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Showing posts from August, 2006

Freedom at Midnight

Till date I never read a book consecutively twice. But I had to; in this case. When I completed reading the book first time I was too lost in facts to miss the emotions. I felt hatred, devotion, anger and a confused feeling towards British, Indian Leaders, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Gandhi in that order. I was surprised how little I knew about my mother land. The Empire was 'heavy with gold, black with industrial soot, and red with the blood of conquest.' Collins and Lapierre open the book on New Year's Day, 1947 -- London awakes to filth of its own country. The reader is taken on a journey of significant events that lead to the independence of India. On the way you will be introduced to many brilliant characters that shaped the history of India and have left a mark that is still evident. The authors’ attempt to justify everything done by the British Indian Empire by concealing the atrocities brought about by them during their so-called Raj in India. Collins and Lapierre skip ...

Onam-Highly Spirited Festival of Kerala "ഓണം"

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Since I posted about Vishu and its specialties, let me tell you about Onam too, the principal festival of Kerala. This picturesque harvest festival brings ten days of colour feasting, boat races, song and dance to the state. A long time ago, an Asura (demon) king called Mahabali ruled Kerala. He was a wise, benevolent and judicious ruler and beloved of his subjects. The Devas or Gods were worried over the wise and good rule of Mahabali, the Asura king, thinking that he might become too powerful. They sought the help of Vishnu (the preserver in the Hindu trinity) to curb Mahabali's power. Vishnu transformed himself into a dwarf called Vamana and approached Mahabali while he was performing a yajna and asked for alms. The Vamana asked for a simple gift — three paces of land — and the king agreed to it. Vishnu in the guise of Vamana then increased his stature and with the first step covered the sky, blotting out the stars, and with the second, straddled the netherworld. Realizing that...

KANKed :-)

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After all the hype and reviews, I was not so keen to watch KANK. But then with no specific job in hands, we thought we will just make it to Karan's controversial film. The film as a whole didn’t impress me. Karan just sugar coated the bitter pill. Film seemed to be too influenced with Hollywood theories. Even the hard core SRK fans {like me} found it difficult to enjoy the film. I just describe that film as “pot of glassy-eyed relationships”. I felt the director fumbling about pairing the characters at the end of the film. KANK gang deals with infidelity, with broken marriages standing in the way of true love; Karan has manufactured dreams in wonderful abundance, right from the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Kal Ho Naa Ho . Tragically, he too seems struck by the 'Substance Syndrome'. Only thing that appealed to me in this film was the usual Johar’s glitzy setting, sings and star heavy direction. I think the story needs no explaination. It is already cluttered. Let me not make it a...

Independence Day special

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With 60th year of Independence around the corner, my friend created this video . It is best viewed on display resolution of 1024 * 768 Happy Independence Day!!!!

Avadi

Avadi- The place I am quite attached to, my native, my world and my cute little town. When I mentioned this place to my college mates I ended up with too many questions about the place. Since my college and home were at two corners of city I need to spend more than 3 hours a day traveling to college and back home. To my friends I hail from a village and some even say that I stay at Tamil Nadu Border. For a person who spent his life in the crowded, dusty city will never know what it is to stay in such a calm place where I get water all through out the day and need not depend on bottled water there is no need to spend thousands on setop box I can sleep peacefully without the noise of vehicles disturbing me all night You find all kind of people; a purely cosmopolitan life Need not adjust with in a flat where neither the land nor the sky is ours And still many more to keep listing... Now will tell you about my little town............. Avadi - A rmoured V ehicles and A ...