Hmm…think about it!!

Many a times we have this habit of confining ourselves into a small shell…….which forms the basis of our perception, opinion. We tend to get judgmental about people and highly opinionated about things. I do not say one should not. In fact I would top the list if it comes to getting opinionated (dad keeps getting annoyed with me for that) What I want to put across is that there are times where your opinion is not asked for and it is none of your business., so to put across in crude terms- mind your own business and keep your trap shut!

Going back to the aspect of going into your shell….I believe it is absolutely harmless provided that one is not doing it at the cost of someone else’s happiness. I probably am not the right person to say that but I guess it is more of a realization. May be right .May be wrong!! A lot of times I have been part to petty gossip…… which I realize was uncalled for....the simple reason being it was none of my business!

The thing I would like to put across is that we could avoid our witty statements ( If I could refer to them in that manner) when we are not aware of the real scenario. It could be harmless, unintentional or just something to keep the idle mind busy, but all I feel is it is really unnecessary and could strain relations to a great extent. There are times when monotony sets in because of varied reasons……it could be because of having the same people around, the same scheme of things happening and so on. I believe that is where one needs to avoid limiting his/her vision .Monotony may make it appear as if the world revolves around one single thing! Looking beyond it exactly would be what it takes to make life vibrant!

Lost nd Found!!!!!!!!

I keep cribbing that the world is getting more evil with every passing day. But today I would not say the same. A small incident maybe changed my perception a little. I lost my Wallet on Tuesday evening……somewhere near T-Nagar.( that was what I thought) ….It had my ATM card and a few not so important stuff. But then I was obviously not too happy about losing it. I had no details regarding my Bank Account Number …..So you could imagine I was “HELPLESS”……I frantically tried a number of ways to find out my account number so that I could block the usage of my card…..all in vain! I informed the ATM centre of the bank of Maharashtra and requested them to help me out ( They could have as they keep track of account holders as well ) ……..but they very conveniently told me that there was no account in my name- which infuriated me even more because I felt that the excuse was the lamest one ever!!!......though I knew that I was equally at fault!!! Well I lost all hopes of finding my wallet and was also certain that the money in my account would also vanish, as I feared that I had my pin there in my wallet as well ( foolish of me…..duh!! )…….
I came to office the next day (yesterday)…….that was when I received a message from my friend in Bombay about something pertaining to my lost wallet……..Apparently a good soul found it and informed the warden at my hostel in Pune , who sent across the message to me through my friend. I picked it up from that ‘nice and helpful’ uncle yesterday evening and found everything intact!!! :-) Lucky don’t you think!!! Think about it…… A wallet on the road at some junction in Vannandurai which is in some corner of Chennai ( I have no clue how it reached there as I was in the auto and it possibly could not have fallen out…..or maybe it did) …….The message goes to Pune and then from there to Bombay and then back to Chennai!! The world is a small place!! Aint it!!! :-)

Solitude!!.....

The word sure does have enough connotations and people seem to be coming up with even more… nevertheless ...I still would say I enjoy solitude!
Often associated with terminologies like “loner”, “recluse”, “seclusion”, I feel AT TIMES that the brighter side to the word is ignored! The at times in bold is just to ensure that anyone reading this does not take it to be a generalization!
To me it simply is the love for retirement…..a tool that enables introspection……a great way to distinguish between right and wrong….. A state to train the mind to escape the clutches of materialism
Not intending to preach, but then I definitely assert that Solitude is probably one of the most effective way towards self realization and maybe Self Actualization as well. “I Love Tranquil Solitude”
People like being alone…….but not too many people like people, who like being alone. Seventy out of hundred times it is misinterpreted…….A few say that solitude and depression are something which may go hand in hand……well I think the word that ought to be there instead of solitude would be loneliness……I think solitude is very much an optimistic concept and it cannot be labeled as something that can cause depression. Loneliness could be one of the reasons without doubt.
When they are alone they want to be with others, and when they are with others they want to be alone. After all, human beings are like that…
This is one of my favourite quotes………true ehh?? Or am I giving the impression of being contradictory!!!
Do solitude and music go hand in hand?...Well I think they do…..I have noticed this many people who enjoy solitude tend to enjoy and appreciate music a little more than others. Well…..it is just another observation and not a loose statement!
Well I think I have preached enough for the day! But just a final thought ….in today’s world of immense competition which is characterized by a rat race to conquer materialistic pleasures, solitude is definitely something that would help a person to look at the things/ people the way they are and not the way they appear to be. It would definitely make living more worthwhile and enjoyable! What say?????.........

Today is Beautiful!!!!!

Was as usual having a random conversation…this time with one of my brother’s ………...he mentioned about missing old days…...........I remembered my school days…..……there was this day when a good friend of mine and me together tied the shoe laces of another friend to the bench and ran off……………..the poor girl did not know what to do….and had to stay back for a good amount of time trying to untie them……….….and finally had to cut them off……….There were many more such incidents………..anyway coming to what I wanted to say…………..Many a times I wonder why I am growing old ( only with respect to the calendar) and I do feel sad about it……..But the irony is that when I think of anything that I would have wanted, to not have happened in my life…………..I would possibly come up with a maximum of maybe one or two things. But then giving it a second thought I would conclude on the note that I do not wish that anything should have been different…..well finally end up with the note that – Today one may feel that Yesterday was Beautiful…..but ‘Today’ would be ‘Yesterday” tomorrow………so why not accept the fact that Today is Beautiful……the above was for those who feel Yesterday is beautiful….But I think it would be still better if one could accept that today is beautiful without having to be influenced by the above philosophy and move along with the flow, because I believe that life is a gift from God and not all are fortunate enough to see today!

FUSEDD!!!!!!!!!!

I was wondering today…….last night I happened to talk to a friend, who I am particularly fond of!.....I tried going down the memory lane( of about 4 years) and recollect how we started talking and what our first conversation was…..to my dismay I could not remember!:(…I tried doing the same for a few other friends who I was relatively close to …..and to my surprise it was the same…….but the recent friends of mine….I do quite remember at least vaguely if not accurately as to how we started speaking!
Tried to analyze it a little more…..was it because there weren’t too many expectations then as they are now………or was it simply because I was younger on that day and did not really bother to look more into things! It could possibly be just the circumstance that one is in……or it probably could be nothing at all! Or may be it simply is a trait in me!
Certain friends - I remember how we met and my first conversation with them…….but then failed to figure out how the rapport developed or deteriorated! The most ironical thing is that today I fail to even recognize whether there really exists a rapport with certain people or no! J
Another funny thing is that there are a few people whom I really get annoyed with. But then when they come and talk to me once in a while I simply cannot help but respond in a nice manner though at other times I would have been more than happy to give them a piece of my mind!! ……..It is not that I want to be in their good books. At the same time it definitely does not imply that being in their bad books would matter to me much! Maybe it is just an attempt to keep things amicable and cordial! A few say it is pure hypocrisy and some proclaim it to be diplomacy…….but I beg to differ! I think it is fair enough to be that way provided you lead your own life and let others do the same!
‘Live and Let Live’ is something that I would endorse any day!
Yet another dimension that could be added would be how people involuntarily lose touch. I remember during my junior college days I used to have this niche group of friends who used to perpetually indulge in mischief and we sure did get into a lot of trouble! Today I have no clue as to where they are and the astonishing fact is that I am not even able to recollect names though the faces are still fresh in my memory! That definitely is not voluntary……..as in who would want to lose touch with people with whom you have memories that you would always cherish! J
Well to sum it up…..there are times when you remember faces……when you do not want to and there are times you do not remember faces – when you really want to……there small things that you would love to remember….but unfortunately fail to………and there are things which do not really matter much and you certainly remember them without fail! And now trying to remember why I really started writing this post…………hmm……I’m afraid I do not know!

A Heartfelt Homage to Mami!!!

It has been a year since my Guru Shmt. Mangalam Muthuswamy left for her heavenly abode. Mami as we fondly called her was a terrific Vainika. The passion, Love and respect she had for the art was commendable. I had the privilege of being under her tutelage for 3 years to undergo advanced training in playing the Veena. 3 years may not seem too long- but then from the perspective of a student, it was indeed a very refreshing experience. My mind was exposed to an extremely intriguing dimension of the Veena. The manner in which mami's fingers used to move along the frets was simply a treat to watch. The patience with which she would teach us things was something none us would ever be able to forget. Even today when I sit with my Veena and play the last charanam of "Endaro MahanuBhavulu'-

Bhagavatha Ramayana Gitadi Shruti Shastra PurAnapu Marmamulanu

Shivati Shunmatamula GUdamulan Moppadimukkoti SurAnta

[an]Tarangamula BhAvambula Nerigi BhavarAga LayAdi Sowkyamuce cir
Ayuvula Galigi Niravadi SokAtmulai TyagarAjatmulainavA

(Meaning : -Those who know the secret of Bagavatha, Ramayana, Gita, Sruti, Sasthra, Epic, various religious thoughts, the thoughts of the 33 crores of Devas, bhava, raga, tala and they have a long life and enjoy all good things )

I remember how emotionally involved mami would get. The meaning of the charanam mentioned above was something mami would tell us time and again. It still gets back tears to my eyes and I believe none of us would ever be able to come to terms with her demise. When I listen to the recordings that we did in class in the course of learning, the sound of her Sindhubhairavi and Supapanthubvarali Thanam, the Shivaranjini Thillana( By Maharajapuram Santhanam) and the Thodi Ragam that she played, still gives me goose pimples….her enthusiasm to experiment with the veena would be something we would always cherish. Apart from being a Guru, she was a child at heart ever ready to join us to have a cup of ice cream or Junk Food or to simply gossip about things happening in our lives. The fun sessions of endless hours is something that would always motivate all her students to keep going, keep the luminous tradition alive and promote the Art of playing the Veena.

Her loss was indeed a loss to the world of music. May your soul rest in peace!!

CHEWING GUM...........Urghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is with immense disgust, disappointment and exasperation that I feel that Indians really do lack Civic sense!! Well you might wonder what provoked this animosity!! – Well it was nothing magnanimous to be given a thought……..Just the chewing gum that got stuck to my slipper today, did it all.

I do not understand why people have to spit it out on the road! It is really gross and definitely offensive! I happened to remember Singapore where Chewing Gums are banned since 2004. The reason for the same was the disruption of train services due to the actions of vandals who used to stick chewing gum to the automatic doors, thus preventing their functioning. People including myself crib about the view that one gets to see while landing at the Mumbai Airport – the entire Dharavi area which is considered as the biggest slum of Asia and many such issues. But then what is the point in showing a very flashy picture from the top……when the actual things cannot be concealed. I do not intend to be cynical but it is more of an observation which really irked me. Our country would be so much a better place to be in if people do not dirty it by throwing things around. Anyway this is for all those who happen to read this post…….Chewing gum is not Banned in India – But PLEASE DO NOT SPIT IT ON THE ROAD. Firstly it is annoying and I am thoroughly disgusted right now to even look it, forget trying to clean my slipper. And secondly it is very UNHYGIENIC!

This was something i had posted on my friends blog sometime back.......(http://www.cheap-n-chalu.blogspot.com/) .....it was after a very serious discussion with a friend wherein we were discussing how wierd people could get and stuff along those lines........and i happened to come across something that i had written long back....here it is

A RAY OF HOPE

I still remember that day,
When things were not this way
The lovely gaze of those eyes,
Would stealthily pass by

The past seems to fly

Like a frustrated butterfly

And nothing else will ever comply

To the request of dear thy

Witnessing someone in distress,

Has become something very blessed!!

Grabbing someone’s joy,

Is all that people enjoy!!

Talk about the selfishness,

That fills the world’s breast.

Talk about the envy,
That one’s face can convey.

Just when the fact gets to be known,
That, one is greater than what he is shown

People begin to bloom with hatred,

And relatively cease to do things that are sacred.

Oh God, thy ought to know

How people could be so low
And cross all limits somehow

To be the lowest among the low!!!

Where is that love??

That shows people do care

Where is your dove?
The peace propagator when allowed!!!

Hatred has become the thing of today.

The waves of kindness having flown away

Only thy ought to know the birthday,

Of yet another wonderful day……

A day which is promising,

Amusing and encouraging.

A day which will make,

A lonely man’s day……

A time which will come,

And make one’s life handsome..

And fill once again his soul

With all the happiness that it stole…..

Head bowing low
I pray to thee dear lord

To make some broad way
For the dawn of that new day........

Randomness........

A life without persistence….today seems to be categorized as a fad!!
To some – It is a way of life
To some – It is what destiny has got in store for them!
To some – It is the Gift of the Lord
To some – It is Cool…

It is simply amazing as to how I come across specimens who can actually serve as antique pieces, good enough to be kept in a museum! :) ( not that i am any less)
Nevertheless – they serve to be a good source of entertainment so I should not be complaining.

A few things I realized over a period of years..

It is very easy to live life in any fashion…but tough to live it in a disciplined yet an enjoyable manner…..(ma keeps telling me this)

There are times when silence has the loudest voice .....and trust me on that it has the loudest one – be it for right or wrong reasons!

Hostel Life sure does give you a lot of certainty of what you do not want to be in life.( not quite sure whether it does say about what you want to be. I guess time would tell me that)

"Life is like music; it must be composed by ear, feeling, and instinct, not by rule" - Samuel Butler

Too philosophical is it?....But the extent of truth in these revelations, I must say has surely instilled a lot of optimism in me!

Confrontation with Poverty!!!

Well…….this is my first post here……..hmm…I don’t know why I wanted to start blogging..but then yea….I did….Looking around, I realize that so many of us are so involved with our own lives, that we fail to realize how fortunate we have been….I don’t say this randomly…the realization came to me in a very harsh manner- after a 10 day NSS Camp that I had gone for in my first year of Graduation. We had been to this place which was about 12 Km. uphill from Umar Gaon …it was somewhere near Palenkhet…….the sound of ‘Palenkhet’ rings a bell huh? ….well for all the ’Raja Hindustani fans….it is a place blessed with natures ravishing beauty and so on ….but I guess I saw a very different side ……The place was Poverty Personified! People did not have clothes to wear……a woman walking topless that too in a country like India!!...

The incident that really shook me hard was when I got to know what these people did to satisfy their Hunger….one morning during lunch I happened to be talking to a few children out here and distributing biscuits……the same night during dinner….when I handed over a few peppermints to one of those small boys…..that chap threw it back at me and when I reprimanded him for that…….he retaliated with a hurl of abuses ( of which I am sure he did not know the meaning)..I was obviously taken aback….a guide who happened to be around told me then…..that because of shortage of food and inability to afford food, the parents used to feed these kids with ‘TAADI’ – local liquor , which used to give them a temporary relief from hunger……and when the hangover went off ,these kids used to suffer even more……I got to know the reason behind the behaviour of the little boy who was just nine!!!!
The young girls out there were too shy to even look straight into the eye and make a conversation …..I presume they were deprived of education as well as there were no schools around ………..This shows a real pitiable and a sorry state of affairs in our country……..the worst part being that not too many people are not even aware of these things happening….Our political leaders keep coming and going,……but I do not see any improvement…The onus now is on us…….to do something!!