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!

A close encounter with Swine(less)flu
Wife calls in the afternoon and says she has fever and headache. With lots of swine flu in paper, TV and streets, we rush to nearby hospital.

A notice at the hospital welcomes us saying Patients and attenders are requested to wear masks and mask is available in pharmacy at a concession cost of Rs 10!!!


Just Rs 10!!! per mask, that too at a concession cost, I wonder whats the current market rate, must be moving faster than Gold rate


So I buy two masks, wear it and join the mask club


Hospital gives a feel of an area affected by an epidemic

There is a helpline for Swine flu reporting

Wife's SMS, Fever 99.8, check up starts, I call up everyone who were with us last two three days and request to have a checkup


First time I am seeing these many people with masks!

Do's and Dont's of Swine flu



Finally Doctor declares "Its a normal flu, a swine (less)flu

Image of the week
Remembering a great nation as the now neighbours celebrate their Independence Day


Image of British Raj, Ashram Guest house, Pondicherry

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

The great Choco-tragedy
When I received GHIRARDELLI 'Masterpieces Collection', premium chocolate assortment from my wife, I did not expect, not even in my wildest dreams, the great tragedy that I was about to witness!

The cover was appealing if not appetizing!


With great excitement I opened the cover but the displaced catalog gave a hint of things to come!


The sight almost gave me a heart attack


Even though it was the best of premium chocolate assortment, the disfigured and weird shapes gave a bad taste

All out of shape and melted masterpieces!!!


The long journey from US had a great impact on Chocolates

Now I am waiting for another truly great GHIRARDELLI Masterpieces Collection, of course in good shapes

Image of the week

Power cuts are frequent in Chennai, but in broad day light around 5:30 p.m all street lights are on

The D and T dilemma

Malayalee often get confused with pronunciation and spelling, results in ‘temple’ becoming ‘temble’ and ‘Gulf’ ending up as ‘Gelf’.
Here he is confused with ‘Frond’ and ‘Front’. D gave way for T is clear

Goodbye!




Tribute to Legends in Music

Michael Jackson and D. K. Pattammal

Sangeetha restaurant, Adyar, Chennai

Blast from the past

Audio cassettes are slowing becoming things of past, thanks to CDs, MP3 players and ipods. Cassette covers were a great attraction. Some good old audio cassette covers

All time hit DDLJ


MKTA with JHANKAR BEATS


SRK's super hit




Rehman's Kadhal Desam


Am thinking of collecting audio cassette covers. I think its worth it.

Image of the week

Found this interesting hoarding of Mango FM, Malayala Manorama's FM channel. The signboard says "Aluva(a place near Ernakulam) is 4 songs away!!!

Image of the week
The self proclaimed "GOOD CARRIER". There is Some thing missing for sure!

Farewell of a different sort!
Final day in the office, you are asked to enter the creative room, all lights switched off, you enter, someone ask you to switch on the monitor, you switch it on and this appear



One by one all the monitors are switched on and same animated image running in all the monitors.Then you are asked to click on some link and a blog appears. The blog has poem, cartoon, sketch and farewell messages from your peers.
click here to see the blog

Then the cake arrives!



Indeed Farewell of a different sort!

Short film makers from Chennai!

Meet a bunch of young talented guys passionate about short films. They have already made half a dozen short films in different languages.


One of them was shortlisted for screening in recently concluded International documentary and short film festival of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.click here to view the film



Main crew includes Sajeesh, Karthikeyan, Arun, Alphonse Puthran, Pradeep Palar, Krishna Shankar and Shabareesh Varma.



Some of their films had well known film personalities like S.M Raju and S.V Shekhar.





They take subjects like ‘time’, cycle race, Mumbai terror attack.









Wishing them and their short films all the very best!

Image of the week


Signboard at Punganur Lake,Elagiri.Wish it had an inbuilt spell-checker

When you meet a Legend!
What will you do when you meet a Legend that too if the meeting is quiet unexpected? I tell you, you go through (not necessary display) a series of emotions, Surprise, disbelief, shocked, thrilled to name a few. On June 29th eve, I went through most of these.
This Monday I was at Landmark book store @ Numgambakkom High Road, to buy A.R.Rahman’s biography “The Musical storm”. I picked the book and as usual going through various sections. Suddenly I saw a very familiar face standing very next to me. First I could not believe my eyes (My post Lasik annual eye check up is due this Sep). Within seconds I recognized him. There he was standing, a Legend, “Padma Shri Kamal Haasan ” in a yellow Tee shirt and long shorts. I called up my brother, who is a big fan of Kamal and told him the news. I heard a big scream from the other end. I wanted to get his autograph, so started searching for a suitable book. I could not find any book on Kamal, surprising. Then I thought why don’t buy Mahatmaji’s Autobiography? But I was not sure about how he will react.

Then I realized that in ARR’s bio there was a picture of him with Rahman, I found that page, took a deep breath and walked towards him. He looked at me, I said ‘Hi’ he acknowledged and smiled. I showed him the page and requested for an autograph. He looked at the picture, presumably surprised he turned the cover to see the book. Then he wrote 'Love' and signed. I thanked him, he smiled again. I headed towards Bill counter and paid the bill, but I knew by that time the book was priceless!


Photo of Kamal with Rahman,autographed by Kamal Hassan