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 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.

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.

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!!

India is a hostage under impotent politicians, incomepetent intelligence agencies

What is happening in Mumbai is a National Shame. The country is already a hostage to shameless politicians, and now.... we have our cities being awarded to terrorists.... like never before.
The buildings are being bombarded, lives being run thru, national pride shattered.
The 'real' terrorists have won the Gateway of India, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Surat, Azhamgarh, Delhi and all the places that make India!! What else are we left with? It is better to die in a battle with those terror mongers than to live in a shameful state.
I pray in God for Peace, not only to the souls that left us today in that holocaust, but also to those who are living in shame today.
Instead of keeping such enemies away, Indian Govt is busy torturing the local religious heads calling them terrorists and framing them in all the way possible. So, I say that the country is a hostage to the politicians.
We need not less than a ruthless youth movement that can erase this shameful chapter from our histories for ever.
I sometimes hold back when I call our police 'brave', but in the case of Mumbai, and too today, I have no option but to say Go 'brave men', kill the terrorists, rescue our cities (and if possible, please dont give it back to the politicians)!

Global Crash....implications?

Purely from a point of view of a small person in this huge monetary game..... read on.

I received this supposed 'joke' as a forward. I guess it is more of reflective types of this economic slump. Decide yourself!!

2007: Raju: Chacha kaise ho ???
Chacha: ab kya batau....
Bada beta share broker hai...
doosara beta Jet Airways mein hai
teesara software mein aur

sabse chhota ruk gaya PAN WALA banke...

2008:
Raju: Chacha kaise ho ???
Chacha: Ab kya bolu...
bus ab chhota hi ghar chala raha hai,
uske vajeh se toh hum zinda hai.... :)
Raju: @#$!#$#$@$$

Well.. It is not uncommon now a days. Isn’t it? This 'joke' reflects what we see in papers everyday.

Now read this 'real' story:

Sharath (name changed), is a young achiever. He joined an MNC straight after the college. He had set himself few tough targets in life, and he achieved one by one of them in style. His high paying job was also going great.

Once he 'settled' in his job, he took his parents to live with him in the city, deserting their village home. All was well, and his brother too joined them in city for higher education.

He shifted jobs to make sure that his ever growing economic expectations were met, just like any of his classmates. And he did good in every place he went. People were envy of him, and why not!

One fine day he was offered a trip to the client place in USA, which he agreed to handle. He had a US dream since a long time, and that was fulfilled.

Three full months he stayed there before coming back to India. He was awe struck at the way westerners lived their lives. He started complaining about India, crib about almost every thing here, just like any other young man. He was itching to go back there, and make more money.

The dollar dreams were too much to bear. His parents, satisfied with his position in life, found a suitable bride for him, and he got married to a beautiful young lady in no time. It all happened as if in a dream, and it was fabulous.

He was just back from a satisfyingly wonderful honeymoon at Bangkok, when he heard of a consultant who would help him find a job in the US. He was thrilled at his luck.

The consultant processed his Visa, and supported him to land in California. He told his wife to wait for a month or two before he found his job and 'settle' down there.

Initially it was tough for him since there was no satisfying offer he was getting. After some three months, and just when his savings were wearing out, he got an offer of job from his college time dream firm! His joy found no bounds.

Four months down the line, he took his wife to live with him. His earning of the first few months was spent to show his wife the country. He bought a car on EMI and roamed around the dream country in it. The couple had their second honeymoon with pomp in this great country.

In the meanwhile he was getting awards every quarter for being a superior performer in the company. His talents were widely appreciated; the way he handled a difficult project and lead the team to perfection in delivering it on time was hailed even by the CEO. He was a happy man.

One fine day his manager calls him and says that he felt sorry to be informing Sharath that the company needed him no more! Sharath was shocked. Manager also said that the company was proud of Sharath's achievements, but since the company was thru a rough patch in terms of its economic holdings, he had to take this extreme step. He also stated that the company in last two weeks lost two of its mega budget banking projects, and he had no other option but to down size its strength.

He was immediately relieved, Sharath was given no option but to leave. He had ignored a few clauses in his employment offer, which was used against him now. He was not to be given any notice to terminate and he would not be entitled for any company benefits, what so ever! He was not even given a relieving letter, since he continued to be a consultant!

Shattered Sharath comes home and looks depressed. His unsuspecting wife tries to soothe him, which doesn’t help. Sharath is a worried man, he hides the emotions from wife, until it becomes unbearable. His wife joins the worried wagon now.

The families back home are unaware of what is happening there, and they are satisfied with their usual online chats and occasional calls with these NRIs. But back there, Sharath and Sumalini think a lot about what is in future for them.

The consultant offers to pay him for another month and he was encouraged to find another job in that time, or return home with whatever he had earned. Wherever he went, his belief of an economic turn over was slumped. He failed to get a good job, and his Western Dreams are almost but over!

One fine day, after a couple of months, families back home were treated with switched off cell phones, and full memory answering machines. Worried them, logged in to gtalk to see them off line.

A week later, the families got together and lodged a complaint at the police out there. When the Police barged in to their apartment, they recovered two decayed dead bodies, which had consumed poison, a week before!

The shocked parents, demanded justice, and the police were helpless too. The parents could not get hold of the dead bodies too since the un-American couple had commited suicide, and their EMIs and loans were unpaid for a long time then!

Parents could not accomodate such an astronomical sum of money to get the bodies. Their hopes of at least a respectable creamtion for the bodies was shattered; and they were left in a state of depression.

The bulging EMIs, overflowing credit card limits and eroding financial resources forced the couple to take this extreme step. A jobless punter couldnt return to India thinking of the shame he had to undergo at a crunch time in the global market. He was not sure of getting a job back home as well, for the same reasons. Meaning, all the doors were closed for him, and he had to take this extreme step.

Forget about money, think about the social implications of a 'loser' in such circumstances. Quiet depressing. What Sharath did, seems to be the only way for thousands of immigrants out there, in the midst of such a huge economic recession.

Every day we get news of Stock markets crashing, banks shutting down, insurance companies announsing bankruptcy, software companies reducing head counts.... what not!

And the implication of all these things on the tender minds of deleted employees is irrevocable. No one is safe now a days, and like Sharath, no one can bear a straight humiliation. Where is a way to escape from that? And how long would that stay?! How many more Sharaths be martyred in the game of a few rich investors and some directionless banks.

I think we will get an answer in a short time to come, and till then we need to be patient enough and remember that "Huttisida devaru hullu meyisodilla" (God will always be with us and he would not leave us hungry)!

Adieu Jumbo, Dada!

Two legends of our times chose to end their illustrious cricketing careers this month, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly.

Anil Kumble, older of the two and the most hardworking chap the Indian cricketing field has ever produced, bid adieu in a dramatic way on November 2nd. His passion for the game was awe inspiring, and a motivation for the whole of a generation. He would be remembered always for his Commitment, Grit, Passion, never-give-up kind of attitude. Personally he was a soft and gentle person, but on field, a “Jumbo”, a terror! I share a special bond with this fellow, yes; I went to the same college as Anil Kumble, though much later in times. That way, I will be very much proud of him, my senior in college!

His performances for the country….just tremendous! He is arguably the best bowler India has every produced. He has won more test matches than any other bowler in our times. When I started watching cricket, he had started his career. And went on inspiring the nation even to today… Today, he has ended his career as one of the games’ legends, the only one who shared the stage with the legendary likes of Shane Warne and Muralidharan! He spearheaded the Indian bowling attack for over 16 years, invented new ways to bowl, delivered occasional quicker flickers, the googlies, feasting the opposition batsmen for lunch tea and dinner. He was insatiable throughout. The fact that he once ran over all the ten batsmen of Pakistan stands as a testimony to that statement.

Sourav Ganguly, aggression personified; a brilliant off-side player, and a gritty captain, has called his day today. He was a champion, named fondly and rightly by fans as the Prince of Kolkata! He had that royal spine which crafted the Indian team to be a superpower in the sport. His constant encouragement saw the advent of younger players into the team, and his aggression on field saw records being fumbled and created for India on home turf, and foreign land alike. He took the Indian team from a mediocre 7th position on ODI charts to too close to the world cup in 2003. For being the most favourite and most successful Indian captain, he was fondly called “Dada” (Elder Brother) of Indian cricket.

I’d tribute with my “Hats off” to these legends at our most depressive cricketing moment; Depressive because, we wanted them for more time, but as they say… all good things come to an end, and Yes.

To see both going away from International arena at the same time is something cricket lovers of India can not digest easily. Yet, it is our duty to thank them for every single joy they gave us, for every moment they made us proud, for every smile they created on all the faces of this lovely country.

We say Good Bye with our utmost heartfelt contention. Wish you luck and glory in your life after cricket. Thanks for all the glorious moments; those were enough for this lifetime!

Great quotes on these two legends:

"To become another Anil Kumble one will have to work really, really hard," - Sachin Tendulkar

“On the off side, first there is God and then Saurav Ganguly." - Rahul Dravid.

@To be aired shortly: Wait for a series of articles, writeups on my favourite test and one day moments from the era gone by, here on the backbencher's page!

Chandrappa Circle

You might have heard of this name of late pretty much : ByaalaLu.

If you have not, here is a brief of what is wrong/right with the place:

ByaalaLu is a rustic sleepy village amidst breath taking calmness just about 30KMs away from Bengalooru, the happening IT city. It is occupied with the characteristic villagers who are busy ploughing their fields, planting food grains and growing them. As well they have cattle rearing as a hobby too!

The whole area is amidst an amazingly serene atmosphere. If you venture there, you wont believe that you are just out of the bustling city! Such is the addictive calmness of the place. The village has another wonderful natural feature to it, and that…. Is making the village proud and as well as putting its name on the world map for ever!

The village is protected on all sides by scenic and highland mountains. Mountains of Savanadurga and others hide this village from the outer world. Such a beautiful naturally created structure has been identified by our scientists to suit to erect something that can talk to a thing 4 lakh kilometers away from it!!

Yes, you read it right… 400,000! And the structures we have erected here are two huge antennas, one of 32ft diameter, another of 18ft.
Why are they used? To talk to a satellite that is going to revolve around moon. You read it right…moon. India’s first ever endeavour in the outer space has brought this sleepy vilalge into the universal frontier. The Chandrayaan is all hyped up as a great leap of India into the outer space, and also this is an exploration that is eagerly awaited and watched about by the scientific fraternity across the globe.

The mission Chandrayaan I is starting tomorrow. This is an exclusively made in India mission that is projected to find out truth over the myths about moon, our own satellite.

Though Moon is our closest celestial element, he is reachable only after crawling 384,400 kms in a no-air condition. He has in him, visibly, all answers from the formation of our solar systems to why no life is possible outside earth etc. He can also be a help to us, if we plan to use him as a base to venture outside earth’s gravitational pull.

Baring only four other nations, no one has ever attempted a trip to moon. And India, with this historic trip, will become a scientifically complete nation that has gone away from earth too.

Well…. To enable us to reach to moon, we should be equipped enough to receive his call from 4 lakh kms. Any “artificial” signal would weaken itself if it travels such a far in distance. The receiver must be strong enough, and the place we receive them, must be entirely free from any other radiation. In that view, ByaalaLu is tailormade location for this historical entagle of moon’s voices with our own.

I made a trip to Manchanabele recently, and was surprised to find two huge antennae en route, at an abandoned location. On returning home, and browsing a bit, I found the real intensions of those antennae. They were ready to speak with moon, and so are Indians. We are all waiting with bated breath, for that moment of talking to our erstwhile, ageless, best friend, Chandamaama.

Well…. All the very best.... wishes to my country men who are on the verge of this historic fete.

You believe in coincidences? Then it must be a celestial coincidence…. There is a junction near ByaalaLu, which joins roads from Magadi, Bangalore and Manchanabele. That junction is known as Chandrappa circle, named after some kind person who lived in that area. And now ……. what happens tomorrow is…we’ll speak with the real Chandrappa from the Chandrappa circle…?? That’s an eerie coincidence?!! Hahhahaaha!!

Navaratri Namaskara

Hi all, Sorry for being away for so long.... and let me not delay any more....


Here are the wishes for a wonderful Vijayadashami to each and everyone.
Let the divine Mother bless everyone of her sons and daughters with Prosperity and Happiness.


Lets celebrate the Vijaya Dashami here, at this Backbencher's corner with a visit to a stunning temple dedicated to the Holy Mother Saraswati.


To be straight, it is not common to worship Mother Saraswati in her original form. She is being worshipped across the nation in many forms like Sharada, Brahmi, Vagdevi and Maha Mayi. But as Saraswati.... there is no one temple that is dedicated to the Saraswati element of Mother.


In every home, every village Saraswati pooja is celebrated during the Navaratris. It was common for us to conduct Saraswati pooja just before our final exams during our school days. Yet, there is no one 'ancient' temple that is purely a dedicated to her! I had just known about one destroyed Saraswati temple at Hampi.


Wait... that was what I knew until I stumbled upon the name Koothanur while planning a trip to the Navagraha temples. Koothanur has an ancient, wonderful, huge temple dedicated to Mother Saraswati. Goddess here attracts thousands of devotees since this is the only known ancient temple of Saraswati. This temple is none less than a discovery for me!


The Idol has an effervescent smiling face asif the kindness has embodied before us. Amrita Kalasha, Chakra in the upper hands, with lower left hand holding a book and the right showing the Abhaya Chinmudra. The right upper hand holds an Akshamala as well, as a mark of alphabets(from A to KSHA). She has compassion filled eyes, with a Jnana Chakshu situated at Ajnachakra. She sits majestically on a lotus in Padmasana adorned with a white silk saree.

Koothanur or Poonthottam is a small, serene, beautiful village on the banks of Arasalar river. The Goddess here is magnetic in nature and is attributed to many a miracles like dumb people gaining their speech, illustriously ordinary person gaining higher levels of knowledge to become a great poet in Tamil, etc... all by the grace of this divine Mother.


Saraswati idol also holds a veena between her lower hands. This denotes the supremacy she behodls over all the arts. Veena is a divine instrument that represents a human body. One who masters the Veena gets nearer to divinity. Saraswati's veena vadana is supposed to be of the highest order, and the resonance to which causes one to attain divine powers. Many musicians have emerged from this village is an illustration that the whole area is filled with Saraswati's magical powers.


Since Saraswati is the Mother of all knowledge, all arts, in this temple people offer the Mother with sevas in different arts. Every evening there would be musical concerts, every day there would be Vedic chants filling the air with a spiritual vibration. The Dramas, bharata natyam etc are performed occasionally too. Navaratri is the time of annual fest here, Vijayadashami being a grand celebration.


The shops outside the temple sells pes, slates, books etc which can be bought to offer at the feet of Mother Saraswati and take back for personal use after the worship here. It is said that on Vijayadashami day alone 100s of children get initiated with their Aksharabhyasa here. Students offer pens, and books here, and worship the Goddess. Later they carry back the pens to be used in their examinations. It enhances their chances in the exams, it is said.


So, friends, let me make it more clear... This is the only known Saraswati temple that has about more than 1000 years of history. Koothanur is a sleepy village that lies on the banks of Arasalar river on the highway connecting Mayilaudurai and Thiruvarur. It lies in Thiruvarur district of Tamilnadu, at about 20 Kms distance from the district headquarters, Thiruvarur. It is at about 25 KMs distance from the famous Shani Sthala, Thirunallar in Pondicherry.


Though not known to many, this temple stands out with its particular set of visitors and devotees. Hats off to the teple management who have preserved the sanctity of this place to this day so that devotees feel the Love of divine Mother and feel blessed.


Come Lets visit such a divine world, and be blessed by Mother Saraswati.

The taste of India

click on the image for higher resolution

@disclaimer: I have not compiled picture, but received it as a forwarded message. Thought of sharing it. If you happen to be the creator of this, please let me know.

A marriage beyond all the conservativisms and cultural barriers

A christian, native of America, born and brought up there, fell in Love with an Indian girl hailing from a conservative family. He met her at work.

He followed her all the way to India, and was successful in convincing her parents to get her hand in marriage. Only condition of her parents was that the marriage happens in the Indian style!

He went back to USA, got his parents to India, and the marriage preperations were started.

Meanwhile his friends, wellwishers and neighbours got interested in this strange tie of cultures and booked their flights directly to India. All in all 17 families discented in Bangalore for this extravaganza.

The curiosity they all had for the culture of this land finally turned to Love, looking at the affection locals showered on them. They prepared for the wedding as if it is a celebration of this new found affection.

The Hindu bride was busy shopping sarees for not only her, but also to her in laws and their friends. Her to be husband was to be coronated to brahminism officially with the thread ceremony just before the marriage.

All went well, the groom and his party had a definitive plans to attend the marriage with utmost interest and were fully prepared to patiently follow each and every aspect of the Indian marriage.

The bride's family was nervous on the other hand; this was not only a question of the prestige of the family at stake, but also that of the country at stake! They took cautious steps in arranging for everything related to the marriage. They contacted a host of vedic exponents to learn about what sorts of procedures to be followed, what was the plan in place in sacred texts etc. And every thing was set right in time and the marriage was perfectly organised.

Right from the brilliant fusion of Nadaswara orchestra to the vedic chants mesmerised the visitors. The luncheon contained carefully chosen menu prepared by the best in the business. But not sure how much it appaled the visitors, since they came from a differnt fooding culture. Yet, they all praised the quality of food to be the best.

And the wedding contained all the ceremonies that is performed in a usual south indian marriage; the visitors participating in every thing patiently, and smilingly of course.

Now coming to the point... the "moral of the story" is, the Hindu community is changing, and changing to open itself to that dawn which never sets.

What makes me say so:

• A few centuries ago, Indians had never known of any conversions.
• A few decades ago, there was no conversions to Hinduism.
• Once converted away from Hinduism, there was no question of behaving with that person normally, lest taking him back in to its fold.
• Once the conversion to another religion happened, Hindus would not even consider drinking a drip of water from his hands!
• Even if the convert doesn't eat beaf, nor touch the non vegetarian food, he would be considered a taboo from the society.
• The converts were made to feel neither belong to here, nor to there, and end their lives in the confused state of faith, hatred and sagacity.

Such a community waking up to accepting and allowing 'others' to have a feel of its divine practices....is something miraculous. The good thing about the whole stuff here is that it happened in the Brahman community which is the most conservative of all the internal communities in Hinduism!

I totally appreciate the brave initiative by the groom and her family to honour the real essence of the Vedic living, the "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam"!

Could this well be a beginning of a change that was in waiting for a long time to take place or are the people gaining proper senses to live life like its sacred texts, finally?

Hampi...... sad tale of a world heritage site

Hampi brings back a bunch of memories, memories of great pride, and some, of sadness. Happy memories of a thought that such a huge celebration of life ever existed; sad memories of inhibited imperial brains destroying such a wonder, both run in our minds when we think back about Hampi.

Today, Hampi is a graveyard of an infinite energy that hides more than what it displays. The huge perpetuation of the stony marvels here are a testimony to our greatly famed heritage.

The monuments that are available to us are a treasure for researchers, history enthusiasts from across the globe. They provide an open museum to the enthusiasts and teach about an interesting and one of the most important phases in Indian history. These monuments are no more 'Hindu' monuments, but are more of National in nature.

Such precious and priceless monuments are today orphaned and are being vandalised. Last weekend there was a disturbing report of a few idols being fractured by some idiotic degage rascals. There were reports of young visitors roaming around the streets of Hampi drenched in the shall of drugs, alcohol and open sex.

Hampi’s sanctity is at a high risk today. The world heritage sites at Hampi are under a threat of losing out again to the carnal pleasures of its fancied visitors. Any attack on Hampi is an attack on the integrity of the country; it’s a direct attack on the virtues of Hinduism.

Today, young men from Kashmir are said to be involved in drug peddling, secretive terrorist activities, cases of infidelity among others. There were arrests also of a few of them in the regard.

Today, some of the Hindu temple monuments have been occupied and turned into dargahs off late. The popular ‘Purandhara mantapa’, from where Sri Purandhara Dasa contributed immensely to Karnataka classical music, is today used for cooking the beef!

The history will never forgive us if we lose out these ancient, priceless monuments for the heck of a small money, pleasure or pride. We need a mechanism to safeguard them and feel proud of at least having them in our history.

A visit to Hampi is like reading a huge history book; is like traveling to the past in a time machine. I sure hope we, as a community come to our senses fast and educate ourselves of the pristine value each of these monuments, idols hold. And I also wish and hope that we do preserve them to gift our next generations this enormous beauty of heritage value.

I stronly urge the respective departments to take corrective and preventive measures to ensure these monuments are practically protected.

JAI HIND

Also Read :

1. My Hampi experience.

೨. ಹಂಪಿಯ ಕುರಿತ ನನ್ನ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಲೇಖನಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ಕಿಸಿ.