have been a dancer if i was not married so early" or "i could have been an engineer if i hav studied well" but we need to understand that everything happens for a reason. i do not have any regrets in life. My Prince Charming has joined me in the ride of my life and its going on smoothly. Mine is an arranged marraige. People go to casinos for the same reason the agree for arranged marraige -->hoping to hit jackpot. Well, what to say, i got lucky and hit jackpot(not in casino). We definetly have our differences. If two people have only one thought between them something is seriosly wrong. We just happen to know how to tackle the differences. To be a couple do we have to give up our single self?. Nope. Not really.
I believe i've just taken you through my life. These are some of the zha zsa zho s of my life. Just the way i like it. I hope you like it too.