L. Kishore Kumar - Sitar Musician

It was a very proud moment for me to watch my dear friend from Loyola College days, Shri L. Kishore Kumar sharing the dais with esteemed playback singer Shri S. P. Balasubrahmanyam as a judge in Hamam Nalangu Maavu - Ennodu Paattu Paadungal. He is the son of veteran music director Shri T. G. Lingappa - no more alive - who has composed some immemorable songs like "Kaana inbam kaninthatheno", "Chithiram Pesuthadi" "Onnula Irunthu Irubathu Varaikkum kondattam" and many more in Kannada and Telugu. But Kishore struggled a lot to establish himself as a Musician in the Cine field. He wanted to create a unique name for himself, and not linger under the shadows of his father's pride.
He is today a well-known Sitar Player in the Cine Field. He has composed under several great musicians of today. If I remember correctly, he is one of the very few in the South Indian Cine field who can also play a "Sarangi"
Yeah, how do I know him? He was my class mate more than a decade ago in the Loyola College - Statistics Department, "P" batch - if that means something to someone. We were good friends, and managed to maintain our friendship even after so many days, and after being in different fields. Some of the uniting factors for us: mutual respect for our talents, similar tastes in music appreciation, losing dad at an early age, inheriting diabetes from the Father, simple and humble lifehood, being in mylapore, nageswara rao park walks...
The significant part ofour friendship nurturing dates back to college days, when we would go to Kapaleeswarar Temple and spend time chatting up for a long time. (And another routine that nurtured my friendship with yet another great friend Lakshminarasimhan is - long walks in the Marina Beach on sundays, and spending hours of chatting). These are some of my self-awareness growing years, and these two played a significant role at that point of time.
A very unassuming, and highly approachable person he is; and he is extremely talented in his chosen field. May God and wishes from elderly musicians and from his father, take him to good heights in his chosen career. I am so happy to write this post.

Helmets are meant for menial Public you and me..

...of course it is legal for POLICEMEN near VIP areas like Chief Minister House and Opposition Party Leaders House to streak down without a helmet;

Clicked on August 12 2009 @ 4.15pm

Vehicle No: TN 09 V 6355

Location: The street cutting off TTK Road, Alwarpet, and leading into CIT Colony; the road straight goes and cuts left and right. Few meters away on the right is a VVIP house.

Clicked on July 25 2009 @ 4.26pm

Vehicle No: TN 01 R 4601

Location: Cathedral Road, outside Stella Maris, near Poes Garden; again a VVIP area

Of course, the idea and issue about safety, and the traffic laws are applicable only to menial public you and me.

Ignorance of Law is not an excuse, then what will ignoring of the law entail? I feel absolutely safe and happy living amidst such law-protectors...of course, long back, my spine has been extracted in a special procedure so as to accept myself as part of this Generation!

Walk the Talk, Run for Fun - Day 5

Yay! Not only could I sustain Day 3, I could do extra.
Covered 6 rounds of walking on 500m trail, and 1 round of walking on the 250m trail
Covered 2 rounds of jogging on 500m trail, and i round of jogging on the 250m trail
In all, covered 4.5 kms today. Yes!!!

Walk the Talk, Run for Fun - Day 4

I coudlnt do the intended sustenance run of Day-3. Because I woke up late. Reason for waking up late is because, the kids didnt have school. When I woke up, I din't have the mood to go for a walk/jog. By the time, I pepped myself up, it was hot in the morning.
Later, i covered about 2kms in walking by going up to Kapali Temple Market, and purchasing few stuffs for the Janmashtami celebrations. The stuffs that would guarantee yummy bakshanams. The main ingredient I got was Butter (oothukuli)...yum yum, so lip smacking...
Of course, in the evening I got yummy snacks - murukku, omam podi, ribbon bakkoda, cheedai and vella cheddai
Good, let me see for Day 5. I doubt if I will be able to do the Day 3 sustenance, given all the lip smacking, fat inducing, oily snacks to be devoured

Walk the Talk, Run for Fun - Day 3

Yes, I did it...5 rounds of walking and 1 round of jogging in the 500m trail. Tomorrow it is the sustenance of Day-3 levels...

Walk the Talk, Run for Fun - Day 2

Day 2; I took my scooter to first measure the 7km trail around in Mylapore; I was so shocked to find out that the route covering Luz Church Road, De Silva Road, entire stretch C. P. Ramaswamy road, St. Marys Road turning towards Crean Center, the road joining near Hotel Sangeetha, and all the way upto the Axis Bank, was just 2.5kms. This means I need to go from my home, and maybe up to the Boat Club of Adyar and return back. Else, I could try going up to the Beach and walk back. Either route will be densely trafficked during the time I commence my so-called walking. So, I decided I will right now stick to NageswarRao Park, and to avoid boredom will have MP3 player and listening to songs.
SO Began Day 2 Trail:
4 rounds (2kms) only I could do; because it was already 830, and had to get home to help get my daughter ready for school. I did one single jog of the 250m trail, though I wanted to try 2 rounds; stopped with one, as I didnt want to push the endurance limits on Day 2 itself. Also, I was getting late.
So for Day 3, agenda is to cover 5 rounds of walking (for 500m trail) and 1 round of jogging on the same 500m trail. But, make this timebound - 750am to 830am; i will cut short one of them, if I am unable to cover anything in the designated timing.

Walk the talk, Run for Fun - Day 1

Nageswara rao Park walkers path has 2 trails - one for 500m, another for 250m;
Goal is to cover 7km as walk first, then as jogging and ultimately start running.
Yesterday was Day 1; walked for 4 rounds on the 500m trail; jogged once in the 250m trail.
Am used to walking distances of 3-4km in one shot,but not run or jog.
Jogging was a different experience altogether. My entire innards were jumping and was also feeling heavy. But since it is just 250m, thankfully I was able to endure it; i was not gasping for breath or anything. However, I wasn't too enthusiastic to try endurance level again.
Thats it for Day one!
For Day 2, I intend trying out road route for 3.5kms walk, so that I know the distance coverage. Sometimes it becomes boring just inside the park to cover 14 rounds (7 kms coverage), so I wanted to hcekc out roadside.

Chevrolet Spark, 10m-10k :-)

Just 10 months ago, I acquired my Chevy Spark LS for a good sum of Rs 3.35L, spent additional 11k for the music system; for one month, used call driver services, I figured out I wasn’t enjoying my car drives, simply because I don’t stop wherever I want to and whenever I want to. Regardless of scratches and dents, I needed to start driving, and I did manage to get scratches on all four sides of the car, and a huge dent while backing out of our parking lot. That didn’t deter me.
Today I clocked 10000km on my odometer, and it was a proud moment for me. Just right, few feet away from Vijayanagar Traffic Junction. Best part of it being the lovely Chevy Spark LS, icy blue metallic, hasn’t let me down once so far. Done 3 long drives – Pondicherry, Bangalore and Tranquebar, apart from various mini-long trips to Siruseri.
Chevy has delivered excellent value for money through my Spark; I was unable to pinpoint any specific problems to fix during any of my service. I just stuck to same old rhetoric “low mileage, gear shift problem” though both didn’t really exist. Spark gives me 12-13 in AC inside city, 16-17 in AC on highways, 13-14 non-AC in city, 18-19 on highways…I would say good mileage, definitely;
Engine doesn’t make noise, I don’t have to really stand on accelerator to get a good speed, AC is good. When I drive the car, the experience is as good as the first day I took the car out. The condition is the same. I didn’t need intermediary trips to garage, except for regular services. When I just finished my second free service, I did “under body rust coat” for being in a coastal city like Chennai, tends to rust the metallic parts easily. Spark being a cheaper metal at that!
It is just amazing how easy to turn the car in such cranky corners and lanes of Chennai. The turning radius is fantastic. Since the car is just wider than an auto, I can almost zigzag around where an auto can. That explains the maneuverability of the vehicle. Interestingly, the car can comfortably seat 5 adults + 2kids with enough leg space for all. Considering the turning radius, easy maneuverability, smooth drive features, I was once able to drive fast with excellent control of the car, so nimble the car drive is, in flat 45 minutes from Triplicane to Ambattur, during the peak 5pm traffic via royapet, anna nagar, mogappair…
By the way, Sundaram Motors does excellent job of servicing and customer handling. KLN Motors, who is the other GM dealer in Chennai, is worst and has got some irresponsible and uncaring sales people. I still wonder why I opted to purchase from KLN instead of Sundaram Motors.
So here is my 10 month 10000KM delivery story of reliable Spark!

Updated to add:

The car is so spacious and comfortable, there are so many comfy spaces in such a small car. Just to give a perspective - When I sat in an Indica, I realized I didn’t space to place a water bottle, but in Chevy Spark I had four bottle holder spaces. A full-sized jute bag (the ones they give in textile shops) was needed to accommodate all the CDs, along with their jewel cases, that I have placed in spaces around my seat; beyond this, I have space for coins - to give tips, for my kids books and crayons - all neatly tucked in spaces around.

My son starts complaining he is feeling very cold, in 2 mins, whenever I switch on AC and keep it in just 1. Excellent product is this Chevy Spark, so are Opel Corsa, Astra, Aveo UVA, Tavera...sad GM, despite such rigorous SDP21s didn’t really get their business and union strategy right and have gone this way!

Someone needs pink chaddhi urgently..

...come on ladies, re-start the campaign again...I am siding with you. .

Shame on you Sharad Yadav! Shame on you MCP!! for this irresponsible cowardice announcement in the Parliament.

"I will commit suicide, if the Women's Quota Bill in its current form is tabled"

People like him have wasted years and hours of parliamentary time, already in stopping this bill being tabled!

No one condemned him in the Parliament. That is even more shameful, and indicative of what to expect in this direction.

Airtel Super Singer 2008

...and the winner is Ajeesh!
Congrats Ajeesh, you deserved this win...
You were cool, calm and composed, but was having fun always. I listened and liked your renderings a lot from Semis and Beyond. A person with a smile, no pretentious brighas, no false voices, humble in front of the judges.
Though you were not my personal favorites from the Airtel Super Singer - Prasanna was my favorite - I relished your performance.
Congratulations!

Foodies Lane of Chennai that starts at Mahatma Gandhi and ends at Uttamar Gandhi

This particular stretch I am talking about in Chennai, actually consists of 3 roads; Starting at Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai starts at Mahatma Gandhi Statue, passes through Cathedral Road and goes all the way under the flyover, into Uttamar Gandhi Salai (better known as Nungambakkam High Road) and bangs into Nungai Amman Koil!

Borrowing Mountroad Mahavishnu’s clichéd lines – this is a stretch, with a taste of almost every cuisine to suit most of the budget ranges, and tickle the taste buds of veggies and non-veggies alike (this particular part of the sentence from the previous comma, till the start of in-note, is dedicated to the reluctant cliché-gourmet Shonali Muthalaly).

Let us start and list down:

Gandhi Beach – Beach eateries and Sagar Resturant
On the Southern Side
Radhakrishnan Salai
Manhattan Square (or something like that) – till sometime back Hotel Palimar had a counter, not sure if it is still there; don’t know about the taste of food here though
Chennai CitiCenter and its
Food Court housing
Hotel Sangeetha (and their lipsmacking sambar vadais),
Subway
Pizza Corner (or Hut?)
Gangothri
Good fruit and smoothie shop
Gelato (GOddamnly expensive but heavenly tasting ice cream shop)
Lavazza/Barista
Little Italy (and their amazing pastas)
Chinese food shop (sorry forgot their name)
Halal Shop (again forgot their name)
Desi Mane by Sangeetha
Level 4 - A Roof top restaurant
KFC
Hotel President
Café Ashvita
, then further down the road, after next signal,
Beijing Blues (closed shop soon)
Anjappar
Pizza Hut
Komalas (but not there now I think)
Saravana Bhavan
Rasam (Krishna Sweets Kongu Style restaurant inside Sabari’s Nest)
Bombay Talkies (north Indian food items)
Enter Cathedral Road
Palki – north indian specialty
Amravati – Andhra food (full meals is awedome)
Coconut Lagoon - Kerala style restaurant (inside Palki)
Snowfield - AN Icecream parlour (inside Palki compound)
Hotel S
Hotel Chola Sheraton
Peshawri
Durrant Bar
Shirdi Quick Bites
Woodlands drive-in (boo hoo what a place to lose…)
Under Gemini Flyover and into NH Road…
Hotel Palimar
The Park
Hotel Ranjith (and the bar;-)))
Hotel Taj Coromandel
Hotel Ganpat
Aiwo - Northern Spicy
Cakes & Bakes
Pizza Corner
Seetharamas (is it still there?)
Cholayil Sanjeevanam - nature food keralan style
ChicKing
Turning at the Northern Side
NH Road
Hotel Sangeetha
Arjun- inside Hotel Gautham Manor
Canton - as the name suggests, chinese one
Little Italy (inside El Dorado complex)
The Dhabba Express [inside El dorado]
Rangis - hotel in that Airtel office building, good taste
Ispahani Center and myriad of outlets including
Marry Brown
Café Coffee Day
Sweet Chariot Center
Dahlia
Bella Ciao
New Yorker
Cathedral Road
Baskin & Robbins
Noodle House (easily tucked away upstairs near Gangothri)
Gangothri
Don pepe
Copper Chimney - Kebab restaurant
China Town - Chinese restaurant
Zara - The Pub
Music Academy canteen
RK Salai again
Hotel Savera
Brindavan – Hotel New Woodlands
Karaikudi
Punjabi Dhaba
Ice cream parlour
Dominos Pizza
And then nothing upto citi center signal
Seasons (excellent salads, juices and pastas, at never believe prices – actually tucked inside the Pazhamudhir Nilayam)

I very well know this list is incomplete, and I know I have missed out some more points and got some names wrong; I will update them soon, and perhaps do reviews as well…

Can any other area in Chennai claim their fame like this stretch??? Perhaps Anna Nagar, maybe...
I can call this the Foodies Lane of Chennai!

Parenting - what it means to me

Thanks to Subhashree, aka, my wife, who tagged me! I need to say 5 things as to what parenting means to me...
1. Parenting is a collective verb. No fathering, no mothering...parenting! It means whatever we do is collective decision making for the good of kids...and that brings me to second point
2. Oh my gosh! As parents, one needs to be responsible for all the decisions made on the kid sbehalf, until they can start making decisions...so in some way or other, all choices we make as parents, affects the kids...so no snap decisions, no impulsive actions...and no personal feelings as well
3. Parenting is fun! I have every right to act completely silly, in front of full audience and get awat, because I do that act for making my kids feel happy...ooh...i like it
4. Learning is amazing as a parent! The way my kids pick up words, their context, build the language...it is just amazing. The creative thoughts that go through their head, despite them not having experienced or seen it even once, but they do it.
5. A warm hug, a wet kiss, a silly fight - so many things to feel overwhelmed, feel choked; that is interesting too
[i am supposed to write 5 things, but what the heck..., kids dont follow any rules easily, so would a post about them be any different?]
6. Parenting is caring for and being cared for!
7. Parenting is energy-sapping...exhausting too...
8. Seeing the kids having love for each other, caring for each other, while at the same time, fighting with each other too...
It just means a lot for me to be one of the parents...what matters most to me is
My kids chose me as one of their parents, and the other parent - my counterpart - is the person whom I love most in the world!
This is the best part! :-)
PS: Ok, tagging part...am not too known to too many bloggers...so anyone who likes this topic, take it as a tag, and post an entry in your blog. Leave me a comment and a link.

Sunday - End of ASS 2008

Come sunday, and we will know who is the ASS?
Well, ok, the talent is there definitely, so its unfair to name any of them as ASS.
Actually, we are the ASSES, dont we address us as mASSes? We have let ourselves easily be the butt of Vijay TV's joke on us, titled Airtel Super Singer (ASS) 2008 - lingering midway into 2009.
Hopefully, come this sunday we will know who is the Super Singer. Of course, we viewers will get the ASS award.
Cynicism apart, let us see who is the Super Singer from the talented Top 4?
UPDATE: Apparently, it is not sunday, but next wednesday (June 03 2009), when we will know the ASS!

I love Bangalore...

...because it has made me appreciate Chennai on a few points. Main thing being 'traffic'
In Chennai, the drivers have not become so rude or so blind, like the Bangaloreans. Chennai drivers still signal to some extent, most of them wait when we signal about crossing or going first. These drivers include govt vehicles and autos as well. In Bangalore, they drive like anything in front of them is non-existent, and they can simply drive through that object - may it be human being or another fellow vehicle on the road.
Buying an over-the-counter medication, like a saridon or a crocin or anacin, is much easy in Chennai - especially on main roads. Even simple shops stock them. In Bangalore, on the bannerghatta road near Arekere gate, believe me or not, I had to go to Wockhardt hospital to buy a simple saridon to ward off the headache given to me by the Bangalore drivers mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Bangalore weather is good enough - mild and pleasant- most of the times. No doubts about that. But what beats me is that an average Bangalorean, who grew up with this type of climate and weather, prefers to wear a jacket or sweater even when the sun is blazing hot. Beats me!
Of course, Bangalore traffic snarls are better not said. With wider roads, wider than in CHennai, and enough number of flyovers, still it is not enough for the Police and for the planners of the city, and for the staying population of Bangalore, they end up in traffic pressure points often. It is indeed surprising. They can easily learn from neighbouring states like Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh as to how to handle road space. Claim space, widen roads - isn't it a simple thing to do?
Ok, ok, I am simply tryig to pick holes for me to justify my irrational hatred for Bangalore, or, is it actually inner desire, which doesnt let me openly accept my unsaid pleasant feelings for Bangalore? I may never know, cos I may not bother to figure it out!!!

Airtel Super Singer 2008

This program is increasing my expectation like anything.
End 2008 came, we were nowhere closer to closure; in fact, we saw all the eliminated singers come back again in 2009; in fact, I got it clarified at home we were not on to Super Singer 2009. I suppose it was still Airtel Super Singer 2008.
Then, I thought this would end in FY08-09 atleast...no, the end was nowhere to be seen.
We are into May 2009, the Airtel Super Singer 2008 is still going on. With all due accolades to the talented singers of this show, I really dislike this idea of taking us for a ride, even in such reality shows. Virtual reality I suppose.
I had some respect for STAR VIJAY channel among other Tamil Channels, but it is dwindling.
I think I am going to be a happy man not watching the TV these days!