Nandu-it's mine

LBSNAA

2011-10-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration

Got a glimpse of LBSNAA on my way to Massoorie. This is where the training is given for those who clear civil services exam.

The King's Speech

2011-08-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Tom Hooper's The King's Speech(2010) starring Colin Firth as the King George VI is really worth watching.
Its all about the man who with a problem of stammering with the help of a speech therapist, went on to become the monarch and delivers the famous speech.

Let us fight

2011-04-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

Yet another occasion where we the 1.21 billion people of India who celebrated India's recent World Cup victory, need to come together to fight corruption by joining hands with Anna Hazare.

Veteran Gandhian, Mr Anna Hazare, began a fast-unto-death in New Delhi today demanding enactment of a comprehensive Jan Lokpal Bill to check corruption.

What is more appealing is the movement gaining momentum day by day and the coming out of youth in a big way.

Hope the Government listens to the demands in drafting this bill.

Come be a part of it!

Census-2011

2011-04-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

The latest census has brought out both good news and the bad.
Good news:
The thing to cherish is the Literacy rate. It reads 74% compared to 65% at the last census. Ten states and union territories have scored a rate of more than 85%.

The growth rate is 17.64% between 2001-2011 which represents the sharpest decline since independence.

Bad news:
The child sex ratio came as a biggest shock at 914 girls(0-6 years of age) for every 1000 boys. This is the lowest since independence. This is the matter of worry which needs complete overhauling.

2011-02-15T12:04:00.000-08:00

Birds converse too. Here is a small video shot by me sometime back.

Historic day for Egypt!

2011-02-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

Hosni Mubarak

Hosni Mubarak finally quits! and there ends the 30 long years of his rule.
Yes, finally on the 18th day of protest, Mubarak steps down and
army has taken over the power.
But the big question ahead: who next?

Protestors celebrating!

Print

2011-02-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

HP Laser Jet 1020 plus

New member to the list of my gadgets, the printer.
'HP Laser Jet 1020 plus'.

A tribute to Bapu

2011-01-30T19:58:00.000-08:00

Me with Arathi

This is about the program organised today on the occasion of Gandhiji's 63d death anniversary in Gandhi Bhavan, Bengaluru.

The program featured the screening of two documentaries on Gandhiji namely,

Gandhi-5:17 and
Gandhi- The 20th century's prophet

and an interactive work by Arathi H.K, artist.

The first film(5:17 is the time of assassination of Gandhiji) is an account of Gandhiji's assassination by Shri Krishna Dev Madan, who was a program officer with AIR and was present on 30th January 1948, at the lawn of Birla House preparing to record Gandhiji's speech, before he was shot.
On 10th Nov 2010, a meeting was organised with people from all walks of life, where Sri Madan recollected the incident of that day, which was made into a movie.

The second film is a rare documentary on Bapu, made by A.K. Chettiar in 1940, after extensive research and travel over one lakh kilometers across four continents. All versions of this eighty-one minute film were thought to be lost after the British had banned the film, until a Hollywood-made version was uncovered recently.

For DVDs you can contact
info@arghyam.org
ayan@arghyam.org

I really appreciate Arathi's effort in making the program a grand success. The way she managed to take the responsibility to convey the message of audience regarding peace, to anybody via postcard was impressive.

What a great idea to pay tribute to our Father of the Nation on his 63rd death anniversary!

Chitra santhe

2011-01-30T19:27:00.000-08:00

ಈ ಬಾರಿ ಚಿತ್ರ ಸಂತೆ ನೋಡುವ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ನನಗೆ ದೊರೆಯಿತು. ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದರಲ್ಲೂ ತನ್ನದೇ ಆದ ವಿಶೇಷತೆ. ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಕಣ್ಣಿಗೆ ಹಬ್ಬ.
ನನ್ನ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಅತೀ ಖುಷಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಕೆಲವು ಕಲಾಕೃತಿಗಳು ಇವು.

Cholesterol

2011-01-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

Cholesterol and its its relationship to health and disease is the is a hot topic of discussion. Hope you might have come across this term in newspapers, magazines, conversations, advertisements, etc.

What isl cholesterol then?
It is a fat-like substance present in foods. Its structure is different from fats and oils(triglycerides).
Animal foods like milk, egg, organ meats, ghee, butter, cream are all rich sources of cholesterol.
Plant foods like vegetable oils(mustard oil, groundnut oil, soya oil), nuts and oils do not contain cholesterol.
We have often seen that some manufacturers of vegetable oils try to mislead the general public by claiming that their products do not contain cholesterol. Now you know that this claim has no basis.

Let me brief the role played by cholesterol in the body:

Cholesterol is the structural component of membranes of body cells.
The breakdown of cholesterol by the liver produces bile salts. Bile salts are important for the digestion and absorption of fats and some vitamins.
It is also necessary for the synthesis of many hormones in the body.

However, extra cholesterol over and above the body needs can be harmful.

A day with birds

2011-01-09T22:26:00.000-08:00

A dream come true for me! Yes, this is my first ever visit to a bird sanctuary.

Ranganathittu is located in Mandya district of Karnataka.
Going back to its history, it was declared a Bird Sanctuary on 1st July 1940 by the then Maharaja of Mysore at the instance of Dr. Salim Ali, who visited the area during his survey of birds.

This is made up unconnected islets. It is here that the migratory birds begin to arrive in December, lay eggs, breed and finally move back with their young ones somewhere in August.
Their origin is traced out to be as far as Siberia, Australia.
Here are few lucky ones i could catch on our boat ride near those islets.

Gang of Storks

Thats me with Anju

Cormorant attacking its prey

Heron

Painted Stork

Cormorant waiting for comrade

Spoonbill on flight

ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಗಾಂಧೀ

2010-12-28T22:27:00.000-08:00

'ಗಾಂಧೀ ಮತ್ತು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ' ಎಂಬ ಗ್ರಂಥದ ಆಧಾರದ ಮೇಲೆ ಪ್ರೊ. ಎನ್. ಕೃಷ್ಣಸ್ವಾಮಿಯವರು 'ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಗಾಂಧೀ' ಎಂಬ ಲೇಖನವನ್ನು ಬರೆದಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಈ ಪ್ರಬಂಧದ ಸಾರಾಂಶವನ್ನು ಕೆಳಗೆ ಬರೆಯಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸಿದ್ದೇನೆ :

ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕಕ್ಕೆ ಮೊದಲ ಬಾರಿ ಬಂದಿದ್ದು ೧೯೧೫ ರಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗೆ.
೧೯೨೪ ರಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ಸ್ ಅಧಿವೇಶನದ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾಗಿದ್ದರು.
೧೯೨೭ ರಲ್ಲಿ ಖಾದಿ ಪ್ರಚಾರ ಪ್ರವಾಸ ಮಾಡುವಾಗ ಅವರ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಹದಗೆಟ್ಟಿದ್ದರಿಂದ, ನಂದಿ ಬೆಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಶ್ರಾಂತಿ ಪಡೆಯಲು ಮೈಸೂರು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಅವರನ್ನು ಆಹ್ವಾನಿಸಿತ್ತು. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರ ದರ್ಶನಕ್ಕೆ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ನೂರಾರು ಶಾಲಾ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೂ, ಜನರಿಗೂ, ಖಾದಿಯ ಮಹತ್ವವನ್ನು ತಿಳಿಸುವ ಅವಕಾಶ ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿಗೆ ದೊರೆಯಿತು.
ಶಿವಮೊಗ್ಗದ ತುಂಗೆಯ ತೀರದಲ್ಲೂ ಅವರು ವಿಹರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಈ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ನನಗೆ ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಖುಷಿ ತಂದಿದೆ.
ಗುಂಡುಕುಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಗೌರಮ್ಮನ ಉಪವಾಸ ಸತ್ಯಾಗ್ರಹ, ಸಿದ್ದಾಪುರದ ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯ ಕಥೆ ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಮೆಚ್ಚುವಂಥದ್ದು. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಹೆಣ್ಣುಮಕ್ಕಳ ತ್ಯಾಗ ಬುದ್ಧಿಯನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ 'ಈ ಜನರ ಔದಾರ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರತಿಯಾಗಿ ನಾನೇನು ಕೊಡಬಲ್ಲೆ?' ಎಂದು ಪದೇ ಪದೇ ಹೇಳುತ್ತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.
ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿಯವರ ಸಹಾಯದಿಂದ ವಿಧವೆಯಾಗಿದ್ದ ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯು ವರ್ಧಾ ಆಶ್ರಮ ಸೇರಿ ಸೇವೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಮುಂದೆ ವಿನೋಬಾಜಿ ಅವರ ಸಾಕುಮಗಳಾಗಿ, ಅವರ ಭೂದಾನ ಯಾತ್ರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹತ್ವದ ಪಾತ್ರವಹಿಸುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಅವರ ಚಿತೆಗೆ ಅಗ್ನಿಸ್ಪರ್ಶ ಮಾಡಿದವಳೂ ಆಕೆಯೇ.
ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿಯವರ ಕಡೆಯ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಪ್ರವಾಸ ಹುದಲಿಗೆ, ಗಾಂಧೀ ಸೇವಾ ಸಂಘದ ಸಮ್ಮೇಳನಕ್ಕಾಗಿ.

ಇದೆಲ್ಲದರಿಂದ ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿಗೂ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕಕ್ಕೂ ಒಂದು ವಿಶೇಷ ನಂಟು ಇತ್ತೆಂದು ತಿಳಿದುಬರುತ್ತದೆ.

ಭಾರತದ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ

2010-11-19T03:23:00.000-08:00

ಭಾರತದ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ಹೋರಾಟ ಮತ್ತು ಹೋರಾಟಗಾರರ ಬಗೆಗಿನ ಈ ಎರಡು ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳು ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ತುಂಬ ಖುಷಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿವೆ.
ನಮ್ಮ ದೇಶದ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಆಳವಾಗಿ ಅಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೂ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪಮಟ್ಟಿಗಾದರೂ ತಿಳಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಬಹಳ ಸಹಾಯಕಾರಿ. ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು ಜ್ಞಾನಿ.

ನಮ್ಮ ದಿನ

2010-11-01T01:51:00.000-07:00

ಇಂದು ಸಮಸ್ತ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಿಗೆ ಹೆಮ್ಮೆಯ ದಿನ.
ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ಇದು ನಮ್ಮ ದಿನ. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಉದಯವಾದ ದಿನ.

ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ ನಮ್ಮ ನಾಡಗೀತೆ. ಕನ್ನಡ ತಾಯಿಯನ್ನು ನೆನೆಯುವ, ನಮಿಸುವ ಒಂದು ಸಣ್ಣ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ.
ಈ ವೀಡಿಯೊವನ್ನು ತಯಾರು ಮಾಡಿದವರಿಗೆ ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು.

ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವದ ಹಾರ್ದಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ.
ಜೈ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಮಾತೆ .

Ten-Ten-Ten-Ten-Ten

2010-10-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

Luckily i could catch 10-10-10 moment(date-month-year)
at Time 10:10:10.

This was on my way back home from a friend's engagement ceremony. We friends celebrated this moment by halting the car during that minute. Time is not so clear in the photo as it was clicked from my mobile with 2 mp camera.

Johny Gone Down

2010-09-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Johny gone down is an excellent novel by Karan Bajaj. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
This is about Nikhil Arya, an MIT graduate whose vacation to Cambodia turns out to be a nightmare. The different episodes of his life thereafter, is beautifully narrated.

I suggest everyone to read this one.

Happy Rakshabandhan

2010-08-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Its Rakshabandhan today.
I wish all my brothers a very happy "Rakshabandhan".
This time I tried making these rakhis myself.
Here are a few samples.

ಚಿತ್ರಲೇಖಾ

2010-08-19T10:08:00.001-07:00

ನಾನು ಓದಿದ ಮೊದಲ ಕನ್ನಡ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಇದು ಎಂದರೆ ತಪ್ಪಾಗಲಾರದು. ವಿ.ಮ್. ಇನಾಂದಾರ್ ಅವರ 'ಚಿತ್ರಲೇಖಾ'.
ಓದುವುದಕ್ಕೂ ಒಂದು ಕಾರಣ ಇದೆ. ವರ್ಲ್ಡ್ ಸ್ಪೇಸ್ ನ ಸ್ಪರ್ಶ ದಲ್ಲಿ ಒಮ್ಮೆಕ್ವಿಜ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಸರಿ ಉತ್ತರ ಕಳಿಸಿದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ಸುಮಾರು ೫-೬ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳು ಬಹುಮಾನವಾಗಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿವೆ. ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೊಂದು.

ಬಹಳ ದಿನಗಳ ನಂತರ ಕನ್ನಡ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದುತ್ತಿರುವುದು ಒಂದು ಕಡೆಯಾದರೆ, ಮೊದಲ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಎನ್ನುವುದು ಇನ್ನೊಂದೆಡೆ.
ಹೇಗೋ ಶುರು ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಆದರೆ ಓದುತ್ತಾ ಹೋದಂತೆಲ್ಲ ಆಸಕ್ತಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚುತ್ತ, ಕೇವಲ ಮೂರು ದಿನದಲ್ಲೇ ಮುಕ್ತಾಯವಾಯಿತು ಪುಸ್ತಕ .

೩ ಭಾಗಗಳು, ಕುಸುಮಾ, ಪ್ರತಿಭಾ, ಮತ್ತು ಚಿತ್ರಲೇಖಾ. ರಮೇಶನ ಪಾತ್ರ ತುಂಬಾ ಹಿಡಿಸಿತು. ಕಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳಿದಂತೆ ಕುಸುಮಾಳು ನಿಜವಾಗಿಯೂ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮಳೆನಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.

ಒಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತುಂಬಾ ಖುಷಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದೆ ಕಥೆ. ಇಂತಹ ಇನ್ನೂ ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಲೇಖನಗಳನ್ನು ಓದುವ ಆಸಕ್ತಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿದೆ ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಈಗ.

Left Handers Day

2010-08-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

If you are a Leftie, Then Left Handers Day is just for you!
I am proud to be one among them!

August 13 is designated International Lefthanders Day by Lefthanders International.

Right handed people operate in the left side of the brain. Left handed people use the right side. Therefore, only left handed people are in their right mind.

Left Hander's certainly earned the right to have a day dedicated to them. And, August 13th is that day. So take a minute to appreciate your left handed friends and loved ones.

Remember today and every day: "Lefties have rights!"

FASCINATING LEFT-HANDED FACTS:

Most left-handers draw figures facing to the right.

There is a high tendency in twins for one to be left-handed.

Stuttering and dyslexia occur more often in left-handers (particularly if they are forced to change their writing hand as a child, like King of England George VI).

Left-handers adjust more readily to seeing underwater.

Left-handers excel particularly in tennis, baseball, swimming and fencing.

4 of the 5 original designers of the Macintosh computer were left-handed.

1 in 4 Apollo astronauts were left-handed - 250% more than the normal level.

Left-handers are generally more intelligent, better looking, imaginative and multi-talented than right handers ( based on discussions among members of the Left-Handers Club!

People who are left handed make up about 5-15% of the population.

The genes for left-handedness are so far elusive.

Lefties are relatively numerous among creative men.

Lefties are relatively numerous among children rated as having an IQ higher than 131.

Lefties are relatively numerous among individuals who are good at music and maths.

Almost 40% of the top tennis pros are left-handed.

More men than women are lefties.

Left handed stroke victims recover faster than right handed stroke victims.

Left-handers more likely than right handers to be creative geniuses.

As discrimination was reduced in the 20th century, the number of natural left-handers who stayed left-handed increased.

The rising age of motherhood contributed as, statistically, older mothers are more likely to give birth to left-handed children.

Left-handers are also generally better at 3-dimensional perception and thinking.

Left-handers are also usually pretty good at most ball sports and things involving hand-to-eye co-ordination.(I was the captain of my school's ball badminton team!)

Left-handers’ brains are structured differently in a way that widens their range of abilities.

A study found that left-handed men are 15% richer than right-handed men for those who attended college, and 26% richer if they graduated.

Left-handed persons are thought to process information using a “visual simultaneous” method in which several threads can be processed simultaneously.

Left-handed people have an excellent ability to multi-task.

The hypothesis that left-handed people are predisposed to visual-based thought has been validated by a variety of evidence.

Half of left handed people use a computer mouse with their right hand (I’m one of them)

If both parents are left handed, 50% of their offspring will be left handed. 2 Righties only have 2% chance of having a leftie (both my parents are right-handed)

The Alchemist

2010-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

The Alchemist- A magical fable about following your dream.

It is the story of everyone of us who dream of following our destiny. Hence it inspires one to keep up the dream and follow it. So a must read story i would say.

"When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true" is the core of the novel.

Shivaganga

2010-08-08T22:43:00.000-07:00

This Sunday was the most momemorabe, refreshing, for i got to visit Shivaganga with my family.

Shivaganga is only 70 km from the Garden city of Bangalore. Shivaganga in Karnataka is located in the hill top which is about 1368 meters high.

Shivaganga in Karnataka is the home to two main shrines, Gavi Gangadhareshwara Cave Temple and Honnadevi Temple. You will be amazed to see the beautiful natural spring at Patalaganga on your way to the hilltop of Shivaganga.

The temple of Lord Shiva and waters found is said to be from river Ganga which was believed to be from holy waters of Ganga in Kashi.

Beautiful view of the entrance and pushkarini(pond)

Nandi

We resting in the premises of the Shiva temple

Patalaganga

Carvings on the steps

Temple at the top

Kadlebele Vada

2010-08-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

Had prepared this yesterday for the first time. Really came out well.
Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups of channa dal

6-8 green chilies finely chopped (change according to intensity of chilies)

1 tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped

1 tbsp baby dill leaves finely chopped

1/2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

salt to taste

oil to deep fry

Preparation time : 20 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Makes : 20 vadas

Soak channa dal overnight. Filter out the water from the soaked dal and grind it in a food processor or wet grinder. Grind till the batter is finely coarse. Consistency should be thick. Mix the salt, chilies, coriander, baby dill, jeera to the batter. Wet the palm of your left hand with water, put a tbsp of batter, pat it with right hand. Pick it with your right hand and put in into the heated oil. Deep fry until the vadas are golden brown and the inside is well cooked. Serve the hot vadas as a snack anytime.

If only

2010-08-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

Watched this today. A simple, beautiful movie directed by Gil Junger.

Ian(Paul Nicholls) realises that the dream he saw the day before, starts turning out to be true. In an attempt to save his girlfriend Samantha played by Jennifer Love Hewitt, who gets killed in an accident in his dream, he tries hard to avoid it in reality. For the rest of the story, watch out the movie!

One night @ the call cetre

2010-08-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

This is the second book i read after 2 States written by Chetan Bhagat.

Though it was little boring in the middle, overall i enjoyed it.
What is interesting is the fact that in spite of the regular story portraying the lives of six colleagues at the call centre, it is giving some positive message.

Invictus

2010-07-19T22:53:00.001-07:00

A very inspiring movie based on John Carlin's book 'Playing the enemy'. It was just a co-incidence that i watched this movie on Nelson Mandela's 92nd birthday.

Directed by Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman plays the role of Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, the captain of South African Springboks rugby team.

Nelson Mandela, soon after being elected as the President, marking the end of apartheid, tries to unite the country taking rugby as the vehicle to change, joining hands with the Captain of its team.

South Africa finally wins the 1995 World cup against the mighty New Zealand.

The movie ends with the words of the poem that kept his spirits up while he was imprisoned "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul".

Cultural history of India

2010-07-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

The illustrated Cultural History of India edited by A.L.Basham is quite interesting, unlike political, economic history which is rather boring. This has covered almost the entire culture India has witnessed (in art, architecture,philosophy, religion, music and literature) since the Indus civilization till the Nationalist Movement and Modern Literature. Everything in a concised form. What a great way to explore our own culture!

2 states

2010-07-07T02:53:00.000-07:00

Finished reading this book. Though one can feel cultural shock in differentiating north with the south, the story is interesting and a happy ending.

Though it has a common topic of today, Chetan Bhagat has beautifully portrayed it. After i finished reading, i was curious to see how Ananya looks. So here is their photo.

Chetan Bhagat and wife Anusha

Mahashweta

2010-07-06T03:58:00.000-07:00

This is the third book i read by Sudha Murty, the other two being 'Wise and Otherwise' and 'Dollar Bahu'. I have started loving her works.

'Mahashweta' is yet another wonderful novel by Sudha Murty. Its about a beautiful girl Anupama who just after marriage suffers from Leukoderma, how things change with that, and how she struggles almost single handedly without anybody's support.

The title is related to Anupama in way that she plays the role of Mahashweta in a college drama, which is the love story of Mahashweta, who is an extremely beautiful princess,the daughter of King of Gandhara who fell in love with Pundarika,the handome son of a rishi.In the same way Dr. Anand fell in love at first sight with Anupama after watching her performance in that drama.

The novel is so heart touching, which tries to portray various aspects of society. It infact has influenced many lives. The author herself illustrates one at the end.

A story teller's world

2010-07-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

This is the first time i read R.K.Narayanan's work. I loved it so much. One can sit and finish the book at a stretch. It seems like its the feeling of each one of us. Wanting to read more of his. Can you suggest me few...

Dollar Bahu

2010-06-26T02:52:00.000-07:00

Good book. Beautifully narrated by the author Sudha Murty in a simple way in simple English. Can finish reading in few hours. All characters, places are our very own Bengaluru, Dharwad. So one feels very familiar as if all this is happening in our neighbourhood.Overall liked it.

Tipu Fort(Bangalore Fort)

2010-06-23T12:07:00.000-07:00

In the midst of crowded Bangalore city market, one can notice the calm Tippu Fort standing alone. As such you see the gate closed most of the times.No board/timings mentioning visiting hours.I just happended to visit it yesterday.

I was curious to see what is behind those mighty wooden gate.The description outside says Tipu Sultan's fort was constructed by Kempe Gowda in 1537. Tipu Sultan himself expanded it later. Tipu's Fort now stands as a silent testimony of the battles that he fought against the British regime. It was during the battle between East India Company and Hyder Ali - the father of Tipu Sultan, when Hyder imprisoned David Baird along with a number of British army officers in this fort.

I could capture only few pics from mobile.So picture quality may not be that great. Yet to visit Tipu Palace.

New Buy

2010-05-22T12:23:00.000-07:00

Nokia 2730 Classic

The Nokia 2730 Classic is one of the most economical 3G smartphones on the market.
It comes with a 2-inch QVGA display with 262k colours. This quad-band GSM and dual-band WCDMA device comes with a 2-Megapixel camera, MP3 player, 3.5 mm AV connector, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, Bluetooth stereo and 30MB of internal memory.

Wonderful gift

2010-05-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

The most wonderful gift i got on this b'day: my niece Nidhi and nephew Vidya Sagar have sent me these beautiful drawings.

The Blind Side

2010-04-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

A wonderful movie directed by John Lee Hancock. The story is based on the real life events of, now rookie offensive tackle, Michael Oher, whose life is changed by interior designer and mother Leigh Anne Touhy.
Inspiring movie.Liked Sandra Bullock. She won oscar for her acting in a lead role for this movie.
Go watch it!

Asokan Major Rock Edict XIII

2010-03-23T00:24:00.000-07:00

Bilingual Edict of Ashoka found in Kandahar. Circa 250 BCE

Major Rock Edict XIII is of paramount importance in understanding the Asokan policy of Dhamma.The text of the Edict reads:

"When he had been consecrated eight years the Beloved of the Gods, the king Piyadassi, conquered Kalinga. A hundred and fifty thousand people were deported, a hundred thousand were killed and many times that number perished. Afterwards, now that Kalinga was annexed, the Beloved of the Gods very earnestly practiced Dhamma, desired Dhamma and taught Dhamma. On conquering Kalinga the Beloved of the Gods felt remorse, for, when an independent country is conquered the slaughter, death, and deportation of the people is extremely grievous to the Beloved of the Gods, and weighs heavily on his mind. What is even more deplorable to the Beloved of the Gods is that those who dwell there, whether Brahmans, Sramans, or those of other sects, or householders who show obedience to their superiors, obedience to mother and father, obedience to their teachers and behave well and devotedly towards their friends, acquaintances, colleagues, relatives, slaves and servants-all suffer violence, murder and separation from their loved ones. Even those who are fortunate to have escaped, and whose love is undiminished(by the brutalizing effect of War), suffer from the misfortunes of their friends, acquaintances, colleagues and relatives. This participation of all men in suffering weighs heavily on the mind of the Beloved of the Gods. Except among the Greeks, there is no land where the religious orders of Brahmans and Sramans are not found, and there is no land anywhere where men do not support one sect or another. Today, if a hundredth or a thousandth part of those people who were killed or died or were deported when Kalinga was annexed were to suffer similarly, it would weigh heavily on the mind of the Beloved of the Gods"

"This inscription of Dhamma has been engraved so that any sons or great grandsons that I may have should not think of gaining new conquests, and in whatever victories they may gain should be satisfied with patience and light punishment. They should only consider conquests by Dhamma to be a true Conquest, and delight in Dhamma should be their whole delight, for this is of value in both this world and the next."

This is Asoka's testament against war. It graphically depicts the tragedy of war and shows why he turned against it. It is a unique event in the annals of the ancient world because we do not know of any other contemporary monarch who renounced war.

Pataleshwar cave temple

2010-02-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

Recently i got to visit this beautiful temple.
Pataleshwar cave temple of Pune, on the Jungli Maharaj Road, is a heritage site for Pune with a long history dating back to the 8th century AD. A remarkable feature of the Pataleshwar cave temple of Pune is that it bears resemblance with the massive rock-cut temples of Ellora.

Pataleshwar cave temple is a huge temple carved out of a single rock and houses gigantic pillars, a shrine of Lord Shiva (also known as Pataleshwar) and a Nandi bull.

The Pataleshwar cave temple at Pune has an exotic arrangement of circular stone at the entrance. The entrance is a sight worth seeing, as it highlights acute sense of geometry of these architects. The temple also has a wide array of seating arrangement, including smaller rooms for the visitors.

The sculpture of the Pataleshwar cave temple in Pune, which, although mesmerizing, is incomplete. Although we find an elaborate design in the main worship area, other parts of the rock temple is devoid of much beautification. The sculpture in the principle worship area include beautiful statues of Sita, Rama, Laxman and a host of other Hindu Gods and Goddesses located in the cube-shaped room at the heart of the temple.

Aga Khan Palace

2010-02-18T10:30:00.001-08:00

The Agakhan Palace, Pune is a national monument of India’s freedom movement. Following the launch of Quit India movement in 1942, Gandhiji, his wife Kasturba, his secretary Mahadevbhai Desai were interned at the palace from August 9, 1942 to May 6, 1944. Mahadevbhai and Kasturba passed away while in captivity at the Agakhan palace and their samadhis are located in the campus.Situated near the River Mula, the palace is a simple memorial to Gandhi and his life.

Ashes of Mahatma Gandhi rest here

Samadhi of Kasturba

Samadhi of Mahadevbhai Desai

Side view of the Palace

Man of the year

2010-01-26T07:33:00.000-08:00

Wonderful movie by Barry Levinson.
Its a movie about a comedian Tom Dobbs(Robbin Williams) who hosts a news satire program decides to run for president, and a computerized voting machine error gets him elected.

The devil wears Prada

2010-01-24T11:03:00.000-08:00

The devil wears Prada is based on the best-selling novel by Lauren Weisberger.

Andrea Sachs(Anne Hathaway), a small-town girl working as an assistant, tries to survive her impossibly demanding new boss- high-powered fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly(Meryl Streep)

Good movie, don't miss it!

27 dresses

2010-01-23T11:13:00.001-08:00

Just watched 27 dresses directed by Anne Fletcher.

Jane(Katherine Heigl) ha always been good at taking care of others, but not so much in looking after herself. Her entire life has been about making people happy- and she has closet full of 27 bridesmaid dresses to prove it. One memorable evening, Jane manages to shuttle between wedding reception in Manhattan and Brooklyn, a feat witnessed by Kevin(James Marsden), a newspaper reporter who realizes that a story about this wedding junkie is his ticket off the newspapers bridal beat.

Shivappanayaka Palace

2010-01-21T06:20:00.000-08:00

Took some time out to visit the Shivappanayaka Palace here in Shimoga.
Shivappa Nayaka (reigned 1645 - 1660), also known as Keladi Shivappa Nayaka, was a notable ruler of the Keladi Nayaka Kingdom.

The Shivappa Nayaka Palace is located amidst the busy streets of Shimoga. The liberal use of wood for the construction of the palace renders a rustic look to it.

The open courtyard has octagonal wooden pillars and two flights of stairs. It is flanked by rooms on either side. The upper storey has two rooms and sixteen wooden pillars. It is said that the balcony of the palace was used to conduct durbars (court of a native ruler) when the king paid a visit to the town. Rajaram, the son of Maratha king Shivaji, is said to have taken refuge in this palace when he was attacked by Aurangzeb.

Check out more photos here

Happy 2010

2010-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Samanyaralli Asamanayaru

2009-12-15T05:28:00.000-08:00

Swabhimani by Lakshmana S. Ballolli

Chitralekha by P.M.Inamdar

Agni mattu Male by Girish Karnad

Nadia teerada nadige by Dr. Ranganatha Kantanakunte

Kalpana by R.Savitha

These are the books i won in a competition in Sudhamurthy's Samanyaralli Asamanayaru contest.
The question was which district is called 'Kavigala Nadu', and the right answer if Dharwad.

All About Eve

2009-12-05T05:14:00.000-08:00

Watched this movie today.Winner of 6 oscar awards.A classic story of ambition and betrayal.Written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Its all about Eve Harrington(Anne Baxter), just a star-struck young woman, waiting outside the stage door night after night, hoping to catch a glimse of her idol Margo Channing(Bette Davis) and fianlly wins brightest new star award.

Mehendi

2009-11-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

Just tried it on myself.How is it?

All the King's Men

2009-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

Have started watching the series of Oscar winner collection(1949-1955)

All The King's Men(1949) is the story of the rise of politician Willie Stark(played by Broderick Crawford) from a rural county seat to the spotlight. Along the way, he loses his initial innocence, and becomes just as corrupt as those who he assaulted before for this characteristic.
Based on the life of Huey Long (1893 - 1935), this is a gripping tale about a populist demagogue in a Southern state during the first third of the 20th century.

The movie has won 3 oscars,for the Best actor in a Leading role, Best actress in a supporting role and Best picture.

Fly high

2009-11-19T05:46:00.000-08:00

Its fascinating to look at an evening sky with its different shades. These photos confirm that.

Mohandas

2009-11-13T21:08:00.000-08:00

Yet again i won an audio CD of Mohandas in the the "Radio Jhankaar Mohandas contest" held on Radio Jhankaar.

My new companion

2009-11-09T23:24:00.000-08:00

Yes it is my new companion now, Scooty pep+
(courtesy: my brother and sis-in-law)

Wintry morning

2009-11-07T05:19:00.000-08:00

Photographed while in hometown, all in and around my house. Had a nice experience with winter on its start.Could feel dew drops,cool breeze,see the early birds while on morning walk on terrace. Probably this is what is called enjoying nature...

Can u spot the bird?

Hornbill

History of Karnataka

2009-11-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

In ancient times, Karnataka was called Karunadu, literally meaning elevated land.

The Early Karnataka

The evidence of Maurayan dynasty in Karnataka is the Ashoka's rock edicts found in the state. The great Chandragupta Maurya ruled the state and adopted Jainism at Shravanabelagola. After him many other dynasties like the Chalukyas, the Hoysalas and the Vijayanagars ruled it. These dynasties added value to the cultural and spiritual value of the state.

At Aihole in Karanataka, the Chalukyas constructed the early Hindu temples in India. These temples are regarded as the architectural wonders. Similarly, the Hoysala's who ruled from the 11th to the 13th century, built more than 150 temples having excellent architecture.

Karnataka Under Vijayanagar Empire

The most celebrated dynasty that ruled Karnataka is the Vijayanagar dynasty. The Vijyanagar kings were the greatest of all medieval Hindu empires and were lovers of fine arts. They have contributed a lot to the culture and traditions of the state. Many foreign visitors who came to this place during this period have described it as one of the most prosperous states.

The Fall of Vijayanagar Empire

The grand Vijayanagar dynasty disintegrated with its capital at Hampi after the attack of the Deccan Sultan in 1565 A.D. Therefore, Bijapur was established as the capital and many monuments were build around the city. It was ruled by the Bahmani Shahis and the Adilshahis, who have contributed a lot to the architecture, art and the spread of Islam in the state.

The Muslim Domination and The British Control

Later, the state was ruled by Hyder Ali and his brave son Tipu Sultan. They were responsible for the expansion of the Mysore kingdom. Tipu was a great scholar and lover of literature. He was a good administrator and offered expensive gifts to the Hindu temples. Tipu Sultan was also known as "Tiger of Karnataka", since he fought bravely with the British and never allowed them to overpower Mysore . He was killed in 1799 A.D. and thus the throne of Mysore went into the hands of Wodeyar's. In the beginning of the 19th century, entire Karnataka came under the control of the British.

Karnataka Post-Independence

After India's Independence, the state of Mysore was governed by the Maharaja of Mysore, who was appointed by Independent India. But later, on November 1, 1973, the integrated state was renamed as Karnataka.

Freedom Park

2009-10-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

Bangalore’s Central Jail has been transformed into a cultural hub and is now open to the public. Really a very good place to visit.These are some of the pictures i could catch.

Entrance

Cells at freedom park

Watch tower

Musical fountain

Freedom at midnight

2009-10-06T05:07:00.000-07:00

Just finished with this. A must read book for every Indian I would say.You get a complete picture of India during pre,post and at the time of independence.

One just cant stop going nostalgic reading the chapters " The Greatest Migration in History" about the aftermath of partition and 'We Must Get Gandhi Before the Police Get Us'on the conspiracy behind killing of Mahatma Gandhi.

More on Gandhiji,his weapons in bringing freedom,and what made him a famous figure among the whole of India and the world,is beautifully narrated by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins.

Gandhiji's spiritual message

2009-10-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is one of Gandhiji's famous speech,recorded in Kinglsley Hall, London 1931.Just listen to it.

Find more of Bapu,Sabarmati Ashram's snaps here

The Tradition and History of Dasara

2009-09-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

Mysore Palace

The Mysore kings, Wadiyars, were subordinates of the Vijayanagara emperors. They declared independence at the decline of the empire in 1610 AD and tried to retain the latter’s goodwill by continuing the traditions started by them. Raja Wadiyar, the founder of the Mysore kingdom, started the Navaratri festivities in order to celebrate his new - found freedom, and issued an order that the days be observed with piety and splendor by one and all. Initially, as the rulers had their stronghold in Srirangapatn, now a satellite town of Mysore city, the festival continued undisturbed even during the annexation of Mysore (then state) by Hyder Ali and followed by Tippu Sultan’s rule between 1761 and 1799.When Mysore State was restored to Mummadi (lit. ‘ third’)Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1799, the capital was shifted to Mysore city from Srirangapatna, and the Navaratri festivities began to be performed with greater magnificence in the new capital with the introduction of a special durbar (‘audience’ or ‘royal assembly’) for the Europeans, and direct participation by the common masses.

The attendance of the Europeans indicates the friendly ties that the king had with the colonial rulers, apart from the spreading of the popularity of the event in western media. The festival became a tradition of the royal household and reached its zenith during the rule of Nalvadi (lit. ‘the fourth’) Krishnaraja Wadiyar (1902-1940 AD).
The wooden royal palace of Mysore City was famous for its intricate carvings and embellishments of gold and precious stones. Swami Vivekananda during his itinerant days was a royal guest and had several sessions with the king in this palace. Unfortunately, the palace was destroyed in a fire accident in 1897 and a new palace was built in its place by 1912, surpassing the glory of the previous one with the introduction of electrification and European expertise. The royal durbar, the procession of caparisoned elephants with the king seated in a golden howdah (throne with a canopy) followed by his ministers, administrators, the royal staff and the military came to an end with the taking over of all the kingdoms by the Indian Union in 1947.

The last crowned king, Sri Jaya Chamarajendra Wadiyar, tried to revive the tradition in his personal capacity after a few years, but the old charm was missing. With the annexation of states from kings by the national government, and upon the demise of Jaya Chamarajendra Wadiyar in 1974, the tradition again suffered a setback and Mysore almost lost its unique festival until the Government of Karnataka decided to celebrate it as a state fiesta minus the royal entourage.

Today, on the occasion of the world famous Jambu Savari or Dasara procession on the dasami day, apart from NCC, Scout, and other school and college student displays, tableaus depicting the land’s culture and history, fold-art performances, etc, and volunteer groups follow the caparisoned elephants, one of which (Drona has been doing it since many years) carries the image of Goddess Bhuvanesvari Devi. Bhuvanesvari (a name of Mahisasura-mardini), incidentally, is the goddess of Mysore, and she is none than Durga. She has a temple situated on the hill in Mysore – The Chamundi Hill. There is also the mythological legend, saying that it was on this hill that Mother Chamunda killed the demon Mahisa. In a Bengali article published several years ago in Desh, a famous researcher who conducted a through research on where exactly Durga worship started, says that Mysore is perhaps one of the oldest place of Mother worship. And the reason? It was here that the Mother killed the demon. Apart from the procession, a carnival providing the latest gadgets and amenities to the general public with attractive displays and amusements for all age groups is also being held since 1877. Celebrated musicians, dance and theatre groups perform and add color to the celebrations.

Jambu Savari

You've Got Mail

2009-09-11T22:19:00.000-07:00

Last night i watched this movie,
You've Got Mail( best romantic comedy of the year-1998)
by Nora Ephron starring Tom Hanks(Joe Fox) and
Meg Ryan(Kathleen Kelly).

With the tagline
'Someone you pass on the street may already be the love of your life'
the movie is about two business rivals who hate each other
at the office but fall in love over the internet.

Really a good one,you wont get bored,watch it!

Creative strokes

2009-09-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

Isn't it looking artistic? This is my effort in
giving those strokes a little creative touch.

Cartoonist

2009-09-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

My first attempt in drawing cartoon

cloudy

2009-09-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

view from terrace during sunset

Pretty cool since two days, hope winter is nearing....

Jinnah-India's Muslim Messiah

2009-09-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

Bombay,August 1947:

Jinnah

As always,he was alone.Shrouded in silence,Mohammad Ali Jinnah walked through the early mornings sunlight towards a simple stone grave corner of Bombay's Muslim cemetery.There,he performed a gesture which,in days to come,millions of other Muslims would perform because of what he had wrought.Before setting off to his promised land of Pakistan,Jinnah placed a last bouquet on the tomb he was leaving behind forever in India.

Jinnah was a remarkable man,but probably nothing in his life had been more remarkable of more seemingly out of character than the deep and passionate love which had linked the austere Muslim leader to the women beneath that tomb-stone.

Ruttie Jinnah

The wife of India's Muslim Messiah had not been born into the faith of Mohammad.Ruttenbhai Jinnah had been born a Parsee,the descendants of the Zoroastrian fire worshippers of ancient Persia.Jinnah had been 41,seemingly a confirmed bachelor(he in fact,been married previously to a child bride he'd never seen,picked out for him by his family before his departure to London for his studies. She had, according to Muslim custom, been represented at their wedding by a male relative and died of illness before his return from England)when he fell madly in love with Ruttie,the 17-year-old daughter of one of his close friends,during a vacation at the Mount Everest Hotel in Darjeeling.Ruttie had been equally mesmerized by Jinnah.Her furious father had obtained a court order forbidding his ex-friend to see his daughter,but on her eighteenth birthday,with only the sari she was wearing and a pet dog under each arm, a defiant Ruttie stalked out of her millionaire father's mansion and went off to marry Jinnah.

Their marriage lasted ten years.Ruttie was a spectacularly beautiful women,a woman of legendary attractiveness in a city known around the world for its beautiful women.The difference in their ages and temperaments produced their strains. Ruttie's flamboyance and outspokenness often embarrassed Jinnah and inhibited his political career.For all his passionate love for her, the unbending Jinnah found it difficult to communicate with his mercurial,blithe-spirited wife.Jinnah's dream collapsed in 1928,when the beautiful wife he'd loved but failed to understand,walked out on him.A year later,in February 1929,she died of an overdose of the morphine which she had been taking to ease the pain of chronic colitis.Jinnah,already hurt by public humiliation of her departure,was grief-stricken.As he threw the first fistful of dirt into grave on which he now placed his bouquet,he had wept like a child. It was the last time anyone had ever seen a public display of emotion from the Quaid-e-Azzam.From that moment forward,lonely and embittered,he had consecrated his life to the awakening of India's Muslims.
(Text taken from Freedom at midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins)

Thirsty pigeons

2009-08-27T22:45:00.000-07:00

meeting thirst

ended up bathing

ready to take off

It was around eight in the morning on this tuesday.
These pigeons on that chilly morn were busy meeting
thirst by the overflow water.One joined by the other formed
a group and started enjoying,thereby fluttering their wings,
taking bath.With water slowing down they too made their
way back...It was a nice scene for my eyes and thanks to my camera,
for i could zoom clearly quite a far distance from 8th floor.

Okayama

2009-08-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

A perfect spot for nature lovers..Pune Okayama Friendship garden.
During my visit to Pune this month,i got to spend
a fine sunday morning cherishing nature's beauty and working on
my photography skills too.Find more pics here.

VANDE MATARAM

2009-08-15T01:25:00.000-07:00

Our National song composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee,
appears in the Bengali novel Anand Math.
The English traslation of Vande Mataram rendered by
Shri Aurobindo,is considered to be the "official" and best.
The first stanza of this song has
been given the status of our national song.

Bankim Chandra

Here is the song:
Vande Mataram,Vande Mataram
Sujalam,Suphalam,
Malayaj Shitalam.
Sashya Shyamalam Mataram,
Vande Mataram.
Shubhrajyotsnam,Pulakityaminim,
Phullakusumita Drumadala Shobinim,
Suhasinim,Sumadhura, Bhashisim,
Sukhadam,Varadam,Mataram!
Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram!

Its English version:
I bow to thee,Mother,
richly-watered, richly-fruited,
cool with the winds of the south,
dark with the crops of the harvests,
The Mother!
Her nights rejoicing in the
Glory of the moonlight
Her lands clothed beautifully with her trees in flowering bloom,
Sweet of laughter,sweet of speech,
The mother,to thee,I bow.

Happy Independence day all....

Janmashtami

2009-08-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

Janmashtami is celebrated to welcome and enjoy Lord Krishna's birth. The birth of Lord Krishna took place when the various planets were in auspicious places. It is said that God chooses a particular time, as to when he will take birth as a human and the planetary systems are adjusted accordingly.

Gandhi again

2009-08-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading "A pinch of salt Rocks an empire" by
Sarojini Sinha.Its all about the salt satyagraha and the historical
Dandi March led by Gandhiji in very simple words.

It ends with the line The 'law-breakers' who stood on the
sea shore at Dandi that day in 1930 achieved much more than
Indian Independence.

My life is my message- Gandhiji

2009-08-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

One of my long time wish is fulfilled with my visit to
Sabarmati Ashram.Yes,recently i had been to Bapu's ashram.
A must visit place which gives a complete insight into Gandhiji's life.
More pics here

papaya chatni

2009-08-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Alu bhaji with papaya chatni and sweet khadi,what a rare,
nice combination!too delicious it was.
dont miss this yummy item if you happen to visit ahmedabad.
This is the hotel.

Vegetarianism

2009-07-19T01:59:00.000-07:00

I just read Moral Basis of VEGETARIANISM by Gandhiji.

He says:
Habits once formed are difficult to shed.There are very few who succeed in getting rid of them.But when the realization comes to man that he is his own bodyguard,and his body has been dedicated to service, he desires to learn the laws of keeping his body in a fit condition and ties hard to follow them.

uruli

2009-07-18T00:46:00.000-07:00

'Uruli' traditionally used as cooking pot in bronze
has now been used for decorative purpose.
Apart from flower petals,floating candles can also find place
in it.

My new companion

2009-07-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

Kodak EasyShareC160

our traditional sculpture

2009-07-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

My recent visit to Channapatna was a memorable one
which took me a step ahead in the field of art.

Gangarasa Shilpakala Shikshana Kendra,Kengal is
offering a five year degree course in traditional sculpture.
These are some of the works of students which captured my eyes.
Some more pics here.

Revolt of 1857

2009-06-30T01:31:00.000-07:00

The revolt of 1857 forms one of the most important chapters in the history of the struggle of the Indian people for liberation from the British rule.It shook the foundation of the British empire in India and at some points it seemed as though the British rule would end for all time to come.What started merely as a sepoy mutiny soon engulfed the peasantry and other civilian population over wide areas in northern India.The upsurge was so widespread that some of the contemporary observers called it a "national revolt". The hatred of the people foe the ferangis was so intense and bitter that one observer,W.H. Russell,was forced to write:

In no instance is a friendly glance directed to the white man's carriage...Oh!that language of the eye!Who can doubt!Who can misinterpret it?It is by it alone that i have learnt our race is not even feared at times by many and that by all it is disliked.

Khudiram Bose

2009-06-29T23:53:00.000-07:00

Khudiram Bose was one of the youngest revolutionaries of the Indian Independence movement.He was born on 3rd December 1889 in Bahuvaini in Medinipur district,West Bengal.

He was involved in revolutionary activities to free India from the clutches of British rule. Dissatisfied with the British policy of the partition of Bengal in 1905, he joined Jugantar - the party of revolutionary activists. At the tender age of sixteen, Bose left bombs near police stations and made government officials his victims. On the charges of carrying out a series of bomb attacks he was arrested.

In Muzzafarpur, Bihar,on 30th April, 1908 Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki planned to assasinate the Chief Presidency Magistrate Kingsford. The magistrate was known for his blatant judgements against the freedom fighters. They waited for Kingsford's carriage to come in front of the gate of European Club and blew up a carriage which was not carrying Kingsford. As a result of this unfortunate incident two innocent British ladies - Mrs.Kennedy and her daughter were killed. Both the revolutionaries fled the crime scene. Later Prafulla committed suicide and Khudiram was arrested.

On the charges of bomb attacks carried out by Khudiram Bose, he was sentenced to death at the age of 19.He was hanged to death on 11 August 1908.

Love Birds

2009-06-16T01:52:00.000-07:00

This is when i had been to Bannerghatta national park
few days back.My attempt to understand their language
failed and i ended up just recording the video.

Blue and white

2009-05-22T00:25:00.000-07:00

Nice one is it! My sis gifted this mobile pouch on my B'day.
Really creative hands!

Illusionist

2009-05-17T01:07:00.000-07:00

Last night I just took some time out to unwind myself, watching
Neil Burger's 'The Illusionist'(2006) featuring Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, and Paul Giamatti, in lead roles.Good one.

old is gold

2009-04-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

I was searching for some documents few days back,
but finally ended up finding few of my earlier drawings.
They just took me back to my schooldays,
when i had just started using camlin water colours,
and black sketch pen for outlining,
They are just 12 years old! made during summer vacation
of 1997.

Kathak

2009-03-19T01:52:00.000-07:00

I had an opportunity to attend a kathak dance program during my
visit to Pune last month.This was for the first that i happened to
watch the live performance of Kathak.It was just mindblowing!

Overall, that musical evening did leave a lasting impression on my
mind wanting to know more about its origin,forms,their costumes
and more.This is what i finally found out.

Kathak is one of the most popular classical dance forms of North
India which is also called the Natwari dance. The word kathak
means"to tell a story"..It indicates the existence of a community
of story-tellers through enacting the various parts of the story.
In its present form Kathak was developed and given patronage in
the court of Nawabs of Awadh.Kathak has been promoted
through three main gharanas- Lucknow, Jaipur, and Banaras.

Kathak dances are performed straight-legged and the ankle bells
worn by the dancers are skillfully controlled. In Kathak dance the
emphasis is more on footwork as against hasta mudras or hand
formations in Baratnatyam dance.
Kathak dance can be performed by both men and women.
A Kathak dancer is not required strictly to stick to fixed steps and
stages in.He or she can change the sequence of steps to suit his or
her skill and style of dancing.Modern exponents of Kathak dance
are Birju Maharaj and Uma Sharma.

Female costume

More commonly, the costume is a lehenga-choli combination, with an optional odhni or veil. The lehenga is loose ankle-length skirt, and the choli is a tight fitting blouse, usually short-sleeved. Both can be highly ornately embroidered or decorated. The lehenga is sometimes adapted to a special dance variety, similar to a long ghagra, so that during spins, the skirt flares out dramatically.

Mughal costume for women consists of an angarkha on the upper body. The design is akin to a chudidaar kameez, but is somewhat tighter fitting above the waist, and the 'skirt' portion explicitly cut on the round to enhance the flare of the lower half during spins. Beneath this, the legs are covered by the chudidaar or figure hugging trousers folded up giving the look of cloth bangles. Optional accessories are a small peaked cap and a bandi or small waistcoat to enhance the bust-line. A belt made of zari or precious stones is also worn on the waist.

Male costume

The traditional costume for men to be bare-chested.Below the waist is the dhoti,usually tied in the Bengal style, that is with many pleats and a fan finish to one of the ends.

The Moghul costume is kurta-chudidar.The kurta can be a simple
one,or again,adapted for dance to incorporate wider flare, but is
usually at least knee-length.Men may also wear an angarkha.
Particularly older variety costumes include the small peaked cap too.
.

Bannerghatta National Park

2009-03-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

I had a nice outing at Bannerghatta National Park yesterday
with my family.Here are a few pictures which i could capture
in my camera.

Rab ne bana di jodi

2009-01-29T13:16:00.000-08:00

I have won myself an autographed audio cd of 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'
seen above in Worlspace Satellite radio's "Radio Jhankaar
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi contest"

Book festival

2008-11-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

I had been to Bangalore Book Festival today
at the Palace grounds. I could see a large crowd at
the book fest,eventhough the cricket match was
going on at Chinnaswamy stadium,which showed
their interest towards books than only cricket...
I bought 'FREEDOM at MIDNIGHT' by
Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins,which i
was searching since a long time.

Beauty of Nature

2008-10-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

These are some of the beautiful photos, that i could
capture in camera during my recent visit to Jammu.

Recent visit to New Delhi

2008-10-13T13:57:00.000-07:00

In Bengaluru International airport

Infront of Red fort

Infront of Lotus temple

Near India gate

Near Qutub Minar

Near Taj Mahal

On way back from Taj Mahal

Recently i had been to Delhi with my brother, sister-in-law
and nephew. Though we visited more places, could not take
photos since photography was not allowed in many places.

J & K

2008-10-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

Vaishnodevi temple

Patnitop

Patnitop

Mansar lake

Tawi river

These are some of the photos on my recent visit to J&K.
I stayed there for almost two weeks.
Had a very good time with family.
I had never thought that i would be visiting J&K,
a dream comes true for me.
You can find more photos here.

Gunaho ka devta

2008-09-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading this novel 'Gunaho ka Devata'
by Dharamvir Bharti.Though it was my first book in Hindi,
i finished it without much difficulty.
Good one.I have heard that hindi movie 'Kati Patang'
is based on this book.

Kaluvu

2008-09-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

This sunday,i had been to Ranga Shankara with
my family,to 'Kaluvu' a kannada play by
famous theatre person Umashree and group.
Really we wer lost for two long hours watching
her performance.

ಆತ್ಮಕಥೆ

2008-09-03T14:06:00.000-07:00

ನನ್ನ ಬಹು ದಿನದ ಆಸೆ ಇಂದು ಪೂರೈಸಿದೆ ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕವನ್ನು ಓದಿ, ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿ ಅವರ ಆತ್ಮಕಥೆ (Gandhiji's My Experiments with Truth) ತುಂಬಾ ಹಿಡಿಸಿತು ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ.

My first painting

2008-08-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

This is my first painting,may be some ten years old,
when i had just learnt painting.
Don't know how i am able to preserve it till date.
Really a masterpiece.

My first portrait

2008-08-06T11:44:00.000-07:00

Ornithology

2008-07-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to be an ornithologist when i was small, but finally ended up being a fashion designer.Recently i got an opportunity to capture some of the birds in my camera in Mysore Zoo.Though i could not make it a career,its been with me as a hobby.

Greeting cards

2008-06-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

Happy bday!

happy b'day baby

all the best!

good luck for exams!

happy mothers day!

happy diwali

you have done it!

Here are some of the cards,
i made during my free time.All you need is handmade paper,
poster colours, and colour pencils and a little idea.