Soft rain of romance...Mungaru Male

After almost one and a half years of Bangalore life I have accomplished something I am proud of these days. I am able to understand Kannada pretty well. I decided that it is time I watched a Kannada movie. This movie Mungaru Male is a superhit movie running house full here for over 100 days. I have been trying to see it since 3 weeks with disappointment only.

Finally I did manage to get tickets last week. And what a movie!!! It puts you into a different mood of romance altogether. Perfect landscape for romance….Rain, Coorg, chill, water falls….hmm…all so picture perfect. It gave me that feeling of getting drenched in cold rain on a day that was hot and humid so far.

Full marks for songs (thanks toSonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, Kunal Ganjawala, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Goshal for their charming voices), cinematography, music and above all dialogues. Now I know that is a little too much for a non Kannada speaker to talk about dialogues. But I loved the air of humour and romance throughout the movie.

Not a very strong story line but it is well paced to keep you watching without boring you a single second. There are very cute insignificant characters in the movie like the little rabbit, Devdas, the watch he wants to gift her, the temple he takes ger to and above all Jog Falls.

The climax is awesome and I really appreciated the writer for this. He did not end the movie like a usual tragedy ending. The movie does make me wait for the next rainy season to go to Coorg….Now with or without that someone special is a question only time can answer….

For all those who would love to watch the songs check it out on the right of this page especially the second one which is my favourite!!!

My brave little friend!!!

There are times when we should seriously not underestimate someone small and timid. They are the ones that can surprise and shock you too at acts they do. You would never expect them at the places they land up in. A close friend of mine, Manju, who seems to be one of the few good friends I have in Bangalore is the one I’m speaking about.

Last New Year before we celebrated new year night together…cribbing about why we had nowhere to go…we shopped a pair of sandals for Manju from Metro. She wore that 3 times when the sandals decided it had enough of her. This was for Rs. 650. Now Manju instead closing her fist on the money spend decided to buy sandals for Rs. 995 the next time.

This was more faithful as it lasted a week. Thanks to the learning curve she kept all the receipts this time. She was shocked to hear that these people refused to replace or do anything about it. They said they would mend it if she agrees which she refused at spot.

Now I would have expected her to come back and keep cursing them. But NO!!!!
She went all the way to the consumer forum and has filed a case. It left me - mouth wide open. Firstly she being a girl who doesn’t move around in Bangalore got to this place all alone.

Moreover did all this without any help in terms of language communication. Now she has a case hearing at Consumer court on 2nd May and has claimed for Rs. 4000. Cool isn’t it??? I really underestimated this girl…Way to go, Manju!!!

Vishu @ home...

So by the end of the week atleast I should post about Vishu. This festival was special to me this year. After 4 years this is the first occasion we celebrated at home. I really did miss my sister being with us.

I had decided much earlier with mom that we were cooking at home and eating at home. These days mom is so used to cooking for two. I just thought she would add me to the routine but she surprised me. She announced she would be cooking for our neighbours as well. We had really not treated them a traditional meal since we shifted to our new home.

Speaking of home it is brand new now. The whole place smells of fresh new paint. All spick spark and clean. I was so happy to see that my father’s dream was now almost complete. The dream he had seen before 15 years, took 7 years to build it, 4 years it was abandoned by us and now after 4 years it was like how he wished it.

Even when I looked at the Vishu Kanni in the early morning...I really didn't know what to wish for...What do I want my whole year to be like...I don't know...I prayed and that's it. I prayed for the happiness of others around me more. That's what I felt like at that moment of time.

Even though we spend our time cribbing about there being no electricity we had a grand meal in the afternoon complete with payasam. It had been ages since I had payasam so you can imagine how much I had!! A Vishu with so many mixed emotions.
I don’t even know if I’ll be here to celebrate the next Vishu along with my parents but I relished the moments I had with them for sure….

Misery to end the year!!

The funniest and saddest part of this Vishu would be the fantastic bus journey I had on the way home. The entire situation was so frustrating that seeking humour within it was the only option that I had. My friend, Manju and me kept laughing through the whole night. As it is it was impossible to sleep.

There was a pick up bus that took us near Ulsoor lake for what I still don’t know. There were people to fill 3 buses in it. A guy appears like a railway station announcer and started telling us to split into 3 and so on…Now you can imagine the commotion (typically mallu behaviour)!! There were the family people asking million doubts, the college guys mocking everything else.. Oh my god!!

We got to the place near Ulsoor lake. My friend who has hardly been around Bangalore was pleased to see at least this. The other 2 buses moved on. We sat waiting like refugees for the Kannur bus till 9.45pm. By then babies crying, others listening to songs, many talking about concerns on reaching late etc etc.

And finally our “special bus” arrives….No push back, 3 by 2 seater and a normal limited stop bus…Luckily I can catch sleep in any hell but my poor friend kept awake whole night!!!

Finally when we were about to reach there was a fight in the bus as to whether to go to Kannur first or Tellicherry first. I was relieved when I touched ground after good long 12 hours in this bus episode!!

Post Vishu blues...

Finally a New Year dawns for us at Kerala and TN as well I guess…My Vishu was really not as bad as I thought it would be.

The gloom that I expected was not there at all. The reason for that is even more sad actually. I had mentioned a 3 of our elderly family members passing away in the past couple of years. I understood this time that our so called joint family stood together only because of these few people. Now no body seems to be interested in coming together, cooking for all and enjoying the festivities. They all seem to be content in just being at home with apna- apna family.

Is this the family I was so proud to be a part of ?When have all of us become so selfish? When my parents ask why should we be the first to initiate, I wonder what the others are saying to justify themselves? So no one coming together meant no one talking. That means no concerns expressed about my marriage.

Now that left me happy but am I really happy? I miss those times where all of us cousins sat together and helped in cooking. We sang songs and pulled each others legs while scrapping coconuts, serving food, cleaning plantain leaves etc. A festival really seemed one.

I had a wonderful Vishu on which I will be updating with all the photographs as well but this was the first thought on my head as soon as I landed in Bangalore.

Mr. Bhatnagar mails in....

Sometimes life goes on faster than what we estimate. We tend to leave a lot of things, or maybe people too, behind as we pace ourselves to life. But there are some moments where we sit back and think of all those people who were or are a part of our life. I am a person who has such moments pretty often (I guess I have a lot of time to do all that sentimental thinking)

It was at one such instant that I thought of my Principal in school ( Indian School Al Ghubrah )days, Mr B S Bhatnagar. A strict person on the surface but there was a soft side to him that most of us didn’t understand then. Today I realize that a lot of my good and disciplined habits are a bit due to his influence. I decided to write to him.

Getting his mail id was pretty easy thanks to out beloved orkut and Karthik, a junior of mine who send it to me. He was doubtful if sir still used this mail id. I decided to give it a shot. After all what did I have to lose?? And a range of emotions to gain!!! Can you imagine my surprise when I got a mail back in just 2 hours.

These are some excerpts from the mail he sent me…..

What a pleasure it was to hear from you after a very long time!! Thank you for your thoughtful gesture of writing to me.

How are your parents, Sarada and Mr Vijaya Kumar? Where are they working presently? Where are you working? What news on the matrimonial front? (He remembers my parents name too)

Where is Vandana? Did she granduate from Feroke College, Kozhikode, or from another college? Is she a CA or/and an MBA? (Ok if parents name was a fluke…my sister’s college name???)

I have been a teacher for more than four decades and I remember all my former students and many things about them. So when I wrote to you it was the same about Vandana and you. How would I ever forget such nice children (they are now elegant, impressive and professionally successful ladies) as you two? (Oh were we that good…can’t believe he’s talking about us!!!)

We were invited to Ulrika's wedding in Delhi but we could not go. Is Vanitha, mentioned by you in your email, Varadarajan, who went from here to the Illinois Institute of Technology? Where is her sister? Unless you know it already, I must tell you that Shehjar Kaul married her college classmate last year and Deepshikha Ganjoo also married her college classmate in January this year (both weddings, inter-caste and inter-state, were classic examples of national integration). Dr Dinesh Jacob John (Class of 1998) is going to marry his classmate, Dr Tanya Mariam George, on 23rd April in Kottayam. (He remembers all the names and details.)

Although I am still a novice in IT I was able to visit your website and was delighted to get the all the news and to see your family photographs. Why has Mr Vijaya Kumar's hair grown as white as mine? (Sigh!! That personal touch too!!)

Regards to your parents and blessings and best wishes to you and Vanadana from both of us.

I can’t express my feelings in words. Sometimes life just leaves us speechless. Love you sir so much. Maybe I never told you or even realise it then. But I do today!!!!

********************************************** Sorry my Fiftieth post was on a sad note...Guess that's life. When there is something to celebrate there should be sorrows slurking too *******************************************************

Gloom shadows me..

I’m going home this weekend for Vishu. Happy because this is going to be the first celebration in my home after 3 years of consecutive deaths in the family. But still my mind is at unrest. Festival celebrations means the entire family coming together for lunch. The joint family I live in it is about 40 to 50 heads.

Would have loved that on any normal day. But times have changed. The same questions from every one. Why aren’t you getting married? What is happening? A few aunts will come with silence and ask is there someone in Bangalore? They stare at me with a look that drives me up the wall.

There is one part of the mind that says I don’t care the damn for anything anyone says. But is that so really? Can I say “It’s my life!” to these people? Do I really not care? Yes I do..I love all these people so much. What I am today is because of them. They don’t understand my helplessness. And I don’t understand their concern? Or should I say I misunderstand their concern. Don’t know..

Avadhoota Datta Peetham and Bonsai Garden

This is one of those places not many would have visited while at Mysore. Actually we too landed there to kill some time before the palace visit. But being there was a soul rendering experience indeed.

The place called Avadhoota Datta Peetham is the ashram of Sri Ganapathi Sachidanada. A huge place filled with silence in the heart of the city. At the entrance of the ashram is a huge statue made out of mud, guess it Terra cotta. This is supposed to be a statue called "Moolikeswara" the Lord of the herbs, honoring Dhanvantri as the healing godhead. In addition to this there is also a garden filled with herbal plants they say is grown under the protection of this god.


Then we entered the temple which is a universal religion support. There are people following Hinduism, Christianity, Islam everything! They pray to the All Mighty here. Did find a lot of foreigners here. Wonder if religion and peace of mind are following foreigners now a days. They always seem to appreciate religion better than
we Indians who fight on the basis of religion!!!



Another attraction of this place is the Bonsai garden said to be the largest in the country. There are 250 bonsai trees here brought from various countries. The trees range from months to 200 years old ones!! In the middle of the garden there is a path for an acupuncture walk that was refreshing. Here you can also find big pieces of all the birthday stones…sorry didn’t find diamonds!

Psyched!!!!

In January I decided to buy a cordless phone for my parents. The idea behind this was 2 fold. My parents are so used to sitting near the television and answering the phone that they tend to drop the phone most of the times.

Most often at home dad and mom will be at two ends of the world in that huge house. When the telephone rings both will be lazy to leave what they are at and attend the call. Well…when I’m around it’s always, “Vee…phone…”

The other advantage (this one is for me) is that whenever I call and suppose dad answers. For him to pass the phone to my mom it takes ages. By now my talk time would have clicked away and so would my money! So I thought a cordless means dad would walk all the way to mom and she would answer it even from the kitchen.

All was well. Some of my friends strongly recommended Panasonic and I decided to go for it. Trouble started then. Bought the phone, took it home and it worked for 15 days and boom!!! The phone went dead. My dad waited a month for me to get home and take the phone back to Bangalore. Gave it for repair and it took them another 2 weeks to return the adapter that apparently had got overloaded.

When I thought all was well….yesterday I just unpacked the sealed set they gave me as it was consuming too much space in my bag. Lo and behold there is no adapter at all in the set. I freaked out. I am just so disappointed. Is this what you get going for going for a brand name. I could have got the same stuff at half price at National Market. I go all the way to the Brand Shop, buy it and this is what I get!!! I am psyched !!!

Swami Surendar speaks!!

My friend Suri sometimes becomes like one of those great philosophers who preach about life. At what instance these strokes come is a publically known secret!! Lately he was in one of those moods and this is a piece of gyaan he gave one of his friends. The next day he comes up to me and retells the incident. How much I agree to him…hmm..

According to Swami Surender girls always fall in love with a guy even though at the first stage he may be drink or smoke. She loves him because he is popular among his friends and has a lot of people around him.

Then once her webs are wrapped around she slowly says, “Why don’t you try to quit smoking?” This is not along with any compulsion but according to her it it because “she loves him soooo much.”

A bit later (another month or so when he is fully trapped in her web) comes the threat, “Stop smoking! Don’t talk to me if you don’t!!” Within a few more months (when the guy is so tightly bound that he is gasping for breath) she says, “Why do you spend so much of time with your friend? Am I not the most important person in your life? See only me on all your weekends!!!”

Now the tag of the story recital is that all his friends agreed to this story too!!! As a matter of fact, even though I have never told him this, I too agree.

So at the end of the day within a year the guy is nothing like what he was before the girl started loving him. He has no more friends and nothing to get rid of his sorrows. All he is left with is a nagging girlfriend!!! ESCAPE!!!!

Factually my friend claims he is one of those guys who never change. As he says I am like this means I’m like this forever. Boldly announces that he would never change for a girl. Now whether this will be true or not only time will tell.

Balmuri Falls fun!!

This visit to Balmuri Falls was a part of my trip around Bangalore and Mysore when my parents came here. A family friend and his family also accompanied us. For the convenience of my parents and others, (who are really bad at getting to places using public transport….Muscat life hangover!!) I hired a Sumo from office.

Balmuri Falls is located about 150 kms from Bangalore. This was our second stop after Chamundi Hills. For more information as to how to get there, it can be reached by driving down the Mysore Road (my favourite as I always say) to Srirangapatna and then taking the KRS Road to Belagula village. After that there is a narrow road to the right that finally leads to the falls.

Let me warn you…the last strip is a real torture to the backbone but a treat to the eyes. The lush green fields on both sides and the bumpy roads…An exciting combination. My dad screamed when his bald head hit the Sumo roof once or twice..He he…But used to the Sumo driving by these cab drivers I held tight!

As it was a Sunday that we had made it here it was pretty crowded. You really cannot have a deep swim or anything like that but can enjoy yourself in the water. As from my previous trips I realize that any place to visit in Bangalore is accompanied with monkeys for sure. My dad and uncle were imitating some. And I was commenting that the imitation act was unnecessary!!

We also took a ride in those little boats, Now here my dad and mom did not accompany us. Did I ever tell you..these things scare the hell out of them!! My mom is one of those kinds who still stands at the elevators and keeps swinging to and fro…Should I go?? Should I not??

The ride was fun for those turns we made the guy do without my aunty’s knowledge. She thought it was due to the force of the water. Later when she realize did was us she literally screamed. How I love to play these pranks?? Anyways loved the place…Surely recommended for a day out with friends especially during those slight shower days!!

Mom never retires!!!

Finally mom too retires. Dad has been enjoying his retired life for quite some time now. The fact is he had time at hand when he was working. Now he seems to be totally engaged. His dog, news channels, walks to home, engagements, marriage functions…all seems to have him in it!!! Now mom has also joined him.

I really wonder how life would be for both of them. As it is they keep to be picking up fights for silly reasons all the time…even though solving it in few minutes too. How would life be now?? They have all the time together and all the time to fight…Hmm.. One big lesson I’ve learnt from their fights is never to side any one. The end of the day they are one and I’m kicked out.
I called home to see if there is any difference in mom’s life after the retirement. I was immediately convinced there were none….

Mom: When coming for Vishu get me a saree?
Me : (Thinking this is one of the same old requests) Yeah mom…one for you to wear at home right?
Mom : No one to marriages.
Me : Ok now you will be attending marriage functions in full swing, right?
Mom : Yes…but get one with all that bead and mirror work!!
Me : What???? Mom are you crazy??? You are retired. Your daughters are almost of age to get married and you want one of those fancy sarees. People will laugh at you.
Mom : (immediately retorts) No… everyone now seems to be wearing such ones. I want one like them.
Me : Sigh!! Ok mom…

I give in…My mom will never retire…She will still be 20 forever…Touch Wood!! Love you, ma!!!