For your eyes only!

If your eyes follow the movement of the rotating pink dot, you will only see one color, pink.
If you stare at the black + in the center, the moving dot turns to green. Now, concentrate on the black + in the center of the picture.
After a short period of time, all the pink dots will slowly disappear, and you will only see a green dot rotating.
It's amazing how our brain works. There really is no green dot, and the pink ones really don't disappear. This should be proof enough, we don't always see what we think we see.



Happy Deepavali!

Yaar yaar Sivam!

Senthil's post about Temple for Gandhi reminded me of a childhood conversation I had with my mother. It was around the time when my history lessons talked about the different religions, their founders etc. It embarrassed me that all other religions had a founder, a history etc. whereas Hinduism didn't. My mother, to pacify me, told me that probably Rama, Krishna were Kings who lived so long ago that no documentation exists to prove their existence. She went ahead to say that I need not look upto them as Gods, but as human beings from whose life we can learn morals and lessons. She added, "For all you know, after 'n' thousand years, people may not believe that a person called Gandhi existed!".

The above I had started soon after I commented in that post. But even before I could finish mine there have been many comments and more posts on the same topic! As most of you know that I am a 'confused Desi' and an 'aadha'! So, just pouring out all those that are in my head. I never imagined that one day I would be on this side of a 'religion' argument!!

Definitely a library full of books on Gandhi or a theatre screening archival footages and movies made on him would have been a better option than building him a temple. But like I said in my comment, "In our country, worshipping a person is the way to show their respect, devotion etc." A temple will surely attract more people than a library or a theatre(ofcourse if it does not show 'thalaivar' films). If Mr. Vaiyapuri is genuinely interested in spreading Gandhi's messages and teachings, he could arrange for guest lectures, story recitals, paint the walls with his messages etc. That kid who prays to Gandhi for help with Math paper will in due course realise that no Gandhi, no Krishna, no Jesus is waiting by the door ready to grant boons!

IMO, religions, castes must have been created to bring some sort of order, discipline. Though in the years, with little or no documentation, the interpretations(and interpreters) have taken it in different directions. Stories are told to drive some point, to present morals in an interesting way. We are free to read anything and everything now. We may not agree with everything, follow everything. I am sure we are able enough to absorb the good and discard the bad. In the glorious past, Monarchs might have forced their subjects to worship them. They are still happening in this 21st century, in African countries, in dictatorships (in some state governments in our own India)!

Also, religions were built around fear. Probably with a good intention to make people follow righteousness. Especially, with human beings of that time being more aggressive, less thoughtful this might have been a great way to bring them in line(Like with kids, until they start thinking by themselves, we can scare them into not going hay-wire!). From the kids stage, the human community has probably reached the adolescent (thinking) stage now that th(w)ey are questioning the not-understandables, not-followables.

Friday Melody - 'Ding dong'

Just a reminder that on Sunday the 'day light savings' ends. Yay! We get an hour extra(Once a year our house-hold will be on time!) on Sunday!

Ding dong - Ji
A very lovely melody. The first time I heard it, I did not know which movie it was from, who sang or anything. The picturisation is also neat with no 101 people behind or the hero/heroine in the front exercising!

Irandum - Panakkaran
Another 'ding dong' song.

Oru mani - Kaalamellam kaadhal vaazhga
One of the many nice melodies of Hariharan. I cannot seem to remember anything related to this song/movie!

Peigala - Mahanadhi
It is 'halloween' on Monday. Adhukkaga, enga Annathey paattu onnu!!

C-real addiction!

In Chennai, for that matter, through out India, TV (mega) Serials have become a part of daily routine. I am neither a mega serial watcher nor a mega serial basher. Its just that most people seem to be complaining about their parents/relatives/friends' addiction to these mega serials. Some thoughts that I've been having about its whys and hows.

Recently, a friend called me to find out the name of the movie, 'Kannadi Pookkal'. His parents had come to visit from India and he wanted to rent some DVDs to keep them occupied during the day while he was away at work. He also wanted to know if they were any other movies suitable(!!) for their viewing and I just could not come up with any!! I may be stereo-typing them but really there are no Visu/V. Sekar style movies these days, isn't it? Even the few 'good' movies are about undertakers, immature lovers, murder suspects etc. Probably thats one reason why 'ms' is scoring now as most of them are about families, their problems etc.

These days with most house-holds having both spouses working or living abroad, the elders have nothing but the television to help pass time. I remember my grandfather who would push those boring evening hours going for walks or sitting in his 'easy-chair' and chatting with passers-by! I never realised how tough it would've been for him. That way, how different are we here. We too switch on the televisions the minute we enter home. How many of us don't watch reality shows, Friends(repeated for the umpteenth time!) etc.

I do agree that the creators of these 'ms' should stop competing in writing more sob-sob type stories. Guess, like movie industry which when making few films in those days made quality movies. But once every Tom, Dick and Harry started making movies, the quality deteriorated.

BTW, if you are wondering why I am so supportive of these serial addicts, I am also a 'cereal' addict!! The cereal aisle is my favourite in any supermarket and if my favourite type is on sale or if a new exciting type has come to market, I go bonkers!! I got into this cereal eating habit to set a good example to my daughter. Today whether my daughter has got into that habit or not, I have become an addict!!

P.S. - My mother tells me that nobody gossips these days! First of all, nobody has the time to chat with anyone or they will miss their dear 'ms'. Even if they do find time, it is mostly about the characters of those 'ms'!!!

Friday Melody - 'Thangam'

Thanga thamarai magale - Minsara Kanavu
A feast to the eyes and ears(for both men and women!), huh? Recently, quite a few blogs carried a recent picture of Aravindsamy. It was shocking! But wow! I realised from the comments how much of a competition he had been to the men-folk in his prime!!!

Thanga changili - Thooral Ninnu Pocchu
One of the earlier movies of Bagyaraj. Trademark Ilayaraja melody.

Thangathile oru - Baaga Pirivinai
An old classic with Sivaji Ganesan and Saroja Devi.

Thanga Magan - Batsha
A nice song. One of the few surprises from music director Deva! (Only listenable, for me!)

Thanks to Raju for his interest & support every Friday for this post!

Bias?

Has anyone else felt that BBC is biased when it comes to India-Pakistan? In quite a few of their earlier news reports on Kashmir I have felt that they mostly show the Pakistan side of the story, their point of view etc. But after these recent earthquake in Kashmir, IMO, they seem hell-bent picking on the Indian administration's relief efforts. Check out cruel joke, cold and hungry and do Indians care?

Outsourcing!

Blog-hopping, I come across a lot of book recommendations. Most of them are fictions which I am hoping to read in the (near) future. Deepak had posted this while reading "The World is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman, a non-fiction which seemed quite interesting. Recently my husband suggested that I read this. "The World is Flat" seems to be its inspiration and I was thrilled that I was aware of that book!!

Friday Melody - 'Mazhai'

Its been a rainy week for us here in the Northeast and its been raining in Chennai too. So, what better theme than some 'Mazhai' songs.

Mazhai mazhai - Ullam Ketkume

Mazhaiyum neeye - Azhagan

Mazhai varudhu - Raja Kaiye vecha

21st Century Women

While blog-hopping, I came across this post(is in Tamil fonts) by Ramya Nageswaran. Brings tears to my eyes everytime I think about the post. So much for those of us who think we are in the technologically advanced / developed 21st century!

Check out Goonj

Oru Paatu Paadri!!

Navarathri brings everyone sweet(or salty depending on whether you like sundals or payasam!) memories from the past. In my case, this Navarathri time is next only to my Bank experiences.

Ladies function!! So, have to wear traditional dress, plait the hair, put on some 'muzhams' of jasmine flower and wear a smiley! In short, have to behave like a girl!! If this is not enough, folks would be reminding that neighbourhood 'mami(s)' and 'vaandu(s)' have invited for 'Golu' 2-3 times already and they have already collected their 'vethalai paakku' and that I haven't!! If it is a 1-2 days affair, there is a slim chance of escape. But this goes on for 9 days!!!

So, to get-it-over-with, when I step into one of the houses, an elder of the house will start with 'vaadimma, ippavavadhu vazhi therinjudha?' and end with 'oru paatu paadri'!! This uncomfortable situation is like an examination hall, where even if you know you cannot answer any of the questions, you have to sit an hour before handing over the paper! Here, having come all the way, one cannot go home empty-handed(without the sundal). So, just have to dodge till they give up and in the mean time listen to 'Paatte theriyaadha? Cinema paataavadhu paadu'!! Atlast when I step out of the house triumphantly with the sundal packet, it is time to visit next house and the loop starts again!!

Friday Melody - Mohd. Rafi Spl

Once again, it is celebration time at home. My father celebrates his birthday today. Mohd. Rafi is his favourite singer and so, today's melody is a collection of hindi songs by the mesmerising voice of Rafi Saab.

Madhuban mein Radhika - Kohinoor

Chaudavin Ka Chand Ho - Chaudavin ka chand

Taareef karoon kya - Kashmir ki kali

Tere mere sapne - Guide

Raahi manwa - Dosti

Dear Dad!

Moms somehow get enough or more attention from all quarters. Even while blog-hopping, I found quite a few posts on Moms but not on Dads(Let me know if there are any). I was pleasantly surprised when my brother told me that the day after Father's day(since Father's day falls on a Sunday) his office gave a 10 mins. break to all their employees to call & talk to their Fathers!!!

Another thing which prompted me to make this post is the movie, '5 Star'. One of the character's Father(played by Vijayan) is shown as a strict, hard-hearted Villager who though loves his son does not show it. The Father, in his own stern way, imposes all this thoughts and plans on his son that the son eventually leaves him and the country alltogether. Towards the end of the movie, the Father regrets his actions even though he did everything thinking he is doing it for his son's good. But the damage done is done and he dies never seeing his son again.

This kind of Fathers did(probably still do too) exist in our soceity(though not common in our generation, I guess). I myself know of friends who have such strict Fathers and I have many times felt mad at them. Though we all think we know and understand our parents and their situations well, it is only when we become one that it really sinks in. These days, I am glad that men (and women) seem more mature, more prepared and more expressive of their love and affection to their loved ones.