I watched it day in and day out, just like the way I watched the sky above and the ground below.It was a part of my life. But never realized, that, unlike the sky and the earth, this tree will cease to exist, that too so soon!! A silent spectator, who participated in everything that happened in my house. A willing model who posed for my pictures. I know the critters that climbed this tree, the birds that perched atop..the regular one and the rare one..It was just a slender stick with a scanty green crown when I first saw it 4 years ago when we moved in here. But soon it spread its branches with rich green bunches and grew in to a young handsome tree. It survived the storm that year, (got uprooted and planted back) and evolved in to an adult tree with strong trunk. It grew day by day and I was amazed by the nature, which has made these plants that grow to enrich the earth with minimum/nil care. Within three years it has reached a height of nearly 20 m. And this summer it blossomed for the first time. It was a wonderful scene. The shocking red may flowers swaying amidst the light green lovely leaves was a treat to the eyes. Standing out in the balcony watching this tree by itself is an experience on its own I reckon.
And everything was short lived..like all good things come to end soon, this tree which is very vulnerable, got a blow yesterday from the sudden thunder storm and fell again. This time, it was not possible to replant it for it has broken off from the prime root. Four year old tree dying is very sad indeed...but in a city where mother earth is dear, such trees cannot survive, as they need a sprawling area to spread their shallow roots. Anyway, I am sure to cherish the pleasant time I had with this tree and going to miss it terribly in coming days.

This naughty lil guy is in my Mom's place, cared by my sis in law..he knows too many things for a cat!!..I often wonder if he is a human in the form of a cat...except that he cant speak, he behaves in such a way one would start believing him to be a human...he can recognize the cars, can sense what is going on inside the house, and can make out who is a guest et al..sis in law coaches children with extra classes, and he will sit amidst them with apt attention..like any other cat he always wants to show off his pride catch, be it a squirrel or rat..my bro detest him just like all men do, and he is smart enuf to avoid direct confrontation with my bro.The minute he sees my bro's car leaves the premises, he will come inside galloping. He will come inside running when he sees my car , and will rub against my feet up and down making different tones of meaaows, as if enquiring something.Yesterday he wasnt around when I came, but saw me in the terrace. He started calling meeaaow, and came, (can you believe) upstairs looking for me..I am not a great lover of cats, but then this guy is an exception, :)

This little birdie (think it is a Robin) was the one who greeted us first when we landed in Rome, on 3rd May 2008. Caught him/her when I was scanning the neighborhood of the hotel where we stayed. It was a pleasant evening and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the trip. The hotel was in a residential circle and there were lovely houses with spacious gardens around. This particular house which was next to the hotel compound had a huge lemon tree full of ripened fruits. The houses and well maintained gardens and neighborhood gave an inside view of the life style of the people of modern Rome.

வெயில் காலம் வந்தாலே மாங்காயும் வரும்.அதிலும் வீட்டில் மாங்காய் மரம் இருந்துவிட்டால் எல்லாம் மாங்காய் மயம் தான்.மாங்காய் பருப்பு,மாங்காய்/மாங்கொட்டை குழ்ம்பு என்று சகலமும் மாங்காய் சேர்த்து செய்யும் உணவு வகைகள் அதிகம் ....தஞ்சாவூர் திருச்சி ஜில்லா மக்கள் அதிகம் விரும்புவது இந்த வகை குழ்ம்பு.மிகவும் ருசியானது.புளி இல்லாமல்/கம்மியாக சேர்த்து செய்வதால் உடம்பிற்கும் நல்லது.
மாங்காய் குழ்ம்பு
தேவையான பொருட்கள்:
மாங்காய் : சிறியது(பெரிய எலுமிச்சை அளவு ) 4 அல்லது 5 (காய் அல்லது பாதி பழம்)
புளி : சிறிய நெல்லிக்காய் அளவு.
உப்பு : தேவைக்கு ஏற்ப
சாம்பார் பொடி : 2 மேஜைகரண்டி
தாளிக்க :கடுகு,வெந்தயம்,கருவேப்பிலை,சிவப்பு மிளகாய், பெருங்காயம்,
முதலில் மாங்காயை அலம்பி, கத்தியால் நாலு புறமும் கீறிகொள்ளவும்.முழுகும் வரை தண்ணீர் விட்டு 10 அல்லது 15 நிமிஷம் வேக விடவும்.பிறகு புளியை கரைத்து சேர்க்கவும்.உப்பு, சாம்பார் பொடி எல்லாவற்றையும் சேர்த்து நன்றாக கொதிக்க விடவும்.எல்லாம் சேர்ந்து 10 நிமிஷம் கொதித்ததும் கொஞ்சம் அரிசி மாவை ஒரு கரண்டி ஜலத்தில் கரைத்து கொட்டவும்.கடாயில் எண்ணை விட்டு
கடுகை போட்டு வெடித்ததும்,வெந்தயம் பெருங்காயம், சிவப்பு மிளகாய், கருவேப்பிலை சேர்த்து கொதிக்கும் குழஅம்பில் கொட்டவும்.சூடான சாதத்துடன் பரிமாறவும்.

General elections, India.

May 13th..well the curtains are down at last.And it is a shame my participation in the event was foiled by some faceless idiots who failed to keep my records properly.Yes I never got a chance to cast my vote.Not only me but the names of whole family as such were omitted from the voters list. We tried to include our names, but in vain.At least, we can be at peace, that, we aint responsible for any moron who is going to be in charge in the center.That is some kinda escapism I know.but then the scene here isnt any better.It is sad and true.The exit poll survey points towards a weak coalition Govt. again.And the real existing fact is that we have no proper head who can steer this biggest democratical country ahead.This present Govt has failed in many fronts.It is a wonder how they come back to people asking for support.More surprising fact is the memory of the people, which is so volatile and they do vote for them again! Still things are moving on..and this country is Indeed moving ahead and that too in a fast pace.
The ruling party has an edge over the other parties, in exercising some acts which can be defined as unruly.(hey, I can talk round and round a straight matter!!)It has been alleged that the voters were given cash for casting their vote,and many were given gift articles by the party workers who demanded they vote for the particular party.Our servant maid is from a nearby slum, where the ruling party has given a cash of rs.500 for each person to be loyal to the 'thalaivar'.
All the slum dwellers were given uniformly rs.500 to ensure they vote for them.Our driver, security, milkman all have made good money!!

April the 14th is Tamil new year day. But then in our state, the state of Tamilnadu, where the Tamils live, they are not s'ppose to celebrate it!!! as a new year..what a shame..and the worst part is that, so far nobody has raised any serious objection regarding the change of this age old custom/practice, social plus religious celebrations. The morons called politicians has declared one fine day that Jan 14th will be celebrated as new year. It has been celebrated as 'Sankaranthi' the harvest festival.The so called dravidian culture, claims it is tamilar thirunaal. And the clowns of the political party that is in charge of our state has decided that, it has to be the first day of the Tamil year. Just like that. Does it sound funny??.. well more to come.These individuals who changes things according to their whims and fancies are ignorant of the impact it will create to the future generations. A timeline , a calendar based on solar which has been created by our ancient scholars and been followed by the entire population of a nation, for centuries is being tampered. (the same day is the starting of many other new year, Kerala, Punjabi, Orissa, Assam, Manipur,Bengal etal..).I wonder if these clowns have enough proof to dispute the same. Even our Tamil literature has references to it.The custom of this celebration on this day as the starting of a new year,( Gregorian calendar April 14th), has been in practice since as early as 3rd century.All the temples which are under the religious endowment been advised to stop the age old custom of 'reading the Panchangam' on this day.And the diary published by the temple denoting the festivals and celebrations of the particular temple, has been modified, by omitting the tamil year, and introducing some new calendar called 'Valluvan' year!! Excellent.Let them try doing the same with the proceedings of a church or Masque. I bet these gutless empty heads will not even think about such things in their wildest dreams. More painful thing is that none of the TV channel referred the day as New year and none of the dailies, magazines wished the readers a 'Puthandu Vazthu'. Dinamalar was the only daily that published 'Puthandu vazthu'..as far as I have seen.
Anyway they cant stop the inviduals from celebrating the new year on April 14th...

Raja Ravi Varma

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An unexpected visit to Srirangam this week was memorable for me in many ways.one such memorable and unique experience was the visit to the SriRanganathan temple on the day next to vaikunta ekadasi, for the 'Muthangi' sevai of the lord and later watching the "Arayer Sevai". Though we could spend only a short time there, it was a pleasant experience with the Arayers dancing and singing the praise of the Lord.

The colorful head gears and shimmering silks worn by them made the scene rich and royal.I took a sneaky shot of the scene, for photographing the event is generally discouraged and I never enquired if it was prohibited. Would prefer a video recording, if permission granted in future.
The crowd management efficiency was very poor I observed, in the Ranganathan temple.Only during this time of the whole year , the maximum number of people visit this temple.And I am pretty sure, the officers must be knowing about the amount of traffic by experience.Yet not much has been done in organizing the extra floating population that swarms the premises.The squad that was employed inside the temple
.
was totally useless in directing the mass and regulating the intruders in the moving queue.Another disgusting thing was the backdoor entry of the so called VIPS.No doubt some privilege has to be given for the 'special' people who directly/indirectly serve the temple, and the government. But then it has to be fair.
The crowd was highly irritated when the movement was blocked to allow these special people through the exit.And they were not just few, but quite a lot.Still we managed the darshan after two and a half hour of waiting and after paying rs.50 per head ticket.Inside the temple in the sanctum sanctum, the condition was still worse
The 'goondas' manhandle the devotees, physically pushing them away, not allowing a glimpse of the lord. I was caught off guard, for I was not prepared for such kinda atrocity inside there.Sad after such an effort the main purpose was ruined by some faceless idiots.Anyway it was an experience of its own.Made a mental note that I shall never ever make a visit during this kinda special days.
On the other hand the trip to Gunaseelam was a pleasant one.The ride to the temple in the early morning as the sun was just rising was spectacular.

The Ayyan vaikaal was following us like a dear friend throughout the journey.The scenic beaut was beyond words.On the whole the trip was really enchanting for I got a chance to meet and mingle with many of my relatives whom I havent seen for ages.