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Our Treasure - II

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You must have read the first part of this series about our ancient treasures, here.  The sculptures mentioned here also are at Badami caves, Bagalkot, Karnataka, which was built in 578 CE by the Chalukya King, Mangalesha, according to the old Kannada script found here. (wiki link)

These cave temples are cut from Badami softstone rocks.  You can see the pictures here and in the earlier post.  You can read more details from the wiki link.

I mentioned about the Hindu God, Vishnu's beautiful sculpture in my earlier post.  Here some sculptures of Shiva and others in Cave no. 1. 

Please click on the picture and notice the minute design of the hands, the weapons in the hands of Shiva, the posture of the body, legs, etc. This is called 'Thandava Nrutya' by Shiva.  In this posture, he is called Nataraja, 'Natana raja' King of dancing.  Bharatnatyam, which is the Indian classical dance, the postures are derived from the postures of Nataraja here and from various other temple walls. 

I am not a scholar on Hiduism, so, I am stopping here and just posting the pictures, I admired!

5 ft. tall Statue of Shiva as Nataraja (the dancing pose)  with 18 hands.  You can see Ganesha and Nandi, the Bull too, here.
This statue is on the outer wall of the cave. I wonder where the sculptors stand and do this so perfectly!
I am posting this picture just to show where it is, in the cave.
Nagaraja...serpent god hanging from the ceiling.  Click on the pictures to view better pl.
This image is on the ceiling! The guide gave a story...the sculptors lie down on the wooden ladder/saaram and cut this with broad leaves placed on their eyes which are slightly heated so that just the nerves in the leaves are there to see through and work.  The stone pieces might not fall on their eyes and hurt them, though I don't think it is enough.  We can just admire them.  I saw many many more images on the ceilings here and other places like Ajanta, Pattada Kallu etc.

One more design on the ceiling
This is Shiva with his wife Parvati and his vaahana (transport!) Nandi.  Look at the designs on the pillars and ceiling.  My picture is not this clear.  Thanks to this photographer, I noticed many things here in this picture and his other pictures in the link.

This is Narasimha (Nara, means human, Simha means Lion).  Another avataar of Vishnu.  Notice the designs on the pillars and the corners of the ceiling images. 
He looks relaxed here, not like Ugra Narasimha...angry faced Narasimha.  Look at the details...ornaments and other images on the sides.

The details of this cave are here!

The is the sandstone rock from which these temples are carved.  Really amazing. Many many more sculptures are there.  I am covering only some which caught my eye instantly. 


Let me write more about this cave in the coming posts. Our country has got treasures like this all over.  Let us treasure them.  We should be proud to be Indians. 

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY (TODAY!)!

GANATANTRA DIWAS KI SHUBH KAANAYEIN!

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Wordless Wednesday!

The Shadows Of His Hands Are Singing 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhaara'!

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I have been watching my friends and relatives making animal images in shadows, since my childhood.  Even I showed my children, shadows with fingers on our wall at home...dogs, fish and birds. Not more than that! But the video which I saw this morning made me dumbfounded. It will make you too!

If you know the song 'Mile sur mera tumhaara' and had seen the video since our Door Darshan time, you will enjoy this, better! Every picture in the video is shown in the shadows! The shadows are lip sinking with the song's lyrics! Amazing! If you are not familiar with the song, watch the video of the song first and then, this video.  It is the second one below this video. Now, let us see the singing shadows first!



The last image of the Four lions, the Emblem of India,  and the flying flag, brought tears in my eyes! Beautiful, aren't they?   The beautiful rabbit, the Goan with a hat, Balamurali Krishna singing with his hands moving, the mridangam artist playing, the Taj Mahal, the peacock, camel, elephants,  people on a boat, North East Indians dancing,  I can go on... The video shows the artist playing with his fingers. Needs 100% concentration for doing this, I am sure.

Now, watch the real song:



You know what I did while writing this post now? I opened two windows in my computer, one with the shadow video and another with the song video and watched both frame by frame! I love this song and am never bored of hearing this.  I had done a post on this earlier too (here).

I looked out for the name of the artist and got it! His name is Prahlad Acharya. (link). He hails from Udupi (Karnataka), MY home town!




He was interested in magic from his childhood and  learnt magic from Uday Jadugar,.  He learnt shadow play and other magics while travelling with him during his shows. The link says:

'Today, the 40-year-old has traveled across the globe, telling stories using shadows. He can perform the Panchatantra tales, Kannada folktales such as the story of Punyakoti, the holy cow who kept her word to a tiger by offering herself to it after she fed her calf.'

I came across another video of this artist,  which is also interesting (link)

Now, I came across the Wiki link of Prahlad Acharya! We can know more about him here.

He comes in my 'People whom I admire' list now!

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Lonar Crater Lake, Salt Water/Soda Lake! But Ducks Swim Here!

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I had mentioned in my earlier posts about our road trip to Ajanta, Ellora caves (posts are yet to be written!) and other places here and here.  I should have written about the places we visited one by one just as we saw them.  I didn't do it... I seem to write randomly; wrong decision!

We started from Chennai.  It was December end and so we had booked hotel rooms in Hyderabad, Aurangabad etc. for the New Year holidays, before we started.  On other days we looked for hotels in the net, went in and stayed for the night. This way, we saw many places on the way, as we wished! Just the three of us, I, my husband and son.  Our driver was driving.  This was the first trip we travelled like this, without pukka planning! But we enjoyed.

On our way from Nizamabad to Aurangabad, we came across this lake (thanks to the net!).  It was nearly 4 pm when we reached this place.  The small towns we crossed, Hingoli, Nanded, etc. had very narrow, crowded, dusty streets.  I have never seen places like these in the "northern" part of India earlier.  But everything is interesting for me! I like watching people and so never get bored!

We had an interesting lunch at a restaurant, Vatika, at Hingoli on the way. It was looking beautiful with a nicely decorated garden with designer trees etc.! A quirky bearer there said that they would specially cook vegetarian food in separate vessels for us! We had our food (which was decent) in the open garden with a cat (who resembled our Goalie) for company. However, while the restaurant looked beautiful from the outside it didn't have a proper toilet! Four stone slabs for the floor and four tin sheets on the sides with no roof! This was their toilet for LADIES and gents had a designated corner in a lawn in the rear, it seems.  We never expected this...but no other good restaurant was nearby and we already had our food! The owner promised my husband that a new toilet would be there in another two months and asked us to come there again!

The beautiful restaurant we visited, which had no toilet! Typical India!
I have never heard of this place, Lonar, before. My son had planned to visit here.  This lake is in the border town, Buldana, in Maharashtra, near Aurangabad. We had started seeing Marathi boards after Hindi and Telugu when we came near the border to Maharashtra!

Let me tell you about my impression about this lake. Then, to our friend, Wiki's details.  The narrow muddy road to this lake is deserted, nearly.  We could see some dry fields on our way.  Then we saw this lake.  It looked like a big pond.  One watch tower with rickety steps was there.  I was wondering why we came to this dry, dusty place.  Son asked me to go up the ladder, in which some rods/steps were missing!  Husband never experiments but I do! Then, son told me the importance/the story of this lake from the landing of the watch tower!

Wiki says:

Lonar is the world's third largest crater. It has its genesis nearly 50,000 years ago, when a 2 million-ton meteorite impacted the earth to create a depression 1.83 kilometers in diameter and 150 meters deep. Lonar Lake is a saltwater lake, which was created by a meteor hitting the Earth during the Pleistocene Epoch. The impact crater thereby formed, is the only hyper velocity meteoritic impact crater on basalt rock. A lake that evolved in the resulting basaltic rock formation, is both saline and alkaline in nature.

Another wiki link says: 

A series of low hills surround the basin which has an oval shape (almost round) with circumference at top of about 8 km (five miles). The sides of the basin rises abruptly at an angle of about 75°. At the base, the lake has a circumference of about 4.8 km (three miles).

Now, to the pictures, we had taken there:

Lonar Lake, Buldana, Maharashtra
Located in Buldana district of Maharashtra, this fascinating lake is believed to have been created over 5o,000 years ago due to a meteor impact which formed a depression 1.83 kilometers in diameter and 150 meters deep. Apart from the splendid beauty of the lake and a few treks, the place is famous for several temples like Daitya Sudan temple and Kamalija temple located around the lake. The lake is both saline and alkaline in nature and the historical documents say that the lake produces all the elements to make glass and soap. - See more at: http://www.thebetterindia.com/16813/travel-explored-5-offbeat-weekend-getaways-near-mumbai/#sthash.MLJruJGA.dpuf


Lonar Lake, Aurangabad. The above two pictures were taken on 29.12.14 when we were there.  The banks do not look like a jungle here. 

This picture is taken from Wiki.  The date is mentioned as September '12. Full of greenery! Different types of trees are there in separate rings, it seems! The place is home to many animals and rare birds!
Wiki says: The slopes are covered with jungle interspersed with teak trees. A belt of large trees about a mile broad runs all round the basin; this belt is formed of concentric rings of different species of trees. A ring of date-palms followed by a ring of tamarind trees (nearly 1.6 km or a mile broad) leads to a ring of babul trees, bounded on the inside by a belt of bare muddy space.
 
I am climbing the rickety old steps of the watch tower! A couple of rods were missing!

Not many trees are seen here now.


The Kamalaja devi temple seems to be very close to the lake! Looks very ancient!

A closer look at the temple. I read that people from the surrounding villages come here to attend the temple festival.  They leave all the plastic bags etc. on the bank,  which is not good for the lake.  
One more view of the lake. 
The other side of the lake.

Another panoramic view of the lake. Pl.click on all the pictures to view them clearly....

We saw a lone duck here, in this salty, alkaline/soda water.  People used to make soap in ancient days, it seems.
Wiki says: The historical document called the Ain-i-Akbari (written about C.E. 1600) states:

These mountains produce all the requisites for making glass and soap. And here are saltpetre works which yield a considerable revenue to the State, from the duties collected. On these mountains is a spring of salt water, but the water from the centre and the edges is perfectly fresh.

The lake was first mentioned in ancient scriptures such as the Skanda purana, the Padma purana and the Ain-i-Akbari.

Buldana district in Maharashtra, where the lake is located, was once part of Ashoka's empire and then of Satavahana's.  The Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas also ruled this area. During the period of the Mughals, Yadavas, Nizam and the   British, trade prospered in this area. Several temples found on the periphery of the Lake are known as Yadava temples and also as Hemadpanti temples (named after Hemadri Ramgaya).


Though this is a salt water lake, it is surrounded by trees and so, looks like a forest. It is a residence to many types of rare birds and animals!

Wiki also says: 

The modes of formation are also entirely different and it is practically certain that the Lonar salts are derived from an unknown source in the bed of the lake. It is true that water is continually flowing into the lake and that except by evaporation there is no loss. The main feeder stream could not however supply this amount of alkali nor could the other smaller supplies coming in during the rains, for on all sides of the lake vegetation is abundant, particularly where the main stream flows in continuously. Were any quantity of alkali present in this water, vegetation would suffer considerably and, with exception of a few varieties of plants, eventually die out entirely.
 
Sun had started setting down and we left the place at last! This was on the left side of the lake.  We noticed some 6-8 peacocks on the opposite side of the lake, which looked like a barren land.


EDITED TO ADD, THE NEXT DAY: My son said that there is a Maharashtra Government's MTDC hotel nearby where tourists can stay and visit this place.
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Happy Hobby!

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I had my first vegetable garden when we lived in Hosur.  That was an independent house and we had space at the front and the back.  I grew from peas to potato and onions there.  The red soil over there was very fertile and everything grew up fast and healthy.  This was in the late 80's.

Then in my previous house in Chennai, I went for just flowers (link here).
Now, we live in a flat.  I have kept some pots with desert roses in our balconies, which are easy to maintain.

One of my friends here, took the initiative to start Roof Top gardening.  She consulted many specialists in Roof top gardening in Chennai and we started implementing it nearly 4 weeks back. 

We went for 'soil-less cultivation' method.  They provide thick plastic containers as shown in the picture, with coco peat, vermin compost mixture and seeds.  They place perforated rubber sheets beneath the basket so that if at any time, during rainy season or something, the excess water will drain out easily.  Since soil is not used the basket is very light weight.  The coco peat is made of coconut fibre.  It acts as a sponge and retains water for longer time.  We have got a small 4 ltr. water can/water sprayer.  One can of water per day per box, is enough for the current weather now.  We may have to water the plants twice a day once severe summer starts.  Coco peat acts like a sponge and so, is wet/retains moisture for a long time. To start with, we bought 5 containers/baskets.  3 of us are maintaining them. 


Our Roof Top Garden!
Starting stage.  Some sprouts of greens (paalak) can be seen.


This basket is just for paalak/spinach! We should cut the big leaves with our nails one by one (!) when they grow and use.  In this way, the leaves will keep on growing for nearly 3 months.  We can remove when the growth dwindles and sow more seeds. 

Beans plants and Paalak leaves! We can grow 2-3 types of plants in one basket!

This basket has got greens (Arai keerai), cucumber plus bitter gourd plants and creepers.

Close-up picture of the beans plant.  Flowers have started blooming!

This is ladies finger/bendi/vendai kaai flower.  You can see 3 tiny bendies also! Click on the pictures pl.

This is cucumber creeper.  Flowers and buds can be seen here!

I did paalak paneer yesterday.  Before cooking, I ate some raw leaves which were very tasty:) It was a happy feeling, growing our own vegetables and using them at home!

Paalak/spinach leaves.  I plucked them yesterday and did paalak paneer for lunch!

Mr. Radhakrishnan (Besant nagar, Chennai) was the consultant for us and we are very happy with the results.  He can be contacted in this number: 9444620185.

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The Most Camera Shy Animal In The World!

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We had been on a tour to Nagarjuna Sagar, in December, last year (just 2 months back!).  We visited the Sagar and then stayed at the Telangana Govt. Tourism hotel, Haritha Vijay Vihar hotel. It was an OK hotel, but the view of the lake from there was beautiful.  It had swimming pool, gym etc.  You can see them in the link.

The hotel where we stayed.
I and my son had a morning stroll in the garden at the backyard of the hotel.  Fog was there on the lake and the atmosphere was beautiful and serene...The garden had  my favourite sparrows! Some beautiful flowers also were there.

A type of Nandiavattai/Crape Jasmine flower!
I had never seen bougainvillea flowers so closely until I saw them here!
Then we saw these! You know how I am! I am fascinated by everything! Have a look at these!


When we saw these animals first, they were grazing the garbage, making some grunting sounds.  The young ones were running here and there.  But as soon as my son lifted and focused his camera, the big white and black pig was making a grunting sound and all the others stood still! As soon as he lowered the camera, they started grazing again happily, wagging their tiny tails.  Again, son would focus his camera on them 'and as if the big one said 'STATUE', all of them stood still! We did this 3-4 times and then we felt sorry for them and left them alone!


Did the leader say 'STATUE' or 'POSE' (like humans!)
For once, this is a small post!


Edited to add on 5.3.15: Now, it is not going to be a small post!

When I and my son were watching these pigs, we were discussing about another pig incident. (I don't like to call these poor animals as swines! It sounds very insulting!)  It is not their mistake that a fever is named after them.  We should not promote them by leaving wastes like these everywhere.  It is long time since I have seen pigs.  Now, let me write about another character of these animals!

Around 25 years back , when we were in Hosur, we had Andy, a Pomeranian with us.  He used to chase a pig which had tiny piglets with her.  Later on, whenever the mother crossed our house, she used to walk up the steps to our house, stand on them and grunt 5-6 times and then go off.  Andy would be inside the house, barking! I used to watch the pig from our window! She was quite huge! All animals take care of their babies very well, like us humans!



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A Memorable Experience!

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Baby Olive Ridley sea Turtle collection!
This is a long post, oh, as usual.  You can just see the pictures and read the captions to save time!!!

A group of people from our residential complex went on a Turtle walk on 7th March, '15 (last Saturday), conducted by the Tree Foundation, Chennai.

Short description of the Foundation:  Trust for Environment Education (TREE), Conservation and Community Development and Roots & Shoots India- A Dr. Jane Goodall Institute Program. This was founded in 2002.  More details are in the highlighted link pl.  It is interesting.

This Olive Ridley turtle is one of the endangered species now. The Foundation link says, '22nd February 2014 A Black day for All Conservationists and Animal Lovers! This day, last year we had 824 dead turtles in one night at Penna Estuary!'

I had been reading about this Turtle walk for the past couple of years now.  This year we could join the group and it was really a memorable experience.

The programme started from 7.30 pm with a documentary film show on Olive ridley turtles at their office in Neelangarai.  A volunteer, a young girl,  showed us the turtles which are under treatment/observation etc. She was very passionate about this project, I could see. They have named them as Oliver, Pallavi, Karuna etc.! One Green ridley also was there. Its shell looked as if it was painted by an artist.  It got caught in the fishing net and now is under treatment.  These turtles, when are in the sea, come up once in 45 mts. to breathe fresh air.  Some fishermen spread their net in the sea and wait in their boats for 2-3 days and then haul them out and come to the shore.  Sometimes these turtles get caught in these nets and stay under the water with other fish.  They get dehydrated and some die. They are brought to this Foundation by their volunteers for treatment. Dr. Dharini is taking care of this centre, we were told.

Some turtles get caught in the launchers (motorised fishing boats) and their blades cut the flippers of the turtles which are in the sea.  If the centre gets information about them via the fishermen, many of whom are volunteers here, they are treated here, if possible and then sent back to the sea.  Out of 4, even turtles with 3 flippers can manage in the water, we were told. 

The turtles mostly look for beaches with warm temperature which are suitable for hatching their eggs.  They come to these places (details are in the wiki link) at midnight  from January to March to dig pot shaped holes to lay 100 to 120 eggs at a time (Many people, children from school, colleges, Tech people etc.are volunteers here and they need more, it seems, during these 3 months at least.). The Foundation has got a van describing about the turtles and about their work.  This van goes to schools and the volunteers educate the children about the turtles.

The Tree Foundation's rehabilitation centre is where they take care of the injured turtles. We saw a number of tubs with full grown turtles. One dehydrated turtle even had an IV bottle for a drip. A volunteer said that they have got full-time work here and they need more volunteers.

After the film show, we were taken to the beach to a hatchery (see picture) and the baby turtles were taken out from the holes and kept in a basket.  We were watching their work from the gaps of the hatchery.  I think it is better this way.  Unless we have got experience, we might harm the tiny babies when we handle them.  These baskets were taken to an area near the water.   2 parallel lines (2m. gap), were drawn on the sand and we were asked to stand and watch outside the lines.  No flash bulbs please, we were told.  2 volunteers stood near the water and showed the flash lights in the direction of the baskets.  A volunteer took out the babies one by one and left them on the sand.  The babies started marching towards the light and to the water.  The hatching period is 48 to 52 days, it seems.

Earlier, before the foundation started taking care of the eggs, after the hatching period, the babies started coming out of the hole (pot shaped hole of 2 to 2 1/2 ft. deep) and started walking towards the water on their own.  The sea current/waves' lights used to attract them.  They reached the sea safely. But now, the beaches are full of flood lights (upon the request of organisations like this one, they have stopped switching on these lamps now).  But many bungalows have come up very close to the beach now and they keep the lights on.  We saw these lights even at 12 am.  Don't know how the govt. has allowed to build these buildings close to the sea since after the tsunami, they were banned.  These artificial lights made the baby turtles to scatter on the sand and unless they reached the water within 45 mts. after hatching, they would die, it seems.  Crows and dogs caught them. Now, thousands of babie turtles are saved every year by Foundations like these. One more Foundation is doing this service.

The moonlight helps the mother turtles who come to the shore to nest during mid nights.  They need lot of time to dig holes, lay so many eggs, cover them back smoothly, yes, smoothly and go back to the water.  Their tracks help the volunteers, mostly fishermen, to look for the nests.  The volunteers come there and collect the eggs in a basket along with some sand from the pit and take them to the hatchery where holes are kept ready and mark them.  The eggs come with some gooey substance from the mother and sand sticks on them which acts as food for the eggs, it seems! I got some video links while googling and they are at the end of this post, which show the turtles digging holes, laying eggs, etc. The turtles come back to the same beach they are born every alternate years to lay eggs after they mature! Very interesting!

This link says: The last three years we have been checking the temperature within the hatchery with an external thermometer and maintaining the temperature within 32 degree centigrade. The sex of the hatch ling is determined based on the temperature in the nest during incubation period.

I think more information should be read from the links now! After the babies were released, our group walked on the shore from Neelangarai upto Prarthana theatre and back.  It took 3 hours.  If we had stayed for some more time, if luck was there, we could have spotted the mother turtles who came to lay eggs too! But it was late.  We had taken some sandwiches and water with us.  And then walked! The volunteers (one person was with Amazon) were with us throughout.

We saw many crabs running here and there in the beach near the water while walking back.  They were very fast.  I think they ran to the water as soon as they saw the lights from the volunteers' torches...(they might have thought 'killers are coming'!). They looked beautiful.  The friends who came with us were good and we chatted all the way and it was not boring at all! Watching the bright moon and sea water was peaceful! I always love the sounds of the waves, esp. at night.  
Now, to the picture story!

A young volunteer is explaining about Olive Ridley Turtle! Click on the pictures to view clearly!

I was allowed to scratch this turtle's belly...I thought he would enjoy my touch like my dogs and cats did!
We are walking past the bamboo hatchery where the eggs are kept in sand holes for hatching. It takes 48 to 52 days for the eggs to hatch, it seems. Every detail was catalogued by the volunteers.
Eggs are inside the hole under the basket. Temperature is maintained inside the holes with thermometers, left inside the hole (32 degrees is the ideal temperature, we were told).  If the temperature raises, they cover the roof to give them shade.

The volunteers are taking out the baby turtles from the holes and place in a basket.  They mark the squares where the  holes are dug by them earlier to place the eggs.  They remember not to stamp on the holes and walk on the empty spaces/squares.  They keep tags like no. 2, no. 3 hole etc.  They remember/keep notes on the no. of days the eggs are inside to check later.

The Yolk sack (the centre part) of the turtle where food is stored.  We should not touch this part, since it is very fragile.  We have to hold it on the sides always. Their main food after they grow up is jelly fish and other sea creatures.
Babies are 'running' towards the sea!
The babies are released on the sand.  The volunteers flash lights, standing near the water so that the babies can walk towards the water.  The smell of the sea and the smooth surface near the water helps them walk faster! We were asked not to take photos since the flash might distract them and turn towards our light.  2 lines were drawn and we were made to stand outside the lines and watch.  The babies were walking between the lines! The scent of the sea also helps them to reach the water, the volunteer said. They were very fast, running with their tiny feet/flippers.  Some children were with us who were shouting when they came near the lines! Children really enjoyed this trip!
Click on the picture to see clearly.

Close up shot of the baby turtles rushing towards the sea.! We could see their tiny foot marks which are not visible here.  They were beautiful!

                     I got this picture from the net. The mother turtles are nesting in the beach in Mexico.                             Picture courtesy: claudio giovenzana www.longwalk.it (Wiki)
Their main predators are humans in the sea and land.  Crows and dogs are other predators on land. Got this picture from 'The Hindu'. 
We saw hordes of crabs running towards the sea as soon as they saw the flash light of our guide! It was fun watching them.  They were cream in colour with long legs! My friend was holding a crab boldly!
Now, to the interesting 'you tube' links:

Olive Ridley Turtle 'digging' its nest.

Olive Ridley Turtles 'laying' eggs

Olive Ridley Turtles 'running' towards the water!

I think I might go back again soon.  The Turtle walk is there till March end! I and my son enjoyed our trip! I can still remember, even after 3 days, how I felt walking under the moon at midnight, when the waves were coming to touch me in the beach! Awesome!

They charge Rs.150 per head and we can donate more for the organisation if we feel.  They need lots of help. The Turtle walk is there every Friday and Saturday till the end of March.

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Salman Khan Came In My Dream:(

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First let me tell you, Salman Khan is not my favourite Khan, but Aamir Khan is! And people say that whatever you see in the early morning dreams, comes true! Let me wait and see if it happens...! I remembered about the dream, after waking up and was analyzing why he came in my dream in the morning Yoga class too! The dream has affected me, in some way, I think...(tongue in cheek!).

The result of the analyzation is: I was reading last week's edition of 'Outlook' magazine last night before sleeping! The article was about the 3 Bollywood Khans who are in their 50's! I didn't even read the whole article, just saw the photographs and read the captions and some highlighted points.  But why only Salman came in my dream?!!!  I met him at Pakistan (in my dream!), of all the places and I remember it clearly! Why Pakistan came in my dream! We were discussing about Pakistan, the previous day, how even my muslim friends felt sorry for their relatives who are in Pakistan now! Hmmm...got the connection!

In the dream, as far as I remember, both of us were sitting on a bench (!), I and Salman, in an old garden-like place.  I don't remember what we talked about...I like only 2 of his movies, 'Maine Pyar Kiya' and 'Hum dil de chuke sanam'
I don't remember talking about these movies...we were watching some locals in an old room, eating from a huge single plate, sitting around it (this scene is from a Dubai hotel, which we had visited a couple of months back and remember seeing this scene there!). I remember commenting something about this to my husband. Next scene I remember was, Salman had left and I was alone. Then I noticed that my handbag was missing! I think I was worried.  Next scene (as in a movie?!) was, a man from the room talking to me...he resembled the Kashmiri man with whom I went out in a boat, alone at night in Dhal lake! No weird stories please! I and my sis in law's family were staying in a houseboat at Dhal Lake (many years back, during our Amarnath Yatra).  We had gone out for shopping in a boat.  The shop was also in a boat.  We bought some sarees.  We had to swipe my credit card and for that we had to go to another boat, which had that facility.  Without thinking, I offered to do it.  Came out with the boatman and the boat started moving away from the lights from the shopping boats.  I became a bit nervous seeing nothing but dark water and the sound of the boat wading through it! Well, you can read more in my Amarnath yatra post here! I admired the boatman, I remember.  He said that he and his fellowmen went on life like us, normal people who lived in normal cities.   Children went to school, like ours, weddings took place...they were used to the terrorist attacks! He was very casual! See, where the connection comes!

I don't remember much after that! And I don't want to 'make' a story out of this! Would like to ask you this, 'Do you remember any of your dreams' and if you do, do you know why you had that dream?

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My Chirping Babies!

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This family of sparrows visited my balcony and I had the privilege to record their activity! This is my first proper video recording! I was sitting on the dining table chair and recording it! I had noticed a sparrow couple when we shifted to this flat.  They were always in the front side of the complex.  I used to place rice and bajra in my balcony to lure them.  But they never came.  I was telling my husband that their family is not growing, I still see only one couple of sparrows! Last week, the whole family visited me to show that their family is growing!
I feel so happy!

If you can't see the video in the embedded window, here is the  'you tube' link.

A home for them is ready, in our balcony.  Hope they feel at home here.


I had written about my earlier bird babies here!

Wordless Wednesday!

The Theory Of Everything (2014), The Movie Which Touched My Heart!

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The Theory of Everything
 'It is clear that we are just an advanced breed of primates as a minor planet, orbiting around a very average star in the outer suburb of one among 100 billion galaxies.  But ever since the dawn of civilization, people have craved for an understanding of the underlying order of the world.  There ought to be something very special abut the boundary conditions of the Universe.  And what can be more special than that, there is no boundary.  And there should be no boundary to human endeavour.  We are all different.  However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.  While there is life, there is Hope.'

The above words were shown at the end of the movie, which brought tears in my eyes.  Very sensible words.  

I noticed this movie being nominated in many sections in the Academy Award ceremony.  The main character, Stephen Hawking was played by Eddie Redmayne and he won the Best Actor award, which he deserves.  I saw the clippings and wanted to watch this movie.  But was a bit nervous knowing that they might show how Hawking suffered because of his illness.  But the movie was picturized so well that Stephen Hawking's intelligence, sense of humour etc. still remains in my mind even after a day!

All of you must be knowing that Stephen Hawking, a Physicist and Cosmologist,  is 73 years old now, still living with all the drawbacks in his health, had written many famous books and is world famous.  This movie is based on his story. No, it isn't remotely like a documentary movie, but is full of life! It is not depressive because this man has got great sense of humour which is shown in many frames. I know I am repeating this aspect of the movie! I seem to talk about the movie to everyone who comes across, for the past two days. 

The movie starts with Stephen as a 21 year old student, studying in Cambridge University.  He meets Jane, a literature student and they become good friends.  Stephen submits a thesis on 'Black hole' which he thought  might have been part of the creation of the universe.  His professors appreciate this very much and the thesis gets accepted.  Jane and Stephen celebrate this and from that day onwards, they show him losing control of his muscles, slowly, step by step.  But he immerses himself in his research and one day he falls down with a thud  inside the campus.  He was taken to a hospital and is diagnosed that he has Motor Neuron disease.  He will not be able to talk, swallow or move most of his body and has around 2 years to live. He starts using wheelchair for moving around.  Jane still loves him and tells his father that she wanted to marry him.  They get married and have a son.

Stephen continues with his research in spite of his deteriorating health.  Jane takes care of the children, home and Stephen apart from being a research student.  They have another son too. Stephen asks her to relax and take some time for herself.  She joins a church choir group and starts singing, where she meets Jonathan, a widower who comes home to teach piano lessons to Stephen's son and helps the whole family. Well...I think I should stop writing the whole story here! You have to watch the movie and enjoy Stephen's naughtiness and sense of humour.  He is like that in real life, I read.

I think I have to explain about him some more! Later on, he loses his speech completely because of tracheotomy which was done after the pneumonia attack. They show Jane showing him a board with letters and words and pointing at them, asks him to blink his eye if 'yes', blink twice if it was a 'no' to express himself.  (This scene came in 'The diving bell and Butterfly movie, which is a biography of Jean Deminique Bauby, a famous writer. He wrote famous books using this method later!).  But a nurse,  coming home to take care of him introduces him to a computer with a built-in voice synthesiser.  This voice speaks with an American accent, which he comments later with a twinkle in his eye, yes, I could notice it! He starts attending seminars etc. with this gadget and becomes more famous because of his knowledge.  Gets more awards.  Writes a book called 'A Brief History of Time' which becomes world famous.  He is offered knighthood by the Queen but he refuses.  Life goes on...his words touched me:

However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.  While there is life, there is Hope.




Eddie Redmayne's acting as Stephen was superb.  And Felicity Jones as Jane also did very well.  I was reminded of the movie 'My left Foot' at some places. The main character, Christy Brown, on whom the movie was made, also was born with cerebral palsy.  He wrote books with his left foot and painted too! It too, was a touching movie. 

Well, again the above highlighted lines apply here! Great inspiring people.  

The real Stephen Hawking! A great, inspiring man! (Thanks, Wiki) Hawking taking a zero-gravity flight in a "Vomit Comet"


P.S.: I have to add this information which I got from this link, but is not in the movie about Stephen Hawking. 

Stephen Hawking (b. 1942) is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity. His 1980 book A Brief History of Time was a break-out hit when first published, and has sold over 10 million copies, having been translated into over 30 languages. His other books include The Universe in a Nutshell (2001), The Grand Design (2010), and three children's books co-authored with his daughter Lucy Hawking, George's Secret Key to the Universe (2007), George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt (2009), and George and the Big Bang (2011). His life was also documented in a book by his first wife Jane Wilde Hawking, Travelling to Infinity – My Life with Stephen in 2008, which was adapted to film in 2014 as The Theory of Everything.

Hawking has appeared as himself, and lent his recognizable computer voice, in a number of TV series including Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Big Bang Theory and episodes of The Simpsons and Futurama. He has been portrayed on film by Benedict Cumberbatch, and Eddie Redmayne (Les Misérables), and has been the subject of, and appeared in, several documentaries including Errol Morris' A Brief History of Time (scored by Philip Glass), God, the Universe and Everything Else (with Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan), and 2013's Hawking (featuring interviews with Cumberbatch, Buzz Aldrin, and Jim Carrey). Other appearances include being interviewed for the 2013 TV special Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and appearing in sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (via satellite) and Monty Python Live (Mostly) in 2014.


இனிய புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்! ಹೊಸ ವರುಷದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು! Happy New Year!

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May this New Year Bring all of us Indians, Peace, Health and 

 Happiness!



Down Memory Lane...School Excursions!

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I was looking at the picasa album now for writing captions for the photographs we had taken during our tours recently.  Saw many photos of school children and remembered discussing about them with my son.  I remember going to Mahabalipuram once, to Children's park in Adyar once and then to Egmore museum once.  I don't remember going anywhere else with our teachers.  I remember it was fun.

My sons had gone to more places than me...like Mysore, Kodaikkanal and other exotic places.

My relative is a teacher in a private school here, in Chennai.  Their school takes the children every year to Maya jaal,Golden beach etc. where children are asked to play video games, make them watch a movie, give them some food and bring them back. I haven't heard them visiting the Vandalur Zoo or museum or Vedanthangal Bird sanctuary, which are educative to the children.  They collect money from the children, use their school bus, get concessions at the resorts and make money.  Nothing is there for the children to learn about anything.  I have visited Vedanthangal bird sanctuary thrice and saw only govt. school children visiting there, all the time.  They were so excited to watch the huge birds there and were taking down notes from the placards written on the platforms.  The teachers also were explaining about the birds.  It was nice to watch them.  Private schools never take this much effort.  Well, I forgot, they take the older children to Singpore, Malaysia, every year.  Do they take them to Acquarium or bird sanctuaries over there? Or shopping malls and game stations? We have got so many treasures here, in India but they prefer going abroad!

Do you remember your school days' excursions? Please write about them in the comment section!


School children at Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, near Chennai

School children at Vedanthangal bird sanctuary, near Chennai

School children at Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur
School children at Badami cave temples! These children asked us to take pictures! Posing seriously!

School children at Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur

School children at Pattada Kallu Temples, Bagalkot dist., Karnataka

Small school children at Alamatti dam, Bijapur

Our 'guide' at Aihole!

A girl 'guide' at Aihole! Our guide had finished explaining about the temples at Aihole and we paid him.  This girl, her brother and some other children were watching intently what was going on.  Then, first the boy came near us and told us that he would like to explain the history of 'Aihole' to us.  We laughingly said, 'OK'.  The boy recited his lesson, without stopping, in one breath! It was fun watching his face.  I should have taken a video! Then, his sister stepped in and started reciting the same thing! Look at her expression.  We gave them chocolate bars.  Before other children started acting 'guides' we ran away! We heard 'saar, saar, naanoo heltheeni'! We didn't look back! 



Perambalur Collector, Darez Ahmed, Another Sathyarthi In The Making?

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I read this news in The Hindu today:


Perambalur Collector receives PM’s award! 

'Perambalur Collector Darez Ahmed has received the ‘Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in public administration.’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave away the award, which carries a purse of Rs. 1 lakh, in appreciation of his service in protecting girl children. 

Mr. Darez Ahmed had evolved various programmes to check foeticide and female infanticide. . Focus on ante-natal care included a special surveillance to check foeticide.'
  
I suddenly remembered reading about him just a couple of days back in a Tamil weekly magazine, 'Ananda Vikatan'.


Perambalur is a municipality town near Cuddalore and Salem (Tamilnadu).  Wikipedia gives more interesting details about this town!

This post is about the present Collector of Perambalur, Darez Ahmed, who is making a difference here, particularly for the upliftment of girl children and women.  Let me write in detail about his amazing work. Now, to the Vikatan article:

Normally, school children and teachers get tensed up when they come to know that their area Collector will be visiting them soon.  It is the opposite here...all of them are happy to receive him.

Darez Ahmed, took the post of the Collector of Perambalur 4 years back.  He was not acting like a man with a prestigious post but was mingling with people and children like an ordinary person.  He roams all over the villages and talks to people like a family member.  Everybody loves him.  You can notice it from the pictures below.

Hearing about the award for their Collector, the whole Perambalur is happy and celebrating.

His office has stopped more than 450 child marriages of all religions.  He stopped a marriage of a particular religion and faced the wrath of their people from the whole of Tamilnadu.  Still, he was firm on his stand and said that every child should be married only after they reach the marriageable age. 
After stopping the child marriages, he made the girl children to study further and some are doing their engineering/medical courses now.  He arranged for their stay in the schools and colleges from the Govt. fund.


The Collector participated in the recently held Perambalur marathon titled, 'Run to protect girls'
He is one among them.
He has started a programme now, called 'Super 30', through which children who are good in their studies in Govt. schools, are selected and makes the teachers to coach them to compete in the entrance exams to join medical and engineering colleges.  At present, more than 300 children are being coached here.  He has warned the errant teachers to work sincerely and so, the admission in govt. schools is increasing around 26% every year. He has started grading the schools according to their performance and sometimes visits them and takes classes to check the standard of teaching in the particular school.  This programme is called 'sigaram' means 'peak'.  He insists the villagers to send their children to aanganwaadis so that they have good, healthy food.

He has made arrangements to offer loans (education loan) for the children doing their higher studies from his district.  More than 10,000 students have availed this facility until now.

He has helped the cotton growing farmers to get good rates for their produce.  He gives priority to the problems of the local farmers.

People seem to be very comfortable with him and he, with them.
He has helped many children who have got serious problems with his own money for special treatments.  He is a down to earth person.  Travels in buses, auto rickshaws etc. to mingle with the locals.

He has arranged for the annual book fare in his district which is praised by the locals.   

He had been receiving accolades for the past 3 years, like 'Best Collector' award, award for helping 'special children'  from our earlier Chief Minister. 

Now, he has received the Prime Minister's award for 'Excellence in Public Administration'.  But he says that 'his officers followed his orders sincerely and so the acknowledgement goes to them too'.

Let us congratulate him and look forward to many more acknowledgements for his sincere work.

I felt so happy while writing this positive post. We need more people like him in the future. Hope many people read this post and know about him. Our whole country needs a good leader like him. I am a dreamer, you know!


P.S.:Sathyarthi is an Indian children's advocate and an activist against child labour.  He was awarded 2014's Nobel peace prize.

I had written about one more sincere Collector here. Have a look please.



Edited to add on 24.4.2015: I came across this news about the Collector now, thanks to the 'Frontline' magazine. He is a Medical graduate. The article says explains how his department stopped child marriages and later helped the girls to do higher studies.  Interesting article.  It also says:

Recalling the fight against child marriage in Perambalur, Dr Ahmed told Frontline that it all began after he read the magazine’s Cover Story essay by the Nobel laureate Amartya Sen titled “Many faces of gender inequality” (Frontline, November 9, 2001). The seven types of anti-female bias mentioned in the essay, which talked about 100 million missing women, triggered the Collector’s initiative.



Cycles, The Most Convenient Transport!

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We had been to the United States, last October.  I am writing about our visits to different places over there in different posts.  Still many are to come!

Until I saw these cycle stands in many places,  students and even elderly people using cycles in the States, I thought that cycle was prominent only in China than other countries.  Many students ride on the platform too! It was a happy sight. 

We noticed cycle stands like these in many places.  This photo is from an SFO roadside. Cycles are available for rent too, it seems!

We stayed at Berkeley and visited San Francisco often via BART Railways.  The inside of the compartment had separate place for parking cycles!
Another cycle stand at Berkeley

Cars also had attachments like this to carry cycles.  They come to the trekking areas etc.  by car and use their cycles to roam to other places inside the woods, hills etc.  We saw cars like these in the parking areas of Muir woods. We saw extra attachments for taking cycles in the local buses too...on the front side of the buses! Many people use cycles here, which made me very happy...no pollution plus exercise!

My son who studied at the Berkeley University and now my niece also is studying...say that nearly all students have cycles, some students use geared cycles too.  I saw many students and teachers too using cycles inside the college campus.  Good exercise to stay fit!

While writing this post, my son called from there.  He laughingly said that he lost two cycles at Berkeley.  Cycle theft is famous there than other thefts.  

I wonder why our children are not using them now! My sons were going to school by cycles.  Now, children mostly use school bus.  But for that, they have to start early to school.  The bus has to cover many areas to pick up students.  They come back from school also very late in the evening. When my sons were admitted in school in Chennai, the Principal said that he would admit them in his school if we find a house within 5 Kms. radius from the school.  We did that!

Hope things will change one day and everybody realize the importance of cycles! I know that parents are worried about our erratic traffic.  Well...keep this point in mind! Let the children use cycles to go to nearby places at least!

Be happy and stay fit!

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Foto Friday!

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Sunrise at Elliots beach (Chennai)! Click on the picture for a better view pl.
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Shorthand, A Boon In Typewriting Days But Now, Both Are Nearly 'No More'!

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ON THE WANE:N. Ramachandran, who set up a short-hand and typewriting institute in 1963, says that the demand for professionals has come down drastically, especially in Chennai.
I read this article in 'The Hindu' just now, about the usage of 'shorthand' which is slowly dying now. The article took me down my memory lane, to the early 70's, when I was a student of Shorthand and Typewriting!

Learning typewriting and shorthand was the 'in-thing' in those days.  I had finished my school just then and in the summer holidays, my mother joined me to a typewriting class where shorthand also was taught.  It was the norm in those days.  Most of my classmates had joined.  Every area had these typewriting institutes where shorthand also was taught.  You won't believe, the fee was Rs.10 per month for typewriting and another Rs.10 for shorthand, which were 1hour classes each! The class looked like the one in the above picture! The owner cum typewriting teacher of the class lived upstairs.  He was in his 40's I think.  He was monitoring from 5 am to 9 am (god, I still remember!) and then from 6 to 10 pm.  Students or working people came to the early morning or late evening/night classes.  It was strictly only 1 hour class at these periods.  In day time we can sit there and practice as much as we wanted if the typewriters were free. We had to take the plain papers with us and type on both sides.  We had to show him whatever we had typed while leaving the class.  Typewriter ribbon cost was not charged separately...it was covered in the Rs.10 fee! God, our fingers and shoulders used to ache in the early days hitting the keys...

asdf fdsa on left hand fingers
jkl; ;lkj  on right hand fingers

Got this 'fingering' picture from this link

I remembered the name of the typewriter also, which I used, Remington! Thanks to google
I got 'Higher' exam certificate for typewriting.  The typewriting classes and the examination centres (Govt. Schools) used to be very crowded.  The Hindu article says how it is now, very deserted. 40 words per minute for 'Lower' exam and 100 words per minute (wpm) for 'Higher' exam, I think. My sons and husband use the computer keyboard in their own type/style of fingering now! I got the Pitman book and fingering book for my elder son...I must ask him if he is using the old fingering method for typing in his computer! He didn't learn shorthand though!

An old gentleman was taking shorthand classes (Pitman method) in the intstitute.  I still remember him...he used to chew paan! But his English Accent and booming voice were superb.  Words were very clear...he used to read texts (books were there especially for this purpose with marks/lines after every 40 words (40 wpm) for lower speed and 100 for higher exam speed).  The tone should change when the next sentence starts. Concentration is very very important while dictating or while taking notes. We took notes in shorthand in a ruled note book, which looked like it is shown below.  Lines have more gaps in between for writing 'on top of the line, on line and across the line' strokes with PENCILS!
Shorthand note books (link)
Students/people who went to colleges and offices, used to take shorthand notes in the morning, transcribe it in daytime, come back in the evening or the next morning and get corrected.  After I wrote Lower shorthand exam, I started assisting our teacher in the evenings with dictations.  Clarity in words is important for shorthand.  The strokes are written according to the phonetic sound.  Our grammar should be good because when we write strokes we skip the strokes for some words/grammar etc.  My language improved because of my shorthand learning, at least to some extent!  Now, to some strokes:



The two pictures show the shorthand strokes clearly (link)


You can notice that the strokes are written above the line, on the line and some reach below the line.  The strokes will be thick or thin and the meaning changes accordingly.  After a lot of practice, we can start using our own shortest strokes.  I used to dream about new strokes in my dreams in those days! I was really obsessed with shorthand!

I wrote the higher exam also in shorthand and I was the only person who passed from the exam centre, I remember (the centre was some Govt. school in Kodambakkam, Chennai).  I don't remember the marks or class! The certificate is somewhere with my old papers now!

Our Institute teacher gave me a thick ink pen as a prize! I had it for many years!

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P.S.: Thank you google for the above link!


Glimpses Of Our U.S.Trip! The University Of Berkeley, California!

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I had already started writing about this trip and am continuing now! This post is about the University of California, Berkeley! There are so many things to write about this place...maybe later! First, the Clock tower!

Sather Tower (Bell & Clock Tower), sort of a symbol for UC Berkeley! The booming sound of the bells are lovely!

One more picture of the Clock tower.
The Carillon, an instrument, which the students play at 12pm and 6 pm everyday. Evening sunlight is reflecting here...The room is closed and I took this picture through the glass.

I saw these huge bells on the 7th floor, I think and it is not easy to stand nearby when it starts ringing I was told. (Link) By the time I reached this place, the music and the ringing of the bells were over:(
Hear the music now.  I heard it from outside and it was over when I reached the lift to reach the tower! Pleasing music! I got a clip from 'you tube'. Thank you, children! It is awesome!



We visited this campus 2-3 times when we were there at Berkeley.  Every time we visited, I used to notice this tall tower.  I went inside once and saw the famous musical instrument.  The students play the organ twice a day, once at 12 pm and then at 6 pm.  No, once more in the early morning, it seems! I missed it by a few minutes but still went up and viewed the surrounding areas through the top floor (7th floor) of this tower.  We have to climb a few steps to reach the top after going by the lift upto the 7th floor, if I remember correctly. Some interesting details of the tower:

It was completed in 1914 and first opened to the public in 1917. The tower stands 307 feet (93.6 m) tall, making it the third tallest bell and clock-tower in the world.It was designed by John Galen Howard, founder of the College of Environmental Design and it marks a secondary axis in his original Beaux-Arts   campus plan. Since then, it has been a major point of orientation in almost every campus master plan. The tower has seven floors, with an observation deck on the eighth floor. Some floors are used to store fossils.
For more details, read the wiki link here.

Very old type of machine for the clock which is still going strong!

I was fascinated by this clock tower and so more details for you!
View from the tower!
I think I will write about the very old sculpture of the Football players which attracted our attention, as soon as we entered the University.  This post is about the view of the parent.  Everything was new for us! Children who are studying here are very lucky! My son and now my grand niece are among them!

More than 100 year old sculpture which is called 'Football players'
The Wiki says:"The Football Players" was created in the mid-1890s by Douglas Tilden, a prominent artist with many connections to Berkeley. Tilden was deaf and, as a child, came to live at the California School for the Deaf, which used to be located on the grounds where the Clark Kerr Campus stands today.

One more attraction here was the famous Berkeley University squirrels! We went inside the campus and were waiting for my grand niece.  Suddenly I heard some sound from behind us...we were sitting on a tree trunk.  We turned around and saw one man making sounds with his lips and talking to someone in a false voice or say, like we talk to our children! We saw that nobody was there.  Then he asked us to turn around...we did so reluctantly and then we saw them...the squirrels! They were climbing up his body and were perching on his shoulders and taking something from his fingers! As you know we are hard core animal lovers.  When I saw him for the first time, I told my husband that he is talking like Robin Williams  who is a very good mimic (my favourite).  He gave us some almond bars and asked us to feed them.  The bars were organic, he said.  I decided then and there that I would bring the bars next time and feed them and did so later.  He loved his squirrel babies, I could see! He must be doing this everyday, I felt.  

Now, to the squirrels:




Husband is feeding the famous Berkeley squirrel! This one was sitting on his lap and eating, later! They are used to humans, I am sure!

The height of enjoyment on that day was, my grand niece's thayir saadam (curd rice) which we had missed during our trip!


She had prepared the curd rice not only with curd but with lots of love, we could feel/taste it!
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What Is Happening?

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I called my maid just now.  She had not taken the rice I had kept for her, today. She said that she had taken the rice in a vessel which was kept on the kitchen counter.  I told her that that was yesterday's rice and she had left today's rice here itself.  Since she feeds the rice she takes from our house to her children in the evening at about 7 pm, I felt bad and asked her if the rice was OK.  In our Chennai hot weather, the rice which is cooked in the morning becomes watery by night, if not, the next morning.  We mix water with the remaining cooked rice at night and make curd rice out of it the next morning, sometimes.  It is supposed to be good for health.   The rice which was cooked yesterday morning is still good, she says.  I am scared now! What are we eating nowadays? Just poison, I think.  The situation is worsening day by day. 

Last month the paalak bunches I had bought had chemical stench.  It was so bad that nobody could eat.  We threw away all the paalak paneer subji.  Then the bhendi had the same stench.  I complained to the vendor and he said that it happens sometimes! The vegetables come from the surrounding villages and sometimes the people who grow them, who are illiterate (!), spray more chemicals and it is not easy to check! He laughingly gave me another information.  His father is a farmer.  They have grown rice, this time, it seems.  The agent who bought their rice asked the farmer to add one chemical to the fresh rice grains which will turn the look of the rice from new to old rice! He got Rs.250 per bag extra!  'Chemical illaama yeduvum illamma ippa', he says.  'Nothing is there now without chemicals'!  I just don't go to that shop now.  I don't know which shop is better now. 

One security man who works in a famous vegetable vendor shop, to whom I tip every time I go there (he has got problem with his one foot, so I tip him) asked me not to buy watermelon which is bright red! 'Veluththa pazhama vaangunga' he said (buy a bit colourless melon!).  They inject colour into the fruit, it seems.

I am scared to eat mango.  Got once from an organic shop, that is all.  Scared to eat mangoes now from normal vegetable and fruit shops.  Most of them are ripened with calcium carbide. I get ulcers in my mouth if I eat them.

A few organic shops have opened in our area now and they keep limited vegetables, twice a week.  Everybody seem to run there and buy them.  It is over by 11.30 - 12 pm! I think people are becoming scared slowly.

How much can the govt. prevent this? People who do not have conscience are just after money.  This is going to affect the coming generations too.  The ground itself has become poisonous.  I have started roof top gardening.  But we get very limited vegetables.  All of us should join together, I feel, to do something.
Milk also doesn't get spoiled even by 11 am even if it is not kept in the fridge.

Hmmm...what can we do?


P.S.: I have started buying organic pulses now.  I keep the unopened packets in the fridge.  After opening, I store the remaining pulses in Tupperware boxes.  Still, I see worms and insects within a week (this shows they are really organic!).  What to do? I remember keeping dried neem leaves in the rice boxes, before Tupperware came home.  Should I start using that method now, for these pulses?

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The Land Of No Corruption! Unbelievable To Us, Indians!

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It is more than 4-5 months since I had visited this place, Dubai! We stayed there for 4 days.  The trip was arranged from home.  We visited this place on our way back from the U.S. Let me write about some interesting anecdotes I heard and saw over there.

We could see many many Indians everywhere, esp. Malayalees! Hindi is enough to roam around here! The driver cum guide told me many things about Dubai.  They are very well paid.  But everything from home rent to food, is expensive.  He was a Pakistani.  He had been working here for the past 8 years and had visited his family in Pakistan only twice.  He had 4 children(!).  Two were in college.  He said that though the work was tough, long hours, money was good.  We had 3 drivers for 4 days and all of them said that the country is free of thieves and no teasing or harming women, no corruption and NO INCOME TAX! Whatever you earn, you keep!

I thought that Dubai was a desert and so I won't find any trees except Palm trees.  No, many areas were covered by trees and we saw very well maintained lawns.

The UAE was created by their late King Zayed (whose photo was found everywhere!) which had made it one of the richest countries in the world.  More than Oil money, they are targeting on 'Tourism' money.  So many world class resorts, hotels etc. are found here.  I could hear Bollywood and Arabian music throughout the night from our hotel...night life for the tourists! Bollywood films are famous and music, more famous! They have started encroaching the sea also.  Filling the sea bed with rocks and mud and building houses and resorts there, it seems! Again, tourism is the main aim. 

I saw one music reality show like ours in their TV.  Girls were dressed up well, with modern dresses. They were either sitting or just standing while singing...middle aged men were sitting, many were there, opposite them and when the girl started singing, these men got up and started dancing...just rotating themselves with their Arabian dresses! Funny.  No girls or women danced!

I loved the desert safari ride! The vehicle was a land rover and the driver was a Malayalee (!).  3 other passengers (again Malayalees!), apart from me and my husband were sitting with our belts tied and hands holding the handles above our head.  These 3 people knew somebody and had hired this particular driver who drove us recklessly on top of the high mounds of sands and brought down as if the van would roll over...like head over heals! You know me well by now, I was laughing and my husband was glaring at me! But after getting down, he appreciated the driver for his control over the vehicle! We had never expected this ride to be like this! The height of thrills, really!

One more thing I noticed was, most of the buildings were painted in beige colour as if they were built by the govt., even the independent houses in posh localities.  The driver said that they were painted in sand colour because they got sand storms often and the sand dust covered everything, even the huge buildings, with sand.  It was tough to clean them all the time.  So this colour, which blends with the sand! What an idea, Sirji!

Apart from gold, which is famous and sounds cheaper than our country, tourists bring home badam, dates and saffron. Gold is purer, we were told.  2 Gold Souks (markets) are there with hundreds of gold/jewellery shops!  We paid one dirham, crossed the waterway by a boat and reached the market place, first the old one.  Small small shops with lots of local curios which were quite interesting and then to shops like the ones we see in our country.  We had a cup of local chai from a small tea shop and it was very good. Again, nobody glares at tourists! We had lunch at Sangeetha restaurant! Many Indian restaurants were there.  On one day, lunch was at a Gujarathi restaurant!

Now, to the pictures:

We went across the waterway just for one dirham to the market in this beautiful boat.

Independent houses in a posh area.  Only locals can buy property here.  Others can take houses on lease.  For starting a business here, it can only be with a local partner's collaborations, it seems.  Is it so?
The sand was beautiful, which is strange! Nothing else! I remember this safari even now than anything else about Dubai! We nearly touched the stars and tumbled down! Such high dunes!

Desert Safari...we had Indian Vegetarian food here and tender coconut too!  When we were returning from the desert at about 11 pm by the Land Rover, the whole area was dark until we reached the main road after driving for nearly an hour.  The only light we saw on the way was from a small hut, which was, you won't believe, a Keralaite's tea shop! If I had known earlier, I would have been prepared to take a snap!
Desert Safari...a girl dancing with serial bulbs on her dress to Arabian music.  The music was good! Camel rides were there and I rode one!

The road from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. I saw trees on both sides of the road and platforms like this with small flowering pants in most places. Green lawns were looking fresh, well-maintained by mainly Indian labourers, I was told.  The mud was imported by ship from India, mainly! It has started raining here for a few weeks an year for the past 3-4 years, it seems.

Beautiful sea...clean beach.  It was full of foreigners.  We crossed this area at around 12.30 pm and the sun was burning our skin, still saw many fair skinned people in the beach.  I have to appreciate the local people...nowhere tourists were glared at or harassed.  No muggers or open cheaters, I was told.  Law is very strict here.  I love this aspect of the country.
Clean beaches...Looks beautiful! The whole city is clean!

The latest mosque built in honour of King Zayed, we were told.  I went around wearing an abaya (purdah, long black gown covering women from head to toe...only face was visible!).  Everything is new here, in this mosque.

We were taken to a 'model' village, a village created for the tourists, with narrow streets, wells, small mosque etc. Saw a small hut with cows, sheep, ducks and hens too.  Saw many small birds including many sparrows! This man was making woollen wall hangings.  It was interesting to watch him mix so many colours and bring out images. 

The wall hanging in the shop where the man was knitting. Threads of different colours are knitted together to bring beautiful images.  Amazing!

A well in the 'village'.  I have seen same type of wells in my village too, in Karnataka, India, near farm lands, when I was small!

Dubai 'village' ducks! One is sleepy...it was hot in the afternoon!

Burj Khalifa...the famous, tallest building in the world, a replica inside the Burj Khalifa.  Wiki link is here about this!

Gold Souk (the famous Dubai Gold market). It was very crowded in the morning before lunch.  This photo was taken at lunch time and it was a Friday, namaaz time! Noticed many Indian stores too like Shyam Jewellery, Damas, Joy Alukkas etc.. Wiki says 'By some estimates, approximately 10 tons of gold is present at any given time in the souk.
My memory about Dubai is these concrete buildings in different shapes and sizes and the Sand (desert safari which was beautiful but lasted for half an hour or something, i.e. driving on the sand). (this is wiki picture!)


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