14th March upto

"Sunrise, burning heat, nothing is as traveled as as a bombay street"

It suddenly has become blissful to get out of the Bombay taxis, rather than waiting in it for the traffic to clear. It is also when you realize that Bombay has become like Chennai and you start to love the weather. As I continue in smelly taxi waiting for the traffic to clear and cool breeze to blow, I am caught waiting at the opening of the second signal [again], with a few people of different sex force you to give them some money.

" We eunuchs bring you luck; Give us money, you will see. I can change your fortune; If you are kind to me. But if you refuse us; You'll face adversity. Even though we're not, the men we used to be; Even though we're not, the men we used to be "

They wished me a new year and say "hamara bhe new year karvadho" and were happy to get a 5 rupee coin. Thats typically how the new year had begun, just to forget the self hosted new year party.

The rest of the month saw me prepare for the for the half at auroville marathon, the preparation was not up to the mark [but not bad either as i ran a 5-10 regularly] as I was failing to get up early in the morning. On the race day, the same thing happened, I woke up 2 hours late only to decide that my first official half marathon i would be running without a bib. Running with this terrible feeling in mind, i had covered the first 18kms at ease, without a break, but had to stop at 18kms mark as the foreigners [blonde, cheer girls] were encouraging my speed [i guess]. In pretext of talking to them, i asked them some spray and in return they massaged my thighs and calf muscles. I must say i did not want to run after that, but somehow with the spirit still on, i continued and finished the race in little over 2hrs 30 min. I returned home with a sprained thighs and calf muscles [waiting to get addressed] and a tee shirt [after much please please] which marks that I ran that race. "More than the courage to start is the will to finish". I think i had both.

But sometimes, it is difficult to call a friend to wish her on our first anniversary of friendship [lol!! January 26th], probably because last year around the same time the introduction did not last a brief 3 minutes, the date [later the month] was not made and the drink barely extended beyond a watermelon. But today they shall speak of what but nothing ?

The wrong celebrity

It was quiet bit of news for kal, when he spotted it, the newspaper lying on the floor dancing to the wind's blow; he picked it probably to crumble it and throw it as far as he could so that that wretched paper would not circle around his legs anymore. Very rarely he would have expected a free treat. Educated cows that we are, kal wanted to read it before crumbling it into a ball. He spotted this http://bit.ly/a5j44E

Kannadi, runs once in a blue moon, rather thrice in a blue moon (month), he was lucky to be spotted by the hindu and a very apt article complementing the same. Kannadi, who knew about his turn of events in his life so far did not want to celebrate . The other three K's were treated at barista, a capuchino each for this picture. . Next couple of days kannadi was portrayed the celebrity status, until this happened http://bit.ly/94CkpK

If you fail to understand the joke, then the picture must be your's and not kannadi's. If you seem to understand the joke and empathize with kannadi he will hate you for ever. You must laugh your fits out, and appreciate the hindu for his creativity (the editors of the article and the photographer). Simply brilliant. Kannadi does not appreciate if you google for East-African ancestor . He'll be upset with such an attempt.

The road comes for free

Its been a couple of months, (almost an year) since I posted. I have been through a phase of life where I was discovering what I wanted to do in the short term (or, Was I sleeping ?) hence could not keep the blog running. However, I admit I have a very faint clue of what I want to pursue, Anyways, that not the point why I wanted to post today.

Of late I have been running though not as much as I would want my self to do (distance and frequency), but definitely more. More than before. I must say that it has helped me focus on the small insignificant things in life. No, doubt its more fun if you run in a group. Hence, the plan in the next one month I am planning to come up with my bucket list for the next two months.

1. Run that extra mile, each time.
2. Complete a 15 in less than an hour (A ten on the institute track). I have run 15 before, so i know what time i have to measure this against.
3. Join the Chennai runners

P.S1: All the runs follow up with a heavy break fast and good day sleep. Obviously blog posts too!

P.S2: I chose to run, obvious reasons, but most importantly the road comes for free.

Living life

Note: This month has been a long one for me, more than 31 days, so don’t complain if you find this post long

This month so far has been (and will be) the most weird month in this year’s calendar for me. A lot of things have been happening to me, suddenly, so unexpectedly, that i sometimes think is this what life has to offer me? Nothing better? but when i ask my friend’s how theirs is, they have very little new to share.

The month had just begun when i broke my left wrist, sitting as a pillion we had to fall down from the bike to avoid a collision with a old man riding his cycle on the middle of the road. (Had we hit him the case would have been much serious). I was left with a broken left wrist, and my friend, who had come to Chennai, to look around places, had his quota for the day. He escaped with minor bruises and a torn shirt. The immediate effect of getting my wrist band-aid was added discomfort. Crumbling tissues after tissues was how each day in this month started for me.

The middle of the month, (with the arm still fractured) saw us do some crazy stuff at the Broken Bridge.

Added to this adventure is when i decide to travel more, to another city, to attend for my friend(es) b’day. Clueless where to hang out, they had decided to move their lazy bones for a trek when i join them. Fortunately, the plan to trek conceptualized but unfortunately not executed well. When it was me and Teja around nothing would work out. Always so far, exclude Kolkata, when ever we meet, we end up saying “that day was useless”. This time Rohan was also saying the same. No one hires a car just to go to Mysore for having lunch. (It was not intended to be like that, but it turned out to be so). Next day, in order to face a imminent pissing off from relatives i had to cut open the PoP band-aid prematurely to appear unhurt, only now to realize where it hurts when i tug a shirt, comb my hair, when spin a ball, or throw a Frisbee. (thankfully no tissues).

The next couple of weeks was spent in deep introspection of what the trip had done to me. (rather, it was all there from the beginning). In order to give the hand some sort of exercise i started riding the bike again. This time i knew where it hurt when i clutch the clutch. Once again when life was getting boring, i decide to meet my friends at Chennai, rather bring my friends here. A couple of them obliging did a lot good for me. I could relieve boredom.

Next week, it was my turn to go to Chennai. Just, when i was about to leave to Chennai, it threatened to rain. Realizing about the formals that had to be given to laundry i rushed. Returning back on the road, i happened to catch this race with rain poring down. Suddenly the day light dimmed, a bus coming from the opposite end left me blinded and shocked like a animal coming under the headlight. I had to break immediately, but i had crashed into one umbrella and two mid aged women with the vehicle. Amudha was 40, Godhai was 35, the umbrella brand new, were lying on the ground. My right arm started to pain, Wow once again a fracture i thought. Amudha and Godhai were not seriously hurt, but the impact had a shocking effect. They obliged me taking them to a hospital and the nurse asked how this happened, when they stump me out. A police complaint was to be avoided. A series of negotiations and sounding concerned about their injuries helped me. (BB adventure had helped). They let me go. Somehow, i move out of Pondicherry and get in a bus to Chennai.

The radio in the bus announced that CSK lost the semis to RCB, my friends were elated. The driver stopped the bus at a tea stall and started to discuss about the match. Finally, when i had reached home it was 12 in night. Ravi had brought home a bitch that day, a Dalmatian, Jiah she was named by friends. It added to the population. Seven and now, Seven and a bitch. It was definitely exciting. People wanted to toast for Jiah, and so we did. My coming from Pondicherry, Rapi’s culmination of Civil prelims, Jiah’s inclusion in the family coincided well. And so we toasted.

The next day, was the big day, IPL finals, DC had played well but RCB was threatening to win. I decide to watch the match in the institute and thus walk out of home. Speaking over the phone, i left home walking on the road all alone. I had stopped for a friend who was to come with me on his bike. There was a delay for him to come and thus i continued speaking on the phone walking further up the road. I was asking how things were going? It was a like friends meet after a long time type talk, He had explained how his side of life was, when it was my turn, two people come riding a bike and snatch my mobile and whroom…they are gone. By the moment i had realized that my cell was gone, snatched, they were nowhere on the empty road. It was a brilliant plan these people had come up with, but, it was a useless piece of cell phone that i carried. It would break into five parts when dropped gently. Operating it needed skill and patience. I stood on the road laughing. But, when i realized that i had also lost all my contacts with that mobile, then it hurt.

I could not remember a single number, except home. The SIM has certainly become Smart, it makes you feel so dependable on the cell phone, that you are become handicap to socialize. Its amazing how brain has replaced the brain. Books and libraries are maintained because you cant hold so much information in your brain, a further advancement to this concept would be storing data in cell phones. Thankfully my Gmail was not hacked and thus i could ping ping ping people and tried to establish my contacts back. I am storing the contacts online until i get a new cell phone.

Incidents like these have not been new to me, i have been living through these moments all through my life. Just, when i had thought i had enough for the day, the month, the last ball of IPL 2009 was bowled. DC won.

Maybe i would, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would listen , maybe i won’t

Maybe i would walk long, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would hold, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would see the smile, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would first tell it all to our friends, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would just turn back and walk, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would turn around and see, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would call, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would just do it..maybe i won’t

Maybe i would go back home, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would work out, maybe i won’t

Maybe i would take it as it comes, maybe i won’t

Maybe i started to believe in destiny again, maybe i don’t.

P.S: it happened on a ugly day that i happen to listen to this song and i am now glad that day existed in my life.

Broken Bridge's broken adventure

Broken Bridge (BB) is the place where Ajith sings “Oh sona Oh sona” song in vaali movie; its the place where Madhavan and Surya fight in Ayutha Ezhuthu. Its a popular shooting spot for the tollywood.

One evening after sunset four friends ventured to broken bridge in a car saying the day has just started for them. Kal was the strongest of the four – he owned the car and was driving it, Kannadi was sensitive fellow because of his broken arm or maybe otherwise, Kev liked the place because he had been there. Kaamal said on phone (to?) that he wanted to feel fresh air and so decided to join the three.

The road to Besant nagar Elliot's beach is known to everyone but the road to BB is less travelled. One has to first reach to the northern end of the Elliot’s beach (maybe SHOULD park the vehicle there) and just venture into the nearby fishing hamlet. The lone road there directly leads to the mouth of BB; here is where the four had parked the car.

The four K’s sat around in circle and lighted it. It was a recharge gaf. The K’s had the first round of it, Kannadi was rookie, the other three had tried it time and again. The momentum of the discussion shifted to ‘future and the lucky breaks one gets in their life that makes them look successful’ from enjoying the beauty of the BB which cut across the Adyar river and ran across the Bay of Bengal. Slowly they lighted the other gaf, the discussion on future had now grown intense. In the dark the four K’s noticed some approaching figures towards them, one they initially saw, two it was said kev, it was finally three men standing beside them in the dark.

As they tried to approach the circle the K’s formed, fear loomed in their hearts. Maybe they were some people like them or they would be some locals. It so happened that the K’s in order to appear casual did not put off the gaf and lit a gic. As the men approached one of them smelt the air of gaf and sat with the K’s. He knew it was not right to have gaf there at the moment, the K’s knew it too, but it was the youth feeling that had driven them there. They were now caught and spotted by the local fishermen who threatened to alert the police. They had some papers with them which explained why they were calling as local life guards. The K’s were stoned so had no reason to argue or pick up a fight , It was simple, they wanted some money and K’s did not have any option.

The K’s and the three locals walked back asking for money, everyone emptied their purses to gather only a few hundred rupees but the three wanted more, so more threatening and thus more pleading by K’s. One among the three locals was a thing and a Limping Lucy(LL), one who could be typically knocked down easily(had the wind cooperated, the K’s had only two to tackle); the second one was tall and had good physique. The two were crazy to snatch all the four mobile phones and all the valuables the K’s had. Kal had successfully hid one of his golden ring in his pocket while the other was still in his little finger of his left hand. He was tense that the two would not snatch this, but had a laugh when he saw a golden chain around kev’s neck. That chain was worth 20,000 bucks just a day before. Luckily nothing of that sort seemed to happen when there is the third person around. He was very reasonable and not very greedy, he wanted the K’s to pay for the mistake.

The only way the K’s could come out of this situation was to go out in public, K’s said that they need to go to an ATM to draw some cash as they were broke. The three entered the car, two in the front, Kal obviously driving, at the back kannadi and kaamal had to adjust with the three locals, one on the top of other two. One local apparently replied to his mates “…dei otha! asgama okaar..on kundi elamb kuttardh” (don’t move fuckers, you bony ass is paining me) It was hard, the three locals seemed to open up by asking kal’s number and saying they can party here anytime from now as all of them have become friends. The police patrol added to the drama, and pressure of turning the car about. It was impossible task to move the car on a sandy embankment with sandy slope failing with every brake-clutch- accelerator action. The approaching police siron was nothing when compared to the fog on the car’s windows, these three thugs wanted the window closed all the time till they are out. Maybe the day was good for the K’s the car seemed to move out from the parking slot at the right time and seemed mobile when the police van approached. K’s were safe, but the thugs were still in.

K’s started to negotiate with the thugs but the three did not seem to loose out. They knew exactly where each ATM was. The boss (the first person named JAI KUMAR) knew everything about the K’s foul play, he did not succumb to any of them. He was busy controlling the other two foolish man. As the car move out of the BB area, Besant nagar was welcoming us. This was LL’s first car trip and he was getting excited, moving here and there and examining the windows, automatic start and close. He was certainly impressed with the car. Finally as the K’s moved into the city they tried to have their laugh back…they had finally agreed for 200 more and a drop back to their place. K’s agreed.

Way back to BB again kal dropped them at their home and asked a cool drink as they were tired. Jai Kumar obliged as they were friends now. Laughing at their foolishness they drove back home thinking of what worse could have happened. They certainly came back home and replied again “The day has started”.

P.S: The K’s forgot to read this

P.P.S: The BB’s pictures is available in this blog. None of the above characters in the picture happen to be K’s

I’LL GET ONE TOMORROW

I always wanted my hair long and this is the time I thought. Four months of stay in Pondicherry had helped me in this cause, but the premonition of going home was always there. I somehow avoided going home, but this time around I had to come home on a holiday, a holiday which was too difficult to refuse (freaking 5 days holiday, I could have easily made it to 7 if I had been voting).

First couple of days I could successfully dodge my parent’s attempts to send me to a barber shop. The resistance my side was stiff but I had to yield to their sayings. They had won this altercation on growing hair. Like a warrior taken captive after a loss in a war I walked to the barber shop. I could not help myself but remember this funny little poem that I had read in my 9^th standard. This poem by Ogden Nash is one of the few poems that I loved to read. (I feared that the syllabus would have changed, but it did not. I wondered why the guys don’t change the state syllabus…).I liked a few stanzas as it holds some relevance even today to us, but the entire poem is equally wonderful. The poem titled “I’LL GET ONE TOMORROW” goes like this…

Barber, barber, come and get me;

Hairy torrents irk and fret me.

Hair and hair again appears;

And climbs like ivy round my ears.

Hair across my collar gambols;

Down my neck it wayward ambles.

Ever down it trip it tickles;

Yes, where it trips it tickles.

Barber dear I wish I knew;

Why i do not visit you.

Why I grudge the minutes ten;

In your smiling den.

Why I choose to choke on hair;

Rather than to mount your chair.

Men no busier than I;

Weekly to your office hie.

Men no busier than myself;

Confront the armory on your shelf;

Men no wealthier than me;

Gladly meet your modest fee.

And for a fraction of a dollar;

Keep the jungle off their collar.

I alone am shy and flustered;

Solitary, cowardly custard.

Shaggy as a prize angore;

Overrun with the creeping flora.

Barber, barber, you’re in luck;

The bell has rung, the hour has struck.

Sloth strong, the hair is strong;

I cannot stand it any long.

Barber, barber here I come;

Shake up the odorous bay rum.

Bring on your shears your scythes, your snippers;

Bring on your crisp electric driers.

Employ a dozen extra sweepers;

Bring giant harvesters and reapers.

I warn you a bumper crop;

Waits to overwhelm your shop.

Baber, barber, be verbose;

Be anything but clip me close.

Leave me razored, leave me scissored

Leave me hairless, as a lizard;

Barber, barber, single and scald;

Barber can’t you make me bald?

I will be the happiest of men;

And never think of you again.

P.S: Google Ogden Nash for his poems and I bet you’ll not have found this before this post.