Street Artists: A dying breed.

Yesterday I wokeup to the loud notes of nadaswaram - a wind instrument, similar to the shehnai of the North India. A little miffed at being so wokenup instead of my usual favourite FM, I walked out to see my mom generously giving alms to this person towing a decorated cow. Mom smiled seeing grumpy face, squinting at the early morning blasts of sun.

"Nadaswaram is a mangala vadhyam (auspicious instrument) dear" she smiled. "Traditionally you must have seen them in south-indian marriages or street processions but they started out as divine instruments used in temple worship. There were times when people used to flock for nadaswaram concerts and these musicians were a celebrated lot. Today see what they have been reduced to" she lamented.

Did a little reading on this endangered art form and came out understanding little more of them. I made a small vow to myself that the next time I come across such street artists, will spare them more than a few loose change.

Of Sabbaticals, Domestic Bliss & Homing Pigeons.....

I have written and deleted about nine versions of this post. Half the time wondering if I am really expressing what I am actually feeling. I also had this nagging thought that the moment I would put this in words my feelings might take a 360 degree turn. Am being a braveheart by going ahead and posting this, so don't you judge me.

'Domestic bliss' was a term I used to associate as a brand for selling modular kitchens at the most. Today on a short sabbatical I seem to find myself wallowing in this very same bliss of plain vanilla domesticity - and am actually enjoying it. Looking back as far as I can see I have never given myself the luxury of taking a break for more than 2 weeks. And those precious breaks used to be mainly while I was transitioning from one company to another.Today its more than 2 months of me waking up without having to wonder "What do I wear to office today?" and its simply exhilarating.

I used to find it rather condescending when people used to point out the long history of women's natural association with the home and domesticity. But perhaps its just the modern social conditioning that equates feminine domesticity to shameful captivity by the patriarchial society that we live in. I could never imagine why any woman worth her salt would want to regress to the era of being a homing pigeon, slaving it out in the kitchen and keeping the table spotless.

Today am amused to find myself secretly enjoying the very same things I used to shoo away from. Make no mistake, the thought of getting to confined to the coffee pot and knitting skeins of wool into dull socks and sweaters still nauseates me.

Its this new found domesticity that has me shamelessly enslaved - where I get an hour long morning seista of coffee and the paper, hearty unhurried breakfast, no more weaving your way through the traffic and no more worry of missed deadlines. Absolutely revelling in it..

More later....got to go wave my hubby 'bye' :)

Shubh Deepavali

Wishing a happy, prosperous and safe Diwali to one and all.




Glittering MG Road on Diwali night

Did You Say Rajni'Can't?

Lola Kutty And Boney Menon

Lola Kutty and Boney Menon Party!



Simply love them. Was rummaging through my files and found this video and wanted to share it with all. It turned out to be a huge file but I luckily found the link to this video on Youtube. Enjoy maadi.

We Are T20 World Champions!! ....really?

Am overjoyed and as happy as every other cricket loving Indian at India winning the T20 worldcup. It was a nail biting finish and I whooped in joy as the tricolour was paraded proudly around the ground..but all the same it seemed too good to be true.

A creepy thought passed my mind - Is this all true or is it part of an elaborate scripted show put up for our benefit? It was like a bad thought or dream that nobody wants to think about but it keeps recurring. Maybe I am just going bonkers.

Voice in my head - heck, isn't it too much of a coincidence that the final would have to be between India & Pakistan?...Especially after the world cup debacle, cricket took the biggest beating ever in its Indian history. It was almost on the verge of dying a slow death, sponsors pulling out support, public support was lost.

Me - What the hell, it was a great game. Played in front of millions.

Voice in my head - Forgot the earlier match fixing tales?. After the world cup fiasco the very foundation of BCCI obviously got shaken. New competition in the form of ICL cropped up. They had to act fast and effectively. What could redeem the team, gain public support and be the magic formula to put cricket back into its high pedastal? BOOM "Fresh faces...a World cup victory...against arch rivals Pakistan"
BCCI: Sure, can be arranged..Shall thrown in a special appearance of SRK to add a touch of glamour too. Indians love the combo :)

Me - Push away such niggly-naggly thoughts...Push away such niggly-naggly thoughts...

Voice in my head - Forgot how Bob Woolmer's death was simply brushed under the carpet? For weeks it was cold blooded murder..strangulation marks were found etc and one day a simple headline saying - It was suicide afterall..ended the tale. Did Hansie Cronje's plane crash or was it made to crash? Simply put its a big nexus. For, cricket is multi-million dollar business, my dear.

Me - Hurrah! We won..we won the T20 world cup..that's all that matters.

Voice in my head - Bravo, rejoice the victory. After all its people like you who keep this game going to new heights. Politicians announce lakhs of rupees, Sahara doles out flats to each players, sponsors rush to sign contracts again, Ad men gloat over new deals to be struck. BCCI heaves a relief that everything is back on track.
Pray, why no such money power was seen when the Indian hockey team won the Asia Cup? They were plainly congratulated, given a few lame receptions and Mr. Gill announced Rs. 1000 per goal (or Rs.70) per team member for every goal scored!
Wow, Indian sports is indeed laudable.

Me - we won, we won ..(buhoo, bad thoughts go away..)

Voice in my head - WWE is equally entertaining you know..:)

Me - Go away!

A Measure of Happiness

I dont know how they measure all this and I also wonder who pays for such survey's but the Times of India quoting one such survey states that we "Indians are the happiest lot in the world". Good for us :)

In yet another article in the magazine Nature, I read this interesting correlation between lottery winners and paraplegics. It said that lottery winners and accident victims both seem to revert to their prior levels of happiness. In other words, if a person wins a million dollar worth lottery and another person becomes an invalid in an accident - a year later their level of happiness or possibly their state of mind would both at par! Whoa, think of that.

Or lets just say - 'When life offers a lemon, ask for tequila and salt'