New Year Greetings

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. ~Bill Vaughn


An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan


Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits. ~Author Unknown


A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. ~Author Unknown


Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin


No one ever regarded the First of January with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam. ~Charles Lamb


New Year's Day is every man's birthday. ~Charles Lamb


Never tell your resolution beforehand, or it's twice as onerous a duty. ~John Selden


Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. ~Hal Borland


The merry year is born
Like the bright berry from the naked thorn.
~Hartley Coleridge


New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights. ~Hamilton Wright Mabie


The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months! ~Edward Payson Powell


Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey


Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850


The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This drunkenness culminates on New Year's Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you're married to. ~P.J. O'Rourke


Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past. ~Henry Ward Beecher


New Year's Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. ~Mark Twain


The new year begins in a snow-storm of white vows. ~George William Curtis


For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"


We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce


Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever. ~Mark Twain


People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas. ~Author Unknown


And ye, who have met with Adversity's blast,
And been bow'd to the earth by its fury;
To whom the Twelve Months, that have recently pass'd
Were as harsh as a prejudiced jury -
Still, fill to the Future! and join in our chime,
The regrets of remembrance to cozen,
And having obtained a New Trial of Time,
Shout in hopes of a kindlier dozen.
~Thomas Hood


Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. ~Brooks Atkinson


Each age has deemed the new-born year
The fittest time for festal cheer.
~Walter Scott


Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. ~Oscar Wilde


Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
~Martin Luther


A new oath holds pretty well; but... when it is become old, and frayed out, and damaged by a dozen annual retryings of its remains, it ceases to be serviceable; any little strain will snap it. ~Mark Twain, speech in New York City, 31 March 1885


But can one still make resolutions when one is over forty? I live according to twenty-year-old habits. ~Andre Gide


When then is lost, as time is by,
we look upon the yearly wine
to see our substance in the lees.
Did tribe and purse most pleasing leave?
To look for clear and faithful sense,
that gives a bodied stance bouquet,
then see the vat at mirror's face
and find in it, the yearly pace.
~E. Marshall, Vintner Epilogue (Happy Old Year)


Many years ago I resolved never to bother with New Year's resolutions, and I've stuck with it ever since. ~Dave Beard


I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second. ~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary


New Year's Eve, where auld acquaintance be forgot. Unless, of course, those tests come back positive. ~Jay Leno


We meet today
To thank Thee for the era done,
And Thee for the opening one.
~John Greenleaf Whittier


One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things. ~John Burroughs


Of all sound of all bells... most solemn and touching is the peal which rings out the Old Year. ~Charles Lamb


A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest


It wouldn't be New Year's if I didn't have regrets. ~William Thomas


We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential. ~Ellen Goodman


May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions. ~Joey Adams


He who breaks a resolution is a weakling;
He who makes one is a fool.
~F.M. Knowles


The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. ~G.K. Chesterton


I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's. ~Henry Moore


Time has no divisions to mark its passage, there is never a thunder-storm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Even when a new century begins it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols. ~Thomas Mann


I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me. ~Anaïs Nin


Why won't they let a year die without bringing in a new one on the instant, can't they use birth control on time? I want an interregnum. The stupid years patter on with unrelenting feet, never stopping - rising to little monotonous peaks in our imaginations at festivals like New Year's and Easter and Christmas - But, goodness, why need they do it? ~John Dos Passos, 1917


New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions. ~Mark Twain


Every man regards his own life as the New Year's Eve of time. ~Jean Paul Richter


The only way to spend New Year's Eve is either quietly with friends or in a brothel. Otherwise when the evening ends and people pair off, someone is bound to be left in tears. ~W.H. Auden
The inaudible and noiseless foot of Time. - Shakespeare

We burn daylight. - Shakespeare

No hand can make the clock strike for me the hours that are passed. - Byron

All my possessions for a moment of time. - Queen Elizabeth I's last words

All the treasures of earth cannot bring back one lat moment. – French

Alfred Lord Tennyson
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true

Ellen Goodman
We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives, not looking for flaws, but for potential.

Kersti Bergroth
It is difficult not to believe that the next year will be better than the old one! And this illusion is not wrong. Future is always good, no matter what happens. It will always give us what we need and what we want in secret. It will always bless us with right gifts. Thus in a deeper sense our belief in the New Year cannot deceive us.

Albert Einstein
I feel that you are justified in looking into the future with true assurance, because you have a mode of living in which we find the joy of life and the joy of work harmoniously combined. Added to this is the spirit of ambition which pervades your very being, and seems to make the day's work like a happy child at play.
Like birds, let us,
leave behind what we don’t need to carry,
GRUDGES SADNESS PAIN FEAR and REGRETS.
Life is beautiful, Enjoy it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011
Keep the smile,
leave the tear,
Think of joy,
forget the fear,
Hold the laugh,
leave the pain,
Be joyous ,
Coz its new year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR



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2011 - Year to Look Ahead

Happy New Year 2011 (Hopefully)

1) January - Climax of Ashes Series and India Vs South Africa Series..
2) February - World Cup in India,Srilanka and Bangladesh
3) April - May - Election to Tamilnadu
4) Election to WB, Kerala...
5) Hopefully answers to 2G Scam, CWG Scam and Adarsh Housing Scam
6) Golden Globe Awards and Oscar Awards - A R Rahman
7) Hundreds of Hundreds in International Cricket
8) Laureus Awards..(Sachin nominated as the best international player)
9) Real Madrid in Spanish Le Liga and Chelsea in EPL
10) Jose Mourinho in Champions League - four different teams
11) Nadal and Federer - Match Ups in Grand Slams..

Atlast how the 'LIFE' of VGirish is going to be. A very tough year this time around. With Blessings from Swamy was able to manage.. With Blessings from Swamy praying and hoping to be an Excellent Year.

End of Year - 2010

2010 - A year of very ups and downs - a tumultuous year.

Cricket - February 'GOD' made a double century in One Day International - as Ravi Shastri beamoned in the Live Television - First man in the Planet to do so.. To me only Sachin - a name which brought the whole of India Together, brings smiles to everybody, all walks of life enjoys his Batting, the nation comes to a stop when he plays - Cover Drive, Straight Driv, Flick, Squaredrive, Square Cut, Shot over the slips. End of the year - Scores his 50th Test Century - Half Century of Centuries (4 short of Hundred International Hundreds) - one more century in the tests and hopefully one hundred in the 5 one - day internationals, so that during the World Cup in India - scores the Hundredth International Hundreds... Like last year - hopefully february india lifts the world cup in Mumbai... All THe Best to the Men in Blue..

A R Rahman - ANother man in India who brings the 'Music' to the Indians, Smiles to the face of the Nation. Once again nomination for '127' hours in both the Golden Globe and Oscars... Hopefully along with India in Cricket he also brings the awards to the Nation. What a year he had - as like GOD - God of Music - varied sort of musics - with Enthiran bringing huge success and 127 hours bringing the Award Nominations. VTV, Raavanan, Enthiran, Jhootha Hai Sahi, Puli... Man what a varied music ...

Enthiran - Rajinikanth Magic to the core, Shankar has excelled where no Indian has done so far. A Film budget made of 200 INR brought more than 350 crores (official figures from Sun). What a 'Hyoe' it created and it lived up to that - trailer, music launch (trailer released with tickets to be bought on the counter)

Politics - A very bad year - full of corruptions - 2G Scam, Adarsh Housing Scam, CWG Scam, In tamilnadu - THNB scam, Bangalore - Quarry scams and the Land scam of Yeddyurappa. UAP Government is hammered from all sides. THey don't have any answer.. It looks like the days are numbered.. Parliament is stalled for one full session 14 days - because of 2G ScAm with opposition gunning for the government and wanted a JPC Proble. 2Gscam - with CAG putting the notional loss to the government as 1.76 crore. AMMA is guuning for the head of DMK and A Raja - crucial time for AMMA - how she is capturing the moods of the people and coming to the power in 2011. A Raja is being questioned for the past 2 days by the CBI. THe CBI net has come closer to the DMK Family - raided the house of Jasperraj - close friend of Kanimozhi and also Rathnam - Auditor for Rajathi Ammal. Rallies held by AMMA in Madurai, Trichy and in CBE proved to be a major success. How Amma is putting up a coalition is crucial for the elections!! which will determine who will come to power. IF A Raja is implicated in the 2G Scam then there is every chance that Kanimozhi name will come and the coalition of Congress and DMK will break-up!!!

Weather - Had a very good monsoon all over the India. varuna Bhagawan has opened his eyes and ears to the Indian Nation. But the bounty of monsoon didn't help the agricultural community - lots of crops damaged. Also it didn't help the inflation still it is in double digits.. UPA government has no answer to the inflation.

Welcome Year 2011......

November 2010

SCAM MONTH - November 2010

Started from CWG Scam then to Adarsh Scam and finally with 2G Spectrum Cash - between them thrown to add spice was the 'Bank Loan' Scam (Housing Loan units given corporate loans to Real Estate Companies,with Banks involved like LICHFIL, BOB, PNB etc., - all major leading Nationalised Banks..)

CWG Scam - CWG Budgeted for 993 Crores then went to more than 3000 Crores and all the infrastructure projects combined into CWG - total budget then ran into 30,000 Crores.

Adarsh Housing Scam - Initially the project was allotted for Kargil Heroes - now Army, Bureaucrats, Politicians all are involved

2G Spectrum Allocation - Presumptive Scam worth 1,76,000 crore loss to the Exchequer. Real Scam (bribed to Politicians , Bureaucrats etc., amounting to 60,000 Crores)

Irony is at the same time vigilance department all over the country are catching the officials when they got bribe ranging from INR 50 to INR 3000.. that is the Joke..

CWG SCAM: Kingpin behind is Suresh Kalmadi - it was SCAM written all Over (made a fool of whole India) No Accountability - No Tender - all the orders were given at the last minute, eventhough the CWG games was allotted to India in 2003. Games Village was opened after the athletes were started arriving, 2 days before the games was to be opened. Foot Overbridge - walkway from the Main road to the Games venue - main venue - collapsed a week before the games was to be opened. The games village toilets in some towers was worse than the municipality run Public Toilet. For one month before the games everyday there was news regarding the way the GAMES Organising committe was running the show - QBR (Queen's Baton Relay) order was allotted to some company which was not authorised to do it. Kalmadi is happily coming everyday in the TV and announcing that everything is right. Finally, PM has to step in and the Whole Delhi Government machinery was put in place to make sure that the Games Village was made hospitable.. But the saving grace was the Opening Ceremony and the performance by the Indian Athletes. CAG report on the CWG was damining and that woke up the eyes of the Media, People and the establishment. THe case was taken over by CBI and now the culprits are being arrested and investigation is going on. The noose is tightening over Suresh Kalmadi and in all probabilities he will be arrested.. CWG Games was budgeted around 993 crores in 2003 but finally around 9000 crores was spent on the Games alone - mind boggling figure nearly 2 billion dollars....

Adarsh Housing Scam: Finally, Army also started occupying the Scam Space, the only institution people felt above all the 'SCAMS' or 'BRIBE' but now they are also appearing in the SCAMS.. That too for the KARGIL heroes - land allotted.. THe house was allotted to not the real heroes but to the 2 Army Chiefs and other High Ranking Officials.. Ashok Chavan's family members, Chief Bureaucrats son etc., IT has got the Ashok Chavan's CM chair - he resigned. More informations need to come on this.

2G Spectrum - Mother of all SCAMS - parliament is logjammed for the past 2 weeks - true to say that no session or sitting has happened in this winter session because opposition wants a JPC probe, after the CAG has put a figure of the 2G Loss to the Government worth 1,76,000 crores... It was not only the money but the way the department under RAJA worked to get the spectrum (national resource) allocatted to 'vested companies' bend the rules according to the way they wanted. Spectrum was given to companies who are working in Real Estate (even though they cannot show what they have built, that is another story)and any other domain except the Telecom.. Got the spectrum at a throw away price and then selling it (the company was sold) to Foreign Investors or other inverstors more than 5-6 times worth. governmet was just looking at that.. Raja announing in a press conference (this happened in 2007) that the last date of submission of tender has been pre-poned from October 1st to September 25 (press conference held on Sep 25)and the interested companies has to give the Bank Guarantee within 45 minutes, can you believe it, Yes, there are companies which are able to provide the Bank Guarantee and also Demand Draft within the stipulated 45 minutes - Please don't ask how this could happen... Nira Radia - you will be hearing this name for quite some more time in the coming days --- corporate lobbyist,who are close to DMK Family.. Lots more has to tumble from the 2G Spectrum Scam Basket.. Now, with RAJA resigned that too after a long battle - with Raja whining innocence. The argument for Raja is that he has done with the concurranc of PM and this was the policy that was announced in 1999. Can you imagine selling the Spectrum based on 1999 rates. 3G Spectrum was auctioned and the Government got about 1,30, 000 Crores of Rupees - guaranteed...

Cricket: Indian won the NZ Series 1-0, but GOD has not produced a century which would have taken his tally to 50 Centuries. Hope he achieves that in South Africa - test series starts on 16th December. That would be a great achievement... Ashes First Test - Dominated by England - excellent bowling in the first innings by Siddle and good batting by Hussey and Haddin rescuing Australia but the final tally by england - making 500 runs with loss of only one wicket with Cook hitting a double century and century by both Trott and Strauss...

Enjoy the New tune of Airtel by God of Musinc - ARR... New Catchy tune - man ARR is really a genius - what a variety of music.. Hats of to HIM!!!!!! Toyota Tune for Etios, Desi radio beat tune ....

Very good monsoon for Tamilnadu - north west monsoon - news is coming that Water Supply to Chennai (all the reservoirs will be filled to the capacity) around 11,000 tmcft... So no water scarcity for Chennai... But when we welcome the rain at the same time it is causing havoc in the regions of Nagapattinam, Tirunelveli, Thanjavur - destroying the crops.. Poor Farmers - rain and sun whenever it become excessive it is a problem for them...

Obama visited India and got a good Media Coverage and made a lots of Sound Bytes as usual..

Now wikileaks has put some more documents this time covering the conversations between the US Government and various embassies around the world - CABLELEAK...

CIAO......

October 2010- Desk in Chennai

Sept/Oct -2010: Very Exciting Month. Verdict of Ayodhya, Champions League 2010, CWG MESS, Release of Endhiran, Music of Jhootha Hai Sahi etc.,

Ayodhya Verdict: Established beyond doubt that Ayodhya is the Birth Place of Ram and the Janmasthan is in the 'Dusputed Structure' (Where Lord Ram used to live as a Child). Also It has been clearly said that it is not a Mosque, it doesn't count as a mosque as it is not build with Islamic Tenets. It is surronded by Grayeyard. Not Established that it was built by Babar or under instructions by Babar. But it was established that there existed a Hindu Temple Ruins and on that the Masjid was Built. THe pillars inside the masjid was in accordance to the Hindu (gods and goddess structures were there). Finally, it was said that the disputed land would be divided into 3 parts one part where the Ram Lalla is there will continue to be there, 2nd part will be given Nimrohi Akhara (where sita rasoi and Ram Chabuthra is there) and the 3rd part can be used for construction of a Mosque. A Landmark judgement!!. Judges to be appreciated for giving this judgement, where the ruling gives credence to the Faith and to the Law. It was also mentioned that till 1857 both Muslims and Hindus were praying together, evnthough it was not established that Namaz was being performed regularly there. The civil suit of Sunni Waqf board was dismissed. It is not yet over, it can be appealed in the Supreme Court and Sunni Waqf board is going to appeal in the Suprement Court. At the same time, Reconciliation proceedings already started. Nimrohi Akhara holds the key for the proceedings. Already majority are talking about Muslims voluntarily giving up the land so that a grand temple can be constructed there. At the same time Mosuqe and temple can be built and co-exist there as it was till 1857. If a temple and a mosque come up then that shows the Secular India to the World. But BJP, RSS and others have already started talking about Grand Temple and the vindication of the demolition of Babri Masjid. Which is wrong, demolition is a criminal offence. But it is the People of Ayodhya has to decide, if in case a referendum to be done, let it be so!!!!. People of Ayodhya should start the reconciliation proceedings nor with the Political parties but the parties to the dispute. Buf it seems that definitely it will go the supreme court - status quo of the verdict to be maintained for next 3 months.
Mentioned below is the issues for Briefing (Taken from THe Hindu)!!

ISSUES FOR BRIEFING
1. Whether the disputed site is the birth place of Bhagwan Ram?
The disputed site is the birth place of Lord Ram. Place of
birth is a juristic person and is a deity. It is personified as the
spirit of divine worshipped as birth place of Lord Rama as a
child. Spirit of divine ever remains present every where at all
times for any one to invoke at any shape or form in accordance
with his own aspirations and it can be shapeless and formless
also.
2. Whether the disputed building was a mosque? When was it built? By whom?
The disputed building was constructed by Babar, the year is not certain but it was built against the tenets of Islam. Thus, it cannot have the character of a mosque.
3. Whether the mosque was built after demolishing a Hindu temple?
The disputed structure was constructed on the site of old structure after demolition of the same. The Archaeological Survey of India has proved that the structure was a massive Hindu religious structure.
4. Whether the idols were placed in the building on the night of December 22/23rd, 1949?
The idols were placed in the middle dome of the disputed structure in the intervening night of 22/23.12.1949.
2
5. Whether any of the claims for title is time barred? O.O.S. No. 4 of 1989, the Sunni Central Board of Waqfs U.P., Lucknow and others Vs. Gopal Singh Visharad and others and O.O.S. No.3 of 1989, Nirmohi Akhara and Another Vs. Sri Jamuna Prasad Singh and others are barred by time.
6. What will be the status of the disputed site e.g. inner and outer courtyard?
It is established that the property in suit is the site of Janm Bhumi of Ram Chandra Ji and Hindus in general had the right to worship Charan, Sita Rasoi, other idols and other object of worship existed upon the property in suit. It is also
established that Hindus have been worshipping the place in dispute as Janm Sthan i.e. a birth place as deity and visiting it as a sacred place of pilgrimage as of right since time immemorial. After the construction of the disputed structure it is proved the deities were installed inside the disputed structure on
22/23.12.1949. It is also proved that the outer courtyard was in exclusive possession of Hindus and they were worshipping throughout and in the inner courtyard (in the disputed structure) they were also worshipping. It is also established that
the disputed structure cannot be treated as a mosque as it came into existence against the tenets of Islam.
*********

CWG: After all the drama of the CWG - Construction, readiness of the Village, Foot Overbridge collapsing, Corruption etc., etc., it was a very grand opening ceremony. Really, we have Pulled it on. It was a grand opening ceremony. Mammoth in its scale, bringing out the cacophony and sound, Lights, arts and culture, folk dances etc., bring out the full majesty of What is INDIA with diversity and rich culture. Rahman was as usual brought the finale to the ceremony with the Anthem and Jai Ho. It was very great to see the people clapping and shouting whenever APJ Abdul Kalam's name was mentioned - he was truly a People's President. The Helium Balloon was a great thing, nicely done. IT proved the Critics wrong!!!! GO for it India, Yah Yaroon INdia , Bulaliliya, Jiyo baro Jito India!!!!

Champions League 2010: Great matches Enthralling out and out exciting. Champions League was superb. CSK won at the end, in a entertaining final. Eventhough Warriors was outclassed, the final was good. We can see a lot of Davey Jacobs, Fergusson, Klinger in the new IPL Season. Best match is the Super Over match between the Victoria Bushrangers and CSK,which CSK Lost. Keron Pollard - oh man what sixes - no ground is short for him. Hope he plays for MI next Season also. With new teams and new auction - it is going to be a great season. 4 Players can be retained with 3 indians and 1 Overseas Player .

Jhootha Hai Sahi: Another Music of ARR.Excellent one, What else to say. Please buy the CD/Tape and Enjoy. What a diversity and versatlity of Mozart of Chennai . Raavan/Raavanan, VTV, Emthiran - oh man ARR Rocks!!!!

Endhiran: Vaasi and Chitti both Kalakkals!!! Thalaiva - you are great. Whole WORLD is enjoying. Ash looks stunning this time. BGM of ARR is superb. put in a lotof effort. To be seen inthe theatre with the Family. It is total Famly Entertainer. Hats Off the Shankar for Pulling it Off magnificently.... Thalaiva Thalaiva kalakkareenga. Nobody other than Tendulkar has this PAN India fans. No other Actos can rule the FDFS like Thalaivar. He beats the Bollywood biggies (hindi being the language of the film it has whole india watching those crap movies)hands down. It is going to be the Biggest Grosser of all Times in India.... Hats off to Thalaivar.

September 2010

August - September - A Month of 'HOT'news all over india. It was a great time for our Media and it was also a 'HAPPENING' Month. Dearth of 'GOOD' news but Abundance of 'BAD' news.

Kashmir continues to Burn - Stone Pelters, Police, Curfews, Firing etc.,
Maoists on the Rampage - Kidnapping, Encounters with Police etc.,
Politics - National Parties obstructing Parliament, Government speaking in Many -Voices, MP's shouting over the 300% increase in their pay etc.,
Sports - Cricket 'Match Fixing & Spot Fixing' Charges.
Tamilnadu - AIADMK and DMK - as usual trading charges and wasting the public time and money - conducting Rallies - Anyway winner is AIADMK for show of strength.
Death of Actor Murali at the age of 46 - A real Shocker

Good News or Page 3 News: Marriage of Soundarya Rajinikanth. IT was a very well Politically Attended and Filmi Stars in Attendance. Except 'AMMA' not there in the wedding. No reasons were given. The marriage was given a full media coverage with even headlines today giving a Live Coverage of the marriage and NDTV showing a special program. Notable Absentees : Vikram, Vadivelu, Vivek, Trisha etc.,
IMportant Political parties from all spectrums were in attendance. Even Anbumani Ramadoss, Thirumalvalavan all betenoires of Rajinikanth...

Champions League CLT20 going to get started from Tomorrow in South Africa. Supporting 'GOD' Mumbai Indians to lift the trophy. Should lift the gloom of 'Match Fixing & Spot Fixing' for some time.

There is going to be a 'EID' package it seems for the Kashmir - with the most talked about act of AFPSA - to be toned down and more in tune with the Democratic Values.

Happy EID and more important news of Babri Masjid - Ram Janmabhoomi case verdict to be announced in Sept 24th.

So, going to be another Hectic week -----!!!!*****

August Month - From Chennai

Kashmir: Kashmir is Burning. Protests, Stone Throwings (Pelting), Defying the Curfew - it is not the militants who are doing it or any political parties, it is mostly by youths, common people even women are seen throwing stones. Kashmir needs a solution and it is not a military solution. It has to be a political solution. THe present administration of Omar Abdullah has faltered,it has lost a very good mandate it received in 2008 election - 61% Voter turnout. Before the situation goes out of the hand the central government should take matter in his own hands and start the political dialogue. It has to reach to the people. THings it could do is committee to enquire the killings, start dialogue with the kahsmiris - NC, PDP, Huriyat, Geelani Faction, why, they can even start the dialogue with Pakistan over Kashmir - J&L being part of, integral to India, nobody questions. Even Kashmiris know that secessionist will not be helpful to them. Give them Autonomy in the administration, whatever said and done, due to various reasons Kashmir still is a Special Place and it needs to be treated specially. Will give our some samples from various articles in THE HINDU to understand the Kashmir issues, why this form of Stone Pelting Protests!!!!

Article by Siddharth Varadarajan
If the Prime Minister does not take bold steps to address the grievances of the Kashmiris, there's no telling where the next eruption will take us.Whatever his other failings, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah deserves praise for acknowledging that the protests which have rocked the Kashmir valley these past few weeks are ‘leaderless' and not the product of manipulation by some hidden individual or group.

This admission has been difficult for the authorities to make because its implications are unpleasant, perhaps even frightening. In security terms, the absence of a central nervous system means the expanding body of protest cannot be controlled by arresting individual leaders. And in political terms, the spectre of leaderless revolt makes the offer of ‘dialogue' or the naming of a ‘special envoy' for Kashmir — proposals which might have made sense last year or even last month — seem completely and utterly pointless today.
In the face of this mass upsurge, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has two options. He can declare, like the party apparatchiks in Brecht's poem, that since the people have thrown away the confidence of the government, it is time for the government to dissolve the people and elect another. Or he can admit, without prevarication or equivocation, that his government has thrown away the confidence of the ordinary Kashmiri.

This was not the way things looked in January 2009, when Omar Abdullah became chief minister. Assembly elections had gone off well. And though turnout in Srinagar and other towns was low, there was goodwill for the young leader. Of course, those who knew the state well had warned the Centre not to treat the election as an end in itself. The ‘masla-e-Kashmir' remained on the table and the people wanted it resolved. Unfortunately, the Centre failed to recognise this.
At the heart of this missing package is the Centre's failure to craft a new security and political strategy for a situation where militancy no longer poses the threat it once did. The security forces in the valley continue to operate with an expansive mandate that is not commensurate with military necessity. Even if civilian deaths are less than before, the public's capacity to tolerate ‘collateral damage' when it is officially said that militancy has ended and normalcy has returned is also much less than before.The Prime Minister can forget about the Commonwealth Games, AfPak and other issues. Kashmir is where his leadership is urgently required. The Indian state successfully overcame the challenge posed by terrorism and militancy. But a people in ferment cannot be dealt with the same way. Manmohan Singh must take bold steps to demonstrate his willingness to address the grievances of ordinary Kashmiris. He should not insult their sentiments by talking of economic packages, roundtable conferences and all-party talks. He should unreservedly express regret for the deaths that have occurred these past few weeks. He should admit, in frankness and humility, the Indian state's failure to deliver justice all these years. And he should ask the people of Kashmir for a chance to make amends. There is still no guarantee the lava of public anger which is flowing will cool. But if he doesn't make an all-out effort to create some political space today, there is no telling where the next eruption in the valley will take us.

Enthiran: Another Musical Treat from Mozart of Madras. What a versatality this man has got. From VTV to Raavan/Raavanan/ to Komarum Puli and now Entiran. Man ech film is different and each music is Different. He is really a Genius!!! Hats off to the Man.. GOD of FILM MUSIC..

God of Cricket: Sachin Tendulkar -one more record, Maraton Man of Indian Cricket. 20years and still hungry like a debutant - last test commentators and experts opined, who is making the debut is it Sachin Tendulkar or Suresh Raina, thatis th hallmark of this God of Cricket!!!. Double century and in the 3rd test he became the most capped player of Test Cricket. 94 centuries in International Cricket - 48 in tests and 46 in One Day...

CWG: IT is not Commonwealth Games, as one newspaper reported, it is Corruption Wealth Games... Daily dose of Corruption Scandal.. Mammoth in scale.. India's reputation has been shredded to pieces... 30,000 Crore budget - 11,000 crore by the Organisig Committee and 17,000 crore to be spent by the Delhi Goverment.. Initial Budget estimates at 2003 was 965 crores now it is standing at 11,000 Crores. Imagine the SCOPE of CORRUPTION. Atleast whether everything is going smooth, that is also not.. No Stadium has been handed over to the Organising Committe - Games is lessthan 2 months.. London is ready to host Mini Olympics, london olympics is on 2012. Asian Games is on September 2010 and Guanghzhou in China is 100% Ready....

July 2010 - Once again from Doha

Composed a blog and when clicked 'PUBLISH POST' error occured and the blog went kaput!!!!

World Cup Finals 2010: One month from June 11 to July 12 2010 - great spectacle put on by South Africa. Just showed how when a committed government, enthused people and full support from the FIFA organisation and in particular sepp blatter - world cup can be organised in Africa. It showed to the world that South Africa has arrived. It organised in a very short notice IPL II and Now the World Cup - massive infrastructure being built with stadiums, new metro rail etc., With Secrity a great concern but at the end with relatively no incident the game has passed off beautifully. South Africa spent nearly more than USD 3billion for this game. More than the money it brought the people together - whites and blacks under one roof, side-by-side, which is a clear winner by all counts.

SPAIN: Campeones!!! Campeones!!! - as the result shows they are the world champions and they deserved it. THey played a great game of football and a consistent game of football. But when the result of the first game shows - lost the first game to switzerland and became the first team to go on and won the final and lift the world cup even after losing the first match. The perennials underdogs has finally achieved the peak of winning the World Cup. They have a great midfield and the control they have over the game, their passing and all were excellent - Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Iniesta, Ramos on the left flank, with Pedro and not to missout David Villa -one of th few world players who really excelled in the big stage. With Ikor Casillas under the bar - leading the front (His Girl Friend is the Spain TV Reporter - Femme Fatale, wow!!). This victoy has united the nation which has been divided by ethnically (catalan, madrid etc.,)previously even the team has been rift with split. They also shown the world that the victory in the european championship of 2008 is no fluke...Odd one is that they scored only eight goals overall!!

Netherlands: Shame of a game they played in the final. Till final they played very good football but against spain they lost the plot (at the end all the teams which played against the spain lost the plot) don't know how to control or go against their passing play, control of the field in the Mid Field area etc., They decided attack is the best defence so they attacked the players not the ball and at the end they were like school kids with 7 yellow cards and 1 red card to heitinga. They played really well against Brazil and knocked out the great Champion side - first time they defeated the brazilians in the world cup finals!!!

Uruguay: Diego Forlan - Golden Ball Award; it shows the calibre of the player. He played very well. The team as such excelled in all the areas. What a game against Ghana. Louis Suarez - Hero or Villain - if you are a uruguay supporter then he is a hero if you are a african nation supporter then he is a villain - stopped the ball going into the net with his hands (he is not a goal keeper by the way!!!)- GOT EJECTED - Red carded; Resulting penaly by Gyan hit the underbar and uruguay was given an opportunity to live for next day. They went on to win the match through Penalties and lost to netherlands in the semis. First time after winning the inaugural world cup they are in the semis!!.

Germany: Young Team with Majority of the players in 20s - reached the semis. THey played two games which are the best games in this edition of the World Cup. Against England and against Argentina. Both the teams England and Argentina were like school kids out on the pitch. THey thrashed both of them. England 2-1, argentina - 4-1; Mueller, Ozil, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Podalski - all are under 20s!!!

Argentina: They came to this stage with the World Player of the Year - Lionel Messi. But went out in the Quarters itself, with messi not able to meet the Net (0 Goals from him) Utterly disappointing performance.

Brazil: Pathetic performance. It seemed they were not prepared to play. Kaka nowhere at his best!! Robinho tried his best. Most sad aspect his one player felipe milo red carded in the match against Netherlands...

Africa: With the exception of Ghana - who really missed the semis with a wisker really. No team played to the potential. Atleast south africa scored one victory and draw one - which is excellent to say!! Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast all gone in the first round itself.

RAAVAN/RAAVANAN: Great Movie or DUMB Movie - that is the question still to be answered. One thing is certain - there is only two paths to be taken - Good Movie or a Bad Movie there is no middle path as average for this movie. I saw both the versions - Looks like Tamil was better presented - not the language , vikram, prithviraj were excellent. The combination of Abhishek and Vikram didn't somehow got the same feeling. Aishwarya --- OHH MAN what a beauty - you cannot show her more beautiful than this !! Hats off to Santhosh SIvan and Manikandan!! Cinematography was excellent. The film was visualised excellent. It was a tough film for Mani - at the end something was missing -is it the emotions that we are all used to seeing a tamil film!!! May be!! But Mani has put up a great show - visual, Music, performance by actors all were excellent. Rahman as usual was brilliant - one thing is the songs were used beautifully and kattu sirukki was a complete surprise!! Somehow the song usure poguthe didn't melt the heart - somehow the positioning didn't clicked i think so!!!... Could be a great collection for DVD!!!! keep on watching Ash and hearing the songs and BGM's and the Visual - nature at its best!!

From Qatar - Doha (Al Khor)

Month of May: I am at present in Doha, Qatar. Precisely i am in Al Khor (More than 45 KMs) away from Doha. I am residing in a 'Labour Camp' - which is excellent even better than my accommodation in Abu Dhabi. I have got a single room with Bath Attached, Excellent food (The cook is an excellent one, from chennai, muslim though). Biriyani is Superb, i am not a guy who is fond of Biriyani, but this man has 'great hands' - he is born for cooking (no pun intended). But i am missing 'Rasam'- only sambhar he makes. The camp is in very good condition, well maintained. TV is there, so i am watching the T20 World Cup. So overall, it is very god. Workplace is about 3 kms away from the camp - Al Khor Community Centre. IT is a township built for the Qatar Gas and RasGas Employees. Inside the Alkhor Community Centre it has Schools for Indian Streams, British Streams, Arabic School etc., A Medical Centre - it is a city by itself. Enjoying the work and the stay. Little Pressure - one more thing is opposite the camp,i can go and make 'net phone calls' so communication with Chennai is also made easy. All in All - good place to work.
Yesterday being friday, with a friend walked about 4 KMs...

Cricket: What a dismal performace from India in T20 World Cup. Tell Tale signs that, all the players barring Raina, Bhajji,Dhoni - were incapable of performing. Tired of IPL, not able to think. Worst performers are: Rohit (eventhough he scored 79 in one losing game against Aus, he was a terrible sight on the field), Yuvi (time has come to drop him), Nehra, Ravinder Jadeja, Zaheer, Gambhir - his reputation has gone to shreds - the old saying of he is good in sub continent pitches have come true once again. THe captaincy of Dhoni is much to be desired - his lady luck has vanished and he has become an ordinary captain. The IPL which gave new players have also become a bone of contention for many. This dismal performance by Indians will add fuel to the fire for the people who are against IPL. As kumble said, playing for IPL teams has become more 'PRESSURE' than for playing for India, Playing for India has become a 'Comfort' zone. This performance once again confirmed the notion that India is susceptible to the Bouncy Pitches. As Gavaskar said, the players should go to School - NCA Bangalore - for practising with the Younger players. Ask them to bowl from16 - 18 yards and practise to play Pull and Hook Shot. The mind will get cleared and they will play the 'square' shots well. Not everybody is Sachin Tendulkar, who at age 18 played in Perth and scored a century!!!!
Australia - What a team - they showed why they are the real world champions. There is always one person in the team who will raise the hand in any critical situation and take the team to a winning situation or to a safe zone. Hussey played a Champions Innings, what a game he played. 60 runs in 24 balls. Before that, Cameron White played a good innings , which created a momentum, which Hussey carried on. Pakistan was in the match for 38 overs, but last 2 overs Aussies played to their skin. In T2O - if we are in the game till the last over keep the running rate to 12 and 13 - then it is anybody's game.
Politics: Khap Panchayat - for the sake of votes, Jindal, INLD and even BJP are supporting the Jats. THe Khap panchayat orders the killing of couples who married withing the same Gotra. Sometime,they carry out the killing if the couple is from the same village also. Supreme Court in 1945 has legalised the marriage beween same gotra. This medieval thinking is supported by Jindal (who is in early 30's) one of the youth brigades of Indian politics.
Census: Enumeration is going on in India. Now, they wanted to include the caste into it. In a sense, it is needed at this point. We can know which caste have come out in 'OPEN' in the last decade. How economically the caste is grown in India etc.,

March Lastweek / April 2010: Hectic Last week of March and Till today. Got stuck with GCAA - big client. Project went topsy-turvy, spending day and night for the past three weeks in the client place. Now the project has stabilized and going near the 'Finish' line. Great Comeback by the TEAM (Myself, girubashankar and Sundhar (new recruit). really a great work by the TEAM.

IPL: Very good Tournament. matches are really played very competitive. Old Guards (Can we tell like that) Sachin 'GOD', Kallis, Dada, Jumbo all are shining in this tournament - 20/20 is supposed to be the youngsters game, but all the old guards are shining like anything. At the end Experience counts!!!. Mumbai is doing great guns, hats off to Sachin, proving yet another time that he is an Ageless Wonder. What a tournament and what a season he is having, Owner of the 'ORANGE' cap - highest rungetter in this tournament. Leading from the front - 13 matches played and mumbai indians are leading with 20 points. Only one match to played, against KKR. Mumbai having reached the semis, still waiting to know with whom they will play. All the calculations have gone wrong with the yesterday's win by the KKR. Dada played an excellent innings. Curtains down for Deccan and Royals. CSK are playing King X1 today, a crucial match to chennai, if chennai loses then they are out. Chennai needs to win and they have win by a big margin, so NRR calcualtions would do them good.

Controversy and Tharoor are best mates. Another controversy - IPL Kochi fiasco. Lalit Modi tweeting about the composition of the partners in the Kochi Franchise. Name of sunandha pushkar cropping up, who is the FIANCEE of Tharoor (who is awaiting a divorce settlement from his second wife. Sunandha has got some free shares from the Kochi Franchise, which the Opposition has pounces like anything and gunning for tharoor's throat. Both the camps are throwing mud on each other and the IPl row is getting murkier and shady dealings are coming out in the open.

Volcanic eruption and ash has grounded all the 'EUROPEAN' flights for past 4 days. Not happened like that before. Only time it has happened in recent years was when 'Sept 11' incident happened. that too for only 2 days. This time nobody knows till what time all the flights will be grounded.

Maoists targetting the CRPF - dantewada massacre - about 74 CRPF Jawans - ambushed by the Maoists. Al killed on the spot. 'PC' drawn a 'black face'. This should teach all the politicians a lesson,especially Mamta Banerjee and also the CPI(M). But they are not learning the lesson - mamtha arguing that there are no Maoists and CPI(M) targeting the central government for the 'massacre', eventhough it happened in chattisgarh, the naxalite problem is abound in WB too.

March - Budget, IPL, Hocket WC & Much More!!!!

Budget: February 26th and February 28th are 'SHOWTIME' for Politics,TV, Newspapers and for Common Man to whom this is for is as usual a Normal Days. Whatever is said in the Budget is for the Economists, Politicians, TV Show Hosts and TV Pundits.. For COmmon Man it is unrelated because whatever is in Budget is entirely different in the 'REAL' Life. Inflation is high - some percentage they will say but in the shop if we compare the price of a commodity last year with the present rate - it would be 75% to 100% on the higher side...

THis year as usual Mamata started with the Railway Budget - announced a slew of New rails, new projects.. IT is said that there are thousands of crores of Projects in Railways nearly 32,000 Crores of Rupees worth of Projects, every year Budget allocation is only 9000 Crores of Rupees, so at the end only a handful of projects are in stream and other projects are in Limbo!!!

General Budget: Pranad did a professor like 'Lecture', opposition walked out of the budget presentation (First time in the history of Budget Presentation) when Pranad says about the increase in Fuel Prices!!. PM and FM are adamant that the Price Hike will be in place, let us wait and watch!!!.. Income Tax exemption is increased till 1.6 Lakhs Rupees. Already, Parliament is subjected to walkouts by Opposition and agitations by opposition political parties against the decision of Fuel Price Hike.
Allies like TC and DMK voiced their opinion and after a presentation made by Pranab - why there is no alternative to price hike, they have come to an understanding. All because of Politics, TC doesn't want an election and DMK is fully in need of COngress Supports (with talks of AIADMK wooing Congress)- both of them have back-tracked on their opposition to Price Hike.

ONe More Annoucement which caused a attention is 'Symbol' for Indian Rupee. It is a great one! it is good to have a symbol for Rupee, like Dollar $, Euro E' etc.,

IPL: March 12 2010, another tamasha of Cricket 'IPL 20' 3rd edition will be on the way. Before that 7th March 2010 - there will be one more tamasha, unveiling of two more teams from the Year 2011 will be announced, the asking money for each team is 225 Millinon DOLLARS. Let's see who gets the team (Ahmedabad, Cochin are the frontrunners as per the media) Even MCC (Marleybone Cricket Club of England) is also on the radar of IPL team owners.. Let's watch the 'Tamasha'. As usual betting on Mumbai Indians to win the IPL with Kieron Pollard as the new buy, they have a great Player in T20 and Sachin in his Impeccable Form will add value to the team.

Hockey World Cup: India were on a cloud nine after beating pakistan in the first match after ther they lost 5-2 identical margins to Australia and to Spain. Now no chancd of qualifying to the Semis, even whey they beat England. Atleast, they can improve the position from the last year (12 is the position last year.

Personal: On 28th February 2010, Kanna Mama performed Masi Magam Pooja in AUH, it was very good, divinity and spirituality personified and was in abundance. Had a good experience and had an interesting conversation and did a great service!! 'Aaromale' - wish fulfilled.

APPA

Songs shone with his quiet genius

He blended raga and bhava to present lilting lyrics. A tribute by GOWRI RAMNARAYAN to Kadayanallur Venkatraman, who passed away recently.








"CAN YOU imagine a Carnatic musician manning a telephone booth?'' he once asked with one of his rare smiles. It was difficult to know just what he felt at that moment. But Kadayanallur Venkatraman was like that, he spoke little and had the complexity of a thinking artiste.

For many years he assisted his disabled son who was in charge of the telephone booth in Chennai's St. Isabel Hospital. Few customers could know that the spare, silent man who took shifts beside the telephone was a master in setting lyrics to music. He passed away with the same quietness on February 6, at the same hospital.

Even fellow artistes knew little about him. Ask him about his background and he would say, "I have the good fortune to know Iyerval (Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer) and Amma (M. S. Subbulakshmi). What more can I say?" Born in 1929 to K. V. Subbier, a PWD employee whose love of music found an outlet in bhajans, Venkatraman studied at the Swati Tirunal Music College, Tiruvananthapuram, and served as a tambura artiste at the city's radio station. At different times he had a year's training with Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar and in Muthuswamy Dikshitar's kritis from B. Rajam Iyer. Joining AIR Madras made for closer association with Semmangudi, whom he began to accompany in concerts. His radio music classes came to be known for their clarity. Musicians who came to perform at the radio station noted how perfectly he tuned the tambura for them. But Venkatraman never made it in the city's concert circuits. He did not even try. Luckily one aspect of his talent came to be recognised, without any effort on his part.

When the Tirupati Devasthanam decided to popularise Annamacharya, the 14th century saint composer of thousands of verses, most of which existed only on copper plates, M. S. Subbulakshmi was entrusted with the task of recording them in cassettes. Their music was wholly lost. A few could be acquired from singers like Nedunuri Krishnamurti, but most had to be fitted into ragas afresh. That is how the self effacing Kadayanallur Venkatraman found himself working with the legendary M.S., recommended for the task by Semmangudi. Thus began a creative collaboration that shaped some of the unforgettable gems of the MS repertoire, including Rajaji's hymn "Kurai Onrum Illai," a universal favourite today. MS loved to recall how the young man who looked as if he could barely speak, came up with wonderful tunes to suit every need. He could set a Kedaragowlai in the grand concert mould as in "Koluvudi," a Khamas that could swing with the Lord on his ritual oonjal ceremony, or a Kapi in "Jo Achyutananda," where every sangati is steeped in the love of the mother for the child, of the devotee for the Lord. Kadayanallur stood out for internalising the lyric's bhava, and finding the raga to go with it. He was at home in the heavy classical melody as with the light. More interestingly, he could make a classical raga sound nimble, or turn a fluffy melody into a serious one.

Since the rasa of the lyric guided him, he could sometimes surprise himself. After setting "Kannula dutite" to music, he confessed that he was not sure of the raga, "Is it Hindustani Jog?" He certainly surprised others with his brilliant handling of an MS signature song "Enta Matramu." If you asked how he managed to tame something so overwhelmingly wordy into a tala-raga grid, his eyes would gleam with a shy pleasure.

Some of this music was composed in slow spells, and with conscious attempts at achieving the required effects. Others came in a burst of spontaneity. "I can't forget the day he came in and without saying a word, started playing the sruti box, and sang the first two lines of ``Bhavayami Gopalabalam," MS remembered.

The lyric describes little Krishna in the same spirit as "Krishna ni begane" does, and Kadayanallur invoked the radiance of the old song in his setting, which also testifies to his originality and imagination.

The Yamuna Kalyani begins with a gentle, tender love, and ends in exalted rapture. MS was always visibly moved when she sang it, particularly when she touched the rare suddha madhyama, used sparingly, but with a tingling effect. Years later, he was to make more vatsalya magic in Senjurutti with "Ra ra chinnana." These settings seemed simple, but demand an austere fidelity to sruti and swarasthanam - in the sangatis and straight notes - just try out the dhaivata in the phrase "Kamalanabha nee" (Sriman narayana, Bhouli).

There are those who believe that Kadayanallur's compositions are tailor made for the MS style, and only someone endowed with the lady's golden voice can do justice to them. This is true not only in the demanding sangatis he shaped, but also in certain straight notes that his placement made luminous and crucial. But his tunes have gained currency with other, particularly younger musicians, and seem ready to pass the test of time.

He excelled in ragamalikas - he could glide superbly from raga to raga, "Kandu kandu" is a fine example. His swara gnanam is evident in the chittaswaras.

The one in Kalyani appended to Annamacharya's "Sarvopayamuna" is quite simply, unique. On the rare occasions when he was coaxed to do raga alapana, longish parts would be enunciated as swara passages, with unexpected dattu prayogas and jarus.

Watching him compose was an experience. Sitting on the mat, eyes closed, with nothing but sruti in his ear and mind, he would come up with endless variations of the line, all of them beautiful. What irked him at such moments was the break in the trance when someone began to notate the sangatis before they were forgotten. He was as happy to compose a kriti for a Music Academy concert as a song for a family wedding.

An oonjal on the Srirangam deities was never sung on the dais, but remains one of the best examples of Venkatraman's mellow musicianship.

Kadayanallur was as much a perfectionist as MS herself. That is why his presence made her recording sessions produce flawless results. He would be present at rehearsals too, to edit, suggest and fine tune. For her concerts, he aligned her Lakshmi and Saraswati tamburas to tranquil resonance. Sometimes he accompanied MS on the tambura. Few realised then that the man behind the drone had so much to do with the music presented.

At a Tirupati concert Venkatraman's contribution was not only noted, but applauded by the musicians present. One of them was struck by the Madhyamavati format (Ni namame maku) and the choice of Manirangu to round off the mangalam.

His views on music, when he expressed them, were sharp, often illuminating. His grasp of the raga swarupa was uncompromising, and this was the one subject that he loved to talk about when he had just one or two auditors. He did not understand commercial goals in the arts. "We don't take up music as a profession because we want to make money. There are many other surer, easier ways of making money. We take to music because... Well, if you are the sort of person to whom I have to explain it, you will not understand it anyway."

Salutation to 'GOD' of Cricket - Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

February 24th 2010 - The date etched in the History of Cricket. Oh God! 200 runs in an One Day International Cricket - First man in the Plane to achieve , wha a Man and it is deserving that Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is the Man, Superman from India, who will now hold the Record. It was an Innings of Top Calibre - not a single False Stroke , not even half-a-chance or even Quarter-of-a- chance in the 50 Overs. Not even a single edge, it was classic and Vintage batting all the way. Lasting the whole 50 overs, running himself and also running in the same way for the others - converting ones into twos and twos into threes. Suffering campls all over the body in the last 5 overs but still continued and made a history. It is great that it came against an attack like South Africa - an allround attack and a world class attack and not against minnows like Bangladesh or Zimbabwe.

IT is truly to be appreciative of the way he has been in the game - the longevity - surviving in the game of cricket for 20 years, displaying the same enthusiasm that was there at the age of 16 when he made the debut and it was to be seen in the game at Gwalior also. Not even a single scandal in the whole 20 years of International Cricket, he is a really a true Role Model for all the people of India and to the whole world. THe fame not even a hint has gone to his 'HEAD', He is humble to the core. Like when he said in the post match presentation - dedicating his '20' to the fans and people of india. THe best tribute is Sunny, his favourire cricketer, told to CNN IBN,that, he is the world's best cricketer and he won't mind touching his feet..

Accolades are pouring to him from all over the world, In Parliament - passed a resolution appreciating this feat, pavilion in Gwalior Ground and a street in Gwalior to be named as 'Tendulkar' As his wife Anjali said, he never ceases to suprise us. We'INDIANS' should feel proud that Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is INDIAN. What other records are left as kumble told World Cup and 400 in test cricket, the way he is playing - he is at his best (After 20 years of cricket) 10 international hundreds in this year - 6 One day and 4 Test match hundreds totalling 93 international hundreds, 47 test and 46 one day international hundreds..

God Bless him and we wish him to play cricket for many more years to come. Because, when he plays the whole nation breathes his name and he unites the whole nation.

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar - World's Greatest Ever Batsman in the Game of Cricket.

January '10 - RECAP

January marks festivities,celebrations - celebrated with gaiety and splendour. Pongal marks the high point of celebrations (for homely type), For fun there is always New Year celebs and parties.. For unity, national sentiment there is Republic day this year it marks 60th year of celebrations. Good news is AR Rahman awarded Padma Bhushan along with Ilaiyaraja. Mark the differences in the words they have expressed when the press interviewed them, ARR dedicated the award with his characteristic humility thanking god and then telling that he is happy that along with Ilaiyara he has been awarded. Ilaiyaraja expressed that it is for Recognition of his music.. Is it Proud or Ego?? - fans, listeners, connoiseurs and the common man to decide and give a verdict.

India made a clean sweep the Test Series played against Bangladesh in Bangaladesh, good beginning for year 2010. Excellent performance 2 centuries in 2 tests by 'GOD'. It made my day. Very good performance by Wall, but bangaladesh bowlers really rattled our batsmen - viru, gauti, rahul by bowling bouncers - injuring rahul and getting them out, the other two batsmen. By scoring 2 hundreds this series tendulkar scored 45 centuries and totally 90 centuries in International matches (45 One Day internationals also. Great series - already Neo Sports is billing as 'World Championship of Cricket' India / South Africa series, starting on 6th February 2010. 2 tests with 3 one-day series, going to be a rocking one.... It seems that Indian Cricket board is planning to organise about 12 tests this season, earliet it was only 2 tests with bangladesh, now SA is there... it is good that india is playing 12 tests even though the schedule is not announced, with the money that can be 'procured' by BCCI, it is very easy to organise tests or any matches with India.

In Politics Jyoti Basu, the grand patriarch of CPI(M)breathed his last at the age of 96. He could have become PM in 1996 - CPI(M) as usual dithered, doesn't want to take responsibility at a crucial juncture - typical of Communists. India lost a pragmatic leader - cutting across political lines all leaders made a visit to Kolkatta and paid the last respects. May his soul rest in peace, another great thing is as a true marxist , donated his Body to the Hospital and there was no funeral ceremonies as such.

Great disaster struck in Haiti - most vulnerable city in the world for natural disasters. Earchquake struck Haiti with 7.1 magnitude - nearly 1.50 Lakhs people died. Reliefs are pouring in from all quarters with US and UN leading the way. Still there are great stories like after 14 days they are still able to recover or pull out survivors from the rubble...

In tamilnadu, there was a controversy when a SI was accidently murdered (mistaken identity) this happens on the road,minutes before Cabinet ministers of TN making their way, even in fact we can tell that it happened in front of their eyes. After the incident , Ministers (that too health minister) watched him for 10 minutes or so, not arranging some kind of transport to take him to nearby hospital... It took 20minutes to arrange a transport to shift him to a nearby hospital.. Pathetic....

Spiritually, had a good day - 7th/8th january 2010 specifically, Ayyappan Pooja in Abu Dhabi ISC - indian social centre, Awake the whole night - made flower arrangements etc., volunteered the work like Vegetable cutting the previous night, participated in the Ganapathi Homam at 3.15 AM - had a whale of spiritual experience
Enjoyed thouroughl (Aaromale.... had some fun too... let's hope for the best!!)

Officially, got a good order in GCAA - General Civil Aviation Authority, - looks like a good start to this year. Hope it goes well and smoothly...

Signign it Off!! Have a nice days ahead!!!!! Aaromale

Can't sign off without telling people to listen to VTV - Vinnai Thedi Varivaya - great music by Mozart of Madras.. Jokingly, it is too much for Simbhu, what to do??? Gautham deserves that.... It has to be better than Harris isn't it??????

Enjoy!! Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavanthu....

First Post in 2010

Greetings!!!!!!!!! Happy New Year 2010.

First Post in 2010.

What a year 2009. Lots of Downs than UP's. But year 2009 has given to a lot of them rather Hard Lessons in the Life. Economic situation in India has done rather well when compared to 'Industrialised Countries', along with China, India is one of the few countries who shown growth in 2009. 7% growth is really great,when considering the situation all over. It is mostly spurred by the domestic growth.

America - capitalised economy, gave federal support to Banks, GM - nearly taking control. Now, the economic situation in Americal is looking northwards, hopefully Obama can deliver what he promised during the Elections.

India did exceedingly well in Cricket, reached the No.1 status in Test Rankings, truly a remarkable achievement. Indian Cricket has grown,with lots of young cricketers Gautam Gamhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik.. doing well in international circuits,with Gautam Gambhir establishing himself in all forms of cricket. Viru, has done great this year, eventhough when compared to test cricket, his one day performances is not that great. Silently, Sachin has ruled the game of cricket for 20 years, that too in top level. Ishant Sharma, what a fall. Hopefully, will come back strongly. Dilshan, a changed cricketer, who is really a great treat to watch. Two good series are going on now, Aus Vs, Pak and SA vs Eng. In the second test Pak has outplayed Aussies , aussies allout for 127. Let.s see hos pak is doing in Batting and aussie in bowling. India, another Series in bangladesh - non-stop cricket.

What a fall for Tiger woods, fallen from the pinnacle to the rock bottom. 10 minutes of fight with his wife, has turned the whole world (or his mask has fallen down) upside down. Golf as game, has lost really a ambassador, hopefully Tiger will roar back. Golf does needs Tiger Woods. Comparitively, we should be proud of Sachin Tendulkar, who is really a shine in the armour, with nil controversies at top flight of International Media Glare. Really we should be proud.

Cinema: Nothing to be proud of in India. More bad films rather than good films. Avatar , 2012 are refreshing. Hollywood films dubbed in Indian Languages are doing rather good business rather than our home grown Bollywood, Tollywood, Sandalwood, Kollywood films... A R Rahman is the shining armour in the Industry as a whole. Grabbing Oscar Honours and nominated for Grammy's. 2010 - Endhiran, Ravan, eagerly awaited films by Shankar and Maniratnam respectively with Rajinikanth, Abhishek Bachan with Aish on both the films.

Politics: DMK winning all the elections, where they have written a rule on how to give money to voters and win the elections. COngress is doing rather unexpectedly well. Rahul Gandhi is really doing a great job organisation wise. Amma is still sleeping , not coming out of the comfort zone. IT is going to be tough year for Amma, to beat DMK, with the money power and clout they enjoy. Amma has to hit the road, be in touch with the Cadres and People. Hope and Pray Amma realises that. Congress in Delhi, as usual bungling in Telengana row. Hyderabad is burning, let's see what is the resolution to be in 5th Jan meeting. Rathore, after 19years, the old case is coming to haunt him. We should be proud or feel ashamed, is the moot point now. Atleast, Media is keeping the issue burning, sometimes, we can feel proud of our Democracy and Free Press. IN another spectrum there is Madhu Koda and Shibu Soren also. BJP is still trying to blame other people rather than blaming themselves. Still trying to find out reasons for the humbling defeat. There is also space for MNS, Shiv Sena etc.,

Good thing that has happened is the Fall of LTTE. Now, we should see how Lankan Government is rehabilitating and giving the requested freedom for the Eelam Tamils.
Al Qaeda is still going strong, and the latest proof is the failed attempt to blow up the detroit bound plane. Pak is burning with suicide bombings, israel continuing occupation of Gaza - in all that, common man is suffering. Repeated attempts to find a solution to the crisis in J&K is being foiled by Pak and they are facing the same medicine in their homeland.

Let's hope the new year ushers in Good Fortune for all.