Workshop on Podcasting by Kiruba Shankar!

The concept of I'm bored! presented at recently concluded Idea Camp was quite interesting. Imagine you are bored or you have no clue about the exciting events happening in the city, what do you do?I'm Bored is supposed to be a website (read directory) where all these events / camps will be mentioned. So thought let me share something about an event that is going to happen in Chennai on July 4.

Kiruba Shankar is being doing Podcast show for quite a while. He has already interviewed many CXOs and celebrities in his show, Kiruba.tv. Now he is conducting a workshop on Podcasting. Nothing like learning the art from the best person around.

The Workshop will cover all the nuisances of Podcasting and is hands- on too, where the participants will be scripting, recording, editing and publishing their own Podcasts. Believe me, this workshop will be fun! Am eagerly looking forward to the event. For more details visit http://www.businessblogging.org/podcast

The Great Indian Premier League

Forget the film stars and multi billion franchisee deals. IPL is more than just Dance, Drums (Siva mani for CSK) and Drama. The festive feel around the stadium, (forget inside) adds more colour to the event.You see a different shades of the IPL outside the stadium, The IPL of the common man, where you find atleast 100 people of all ages selling 200 different items


As soon as I got out of Chepauk MRTS station, I was attached by a mob selling CSK flags!



Super Kings all the way and more flags on the way, boy selling CSK flags


More shops and items to come, CSK caps, T-shirts and Binoculars


Guy selling CSK headbands and devil's horns



This little fellow, all in yellow colours, selling desi clarinet


A mile long queue for IPL!


It took almost an hour to reach the entrance!


At last into the stands.

Human generated junk eaters of IIT

Sometime back, I had mentioned about the Human-generated-junk-eating-wonderful deers of IIT.

When there is no enough junk inside the campus or probably if there is too much of competition (not for creating the junk) these deers come out of the campus and my place (Kotturpuram) is quite near to the IIT.


So if you are anywhere near to the IIT, you will see these wonderful deers munching the garbage, what a sight huh?
Video of Deer eating Garbage!

A slideshow of statues of Chennai




To start with the statue of the last Maharaja of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma

The statue is at Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Adyar, Chennai.

Books books everywhere

Chennai book fair hangover made me visit Chennai most famous second hand book shop, one at Luz church road



He has a great customer base that includes former Indian President Dr. Abdul Kalam


Once you reach there, he will ask you what book you want, you say a topic he will show you where to search


Getting ready for the day.The owner organising the books



This is my pick, authorised bio of Prabhupada for Rs.30

And I am planning to visit again

Image of the week

Interesting signboard in front of the book stall at Ice house, Chennai where Swami Vivekananda stayed from 6th to 15th February 1897.

Image of the week
Thiru Vi Ka bridge, Adyar adjacent to old Elphinstone bridge.

The lions needed a facelift.

A park that is crying for help!
Last week I took my nephew and niece to the Government park in Kotturpuram,Chennai promising them lots of adventure. But the facilities there really spoiled our plans.



We found handicapped SEE-SAWs




The sliding thing's steel base have come out, if you slide, better get ready to have a tetanus injection






At last the only facility that was proper and was working was the swing,


but within five minutes of swinging, around half a dozen kids were impatiently waiting for their turn!

Two World Records at Symphony of Silver!

When my friend sent me an SMS about A Guinness World Record feat that happened in Chennai, I decided to go and have a look. The feat is showcased at Sukra Jewellery at Mylapore, Chennai, famous for Silver Jewellery, under the name “Symphony of Silver”.

Now about the feats

First one is "Largest Silver Sculpture, a Guitar", certified by Guinness World Records, UK


Made in 92.5 % pure sterling silver-hallmarked by B.I.S. It took 5700 man hours and 71 days to create this master piece


According to Mr. Nithin Kalkiraju, young CEO of Sukra Jewellery, the Guitar is a tribute to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Second World record on display is the “Largest Silver Clock”, a 7.33 feet Grand father Clock weighing more than 50 kgs.



It took 5350 man hours and 149 days to make this clock.


The boutique has various artifacts and jewellery, all hand made, from over 25 cities across India


The collection includes Harp shaped candle stand, traditional thread works


Antique finished pot, fruit bowls from Havelis of Rajasthan

Royal Indian jug, Indian tribal jewellery, jewel box and many more

Mr. Nithin Kalkiraju had a dream, to design the grandest boutique . At Sukra, he conducts a symphony in Silver and its worth many an applause

Roadside art!
Rajiv Gandhi road (OMR-Old Mahabalipuram road) is an ever bustling 8 lane road,constructed for meeting the ever increasing traffic congestion on the IT corridor.In 2006 the road was opened for public to use. There were lots of 'firsts' credited to this road. Instead of cutting trees, the usual procedure, around 150 trees were uprooted from the side and replanted on the centre of the road. This was the first 8 lane road in Chennai.


But one feature that created much excitement and appreciation among the public was the various art forms commissioned on either side of the road. Paintings on either side of a Highway was never seen before and was happening first time in India.
Now, Three years after the inauguration, I happened to see some changes that’s happening for this road.
The art (all oil paintings) on the left side (From Madhya Kailash) are made on temporary walls made of sheets. Most of the paintings are in bad state and may disappear in near future

Am not able to get this one, probably a sky scrapper?


Fish's mid portion missing!





One difference I noticed while comparing the paintings on both sides of the road was lots of animals/insects are featured on the left side!


Half of the painting missing, deforestation in painting also?


Contrary to this the various arts on the right side are made on concrete walls. There are 12 such art forms

1. Peacock, temple gopuram, Ganapathi and Lotuses, made of glass chip on Tidel park’s wall



2. Oil painting on the wall of M.G.R film city


3. Art( a family flying kites) made of metal pieces



4. Oil painting on the walls of Raja Muthiayah reserve lab



5. Modern art with wires and steel pieces


6. Oil painting of a tree, nicely incorporated into the building of Central Polytechnic College, Artist P.Selvakumar.


7. Sculpture in memory of Tsunami, artist- Sailesh



8. Painting on either side of Central institute of technology foundation stupa with Ashoka Chakra on the top


9. Sculptor(mother and child) by Asma Menon



10. Oil painting and glass chip



11. Modern art by steel pieces and painting on the walls of M.A Chidambaram college of nursing

Next time you drive on OMR have a look, its worth seeing!