Whimsy Weekend....

It is already Monday and the when I got to work today at 10 am the parking lots were already lined up with cars. Monday morning blues seem to have not caught up with many, when I walked into work today. I pulled out my mobile to check the time, but I realized the sun was still long way from shinning straight at my bald head. For a moment was I worried if there was something happening at work? All big heads gathering at the same time, was it another lay-off season? Well it was the weekly review with the top echelon over video conference. Well that explains the busy lot.

I checked in with my colleagues about their weekend. One is in family way and he said he cooked for his wife and had a busy weekend shopping and lazing around. Well dude, get ready to change diapers and push prams. Another colleague walked in with a box of home made chocolates, from Kodai. She went on a trip with her jing bang at work. I was supposed to travel the past weekend, since my friend’s son was hospitalized we postponed the trip. Absolutely no disappointments or a feeling of emptiness from the cancelled trip. It was relaxing though busy a weekend. I got caught up with the much needed sleep and afternoon naps are my favorite and the evening walks to the temple and beach fills my heart. Isn’t it simple? With Mercury steadily rising and Chennai moving from hot season to the hotter season, scores of people throng the beaches in the morning and sun down hours. Watermelons have arrived in the city and they are decorating the pavements of Chennai.

Well I stopped by JK foundation over the weekend and I picked up some of his books. I wanted to watch his video that was played on Sunday evening, “Why do humans involve in conflict? “, but I decided to spend time with a friend who came down from US. We were on the beach discussing a lot about life, culture, people and country.

I met up with my colleague at the mall where he was shopping for a pair of roller blades for his 6 year old son. It was 5 minutes after 9 pm and the mall was extremely busy with the end of the season sale. Mostly youngsters in their 20’s and 30’s gripped in a shopping fever, I could hear their plastics zip, zap and zoom. With ever growing waist line there was this long queue at the fast food trying to get a quick bite of the unhealthy food covered with cheese and loaded with calories. Yes, belly is a sign of prosperity in India. Lol! Sedentary lifestyle, software jobs, every expanding waist lines, I could not imagine a similar queue at the hospital to get beds. India chasing the title to be a diabetic capital of the world, I guess there are a lot more title to be worn by our youngsters. How sad!

I got up early today cleaned up my messy room and got my gym bag ready. I did my Yoga and breathing exercise to feel brisk and rejenuvated. I made a list of things that I need to do at work. I seem to have a lot of clarity atleast for the day, and I hope there are no surprises. I am taking a deep breath and hoping to enjoy every moment of this day without any judgments and regrets.

I could hear my boss at the end of the hallway…… thump….thump….thump, I need to go now.

Life is beautiful……. Enjoy your week!

Chennai Snippets

Chennai received opulent rainfall during the monsoon season, thanks to rain water harvesting, reclamation and conservation this has put back some water in the temple tanks. The tanks that were used as playfields is brimming to the neck with water. The float festival is back in the city. Temples towns, Mylapore and Thiruvatriyur witnessed the float festival over the weekend. Sharing the picture from the float festival with you…..

Tamilnadu just 2 months away from State Elections keeps news editors busy. A few newspapers like “The Hindu” have learnt the lessons the hard way by scoring the ruling party and the leader. Actor Kushboo faced scorching treatment for her remarks on practicing safe sex. Well we are a democra(z)cy and freedom of speech and expression is far away.

Political parties are still accepting nominations and backroom discussions are on to explore possible alliances. The season for jarring loudspeakers at the street corners is not far away.
The last time I was in a polling booth, I flashed my Voter’s Id but they didn’t have my name on the list though I have been residing in that area since my birth. I have never exercised my franchise in the past because I was outside the country whenever elections happened. I hope I will get to vote this time around.

The Chief Minister in-power has lifted all sanctions against various groups and sections and she is back with her open arms giving away a lot. It makes me wonder what would be left in the treasury at the end of the polls. There is some announcement that goes out everyday in the newspaper to address every section of the society to topple the vote bank in her favor. Well there are some lessons she has learnt the right and hard way. May be she can start teaching some World Leaders who lacks prudence and maturity. Whenever I think of the present Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, I remember the Ex-Mayor of Providence, Cianci. There are
A lot in common between the thugs of Indian and Italian origin.

With temperatures on the rise and March not faraway, parents are already queuing up outside the schools to collect applications forms for their wards. Unlike America where Public schools are more sought after than private schools, in India we prefer private schools for better education. Schools charging capitation fee, a one time non refundable fee for kids joining the kindergarden classes is atrocious. Education and tuitions after school has become a minting business today with both parents working. Time is money and there is a limit to which we must sell time. Aren’t we all prostitutes in one way?

March also marks the beginning of the Public Exam season for all schools in India. Those is grade 10 and 12 will be burning the midnight oil, while the rest in other grades taking it a little easy. Parents and students are still in a dilemma with the case on single window system and entrance exam for Medical and Engineering colleges pending with the State High court. There is a fight of Judicial system

For those of you in Chennai, we have an exciting week and weekend ahead with Dhrupad Music festival. Dhrupad is a poetic form incorporated into an extended presentation style marked by precise and orderly elaboration of a raga. The term dhrupad itself means "the literal rendering of verse into music" and so the songs have a particularly potent impact. Dhrupad is often presented as the oldest Indian music, with an explicit continuity to ancient times. In this respect, it is one of the most direct developments of Vedic chanting, and the literal respect for text in dhrupad is representative of those scriptural ideas. Check out the website for more information, http://www.prakritifoundation.com/

I will see you soon back on this blogspot……with more happenings at Chennai.

Shameless trips to the White building

Facing the blazing morning sun the educated crème-de-la-crème of India had queued outside the building on the sidewalk to get an entry into the prestigious building in the town. Primp and proper in their attire they were wiping away the sweat beads and ego on their forehead. Well a few things don’t change, like the sunrise, sunset and the lines outside the American Consulate never seem to go away. But a lot of things had changed for good over the years. The ecosystem of photographers and brokers to help with bank drafts, visa forms and photocopies was destroyed.

American consulate is a service organization and there seem to be no trace of courtesy and service with their employees. We are used to American treat us with discrimination like the cattle from a third world country. Submissive attitude of helpless and hapless Indians were exhibited time and over again. Isn’t that why we got invaded by British in the 16 century? Well we are forgiving and forgetful.

The sad part is the way you get treated by the Indians who work at the consulate. They have an attitude hanging on their chest along with their ID cards. They expect you to know about the floor plan and procedures at the Consulate. Well I have lived overseas and I have seen how meticulously planned Americans are with their name boards and signage. There was no signage anywhere in the consulate offices and when you asked for directions there was an arrogant reply making you feel like a wiggly worm. At times I also felt that I was in a Central Prison. Thick steel gauge doors and security personnel posted at every door made it feel like Guantanamo Bay. None of us were physically tortured but the verbal abuse and arrogant language was enough to wipe away your self respect and ego.

Our fellow Indians at the consulate seem to be wearing an immunity shield and sworn in to oath to mistreat and disrespect their country men. The crowd that enters the Consulate is really tensed and scared and their haughty replies made them quiver.

As I waited for my turn to be finger printed, I thought the day was not too far to have a RIFD chip implanted in the subcutaneous tissue in your body and you being identified by a 9 digit number, XXX-XX-XXXX. For once I felt like an animal for sure, the process of tagging animals and other extinct species came to mind, thanks to National Geographic and Discovery channel.

I heard a few of my country men denied visa for various reasons from being a Muslim, spending too little time with the present company to go on a overseas trip to not finding convincing reasons for their travel. When one of my brave elderly folks questioned the ground for his rejection, the officer on the other side of the thick sealed glass window said it was not her business to explain all the reasons. With the tight slap on his face and walk on his self respect he wiggled out of the door like a worm. For once I thought that it is a bug’s life inside here. Your multiple degrees, Phd’s and being a wealthy tycoon didn’t really matter to them. They seem to the more than “GOD” above and beyond all.

If you a American Citizen then you get a direct entry through the main door and you can carry your mobile phones and paraphernalias. You get to hear kind words, you get offered a seat and there is someone to attend to you immediately. It is the Red Passport that makes the difference.

This has become a part of American Visa process to get humiliated and get treated like a criminal before their trip to US. Why don't the Embassy make this process a healthy experience? Denying an entry into their country is definitely their choice, but isn’t treating humans with some respect a basic quality of mankind? This doesn’t project a good image of America and Americans. Well God Bless America and Americans.