Unloading my think tank...

Dido, one of my favourite singers. She's got a lovely husky voice, and each time, listening to her is a breath of fresh air :-) Listen to this song "Thank you" by her, and then hum along; it'll lift your spirits up!

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window
and I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be grey,
but your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad

I drank too much last night, got bills to pay,
my head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today,
I'm late for work again
And even if I'm there, they'll all imply
that I might not last the day
And then you call me and it's not so bad,
it's not so bad

and I want to thank you
for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you
is having the best day of my life

Push the door, I'm home at last
and I'm soaking through and through
Then you hand me a towel and all I see is you
And even if my house falls down,
I wouldn't have a clue
Because you're near me

and I want to thank you
for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life

... but then I thought why not try... try karne mein to koi harj nahi...





and... I think its looks pretty good!

Temple, door se. (notice the greenery behind?)

Glimpse of the garbha gudi.

Misty weather! (Ok am sure you have seen the greenery :D )

Lovely green mountains right behind the temple! (how about in this pic? lovely greenery no? :D)

Now see the photos below. What can you make of the first one?

Looks like some leaf isn't it? But leaf stuck on a wall?! Closer look, and I see this:

It was some insect! My my! Nature never fails to amaze me.

Standing tall and magnificient!

After my wedding, a visit to Kukke Subrahmanya temple, 120 kms from Mangalore, was in the must-do list. The time came more than a year later, when me, mummy and B decided to go there over the weekend and complete the pooja etc.

My last visit to that place, scenic place I must add, was very very memorable. Not only was the purpose fulfilled, but I also got the bestest present life gave me (ah philosophy). I made great friends at a great workplace, did the best job of my life, and did the worst (ok 2nd worst) mistake by quitting it. Knock me down :(

So anyway, we left friday morning and reached Mangalore, and from there took a taxi to Subrahmanya. Karnataka. I love this place. Of all the places I've lived in (the list is sorta big), this state has many places worth visiting. The climate at Subrahmanya was lovely - misty, rainy, cool. The moutain behind the temple was at its lushest green best :) and the mist was always there - it looked like white on green. Beautiful. The abhishek was in the morning, and later in the evening, there was Palki seva and Rath Yatra. Abhishek is usually done by bathing Lord Subrahmanya in milk, panchamruta, and Rath Yatra/Palki Seva is when you place the Lord on a Rath and Palki, and carry it around the temple. We did both the seva and pooja in the morning. Its all really really splendid. If you witness it, you'll know what I'm talking about :) I had a lot of fun and really felt nice being a part of those celebrations.

To pass time between morning pooja and evening seva, while at the hotel room (which was infested with khatmal by the way - GROSS!) we played "pass pass". Hahahahaha mummy is too much. Ok from the start. Rules are pretty simple. You choose a number, and each member says numbers starting from one. The multiples of chosen number, AND that number in tens position, when it comes, the player should say "pass". Eg., if the chosen number is 4, I'll say pass everytime I have to say a number thats a multiple of 4, and 14, 24, 34 etc. Pretty silly, and full timepass. Thrill when the players say the numbers real fast hehehe. So mummy used to cheat like - if chosen number is 4, she'd come to 32 and say 32, not pass.
Me and B: Ok mummy you are out.
Mummy: Oh, 4 was the chosen number???? I thought 3!!
Me and B: Hullo?! Phir aapne 32 tak 4 multiples pe kyu pass bola? Boliye boliye?
Mummy: *full wide grin*

After the evening seva, we went to bed. Early morning, we left Subrahmanya to reach Mangalore jaha se train leni thi to come back to this place (makes a yucky face). Anyways, the drive to Mangalore was so beautiful so beautiful, kehne ki baat nahi! Mast road, aur road ke dono taraf trees hi trees. Pine trees, coconut trees, and thick dense forests beyond them. Only few small buildings of Forest Officer Bungalows did we see. Baaki full greenery :) Badhiya!

On reaching M'lore, we boarded the train and wallah! The train came trough the choicest of scenic places in Kerala, and Mom Nature treated us to beautiful backwaters, never ending rows of mangroves, small islands (full green and lush!), coconut trees, and even beach on one side! Breathtaking! Don't ask me why I didn't take pics; if I think back why, the reason is so dumb I could wince. The train journey was awesome! And you know, whatever we saw of Kerala - be it the small railway stations, houses (people lived right at the backwaters!), small factories - all were super clean. Generally railway tracks are filthy, and used as dump grounds. But no sir, not in Kerala. Bahut achha laga woh sab dekh kar. And oh, also, I've never seen so many coconut trees and lungi-clad people in my life either! Heh Heh.

Next on my list - Coorg, the North-East, Rajasthan. Ah so many of them!

I read this -> India looks to Cuba to revive sports. Prompted me to write this post.

The biggest problem in India is that the parents say:
1. Oye khel kood ke kya hoga? Chalo padhai karo!

2. Tumhaare school mein khelne ko kyu bolte hai? Tum wahan pe khelne jaate ho ki padhaai karne?

3. Bahut ghatiya school hai, sirf khelne ko bolte hai. Kal tumhe naye school mein daakhil karenge.

The parents, since independence haven't asked the kids to play, the kids haven't grown up to be sportsmen and hence there are no good coaches today. If we don't have many kids playing the sport today, we won't have many coaches in the future. Problem - sports in India isn't enough to bring the bread home.

Indians now need to look at other 3rd world countries where, mind you, dictators have been ruling since past 60 years to tell us - BOSS THERE IS A PROBLEM.

As if we didn't know. As if anything is going to change very soon. As if in next 10 years we can get 2 gold medals in Olympics.

Also, the government has its own reason(s) - How can we make 20 hockey stadiums across the country if the farmers are dying of hunger and poverty??