After a long time...

After a long time...

NINAIVU

pazhagiya nanbargal

paditha paadangal

payitruvitha aasiriyargal

chinna chinna kobangal

siru siru yemaattrangal

suda suda spring rollgal

vaguparai vilaiyattugal

patravaitha pattasugal

pirandhanaal parisugal

boomerang treatugal

payanitha cyclegal

parantha bikugal

thadumariya varthaigal

mounamaana mozhigal

ittukonda sandaigal

vittukonda egokkal

epozhudhum kadalaigal

apo apo kaadhalgal

ellai illa inpangal

thollai illa thunbangal

engegum sirippoli

ellam maanavar mozhi

vizhi thirakka

kalaindhadhu kanavu!!!

__________________________________________________________

NAMAKKAAGA

nee yaaro naan unadhey,

en peyar nee azhaikka,

un pugaipadam naan paadhugaakka,

nee kanda kanvugalai naan ninaivaakka,

en kanavoodu un ninaivugal kalandhida,

nee maalai sooda naan yerkka,

en mugam sivaka nee paarkka,

un viruppangal naan virumba,

en aasaigal nee niraivettra,

naan samaikka nee rusikka,

nee vilayaada naan rasikka,

en kai korthu nee nadakka,

un thol saaindhu naan paesa,

naan kaalam marandhu kadhaikka,

nee neram arindhu sevi saaikka,

en agavai kooda parisaaga nee irukka,

un pirandhanaal vaazhthai kaadhodu naan koora,

naan urangum nerathill nee arugil irukka,

nee vizhi thirakaiyil naan arugil sirikka,

naan nee naam aaga,

un en namadhaaga,

ivai nigalndhidum naallum vaaraadho?

vandhu kaadhal tharaadho?

_______________________________________________________________

ILLADHA NEE

vaanil nilaa

iravil ulaa

naan vizha

udhava illai nee

veesum kaatru

piriyum megam

parakum manadhu

pidikka nee illai

vizhiyil neer

nenjil sogam

thudikkum udhadu

paesa nee illai

peyum mazhai

paayum neer

kudayil naan

thunaiyaga illai nee

manadhil magilchi

kanngal viriya

pattkal jolikka

sirikka illai nee

sooriyan udhikka

kuil koova

naan vizhikka

arugil nee illai

pookal thottam

paravaigal kootam

kannil naatam

kaana illai nee

nadu nissi

naan uranga

kaadhoram thaalaattu

paada nee illai

___________________________________________________________

VAAZHVENBATHU

thodarnthu varum tholvigal

poraadi vellum vetrigal

tholviyil varum igalchigal

vetriyil valarum pugalchigal

thuvandu vizha yemaatrangal

thudithu yezha ookkangal

irukkum varai inbangal

nadu naduvae thunbangal

irudhi varai anubavangal

adhan ullae paadangal

vetrumai kodukkum yethirigal

ottrumai uruvaakkum uravugal

ulagam pudhaikum meigal

arasiyal kodukkum poigal

vidyal illa iravugal

mudivu illa poludhugal

nigalndhu vitta maattrangal

nirai veraadha aasaigal

vida mudiyaa nanbargal

vidai illa kelvigal

arivipu illa payanangal

ariya mudiyaa mugangal

gavanipu illa makkal

kaana mudiyaa idangal

penngal kaanum kanavugal

aanngal tharum ninaivugal

palli sellum kulandhaigal

paadam pugattum kalloorigal

pettror tharum nesangal

periyor valangum aasigall

kaalai mudhal padangal

pinn iravil kadhaigal

ivai unarthum nijangal

idhu dhan vaazhkaiyaa??

I call them Limerick

A limerick is a five-line poem with a strict form (AABBA), originally popularized in English by Edward Lear, which intends to be witty or humorous, and is sometimes obscene with humorous intent.

These are a few of my scribblings!!!!

1)Writing in tamil was easy

Lying in the bed so cozy

I would write with ease

Thoughts never cease

Never have i been choosy


2)Limerick is a form of poetry

Always worth a try

With a AABBA pattern tree

So me in a writing spree

Bare my English, I am sorry


3)T tells Y, u r being a dork,

Y hits T wit a fork,

M and A enter the room,

And Say, Time to Vroom!!!!

Off they start to celebrate with a cork


4)Jim and jam met Jack and Jill

Jim told Jack, why not go up the hill

Jill says, Never

Jam asks, Why ever?

Jim n Jack shout, guys Chill!!!!


5)Little Piggy Bank with a Full Tank,

In the water it sank,

Wants a break,

Needs a crack,

To become Piggy with an empty tank.

எண்ணங்கள் எழுத்தாக

வீசும் காற்றில்
பெய்யும் மழையில்
அடிக்கும் அனலில்
பாயும் புனலில்
வாழும் பூமி
வலுப்பெறும்!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


கண்ணீர் துளியில்
மட்டற்ற மகிழ்ச்சியில்
அடைக்கும் துக்கத்தில்
அடையும் தோல்விகளில்
இருக்கும் இதயம்
இருகும்!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love..Life.. Practicality.. Situations..Whatever!!!! - Post 1

This Post and the post which follows wer forwarded mails that i received....

On reading them.. I was lil bit confused... The persons mentioned in both these posts dint get to marry the person whom they loved.

Kalyani - Is not happy with her life.. Regrets her father's decision.
Kartik - Is happy with his life.. And is contented with his father's decision.

I do not know which is correct... But one thing which i m able to derive is tat whether it is 1965 or 2009 love depends on series of factors such as caste,religion,practicality,situation,money etc

CASE I:

This is a story of a Brahmin gal who was in luv with a non-brahmin guy, n happened to marry someone of her father's choice.


Dearest Appa,
27th Jan'1965
Hope this letter finds you, Amma, Raji and Seenu in good health. The
weather here in New York City is icy cold. But Avar sollraar- I have
missed this winter's biting cold. I still wish I had seen the snow… But
then, I still wish I had not left Trichy at all. I do miss Trichy, Appa.
You, Amma, Raji, Seenu, pakkatthaathu Rama, Vikatan, Ucchi Pillaiyaar Koil,
filter coffee, Holy Cross College, the Physics Department and of course
Sakthi. I know you wish I hadn't brought his name in this letter.But not to
worry Appa, I understand that you got me married to Visu because you
thought it was best for your daughter. I still remember Amma wiping her
silent tears with her madisaar thalappu and you shouting at me the day I
told you about Sakthi. Later, when the initial shock wore off you patiently
listed umpteen reasons why I should not marry Sakthi. I agree Appa, that 20
is too young to decide, that Raji and Seenu would have been affected
greatly by my 'mistake', the Agrahaaram would have scoffed at you… a meat
eater was not a good match for someone who had never even tasted onion and
garlic. The reasons were innumerous. I knew you'd still have objected and
offered other reasons even if he had become a Dhigambara monk. Visu on the
other hand, wore a poonal, he is the son of Neelakanta Sastri, an Engineer
and he researched about computers which is what made you jump for this
alliance. Am not complaining Appa, Visu is a nice man.
Tell Amma that I could not try her kozhakkattai recipe this Pongal because
coconuts were too expensive and Avar nenacchar that it was ridiculous.
Anyway, we went out on Sankaranthi day and dined out. He thought it would
be a good idea to invite the Chatterjees also. But I didn't speak Bengali
and Mrs.Chatterjee spoke English in an accent that comes with living years
in America. Hence I made myself busy with the menu card. They ordered
various species of fish,shrimp and a lot more of items I had never seen in
my life. I ordered orange juice and a sandwich. The other diners thought it
was queer coming to a seafood restaurant and settling for a sandwich. That
day, I learnt that Avar prefer pannradhu beef, pork, bacon and seafood. Do
you know, Appa… Sakthi gave up meat because of me? I didn't ask, he just
did. But then, Sakthi is not Neelakanta Sastri's son and that made it
imposible for Subramania Iyer's daughter Kalyani to marry him.
I will keep you posted on what happens here. I don't think I can make it to
Seenu's Upanayanam. Tell Amma not to get me a pattu podavai for the poonal,
I don't use them here. I wore it once and felt like a clown here.

Your loving daughter,
Kalyani.


Dearest Appa,
20th Oct'1968
We are fine here. Gautam is speaking his first words and I swear they
sounded like 'Dosai'. But Visu claims it's just gibberish. From your
previous letter, I gather that pakkathatthu Rama is married and settled in
Jamshedpur. Nice to know that. Please find out her address from Saarada
maami and write it to me. I want to keep in touch with her. I hope Raji is
happy with her husband in Madras. I spoke to her last month, great to know
that she has a phone. Do tell Seenu to study well and prepare for his
school final exams. Raji also told me that Sakthi is married now. I wish
him good luck, but I could not convey the message to him. Raji refused to
be the messenger and I know you have severed ties with Sakthi's father,
your long term friend Sankaravel, thanks to me. I hear his wife is his
cousin… He must have succumbed to his mother's wishes.
How did Avani Avittam go? Visu's mother gave me a bunch of new poonals for
Avani Avittam but Visu was in Boston that day. He wouldn't have used it
anyway, I haven't seen him wear one in the last three years. Gautam is now
playing with the spool of thread- mere thread it is, what else can I call
it? Gautam will not even know what it signifies, I guess. Visu is making
sure Gautam grows up listening to English only. He says it will make his
life easier. But I do read out passages from Ponniyin Selvan and
Bharathiyaar's poetry when I am alone with him. It's more of reading to
myself, I guess. I actually got that poetry book as a present from Sakthi,
it still has his scrawling signature in the first page.
By the way, Visu saw that book and asked me about Sakthi, I told him. Hold
your breath Appa, he didn't throw me out of the house. He is a good man, no
question. He said it is okay and that he doesn't mind. And then he told me
of his American girlfriend whom he was once in love with, when he first
reached America- Amy, a fellow Researcher who was in a brief relationship
with Visu when she was in New York. They lived together for 3 months and
decided against marriage, somehow. Amy once dropped home when she was in
New York. Nice lady, she was.
Ask Amma to send me Sambar Podi for this whole year. My friend Sudha is
coming to Madras next week. Ask Seenu to catch the Rockfort Express and
give it to her. I will collect it from her here.

Your loving daughter,
Kalyani.



Dearest Appa,
3rd June'1974
We have arrived here safely. After two months in India, I find it hard to
adjust back to normal life here. Gautam and Ranjana demand vadai,paayasam
and vaazhai ilai here. Visu's relieved to be back in America. I left a set
of my books there. If it's not in Trichy it must be in Visu's parents'
place. If you find them, safeguard them until my next trip. They mean a lot
to me since they were gifts from Sakthi. By the way, Appa, I found out
Sakthi's present address in Madras from Rama and Saarada maami. I wrote to
him. I am extremely proud to know that Dr.Sakthivel is a cardiologist much
in demand there in Madras. He was thrilled to hear from me after so long.
You know what he has named his daughters? Kalyani and Raagamaalika.
He called me. You know what, he's still a practising vegetarian, Appa. He
didn't revert back just because he lost me… He asked me if I still sang and
whether Gautam and Ranjana could sing. I could see a proud father in him,
when he claimed his daughters could sing upto Ra ra Venu Gopala. That's
when I remembered that I was once a good singer. I wonder why I stopped
singing, wonder why I never exposed the kids to Music and Dance. But then,
I realize that I had buried all that deep inside me when I left Trichy;
after bidding farewell to my best Rasika, actually. Sakthi. After the call,
I tried singing 'Kurai Onrum Illai'. I could not rquite reach Charanam,
because of the lack of practice and more importantly because of the tears
that filmed my eyes and the constriction in my throat. I sang to Visu and
the kids one of these days. Though Gautam was impressed, father and
daughter could not just wait for me to finish!
By the way, next time some friend comes to India, send me a Sruthi Box. I
would like to start singing again.

Your loving daughter,
Kalyani.

Dearest Appa,
14th Aug 1978
Just back after our tour to California. Find our photos, picture postcards
attached herewith. After you are done with showing all family
members,relatives, friends and neighbours, pass them to Visu's parents. It
was a welcome break for the four of us. But I missed my paattu class
students all along and was happy to resume the classes again last evening.
Did I mention in my previous letter, before we left on the tour - I finally
got my driving license here. I sent a few photos to Sakthi too. He has sent
me quite a few records and cassettes. I loved it! I'm reminded of AIR,
almost! I'm circulating them among my friends too. And of course, playing
them for my students too. They are picking up beautifully. Funny news is,
I, a Tamilian, is teaching Telugu and Sanskrit kritis to a cross section of
Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada,Telugu, Marathi, Bengali students in an English
speaking nation.
The music sessions have resulted in a reborn Kalyani, Appa. Thanks to
Sakthi, really. I would have never taken it up had it not been for his
reminder. I am now thinking of what life would have been like if I had
indeed married him. I would have of course lost you and Amma. But right
now, with this life in America, Visu and these monthly letters to you,
Rama, Raji and Seenu what have i gained? I don't find an answer, Appa.
Neither do I think I ever will. Again, as I have always reiterated, Visu is
a good man, no complaints there. He is every bit the son in law you wanted.
Researcher, American Post Graduate Degree holder, a dutiful husband and
father,earning a comfortable income. I know it is too much to ask for
anything else. That is a fantasy I left midway in my life… Once upon a time
in Trichy with someone else.

Your loving daughter,
Kalyani.


Dearest Appa,
14th Apr'1984
Met Dr.Sakthivel after 19 years… He had come to New
York for business purposes and paid me a visit. Visu and the kids welcomed
him home with great pleasure. And they liked him too. In fact, they did
most of the talking initially. And of course, he got me a whole load of
books, cassettes, Mysore Paak and lots more.

Your loving daughter,
Kalyani.


Dearest Appa,
20th Jan' 1990
I just went through all these letters lying in my closet draw for years
together. These are letters I started writing to you and then decided not
to post. For obvious reasons. I could not mention Sakthi to you even though
I was itching to. Not because I was afraid to invite your wrath. I just did
not have the heart to hurt you, I know these letters would have hurt you.
Because deep inside, I know you were disturbed- you knew Sakthi was a good
man, you knew he was a man of substance, yet you didn't want to go further.
Society, I know. Family… I know… And all these letters would have only
wounded you more. Today, 2 years after your death, and 6 months after Dr.
Sakthivel's untimely death in a road accident, I somehow felt like
re-reading all these letters. To me, all these unstamped, unposted letters
mean a life that could have been.

Kalyani Viswanathan.

Love..Life.. Practicality.. Situations..Whatever!!!! - Post 2

CASE II:

Stroy of an engineer in bangalore who happened to love a gal from Kerala.

"Karthik, dinner's ready." My mom called out while I was listening to My Sacrifice by Creed on Radio City. She came near and in a low voice said, "I told your dad about it." I felt like a 10,000 volt stupor hit me! "What?" I was flabbergasted, "Ma, I wanted to tell him myself. I had it all planned out. You've just…god! You women kind can never keep secrets, can you? Ok, what did he say?" I asked anxiously. "He said nothing. Probably he wouldn't even talk to you about it until you start." I knew it was going to be a bad night. Heated arguments, sentimental issues, guilt pricking and unwanted tensions; we had had none of these in our house. But I saw it all coming down in one night.


At the dinner table
It took me sometime to come out of my bedroom, for the dinner table seemed like a battle ground to me! My hunger died with the very thought of talking to my dad. But I knew I couldn't escape it and I had to face this some day or the other. My dad sat next to me. I gulped the air that was stuck in my throat and with head bent down I had my eyes fixed on my plate. Even after five minutes, daddy spoke nothing! So I gathered up all my courage to break the ice, "Appa, I wanted to tell it myself. I was actually..." "What's her name?" he cut me without looking at my face. "Simi" I answered, "Simi Jacob Thomas." There was a smile on his face. "Bring her home tomorrow evening", he said. It made me smile too, for I felt glad to hear something like that while I expected a huge argument to spurt out. None of us spoke anything else that night. It turned out to be a total anti-climax of what I had imagined! I got back to my room after dinner, but couldn't sleep for most part of the night since I was dreaming with open eyes about the day that was to come the next morning!



The day did come
The day did come; probably one of the most important days of my life. I told Simi that my dad wanted to meet her and also that he wasn't fussed up or anything like that and instead smiled about it. Simi didn't know what to tell, she too was very happy I thought. A year and a half of our secret relationship, a secret known to the world but hidden to our parents, was about to pay off. So, on that day, we just didn't care about whether we had completed our work or not. We left office at 4.30 in the evening, just to make sure that we don't get stuck in that dreaded Hosur road traffic. Simi left her car parked in the office itself and we both went in my car. That wasn't the first time I had driven with Simi in my Honda City, but somehow, all along the way home, my dreaming about the car being decorated with flowers and a big "Just Married" sign on a heart shaped board, made that ride very special to me!

We reached home by quarter past five. Summer time; my dad was sitting on the swing in the lawn, reading a newspaper. He got up as he saw us coming. "Namaste Uncle", Simi said folding her hands. My dad smiled back. "Hello, nice to meet you", he greeted her, "come, let's go inside", he took us in. My mom was watching tv in the hall and as we entered she got up from the sofa and switched off the tv. "Get something", my dad said to my mom and within minutes a lot of things were ready on the tea table. "Please have it" my dad said and we both started munching. "Aunty, I really like this. Kadubu right? Karthik gives me every time you send it in his lunch box. In fact, I've eaten almost every dish that you cook. You really cook very nicely aunty." Simi said looking at my mom. My mom just smiled back as a thank you to Simi's compliments.



Setting the stage!
"Sorry child, I forgot your name." My dad said. Simi was busy eating, but she'd heard it. "Uh? Uncle? Simi. My name is Simi", she replied. "Aaah! Simi Jacob Thomas, right?" My dad asked. "Yes", Simi replied and looked at my face with her eyebrows slightly raised. I did nothing else but show my teeth. There was a wide smile on my dad's face too. "What?" I asked him. "Karthik Subramanya Shastry weds Simi Jacob Thomas, somehow sounds very funny to me", he said. The smile on my face slowly reduced in width and finally when I saw the expression on Simi's face change as she took a bite of the kadubu, my smile completely died out. My dad was quick to react. He looked at Simi and said, "Oh please don't feel offended. I don't mean to hurt you. But child, I'm going to ask you a few questions and also tell you some things over which you'll need to think calmly." Uh oh! Something's coming! I told myself. Simi seemed to have heard what I'd just said in silence. She kept the half bitten kadubu back on the plate.



The talk!
"Simi. Since how long do you know Karthik?" My dad started shooting.
"About a year and a half" Simi replied.
"Do you think that's enough to know him?"
"I guess so. Yes. That's quite enough." Simi nodded her head up and down.
"Hmm...Tell me one thing, do your parents know about this?"
"No uncle. I was about to tell them; after we took your permission."
"And how did you assume that I will say 'yes'?" My dad was still smiling. But the expression on our faces had taken a U-turn from extreme bliss to total awe by now! Although both of us knew that we would have to face our parents' opposition, the way my dad had reacted since the night before had sprung up some positive thoughts in both of us. So this was a bit of a shock indeed.
"Simi, Simi. My dear child. I know most of what I tell you will make you feel like not listening to me. I just want you both to have the best and I know very well that it will not be so if you happen to marry." Our faces now looked like the sad emoticon that we use in our Office Communicator. But my dad continued :-(

"Where do your parents stay?"
"Kozhikode, Kerala."
"What does your father do?"
"He retired as a Branch Manager in SBI last month. Now he serves as an evangelist at a church nearby".
"How many siblings do you have?"
"We are four. I have a brother and two sisters."
"You must be the youngest", my dad was bang on!
"Yes", Simi replied, a little surprised. I knew, like me, she too wanted to know how on earth he got that!
"I pity your poor dad. He seems to be a pious man. If I, being the father of the boy, feel so sad about this whole thing, I can imagine how much pain that man will go through." My dad let out a long sigh. Somehow the things he spoke started to get on my nerves and I thought I had to do some talking.
"What's wrong with this dad? I don't understand why you people should be worried. Simi and I like each other, we understand each other very well, we both have good jobs in hand, what else do we need?"
"I was waiting for you to open your mouth", my dad said in a sarcastic tone. "See. You are talking only about you both; that you like each other, that you have good jobs. Then, tell me honestly, when you have decided about everything, why do you need my permission, or even her parents' permission? You can as well marry and later just inform us, right? If you feel that you will anyways go ahead no matter what, then I see no point in discussing this anymore." My dad stood up.
"No uncle", Simi interrupted, "I want to listen to you." I looked at Simi with an evident frown on my face. "Please, let us talk about it. I too want to know what you feel about this." She requested my dad. But I wasn't keen on listening. I just sat with my face turned away, staring at the door.

My dad sat down. "Simi, marriage is not a child's play dear. At least in our society, it's not centered just around two people. If you had, for at least once, thought practically about your relationship, you wouldn't have carried it so far. You both are in love and that will make you think you can get along anything that comes your way. Child, married life in itself has thousand and one problems. You have to make sure that you don't invite more problems just by taking a hasty decision.

"The first thing is, I'm more than a hundred percent sure that your family will not whole heartedly accept my son as their son-in-law and after this marriage, believe me, your relationship with your parents and siblings will never be the same. Even if they come to accept it at a later point of time, they will just be pretending. Some relationships if broken, take a long time to patch up and if they had been very close, it takes a lifetime. Coming out of home and living a life of your own sounds very good like in movies and stories, but the truth is, you cannot stay away from your parents forever; at least not until they are alive."

Simi was listening without blinking her eyes. "After that, come your individual dogmas. You know, his mother celebrates at home, almost every festival that's listed on the almanac. She will feel uncomfortable to let you around and get you involved. Even if she and you get along after sometime, I will guarantee, it will be limited to our house alone. You will never be invited to any function that will happen in our relatives' homes. At first, you might feel ok about it. But when Karthik will feel the pinch in his heart to know the fact that his wife is not welcomed in his relatives' places and because of that he too cannot attend those so very fun filled family gatherings that he was always a part of, he too will start to repent.

"Then there are your food habits. You are a meat eater and my son is a pure vegetarian, well at least I think so. But I don't know if he has started that too."

Simi was already feeling guilty I guess. "No, he doesn't eat. But I have stopped", she said.

"See. You have lost a part of yourself. You know, for your love to carry on with the same fervor forever, you should accept the person you love as he or she is, without being directly or indirectly forced to change for the sake of love. In my opinion, that's true love and everything else is just a compromise. You have given up eating meat, good; but every time you come across that, you'll always be tempted. It's perfectly ok and it's because you have been brought up in such a culture where it is almost compulsory to eat meat, whereas my son has grown up amongst people who dislike even the sight and smell of it.

"And then, you both are connected by English, a language that's not the mother tongue of either of you. I am not telling it's a bad language, but you know, it is always the mother tongue that gives you the personal touch, the closer-to-heart feeling while you talk to your, be it husband or any other person. Don't tell me that love knows no language; it is all theory and is only good for the books. The day you see a couple in love talking in your language and having those sweet little verbal fights or name-calling, in words that you can best express only in a language that is closer to your heart, you will know what you are missing.

Simi was static. "Next thing is about your kids. My mother used to tell me a proverb in Kannada - Appa amma eradu daari aadare, makkaLu naaku daari anthe, meaning If the father and mother go in two directions, their children will go in four. I don't know if I've put it correctly in English but I hope you've understood it. Forget your kids, you yourself will not be able to tell them whether they have to go to the church or the temple, to be a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, to speak Malayalam or Kannada and many such things. Finally they end up growing in a big confusion about their language, their God, their culture and everything about themselves. They might even someday curse you for landing them in such a situation. You might say that they will choose the best of both cultures. But that can happen only after they have matured enough to take decisions on their own. But again, I bet they will not be able to do that too since they wouldn't have gained a complete understanding of either of those.

"Deep down inside, you feel that you are doing something wrong and that's what has kept you from telling your parents or else you would have told it on day one that you like this guy and might as well marry him. But you feel your parents might be hurt if you do that because you know very well that they can never see him as the right guy for you and from my point of view too, he's not. Trust me, even your parents wouldn't deny if you can prove it to them that he is the right person, but in this case, you'll not be able to do that! I just guessed that you must be the youngest because if you had somebody younger to you, a sense of guilt which makes you feel that you might just be setting a bad example to the younger ones, would have stopped you from thinking about Karthik as your life partner. But again good and bad depends entirely on your perspective and for youngsters like you, it is mostly influenced by your friends outside rather than the people at home.

Looks like he's not gonna stop until she walks out, I thought, still looking away. I did not interrupt only because Simi had stopped me from it. You asked for it Simi. Now you have it. I wasn't anymore interested in disturbing her.

"I too feel that I've slipped somewhere. If only I had talked about all such things to my son a long time back, he would have been more careful in choosing his life partner. But I never realized that he had grown up so much and today I feel I'm paying for my mistake. You know, you should make your children do what you feel is right until they turn 16. Then on, till 30, you should just tell them what they should do and let them do what they feel is right and after 30 there's no use of telling too. So now, I'll only have to give my suggestion and heeding to it or discarding it, is left to you both.

"I know that a lot of people of your age fear arranged marriages these days and that fear is because you feel you don't know that person properly. But then, why do you think we have the concept of engagement. Get engaged before at least six months of marriage and you can get to know each other fairly during that period. If you don't think it will work out, you have lost nothing, right? Now if it doesn't work out once, it's never that you will not find someone better. You'll always do and sometimes you will realize it after you get married to someone who you then thought was the best! In case you love somebody with whom everybody around you and especially your parents will be comfortable with, engagement is just a formality.

"Anyways, I can already see from his face that he is not very happy to listen to me. So let's finish it off. But a sincere request from my side - before you listen to what your heart says, just give a chance to your brain to think about it." My dad finally finished his lecture!

Nobody spoke for a moment. Finally Simi broke her silence, "Uncle, now I realize why it is important to discuss with elders. No doubt, I had never thought about many things that you told now. Please give me some time. I will definitely think about it. Thank you very much for letting me know your point of view", she said and stood up. Oh Mistress of assertiveness skills, you forgot to paraphrase - I wanted to tell loudly but somehow controlled myself.

"Sure dear. I know it's not easy. Take your time. And thanks. I'm happy that at least you said you will think about it. God bless you", my dad blessed her as Simi touched his feet before leaving.

"Karthik", he looked at me and said, "go drop her till home and come back."
Sigh! Don't worry. I'll not run away with her.



And then, it was evident..
Simi did not speak to me for some days in the office. I had sort of understood what she wanted to convey. My dad had brainwashed her. If only I had never let her talk to my dad I thought. But Simi was anytime more mature than me. She had taken time not only to think about it but also to speak with her parents; and the story on the other side was no different. Luckily, I did not get an invitation from her father to talk to him! Finally Simi told me, what is usually told by girls, that we would be better off as friends rather than being a husband and wife. But it was really difficult for me to look at her as "just a friend". Fortunately I got an onsite assignment at that time which kept me away from her for almost 10 months. I somehow managed to get over the gloom during that period. It was only after that I realized my dad too was right in a way. True. At least sometimes in life, you got to listen to your elders.

Today, Simi and I are married; to different people of course, and the best part is that we both have found very good friends as our life partners. Instead of whining over what could not happen, we have just moved on with so many other beautiful things that actually happened and of course, we are more than satisfied with whatever we have in our lives. It's like they say, if it had been any better, it would be a sin ;-)

That's it!

LIFE

After all its life.. who doesn't know wat it is bout.. But this post s dedicated to my frnds who r ignorant bout wat life s all bout.
I might quote some sayings.. they r repeated oly coz they r worth mentioning!!!!
First of all.. its One Life Live it... Living doesn't mean merely existing..
It means doing somethin fruitful for u as wel as for the society...
Being the person u wer intended to be...
Life is the same to everyone..
Every man gets to experience it oly once... But most of his time s wasted witout havin & knowing a purpose to dwell...

Ur life doesn't come to an end after a mere failure in the exams, or after a heart-break or even after ur loved one's death!!!!
Remember WhatEver Happens Life Must Go On!!!!

One may even attempt to change the things happening in his life.. but watever has to happen wil happen... N after every happening we gain an experience!!!
Experience is the best lesson.. We learn more...

One may lose.. One may gain.. The loser gains experience n the winner has to be prepared to not to lose... Its ok to be a loser in ur life.. coz Nobody has a perfect winning life..

Most of them even forget bout the meanin of living...
Live for Urself..
Life is not oly Winnin..

Life is not oly Losing...
Life is not oly facin difficulties...
Life is not oly being comfortable....
Life is not oly partying....
Life is not oly being a bookworm....
Life is not oly travellin...
Life is not oly being philosophical...
Life is not oly being wit ur parents...
Life is not oly goin to work every day....
Life is not oly eatin...
Life is not oly sleepin...
Life is not oly being in love...
Life is not only criticizing....
Life is a perfect blend of everything....
Ups and Downs...
Life is doing the correct thing at the right time....
Make Hay while the Sun shines.....

Rockozoic Era - A stab on the Past

STANES BATCH (2004)
We had great poets,

We had excellent writers,

We had eminent orators,

We had graceful dancers,

We had enthusiastic athelets,

We had Toppers n State Rankers,

We had Team captains and prefects,

Not to forget d Head Boy n Head Gal,

We prayed in the old n new chapel,

We enacted in the new n old stage,

We had birthday treats n cheers,
We enjoyed canteen samosas n juices,

We had the pavilion n our good old bell,

We had the convienience Kings n queens,

Not to forget our Pride - Rajendran Sports Hall,

We had fun n frolic,
We had misunderstandings n broken hearts,

We had life-long friendships,

We had enemity at times,

We had simple teasings,

We had small n big time crushes,

Not to forget the never-ending love stories,

We had the everlastin classic collection of Dear Ms.Nigli,

We had volleyball n tennikoit matches,

We had hockey n football trainings,

We had small fights b/n tigers n lions,

We had bonding b/n panthers n wolves,

We had march Pasts on Sport's Day,

Not to forget the classes we bunked for practice,

We bursted crackers during diwali,

We celebrated Holi in school premises,

We had Founder's Day celebrations,

We had Past Vs Present matches,

We had our terror creatin Campus Days,

We had 10 D Farewell @ Mesabel,

We had a memorable Farewell at our Main Hall,

We had Socials @ City Tower,

Not to forget Miss & Mr.Stanes,

We gave farewell to our dear teachers,

We had our dance practices,

We had our evenin matches,

We had our mornin special classes,

Not to forget our PT classes, Home science n NCC classes,

We had our memoir n hand book published,

We had our T-Shirt created n worn,

We had memorable single day trips,

We had eventful mumbai n goa trip,

We went to boomerang wenever time permitted,

We had chit - chat @ our cafeteria,

Not to forget our Salim Uncle,

We celebrated frienship day, valentine's day n raksha bandhan,

We had broken frienships n untold love,
We had never ending fights,

We had emotional embarassin moments,

We had cheerful achievin moments,

We had sad partin moments,

We all had our differences..

Yet we wer tied together..

Tats wat we are... STANITES

Memories Worth a lifetime...