London Diary:Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, London.



One Museum I was waiting to see in London was Madame Tussaud’s wax museum. Once you are inside the museum, you really get to know who is popular in people’s mind.




Hollywood gallery
When I entered this gallery I realized the power of media called Cinema! Film personalities (read actors) are the most popular among mortals. The feel was electrifying. Most of the people were in a state of frenzy.



I saw people screaming, dancing and weeping seeing their favourite star’s wax statue. If you want to take pics of them you need to have real patience (I had). It will take at least 5-10 mins to reach near the statutes and if you really lucky enough you can pose with them.


There are some exceptions to this.I found Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg in a corner.


Charlie Chaplin was far away mostly unnoticed!


Gallery of World leaders were relatively empty but found King and Queen still popular among visitors.



Madame Tussaud herself!


But the time spent inside the Museum was worth, where else one can find all these world famous personalities under the same roof?

Rosslyn Chapel “The Historic enigma”, Part 2

Rosslyn Chapel is famed for its carvings. Many of the Biblical are portrayed, with frequent reference to Knights Templar and Freemasonry. There are Pagan symbols also.

One of the interesting carving I found, connecting the famous “Apprentice Pillar and the other was “The trial of Wisdom of Biblical King Darius. The carving says

“Wine is strong, The King is stronger, Women are stronger still; but the truth conquers all”

Another one is the Seven Corporal works of mercy and seven deadly sins

1. Helping the needy

2. Clothing the naked

3. Looking after the sick

4. Visiting prisoners

5. Display Greed

6. Feeding hungry and

7. Burning the Dead


Seven Sins

1. Pride

2. Gluttony

3. Envy

4. Anger

5. Charity

6. Sloth and

7. Lust

I was little surprised to see Greed included in works of mercy and Charity considered as a sin but the priest cum Guide says the Greed is swapped with Charity, reminder of Good within Evil and Evil within Good.

There is also carving of so many plants inside the Chapel in that one plant carving was interesting and intriguing also. The plant was from the “New World” and the interesting things about this is that the carving was made almost a century before the famous discovery of New World by Columbus!

Priest asked me to stand in a place and look straight upwards, there was one spoke at the ceiling, pointed downwards. He said that people felt their energy level rising while standing at that particular point. Dan Brown in his book " Da Vinci code" has mentioned this place. As per the book " Holy Grail" is buried down under. I stood there for a while, waiting for something to happen.

Rosslyn Chapel “The Historic enigma”, Part 1

Rosslyn Chapel and the Perumthachans!

First time I heard about Rosslyn Chapel was from Dan Brown’s controversial novel “The Davinci Code”. In quest of the ‘Holy Grail’ Robert Landon at last reaches here in this Chapel. We (I and my wife) were lucky enough to see this “Historic enigma” (as per the tourist catalog) during our visit to Edinburgh.

Rosslyn Chapel is around 6 miles from Edinburgh. Photography is not allowed inside the Chapel as it is still used for weekly services. When Da Vinci code film crew came and asked for permission to shoot inside the chapel,the request was denied and the crew had to satisfy with a set.

The entrance, renovation happening


Anyway the priest, who happens to be the guide also, admitted that after the release of the book the number of tourists visiting the Chapel have increased manifold.




Chapel from the top


Apprentice’s Pillar
Once you enter the Chapel, you will see two magnificent pillars on either sides of the altar, one carved by the Master architect and the other by his “Apprentice”. The priest explained the interesting story behind the famous Apprentice Pillar.


The master architect after carving the first pillar ran out of ideas on how to carve the second pillar. He then set off for a world tour, almost for three years in order to get inspired, for new ideas to carve the second pillar but when he returned he saw a marvelous pillar erected, carved by his apprentice. Apprentice pillar has far more intriguing carvings and symbols than his master’s then tragedy happened. The master architect in fist of anger and jealousy killed the Apprentice who made the pillar; later Master was trialed and killed.

Now this story has a strange resemblance to another one from Kerala. Unlike the Master –Apprentice one it’s a Father-son story. Perumthachan, the father was a great architect who was responsible for many landmarks. Now his son also an architect became more popular. People started telling that the son was greater then the dad. The legend is that the jealous father murdered the son.
Priest cum the guide, also showed us the bust of the Master architect carved diagonally opposite to the Apprentice pillar. The priest said it’s the biggest punishment the master could get, to see the pillar made by his apprentice and repent, he is being doing that, I thought for the last several hundred years

With memories of perumthachans and the hapless Apprentice in our mind, we left Rosslyn Chapel.

Image of the week

Hotel highly advanced in Veg and Non Veg

Madras week- Day 5
Exhibition on rare aquatints, etchings and engravings!
Venue: Vennirul art gallery, Eldams Road, Chennai



Its an exhibition that shows the shapes of our various places(mostly from Kerala and Tamil Nadu) some 250-300 years back, nothing much.

Like,
Cochin on coast of Malabar in 1772,line engraving with etching


Cochin in 1665, that time a Dutch state,Still if you go to Fort Kochi, U can see glimpses of European life!



Cranganore, now Kannur in 1672, line engraving with etching



Calicut on coast of Malabar in 1772,line engraving with etching




Darbar of Raja of Travancore, engraved and etched!


Panorama of Madras in 1830!

So one full week with exhibitions. I think I will be alright by Weekend!

Image of the week

The grand old thirsty crow and water pot!


Courtesy, Beach@Pondycherry

Madras week- Day 4
Reminiscences of British Raj!

“The British left behind show”, an Indeco hotels initiative
Venue: Lalit kala Academy, Chennai


“Whether in India or Vancouover, these gentlemen officers were bent on preserving their identity as British subjects living abroad. Their empire was portable, and they took Britain with them wherever they went”
An interesting collection of Fans, Chairs of Madras Presidency, clocks, Kitchen utensils, Arms of the European Missionary, Machinery, Art, Artifacts and Articles.
Steve Borgia, Chairman & Managing Director, INDeco Leisure hotels, have been collecting these stuffs since he was 15.

Some of my favourites from the exhibition
English spray can


Cameras


The winds of British Raj, the kerosene fan,the twin blade fan and portable fan





The Colonial cycle


'The dorai power',sitting walking stick!


I was lucky enough to get a wonderful catalog of exhibits

Now the Steve Borgia Indian Heritage Museum strives to source, acquire, research and exhibit these objects for future generations.

The art of delighting a customer-the SMS way!

New SMS received from someone claiming they are ‘Happy2help’: Says, hello, Missed call information subscription (MCI) pack has been activated. Monthly rental is Rs.30. To deactivate SMS (the number).
Even before I react, one more SMS: Your subscription to MCI has been activated, now I have a doubt, when did I subscribe this facility?
I have seen the commercial announcing this wonderful idea, but do I really need this facility?
I SMS back asking to unsubscribe the MCI,

Another SMS, says the service will be deactivated within a maximum period of 5 hours
Within minutes comes one more update, service deactivated successfully, I am happy!
Now the interesting part and trickiest also,

As a service gesture, MCI service has been activated for your mobile no: FREE OF COST. This is FREE forever and NO CHARGES will be taken.
I remember Philip Kotler and his famous ‘Marketing Bible’ Customer delight is the quintessence of Marketing. I am delighted, still am awaiting month end bill!!!!

Madras week- Day 3
Photo Exhibition on Madras-Volgograd twin cities

Venue: Russian Cultural Centre,Alwarpet, Chennai


As soon as I entered the Russian centre, the security told me that the exhibition has not yet started. I read about the Exhibition in Hindu dated Aug 19. He asked me to leave my mobile number and promised that the coordinators will inform me once the exhibition is inaugurated. He then asked me to go to the reception and inquire, I did that and at last i reached this hall


Its a small but worth visiting exhibition that showcases the Mount Road of 1890


Then in 1907

Other places exhibited are The Central station, Mowbray's Road, Mylapore


Photos from city of Volgograd


Exhibition also features rare stamps and coins from Russia and India







Final coins of U.S.S.R is an interesting Exhibit



While coming out I wanted to tell the security to at least go and have a look at whats happening inside the centre

Madras Week, Day 2

The Archeology of the Madras region by Archeological Survey of India
Venue: Clive House

Imagine a case like this, with lots of expectation and excitement you go for something(read exhibition, in this context) but you end up dejected and disappointed!

The inscription on the building says Robert I Lord Clive lived in this building in the year 1753 Truly great in arms and council!


There is one Clive corner, an exhibition on Robert Clive's stay in Chennai.

The much awaited exhibition on Archeology of Madras region. If you are really keen on Paleolithic and Mesolithic ages( apparently I wasn't)its worth visiting this exhibition.



I think majority of people are not really interested to know what happened some 15000-10000 years ago in Chennai and near by places.I was the first visitor of the day. The broad smile on the face of the person at the counter gave an idea how popular are the Paleolithic and Mesolithic ages

Celebrating Madras
I am planning to visit interesting Exhibitions thats happening as part of the Madras week Celebration.

Day One of the 'Madras week'

Venue: Madras Terrace House,Royapettah
Event: Exhibition of vintage and classic lobby cards

Old Tamil film stills! Young Kamal and Rajini,



Last week Kamal Haasan celebrated 50 years as an Actor



MGR and Jayalalitha




Sivaji Ganeshan


I am sure people who love cinema, especially Tamil cinema would love this exhibition
Now looking forward to Day 2!!

In the times of Tambola!

Nowadays I am seriously into Tambola. For the past three weeks apart from reading TOI, am playing its Tambola also. But so far luck has not favoured me. I have not completed a ‘House’, always missed by at least 4-5 numbers.
And now I have serious doubts whether I will ever complete a house. I have my own reasons to think so
The rules are same. The game starts on every Sunday and go on till Saturday. There are 15 numbers and every day the paper announces 5 numbers. From Sunday till Wednesday, on an average I get 2-3 numbers. There is lot of excitement and hope at home. But towards weekend the numbers dry up and I end up losing by at least 4-5 numbers. I know this is the good old trick, to create excitement among readers, in the beginning you get lots of numbers and you can guess the end. I know the result but something happened in this whole process, I have become a Tambola addict.
Today is Sunday and I am busy playing fourth edition of Tambola, I have got 3 numbers

Krishna coming home


GOKULASHTAMI

As part of celebration, I am planning to read "Krishna, the man and his philosophy by Osho

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

The lions needed a facelift.