Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Gangireddula Vadu




The rather jarring music and the barking of the neighbour's dog had me scurrying for the camera and I managed to capture the brightly dressed rather emaciated ox from the window of our 3rd floor home. That accounts for the criss-crossing of wires which I could not avoid. The gangireddula is the ox that is supposed to be trained to bow and move ( I could not see all that unfortunately). And one is supposed to feed the ox with the hand so that it licks the food and thereby change the lines on your palm and your destiny. So it is said.

Interesting. Wonder how long these folk arts will last. And how many would support them.
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Sunday, October 26, 2008

Exam time once again

The tone and irritation that creeps into the younger one's conversation is an inkling that she is burdened with some assignment or the exams are approaching. And with appropriate comments about how badly life is treating her.
I read this little poem in Young World ( and you may ask, why do I read the Young World!! - I generally glance through it!) by Chintan Girish Modi

Off the Mark (title)

I always wonder
why this report card
looks like a long math sum

It tells you nothing

about the games I missed
to finish homework

the pictures at the back of my notebook

and the poems I wrote to stay awake.

( I found this little poem very realistic!! I wonder how many of you feel that way too!) Whenever I pack my daughter's books each semester for safe keeping, I find little doodles, poems, messages scrawled all over the pages). In years to come, when she glances through the books, each page will have a story to tell!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

It's been some time...

It has been some time since my last post. I am surprised too. It's not as if there is nothing to write about.
There has been some excitement too in this sleepy city of ours. We had a big bird that made an appearance. The huge A 380 which flew low over the city and parked itself for less than a day at the Aviation Expo. We have this vantage view from the huge glass window of our office. For an aircraft that big, it hardly made any sound.
Also. considering the fact that in the span of 17 days, I have been on two trips out of the city, attended three weddings and an engagement ceremony, met a number of friends and relatives, read some interesting books, visited some new malls and played umpteen games of online scrabble. So much happening and no post?
A brief lull. I'll be back.....

Monday, October 6, 2008

Cleanliness is ....

How many times have we been exposed to that saying Cleanliness is next to Godliness. I was surprised to find what used to be displayed in the corridors of school or scribbled on the blackboard as 'thought for the day' has its origin in Hebrew writings!


And why have I brought it up today? I am back from a short trip to the temple town of Srisailam. And the lack of cleanliness in the temple and its surroundings strikes you the minute you enter the town.


Most trusts that maintain the temples are flooded with funds. Why can't a small part of the funds go towards maintaining the town. The trusts manage educational institutions and hospitals and that is very commendable. But the basic aspects of hygiene and sanitation in the town is overlooked. When other places of worship like churches, gurudwaras, mosques can be kept neat and clean, why do temples lag behind in this aspect?


When we have so many people going on pilgrimages, it is time that this aspect be taken care of. It has been thought that the slippery floors in the Jodhpur temple led to the stampede that took the lives of so many. One would only hope that the unfortunate incident has made authorities sit up and take note of the sad state of our temples. And action towards cleaner temples should begin NOW.
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