Kintamani - God's poem!!

Ah! If God decides to write a poem, how would it look like? How is he going to publish it?

According to me - it would be -
in the form of a - dancing peacock!
Or a - monsoon evening!
Or the - rushing water!
Or a - peaceful valley!
Or a - vibrant resonance!
Or a - tasty delicacy!
Or an - intertwined story which was heard never before!
Or an - overwhelming notion!
A - bustling crowd!
Or a - euphoric celebration!
Or a - magnificent picture!

Or ...............................

a Kintamani!!

Kintamani - is a beautiful (yet not so famous) destination in Indonesia, is a Balinese village.
It is a hill station that provides generous sights of beauty, pleasant environment, beautiful weather, idyllic lifestyle, cultural traditional and spiritual images, and many more to mention.

As soon as you enter, you are stopped by a police man, with his mouth wide open - in a smiling position and he gives you the direction - if temple, go here; if volcanic mountain go here; stand here and take a picture etc.

The weather hits you the moment you are here. Bali is known for its tropical weather marked by humidity and hot temperatures; but Kintamani is very different.

It is home to one of the volcanic mountains - Mount Batur.  Batur had last erupted in 1999.

Batur is worshiped by the Balinese, they have built a major temple by its base - Pura Batur (Or Pura Ulun Danu Batur) and the deity here is the mountain itself. The imposing structure of this temple is very beautiful to look at, neatly maintained. A strict guideline is marked for every visitor there - dress code, do's & don't's.

People of Kintamani are simple, contently, fun loving. It is very easy to like them! They establish your trust within no time, and start a conversation instantly as if you are one of them!

Kintamani has a lake at the base of Mount Batur, which is the largest crater lake in Bali.

The stay/eat options here are very minimal, but it is opening to the outer world now... Some resorts, tour operations coming up here!

The road to Kintamani itself is so eventful that you would be mesmerized; for the Orange farms, the terrace rice farms, nicely laid empty stretches of road, pleasing weather....

If I must, I will compare it to Madikeri (More popularly, the Coorg) of Karnataka, except for the thin forest cover around Kintamani.

For pictures run the slide show:

Ooty - What is it?

------------------------------------------- details to follow!!

Five years of rambling......

This day..... a few years ago......
A Backbencher thought of rambling sitting in a corner ..............

And......................
After Mumbai was attacked....... after India won a Cricket world cup, after Osama Bin Laden was shot dead...........

After a lot of scams and chaos, after Anna hazare declared his war on corruption...........

After five monsoons, and five summers....... after Obama entered the White House...... and after Benazir Butto was killed..........

After 3 Idiots broke all the India movie records....... and after Avatar changed the way the world watched movies.....

After M F Hussain painfully surrendered the Indian citizenship...... after Sachin scored a double ton in a one day match......... and after Bhimsen Joshi died............

After the Ayodhya land was cut into three pieces by a court.......... and after the Sathya Sai Baba left his mortal body.........

After the Indian flag landed on the Moon........... and after the Chandrayan found water on moon with a NASA equipment.........

After the Oracle gobbled up the Sun Microsystems..... and after the android phones hit the market........... after 2G..... 3G and then the 4G...........

After the stars from Elizabeth Taylor to Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan left us with a void.....

After Star Plus finally stopped the sobbing serials........

After the Dalai Lama desired to resign from exile politics....... and after the LTTE was routed.......

After the Nepal became a confused democracy....... and after the people uprising in the middle-east........

After Mubarak was ousted.......... and after Saddam Hussein got executed.....

After the IPL was launched........... and after Bangalore got its International Airport..........

After the dish tvs protruded the rural Indian homes....... and after Michael Jackson left Neverland and the world in a shocking way..........

After A R Rahman stood up to the world challenge to win two Academy awards...........

After Lee-Hesh went on a rampage, winning all that they played...... and then parted ways..... and then came back together......... And after the facebook became a way of life......

After the island volcano Eyjafjöll awakened to stand the European airspace to a still...... and after a Royal wedding left the British in a frenzy....

After the cheapest car Tata Nano became a reality............. and After the Tsunami destroyed Japan........

After China topped the Olympic medal table........ and After the Midnight's Children became the booker of Bookers.....

And....

After conquering the mighty Himalayas, the wonderful Sahyadris.... and the challenging Nilgiris.....

After a lot of traveling and a lot of new learning....... and after meeting a lot of new people.........

After riding thru from the East Coast to the West Coast......

After changing my marital status on my facebook account.....

Here I am - declaring that the last five years have been phenomenal, in every way possible!!

Thanks for reading me through :)

The festive furore!!

A walk on the main markets of Bangalore takes you back in time!

A sea of stalls selling flowers of all colours, adjoining stalls selling fruits of multiple variety. Prices shooting up, but the spirit ecstatic!

Some ad-hoc shops, make shift ones as well, selling bangles of different colours and sizes eat up the walk way on those streets, people seldom have complaints about them!

People walk on all the available lanes, bargaining high for a rupee or two to make the shopping contented.

Villagers stocking up banana leaves, banana plant-trunks, mango leaves, garike straws and variety leaves which are specifically used in the festival coming a day-next.

Traffic on those roads - a choc-o-bloc and no body cares, of course!!

And the main attraction of the market would definitely be the illuminated make-shift stalls with lines of colourful Ganesha and Gowri idols. Truly a sight not to be missed, and a feel not to be unfelt!

Thats a traditional Indian festival-eve, for you!

Yes, you are experiencing the great Indian festive furore! The middle class of this country comes alive in all those traditional market lanes on such days. Great sights and great preperations.

Wishes for a great Gowri-Ganesha festive season.

Anthoo Inthooo....

Hallakke bidda.........

Yaaru??

...............

.......................

..........................

Namma Prashantha (Payaniga)

Yavaga?? Yelli? Yenu??

Yeah! Last Sunday he fell into wedlock with Madame A.

Here's wishing the lovely couple a great married life!

Srik

Mathe Mungaru

I agree. I am at fault – for not coming back to my blog. But you know, it needs a push, a reminder or some event to change the sides and to be back in business.

The title suggests – Monsoon, again! Monsoon is a synonym to good times. And yes. I am back to the good old days, means blogging too!

A change in the personal ‘status’, a little too much work and work and family related travelling has all added up to my inability to put some stories here. I am overcoming all of them, to be back to (another) eternity.

Well… Life has been good all these days. Marriage is a definite eye opener of sorts for a youngster. And very much – IT IS A GREAT FEELING TO BE MARRIED. I really mean it.

Monsoon, again – Mathe Mungaru is incidentally a movie in Kannada which is hitting the screens today. The promos and the story looks to be intriguing, intense, and the songs are awesome, to say the least. I hope the production house, which lead every Kannada speaking creature in getting drenched in that eternal Mungaru Male, is successful in recreating that feel of monsoon, again.

Let me review this album for you.

The music is composed by some Paul Raj. I am sure he will attain the new heights with this album, which has been made with lots of innovative techniques, and melodious tunes.

The singers – the Likes of Asha Bhosle, Hariharan, Chitra, Karthik, Vijay Prakash and Shreya Ghosal have lent their voices to this beautiful album.

The album opens with a tragic solo by Karthik, “KangaLu Kanalive” – This sets the tone for this whole album. Background music for this song is exceptional at places. Though slow paced, the song gets straight in to the soul of the listener. However, the same feel is not kept thru the song, it dilutes in the middle, and catches up again. The song, however, gets its due and succeeds to connect to the listener. Karthik does superb in this song.

The duet ‘Chita pata chita’- by Karthik and Shreya Ghosal is fantastic. The melody, pace, the orchestra, the lyrics and the heavenly vocals of Shreya all are in perfect harmony through out the song. A must listen for any Kannada music enthusiast.

"Summaniruva ee manasali" by Ranjith is smooth and passes off. It is just another seasonal song added now a days by default to a Kannada album. Ranjith is high with energy throught this song. a peppy one.

There is a patriotic song ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’, which is sung by the ‘Jai Ho’ star Vijay Prakash for the most part and though he does well – the music and the lyrics are off synch. It fails to pull any patriotic feeling in the listener. Chitra’s vocals towards the end bring the much needed lift to this song.

“Belagayitu” is a theme song sung by Hariharan. Hariharan’s magical voice is tailor-made for this sort of a song. He performs wonderfully in this song. I felt the lyrics are heavy, though. I am not sure if that had anything do with the actual intensity of the movie. Wonderful folkish music accompanies Hariharan here.

The crown of this wonderful album is “Helade karana” rendered in an emotional tone by the veteran melody queen Asha Bhosle. Beautiful lyrics clubbed with an apt musical blend lift this song to the voice of Asha Bhosle. I appreciate her for having taken this song, and making this a complete album!

In all, this is a complete album, with a perfect mix of singers from north and south – Kannada and otherwise too. Karthik is a revelation in this album. Lyrics are by the director Dwarki Raghava and V Nagendra Prasad.

I give my best rating to this album. I will try and see this movie as well this weekend. Let me see.

Here is a related story that appeared on Rediff today. This movie, as the article states, is based on the true story of some Narayana from coastal Karnataka's life's roller coaster ride.

BTW – Here is a picture taken by me, which has been picked by Rediff to showcase in their monsoon pictures series. Let me know if that was worth it!

The Cherry Blossom!!

Sunday........

Wednesday .............

And...................


Friday .........

Thats SPRING at its best in the Washington D C

The Valley of Flowers - a few visuals

Here are a few snaps from this excitingly beautiful valley. Thanks to my co-traveler Ram for capturing some of these.

A sneak into the valley. Nanda Devi peak in the background

A view from inside the valley, The peak covered with clouds.

River Pushpavati beginning its envious journey.

A lush green clad mountain, from within.

A pathway leading to the paradise, inside the valley of Flowers

A sample of flora grown specifically in this valley

Oher few varieties of flowers carpetting the valley

This breathtaking valley inspires one to make love with peace and simplicity. Hope you enjoyed the journey all along.

The Valley of Flowers - Facts

Some tidbits -
Place - "The Valley of Flowers"
Located in - The Byundar valley of Uttarakhand state of India
Good time to visit - Right from mid-August to October - as variety of flowers bud post monsoon.
Commuting there - One has to trek to undertake this expedition, no other means is there at all!
Food - No food or accomodation available in this land of God, as this is a part of the protected Nanda Devi National Park.

FAQs:
Where exactly is this place?
Inside the Nanda Devi Natioanl Park, nestled high in the West Himalayan range. This is geographically located in the Uttarakhand state of India;
At exactly 276 KMs from the pilgrimage haunt Rishikesh, and is located in the Chamoli district of Gharval region of the state.

So, How do we get to feel the air of here?
1. Reach Haridwar/Rishikesh by train Or Dehradun by flight

2. Take a bus to Joshimath, a 10 hour drive from Haridwar.

3. Stay overnight there. It is a good town and comfortable accomodation and food options are available here.

4. Start early morning to Govindghat - enroute Badrinath Dham. It takes about an hour to reach Govindghat from Joshimath. Govindghat is the closest to the Valley one can reach by road.
5. Start trekking to Govind Dham/Ghangriya, which is at a 13Kms distance from Govindghat.
- A very strenuous trek, which is uphill mostly, would take anywhere between 6 hrs to 9 hrs - depending on the individual strength and capabilities.
- No night trek possible since the forest region this, is a leopard ground!
- Food/refreshments - are available throught the trek route.
- Human traffic can be expected - mostly the Sikh pilgrims doing the Hemkunt Sahib visit.
- Alternatively, ponies or dolkis are available for those who can not walk.

6. Stay at Govind Dham/Ghangriya - hotels are available that provide comfortable accomodation, sometimes food too.
- A Gurudwara gives good food and accomodation to all the pilgrims, free of cost.
- Everything is costly in this part of the world, because of the accessibility issues.
- Electricity is available for only 2 hours a day, for an hour early in the morning and another hour soon after the night fall.
- Telephone networks are a strict no-no, and a few satellite phones available operate on the ration basis, and at a hefty charge. No other option at all!

7. Next morning, leisurely start walking towards "The Valley of Flowers" -
- A leisure trek of 3 KMs amidst a wonderful landscape along the bank of river Pushpavati would land you at the gates of the Valley of Flowers
- The Valley of Flowers is spread over a huge area of 87.5kms.
- Altitude of this valley is roughly 4000 meters above the sea level.
- A well-maintained natural park is this. A decent road way made of stones is laid along the walking path.
- There are huge boulders at regular intervals for one to take a break from walking.
- To experience the paradise - one has to walk at least 4.5KMs inside the valley.
- There are quiet a few water bodies that crosses ones' path, for people to fill their water bottles.
- The whole environment is mostly clean, and there are dust bins provided at some places for the litter dump.
- Unlike the Ghangriya, the Valley is less crowded.
- There is no way a porter or a pony is allowed to carry you inside the park, it is just for the trekkers alone.
- Some venomous shrubs are also existing in the valley, so, the visitors are adviced not to go near the plants nor to pluck the flowers from here.
- Flowers here - There are about 80 different varieties of flowers that enrich the visitors' experience.
- Note: For people from Bangalore/ South India, these flowers might not appall as extravagant, as it might sound at the thought of the Valley of Flowers.
(I mean we get much more colorful and pleasing variety of flowers here. But when you see those wild flowers, spread as carpet - thats something special, and a unique feature of this National Park).
- Pack your lunch form Govinddham/Ghangriya itself, and have it leisurely inside the valley.
- Do not forget to carry back the plastic and other unorganic waste.

8. Walk back to the hotels at Ghangriya well before the sunset. Yes, Sun sets pretty fast here - by 5 PM. So, be home quick.
- Take a good rest - there would be no disturbance here except that of the hooters and the pony rackets.
- No mobile phones can be a blessing in such places!

9. It is best adviced that you continue to trek next day to the Hemkunt Saheb Gurudwara.
- At Hemkunt, which can be reached after a tougher trek of 6kms from Ghangriya, there is a modern building having the Gurudwara shrine where Sikhs worship the Guru Grantha Sahib.
- It is also believed that Lord Lakshman, Lord Sri Ram's younger brother, meditated at this spot when he was Vasuki, in his prior life. There is a temple dedicated to Lakshman besides the Gurudwara.
- Main attraction of this place is the lake named Hemkunt popularly or Lakshman Ganga historically.
- Nonetheless, it is revered by both Hindus and Sikhs.
- A dip in the chilling waters of this lake is said to cure all the illnesses, and wash away the sins of 100 lives of a person.
- Temperature here would mostly be around 09 degrees at 10AM on a given summer day. And it would go down to sub zero any point in time. So, no one is allowed to stay here after 2PM.
- Yummy Kichdis - both sweet and spicy variants are provided as prasad to all the pilgrims on behalf of the Gurdwara. A hot tea follows up the kichdi treat as well. One will feel stunningly fresh after this refreshment.
- The seven hills surrounding the lake gives a mystic appearance to the environment. The priest at Lakshman temple puts them as saptha rishis (Seven original eternal monks)
- This whole area closes every winter, after Deepavali. Opens only after April in the next year.
- This is due to the heavy snow fall in the region during winters.

10. If you start from Ghangriya uphill to Hemkunt at 4:30 AM, you would complete the 6kms trek by 8:30AM. If you start back by 10:15 AM, after the prayers and brunch, another three hours would take you back to your hotel in Ghanghriya.

11. From Ghangriya, back to Govindghat is again a strenuous trek of 13 kms down hill. Would take 4-5 hours, by when night would have come!
So, It is advisible to stay back for another night at Ghanghriya. Since this is a boring place for you to spend so much time, you can actually try the pony option which would take around 3-3.5hrs to reach down hill. That would give you enough time to reach Badrinath Dham or Joshimath by road.

12. From Govindghat, Badrinath dham takes an hour by road. You can also go back to Joshimath which is again at an hour's distance from here.

In all, it is a total three day hardship, at the least, which gives you an unlimited joy of experiencing the Valley of Flowers.

Wait for the pictures of this wonderful valley.

A piece of a Heaven - I thought

Just Imagine...

I am walking to the edge of a valley.
On the Left side I see a huge mountain
Which I can't even try thinking of exploring
Because of its magnitude in size
And green carpet like appearance.

High raised cliffs peaking out of
Beds of the clouds made a panormic disguise!

Down at my instant right is a steep valley
Of brittle sand and a shrubby little vegetation.

Down there flows a crystal clear canal of water
That runs in my direction, from heavens up there!
It- making me jealous of its heavenly living.

Beyond the river starts another mountain,
Green on the surface, Red in its strength!
Blue at its top, white in the middle!

From the mountain top on my left, I see a
Milk-thread that grew in size as I turn my eyes down!
As I reach this thread, I hear a hurled voice
Of a growing anxiety from there,
A waterfall of such an authentic style!

Now I move my eyes around the horizon -

I see multiples of such waterfalls from
Every nook and corner of the mountain!
And I see such mountains in huge numbers to my left!!

Similar sights to my right, beyond the river down there...
Hundreds of mountain peaks, arranged in an interesting manenr,
Each peak hosting a few waterfalls in them!!

All these waterfalls culminated in
The river down at the centre.

Both sides of me - all the mountains are
Clad in pure green, with no space left on the plains!

These were plants bearing flowers!
Flowers of all colours - red, white, blue!
Orange, cream, pink - et al.

There was not a single tree down there,
But some only up the mountain.
So, the sight was complete with water,
green bed on plains with added colourful grandeur!

The starlit green bed dally dangled
And a fresh aroma hit my nose!
I close my eyes to feel the air in
My nerves - even the last one,

Breathe - Sigh!

I go down the valley at a suitable joint -
I get to touch the waters, feel the chillness!
I cross a small bead of it at some place and go
Acros to the bed of flowers!

A gay feel crosses and ignites my mind.
I joyfully run my eyes on all the sides
Expecting to gulp in the offer of nature -
As much as I can, in that

One single moment!

I stand there destitute - before these structures of God!
I stand surrendered before the almighty
Who was evident in every piece of that vision!

Now -
Right across my eyes, I see the clouds vanishing!
The sky is clearing up!
The veil of clouds opening up -
A huge mountain, With snow covered peak!
Reminiscent of a recent landslide, huge trees fallen,

Ice formed on the canal of water, and a glacier beneath!

Spectacle of my life time,
I bow my head to the Mother Nature!
She suddenly caresses me with another gush of wind!

A piece of a Heaven - I thought.

Am I not dreaming? Am I feeling it - really?
Am I the lonely explorer of this space?
Am I the Only One?
Am I the Chosen One? Or
Am I the Only Blessed One?
Yes, I am - all of these -
And More!!

Don't believe it to be true - ain't you?
Now look at this picture -

Believe it or not - such a place exists on the face of this earth. And I bet that there are hundreds of such extravagant sites for us to cherish.

Alas! The place I have quoted here is unique in its own style, for its floral bed is not manmade, its totally the Almighty's garden - "The Valley of Flowers".

In the heart of the Himalayan might, Under the Nanda Devi Peak, inside the Nanda Devi National Park, as a UNESCO World Heritage site, on the banks of the river Pushpavati, this scene exists!

With its multitude varety of fauna, the valley stands personified to the benevolence of the creator!

This space finds its place in Indian Mythology too -

As the home of Sanjeevini Parvat (Life giving mountain) containing the Sanjeevini herbs that Hanuman carried to Lanka to rescue Lakshman from a debacle in the great war of Ramayan!
Boy! You can readily believe in the theory of Sanjeevini Parvat here!

A must visit for all those who enjoy the raw beauty of nature.

NOTE: Await the details of reaching there.

Caught the Jog falls....... again :-)

Ah! The wonderful Jog Falls!! Even if it is the nth time you are there, the Jog opens up a new dawn, a compltely renewed energy, a dream!!

It signifies an unlimited energy, signifies the best hope for a great tomorrow and a selfless joy!!

I hope you will enjoy this picture, as much I did when taking it!!

Related links:

1. Sharavathi valley

2. Jog from top

3. Mega trek in the Sharavathi Valley

4. Mungaru Male

THE ENIGMA CALLED MJ

“Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight,
Here one day, gone one night;
Like a sunset,
Dying with the rising of the moon;
Gone too soon…”

The Rise

How poignantly these lyrics describe the rise and fall of the departed King of Pop, Michael Joseph Jackson. Little could anyone have predicted that this hugely talented boy from Gary, Indiana., would one day take the music world by storm.
Starting his career as the lead vocalist in the Jackson 5 along with his brothers, Michael, came into his own in 1982 when he stunned music fans across nations with his pathbreaking album ‘Thriller’.

For those of us born in the late 70s and early 80s Michael Jackson was a staple diet on the music front. His “hoo, hoo!” “Aowwww!’ and vocal hiccup were imitated by almost everyone I knew – not to mention poor attempts at trying a hand at his impossible dance moves!
His songs have become a major part of the soundtrack of our lives. “Thriller”, “Man In The Mirror,” “Black Or White,” “Billie Jean,” “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough,” “The Way You Make Me Feel”. The list is endless!

Michael Jackson was the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. In fact, he was the first coloured artist to be featured in an MTV video (Billie Jean).

Michael was larger than life and yet appeared unassuming at awards functions, interviews and performances, such as the Grammy’s, which we got to see, courtesy Doordarshan. Those were times when the world hadn’t woken up to the wonders of internet technology, so whosoever was lucky enough to own a television set would invite their neighbours and relatives to watch late night programmes of the master weaving his magic on stage. Michael mania was all around.
Every song that Michael sang raced to the top of the charts in America and elsewhere. This coupled with his phenomenal dancing prowess steadily earned him fans from as far away as Japan.

At about this time, Michael co-wrote the charity single “We are the World” with Lionel Ritchie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in Africa and the US. He was one of 39 music celebrities who performed on the record. The single became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief. In 2000, Jackson was listed in the book of Guinness World Records for his support of 39 charities, more than any other entertainer or personality.

The early 90s saw a different Michael… his facial features and skin colour had changed, making him look almost effeminate. Naturally, people speculated on this and arrived at the conclusion that the pop star was bleaching his skin a lot and that he went under the surgeon’s knife in a bid to change his looks. While the latter was true, Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey in February 1993 during which he explained that his pallor was due to a skin condition known as Vitiligo. Fans sympathised. But with Michael one couldn’t be too sure. After all, he’d claimed in the mid-80s that he slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow down the aging process. And what can you make of a person who shared his bed and bathroom with a Chimpanzee?

Despite being the superstar who commanded worldwide attention and respect, Michael Jackson was a loner at heart with severe traits of eccentricity, which nobody could quite comprehend. He recounted in an interview about his troubled childhood and adolescence. The confusions and depressive things he had to endure when those of his age were living a carefree life. Images of his brutal father who thrashed him senseless for the smallest of mistakes, haunted him even years later.

Thus, Michael chose to live in the secure confines of the fictitious world of Peter Pan… a place where boys never aged nor shed their innocence. He even named his 2,500 acre ranch Neverland in honour of the author of the book J M Barrie. This vast place with its train rides, zoos and giant wheels would prove to become a symbol of Jackson's success and excesses.

The Fall

Neverland welcomed one and all; in particular, children. Michael took personal interest in catering to the needs of the (often unfortunate) kids who visited his ranch. It seemed that the super singer who donned the role of Peter Pan took care of the boys with kindness and immense love. He organised “sleepovers” and entertained droves of kids who flocked to his gates to savour the magical world called Neverland. But the supposed dark and seamier side of the place got exposed in 1993 when Michael was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler, who was a regular at Michael’s home.
The press tainted the image of the pop icon by likening him to a lecherous predator, who exploited the vulnerability of visiting children… a paedophile. These stories inspired the pejorative nickname “Wacko Jacko”. The tabloids in particular were ruthless in their reportage. The “revelations” shattered Michael a great deal. So much so that he began taking prescription medication in large quantities. His health deteriorated to the extent that he cancelled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour and went into drug rehabilitation for a few months.
However, in 1994 a 22 million dollar out of court settlement meant that no criminal charges were brought against the singer. The question arises – If Michael Jackson had been sexually exploiting Chandler for a period of time wouldn’t his parents have been in the know of it, and wouldn’t the boy have protested the first time Michael (allegedly) laid his hands on him? Whether it was a strategy to finish Michael financially and professionally no one can say. It seems to me, it was. Stranger still is the fact that the boy’s mother vehemently denied that Michael had ever behaved inappropriately with her son. You be the judge.

In May of 1994, Michael married singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of King of Rock n’ Roll Elvis Presley. Their marriage (of convenience, as the newspapers dubbed it) ended less than two years later. Amid all the controversy in 1995 Michael released the “HIStory” album. During the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour, Jackson married dermatologist nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe, with whom he fathered a son, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (also known as "Prince"), and a daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. The couple divorced in 1999, with Rowe giving full custody rights of the children to Michael.

The “moonwalker” performed a gig in India at the insistence of the Shiv Sena in 1996. When he left he wrote the following message on his pillow cover: "India, all my life I have longed to see your face. I met you and your people and fell in love with you. Now my heart is filled with sorrow and despair for I have to leave, but I promise I shall return to love you and caress you again.
"Your kindness has overwhelmed me, your spiritual awareness has moved me, and your children have truly touched my heart. They are the face of God. I truly love and adore you India. Forever, continue to love, heal and educate the children, the future shines on them. You are my special love, India. Forever, may God always bless you."

Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (also known as Blanket) was born in 2002 to a surrogate mother.

In 2003 in a Granada Television documentary titled ‘Living with Michael Jackson’ the singer was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with Gavin Arvizo, who would later accuse him of child sexual abuse. It seemed like someone, somewhere was out to get Michael and his millions, but who and why remains a mystery. The trial lasted five months, until the end of May 2005, he was acquitted on all counts. Jackson then relocated to Bahrain as a guest of the ruler’s son, Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Reports are now emerging that resorted to doing one-night gigs for private parties for Arab sheikhs and Russians in London. These gigs apparently commanded up to 2.5 million dollars for an hour performance. Oh what a mighty fall the King of Pop had suffered!

Upon his return to the United States, Michael announced a series of 50 concerts in London in a comeback tour ironically titled “This is It”. He worked hard every day to make sure the shows, which were to begin from July 13 this year, were a success.

However, on June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson collapsed at a rented home in Holmby Hills in Los Angeles, and died shortly thereafter leaving a void that nobody can ever fill.His funeral is scheduled to be held on July 7.

@A tribute to MJ by Anand Balaji (First time online after his "greatunknown" blog shut down).
Anand Balaji, had been a Journalist with leading English newspapers in Bangalore, and later worked as a senior copywriter in an ad firm. He was a successful blogger in 2007. He quit his profession to pursue work as a freelance writer. Backbencher wishes him the best in all his endeavours.

Back..... again!!

I'm BACK..... for the 100th time..... Not to go back 101th time.... Nanna Nambiiiiii please....please...

Well... lot happened around me since I disappeared last time.

Elections in India, The IPL, Monsoons, Lots of movies, Music shows, a little bit of traveling for me too...... etc... but I was not able to put up something that can be shared with you all...

Well... surely, and for good... I am back.

Hale and ............. Healthy!!

Yes. I am doing good and I shall be back soon! Meanwhile just wanted to post a 'Hi' with an old photo that was shot in a beautiful landscape.

I wish I be a 'masakkali' and 'ud' 'purr purr' in the 'Badal ki colony'...... But work assignments not allowing me to do that, as of now....

Yeah... I have a lot to write and share, but that has to wait for some more time!

Love,
Srik :)

Arishinagundi - The Turmeric Pond!

"Arishinagundi jalapaata : The Arishinagundi water falls"

River Souparnika, takes birth in the mountains and in her quest to reach out to sea by paying tributes to Goddess of Kollur, jumps lavishly from a height of around 200-250ft.

This place has come to be called Arishinagundi (lake of turmeric), probably known for the miraculous curing powers of the waters here. Water is pure and refreshingly soothing.

We hardly get to swim in sweet water, and this is one such heavenly carved out place!

Check it out today, if you have not yet done so :-)

Disclaimer: Please forgive me for the human noise in the background. That is something falsely added up in the video, which this divine place is completely void of!!

Ghajini - See it to believe it!!

Ghajini, probably the only movie (I know) that derives its title from the main villain. One line review of this movie is a pure out and right South Indian masala movie with Hindi lip movements, what more, excellently done!!

Yes, all thru the movie, I was somehow feeling that I am watching a Telugu or a Tamil movie, where stupidity is magnified and shown as more sense, and where the masculine power of one man is more than the multiple times that of hundred others.

Ghajini glorifies that stupidity, but still stands out as one of the best entertainers of the year! Aamir, has excelled in his portrayal of Sanjay Singhania, a business tycoon turned a killing machine!

For a second, I shuddered, sweated trying to put me in Sanjay’s shoes; one who can remember only what he did in the last 15 mins, and some one who’s’ hard drive is gone in an accident. If I am to live like that, I would rather shoot myself dead, or live with some friend who keeps me company all the while, reminding who and why I am there!

But, unfortunately, Sanjay Singhania can not do so, since he had a mission to accomplish, to find and kill the man responsible for his state. Probably the only thing he remembers from that fateful night, when the tragedy strikes upon him, was the name Ghajini; That justifies the title of the movie.

His bubbly, socio-conscious sweetheart was murdered and for a no fault of her, and to save the ‘good’ name of Ghajini. When Kalpana (Asin, the heroine) rescues 25 young girls out of a flesh trafficking, she gets unnecessary limelight. Ghajini, a respectable man in the society with a hidden face that is ugly, corrupt and cruel, gets behind her for she had spoilt his flesh trade by busting it in train.

He plans to and executes her killing. The scene is horrifying, and very very emotional. In front of his eyes, Sanjay loses his sweetheart, and is totally helpless about it. At the height of the moment she confesses in his ears who is responsible for it, Ghajini. He survives that attack on life, to live with a mental disorder, without a hard drive to save his memory. To fight the short term memory, he notes down all the important aspects, keeps the pictures of important people, things; carries a camera which buzzes every 15 mins to remind him about its existence!

The movie successfully puts the audience in Aamir’s shoes and makes them feel sorry about that living. Aamir has produced, yet again, a powerful performance.

Three things that doesn’t work in this movie –
3. The logic…. Of not making it a “Breaking News” when a successful businessman’s fiancée is murdered, who herself was on news a day before for busting the flesh trafficking. Also, the businessman himself is attacked horrendously, and no “Breaking News” of it!! Such cliches are evident in almost all scenes.

2. Ghajini – the villain. He is stupid and very mediocre! He acts as if he is born without a brain, and in every appearance, justifies that fact.

1. Music!! I hate to review and condemn something that A R Rahaman has done, but both the background score and songs are pretty much non-Rahamanic this time, even the much popular Guzarish :(

Three reasons why this movie WORKS –
3. Aamir’s fantastic body! I am not exaggerating, or misquoting. This really works! He has tried very hard and sculpted his body to perfection. To watch a macho body like that is a real excitement. I’m not surprised he did it so perfectly, since there was always a point to prove to the great King Khan!

2. Asin as Kalpana, has excelled in her powerful role. Her lovely face, wonderful show of emotions, superb antics all thru her stint in the movie are just too much to miss. As a lady who believes in herself and has very little expectation from the world; the one who always keeps an eye open to contribute to the society, Asin has done exceedingly well! She is a revelation on screen, a treat to watch.

1. Kalpana sells her car off to raise money for Sachin’s mother. Sachin is the face of Sanjay that Kalpana knows(If you get confused, watch the movie). Kalpana never gets to know who she was marrying with. In her view, Sachin is an ordinary model, who is working hard to establish himself in life; on the other hand, Sanjay, her real man, is a multi millionaire business head!! When Sanjay was to leave for a business meeting, he lies to Kalpana that he was going to his village since Mother is sick, and he needed to take care of her. She helps him by selling her ‘ambassador’ car and raising the money! If this is the only scene in the movie, I’d still go to watch it! Aamir rocks in this particular scene. So does Asin.

I’d recommend you to Watch this movie!

Mondays' Mirage - 9

Sun, Setting? or Rising?

Have a marvellous week ahead, people! And a wish for super Sankranti to everyone!

Thought For the week - 8

Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our
manners.
- Laurence Sterne

What a beautiful way to express that we need to keep in mind three Rs:

"Respect for Self, Respect for Others and Responsibility for our actions!"

@Laurence Sterne was an 18th century British novelist born in Ireland. He is best known for his novel "A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy;". He died when he was 55, but his popularity still behold.

Mondays' Mirage - 8

Victory....
A sweet memory

A hard-earned prize!

It is after a herculian effort you get to taste it.

It remains etched as a brave tablet, a memoir.

Similarly, this is an year-end and

A victory symbol for all of us.

That we have crawled past another year, another milestone!

We've learnt from it, as much gained from it.

Good, Bad memories are always there to carry forward.

We need to learn from them and keep

Applying our unique ideas to tackle the situation that

Arise in future.

Only point to remember on 31st Dec is

"I won".

Have a victorious week ahead, and a Grand New Year, friends!

@in pic: My friend Sathish on top of a pillar standing on a hill, posing after a victorious attempt at it

Thought For the week - 7

“Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.”
- Mother Teresa

This was said about the patients she was serving. If you broaden that perception a bit, very close to "Aham Brahmasmi" - Everyone is Jesuses in disguise! We just need to have a wide perseverance to distinguish and experience God in all. God is not an entity, but a perception, a behaviour, a talent, simply a "ME"!

Merry Christmas.

@Mother Teresa was an Indian Christian missionary who ran "Missionaries of Charity" in Kolkata. She was an Albanian in birth, but embraced India as her Motherland; and won Nobel prize for peace as an Indian.