Shanti Nilava Vendum

Pattammal's alongwith M.S. Subbulakshmi and M. L. Vasantha Kumari were ones which were almost always heard at home. My grand mother used to be a big time rasika of DKP. She has made many kritis of Dikshitar immortal. Coming from an age when ladies were not allowed to sing in public leave alone sing on stage occupied by men, Pattammal was a revolutionary, paving way for many to follow her foot steps. Her clarity of pronunciation and also singing is something every aspiring musician should learn.

Praying for her soul to rest in eternal peace in the Almighty


Clip of her voice rendering Vaishnava Janato from Hey Raam

Adieu MJ

It cannot be said it was shocking to hear about the passing away of the king of pop, Michael Jackson but still shocking it is. Personalities like these are ones who live on beyond their physical life.

He had been suffering a lot of health, medical and other issues, but that did not do a bit to wane his fans. Controversy was his middle name, with reports of him sleeping in an oxygen chamber, to his pets, to his bleaching his skin light, his conversion to Islam; all have been lapped up hungrily by his fans. The scandals and his exploitation by his music promoters which forced him to sell of his priced possessions, all left the newspapers and tabloids with a lot of fodder to fill their pages with.

My tryst with western music began with his songs actually. ABBA, BoneyM et al did not seem to be western music till "Beat It" from "Thriller" by Jackson came about. The way he sang, the way he danced, the way he made his videos...all seemed so unique and special and left us all spell bound. It surely changed the way music videos were made. "We are the world" that he alongwith Lionel Richie got all top artistes of the time to perform is another feather in his cap.

“Farewell and adieu to you, Jackson".

Though your music and videos will remain, you will surely be missed.



Though not perfect, his life can be an inspiration on what one can achieve if one had the talent and the drive.

Rest in Peace

Google Creates Wave

Google Wave seems to be the biggest product launch in recent times which is an in browser communication and collaboration tool. Sounds exciting but the proof of the pudding is in its eating. So waiting for its release to public

Here is a guide to what the Wave is

April 1st

An entertaining video for April 1st.

Earth Hour

Earth Hour is all about small changes that people are capable of making and we in our day to day life forget about environment and all that needs to be done to preserve it.

On March 28th, 2009, some 1000 cities across different countries together are observing the Earth Hour by switching off lights for an hour. In Bangalore, there is touted to be large scale participation of people to this need of the hour by switching off lights from 8.30 to 9.30 PM. This is primarily aimed at sending a powerful global message that it’s possible to take action on climate change.

In Bangalore atleast, we have forced Earth Hour once in the morning and once at night not taking into account the numerous Earth Minutes:-), so it wont make a difference as we have learnt to live in darkness as well as in light.

The Taare Zameen Par Effect

The SSLC Board in Karnataka has made concessions for students with learning disabilities or dyslexia by allowing them to use simple calculators and the assistance of a scribe while writing the 10th Standard Board examinations. Is this the Taare Zameen Par Effect? I did not know what dyslexia was, though had read a little about it and knew the spelling of the word till the movie came and shook me to the reality of dyslexia. Hope we wake up and realize that it is not just the dyslexics who need understanding but also others equally if not more challenged.

Recalling E-Mail the Google Way

Google Mail has come out with yet another interesting feature that allows the sender to recall an email.

This feature aims at giving the sender an opportunity to rethink if he wants to send that email and if he feels like it, recall it by clicking on the Undo Button as G-mail holds the message in its draft form for five seconds before sending it. This does not recall a mail which is already sent. This could be a revolution in so far as sending emails is concerned. However, nothing would be achieved in holding the mail for 5 seconds more, when the sender had all the time in the universe while drafting that email to contemplate whether to send or not. Maybe, a mistake in address etc. could be rectified, but would this 5 seconds be enough? So, if a person has second thoughts about a mail, he better think fast.

Well, for all we know, google might have more in store for us in ensuring human relations are kept intact after their experiment in preventing users from sending emails when in a drunken state or reminding a person about a forgotten attachment if the attachment is mentioned in the mail.

Personally, using Gmail has spoiled me for any other email!!

Super Brain Yoga

This ancient Indian practice of worship to Lord Ganesha, they have found has many beneficial effects. Only hope, they do not patent this and start slapping us with royalty for worshipping Ganesha in any temple..

I believe I can Fly

I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly




I love this song by Kelly (1996)

Sarada Devi, the divine Mother

She is considered the epitome of a "mother" who was selfless and always giving.

A few of her quotes -

"I am the mother of the righteous, I am the mother of the wicked as well. Never fear. Whenever you are in distress, just say to yourself 'I have a mother.'"

"If you want peace of mind, do not find fault with others. Rather see your own faults. Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; the whole world is your own."

From Sri Sarada Devi's last words, spoken before passing away on July 20, 1920

There Was a Queen

This is a film of conflict and peace in Kashmir. This is about Kasmiri women.Atlast, we hear the voice of Kashmiri women on terrorism, militarism, peace and their daily life. It is a record of political voices of women from many sides in Kashmir.

The film was in the competition section of MIFF-2008 and was screened in VIBGYOR-2008. It was screened in the First International Video Festival of Kerala in May 2008.

“Give us guns and we’ll play our role!” - These are not the words of a hardened criminal,these are the words of a teenaged girl in Kashmir less than a week after her sister was buried.

This film is being telecast by NDTV in two parts on 17th and 18th December at 9.30 PM IST and also the full film is telecast on 21st at 1 PM.

The documentary "*Yi As Akh Padshah Bai*" or *There was a Queen* was made by an all women crew! It was a conscious and a deliberate decision as it was our belief as producers that since the film was about women in conflict situation, it would be appropriate to have a team of women who would be more sensitive and understanding in dealing with the subject and that the Kashmiri women would find it easy to articulate their views. Our objective initially was to make one film, on women in conflict situation, which includes the North East of India too. But in the process of making the film, we decided to work on Kashmir first as it was distinct from the North East though there are commonalities of situation, issues and concerns.

Pic- Other Communications Media

Remembering Rajaji

Today is the 131st birth anniversary of Rajaji ( Chakravarthy Rajagopalachari). He not only played a very important role in the freedom movement but also was a collosal giant who strode the firmament of Indian politics post independence too with great foresight. He was essentially a statesman.

I had read his Ramayana and Mahabharata when I was in Class 7, and was deeply impressed by the way he has in a simple, plain and lucid language dealt with complex situations and made it very easy to comprehend.

It is sad that we do not remember him even once a year, and which will relegate him to the obscure corners of the History Books for a while before that too being considered not so important and the future generations not knowing anything at all about him

M. S. Subbulakshmi has immortalised a beautiful composition of Rajaji which stands testimony for the genius that he was.

India connects to the North East

It does sound weird, but the North Eastern States of Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura have received the Cabinet Committee on Economic affairs' approval for the proposal of the Manipur Government to extend the broad gauge 27- km line from Tupur to Imphal thus providing the direct rail connection of the State capital with the rest of the Country.... 60 years after India became independent.

It has been a longstanding demand of the northeastern state to connect its capital with the rest of the country through a railway line to end the transportation bottleneck. On the request of the Government, the survey of the line was again done so as to connect Imphal directly by railway line.

The proposed new broad gauge line will be providing rail connectivity up to Imphal as well as make possible direct movement of freight and passengers from this region to other parts of the country. The increased expenditure of the extension proposal is estimated to cost Rs 2,650 crores.

In the North Eastern Region, rail connectivity had been intensified recently after the Centre had taken up many rail projects as a National Project. Recently Agartala, the State Capital of Tripura had been connected with the railway line with the rest of the country. Tripura’s State capital Agartala on October 5 this year became the second Northeastern capital town, after Guwahati, included in the railway map with regular train service beginning between the State and other parts of the country. The survey for construction of the railway line from Dimapur to Kohima, the State capital of Nagaland is being taken up as a National Project with the process of laying of 125-km long railway line between Dimapur and Kohima began from November 25 this year.

Do we need anything else to show the utter disregard of all our governments at the Centre for the past 60 years towards the North Eastern States? It is time we bring ourselves together and end any step motherly attitude to any State, Province, Region or People.

Well, atleast now than never!!

Media, Politicians or a Bunch of Jokers?

It has always been a doubt, but now it is proved beyond all that, that indeed most of our politicians are a bunch of jokers. Take the case of R R Patil of Maharashtra who said that the Bombay attack was a small thing..saying.... "bade shahron mein aise ek adh hadse hote rahte hain. Woh 5,000 logon ko marne aye the lekin humne kitna kum nuksan hone diya ." (Such small incidents happen in big cities. They (terrorists) came to kill 5,000 people but we ensured minimal damage)”.

Then there was the reluctance of Deshmukh to quit. And his terror tourism of the Taj with his son and a film director.

There was the resignation of the Home Minister Shivraj Patil and the subsequent quip of Laloo that this should have happened earlier. And the advertisement issued by the BJP in Delhi during the Delhi elections.

While the Politicians are going full throttle to upstage one another, there are the media houses, which covered the terror attack saying "Breaking News, Exclusively covered by Us and such...". Are we interested in one upmanship at times like this?

And then the fiasco of Naqvi leaving the BJP blushing. And the CM of Kerala's spat with the slain martyr's father who refused to meet the CM.

By the way,there was this mail I received as a forward and I cannot vouch for its authenticity, but these people by the behaviour they exhibit do show that it might well be true!!

This is the state of Kerala Poticians, it seems!!


Taking Achudananandan or any other politician's remarks seriously is in actuality a waste of time...mine inclusive. Look at their Educational qualification and thereafter you could continue with your remarks!!!!
M. A. Baby - (Education!!!) degree fail

Premachandran - (Water and Irrigation) 10th class PhD (Passed with highest Difficulty)

A. K. Balan - (Electricity and SC/ST Welfare) 10th fail

S. Sharma - (Fisheries) 10th fail

Elamaram Kareem - (Commerce and Industries) 10th fail

Paloli Kutty - (Rural Development, Town Planning etc) 5th class and drill

Kodiyeri Balu - (Home, Vigilance and Tourism!!!!) 8th class and gundaism

Achu mama - (CM) 4th class - pass or fail doesn't matter
(Kerala Chief Minister)

I Want Peace

“I am afraid now the war is raging inside my house and not on the country’s borders. My PM is telling me not to be afraid and to keep calm and maintain peace and harmony. He is not angry and his body language conveyed that everything is under control. But my PM has Z Plus security which is perhaps why he is not agitated. I am an ordinary citizen. How can I remain calm when my own house is on fire?” – An anguished Indian, Naresh Kumar Jain’s letter to the PM published in “The Hindu”

A Placard held by an Indian Citizen infront of the Taj Mahal Hotel on 29th November read-

Mr. Terrorist, I am alive, What can you do?
Mr. Politician, I am alive despite you...

I am a MUMBAIKAR

This indeed reflects the mood of the whole of India.

Is it finally over?

Thank God for our Security Services!! And our salute to the many unknown brave men from our forces

Thank you Suchin for this message -

"Forgiving a terrorist should be left to God. But fixing their appointment with God is entirely our responsibility"

26th November 2008 - Mumbai's latest date with Terrorism

Mumbai is still battling with the entire city under siege by Terrorists. A shiver runs down my spine to think about the calculated manner in which these attacks have been carried out with such precision that has left the intelligence looking like fools.

It is claimed that the perpetrators of terror arrived in the Gate way of India in a boat. What was our coast guard and our defence forces doing? I used to look at awe at the huge navy ships and feel a sense of pride that they were guarding India. Now.... A boat laden with arms and explosives have been seized in the Gateway. An unestimated number of terrorists, divided into small groups and weidling hand held weapons and improvised explosive devices literally took control of Mumbai and targetted hotels, railway stations, hospitals..... How porous can our security be? Can it get worse??

The grand old lady of Mumbai was the first building to be lit by electricity. It was really heart wrenching to see the fire there. And, also the commando action at the Nariman Bhavan, Hotel Trident and Oberoi. Hope all emerge safe and sound, though reports of two ATS men succumbing has already been confirmed. It will only take a few moments for Uncle Sam and his sychophant to declare Mumbai , or it could even be India, out of bounds for its citizens, forgetting the next target could be anywhere

This is not the India in which I want to live. Give me peace. There will be thousands, millions like me who want peace.

Scary picture this...It is not like 9/11, nor is it like Madrid 2004, or London 2006. How could the terrorists have planned such an operation, of such magnitude without the intelligence world wide not sniffing this? Be it the handiwork of LET or the Deccan Mujahideen or which ever, terror is a reality, a pressing one at that, which has in the recent days moved from Jaipur to Bangalore to Ahmedabad to Surat to Delhi to Assam and now Mumbai. This is not the end of it all.

But the pertinent question which arises in my mind is how safe are our nuclear establishments? We have been assured of No- First use assurance from President Zardari with glee but have we checked the ground reality and what needs to be done?

Hoping we wake up to a bright safe and new India and world soon which is like Utopia. Will we or the generations to come see that day? But before that, hoping we redeem our Mumbai from the clutches of these terror vultures soon!!

Image Courtesy - Reuters

Courtesy -Sri. Raman, Director, Institute for Topical Studies, Chennai

Sexual Harassment in the name of Mankind!!

Ludicrous!! I really am not able to find a word or phrase or sentence to describe the thinking of people occupying "exalted" postions with such pea-brained mentality. Sexual Harassment meted out to a woman by a man is gallantary and a favour he does to mankind. Wow!! Wouldn't some people love this?

This is exactly what was decided by a judge in Russia on a case of Sexual Harassment filed by an employee against her boss. The judge in all his wisdom ruled that "If we had no sexual harassment we would have no children," Amazing!!

I have been advocating against the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill as I was feeling that a separate Act was not necessary but certain amendments to the Indian Penal Code would suffice as this Act would be like the proverbial Damocles Sword hanging over the heads of employers of women and consequently it would result in more and more women being denied employment. But after this judgement by the Russian Court, I am forced to do a re-think.

What are the International Organizations doing? The Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which Russia is a signatory relegated to the back burner. The International Communities should pressurize Russia to ratify, accept, adopt and accede to CEDAW, else it seems like doom is spelt for Russian women.

Aamir's Shahrukh Fiasco

In a disgusting post Aamir Khan has divulged how petty minded he can be.

In a blog post titled, Settlers of Panchgani, he has stooped so low that whatever admiration I had for the man post Lagaan and Taare Zameen Par has flown out of the window. He might have been referring to the dog, but it is very much in bad taste. This spat between the two Khans is getting a little ugly. Why, is it a case of Aamir envying SRK for the success (or whatever) of the Kolkata Knight Riders?

Whatever it maybe, it cannot get worse than this while trying to maul or malign another person. Is it that we are losing gentlemen from the film industry? Sad state of affairs this!!!!

Australia, Germany....India..

It is nice to see the smiling face of the bride