Diet!

Getting to the heart of Asian health caught my attention recently. I appreciate Dr Rubeen Gujral's effort to bring heart health awareness to the Asians but a few thoughts cross my mind. Why is our traditional diet blamed all the time? The article often mentions "traditional fat rich diet", "fat rich ghee, used in much South Asian cooking". Isn't that a little too much? Isn't ghee an expensive/luxurious item(or atleast in those days!) and used sparingly by the average Indian family? There is even a famous dialogue in some old Sivaji movie, "rasamallaa neiyakkam!" Not everyone eats samosas and vadas on a daily basis. Whatever one eats gets burnt even faster with the amount of running (to catch a bus/train!) and walking they do in India, anyway!

My husband's granny often used to say 'nalla saapadanam, nalla velai seiyanam'(placing a plate full of delicious gulab jamuns in front!)! True, in her days, people did hard labour or walked miles and burnt all the extra calories. Every day life was so woven around different physical activities. Delicacies were prepared on special occasion days.

'Alavukku minjinaal, amirdhamum visham' is a known fact. In a way, the money factor helped limit the things we ate, bought etc. But now with changing life conditions, the money power, I think, self-control is getting pushed aside! One of my friend used to have 'Snickers' or other chocolate bars for lunch and when it started showing in the weight scale, blamed the traditional South Indian Rice staple diet!

Friday Melody - Hindi

To end the February special comes these soothing Hindi melodies. Most of you may not have heard (some or all!) of these before but listen to them, I promise you won't be disappointed!

Kehte hain - Grahan
A very pleasing song. Music by Karthik Raja and sung by Kavitha Krishnamurthy and Abijeet. I have enjoyed most of Karthik Raja's music so far. Wonder why he didn't make it big like his younger brother!

Bahon ke darmiyan - Khamoshi
Another mesmeriser, Hariharan with Alka Yagnik here. Great songs, wonderful performances by Nana Patekar, Seema Biswas & Manisha Koirala but the movie did not stand up to the expectation.

Chup tum raho - Is Raat ki Subah Nahin
One of my favourite albums of M M Kreem. I am probably among the very few to own this audio cassette!

Dhadkan zaraa - Prahaar
A Rang de basanti type but hard-hitting movie, Nana Patekar style! I have some fond memories associated with this song. One of it is, me seriously writing down the lyrics with my friends sincerely helping during lectures in junior college!! This lovely song is sung by Suresh Wadkar, who I consider the North's Jayachandran!

Dekh ke tumko - Gawahi
A song I unearthed during the 'Udaan' tele-serial days when all of us friends had a huge crush on Shekhar Kapoor!! This song is sung by Pankaj Udhas and Anuradha Poudwal.

What the...???

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Card shop!

Recently, a friend reminded me how (greetings)card crazy I used to be! I am not even sure when did my love affair with the card shop start! I think it was my father who sowed the seeds by getting a bunch of greeting cards every festival season to send friends and relatives. Then, when I became old enough to visit stores myself, these card shops became my favourite haunt. As far as I can remember, I don't have memories of buying myself anything to eat or drink but the little money left after buying the monthly bus pass was saved only for buying greeting cards. Also, these card shops were the only place in Chennai where you can spend hours and come out with just 1-2 items or even empty handed.

In a short period, this card shop industry has become a big hit in India, IMO. Many a times I have found myself staring at a card with just the words that I had been looking for or struggling to come out with on my own! The range of occasions, the creativity, the word magic - the people behind it just amaze me!

I have this bad quality of remembering special days(birthdays, anniversaries) of friends and relatives. So, every month I had some reason to visit the card shops. 'Landmark', 'Best wishes', 'Xanadu', 'Fountain Head'.... wow! Those days! Some months were real tight, with too many birthdays(and if they lived abroad, postage will kill me!!). But then to see( or hear) the surprise in their faces(or voices) was all worth it! On the down side, the people whom I wished without fail every year started getting all guilty about not returning the favour(not that I expected it especially when nearing and after hitting the 'big 3', it's become such a fuss!) that they would wish days or even months before/after my spl. days!

After Internet and E-mail started becoming accessible to common Indians, I switched to E-greetings! Definitely, browsing e-cards online cannot come close to browsing in a card shop, but with time constraints and family commitments, I was happy I did not have to give it up altogether. Moving also made me realise the bitter truth that carrying my precious collection of greeting cards, gifts everywhere I went was not always possible. I guessed it would be the same for people on the receiving end too. After all it is the gesture that matters more! So, go on! Surprise someone with a (E)card! Like in the cute caption (by Hallmark?), "They'll remember you remembered"!!

Friday Melody - 'Thottu thoda thoda'

Thottu thottu - Kaadhal
In Kollywood, most of the time, good and commercially successful movies are mutually exclusive. 'Kaadhal' is a rare surprise! I don't have enough words of praise for the director, Balaji Sakthivel(even his Guru can learn a thing or two from him!)! I cannot point to even one area that was average in the movie! Really sad that the music director, Joshua Sridar got into a mess!

Thoda thoda - Indira
A(nother) fantastic number/album of ARR! Lovely picturisation! Wonder why Suhashini did not continue in the movie direction side?

Thottal - Padagotti
Rediscovered the beauty of this original number after the ARR remix became popular!

Dingudinguding........!!

YESSSSS!! I've seen 'Rang de basanti' too!!! And that too in a theatre after almost 4 years!! Without realising that Indian movie screeing cinema theatres donot follow any seat numbering system, we entered the theatre late to find empty seats only in the first row!! Saw Aamir so close but just like my recent dream didnot/could not get his autograph this time too!!!

During my last trip to India, I found gulab jamoon and vanilla ice-cream served together as a new sweet dish in weddings. Similarly, RDB seems a nice new combo of DCH(youthfulness) and Mangal Pandey/Lagaan(Patriotism)! But like the majority of good attempts in recent times like 'Raam', 'Gajini' etc., a better end could have taken the movie to a greater height. Aamir with his 'just-perfect' performance, Atul Kulkarni & Siddarth with their brilliant performances, ARR's songs just blending in, a nice new concept of using the past and the present and highlighting real issues, this movie needs a good pat on the back.

Ofcourse, it is not a flawless movie. Had I not been the crazy fan of Aamir that I am, I guess, I would fully agree with Bala(Karthik)'s views. All said and done, Come on, People! Just give atleast half the appreciation and response that you give to 'Kuch Kuch hota hai', 'Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham' and the likes. I also hope that the messages does not get lost in the "dinudings". I have some more things on my mind regarding Kavitha Gadgil whose son Flight Lieutenant Abhijit Gadgil is the real Ajay Rathod and also the controversies that cropped up before the movie release. Will try to post on them soon.

Roobaroo....

P.S. - Was the smoking ban in movies not in effect when this movie was started?

Friday Melody - 'Kaadhal'

Kaadhal oviyum - Alaigal oivadhillai

Kaadhal kavidhaigal - Gopura Vaasalile

Kaadhal vaaniley - Raasaiya

Kaadhal mattum - Kadhal konden

Kaadhal rojave - Roja

Kaadhal vandhaal - Iyarkai

B/W Gems - I

"Black and White" and/or "English" movies were not my cup of tea during my younger days. But it all changed when I got the chance to watch(left, right and center!) some wonderful old b/w English movies some years back. The movies of this time are simple(no graphics, no jigna work!), touching(but not melodramatic like our Indian counterparts), short and sweet.

Guess, I will start with Romantic Comedies(february aache!)! The Star who pops to everyone's mind associated with this genre is Cary Grant. With his classy looks and casual acting, he captivated everyone. He along with director Howard Hawks made some of the best Screwball Comedies!

I was a Male War Bride with Ann Sheridan

Bringing up Baby, The Philadelphia Story with Katherine Hepburn

The Talk of the Town, Only Angels have Wings with Jean Arthur

His Girl Friday with Rosalind Russell

Charade(Not a b/w movie but a cute romantic thriller) with the ravishing Audrey Hepburn

And for the Hitchcock fans, Grant did North by North West, To catch a Thief, Notorious and Suspicion.

So, the next time you find an old b/w movie with Cary Grant on TV, don't flip the channel!!!

P.S. - On a related note, I found this - Rare photos of India's Past in the BBC website today.

Friday Melody - Roja

Let me add to the Valentine's day craze with these romantic songs!!


Roja roja - Kadhalar Dhinam

Roja poo - Agni Natchathram

Rojavai - Ninaivellam Nithya

Roja malare - Veera Thirumagan

Dreams

Have you had weird dreams that are crazily disconnected memories with a nice flow?

Recently I had this dream:
I am at a small self-serve kind of eatery. I find Aamir Khan(!!) standing in a corner chatting with some people. By the time I decide on what to order, Aamir seems to have dissappeared! I am so upset that I didn't even attempt to get an autograph from him! I see my order(is that an uthappam?) getting ready but suddenly my husband rushes me(meaning asking me to forget about the uthappam!!) to get into the bus! Though I thought it was a bus, I am sitting like a witch on a broom, zooming past!! I see a big vehicle(an army truck?) coming towards us and I am scared it is going to slam into ours. Instead, it becomes an amphibious vehicle and floats in the near-by water-way!! We zoom past a busy town and then it stops near a big wooden gate which has 'Mandir' written on it. Suddenly the gate opens vertically upwards like in Sci-fi movies. Finding no-one inside, the vehicle again starts... And then I woke up!!

In my crazy dream, I can explain some of them like the eatery - The night before I had been chatting with a friend who has recently moved to Canada and we both were telling each other about eating at Saravana Bhavan! Aamir Khan - Been reading a lot about his latest movie 'Rang De Basanti'. Army truck - Probably the images of our Republic Day parade or Iraq. For others I am still digging my subconscious mind!!!

There are some dreams that I want to know if they mean something. Especially, recurring ones! I used to get this dream where I am in an examination hall but absolutely unprepared. Infact, I would have got to know what subject I am appearing for only then and would be frantically trying to learn something! To my relief, I haven't been getting this dream for a while now. These days it has been replaced by dreams about brilliant celestial/aircraft displays on the sky almost always ending in disaster. Probably its due to the 9/11 memory that has got etched in my mind!

Friday Melody - 'Kalyanam'

The start of Tamil month 'Thai' means 'kalyana season'. With poor 'Margazhi' deemed unfit for weddings(or any other function for that matter), the month 'Thai' most of the time is overwhelmed with 'kalyanams'. From Jan 21st - 29th, almost every day a friend or relative of mine celebrates their Wedding Anniversary. So, it is 'kalyana' melody today.

Kalyana then nila - Maunam Sammadham

Kalyana maalai - Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal

Kalyana vaLai oosai - Urimai Kural

Kalyana samayal saadham - Maya Bazaar

Ketti melam kottura kalyanam - Chandrodayam
Though this song does not start with 'kalyanam', I just could not pass it. One Sunday evening my parents had planned to see 'Shaolin Temple' in the theatre leaving me and my brother with our grandparents at home. I was so upset but my mother insisted that the Sunday movie in the TV was even more fun than 'ST' and that movie was Chandrodayam!! I started watching the movie with a frown which changed to a smile and towards the climax, I was jumping up and down with joy!!

Zee.. boom.. baa!!

Happened to watch 'Stepford Wives'(with some high expectations because of the big names) and it barely made it to the time-pass category!! Nicole Kidman, a stressed out career woman, moves with her family to a small town called Stepford where she finds all the men-folk happily enjoying life and their women-folk strangely 'perfect', in all respects! Nicole Kidman gets to find out what is behind the sudden transformation of the women-folk there but for Indian (esp. Bollywood) movie lovers, the transformation of the heroines from howmuchever hippy to absolutely perfect Indian wife will ever be a puzzle!!!!!!

Maggi!!

After a long gap, on my first visit to the Indian grocery after our move, I picked up a few packets(3 to be precise and the owner said, 'why only 3? It's 4 /$1!) of Maggi. While eating it for lunch one day, suddenly it seemed to taste good and made me wonder why I had stopped buying it. It also brought a flood of 'Maggi' memories.

When Maggi was introduced in India, after watching those attractive advertisements on TV, I must have pestered my mother to buy it. The first time she made it, I am not sure if she thought the masala would be too spicy for me that she made it with milk and sugar!!! It so happened that I came down with 'Malaria' the next day and in my young mind it registered that Maggi causes Malaria!! LOL! For a long time after that I never even went near a Maggi packet.

The next encounter with Maggi came at a cousin's place when he said he would cook something for us both! He made Maggi and I was in awe that he could cook!! I am not sure if and when I became a Maggi lover but I realised that all my neighbours thought so from this next incident!

One day, my neighbour's daughter came home and generously gave me a plate of Maggi saying that they didn't like it and that since I liked she brought it for me! I happily put one spoon into my mouth and threw up! I am not sure how many of you remember but a sweet(Chocolate or something) Maggi was introduced in between which didn't quite go well. Anyway, that plate had the sweet Maggi with chilli powder added!! 'Love thy neighbour'!!

Recently, a cousin had come to visit us from Europe and all she ever wanted to do here was shop for Maggi at an Indian grocery store!! Poor thing, because of time constraint, she had to return without her dear Maggi. The next time, she comes to visit, I know what to treat her and gift her!!!

Friday Melody - It's different!

Just thought of some songs where the directors(Music & Movie) have tried to present something different.


Kodi asaindhadhum - Paarthaal pasi theerum
One of MSV-Kannadasan classic combo. "The egg came first or chick came first" kind-of lyrics through out.

Chippi irukkudhu - Varumaiyin niram sivappu
Another of MSV-Kannadasan combo with the addition of KB-Kamal. One of my favourite romantic songs of all time!
'Sindhai irakkudhu sandham irukkudhu kavidhai pada neram illadi rajathi'!!

Manasukkul ukkandhu - Kalyana agadhigal
A very sweet song with most TV programme titles in the lyrics. I still remember the special programme shown on TV about the making of this song. (sorry, no links! Couldn't find the song anywhere on the net!)
"Kanmani poongavinil kaathirundhen, kanne thadangalukku varutham sonnen!"

Nivedha - Nee paadhi naan paadhi
Vasanth inherited that 'special attention to songs' quality from his guru, KB(though he could work on the art of song picturisation a bit more). The camera, the voice of SPB and the music made even Gowthami look pretty!!

Festivals

I have been wanting to write this post since Deepavali somehow it kept delayed. Anyway, the delay added some more points!

During every festival, I wonder why and for what reason I'm still trying to celebrate it. The purpose of the festival is not met in my situation most of the time, i.e. I'm neither in the geographic location nor the time zone to really celebrate it. Atleast back in my younger days, it meant new clothes, special eatables etc. These days that too are not reasons.

Pongal is a harvest festival. I stock up on my grains whenever I visit the grocery store! If it is to thank Mr. Sun, he hardly used to show up in the cold northeast in January!! The 'kannu pidi' used to be the heights, with every single bird gone South and with every inch of the balcony covered in inches of snow, it used to be a pitiable sight. This year atleast I was so happy to step outside to do it and my daughter kept telling me the whole day that no birds came to eat the special food!!

Infact, it feels disheartening to celebrate these festivals when the people for who these festivals are for, the farmers, have nothing to rejoice about. Do festivals really bring happiness? IMO, for the wealthy, it is one more chance to show off their wealth and for the poor, it is another terrible reminder of what they cannot afford/enjoy!

But for one thing, these occasions help: to re-connect with people. An occasion to mail/call to wish friends and family(who are increasingly getting busier with their routines) and let them know of our existence!

Friday Melody - 'Pudhiya'

It's a new year in a new place and even Bhogi signifies 'Pudhiyana pugudhalum, pazhaiyana kazhidhalum', isn't it? So, it is 'Pudhiya' for this first Friday melody of 2006!!!


Pudhiyadhu pirandhadhu - Thevar Magan

Pudhiya poovidhu - Thendrale Ennai Thodu

Pudhiya vaanam - Anbe Vaa

Ooru vittu ooru vandhu!!

Hey, I'm back! Even though the computer was among the first things to be set-up along with the "can't-live-without" list of things, with many other boxes still lying around un-opened/ half opened, I just couldn't 'think outside the box(es)'!!!

So, we have atlast escaped the cold North and are in the process of settling down in the warm(the temperatures have been hitting 60s and even 70s, a bit too warm for this time of the year even for GA Standards, it seems!) South. The move itself was fairly smooth sailing(touch wood!) and with the U S of A being uniform through-out in almost every aspect, it didn't take too long to get back to routine.

The move had been quite something for my daughter as it was her first experience. The first few days, she thought this was another vacation and kept asking when we were going home! After a while, whenever I had to answer, 'we are going home' to her, 'where are we going now?', she would ask, 'which home?'!!! LOL!!

Moving is not new to me. Since my childhood, I have experienced move to different houses, different states etc. I wonder how I managed to adjust to new schools, new languages, new cultures(within the country itself!!) every few years. More bewildering is how my mother managed packing(without u-haul boxes, tapes!!), shifting, unpacking, arranging things etc. with kids & elders!!

...After the Break!!

The packrats are moving(MA to GA)!! Will get back to regular blogging after we get settled in the new place.

So as not to dissappoint those of you who look forward(!!) to my Friday melody but at the same time me fighting time constraint, I am listing one song.

Vellai pookkal - Kannathil Muthamittal

Wish you all a happy, promising and more peaceful new year 2006!

Friday Melody - Devan!

Did anyone guess 'devan' this week? Anyway, from the listings you could also say it is 'Raga devan' special!!


Devanin kovil - Aruvadai naal
One of the many sweet songs of 'chinna kuyil' Chitra. It just pleases the ears!

Devan thandha veenai - Unnai naan sandhithen
Another lovely melody by IR with Janaki and Jayachandran melting us. Takes you back in time, eh?

Devan Kovil - Naan paadum paadal
Another of 'Mike' Mohan's mike song. The beginning of this song sounds similar to the previous 'Devan thandha veenai' song. Same raaga?

Tis' the time of the year!

Come December and everyone, everything gets into the festive spirit here.

I think, most work places have some fun events organised during this time. At my husband's office, they play 'Secret Santa' and 'Yankee Swap' every year. Somehow adults playing games like kids seemed odd to me in the beginning. But then, the enthusiasm and excitement that these people show to participate in these just amazed me.

For Secret Santa, among the participants, for every person another person is (secretly) chosen as his/her Santa and the week following Christmas, the Santas should surprise their 'kids'. Some artistic Santas would decorate the cubicles with lights, flowers, Christmas trees, wreaths etc. Some would just leave some candies/chocolates every day(like my hubby, gulping some in the process!)! Once, a Santa had gift wrapped every item(even the trash can!) in his "kid's" cubicle!!! During the Christmas party, every person's Santa is revealed and exchanges gifts.

Yankee Swap is even more fun with the gift that we want being grabbed by person after person! The person who picks #1 is the luckiest and #2 the unluckiest! We always used to end up with funny gifts. One year, a person had kept fake lottery (scratch) tickets as gift and the person who got it thought she won, started crying with joy and ended crying minus the joy!!