Its time to introspect

Indians were given a whitewash at the hands of English and am sure heads will start to roll. It is at these times, people tend to take decisions in haste and take all the wrong decisions. There are some repair work need to be done to this Indian team, but do not forget that the repair should be done in the planning as well. The FTP should be planned in such a way that the team gets at least 45 days of break before a major tour starts and have at least 2 or 3 warm up games before the test match starts. Well it is easy to scribble here than to plan but the board must look in to this seriously.  With regards to selection of team, its high time the committee looks in to the fitness level of the players. They should have the guts to drop even the best performing player if he is not fit enough to play. The Zaheer Khan incident ll certainly bring down the morale of the team. Similarly Sehwag was not even half fit for the match and I found no reason on why he was flown to England for the last 2 tests.  The selectors also need to groom in new talents by giving them opportunities at the highest level.  Only in WI tour, I felt the selectors did a very good job but that was due to unavailability of seniors. They should groom the likes of Piyush Chawla, Cheteshwar Puraja, Rohit Sharma and other budding talents. The selectors should have the confidence in these people and give them an extended run in the tests. It is not enough if the players are selected only for the one dayers. After all one day international is anybody’s game where the fortune changes in a matter of minutes. Test cricket is the highest form of game and people should believe in that. Players who have excelled in test cricket have also excelled in other forms of cricket, but its not the other way around. The likes of Dravid, Tendulkar, Kumble they are all the legends of the game who have excelled in all the 3 forms of the game. Raina played some cruicial innings at the world cup, Yuvraj was the player of the tournament but when in England, it was Dravid all the way. He opened the innings, had come 1^st down, kept wickets and still was the leading run scorer for India. Infact he scored more than 50% of the runs scored by India in the whole series. Raina looked completely out of sorts when he was bowled a bouncer. Think of Raina in the early 80’s when WI was packed with fast bowlers. He would have never played cricket in life. One more problem this series has shown is the lack of all rounder. India really felt the absence of a genuine all rounder in the first test. That is where top teams like South Africa, England and Australia really outshine India. India really need to groom Irfan Pathan for the future as he is the only person I know capable of filling the all rounder spot.

It is time to introspect the problems Indian cricket is facing which was not long ago were the world champions and No 1 test team. This series should be an eye opener for the officials and most of the players are nearing their end of career this is the right time to groom younger generations which is certainly going to be good for the future of Indian cricket. Certainly there is no dearth of talent in India, we need to properly guide them and shape them to face the future.

The 4 pillars - need urgent attention

India is a developing country, one of the fastest growing economies, one of the biggest economies in the world, world’s largest democracy. Being an Indian, I feel proud whenever I see these things in the media. However I feel lots more need to be done for India to be called truly a developing nation.

Education Reforms:  This the foremost reform that the government should address.

• Just implementing RTE is not good enough, providing quality education at the primary level is the most important thing.
• There should be a school every 1KM (depending on the population) which provides at least till 6^th standard.
• There should not be more than 30 students in class. This helps the teachers in assessing the students individually.
• Do not burden the children with exams. A project is a better way in assessing the students at this level.
• Provide proper infrastructure for children to play. Children need to go out and play for the betterment of the physical fitness and mental relaxation.
• Provide good exposure for children on subjects other than academics. This ll help children of economically weaker sections.
• Increase the wages of teachers. This is the most important of all the things. There is no other way we can attract bright and young professionals for teaching other than by increasing the pay. They are the most important people in the world and they should be treated on par with other professionals. I am sure there are thousands of quality teachers who couldn’t take up the profession because of the pay. This results in people with lesser qualification to take up the teaching profession.
• Remember, India is the land which made two of its teachers as the President. So I hope the government ll certainly look in to this issue.

Police Reforms: The next in the line which requires urgent attention is the police reform.

• Again, the first and the foremost thing are to increase their pay and provide better environment. An average salary of 15 to 20K per month is certainly not enough in the age of rising inflation. No wonder why police asks for bribes. On top of it, a traffic constable standing under the hot sun in Chennai is certainly a daunting task. I am sure better work environment and pay ll reduce the bribe they take from common man.
• Make sure people do not fear police. A common perception nowadays that a police can register a false case against anybody if they don’t toe their line. Only if this perception goes, people ll be ready to come out and fight against the day to day problems they are facing. I am sure there is some solution for this to happen and it’s the duty of the government to find a suitable solution.
• Monthly or quarterly appraisal is certainly the need of the hour, esp Tamil Nadu police who have this habit of having a big tummy soon after joining the profession. These days most of the criminals are physically fitter than the police.
• Police are the protector of the law and if we cannot keep them happy, it ll become a serious problem in the future.

Electoral Reforms: The next in the line of reforms which needs government’s attention

• Put a cap on the usage of money during elections. If this does not happen, then all the black money ll be easily converted to white money.
• Basic qualification for the candidates standing in the election. I am sure no explanation is needed on why we need this reform.
• Conduct in Parliament should be one of the main criteria for people looking for re election. A good conduct is absolute necessary and should be one of the main qualifications while filing the nomination papers. When, conduct certificate is more important in schools and colleges is it not necessary for the same in Indian Parliament and assembly when the members stoop to very low level so often. It is like degrading the dignity of the house.

Agricultural Reforms: With the introduction of food security bill, the demand is just going to shoot up and if the issue on supply is not addressed properly it ll be a major disaster for India. It is high time, the government bring in 2^nd green revolution before crisis sets in. Since I am not an expert in agriculture I certainly cannot suggest anything to the government. So I leave it to them to take whatever steps they need to increase the supply.

Cheers please...

Not long ago, I cheered for the UPA when it was elected for the second consecutive term to form the government. I cheered not because I am a Congress supporter (neither do I support them) but because of the clear mandate of the people which brings in the stability at the center. The left withdrew their support from the UPA and I was expecting more on reforms from the UPA 2. I should certainly say with a sad face that UPA 2 has failed miserably. The 2 year old government is like a food without salt and spices. It is bland. They are surrounded by every kind of scams that is possible be it the spectrum scam, CWG scam, Adarsh housing scam, land grabbing scam.. the list simply goes on. Tihar jail has become synonymous to 5 star prison which houses some of the most high profile people.  On the economic front too, the country grew at a slower pace when compared to few years ago. A much of it is attributed to recession but the government has done little enough to curb the inflation which is at a staggering high of 9%. The biggest of all is that the PM, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi chose to remain silent on every issue and it required the Supreme Court to monitor the investigations on the multiple multi crore scams. Come August 15^th, Dr.Singh will hoist the tri color for the 8^th time and we ll be hearing yet another optimistic speech from him. However it is always less done than said in India. We say a lot but do little. There seems to be a wave of pessimism across India about its future. This too shall pass away is what keeping things going for the Indians.

Wait..am I going too much pessimistic about India. Well these are the times India needs it people to be optimistic. Whatever happens there is no place on earth which is full of life like India. Though surrounded by troubled neighbors, India is relatively peaceful. There is no other place in the world, which is so unorganized, yet very much organized. India is the land of A.R.Rahmans, Saina Nehwals, Sachin Tendulkars  who always find a way to come out of adversity. There is nothing to be worried about India just like its cricket team which is going through a tough time in England. At the end of the day, it ll come out of all the obstacles it faces.

Its Independence day, time to cheer up as all is not gloom in India.

Jai Hind

Cricket Classics

The pinnacle of cricket is reaching yet another milestone, 2000th test match and it coincides with the 100th test between India and England and there is no better ground than Mecca of cricket to host this historic test match, the Lord’s. To add more spice to this, a century at Lord’s for the Little Master means it ll be his 100th international century and 1st at Lord’s. There is no doubt this is going to be one of the most important test match in Cricket’s history. Adding to it is the world’s no 1 ranking is at stake for the Indians. If they lose by a margin of 2 tests (2-0 or 3-1), it means England will be the new world no 1 in test cricket. It would be a great disservice if me being a big fan of test cricket, do not re-visit some of the classic encounters over the past years.

1. India vs Australia (Kolkata, 2001): This is certainly one of the best test matches ever played. India was down 0-1 with Australia winning the 1st test at Mumbai. Things didn’t look good at the start of this test match with Australia piling up more than 400 runs in the 1st innings, thanks to a brilliant century from the captain Steven Waugh with ably supported by Jason Gillespie. In reply, India was bowled out for less than 200 in the 1st innings. Australia enforced follow on and India started of better than the 1st innings. However India was staring at defeat until the Wall joined Laxman. The duo played more than a day without losing the wicket with Laxman scoring 281 and Dravid (180) and taking India past 600 and set Australia a target of 384. Australia started of very well and draw seems to be inevitable. However in the final session of the 5th day things turned around with Harbhajan and Sachin Tendulkar sharing 9 wickets among them and taking India home to what would be called as the greatest victory in their history.

2. Australia vs West Indies (Bridgetown, 1998): If at all any budding player wants to know how to play under pressure, I think he should watch this match. This match is known for the heroics of one of the greatest test batsmen, Brian Charles Lara. Australia score 490 in the 1st innings thanks to a brilliant century for Steven Waugh and Ricky Ponting. In reply, WI conceded a lead of 161 runs. However in the second innings Australia were bowled out for 140 with Walsh taking 5 wickets. Needing 308 to win, WI was struggling at 105/5 before Lara and Adams put on a century partnership. However when the score was 238, WI lost Adams and soon they were 248/8. In came Curtly Ambrose and he along with Lara put on a 50 run partnership and took the team total to 302. In between there were nervous moments with catch dropped at the slips. With 1 wicket remaining, Courtney Walsh not known for his batting hung in there until Lara finished of the proceedings taking WI home. Lara score 153* and scored more than 60 runs with the tail.

3. India vs England (Chennai, 2008): Including this test match in one of classics may not be an apt in terms of finishes but for the spirit of English cricket who toured India despite the terror attacks in Mumbai barely weeks before the start of the match. Needing 387 to win, India got off to a flying start by Virender Sehwag who scored a quick fire 87 setting up a great platform for victory in the 5th morning. The final day belonged to none other than Sachin Tendulkar who along with Yuvraj Singh saw India through. Sachin scored a brilliant 102* on a difficult Chennai pitch.

4. India vs Australia (Chennai, 1986): This is the second test match that ended in tie after WI vs Aus. The match is also known for the heroics of Dean Jones who scored a brilliant 200 in the heat of Chennai fighting dehydration. Needing 348 to win, India started off well with Sunil Gavaskar scoring a brilliant 90 on a difficult turning track. He forged a century partnership with Mohinder Amarnath. Soon India was 253/5 with Ravi Shastri and Chandrakant Pandit at the crease. Shastri forged a 40 run partnership with Pandit and another 40 run partnership with Chetan Sharman to take India close to the total. When the scores were level at 347 and with 1 wicket in hand, the match was poised for a great finish. Maninder Singh was at the striker’s end and was out lbw to Greg Mathews giving him 10 wickets in the match.

5. England vs Australia (Leeds, 1981): The Ashes is touted to be the ultimate contest in test cricket and this match lived up to its name mainly because of one man, Ian Botham. Austraila scored 401 in the 1st innings with Botham taking 6 wickets. However England was bowled out for 174 in their first innings with Botham being the top scorer for them. Asked to follow on, England was tottering at 135/7, when Dilley joined Botham. This was the partnership that changed the course of the game. The duo put on a century partnership with Botham scoring a brilliant century in less than run a ball. Once Dilley was out Botham forged another century partnership with Bob Willis and took England to 356 setting a modest target of 130 for the Australians. However the day belonged to Willis who took 8 Australian wickets for just 43 runs bowling out the Australians for a meager 111.

The above test matches were just a sample of hundreds of classic matches which proves that test matches are the ultimate form of cricket. These matches listed here are not in any order. There are matches which may be better than the above 5, but the idea of this is just to highlight the importance of test match cricket which sees dwindling audiences and revenue. It is these matches which tests the true ability of a player and one who comes out with flying colours at the end of their career are truly the legends of cricket.

Why Lokpal will be ineffective?

2011 is certainly will go in the annals as one of the most important in the Indian history. So much happened that it evoked extreme emotions among Indians. This year saw the unearthing of India’s biggest scam famously called as 2G scam or spectrum scam. The magnitude of the scam is so high that it really shook up the people of India. On constant pressure from the opposition and from the media, Andimuthu Raja was finally arrested and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. If this was not enough, the other scam which came in to the light brought one of the biggest shame for India, the commonwealth games scam. Again, when the government was reluctant to take any action, constant pressure from the opposition and the media led to the arrest of the games committee chairman, Suresh Kalmadi. He is also currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

Not for long public can be tolerant and this was evident with the sudden hunger strike from the social activist Anna Hazare against corruption and to bring the Lokpal Bill. The huge followers supporting the movement shook the government to draft the bill which is still in indecisive stage.

What is Lokpal Bill?

This intention of this bill is to create an independent body which handles the corruption cases against whomever a compliant has been registered. The verdict should be delivered in 1 year and the convict ll be given immediate punishment. The bill also wants to bring Prime Minister and all the sitting MP’s in the ambit of the bill so that we have a clean and efficient ministers at the center.

I really appreciate the efforts of Mr. Hazare and fellow citizens who are fighting for the lokpal bill. Corruption in India is so high that it affects the economy and also the spirit of the nation. If this trend continues, foreign investors will fear investing in one of the fastest growing economies resulting in the slowdown of the economic growth. There is urgent need of strong Act like the lokpal which should act as a deterrent against corruption. However I am skeptical about effectiveness of the bill.

Why Lokpal will not work?

1. The Bills and Acts will only be helpful in punishing the convict and cannot prevent the crime.

2. People who are considered to safeguard the law of the nation, themselves are not sincere enough in their work.

3. With rising inflation, people find it difficult to manage their livelihood, corruption tend to happen. On top of it, when there is no performance based appraisal and a job security for life time, people ll never take their work seriously.

4. Red Tapism is so high in the country that a person ll be willing to bribe the official to move the papers quickly to another department rather than wait for the officer to act on it. Life is moving fast and the public simply doesn’t have time to wait.

5. Lack of transparency in the government.

6. The public doesn’t trust the politicians and the judiciary. Rowdism and fear for life stops bright and young people from entering politics. This makes it easier for the least qualified person to join the politics.

7. The greed for money is certainly the biggest cause for the rampant corruption among Indians. People are not satisfied with what they have and the want for more takes them in the wrong path.

8. Financial imbalance among the people. 80-20 rule perfectly suits the Indian Economy where 80% of the wealth is in the hands of 20% of the people.

9. People simply don’t have time to fight corruption unless led by a leader and they simply will not complaint against them fearing dire consequences.

10. Lack of accountability among people and officials.

This just reminds me one of the funny dialogues in a tamil movie, “building strong, aana basement weak”. If the government can do its homework and get the basics right, I am sure corruption will fade away automatically. Till then we can only fight corruption and certainly cannot get rid of it.

Tamil cinema is in safe hands

Movies are certainly a great entertainment and movie stars are more popular than any other artists, may be only next to cricketers in India. When it comes to South India esp Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, movie stars attain a demi-god status. M.G.Ramachandran and N.T.Rama Rao are perfect examples. Their cinemas touch the very essence of problems facing by poor from the rich. They portrayed themselves as the savior of poor from the rich which certainly helped them in launching themselves into successful political career. In fact, NTR’s Telugu Desam Party is the only regional party to be second largest party in Parliament. Such was his popularity in his home state. MGR enjoyed an equally cult status in his home state of Tamil Nadu. Politics apart, when it comes to cinema, MGR was a star of masses. Most of his revolve around him being savior of poor. He was certainly a bankable star and the producer of sure of making profit from a MGR movie. During his time, his competitor was ‘Sivaji’ Ganesan. He was considered as one of the best method actors of all time in India. The great Marlon Brando himself has said about the talent of Sivaji Ganesan.  He has acted in several genres including historical, mythological, romance, action and comedy. It is said that there no role that Sivaji cannot perform.  “Veerapandiya Kattaboman”, “Thiruvilayadal” , “Thillana Mohanabal”, “Vietnam Veedu” are some of his finest movies of his time. The 60’s and 70’s of tamil cinema was ruled by these two legendry actors. Apart from these two, there was ‘Gemini’ Ganesan who was an equally brilliant actor. Most of his films are romantic and hence his title ‘Kathal Manan’. However, when it comes to competition it was between MGR and Sivaji. By the end of 70’s saw decline of MGR and Sivaji. This period also saw the rise of one of the greatest actors of all time, Kamal Hassan and India’s greatest superstar, Rajini Kanth.

The 80’s and 90’s saw the emergence of these two actors. Their movies followed the path of MGR and SIvaji. Kamal, being a method actor is seen as the successor of Sivaji. Rajini’s movies are always centered upon how he overcomes difficulties and win over the villain. The decade was ruled by these two actors with one went on to win 3 national awards for best acting and many international awards. He has given some of the greatest tamil movies like Thevar Magan, Nayanga, Michael Madana Kamarajan, Moondram Pirai. The other emerged as the king of box office in this period with almost all his movies crossing 100 days and creating records in box office. Annamalai, Baatsha, Muthu to name a few. During this period tamil industry saw some good actors like Karthik, Mohan, Sathyaraj. But it was these two who ruled the roost. There was always comparison between these two as who is the best. By the end of 90’s these two actors have slowed down in the number of movies they make but continuing to give hits. This decade also saw the rise of two young stars, Joseph Vijay and Ajith Kumar.

Even though both of them made their debut in 90’s it was in the end of 90’s and 2000’s saw the rise of these two actors.  Both Vijay and Ajith started in a promising note with films like Kathaluku Mariyathai, Aasai, Kushi, Vaalee. Their popularity soared, however they never reached the heights of their predecessors. This period saw a change in the trend of tamil cinema with many actors evolving during this period, most notably Surya Sivakumar and Vikram. These two are supposed to be the best actors of tamil cinema at present with sterling performances in movies like Sethu, Pithamagan, Kaakha Kaakha, Varanam Aayiram etc. This period also saw the rise of actors like ‘Jeyam’ Ravi, Silambarasan, Vishal, Bharath, Madhavan and others who all have given some good movies to the audiences.

The most important thing to note is, the current generation of tamil cinema is not dependent on Ajith and Vijay unlike 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The industry has got variety of actors who can fit in to any role. The directors rely more on story than actors and a string of low budget movies with new faces have released and have done well at the box office. Movies like Subramaniapuram, Chennai-28 doesn’t boasts big stars but relied on the story and screenplay. The audience have evolved and looking in to the story than star cast which is definitely a good sign for tamil cinema.The presence of directors like Aameer, Bala, Gautham and others means tamil cinema is certainly in safe hands.

Cricket World Cup 2011 - A Preview

With only 2 months to go for the cricket’s biggest sporting spectacle, we look into the strengths, weakness and chances of winning the world cup of each team.  I know its too early to look into it but I feel nothing much ll be changed in another 1 month.

India:

Certainly one of the favorites to win the cup. They are currently on top of their form with everyone making healthy contributions to the team. The team management will certainly be happy with the way things are proceeding. A series whitewash by a second string Indian team against New Zealand (when I write, its 4-0 with one to go) will certainly boosts their confidence. A tough tour of South Africa will certainly help in appraise the strength and weakness of each player and would help them sort out before the world cup starts. One major cause of worry is the No.7 batsman. Even though Yousuf Pathan have almost cemented his place for the No.7, it ll be interesting to see what is in the mind of Dhoni. The strength of this team is their batting with everyone is in top form. The major weakness in this Indian team is runs they leak in the death overs and the power plays. If at all they can contain the powerplays, there is no reason why India cannot win this cup. Moreover playing in home conditions will certainly improve their chances of winning the cup. This team is certainly an improved unit than the one played in 1996 which was a one man army and that man is still playing and is in form of his life. The chances of winning the world cup is 30%

Sri Lanka:

Second of the three host countries in the tournament. The last time the cup was played in the sub continent they were the champions. Under the astute leadership of Arjuna Ranatunga, they romped home turning the phase of Srilankan cricket. 15 years later they are led by a similar astute captain, Kumar Sangakara. Bouyed by their success in Australia, their first series win down under, this team is certainly be one of the favourites to win the cup. Their main strength is their batting led by the classy Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakara. These two will be key if at all they have any chance of repeating 1996. Their bowling is equally strong with Nuwan Kulasekara leading the attack. He is one of the most consistent bowlers around. Since they ll be playing all their matches in their home, it is an added advantage for the lions. The chances of they winning the cup is 25%.

South Africa:

If at all they have to win the world cup, they have to hold their nerves. Famously called as “Chokers”, they ll certainly be keen in removing the tag. There is no reason why they cannot win the cup given the bowling attack they posses. Steyn and Morkel are supposed to be the best of the current bowling attack in the world. Hashim Amla and AB Devillers are in form of their life and you have ever reliable Jacques Kallis and all these players are led by a brilliant and astute Graeme Smith who plays a major role with the start he gives.  Even though they have the best new ball bowlers, there is no one to back up. They have Tsotobe, Parnell in the line up but not as lethal as Steyn and Morkel. Another big drawback is the absence of spinners in the team. Johan Botha is only spinner they have but he will be ineffective when he plays in sub continent. The chances of winning the world cup is 15%.

Australia:

The performance at ashes, defeat in the hands on Sri Lankans and defending champions all add to the pressure. They are certainly not formidable as they were 4 years ago, but one cannot write away the Aussies for their ability to fight till the end. Their bowling looks strong with Bollinger, Harris, McKay, and Johnson. Their batting is equally strong with the likes of Watson, Ponting, Clarke and crisis man Hussey. The thing about the Aussies is the ability to rise to the occasion and nothing becomes demanding than a world cup. They would certainly want to play at home in 2015 as defending champions but recent form suggests they have difficult task ahead. The chances of winning the world cup is 10%.

England:

Certainly on cloud nine after their performance in the first two test of the Ashes. They are at present playing brilliant cricket. They won their first ICC trophy when they lifted the ICC Twenty20 world cup in West Indies. Buoyed by their success they ld like to repeat their feat in the 50 over format too. If at all they need to go through the quarter finals, the big man Kevin Pietersen should be continue his good form all through the tournament. Their bowling looks good with James Anderson and Graeme Swaan leading the attack. The crisis man Paul Collingwood should find purple patch before the world cup starts as he is one of the key member of the English team. Off all the players, Andrew Strauss should fire from all cylinders and lead from the front if at all they have any chance of making it to the semi finals. If they transform their test form into one dayers, no doubt they are a key contender to lift the trophy. The chances of winning the world cup is 8%.

New Zealand:

Certainly not the kind of preparation they would have liked to have. A 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Bangladesh and another whitewash against the Indians. They have lost their last 9 ODI’s they have played. If at all they are to win the world cup, a miracle should happen and only 2 players can cause the miracle in their team, Daniel Vettori and Ros Taylor. Much will be depended on these two players if at all they have any chance of making it to the semi finals. Brendon McCullum will be a key player but his inconsistency should be a worrying factor for the Kiwis. Their bowling is good with the likes of Tuffey and Mills but I think it will be difficult for them to carry the burden on their shoulders. The chances of winning the cup is 5%.

Pakistan:

The most unpredictable team in cricketing history. If they play to their true potential, they are certainly world beaters but the infighting, spot fixing scandal, absence of Amir and Asif are going to be a serious blow in their preparation to the world cup. In the absence of the Amir and Asif, Umar Gul and Shoiab Akthar should lead the attack. But apart from these two, I don’t see any bowler giving good support to. Batting on paper looks strong with the likes of Younis Khan, Yousuf, Afridi, Umar Akmal but it all depends on the mood of the dressing room given the controversies surrounding the team. It is sad that the country which produced one of the greatest fast bowlers and all rounder is struggling with so many problems. Their chances of winning the cup is 3%.

West Indies:

Any cricket follower and lover will certainly feel sad with the demise of once the greatest team to play cricket. The country which produced the greats like Richards, Marshal, Hall, Garner, Ambrose, Walsh, Lara is now struggling to even find a decent player. Apart from Gayle and Chanderpaul, I don’t see any one performing consistently. Not many would have thought Sammy to be the captain when he was not even a permanent player in the side.  If at all they are make in to the semi finals or even quarter finals, Gayle, Chanderpaul and Roach should play to their full potential else it ll be another disappointing world cup the West Indies. The chances of winning the world cup is 2%

Bangladesh:

They are a good one day unit and on their day they can create an upset which was evident from 2007 world cup. They are currently on a roll after defeating NZL 4-0 at home. Shakib al Hasan, Abdur Razzak, Tamim Iqbal are some of the key players whom the team look for if at all they need to reach the quarterfinal stage. The chaces of winning the world cup is 2%.

Happenings in cricket and my World Cup Squad

This is a great time for all the cricket lovers as all the top teams are in action and with jus 70 odd days to go for the biggest cricket event The World Cup, fans like me certainly are having a great time. The Ashes started off with blinder from Peter Siddle followed by a brilliant partnership between Cook and Trott. It was a perfect start to the games oldest and bitter rivalry. Then it was Kevin Pietersen’s turn to frustrate the Aussies which followed by a brilliant stuff from Graeme Swaan to win the Adelaide test by an innings. If this was not enough, back home Indians were made to toil by the Kiwis in the first test but Indians proved why they are world no 1 by winning the third test by an innings. I should congratulate the Kiwis for their brilliant fight after a drubbing they got at the hands of Bangladesh. The hero of the series was the Turbanator, though it was his batting that won him the laurels. I would have loved to see him winning the match for his bowling, but a century will always help the team irrespective of who scores. However, the game of cricket witnessed one of the worst series that can happen, the series between Sri Lanka and West Indies. Most of the time, the players enjoyed indoor as rain interrupted all through the series. One positive the cricket lovers can take from the series is the triple century by Chris Gayle at Galle. With this triple ton he joined the elite club of Don Bradman, Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag to score 2 triple centuries. Kemar Roach bowled brilliantly in the given opportunity but the biggest disappointment is the failure of captain Darren Sammy. I think a captain should lead from the front to inspire his team. Another dull series which the game witnessed is the series between Pakistan and South Africa at Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Both the test series were drawn but its good for Pakistan, which is fighting the spot fixing scandal and internal terrorism to get some game to be played. In a week’s time, India is set play South Africa in South Africa, which many considers to be the mother of all battles. Its between the top 2 test nations in the world and India’s poor record in South Africa meant the pressure is high on the Indians. Moreover, people back home in India are expecting 50^th test century from the little master after a disappointing series against New Zealand.  Its action packed season for cricket and I am enjoying it.

With so much stuff happening around the cricketing world, let me take some break and analyze who in the Indian team will be making it to the world cup. It is one of the toughest assignments given the performance of various players. So this is my Indian 15 member squad for the world cup. Of the 15, 10 players are of automatic choice,

1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Gautam Gambhir
4. MS Dhoni
5. Suresh Raina
6. Yuvraj Singh
7. Virat Kohli
8. Zaheer Khan
9. Harbhajan Singh
10. Ashish Nehra

So the question for who are the remaining 5 people who is going to make it to squad arises. Based on my analysis and intuition the following 5 should complete the 15.

1. Shanthakumar Sreeshanth – Has been bowling well off late in the tests and his success against South Africa in South Africa will help him get in to the squad. However it is his economy rate that should be a cause of concern for him. He should bring it down as it ll be the deciding factor between him, Ishant and Munaf. His ability to pick wickets has made me to include in the squad.
2. Ravichandran Ashwin – He is the second spinner in my squad. He makes it to the 15 just because of his sheer performance in the on going one day series against New Zealand.
3. Praveen Kumar – He will complete the fast bowling unit of the Indian squad for the world cup. His main strengths are his ability to swing the ball both ways early in the match which can certainly trouble the batsmen.
4. Yousuf Pathan – He is the answer for India’s No 7 player at least for now after his brutal knock against NZL and his off spinner will be handy in Indian conditions.
5. Parthiv Patel – Two reasons why he should make it to squad are that he is the back up keeper for Dhoni and his current batting form is good which earns him a place ahead of Dinesh Karthik and Wridhman Saha.

Human being par excellence

He has been on the field for more than 20 years, has played more matches than anyone else, have scored more runs than anyone in the game, there is no award that is not there in his kitty but still he says "I have lot to learn in cricket". This kind of simplicity, humbleness and down to earth has kept him achieve such heights. Yes, I am talking about none other than the little master Sachin Tendulkar. He started playing for the country at the age of 16 and immediately showed his commitment towards the game and for the country when he played with a bleeding nose when hit by a Waqar delivery. Few days later he showed why he is regarded as the replacement for Sunil Gavaskar when he hit Abdul Qadir for consecutive fours. If this was not enough, the century at Old Trafford which saved the game for India or the century at Perth, showed why he is a class apart. For more than 20 years, there was no instance at which his commitment towards the game or the country dwindled. A person who has achieved so much, who is considered as God in his place has shed tears for people died in 26/11 attack, congratulated all the CWG winners, and is involved in many charity work and that too silently is simply mind blowing. Till today he has been performing consistently for the country amid controversies and injuries with same enthusiasm and passion. Critics may not consider him as the greatest ever player to have played the game, but no one who has played the game is so down to earth, disciplined and also among the runs. Hats off to this great cricketer and a great human being for completing 14000 runs in test cricket and helping India win the series against Australia. May God give happiness to him and his family and long life.

The problem with Indians

My professor tells that “China doesn’t fear India but Indians are afraid of China”.  This is true to a certain extent given the kind of attention people give to the issues related to China. China has certainly is way ahead of us in almost all the fields be it research, agriculture, information technology or manufacturing. They have invested a lot in defense, infrastructure and research where as India’s investment is very less when compared to China. All of us certainly agree that India and China are similar. Both have rich and varied cultural history, huge landmass, and big population. India got its independence in 1947 and the Chinese civil war started in 1949. If Gandhi and Nehru shaped today’s
India, Mao Zedong is responsible for today’s China. Strategically both India and China had close ties with the Soviet Union and there was this famous ‘Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai’ slogan all over the world portraying the closeness of India and China. Post 1947, the race to the top in Asia was certainly between India and China because of the sheer amount of their population and land mass.
Economics is all about production and consumption and with majority of world’s population is in these two countries, whoever wins the race certainly ll be the next super power in the world. With everything in common between these two countries, 63yrs later China is well ahead of India in the race and the way it is going it certainly touted to replace the United States as the next super
power in the world.

India believes in Gandhian principles which are ahimsa and freedom for all. This is certainly one of the greatest thought as I do not want to live with my hands tied in my own country.  I need my freedom to express whatever I wish, I need freedom to do whatever I want within the framework of law and I certainly need freedom to follow the culture which is the most comfortable for me. India is the only place as far as I know where I have the full freedom to express myself. I can even raise my flag against India if I feel I am discriminated in my own land. I can agitate against any thing if I feel it hurts my sentiments and beliefs and I have the power of choosing my representative and what he must do for my improvement. As a citizen of India I have all the powers a normal human being can have and I am sure not all the countries give this freedom. I wonder if I have all the powers then why India is still lagging behind many countries, still 37% of the population is below poverty line and still lots of mal nourished children in my streets. The reason behind this is know I have all the powers but I do not know that these powers come with a discipline and responsibility. I should know the rules to follow while I am driving a vehicle, I should know where to throw the garbage, I should know what I should do when someone is asking for bribe and also I should know to choose the right person as my representative. I should not vote based on the popularity but based on the profile of the candidate and his manifesto. I should first respect the law and last but not the least I should love my country and support it in whatever situation it is in.

On the other hand, China imposed these qualities on its people and hence the growth is phenomenon. I am not sure whether India should impose it or not on me, as long as I love my country and ready to die for it I am sure India ll surpass China soon.

“Be the change if you want to see the change” – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

So I take pledge today that I ll not let my country down and available to serve her whenever it needs me.

*Note: I refers to the wonderful citizens of India and not me

Cricket and its problems

For the past few days we have seen news loaded about corruption in the world,especially the spot fixing charges against the Pakistan cricket team. It really pains me a lot to see the game I love the most, the game which I grew up watching, the game which have produced some of the greatest sportsmen, is surrounded by controversies. This is not the first time this has happend in cricket, but what worries more is that the administrators have failed to learn from the past experience. Any form of corruption in any field should be dealt with iron hand but I guess the administrators have really not done enough to stop this. The moment Hansie Cronje admitted about the match fixing, it should have taken a tough stand against the offenders and should have really amended the law with tougher punishments. Well, I am not aware of the cricketing laws to comment about it but I certainly feel that administrators could have done more to save the game. Cricket's pinnacle, the test cricket is already in danger of losing viewerships and the match fixing scandal is no more than a jolt. When ICL was launched in India, BCCI went all out against it and even banned players from representing their state and national teams. Fearing the loss of revenue to its competitor, it went all out against it and have certainly made it a non existing entity. When they can do so much to maintain their revenue, why ICC is not doing enough to stop fixing. Moreover, their strategy in reviving test cricket is disappointing. The players are burdened with matches, FTP is poorly planned and marketing is equally poor. The pitches around the world have become as slow as Tortoise. Look at WACA and Barbados. These two grounds were supposed to be fastest pitch in the world, but it has certainly have become slow over the time. This certainly had an effect on the quality of bowlers who are currently playing. Apart from 1 or 2 bowlers no one can be compared to even a decent bowlers of 80's and 90's. Cricket is certainly surrounded by lots of problems and ICC have little time in restoring the pride of the Gentlemen's game, but I am confident that game will rise again like a phoenix.

என் தாய் நாட்டிற்கு சமர்பிக்கிறேன்

எனக்கு பசித்த போது நீ உணவைத் தந்தாய்
உன் நிலத்தில் நான் மரத்தைக் கூட நடவில்லை

என் உயிரைக் காக்க நீ மருத்துவரை தந்தாய் மும்பையில்
உன் ரத்தம் சிந்திய போது நான் உன்னிடம் இல்லை

பேசுவதற்கு பொன் மொழியான தமிழை தந்தாய்
நான் அதன் கொள்ளுப் பேரனான ஆங்கிலம் கற்றேன்

நீ அடிமை பட்ட போது நான் பிறக்கவில்லை
நான் பிறந்த பின்பு உன்னை காக்கவில்லை

எனக்கு உத்தியோகத்தைக் கொடுத்தாய் நானோ
அதை விட்டு அன்னியநாட்டுக்குப் பறந்தேன்

நீ எனக்கு என்ன செய்தாய் என்று கேட்டுத் திரிந்தேன்
கென்னெடியின் வரிகளை படிக்க வைத்து மன்னிப்பு கேட்க்கவைத்தாய்

என் பெயரை உன்னிடமிருந்து பெற்றுக் கொண்டேன் ஆனால்
உன் புகழை பரப்ப என்னால் முடியவில்லை

வேண்டியவற்றை அனைத்தையும் குடுத்தாய் உனக்கு
கொடுக்க என்னிடம் ஒன்றும் இல்லை

கொடுக்க ஒன்றும் இல்லாத போதும் வந்தே மாதரம்
என்று சொல்லி தலை வணங்குகிறேன்.

ஜெய் ஹிந்த்!!!!

The man with golden touch

Just 3 days to go for the much awaited movie of the year, Raavanan and Raavan.

The star cast boasts of some of the biggest names of Indian cinema which includes Abishek Bachan, Aishwarya Rai Bachan and Vikram  which shows why this is the most awaited movie of the year, but the reason behind so much expectation atleast for me is the director, Maniratnam. He is been one director who explores in to different subjects with every movie. Starting from Mounaraagam till Guru, all his movies were different in theme, story and the screen play. Its not just the stories and screenplays but his ability to bring out the best from each of his technicians makes him stand apart. One cannot distinguish who the better actor was in Mounaragam. If you feel Karthik’s cameo was the highlight of the movie, then Mohan’s performance was subtle. Who would have dared to cast two of the biggest names of southern industry, Rajinikanth and Mamooty. If that is not enough, take the case of Anjali which deals with the life of a mentally disabled child. What will happen if this guy joins hands with the greatest actor of our generation, Kamal Haasan. The result would be Naayagan, one of the greatest movies of all time. After working with likes of Ilayaraja,Rajinikanth and Mamooty, who would be ready to work with newcomers? This man believed in his story and screenplay and the result was Roja with Arvind Swamy and Madhubala, both new comers to the film industry and also marked the entry of A.R.Rahman in to the world of cinema. The kind of subjects he has handled, I bet no one would have handled in their entire career which sets him apart from other directors. This is why Raavan and Raavanan are eagerly anticipated. It’s been a month since the music was released and still topping the charts. There is no parallel for this man. He is a genius and very few can make it to elite list of directors and he is the one. So viewers be ready for Raavanan (Raavan) and am sure your money will not go to the drain. It would certainly be a movie worth watching.

I realised...

I believe experience is the greatest teacher to a person. Nothing teaches him/her the valuable lessons of life in this world. Before starting this blog I ll tell you about myself. I was a lazy person whose only passion was cricket. Eventhough I was passionate about cricket I never took it seriously as my career. I would watch and follow it and even when am fast asleep I would tell Sachin's record by heart. I never had any passion for studies especially science and technology, with no aim in life. If you come to know the fact that I am an engineer passed with first class, you would be surprised to know that I had no passion for science and technology. Well, I am not trying to boast about myself, but I did it for the sake of my parents. I felt its my duty to do it after commiting myself to the task. I realised that these marks doesn't reflect one's true ability. I have seen people who scored less marks than me but had better understanding of the subject than me. The irony is I got an offer from one of the top software firm in the world. People would have thought that am a geek, but the fact is I was not asked even a single question from the so called computers and science. The interview was all about cricket, puzzles and current affairs. I am not sure whether I would have got placed in that company if it was a pure technical interview. When the time came for me to join the company I was in a dilemma whether I would succeed or not. But I had no choice but to join. I wont say I fared well in the company but I was neither a flop show there. I realised that I am not comfortable in the company. I quit the company and did my masters to try my hand in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. I had no clue about it before making a decision on pursuing my masters in that field. I dont know why I chose the field. I wanted to switch my career from being an IT professional to more a management kind of job. Hence I was desperately looking out for opportunities in such field and I came across Logistics. I got an admit and I joined the university and after completing the studies I got placed in a fortune 500 company as analyst.

So this is me... a person with no aim, no passion, no curiosity to learn new things (apart from cricket), doesn't talk much to anyone, who love to be alone. Infact I crib a lot about life.In short I was a boring person.

Well, after coming here I can say that I have changed a bit. I realised that cricket is not the only thing in life for me. I do have passion for other things and I would not say I am a person without ambition. I do talk more when compared to how I was before. I would not say I am not a boring person now, but not as bad as how I was before. I do prefer to be alone but I realised at times I need people around me. I realised that it is these people who make my life meaningful. One thing I am still not able to overcome is my attitude towards studies. I still dont believe in marks. It is just one of the tool to measure a person's ability and not the tool. I feel there are better ways of measuring people's ability than through marks. Its just my opinion though. I would say I am more matured as a person now than may be 2 or 3 years before (there is nothing to feel great about it. One has to mature as days pass). Apart from these things, I realised few other things as well. Finally I also realised how important it is to pursue the career one love which I couldn't. I would say its my fault because of my attitude. With a new found passion and ambition, I would just like to see me work towards it and reach the goal. When I think of how I was before, I used to feel bad and at times funny. Well, experience does teach people valuable lessons which are more important than what teachers at school and college teach. Afterall there is no better medicine than time.

A trip to be remembered

I had been to Malaysia in the mid February and I must admit that it was one of the most exciting tour I have ever had. It was a 4 day trip from Singapore and we covered Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands and Taman Negara.

Day 1:

We started from Singapore on 12th night and reached KL early at 3.30 in the morning. Fortunately the room we had had booked was at a walk able distance from the bus stand. We started at around 8 in the morning and left for Batu Caves. It is abode of Lord Muruga on a lime stone hill. It is one of exotic temple I have ever seen. It was very natural and the tall Muruga statue at the entrance made it grand. After coming out of the temple, we had our breakfast and left by cab for Genting Highlands. It is a hill station with theme parks and casinos. The journey from KL took around 2 hours due to heavy traffic. Once we reached basement, we took a cable car to the highland and it is said to be the fastest cable car in the world. The view from the car was lush green and the whole area was covered by rainforests. The rides in the outdoor theme parks were fun and coupled with cloudy and chill climate made our trip more pleasant. If the theme park was fun, the casino was entertaining. First of its kind for us and were really amused to see so many people putting their money on betting. So we thought why not put some money on betting and we indeed won around 70RM. We left Genting at around 5 PM and reached KL by 8 in the night.


Day 2:

We left KL at 8.30 in the morning and boarded a bus to Taman Negara. The journey was a pleasant one with palm trees on one side and mountains on other side of the road. We reached a place called Jerantut at 12.30 PM for our lunch. The we left the place at 1.30 to a nearby jetty where we were supposed to take a boat on our way to Taman Negara. It is 2 hrs boat ride and one should never miss this if they are planning to go to Taman Negara. We reached the place at around 6 in the evening and checked in to the resort. The place was breathtaking with lush forests on either side of the resort. We took a jeep at 10.30 PM in to jungle for night safari. We did see few animals like wild cat. But the real adventure was when the jeep driver switched off the jeep and his torch light in the middle of the jungle. It was pitch dark and we couldn’t see anyone around. It was scary and eerie. It was a planned one from one of my friend and the jeep driver. We returned to the resort at 12 midnight and had a wonderful sleep.

Day 3:

We left for the canopy walk at 9 in the morning. It was inside the jungle and had to do some mountain trekking as well. After the canopy walk we left for a cave exploration. Little we know that cave is full of bats and had to crawl all through inside the cave until we reached there. We managed to crawl through the cave and came out after 30 mins struggle. It was one of the most adventurous part of the trip until what happened in the evening. We set off for a bath in waterfalls which is around 30 mins from our resort in to the jungle. The pathway was mind blowing as usual and we reached a place from where we had walk in to the jungle to reach the falls. We were asked not to spend much time in the falls as it is already 6 in the evening. After having wonderful time near the falls, we came to the place from where we were supposed to take the boat to the resort. The guide allowed us to take bath there. Our excitement grew bigger once we went into the river for a bath. After changing our dress we decided to return to the resort. By the time we started from that place, it was getting darker. Half way mid it was pitch dark and we are still in the middle of the jungle. We were able to hear sounds made by the birds and some animals. I was wishing that we could spot a tiger but unfortunately we were able to spot only a monkey and few birds. We reached the resort at 8 in the night and the guide informed us that this is the first time they are coming so late from the jungle. I personally loved it. After having our dinner, we went for a night walk in to the jungle and we were lucky to spot a wild boar, scorpion and a deer.

Day 4:

We left the place at 9 in the morning and reached KL at 1 in the afternoon. We had our lunch and went to the famous Petronas Towers. It was an architectural genius. From Petronas we went atop of the KL tower and had a breathtaking view of Kuala Lumpur. After spending few hours there we took a bus to Singapore and reached here at 12 midnight.

From the exotic jungle to buzzing city, we experienced everything in the span of 4 days but still didn’t stop us to making a trip to Malaysia again. Hei Malaysia di sini kita datang lagi.

Get the basics right

Well… I do have a problem of choosing a topic whenever I feel like updating my blog. Even now I have no clue what I am going to update but just want to start something so that I can pass my time in office. Ok, let me write something about the most important development that happened in India in the past week.

33% quota for women in parliament and state legislatures:

I am not against giving quota to anyone as long as it is effectively utilized, but the problem in our country is it is often misused. Politicians use this to garner votes, people just try to satisfy the minimum requirement to get a job or a seat in college having a thought that they can somehow get through the quota system. I personally feel that quota should be allotted to those who are sincere and hardworking and of course who are unable to sponsor themselves. It is these people who need quotas and not the wealthy people coming from the so called backward caste. Now let’s come to the 33% quota for women. I heard some experts speaking in the news channel that this is not a quota for women but a representation. I agree that women need some representatives for them in the parliament and state legislatives. But the bigger problem for women is not the lack of representatives but lack of exposure. It is this lack of exposure that holds them back from not being able to join mainstream politics and of course fear of fighting with male dominant counterparts. Before passing any bill on quota I feel, the government should ask 2 questions to themselves.

1. How are we going to ensure the safety for women in India?
2. How are we going to fight against the problems that women face in the society?

There is a common perception in our country that women are always dependent on male. I have heard people talking philosophy about this. They say women need dad’s security when in school, brother when in college, husband after marriage and son after she becomes old. I agree in the current situation when women are not safe in our country they need the security of their dad, brother, husband and son. But what have we done to ensure safety for women? The answer is NOTHING. I am sure if we get the basics right and set the things in order there will be women representatives in our parliament and state legislatures.

Vinnaithandi Varuvaya

Jessie, nothing took me by storm after watching a movie. She was classy, awesome and gorgeously beautiful. What was so special about Jessie when I have seen most of her movies and never was so impressed by her apart from few other films. She was simple and traditional. Well, it is not just simple and traditional, it is a comnbination of brilliant cinematography, costume design and her voice that made her beautiful. Kudos to Gautam Vasudev Menon. However, it was Karthik who stole the show in the movie. I was never a fan of Simbu. I never liked his dialouge delivery, acting and style. I felt as if he is imitating someone. But after watching Vinnaithandi Varuvaya, everything changed. He was at his natural best especially his dialouge delivery and acting. I never thought this guy can do such roles. I bet, he can go places if choses proper script and sensible acting.

Enough of Jessie and Karthik. Its getting too predicatble. Lets come to cinematography. I am sure no one has shown India so beautiful that Manoj in recent times. If not for him, I doubt whether the movie would have made an impact on me or not. Hats off to him.

Music, I do not want to say anything about it. Who on this earth cannot appreciate the Mozart of Madras. He is genius, one of the best, a legend....hey!!! am losing out adjectives here :)

Thamarai saves her best when it comes to Gautam Menon. Some of the lines that she has written are simple superb. I cant tell one single line in particular here. I loved everything.

Finally, congrats to Gautam Vasudev Menon. I dont know from where on this earth he is getting such ideas. A simple love story at its best. When some one like K.Balachander has appreciated him, then its evident what this person in capable of doing it.

Will you forgive me?

கடலினில் மீனாக இருந்தவள் நான்
உனக்கென கரை தாண்டி வந்தவன் தான்
துடித்திருந்தேன் தரையினிலே
திரும்பிவிட்டேன் கடலிடமே

ஒரு நாள் சிரித்தேன்
மறு நாள் வெறுத்தேன்
உன்னை நான் கொல்லாமல் கொன்று புதைத்தேனே
மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா?

ஒரு நாள் சிரித்தேன்
மறு நாள் வெறுத்தேன்
உன்னை நான் கொல்லாமல் கொன்று புதைத்தேனே
மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா?

கண்ணே தடுமாறி நடந்தேன்
நூலில் ஆடும் மழையாகி போனேன்
உன்னால் தான் கலைஞன் ஆனேனே
தொலை தூரத்தில் வெளிச்சம் நீ
உன்னை நோக்கியே எனை ஈர்கிராயே

மேலும் மேலும் உருகி உருகி
உன்னை எண்ணி ஏங்கும்
இதயத்தை என்ன செய்வேன்
உன்னை எண்ணி ஏங்கும்
இதயத்தை என்ன செய்வேன்

ஓடும் நீரில் ஒரே அலை தான் நான்
உள்ளே உள்ள ஈரம் நீ தான்
வரம் கிடைத்தும் நான் தவற விட்டேன்
மன்னிப்பாயா அன்பே

காற்றிலே ஆடும் காகிதம் நான்
நீதான் என்னை கடிதம் ஆக்கினாய்
அன்பில் தொடங்கி அன்பில் முடிக்கிறேன்
என் கலங்கரை விளக்கமே

ஒரு நாள் சிரித்தேன்
மறு நாள் வெறுத்தேன்
உன்னை நான் கொள்ளாமல் கொன்று புதைதேனே
மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா?
மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா?

அன்பிற்கும் உண்டோ அடைக்குந்தாழ்
அன்பிற்கும் உண்டோ அடைக்குந்தாழ் ஆர்வலர்
புண் கண் நீர் பூசல் தரும்

அன்பிலார் எல்லாம் தமக்குரியர் அன்புடையார்
என்றும் உரியர் பிறர்க்கு

புலம்பல் எனசென்றேன் புல்லினேன் நெஞ்சம்
கலத்தல் உறுவது கண்டு

ஏன் என் வாழ்வில் வந்தாய் கண்ணா நீ
போவாயோ கானல் நீர் போலே தோன்றி
அனைவரும் உறங்கிடும் இரவெனும் நேரம்
எனக்கது தலையணை நனைத்திடும் நேரம்
ஒரு நாள் சிரித்தேன்
மறு நாள் வெறுத்தேன்
உன்னை நான் கொள்ளாமல் கொன்று புதைதேனே
மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா?
மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா? மன்னிப்பாயா?

கண்ணே தடுமாறி நடந்தேன்
நூலில் ஆடும் மழையாகி போனேன்
உன்னால் தான் கலைஞை ஆனேனே
தொலை தூரத்தில் வெளிச்சம் நீ
உன்னை நோக்கியே எனை ஈர்கிராயே

மேலும் மேலும் உருகி உருகி
உன்னை எண்ணி ஏங்கும்
இதயத்தை என்ன செய்வேன்

மேலும் மேலும் உருகி உருகி
உன்னை எண்ணி ஏங்கும்
இதயத்தை என்ன செய்வேன்
ஓஹோஹோ உன்னை எண்ணி எங்கும்
இதயத்தை என்ன செய்வேன்

Lets look back at the decade...

This decade is going to come to an end in another few hours and marks the end of a unforgettable decade. It had everything from natural disasters, terrorist’s attacks, major changes in political history of the world, emergence of Asian countries as the economic super power and many more. It has changed the lives of many. For many, this decade has been a forgettable one and for many, the most unforgettable one.

Political history was re written in most parts of the world. Barack Obama became the first black president of USA. Power changed hands in Japan from Liberal Democratic Party to Democratic Party of Japan after rule of around 5 decades. In India, Manmohan Singh became the first Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to successfully assume the office after completing the first term. Prathiba Patil became the first woman President of India and the emergence of Rahul Gandhi changed the perception of politics among today’s youth. This decade also saw the end of Vajpayee-Advani era and death of many tall political leaders.

History was also re written in sports. Michael Schumacher added 5 more F1 title to his 2 title won during the previous decade to take his tally to 7. This makes him the leading F1 driver of all time. In Tennis, Pete Sampras ended his career with a record 14 grand slam titles only to be over taken by Roger Federer, who has won 15 titles and still playing. Federer became the first Men’s player after Agassi to win a career grand slam when he beat Robin Soderling in the French Open finals in 2009. If Tennis had its share of drama so as Cricket. Austraila won 2 successive world cups to stamp their authority as the invincible. However the most coveted Ashes changed hands twice when England won in 2005 and back in 2009. Flintoff did what Ian Botham did in 1983. India won the inaugural T20 world cup. However, their reign as the top T20 team was short lived. However, 2009 saw them become the world number 1 test team. South Africa created history by winning test series in Australia only to lose the return series at home. Beijing staged one of the most stunning Olympics in 2008 and showed the world that they are not only an economic superpower but also a power horse in sports. They finished the table with maximum number of Gold Medals. The Olympics also marked the greatness of Michael Phelps who won a record 8 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics and 14 overall making him the greatest Olympian of all time.

Arts too have its share of memories in the last decade. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won a record 11 Oscars equalling Titanic and Ben Hur. However, unlike the other two, this movie converted all its nominations in to awards. This decade also signalled the entry of A.R.Rahman at the world stage when he won the BAFTA, Golden Globe and twin Oscars for his music in Slumdog Millionaire. He is also nominated for Grammy Awards for the same. The death of Michael Jackson, “The King of Pop” was a great jolt to all the music lovers. Kamal Hassan completed 50 years in Cinema in 2009 so as the Big B who completed 40 years. Sivaji-The Boss, became the first tamil movie to be in UK top 10 and 15 year old idea of James Cameroon, “Avatar” finally hits the screen.

Last but not the least, the things that changed the shape of the world, a range of terrorist’s attacks and natural calamities around the world. It all started with earthquake in Gujarat which killed thousands of people which was followed by the famous September attacks on the world trade center. Then comes the invasion of Iraq by the USA, the earthquakes in Pakistan and China,the elimination of LTTE, the Tsumani in the Indian Ocean, Madrid, London, Bali and Mumbai train bombings and the Mumbai attacks.

I hope the coming decade brings happiness and peacefulness to each and everyone in this world. Wish you all a HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

Nov 8th is undoubtedly one of the best days of my life. It was my brother’s wedding and the atmosphere was awesome. The day before the wedding, Chennai was under water and thank god, on the wedding day it was shining bright. It has been a long time since I attended wedding and nothing can come close to such event especially being my brother’s wedding. I was able to meet all of my family members. Almost all had come for the wedding. If the wedding was grand, then the reception was even grander. Everyone enjoyed it to the core. More than anything else, this is the first marriage in our family which was like icing on the cake.

After the marriage, we started for a holy trip. We started on 10th November and were back by 13th morning.

Day 1: We boarded the Vaigai express at 12.40 PM from Chennai egmore and reached Trichy in the evening. There we took a van and went to Gunaseelam (some 25 Kms from Trichy). We stayed there that night and worshipped Lord Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal.

Day 2: We got up early and went to the temple again and worshipped the Lord. I had the plan of taking bath at Cauvery, but unfortunately the river was flowing till the brim and I was scared. Then we went to Thanthondri Malai in Karur. By the time we reached the temple, it was closed and hence we had to wait till 3 PM for the temple to open. After worshipping the God, we came back to Gunaseelam, packed our bags and left for Srirangam. We went to the temple and worshipped Lord Ranganathar. This temple has got the tallest temple tower in Asia. One can see the entire Srirangam from the topmost floor of the tower. After coming out of the temple, we went to Trichy again to board Rameshwaram Express.

Day 3: We were supposed to get down at Ramanathapuram. The scheduled arrival was 3.30 AM, but we were fast asleep. We missed the station and got down at Mandapam (next to Ramanathapuram). The next train from Mandapam to Ramnathapuram was at 6.00 AM and hence we had to wait for 2 hours in the platform. We boarded the train to Ramanathapuram and from there took a van to Thirupullani (15 Kms from Ramanathapuram). This is one best place I have visited. The place is surrounded by farms and there were plenty of peacocks running around. I would love to go to this place again. After we reached Thirupullani, we refreshed ourselves at Ahobila Math and went to the temple of Lord Adi Jaganatha Perumal. This is one of the best temples I have ever visited. It was calm, big and had a wonderful architecture. The specialty of this temple is Lord Ram will be in reclining form. Here is the only temple in the world where Lord Ram will be in reclining form. It is believed that it is in this place Lord Hanuman informed Lord Ram about Sita after seeing her in Lanka. Then, we refreshed ourselves and went to Sethukarai (Sethusamudram). The place is awesome given its mythological and political significance, but it can be maintained in a better way. After spending few minutes there we went to Chakravazhnallur, a small village near Ramanathapuram. There is a temple for Lord Adi Kesava Perumal. After worshipping the Lord, we drove to Rameshwaram. The view from the Indra Gandhi Bridge was breathtaking. We reached Rameshwaram railway station at 4.30 PM. The train was at 6.00 PM and so I, my bro and sis-in-law went to the Ramanathaswamy Temple. This temple is the abode of Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva after his war against Ravana. This temple has got the longest temple corridor in the world. I have no words to describe this temple. Just awesome!!!

Day 4: Back to Chennai and end of wonderful week.