Friday, May 28, 2010

lost and found........and surprised!!!


Well, I don't know why, but I just so badly wanted to come back to my blog, and read my own posts. Now, I know what it would be like to read your own diary entry from years ago.
What do I know, I never write diaries. I did visit my own blog once in a while to read one post in particular... the one about the bird.

The truth about that particular post is that, I was not at all thinking.. everything that I typed, came straight from the heart.
And, I also happened to talk to the birdie once in a while. So, whenever I thought about the bird deeply enough, it would invariably lead me here.
Don't ask me what kind of a bird it is.. I don't know myself. If you read closer, I described the tree and the flowers, but I never said what kind of a bird it was. Because, I myself don't know.

I never wondered because, I always only knew the bird from a distance, until just before I wrote my previous story about the bird.
I sometimes thought its a nightingale. I loved to hear it sing. It sometimes sang just what you wanted to hear. Some other time, I felt it was a parrot, because all it did was just echo your words and/ or thoughts. I could never really study it, because it would typically come and go, and leave me surprised. I normally hear from it when I least expect it.
The song and music always sounds promising, and I look forward to hearing from it soon, but it never happens.

Talking about the habit of the bird to surprise me, there is one particular incident that comes to my mind.
This happened 12- 13 years ago....

My mother wanted me to go to her friends house for some work. I knew her friend, and their house but I had never been there by myself.
My mother explained to me, how to get there. She had given me some important landmarks like "the local temple".
I was confident I could get there, and I was probably excited, I don't think I paid attention to her instructions carefully.

I hopped on my bicycle, and was on my way there. I passed the temple, and was confident that it must be close now.
I guess it must have been about half an hour since I passed the temple, but didn't yet reach the place. Above this I couldn't figure out where I was.
It was a totally new place, I couldn't remember how I got there, and I was LOST.

I didn't know the way to my mother's friends place from there, and neither could I figure out my way back home. I didn't know what to do.
I was already feeling scared and to top it, it started raining. It suddenly started pouring, like the skies wanted me dead.
I quickly rushed to a nearby tree, and was standing there, with my bicycle. I wanted to ask someone for help, but there was nobody to be seen.
I saw some people running to avoid getting wet, a few dogs searching for a place they could take shelter. Through all this, no one really took notice that there was someone,
on the street, who's lost, and getting drenched.

I could hear nothing but the noise of the raindrops falling on metal sheets, and the sound of my heartbeat. Just then I heard something that sounded so familiar.
I looked up and there was this bird on the lowest branch. It had its tiny fledgling wings stretched wide open, though it was perched firmly on the tree branch.
It took me a couple of seconds to figure out what it was doing. It was trying to protect me from getting wet.

I was speechless. I didn't know whether to thank it or, ask it, how to get out from there. But I felt sorry for it, because, it was getting wet, trying to help me.
But soon, the rain thankfully stopped. I never had this hurry to get home as fast as possible. I thanked the bird, got on my bicycle, and said to myself "well, if the little bird can figure out its way back home, I too can!". I began cycling in some direction, and soon found a store, asked the storekeeper for directions and soon reached home.

That evening, I heard the bird again, I went into my room and thought to myself... "the bird not only tried to help me, but it also showed me the way!"....(well... kind of....)

-Sathya

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Sivaji- The Sensation


I consider myself lucky to have had a chance to watch this movie once.
I would consoder myself luckier if given a second chance.
I am not reviewing the movie here, as it wont make no point.
This move has covered a lot of grounds and has already set people talking about it all around the world, the prime reason for this being- my all-time favourite actor RAJNIKANTH.

He is probably envied by most filmstars around the world..why wouldnt they??
He has a legion of fans waiting to die for him.
He is worshipped by his ardent fans (myself being one).
Rickshawallas have spent their months savings to buy tickets for the premier show of his latest film which costs 2000 rupees.
This movie has closed doors to all other tamil movies..Not only this, it has packed theatres all around, many fans waiting still to get their hands on a ticket.

The way Rajnikanth movies are received with unabashed frenzy; erecting 30ft cut-outs for the megastar, bathing it with milk, bursting crackers, prayers in the theatre and so on surprises and amuses people outside the tamil circles. This crazy star worship, I would say is a regional phenomenon.

Nobody would want to rub him the wrong way especially the politicians in Tamil Nadu, coz if he tells people not to vote for him, his fans will do so without a question. What is astonishing here is, even with such fame and honor, he still lives a simple life and has never misused his sway over his tamil fans. Does anyone see Rajnikanth doing a commercial??
He has done only 7 films in the past 12 years and yet he earns 10 times more than most bollywood actors and does a lot of charity.
He proudly wears a simple image off screen with his bald head, scanty gray hair and his fans love him for his unpretentiousness, because on screen, he lives upto their expectations.

Bollywood may strut its stuff all over the globe, Amitabh Bachchan may have been voted star of the millennium by NRI fans, but that is no guarantee of the success of his films. He, Shah Rukh Khan and other stars may be able to sell products but they can't sell tickets. Aishwarya Rai may be called the most powerful Bollywood star by Time magazine, but she cannot get people to go and see her well-hyped films. Does anyone remember an instance of any release by a Bollywood star that was accompanied by such passion as the opening of Sivaji?

In the West too, stars have crazy fans who stalk them (John Lennon was killed by an obsessive fan), follow their lives in tabloids, copy their style and try to get their plastic surgeon to make them look like their Hollywood idols, but whoever heard of a church to worship Brad Pitt!

Many actors have fans...
But our Rajnikanth has FANATICS!!!

Rock on Rajni!!!

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Three Dots!!




I saw a movie recently titled "Aayutha Ezhuthu", which means 'weapon script. It is called Yuva in hindi and is directed by my favourite director Mani Ratnam.

It is not a new movie and another interesting thing is, I wasnt watching this movie for the first time.
I have seen yuva, the hindi version back in Bombay and I thought the movie was strictly OK.
But when I saw the movie last weekend, I just realized how beautiful a movie it was.

Mani sir has proved his excellence yet again. The movie revolves around three main characters, each representing three classes of the indian society.

Inba, played by Madhavan portrays a short-tempered, struggling, illiterate low-class rowdy who is compelled to work for a politician. His temper and desire for power makes him kill his own brother and blinds him from all evil he does.

Michael, played by Surya portrays a middle-class student, who, puts behind the scholarship from an American university, and thrives to do some good to the society. Aspires to be a politician and change the face of India.

Arjun, plyed by Siddhart, portrays an upper-class brat, who intends to go and settle in the States. Life to him means enjoyment and cares least about anything else.

Mani sir has beautifully painted these characters to represent the face of the Indian society today and has narrated a beautiful stroy with a message. Some brilliantl performances by the lead actors must not go uncredited, with Maddy's acting being a standout.
Cool cinematography and some nice music adds further beauty to this movie.

The hindi version is not as good as its tamil counterpart; the only plus being abishek bachan and kareena.

Mani sir, if u r reading this blog, make a movie on people like us..
who come to the states and then realise the beauty of ur movie..
Or even better..I have a story and let me direct it and you may produce the movie..
(P.S: The movie can be made in tamil and remade in hindi, but Mani sir..the dialogues would only be in telugu.Ppl here know why.....)

Monday, May 14, 2007

Profession of professions


Ever since I've finished my second semester, I've been wondering what am I gonna do..
I've been whining about facing the huge competition all my life, but when
I realise how competitive world is gonna be from this stage..I just dont
wanna think about it..I dont have the energy left in me to crib anymore.I dont want to be one more of those IT professional who have a stiff neck. Dont want to be the IT professional who becomes a REGULAR to a spinal surgeon..not one more who is used to sleeping in 'standing' or the 'sitting' position.

I've been analyzing all professions and the one that seems best to me is
'to be a DON'...Think about it..DON is the most respected and feared profession plus wat?? its high paying... You can control everything and everybody..sounds good doesnt
it??

Just wait and watch..Dons are gonna rule everywhere..
Just imagine 3 kids saying....
kid 1: "aye mera daddy hai na..doctor hai, unka chakoo leke tera operation
kar dunga"

kid 2: "aye mera daddy hai na..engineer hai, unko bolke tere ga**d me
shock dunga"

kid 3: "ayyyyyyeeeeee... kya chal rela hai re idhar?? huh?? kon awaj kar rela hai?? tera baap kon hai re??? apun ka baap ko pichanta na?? kya?? unka naam sunke akkhi mumbai chaddi geeli kar deti hai..tera baap peeli kar dega... kya??... chal hawa aane de"

these don kids will be engineers and doctors in all top shot colleges like
IIT, AIIMS..
kid 1: "what was ur AIR in IIT-JEE???"
kid 2: "apun IIT diyahich nahi.."
kid 1: "fir admission kaise mila??"
kid 2: "Don quota...baap don hai na.."

Being a Don will be a prestige in the coming years..U'll be a celebrity..frequently on TV..you'll be on shows like koffee with karan..
Most of all, The police will protect you from themselves..pay some sum under the table, nd you are safe..Dons get the heroines you can only think of...There'll be bollywood movies with tagline "inspired from a true story"..

World will soon see Don companies..'Dawood grp of dons', 'shakeel grp of dons' and many others..one could be yours too..
These companies will visit various colleges for campus recruitments, analyze their profiles, conduct aptitude tests and personal interviews and even recruit many aspiring dons, and even train them..

May be then ppl will crib and cry that they didnt become a don..
kareena will dance for your pleasure, dons get "junglee billis" like priyanka chopra (meoooooowwwwwww!!!!!)...wow!

Looking at eh progress made by dons all around the world, guess what is gonna happen...reservations in being a don..OBC, SC/ST, VJ, NT get high priorities to become a don and open category students suffer..and I almost missed out 'girls quota'..30% reserrvations for 'bens'......and then what, dons will want to marry 'fe-dons' a.k.a 'bens'....

Visualise this....father of the bride talking to his son-in-law and his father..

"dekhiye..apni beti ko sab shikhsha dee hai humne!! chaalees aadmi ko maara hai abhi tak!! bandook bahut acha chalati hai..jab bhi market jaati thi, do-teen laash girake aati thi..sab shiksha dee hai..sanskar se paala hai..saat saal ki thi jab isne pehla khoon kiya tha..aapke ghar ka bhi naam roshan karegi..awaj kiya toh aapko bhi tapka dalegi!"

and adding on to this..

"dahej me dekhiye hum jyaada nahi de sakte..hamara ek bomb banaeka factory aapke naam..ek bandook ka karkhana aapa..pachass tole ke pachaas ghode..saliya, ustara, hamare 30-35 aadmi itna hi de sakte hain..dekhiye iske peeche aur do ladkiyan hai jinki shaadi karani hai"

Don colleges will spring up..They'll have categories like 'distinction don', 'first class don', 'pass class don' 'KT don'
Students like us would want to go out of their country..

"mera beta abroad jaa raha hai..Don banne..dubai bhej rahe hain...pehle isne afganistan me taliban college me masters kiya, ab dubai PhD karne ja raha hai"

This post is just a thought, today...who knows whats in reserve tomorrow!!
Period!!
Style B

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Future of the States.....


As I sit here, studying for my finals, frustrated, tired, desperate in need of a break, I fall back into my thoughts and memories of how I was five years back.....
I was pretty much the same as I am now...careless, irresponsible, unorganized, least bothered about the future, happy go lucky and wat not.. It didnt matter much back then, but now, it does!!!!!!

Those memories make me feel so happy..I wish I could go back in time..How relaxed I was?? how life used to be soooo non-demanding and liberal..sigh..those were the times...

But, when I think abt wat I am gonna be, where I am gonna be 5 years from now, it sends cold shivers down my spine..I never feared life so much..I never felt so insecure abt life..Never did my life seem so unstable!!!Well, I better not talk abt it, but lemme go back in time....
exactly a year ago,when I was preparing for my finals (damn! I was cursed!! these finals dont lemme be happy)...had the same thoughts back then..
But,
I knew I would be done with my B.E in a month..
I knew I would be coming here to do my masters..and wow! those blessed dreams of mine...about the states...

America would be a paradise.. A "Guy's paradise"...Hot chicks all around...Hot chicks who wanna get laid by engineers from Bombay university, Somaiya EXTC to be precise..Land of money..Place that has no miseries..a heaven full of happiness....

I said these lines to myself when I was standin in the line to give my VISA interview,I said them again when I boarded the flight to come here.. "America awaits me!!"

But now! Damn! I wish I'd never come here..Life sucks, it was a total opposite of wat I had imagined..Never in my wildest dreams had i thought it wud be like this..Never in my life had I seen so many south indians together..I often sit and wonder "I think I boarded the wrong plane"There are more people from Andhra Pradesh here than there are in Andhra Pradesh!!!We can have a Ranji Trophy being played here..and I bet, there would be more league matches played here than those played
back home.

All kinds of people who come here from India..
Some who want to study, most who want to earn money..
some who want to get married, most who want to get laid..
I just laugh within myself, I pity America..

With all this happening, and the Dollar value going down, the future of the states seems funny to me..

Just imagine......
10-20 years from now.......
1$=0.02 Rupees..India has a stronger economy, India is more technologically advanced..wat if the tables just turn???all those people like me, who came here would obviously like to go back home..
But guess wat????

Another exam!!!!another GRE, TOHFL (Test of hindi as foreign language).....Not only us, but imagine even the americans aspiring to go to India to study...Go to the colleges we went to, face the professors we faced..
Imagine them studying a "Hindi wordlist" and quant section literally 'screwing!!! heall yeah screwing'...we are Indians, we are good at math!!!Imagine India having its consulate here in the large American cities like New York, Chicago, LA...

Imagine the consulate to be full of "kamble sahaabs" who conduct the interview..A consulate where the gatekeeper is most powerful, then the peon, then the clerk,and the least powerful being the issuing authority himself...A consulate where you could get your VISA if you can succesfully negotiate and bargain with the peon and pay him 500 Rupees...under the table!!!

Imagine them going to India, landing in Mumbai, which is an equivalent to New york...travelling by autorickshaws, and aamchi mumbai locals...and with the currency equation, they having a tough time living..All they can afford is to rent a slum in Dharavi, typically 200 sq. ft and stay with four other friends in it..
Everything changes...from burger to vadapav, pizzas to pani puri..
travelling from Karjat, Khopoli to Bandra...writing their assignments in the crowded train..

Imagine them trying to adapt to the mumbai fashion..from govinda dress to the Bambaiya slangs..
Imagine them swearing at each other..."aye teri maa ki....ma%$#@#$%">ki....ma%$#@#$%, bhe$%$#@"..
Imagine them working off campus in vada pav stalls and in sabzi markets..
imagine them driving autos and taxis for a living.. going through all the pains and struggles we went through

above all, wat if indian professors start to be like the ones here???assignments everyweek..no copying, a straight "F" if caught!!!Imagine them going to college everyday to fulfil the 75% attndance and completing the assignments..facing all those sexually humiliated and harrased external VIVA examiners.. getting a 60% or else no Co-ops, No Internships..

HAHAHA!!! That makes me laugh out loud.. makes me feel so much better...Not only me, but any Indian whos been here to do his masters would feel better when this thought crosses his mind..

We will never change..Indians will never change, but change things around them to feel happy!!!
Signing off,
Style B

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

lost and found..................


Lost and found.........
-----------------------


What inspired me to pen down this article is my memory.....
My memory that goes back many years ago..
I was a 13 year old kid and was no different than most kids of my age.

I knew nothing about responsibilities and all I did was to be happy..
I had no complains about life back then..
I was happy and content in all respects..I was happy with myself and more than that my parents were happy with me,
for I was brilliant in school..
Out of the many memories I cherish, one that stands out is that of the bird!!!

It was in my neighbourhood. Its house was on a tree, next to my building.
A tall fat tree that bore small yellow flowers.
One favourite passtime of mine those days was to come back home and watch the bird..
Yeah! I loved "bird watching" from back then..but this was something different.
I would watch the bird which used to be happy in its nest, just like me, knew nothing about the life ahead.
It was soo innocent and all it used to do was chirp and sing happily..

I would watch the bird while waiting for my school bus in the mornings.
I would come back and see the bird playin with the leaves and yellow flowers in the hot afternoons,
I would watch the bird fly around like the world was hers, without any worries.
sometimes while playing cricket with my friends, I would be jealous of the bird and I wished I could fly like it..
It defenitely did learn to fly but never did it fly far away from the tree..
The tree was world to it!!!!

Many a times, it would fly over to my balcony and sing as if it had come to entertain me.
I wished I could understand wat it sang..I wished I could reply to its song..
but I never did!! whenever it flew over to my balcony, I would go inside my room..
I would go inside because I liked to hear the bird sing its harmony..
I would be cautious that I didn't scare it away, and would hide away and listen to it singing..

But one evening, the wind blew away its nest..
Its home was shattered and all that was world to it was now gone..
It was the last time I saw it..
I wished I could help it..I never felt this bad for anything in my life..
I was never so upset and sad..I cried my heart out..
I cursed nature for being so cruel to the fledgeling..

I couldnt understand why God had to do this to the little creature.
Time passed, and I never saw the bird again..
I almost forgot this story and forgot that such a bird existed.
I grew up and finally I flew here..to the States..
I was away from my home, away from what was world to me.
I was adjusting into this new world and was being happy, and then one fine day..................
I was woken up by a chirp..
It sounded familiar..I got out of bed and was happy to see the bird singing its old song..

I had no words to appreciate nature and the miracles it does..
This time I understood its song..I followed its harmony..
It said "Hey human..why are you so afraid of me??
why is that you always go into your room and never come out??
am I not worthy of being your friend?? is my song that bad??"

I took a step forward and it didnt fly away..It waited there happy to see me..
and my joy knew no bounds on seeing what I enjoyed to see when I was a kid..
Though the bird was so small, it had many things to teach me..
I look up to it with respect, I realised how great it was..
I bow down to the way it fought against life and the way it kept winning..
I admire the way it still sings happily putting behind all the sorrow that once encompassed it..
I appreciate its action of flying down to say "HI" to me...
I realised how 'inhuman' I was and how 'wise' and 'great' the little one was..

I am happy today that God has taken it into a new world..
I thank Him for keeping the bird being happy..

It has taught me the definition of life and how to live it..
With a heart full of love for the bird, and a humble admiration to the Superior,
having penned down what was in my heart,
I shall have a good sleep now..



Period!
Style B

P.S: This is not 100% fiction, neither is this 100% real. I know what it is all about and so does the bird I talk about..

A Happy Story..............

Here I am sitting in my office, done with the days work John gave me.
I look at my watch, it is 3:16pm and I just had lunch..What do I do next???
I dont want to sleep now...Well, lemme do what I always like to do...
"Sit and think".. Yeah! Thats wat makes me feel so happy..I love to think, coz its soooo easy, its soo entertaining, its soooooo much fun..!!!You dont realise where time flies by..nd u never get tired thinking!!!

Does that make me crazyyyyy?? or does that make me lazyyyy???
I don't care...So, I fall back on my comfy chair..resting my head on my hands folded behind my shoulder...feeling the fresh air in my room..so happy with myself..

wait a miniute..did i feel happy??
well, wat makes me so happy?? wat have i done??
I think..I think..I wonder..I ponder...Hell!!! I havent done nothing that would make one happy...Why the hell am I happy??

Well, I convince myself that I am not happy and I have to do something to make myself happy..I havent tried my hand at writing..lemme give it a shot..I sit down and create this blog.
Now, the next thing my mind asks me..."what the flip are you gonna write about??"

I smile and look around..I will find something to write about...Damn!! I have never observed my room so carefully..any third person in my room would've shown pity on me...he must've started
wondering what the hell is this dork tryin to find????
I look at my table.. Gosh, its a mess..all the office work, the reports, lay scattered.. I curse myself "U suck at organising
urself creepo"
I look at the wall in front of me..Well, I see a foto of Taj Mahal..Jesus, it does look beautiful..It seems more beautiful to me than ever..
Taj Mahal is the symbol of beauty, its the symbol of love. It sits in Agra on the banks of river Yamuna. It was built by Shah Jahan for his loving wife Mumtaj.It is one of the seven wonders of this world.

Stop! Gimme a break!!Am I a freaking tour guide???Why am I talking abt Taj Mahal?? Dont I have nothing better to write about?? Is it so lost and forgotten?? are people so
ignorant tht I have to enlighten them about the Taj..Cut the crap..Go get a life blogger!!!

I want to write about something..I aint going home without writin abt something..I tell myself..."Ur english teacher should've seen u man!! She would've been proud of you." I remember the days when I would sit and think when will I get a break from writing???From writing a letter to my sick friend wishing him to get well soon to expressing my condolences to my girlfriend who lost her father.Sob, sob...... Christ, that was fart!!!

I look around my room, asking myself "Aint the world looking so empty today??"I see the biometric clock to my right..Aha! I found you.. How are you my friend??? It's been long since I've seen you.. (in other words LTNS- Long time no see)..

Biometic clock is a clock which records ur IN and OUT time, against your finger prints, thus calculating the amount of time you have worked.This data is used in ur payroll processing and u get paid accordingly.It is connected to a central server where ur data is recorded.

Stop it!! Stop it, u smart ass!!!I know u r technical..Now, dont screw the biometric clock..No-one asked u about it..nobody wants to know abt it..
I turn to the left and i see a box of fertilizer spikes now!!wat are those?? Those are like chalk pieces that u stick into ur flower pot so that ur plants grow some balls!!!I see three radio cards of a Cisco 1200 series access point, a documentation DVD kit by DELL, an olympus D-580 digital
camera, the IIT campus site plan..
As, I turn behind and stare out of the window, a Metra train passes by at full speed..I have never seen such a beauty.. The train passes just next to this building.
I see the entire downtown, John Hancock tower- standin stronger than ever.The sears tower standing taller than ever. The sun shining brighter than ever.I can see the wind blowing its own tune and the trees dancing to it, the cars and massive trucks rushing up and down the
freeway, the sky is sooo clear and blue..

Wow! Chicago was never sooo beautiful..Today is the 2nd of may and this is when I finally made this blog and had a post on it..what better reason do i need to be happy???
The semester ends in exactly a week..doesnt that make you happy???
Well, I'm done with my projects, and all that reamins are the two too big finals...Ohh yeah!! That does make me happy!!
So, I just wish I keep blogging happily ever after..
Signing off...
Peace!!!