Merry Christmas

shepherds

while in their fields

a bright glow hit the sky

then angels came to calm their fears

in life

singing

in words they shared peace, love and joy

night never seemed so bright

His soul was pure

Amen.

Attempted a Mirror Cinquain for the first time. 

Cinquain -> a form with one 5-line stanza in a syllabic pattern of two, four, six, eight, two.

Reverse cinquain -> a form with one 5-line stanza in a syllabic pattern of two, eight, six, four, two.

Mirror cinquain -> a form with two 5-line stanzas consisting of a cinquain followed by a reverse cinquain.

dilli reloaded

A year back I was in Delhi and that was my first visit to the capital. Today I live her again.

There is something that connect November, Delhi and myself! I've loved this month last year and I love it this year. The chill in the morning, the crowd,cycle rickshaws, a/c marcopolos! I was in new Delhi metro station at 6:45 in the morning and there was this big queue for the security check! 6:45 in the morning! When I was in Hyderabad, 6:45 was still considered as night.

Every single soul is busy. No one even has time for a smile! Autorikshaw stand is a place where you could learn your basics of bargaining and amateurs can sharpen their skills! You might not see high rise buildings as often as you expect to see in a place like Delhi. But, do not go by the shape and size of the shop. I saw this one shop which looked like a part of a row house and I wont think twice before labeling it as a place were you would get average quality shoes : a place were you could bargain for pretty looking shoes but not branded ones - you get the tune, don't you? My friend says she checked out a sandal there and it seems that the one she saw was worth 8000! I learned not to label a shop with its looks :-) its Delhi, luxury comes at different size and package :-)

Chole Batura is one thing I don't miss eating when I am in Delhi. The best Chole I've had, I've had it from Delhi. Any one who love food should definitely visit Karims! Dilli is incomplete without visiting this paradise of food. The journey itself is such a change! The rush at chandni chauk, the rikshaws, the life - its something you should experience. I loved it! Know dilli well? More suggestions? Pour it out, I am game for food :-)

I couldn't travel much this time and I don't regret! I've had my share of happiness and excitement, more than I could ask for. If you are some one who would appreciate modern architecture, you might not want to miss Gurgaon. Especially the metro tide to Huda. The moment you enter Gurgaon, you could feel the difference. All what you see is buildings, elegant ones.

Any one who knows Delhi from soul is welcome to send me a list of places I should visit - places to see, food to experience, culture to feel.

I've experienced this south vs north fights or rather south vs Delhi fights, but if I have to associate one word with Delhi - it would be LOVE. Today I live my life, tomorrow I die again! But that would not be the end. its just the wait for life and the wait - its really exciting I tell you :)

My First Car

The firsts are always special for us. The first photograph, the first school, the first friend, the first love, the first fight, the first vacation, the first date, the first what not! We never run out of words when we talk about our firsts :) So here I am, writing about my first car. Yes, I am excited!

Hyundai EON is small for sure, but it still looks like a car (unlike Nano). It competes with the entry level segment that includes Maruti Alto and Chevrolet Spark. So why didn't I go for Alto or Spark? Alto looks more like a refined version of Maruti 800 and honestly I was bored looking at it for 10 years. It was a tough choice to leave the Maruti family and enter the Hyundai for one reason - Maruti had never let us down. Be it the maintenance or the performance it has always lived up to the expectations. Spark - I never got a convincingly positive feedback. However I would refrain from giving a negative feedback myself for one reason - I have not driven a Spark.

Hyundai EON inherits its looks from Hyundai i10 and Verna. The fluid look definitely has not lost its grace in the small package. The plastics used are of fair quality and the AC is incredible. The higher end variants Magna and Sportz houses advanced features such as power steering and power windows, in built stereo system with ipod connector and aux cable. Safety features including Anti-lock Braking System, EBD etc are missing from Hyundai EON although driver side airbag on EON Sportz ensures that EON is the safest car in its class. The unique digital gear shift indicator helps attain maximum optimum gear usage and best possible fuel efficiency. Alternate Management System allows control of power supply to a battery depending on the load and thus reduces fuel consumption and improves entire performance.

The post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the staff of KTC Hyundai. They were extremely supportive and helpful during all the phases including selection / decision making / buying. On a special note, I would thank Sreekumar (staff of KTC Hyundai, Palakkad) for making this entire process easier! Hopefully the relationship with the Hyundai family would GO ON smooth :)

Ex Show Room price of Hyundai EON:

Hyundai EON D Lite Rs. 2,73,599

Hyundai EON D Lite Optional Rs. 2,95,761

Hyundai EON Era Rs. 3,16,027

Hyundai EON Magna Rs. 3,41,360

Hyundai EON Magna Optional Rs. 3,51,494

Hyundai EON Sportz Rs. 3,76,827

You Are Here

This post is inspired by the prompt given by Sunday Scribblings.

Thanks to Meher for letting me know about the prompt :)

the shower of snow

fragrance of flowers

rainbow defining colors

the soothing wind

bliss is what i feel

content

this moment would last

till i breathe

'cos this moment

you are here!

Na Tomatina for Bengaluru

Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has ordered cancellation of ‘La Tomatina’ fest scheduled to be organized at Bangalore Palace Grounds on September 18 and also at Mysore. There is a huge cry on this in social media with people debating for and against the fest.

I am sad that this fest stays cancelled. 

Its not because I cant throw tomatoes; throwing tomatoes is still not banned in India! There would always be a chunk of senseless people forming a group against anything that's happening, regardless of its impact - that's politics. But then, the educated youth? At least they should have the sense of understanding the effects and implications before crying out loud. 

Yes, I agree that we are talking about wastage of Tomatoes (for the sake of a debate, lets forget the fact that the event was using tomatoes which were not edible).Alright, so all you humanitarians gather and cry peace. Help the poor, feed them and stop wastage. Noble indeed! The event stay cancelled. Now what? How many do I see feeding the poor? How many of you noble souls fed 1 poor today? I would really love to know.

The event stay cancelled. All the farmers who were expecting huge profits by selling off tons of market rejected tomatoes would not get the money promised. The tomatoes would still go waste, not in palace grounds though. Victory for the poor! In a country where food grain is stored by the government only to be disposed off as waste, at least tomatoes had to be saved. For those noble souls who doesn't read the news completely (as rightly suggested by my friend, Mr.Blunt) and react by reading only headlines - food wasted in FCI godowns in the last few years could have fed 2500 lakh + families for 10 years or more.Now do your best, google it and please read it completely this time.

I appeal to the representatives of Kolar district tomato growers, the few environmentalists and the NGOs who called on the Chief Minister in Bangalore on Friday to request cancellation of the La Tomatina festival to please distribute 60,000 kg tomatoes (the expected wastage as suggested by Jayanagar BJP ML B N Vijayakumar) among the poor and prove the passion and dedication they have towards their fellow beings. You owe at least that much to the farmers and the poor!

My sincere sympathy to the organizing committee of the fest and to all like minded souls in and around Bengaluru.

Green-O-Con(test) – Week 2

entwined is our life, like this path - parting ways in hope of meeting again!

Camera: Canon Powershot SX 125 IS

Location: Malampuzha, Palakkad District, Kerala.

 

 EkTitli.Org is a unique voluntary initiative where we showcase all the Positive and Constructive work happening in the ‘Green and Clean Space’. [Know More, Follow Us] Rustic Art is a brand of Organic, Natural & Handmade products in exotic fragrances. They are here to spread the ‘organic’ word. [Know More, Follow Us] GingerChai an online magazine brewed by passionate writers. Join,Let’s sip thoughts! [Know More]

Samsung Galaxy Tab IndiBlogger Meet #galaxytab750

-> the poem is an acrostic <-


sailing through the crowd unknown,
amazed by the energy in me
meeting friends was on the cards!
sanctity is how I feel today
unsung tales of affinity.
novus ordo mundi awaits,
gathering of bloggers, I say!

goldfinch stole the show for the day
amassing the brains behind the blogs
love for the t-shirts and tabs talked
a few hearts smiled meeting friends
xenophilics had their best time,
young minds interacting with vibrant souls!

technology beautifies our dream
arouses imagination and make us crave.
beauty as it is, the tab won my heart!

I got a chance to have a look and feel of the newly launched Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 at the indiblogger meet Sep, 2011 held in Bangalore. Android Honeycomb 3., multi tasking & split view support should tell you what Galaxy Tab 750 means! For some one who live a social life 24*7, this 10.1" piece of gadget is like a dream come true! 3G support, HPSA, WXGA TFT LCD, NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor are just words which would be forgotten, but the feel you get when you touch this beauty would remain! The Social and Reader hub just enriches the experience. Its like the engineers were in a good mood while designing this wonder! Its a piece made with love and happiness 'cos it shares a smile on every face who feels it.

*'novus ordo mundi' (latin) means 'new world order'. the phrase has been used here hoping that events like this would help the blogger community to unite and evolve thus giving rise to a dramatic change in the world's social thinking.

phoenix

photo courtesy: a friend 
(this poem is written from a girl's perspective)

you held me when i was low

showed me the beauty of the world 

stole colors from the rainbow

fuelled my dreams with it

the rain drops doesn't amuse me any more

bound by your love, i cant free myself

my screams went unheard in the darkness

the silence, the desolation is alarming

those mushy songs which kills me now

filled me with you when my days were green

your heartbeats made me feel secure

when i got suffocated within my walls

you held my hands, made me yours

promised to share your surname

what do i call myself today?

i forgot that i too had a name!

this smoke filled room reminds me of you

smothering, tears blurring my vision.

the smell of whiskey still lingers

the unfinished bottle thrown casually

with every passing day my life unfolds

my friends help me regain the trust

i loved you and i still do

but you went off when i told you not to

i pity you if you feel you've won over me

the wounds have only made me stronger

i would rise like a phoenix and i would stand

i trust my love, myself. i breathe.

the Dancer

expression of passion, rhythm in her moves

language of her eyes, wail of desire!

mudras - blessings of the divine

the smile on her lips, it soothes me.

jhumkas, aesthetic ornamentation to her face

swaying to the tune of my heartbeat

her feet, soft yet in pace

swinging to the music of her mind

the garment - red, gold and black

enriching the grace of her aura

the dancer who set the stage on fire

she is beauty personified!

the girl i met in train

curly hair, crimson shades

conscious, composed, elegant

wouldn't smile, i wasn't that scary!

long slender legs, turns every head

'a cup of chai' rests on her lap

a few pages turned, keystrokes on her cell

nails, finely shaped, miss the paint

fingers without rings, single?

plays with her hair, 

big wide eyes, calm, gorgeous

the checks on her shirt

casual, reflects her persona

wonder what's her name

wonder how she sounds

the one who made me write,

the girl i met in train!

a bridge to hope

photograph courtesy: Khushboo Pandia

its been almost five months that Ive blogged. It's pure lack of inspiration or blame it on my mechanical life which refuses to see inspirations. Today, I felt a need to communicate to a friend. What better way than my blog :) Ive tried to play with numbers here. The note consists of ten stanzas starting with a stanza of 10 lines and ending with one with a single line.Hope you like it :)

to breathe was an effort

my lungs bled in strain

twines held my hands in place

depriving the freedom it pleads

the room was dark, as dark as death

or so my blindfold sang

i quenched my thirst, with wine red blood

which oozed out of my soul

in pain, in fear, I found retreat

wrapped my anxiety with a smile

memories - i talk to them till i bleed again

the pain, the blood, the helplessness -

is fate, they convince me

I laughed and cried, I loved my world

the darkness shielded me from truth

you talked to me, spent days with me

yet lived in a world apart

you heard me laugh, thought i was blessed

but failed to see my tears

then he came, broke my shield

took me to his world so bright

my eyes bled, not in strain

in fear of facing the sun

the twines were gone, the blindfold too

he held me facing this bridge

the wind was mild and smelled of rose

his breathe had a rhythm divine.

i held his arm, looked below

for the heat was burning my eyes!

golden yellow leaves veiled my scars.

the butterflies smiled, 

bees sang a song in my ears

the road was wet, so was trees

did the sky weep for me?

the birds put me in a trance

the lake took away my past

the dying woods healed my anguish

rays of the sun were now soothing

warming me from the chill of darkness within

i felt the beauty of my heartbeats!

'this is the bridge to hope', he said

waking me from my thoughts

'walk through this and you'll be fine,

your faith shall show you way'

his voice faded away.

my trembling legs took a step

the wood responded with a screech

I held the rail, another step

and I felt the joy of a smile

he was true, my world has changed

the steps i took with him,

its beautiful; i love my life for sure!

a few steps back, darkness ruled

now its bright and warm and gay!

be with me; open your eyes my friend!

at times all you need is a little trust, self respect and confidence on your decisions. It's easy to see the beauty of the world, you just have to open your eyes :)

untitled

picture courtesy : http://sumaspage.wordpress.com/

a time to forget whats gone by

to relish the presence and look forward

when few drops of whiskey take your nerves,

last thing to happen was to loose your morale!

fireworks depicting art in the sky

cheers and cries ringing in my ears

cameras flashing, strangers hugging

when the world uttered one loud phrase

a perfect beginning is what i wished

a new year with happiness all around!

but alas! you had a different reel in hand

a crowd hungry for the heat of fantasy

when all around prayed for a better tomorrow

some, in the crowd, prayed for some mercy!

a mob, u feel, is your strength

pity on your manhood and self respect

she might be divorced, widowed or alone; but

she is a woman, not a toy of pleasure!

those few seconds changed my prayers

a perfect beginning is what i wish

a new year with happiness all around

where men of honor make me proud!

TOI Bangalore edition, on 31st December 2010 had warned all girls not to be on MG/brigade road after 5 in the evening. Despite the warning some girls did show up and the night of celebration turned ugly for them. Helpless souls could do nothing but to silently witness these girls being molested by a crowd of hooligans. Men in uniform did come for their rescue, but by that time some minds were left shaken. its still a man's world, sadly not every man act like a MAN!