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January 30. The day when the father of the nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was assassinated.

I remember this day from the school. At the assembly, on this day, we would be reminded to follow the silent standing ceremony at around 10 or 10.30 am. The bell would ring at an odd time in midst of the class period, and we would all stand for one single minute in silence to commemorate the assassination of Gandhiji. We considered this break a warm welcome to the same routine of the teaching. In those days, I don’t remember having a break in the morning session.

In the high school, we had to study full history and autobiography of Gandhiji, “My Experiments with Truth”, in the form of English-II subject. Though it was the edited or the simplified version, we had to study his whole life. It was interesting at some points, but from the point of view of exams, it was not. I even once wondered, if Gandhiji was not there, we would have escaped this subject etc!

When I was in school, I remember watching the film Gandhi, on either August 15th, January 26th or October 2nd. But I remember the school book rather than the film. Read the rest of this entry »

Its another Monday.  But its different. Its the first Monday of 2009.

The day when people have joined back their offices after their holidays. The day when they crib about being back to office working whole day. The day when they feel home sick. They think about their native, about their home, about their family. The pictures of the X’mas and New Year celebrations and parties flashes in your mind, in front of your eyes. The day when people start running in the rat race… again…

There are some who have made new year resolutions. Majority of the blogs have listed their resolutions along with new year wishes. And for me, I too had resolutions. I still have. To acquire the unfulfilled ones. Deep buried in the corner of the heart…
Read the rest of this entry »

Computers, gadgets, gizmos, toys etc are the keywords which entices geeks and techie freaks. I am not sure how I got attached to such crazy things. Whenever I saw a mobile in someone’s hand,  I would peek it wondering what model is it, if not the number, whether it is high end or low end, or whether mine is better than his or hers etc etc. And then I used to satisfy myself that its expensive and has that n this problems and would appreciate my mobile in the end. But now, with more and more new gadgets and smartphones available at cheaper prices than before, I have started drooling again!

Long back, in childhood, I remember Appa playing with his toolkit containing screwdrivers, variety of spanners, pipe wrench etc. He had his own ways of fixing household appliances which interested me. Being the youngest daughter and spoilt brat that I am, I was like a tomboy for him, helping hands in his maintenance works. I fascinated his calculators and his expertize in mathematics. I am not sure from where he bought them, but I remember using a manual calculator, rather a mechanical abacus kinda device (googled and found its called Addiator). Then there was the digital diary, where in I stored most of my known contact numbers and imagined that I was a serious businesswoman! Those were the times, when mobile phones were too expensive to be bought and when pagers and walkie talkies ruled the world. I used to envy my friend’s father’s pager when she used to talk about it. Read the rest of this entry »

Finally it rained here. From past two days, the climate was cloudy here in Chennai. The drizzling rain and the cloudy atmosphere made Chennai beautiful, I guess it makes every city beautiful. The fresh water drops on leaves, the smell of the sand, the chilling wind, the watery road, with small small ponds, with the birds resting on branches shivering after the rain… And to sip hot coffee standing in balcony, with the “Suprabhatam” song in background in the morning, presents you with special freshness and warmth of a new dawn. Rain has always been integral part of my life, it has given me lot many memories and I am sure, it sends to many, along with me, an unknown shiver to the spine and leaves us in a blank expression to think of life.

There was a time, when in this rain, we used to go to schools in June with raincoats and umbrella, and with the worry of drenching the books and our school bag. And then there was the November rain, and the cyclone which unleashed restricting many of them to their homes. Be it June or November, it was a surprise to see the rain in Chennai always. Reminds me of the times when I used to stay in the Kelambakkam Ashram, spending time with friends singing and making noise, with chitchat, watching the boys playing football in the water pool in the rain. So many people under one roof. And there was another time, where I stayed at home, watching from the door, the rain splashing in front of the steps, going in dad’s bike with head down, to school, to meet friends rather than books n teachers, the roaming around in school during lunch time in the rain, with the fear of socks getting wet… And then there is another time, in which we slept cudddled in the afternoons, after lunch, while rain kept making sounds as if singing lullaby and wind blowing as fan… hmmm…

Gone are those days I guess… And with the time, the friends too… So much changes now. Lot many friends spread across the world, some whom we dont contact, though are nearby, books and bag changed to shoes and hair makeup, school and playground changed to companies, with no time even to pick umbrella. People are running fast in life, as individuals. The friendship bonds are now like threads, so thin, so worn out, connecting each other, but which can fade out with one strong wind and which will hang on to another, leaving memories behind…
Listening to song “Tanhayee” from “Dil Chahta Hai“….