"Aham Bhramaasmi"

Hope you guys are in a happy mood after hearing out the Oscar results. Hats off to ARR and Resul Pookutty for making all Indians proud. And don't forget our pinki - "Smile pinki" which made the rest of the world to take a look at the Indian film industry. Truly speaking, I felt this year Oscar was a gate opened for the Indian film industry which has been knocking the door for years and years. Well , there has been many controversies as well - Had it not been directed by a foreigner, then it wouldn't have reached this success. I do agree that, ARR has given lot of songs better than this one, but let us keep all these apart and enjoy the true momentum of happiness.

Speaking about the Indian movies success, it is true that Indian films do have the ability to produce some world class movies, I happened to watch one - a tamil movie - "Naan kadavul" (I am God) which was directed by Bala casting Arya and Pooja. I immediately thought of writing a blog on that movie. It was not a kind of ordinary movie for sure and hearing about the comments and critics, I was very much keen of watching it. The title of the blog (copyrights - Director Bala) - Aham Bhramaasmi is the story of this film. It is a Sanskrit sloga meaning - Our body is God. The story, the locations and the people acted in this deserve a very good applause. Of course, no need to say about Bala who is one of the diamond in our Tamil film industry. I bet anyone can ever make a film like this. 

Lately, I had been passing through some of the worst time of my life and I dont say this film gave me a solution to all problems, but it made me to think. And it is for sure a kind of film which can be compared to "Slumdog Millionaire". If slumdog speaks about the real poor conditions of India and it goes on a bit commercial with romance, comedy and money, this film do speak about the real situation of India but not with those commercial items. It combines those poverty and bad situations in our society with theism (belief in God). Some things which I got through this film are like - controlling our mind and body - may it be through prayers or anyway, does makes us feel good, take right decisions and identify between good and bad. I may sound a bit boring, but its worth writing these.

We all have come across these lines sometimes or other, in someway or other - " when you are in trouble, think of those who are having more troubles than you. Then, you would be thinking - Thank God, at least I am not having troubles like that". Well, may be this can give us some sort of self confidence. But really, I tell you there are lots n lots of people in our society who bear the troubles in them and live happily. The beggar characters in this film depicts those perfectly. You cant stop crying when you see those characters for the first time in the film, but they make you laugh and think. That is the real life and Bala has brought that very nicely. They made me think does the problems we have are real worth worrying for ? When people like such disabilities can live, why not we ?

Though the main story tell us about the "ahori" sages - their closeness to God, internally, it implies that, when you have full control of your body and mind, then it is very easy to understand others - weather they are good or bad. You will be able to find out the difference between good and bad very easily and what more we want if we are able to do this at the very first sight ? The main theme of this story which says - "God has the right to destroy evil and when something cannot persist in this world, God destroys that for its good (what we call as mukti)". Seeing this on the lighter side - it appears to be ok to us , but the way the picture depicts these - you will never forget those. 

Though I may be a follower of God, more than the part attached with God, I was attracted towards the point that once our mind and body are clear, then we can look right things right. And there are parts in India where this beggar problem exists. None of us would have ever thought such cruelties exist in the same world where we live. I definitely would recommend all readers who read this to watch it once - language is no barrier for films like that. May be if you get some more good points please share it with me. 

Ok guys, Best of Luck to you all and meet you in my next post. Take care.

My College life - VRCE to VNIT , Nagpur

Hi Guys, Long time it has been. Too much of work. All work and no play does make a person idle..So, I decided to take out my time and write something interesting. It has been incomplete till I write about my college and the life I had there in this blog. But that would not make it complete either :) :) Also, this blog would be a different experience for me since I am not writing this blog continuously. Writing it whenever I find time unlike the other blogs which I have written earlier.

When I think of my college, I couldn't forget the time when I started from my hometown saying bye to virtually everything I saw on my way to railway station. That was the first time when I left my hometown for a long long time. And I dint even have a single clue that it would be this longer in future :) Some fear, some anxiety, some excitement, some sorrows, some happiness and lots and lots of dreams were the things I carried apart from the huge luggage. Thanks to all my relatives n family friends who came to see me off for my first long trip away from home. Well, I have to mention how I got this college at this time. I got decent score in the 12th Exams but my entrance exams score were not that much to get me a good college in TN. Again, this might have been a mistake as all my dreams were on the Anna Univ, Chennai and computer science. So, I decided to attend this other states REC counselling and again as for my interest on the branch, I got into VRCE, Nagpur. I had no idea where it is - you can say even India exists beyond TN. Luckily (!!!!), I got 2 new faces who opted Electrical.

Continuing my journey, I got one person working with my mom as she knew Hindi. After definitely a long journey, we reached Nagpur. Nagpur at first sight was very strange. No people were speaking Tamil. And all I know in Hindi was - "tumara naam kya hai" "mera naam sathish". We went to college and our Tamil seniors welcomed us. It was a very good reception and we got fresh and went to the college for the admission process. I and one of my friend - whom I met in the counselling (sad to say, he is my roomie now !!!) went to the class and there was caught by the seniors. We were told about the rules and regulations etc etc.My parents left to my hometown after getting me the hostel and then everything came a new circle of friends called "Batch mates". We enjoyed the first year thoroughly - the FTRs, the freshers party, session exams, department gatherings, first journey during Diwali with seniors and friends and the most dreaded final exams.

Not till that time, we were interested in studying. But during the final exams we changed. We did put in some efforts after hearing the history of our college and then after completing the final exam of the first year, we went home happily. That time was really amazing after making new friends, coming to meet the family after long time, expecting the juniors...I wish holidays like those ever come. Only time which I want to forget was the time when the first year results were announced. Luckily, I escaped and in our batch we all did manage to score reasonably well. Then we entered into our second year - into our respective departments. It is still a mystery that what I learnt from this department.

2 years went away again with all these - few classes, mostly pungi, chandrama visits, association gatherings and meetings, cricket matches, subhash nagar visits, assignment copies, mess offs and sometimes a bit of studies. At this point of time, I would definitely like to mention that, if all year TN compsci guys, if we meet in the department, that would really be an unbelievable moment for us. Well, this was not the case in other departments as compsci from TN had very less number of seats :) :) I am happy to remember those days where I sincerely tried to concentrate what they taught in the classes and succeeded to understand and ask doubts only to forget everything once I left the department and entered hostel. By this time, we were very much adjusted to the north indian food and learnt reasonable hindi too..There was even talks that our college VRCE was going to become IIT Nagpur and finally it became VNIT. It was a proud moment for all of us who were studying at that time.

Then came the final year where most of us realized the real value of college life. I forgot to mention about the campus interview times of our seniors. Those were the times the whole college used to be serious and we were expecting the results of each company like US election results. It was not Obama or Mc Cain, but it was either IN or OUT. That too for us, whenever our seniors get selected, it was a very great inspiration and when they dint get through, it was creating sort of fear in us. So, when I came into that state, it was really the time when I felt that I should have studied a bit more in the first 3 years. After attending the first company (for me and not for the college :)), clearing written, I flopped in the GD. Till that time only one from my TN batch had got job and already compsci were flying colors. The second company I attended that was on Sep 16th 2003 (Its not that easy to remember the day when you were recognized the most !!!)- the most important day of my life I got through the written and I gave the PI. When they announced the result and I was in that list, I dont have words to describe that moment.

After getting a job, you almost feel on the top of the world. Yeah. When I informed my family, friends and relatives, I really felt proud and the very next day I started to my home to celebrate that giving a surprise visit to my home. Rest of the year went on smooth again till the final exams of the 8th sem. That was yet another hurdle to pass and finishing my final exam was a great moment yet in my thoughts. There were many a moments in final year - we went to each and every corner of our college and took snaps. We thoroughly enjoyed each and every moment. We had all the time in the world to do so. I don't think a blog can completely tell my experiences which I had in my college.

Now, at this point of time, I turn back and see - even if me and my friends say now also that if not for VRCE, our life would have been great now, I still feel in some corner of my heart that, this college had lot of impact in my life. It taught me about the life outside your home, your family, it taught me a new language, it taught me how to move with people outside, how to solve problems (including how to create them). Many "how to"s and most of all it gave a solid platform to start my life. I would like to thank all my profs, my friends who taught me many things again , HOW TO lead a life independently. I would definitely be proud to be a part of VRCE which transformed into VNIT.

Ok guys, I tried to write about my college life but couldn't complete it. I realize that my experiences were more than enough to put it in one blog. Hope you guys like it. All the Best to you and meet you in my next post.

Tamil in my blog - என் இனிய தமிழ் மக்களே..

Hi Friends..just came to know from my friend about this tamil script available in google and so, trying my first tamil words in my blog:

அனைவருக்கும் அன்பான வணக்கம். தமிழ் எழுத்துக்களை என் இணையத்தளத்தில் இணைப்பதை நான் பெருமையாக நினைகிறேன். வாழ்க தமிழ். வளர்க தமிழ்.

The translation tool of google is too good. Link for you to try in your own language:

http://www.google.co.in/transliterate/indic/Tamil

Meet you all in my next blog. All the best to all of you.

Lessons of Slumdog and Millionaire together

Hi friends, after relatively long time, back to the business of blogging. Hope you all had a nice weekend as we already entered into the romantic month of the new year. I am saying romantic because, I saw malls and shops filled up with valentine's day gifts n cards. Best of luck to those who are getting a new relationship this year and my wishes to all those who already are in one...

About this topic, I happened to see the movie Slumdog millionaire and the Aussie open this weekend. May be I am wrong in comparing Rog Federer to a millionaire. He may be worth more than that. But the very sight of his crying for the 14th Grand slam made me think that, money seldom matters and it is the what we have achieved that matters. The same was the story in this movie slumdog millionaire and so, I decided to touch these two in this blog. 

Last weekend, i was relatively free after last minute cancellation of weekend plans and I was lucky to be invited with one of my roomie's friend to roam about and for a movie. So, me and my roomie got ready and asked him to book the tickets for this "Oscar nominee" movie. When I came to know that, he has booked the ticket for 200rs (ofcourse, it was Saturday night and the show was in PVR, Forum mall, Bangalore - you cant expect to be this cheap..)I was a bit upset on the ticket rate. When I was in pune, we chose carefully to watch the best of the movies in Adlabs - morning show. We went to the mall, had dinner and entered the cine hall. I was particular in insisting that, I dont want to miss even the title coz, I want to make full worth of the money (that too at this recession time boss!!!!)

The movie started. Again, I know there are tens of thousands of Internet sites/blogs which gives the review of the movie. So, I chose to cut it short. The 3 child characters were too good and the editing - the way they told the movie, the twists (10 million dollar question), the pace in which the story went and finally, the music were very good points for which I told my friend - its worth watching it. But when I came out of the movie and after those long discussions on scene by scene, I started thinking what the Director intend to tell to the audience through this movie ? Does he depicts the real India ? Again, whats the reason for that ? and if this movie attracts huge crowd, what does the people like in it ? and what are we supposed to do after seeing the movie ? I bet, this is not a kind of just watch n forget when you step out of the hall.

Well, it is depicting the real situation for sure. How many children each one of us has seen in the roads begging for alms whenever we stop for a signal ? Is it once in a week ? No dude, definitely more than that. may be on average once in 3 days at least in metros. K, leave the numbers, we do see it. What were we doing till now ? give them some coins or shout at them and ask them to leave. I personally have made a commitment that, at least from now, whenever I see a child like this, I will make sure to see to it, they are safe first and then, they have something to eat, at least for a day. The least which we can do. Right? If we have time, we should do more. May be small things like collecting the orphanages (registered ones) near by your area, informing police if something wrong is happenning. Come on, we cant live this entire life only for us. Thats a bit too harsh punishment we give to our life.

Apart from this, one more point which stuck me was - money and happiness. It is very much true that whoever running after money will not have time to enjoy that when he has it. You can take the example of the hero of this film - "Jamaal" or his brother "Salim". It is some inner satisfaction that is hard to achieve. I realised this once again on the courts when I saw Federer crying. Man, would you believe the man who has earned such money and fame is not happy when he was not able to meet his goal. Where did all those money go at that second ? Do you think that Federer will not achieve it at all ? Noooo....A man with such a passion for his goal is always going to achieve it. And it is about this goal which the world is going to remember Federer for even after he retires and not the money he earned.

I think after these two things which I saw in this weekend, something did change in me. I dint get a situation to realize the change exactly. Wonder how the world would be if we try to go after the goals and relationships than the money. Finally as a true, responsible citizen of India, I pray God that, this picture and the Finals should create changes in mind and another thing to get the OSCAR in Indian film industry after long long time. Indian films does have created better films and now, if the recognition comes through Slumdog movie, why not. 

Ok, All the best to you and see you in next blog. Jai Hind.