Lady of the lake

Rain rain go away

2006-06-08T11:50:00.000+05:30

Monsoon is here and along with it come so many memories. Firstly, of me standing at the bus stop, waiting for the school bus. I hated waiting here cause it would rain, and my feet would get wet and dirty all the time. And there would be some tiny green worm dangling on a tree above my head, and I would notice it only when it reached low enough to bend and kiss my me.

As if this wasnt scary enough, when we reached school, the two lunch halls would seem like devil's garden. Carcasses of earth worms would be strewn all around the lunch halls. Lunch time would be a time when all would fight to sit at the centre of the hall else you would have to sit on water and have earthworms for lunch. How I hated the rains then.

But as I grew older in school, the number of earthworms seemed to be decreasing. Rains seemed to do away with whatever was old and bring in the new - with new hope, a new year, new books, and new shoes. Everything in the past academic year would remain forgotten.

The Little Prince

2006-05-23T11:23:00.000+05:30

The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.

"You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world."

And the roses were very much embarassed.

"You are beautiful, but you are empty," he went on. "One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you--the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or ever sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.

And he went back to meet the fox.

"Goodbye," he said.

"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."

"It is the time I have wasted for my rose--" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.

"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose . . ."

"I am responsible for my rose," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

And along came Medha

2006-04-17T13:55:00.000+05:30

All our Bollywood heroes seem to attracting a lot of publicity these days. With Sallu's jail rendezvous, John breaking bikes n bones, Saif with a broken bone, Hrithik turning dad and Aamir saving the Narmada river. I wonder what Shah Rukh Khan has to say about all this.

However when it comes to Aamir, it is sad to see someone take up a cause and then get crucified for it. In the West celebrities like Bono have taken up causes related from AIDS to Africa and their governments dare not mess with them. The Gujarat governments ban on Aamirs movies is in such bad taste.

Until now all our major movie stars shied away when it came to working for a cause. When Lance Armstrong launched his cancer awareness campaign, a million different campaigns bore fruit. It didnt take much time for a Bollywood celebrity to be associated from causes ranging from osteoporosis (Celina Jaitley), cancer (Aishwariya Rai), anti-tobacco (Urmila Matondkar) to tuberculosis (Akshay Kumar).

Aamir and the cast of RDB(supporting the NBA) deserved to be called heroes. It is easy to get a few pictures clicked of yourself in the tabloids and give a few interviews voicing your support for a million causes. But it is not easy to take on a government risking your whole career. Way to go Aamir!!!

There is something about a Mallu wedding

2006-03-28T14:04:00.000+05:30

This post is not to ridicule my fellow brethren.

Today as I was listening to music on the Media Player Library, I came across this song which sounded veery veery familiar. It was Kenny G's Havana. Now I have this thing with books and movies. I like reading a book once and watching a movie once. When it comes to songs I have my "Alltime favourite" and "Alltime obnoxious list".

Kenny G's Havana is a good song but overplaying can kill any tune. I think it is high-time they stop playing the following songs at Mallu (or any other) wedding receptions:
Havana - Kenny G
Oh Carol - by whomever
Cecilia - (if you are born in the 70's it doesnt mean you have to act like a flower child)
Macarena - (what has this song got to do with a wedding or love or whatever?)
Mysterious girl - (this is probably OK for arranged marriages)
Killing me softly - (this is for the DJ)
Congratulations - (please stop, this is killing me)
Living La Vida Loca - (it is a heinous crime to play this for a reception)
Life is a roller coaster - (oh yeah..)
Hotel California - (?)
If you wanna be my lover - (yes iv heard this)

If you still don't find a good DJ...call me!!

In my head

2006-03-23T00:20:00.000+05:30

Have been searching for a poem for the past hour on Google. No luck. It is my favourite poem. One I learnt in 1st grade. But I can never remember the whole of it. Strange. Anyways..this is what I remember..

In my head
I travel in a rocket car to way beyond the farthest star
Or sail across an ocean wave
and find a treasure in a cave

I can talk to anyone from Mickey Mouse to Washington
And if that is the way I feel I have an icecream at every meal
At school I am first at work or play
At home they do just what I say..

.......

*depressing*

22nd March

2006-03-22T15:26:00.000+05:30

Want to update my blog but strangely Im clueless. I dont know what to write.
So Ill just put up something nice.

Tag #4 : The Rule of Four

2006-02-08T12:44:00.000+05:30

I have been tagged by Arrnica.

Four jobs I have done:
1) My first job was at the Travel & Tourism fair (when I was in 2nd year engg. I had a lot of fun since my JC frds were also there here.)
2) Second at the Photography fair (in 3rd year engg.)
3) My first REAL job at LB.

Four movies I can watch over and over:
1) Titanic
2) Amelie
3) Star Wars - episodes 3,4,5,6
4) How green was my valley

Four authors/books I never get tired of reading:
1) Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
2) Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
3) Daddy Long Legs - Jean Webster
4) Little Prince - Antoine de Saint Exupery

Four places I have lived:
1) 1982-1983: DD road,Mulund (w)
2) 1983-2006: other side of DD road, Mulund (w) ;)

Four television shows I love watching:
1) Will & Grace (I love this show)
2) Life as we know it
3) Cy vs. Cy (shown on MTV..rarely)
4) Home Improvement (This is my all-time favourite show. Its not on air these days.)

Four vacation places:
1)Lakhshwadeep
2)Nepal
3)Europe
4)Agra
I go to Kerala almost every year.

Four of my fav. dishes:
1) Lap Chi Kay - (Thats how its spelt..I wonder how you write it.)
2) Malai Kofta
3) My Mom's pulao
4) Penne

Four websites I visit everyday:
None in particular.

Four bloggers I am tagging:
I'd like to tag everyone.

My Space

2006-01-23T13:51:00.000+05:30

This post probably doesnt make much sense to you but it made much sense to me.

The most beautiful place in the world in my eyes - is definitely my building terrace. Went up there on Saturday and I saw a few kites flying. Some glazed, some plain. I felt like flying a kite too, then changed my mind, it could hurt some birds.

The terrace is essentially my place. I am probably the only person who goes up there. Or probably the only person who has (or makes) the time to go there. I can't imagine how people go through their lives neglecting the most beautiful things in it. What do they live for?

The terrace is also the one place I love listening to U2 or Creed and watch the airplanes fly. I love watching airplanes here especially at night and count them.

But what I like most about the terrace is that this place gives me a sense of what 'zero hour' is. The past, present and the future really don't matter here. Because everything seems the same.

Once I sat up a whole night to watch a comet shower here but couldnt watch it thanks to the cloud covers. The next comet shower came a day previous to my exam. I watched the whole comet shower but I flunked the exam the next day. :)

I could go on writing forever about this place. So I'd rather stop here.

Crystal Blurred!!

2006-01-10T16:08:00.000+05:30

Went through the blog of Crystal Blur and enjoyed reading the stories on Mahabharata and Ramayana. I have watched the TV series on these mythologies and even read comic books on them but this satire was radically different and informing. I just hope that people don't take it far too seriously though. (It seems to have already raked in a controversy)

I liked this one post specially.... The 60 year Old Virgin

Wishing Well

2006-01-09T13:53:00.000+05:30

A few wishes this New Year for my friends. Here goes the list.

Sree: A date with "you-know-who"
Geets: Hope to meet you soon
Meenal: A well deserved break
Abhi: You deserve some sleep
Adi: A rocking time at ICE
Ash: More ear-rings!!
Nats: A slim and sleek party!
Nomi: Hope we have more parties at CV
WG: More fun in the Aussie Sun!
Shets: More shoes!
Tarun: Some sleep.. or is it?
Arnie: More fun at your new workplace
Alex: More peace

As for my own wish..it just came true!!

Mismanagement

2006-01-09T13:06:00.000+05:30

All that you can leave behind

2006-01-04T12:11:00.000+05:30

From the one who continues to inspire millions... like me....

And love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring...
And love is not the easy thing....
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind

And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong

Walk on, walk on
What you got they can’t steal it
No they can’t even feel it
Walk on, walk on...
Stay safe tonight

You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly for freedom

Walk on, walk on
What you've got they can't deny it
Can’t sell it, can’t buy it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight

And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Home… hard to know what it is if you’ve never had one
Home… I can’t say where it is but I know I'm going home
That's where the hurt is

I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Leave it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you steal
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
All that you sense
All that you speak
All you dress up
All that you scheme…

View the Best photos of 2005

By Public Demand

2005-12-26T17:48:00.000+05:30

Merry Christmas Calvin

2005-12-21T16:58:00.000+05:30

12 days of christmas

2005-12-05T15:02:00.000+05:30

Alma MatTer

2005-11-25T13:00:00.000+05:30

Recently my best friend reminded me about this incident that had happened during our school days. It was when we had an inspection and all the students were supposed to wear black shoes that day. But unfortunately most of us (like me) had turned up in our sports shoes. So what eventually followed was that we painted our sports shoes BLACK with the help of some poster colors. However I think we got a punishment that day.

Events like these stay long forgotten by me, but there are some things I still remember about school, and those are the stories – a hilarious bunch of them.

1. The most ludicrous story I have ever heard in school was that my school was built on a graveyard. Considering the fact that most part of Mulund was a jungle long ago, I guess there weren’t too many people to be buried here. ;)

2. Now when a school is built on a graveyard there is a high probability of lost souls wandering around its campus. These spirits often terrified the living by cutting their hair, stealing their pens and water bottles. Once their activities had reached such alarmic proportions that the School Principal had to make an announcement on the intercom: THERE ARE NO GHOSTS IN THIS SCHOOL. STUDENTS, PLEASE DON’T PANIC.

3. Now when I talk about paranormal activity, one of the most noted ones was the time when I was in 5th or 6th grade. One of the senior classes - 10 D (why is 10 D always the class for the most notorious?) had an unusual story. Students complained of sparrow shit falling on them even though there were no sparrows in the class. After much investigation the Principal carried the specimen (the sparrow shit) to the chem. lab to test its components. Finally its composition was found to be made up of achar, atta and some other ingredients.

Standing at one end of the corridor of my school building during the after school hours and looking towards the other end, gives you an eerie feeling. There is something very different and exciting about this building and that explains all the weird stories associated with it.

Tag #3

2005-11-02T10:02:00.000+05:30

Continuing the tag '20 random things about me' from Alex and Geets blogs. I wonder if there are 20 things..lets see..

1. I am fascinated with the number 6 and multiples of 3. I was born on the 6th of Jan. I live on the 6th floor. I work on the 6th floor. I don't search for things related to the number 6 but it eventually comes to me.

2. I love good buildings and good architecture. They mean a lot to me. Like the Johnson & Johnson factory on L.B.S Marg, the Kalidas sports complex...all wonderful structures with lots of space.

3. I love birds and animals...especially cats. I have owned a dozen pet budgies, one squirrel, two mynas, one woodpecker and some tiny birds.

4. My favourite pet was Cucoopen, a yellow parakeet. Cucoopen was given to my Marathi teacher by one of her student's mom. They used to call him Flora. He looked so pretty...they thought he was a girl. Cucoopen was given to me later...as his partner died and my teacher thought since I have my own merry band of adventurous parakeets I could keep him.

5. I created a whole boardgame out of clay and cardboard. It was called 'time warriors'. The bai destroyed it.

6. I collect stickers. If somebody gifts me stickers then I would think that this person REALLY likes me! ;)

7. Most of the contests I win or gifts I get happen to be watches or clocks. One of my favourite is the Disney Aladdin watch I have which my friends begged me to dispose while in junior college. They were so sick of it that they bought me a new watch for my birthday.

8. Loa Naissus is my pen name. Loa is the name of the Sumerian creator God.

9. I love reading about mythology especially Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Celtic.

10. I take my decisions based purely on intuition. There is no logical reasoning for anything. People often mistake this as well-calculated or thought over.

11. I love Amsterdam. The first time I went there I felt as if I have been there before.

12. I love good perfumes...my favourites are Aqua Di - Giorgio Armani and Mambo - Liz Clairborne.

13. I believe people are important...far more than money or anything else.

14. My favourite cartoon charachters are Batman and Aladdin.

15. I am claustrophobic. Once I had gone for a movie in this shady place and I felt as if the whole building was collapsing on me.

I can think of only these 15 things presently. If something new comes to my mind I will come back and post it. All those who would like to continue this tag are free to continue it.

Tag #2

2005-10-10T13:00:00.000+05:30

This tag continues from Alex's blog. The task : write a piece of fiction that does not exceed a limit of 55 words.

George Bush wins the Nobel Prize in the field of Physics for his research involving the quantum theory of light.

Whoever wants to continue this tag may continue it. ;)

Can we share this planet?

2005-09-24T21:37:00.000+05:30

With Love - KeedaBuster

2005-09-19T17:30:00.000+05:30

It has been almost a year since I left college. But there are some moments in college I can never forget. Here is a snapshot at them.

1. In B.E, after spending a sunny afternoon at a cell-site we (Adi, Ash & I) told our project guide that we were too tired and wanted to go home. On our way back we saw this deserted children’s park and scampered onto the swing and slide. As Ash made her way down the slide, Adi was climbing her way up, as for me, I was right at the top of the slide. Right then our project guide appeared from nowhere, and we were embarrassed to the hilt.
2. In S.E, as we returned home after traditional day Prashant drove the car over the divider. We were a funny sight on the highway since Prash was still in his traditional mundu and Malini in her traditional saree. (He says that the accident happened because I was singing in the car).
3. In F.E, the whole class was so bored waiting outside the Workshop building for the Workshop submissions that many started digging out earthworms from the sand and later burying them.
4. In S.E, me hiding from the Math teacher in the corridor. I never attended Math class. When she once saw me in her class she said I need not attend just for the sake of attendance. Lol!
5. In S.E, my group of friends marching out of class during Sheikh’s lecture because a senior (who had a ‘thing’ for one of my pals) asked Sheikh to let us go. As we marched out, the rest of the class looked at us with envy.
6. The note Manisha left for Ash.
It read:
Hey! I copied your ass. Please give me ass. 1 & 2 so that I may copy it too. If possible get my ass. checked. Thanks!
(This note was circulated all around the class).
7. In F.E, Ray and S’s little train strip act.
8. In T.E, T stripping at the fashion show. (I wont take his name. He will kill me).
9. In S.E, Atul trying to get his shoe-prints on Debug’s ass.
10. In S.E, Adi & me fooling Denz & Ray to drink vinegar instead of water at the university grounds.
11. Ali’s nikahnama: A chit was passed saying Ali would get married at 1pm. At 1pm when Sheikh’s lecture got over and the bell rang, there was a loud scream ‘kabool hai’ following which the guys started clapping their hands and the class burst into peals of laughter.
12. The day Prash got beat up by the forest officials and Malini and me had to call him our ‘brother’ (Lol!) to save his life.
13. During R.A.I.T techfest: Our team named ATMA(named after our all girl gang) had a pretty pink car annoying some of guys around. They kept screaming ‘Atma ka khatma kar denge’.
14. Chito-chat: We kept chatting during class, in a long sheet of paper. Adi chatted under the name Osama and I was Mohammed Atta initially.
15. Manisha perennially sleeping during Sheikh’s lecture due to head-ache.
16. Sheikh’s confusion with our names. And the day Adi blindly copied blackhole instead of ethanol from the board during Sheikh’s lecture. And Hiren’s comment on that! ROTFL!
17. My birthday party - A Comedy of Errors: My Mum and friends had planned to throw a surprise party for me. The fun started when a day before my birthday I said I want to throw a party. My friends were totally confused and thought that I had come to know their plan. Then began a comedy of errors.
18. My name KeedaBuster, which came after I saved Adi and every1else from innumerable creepy crawlies. (Dear Adz, remember the time I saved you from that caterpillar you would have devoured with your burger?)
19. Atul copying from a 400 page book on his desk during the TermTest.
20. Ash and Me entertaining ourselves outside the T.E E.T practical lab.
21. Kandu in a saree during the festival. I wish I had a video recording of this event.
22. Malini & Me getting to slap Denz & Ray innumerable times as part of our act during the fest.
23. Industrial tour which turned out to be a class picnic and the outrageous song dedications that followed.
24. Ray’s car for our intra-college tech fest which was named ‘Hudi-Baba’.

Rockstars in Excess!

2005-08-20T13:21:00.000+05:30

Weeknights and I have time only for Rockstar INXS. This is a great show. There have been too many reality T.V shows going around but this one is way too good. The jury comprises of INXS band members and the sexy Dave Navarro.

My vote goes to Mig and Marty. Mig gave an amazing performance of 'Baby I Love Your Way'. Mig is so different from the typical arrogant Aussie that is shown on T.V. Marty gave an awesome performance of 'Mr. Brightside'. Jordis, J.D. and Ty are incredible rock stars already. These kids have nothing to lose out here.

Mad Hatter and the Transistor Radio

2005-08-16T10:28:00.000+05:30

Today morning as I was coming to work on a bus there was a traffic jam. Someone was lying on the road and the police were asking him to get up. I looked out of the bus thinking that there has been an accident..only to see this man lay on his back,with his legs up in the air folded along with his hands - to form a queer sort of 'sashtang namaskar' to the Gods above. Now everyone witnessing this spectacle was laughing.

Devidayal road (where I stay), has its share of mad men too. The most prominent being this one man who is dressed like a rag picker..normally seen behind the B.M.C's waste dumping ground and the nearby alleys.

When I was in school I was extremely terrified of this man. Now however I have got used to seeing him. He sleeps under a tree or near the gutter. He is pretty harmless.

When the rains began I wondered what he would do. Last week while returning home I saw him walk across the road. There was a large gunny bag balanced on his head and in his hand there was a transistor radio. Something to keep him company during these boring rainy days.

Your #1 Match: INFP

The Idealist

You are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world.
Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships.
It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close.
But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop.

You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist.

What's Your Personality Type?

Raju and the Magic Wand

2005-08-02T11:37:00.000+05:30

My neighbour has a son named Raju. Raju is probably 27, though I am not very sure.He has blonde hair and blue eyes. Unlike the other kids in my locality I have never seen Raju grow up.
Raju fell off a building as a kid, ever since then he has been dumb(and probably deaf too).

I have never seen Raju around other kids of the locality. For some years there was a teacher who came to teach Raju at home. He seemed to be the only outsider who interacted with Raju.

For most people in my building Raju is non-existent. Occasionaly I have seen my Dad communicate with Raju through sign language.

My Mom has a tough time understanding Raju.Last week he asked my Mom the McDonald's home delivery number cause he has seen me order stuff from there. But my Mom couldn't understand what he was saying. Soon his Mom came to the rescue and said, "Raju keeps seeing McDonald's on T.V and he wants to eat from there too but he is too shy to go there.Raju likes burgers and fries too."

I wrote down the number on a scrap of paper and handed it to Mom. My Mom gave it to Raju.But bad luck,it was last Wednesday and everything out here was closed due to rains.Raju's Mom told him that its closed however he didnt believe it.He thinks that its a conspiracy against him.

My neighbour's have a round-the-clock servant at their place. They have two T.V sets too. One for Raju and one for everyone else. However Raju got both the T.V sets into the hall and made it a point that if anyone wanted to watch T.V in that house, they had to watch what he wanted(and not those crappy soaps). Now Raju lives happily ever after with the remote which is like his magic wand.

1

2005-07-18T10:15:00.000+05:30

Good friends are the best investments!

Lassie R.I.P

2005-06-24T18:06:00.000+05:30

My Father had a pet dog in his younger days named Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee was no normal dog. He was a hunting dog. Bruce Lee attacked snakes, swam, gave the local kids a ride on his back and also guarded their house.

Now one day during his normal rounds in the neighborhood, Bruce Lee found a dark rattle snake hidden in the store-house. He tried attacking it and their battle went on till the snake bit him on the nose. In his last moment of agony he tore the snake apart and they both lay in a pool of blood.

Bruce Lee had a quiet funeral. But his memories still linger on in my Father’s memory.

Despite my Dads and my own fascination for animals, my Mom never let us bring a dog into the house. Two years ago when this stray dog walked into my Fathers factory and littered half a dozen little puppies, we were delighted.

Everyday after work as my Dad returned home, he would bring along stories of this company dog. Ever since the day she had littered a batch of puppies, everybody (in the company) made sure that she got her daily food. I had heard so many tales of her from my Dad that one day I went to see her. She was no exceptionally handsome dog as I had imagined. She was dirty and white with dark spots around her.

Most of the puppies were taken away to be breeded in better places..except one of them. The last puppy was thin and frail, probably that is why no one wanted it. Now the mother dog..had become so protective of this area that she never let any monkeys come near the company.(this is a monkey-infested place)

One day a large monkey walked into the company. She caught it at the throat. A battle ensued and the large money was hurt and it ran away. Everything that entered the factory from these unwelcome primates to even a garden mouse was subjected to her close examination.

Last week she got hit by a truck at night and she died. We never named her..she was always called 'the dog' by us. So I thought it was appropriate to call her Lassie (who was always faithful to her master).

Finding Neverland.

2005-06-21T10:59:00.000+05:30

Saturday I watched ‘Finding Neverland’ and I fell in love with this movie.
This is the perfect movie to watch on a rainy day, and especially if you have no work.

'Finding Neverland' is the story of how playwright J.MBarrie found the inspiration to write the story of Peter Pan.

Barrie (Johnny Depp) is an acclaimed playwright who is tired with the dull and verbose plays he has written and is on the look out for some inspiration. One day at the park he meets the family of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet), a widow and mother of four.
Barrie becomes a close friend of the Davies family and introduces the boys into a whole new world of pirates and Indians.

Barrie soon becomes a close friend of all the boys except Peter, who is still mourning the death of his father and is upset because of his Mother’s mysterious illness. And it is through Peter that Barrie finds the inspiration for one of his greatest works.

There are some very beautiful moments in this movie, especially between Barrie and Peter. I guess if I write more about this film I would spoil all its magic!

_____________________________________

Watched ‘Parineeta’. The movie is well made but I really wish the ending wasn’t so
amateur. It is as if some avant garde dish you have been served turns out to be jello!

Book Meme Time!

2005-06-08T11:14:00.000+05:30

I got the book meme virus from blogger
Anu Spice
who writes the most wonderful posts. This book meme concept is pretty new to me. I haven’t read much literature in the past four years. And now I feel like a lesser mortal when someone talks about literature.

Total books I own:
Approximately 100 and they are all stacked under the bed or in the cupboard. Most of them have been accumulated when I was in school.

Last book I bought:
I am not much into collecting books ..so buying them is a rare phenomenon.

Last book I read:
The last book I read was Deception Point by Dan Brown.

5 Books that mean a lot to me:

1) Little Prince (by Antoine de Saint Exupery) :
This is one of my favourite books.

2) The Faraway Tree (by Enid Blyton):

If I have a weird imagination it is probably because of this book. This book fascinated me as a child. I love The Faraway Tree more than any other Enid Blyton book.
I have always wished that this tree actually existed.

3) Wuthering Heights (by Emily Bronte):
This book made me a huge admirer of Emily Bronte and her dark poetry.
I love the way she portrayed her characters. The mysterious roots of the hero Heathcliffe, his love for Catherine, his Moorish ways..

4) Heartfelt (by Cyrus Merchant)
This book and this series of books are based on the daily columns(in TOI) by Cyrus Merchant. There is always some message in here for everyone. This book has changed my perspective on life.

5) Papillon (by Henri Charriere)
The way this book celebrates the indomitable human spirit is awesome.

The bloggers I would tag to carry this book meme ahead are:

Geets

Alex

Ash

Hope you guys carry this ahead!

Wonder Why..

2005-06-07T12:36:00.000+05:30

Life is weird. Very weird.

I wonder why the best things in life can never be bought, stolen, hidden or kidnapped.

I wonder who gave the homeless, jobless man on the street a transistor radio.

I wonder why some men, after 20 years of marriage tell their wives I never loved you.

I wonder who announces the next train at the railway station.

I wonder why the best things in life just come to You…
and it isn’t You who go to them.

I wonder if I will grow old…considering the fact that everyone I know is older or as old as me.

I wonder whether my parents will ever act as grown-ups do.

I wonder why people eat fish.

I wonder if I will ever go back to Amsterdam.

I wonder why the nicest people are always taken for granted.

Homage to the Stars!

2005-05-22T09:12:00.000+05:30

For those lesser mortals who have failed to catch up on the previous Star Wars episodes..I beg of thee please go and watch Episode 3 : Revenge of the Sith.

Reasons why Star Wars is the baap of all Hindi films:

1) The hero (Luke Skywalker) and his fraternal twin (Princess Leia) get separated at birth. They are brought up without the knowledge of each other's existence.

2) The scene in Episode 6 where Princess Leia and Luke save Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the hut reminds me of Sholay.

3) Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia despite being fraternal twins are brought up in extremely diverse lifestyles..like Ram aur Shyam, Sita aur Gita.

4) Darth Vader is the father of the heroine(& hero in this case).

5) Darth Vader epitomizes all evil as the Dark Lord.

6) Princess Leia's outfit in Episode 6, at Jabba the Hut's den reminds me of the outfits worn by our Hindi film heroines, at the cabaret held at the villain's den,before they rescue the hero, or the hero's family from the clutches of the evil villain.

Well these were some trivia bout Episodes 4,5 & 6 : Star Wars - the BAAP of all films!

Big Bazaar!

2005-05-15T22:41:00.001+05:30

This is one bad summer!whew!

It is May and it is time for most couples out here to tie the knot.

Yesterday I was watching a documentary on an NRI family marrying their daughter off to a Canadian guy. The wedding was lavish and there was a huge party that followed.But what really surprised me was their strict adherence to tradition.I don't have a problem with people following their traditions nor with lavish weddings.But sometimes weddings out here resemble rooms filled with the expensive & dead furniture.A party where God definitely seems to be left out.

The documentary I was watching was of this broken NRI family where the Husband walked out on his Wife and the kids walked out on their Mother.But somehow they all came together for that occassion.

Last night the ladies at my place were discussing about a certain guy.He is 30, well-educated, loaded, good-looking..blah,blah!..but hasnt found a bride yet.His folks visited numerous houses but didnt find a suitable match. One of their potential matches happened to be a pretty girl who was well-educated and 24, but they refused cause she happened to be unemployed. Weeks later they heard from a source that the girls family was ready to pay her groom a suitable sum of money as dowry(25 lakhs).Now when the guy and his folks returned to her,they were shown the door, not surprisingly.

Years back,when I was in school I remember going to a wedding where the groom arrived in a helicopter( ROTFL!) and the invites had a gold coin in it.However this wedding lasted less than a year.

Heard at a wedding party"The guy is good.They must have paid a fortune to get him."

Let the wine flow...

I Am Back!

2005-04-27T17:20:00.000+05:30

Hey folks! Had almost disappeared over the blogging horizon. I am so confused. I still wonder what to write about.So plz bear wit me.

My favourite games :

1.HALF-LIFE:
This First Person Shooter game released by Sierra Entertainment is one of the most awesome games I have ever played.From playing an agent who enters the Mesa research centre to finding the different mutated organisms that infest this place ..this is one thrilling piece of adventure.And the game settings here are simply smooth.I can only imagine what HALF-LIFE 2 has in store.

2.Grand Theft Auto-Liberty City:
This game is definitely a must have.You are an escaped prison convict who works his way into the mafia by doing petty crimes and then you slowly graduate to larger missions.
This game is a complete game..by which I mean it has a great storyline...you get to change your cars by stealing them.There are a number of radio stations you can switch on to while you are driving.
The new release from Rockstar Games is GTA4 i.e. Vice City which seems to be even more incredible than the former one.

3.Age Of Mythology:
The AOE series launched by Microsoft is immensely popular.It also has innumerable clones such as Rise Of Nations,Serfs & Merchants..etc.I have played AOM and I must say the theme of this game is quite interesting. If you love startegy games you must try this.This game is based on the Greek,Roman,Egyptian & Nordic mythologies.Those into European mythologies and History must try this..there is a lot to learn from the game.
Titans A.O.E is another AOE prototype lauched by Microsoft.

4.Diablo:
I don't know is any new versions of this have been released.But this game is definitely fun to play.
But at some point this game gets monotonous.it seems to be never-ending and you start losing the interest in it.The game is dark and brooding so there is not much to look out for in that department.

5.Delta-Force:
This is another FTP game.You are part of the Delta Force that carries secret operations like gunning down drug-lords,rescuing hostages..If you are into military games and FTP games then do try this.

6.Hitman2-Silent Assassin:
This game is Wow!I love the idea of being part of the mafia and going on secret missions.That appeals to me more than being part of the U.S military or any other combat force.And this is just the game for like minded ppl.
Here you get to be the smooth assassin.The more smoothly you finish the job, the better for you.And this has a good storyline like that of GTA.This game is a must have.

Results and More!

2005-04-12T22:11:00.000+05:30

Ok guys. You all have waited far too long, I agree.

The respective forums that have voted for their respective icons are as follows:

The Democrat Forum:

- Ricky, Alex , Niel, Anz
This forum was witness to some fierce campaigning by Alex who warned other voters to “ not fall prey to Mallika’s dorsal enhancements”. Sigh! Bush lost!

The Ash Bash Forum:

- Akhil, Ash, Isha, Bonkers, Adz
This forum lost to the winner by 1 vote despite some wonderful quotes such as , “Has anyone seen and heard her laugh? It is definitely worse than a dementor’s kiss”.
For those who don’t know what a dementor’s kiss is : It is when a dementor sucks the air out of you which till you reach a state when you are totally breathless and as good as dead - courtesy Harry Potter ( Prisoner of Azkaban)

The Mere Khayalon ki Mallika Forum:

- Jai, Shailen, Mehak , Denzil, Tarun, Tony
- Yes guys you win!
Before saying anything I must tell you people that a large section of people who
voted for her, voted coz of her bold attitude. And the fact that she is still going on
and having the last laugh despite Bollywood’s acerbic attitude towards her.
And the icing on her cake is the that she gets to be introduced to the
International Media at Cannes very soon, by none other than Jackie Chan!
Wot say? And for all Ms. Rai’s hard work to be an International star. Ouch! that
hurts!

The Stinger’s Forum:

- Goodwill Hunting
- Mr. Shakti Kapoor gets just one vote by none other than you Mr. Hunting! And Saurav Ganguly gets none!

So the official youth icon of this little blogging clique is none other than Miss Mallika Sherawat!
_________________________________________________________________________________

I hate classifying people but I always end up doing that. Even recently while traveling in the local Mumbai rail.
For those of you who are not much aquainted with the Mumbai train system here is a sneak peek at the ‘Ladies Dabba’.

The Perpetual PMS syndrome:
- Just stay away from this kind. They usually haunt the entrances of the compartment. This is “their land”. You are not supposed to stand in their territory. If you do then be prepared to listen to the worst possible gaalis which you probably might not understand.

The Nose Digger syndrome:
- This kind usually stands behind you when you are prepared to get off the train.
- Initially they scratch their head which is probably infested with lice and other arachnids. Then that hand moves on to their backs and later into their nose, while you keep watching over your shoulder in horror and pray for that station to come.
Finally that station comes and as the train slows down “the hand”comes over you to your waist and you shriek “My God why have you forsaken me!”
- This makes you jump off the train.
- If the authorities could do something about this kind probably the train deaths would decrease.

The ‘I Must Eat this Train’ syndrome:
- This kind happens to eat whatever is available on the train. The oranges from the
Orange vendor, grapes from the grape vendor, chana from the chana vendor, bhel from the bhel vendor…This list simply goes on.

The ‘Smell my Gaultier armpit’ syndrome:
- This is generally a high maintenance woman who wears enough perfume for the
whole compartment. Standing next to her is perfectly alright until she starts flaunting those well-waxed arms.

The Sleeper:
- She sleeps with her mouth wide open. She sleeps as you get into the train and get
out of it. She sleeps at all hours morning, noon and night.

I was just in the mood for classifying :)

Cast Your Votes Now!

2005-04-06T10:11:00.000+05:30

Heard recently on an FM channel : Vote for your favourite youth icon! The options are Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Shah Rukh Khan ……blah blah blah.

I do not completely agree to the above list of celebs to be voted as Youth icons. So I have come up with my own list of celebs who have grabbed the headlines….irrespective of what they do. Read on.

Shakti ‘stung by Sting’ Kapoor:
(You must be sick of this name) However give the man some credit. He has rechristened the term ‘casting couch’ as ‘the bed of opportunities’.

Saurav Ganguly:
- For remainig Dalmiya’s pet Chihuahua (a la Paris Hiton ‘tinkerbell’, or Britney Spears ‘bitbit’)
- For showing a gamut of emotions evertime he graces the screen which should put Greta Garbo to shame.
- For sulking on filed,off field, at pitch, at the interview..

Aishwariya Rai:
For grabbing national headlines when she
- breaks a toe-nail
- gets a puppy
- wears a chappal
- gets a call from an ex-lover

Mallika Sherawat:
For crying aloud like a lark on T.V debates, on why aesthetic exposure should be applauded. And how the nude sculptures at Ajanta N Ellora are a form of art , very much like her film.
For keeping the whole nation in splits with her one-liners such as “ Men talk to my boobs”.

George Bush:
(Now you say he cannot join the list as he is American! What the heck! He is as good as any Indian politician.)
- For being inspired by the movie ‘Hot –Shots2’.
- For giving a new meaning to the word ‘nepotism’.

Last Weekend

2005-04-03T19:53:00.000+05:30

I didnt have any Easter or Holi celebrations this time.Didnt go for night mass either(boo hoo!).That was cause on Friday, day before Holi my Mom got hit on her head by a water balloon(the size of a milk packet).So there was lots of work to be done at home.Anyways my Mom is ok now,however the Doc said,if the wound had been deeper she would be dead or paralysed by now.

It is sad that the Pope, John Paul the second has passed away.I had initially thought that the illness would fade away.Here is a picture of the Pope in his younger days.

I watched Shrek2 at home recently.And I think this is an awesome movie!The animations are amazing.And the "Far Far Away Idol" at the end of the movie is hillarious too.There is an animated Simon Cowell here judging the charachters.

After watching it thrice myself, I forced my Dad to sit and watch it.After the first ten minutes he asked me, Why did they make the protagonist of the movie so ugly?I looked at him and said ,"Dad thats the whole point!The movie is trying to say that you neednt look like Cindy Crawford or Brad Pitt to be loved.Amor Vincit Omnia! (Love conquers All)"

My Dad didnt watch much of the film though.Later when my friends Nonu & Tanu(in 6th std. and jr.KG respectively) came home,I drageed them to watch the movie.The movie started and they absolutely loved, I thought to myself.Atleast kids can appreciate good art without having their prejudices come to the fore.

Fifteen minutes pass and Nonu tells me can you fast forward it. I forward it a bit and then comes the scene where Shrek & Fiona take their good looking human form. Nonu cries , Stop!

Then we watched the whole film.The kids loved it.

Why are we humans obsessed with Fairy Tale Endings?

Spirit of Easter!

2005-03-25T00:42:00.000+05:30

Firstly I would like to announce the winner of last weeks quiz!Who happens to be
Circe22
She happens to be the only blogger who got all the right answers. Congratulations!

I wish everyone a Great Holi and a Happy Easter too!

Back to Easter, today I am gonna include lines froma beautiful article remembering the spirit of Easter.

I hope these lines change your life...

Friday I saw Love.Not in a movie.A book.A song.Or a story.I saw it in front of me.An accomplished national level sportslady,fighting cancer was being wheeled around (lap1,lap2)in the compound after dinner by her husband.They have been in love since they were 15 or 16 yrs old.They have been together since.Neither asked for space ever.Neither said I am confused.Neither cheated,neither gave up on each other, not even in the time of crisis that all relationships go through and few survive.

He feeds her bathes her and lives for her.Men of real calibre dont hide behind the "career curtain".Last week he returned from Chennai and she who cannot leave her bed, leave alone the house, got dressed and asked her driver to take her to the airport to surprise him.She was wearing his tracks,his sweatshirt because cancer medication had forced her to outgrow her own clothes.And he looked at her and said,genuinely:My God,you look so beautiful".

The greatest love never has a reason.God keeps the reason close to His Heart.Life doesnt make sense,but when you live it righteuosly with God,with your loved ones, who needs sense.

In a world where people change feelings every now and then and say they are not able to help it,two people have stuck together.Still if you have all you want in your life and are still missing something its because your life is missing God given love.God chosen love is never a feeling,it is always a choice!People who choose God always choose the right things in Life.
-Cyrus Merchant

Quiz time!

2005-03-19T22:13:00.001+05:30

Got inspired by Russels quiz post and so I made one myself. The winner of this Quiz will be announced in my next post. Each answer gets 10 points.

Q.1 Who inspired U2 singer Bono to write the grammy award winning number "Walk On?"
a) Nelson Mandela
b) Aung San Suu Ki
c) Mahatma Gandhi
d) Adam Gilchrist

Q.2 Who was the first colonist to be born on American soil?
a) Virginia Dare
b) Victoria Smith
c) Morrigan Smith
d) Pandora Dare

Q.3 Who is the actor in this picture?
a) David.J.Elliot
b) Duncan.N.James
c) Delroy. Mathers the third
d) My husband

Q.4 Whats the name of Gwyneth Paltrows daughter?
a) Phoenix
b) Apple
c) Lily
d) Robin

Q.5 Romulus and Remus the founders of Rome are believed to be the descendents of whom?
a) Macedonians
b) Greeks
c) Trojans
d) Creteans

Q.6 What is Omlette du Fromage? (those who watch cartoon network religiously should know this)
a) french eggs
b) toast omlette
c) cheese omlette
d) ratoutille

Enjoy!

The Best Thing About Yesterday!

2005-03-06T20:32:00.000+05:30

Last week I was shocked to read about a certain incident in our daily newspapers.The Principal of a school beat up a girl student because she was writing 'filthy' messages on the uniforms of her fellow girl students.And they were allegedly embracing each other which is supposedly 'western' culture according to the Principal and the other school authorities.

I am just shoked at the distorted perceptions of culture some people have.The poor girl in this case was just celebrating her last day in school.And she and her friends were scribbling goodbye and other friendly messages on each others uniforms as it was their last day in school.Havent we all done that?

This incident reminded me of my own last day in school.In my last day in school all the girls had a great time writing on each others backs,clicking photos and completing slam books.By the end of the day the colours on our uniforms began wearing off.So we got buckets of water from the nearby loo and starting pouring it over our classmates.Their was so much of shrieking and laughing and water all over our class and corridor but no school authority said a word.

The girls were screaming and enjoying every bit of that day ..till the school bell rang. When the final bell rang ...there was silence in our class and then slowly all of us who had been laughing all day long began crying in a chorus.

Sigh!Some things just dont last forever!..

The Jungle Land!

2005-03-01T00:02:00.000+05:30

hills

Before writing anything new...which i havent written in a while,Id like to introduce a new blog at http://splendourinthegrass.blogspot.com .It is a very funny blog....and lots of medico stuff in it..and the best part is that its my sisters blog..hehe

One of my favourite locations in Mulund is the Cypress area, which is close to the hills in Mulund.This area has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. Mainly the panther attacks that have been happening here since the wall had been breached upon.

Long ago when I was in school my family kept coming here during the weekends. In college most of my friends would come trekking up here. Early morning I could see white specks run up and down the hill, which happened to be joggers and walkers.

But now all the jogging population here has dropped down. People are scared to go up the hill due to the panther attacks here.Yet during my enginnering years I kept coming here with some of my friends. It was one day that I decided to stop.Two of my friends -a girl an d a guy were trekking up the hill with me. After going to a park up there..we began our descent journey. My friend and I hid behind a tree to scare my girlfriend who was running down the hill way ahead of us.

Suddenly, two forest officials stopped her..and she panicked.My friend and I got worried after some time and we came in search of her ..to find the forest officials standing alongside her. What followed was a sight I will never forget. They started beating up my guy friend. We two girls were pleading with the forest officials to stop it.They said they would take us to the police. That scared us even more..coz all of us had told at home that we were going to hang out at the station.

In the end they let us go..after swearing that we wouldnt be seen in that area again. We promised and fled. Since that day I have stopped being an outspoken environmentalist... The malls seem a better place ..dont they? :)

Zero Hour.

2005-02-18T00:26:00.000+05:30

Once during my horrible engineering years I gone to the St.Pius Chapel to pray.I guess some results were expected in the days to follow.It was afternoon and next to Chapel were the classrooms of the Boys High School.

I was pretty upset.The results were expected and I had no clue as to how I had done.Life in this college was miserable.Before coming to this college I had read all kinds of books ..from Vedic Mathematics to Stephen Hawkings book 'A Brief History Of Time'. But somehow nothing seemed as complicated as the book called S.S.J College of Engg.The charachters in this book seemed more complicated as I turned each page.

After kneeling at the Chapel for some time,..I noticed a Sister walk in with a school boy.I was surprised why the boy was sent here during the school hours.She told the boy to kneel down there and pray.His close relative had died.

At this time the Chapel was so silent and so empty that I could hear the boys silent tears.

Thats when I felt small..like the smallest person on the planet.This little boy was praying to God and I was praying too.But my prayer was somehow so selfish when compared to his.My prayers had always been for all that was mine.

That day my prayer made me feel like the smallest person in the world.

The lunch bell rang and suddenly all the boys from the school were running outside and I could hear the sound of laughter..boys screaming in delight and talking loudly and all this was interspersed between silent cry of the little boy in the Chapel.

Of Skins, Wings and other Things!

2005-02-13T11:01:00.000+05:30

I searched the net for some good blog skins and layouts. And I also found some really amazing ones. But trying them onto my blog seemed like stuffing an 80 year old grandma into a backless Versace gown.

As my Dad says 'Total cost of packaging should not exceed 2 1/2% of the total product value.'Thats the same excuse he gives when we take him out for shopping, at gun-point.

Sandy and I

2005-02-08T11:37:00.000+05:30

Sandy always had muddied brown hair like that of a street urchin, as long as I can remember. He always seemed aloof to what was going on around him. This was ever since he had been separated from his mom and siblings.

Whenever my best friend and I would meet up for long talks, he would come and sit next to us lending us a ear. Sometimes he would sigh in disbelief listening to us.

A few months ago, one night as I was at my usual night vigil I saw something that surprised me. I saw Sandy standing at the entrance of the Kaveri Bar. A guy from the bar was standing next to him.I leaned from my window to see more but thats all I could see.

Shocked and surprised the next morning at breakfast I told my mom about the grave incident."Do you think he would possibly be drinking?",I had asked.My mom had laughed it off saying No, probably he must have gone there to eat some chicken or fish.

I breathed a sigh of relief.However the fact that he visited the Kaveri Bar didnt appeal to me.I had always thought he is much more polished.

Few days back while returning home, I saw a brown tail wagging outside the B.M.C dustbin.That had to be the last straw!"You bad dog!"I screameed.Sandy looked up saw me and grinned sheepishly.Then he hid inside the dustbin till I left the area. No more cookies for Sandy!

2005-02-07T01:11:00.000+05:30

these puppied were born recently . now only one black one is remaining.ppl took away the rest of them.

Bar One!

2005-02-03T11:16:00.000+05:30

Mr. Shetty owns the Kaveri Bar which is a restaurant cum bar close to where I stay. He is an extremely tall and thin man,who has a white beard and moustache and is always dressed in white.When I was in school I used to be scared of him.Whenever he passed by he represented the ghost of a dead coconut tree walking.

The people in my area expressed a lot of disappointment when he began running the bar in our area.They still wish that the bar did not exist.

But I think otherwise.The Kaveri Bar has been a source of great amusement for me. Many years ago,when all were fast asleep at night I remember a drunk man swearing loudly and running outside the bar.What followed was smashing of beer bottles...so many of them that the whole area around the bar was covered in glass.

There have been other incidents too of wives coming to pick their drunk husbands up from the bar at around 3 or 4 in the night.

The brawls I have witnessed seem to be straight out of some hindi movie.

But funniest incident was when two of my sisters guy friends after a hard day working out at the nearby gym stopped by.Since this was the only restaurant in my area, they decided to eat something here.They entered and were seated quietly at a table.It was only after a woman in a mini skirt and knotted T-shirt approached them(there are female bartenders/waiters here)that they raised an alarm and ran for the door!

Most of the times the bar is quiet except for the music being played there.When I sit up studying for my engineering exams I can always hear the music especially the song 'Bin Tere Sanam' which they play atleast 30 times every night.

Kaveri Bar is a quiet place most of the nights, even when then local police come secretly to demand their hafta (which happens to be a carton of beer or whisky).

Planets

2005-02-02T15:00:00.000+05:30

You are Pluto...Abuse of Power, Darker side, Spiritual Outlook.

What planet do you represent? (Chobits based, Anime Girls)
brought to you by

Page 1 Material !

2005-02-01T19:45:00.000+05:30

Caught up with Madhur Bhandarkars new movie Page 3. Finally, someone made a movie which shows a more realistic image of haute couture life in Mumbai City. Sometimes all the sugary sweetness seems so difficult to digest. Day after day when they print about the who s who attending events across Mumbai I really wonder whats their claim to fame?..Being a Page 3 celebrity?

The movie is definitely intense and there are some wonderful performances by Sandhya Mridul , as the room mate of protagonist Konkana Sen. Atul Kulkarni has done justice to his short role as a crime reporter. Konkana Sen delivers a fitting performance as usual. There is a lot of shock element in the movie be it homosexuality, paedophiles, bomb blasts, wife swapping,drugs....u name it , its there! But hey we all know all this is happening in Mumbai..then why the shock? Well the shock occurs cause you watch all this within a span of 2hrs. 30min.

The crime reporting scenes are extremely wonderful and worth watching.Atleast the director gets his point across to the audience. The movie is wonderful-different and definitely dark and intense. Worth a watch!

Words of Advice for Master Righton.

2005-01-29T19:18:00.000+05:30

Next week I will be attending a wedding reception of a close Gujju friend. Gujju weddings are strange events.Firstly, it is really difficult to figure out who the bride is coz every woman in the room is decked in heavy zardozi sarees with matching mehndi and and layers of make-up.
Secondly, all the brides maids have their hair either ironed poker straight or curled and look as if they have stepped right out of Ekta Kapoors movie set. However the whole affair is hugely entertaining.

Few weeks after I had entered engineering, a new girl walked into my class. After a few weeks she approached me and we spoke for some time. She happened to be Gujju too. The same evening I had to attend extra class at a study centre. When I reached there ,I saw her and was excited to see someone I knew. The lecture had begun so I went and sat next to her. During the break I turned to her and tried to make conversation. She looked at me strangely and said "Which college are you from?" I was surprised, Is she kidding me or what! So I asked her" Dont you remember me? Im from your college!" She looked at me with an expression of disbelief. I was amazed, I had met her just a few hours ago in college and why is this girl acting so weird now!She said "My college? Well which branch are you in?"

I went home dis-illusioned that day.The first girl I had an actual conversation with in college was so weird I couldnt believe it. I reached my building and waited for the elevator at the ground floor. A bunch of Gujjus were descending the elevator.They seemed all geared up for some wedding. I waited for them to get off. But they stood there and looked at me. One of the females looked at me and said" Do you wanna go up or- down?"I told them they were on the ground floor...that made them burst into laughter.

Well that day was a day .

Da Matrix Code

2005-01-29T08:44:00.000+05:30

The movie Matrix has attracted a lot of curiosity over the recent years. There are so many aspects of the movie that seem to amaze us. One of the main questions we could possibly ask ourselves is regarding the genesis of the characters. Where do they come from?

At the starting of the movie Keanu Reeves character reads a book of Jean Balliard. Its regarding simulating programs based on mythological characters. Probably this indicates the genesis of most of the characters in the movie.

For example, Monica Belluci s character Persephone is a simulated program of the legendary Greek goddess. According to the legends Persephone is the wife of Hades, the Ruler of the Underworld.

Now if Merovingian was Hades then why the constant reference to ‘ the frenchman’ ? Well the Greeks considered the name of Hades unlucky. Hence they would refer to him as ‘the rich one’, ‘the hospitable one’, or the ‘renowned one’. Hades by itself means ‘the unseen’. His abode was the House of Hades.

Hades was never looked upon as unjust.The task of punishing wrongdoers was left to Erinyes(the furies). They looked like hags, entwined with snakes, brandishing torches and whips and were pitiless pursuers of the guilty.Their powers were so great that the greeks never mentioned them by name. ( Prob that’s why they are called the twins).

Besides that we wonder who is the Trainman? The Trainman is possibly the boatman Charon the mythical character used to ferry spirits of the dead into the underworld.

The three headed dog Cereberus ensured that no one would escape back into the living world from the underworld.
So much for now!

So Near Yet So Far!

2005-01-28T18:17:00.000+05:30

Someone once asked me which is your favourite book. I still wonder...I have read a number of books. Starting with the Enid Blytons in school which were stacked all over the library alongwith the Nancy Drews and Hardy Boys Mysteries.

I still cant figure out the reason behind Potter mania cause years ago when Enid Blyton wrote incredible tales of goblins and fairies she was hardly paid a fraction of what J.K.Rowling earns per book today.Anyways that was yesterday.Among Enid Blytons books my all time favourite are the stories of the 'FARAWAY TREE.'

When I was a 3 year old and found it impossible to read large books my older sis would narrate them to me......sometimes with her own dose of crazy charachters and nutty fairies.Well when she would narrate the stories to me she would call herself Silky Fairy(one of the charachters in the book), till a point when she made me believe that she was Silky herself.Soon enough I learnt to read myself.And in school when all others would read St. Claire's and Mysteries of the Lost ...whatever, Id keep reading my tales of Silky and the Faraway Tree.

Somehow the whole concept of a faraway tree having magical lands on top of it (such as Rocky Land...a land that would keep on rocking,Birthday Land ..a land where you could celebrate your birthday and get to eat blue jelly and toffees that would unravel and pop into your mouth) sounded so amazing! Soon enough in school when all the other girls would have their noses buried in tales of Nancy Drew searching for the lost glove ,or book or diamond..I would remain in my LA-LA LAND.

Another one of my all time favourites will be' The Little Prince' by Antoine St. Exupery. This is one of the most amazing books I have ever read cause every day it seems a different book to me.It is sad that the author who wrote such a masterpiece died soon after writing it.It is sad that some of the best artists in the world never lived to relish the applause their works fetched.Kudos to all you guys!

hi guys!

2005-01-28T16:07:00.000+05:30

well this is my first blog. n im gonna write ne thing i like writing about.