Blister Beetle...

Beetles in the family Meloidae are commonly called Blister Beetles. Here's one that I found a few weeks back - the scientific name is Mylabris quadripunctata

As per wiki, they are known as "blister beetles" because they secrete cantharidin, a poisonous chemical causing blistering of the skin and painful swelling...

Itsy bitsy spider....

Found this 'Giant Wood Spider' (genus Nephila, commonly called Golden Orb Weavers or Banana spiders) last weekend in the outskirts of bangalore. It's interesting to note that there is one more small spider on the web -which is a male, behind this huge female...I didn't figure it out until someone actually pointed it out to me. It's almost 1/100th the size of a female one!! After mating, the female spider eats the male....now, isn't that very interesting?!

Shedding ego..

The Speaking Tree column in sunday's TOI carried this article on shedding ego and enjoying your present. I love reading this space in TOI, it always has something good to offer. No great philosophies... just some food for thought, which if advocated can really bring in noticeable changes within self - in personality and perceptions...

Sometimes a few lines like these is all you need to trigger a change ... .... .......


"When you operate from ego, your relationships will be affected. Ego wants to prove its point of view. The point of view is more important than truth or happiness. In that state, you demand and not command respect. If a couple demands respect from each other, then they are beggars of happiness and not givers of happiness. In the egoistic state, an argument feeds the ego. Remember no one wins an argument. You accumulate more of bitterness and at different periods of time you settle scores with the other. When you operate from the 'higher self', there is a healthy discussion. In discussion, truth is more important than who has said it. Happiness and well-being become more important than the survival of one's point of view. "

"Operate from the 'higher self'. Operate from commitment and not complaint. Let your identity not depend on others. Don't settle scores with others. Create a bliss body and not a hurt body. Learn to expand others' comfort zones and not increase discomfort zones. Learn to convert a sexual act into a prayerful act. Create a learning and rejoicing family. Learn to be a good finder and not a fault-finder. Present your point of view and not impose your point of view. Focus on togetherness and not differences. Let a difference be a learning point and not a fighting point. Let us rise above differences than be victims of differences"

Remembering Calvin'n Hobbes

Hundreds of comic strips have been & keep getting published in newspapers everyday...and not all of them have survived the test of time like Calvin and Hobbes. If I have to pick the best comic I have read so far, it is CnH undoubtedly!! To me, saying that CnH is the 'best strip ever' would be an understatement. It's much beyond that - it's just different! Everytime I read it (and re-read it) I feel so fresh and good..

Most of the daily comics you read will probably just induce those moments of gags and then you forget it...but am sure you'll agree (if u are an avid reader of CnH) that when Watterson created the character of 'Calvin' he had something more in mind, than just fun. Through free-spirited, deeply-imaginative Calvin's character and his endlessly-friendly-and-eternally-bonded stuffed tiger Hobbes, you get such deep intellectual insights about life and friendships, in addition to it being so warm and heartfelt. The theories about life seem so complex yet when Calvin describes them, they seem so simple. There have been situations in life where I have actually remembered some of the CnH strips and it has made a lot of sense and made me feel better too :)

Flip open a page and you will find things like...

Calvin wondering "What is worthwile in life if death is inevitable.."

He asks Hobbes in another - "What is the true meaning of happiness?" Is it money, cars and women? or is it just money and cars?" :)
and more!

Calvin & Hobbes, written by Bill Watterson ran from Nov'1985 -Dec' 1995. When Watterson wrote his final strip, he sent a letter to all the editors of newspapers who featured his strip, which said -

“I will be stopping Calvin and Hobbes at the end of the year. This was not a recent or an easy decision, and I leave with some sadness. My interests have shifted however, and I believe I've done what I can do within the constraints of daily deadlines and small panels. I am eager to work at a more thoughtful pace, with fewer artistic compromises. I have not yet decided on future projects, but my relationship with Universal Press Syndicate will continue. That so many newspapers would carry Calvin and Hobbes is an honor I'll long be proud of, and I've greatly appreciated your support and indulgence over the last decade. Drawing this comic strip has been a privilege and a pleasure, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity.”

Read more about the history of Calvin and Hobbes here

This one is truly a masterpiece and Bill Waterson ...a genius!

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Few of my favorites- (the list is long and it's hard to choose...)

The entire Racoon series (9 strips) ... its so touching! The first strip is below...

and the last strip of the series...

Few other ones ....

Randy Pausch - The Last Lecture

Heard of Randy Pausch? By now am sure most of you would have. This guy who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, had just a few months to live and during this time he delivered his last lecture called "Really achieving your childhood dreams", at Carnegie Mellon University. He compiled this into a book, with a little more of how he went about giving this lecture and leading his life to the fullest. The book is also called 'The Last Lecture' and if you haven't read it, I really suggest you grab a copy today, coz it will fill you with so much wisdom and leave you just amazed! Some of the things he says just get embossed in your mind permanently and the moment you keep the book down, you would want to start living each day as if it was your last...

Click here to read my complete review of the book

If you haven't watched the video yet, here is the youtube link - It's about 1hr and few mins... might seem long but its worth every minute of it!

Blog Analytics..

Been a while since I logged into google analytics for my blog. Interesting to note some of the statistics for this blog in the month of September...

Visitors:
381 Visits from 21 countries/territories
260 Absolute Unique Visitors
62.73% New Visits

Traffic Sources:
25% Direct Traffic
41% Referring Sites
34% Search Engines

Now for the most interesting part :) The top 10 keywords from search engines that people have used to visit this blog....

1. Pratima Jayaram
2. pallavi anupallavi
3. how to do long stitch
4. long stitch embroidery
5. oye amritsar
6. pratima jayaram blogspot
7. isb leadership summit
8. lead india ad
9. lead india advertise
10. pallavi anupallavi review

Thank u all for dropping by... and keep visiting! :)

Book Review: In the Country of Men

Author: Hisham Matar
Pages: 245
My Rating (on a scale of 5):

Click here to read my complete review on the book blog

Review: Rock On

Had written this review for PFC but it didn't get published...so posting it on my blog..

I went to watch this movie not knowing what really to expect, because of the mixed reviews I had received. I was completely taken aback with what I saw and the movie surpassed my expectations to a great extent in multiple aspects! I just LOVED every bit of it. Farhan Akhtar was a total surprise package. With this movie, he has proved that he is not only a good established director but also a good actor and a singer as well. So were Prachi Desai (best known as 'Bani' in Kasam Se on Zee TV), Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny. Prachi brings in a lot of freshness to the role and Purab seems to have a natural flair for comedy.He's got a perfect timing for his dialouge deliveries and the right expressions! Arjun Rampal has managed to give his best performance so far, though he doesnt stand out amongst all others. The movie has its own set of flaws (like slow pace), but it got me so engrossed that I could completely ignore all of those. Finally bollywood has got something good in the music genre to proudly showcase to the West.

Lot of reviews compared this movie to Dil Chahta Hai.I felt it's nothing similar to DCH, other than the fact that the movie is youthful and about a group of friends. Rock On has a totally different message to convey. The focus is not just on friendships; It's more about the 'spirit of winning' or 'following your dreams' and taking that path which is not chosen too often.The movie scores because of its 'Emotional Quotient (EQ)'. The characters were so real; I found myself getting engrossed in those characters and their relatively ordinary lives; I could relate to their dreams, goals, ego clashes, friendships, relationships etc and I feel this is what sets Rock On apart even though the story and flow seems cliched and predictable. The type of narration, with the intersperses of flash backs between the present is handled very well by director Abhishek Kapoor. At no point did I feel confused or left out; rather it made the story more interesting and kept me alert!

The movie's theme is music and the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy show their 'Magik' again! The music is fresh and has that college-band touch to it. Javed Akhtar writing lyrics for a set of Rock songs was another surprise package in the movie! But I must say he has done complete justice to it. The lyrics are very simplistic, meaningful yet hummable and Farhan's nonchalant voice seems to suit them so perfectly well. Farhan's choice of using his vocals was very apt;it really helps him get into the character and blend with it, without looking artificial. The songs fit into the movie well, they enhance the experience and for once they are not there just for the heck of it, to bring in commercial success. Last but not the least, Rock On's music definitely brings in a breath of fresh air to hindi music and Indian rock music as well.

My Book- Blog!

Ah! It's finally ready to be launched ;-) My all new book blog - http://reading-adventures.blogspot.com/ dedicated to books and only books so that I can track all my readings in one place and connect with the huge books community that exists in this blogosphere!

I have copied all my existing book review posts from here to there so that they are all available in one place. Henceforth I'll be posting all my book reviews on the new blog. So all you book enthusiasts who had bookmarked this blog, plz update your links and do let me know how you like it :)

happy reading!

Ek Tithli...Anek Thithliya..

A saturday morning well spent!
No idea about the ID's of these butterflies...so I'll leave you guys with just these photos to feel good :)

Common Jezebel

Review: A Wednesday

There are very few movies that leave a lasting impression on our minds and keep us thinking for days after watching it. This was one such movie. It's been a week since I watched it and I noticed myself thinking and discussing about it even today...

When I saw the promos, I knew I wouldn't want to miss this one, mainly becoz there were 2 of the most versatile actors in hindi cinema - Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher, and it was not the usual run-of-the-mill bollywood movie. Both their performances in the movie are commendable. Naseeruddin Shah steals the show with his effortless and superlative performance in every scene and Anupam Kher matches him stride by stride, in the role of a police officer.

For those of you who haven't watched, there are no spoilers ahead, so dont worry :)
The plot deals with the current state of terrorism in India and how it has affected the normal day-to-day lives of people, the fear it has created, the attitude of the government and police force, and above all - the whole meaning of democracy. The movie makes a point through its story, and it makes it strongly. It stays focused through out, keeping it short and to the point and thats what makes it effective and most appealing. No nonsense of unnecessary songs, dance and other crap needed for commercial success (One of the reasons why this may not be successful at the box office!). The climax leaves you with a lot of open questions and throws open multiple debates - legal, moral and social...all of which will leave u pondering for a long time!
There have been a lot of movies in the recent times which have dealt with the spread of terrorism in India.. So what's different about this one? It gives a fresh perspective to the issue..something which no other director had probably thought of; as a common (wo)man this perspective had NEVER crossed my mind for sure!!

It's undoubtedly an impressive debut by the director Neeraj Pandey, who gives us a parallel perspective which is much needed in the current cirumstances of growing terrorism...

Macro...

Give and Take...

For to the bee a flower is a fountain of life

And to the flower a bee is a messenger of love

And to both, bee and flower, the giving and the receiving is a need and an ecstasy.

- Kahlil Gibran

A macro shot that I took during the flower show at Lalbagh last month....loved it! :)

Fight Club

I would see raised eyebrows when friends asked me 'have u watched fight club?' and my answer was - No! I had heard some people talk so passionately about this movie that I used to wonder what's this all about?! After watching it, I do agree with all these reviews that I have heard... I felt the movie is too complicated to follow in one shot, but I was glad I had someone along to resolve my confusions! I would love to watch it a couple of more times; am sure I'll appreciate it more and get a better understanding of the plot, every time I see it!

"How much do u know about yourself until u have been in a fight?" is the punch line of fight club. The raw-animalistic-instincts for survival, the rush of emotions and rollercoaster experience that surface in a fight forms the core of this movie...

I wont get to the details of the plot..it can be found doing google search :) What I liked about the movie is that it's a fast paced non stop journey, bringing a rush of adrenalin, with stunning performances by Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. Never once did I notice a slack where I could just take off my attention from what's happening... a thorough entertainer


I really wonder how hollywood comes up with such wonderful, thought provoking movies!!

Phoolon ke rang se....

Some pics that I took at the Lalbagh flower show -2008 which happened sometime last week in blore.. It was a great experience! Lovely collection of flowers, a lot of varieties and pretty well organized...

Dont ask me to identify the flowers, I still haven't done enough research to figure out the names :)


I got this one - Dianthus Barbatus

Book Review: Lolita

Author: Vladimir Nabokov

Phew! I finally finished reading this book... took me almost 2 full months, not becoz I had no time but 'coz it's one of the weirdest books I've read so far. I was determined though, to read the book till the last page just so that I dont end up missing out on something. I've read a lot of good reviews on this book so I'm not going to say it's bad - but it just wasn't my type or maybe I just didnt know how to approach the book! I ought to accept that I had a tough time reading it....

English is not english when it's written by Vladimir Nabokov. This is the first time that I couldn't grasp too much from a book written in english :) It's like learning a new language. It reminded me of my GRE/GMAT preps when I used to go thru the huge word list and wonder who on earth would really use those long-complex words! Now I know who does ;-) But I really appreciate the choice of words that the author uses. If you go dig it up in a dictionary, you'll realize that no other word could describe what he means, in a better way. It's that appropriate!

The book is in a first person narrative. One of the weirdest stories I've ever read. Not acceptable on moral grounds; I just couldn't digest it. It's about Humbert Humbert, an adult-middle-aged guy who is obsessed with nymphets. He goes as a lodger in one of the lonely widow's house where he gets attracted to her 12 yr old daughter - Lolita. He marries the widow so that he gets to stay close to Lolita. After his wife's death, he seduces his 12 year old step-daughter and has an "affair" or to be precise, a sexual relationship with her for nearly 2-3 yrs.

The author does know that such relationships are not acceptable by rational human beings and he brings out this acceptance through Humbert's character. He describes very well, how Humbert's and Lolita's conscience are at work...thru all this, and more importantly what effect this whole thing has on young Lolita's mind and her life. Due to the subject matter, the book was very difficult to read at times - all boundaries of ethical behavior crossed..

The story is definitely compelling and something that can really give you goose bumps, but I wish it was written in a simpler way so that I could understand and appreciate it better! But as of now, I guess I wouldn't really recommend the book ... unless, of course you are someone who is experimental in literature and wants to read a book that is very differently written!

The challenge list -
1. Sister of my heart- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (India)
2. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)
3. A thousand splendid suns - Khalid Hosseini (Afghanistan)
4. The Bastard of Istanbul - Elif Shafak (Turkey/Armenia)
5. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov (Russia)
6. To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee (USA)
7. The Conservationist- Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)
8. One hundred years of solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Columbia)
9. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (Australia)

The moment of truth

One more addition to the band of reality shows these days! I watched this new show which premiered in Asia on star world yesterday. Hosted by Emmy nominated Mark Walberg, the show is all about telling the truth and winning money - upto US$500,000!! Well, who wouldn't want to take a shot at this then? ;-) The hitch here is that the contestants are strapped to a lie detector to validate the answers. Prior to the show, each contestant is asked about 50 qns by a polygraph expert who records the answers but its not revealed to the contestants. During the actual show, 21qns out of these 50 are asked randomly and for each answer that is TRUE the contestant wins money and moves ahead. The questions get more and more embarassing and personal, as you move up the ladder.. Also, there will be a surprise guest who can come and ask the question to the contestant... that could be the person's father, mother, friend, wife..or anyone for that matter and ask just about anything.... good opportunity to get the truth out? :)

Though it seemed like some new concept, how real can this reality show get?! Everyone of us have our own secrets; everyone of us would have lied to people close to us at some point...maybe for the good or bad.. So would someone be willing to expose their deep down dark secrets on national television, infront of their family and loved ones?? Yesterday's show had some questions like -
- Have you ever cheated on your wife?
- Have you flirted with other women after marriage?
- Have you ever lied to get a job? etc...
Even though its a game show, the fact that they claim there is a lie detector does make it sound authentic... The show does get uncomfortable and shocking at times. I wonder would someone be willing to risk their precious relationships in life for about 1.5millions?!! Especially when trust forms such an important aspect of any relationship.....Well, am sure there are people who would, for whatever reasons...coz the show is on :)

Well here's something that Walberg has to say -
“Many times I ask them if the money is worth the pain you are causing. And they would say it’s not the money. I think people come on the show to reveal things they won’t say at home"


Interesting!!


Here's a small clip of one of the contestant's game - watch it...its fun!

Books & Reading...

A friend fwded the link to this video yest and I so really loved it!!!! It's just abt 1min long but never fails to impress u..everytime u watch. I wish I could write something like this!!!

One movie...

Ah! So that post yesterday did really do the trick ;-) I do feel like writing about something finally!

I actually came across this post through my google reader in the morning and I found it pretty interesting! So as per that blog...
If somebody told you that he/she is allowed to watch just one more movie in his/her life. Just one. Which movie would you recommend to that person?

I have been trying to pick one, but it's harder than I thought it would be! First of all, there are so many good movies on my 'to be watched' list that are highly recommended. So my list wouldn't be that vast, nevertheless...from the top of my head, I picked out 3 and I am trying to decide among The Godfather, As good as it gets and Little Miss Sunshine.

It would probably be 'As good as it gets'...the movie really touched me and I have seen it multiple times and wouldnt mind watching it again... amazing direction, story, acting, with a good sense of humor...

What would it be for you? Note that, it can be from any language... no restrictions!

Blogger's block...

Experiencing the "Blogger's block" syndrome...Hope to be out of it soon! I thought at least this post will trigger something and make a start.. :)

Any tips?

The New Champ

Increased heart rate, high blood pressure and a bit of acidity - the effects of yesterday's Nadal v/s Federer match!! I can't remember being so nerve wrecked for a tennis match before...This Wimbledon final, supposed to be the longest men's final in the history of wimbledon, didn't let me sleep a wink till the last serve of the match, irrespective of multiple rain delays. (This didn't seem like an unwanted interruption though, coz I got to watch the replay of another enthralling wimbledon final - Borg v/s McEnroe. I was just a couple of years old when this happened, so I was glad I got to see that match :-) A pair of true champions undoubtedly!! )

This was one match where I didn't know whom to favor, both seemed to be my favorites and I would be disappointed if either of them lost, coz Federer is undoubtedly one of the best players i've seen, and winning a 6th wimbledon title would re-iterate that..and Nadal is the only guy who has really tried hard to give a tough fight to Federer over the last couple of years. But finally I was delighted that Nadal managed to win, coz I think he truly deserved the trophy...right from the first set, you could see his 200% effort in each and every single shot that he played - he was there to just WIN and that's what he achieved finally!! Nadal, on being asked how did he feel on collapsing on the center-court after defeating the five-time-champion, said "It's impossible to describe it no?"... am sure it is, absolutely no words!!

An ever green bollywood song, from the movie Masoom (1983).... with Gulzar at his best and music by R.D Burman... I fall in love with it every time I listen to it...!! Hard to find such music and lyrics these days...
I love both the male and female versions of the song... but the one in Lata Mangeshkar's voice is too good... her voice itself adds that golden touch to the song, so soothing....

tuz se naaraaj naheen jindagee
hairaan hoo main
tere maasoom sawaalon se
pareshaan hoo main

jeene ke liye sochaa hee nahee
dard sanbhaalane honge
muskuraye to, muskuraane ke
karza utaarane honge
muskuraoo kabhee to lagataa hai
jaise hothhon pe, karza rakhaa hain

Update on OT challenge...

Not too happy with myself on the progress of my book readings :( Lost the momentum; this month was again very slow. Haven't finished even 1 book completely. Not sure if the books that am picking are not holding my interest or the other things in life are distracting me... whatever it is, it's not good for my own goal that I have set - to read at least 25 books by end of this year... thats on an avg 2 per month, which is not too hard! How I arrived at this number? Just random! :)
Update on my OT list - modified the list a bit, coz I didnt like a couple of books which I had originally decided upon... My last book was on Turkey/Armenia, depicted in the map below (I love this tool that I found to create colorful maps!) Armenia is that small portion in dark brown next to Turkey (in orange)

1. Sister of my heart- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (India)
2. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)
3. A thousand splendid suns - Khalid Hosseini (Afghanistan)
4. The Bastard of Istanbul - Elif Shafak (Turkey/Armenia)
5. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov (Russia) ........ in progress
6. To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee (USA)
7. The Conservationist- Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)
8. One hundred years of solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Columbia)
9. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (Australia)

(Click on the book names to read the reviews..)

More photos..

Both pics taken with my Canon point and shoot A85! So i guess they are good enuf ;)

Macro of a flower... not sure which one this is

Dove..

On the top...

..... of my current playlist

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi ... (Jane Tu Ya Jane Na)
- An AR Rahman composed number from the movie 'Jane Tu Ya Jane Na' with playback by Rashid Ali makes it a very different song altogether (Rashid's voice quality really suits the tempo and mood of the song) Unlike the recent ARR songs, this one is a fast and peppy number and really gets addictive...It's a typical Rahman number; I call it 'typical' coz you have to listen to the song a few times before you fall in love with it! I feel Rahman has done a *great* job with this song, something very different compared to Swades, Jodha Akbar kinda music... (which too are my favorite ofcourse!) I suggest u listen to the song at least 3-4 times before qualifying it as 'not good' in one shot :)

Koi aane wala hai... (Strings)
- Title song from their new album 'Koi aane wala hai' released last month; the paki band doesnt disappoint their fans yet again with this new release, after Duur and Dhani. Faizal, the lead singer really does have a golden voice and I just love it! The music video has John Abraham featuring as an angel....an attempt to add a stint of glamour! It did work before, he and Sanjay Dutt featured along with the band for one of the songs in Zinda....

The Bastard of Istanbul

Author: Elif Shafak

My reading momentum had come down suddenly over the last few weeks. Am back again now with the review and more books lined up by the bedside :)

After Pakistan and Afghanistan, this book which I picked up is about Turkey/Armenia. This was not on my original list but after coming across several good reviews, I was keen on reading it. Here, Elif Shafak deals with the age old cultural dissonance that exists between the Turks and Armenians, through a complex story of two families. She indicates how even a 50-60years old history can have a strong impact on the present lives of people. In Istanbul (as well as in parts of U.S.A), the Turks and Armenians still co-exist with mutual uneasiness and hatred; with the act of genocide (during the Ottoman empire) still fresh in the memories of the Armenians whereas the Turks feel no such continuity with their ancestors or the past.

Asya, labelled a 'bastard' since her birth, born when her mother was just 19yrs old, in a household full of women in Istanbul, grows up as a rebellious young Turkish woman, with the identity of her father shrouded till the end. Her only uncle who has immirated to America has an Armenian-American step-daugther called Armanoush (Amy), who later comes to Istanbul to stay in Asya's house, in search of her 'Armenian past'. Though the relationship between these 2 girls is strained, they soon become friends, intrigued by each other's culture. And during this quest, a lot of secrets tracing back to 1915 are discovered which really make the story gripping. There's a lot to learn about the Turkish-Armenian struggle history and the genocide especially, through the story of these 2 familes.

I took a longer time than expected to finish this book coz I felt it became very slow in the middle. Also, the author's writing style was quite different. There were different un-related parts of the story which were told together and I couldn't make much sense of it at that point and would lose track and end up being confused. But towards the final few chapters I could see it all come together! I really loved the book for this reason. Every small detail that was mentioned till then, just fell into place and the ending just left me awestruck!!! I didn't want to write the review as soon I completed the book, wanted that feeling to sink in and see if I really did enjoy it. Even now when I think about it, though it bored me a bit in the middle, I still love it for the complexities depicted in a very nice way!

Elif Shafak was prosecuted and acquitted in Turkey for insulting Turkishness by referring to the "millions" of Armenians "massacred" by "Turkish butchers" who "then contentedly denied it all." But finally the case was dismissed and she was back home and not in jail...

Pallavi Anupallavi..

Every time I watch a Mani Ratnam movie, my admiration for him as a director increases. Then how could I miss his directorial debut?! I’ve tried real hard to get hold of this Kannada movie for a very long time (almost 1 or 2 yrs!). Finally managed to find the VCD and watched it yesterday. Released in 1983, the movie stars Anil Kapoor (supposed to be the bollywood actor’s debut too) and Lakshmi (better know by the movie Julie) in the leading roles and music composed by Illaiyaraja. Couldn’t have asked for anything better :)

The movie is about this guy Vijay (Anil Kapoor) and his relationship with 2 women. He falls in love with one and later due to circumstances meets the other lady who is married, with a kid but separated from her husband and develops a great bond of trust and friendship with her. But he is confused and treads the fine line between trust and attraction amidst societal pressures. The ending of the movie is the best. Mani Ratnam has his own style... just like every other movie of his, the ending is very realistic and not just the 'all's-well-and-happy' ending.

Mani Ratnam weaves so many sub-plots in the movie which are very subtle yet so powerful. The movie is shot in Bangalore and Madikeri (Coorg). It's really a treat to see old Bangalore in the 80's (with so much greenery of course!); the photography and cinematography are awesome and add to the texture of the movie. Illaiyaraja's music is a magical melody, it just mesmerizes you and leaves you craving for more- listen to the song ' Naguva Nayana.....' and you'll know what I'm trying to say! Last but not the least I have to mention that Lakshmi has given a powerful performance which is commendable. Though Anil Kapoor was very good, he didnt create an impact 'coz I have seen much better performances from him in bollywood movies later.

All in all, a wonderful movie and truly a Mani Ratnam classic!

Macros..

My first two (pretty good) macro shots.... I'm thrilled! :)

The world is enlightened.. :)

Beer? Maybe, maybe not!

For those of you who thought beer is a very healthy drink , here's something that might put you on second thoughts.

http://www.littleabout.com/2008/05/23/beer-increases-the-risk-of-developing-pancreatic-cancer/

According to this study, beer is known to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Obviously, it does indicate that the risk is higher for heavy drinkers, so I am assuming that a mug of beer once a while should still be safe.... but who knows?!

Unaccustomed Earth

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

This book, from the author of 'Interpreter of Maladies' and 'The Namesake' is one of the nicest short story collections that I've read so far. It's hard to pick which one is better, 'Interpreter of Maladies' or 'Unaccustomed Earth', both of which are collection of short stories, but I still favour this one a little more.

Lahiri is one of the finest Indian authors that I've come across. She has something new to offer in every book and every story of her's. Her style of writing is very unique (with her attention to detail she creates a lasting image in your mind), thought provoking and gripping; none of her stories have a perfect ending, it leaves you thinking at the end... always, and that's what brings it close to reality coz more often than not, you dont see a 'perfect end' to situations in life.

Unaccustomed Earth, is again a set of 8 short stories intrically woven with their themes...Bengali families who have migrated to US of A. That's the author's focus in all her books, but each story has something different to offer.... Be it a daughter's dilemma whether to give shelter to her father after her mother passed away, discovering some secrets during the time he comes to visit her; or a married woman falling in love with a stranger who comes to stay with them and becomes a family friend, only to be discovered by her daugther much later in life; or a sister trying to help her alcohol addicted brother who is rejected by his family and the society but at the end starts doing it herself, Lahiri has mastered the intricacies of human emotions and put it across in the most simple and subtle way.

The first part is a set of 5 distinct stories and the second part, is a set of 3 intertwined stories forming a trilogy - where two people (Hema and Kaushik) meet at different stages in their lives - during childhood, in their teenage and later in their 30's. The ending is very touching, though somewhat contrived.

The only criticism would be that she tends to get a little melodramatic sometimes in her narrations and becoz of the only central theme she uses - NRI bengali families who are academic over-achievers (everyone is a PhD), economically prosperious and always in mixed marriages, the stories sometimes seem to lack variations.

Nevertheless, I still rate this book 4.5/5 and highly recommend it. It is well worth the time...

Oye! Amritsar...

This restaurant on church street(located above Ruby Tuesday), is something that I'd heard of a lot and been recommended even more.... I read loads of reviews about it before going there for lunch today, and that set the expectations high...and I surely was not disappointed. A very small place, with hardly 10-12 tables and no hi-fi ambience(a mock roof-top dhaba), all this place has to offer is its awesome authentic punjabi food which is it's USP (unique selling point). The very first thing that I can think about, when I think of this restaurant is it's lassi, served in a monstrously huge glass.... very tasty.. and it can almost compensate for a full course lunch, coz I had to almost eat the lassi rather than drink it :)

(Photo courtesy: google search)
The food was extremely good,a treat to your taste buds.....it defnitely leaves u craving for more! They have a wide variety on the menu but I would recommend the lunch buffet coz it reduces the pain of ordering and you get to taste a lot of their good stuff. The service was very good and fast even though the place was very crowded, but if you go without reservations, then you have to bear with the agony of a long wait.

The buffet was 175Rs and with a-la-carte, a meal per person will be about 250Rs (without drinks). The price is slightly towards the higher side but considering that they are offering a cuisine which is not so common (and authentic ofcourse!) in b'lore, it doesnt seem expensive and it's definitely worth it!! Something you shouldn't miss for sure...

You can read a really good review about this place on Bangalore Metblogs (with nice pictures)

Jhumpa Lahiri...

It's strange that I am currently reading 3 books simultaneously, somehow ended up starting all 3 and it's all going parallel now...so will take time to finish and post all the reviews! One of it is Jhumpa Lahiri's latest - Unaccustomed Earth - a collection of short stories. I have finished half the book, and it's so amazing that I love her writings all the more now.. While browsing about the book and the author, I came across this exclusive author's interview, which is quite nice (Link at the end..)

It's interesting to note that she came up with some of the stories in this new collection nearly a decade before.... authored 'The Namesake' in between and now actually completing those old stories!! 'Hema and Kaushik' is a trilogy in this new short stories collection, which she is referring to below...

Lahiri: It began in a staggered way, with Kaushik and Hema. The first of the stories in that series, "Once in a Lifetime," is a story from about ten years ago that I started and never finished. The characters had those names, though.
They were characters that first entered my mind about a decade ago. I thought about them, and I had a very vague sense of them and their world, their situations and their families. The earliest incarnation was the idea of the story of their two sets of parents who are at once very close and very different.
I was trying to write about Kaushik's family moving back to India and then moving back yet again, and staying with Hema's family. That was always the kernel, this strange couple of months in both their lives, in which they're all crammed into one household.
That was the idea, but at the time I never knew why exactly the family had come back; I hadn't yet figured it out. Those are the earliest characters in the book, and eventually, many years later, I returned to that draft (if you could call it that — it was just a few pages) and was able to work on it again and move forward and finish the story.
That's how it began technically, I suppose. Then I wrote The Namesake, in between, and then started up with some of the other stories. "Hell-Heaven" I had first started while I was writing The Namesake. Sometimes a story idea comes to me and I loosely write it or half-write it or quarter-write it. So when I was finished with The Namesake, I turned to these other ideas. I went back to Hema and Kaushik, and went back to "Hell-Heaven." The other stories just followed, one by one. "

And for all those people who think that the final-product of writing is usually those initial-thoughts that come into mind, then here's something to contradict that....

Jill: How much do you revise, generally?
Lahiri: That's really all I do. It's all a process for me of continued revision. I worked on most of the stories in this book for several years. When I finished some, and I published some, along the way, then I considered them done, but I still worked on them for a considerable length of time, and the ones I didn't publish, I continued to work on. Most of these stories were simmering for two to three years, minimum.

Read the full interview here

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Here is the link to the author's offical website. He has a blog in there too, pretty interesting.

After reading 'The Kite Runner', there was no way I would have missed out on this one. A couple of reviews that I had read initially indicated that this book is very similar to the the previous one and has nothing different to offer. That put me off a bit, but am glad I still picked it up, coz it was amazing in its own way!

Without writing much about the plot, I would like to say that Khaled Hosseini really does know how to make your heart ache!! The last 2 days when I read this book during bedtime, I found it hard to sleep...some of the things described in the book really haunted me, day and night. If the very description of Taliban and life in Afghanistan could make me go thru this, I wonder how people in there would have endured it all... I have foregone hours of sleep, just so that I get to read one more chapter, and that never ends... hard to keep the book down.

The author's style of writing is something that I enjoyed - very clear, simple and effective. The way he has described the emotions of the two women in the story, a peek behind the burqa, is really commedable.....In one of the lines he writes about friendship, which I felt was nicely expressed - "Boys, Laila came to see, treated friendship the way they treated the sun: its existence undisputed; its radiance best enjoyed, not beheld directly"

I will definitely remember this as one of 2007's best novels and would look forward to reading more of his books..

Update on Orbis Terrarum Challenge...

'Orbis Terrarum' in latin means 'the whole world' or 'globe of the world'.. I've just finished 2 books as per my list and on to the third one now.. It's interesting to note how you can travel to different parts of the world and learn about various countries and its cultures by reading books...I 'm loving it!!

Got this idea of showing the world map from Ramya's blog... but managed to get a picture of my own though ;-) The map just made me realize how limited my reading has been and how vast the world is! :)

Updated list:

1. Sister of my heart- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (India)

2. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)

3. A thousand splendid suns - Khalid Hosseini (Afghanistan)

4. Kafka on the shore - Haruki Murakami ( Japan)

5. Reading Lolita in Tehran- Azar Nafisi (Iran)

6. To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee (USA)

7. The Conservationist- Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)

8. One hundred years of solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Columbia)

9. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (Australia)

Sister of my heart

Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

The next stop in my Orbis Terrarum Challenge was India. As per my list, I was supposed to read R.K Narayan's book but my eyes fell on this one and the reviews were so amazing that I couldn't resist myself from picking it up. I had read 'Mistress of Spices' by the same author and was not too impressed with it, but the story and reviews of this tempted me to try her book once again and I am surely not disappointed this time!

The story is about a bengali family, two sisters, cousins - Sudha and Anju, born on the same day... growing up in a household of 3 widowed women in Calcutta. The story is quite typical and cliched, but what makes it different is the way in which it is told, the events are so interlocked and it goes zigzag across time and alternates between India and America (the 2 places where the story is set up). Both Sudha and Anju are inseparable and so attached to each other that you can hardly say where one begins and the other ends. Both of them are forced into arranged marriages under different circumstances and their lives takes a drastic turn when each of them gets to know of some hidden truth. The bond of love and friendship that they share is very heart warming and their relationship shows to what extent one can be selfless and find happiness in sacrificing for someone you love. The story is full of unexpected events and surprises. It just keeps you at the edge of your seat and I found it hard to put it down every night and would eagerly wait to read it the next day!

About the author, I have heard that she gets very stereotyped in her stories and focuses only on bengali women and their issues. Maybe if I pick up another novel of her's I might notice the same but nevertheless, I enjoyed the way she has chosen to tell the story. The chapters alternate b/w Sudha and Anju - one chapter from each person's perspective, yet the story is so smoothly flowing; you dont feel left out... searching for details. I loved the way she has used the right words to describe each situation or emotion... and it defnitely has an impact. Even if you dislike this author, you will still surely enjoy this book! By the time I finished the book, I was left craving for more.... I've heard there is a sequel to this and would love to read it!

Next on the list : A Thousand Splendid Suns

Power of silence

Found this nice article called 'Silent Power' in TOI yesterday.. Pretty interesting and definitely worth a read.

Link to the article

It talks about silence as a means of communication and how effective it is... sometimes much more than words, and also it's importance in relationships. Silence referred to here, is not just absence of sound, but a state within you where you are at peace with yourself - the stillness of mind. It is something that gives you that inner power, removes tensions and helps you cope better with relationships on all levels....

"From silence, our true powers emerge - the powers to withdraw, to accommodate, to face the truth, to discriminate right from wrong, to tolerate and to co-operate..."
"Silence is your connection to your soul. This is where true power resides. You begin to see life with clarity"

All these are for sure inspiring and thought provoking and am sure pretty effective if put in practise... but we all know, it is easier said than done...you can just keep at it, and keep trying hoping u can be there someday!

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Author: Mohsin Hamid

As part of the Orbis Terrarum challenge I picked up this book first, though it was not on the top of my list and am glad I did. It's one of the most interesting books I've read so far. A very short one, just about 180pages and something that you got to read in one sitting to really follow and enjoy the plot. You just cant put the book down till the end 'coz every page u read makes u want to read further to know what happens, till u reach the end. This is one such book that you should read before reading any of the reviews. Because even a one-liner on what the book is about is going to spoil your whole experience. So if you are planning to read this book at any point, then warning - *do not read the next paragraph *

I loved the way the author has written this book 'coz I found his style of expression very unique. The whole book is complete first person narration; a pakistani talking to a stranger from America about his experiences in the US of A and how his life changes after the World Trade Center comes down. The main character, Changez, has gone to America for higher studies, graduates from Princeton and joins one of the top financial firms in the US. He falls in love with an American girl - Erica and their love story, built amidst the growing tension between US/Afghanistan/Pakistan, is something that really touches your heart. The author's command over language and the way he has played with words is just awesome. The way he takes you back and forth, between the past and the present, in his narration is downright amazing. I feel, in a monologue, it is very tough to keep the reader's attention and curiosity alive thru out the book and the author has done it really well. The ending is something that I really loved, coz it is not perfect, it keeps u thinking what really could have happened! Sensitive topics like the war between Afghanistan and US after the WTC bombing, the perception of the US in middle east and other parts of the world and the plight of a lot of people who were part of this disaster, are described in a subtle yet thought provoking way. The emotions are complex and the characters are something that you will not forget as soon as you finish the book... Overall, a very nice read and really worth it.


So, my book for the month is done :) Before I pick up one more for the next month, which is most probably "Reading Lolita in Tehran", I have a couple of other ones to finish... one of which is Shantaram :)

I believe I can fly....

I don't remember the names of these birds :(

Painted Stork (not sure what this bird was doing though..)

The Orbis Terrarum Challenge...

I came across this book challenge thru' one of the book blogs that I follow regularly. I found this pretty interesting 'coz I never knew there are so many different type of challenges that people take up for reading books! :) It starts from April 1st (tomorrow) till December' 20th. The challenge is to read 9 books in these 9 months by 9 different authors from different parts of the world.... Isn't that something unique?! Am really excited! I would never have put in so much thought to list down books from so many different authors if not for this... ! So here goes my list...

1. Waiting for the Mahatma- R.K Narayan (India)
2. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)
3. The Conservationist- Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)
4. Kafka on the shore - Haruki Murakami ( Japan)
5. Reading Lolita in Tehran- Azar Nafisi (Iran)
6. To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee (USA)
7. A thousand splendid suns - Khalid Hosseini (Afghanistan)
8. One hundred years of solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Columbia)
9. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (Australia)

The list might change a bit in the due course but mostly it would be the one above...

Btw.. I still have my Shantaram to read... I guess I will finish 5 more books by the time I complete this one! :)

Found these lines somewhere while browsing through.... short and sweet but conveys a lot! Perfect day to post this I guess :)

Growing up, we get dismayed by the realization that we could not get everything we want.
Growing old, we are delighted by the realization that although we can’t have everything we want, we can want everything we have.

Time for few more pics!

The subject is the most interesting part here ;-)

After sunset..

Time of your life...

Been listening to 'Green Day' over the last couple of days... love this song a lot... more for its lyrics than for the music...

Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

I started reading this blog 'coz a friend recommended... and I must admit, whoever this lady is, she writes extremely well!! Drawing some inspirations from her.. :) Loved most of the posts that I read but this piece of poem that she has written is something that I enjoyed and appreciated the most....

Here is the Link to the poem..
And for those of you who are lazy to click on it, I have copied it here :)

Why are some things hard to let go,
While some are hard to accept.
Why is it so hard to be patient,
And never hard enough to suspect.
Why do some people come into our life,
Only to leave by the twists of fate.
Would we ever know to love,
If we knew the expiry date ?
Why do we say and do things,
For they have been said and done before.
What is good and bad is told to us,
No place for anything more.
Why are there so many dictums,
Hardly shades of grey
If I were to tell you the truth
How many of you would stay ?

Video..

Finally found the complete video of this awesome song from Jodhaa Akbar (with the exact picturization as in the movie)...

It's been a couple of weeks since I started reading Shantaram, everyday.. I still havent finished half the book! Never have I read a book which describes every inch of detail in almost everything... Found another interesting set of lines which I wanted to post here.... Am sure even without much context, this makes sense...

"..Sometimes we love with nothing more than hope. Sometimes we cry with everything except tears. In the end that's all there is: love and its duty, sorrow and its truth. In the end that's all we have- to hold on tight until the dawn..."

The person who hinders growth..

Someone forwarded this mail at office today.... found it very intriguing and nice... read on

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big notice on the door on which it was written: "Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym". In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.

The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: "Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!".

One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.

There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: "There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU."

So my dear friends, You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself. Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.

"The most important relationship you can have, is the one you have with yourself”. Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: be a winner, build yourself and your reality.

The world is like a mirror: it gives back to anyone the reflection of the thoughts in which one has strongly believed.The world and your reality are like mirrors laying in a coffin, which show to any individual the death of his divine capability to imagine and create his happiness and his success. It's the way you face Life that makes the difference.

Jodha-Akbar

This overly-hyped-heavy-budget movie finally released yesterday and I got a chance to watch it today itself. Well, I definitely did not love it but didnt hate it either... it is somewhere in between that i cant decide!. The movie is about 3hrs 45mins including interval and that was quite a lot to take!! I wonder what makes Ashutosh Gowarikar to direct such lengthy movies, even though this script didnt need so much detail. The movie is a 16th century love story, about the marriage of Mughal emperor Akbar (Hrithik) with the Rajput princess Jodha (Aishwarya). There's obviously a lot of history to tell but if the director was focussing on the untold lovestory of Akbar-Jodha then I think he should have concentrated more on that rather than mix it with lengthy historic details (which were also not very complete and hard to follow) and not do justice to both parts...

That apart, there are some really good parts in the movie which you will remember even after walking out. The cinematography is brilliant and the costumes by Neetal Lulla and jewellery by Tanishq are awesome and add to the 16th century look and feel of the movie. Hrithik's acting is commendable. After Lakshya, I think he has done some really classy acting in this movie. I felt he didnt suit the role of Akbar and that weird moustache on his face made it look worse.. Nevertheless, he portrayed the character with its nuances really well. Ash - as usual looks gorgeous but lacks acting... Ila Arun is also worth a mention - she is very powerful in her dialogue delivery.....

Most of the dialogues in the movie had urdu diction.. so i found it pretty hard to understand and follow the chronology of events and characters involved.. There are too many details shown in the movie.. so i think only if u watch it the second time u can grasp it completely :)

Coming to the best part of the movie - its music! Rehman has proved again that he is one of the best... u just have to listen to the songs to fall in love with them.. Especially the sufi song - "Khwaja mere khwaja...." is one of the best I've heard so far... Rehman himself is the singer and am sure no one could have done it better.. The picturisation of the song is out of this world...by the end of the song even I felt like getting up and swaying to that music along with the singers, just like Akbar does :) If you haven't heard this yet, then u are missing something!

Here's the link for this song on youtube... it doesnt show the exact picturization though, but still the entire song is here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQ3katpLwE

Life...and choices..

"It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while i was chained to a wall and being tortured. I realized, somehow, through the screaming in my mind, that even in that shackled, bloody helplessness, i was still free: free to hate the men who were torturing me, or to forgive them. It doesnt sound like much, i know. But in the flinch and bite of the chain, when it's all you've got, that freedom is a universe of possibility. And the choice you make, between hating and forgiving, can become the story of your life"

This is the opening paragraph of the book "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts. Started reading this a few weeks back and still continuing to, and god knows when I'll finish this 1000pgd book.. These lines above really made an impact on me the moment I read it.. somehow... not sure why, maybe the state of mind I was in when I picked up the book or whatever, but it seemed to make a lot of sense to me suddenly, and it still does, everytime I read it.

The author seems to have put a gist of his whole life in these few lines..It's so true... Life is all about choices. If you look at it very subtly, every situation is a choice. You can choose how you react to situations. .. You can choose how people will affect your mood... you choose to be in a good or a bad mood... So it's your choice, how you live your life...

All of us are going with the movement of life...no matter what we do, we are on the roller coaster ride. We have a choice to either embrace it and enjoy the ride or fight it and scream all the way...It's upto us. We are what we choose to be... no one to blame or give credit for.

So the bottom line is... everyday we have the choice to live life fully... Attitude, after all, is everything! Well.. that's what I felt after reading this :) Opinions differ!

The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

One of THE BEST books that I have read so far... and I guess the only book which got my tears flowing as I read it. I could see myself thinking about it most of the time, long after i finished reading it....such was its impact. Two things that drew me to this book - awesome reviews and the fact that it was based in Afghanistan. Am sure all of us are aware about the political upheaval in the Afghan land but the way this book described every detail of life out there during the ruthless Taliban regime, just sent shivers down my spine... I almost thanked god that I wasn't born in that land!!

It's a story about friendship between two people, Amir and Hassan, whose lives change completely after one incident on the day of a kite flying tournament. You come across a lot of twists in the tale to finally see how Amir achieves his redemption by returning back to Kabul, from America. I wish I could write more and more about it but it's only going to spoil your read, if you haven't read the book yet... The depth of sensitivity and the power of feelings in this book can only be experienced by reading it!

I enjoyed the author's writing style... no language tricks or a complex plot. Just a conventional but a gripping story told in a simple and subtle way that touches your heart. No fairy tale endings... He gets the message out very well that redemption and reconciliation are never easy. Also, many times he doesnt state the obvious.. he first gives u a hint and only when u continue to read u figure it all out..

I am waiting to watch the movie based on this book, with the same title and even more eager to read the author's other book ' A Thousand Splendid Suns'.

If you are looking out to read a good book, then this is the one you shud pick right now.

Pics..

Some photos that I took from my cell phone... Since my phone camera is just 2MP the resolution in large size is not very good.. but when seen in small, looks pretty neat I felt :)

Sky after sunset...

The Inscrutable Americans

Author: Anurag Mathur

Writing book reviews is tough. One thing I’ve realized after writing reviews for a couple of them is that a review is not just about writing what the book is about but write it in a way which generates enough curiosity and interest for the reader to pick up that book and at same time not letting out the essence (keeping the suspense on) in it. So that’s what I’m trying to do :)

Picked up Inscrutable Americans last night and just couldn’t keep the book down till I finished it. One of the most funny and hilarious books that I’ve read after Five Point Someone (by Chetan Bhagat). This is also made into a movie which, now I am dying to watch!

It’s a very simple but a common story about a small town boy (Gopal) from a conservative family in India going to the US of A for his higher studies and the kind of culture shock that he gets – his fascinations, enigmas and the whirl wind of emotions during the span of 1yr of his life there. What makes it different is the way the author has brought in the unique aspects of both Indian and American cultures and the comical contrasts and comparisons between the two. The American lingo and the way it is interpreted by the Indian (Gopal) is truly hilarious…!! Well, I’ve also read some negative views from people who feel that the sense of humor in the book is cheap and cranky but I felt that the author has done justice to the character that he has created. Maybe a little extrapolated but so what? it is a story being told… Primarily it’s all about America as seen through Gopal’s eyes… Towards the end you will really end up empathizing with this character to a great extent! :)

It’s a very light read and can be finished in a day or two…

Revived interest..

One resolution that I made this new year was to get back some of my old and most loved interests... reading and music. I haven't done anything about re-starting my music lessons yet but a couple of hours of talk with my friend and a bit of self-motivation seems to have done the magic for me to get back into that groove of reading books all over again. The last few months I've just been stacking my bookshelf with lots of to-be-read books which just remain there un-dusted still... I've finally managed to bring them out and have lined up a few for the next few weeks...

1. Inscrutable Americans
2. Life of Pi
3. Never let me go
4. Shantaram
5. God of small things
6. The Kite Runner

Will definitely write my reviews of each :-)

Mungaaru Male...

I don't remember the last time I went to a theater to watch a kannada movie or even saw it on a DVD. The last good ones that I really admired were 'Amruthavarshini' and 'America America'. I know this is almost a decade back but I really haven't seen anything as nice as these till date. I hardly watch kannda movies...unless something is recommended by loads of people.. and am glad I saw this one. Mungaru Male (means pre-monsoon rains) is one of the nicest kannada movies and one of those really rare movies which has used rain as a metaphor thru'out the movie.. This movie generated so much curiosity and now I know that it has lived up to it's expectations. No wonder it's regarded as the biggest hits in South Indian cinema and has a whole wikipedia page for itself! It says..

"The movie set a national record as the first Indian language movie to run for 1 year at PVR Cinemas nationwide"

Everyone will agree that the script is the most important part of any film. The technicalities, glitz, glamor, choreography, item numbers are all just additions which are not required if you have a good script to present and this movie does exactly the same. It's a very simple but a very different kind of a love story which really touches your heart. Screenplay and cinematography are just mind blowing. The shots in the beautiful landscapes of the Malnad (Coorg) region during the monsoon rains make it even more beautiful. I would have loved to watch it on the big screen!! Am sure it will be even better an experience than watching it on TV... I was just looking at some of the subtitles here and there and noticed that the essence of the dialogue is lost in translation... So if you can't understand kannada and u are going to watch the movie with subtitles then you may not appreciate it as much....

The music by Mano Murthy is definitely commendable - almost all the songs are very melodious and hummable...with very meaningful lyrics too! The playback singers sonu nigam, sunidhi, shreya ghoshal and kunal ganjawala add their special touch to the songs of course...The most unexpected moment and the best part of the film is its climax which is one of the realistically best endings that I have seen in a long time... No wonder the movie is still running packed houses... I hope we get to see more of such high quality kannada movies in future!

Why blog?

It's been nearly 2 years since I started blogging... and what started as just a time pass became a hobby gradually. I wish I could be more regular with writing in this space... most of the days thoughts just remain in my head for multiple reasons - lack of time, energy, enthusiasm or plain laziness. So this new year I resolved that I should pen down my thoughts more often and overcome that inertia... :)

When I asked myself and a few friends 'why should someone blog'... here's what I felt and got to hear...

1. Share your knowledge and opinions - People like to hear what u think, your opinions, your thoughts...
2. It's like keeping a diary/journal - a historical record of thoughts over time
3. Network and connect with people - it's true that you really get to know some great people who you would probably never get to meet out of the blogging world
4. Express yourself
5. Improve your writing skills
6. Gives you exposure
7. You learn a lot! - coz you are always interested in what is happening around you so that you can write about it
8. It acts as your creative outlet
9. It's fun! - a hobby.. for time pass
10.. and finally.. you can blog just becoz everyone else is doing it these days! :)

So if you are a non-blogger and want to give this a shot these could be enough reasons for you to do so... and if you are already a blogger then all the more reasons to continue blogging!