IndusLadies - Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) http://www.indusladies.com/forums This forum is for Non-fiction writings - personal anecdotes, private reflections or touching experiences in your life! en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:46:52 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.IndusLadies.com/forums/images/006/misc/rss.jpg IndusLadies - Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) http://www.indusladies.com/forums “ Neer enna periya idhuva?” - K. galatta 2 http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77811-neer-enna-periya-idhuva-k.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:46:06 GMT Dear All,
This post is a sequel to 'Kalyanaththil Galatta' posted earlier.
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/sn...l-galatta.html
Trust you would enjoy this as well.
Cheers!
Rrg


2nd episode - “Kalyanaththil Galatta”

1968 –
It was my cousin sister's (periamma’s daughter) marriage.
Just a couple of days prior to the marriage itself we came to know that the groom’s BIL (sister’s husband) may create a scene on the marriage day.
According to the informer’s news, it was the desire of the groom’s sister & BIL since long to marry off their elder daughter, Sundari, to the groom.
Somehow, neither the groom nor his mother showed any interest in that alliance but it was never openly discussed with Sundari’s parents.
With the result, fixing up the marriage with my cousin came as a shock to them. The infuriated father, in turn, was hell bent on creating a scene during the marriage.
Naturally our periamma’s family was worried. In order to manage the angry old man, I was nominated the ‘marker’ to shadow him from the moment of his landing in the marriage hall till departure with ‘Kattu sadam’, on the third day.

The marriage choultry had a couple of big halls, main hall for conducting marriage and the other one for meals.
There were only 3 rooms – one each for the bride’s & groom’s family, with the third one for keeping provisions etc for cooking. This was called the stores.
At night, all guests slept in the main hall only, on the thick big carpets spread for the occasion.
Just outside the hall, there were a row of bath rooms & lavatories for the common use of all guests.
Incase of early muhurthams, there used to be quite a competition for using these facilities.
There were no water heaters in the bath rooms. Anyone who required hot water for bathing need to collect & carry them in buckets from the kitchen only.
Getting hot water in the mornings was not that easy, as the cooks would always be busy cooking. One had to be influential - meaning a close relative of the bride or the groom.

The grooms party arrived by train in the early hours of the Janvasam day.
From our side, my periappa, self and two of my elder cousin brothers went to receive them.
At the Rly station itself, I was introduced to the groom’s party as the coordinator, who would hang around them for attending to any of their requirements.
Even though officially, I was supposed to be attending on all the relatives of the groom, the internal instructions to me were very specific – to hang around the old man through out the day and attend to his wishes without delay. Incase I suspect any problem brewing, I was to report to periappa's brother, who would take-over from then on.
By virtually being with groom’s party full time, I got friendly with Sundari – the oldman’s elder daughter.
She was about 23 or so, 6 years elder to me. We got along well.
From her I learnt that her father had a short fuse that could blow off even at slightest of provocations and during such times he could turn physical as well.
This was not a good news to me, as by nature I was a peace loving individual.
Be that as it may, I readied myself for any eventuality, for my cousin’s happiness.
The Janavasam day passed off without any issues.

On the marriage day morning SF (Sundari’s father) asked me to get two buckets of hot water from kitchen for taking bath.
I got them and placed inside a bathroom and called him over. I left the place to attend to some other work, once he went inside the bath room. But, when I went back after 10 minutes or so, I found SF standing outside the bathroom and shouting at the top of his voice.
It appeared that after my leaving the place, he changed his mind to use the toilet first. To his dismay, when he returned after answering the call of nature, the hot water buckets were empty. Somebody had already emptied them on themselves.
Our man was furious and thought it was deliberate. He was calling the unknown person names.
On seeing this, my mama (mother’s younger brother) intervened and asked him not to loose his cool for such small things and utter unparliamentary words.
Perhaps my mama was the culprit and the unparliamentary words directly hurt him.
I also tried telling SF that I would get two more buckets of hot water forthwith, but he was not prepared to listen. He brushed me aside and restarted his tirade.
When my mama once again intervened, he pushed him aside saying “ Neer enna periya idhuva?” – Are you a big ‘idhu’?
( In Tamil ‘idhu’ meant ‘it’. But wrt context, I suspect “idhu” meant much more than what it sounded).:rotfl
My mama, who was a GM in a major bank felt insulted. He returned the compliments by asking SF back, “Neer enna periya idhuva?”.
This ‘idhuva’ business was getting out of hand and I felt soon both of them would end up pulling each other’s ‘kudumi’. ( Neither had a ‘kudumi’. This is only a figure of speech. Infact both were as bald as a football ground.)
I could very well realize that SF was getting the opportunity he was all along looking for – to create a tension before the muhurtham, for whatever it was worth.

I rushed to the uncle – who was supposed to be the trouble shooter.
First, he asked me for a reconfirmation of the news I had confided in him the previous day. It was that my chiiti’s son, Subbu, was showing undue interest in Sundari, ever since he laid his eyes on her and that there was a semblance of reciprocation as well. I said that while I was clear about Subbu’s ‘vazhiyal’, Sundari also did not appear to lag far behind, as there were powerful arrows getting shot from both sides intermittently.
He asked me to take him to Sundari’s mother. She was half way through her dressing in groom’s room, but hurried out when I told her that it was a ‘head going’ matter. The uncle took only a couple of minutes speaking to her. Thereafter, the lady rushed out and semi-dragged her husband out of the battle front.
They went inside the store room & locked themselves in. The lady came out after 10 minutes or so and said everything was OK.
SF came out only after a few more minutes but there was no sign of his anger any more.
He was looking sheepish and went inside the bath room, had a cold water bath and went back silently.
The fight, which had all the makings of exploding into a major war between the parties, vanished without a trace.
There were no further issues.

Immediately after muhurtham, the trouble-shooter uncle kept his words by introducing Subbu’s parents to Sundari’s and brought up the topic of their marriage.
It was, by then, clear to every one who mattered that both the S’s were interested in each other.
Subbu took me aside and thanked me profusely for handling his matter very diplomatically. From Sundari’s side, her smile said it all.
Needless to mention that their marriage took place within the next couple of months, without any ‘Sambandhi Sandai’.
My bank mama, who was Subbu’s mama as well, was very much there busy helping in exchange of garlands during ‘oonjal’.
The way he and SF were joking together, nobody would suspect that they were calling each other ‘idhuva’ a few week’s earlier.
But for that fight, I do not think any one would have taken an interest to bring both the Ss together.
Come to think of it, if only SF had not changed his mind to go to toilet first, perhaps this marriage would not have taken place at all. :rotfl
"Vazhga Kaadhal; Valarga vayitru vali !"
Till the next episode, Subham.

Anbudan,
Rrg ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Rrg http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77811-neer-enna-periya-idhuva-k.html I Am Tickling Your Funny Bones http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77796-i-am-tickling-your-funny.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:12:39 GMT Yes, people. I know, I know. Email forwards are not considered magnum opus in Blogdom. And I very rarely do it. But a very favourite uncle of mine forwarded this to me. It made me giggle infectiously, and since it is Swine Flu season, I 'll pass on the infectious laughter as the best medicine! So read, smile, chuckle, giggle, laugh, guffaw or what you will. These are priceless.

CREATIVE PUNS FOR EDUCATED MINDS

1. The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference . He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

6. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

7. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

8. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

9. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.
10.Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. Don't join dangerous cults: Practice safe sects!

12. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

13. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, "You stay here; I'll go on a head."

14. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

15. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: "Keep off the Grass."

16. A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, "No change yet."

17. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

19. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

20. The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

21. A backward poet writes inverse.

22. In democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

23. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.



Aren’t they just lovely? I am really glad I broke my own rules of blogging!


]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) twinsmom http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77796-i-am-tickling-your-funny.html Me,Koda, and the Bank http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77761-me-koda-and-the-bank.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:09:50 GMT We have all been reading about Koda’s 4000 crore scam.What caught my eye, was the reports that in a few months time, Koda and his cronies deposited...]]>
Me,Koda, and the Bank



We have all been reading about Koda’s 4000 crore scam.What caught my eye, was the reports that in a few months time, Koda and his cronies deposited cash worth 600 crores in a Mumbai Bank, Union Bank of India, Kalbadevi Branch ,Cotton Exchange, Mumbai.


What is surprising is that such a large transaction of money in cash, was not reported to the Income Tax authoritites at all, where as on a single day, any cash deposits of 50,000 or more is reported to the RBI and the Income Tax in routine.


HarshadMehta needed a suitcase to take a crore of Rupees and allegedly give Narasimha Rao, so even if 50 crores were deposited in one go at the bank, would need a Mini Truck to transport the money, and the Cartoons of Cash, would have been seen by the employees of the Bank, and the other customers present, wondering what is all this.Even with the money counting machines, it must have taken the whole day to count the money, and all other work in the Bank must have come to a stall.


They say secret can be kept between two people only, but here the secret was kept between so many employees of the Bank, and the customers who must have asked the Cashier, whose money he is counting.



This same Bank, brought back memories of the days gone by, rather decades gone by.This is the same branch that my Dad first opened his Current Account, way back in 1965, when for the first time he started his own export business with a 200/- Capital.Dad had a rented office at Kalbadevi and this was the closest Bank This association continued for the next 50 years.And out of the thousands of branches of Banks in Mumbai, Koda had to choose this branch !


I joined Dad in 72in office, and being a trainee used to love to go with the office boy outdoor, to Customs when our goods were exported, and to the Union Bank, to learn what finance is all about. And slowly I learnt the ropes, which come in use even today to me.


When Dad started, money was scarce. The buyer in New York and germany were my Uncles, Dad’s younger brothers, the orders huge, but we had no money on hand.Dad had pawned his mothers bangles and a chain to start exports. The first manager Dad interacted with at Union Bank was one Mr.Patel, who later on became a family friend, and the association still continues with patel and his family.

He was the one who approved the Limits for our export Company, Dad had nothing to put as collateral, the house was rented so was the office. Those days Limits were hard to get sanctioned, but Mr.Patel put his job on the line to approve the limit to Dad, which was of a very big help and a lifeline to Dad, a favour which Dad never forgot, and slowly Dad’s exports took off, and soon we bought our own office in Lower Parel, which is still there, and the Worli Home.


For my wedding , the whole staff of Union Bank was invited, and the day after the wedding We had a party for the Union Bank staff, and they were around a dozen of them.We invited them home, Dad told me to get 5 kg Fried Koliwada Fish, as Mom and Harsha the new one Day old Vegetarian Bride, cooked some veggies, Rice, and with booze flowing, and every Bank fellow singing his favourite song of the days gone by, the party was a blast.


A few of them staying at Dadar, and nearby areas got real drunk, and I had to go and drop them home in a taxi, and next morning we had to catch our flight to banglore for the honeymoon.


Then the staff was damn good, from the Manager to the lower cadre, and very respectful to me in the Bank, a cup of tea and a sandwitch always offered, and now I am surprised to see the change in their attitude to the Koda’s of today.Maybe money talks these days more than relations.


Those were the Days !



KAMAL MAHTANI

Wife – I think u are having illicit relations with Rita.
Husband – This is all bull****.What makes u say that ?
Wife – Yesterday when Rita’s hubby came home, he was wearing your underwear !!!

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In Sholay the movie, the toughest punishment given was to Tahkur.Gabbar cut his hands off and killed his wife too.

Some say Ramlal suffered the most. ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Kamalji http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77761-me-koda-and-the-bank.html Present children get the best http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77646-present-children-get-the-best.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:35:55 GMT Working mothers require their parents help or in law's help to take care of their children when they go to work. Some of them get only two or three months or even less than that leave after their delivery. Leaving the baby and going to work is very difficult . I have gone through that phase so I can understand their problems.

Now a days some parents or parents in law dont want to take the responsibility of taking care of their grandchildren, whereas some do it willingly, for them it is a pleasure to look after grandkids. Grandmothers have more patience than the mothers to take care of the baby. After being a mother only she becomes a grandmother.
Olden times there was not much facility so bringing up children was very difficult. Now all the facilities are there, previously hot water had to be boiled for giving bath to the chidlren, now a days Geyser is there. Many have oven to warm the milk and food at any time. Night no changing of napkins as Diaper is put and the baby sleeps well.
If they are given good food in the night , children dont get up in night much and they have good sleep.

Present mothers have to face many challenges and they want their children to be the best. So they are very strict with the children.
But grandmothers have soft corners for the grandkids and they think with love and affection the children can be brought up. Now a days children also understand everything fast and learn everything. Though the grandmothers take care of the grandkid whole day when the mother goes to work , after the mother comes back home, the child needs the mother. Only in some cases the children are more attached to the grandmother. ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) iyerviji http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77646-present-children-get-the-best.html Dog dog chase http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77431-dog-dog-chase.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:37:39 GMT YES,DOGS ,dogs I love them.Yet they have always given a chase of my life several times. One such incident happened when I was in the 3rd standard.It was 3 in the afternoon and I was returning home from school.Adoctor lived in the road next road to ours and he had ana alastian.As I was walking past... YES,DOGS ,dogs I love them.Yet they have always given a chase of my life several times.
One such incident happened when I was in the 3rd standard.It was 3 in the afternoon and I was returning home from school.Adoctor lived in the road next road to ours and he had ana alastian.As I was walking past the house I found the gate ajar and no one was around.Suddenly the dog came from the blue running towards me.I was scared to the core and I started running.I ran and ran and finally got into my brother's friend's house and locked the gate.Only his grandma was at home.I stayed in their house for several hours as the dog was hovering around.Then managed to slip home.
One day myself and my sister went to my friend's place who lived couple of streets.We were playing till it became dark.Finally my friends parents insisted that my friend,her servant and dogs accompany us home.There were not much street lights .Suddenly from one of houses,an alastian jumped over the gate towards us .It was eyeing the 2 dogs one was a black pom and another one was white pom.We were all busy shooing the big alastian.The white pom went and hid underneath a small dry ditch.The alastaian tried to get at it but could not and kept barking.My friend was holding the black small pom.She was wearing a black skirt and was holding to the little one tight.So in the dark it could not differentiate.So it just kept barking.Luckily for us ,the owner came out and called .So away it ran.We managed to rescue the other one from the ditch and went home.
We went to Kodai once for holidays.After relaxing,I decided to take the children home for a play in the hotel gardens.They were playing on the jungle gym.I was standing and watching.Suddenly couple of street dogs came by. I got scared as usual and literally climbed on the jungle gym,scared stiff.That time some hotel staff came that way and chased away the dogs.I felt really ashamed.
The following year we went to Kodai again and I was chased by a bunch of street dogs again when I went for a walk.
Lo,there was a bunch of dogs underneath the bench were I sat in a park when I went to Yercaud after 2 years.I managed to keep cool for several hours.
After several incidents,I have atlast managed to keep cool after dog dog chase.
After so many incidents ,I have really learnt to
So I now learnt to tackle dog c ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) kanaka Raghavan http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77431-dog-dog-chase.html “Kalyanaththil Galatta” http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77419-kalyanaththil-galatta.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:57:43 GMT It was a love marriage. The bride & groom were colleagues, known to each other for a...]]> “Kalyanaththil Galatta” (KG) - Yes, I have seen many KGs but nothing as bizarre as the one below.

It was a love marriage.
The bride & groom were colleagues, known to each other for a few years.
After much opposition from bride’s parents, the marriage had got fixed at a very short notice, mainly through the initiative of the groom’s mami.
All arrangements for the marriage, including the mandap, pundit etc were made by the groom himself.
I was attending the marriage on the invitation of the bride’s father, my colleague.
Both the parties had agreed to make the marriage a simple affair – only the Muhurtham portion, followed by lunch.
There were about 50 of us, very close friends & relatives from both side.
All were ready, including the groom, waiting for the bride to finish dressing and turn up for the ‘thali mudiyal’.
It was taking some time.

Perhaps to keep the conversation going, my friend asked the groom whether he had made any arrangements for getting the marriage registered as well.
At this, the boy’s father, who had a grudge against my friend for his initial opposition to the marriage, reacted sharply as to how he (my friend) was concerned about registration etc, when he was not even concerned about the marriage all long.
I felt that this remark was certainly uncalled for.
Even before I could react to defuse the tension, as ill luck could have it, the bride who was approaching the dais, heard the remark. She stopped short and started shouting at the groom that his father’s remark was unacceptable and that he must apologise forthwith to her father. She refused to come to the dais till then.
The groom, supporting his dad, shouted back that his father was compelled to utter such words only due to non-cooperation of her dad all along.
He demanded the bride to apologise to his father for her remarks.
There was utter confusion with the bride & groom further raising their voices at each other, both threatening to stop the marriage, unless the other side apologised.
However, as the muhurtham period was passing, saner counsel prevailed on both the parents and they tried to calm down their respective off-spring.

But, this unexpected shouting match scared the pundit so badly that he just ran away from the dais.
Perhaps, he suspected some coercion in the marriage and was keen on staying away from any complications.
Seeing the pundit running towards the gate of the mandap, the groom’s father ran after him, calling on others also to catch hold of him.
It was a scene, about ten of the guests chasing the pundit in the street. But, he was too fast, more so as he was running bare foot, leaving even his slippers behind in the mandap itself. Also, that he knew the area and the by-lanes very well worked to his advantage. He just disappeared.

By the time groom’s father and others returned after the chase, the muhurtham period was already over.
So were the heated exchanges between the boy & the girl.
Groom’s father felt bad that it was his remark that had caused such a mess and apologised to my friend.
The bride also profusely apologised and so did the groom.
Every one who mattered was seen apologising to every other one who mattered.
After exchanging the apologies, people did not know what to do next, as the muhurtham period had passed.
Finally, priest or no priest, it was decided to go ahead with tying the thali, to be further solemnised by registering the marriage at the earliest.
It was then that we realized, in the melee, the nagawaram party had also vanished.
We all clapped hands in lieu of ‘Getti Melam’.
After lunch, it was pleasing to watch both fathers going together, for getting the marriage registered without delay.

All said and done, I was quite impressed with the priest.
In one simple stroke he not only saved himself but also ensured bringing the warring families together. But for his timely decision to run away from the scene, perhaps the marriage might not have taken place at all. :rotfl
Needless to mention, the reception held after a week or so, was a grand affair and there was great bonhomie between both the parties.

I would revert with my next episode of KG soon.
Till then,
Anbudan,
Rrg.
 ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Rrg http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77419-kalyanaththil-galatta.html One smile can start a relationship http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77405-one-smile-can-start-relationship.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:23:31 GMT One seed can create a forest. One smile can start a relationship,one touch can show love and careand one relation can bring meaning to life.

My granddaughter Gopika's smile when I held her first time in my hand and her touch brought new relation to us. Before going to see her I was thinking how the baby will be, whether I will like the baby or not. So many thoughts were in my mind. Since my daughter and son in law were abroad they entrusted the job of bringing Gopika home to us. My husband was sure that he will like the baby and he already kept the name Gopika for her. He kept that name because my son in law's name is Gopalakrishnan and my daughter's name Priya, so Gopika. Also my daughter has her grandmother's name Gomathi. From that day our life changed and till today I am entriely in a different world. God heard my prayers and instead of one grand kid He gave two grandkids at the same time with a difference of only four days.

Both are so cute and we forget all our worries in their lovely smile and different acitivities everyday. Now a days children understand everything and we cant tell anything against them at this ageonly.
Since Gopika is with us she is very attached to me. Today I am getting time to write here. From next week I will become more busy as my daughter is going to Dubai as she has some important work.
Everyone is telling me to keep someone to help me but actually if you see there is not much job , simply we have to pay the person who will come to look after. Now a days they demand also too much. Mainly I dont want to keep a person because I am not so good in taking work from others. Thats why some people take me for granted.

Pratima likes music and has started walking now a bit and standing she will dance. So I told my daughter teach her dance when she is one year only as dont know how long we will be there. When someone sings she will put thalam and enjoy the music and shewill also sing ah ah. Pratima does south indian dance and Gopika is trying to do North Indian dance though her legs are not so strong as Pratima. Gopika sits putting her legs behind and tries to dance , so when she does not have proper balance she will fall down. She will stand holding the sofa with one hand and with the other hand she will hold something and go on putting it down and take it. That is way of playing. She does not sit and play. So someone has to be with her always. ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) iyerviji http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77405-one-smile-can-start-relationship.html Juvenile court and student jurors http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77401-juvenile-court-and-student-jurors.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:02:32 GMT During my visit to US I came to know that students were invited to juvenile court and some of them were selected as jurors by the presiding judge. My grandson was selected...]]>
Juvenile court and student jurors

During my visit to US I came to know that students were invited to juvenile court and some of them were selected as jurors by the presiding judge. My grandson was selected from his school to attend the same. He attended a juvenile court where three cases were taken up. He attended all three and he had told me about one case. The judge selects the students randomly and they are sworn in. My grandson said that twelve boys were selected as jurors.
This was a case of a teen age boy whose playful activity led him to be nabbed by the cops. During winter when roads were covered with snow this boy picked up ice blocks and threw them at passing cars. One person whose car was hit called the cops. The cops picked up the boy and filed a case.
After the presentation of the case the peers are allowed to question the accused. In this case the questions framed by the juvenile jurors like this:
1. Was the accused ever arrested before for any offense?
2. Did he try to run away from the scene when the cops came?
3. Did he damage any of the cars which he hit?
4. Did he cause accident by hitting the car with ice chunk?
5. Did he regret now for what he had done?

When the jurors finished their questioning they were asked to go to a separate room and to discuss among themselves and to give the judgment. But they were provided with a guideline and a list of punishment to choose.
As this boy was a first time offender and he had accepted his misdeed and also apologized he was asked to narrate the incident in writing and also to write an imposition saying that he would not indulge in such activities in future which will jeopardize the safety of road users and was let off with a warning.
This is how a peer court works in US for juvenile offenders which give an insight to the judicial system to the younger generation.
It seems a good idea :idea involving children who will be the future citizens of the country. It gives them exposure to judicial system.
I wanted to share this with you all. I’ll be glad to know your views on this matter.
Love,
PS

]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Pushpavalli Srinivasan http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77401-juvenile-court-and-student-jurors.html Juvenile court and student jurors http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77395-juvenile-court-and-student-jurors.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:11:59 GMT duplicate entry deleted duplicate entry deleted ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Pushpavalli Srinivasan http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77395-juvenile-court-and-student-jurors.html To Pee or Not To Pee http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77388-to-pee-or-not-pee.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:46:13 GMT To Pee or Not to Pee ( Ladies I warn u, better if u don’t read, and no complaints if u don’t comment, but please don’t complain to me .this is my sincere request) Something Shakesphere wrote, similar “ To be or Not to Be, is the question”, here the question is , when u feel the...
To Pee or Not to Pee



( Ladies I warn u, better if u don’t read, and no complaints if u don’t comment, but please don’t complain to me .this is my sincere request)


Something Shakesphere wrote, similar “ To be or Not to Be, is the question”, here the question is , when u feel the call of nature, and u cant see a public toilet when u are outdoors, Do u Pee or let your bladder burst. But this applies to men, not women, I will tell u why.


I speak of Indian and maybe other asian countries, where men are like dogs, dogs see a pole, and feel the urge to lift their leg and relieve themselves, same with mem they see a wall , and urge to purge becomes a necessity !


Well that is why I was surprised to read yesterday, about Britan, that educated country whom I admire very much for their sense and culture, our one time Rulers, advising their citizens to in fact pee in the open, over trees and shrubs, as it is good for the grass and the plants. And also everytime u use the flush at your home, it flushes out 4 to 6 litres of water, which could be saved if u pee in the open.


Well I have been guilty of doing this since a long long time, and I used to feel guilty of the same, but now I realize that I am doing a yeoman service to nature, if the Britishers say so, it must be true.And I do deserve a Bharat Ratna for my services !!!


Jaipur is good that way, see any wall, just stop yr car, and if u see the wall wet, u know there have been many travelers before u, sorry many peers before u, if that is the right word to use.Mumbai u cant pee anywhere, and Sulabhs are not to be seen for miles around, and it is terrible really to find a place to relieve yourself.


In the olden days, the best place was the cinema halls, just buy the cheapest ticket at 5/- of Metro Cinema, or Strand or wherever u were then, go in, relieve yourself , and come out and sell back the ticket , and u are decently done.Or bribe the gatekeeper, give him a buck, yes just 1/- those days, and tell him yr dirty secret, and he will let u go in, with a smile on his face. And I had no qualms in entering even Five Stars like Taj or Oberoi, and just head for the loo.


But now restaurants are getting smart.Bhabhi just went to Spain a few months back for her orders and she entered a bar, as they wanted to go to the Restrooms( yes that is what they are called there, I suppose people find it better to rest there than their own homes) , but the owner had another idea.Now they have their counter in front and u have to pass the counter to use the loo, and they force u to order a drink, pay for it, before u use the loo ! Mercenaries eh ! We Indians are so much better, we don’t profit from your pee’s


Harsha and kids had gone to London, where her sister stays, and she took them to the mother of all stores Harrods, where they wanted to use the Restroom.The person at the gate of the RR stopped them, and told them it will cost them 3 pounds to use the RR ( that is close to 250/- just to use it eh ! ) Or he told them, go to the cafetareria and buy a coffee coupon for 3 pounds, and they could use the RR for free, which they did.So either the coffee came free, or the pee, I am not sure, u readers enlighten me please.

Australia a few years back, suggested to have bath in pairs to save water, meaning boyfriends and girlfriends have bath together, to save water.Well I am game for it , but first I have to fiend a girl friend, and then Harsha has to give me the permission.


So dear friends, do your best for the enviorment and nature, and please save water in the flushes, and do your bit , so do your nature in the nature, these are some wise words, not from me, but from the Gora Guys !!!!


KAMAL MAHTANI ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Kamalji http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77388-to-pee-or-not-pee.html These thoughts..that age? http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77344-these-thoughts-that-age.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:40 GMT Dear friends,

Wondering what are those thoughts, isn't it!

Last week, I was talking to one of my friends. He is in the 20s. He told me, "Akka, (virtual sister!) pray for me, I am getting into small small accidents nowadays and that Sani Bhagavan is in his peak at this time for me. I said ok..and suggested some slokas so that he can be at peace.

After a moment of pause, he told me, "Akka, I strongly believe that our Kula Deivam is the only one, who is the sole proprietor of our life and I hear His slogams and mantras everyday". By saying this he smoothly refused my suggestions..No problem with me. I replied to him, "your faith will keep you safe, don't worry".
After talking to him, many thoughts were running through my mind. One of them is..did I have this faith in Him at that age of mine..:hide:

Now the next incident...while we were praying during the Aarthi at our house, I asked my elder daughter, "Did you pray to Him?" To which she replied, "Amma, why should I pray, He knows what to give, why we should ask for it?" It was like :bonk to me and after a pause, I told her, "maybe don't pray or ask anything for you, atleast pray for others" ( I should have the last word, isn't it! :biggrin2:)

Did I think like this at her age? shakehead

When we went to a shop to buy the bouquet, the lady-in-charge miscalculated or shall I say, under-calculated the price and returned the change, to which my second daughter, said, "Madam, is this not the price for the flowers we bought?" That lady was happy and told my daughter, "you would be duly rewarded for your honesty". I was very happy to hear those words.
Did I react that way at that age? ( I never even accompanied my mother to the store is yet another story :crazy)

Nowadays, my son, is so much concerned about the melting of the Glaciers, fears about the return of the Great Depression, thinking how to make the planet Earth green, reading the Nutrition labels to find out how much sugar or fat is in that and avoiding it! :thumbsup

Did I do that at that age...:rantI never even thought about those things..but I was in my own different dream world..:biglaugh

Wondering how come, these thoughts don't run through my mind even at this age :bonk.

As I am still in my own different world..:biglaughit is no wonder that these thoughts still couldn't find a place in my world.

Sriniketan ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Sriniketan http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77344-these-thoughts-that-age.html Whom to Blame? http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77317-whom-to-blame.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:32:30 GMT It was great day for the people around there as it is the place which decides our future and can enjoy the most in life time. Yes it was college day. In those days, girls feel shy to talk with guys and guys wanted to talk to girls but feeling someone will comment they keep Quit. Somehow after few... It was great day for the people around there as it is the place which decides our future and can enjoy the most in life time. Yes it was college day. In those days, girls feel shy to talk with guys and guys wanted to talk to girls but feeling someone will comment they keep Quit. Somehow after few days, everyone become normal and the days pass by guys comment on girls and want girls to do their assignment , lad exercises , which is a king of raging inside the class room which become common and normal. But it was one form of teambuilding activity which builds the friendship and it becomes part of enjoyment. No one feels degraded. With number of girls in the classroom one girl was very much noticeable due to her smile and innocents behavior. She trusts all, she loves all, she wanted to help all, and she never even think hurting others by any of her action. The innocent queen name is Vino.

She does others assignment, she talks with everyone with same mindset. But many used her to do their work and guys tease her as elephant (she looks little bulky). She never feels for any comments. She had a lovely family: father, mother, younger sister and her pet dog. They love her like anything; she is a queen for them. Even with less income to the family they give their best to their daughter and if there are any functions or trip in college her mother packed snacks and flowers to all girls in our class. She often brings food to hostel girls who will finish the Tiffin box in the morning session itself. As nothing can stop the time running the 3 years of enjoyment came to a halt. Everyone walked out with lot of dreams and we always think to meet everyone some time later in our life. I got a chance to meet her again in the place where I got my job after few years. I was very happy to see her after so many years and heard from her that with lots of efforts she got her job which is an irrelevant one to her studies and somehow she wanted to earn for the family. By now her sister to finished her studies and came to the same city and found some job. Both were staying together and working for family needs. I become a frequent visitor to their home on weekends. Soon time ran and I was struck with my other works and I couldn’t able to visit her for few months. She and her sister moved to their own town and found some teaching job there. So I never got a chance to meet her again.

After 2 years I got a call from one of my college friend saying “A bad news for us; Vino is no more; we lost her due to some disease” I couldn’t even describe my state then. I don’t know how long I was like that I came to normal only when my colleague disturbed me who came to my place for asking something. Later that day, I called several friends to find out, what has happened to her.

Our Queen was affected with Hepatisis B for more than one year, even with the minimal income their parents took several loans to treat her in well known hospitals and taken her for kerala treatments. But none has worked out. They believed that someone did some black magic to her and they hade taken out few of those from their house finally after long treatment to her, with full hope doctors said she will be alright; you can take her to home and just come for regular checkup. The very next day morning she was asking for water and fallen on her dad’s lap within seconds our queen was taken by angels from heaven with them. Could not even imagine how her parents might have felt, their parents felt the black magic was not removed completely which might be the cause of their daughters death.

Whom to blame, the doctor, parents or the black magic? One life is gone. ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) born2vin http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77317-whom-to-blame.html The best birthday I have had… http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77293-best-birthday-i-have-had.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:14:35 GMT The best birthday I have had…

Last week I celebrated my birthday. Probably, as is apt for my age I should have just shrugged it off non chalantly ,treating it as any other day in my life but oh no, Not me. Because, when it comes to birthdays I am not at all like a mature and serious lady in her forties but a small excited girl thinking of her "HAPPY birthday" .The only thing that has changed is that I do not mind not receiving any presents any more or about close friends forgetting to wish me but am happy with just the day being enjoyably different.

The day began with my dd calling up at midnight to wish me. This is a habit (annoying or endearing, I have not been able to decide) that she has picked up from her hostel life, to wake up the sleeping and gushingly inform them that all is pink and rosy in the outside world that they are presently dead to. She wished me and heartily laughed that her father had already started snoring and that she was the first .I listened to her happy voice for ten minutes and that was my first present. Then hubby dear woke me up with wishes and "oh my god "surprise of all surprises, my morning cuppa. Now all those who know me well, know that the kitchen is entirely my domain My dh, has smartly got on with life saying that nobody cooks or even makes tea like me. Our day usually begins with dh going for his morning walk. I love that extra 15 minutes of sleep and am ready with our tea by the time he returns and we have it in our balcony. Well, for my second present, I had the pleasure of going directly to the balcony. Then we went out for breakfast simply because I was getting used to the idea of doing nothing, so fast.

As usual I had the whole day to myself and as is my usual practise began the day with music by M.S. Today I would listen only to my favourites, not any song, I decided( Bhaja govindam, kurai onnum illai, and Bhavayami ) I just sat and listened to music the whole day without it just being a background score. Then followed it with hindi songs.. All the hits from my times…..ankhiyon ke jharokho se, Abhimaan, Aradhana ,Madhumati. I was humming along and having the greatest time of my life.

I indulged in a nice oil bath and had my favourite lunch of vethakuzhambu and kutty potatoes which took me exactly twenty minutes to prepare. Assuring myself that it was too simple a birthday lunch , I treated myself to two Fererro Rochers .In the afternoon,I completed the Grisham novel that I was reading and at 4 I went by myself to the mall to visit an exhibition on interiors and household items, a topic which interests only me in the house. I stress on "all by myself "because generally I am a person who needs company even to watch TV or during meals. I should learn to enjoy my own company, I decided. After that I was met by my dh and dd and we went on our customary trips to the temple, the orphanage and wound up the day with a sumptuous dinner and the movie "2012" on the night show. There is some childlike joy in watching a premiere show of a much talked about movie, and that too when we are sure that we will not get tickets for the same.

This was a complete birthday with nothing planned before ,no splurging party with friends, no presents ( oh yes my dearest daughter did get me an eye pencil…mainly because I used to share hers and ever since she left for hostel I had not even bothered to get one for myself) and yet I had the most enjoyable time.

One of the many things that I have truly learnt with age is that most of life's joys are within us to enjoy. It is fun to follow the heart once in a while and do the things one likes instead of our daily fixed routine. Also most of life's joys come in the simplest of things. I felt happy with wishes from some of my dear friends and relatives. Most importantly I was not bugged when a very close friend, whose birthdays I have always remembered and called to wish, called up just to brag about her recent holiday. After half an hour she paused to casually enquire whether everything was fine at my end when I cheerfully told her that it was my birthday and she could wish me. Now don’t I deserve a pat in my back for that? Haven't I truly" grown up" at last? ]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Mindian http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77293-best-birthday-i-have-had.html Face Book http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77197-face-book.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:48:41 GMT So many people are addicted to Face Book. Anyone who is something must be registered there.And there are no people with false names , but their own, for u are looking to interact with relatives and friends, and long lost Friends...]]>
Face Book



So many people are addicted to Face Book. Anyone who is something must be registered there.And there are no people with false names , but their own, for u are looking to interact with relatives and friends, and long lost Friends and cousins.
.


Harsha too has got used to it, and keeps updated with her nieces and nephews, and my daughters on it.When I open my computer, Face Book is one of the pages I open, and just glance at who has written what on my wall.And some things amuse me no end.There is this far away cousin of mine, married , myage, and her pet dialogue is “ Jai Shree Ram”, and then she will describe, that tomorrow she is going to X country, and after 2 days she is going to Y. Arre Baba, who is interested ?


My elder daughter told us a few months back, that one of my cousin’s daughter, has changed her status from Married, to Single to Divorced, and yesterday came the news that they have divorced officially.


Another cousin, married last few years, has changed his status to Single from married, and now to “ Looking for Friends to gel with “, and we know his marriage is in trouble.His wife too has changed her status to Single. I can never understand why do u want to tell the world your personal problems ! Keep it to yourself, for u may soon get back with yr spouse, then what are u going to tell everyone then, that now we are together again ?


And I have seen, Face Book is a Gossip Corner actually, most irrelevant things get passed on. People may even be posting like “ Just went to the loo and now I am a Kg lighter !Any party at home and you upload the photos, as though we are interested to know !


My friend’s wife has become a farmer ! the same friend who had his 25th Wedding Anniversary yesterday, which I blogged about . She is into grape farming on FaceBook, she told me come over there, and I will get points, with which I will buy more seeds, and having a farm of grapes, this Sunday when we went to play cards at their house, she did not offer me a single grape. See how miserly people can be eh !


The comments on posts are damn funny. It goes like “ Kamal and Harsha love it “, Keshav and Lata are friends, and so on. A friend whom I last met 30 years ago, a close friend, and after that he moved to the States, he found me out, and it was nice to see him and his kids, whom I have never seen before.Who knows one of my exflame may contact me, and life will be rosier !


I go to facebook , just glance at the main page, and go to play Scrabble, which keeps me occupied, and I love playing live with some 100 players playing, and like to get in the top ten, so in some I am in top tem, sometimes 40 or 50, and in the other window I am at Indus , when I get bored with one, I am with the other.Life goes on.





But there are a lot of pretty females out there, and so many send me invitations, which I mostly ignore, for this saint may turn into a sinner, with the opportunites coming along.Saints have fallen down, rather slipped, so could I , u see, I am a mere mortal.


But when I am bored, I just go and check out the female’s pages, and get a good time pass, for I am very fond of gossip, I think I am wrongly born in a man’s body !!!


So all u pretty females, don’t send me invitations on Face Book please, let me be chaste at this old age of mine.And let me enjoy my blogging , and Scrabble.





KAMAL MAHTANI


Arz Hai

Ankhen Teri Roye,
Ansoo mere ho,
Dil tera Dhadke,
Dhadkan Meri Ho,
Ae Dost Dosti Itni Gehri Ho ki,
Sadak par pitai Teri Ho,
Aur Galti Meri Ho !!!

Sent to me by my friend Dev Kumar Vasudevan
Examiner- Yeh kaunsa Bird hai iska posterior dekhke naam batao
By seeing the posterior of this bird, tell its name)
Student – pata nahin Sir
Examiner – Tum Fail Ho gaye, apna Naam Batao
Student turns his posterior to the Sir and says, now u watch my posterior and tell me my Name


Silly ones, but I want u all to smile a little, just a little, as I did when I read them.

And u dare not comment just on the jokes, as many do, read my blogs also and comment dear friends.As I said before too, commenting on my jokes is like commenting at a host’s house that the Pepsi, and the icecream is good !!!
]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) Kamalji http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77197-face-book.html I wish i were 14 again! http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77130-i-wish-i-were-14-a.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:35:29 GMT Yes, I do…I do, I do, I do, I do, I do. Ominous threats of having to go through puberty, acne, menarche, teenage angst, board exams, parental paranoia, peer pressure and rat race notwithstanding, I really, really wish I were a teenager again. Don’t write this off as hot flushes induced by an imminent menopause, an early onset of senility or as a gimmick to break out of my strange illness called ‘Chronic Neuro-writersblockitis Syndrome’. It is not a ‘Yayathi Syndrome’ either. If you must really know the reason for such wishful thinking on my part, scan the front page of today’s Times Of India. The buck stops there.

TOI has flagged off a very ambitious project, in tandem with Metlife Insurance, called ‘I Want To Be An Editor’. It is going to be a Herculean task sifting through lakhs and lakhs of aspiring students from thousands of schools in the six metros of India, garnering 600 candidates, grooming them and pitting their verbal gladiatorial skills against one another to eliminate the chaff from the grain and finally segregate 12 gems with pincers.

These 12 chosen ones ( the apostles of the grandiose dream that our children shall chart the course of our nation’s future) will write features/ news items on Science, Technology & Education, Sports, Entertainment and Business which shall be published in all the editions of TOI on 4th of January, 2010. The panning operations for the nuggets will be handled by Derek OBrien ( Yes, of the Bournvita Quiz Contest era) and his team of talent scouts.

Sigh! I wish I were 13 or 14 again and a student in one of those schools in those metros. Not that I was verbally brilliant when I was in my teens! I probably did not even know the intricacies of English grammar, leave alone the verbal bulimia I deliberately indulge in these days. I hardly read the newspaper ( except for the obituary page of the Malayalam paper Express) and just flicked through Eve’s Weekly and Illustrated Weekly for the cartoons ( which I hardly understood) or the pictures ( yeah, I knew one picture was worth a thousand words… even then!). I perused Good Housekeeping and Woman and Home for their gloss, the Tidbits for sleaze and hardly understood all the words in the McMillan classics, my grandfather had gifted me… and the Readers’ Digest my Dad and Mom enjoyed.

Yet, in my salad days, I nurtured a plethora of dreams, ambitions and aspirations…

I dreamt of becoming a librarian. Just like a mosquito in a nudist colony, I wouldn’t even know where to start. It was much later that I learnt, a librarian had duties other than reading all those stacks of books temptingly arranged on endless shelves. Then I wanted to be a writer, living a hermit –like life in a small cottage in the foothills of the Western Ghats, surrounded by lush greenery, an eternal supply of books to read, where, secluded from human contact, I’d keep writing my great novels one after the other. Later I wanted to be at least an Editor of a news paper, wielding a thick blue and red pencil, proof reading articles and feeling omnipotent as I scrawled ‘Stet’…
In other words, I just wanted to be associated with words…letters… I wanted to write… and be recognized. This urge, this obsession with words, this ailment with symptoms like verbal diarrhea has been cured to a great extent with the placebo called ‘Blogging’. But my heart always ached and a drowsy numbness pained my senses, each time I saw an ad in the Gulf News for proof readers and sub- editors , when Motivate Publishing House sought people with good English and grammatical skills and when a friend told me that she could with her influence open a gate that led to a publishing house in Dubai. But by the time I swatted away the hundreds of buzzing doubts about my skills and decided to apply, there’d be an SOS or May Day call from India, and I’d fly away from my dream.

Coming back to the TOI project, I wonder if it isn’t a shade too ambitious. They are planning to pick students from Grades 5 to 9. That means, 10 to 14 year olds… even a couple of 15 year olds. How many 10 year olds are there with awareness of contemporary issues, excellent grammar and skills in written communication? The news clipping says these editor- prodigies need not be class toppers or swotters. That is why the task is going to be Herculean – to discover the gems with perfect grammar and language skills among the so called non achievers. Remember, they are going to pit 600 students against one another making them go through ‘inter school, intra city contests involving journalistic and GK quizzes’. The one dozen finalists will hobnob with the doyens ( led by former President APJ Abdul Kalam) of Science, Technology, Education, Sports, Entertainment and Business in Mumbai. Wow! Talk about a dream project!

I wonder who those 12 will be. I am sure they must be exceptionally good with words at that young age to be where they will be. I envy them. I wish I were one of them.

As usual, the cynic in me role plays as the Typical Kill Joy!

Is it just a gimmick to increase the circulation of TOI… I know, that newspapers take the ‘number (of readers) game very seriously.

Will 10- 15 year olds be able to write meaningful articles to feature on a national daily? Of course, they will have sub editors, proof readers and their mentors peering over their shoulders as they write, not to mention anxious, ambitious and over protective parents
( the kind that features in the Insurance Ad these days on TV) hovering about protecting their Babas’ and Babies’ interests.

Will this create a spate of interest in imbibing good language skills? In that case will English teachers suddenly find an influx of students flooding their doors to be coached in the finer nuances of language and grammar?

Like the TV talent shows for music and dance, will the other newspapers spearhead similar projects and open a floodgate for written communicational skills? ( If only!)

Will these 12 kids sleep on their laurels after 4th January? Or will they pursue a career in the print media? Will their parents allow them to break free and go off in a tangent away from their own dreams of IITs, IIMs, Techie life and Uncle Sam’s Green Cards?

It is probable… quite possible too.

Which, then, brings me back to my secret longing, if only I were 14 again and one among them!


]]> Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction) twinsmom http://www.indusladies.com/forums/snippets-of-life-non-fiction/77130-i-wish-i-were-14-a.html