Bargain/Gain

About what I did this Christmas...my cousin and I wanted to explore the recently launched 'flying train' from Velacherry to Beach Station. That's not a good way to start though! Our plan was to get to Moor complex (though this has nothing to do with Moore's law!), hone our bargaining skills, hunt for Robin Cook novels, and then back by the 'flying' (Real flying trains and maglev train operators please forgive me!) train.

Bargain first. We had selected the perfect bad business day to explore the otherwise busy Moor Market. Hardly half a dozen of the bookshops were open apart from a few aquarium stalls (Well.. what do you call a shop that sells fish to grow in your home?). So throngs of people who normally make this place a buzzing mess hadn't turned up. Without the people fishing for books and booking for fish, the sellers had a rather dull day, waiting for any slightly prospective buyer, and to catch him or her h(b)ook, line, and sinker. I'm not that good in bargaining and my brother nudges me to ask about the price of the pirated Godfather book he just found out of the heap. The seller hardly knew Tamil, but that didn't matter at all. Here you only speak Business. After our stints and stunts with him for a while, he called us back and finally offered to give Godfather and Critical (by my favorite Robin Cook)for 140 rupees. That means 80 for Godfather and 60 for Critical. We purchased the books and headed towards the train terminus. Curiosity, that often kills the cats, made us enquire about the cost of the same books in a stall a few yards ahead. The man in-charge told: 60+60, meaning you can easily settle for something between 100 and 120. Staring at each other, we reassured ourselves telling that the copy we had bought was better. At least we could bargain with ourselves.



Back to the train station, we came to know that the flying train arrives at another station called Park Town. The newly constructed subway and the terminus looked sinister. Ironically, there was no light at the end of what seemed to be a deadly tunnel. I was wondering how life would be behind that ticket counter, in a strange station like that. Twice I asked on which platform the train would arrive. Only on the second attempt, the man responded, gesturing towards a hand-written signboard, declaring it to be on the second platform. The man should have been terribly fed up, as people unfailingly asked the same question, despite the signboard just staring straight at them when they were asking. He should have been screaming "I'm not a tourist guide. I'm a ticket-issuer. Well, that's another issue.

At least 50% of the commuters were new to the place, or they didn't know about the timings or the route. Maybe familiarity breeds knowledge. There were plenty of seats, as many think that it's a cumbersome process to get the train. It took 40 minutes from Park station to Velacherry. Some of the stations were waiting to be painted, and some even to be baptised by any minister. After a few twists and turns, the train reached the destination. And it's not yet over. We have to walk a tiring one-and-a-half kilometer through the misleadinly named 100-feet road. And we had yet another task at hand - Cooking!

We the Burners and Scrubbers were up in arms to avenge each other, scrolling through the home-made recipe for the best form of attack.

The Writer's Block!

Well, it has been a long long time since my last post, and thanks to the zero readership I've managed to maintain and entertain, I was not at all in a mood to write anything here. And there is an escape word for this literal hibernation - voila, it's the writer's block. Seems I should write an 'How to...' series on keeping yourself entertained when the only thing you like is writing but you couldn't! Alright. I'll come to that later. Let's talk about Christmas folks!

This Christmas, I had no Chrisma or Chrischild whatsoever, since I've been busy shifting to my new workplace. So I missed out on this year's Christmas events. And Christmas and Candles remind of so many things - which I can't remember right now. But one thing that touched me, or moved me (or made me sit still, thinking) was the strange protest of a man named Art Conrad from Bremerton against the commercialization of Christmas. He crucified a likeness of Santa as a token of his anger and frustration towards Christmas commercialism.


Well...commercialism of Christmas, or whatever the event may be, is a thing to be debated. There will be pundits brandishing their swords or words for and against the commercialization. Let's leave it to them. But practically, it's you and me who should be deciding on whether so much of marketing (read it hype) and fuss about this is really required. I could hear somebuddy muttering 'It's a competitive world, mate!' OK. Let's face it. After all everything needs advertisement. Soon we might have 'Sponsored Santas' sporting carefully designed logos, making it a point that you buy what they endorse. Get ready to grab your gift!

The Streetlamp Has Died

The streetlamp has died.

Died of what?
Of old age?
Of boredom?
Or of love?

Nobody knows.
The streetlamp has died.

The bugging insects have fled
That sucked the essence of light
From the generous streetlamp
Like prodigal sons of a millionaire.

Perhaps the lamp
Died of insignificance.
Guiding drunkards and stray dogs
Both urinating underneath.

There was no mourning
As there was no soul.

While dying...
The streetlamp might have remembered
The day it was hoisted
On the top of the world.

How proud she was!

Losing all its glory
Burying its pride in darkness
The filament hanging out of shame
The streetlamp has died.

Switch off the Fossil Beasts!

Mexico City has come up with the long-awaited suggestion of switching off the car engines and getting to office in bicycles once in a month. People will at least get to know the otherwise invisible impact they and their cars have on the roads. Sidney made history when most of the lights in the Australian city were put off for a while.

Back home, we find even youngsters kick starting their bikes to reach their offices, which, in most cases, is within 2 km. When we talk about the power of youth and the thinking generation, we are nowhere in terms of environment consciousness quotient.

To my dismay, I find so many young people filling their mouth with 'paan' and spitting it willfully all over the way they walk. 8 out of 10 cinemas in India will have paan stained walls and chairs. (I wonder why people don't behave so in multiplexes!)

Drunkards litter pavements and public places as if everything under the sun is their restroom. Smokers paint and taint the by-passers with the white threads of tobacco. Men urinate on walls and nobody walks on the platforms. Slum-dwellers do their 'morning job' alongside the roads. Buses come with stains of smoke as well as sweat, as the ratio seems to be one bus per 150 persons.

What took half an hour to travel 50 years ago takes one and a half hour today, and still we talk about improvements in transportation. Bumper-to-bumper traffic is a common site, with vehicles involved in a war for every square inch available. Bikers add to the woes by snaking through what is locally called the 'cycle gap'.

Where are we heading to?

Let's bend the twig

It's more than proved that 30 year olds will be living in their second world, very unlike the one which used to be while they were born, thanks to the changing weather patterns and climatic conditions. It's high time we drive the point effectively and make the newer generation aware of the world that is waiting for them. Bend the twig, bend the tree, someone has said.

The renowned authors have a task at their hands. It's their moral duty to incorporate ideas that would make the child know how their parents and grandparents spoiled their world, at the same time preventing them from developing hatred towards their previous generations.

Harry potter can do something for the welfare of some endangered species by using his magical powers. Superman, Spiderman and all the supernatural men can save this world from the dangers of global warming by some way or the other(Let's leave it to the imagination of the authors).

Fancy stuff that are easily liked by children can carry messages with a true concern for the environment. We can encourage children to buy things that are certified by a competent authority as manufactured in an eco-friendly manner.

Let's think green.

Let the Zebras cross the road

Our envirnomental consciousness quotient seems to be searing to new heights. This week has been a great time for the environ-enthus, as Taiwan closes a stretch of a Highway to leave way for migrating butterflies. Taking this issue back home, I could see herds of buffaloes being driven across the Velacherry road twice everyday. One thing I like about these animals is that they are never afraid of the traffic. They take their own time to cross the road, not even fearing the dreaded Municipal truck. On the contrary, the spotted deers at the Guindy park have been helpless, falling prey to road accidents. It's heartening that no such accident took place in recent times. However, spotted deers are sighted on roads now and then. Something has to be done. Needless to say, dogs are the most neglected species when it comes to road safety. And roads seem to be the open air grounds to dispose dead animals. I'm not joking. I took extreme care not to step over a couple of cute kittens killed and thrown on the road. It was a bit tough, but I made sure that my shoe didn't lose its shine of polish.

Ringtones with a message

Conservationists can now make the message ring in the ears of those at the other end. Ringtones imitating the sounds of endangered species have been introduced recently, in a desperate attempt to create awareness about the dwindling number of these species which are in utmost danger. Imagine yourself listening to an African elephant or a Golden Lion Tamarin reminding you of its endangered status. Won't that be a wake up call?

Breaking News

People have started swearing about switching off the last bulb that keeps glowing. Should Edison be proud or humiliated, had he been living, is a question by itself. Energy-saving measures have taken a new dimension by striving to eliminate the incandescent light bulbs. The result anticipated is a less than 1 % cut in the amount of greenhouse gas contribution by the year 2012. Will the little drops ever make an ocean? Time will answer.

The Earth seems to be ripping apart, courtesy the deep fractures in the junction of the African and the Arabian tectonic plates, politically in Ethiopia. 60 m wide chasms are no small things.

And people have started celebrating green Valentine's day with a resolution of not using anything that caused global warming. What a sweet way to show your love to your beloved and mother Earth, at once!

Researchers made our faces twist by the revelation that the desk, computer, and drawers contain 400 times more bacteria and bugs than the average toilet seat. http://www.newscientist.com/blog/shortsharpscience/

Perhaps it's time we outsourced our sanity.
And the world goes on.

The Valentine's Hype

'What's special about Valentine's day?', I was wondering. I could see couples on bike much closer to each other than on any other day. 'I love you' cards were selling like hot cakes. Television and radio stations screamed “Love... Love... Love...” throughout the day. Seems flowers bloom as bouquets! Beaches were filled with sands of lovers. As people say, there was love in the air! Well, didn't people love each other all these days? What makes this day so special and lovely? Will St. Valentine be happy to see all these? To be frank, I don't know. But a little bit of thinking reveals that this day may be the one for the loved ones to get together. Stories of miraculous revival of relationships would suggest this. Can't it be on any other day? As Shakespeare puts it,

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet."

Everyday is Valentine's.
Keep loving!

Memories of Glittering Moments

"A perfect way to start the New Year, man!", Naveen remarked. I believed that I'd make it to the top ten in the writing task, but the second spot was a sweet shock. I was wondering why the English tutors literally 'boycotted' the activity. Anyway, my sincere thanks to them.

"You're the only person I know in the entire list of winners. So I'm not going without you", joked Rethna Ganesh. Once again I displayed my wretched punctuality. In my hurry, I spoiled the curry my cousin was trying to spoil. Thanks to Rethan for consuming it. He has always been a good friend of mine.

Getting down at Thiruvanmiyur, we searched for Naveen, only to find that he was not there. We recognized Mr. Abdur Rehman, who we have been torturing with our doubts during the training, and Kalai mam with her daughter. One more member was Shabana. Soon, Naveen joined us. Our journey started in an autorikshaw. The one who enjoyed the ride the most was the driver himself, as he could be seen nodding his head in tune with the rusty song of Rajinikanth. We were one of the groups that thronged the Dizzie World quite earlier. They tied a band which read 'VIP'. I thought it was a compliment for being early birds. Then I found out that everyone was wearing one around the wrist. Good start!

Time for confession. I've never been in a giant wheel or a roller coaster. I never revealed it to anyone. I occupied my place in the giant wheel ride and safely latched it and ... and...o my God! The giant wheel started rolling slowly. My stomach felt a dizzy feeling, not while going up but while coming down. I remembered how Dr. Ferguson, in the Jules Verne classic, "Five Weeks In a Balloon", helped Kennedy get rid of his fever by taking his balloon higher and higher where clean air could be breathed. I frantically swallowed some samples of air with the hope of getting rejuvenated.

The next ride was another merry-go-round, which took you around seated in an oblique position. I felt crazy when it seemed I was floating without any support. I managed a smile when the coach approached our friends who were watching me from the ground. I could realize why Rethan was seen with his lips locked so tightly and arms firmly holding the side bar. God! Who has the brake for this ride?

I never showed that I was a bit scared and felt dizzy, especially to Shabana, who seemed to be enjoying every moment. The next one was the Crazy Chairs where some fuzzy logic was at work. Intelligently, they had placed a wash basin to refresh yourself near the Crazy Chairs. I ran up to the wash basin and the rest is history.

All this time, Shabana and Naveen were harping on the adventure available in the roller coaster and something called Ranger. "Let's see!", I told Rethan. Mutual understanding? Roller Coaster was the first choice. They locked us with a seat belt. Mysteriously, the lock was in the rear, and you can't get yourself out even if you want to. I screamed when the roller coaster took me upside down. For the first time in life, I felt what 'shiver down your spine' is. For strange reasons, we wanted to have another trip. No wonder they call it the Dizzy World.

Shabana's favorite "The Ranger" was the one I really wanted to check out. This time the security was more sophisticated. We were literally locked in a rectangular cage. The operator was extremely calm. I wanted to shout at him, asking what the hell is scary in this worthless cage. The Ranger started swinging. People down were giving an impression like sending us off to an eternal journey. Who knows? We could even be in tomorrow's headlines! Each time the Ranger took us to the peak, I anxiously waited for it to get down. Who on earth would like to be left hanging upside down a hundred feet above the ground? When I wanted to pull the door up, get out and run screaming "I'd never get into that again!", something happened. Well, nothing happened. Everything came to a standstill. "Could it be a power-cut?", I asked Rethan. He was double scared. No words came from him. None would have come even if he had wished. They had stopped it for half a minute, leaving us hanging in an awkward position. At last, it seemed we understood what life is all about, but not exactly what it is.

We had a lunch, with laughter, partly thinking how fun it was, and partly due to a sort of relief. We went to the water sport area, and spent three good hours there. The only embarassment was the presence of some guys with their girlfriends. When we were out of water, Shabana gave us a shock asking "Shall we go for a ride in the ranger once again?" In particular, she wanted me to accompany her. When I was pretending to be searching for the trash, Rethan announced:"I'll come with you". They told us this time it was more scary, as the Ranger kept them hanging for a longer time.

Then we played some quick games, which none of us won. There was a stage on which anyone can dance. Naveen was the chief choreographer. Without our own knowledge, we had become the showmasters, and received occasional applause too! We had our money's worth, and something more than that. Well, what else can you expect in a day? Thank you TWWI!