Sunday, January 20, 2013

Spare a Thought - A Poem

This piece has been submitted for a photo=post conducted by The Chennai Bloggers Club. The CBC is a Facebook group where bloggers with a Chennai connection interact with each other. The prizes for this contest have been sponsored by Cuponation. Cuponation is India's largest coupon portal, specially designed to meet the needs of all online shoppers.


Image Courtesy - Dr. Ganesh Puttu


A poem on what life on the other side of the spectrum means.

Spare a thought;
For us as well,
Oh you suited and booted;
Men and women,
Who look down,
Upon us with -
Disdain and anger!

It was not our fault,
That we were born,
In the slums,
Do you think,
We enjoy toiling,
Like this in the morning!

Instead of going to school,
Watching cartoons,
Wearing jeans and tee-shirts,
Going to malls,
And watching movies at Escape!

But then these are just dreams,
I have to rush,
On this bullock cart,
Move a load of bricks.
To the construction site.
No Sundays or weekdays!

Everyday is a working-day!
Diwali, Christmas and Pongal,
Are the only holidays!
I will work hard,
Make lots of money.
I want to build a small house.

Move Amma and Ammu to our house.
A small house the house,
Of our dreams,
And for that,
I will toil,
Toil as much as I can.
So oh dear Annas and Akkas,
You with the cameras
Straddled around your neck.

Listening to songs,
With headphones plugged,
Into your ears,
Spare a thought for us.
We are not spectacles or circus freaks,
We are humans and want to live,
As well as you do!

Spare a thought for us....


Dear photographers please do not be offended after reading this poem; this poem is meant for the competition; not to be taken as a critique on any photography group; keep smiling and keep clicking!

13 Things to Avoid in 2013

This is part of a competition conducted by The Chennai Bloggers Club and Cuponation. The CBC is a Facebook group where bloggers with a Chennai connection interact with each other. The prizes for this contest have been sponsored by Cuponation. Cuponation is India's largest coupon portal, specially designed to meet the needs of all online shoppers.

The Competition deals with 'New Year Resolutions' - 13 things to avoid in 2013. So here comes my don't do list :)

Stop impulse buying of books and movies. In the small 2BHK flat that I reside; one room just occupies my collection; so take a guess on how many books and movies that I own?

Stop putting up hospital and train-delay posts on FB; tough luck as unknowingly I keep doing this!

Stop trying to sort out issues by taking the brunt of the work-load on my head. It's every individual for himself / herself! Self-preservation society; do your work and go home.

Spend lesser time reading tech-reviews. There is a devil inside my head that has to be fed non-stop with information, tech-reviews, movie-reviews, news-items; I keep reading so much!!!!!

Stop thinking about spirituality, monks, mountains and the pursuit of enlightenment! What is destined to happen will happen!

Stop being Dr. Love Guru; giving guidance and suggestions to love-struck friends and colleagues. An amazing conundrum of my life that for a guy who helped so many chaps, wrote love-poems for their loved ones; namma sondha kadhai oru art-film madhiri forever pause mode liye stuck aaghi irukku :(

Stop analysing the minds of the people whom I meet and interact.

I have this insane habit of cuddling every doggie and pup, stray or pure-bred that I see!
Don't know why but I am hundred times more comfortable with animals than I am with humans.

Stop writing scripts and discarding them! This year the movie, at least a short-film will be scripted, directed and made by me! I have the power :)

I am extremely fickle-minded and schizophrenic in many aspects of my life; perhaps it is time to bring all the broken minds together and act as one. Damn; I am rambling like Jason Bourne again :)!

Stop thinking and start doing! A fantastic year lies ahead with loads of possibilities. The Chennai Bloggers for Social Action will have to be set up proper and hopefully by God's grace we shall make a difference in the lives of people who face problems!

Stop doubting people; I can never trust someone; it is a disturbing habit; I always have this nagging doubt that these peeople who smile at me in my presence are actually pulling me down by words and deeds in my absence. Only the paranoid can survive :)

Stop worrying about the past or be in agony and fear about the future; just make my peace with the Lord and thank him in his infinite grace and live in the present. For I have so many promises to keep and go miles and miles into the setting sun; through the woods and vales; across the seas; before I finally lie down to sleep!


Friday, January 18, 2013

A Wedding Poem for My Niece


Dear little niece of mine,
A ray of sunshine you have been,
Spreading joy in your family
And amongst your friends
All these years of your life.

Having seen you grow up,
From a cherubic angel,
A teen and now a lovely lady,
Who is married to a charming gentleman.
I feel happy for you!

Remember that marriage is a beautiful institution;
The two of you are now intertwined,
By a beautiful thread of love and mutual admiration.
There will be fights, there will be patch-ups,
There will be hugs, kisses and tears.

But always remember,
The two of you,
Born and bred in different cities,
Have been brought together,
By this beautiful bond.

Always love each other,
No matter what happens;
As you grow older and wiser,
May the love and respect,
Grow stronger and deeper.

May God in his infinite grace,
Bless you and your hubby;
With joy, good health and prosperity.
As you begin a beautiful journey;
Wishing you all the best!!!!

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

CBC - Tablog - Three Cities - Three Phases - One Individual - Many Lives

This is part of a series of blog posts written by various members of a motley group of people who have a 'Chennai Connection'. Visit The Chennai Bloggers Club on Facebook for more information.

I was passed the baton of writing by my friend and former colleague Karen an amazing lady of many talents - fabulous cook, pastries and cakes made by her are worth their weight in platinum, an artiste - she has a way with colours and paper and lamps, check her photography blog as well.

The next post will be by - Destination Infinity!

Now to head to my attempt; a warning this might meander aimlessly; so be prepared for a long read and I hope you will care to share your valuable thoughts and feedback! So without any further pretensions of literary merit - my post begins....

I was born in Calcutta; Feb 23, 1982 at 5:30 PM in the evening to be precise. It was an extremely difficult delivery for my mother and I was a miracle baby - born 12 years after my sister. I was born silent and still and the doctors were at a loss as my tiny heart that was still beating slowly with an abnormal rhythm. As my uncles waited outside in despair and hope the good doctor who attended my mother's delivery tried a trick; he gave a whack on my buttock as a last desperate measure. 'Waaa' the wail rang loud and clear and I was born. Naming me was never in doubt as I was born after my parents prayed at Kashi and a mystic had blessed my mother on Shiva-rathri saying that 'Beti, bholenath aayenge - har-har mahadev' and since then Lord Shiva has played a mystical role in my life.

After this my mother took me to Gorakhpur, Auranagabad, Calcutta and finally Poona; where my dad finally found a good job and invested in a beautiful flat. Poona is what I call my first city whose memories remain clear, we lived in a mini-township called Ajmera Cooperative Society and that's where my spirit of adventure and cricket started. Playing with friends, celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi and Christmas with equal fervour and devotion. Another transfer and pack bag and baggage and land in Calcutta.

Calcutta where I had to unlearn Marathi, learn Hindi and eventually pick-up Bangla; learnt that I had an elder sister who doted on me, a cousin, a sister my younger maternal uncle's daughter, maternal grand-parents; so much love, care and affection. Around ten years in Calcutta; where I grew up, learning to love books, movies and dogs in that order. Years of Durga Pooja and Kali Puja, football in the rains, first childhood crush; adrenaline rush of hitting the winning runs in a local club cricket tournament and the tears of saying goodbye to friends and moving to another city - Madras!!!!!

May 1, 1998 - The Coromandal Express arrives at Madras Central and the weird smell of jasmine flowers, filter coffee, sweat and piss that is the fragrance of Madras Central and which continues to remain an integral part of my everyday life assailed my senses.

We lived in Tiruvallur about 44 kilometres from Madras, every given opportunity I would land up in Madras hunt for books in Moore Market; watch movies at Devi Theatre - the Rs 6.50 paise ticket - first three rows - Armageddon was a masterpiece that I enjoyed there. The Marina Beach - the ocean has a strange aura to it; more than the beach it is the ocean that always intrigued me and I learnt its fury first-hand during the Tsunami!

College was at Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College - English Literature; what else? The three years the best years of my life when as a team me and my mates won practically every collegiate quiz and debating / oratorical competition in the city. If not first, a podium finish in about 85% of the events we attended - from Loyola to WCC to Stella Maris and Ethiraj life went by in a flash!

These were the years when I learnt many sad truths that pushed the envelope of responsibility, made me understand the sacrifices that my mother had made for me and I realised the value of every single paisa. As I worked part-time, doing a smattering of jobs from tuition-classes to selling savouries and coconut bolis made by my mother; the importance of money in one's life and a mad urge to make money; money and more money got deep into my mind. I had plans; huge plans to do this, do that, set up a restaurant offering simple, high-quality food at affordable costs.

Then I attended a campus-interview and got placed at Sify e-learning and the restaurateur's dreams were traded for long hours in front of a computer; understanding there existed a world of writing beyond poetry and crime fiction. It was about software, hardware, automobiles and turbines - the fascinating world of Instructional Design!

Since that fateful day, when I attired in full-formals with my mother's blessings walked up to a corporate-induction; 8 years have gone by; these years have seen me change jobs, but my love for writing has never diminished; similarly my love for Madras beloved city - I can never fathom it being called Chennai has increased manifold.

There was a time when Calcutta was the whole world for me! It all changed on that fateful day - May-1, 1998 when I landed here! My God what a long introduction!!!!!!

Madras Nalla Madras

The smell of freshly ground coffee,
The intricate kolams at the front of the house,
The divinity in temples be it Kapaleeswarar,
Or the simple charms of Luz Church or the Sunday Mass at St. Theresa's.
The craze for first-day first-shows.
The rush for the 'rasikar-mandram shows' -
Mad celebrations when the film can would arrive at 3 AM
The customary pooja and whistles and claps during the special 4 AM show!

Getting claps, smiles and congrats from unknown girls at collegiate events.
Being the guy who would help lovers unite.
The joy of helping friends getting married!
Getting honoured at the naming ceremony of their first-born!

Of getting seriously injured,
Going into a coma,
Losing all sense of time and being,
Labelled a mental wreck.
Of rehabilitation, rejuvenation and proving detractors wrong!
The will to fight and survive and smile and move on!

Life in the professional lane,
Rushing in and out of trains,
Getting scolded for coming late,
Getting applauded for completing projects ahead of time.
Seeing Devi Theatre giving way to Sathyam Cinemas.
Landmark becoming the one-stop destination for all books, music and gifts.
Attending the Landmark Quiz every August-15
Watching tests give way to the madness of IPL.
Spencer's losing its sheen to Express Avenue and Citi-Centre!
The joy of buying a house in my name!
And seeing the smile of contentment on my mother's face!

The pangs of never mushrooming the courage to walk up to someone special -
And say 'Lady, you mean the world to me! Will you marry me?'
Of never having tasted alcohol despite of so many opportunities!
The sorrow when the one time I managed to confess my feelings,
And tasting the bitter pill of rejection,
Dejection changing to a sense of gratitude,
When she said - 'Let's remain friends!'
The idiotic optimistic self-belief!
That the purity of my love,
Will melt her heart!

These are all the beautiful gifts that Madras has bestowed upon me!
Madras a mocktail of memories pleasant and bitter!
The city that made a man out of a boy!
A city that I will always love - whatever its shortcomings be!
There is no other place in the world that I would care to be!
For my friends reside here and without me being here,
How would I ever have become a part of the Chennai Bloggers Club :) !!!!

Monday, January 07, 2013

Oh! Brother Where Art Thou? - A Post for a Competition



This post is inspired by the writing-style of my dear friend, mentor, guide and brother - the one-and-only, first and foremost XXX blogger from Chennai - Dr. Ganesh Puttu!

This is on the lines of the movie 'Being John Malkovich' - this is a fictitious post and this is imagining me entering the mind of Ganesh and living his life. Ganesh and Mahesh only two letters difference :)!



May 12 - Saturday - 9 PM

What a week! What a week I say! The number of patients landing up at the Government Hospital seems to be increasing like the mercury in the thermometer. 'Kathiri veyil' is too taxing; damn I have to change three shirts in a day now within my compact car.

The sacrifices that I have to make for my lovable patients!

Tomorrow is Sunday, I would love to sleep till 10 AM and then relax with some nice piping hot idlis and amma's filter coffee, but then I have promised to be a part of the Chennai Photo Walkers gig - the 49th one to be precise!

May - 13 - Sunday

I wake up bright and early and after a quick shave and bath and suitably attired I land with my camera at Sydenhams Road sharp at 5:30 AM. The early morning cold, forget cold I am joking, it was sickeningly warm and I dreaded at the poor souls who would be toiling in the boiling sun later in the day!

As the remaining members finally arrived, we began our walk and we surprised a flower-seller, some stray dogs, a couple of early-morning walkers, a traffic cop with our cameras and took some intersting pictures.

People focused on different objects and were busy snapping stuff, I was waiting like the proverbial Hamlet waiting for something brilliant and unique and walked with self-belief and resolution. I found my moment, sharp at 6:41 AM I clicked a photograph, a solitary white bullock being goaded by an energetic young lad to run faster as two boys lay asleep on the cart and a black dog stood erect on the cart barking to motivate the bullock to run faster. I had captured a moment when man and beast worked in synchrony; there was a bit of irony as well as the lad whipped the bullock; but then that's the way the world moves. I was fascinated at the two boys asleep in the cart; so early in the morning to which destination was this motely crew headed? Some questions in Life remain sadly unanswered; perhaps some questions are better left that way - unanswered!

OK-OK no more philosophy! Sorry for transgressing from the topic :) - I continued to walk with the other members and we clicked some nice pics.A flower-seller who asked me to take his picture; the smile on his face will remain in my mind for a long time - 'a son of the soil'.

The highlight of the walk was the imposing architectural beauty of St. mathias Church in Vepery. I need to return to this beautiful church alone sometime later. It was an interesting motley group full of enthusiastic photographers amateurs and professionals. I made some interesting chit-chat with a few people! The walk culminated with masala dosas and filter coffee at Doveton Cafe.

Then it was time to go home and relax! What a beautiful photo-walk; the flower-seller, the boys on the bullock-cart; the charming church; memories that I will cherish for quite some time. Damn, I am becoming a bit too sentimental these days!


This piece has been submitted for a photo=post conducted by The Chennai Bloggers Club. The CBC is a Facebook group where bloggers with a Chennai connection interact with each other. The prizes for this contest have been sponsored by Cuponation. Cuponation is India's largest coupon portal, specially designed to meet the needs of all online shoppers.
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